Arcadia We Have a Problem

Posted on Sun Apr 26th, 2026 @ 11:40pm by Lieutenant Commander Sabastian Walker & Captain William Abernathy & Lieutenant Commander Elyse White

1,203 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Forgotten Wounds
Location: Various
Timeline: After the last rescue run

ON:

Sab entered the skiff and undocked. Forest's shuttle was the last to leave. There were now no survivors on the transport. Everyone was off. Sab would lead the last shuttle out of the field. So far, the nano probes were doing their work. The field was mapped, and the process of shutting the mines down had begun.

Sab brought up his sensors and checked on the safe path. Satisfied, he gave the okay for Forest to go. The shuttle began slowly weaving the path towards
safety.

"Slow and steady, Forest."

"Got it, Chief," Came back the reply.

"Walker to Arcadia, the last shuttle is coming out but...something is off."

Captain Abernathy's expression soured from the one that once displayed relief and optimism. In its place, an expression of concern. "What do you mean by 'off', Commander?"

"I'm not sure, Captain. Transmitting sensor data now."

Poe studied what was coming in. This wasn't making sense to him, these kinds of readings...."Shit!"

Elyse raised a brow at Poe and looked back at the reading. She struggled to make too much sense out of it, but could hazard a few guesses, "Captain..."

"White...someone," quipped Bill Abernathy. "Talk to me," he added sharply.

Walker's voice filtered through. "Koval all over again."

Poe's eyes widened. "Captain, we have a deactivated mine that's activated again. Koval, the shutting down of the mines activated the dormant ones...it's got.."

Forest's voice filtered through. "Heading straight for us! Shit! Shields are not working ... It's matching speed and course."

Walker's mind worked. "Forest, listen. All the shuttles have port thrusters. I need you to activate them on my mark. "Captain, Elyse, we need the Klingons here. Can you get them on speaker? Patch them into this call."

Elyse quickly reached over, "This is the USS Arcadia. The plan needs to change. Please listen to our pilots-- I repeat, change of plans. Danger back in the field. Go ahead, Walker."

Sabastian spoke quickly. "Klingon ship, I need you to reverse the polarity on your tractor. Make it push the ship down. Arcadia, tow the ship in when both tractor beams hit you, Forest. I need you to activate port trustors at max. Battle cruiser, Arcadia, when the thrusters go on, increase power at a ten-point-seven level burst and then cut tractors and shields at max."

Forest was silent. It was Thol who spoke from engineering. "It won't work. It will get them far enough, but the mine needs to hit a wall."

There was silence. "It will hit a wall," Walker said. "On my mark."

Elyse hesitated, "What are you using as a wall, Walker?"

Abernathy took a deep breath. He is the wall thought Abernathy. He didn't say it aloud, but it was the same bone-headed heroics his son would have done in Walker's situation.

The Klingon ship acknowledged that they were ready to help.

Walker's face filled the Arcadia view screen. He looked over at Thol. "Mind the store, Thol." He turned to White. "Looks like your position is a bit more permanent than we thought. Captain," He said, looking at Abernathy. "I regret I must ignore your order to me from the shuttle bay. It's been...a pleasure." He looked over at Poe, who was shaking, tears leaking from his eyes. "You are stronger than you think. Remember that." He let out a shaky breath. "It's been an honour being part of this crew."

"Absolutely not, Walker, stand down! Get your ass into a clearer frame of mind. Suicide missions are for the weak. Don't you dare. Stand down, Walker, that's an order!" Elyse barked.

"He's not going to listen, Commander White, not to you, not to me," commented Captain Abernathy.

He pressed a few buttons and took manual control of the Skiff. "One wall, coming up. Engage tractors now!"

The beams show through space, and the shuttle lurched.

"Thrusters!" Walker called.

"Walker! You do not have permission! Stand down!" Elyse barked.

Forest, tears in his eyes, hit the thrusters, and the shuttle launched towards the Arcadia.

"Increase beam strength and shields at max!" Walker cried.

"Walker, I swear to hell! Stand down!" Elyse repeated, "Walker, don't you--"

Captain Bill Abernathy stood from his chair, arms behind his waist, and silently stood with his eyes locked onto the viewscreen of the Arcadia's bridge. "God speed," he muttered softly.

Walker looked up at the screen again, gave a nod, and the coms cut.

Five heartbeats of silence

Five more and in the silence of space, a light show that rivaled the northern lights sparkled, rocking both the cruiser, the Arcadia, and the shuttle.

Elyse tapped the Comms desperately trying to get the Comms back up for Walker. "Shit!" She cussed, slamming her hands onto the panel.

"There's nothing we could have said or done, Elyse. Commander Walker has made his decision," Bill said in a solemn tone.

Thol's eyes filled with tears. "Engineering, we need to tractor up the shuttle, which was damaged, no injuries, so we need to pull them in.

Poe, on the other hand, watched the screen white as a sheet. Tears silently running down his face. He focused on breathing. He would not have a panic attack.

Elyse's console lit up with the hails of the Klingon ship.

Elyse was angry and overwhelmed with the mixture of emotions she was feeling, yet somehow managed to hold herself together. Elyse looked over at Poe and whispered, "Lieutenant, we still have people out there. I need you to focus for just a minute, and then we'll let emotions fly." Elyse then saw her screen flash up, "Sir, incoming hail." Elyse popped it in the screen.

"I am Korth, second officer, our Captain has asked me to reach out. The mines are deactivated; the destruction of that one mine has deactivated them. We have been asked to return to our space and will leave you to tend to your people." He paused. "Today was a good day to die, Captain. Your man died a warrior's death, and you should be proud." He motioned to the bridge crew on the Klingon ship. As one, they growled and threw their head back, releasing their shrieks to the air. Just as abruptly as it started, it ended. "Sto-Vo-Kor knows a warrior is coming." He gave a nod, and the coms cut.

Elyse thought it was somewhat sweet of a Klingon to say such a thing about Walker in that moment, but it still hurt. She sat back in her seat and looked over to Abernathy for orders.

"Commander White, please send a transmission on Klingon frequencies. Thank them in their native tongue, express my personal gratitude for our shared victory today, and that I look forward to what the Empire and the Federation can achieve together as allies." Bill took a deep breath. Today, they lost Walker, but they also strengthened their relationship with their old nemesis.

Elyse hesitated. The job itself was easy enough but Klingons were still persons she was wary of and a thanks was difficult. Nonetheless, orders were orders and she relayed the message and then closed the Comms, sitting back in her seat feeling rather sick about what had just happened.

OFF:

 

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