Story:Starship Helena/The Savage Empire/Act One

Act One

Fade In

Ext. Space, Mars Orbit

(Note: Opening credits fall over opening scenes)

At Utopia Planitia Shipyards federation starships are being built, refitted or launched as a worker bees fly by and then the camera pans up to a Constitution-Class vessel being refitted and upgraded as a shuttle is flying towards the dry-dock.

Int. Shuttle back compartment

Commander Martin is sitting in the back looking at the padd of the schematics of the USS Helena as he breathes and then he walks to the front and sat at the co-pilot chair next to Lieutenant Mitchell.

Lt. Mitchell: Sir this is the Helena Constitution-Class 23 decks crew complemental 400.

Martin looks at the ship through the window.

Cmdr. Martin: She's getting refitted?

She turns to him.

Lt. Mitchell: Yes sir Captain Taylor put off the refit for a long time, and it wasn't till Lieutenant Kelby forced her to return the ship to space dock.

He smiles at the ship.

Lt. Mitchell: We're coming in for docking.

Ext. Space

The shuttle approaches the ship.

Int. Shuttlebay

The shuttle lands in the bay.

Int. Main Bridge

Commander Martin walks onto the bridge and sees the crew working on the systems and the relays, as Lieutenant Commander Samson sees the Commander.

Ltcmdr. Samson: Commander welcome aboard the Helena I'm Lieutenant Commander James Samson chief tactical, security officer.

The two shook hands.

Cmdr. Martin: Thanks Commander where's the Captain?

He points to the newly built ready room.

Int. Ready Room

Captain Taylor is walking about through the room holding padds in her hands.

Adm. Taylor (monitor): Your sister is pregnant

She walks to her desk.

Capt. Taylor: When is she due?

He breathes.

Adm. Taylor (monitor): She's 4 weeks pregnant and soon she'll get to know what the gender of the child is

She smiles.

Capt. Taylor: I'm gonna be an aunt nice.

Her father looks at her on the monitor.

Adm. Taylor (monitor): Marcia when are you coming home?

She looks at several padds.

Capt. Taylor: As soon as we're finished with our refit and shakedown cruise I'll set a course for Earth.

Adm. Taylor (monitor): That's good just be careful

Before he could finish an officer hands him a padd.

Adm. Taylor (monitor): We've jus received a distress call from one of our ships at Diotma III, Commodore Mitchell is missing and the ship isn't responding to our hails Marcia I hate to do this to you but can you check it out?

She smiles at her father.

Capt. Taylor: Yeah sure we can check it out sir.

The doors chimed she looks at them.

Capt. Taylor: Come.

The doors open and Commander Martin walks in and stands at attention.

Cmdr. Martin: Commander John Thomas Martin reporting as ordered Captain.

She looks at him.

Capt. Taylor: Commander welcome aboard the Helena.

He looks at her.

Cmdr. Martin: Thank you sir.

She walks to him.

Capt. Taylor: Commander at ease before you sprain something, and despite Starfleet protocols I don't like being addressed as sir.

He goes to at ease.

Cmdr. Martin: Sorry Captain.

She nods at him.

Capt. Taylor: Our mission is to head to the Diotma system along the Klingon border to see what happened to one of our starships, and after that we'll go on our shakedown cruise.

Commander Martin looks at her.

Cmdr. Martin: Very well I'll prep the ship for departure.

She nods at him and he leaves the ready room.

Capt. Taylor: Well dad I better get off and prep the ship for departure.

Adm. Taylor (monitor): Very well Captain good luck Starfleet out.

The monitor shows the Federation symbol as she turns the screen off and leaves the ready room.

Ext. Space, Mars Orbit

The berth holding the USS Helena is ready to release the ship.

Int. Main Bridge