“Malcolm?”
Malcolm
Reed’s head snapped up, surprised, at the sound of Jonathan Archer’s voice
interrupting his task. “Sir?”
“Problem,
lieutenant?” Archar asked with a smile
as he stepped into the armory.
“No,
sir. I was just working on a computer
program.”
Archer
stepped closer to the workstation Malcolm was seated at. “What kind of program?”
Reed
crossed his arms and smiled. “Well, sir,
after we encountered that Axanar ship, I began thinking about how Hoshi used
the Universal Translator to allow us to call for help. I began to wonder about a way to automate the
process. This program carried UT
programming to enter an alien computer, translate its data, and transmit it
back to us.”
Archer
frowned as he examined the code that flashed across the screen in front of
him. “Malcolm, this is a worm!” he said
with alarm.
“Yes,
sir.” Malcolm said, a bit of hurt in his voice.
“That was the only way I could get the program to create an access point
into the alien computer.” He pointed to
a section of code. “After gaining
access, the UT code translates the language, and transmits the data back to
us.”
“That’s
very interesting, lieutenant. Get with
Hoshi later and see if she can help you with implementation.”
Reed
nodded and started to turn back to the console.
“Aye, sir.”
“Right
now,” Archer said, “we have an appointment planetside.”
Reed
sighed. “The design meeting.”
Archer
nodded. “The design meeting. Trip and T’Pol are waiting for us in the
shuttlebay. Let’s go.”
T’pol,
the Vulcan science officer, and Charles “Trip” Tucker, the chief engineer,
stood in the comparatively cavernous shuttle bay waiting for Archer and
Reed. The two were a contrast is
moods. Tucker stood with his arms
crossed, his fingers beating a tattoo on his arm as he shifted from foot to
foot his eyes darting from the pod to the door of the shuttlebay. T’Pol stood almost perfectly still, her hands
clasped behind her back, with her gaze focused on the chief engineer.
“Agitation
is unproductive, Commander,” T’Pol said.
“I
am not agitated,” Tucker countered.
“We’re going to be late for our meeting with the designers.”
“They
requested the meeting,” T’Pol replied, “I doubt they will cancel it.”
“Every
minute we spend waiting, Sub-commander, is a minute we can’t spend designing
the next Warp-Five ship,” Tucker said, spinning to face the Vulcan, his hands
on his hips.
“Advising,
Commander. We are not designing the next
ship.”
Tucker
rolled his eyes. “I don’t even know why
you’re coming along. You won’t be able
to contribute, because the Vulcan High Command won’t let you help us!”
T’Pol
raised an eyebrow.
“She’s
coming along, Trip,” Archer interrupted as he entered the shuttlebay, “because
she has agreed to help us without compromising Vulcan security.”
“Sorry,
sir.” Tucker said, embarrassed. “I guess
I’m a little anxious. It’s not everyday
that you’re asked to contribute to the next starship design.”
“Well,
then, let’s not keep you waiting any longer,” Archer said as he started
climbing into the shuttlepod. He stopped
in mid step when a voice shouted from the doorway. “Captain!”
Archer
looked up as Hoshi Sato walked quickly across the room. “Problem, Ensign?”
“No,
sir. Permission to accompany you to the
surface, sir?”
“Any
particular reason, Hoshi?”
“One
of my old professors settled in Butler
City
“Welcome
aboard, Ensign. The more the
merrier. Right, Trip?” Archer asked with
a smile.
“As
long as we get to leave now,” Tucker replied as he followed the captain into
the shuttlepod.
“Captain’s
Log, July 17, 2152 . The Enterprise
“Captain
Archer! Welcome to Forward Supply Base
One. I’m the Manager, Charles Fowler.”
Fowler was tall and dark-haired, and wore a light green jumpsuit. He approached Archer with his hand
extended. He pumped Archer’s hand
enthusiastically. “It’s an honor to meet
you, captain. We’ve been following your
progress since you left Earth.”
“Thank
you, Mr. Fowler. It’s a pleasure to meet
you.” Archer introduced his staff, and
Fowler shook everyone’s hand, except T’Pol.
To her, Fowler raised his hand in the Vulcan Salute. “Live long and prosper, sub-commander.”
“Live
long and prosper, Mr. Fowler,” T’Pol replied.
“I
wasn’t expecting Ensign Sato,” Fowler said as he smiled at the communications
officer.
“Actually,”
Hoshi said, “I just hitched a ride. I
have a friend in Butler City
“Won’t
your friend be surprised to see you?
Would you like transport into town?”
“Actually,”
Hoshi said as a smile spread across her face, “I think I already have one.”
“Hoshi!”
a woman’s voice cried across the reception area. “Hoshi!”
Hoshi
broke into a run to embrace an older woman wearing a lavender outfit. Her hair was salt and pepper gray. “Dr. Perez!
It’s so good to see you!”
“It’s
Ruth, now Hoshi,” Perez said as she held her young friend where she could look
at her. “It’s been ages, and you are so
beautiful!”
“Ruth,”
Hoshi whined as she blushed. “Come meet
the captain.” She grabbed the older
woman by the hand and led her over to the Enterprise
staff. Hoshi introduced everyone. After the greetings, Hoshi excused herself
and followed her mentor towards the transport tube station.
“Well,
captain,” Fowler said, “if you’ll follow me, we can get our discussions
underway.”
“She’s
no Enterprise
“True,
commander, but then, there is only one of her,” Fowler agreed.
“What’s
the timeline, Commander Fitzsimmons?” Archer asked.
Commander
Ashley Fitzsimmons was a medium sized woman with brown hair pulled tightly into
a bun. She stood beside a large
viewscreen at on end of Fowler’s office, a padd in her hand. She consulted her padd, then said, “Design
approval is expected in six months.
Within ten months, the final design should be completed, and we can have
the keel laid by late 2154. We expect a
building time of 36 months.”
“That
is an ambitious plan,” T’Pol commented.
“If I am not mistaken, construction of Enterprise
“We
were also building a new engine, sub-commander,” Archer reminded her. “Before long, we’ll be spitting starships out
of Spacedock one a month.”
“And
with your input, Captain Archer, and your crew’s, of course, we will be able to
make even better time.”
Fowler’s
face darkened. “If we can keep our
computers up.”
“Is
there a problem, Mr. Fowler?” Archer asked.
“It’s
probably nothing, captain, but it is certainly annoying.” Fowler leaned back in his chair, tossing his
padd onto his desk. “When Star Fleet
decided to have you stop by and consult on the designs, they transferred the
design task force here. It was a bit
spur of the moment, but we got them set up and they even had their own
dedicated computer system. Brand
new. But we keep losing the memory.”
“The
memory is erased?” T’Pol asked.
“Every
bit of it. Fortunately we have had back
ups on hand, but it is still annoying to have to keep restoring our data.”
T’Pol
and Archer exchanged glances. “Would you
like our science officer to have a look.
She knows her way around a computer.”
“If
it wouldn’t be an imposition,” Fitzsimmons said.
“None
at all,” T’Pol assured her.
“Is
there any evidence of sabotage, Mr. Fowler?” Reed asked.
“No
one but authorized personnel have been in the design offices,” Fowler
said. “First thing we checked.”
Fitzsimmons
interrupted. “But let’s not forget why
you and your crew is here, Captain Archer.
I have some questionnaires and forms for each of you to help me fill
out.”
“While
Lieutenant Reed and Sub-Commander T’Pol take a look around, Trip and I will be
glad to answer your questions.”
Tucker,
whose attention had never wavered from the padd in front of him, said, “Whose
idea was it to put the engine room next to shuttle bay. A warp core leak’ld spread to the shuttles,
causing their cores to blow. Let me tell
you, Cap’n, this one’s a firecracker.”
Hoshi
Sato stood by a large bay window that overlooked Butler
City Mt.
Marcy
Hoshi
turned back to her host and once again admired the house. Hoshi’s taste leaned more towards the modern,
but she detected several older pieces—a Louis XIV setee, and, hanging on the
wall, a black disk Hohsi recognized as a record. She remembered that plaque, a record from
Zephram Cochrane’s jukebox in Montana . “Shake, Rattle, and Roll,” was the
title. “You have a wonderful home,”
Hoshi said as she sat down.
“Thank
you. When Roger surprised me with his
plan to move to New Paris, I was afraid we’d live in a hovel. But Roger had signed on as chief engineer,
and was able to get his pick of the properties available.” Perez sat and poured tea for the two of them.
“I
will admit, it was a bit of a surprise to hear that you had moved out
here. I thought you would stay in San
Francisco forever.”
Perez
laughed. “I did too. But Roger’s enthusiasm was contagious. And before long, I was a eager to get her as
he was.” She sipped her tea. “It took us three years to get here. Butler
City
“Roger
must have been proud.”
Perez
beamed. “He was Giddy, Hoshi, like a
child with a new toy.” Perez fell
silent.
Hoshi
cleared her throat softly. “I’m
sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.”
Perez
wiped away a tear, and reached across the table to pat Hoshi on the knee. “You didn’t upset me, Hoshi. It’s only been eight months. Although I am almost over his passing, every
time I look out that window, I see what Roger touched.” She took a sip of tea. “I am thinking about drapes,” she said in an
effort to defuse the mood.
“It
is an awe-inspiring view.” Hoshi said.
Perez
sat back in her chair. ”So tell me,
Hoshi, what’s it like to be on the Enterprise
Hoshi
took a sip of her tea and began to compose her thoughts. Where could she begin?
Six
hours later, Hoshi wandered into the Enterprise
“You
seem rather absorbed, Ensign.”
Hoshi
jumped at the sound of Dr. Phlox’s voice.
“I
am sorry, Ensign. I didn’t mean to
startle you.”
“It’s
all right, Doctor. I was thinking.”
Phlox
settled opposite Hoshi and placed his tray, heaping with food, in front of
him. “How did your visit with your
friend go?”
Hoshi
smiled. “Amazingly well. She has gotten along very well since her
husband died. And she seems quite happy
on New Paris. And she has a beautiful
home.”
“That’s
wonderful,” Phlox said.
Hoshi’s
smile faded. “I guess it is.”
“If
everything went so well, Ensign, why are you so deep in thought?” Phlox asked
as he ate.
“She
invited the staff down for dinner tomorrow night.”
Phlox
nodded. “I can see why you are
troubled. I will try to be on my best
behavior.”
Hoshi
did a double take. Then she smiled. “That’s not the problem,” she said. “I don’t know how to approach the
Captain. He is so busy with the Daedelus
project, that I don’t know if he’ll have the time . . .”
“I
think the Captain would be amenable to the invitation,” Phlox said. “Everyone needs to relax once in a while.”
Hoshi
looked at him.
“Should
I meet you at the shuttlepod at 1700 hours tomorrow?” he asked.
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