Marching Orders

Posted on Sat Mar 7th, 2026 @ 10:43am by Captain Mitsu Sato & Commander Eva Grey & Admiral Eleanor Shaw

1,163 words; about a 6 minute read

The chirp of the communications panel woke Mitsu from sleep. With a soft groan, she rolled over and reached her hand out to touch the control built into her nightstand. "Yes?" she said, still half awake.

"Captain, I'm sorry to bother you this late but Admiral Shaw's office just sent us a general order," the voice of the duty officer said. "You and Commander Grey are to report to Admiral Shaw's office immediately."

"Thank you," Mitsu said as her mind registered the importance of such an order. Something was clearly going on. "Wake Commander Grey and have her meet me in the transporter room in three minutes."

Signing off, she slid out of her bed and grabbed the duty uniform she had set out for the next day. Dressing quickly, she wondered what was going on that required such a meeting in the middle of the night. Hurrying out of her quarters, she quickly made her way to the transporter room.

Eva stood in the transporter room, patiently waiting for the captain to arrive. She Hadn't yet made it to her quarters, so her face was drawn somewhat with the faint lines of a long exhausting day. As Captain Sato entered the transporter room, she managed a smile. "Captain, I certainly hope you were still awake," she said.

"Unfortunately, I wasn't," Mitsu replied as she nodded to the transporter officer and stepped onto the pad. "Beam us directly outside the admiral's office," she said. As soon as Grey stepped onto the pad beside her, Mitsu felt the tingling sensation of the transporter beam as it whisked them from the Eclipse to the outer office on the star base. Turning, she nodded to the admiral's adjutant, who simply waved them to enter.

The admiral's office was dim, lit only by the soft glow of the view ports and the faint sheen of the console lights. Admiral Eleanor Shaw stood behind her desk, her arms crossed, the lines on her face accentuated by the low light. “Captain Sato, Commander Grey,” she said without preamble as the two officers entered, her voice tempered by urgency. “I appreciate you coming on such short notice. Please, sit.”

Mitsu exchanged a brief glance with Grey before taking her seat across from Shaw. She watched Grey as she settled into the chair beside her. The admiral immediately gestured to the console. “We’ve just received word from Outpost Epsilon 7, monitoring the Klingon border. There’s been a weak distress signal detected from the Morska mining colony. The Klingons have no ships in the area capable of rendering immediate assistance, so they have requested Starfleet support.”

Shaw’s eyes narrowed slightly. “You and your ship, Captain, are being dispatched to evaluate the situation and render assistance if required.”

Mitsu leaned back in her chair, her brow furrowed. “Admiral, with all due respect,” she said, “the Eclipse is a Nova class. Our capabilities are limited. We can provide support, yes, but the scale of a potential emergency at a Klingon mining colony could exceed our resources.”

Admiral Shaw’s gaze did not waver. “Understood. But Captain, this is a unique situation. There are no other ships in the sector capable of immediate deployment. The USS Wright, the station's Defiant class escort, will accompany you to provide additional firepower and defensive capabilities. Beyond that, the risk is unavoidable.”

Mitsu exhaled slowly. She had trained for situations like this, and yet, the weight of responsibility never felt lighter at the moment. “Very well,” she said finally. “We will prepare the Eclipse for immediate departure. But Admiral I must emphasize that our ability to render assistance is limited. Science and medical support are minimal compared to the scale of a Klingon mining facility.”

Eva’s expression was taut, the lines around her eyes sharper in the dim light. “Admiral,” she said carefully, her hands rested on her lap, her fingers interlacing as she spoke. “I must point out that we have very little data on the area. Epsilon 7’s sensors are basic, and we don’t know what conditions we will encounter at Morska. There could be environmental hazards, structural instability, or other unknown threats. The Eclipse is capable, yes, but we must consider crew safety. What happens if the danger to the ship's crew becomes overwhelming by the danger we face?”

Shaw inclined her head slightly. “Commander Grey, I understand your concerns. This is precisely why I requested you and Captain Sato. Both of you have the type of experience, judgement, and operational flexibility that is critical in such scenarios. The Wright is en route to provide escort and backup if required. Your responsibility will be to assess and mitigate immediate danger while preparing for contingencies.”

Eva exhaled, a faint tension in her shoulders. “And if the distress signal is from a large scale accident or hostile activity?” she asked.

The admiral allowed herself a brief pause. “Then we respond as necessary. The safety of the mining colony and any personnel is paramount, but your discretion is essential. I trust your judgment.”

Mitsu’s gaze drifted to the view port, staring at the stars beyond Starbase 24. It was quiet out there now, deceptively so. The unknown region beyond the Klingon border always carried uncertainty, and she had no illusions about the complications that might arise. “We will depart as quickly as we can,” she said finally, her voice firm but measured. “Eclipse will maintain sensor scans and remain in close coordination with Starbase 24. If you will, Admiral, have the Wright meet us at the Klingon border and provide cover as needed. Commander Grey, ensure that we have full sensor and environmental diagnostics ready before we leave. We will need every advantage the ship provides.” Her eyes shifted back to Shaw. “We will report as the situation develops. If the colony’s needs exceed our capacity, we will request immediate reinforcement.”

Admiral Shaw inclined her head once. “That is all I ask.”

Eva rose from her chair, the faint click of her boots echoing in the quiet office. “I will coordinate with Operations and Science on board the Eclipse immediately. Some of our crew are still on shore leave, so I'll have security issue an immediate recall to duty. We can run full diagnostics while we're underway.” She paused, glancing at Sato. “I suggest we also run simulations for structural collapses, environmental contamination, and potential combat scenarios. Even if the Klingons have requested assistance, we cannot assume the area is secure.”

Mitsu nodded, already turning the plan over in her mind. “Agreed,” she said. “Time is critical. Every minute spent in preparation must be efficient and effective.”

Shaw allowed herself a subtle exhale. “I know this is not ideal,” the admiral said, “but I trust you will make the right choices. Get the Eclipse underway as quickly as you can. The Wright will meet you en route. The Klingon mining colony is relying on you whether they know it or not. Dismissed. And good luck.”

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