Post Number: 262 *Delta Quadrant...here we come"

Posted on Tue May 13th, 2025 @ 3:40am by Captain Marius Pontmercy

891 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: Secrets

On:

Captain Marius G. Pontmercy stood at the center of the command deck, hands clasped behind his back, watching the last of the evacuation shuttles dock through the massive viewports. The hum of the warp core thrummed beneath his feet, a constant reminder of the impossible feat they had achieved—making a starbase warp-capable. The Synthulan assault had left the Federation in ruins, and now, the Obsidian was one of the last hopes for survival.

He tapped his combadge. "All departments, final status reports before we depart."

"Engineering to Captain," Stokes’ voice crackled over the comm. "Warp drive is holding steady at 98% efficiency. Structural integrity fields are compensating beautifully, and the cloak is online—though I still wouldn’t recommend prolonged use. She’s holding together, sir, but she wasn’t built for this."

Marius allowed himself a small smirk. "Understood, Lieutenant. Keep a close eye on those stress tolerances. If she starts groaning, I want to know before the bulkheads do."

"Tactical reports all defensive systems operational," Josiah Haines responded. "Phaser banks charged, torpedo launchers loaded. Shields are tuned to Synthulan disruptor frequencies, but if they hit us with a full volley, it’ll be a short fight."

Marius exhaled sharply. "Let’s make sure they don’t get the chance. Keep our sensor profile minimal—no active scans unless absolutely necessary."

The Chief of Science's calm voice cut through the chatter. "Science confirms the Bajoran wormhole remains stable. No subspace anomalies or signs of Synthulan interference detected along our projected course. Long-range sensors show no immediate threats between our position and Deep Space Nine."

"Good," Marius said. "Monitor for any changes. If so much as a sensor ghost flickers, I want to know."

"Medical is as ready as we can be," Marty Stokes reported, her voice weary but steady. "Sickbay’s prepped for casualties, but we’re stretched thin— limited regenerators, and only half our surgical suites are fully operational. If we take heavy casualties, triage protocols will be brutal."

Marius’ jaw tightened. "Understood, Doctor. Do what you can with what we’ve got. If Major Thrace secured the supplies we requested, we’ll restock at DS9."

"Surgical teams are on standby," Hemsley added. "But Captain, if we end up in a firefight, we’ll be forced to prioritize the salvageable over the critical. I strongly advise avoiding unnecessary engagements."

Marius nodded, though she couldn’t see it. "Noted, Doctor. We’ll do our best to keep this trip as boring as possible."

His second officer’s voice was clipped and efficient. "Ops confirms all non-essential systems powered down. Replicators are on strict rationing, and life support is stable across all decks. Docking clamps disengaged—we’re ready to move, sir."

"Good work, Lieutenant Commander," Marius said. "Keep an eye on those power reserves. We don’t know how long we’ll need them."

"Course laid in for Deep Space Nine," Lieutenant Andrews announced. "At warp four, ETA is five hours, forty-three minutes. Ready to engage on your order, Captain."

Marius took a slow breath. "Make it so, Lieutenant. Smooth and steady."

The next to report was the Chief Counselor. The Betazoid’s voice was soft but firm. "Crew morale is… fragile, Captain. The losses are hitting hard. I’ve set up additional group sessions, but grief doesn’t follow a schedule. They’ll hold together—for now."

Marius sighed. "Keep them steady, Lieutenant. We’ll have time to mourn when we’re safe."

"Latest intercepts indicate Synthulan forces are consolidating near core worlds," Lieutenant V’Lar reported, her tone analytical. "No signs they’ve detected our warp modifications yet, but we should assume they will. Recommend full comm silence once we depart."

"Agreed," Marius said. "No outgoing transmissions unless it’s life or death."

"Long-term projections still favor the Delta Quadrant for regrouping," Lieutenant Peter McMahon said. "But we’ll need to establish supply lines quickly. DS9 should have some of what we need—assuming Major Thrace’s team secured it."

"Let’s hope she did," Marius muttered. "We’re not coming back this way anytime soon."

"Internal security is locked down," Jude Haines reported. "No signs of unrest or sabotage. Marines are prepped to assist Thrace’s team on arrival."

"Good. Keep our people sharp—I don’t want any surprises."

"Starfighter squadrons are fueled, armed, and ready," Lieutenant Callister said. "If we need cover during extraction, we’ll give them hell."

Marius smirked. "Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that, Lieutenant. But if it does—light them up."

He took a final glance around the command deck, then tapped his combadge again.
"All hands, this is the Captain. We are departing for Deep Space Nine. Stay sharp, stay focused. We’ve got a long road ahead. Pontmercy out."

A deep hum resonated through the deck as the warp core surged to life. The stars outside stretched into luminous streaks, and for the first time in history, Starbase Obsidian—a fortress never meant to move—leapt forward into warp.

The sensation was surreal.

"Never thought I’d feel a starbase do that," Andrews muttered. "It still feels strange."

Marius exhaled, watching the stars blur past. "Neither did I, Lieutenant. Neither did I."

Five hours, forty-three minutes until DS9.

Then—the Delta Quadrant.

And whatever came after.

Off:

Captain Marius G. Pontmercy
Commanding Officer
Starbase Obsidian

 

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