age. Again,
you were in Starfleet longer than we have been alive.
I am also concerned about the fact that up until a few weeks ago, you had been out of the service for more than two years. Whatever the mission is, itâs obviously dangerous. I, for one, would like to know that you are up to it.â Her tone was even, with theslightest challenge in it. Fuller knew that Ensign McCalmon was from the Guana province of Earth. She had received high marks in virtually all areas of her training.
Parmet and Jawer seemed mortified. âSirââ Parmet began, but Fuller silenced him with a wave.
âItâs a fair question. And we have to settle any issues quickly because we will be leaving in a few hours. By way of an answer, I will release my recertification and fitness scores to you. Will that satisfy you, Ensign?â
She gave him a thin smile. âWell, I havenât seen the scores yet.â
âFair enough. In the meantime, I canât tell you much about our mission, but I can tell you this much right now: itâs a rescue operation of Federation citizens held prisoner in Klingon space.â
There was a collective gasp from the group. âWeâre really going into Klingon space?â
âYes, a small group of civilians are being held captive by Klingon cargo haulers. Our job is to go in and get them out.â
âIs that all, sir?â McCalmon asked wryly.
âThatâs all for today,â Fuller replied. He could see the questions on their faces and held up his hand. âAnd thatâs all I can tell you for now, but I wanted you to know that much to prepare yourselves mentally for what weâre going to have to do. Weâll be leaving soon, but weâre still working out the particulars of the mission.â
The group nodded and seemed satisfied with his explanation, which was something. It was even true, to a point. They
were
leaving in a few hours and there
were
still details to work out. The problem was that
all
the details still had to be worked out. They didnât evenhave the beginning of a plan to accomplish the mission.
Fuller had an idea, but he didnât think the captain was going to like it. No, correction, he knew that Captain Kirk was going to hate it.
âIâm going to meet with the captain and Commander Giotto now. I will see you all in the mission briefing in thirty minutes. Dismissed,â Fuller said, and the squad headed for the door. As they left, he watched their faces. They were nervous. Hell, they would be fools if they werenâtâbut they were looking at him with confidence, especially Parmet and Jawer. But instead of buoying Fuller, those looks cut at him.
They would be depending on him to get them through, but the odds on this sort of mission were damned high. The chances were excellent that they wouldnât all make it back, even if they succeeded in their primary objective.
Of course, first things first. Right now, he had a plan to sell to the captain.
When the captain entered the briefing room with Spock, McCoy, Giotto, and Scott, Fuller was already there. They sat quickly, and Kirk turned to Giotto and said, âDoes security have a proposal?â
âYes, sir. Itâs Mister Fullerâs. Iâll let him explain it,â Giotto said, gesturing to Fuller, who immediately stood.
âThe first and most important suggestion is that my team take care of this situation, without having the
Enterprise
cross the Klingon-Federation border.â
âWhat?â the doctor said, expressing the surprise that registered on all the faces but Spockâs.
âFor a number of reasons, including the very seriouspossibility that this may be a trap designed to catch the
Enterprise
or another starship on the Klingon side of the border.â Fuller waited for a moment for that to sink in. Of course, everyone at the table knew that the Klingons had set a trap twenty-five years ago at Donatu V. They had