The Constitution of the Unknowns

"The Constitution of the Unknowns" is the fifth episode of the current Don Trek series and is based on a very short story that also took the fifth spot in the original Don Trek writings. The only thing this story shares with the "original" is that there were some kind of peace talks.

Previous episode: The Black Whole

Next episode: It's A Good Day To Dalek

Synopsis
When Adm. Kevin calls the USS Bonneville with a mission Cmdr. Mike must decide if Capt. Don should be woken up early or not, because a good night's sleep is important!

The Story
''“First Officer’s log stardate 9501.11: It’s ship’s night and I’m in command. Not many executive officers pick the night shift that goes to some low level command officer but I asked for it. Sometime around  a year or two into my service with Starfleet I discovered that I had a hard time sleeping, and then I discovered that I slept better during ship’s day than night. Most of my commanding officers were opposed to this; they said that I needed to be on a more productive shift. Capt. Don has a slightly different view and says that we’re in space, who gives a crap when I do my work? So I’ve been sleeping better, except for when I get called in during red alert situations, or when I’ve had a meatball sub too close to bed time. I can’t do anything about the red alerts, but for the subs I take Space-Seltzer, and Space-Seltzer Plus when I have a cold. Life is good.” ~Cmdr. Mike''

Act One
“Cmdr. Mike, we are getting a priority signal from Adm. Kevin at Starfleet command.”

                “Thanks Lt. Pam,” answered Cmdr. Mike, “just put it on the screen.”

                “Sir,” question Ensign Emily, “I’m sorry but you just called me Lt. Pam?”

                “Oh, I’m sorry Ensign Emily,” answered Cmdr. Mike, “it’s just that, well, it won’t happen again.”

                “I understand sir,” she smiled, “I’ll put Adm. Kevin on the screen.”

                ''“Cmdr. Mike it’s a pleasure to see you.”''

                “The same here Adm. Kevin, how are you?”

                ''“Oh you know how it goes, always got some damn paperwork to ignore. Of course you know I didn’t call you to talk about paperwork did I?”''

                Cmdr. Mike laughed and answered, “No sir you never do.”

                “Yeah well we have a problem in the Alpha-Beta- Delta X system and we need you guys to work it out for us.”

                “Is that the Alpha-Beta- Delta Roman numeral ten or the Alpha-Beta- Delta letter “X” system?”

                Adm. Kevin clarified, ''“Oh yeah that’s right, it’s the Alpha-Beta- Delta Roman numeral ten system. I’m glad you asked for clarification or you might have ended up on the other side of the Alpha Quadrant!”''

                “Yes,” chuckled Cmdr. Mike, “that could have been a problem. So what do you need for us to do? Do I need to wake Capt. Don?”

                ''“No, don’t wake Don up, this issue is urgent and pressing but there’s no way you’re going to get there in time where it would matter if he were up or not. Just let him sleep and tell him about it in the morning,” answered Adm. Kevin. “Basically what we need you to do is go there ASAP and negotiate a peace treaty between the planets Giltar and Filtar. They are two worlds that just a week ago were both asking to join the Federation and in peace. It seems now that they feel that the other is out to get them or some such shit.”''

                “That’s odd Adm. Kevin, why would they be that way all of a sudden? Oh and if they were negotiating with the Federation for admittance then shouldn’t you already have diplomats there?”

                “That would be a correct observation Mike,” answered Adm. Kevin, “but there has been an attack on the Federation’s diplomatic currier the USS Lincoln Town Car, she’s been destroyed.”

                “Wow,” reacted Cmdr. Mike, “that’s some serious stuff.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                ''“Agreed. The problem’s that neither planet has the power or potential take out even a Miranda-class vessel. We think this war is fuelled by an outside source, maybe even the Klingons. So you see why this may prove to be a big problem? I’ve sent all the data on the situation to you and when Capt. Don wakes up in the morning he can go over it. I’m leaving it up to you guys to deal with this, another ship will be on its way there too but it’s another two days further than you all. If you need any more information or clarification contact me or my office. God speed Cmdr. Mike.”''

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Yes, thank you sir, we’ll get the job done,” assured Cmdr. Mike, “have a good night, USS Bonneville out.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                Cmdr. Mike sat in the captain’s chair contemplating if he should wake Capt. Don up and tell him anyway, but he remembered something Don had said in the past.'' “Don’t wake me up for an emergency three days early and I won’t wake you up for one two days early. We need our sleep.”''

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Ensign Emily,” Cmdr. Mike got her name right this time and she smiled, “send a silent message to Capt. Don’s S-mail account to let him know to contact me about the mission when he wakes up in the morning.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Yes sir,” answered Ensign Emily, “I’ll do that right now.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                The next morning Capt. Don woke up from what might have been one of the best night’s sleeps in his life. Of course the first thing he did was check his S-mail account to see if anything important was going on. Subject: Contact Cmdr. Mike about mission as soon as possible. 

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Well it must be important,” said Capt. Don to himself, “but not important enough to wake me up.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                Capt. Don then sent a reply to Cmdr. Mike. Subject: Meet me for breakfast to discuss mission. After all the message sending Capt. Don was ready for his morning shower and then to met Cmdr. Mike for the meal and the briefing.

<p class="MsoNormal">                “No, I’m glad you let me sleep,” laughed Capt. Don. “This mission looks like it’s very important, but damn we’re still more than two days away! I’ll let Lt. Solok know he’ll be in the chair today while I start the prep for the diplomatic mission, the command staff can meet later on tonight to talk about the tactical aspects of the mission, and if you don’t mind sending a small brief out to the staff before you hit the sack that would be awesome.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                Cmdr. Mike finished his sammitch and responded, “No problem.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Great then! Boy am I glad this worked out the way it did,” said Capt. Don, “I had the best night’s sleep last night! Try to have a good one yourself; it looks like we’re going to need our rest.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                That day everyone did their part to prepare for the mission and that meant that Cmdr. Mike got a good day’s sleep too. Because getting a good day’s sleep is important.

<p class="MsoNormal">

Act Two
“First Officer’s log stardate 9501.12: We are less than two days away from the Alpha-Beta- Delta X system and we are making really good time. The way it looks we are going to be more than a half a day ahead of schedule and that normally bodes really well for us. Things are running smoothly tonight and I think I’m gonna bust out some nutella and a spoon for lunch.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                As the bridge crew of the USS Bonneville went about their business something, or someone, was stirring in the captain’s quarters; Capt. Don!

<p class="MsoNormal">                “I can’t take this anymore!” yelled Capt. Don, “there’s just no making sense of it!”

<p class="MsoNormal">                He got out of his bed and checked his S-mail and there was nothing there.

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Capt. Don to the bridge.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “This is the bridge, can I help you sir?”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Yes, is Cmdr. Mike there?”

<p class="MsoNormal">                ''“He stepped out on a quick nutella break Captain. Do you want to leave a message?”''

<p class="MsoNormal">                “No,” answered Capt. Don, “yes, I do, I want to leave a message. Tell Cmdr. Mike that I want him to go over the logs and sensors of the USS Lincoln Town Car again and that he needs to do so without thinking about the attackers being Klingon or Romulan or any enemy we already know. Let him know I’ll explain why in the morning at our meal.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Aye sir.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                Capt. Don went back to sleep faster than he thought he would and when Cmdr. Mike got back from the bridge he was pleased to have an assignment to pass the time away, and he was also pleased with the feeling he had after eating the delicious nutty chocolate goodness of nutella spread right off the spoon too!

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Holy crap, the captain’s onto something here! I don’t think the USS Lincoln Town Car was attacked and destroyed by the Klingons. They were attacked and destroyed by a totally unknown power! This power signature is off the mark,” commented Cmdr. Mike looking over the data on the main view screen powered by Acer. “On top of it all it looks like the data we’ve got has been tampered with!”

<p class="MsoNormal">                After another few times passing over the information on his own Cmdr. Mike called Lt. Solok to the bridge.

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Yes this is most odd,” offered the Vulcan science officer.

<p class="MsoNormal">                “This is what I found oddest about it at first,” said Cmdr. Mike, “there is a time signature present on the scanned debris, and what is even more oddester about it is this other unknown signature on the scorched debris.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Aside from oddester not being a word, you are correct,” acknowledged Lt. Solok.

<p class="MsoNormal">                “A ship they never saw coming,” stated Cmdr. Mike, “and when it hit them they had no idea what hit them, and there is someone on the inside covering stuff up?”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “That is not out of the realm of possibility,” answered Lt. Solok.

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Then we don’t know what we’re facing and need to reevaluate our plan of attack,” supposed Cmdr. Mike. “Go ahead and spread this new data around to anyone who’s relevant and have them bring their findings to the AM meeting.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “AM meeting Cmdr. Mike?”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Yes, the one I’m ordering right now.

<p class="MsoNormal">

Act Three
“Smart move Mike,” said Capt. Don as they left the emergency AM meeting with a new game plan for the situation at Alpha-Beta- Delta X.

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Maybe so, but it’s not like we have that much of a different plan Capt. Don.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “You may be right, I may be crazy, but not having the totally wrong plan has got to be better than having the totally wrong plan,” countered Capt. Don.

<p class="MsoNormal">                “So do you think Mr. Bourbon can alter the shields to withstand the kind of blast the other ship might have been handing out?”

<p class="MsoNormal">                Capt. Don thought for a moment and answered, “I hope so, let’s pray he does not have to alter the shields any further.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                The next day the mood on the USS Bonneville was a very intense one as all of the departments prepared for the possibility of battle. Capt. Don and Cmdr. Mike went over the battle plans one minute and the diplomatic strategy the next.

<p class="MsoNormal">                “I’m sorry I’ve got to be down there talking politics with these people and not on the bridge of this ship,” offer Capt. Don.

<p class="MsoNormal">                “I know it’ll be tough on you Capt. Don but someone has got to be down there and just think of the diplomatic huff it would cause if it were anyone other than the captain?”

<p class="MsoNormal">                Capt. Don agreed and then added, “If there’s someone who needs to take this ship into battle other than me it’s you Mike.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                'Red Alert, Red Alert! '

<p class="MsoNormal">                “We must be entering Alpha-Beta- Delta X space,” commented Capt. Don, “I’ll get my team into place and you get ready to beam us down to the meeting place.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Don’t worry Don,” Cmdr. Mike offered, “she’ll be fine.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Look old friend, they can build a new ship, keep your ass intact.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Aye sir.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                Cmdr. Mike headed for the bridge and his crew was already in action.

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Mr. Bourbon reports that Capt. Don and team are ready to beam down and we are free to make our pass at any time,” reported Ensign Emily.

<p class="MsoNormal">                Lt. Solok added, “so far none of our scans have detected any of the identifying signatures we are looking for.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “We're ready to buzz the Giltar moon of Diltar where the diplomatic sessions will be taking place,” announced Lt. Tommy.

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Okay Mr. Bourbon,” called out Cmdr. Mike.

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Cmdr. Mike the shields are down,” said Lt. Solok.

<p class="MsoNormal">                “NOW! Beam them NOW!” ordered Cmdr. Mike.

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Transport successful,” answered Mr. Bourbon.

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Shields are back up,” informed Lt. Solok.

<p class="MsoNormal">                “We are taking the planned somewhat defensive posture,” reported Lt. Tommy.

<p class="MsoNormal">                “So far all communications channels are silent,” chimed in Ensign Emily.

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Now we wait,” added Cmdr. Mike, “now we wait.”

<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">                        Moment by moment time marched on in relative silence on the USS Bonneville as they waited for either a word from Capt. Don or a sign from the unknown enemy ship. To Cmdr. Mike the longer they waited the more the silence grew. To the members of the crew it was a mixed feeling, some grew uneasy with the time and other were falsely comforted by it.

Act Four
“First officer’s log stardate 9501.14: So far so good, there have been no sign of hostilities between us and any potential threat, or the peoples of the two warring planets in the Alpha-Beta- Delta X system. Regular communications between the captain and I have kept us both abreast of each other’s situations and he is confident that there’s hope for peace between the two worlds. There’s one problem, he feels that there is a lack of honesty by both parties when it comes to how they have been able to produce such weapons to wage such a war in such a short period in time. Even if things seem promising on other issues this issue could keep them at war until the truth is discovered.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Commander,” called out Lt. Solok, “I’m picking up energy surges on the far side of Giltar and similar surges on the far side of Filtar.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “We’re closer to Filtar,” said Cmdr. Mike, “go there!”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Course set and approaching,” reported Lt. Tommy.

<p class="MsoNormal">                  “Be ready everyone,” cautioned Cmdr. Mike.

<p class="MsoNormal">                “The surge is gone,” observed Lt. Solok, “and there is not a trace left to signify it was ever here.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “I’m hearing a report of an attack,” reported Ensign Emily, “the report says that Giltar forces are attacking the moon of Diltar!”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Try to contact Capt. Don,” ordered Cmdr. Mike.

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Course set to intercept,” announced Lt. Tommy.

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Engage that course,” ordered Cmdr. Mike.

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Capt. Don coming through on the screen,” started Ensign Emily, “it doesn’t look good.”

<p class="MsoNormal">                ''“Cmdr. Mike,” started the fuzzy image of Capt. Don, “two things if you can; stop that attack and get a medical team down here. We’re gonna need Dr. Good Doctor too, if you can!”''

<p class="MsoNormal">                “We’re almost there,” responded Cmdr. Mike, “and I’ll put the Doctor on alert. What’s going on down there?”

<p class="MsoNormal">                ''“I’m not quite sure,” answered Capt. Don, “but first there was a blast then these robotic…” Capt. Don dropped off the screen and phaser fire was heard and then he returned to the screen. “I’ll upload a picture, but we need a medical team, tell Docto…”''

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Get him back!” ordered Cmdr. Mike, “NOW!”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “I can’t sir,” cried out Ensign Emily, “there’s just dead air!”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “An energy surge is materializing ahead,” said Lt. Solok as he put it on the Acer view screen.

<p class="MsoNormal">                “We are being hailed Cmdr. Mike,” informed Emily.

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Put it on the screen,” ordered Cmdr. Mike.

<p class="MsoNormal">                “It’s audio only,” answered Ensign Emily and she put it on the speaker.

<p class="MsoNormal">                “YOU WILL HAND OVER THE DOCTOR!”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “I’m sorry but we have injured crew on the moon below and our doctor is needed there,” retorted Cmdr. Mike.

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Sir their ship is becoming visual,” reported Lt. Solok.

<p class="MsoNormal">                “What the hell,” called our Cmdr. Mike!

<p class="MsoNormal">                “That appears to be a Constitution-class starship commander,” informed Lt. Solok.

<p class="MsoNormal">                “YOU WILL HAND OVER THE DOCTOR!”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “Look at the phasers on that thing Cmdr. Mike,” pointed out Lt. Tommy, “they are long metal cannons of some sort and they’re starting to glow!”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “What happens if we do not hand over our doctor?”

<p class="MsoNormal">                “EXTERMIN…”

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">''' TO BE CONTINUED! '''

<p class="MsoNormal">

Background Information

 * In the original story there was no dialog and only naritive.


 * In the original stories this would have been Adm. Kevin's second appearence in Don trek, because of proper consolidation and some story changes this marks his first.


 * James Woods' image has been cast as Adm. Kevin. Adm Kevin was in fact someone Don knew at one time.


 * In the original story there is a brief moment of tension and Capt. Don resolves the situation. In this story he must beam down to deal with diplomatic matters while Cmdr. Mike deals with the tension in orbit.


 * This is the first story that is told pretty much through the eyes of Cmdr. Mike making this a Capt. Don lite episode.


 * If this episode has a message that message is that a good night's sleep is important.


 * This episode has the third starship named after a car in the USS Lincoln Town Car.


 * Ensign Emily makes her debut in this episode and is imagined to look like Samantha Star. Emily is named for a person Don knew at one time but no effort was made to cast her to look alike.


 * The villain is not revealed directly in this episode or in the comic panel.


 * The cover art has three clues to who the villain might be; the title and two alterations to the Constitution-class vessel.


 * If you're a fan of a popular sci-fi show in England you might be able to figure out who the villains are via the dialog.


 * Though it's not stated in the text the cover makes it clear that the ship is a Star Trek: The Original Series version of the Constitution-class.


 * More back ground information may be added at a later date after both part one and two of this series are posted.

Artwork

 * The cover was designed using paint.net and various pics from the internet. The alteration to the Constitution-class ship was made using parts from the main villains. The bridge came from an internet search for Starfleet bridges.

Reception

 * Coming soon.

Inspired by
The Star Trek trademarks, logos, and related names are owned by CBS Studios Inc., and are used under "fair use" guidelines.
 * Star Trek, created by Gene Roddenberry.
 * Don Trek is not endorsed, sponsored, or affiliated with Paramount Pictures, CBS Studios Inc. or the "Star Trek" franchise.