Back Into The Action
Posted on Mon Oct 20th, 2025 @ 7:22am by Captain Taiga Aisaka & Lieutenant JG Kurumi Hatanaka & Commander Thomas Johnson & Commander Chisato Nishikigi & Lieutenant Commander Talia Johnson & Lieutenant Jasad Yuvek & Lieutenant Nezuko & Lieutenant Nyxala Valentine
Edited on on Mon Oct 20th, 2025 @ 7:23am
2,145 words; about a 11 minute read
Mission:
The Return
Location: USS Tokyo Bridge
Timeline: February 17, 2397
Captain's Log.
It's been three weeks since the events of Amerind and the declaration of war against the Iconians. Its... not going well. Their ships are impossible to track. Their gateway technology can be opened anywhere at any time, that gives then a huge advantage.
They are mobing fast too. The Federation has lost seven planets to the Iconians. The Klingons have reported losing three, and the Romulans have lost four. Starfleet predicts casualties in the tens of millions on all sides. We have yet to hear from the other powers, however it seems they are attacking indiscriminately.
The repairs to the Tokyo are finished and we have been assigned patrol and defense duty of Starbase 234 and the sector. A small task force of ships have been assigned to this sector under command of Rear Admiral Tempest.
We head out on our security patrol this morning at 0900. Morale is low, but getting back out into space is just what we need. I just hope that the tides of this war turn and we find a way to combat those Heralds. If we don't find a defense soon, it is unclear how long the entire galaxy will survive...
[Bridge USS Tokyo]
Tag all - Its been 3 weeks in character. - Preparing to depart, inner monologues etc.
Hardly any words were exchanged between the Alpha & Beta shifts as one crew left and was replaced by the next- no pleasantries, no small talk, just business. Practically everyone was on edge these days, going about their duties the best they could while trying to ignore the dark shadow that loomed over them- a grim reality that no one was eager to face, let alone accept.
Lieutenant Yuvek sat at his helm station, running through pre-departure checks with methodical precision. The console responded cleanly now - every system nominal, every thruster calibrated perfectly. It should have been reassuring. But his mind lingered on three weeks of reports. Seven Federation worlds lost. Tens of millions dead.
I was seven years old when the Dominion turned on Cardassia, he thought. Hualan burned for weeks.
The Federation had barely survived that war, even with the wormhole closed. And now they faced an enemy that needed no reinforcements, no supply lines - just gateways that could open anywhere.
Lieutenant Yuvek had gone over every tactical report during their repair time. Starfleet's few "victories" were marginal at best - ambushes, lucky shots, desperate sacrifices that bought evacuation time. Nothing strategic. Nothing repeatable. Just survival bought with blood and fortune.
But nothing felt routine anymore. Every sensor contact made his hands tense on the controls. Every subspace fluctuation could be the precursor to a purple gateway opening.
Intelligence had been super busy, all of Starfleet's reports and enemy fleet movements were being fed to the Tokyo's intel station. After a long shift, Kurumi's head was starting to nod.
"Kurumi-Chan?"
"Huh..." Kurumi said looking back sleepily.
Glancing up, she was greeted by the sight of Chisato hovering over her, a warm, motherly glint in her eyes and her hands clasped around a steaming mug of (what smelled like) hot chocolate.
"Why don't you get some rest, Kurumi-Chan?" Chisato politely recommended as she gently pressed the mug into Kurumi's hands. "I think I can take this from here."
"Probably a good idea." Kurumi said as she took the mug and handed the station over to Chisato. "I'm going to need a week of sleep..." she commented as she made her way towards the turbolift.
Chisato watched her go before letting out a sigh as she assumed the vacant seat.
"You and me both..."
Lieutenant briefly watched Kurumi's departure toward the turbolift, noting the exhaustion in her movements. As Chisato settled into the intelligence station with her mug of hot chocolate, he couldn't help but comment.
"A week of sleep," he said dryly, not looking up from his console. "Optimistic estimate. At this rate, we'll all be running on caffeine and spite by next week." he said as his fingers continued their methodical dance across the helm controls.
"Though I suppose hot chocolate is as good a fuel source as any when reviewing reports of planetary annihilation." The sardonic edge in his voice was unmistakable.
"How many worlds lost in today's briefings? Or have we stopped counting individual planets and moved to whole sectors yet?" he asked.
"Cross your fingers and hope it's none, Lieutenant," Chisato replied with a faint smile.
Yuvek let out a short, humorless breath that might have been a laugh. "Hope," he repeated, his pale eyes still fixed on his console. "Yes, that's been working wonderfully so far."
His fingers continued their work across the helm controls without pause. "I'll add it to my tactical calculations. Right between 'emergency evasive patterns' and 'futile gestures.'"
He glanced briefly at Chisato, his ridged features carrying a weary cynicism. "Let me know how that works out for you, I'll keep plotting escape routes." Without waiting for a response, he returned his full attention to his station, the faint edge of dark humor fading back into professional focus.
“Important to be hopeful,” Nezuko said, her console speaking for her. “Hopelessness is not sustainable.”
"And make sure we've got everything set up for emergency surgery and I want Benson on triage, he's not the best, but he's got the nerve to make the tough decisions." Nyx said to the nurse that had accompanied her to the bridge, where she felt would be the best choice until she was needed down in her own area of expertise.
The doors of the bridge opened and out of them waddled Captain Aisaka. Now Thirty four weeks pregnant, she hardly noved fast anywhere these days and even in her current condition, she refused to give up her command duties.
Slowly she made her way across the bridge and lowered herself down into the center chair. "Status report. Are we good to head out on the security patrol?"
"All systems read ready Captain." Thomas replied as he handed her a padd. "I have been meaning to talk with you since we got back."
Taiga took the PADD and held it in her lap. "Sure, what's up?"
"We are going to have to soon discuss your leave, you have vacation time coming up." Thomas replied he wasn't going to full out say what he would know the Captain would realize what he was talking about.
"I'll take time off once this war is over with." Taiga stated simply. "We need every officer at their best if we stand a chance of survival." She told him with a faint smile. "There's no need to worry about me."
"An overworked Captain, is no good for the crew or the baby... Remember what we talked about earlier in your pregnancy. I don't know how to put it mildly, but, you have lost one... I won't sit back and let you lose another because you refused to rest." Thomas replied in a tone so low, most people wouldn't hear it.
"Word from the SCE is that hull number NCC-91104 has been completed ahead of schedule and is set to be delivered to Admiral Tempest's task force later this week," Chisato reported from her station. "Provided that the Heralds don't manage to intercept it before it gets here, it should help in bolstering our carrier presence in the sector."
"That should help out a lot." Taiga replied. "Take us out Jased."
"Aye, Ma'am" Lieutenant responded. "Helm response time optimal - thruster control within acceptable tolerances, warp drive standing by." His fingers moved to the next system check almost compulsively. "Automated emergency protocols loaded and ready. All backup navigation systems online."
He glanced at the course projection one more time, then at the sensor grid overlay showing empty space ahead. "All systems nominal, Captain. Ready to proceed on your order.
“Ship is under own power,” Nezuko’s voice program reported.
"Sickbay is all set up for whatever we come across, ma'am." Nyx had spent the last week running drills and even pulling in one more qualified physician, though the Ensign was still brand new to being IN Starfleet as a commissioned officer, much less on a ship that could be going into harm's way.
Moments later Talia arrived on the bridge, she and Thomas had managed to get their long awaited honeymoon, but after a lovely week together things had gone somewhat pear shaped thanks to her blood pressure. Having spent a good two weeks off her feet resting she’d been given permission for light duties only. Walking over to her seat she gave Thomas a guilty look. “I know, light duties, I’m just going to sit here.”
"Make sure you do just that." Thomas replied with a serious look.
"Take us out of spacedock. We're to patrol the outer edges of the sector and watch for any enemy activity." Taiga ordered. She looked at the alert status indicator, it felt so long since it had been on 'green' as the Tokyo had been at Yellow Alert since the declaration.
"When you are free Captain, we can meet in your ready room." Thomas replied, "Perhaps the counsellor here can accompany if need be."
Lieutenant Yuvek's hands moved across his console with deliberate precision, each input more careful than necessary. The familiar motions helped - checking thruster alignment, verifying inertial dampener calibration, confirming docking clamp release sequences. Tasks he could control. Numbers that made sense.
"Aye, Captain," he responded, his voice steady. "Requesting departure clearance from Starbase 234 operations."
"Clear of spacedock," he reported, already inputting the next sequence. "Bringing impulse engines online. Setting course for sector perimeter, standard patrol route Charlie-Seven." His hands hesitated for just a fraction of a second before continuing. "ETA to patrol zone, forty-two minutes at one-quarter impulse."
Focus on the procedure. One step at a time. Don't think about what's waiting out there. Jasad thought to himself.
The Ops console beeped urgently, drawing Nezuko’s attention, as well as glances from others around the bridge. “Distress signal.”
"On speakers," Taiga sat shifting forward to sit upright in her seat.
"This is the Medical Ship Denmark to any available ships! Mayday! We're under attack by Herald raiders! Shields have failed! We're being boarded! Help us! Please! We have two thousand crew and patients aboard... Help! Oh god... They're here... Defend the bridge..." the transmission cut off as phaser fire could be heard along with the screams from the crew.
"Red alert! Get a fix on the Denmark!" Taiga ordered. "Intercept course now! Maximum warp!"
"Mission logs indicate that the Denmark had been assigned to assist in the evacuation of Nequencia Alpha," Chisato reported with a look of concern."If their shields have already been breached, Captain, we may not get there in time."
"If I remember rightly, the Denmark is an Olympic Class Hospital Ship." Taiga said. "She'll likely have limited weapons. She's not built for combat." She added. "Jased, push those engines. Get us there as fast as possible."
Talia gave Thomas a worried look, they’d talked about both their concerns whilst on honeymoon til they were out of words now they were being tossed straight into harms way.
The screams and phaser fire from the transmission still echoed in his mind as he worked. Two thousand crew and patients. A hospital ship.
"Course laid in," he reported, his voice clipped and professional even as his fingers flew across the helm controls. His hands remained poised over the helm controls, ready to make any adjustments needed. Push the engines. As if I haven't already pushed every system to its limit. But he kept that thought to himself and focused on shaving every possible second off their arrival time.
"Johnson to medical, prepare to receive patients... a lot of them... hopefully." Thomas said over the intercom. Hoping for a lot of patients was not something what normally would be said, but in this instance... any survivors would be welcome. "Can you help prepare, not do anything just help delegate. Commander Johnson."
Talia nodded. “I can do that.” Getting up from her seat she headed for the turbolift, one thing she could do whilst not overdoing it, was help with pointing any survivors to where they needed to be. She gave Thomas a smile as she entered the lift hoping she wouldn’t just be in the way.
Minerva was already in the turbolift waiting for Talia, "I'll make sure she's all settled in Commander, it'll free up one of my own people to assist with the patients themselves. Computer, deck 4." The turbolift doors closed in front of them and they were gone.
To be continued...
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