CHAPTER 19

Radcliffe entered the Commissary and quickly scanned the room for Max. If you needed information about Utopia Planetia in a hurry Max was the source you wanted. He and Max had hit it off immediately when they first met three years ago. Both had been cadets at Starfleet Academy; Ethan in his first, or Plebe, year and a lowly Cadet Fourth class while Max was in his third year and a Cadet Second Class. Max had come across a couple of his classmates giving Ethan an impromptu grilling on the standing orders for Starfleet officers and had taken a shine to the determined, if slightly inept, young cadet. Under Max’s tutelage Ethan had blossomed at the Academy, eventually graduating with honors and a midshipman/officer rank.

When Max had been critically burned during the rupture of a plasma injector four months into his first starship billet it was Ethan who spent every possible evening at the Starfleet Medical complex while Max’s legs were painstakingly rebuilt. Max never qualified for starship duty again, instead opting for an HQ berth running the Utopia Planetia Commissary and Officers’ Club. Most Starfleet officers regarded it as a garbage billet, but the gregarious Max truly enjoyed his job. He was at the center of things on Mars; all gossip flowed through his domain. If he liked you, you never had to watch your back. And Max liked Ethan.

Catching sight of Max across the room Ethan threw him a wave and pointed at a quiet table away from the general crowds. After a few minutes Max disengaged himself from the group he’d been chatting with and made his way over to where his friend sat.

“What’s up, Ethan?”

“Just sent Captain Janeway off to her wedding. She’s out of the office until after the honeymoon.”

“So, you get to manage the place by yourself?”

“Lieutenant Torres is in the office most of the week and Voyager’s EMH has a couple of things he’s in and out about.”

“So why are you looking for me now? I thought we were slated to get together for supper tonight? What couldn’t wait until then?”

Ethan paused a moment collecting his thoughts. Unconsciously, he toyed with the mug of coffee in front of him. Max didn’t miss his hesitation.

“Max, what do you know about…I mean, do you know anything about what went on last weekend?”

Max eyed the young officer a moment and then leaned toward him so as not to be overheard.

“Are you asking me what I know about the Borg ship that’s currently locked away in one of the high security berths at McKinley Station?” Ethan nodded.

“Just that it popped out of a transwarp conduit near DS7 asking for your Captain Janeway and was immediately escorted to HQ. I know that the drones on it are being rotated in and out of Starfleet Medical while Voyager’s EMH and Admiral Pulaski teach as many doctors and medics as they can how to remove Borg implants and maintain what they can’t remove. I know that the Intelligence division is neck deep in deciphering Borg tactical logs that the ship brought with it. And I know that Janeway isn’t getting Voyager back even if she is still nominally in charge of the refit. She’s getting a dreadnought to go somewhere with a whole host of battleships to tag along with her. Am I missing anything?”

“Just one tiny detail,” said Radcliffe ruefully, “She’s planning on leaving her loyal aide behind when she goes back into space.”

“Is that so bad? You know you’ve got a job here any time you want it. And after working for Janeway, I’d think you’d have your pick of science officer billets.”

“I don’t want a science officer billet. The only reason I majored in science was to please my folks. As long as I majored in a ‘safe’ field my folks didn’t hassle me about Starfleet. I could stay at the Academy as long as I wasn’t trying to be a hero.”

“And now you want to be a hero, is that it?”

“I don’t want to be a hero, I just want to ship out with a captain that I respect and can learn from. She’s all that and more and you know it! How many times have we talked about the second-raters who got promoted just because everybody else got killed in the Dominion War? You know as well as I do that Starfleet lost most of its experienced commanders in the War. Janeway is going to have to train the captains and crews in her fleet to fight the Borg like she did. She’s going to need the best crew she can get and I can contribute to that.”

Max asked as gently as he could, “You’re sure that’s not just wishful thinking, Ethan? You really don’t have the training to qualify for ‘fleet duty in a combat situation. A science ship, yes. But a warship? Where you have to have tactical knowledge? I’m sorry my friend.”

“I know, Max. But I’ll think of something, I’ve got to! At least they aren’t shipping out for months yet; I’ve got some time to work with. I just need to keep whatever I do hidden from Captain Janeway.”

“Why do you have to hide it?”

“Because she seemed almost glad when she told me I wasn’t going with them. I don’t know why, but she wasn’t at all upset over leaving me behind. My gut says that if she finds out she’ll find some way to stop me.”

“That won’t be hard. She’s the captain – she can do what she wants with the crew manifest. Or are you planning on keeping yourself a secret for the entire mission? Because if you try that she’s gonna find out. And you’ll be lucky if she doesn’t drop you off at the first backwater port the ship gets near and leaves you there to rot. Ethan, I think you’re crazy.”

“I can’t explain it, Max. But do you remember how excited you were when you got your assignment to the Centauri?  Well that’s how I feel being assigned to Captain Janeway. I want to stay with her, Max.”

Max caught sight of one of his employees trying to catch his attention. He sketched a wave at the man and stood. “There’s nothing wrong with wanting to stay with Captain Janeway. It’s just doing deceitful things to accomplish it that’s going to be a problem. I’ll catch you in a couple of hours for supper.”

With that he turned and walked away. Ethan continued to sip his coffee, trying to figure out what he had to do to become qualified to serve on a warship in Starfleet. Shaking his head in frustration he rose and refilled his mug. When he returned to his table he grinned in welcome and said, “I never expected to see you here, sir! Is something up?”

* * *

This has to have been the craziest day of my life thought the Marine’s newest captain as he watched the shuttle’s final approach to the Mars terminal. And it isn’t over yet…

Earlier that day…

Lieutenant Jim Martin sat in the cramped office that he shared with two other platoon leaders in the administrative wing of the Marine barracks at the Presidio. He reflected on the irony that a platoon leader’s job was ostensibly to lead his platoon but the paperwork required kept the platoon leader more often chained to a desk than in the field with his men. Finishing the last PADD in that morning’s stack he stretched and was reaching for his mug of tepid coffee when his COMM badge chirped.

“Thompson to Martin.”

“Martin here, sir. How can I help you?”

“I just got a call from Starfleet Headquarters, Lieutenant. You’re to report to Admiral Patterson’s office at 1300 hours this afternoon. No reason given.”

“Aye aye, sir. I’ll be there.”

“Very well, Lieutenant. Thompson, out.”

Martin left his completed PADDs to be logged by the company clerk and returned to his rooms in the BOQ. He checked that his shave was still close and changed into a fresh Class A uniform. He gave the mirror shine on his shoes a quick, and unnecessary, buff and headed to the transport center of the base. Ten minutes later he was walking into the anteroom of Admiral Patterson’s office at Starfleet Headquarters.

“Go right in, Lieutenant.” Admiral Patterson’s secretary smiled and indicated the door to the inner sanctum. “They’re expecting you.”

Flashing a grin in return Martin tugged his tunic down, knocked sharply on the door and stepped through briskly at the “Come!” response it generated. He marched to a distance of eighteen inches from the front of Patterson’s desk, snapped to attention and barked “Lieutenant Martin reporting as ordered, sir!”

“At ease, Lieutenant. Damn, you Marines always make me feel like us Starfleet Officers are a bunch of slobs with no clue of what military courtesy ought to be. Have a seat, son.” He indicated a conversation area to one side of the office.

Relaxing from his rigid stance at attention Martin greeted Admirals Patterson and Paris as he sat in one of easy chairs. Accepting a cup of coffee from Admiral Paris, he looked at the senior officers expectantly.

“Do you need another security detail for Seven of Nine and Captain Janeway? And will my men need their dress uniforms for the wedding?”

The admirals laughed and glanced at each other. “Smart too,” remarked Paris to Patterson. “Yes, Lieutenant, you and some of your men will be taking a trip to Indiana this weekend and yes; you will all need dress uniforms. Mess dress, in fact. It’s an evening wedding. And Admiral Patterson and I wanted to ask a favor of you too.”

“What favor, sir?”

“Marines are renowned for their knowledge of arcane military ceremonies and traditions. Do you and your men know anything about the Arch of Swords?”

“Of course, Admiral. A detail of no less than six officers and/or NCOs pair off, face each other and in unison, raise their swords or sabers into an arch under which the bridal couple passes.”

“Do you think that you and your men might perform that rite for Captain Janeway and Seven of Nine?”

“I’ll get my men polishing their Mamelukes right away, Admiral. We’ll drill a few times this week to make sure we don’t embarrass the Corps and do it next Saturday night.”

“Thank you, Lieutenant. That’s going to be a little gift to the captain from the Admiral and I. But there’s one small problem.”

“What’s that, Admiral?”

“We think that the detail should be commanded by someone of higher rank than you.”

Martin was stunned but quickly regained his poise. “Of course, Admiral. I’ll approach my C.O. as soon as I return to the barracks and request that he…”

Paris and Patterson looked at each other again. “Maybe not as smart as we originally thought. Oh well, too late now.” Both flag officers stood and Martin quickly sought a place to set his coffee cup so he could rise as well. When he had Admiral Paris barked “Attention!”

Martin’s reflex was immediate, his position flawless. Admiral Patterson pulled a piece of paper from inside his tunic and began to read.

“Reposing full faith in your abilities and loyalty to the United Federation of Planets, you are hereby promoted to the rank of CAPTAIN, Federation Fleet Marine Corps effective this date with all attendant rights and privileges therein. Congratulations, Captain Martin.”

Admiral Paris pulled a small black box from his pocket, opened it and stepped forward to pin the twin silver bars on Martin’s collar.

When he stepped back Martin shook hands with the senior officers. “Thank you, sirs!”

“As you were, Captain. Now we need to sit down and really talk, son.” They assumed their seats again and Patterson leaned forward intently.

“How much have you heard about what went on last weekend and this week?”

“Scuttlebutt mostly, sir. I can tell you that rumors are running wild. I’ve heard everything from an invasion force from the Delta quadrant followed Voyager back to the Alpha quadrant and is on their way, to Voyager is being sent back to the Delta quadrant for crimes against their sentient life forms and everything in between. One common thread seems to be the link to the Delta quadrant and the fact that Voyager is somehow involved. But officially, sir? I don’t know a thing.”

“Well, here’s what happened. We were all at the engagement party for Kathryn and Seven when the Borg showed up near DS7…” Admirals Paris and Patterson took their time telling Martin every detail of events from the past week. When they finished they regarded him gravely.

“As you’ve probably noticed the politics of this whole thing have caused a wide difference in opinions on how it should be dealt with. But sometimes politics don’t make for the best tactical solutions to a problem. You’re going to have to be very, very flexible in your new assignment.”

“And exactly what would my new assignment be, sir?”

“Captain Thompson is being reassigned and you’re being given command of the 1^st Rifle Company, Fleet Marine Security Group and being named as the new Security Chief of Utopia Planetia Shipyards. You and your company are being temporarily detached from Marine CentCom and assigned to Starfleet Security. You’ll report directly to me for the duration of this event.” As Director of Starfleet Security Admiral Patterson had the Security Chiefs of McKinley Station, Utopia Planetia and Starfleet Headquarters and their troops under his command.

“How soon do you want us in place, Admiral?”

“How soon can you be ready to deploy?”

“I can be on site tonight with the rest of the company deploying tomorrow morning. We can be settled in with standard patrol and duty assignments up and running by tomorrow evening.”

“Do it, Captain Martin.” The three men rose and shook hands. As they were exchanging a few final words the door to the office opened and Admiral Quinn strode in.

“I apologize, gentlemen. I thought you’d be finished briefing our newest Captain by now. Congratulations, Martin, the promotion is well-deserved.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“I trust Admirals Patterson and Paris have explained all the nuances of your new assignment. Good luck to you, Martin. Gentlemen, I’ll see you all a bit later on.” Quinn nodded and left the office. As the door closed behind him Paris and Patterson looked gravely at Martin.

“There is every possibility that Captain Janeway may encounter difficulties in carrying out her orders. We expect you to give her all possible assistance once you get to Mars.”

Martin understood completely. He was being subtly informed that if he needed to go off the page to help Janeway that he had the tacit approval of Paris and Patterson and that their authority came directly from the Chief of Operations, Admiral Quinn.

“Yes, sir. You can count on me and my men. And thank you, sirs.”

“We’ll let you get moving, Captain. Good luck to you and we’ll expect regular status updates.”

“Aye, aye, sir!” In moments Martin was heading back to the Presidio to mobilize his company and pack his bags.

Two hours later Martin and his two carryalls were on the shuttle to Mars. His new rifle company was preparing for their own transport to Mars the next day. When the shuttle landed he headed for Base Admin to check in and obtain housing for his troops and himself.

An hour later he was standing next to his bags in the entry of a neat cottage on the shore of the lake adjoining the base. He took a quick stroll through his new residence, dropping his bags in the master bedroom. Furniture had been requisitioned from Base Stores and would be delivered the next morning, but a bed for him was on the way now. He decided to check in at his new post and headed for the base.

When he entered the Security Offices he met a small group of Starfleet officers huddled together in an intense but quiet discussion. A female ensign caught sight of him and said loudly “Attention on deck!” as she snapped to that position. The rest of the group quickly followed suit. Martin gave them a quick once over, noting with approval the state of their uniforms and boots before releasing them with “As you were!”

The group consisted of two female officers, a Lieutenant JG and the Ensign who caught sight of him first. The rest of the Starfleet officers were senior petty officers, four in all.

“I’m Captain Martin of the 1^st Rifle Company, FMSG. We’ve been reassigned to Utopia Planetia for the foreseeable future. I’ll be commanding the base security forces. Now, who are all of you?”

The junior lieutenant stepped forward and introduced the group. The junior officers had been on their own for three days since the previous chief of security had a meeting with Starfleet Security and promptly retired from active duty. Martin sat down with them and went over the duty rosters and reviewed the logs of the previous week. After doing so it became apparent to him that these two kids and the petty officers had been running security for a lot longer than three days. The previous security chief had been coasting since the end of the Dominion War, just putting in his time until he could retire. Martin decided that the service of the junior officers deserved recognition and made a mental note to make sure they received commendations for their work.

He approved the duty rosters and arranged to meet with the group at 1000 hours the next day to retool the duty assignments to reflect the addition of his rifle company to the security forces. Not only would there be additional troops to patrol the base and shipyards, but more officers to oversee operations as well. Martin took the responsibility seriously, knowing that the shipyards they guarded could very well spell the difference between survival and total assimilation for humanity.

Once he’d made sure that all stations were covered and that not only the patrols but the duty officers had backup he left the office and went in search of Ensign Radcliffe to check in and let Janeway’s group know that he was onsite. When he found the offices dark and locked he hailed the security offices and asked for a base-wide scan for Radcliffe’s COMM badge. When he received the answer he headed to the Commissary at a good clip.

Radcliffe was sitting at a quiet corner table brooding over a mug of coffee. He grinned when he caught sight of Martin and welcomed him to sit down. When Martin did Radcliffe noticed the new silver bars on his collar and congratulated him heartily.

“Captain?  Sir, that’s fantastic! Everybody in the office will be excited to hear that news. They haven’t forgotten what you and your men did to help get Seven of Nine back; they talk about it all the time.”

“Well, they’ll have a chance to congratulate me in person if they want to. I’ve been assigned here as Chief of Security. My rifle company arrives tomorrow.”

Radcliffe nodded knowingly. “It’s good to know they’re beefing up security on the base and shipyards with everything that’s going on.”

Martin raised an eyebrow in query. “And I suppose you know what’s going on, do you?”

Radcliffe had the good sense to blush when he realized his mistake. “Well, sir, Captain Janeway is sort of deeply involved, sir, and she sort of let it slip, sir. I really don’t go shooting my mouth off, sir. Really!”

Martin decided to let the youngster off the hook. “I know that, Ensign. And if an officer of Captain Janeway’s caliber thinks you should know, then you should know. Speaking of your boss, I was kind of hoping to catch her before she left for Indiana. I don’t suppose I’m lucky enough that she’s still on base, is she?”

“No, sir. She left for San Francisco a couple of hours ago. She and Seven are leaving for Indiana fairly early tomorrow morning and they won’t be back until after the honeymoon.”

“Well, I guess I see her next weekend then.”

“You’re coming to the wedding, Captain?”

“Yes, I’m bringing a squad along for security. And we’ll have a little surprise for Seven and the Captain after the ceremony too. I’m assuming I’ll see you there?”

Radcliffe laughed. “Yes, sir. Lieutenants Torres and Paris and I have worked out another surprise for the Captain and Seven. Miral, their daughter is going to be the flower girl and I’m going to be the ring bearer…and the flower girl bearer.”

“The flower girl bearer?”

“Miral is only a few months old, sir. She doesn’t walk yet. Or scatter flowers. So I’m carrying her and the rings down the aisle and scattering the flowers as we go. ”

Martin joined the young ensign in laughter. “I’m looking forward to seeing that, Ensign. I’m assuming you’ll be in a dress uniform while you scatter the flowers?”

“Yes, sir, I will. And I believe that Miral will be also, although when last I spoke with her mother they were having a bit of trouble finding Starfleet-issue boots in her size. She might have to make do with black booties.”

Martin couldn’t stop the laugh that bubbled up at that visual image. But as he thought about it, it made sense. The Voyager crew was more than a crew; they were a family. Radcliffe and Miral were just the newest members and all the family was participating in the wedding of its matriarch to the woman she loved. The woman they had accepted into their number and fought for on more than one occasion. There was a comforting sense of symmetry in that.

“So, what else is going on, Ensign Radcliffe? When I walked in here you look like you’d just lost your puppy.”

“I…it’s nothing, sir. I just need to solve a problem. I don’t want to bother you with it.”

“C’mon, Radcliffe. We’ve stood up to Commander Chakotay together. Tell me. Maybe I can help.”

Radcliffe looked at him bleakly. “I was having a conversation with Captain Janeway the other day. We were working on some things and she…she said that she was going to miss me when she went back into space. She’s not planning on taking me with her.”

Martin thought about how best to phrase his reply. “Ethan, Starship captains don’t have aides. The command structure on a starship makes it unnecessary. On board a ship the captain’s word is law and everyone on board does what the captain orders. There are no other officers of equal rank, nobody to challenge the captain or order the captain around or demand something of the captain or any of the other things that happen daily on a base.”

“I know that, Captain Martin, but that doesn’t stop me wanting to go with her. I know I can make myself useful to her.”

“As what, Ethan? Your undergraduate studies focused on exobiology and the sciences, didn’t it? There’s no room for science labs on a warship and you know as well as I do that the next ship Captain Janeway takes out will be a warship.”

“Then I’ll re-qualify for some other position! All the officers from Voyager are going to be offered posting on her new ship. They’ll accept them because they’re loyal to her. Well I care about her just as much as they do… It’s not fair!” the young officer burst out.

Martin regarded him for a moment. “No, it’s not. But that’s the nature of military service and you knew that going in. So what’s really wrong, Radcliffe?”

“She was happy I wasn’t going,” the young man mumbled.

“And that bothers you?”

“Of course it bothers me! We get along really well. She says I’m going to make a fine officer and that I’m doing a great job. But she won’t take me along when she goes off to fight the Borg! If she’s going to be in danger then I want to be in danger with her!”

“Keep your voice down, Ensign!” snapped Martin. “That information is need-to-know. And just because Janeway thought you needed to know does not mean that the rest of the clientele in the Commissary needs to!”

Radcliffe looked down into his coffee mug and apologized. “I’m sorry, Captain. It’s just that I respect her so much and I want her to respect me. But obviously she doesn’t. Apparently I’m good enough to help her out planet side, but when she goes into the Delta quadrant to fight the Borg, when it really counts, I’m not good enough to bring along. And she was glad about it!”

Martin sighed. This was one of those lessons young officers needed to learn, but Martin always hoped that it would happen later in their careers rather than earlier.

“Ethan, I’m going to teach you something about being an officer that they never tell you about at the Academy. It is a fairly simple truth; one that every officer – every good officer – carries in their heart. And here it is: you never forget the ones you lose. Their faces haunt you your whole life. So, given that, don’t you think it’s just possible that Captain Janeway likes you so much that she doesn’t want to put you in danger? So she doesn’t have to risk seeing your face for the rest of her life? And that’s why she was happy at the thought that you wouldn’t be coming along on a mission that will surely have casualties? Because she knew you’d be safe that way?”

“That doesn’t matter! I want to go with her and Lieutenant Torres and Seven of Nine. Why should all of them go off into danger and not me? They all go because they love Captain Janeway – why am I not allowed to love like that too?”

“Do you, Ethan? Do you care for Captain Janeway as much as her Voyager crew does?”

“Yes I do! I knew it the first few days I worked for her. I knew she was going to be the officer that I judged every other officer by. I knew it that first day!”

Martin regarded the earnest young officer intently and came to a decision. “And you’re sure that you want to go off into the Delta quadrant and risk being assimilated?”

“Yes, sir! And I’m not even going to get into the fact that it’s my duty as a Starfleet officer. I want to go with them. They’re the kind of crew you dream about serving with.”

“That’s certainly true. All right, Ensign. Are you prepared to give up most of your evenings and suffer countless injuries to ship out with Captain Janeway?”

“Anything! I’ll do anything you ask of me!”

“Okay then, Ensign Radcliffe. The simplest way to qualify for duty on a warship when you don’t have a service specialty is to get assigned to the Security and Tactical teams on board. That means you need to have a Class three rating or higher in weapons and hand-to-hand combat. I’m the new Security Chief here; my Marines and the Starfleet personnel assigned to Security all train continually. We can teach you what you need to know to qualify. After we get you your ratings you’re on your own, but we can make sure you qualify. It won’t be easy and most mornings you’re going to wish you could die you’ll be hurting so badly, but we can get you qualified. Once more – are you sure you want to do this?”

“I’ve never been more sure of anything, Captain. Yes, sir, I want to do this!”

“Outstanding! This will give some of my men a good opportunity to learn how to train less experienced men. That’s a necessary skill for a noncom. Okay then, since we’ve settled that, how about dinner this evening?”

“I’m meeting my friend Max for supper in about an hour. You’d be welcome to join us. In fact, it would probably be a good idea for you to meet Max; he runs the Commissary and the Officers’ Club here and hears all the gossip. He would be a good man for the new Chief of Security to know.”

“He certainly would. And the new Chief of Security is going to take you up on your offer. But in the meantime how do you feel about helping the new Security Chief unpack his bags and throw some sheets on the new bed he hopes has been delivered to his quarters?”

“Well, I don’t know about the new Security Chief, but I’ll be glad to help my friend settle into his new quarters. How’s that sound?”

“Like a plan, Ensign. Like a plan.” The two men rose and headed out of the Commissary laughing.

Unseen by either of them a pair of deep blue eyes at an adjacent table followed their every move. When the two men had exited the dining room the officer no one else had noticed rose and followed.

* * *