USS HORIZON NCC-825002
SD 13.0826 to 13.1014
"Pursuit Of Happiness"
Senior Staff
CO: Captain Tergin
FO: Commander Leyson Ayden
FCO/2O: Lieutenant-Commander Phryn
CNS: Lieutenant Darlene Houston
OPS: Lieutenant JG Blaze Starsinger
CEO: Lieutenant JG Dariale
CMO: Lieutenant JG William Patton
CSciO: Lieutenant JG Melody Cuen
CSO: Lieutenant JG James Mauler
SOCO: Lieutenant JG Arkanis
Orders
Upon entering the wormhole leading from the Andromeda galaxy to the Cocoon, the Horizon ended up in another timeline. There, the Federation had just been attacked by a combined alliance of Romulans, Cardassians, Dominion, Breen and Tholians. Together with the few remaining Starfleet ships, the Horizon makes a final stand at OP108.
Summary
(compiled from situation reports by Ruud Visser)
On the way home from the recent mission in the Andromeda galaxy, the Horizon passes through the M'Sagro wormhole and somehow ends up in another timeline. As the crew soon discovers, the Romulans have formed a secret alliance with the Dominion, the Breen and the Tholians. Apart from a few ships around Andoria, the Cocoon holds the last of the Federation. As the highest-ranking officer remaining, Cmdr. Canon from the Nightingale greets the crew upon their arrival at OP108. Captains Tergin (Horizon), Alderbrite (Mauritania) and Diak (former Hudson) join him at a 'chiefs of staff' meeting, where Cmdrs. Halifax (Hermes), Gibbons (Hamilton) and Marevic (Dakota) are also present. The eighth person present is Q, who claims to have nothing to do with the situation. On the contrary, he continues, the Romulans have cut a deal with the Q's enemies, who have destroyed the entire race but him. After a briefing on the situation, the chiefs of staff come up with defence and counter-strike plans. Tergin takes these back to the Horizon, where the senior staff agrees the Federation will have to fight back dirty to win the war. As the crew starts making forbidden subspace and biogenic weapons, Cmdr. Leyson Ayden privately addresses Lt<jg> Blaze Starsinger. Without involving Tergin, they agree Blaze will go on a probable suicide mission to install viruses in the Romulan computers. When the CO hears about this, he is outraged at Ayden, but decides to delay the punishment until after the war.
About an hour from OP108, the heavily damaged USS Heracles (commanded by the Horizon's former OPS, Lt. Cady) is speeding home with a Romulan fleet 37 hours behind her. Thirty minutes behind the Heracles, LtCmdr. Joshua Ryan (former CEO USS John Glenn) tries to fight off two Romulan scouts. Cady brings Ryan aboard against his wishes, and continues towards OP108. Upon their arrival, Captain Diak takes over command of the Heracles. More help is on the way for the Federation in the form of the severely damaged USS Yorktown, which isn't able to stay ahead of the enemy ships. The aCO decides to go 'dead in the water', hoping the enemy will ignore them.
On the covert-ops vessel USS Integrity, captain Tino and FO Davies decide to disobey their orders and come out into the open to help win the war. On their way to OP108, they come across a Wraith class fighter. Aboard, and about to be toasted by three Romulan warbirds, are Ensigns Abstentrion Morit and Ian and Jouri Hollander (CMO, CSO and astCSO USS Athene). The Integrity beams them over, takes care of the Romulan ships, and sneaks past the entire enemy invasion fleet.
Emotions begin to flow as Starsinger writes a goodbye message for his lover, Lt<jg> Melody Cuen is reunited with her father, Q, and Lt<jg> Bill Patton is reunited with his wife Shania, who has long been dead in his own timeline. With the help of the Nightingale's staff and facilities, work is started on the bio weapons. Later that day, Patton wonders if he can leave Shania again when it's time to return to his own timeline. Back on the Horizon, Lt<jg> James Mauler receives a coded message from someone who says to be his father. He calls Ayden, as the FO is the only one who can decode the information.
After comparing the temporal scans of Melody, Bordak and Q, it turns out that Bordak is actually from the current timeline. Engineer Griff informs the captain about the project Bordaq (who is also in this timeline, but belongs in another one) left the Horizon for: the USS Infinity, a top-secret powerful ship. He assumes it's on its way to the Cocoon. In the Ship's Edge, Lt<jg> Arkanis confronts Bordak about his counterpart and advices him to live his own life. Bordak takes Arkanis up on his invitation to join him on the holodeck for a pre-war workout. LtCmdr. Phryn is working in the shuttle bay, as is Ensign Drell. Suddenly, Phryn realizes he's heard the name Drell before he came aboard the Horizon, but he can't figure out when or where.
At SB Omega, the USS Sojourner-Truth gives everything she has, but the enemy is too strong. Along with her crew, she dies a hero's death.
Mauler uses the information provided by his alleged father to increase phaser power. Bordak and Arkanis enjoy their pre-war workout on the holodeck. Afterwards, Bordak ponders his current situation. He decides that in times of war, you just have to forget everything around you and fight. Phryn follows his hunch and looks up info about Ensign Drell. He can't find anything to satisfy the feeling that he's met Drell before coming aboard the Horizon. Then Phryn remembers he did indeed once know a man called Drell, but that was an Admiral. Later that day, the Federation fleet assumes formation around OP108 and prepares to engage the enemy. The USS Heracles has gone ahead and makes contact with the enemy well away from OP108. The Herc's subspace weapons destroy dozens of ships, but with still a few hundred vessels remaining, it makes little difference. When the Herc is about to be overpowered, the USS Integrity decloaks and joins the battle. Destroying high numbers of enemy ships with ease, the top-secret ship paves the way for the Herc's retreat to OP108. However, even the Integrity can't take on 400 vessels on her own. After a final run, they cloak and head to OP108.
In the meantime, Starsinger is successful in infiltrating the Romulan computer system. The cyberpath begins his secret battle, hoping to strike some blows before the enemy reaches OP108.
Feeling useless aboard the USS Integrity, the Hollander twins get permission to leave in a fighter. After convincing Ab Morit to join them, they return to the enemy fleet. They manage to board one of the larger Romulan ships, kill the crew, and make it to the bridge without the enemy noticing it. More Federation power is on its way in the form of the USS Infinity. Aboard are Bordaq, the Horizon's former CEO, and his counterpart from the Mirror Universe. The latter leaves to go ahead in a shuttle, and allows himself to be captured by the Romulans. He soon escapes custody and proceeds with what he has to do aboard the Romulan ship.
As Tergin mourns the billions who have already lost their lives in the war, Patton is on the Nightingale, finishing up on the bio-weapons. He enjoys some time together with Shania, before being called back to the Horizon. He informs the senior staff of the bio-weapon they've devised: a species-specific virus that will inhibit mitochondrial activity, killing any person within minutes.
The severely crippled Federation fleet makes the final preparations before engaging the enemy. Phryn digs deeper into the past of Ensign Drell, but so far can't find anything concrete to back up his suspicions. On the bridge, Ayden recognizes anomalous readings as the precursor to the destruction of the entire galaxy. He strongly suggests to retreat to their own timeline while they still can, but Tergin insists they first retrieve Starsinger and the former Hudson's CO, Captain Diak. Over at the enemy fleet, Starsinger is successful in infiltrating the Romulans' computer system. He shuts down the entire Romulan culture by disabling every single electronic device simultaneously.
Back on the Horizon, the crew receives a message from Blaze that he's been successful, but can't return. In sickbay, Patton and his staff are relieved that their bio weapons are no longer needed, now that the Romulan ships are dead in space. As Tergin and Ayden discuss whether or not to tell the people from this timeline that their universe is about to vanish, massive explosions rock the ship. Jadrik, a Romulan spy posing as Ensign Drell, has done his part in the war. While repair teams rush to work, the Federation fleet engages the remaining Cardassian, Breen and Dominion ships. Tergin has Captain Diak beamed over from the Heracles, which leaves Cady in command. When the Herc is one of the first ships to be destroyed, Tergin decides it's been enough. He orders Phryn to set course for the M'Sagro wormhole, and has everyone prepare for the return to their own timeline.
The USS Infinity joins the battle and does some severe cutting down of the enemy numbers. On the Horizon, Patton hears they will return to their own timeline shortly. He can hardly understand they'll abandon the people from the timeline they're currently in, and rushes to the bridge to beg Tergin not to leave. Most of all, Patton doesn't want to loose his wife a second time. Tergin denies his pleas and Patton is taken back to sickbay. When he wakes up again, he comes close to committing suicide. However, some telepathy from Q makes him realize his death would only bring more pain.
Back on the bridge, Captain Diak tries to change Ayden's mind about re-entering the wormhole. However, his words don't have the desired effect. Bordak joins his alter ego on the Infinity. When Starsinger comes to terms with his feelings about his suicide mission and, effectively, returns from the death, the crew is ready to return to their own time.
Just then, Cmdr. Canon calls from the Nightingale. He's just heard that in his timeline, the universe is about to be destroyed. Captain Tergin explains the situation, and Canon realizes he can't blame him for returning to his own timeline. After saying farewell, the Horizon enters the wormhole and safely returns to their own time. Back at OP108, it is time for repairs and R&R. Everyone, including Ayden, welcomes some time off with open arms. Starsinger celebrates his unexpected return with his lover No'urdan before announcing his coming back home to the rest of the crew. Shortly later, an incoming message from SB Omega informs him he has been awarded the Golden Nebula Award for his disabling of the Romulans' computer systems during the recent mission.
In the aftermath of the events, Phryn discovers the true identity of Ensign Drell. The impostor, knowing he's death anyway because he failed his Romulan superiors, fires his disruptor twice, killing Phryn and himself.
During the mission debriefing, Tergin promotes Patton and Starsinger to full Lieutenant for their excellent service to the Horizon and the Federation.
Promotions
Lieutenant JG William Patton: promoted to Lieutenant
Lieutenant JG Blaze Starsinger: promoted to Lieutenant
Awards received
Outstanding Mission Award (for both this and the previous mission)
Golden Nebula Award: Lieutenant JG Blaze Starsinger