Personal Log, Stardate 04.19.2402

Captain Kirok Skyrunner recording…

The USS Carlsbad is currently playing a game of hide-and-seek with a Vaadwaur patrol ship, who is gaining on us, as we both are orbiting an unexplored planet with a colony of 25,000 exBorg drones, who call themselves the Kyrennei. We are about to lose direct sensor contact with the runabout and with the Vaadwaur ship closing on us, I may have to adjust our orbit to remain hidden.

On a different note, the prospect of having former Borg drones and supposedly a battle task group consisting of a Cube, a Sphere, two Type 4 Assimilator class cruisers, and a few Scout type Probe ships is both exciting and frightening. When Unimatrix One complex was destroyed in the Delta Quadrant, Starfleet went on the assumption that all Borg died. I have managed to build a friendship with Kaelara, the colony’s main leader of 25,000 former drones, all willing to help fight the Vaadwaur invasion. The old saying of “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” comes to play here.

This risky plan that I hatched by sending the Admiral’s personal runabout, with both my First Officer and my Chief Engineer, who are both my best friends, to the debris field of the former ship USS Thunderdragon. Their mission there is to retrieve her flight data recorder, in the hopes of being able to retrieve critical information from it, and use it to fight the Vaadwaur, who have invaded not just Federation space, but the whole Alpha and Beta Quadrants, with extreme prejudice. Hopefully this new alliance with these former Borg drones and this risky salvage plan doesn’t bite me in the butt.

End Log Entry.

Captain Kirok Skyrunner sat in his command chair, watching the runabout fly across his viewscreen, from port to starboard, towards the debris field. He knows all he can do is wait and watch.

“Captain,” the helmsman asked.

Captain Skyrunner snapped out of his reverie and looked at the Ensign.

“Yes, Ensign?”

“We just cleared the planetary horizon sir. We lost direct sensor contact with the runabout. The Vaadwaur ship will catch up to us in 16 hours.”

Captain Skyrunner leaned slightly forward in his chair, his right hand cracking his chin, looking like he was lost in thought. Then he acted like a light bulb turned on over his head.

“I recall years ago, in one of my Academy Tactics classes I taught that there was a special maneuver that was mentioned about a ship positioning itself over a planet’s magnetic north pole that blinded an enemy ship,” Kirok said out loud.

“That is a good idea sir,” Lieutenant Tom Bradley, the ship’s Tactical Officer, mentioned. “However, being in that position will hide us from the Vaadwaur sensors, but the magnetic fields will also disrupt our sensors. We will have to shift the probes position so it is off the pole position. Then we can use it as our eyes and ears.”

Captain Skyrunner looked at his Tactical Officer for a moment, evaluating the risks. He slammed his fist on his arm rest, making his decision.

“Let’s do it. Helm, alter our orbit so that we can take a position over the planet’s north magnetic pole. Move that probe over just enough so it still stays hidden, but not enough to get detected. We need its eyes.”

“Aye sir.”

The USS Carlsbad, a sleek and agile starship, broke free from its previous orbit and shifted its trajectory, moving steadily galactic northward. The stars on the viewscreen twinkled like diamonds scattered across the velvet expanse of space as the ship’s advanced propulsion systems hummed to life.

As the Carlsbad traversed the vast emptiness, its instruments and sensors hummed with activity, gathering data on the location of where the Vaadwaur ship was doing and monitoring the planet below. The ship’s crew, seasoned veterans of countless missions with their previous commanding officer, monitored the ship’s systems with practiced ease, their eyes scanning the data streams and control panels with precision.

Finally, the Carlsbad reached its new position, coming to a precise stop over the north magnetic pole of the planet. The ship’s advanced gravitational compensators adjusted to the unique resonance of the planet’s magnetic field, stabilizing the vessel in its new orbit.

“We are in position over the north magnetic pole Captain,” the helm officer reported.

“Very well Helm. Are we still receiving data from the probe Lieutenant?”

Lieutenant Tom Bradley looked at his console, tapped a few keys, then looked at the Captain.

“Yes sir, we are still receiving data from the probe. The runabout is deep in the debris field. The salvation operation is currently underway sir.”

“Everything is going smoothly so far. Position of the Vaadwaur ship?”

Bradley checked his Tactical scanners, then reported. “They are still unaware of us and the runabout. However, they will clear the planet’s horizon in about four hours.”

“Very well. Lieutenant Bradley, you have the conn. I’ll be in Sickbay. Maintain current status.”

“Aye sir,” Bradley replied, staying at his station.

Captain Skyrunner left the Bridge and went to Sickbay to check on his wife. He wanted a minute from the tension on the Bridge and this situation they are stuck in. Knowing his wife is alive and safe has brought relief to him.

It took Kirok a few minutes to get to Sickbay. He walked in and saw that it was empty, except for his wife in a back bed in the Intensive Care Ward. The Thunderdragon’s Chief Medical Officer was on duty and saw the Captain enter Sickbay. Doctor Zorvath T’Koren reported on the medical condition of his wife.

“Good evening Captain. Captain Rodriguez, your wife, is recovering very well. She has always had a fast recovery rate. I think she is good enough to be discharged from Sickbay. She isn’t clear for duty yet, whatever duty post that will be since her…our ship, was destroyed. I’m grateful that your Chief Medical Officer has allowed me to serve under her on the USS Carlsbad.”

“Thank you doctor,” Kirok said to the doctor and walked over to where his wife was sitting on the edge of the biobed.

Kirok walked over to her and gently put his hand on her shoulder. She felt his touch and looked up at him, giving him a small smile.

“Hi honey,” she said. “The doctor said I can leave Sickbay but not cleared for duty yet.”

Kirok replied softly, “I know. He just told me too. Let me get you to your quarters.”

He offered her his hands to help her stand. She eased off the biobed and slowly stood on her own. After taking a minute to get her bearings, she started to walk towards the Sickbay doors. Kirok walked by Sophia’s side to her quarters. They went from Sickbay to Deck 3 and he led her to her quarters. They stopped and she looked at the name of the door, it said ‘Captain Kirok Skyrunner : Room 307’. Sophia looked at him.

“Babe, this is your quarters,” she said.

“No ‘Captain’, this is now ours now. My orders. Dinner?” Kirok told her, with a playful smile on his face as he led her inside.

“Sure, you cook ‘Captain’,” she said with the same playfulness.

She slowly walked to the table to sit down as he went to the replicator and ordered dinner for them. This was the perfect time to relax and unwind before the coming storm he felt was coming over the horizon.