This Grey Ghost - Part Three

Posted on Fri Jan 1st, 2021 @ 1:56pm by Captain April Yamaguchi

Mission: Mission 105: The Mirror, Shattered
Location: Various Locations - ISS Potemkin
Timeline: 1800Hrs - October 3rd, 2393

Captain Yamaguchi smiled as the ISS Potemkin arrived on time at Vulcan, as the starlines turned back into stars while Vulcan appeared on the screen before the crew. The Potemkin is scheduled for an upgrade of systems and structural renovations.

The Epsilon Eridani is the fourth largest in the Terran Empire and is utilized for starship construction and repair. They are under the command of the Imperial Governor of Vulcan who was personally appointed by the Emperor to oversee his or her interests and look after the planet. This appointment is considered extremely prestigious and the Governor is definitely a favorite of the Emperor.

Yamaguchi has also been summoned by the Imperial Governor of Vulcan for a meeting at the Governor's palace outside of the city of Tokyo on the planet, itself. What the Governor could want is not presently known and the captain is a little apprehensive. These are dangerous times with the Empire teetering on the edge of civil war.

The Potemkin began to reduce speed as she approached the Imperial Yard Controller Station to receive docking instructions. Yamaguchi has the ship's defensive systems fully charged and ready in case of a sudden attack. Fortunately, however, none came...

The Yard Controller orders Potemkin to power down her weapons and proceeds to Drydock Alpha 1. Evidently, they understand the nervousness of the arriving ships, the Controller's station's weapons emplacements were locked on the Potemkin. All the while, a yard tug approached the Potemkin to usher her to the drydock while Captain Yamaguchi ordered her crew to comply.

Potemkin followed along after the tug into the drydock. Yamaguchi motioned to Gutierrez on the bridge as she heads for the turbolift. "Let's go, lieutenant, we can't keep the governor waiting." Yamaguchi said, "Commander Namura, you have the conn, Commander Al-Rashid, coordinate with the yardmaster for our refit."

Yamaguchi, Gutierrez and the two bodyguards enter the lift. Yamaguchi shouts an order to communications as she turned, while inside the lift, Gabby held the doors open with her hand. "Lieutenant Lehmann, contact Dr. Ashley and tell her to meet us in transporter room two."

"Yes, captain!" Lehmann responds as the turbo lift doors closed and the turbolift started off towards its destination.

Captain Yamaguchi, Lieutenant Gutierrez, and Dr. Ashley all head for transporter room two. The trio will meet the rest of Captain Yamaguchi's bodyguard in the transporter room before beaming down to Earth.

The Imperial Governor had invited Captain Yamaguchi and Dr. Ashley to dine on the planet while the ISS Potemkin settles into drydock to begin its refit. All off duty personnel will be able to take leave on the orbital station until the work is completed. Fleet personnel is not allowed on the planet without authorization from the governor or the Emperor.

Gutierrez is very curious and nervous about this invitation. According to what she's heard about this Terran Governor's cruelty, it sends chills down her spine. She will have to be extremely careful.

Yamaguchi and her company quickly gather in transporter room two to beam down to Vulcan. The Admiral nodded her head as she regarded Dr. Ashley before her while Gutierrez was over chatting with the transporter operator for a moment.

Yamaguchi voiced her concern about this invitation to her only friend and confidant Dr. Ashley. This woman was the reason she had gotten onto the Potemkin the previous afternoon and had enabled her to seize command. Yamaguchi had talked with Ashley the day before the Potemkin had reached the 40 Eridani system and confided in her about visiting the Imperial Governor. Yamaguchi has misgivings about this, she has never been invited to dine with any imperial official. With the empire on the verge of civil war and traitors striking out against loyalists, she did not know what to think or who to trust. This invitation has her nervous so she repeats her concern once again.

Dr. Ashley understood her friend and once again gives the captain some advice on the matter at hand. The doctor is more confident about the dinner. She reminded the captain that they both know the governor well and the doctor doubts that this invitation will end with their deaths. The governor in question, he wasn't known for subterfuge, just direct action. Dr. Ashley found herself looking forward to a non replicated meal and the feel of a familiar planet under her boots. The Potemkin had been in deep space for a year without visiting an imperial world, only starbases, and deep space stations. The alien planets they've visited have been mostly hostile and after the customary orbital bombardment, there's nothing worth visiting left. Just death and smoldering ruins.

Ashley believes the governor just wants to talk about the developing situation within the Empire. She said as much as well.

"All right, let's saddle up.." the captain said. Her voice brimming with confidence. "We can't keep the Imperial Governor waiting! Let's go!"

The group heads for the transporter chamber silently before they were beamed down to Earth.

Captain Yamaguchi and her team prepare for transport down to the Imperial Governor's Palace on Vulcan. Her mind races with thoughts and concerns about what kind of reception she is likely to receive upon arrival.

The Imperial Governor of Vulcan is a very powerful individual. Yamaguchi and Dr. Ashley both knew the governor from the past and it has been years since any of them has spoken. Yamaguchi is not sure about this 'reunion'. It has been rumored that the governor has gone 'native', adopting a Vulcan way of life during the now seven years of this appointment. Yamaguchi wondered if this, in and of itself, could be dangerous. The governor could be unstable and thus a threat to the Imperial Federation. The Federation troops are loyal to the governor now that the emperor is gone. Many of them were handpicked by the governor and any dissenters have been weeded out violently long ago.

Captain Yamaguchi sets her jaw and steels her resolve as the transporter revs up. She unsnaps her phaser's holster.

"Be ready for anything..." she grumbles to her people "If there's one sign of trouble, open fire!" she ordered the people with her.

Dr. Ashley smiled slightly as she unsnapped her holster, with a conscious 'Butch & Sundance' flair.

"What's that Klingon saying? Today is a good day to die!" Ashley giggled as the transporter hum grows louder.

Gabby casts a nervous glance over to Yamaguchi and whispered an old prayer she learned as a child...

"Yea though I walk in the valley of the shadow of death..." she muttered as she disappeared in the transport beam