✴GUESS✴ // Jim Kirk [1]

Chapter 9

[🔗]<before reading

✴Lightning Storm In Space✴

On the Enterprise, Eleanor had changed into her Starfleet red dress, and heads for the lift to get to her post on the bridge. The doors to the lift were starting to close, so she sped up a bit, and puts her foot between them before they closed, stepping into it she sees Spock next to her.

"Spock" She said in a neutral tone, "Eleanor" he responds in the same way. The doors open, both step out, and head to their posts. Eleanor stands at her post to the left of the captains chair, she is Tactical and Security, her job is basically to find the best ways of attack, defense and of course security.

The lift doors open again, Christopher Pike steps out and looks around the bridge. His eyes land on his daughter, fully focused and in work mode, filling him with pride. Looking up she makes eye contact with him, she smiles and says to everyone "Captain on the bridge.".

"Mister Spock." Pike said as he passed Spock, "Captain. Engineering reports ready for launch." Spock replied, turning in his chair to address him.

Addressing everyone on the bridge, Pike announces, "Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, the maiden voyage of our newest flagship deserves more pomp and circumstance than we can afford today. A christening will just have to be our reward for a safe return. Carry on.", after finishing his speech Pike sits down in the Captains chair.

"All decks, this is Captain Pike, prepare for immediate departure. Helm, thrusters." He says through the communicator.

"Moorings retracted, Captain. Dock control reports ready. Thrusters, fired. Separating from Spacedock."  said the helmsman. The Enterprise leaves the spacedock along with the other ships. "The fleet's cleared Spacedock, Captain. All ships ready for warp." The helmsman tells pike.

"Set course for Vulcan." Pike says.

"Aye aye, Captain. Course laid in." the helmsman says, as he puts in the cordenets for Vulcan.

"Maximum warp. Punch it." Pike said to the helmsman. The helmsman "punch's it", only, every ship enters warp, except the Enterprise. Everyone turns to look at the helmsman, who looks just as confused. Feeling all the stares, he starts to tap away on his screen, trying to find out what happened.

"Lieutenant, where's Helmsman McKenna?" Pike asks, resting his chin on his closed fist.

"He has lungworm, sir. He couldn't report to his post." the helmsman replied. Turning around in his chair, he faces Pike. "I'm Hikaru Sulu" Sulu introduces himself.

"And you are a pilot, right?" Pike asks, Eleanor has a hard time trying to determine whether or not he is actually upset.

"Uh, very much so, sir." Sulu says, giving a nervous laugh before turning back to his station. "I'm, uh, not sure what's wrong." he starts to type away, desperately trying to find out what happened.

"Is the parking break on?" Pike jokes, turning back and forth in his chair slightly. He feels a slight tap on his shoulder, he looks to his left, finding his daughter giving him a look that reminds him of his wife, a slight scolding face, but amusement very evident on her face. He just give a small shrug with a smile.

"Uh, no. I'll figure it out, I'm just, uh..." Sulu says, another nervous laugh, before he finished whatever he was about to say he was cut off.

"Have you disengaged the external inertial dampener?" Spock says from his station.

Sulu stiffens slightly. There's a short silence, followed by Sulu pushing a few buttons.

"Ready for warp, sir." Sulu finally says.