Stardate: 70805:0730
Title: Travelling At Warp Ain't Like Dusting Crops, Kid
Author: Ensign Andrew Keller
Time: During "Send a Killer to Catch One"
Scene: USS Relentless


Commander Winters sat in the Captain's Ready Room. With Khavok locked in the brig, the room and the responsibility associated with it had become hers. Lost in thought, she didn't hear the first chirp of the intercom. However, the second broke her concentration.

"Enter," she said. The door slid open and Commander Darien Trent and a young, fresh-faced crewman entered the room.

"Commander Trent," the XO greeted. "What can I do for you?"

The Commander waited a moment before answering.

"I hear you've come up with a solution to deliver an antigen onto the natives. I was wondering if you needed any help. This is Crewman Pressman, an excellent young shuttle pilot."

Abby understood where Darien was going.

"The delivery of the antigen requires that the shuttle be piloted manually with no autonomy. Luckily Ensign Keller has had some experience of this and will be flying the delivery shuttle."

Commander Trent nodded his understanding.

"Ensign Keller? Andrew Keller? I didn't know he was on your crew," he replied. Darien was a man who kept a watchful eye on all things in the Federation. "I didn't know he had left the USS Sutherland."

"You know him?" Abby asked; Trent's recognition had piqued her curiosity.

"Only by reputation," Darien answered. "He's considered by many to be one the best pilots in Starfleet. I guess you won't have need for my boy if you have him around." Darien paused. "Is there anything I or my crew can do to assist?" Trent finished.

"Other than to help continue synthesising the antigen, I think everything is pretty much under control," Abby replied. "You will have your hands full here when we leave. Was there's anything else, Commander?"

Seeing she was snowed under he shook his head and left the Captain's Ready Room.

~

Keller pulled the shuttle around for another pass. He had spread the antigen far and wide across the region where the Relentless had landed, covering the natives' villages in what would hopefully serve to be the cure. In the meantime, Dr Talbot and her staff had attended to the crew by way of hypo-spray. Testing had shown the cure to be effective with no obvious side effects other than the occasional headache, although some crewmembers had reported a raging thirst. If that was the worst of the side effects, then it was a small price to pay.

Swooping low over the treetops, Keller continued the process of distributing the cure across the skies. His mind drifted to the events on the ship. Captain Khavok had been tainted by the consciousness of John Galt, Lieutenant Kilmer had been critically wounded and several other key members of the crew had been incapacitated or killed during the events. Commander Winters had assumed command, with Lieutenant Jenna likely to become First Officer. He wondered what the future held for him.

He was among the eldest of the Relentless' crew at 42 years of age. He could hardly be considered old, but he had 23 years experience in Starfleet: he had faced down the Borg; had been involved in more conflicts than he cared to count with Romulans, Klingons, Ferengi and many other races; had fought the Dominion threat. He had perhaps seen more and been involved in more during his service than he ought to have done.

*Maybe it's time to step aside and let the young blood have their turn,* he thought as he swung around again for yet another pass.

He glanced at the storage tank readout - almost empty. As the last of his payload delivered, he turned and set course back towards the Relentless.

"Keller to Relentless. Payload has been delivered."

"Acknowledged," came the reply.



=================
Ensign Andrew Keller
Helm
USS Relentless
NCC-11966
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