Disrupted Arrival Pt. 3

Two hours never felt longer than it had just then. The ship was prepared to defend itself naturally, however with the Klingons 'somewhere out there' we remained at yellow alert, just one step from arming weapons. I sat quietly in the captains chair, listening to the quiet hum of activity on the bridge. I couldn't help but relax a bit, I loved my ship and I had the respect of my crew...

2 Months Earlier...

"Doctor Bridgeman?"
The voice startled me but not enough for me to look up from my work, "What is it?"
"The Captain wants a word with you, Doc."
I now bothered to remove my eyes from the microscope, the messenger was a good friend, Lt. Baxter, "Oh boy, good or bad?"
He smiled, "Well, what fun is it if you know what's gonna happen."
I gave him a false look of suspicion and laughed, "Ok. Nurse, can you please ready Mr. Chsetrk for examination, I'll return in a few minutes to see him."
The nurse smiled and nodded, "Of course, Doctor."
I accompanied Lt. Baxter to the Captain's quarters and nodded to several officers who acknowledged me. It was an unwritten rule that although I was a mere Ensign I was a Doctor first, Ensign second. My training and experience had to be equivalent to a ships Captain, life and death were a constant part of my job and a job that nobody wanted.
Baxter left me at the Captain's door and he smiled, "Good luck, doc."
I nodded and buzzed the door, "Yeah right."
"Come in."
I entered the room and snapped to attention, "Doctor William Bridgeman reporting as ordered."
Captain James Hollins waved me to one of the seats without looking up from a tablet he had on his desk, "Please sit down Doc."
I slid into the chair, maintaining some sort of formal composure and he looked up, "Please, relax! Would you care for a beverage?"
"No thank you, Captain."
He spoke to the computer and came up with what looked like coffee from the replicator, "I've been reviewing your personnel file Doctor. You are a very impressive person. A former Marine with many combat operations completed."
I nodded, "Yes, sir."
He smiled again, "My father was a former Marine as well, so you have my respect. Many of these operations listed are classified. Black Ops and other such things I see."
I was beginning to get nervous, "Yes, sir I..."
He waved, cutting off my explanation, "Please, I have the clearance and I know everything you did. No need to tell me. You have command potential Dr. Bridgeman. You were responsible for...?"
"12 other men in my platoon, sir."
The Captain nodded and went back to another tablet he had on his desk.
"Well, doc. I can't begin to tell you all the great things people have said about you. Your records speak for themselves. You are older than most officers of your rank. You have maturity, command potential and you learn quickly. You also have all those years from medical school in your head."
I nodded, 'Where was this all getting to?'
As though he were answering me he handed me one of his tablets, "Starfleet has sent out these orders to a couple hundred rising in the ranks officers. Many are in key positions such as yourself, Doctors, Scientists, other such support personnel who are deemed qualified and have command experience. I am here to assist you Doctor. If you accept these orders you will receive an emergency promotion to Captain and sent to a ship to command."
My eyes widened in shock, "Sir?"
He smiled and leaned back in his chair, "It's an old Connie class ship, refit to be a Medical Support Vessel. Purely Fleet Support."
I nodded, my face must have revealed my speechlessness.
The Captain took the orders from me and held out his hand, "Congratulations Captain. I will run you through some drills of course on the holodeck but that's just a formality..."

I looked back at Cmdr. Quigley who was just coming on to the bridge, "Does the Chief have an estimate on repairs?"
She nodded, "The Warp Core will be ready in twenty minutes."
I smiled, "Good, right on schedule."
"The Chief said he can't wait to get to Serenity to replace some of the outdated components."
I looked around the bridge and pat my arm rests, "It took a lot to get her flying again. She'll be good to go."
Quigley nodded, a smile on her face, "I know, sir."

Three Weeks prior...

I pat the arm rests of the captain's chair, sending up dust into the air. I coughed and looked back at someone entering the bridge.
"Stupid elevator sent me to the wrong place twice..."
The figure stopped and came to attention, "I apologize, sir....I..."
I smiled and waved the person aboard, "Please come aboard. Are you one of my engineers?"
The man nodded and extended his hand, "Chief Engineer Marcus Hadley, sir."
I shook his hand, the grip was strong and I remembered that his file was full of awards and commendations for his actions in repairing many vessels. He was experienced with ships where I was not.
"What do you think of her?" I asked, staring around the bridge.
CE Hadley responded, "May I speak freely, sir?"
"Go ahead."
The engineer tapped on a wall, opening a repair hatch, "Sir, we are going to need to seriously rehaul this baby if we're gonna be using her in combat. Many of these repairs are gonna take weeks, maybe months to complete. I mean, look at these computer boards and the wiring! My God, it's gonna be a miracle if we don't have an explosion."
"An explosion?" a female voice said.
I looked over, the woman wore the rank of a Lt. Commander, "I assume you are my first officer?"
Recognizing my rank she came to attention, "Sir, Lt. Cmdr. Quigley reporting for duty..."
I held up a hand, "Please, relax number one. I have read the dossier's of all the crew, they just need to report in to the ship's computer and request permission to come aboard. Formalities will be halted until we can make this ship whole again."
Quigley nodded, "Aye, sir. I recommend we split up assignments among the crew and start repairs asap."
I agreed, "Chief Hadley will head up the repair efforts, he's been in Starfleet probably longer than our whole bridge crew combined so he is to be treated with the utmost respect."
Rule number one, I told myself, listen to the experienced personnel regardless of rank.
"Of course sir."
"Oh, and Mr. Hadley," I turned to him, "Don't call me sir unless you really screwed something up."
He laughed, "Of course."

Hadley's voice, "Captain the Warp Core is repaired, Warp functions are restored."
"Thank you, Chief. Helm, resume course to Serenity Station, full warp."
Ensign Kohn began pressing on his console, "Aye, sir."
I leaned back in my chair and looked at the viewscreen, "Engage."