Stardate: 60716:1900
Title: Strawberry Fields Forever
Author: Admiral Elizabeth Foster
Time: Current
Scene: Starbase 9


As she closed the communications channel ending the conversation she had been having with the Federation Council Libby let out a scream of frustration. On days like today she wanted to move back to Earth and buy a small patch of land to grow and sell strawberries.

The USS Horizon had probably come across the worst-case scenario on their mission to Tharan 3 - the research colony had virtually been wiped out by a deadly virus. Elizabeth had contacted the Council in the hope that they would authorise the use of further resources within the Federation to assist in the aftermath of this disaster and that an urgent advisory would be issued to other governments so that they could be prepared and perhaps aid in the discovery of a cure.

This was not going to be the case. The Federation was going to keep this clean-up as quiet as possible and no other government would be contacted for fear that the Federation would be held accountable for any further spread of the virus and any resulting deaths. The fear of retribution was making the Council blind to the right course of action. The Admiral had to wonder when they had become so self-centred or had it always been this way and she had just been viewing it through rose-coloured glasses. She would however order the crew of the Horizon to continue their work on the planet trying to find answers and, if they were lucky, a cure. The Admiral was pleased that some of Starfleet's finest had recently joined the vessel.

Admiral Foster was slightly more anxious about the USS Relentless' mission and she remembered back to how it all began. The USS Athena had been engaged in a battle in System 814a and was taking refuge from a heavy firefight in the shadow of the recently decimated planet Parsus. That was when they had picked up a survivor from the actual planet - Captain Khavok. The doctor on board had been quite worried about Alex, saying he was delusional and demanding to speak to the person in charge. Elizabeth had reluctantly gone along.

To begin with, Alex had sounded quite mad talking about a huge Progenitor complex on the planet. He had talked of an old book that would give the owners great power and that it would not be obtained by one person alone and that instead a group of people would be needed to unlock it's hidden secrets. Alex had spoken of the people he had been told would be essential and, after a while, Libby found herself starting to believe him. Even though not yet an Admiral, Elizabeth was starting to become aware of the darker side of the Federation and after many hours of talking with Alex they decided certain parts of his report would have to be kept secret to prevent misuse of this great power.

The Federation had uncovered the huge site but have never gained any insight from it and Libby knew that this was because they never sent the right teams in. It was with this in mind that she had carefully appointed people to the Relentless using what Alex had told her as a guide. Commander Winters was the first person she appointed and she was easy to find from Alex's description: 'Someone who has always been surrounded by death and tragedy but has always been spared.' It was clear from Abigail's file she had survived some horrific ordeals.

Secondly was 'A scientist whose work is revolutionary and can think outside of the box.' Libby had read Maxine's file and her work with the elite Section 12 and her almost gypsy insight into the future which definitely made her the one.

And finally 'An engineer who masquerades as a boy but has lived many men's lifetimes.' This had stumped Libby for the longest but fate had obviously been paying attention and on her desk landed Kal Vilmer's transfer request. He had a shroud of mystery around him and Libby was hoping her gut feeling was right and he was the engineer prophesised.

Alex had also said that 'There would be loyal others who would be in the right place at the right time', and as the crew roster filled out everything seemed to be falling into place.

Most importantly, he had said that 'There would be one to lead them all.' Libby had known that Alex would be the one as he had been entrusted with such important information.

Sitting back in her chair Admiral Foster could only hope that both the crews on the USS Relentless and USS Horizon would deal with whatever fate was now throwing at them. Only time would tell.


===================
Admiral Elizabeth Foster
Commanding Officer
Starbase 9
===================