Acceleration (Mission)

Acceleration
Season:	Season 5
Episode:	29
Date:	February 7, 2391
Template:Mission

The crew of the USS Black Hawk-B has entered 2391 and found it uneventful. Since the defeat of the Confederation, the Black Hawk remains on the new Federation line, patrolling a tense area of space. The Dominion has crept into areas once occupied by Starfleet. Rampant piracy has forced Starfleet to redraw its patrol lines and share borders with those who prey on the strong to protect the weak.

As the Black Hawk warps from New Risa to Mellon with a fresh batch of supplies, the ship receives a distorted distress call from the USS Tiburon, a Saber-class starship studying Nebula G87-4M. When the ship is found, less than ten percent of the crew is alive, and not a single one is recognizable.

When the away team returns, they begin to exhibit unusual symptoms, which soon extend to the entire crew. A race against time soon begins. Can the crew of the Black Hawk save the away team before they all suffer the same fate as the Tiburon?

Summary

Prologue

In the months following the Confederation's defeat, Commodore Harvey Geisler focuses on rebuilding morale aboard the Black Hawk, but ongoing senior staff reassignments (culminating in the loss of his executive officer) leave the ship in a growing command crisis. With no clear successor and limited viable options, Harvey privately meets with Lieutenant Commander Camila Di Pasquale, his Chief of Security, over lunch to discuss the situation. Harvey emphasizes his need for a strong, dissenting voice in command. Recognizing her judgment, loyalty, and willingness to challenge him, he offers her the role of Second Officer. Though initially shocked and mindful of their past disagreements, Camila ultimately accepts on her own terms, pledging to serve not as a subordinate figurehead but as a steadfast counterbalance—his “arm and shield”—marking a pivotal step toward stabilizing the ship’s leadership.

A few days later, Admiral Zachary O'Connell arrives with Commander Madelina "Maddy" Barnes, the ship’s new Executive Officer, and delivers what initially appears to be a public demotion—stripping Harvey of his commodore rank. Both Camila and Maddy challenge the decision, only to learn it is not punishment but a strategic reassignment: Harvey is returned to Captain and given direct assignment to Admiral O'Connell under Gamma Command, granting the Black Hawk unprecedented autonomy to operate independently in the quadrant. The moment solidifies the command team’s dynamic; Maddy establishing her role, Camila fiercely defending her captain and earning a promotion to full Commander, and Harvey quietly absorbing the weight of a new, freer but more uncertain mandate.

As Commander Di Pasquale escorts the Admiral back to the transporter room, Harvey sits in the Conference Room grappling with the emotional fallout of his public demotion. He feels both liberated and deeply wounded by Admiral O'Connell’s handling of the matter. Commander Barnes offers empathy and honesty as she admits her role in observing him but ultimately questions Starfleet’s judgment rather than his leadership. Their conversation reveals a shared belief in Starfleet’s ideals despite its current political drift, and a growing mutual respect as Maddy affirms her commitment to support him and the crew. By the end, Harvey regains some composure, sets clear expectations for her as his XO, and, though still hurting, resolves to move forward in command.

The Last Cargo Run

The Black Hawk prepares embarks on its final cargo run to Mellon, the crew gathers on the bridge with a shared sense of anticipation, marking the end of months of routine duty and the beginning of something more uncertain. With the fighter squadron temporarily absent and Commander Madelina Barnes newly installed as Executive Officer, the ship’s leadership dynamic continues to evolve, observed carefully by both Lieutenant Commander Joey Geisler and Commander Di Pasquale. Captain Harvey Geisler soon arrives to a fully prepared bridge, and after final system checks, Maddy confidently oversees the mission briefing and orders departure, sending the ship to warp and closing out their long stretch of predictable assignments as they head toward whatever lies ahead.

Timeline

Prologue

• December 29, 2390: Command Crisis
• February 1, 2391: New Orders
• February 1, 2391: Matters of Demotion and Reassignment
• February 2, 2391
  • 1000 hours: The Heart of the Black Hawk
  • 1100 hours: The XO Meets the Scientist
  • 1200 hours: Sniffing Around
  • 1230 hours: A Counselor's Insight
  • 1330 hours: Rhythm of Sickbay
  • 1530 hours: Where Information Never Sleeps

Mission Day 1 (February 7, 2391)

• 0930 hours: Getting Underway

Mission Day 2 (February 8, 2391)

• 1730 hours: An Alarming Matter
• 1930 hours: Tiburon in Distress

OOC Information

Mission 29 began on January 12, 2026. Since then, 17 posts have been published.

External Information

Complete Mission Logs for Episode 29: Acceleration