“For he who fights and runs away
May live to fight another day;
But he who is in battle slain
Can never rise and fight again.”

Oliver Goldsmith. 1761.

The ship was coming apart at the seams.

Commander Daniel Talland knew this as he sat uncomfortably in the command – chair of the stricken USS Valley Forge as the Excelsior II – class Heavy Cruiser made best speed for the relatively safety of the Antaari – Nebula and Daniel (with his background in the classics at Oxford) couldn’t help but remember that apt line from Shakespeare’s ‘King Henry IV’, that felt mordantly appropriate as he inhabited the command of his leader that had challenged insurmountable odds at great personal sacrifice, only to fall.

“Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.” Daniel mouthed regretfully, feeling the absence of his CO and friend even more keenly now that the was burdened solely with the weight of responsibility her absence had left to him.

“Commander?” spoke Ensign Yevgeny Kirov at his side, breaking the XO from his reverie. Daniel looked up from his dolorous contemplation, having quite forgotten that the young Ukrainian Ops officer was there.

As Talland looked around the bridge, with its battered crew striving to bring the vessel’s shattered systems into a semblance of control – as they desperately fled from the dominating ISS Albion, Dan knew that he must put his own fears aside.

This crew had been thrust into a paradoxical and terrifying alternate – universe, had been attacked by forces that had ostensibly been considered friendly at first glance (that proved to be decidedly not – so) and had seen their shipmates, along with their Captain – torn from the bridge before their eyes and left to terminally consider a fate of certain death.

But, somehow, Sam Hyland had managed to pull off another unlikely miracle. The captain’s wild plan in igniting the trailing warp – plasma by polarizing the ship’s hull plating and betting that the next salvo of weapons fire from the Terran Empire attacker – would initiate a resulting energetic release – that could jump-start the warp core – was a gambit somewhere between inspired genius and savant – madness.

The ploy had worked (although Daniel was pretty sure that the Bussard collectors and warp manifolds on the nacelles had suffered near – critical damage in the process) and the Valley Forge had managed to generate and sustain a stable warp field. That it had done to in such close proximity to the encroaching Inquiry – class Cruiser and not torn both vessels apart at the intersection of the warp – bubble enclosure – was nothing short of an abject miracle.

The real cost of these events, however, was writ plain upon the faces of the crew – for a Commander with the wit to notice and appreciate its true impact.

The crew was wounded, frightened, lost and hunted. But the real danger was that they were now leaderless. Daniel knew that there was only one course of action to take, but it was one that left him with a heavy heart.

“Ensign Kirov.” Commander Talland spoke with strength and surety, making sure all of the officers aboard the bridge could hear him.

“Sir?” Yevgeny replied.

“Time please?”

There was a slight pause, then the ever – efficient young operations officer confirmed.

“It’s 07:44 hours, Commander.”

Daniel sat a little straighter in The Chair, opened up a ship-wide – hail and tried to project more confidence than he actually felt.

“Mr. Kirov, let the record show that at 07:44hrs, I – Commander Daniel Micheal Talland (Service Number: A726518a12) am assuming Command of the USS Valley Forge – in the absence of Captain Samantha Hyland, who is MIA and assumed captive by hostile forces of the Terran Empire and as such no longer able to discharge her duty to command this vessel. In the absence of 2nd Officer Lieutenant Commander Deassomi Dai – I nominate Lieutenant Savak, next in the chain of command, as Executive Officer in her stead. Please enter this into the ship’s log.”

He looked to Savak and the Security Chief nodded her assent.

Daniel closed the channel once more.

Silence hung across the bridge, nearly every crewmember had swiveled in their seats before their duty stations, to witness this portentous transfer of power (with the notable exception of Ensign Ellis Pennington – who was intent at the helm) and Ensign Kirov slipped briefly into his native Ukrainian tongue for a moment, before remembering himself and confirming.

“Так, командир…. I mean, yes Comma…. Yes Captain!”

Seizing the moment, Daniel addressed the Helmsman.

“Mr. Pennington – time to the Nebula?”

“Three minutes and counting Captain.” The young Risan confirmed, his attention intent upon ensuring that the Valley Forge was able to attain the relative safety of the Nebula, before the ISS Albion was able to recover her systems and mount a credible pursuit.

Daniel knew that the Inquiry – class vessel, if it’s operating parameters were any-way comparable to its contemporary in their own ‘Prime”- Universe, would have the distinct advantage, when it came to operating within the treacherous confines of a Stellar – Nebulae; whereas his own ship was effectively crippled and could just as easily be crushed by unpredictable gravimetric shear or the crew be cooked – alive by an unpleasant cocktail of attendant radiations.

The only levelling advantage was that the Terran Empire version of Captain Hyland, would be as effectively blind as they were going to be, when they entered the threshold of this turbulent storm in space.

Cold comfort indeed.

“Lieutenant Doucet? Time to contact for the enemy vessel?”, Daniel asked the Tactical Officer (deliberately calling them by their names, rather than by their titles, knowing that it was essential to ‘humanize’ and form a rapport with the crew during this difficult transitional time).

Of all the bridge crew (save perhaps Lieutenant Savak), the svelte, young Québécois officer seemed the least impacted by the trauma of recent events. Danaé Doucet had been wilderness – raised to be resilient against the trials of nature in her native Canada and her role as Chief Tactical Officer aboard the Valley Forge, meant that this unpretentious young woman was not in the habit of stepping down from a fight.

“The ISS Albion has regained power to her systems and has gone to warp in pursuit, Captain.” Danaé nodded as she interrogated what data she was able to glean from the heavily damaged targeting sensors. “Even though she’s faster than us and will close the gap more quickly, we should be able to enter the Nebula before she’s on us Sir.”

Doucet cocked her slim neck and shrugged noncommittally.

“Which is a good thing, À la fin de la journée, because I have nothing functional to fight them with Captain.”

Talland nodded, ~” Heavy Hangs the Crown, indeed” ~

“Very good Lieutenant. Let’s focus on getting to safety and then we will see what systems recovery we can prioritize.” He assured and opened up a hail to Engineering.

“Bridge to Engineering.” He spoke.

Assistant Chief Engineer Marcus Colby, like the ship he was desperately trying to hold together, sounded on the cusp of figurative and literally collapse.

“Engineering, go head Commander.”

“Marcus, I’m not going to waste your time demanding damage reports and estimates, you’ve got enough on your plate without paying court to me.” Daniel began reasonably.

“Much appreciated Sir, what can I do for you?” Colby thanked his new CO in a voice that sounded far older than his 32 years.

“Marcus, I assume that we can maintain warp until we reach the Nebula, but can we survive long enough to congratulate ourselves on our survival when we get there?”” Commander Talland asked with all due earnest.

The pause that ensued was telling.

“It’s belaboring the obvious Sir, but between the weapons damage and that little stunt we pulled to escape, quite frankly I’m surprised that we did start coming apart from the keel an hour ago.” The Assistant – Chief Engineer remonstrated with frank incredulity.

Daniel decided that it was healthy to let the Engineer vent something other than Warp – plasma – so did not interject, as Colby unburdened his stresses.

“This is likely to be our last Warp – transit for quite some while Sir.” The Engineer warned. “I couldn’t in all conscience permit that without taking the core offline and at least replicating a replacement set of Warp – coils. What we do have is fragged. Impulse – I could maybe give a quarter impulse, but I honestly cannot guarantee for how long. We’ve extensive hull damage and although emergency containment fields are holding – with the strain on what remains of EPS distribution – I wouldn’t advise leaning against one Commander.”

Talland linked his slim, brown fingers into a thoughtful steeple.

The truth had to be told, and it would do no good to sugar coat it and hide it from his people – but the balance of morale lay tenuously under this pendulous Sword of Damocles.

“Very good Chief.” Daniel assured and commanded, “We’ll have Dr Langah move what casualties that can be located and get OPS to set up redoubts in the Saucer Section, so we can close down what parts of the ship we can. Your team will have to remain in Engineering , of course. We’ll try and preserve what EPS demands we can, so you can prioritize restoring key systems – you have authority for what systems are most essential. Bridge out.”

Daniel was determined that Sam’s sacrifice would not be in vain. They were down, sure. They were hurting, undoubtedly – but the XO had faith in his crew. Starfleet had trained them well and he had personal faith that each and every one of them would rise to the challenge that presented itself – no matter how dire the odds might seem.

Sure now of his course of action, Talland opened the ship-wide hail once more.

“Crew of the USS Valley Forge, this is the Captain.” Never had the melliferous – English tones of the Executive Officer (now Commanding Officer) seemed more steadfast and stronger.

“I know that the events of the past few hours have been both confronting and have tested you all to the very limits of your resolve and ability. I know that some of you are confused. I know that some of you may be scared. And that’s all right – I’m scared too.”

“But we find ourselves in a place where fear is used to rule people. Fear is a weapon used to dominate and subjugate freedom and free will. But we are not from this place. We come from a place where fear is a not a tool to be used against others. Fear is an obstacle that we embrace together and overcome hand – in – hand. We face our fear because we care about the person working alongside us, we do not use that fear to amplify & widen divisions that threaten to drive us apart. We used our fear to unify our resolve. That is why we are different from our pursuers, that is why we will prevail.”

Around the bridge, exhausted as they were, the young officers were looking at each other – some with grim smiles forming, some reaching out to lay a reassuring hand on the person next to them. Daniel earnestly hoped that the same effect was translating through the rest of the ship.

“I intend to take us into the Antaari – Nebula and evade contact with the enemy vessel for as long as it takes to restore this ship and its systems to the point where we can take the fight back to those that would use our fear to destroy us. I intend to engage with the ISS Albion and mount a rescue attempt to take back our Captain and our lost crewmates. I intend to find a way back home and with your help – I intend to show the Terran Empire, in no uncertain terms – what it means to be STARFLEET !!!”

Yevgeny opened up the channel so they could hear the cheering coursing through the ship.

Daniel allowed himself a smile. Maybe they would get through this ordeal (somehow), after all?

His hopes were short-lived, however when Lieutenant Doucet suddenly exclaimed.

“Captain! Contact! Vessel decloaking three points of the Starboard bow! It appears to be a K’vort – class Bird of Prey – markings unknown!

Commander Talland felt his heart sink.

They were helpless. Their chances of survival had been predicated on flight from one attacker and hiding out between the chaotic energies of the Antaari – Nebula. Now – faced with an entirely new threat and caught between the two – those chances had dropped effectively to zero.

All of the bravado that he had managed to conjure up to buoy the hearts and resolve of his courageous crew, now seemed for naught and Daniel Talland felt his last tenuous vestiges of hope beginning to come apart at the seams.

“She’s hailing us Sir! “Yevgeny confirmed tensely from the Operations console.

Preparing himself for the inevitable, Daniel resolved to meet his fate with aplomb.

“Onscreen!’ He commanded, trying to keep the waiver from his voice.

The cracked and flickering viewscreen took a few seconds to resolve into a discernible image, but when it did, Daniel and all assembled on the crew were greeted by the incongruous sight of a tall, thin Cardassian Officer seated in the captain’s chair of the Klingon Vessel.

“USS Valley Forge, my name is Gul Yomat Ghallir, commander of the New Marquis Vessel “K’gik’Mor”. We stand by to render you and your ship assistance, but might I suggest that it may be better if we do so from the safety of the Nebula?”

The imposing grey Cardassian spoke with such wry, leaden authority and Daniel couldn’t help being confounded and astounded that (ostensibly at least) he found himself being addressed by a man he was more familiar with in relation to the True Way terrorist atrocities against the New Marquis in his own frame of existence. Not actually leading it!

But this wasn’t what really rendered Commander Daniel Talland speechless.

What managed to instill that sudden state of aphonic stupor was the two persons stood next to the Cardassian Gul, on the bridge of the Bird of Prey.

“Hello Daniel.” Smiled Lieutenant Commander Deassomi Dai (incongruously clad in civilian clothing) as she grinned over the uniformed Lieutenant Tani Isono, who flanked the Cardassian on his other side – equally alive and seemingly just as happy to be so.

Inarticulate, Daniel just gawped.

“Welcome to the Revolution!” Deassomi beamed.