Return to Base

Posted on 14 Sep 2026 @ 5:40pm by Captain Jasmine Somers FCapt & Lieutenant Commander Leland Hawksley & Lieutenant Commander Remington Dodd & Lieutenant Maria McMahon & Lieutenant Paul Winchester & Chief Warrant Officer Glenn Stone Mr & Lieutenant Christine Childers & Lieutenant JG shakram Coro

2,467 words; about a 12 minute read

Mission: S04 Episode 02 The Hackers Backdoor (Main)
Location: USS Tomcat Various
Timeline: Directly After A Curve Ball Part #3

[ON]

After Benson was rescued, the CSAR team finally made it back to the shuttle; the moment the team was aboard and Benson was in Medical. Jasmine turned to her bridge officers.

"Go to Yellow alert, Mr Stone, set a heading for Starbase 51 warp six, Communications, notify the Starbase we are on our way back and recall the fighters," she said.

"Yes, Captain," the Communications Officer responded and notified SB51.

=/\= Tomcat to CAG, return to base, we are going home =/\= the Ensign said.

"Yes, Sir. Plotting course for Starbase 51, warp six." Stone said as his hands danced across the panel before him. "Ready at your command," added Stone as he locked in the travel vector.

=/\=Winchester here, copy that, Big Cat, on our way back =/\= replied Paul over the comms channel. He opened another channel: =/\= All fighters, this is Gunslinger, return to Big Cat, I say again, return to Big Cat =/\=

Shakram responded =/\= Copy that Gunslinger,=/\=

Maria also responded with a clam tone =/\= Roger that=/\=

Christine responded =/\= Copy that=/\= as she had finally completed her first away mission as a fighter pilot, and for once, she had found something that she enjoyed and was going to ask Lieutenant Winchester if she could remain here permanently with the fighters.

Looking at Stone, "Mr Stone, when the fighters are all aboard and locked down, come about and prepare to go to Warp six," Somers said.

"Aye, aye, ma'am. Warp six, to Starbase 51," replied Stone in a flat, even tone as his fingers danced across the panel. There was nothing in that would get in the way, and navigation showed a smooth ride all the way there. He watched Carrfly for the fighters to land.

"Thank you," she responded, looking at Dodd. "Well, Commander, soon this ship will be someone else's command. I have mixed feelings about leaving the old girl, but I have been in command longer than most Captains," she said.

Finally realizing what the bouncing thoughts in Jasmine's mind were once she said it. "Well, that is something to celebrate in a manner that is fitting to your legacy. The Somers family has a long and loyal service to the Federation, and so I can fully understand how you have been permitted to be in command for as long as you have. I, for one, will be sad to have you depart. But I bet you are eager to enjoy less stress for a bit before attempting to tackle some other grand adventure." Dodd replied.

"Oh, I am taking command of the Starbase; my days of gallivanting across the galaxy are over, but Alex will do well, I think and speaking from experience, it will be a learning curve, as she was a Marine moving to Fleet and there are some subtle differences in the way command is done," the Captain said.

"Well, that is a surprise; I never imagined you would step down from command of a starship of your own accord," Dodd replied with a devilish grin. "Well, I guess we are all in for a whole new world of how we operate around here," Dodd added, as he was not sure how the new Somers would be shaking up the routines. But he was relieved as he could see some new opportunities on the horizon with Jasmine going to the starbase. "Whatever will you do with yourself stuck in one place and personnel always coming and going on a more regular basis?"

"You forget Remy, of my actions when I was rescued and that prisoner, my tormentor, dies by my hands when I turned his head all the way around with a satisfying snap, killing him instantly. I may have gotten off lightly due to my mental state at the time and what I went through, but Command was and will always be wary where I am concerned; they need stable ship commanders. Sadly, I am considered damaged goods," she paused.

"The promotion to Commodore and reassignment to Starbase 51 was something Fleet Command could accept, so it is happening. While the next Commander has killed people too, it was never in cold blood; she did it while on duty and under orders I did not. I do know, though, that I will never make Admiral; Commodore is the highest I can go, and I only got that because of the Starbase and its location. *pauses* As for that meeting with you and Leland that will happen before the three of us go onto shore leave and after we dock and in the CRR, oh, how I am going to miss that office," she said.

"I fully understand the post-traumatic mental state you have to live with. The mind has many ways to cope with what it has experienced. Many of us have had trauma and still fight with the aftermath. You had a severe level, and yet you are still able to be a valued leader in the eyes of Starfleet." Dodd replied. "Are you ready for a less action-packed level of command? That's really the question at hand," Dodd asked as he knew she enjoyed getting in and getting dirty. However, a starbase may be busy for a commodore, but not the action you see as a starship captain. He, for one, would miss her in the captain's chair.

"I do not know, Remy. I do not know, but it will be an adjustment. I will not be your direct boss anymore; you will not be in my direct chain of command," Jamsine said with a smile.

Slightly blushing like a schoolboy visualising a fantasy, "Well, maybe that could be a benefit to have in the future. Not being my direct commander, that is." Dodd then adjusted his tunic and sash, smiled at her, and then shifted his feet as he had to keep in control since he was on the bridge.

*Nods in response*

"Captain, all fighters are aboard and secured," the communications officer said.

*nods* "Mr Stone is course and speed set for Starbase 51?" The Captain asked Chief Stone, currently manning the helm station.

"Aye, ma'am." Stone's hands danced across the helm controls with practised confidence.

"Course laid in."

"On your order"

"ENGAGE," Somers said in response

The USS Tomcat surged ahead as the warp field surrounded her. For the briefest instant, the stars seemed to stretch into brilliant ribbons before resolving into the familiar tunnel of warp flight. Deep beneath the decks, the warp core settled into a smooth, reassuring hum.

Chief Stone relaxed almost imperceptibly. The danger was behind him, and the ship herself seemed to sigh in relief, eager to leave the troubled sector astern and carry the crew home.

Sitting back and sighing, "You know, Remy, I have had better shakedown cruises than this one!" She said, looking at her First Officer

The first thought in Dodd's mind was a different sort of shakedown, but he shifted his thoughts. "Well, I have also had much smoother shakedown cruises. However, life in Starfleet is always full of the unexpected. I guess we are all old-fashioned Boy Scouts, as we have to always be prepared." He then had to bite his tongue to avoid letting his other thoughts resurface.

"True enough, Remy, true enough I would have thought the Galen system would have been safe from renegades, but it seems the few Starfleet ships that are out here are a little over-stretched no wonder unlawfuls are around the Mira Sector. After this, I am going to be glad to command a Starbase, methinks," she said and sighed.

"I would think a stronger presence in the sector could benefit not only the Federation but the Galen System," Dodd replied.

Again looking over to Dodd "have you heard that there has been some signal coming out from the Taurus Dark Cloud area of this sector, the signal has intelligence to it, when I got command of this ship and got posted to the Mira Sector I read up on any strange things happening out here and there was a classified report of a Starfleet long-range explorer encounting an alien species, beyond that the records were redacted, do you not find that strange Number One, a species deemed too powerful for Starfleet to interact with had to be classified?" She asked.

"I honestly don't recall such a report about the Taurus Dark Cloud area," Dodd replied. "I would like to be part of any mission that goes to that area, as I am sure lots of discoveries could be made." Dodd then paused and added, "I do recall a strange radio signal of some sort that Earth detected back in 1977. This signal apparently came from the direction of what they then called the constellation of Sagittarius. The signal lasted exactly 72 seconds at a precise 1420 MHz. It was never fully identified, and so maybe if it was a species attempting to interact, they may have realised Earth was too primative at that time. So maybe this species moved to the Taurus Dark Cloud and resumed after all this time."

"What I read is that they leave near the Taurus Dark Cloud. We have a crewmember on the ship that came from that area; she was from a different reality and was found as a baby. Sadly, she has no memory beyond seeing the human Lieutenant who had found her," Jasmine said.

"As for being part of it, of course you will be there; all the crew of the Tomcat will be there," she added.

"I will look forward to this mission," Dodd replied.

*Smiling* "Indeed," she responded.

It was some time at warp, but finally the Tomcat dropped out of warp outside the Starbase's defence perimeter. "Comms contact SB51 flight control and get us clearance," Somers said.

"Yes, Captain," the Ensign responded and went to work. A moment later, "Captain Starbase acknowledges and has cleared us to advance," the Ensign responded.

"Mr Stone, full impulse and line the ship up with the doors of the Starbase if you will" Jasmine said.

The stars stretched into brilliant lines across the forward viewscreen before suddenly snapping back into their familiar points of light.

The USS Tomcat dropped from warp.

For a moment, the bridge was quiet.

Starbase 51 dominated the viewscreen ahead of them. The massive Spacedock-class station hung against the darkness of space, its docking doors already beginning to open as the station prepared to receive the returning Akira-class starship.

Stone's hands moved across the helm controls as he brought the Tomcat under control.

"Bringing us out of warp and onto approach vector," he announced.

The ship began to decelerate.

"Aligning the ship with the docking doors at quarter impulse," Stone announced confidently.

The USS Tomcat began to slow as it approached Starbase 51. The massive doors of the Spacedock-class station opened before them, revealing the vast interior of the docking bay beyond.

Stone's hands moved smoothly across the helm controls.

"Switching to manoeuvring thrusters," he said to the bridge crew.

The Tomcat responded immediately, her powerful engines falling silent as the smaller thrusters took over. The Akira-class starship eased forward, gliding gently through the enormous doors.

Inside the station, Stone carefully manoeuvred the ship through the docking area, making minute adjustments to her position. The Tomcat's hull passed safely between the station's massive docking structures.

"Easy..." Stone muttered under his breath as he aligned the ship.

There was a small jolt as the Tomcat settled into position.

Stone frowned.

"Oops. That was a little rough."

He glanced over the instrument panel.

"No damage, Captain."

A moment later, he checked the docking indicators.

"Main manoeuvring thrusters are shut down. We're now being secured by the station's docking systems."

The bridge crew could feel the faint vibration as Starbase 51's docking clamps engaged with the Tomcat.

Stone leaned back in his chair.

"Welcome home," he said.

"You can relax now, Mr Stone"

"Okay, a little bumpy, but still in one piece. Attach Starbase cables to the ship, power down thrusters and Impulse engines, and Chief Stone, seek out Lieutenant Winchester for flight training for the Tomcat," she said.

"Yes, Captain, I will add that to my list of dutys," replied Stone as his hands moved across the helm panel, locking down the helm and granting access to the station for docking procedures.

Tapping her Commbadge =/\= Bridge to Hawksley, we have docked and secured with Starbase 51; the station's power cable has connected; power down warp core and switch over to Starbase power =/\= she said.

Leland was already at the master systems display in Main Engineering, watching the umbilical handshake complete when the bridge called... This would be his last operation as the Tomcat's Chief Engineer.

=/\= Hawksley here... Confirmed, Captain. Station umbilicals are locked and drawing clean... Matter and antimatter injectors are sequencing offline. I’m powering down the warp core now and transferring the EPS grid to Starbase feed... Core will be at cold standby..." Leland counted... "In two minutes. Impulse and thrusters are already dark... We’ll hold antimatter containment on station support standby. =/\=

=/\= Thank you Chief, All Hands this is the Captain, we have safely docked and connected to the Star base, you are all on Shore leave until further notice. Be prepared to be recalled to duty on short notice. Until then, enjoy yourselves out =/\= Somers finished then stood up.

"Okay, Number One time to go" She said and watched her bridge crew leave, until she was the only one left, she looked around "Goodbye old Girl" she said to the ship "it has been a ride" she added and as she headed to the turbo lift the bridge lights dimmed as if to say goodbye, but it was Engineering shutting down internal power but it was so perfectly timed, with that she entered the lift full and when the doors closed.

"Captain's quarters," she said, and the lift whisked her to her destination.

[OFF]

 

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