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| Acceleration | |
| Season: | |
| Episode: |
29 |
| Date: |
February 7, 2391 |
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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 XO Gets Acquainted
Eager to familiarize herself with the new assignment, Commander Barnes conducts a surprise inspection of the ship. She starts in Main Engineering, where Chief Engineer Ranul Frex introduces himself and proudly showcases the department’s readiness and recent improvements. Frex explains upgrades to the ship’s horizontal warp core, translating complex engineering concepts into plain language when Barnes admits engineering is outside her specialty, while Barnes praises the crew’s professionalism and leadership. The inspection concludes on a positive note, with both officers expressing mutual respect and an open-door policy, reinforcing Barnes’s place as part of the ship’s leadership team.
Commander Barnes continues her introductory tour by visiting Chief Science Officer Lieutenant Daynah Ral, whom she finds deeply engrossed in analyzing an unidentified radioactive metallic sample after more than thirteen hours of work. Concerned that exhaustion is impairing Daynah’s judgment, Barnes orders her to take a break, and the two agree to visit the ship’s lounge, Talons, where they begin building rapport while balancing professionalism with the beginnings of friendship.
Next, Commander Barnes visits the Security Department for an inspection, where Chief of Security Camila di Pasquale showcases the ship’s advanced security systems, brig, armory, and new anti-clone protocols. As the tour progresses, the two bond over their shared Security backgrounds, with Barnes praising Camila’s innovative policies and tactical equipment while reassuring her that her unconventional methods are justified by the crew’s past experiences. The inspection ends with mutual respect and the promise of future collaboration, laying the foundation for a strong working relationship between the Executive Officer and Security Chief.
Commander Madelina Barnes meets with Chief Counselor T'Mari to assess the crew’s morale and finds that, despite recent leadership changes, the ship’s emotional climate remains stable. The two discuss the unique challenges of T'Mari’s Betazoid empathic abilities, the importance of monitoring crew wellbeing, and the need to request additional counseling resources during major crises. Their meeting concludes with Barnes reaffirming her support for the counseling department and emphasizing open communication to ensure the crew remains healthy and mission-ready.
Sickbay is Commander Barnes' next stop where she meets with Chief Medical Officer Kennedy Monroe, learning about the ship’s extensive medical facilities, triage procedures, and the teamwork that allows the department to function effectively during both routine operations and crises. Their discussion emphasizes the importance of cross-training the entire crew in emergency medical response and defensive skills, with Barnes pledging Command’s support for continued preparedness. The meeting ends with mutual respect and a shared commitment to building a resilient, well-rounded crew capable of handling whatever challenges lie ahead.
Commander Madelina Barnes concludes her introductory tour with a visit to the Intelligence Department, where Chief of Intelligence Lieutenant Commander Joelle Geisler guides her through the analyst center, secure communications and sensor systems, and the intelligence lab while explaining the department’s role in protecting and processing sensitive information. Impressed by the department’s organization and Joey’s professionalism—particularly in light of her traumatic past—Barnes expresses confidence in the team’s capabilities and reiterates her open-door policy. The meeting marks the successful completion of Barnes’s shipwide tour, leaving her with a strong understanding of each department and the confidence that the Black Hawk’s leadership team is prepared to meet the challenges ahead.
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.
Distress Call
Text
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