Quade sat in his ready room staring at the star charts. The Drift was an asteroid city on the border of the Romulan Neutral Zone, between the Carraya System and Starbase 234. The three powers, Romulan, Federation, and Klingon, all came together in this region. It also sat near the route across the Neutral Zone toward the Iccobar System and the far reaches of Federation space.

Quade considered the danger they were about to face, the lack of official Federation support, and what would happen if they were discovered operating in or even near the Neutral Zone. Why he had agreed to take this position was beyond him.

He stepped into the corridor and made his way to the bridge with purpose. He paused only a moment as he entered, taking in the compact bridge of the Wolverine before settling into the captain’s chair. It sat near the back of the bridge overlooking the helm, a single station positioned directly ahead. Two additional consoles flanked the helm, while two standing stations occupied the forward and aft starboard sides of the bridge.

He looked toward the helmsman. The crew had all been forced to cut their shore leave on OED V short by a day, something he intended to make up to them once this mission was behind them. First, however, they needed to depart orbital dock and proceed to the Rock to pick up his First Officer and Chief Medical Officer.

“Helm, take us out.”

Colonel Jackson Quade
Captain, U.S.S. Wolverine