Chapter Text
Star Trek: Full Speed Ahead
By Lord McCovey Cove
Episode Three: Damn the Torpedoes! Part III
NCC-60597 (USS Farragut)
En route to the Tristnor Research Facility
Stardate 43232.5
Main Bridge
The stars stretched long on the large main viewscreen on the bridge. Several hours at high warp from the Kasui fortress brought them to their waypoint, and the ship began to slow to sublight as it made the approach. Stars distorted by subspace returned to tiny points of light in the distance.
"Now entering the edge of sensor range of the facility, Captain," reported Lieutenant (jg) Gregory Aspinall. "We're approaching the position of the probe. Slowing to one-quarter impulse power."
Captain Krystine Leone accepted the information with a nod. "Wilson?"
Standing above her at the tactical station, Lieutenant Wilson Nieves reported, "I hold several contacts. The orbital facility, the minefield, and two vessels of similar design. I'd rate them as heavy cruisers in size."
"Tactical assessment?"
"Unless we find a way to manufacture more torpedoes, I'm afraid we will face extraordinary odds, sir."
"A cloaking device would've come in handy. Any thoughts on how we can approach the target, Mister Saleb?"
Saleb walked down the ramp from the engineering station and asked, "Is there any way to acquire more of your photon torpedoes, Captain? Perhaps your replicators?"
"Unfortunately, we're unable to replicate weapons, but we do have replacement warheads on board."
"I'm not sure I follow you, Captain."
She ignored him, instead ordering, "Tactical on main viewscreen."
Leone rose from her seat, eyeing the tactical display on the main viewscreen. "Wilson, collect the probe we launched and have it refitted for a warhead. In fact, start refitting all of our probes for warheads. How long?"
"Approximately three hours."
"That would give us...?"
Nieves paused as he checked the probe stores with a single command. "Eleven additional torpedoes."
"Very well, then," she said, placing her hands on her hips. "Greg, all stop."
Greg nodded. "Answering all stop, aye, aye, sir."
The captain's eyes never left the display. "People, we have to come up with a battle plan that'll require no more than twenty-five torpedoes."
Lieutenant Commander Ariel Elannis swiveled around from the operations console. "And here I thought you were going to ask us to do something difficult."
Leone smirked at her, but it didn't linger. In a stern tone, she addressed the bridge crew, "We need to be ready in less than three hours. Because by the time those probes are converted, we're going to take the fight to them."