When I Come Home (Challenger)
| USS Challenger | ||
|---|---|---|
 LOST | ||
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With the death of Admiral Thenev Pev, Commanding Officer of the 7th Fleet, the Challenger was ordered to take his body to Neven IV for burial. His widow was to accompany the body back to her homeworld, which was somehow saved by the Admiral during the first contact situation with the Nevenians.
On the way to Neven IV, an intruder was discovered in the Jefferies tube on deck 14. After a brief struggle, the creature was apprehended by several security officers as well as Ensigns Ternok and Turc Brakur and transported to the brig. An engineer, also suspiciously in the area at the time, was also brought to the brig. Marine 1st Lieutenant Hella was injured and taken to sickbay, while security chief Lt. Commander Ashley Boles-Barnes was also minorly injured.
The creature was examined in the brig by Doctor Brenna Parker, who determined the creature was a distant cousin of the Gorn, with the ability to absorb other DNA patterns. During this time, fluctuations to the warp core caused the Challenger to drop out of warp. Meanwhile, on the bridge, Ensign Ivan Petrov discovered that one of the convoys following them to honor Admiral Pev at his funeral service was putting out a fake signal. After determining the convoy was in fact one vessel, Gorn in origin, the crew shot to action, preparing for an assault and boarding party.
With a sense of timing known to all the great Starfleet Engineers, Lt. Commander Aleana Netal managed to bring warp drive back online, allowing the Challenger to leave her Gorn opponent in the dust . . . for now. The Challenger continues to head toward Neven IV, where the Nevenians await their arrival with parades and cheers, not knowing that their beloved Admiral is coming back to Neven IV to find his final resting place.