The Continuing Story of Deep Space 2: Page 22
As Deep Space 2 was decloaking, the major didn't believe his eyes. He looked at the sensor readings again and had to confirm, what his sensor displays showed. The station not only had decloaked, but had also moved. Moved a large distance.
"Runabout Beta, this is DS2, do you read ?"
"DS2 ! Great to hear from you, mister Luke."
DS2 had moved with eight trusters of an unknown design, which produced almost full impuls power. At the same time the tractor beam pulled the major's runabout in, engineers Louis and Jan Roel had already discovered that the station's trusters could develop such a speed, without compromising the hull, because of a force field around the station. There was no conclusion for the problem of getting control of the systems. At this moment the DS2 main computer seemed to run the station. The why-question was still unsolved.
Commander Arthur was looking at the messages which had come in but could not be read yet. One of the last messages was from VADM John Winchester about promotions of officers on Deep Space 2. So Arthur made a promotion list of the DS2 officers. He had to admit that they all deserved it.
Arthur, Captain
Jan, Lieutenant-Colonel
Luke, Commander
Louis, Lieutenant Junior Grade
Marianne, Lieutenant Junior Grade
Nadine, Lieutenant Junior Grade
Jan Roel, Lieutenant Junior Grade
There were some other messages about Starfleet and the Dominion, bad messages, but there was nothing they could do here, at the other side of the quadrant. But it could mean that the next visitors could be expected much later than originally planned.
At the senior staff meeting, now captain Arthur explained that the sophisticated changes of the station were most likely accomplished by someone of the future. He couldn't really explain, but it seemed logical enough to everybody. Even Marianne had to admit that at this moment, she had no other scientific explanation. Although the changes to the station were futuristic, they would change the time continuum, so every change would change the ones who made the changes. So because of the continuation of changes, this could only mean that there was no change in the time continuum. Assuming all of this was correct, there would be more Giloppen to come. And the next time they would not come with a few scout ships.
Later when the captain had asked commander Luke into his office, there were some things to clear up. The captain had not received a record of commander Luke.
"I have no idea, captain," Luke replied, "none whatsoever. I got my assignment from an admiral in Starfleet head quarters, with a special note that my assignment came from above. That is also probably why I made commander so fast. That is all I can tell you. I thought you might have talked to some friends at Starfleet head quarters to get me on DS2."
"No, I didn't," and the captain continued, "The only record I got from Starfleet, was your name and the special note that if I didn't accept you, it would be considered very foolish. And that is exactly the only thing I had. I have no record or anything else."
"So you don't know who send me here either ?" Luke was not really reacting emotionally. Rather cool, almost Vulcan.
"Well, it doesn't really matter. You are here now, and we need you. So get to work."
The DS2 chief of communications, nodded and without looking back he left the office. Arthur had to think about this another time. The Starfleet Dominion confrontation wasn't exactly what he would call a very happy meeting. But at the moment there was nothing he could do. It all seemed so far away.
"Sir this is junior lieutenant Louis," Louis used his new rank for the first time, "we have calculated our new position. We have traveled 16 milion kilometers in 66 hours. It's incredible captain. That equals the distance we would travel at full impulse."
If they hadn't, they never could have saved the major ... lieutenant-colonel ...