Excalibur Returns

[Cptn Corizon 0]

Corris Sprint looked over the report in his hand and considered its impact on how he would proceed for the rest of the week. Excalibur it seemed, was finally back within communications range and had sent the first packet of information since they’d left Ha’Vorante nearly nine months prior. He considered if he should send a long a message to Captain Corizon telling him how things had changed since he’d last spent any time on Camelot.

 

Normally, he’d do such a thing without much thought, but given the nature of the changes, Sprint had to consider his actions carefully. In the past three months, many things had happened. The Al-Ucard/Eratian Rebellion had turned into a full-scale civil war with billions of lives teetering in the balance. Rumors circulated that the Scorpiads were behind the attacks that had devastated Al-Ucard and Eratian systems, though ‘Fleet was keeping a tight lid on whatever information they had. Meanwhile, the Dominion Situation was only scarcely better with three new world openly rejecting Dominion rule within the last week, while the Hundred continued to preach their message of being the only legitimate government of the Dominion.

 

That, of course, only covered the changes in the political situation of the major powers based in the Gamma Quadrant. Camelot and the allied Alpha Quadrant powers had undergone a series of changes too. Camelot was no longer under the direct command of Admiral Day, who’d been the senior officer at the station since its inception. Starfleet had sent two command officers to replace him, the first, Captain Alexander Calypso, would run just the station, while the other, Vice-Admiral Misha Abronvonvich, would be supreme commander of the newly formed Starfleet Gamma Quadrant Command that would have oversight over all forces assigned to the Gamma Quadrant. Additionally, a number of Romulan forces were entirely withdrawn from the Quadrant, including the former senior Ambassador N’Kedre. Surprisingly, the Klingons, it seemed, were the most stable force in the Quadrant.

 

Sprint wasn’t entirely sure what to think about either of his new commanding officers. Blair seemed a bit on edge, but then, he always was. Anyone who wasn’t Sorehl or Halloway seemed to make Blair nervous. The condition, Sprint had decided, was mild paranoia. Captain Calypsos seemed fairly even keeled, however, and had yet to make any sweeping changes that put him on alarm. The tall, thin, human had a solid record – Sprint had helped Blair find both men’s records – with a history of commanding stations, including one along the Federation-Tholian border. Abronvonvich, on the other hand, Sprint knew more by reputation alone. He’d been a hero of the Cardassian War, the first one, when he’d commanded a small task force that held off a larger number of Cardassian ships while a civilian colony was evacuated. Abronvonvich had only furthered his reputation during the Dominion War when he led a brilliant, if not ill-fated effort to extract a group of former Maquis rebels being held by Jem’Hadar troopers in the outliers of the Badlands. Sprint knew that Abronvonvich was a gallant soldier who’d been in the wars, but whether or not he was the right man to command a theater level tactical situation that could turn into a massive powder keg at any moment…

 

It occurred to him that he’d given neither men the news that Excalibur had passed into communications range, mostly, because he wasn’t sure either knew of the highly sensitive mission Corizon and his crew had been on. That he even had to ask such a question was a major change. While he was more than confident in his ability to be the gatekeeper of sensitive information, it was an unusual role for him after the past several years.

 

Tapping a coded sequence into his console, he sent a message, surreptitiously, to the former Captain Sorehl and to Commander Blair about the status of Excalibur and what message Corizon had sent along before coming Calypsos.

 

“Captain,” Sprint said evenly. “Are you busy?”

 

Calypsos took a few moments to respond, but finally did. “Is a station commander ever not busy,” he said playfully. “But you’re always a welcome distraction from three freighter captains all whining about our docking services…”

 

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that, Captain.”

 

A mild concern filled Calypsos’ voice. “Oh, well then… I suppose you’d better come over… or should I come there.”

 

Sprint glanced momentarily to his console before replying. “I think it would be better if I came to you in a secure location.”

 

“Oh. Well, I’m in my office; that should suffice.”

 

A few moments later, Sprint was standing in the office that had formerly been home to Day, Sorehl and Corizon. Calypsos had wasted no time in making himself at home, not that it had been hard, Sprint reminded himself – none of its prior occupants were exactly what anyone could call ‘big’ into decorating.

 

“Captain,” Sprint said, delicately choosing his words. “How much do you know about the Excalibur and her mission.”

 

He lifted his brow slightly. “That depends, Commander, how much do you know about Excalibur and her mission?”

 

The response threw the normally even Sprint off guard. “Umm… “ he stammered before getting his feet, so to speak, under him. “I was fully briefed on the mission by Captain Corizon himself before they left and was given full clearance by Admiral Day for anything involving their mission.”

 

Calypsos nodded. “Good, no one bothered to tell me that, but I am glad to know I have someone else who knows what’s going on. That look you have tells me you know more than I do…”

 

Sprint nodded slowly. “I received an encoded transmission from Captain Corizon, Excalibur is back in communications range. They’ve completed their mission.”

 

“That’s good news. I know there were some people who were beginning to get worried, it’s been a while since we’ve heard anything from the old dog.”

 

“It’s not all good news.”

 

“I had a feeling you were going to tell me that.”

 

“I’ll spare you the long version of his report, but apparently they found whatever it was the Vorta had them looking for, but apparently it wasn’t exactly what Lexin had hoped for – the Founders aren’t looking to come home anytime soon.”

 

The dark-haired Calypsos slumped into his chair. “Lovely.”

 

“You sure you don’t want to go back to listening to listening to freighter captains, sir?”

 

A small smile formed on Calypsos face. “Yeah,” he said begrudgingly. “Yeah, I am sure. I’ll send this on up to the Admiral.”

 

Sprint nodded. “It will be good to have Captain Corizon back. I don’t know if you know much about him, or not.”