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| - Enterprise sensed her captain's unhappiness and was immediately on alert. If Picard was unhappy it meant her life was about to become unhappy pretty quick. "Just got a message from Starfleet." He said. "Bad news?" She asked. "Oh please let it not be trouble..." She thought. She'd done nothing but fight since her commissioning. She wanted one phaser free patrol, was that too much to ask? "I suppose you could say that. I've been invited to the annual Starfleet Admiral's banquet." Enterprise hid her snicker under a sigh of relief. Though it meant no fighting, she felt for her captain. There was nothing more he hated than long political gatherings. "My condolences." She said. "After 6 years, it seems my luck has finally run out." He sighed, sitting down in his chair. "I can't think of anything more tedious. 70 Starfleet Admirals conversing in small talk over plates of fine food and wine." "I would find it rather enjoyable sir. I have not had the opportunity to converse with my fleet on such a large level for months." Enterprise replied. "Well, only you would find this gathering enjoyable, Enterprise." He grumbled. "Can't you find some excuse to get out of it?" She asked. "After 6 years, my ship, it seems my excuses have run out. He replied and this time, Enterprise was unable to hold back her laughter. ... The starship knew something was not right the second Georgie fired up the warp core. The usual steady rhythm of her "heartbeat" had a faint murmur to it. One her chief engineer apparently didn't notice. When engaging her engines to warp, she found she was unable to move. Her systems had locked. Whimpering, she tried again. Such pain, unlike anything she'd ever experienced, overtook all her major systems. The starship screamed in agony, convulsing. On the bridge, the lights flickered and the crew was given quite a jolt. "Georgie." Picard began. "I'm going to have to reconfigure this plasma conduit. But its going to take at least 5 hours." Georgie replied. Enterprise whimpered in pain. "Please hurry..." "Captain, incoming message from Admiral Nacamura." Picard felt dread at those words. Despite her pain, Enterprise couldn't resist teasing her captain a bit. "You've got mail." She sang. Her snicker faded into a grimace and groan. Picard's reprimand died on his lips. His starship, his starship, was seriously injured. He knew this despite her efforts to fool him otherwise. Turning his attention away from that for now, he focused on the Admiral's message. "Onscreen." The weathered Japanese face of Admiral Nacamura was displayed on the main viewer. "Captain." He said, leaning back in his chair. "We were expecting you this morning. Is there a problem?" "Actually, we've been experiencing a few difficulties with our new warp core but our Chief Engineer assures me we will be underway again within the hour." Picard replied. From the way she was feeling, Enterprise could've said that was a white lie but she held her tongue. She had a clearer idea of what was going on but she didn't dare speak up. She would get her captain to his destination even if she died trying! "You're not trying to avoid this meticulous engagement are you Picard?" Nacumura asked. "A valid question." Enterprise said. "Quiet." Picard ordered. She huffed but fell silent. "No, no certainly not." Picard replied. Fortunately, the Admiral believed him. Enterprise was ready when the order came. She knew it would hurt but she had to try. As she engaged her engines, it happened. Her main deflector relay shut down. The pain was unimaginable. Shrieks of agony piercing the silence of space, the starship tried to maintain her warp field but the emergency override shut it down. "That's enough Enterprise." Picard ordered gently. "Engineering report." "It appears the entire warp field shut down. Impulse is offline too. We're not going anywhere sir but give me 2, maybe 3 hours and I can fix it." Georgie reported. Picard sighed. "Open a channel to Starbase 213. Tell Admiral Nacumura, we will be delayed in our arrival." "Look on the bright side." Enterprise managed through gritted teeth. You've found an excuse not to go to the banquet after all." "Enterprise, is there anything you can think of that may've caused this. Any kind of technical malfunction?" Picard asked. "None that I know of sir." She replied. That was a lie and he seemed not to buy it. She hated lying but how could she tell him? How could she tell Captain Jean-Luc Picard that the Federation's "Mighty" flagship had chronic heart disease... ... Enterprise listened to Picard as he tried to explain the situation to the Admiral. "Admiral, I can explain..." He began. "Let me guess, your new warp core is malfunctioning again?" Nacamura sighed."Unfortunately, the problem has affected our impulse system. At the moment, we are adrift." Picard said, getting out the word through gritted teeth. "Are you expecting to have the problem fixed soon or shall I send out a tow ship to bring you in?" The Admiral still didn't believe Picard's story but that was not what bothered Enterprise. Her eldest sister, USS Galaxy, was on tow duty at Starbase 213. She knew of her heart issues and if Galaxy got wind of her current condition, Enterprise would be forced to eat her own wake for months! Provided she even lasted that long as flagship. A ship with Warp Core problems was tagged for the scrapyard, not command. The thought made her shudder. "No sir, you can tell Galaxy nothing. I'll be fine." She growled. The Admiral was surprised. "Enterprise, are you sure?" He sounded more hesitant now. He knew all too well what was going on. "Your condition..." "Is just fine at the moment." She finished for him. "Tell my sister to expect my arrival soon." Picard could see something more was going on. Something he was not aware of until now. "Admiral, do you know something of these warp core malfunctions? Because if you are somehow responsible..." "I can assure you captain, I play no part in this. But if you want answers, ask your ship. Enterprise has been hiding a secret from you captain. One that you must discover soon if you are to save her life." With that, he cut the transmission. "That little traitor!" Enterprise roared. Her move to fire phasers into empty space to vent her frustrations was met with a surge of pain. She groaned, head arching back to her secondary hull as she spasmed. "Enterprise, talk to me. What is causing this?" Picard asked, desperate. "T-there's something, you need to know captain..." ... As the power outages continued, Picard was growing more and more desperate. His ship wasn't just ill, she was dying. While its human counterpart had been cured centuries ago, starship heart disease was still under investigation by Starfleet's Medical Corps. Treatment was provided though and up until now, Enterprise had been taking a steady stream of medication from various starbases. Unfortunately, the load which was supposed to be at Starbase 84 never arrived and Enterprise ran out before she could reach Starbase 213. "Enterprise, we must get you those med!" Picard growled. "No. Only Galaxy could deliver them and that would cause a scandal in the fleet." She hissed back. "So you'd rather die, is that it?" He asked. "I'd rather die as the USS Enterprise D than live as a nothing!" "So this is what this is about." Picard realized. "You're afraid aren't you? Afraid at how the fleet will perceive you. The great ship Enterprise, afraid of her own fleet. Well, if you are half the leader I believe you to be you should know that your fleet follows you regardless of your faults! You aren't flawless and they know that. So buck up soldiers and get your saucer screwed on straight!" Enterprise was shocked at her captain's outburst but she knew he was right. The ailing starship sighed. "Send a transmission to Galaxy. Order her to rendezvous at my coordinates with the cargo." She ordered. "And captain? Thank you." He stroked her console, earning himself a weak purr. "A captain never abandons his ship." He replied softly. Galaxy didn't wait for her crew to board. She raced to her sister's aid at once, arriving within a few hours. Enterprise was in worse shape by the time she arrived. The Federation flagship was barely coherent, mumbling unintelligible half-sentences. One nacelle had gone dark and the entire port side of her face was frozen. "She had a stroke. I can't rouse her from it." Picard reported. "I can give her a small dose that should stabilize her but it will be another few weeks before she'd be fit for light duty." Galaxy sighed. "Oh Enterprise..." She whispered, the sight of her sister almost too much to bear. She towed Enterprise to Starbase 213. It was a matter of days before the whole Quadrent knew of her condition. Instead of criticism however, support was received throughout the sector. And not just from the Federation. "A brave warrior, to carry on the fight with such a condition." The Klingons said. "A respectable ship." The Romulans allowed. "A, non-profitable but honorable venture." said the Ferengi. "Foolish, but understandable." Said the Cardassions. "Most illogical, but respectable." was the Vulcan answer. However, one ship disagreed with all that. And that ship was the fleet CMO, USS Excelsior. She served as a sister to one of Enterprise's incarnations but her relation to the flagship did not stop her from confining Enterprise to quarters and subjecting her to her daily lectures on ship safety. The experience made Enterprise wary of even looking in Excelsior's direction but the CMO was used to that. She knew Enterprise would come around eventually. She had to. "...And you will come back here for weekly checkups." The CMO was saying as she guided Enterprise back to her berth after one of their daily exercise sails. Enterprise had a look on her face similar to a human in a long, boring meeting. It was a look that read "Save me!" From his observation post above the starbase, Picard laughed. It was so "Un-Enterprise" like he couldn't help it. His ship shot a murderous glare at him and he laughed again. "Something you find amusing captain?" Troi asked beside him. "All is well, Counselor." He replied.
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