NF fic
Inspired by this synopsis.
***
Mac was grinning hugely.
"You're not serious," he said.
"I'm serious," Elizabeth replied.
"It's not a misunderstanding?"
"Unlikely. He fired at vessels in pursuit."
On the viewscreen, Mac tilted his head, smile growing. "Because he wants to... time travel?"
"Apparently."
Silence.
"You're telling me Jellico stole a ship with the ability to time travel and he's currently heading toward the Neutral Zone by way of Thallonian space, and it's up to me to stop him?"
"More or less."
Mac still had a ridiculous grin on his face. Clearly she had made his day. "You're kidding me."
"I wish I were joking," she replied, and not just because Mac was never going to let her, Jellico, or the entire Starfleet admiralty live this incident down. For all his shortcomings, Jellico was an intelligent, clever man who knew the workings of Starfleet inside and out. She didn't even want to think about the damage he could do with that ship if he wasn't stopped quickly.
"You're saying he's going to time travel. Are you sure about this, Elizabeth? Maybe he just wanted to take the ship out for a ride."
She rolled her eyes. "In the Neutral Zone?"
"Well, by the sound of it, he's lost his mind completely."
"Granted," she said. "But why else would he have taken that particular ship? If he simply wanted to go on a ride, he could have stolen a less heavily-guarded ship. Or-- here's a wild thought-- he could have requested a shuttle from headquarters." She folded her hands on her desk and leaned closer to the viewscreen. "We're fairly certain he intends to travel in time."
"Any idea why?"
"No." She paused. "Your orders are to intercept the ship and take Jellico into custody. Ideally, you would retrieve both the admiral and the ship unharmed. However... your priority is to ensure the ship is no longer a threat to Federation security. Use whatever force is necessary."
Mac nodded. "Understood." Then his composure broke and he laughed. "Are you positive this is Ed Jellico, Eppy? I'm having trouble picturing this scenario."
"Of course we're sure it's Jellico. Mac, come on, this is a serious situation."
"I don't know, Eppy, I'm finding it very amusing," he said, grinning at her.
God, my husband is twelve. She rolled her eyes again. "Yes, I can tell."
Well, okay, it was kind of funny. The idea of Jellico stealing a starship so he could travel in time was ridiculous. She hadn't known what to make of it when she first heard the news. Was the man under the influence of an external force? Did he know something that the rest of Starfleet didn't? Had he simply snapped?
"You don't have much time. I'm forwarding you coordinates and further information," she said to Mac. They would find out what happened with Jellico eventually. Elizabeth just hoped they weren't too late to stop him.
***
Mac was grinning hugely.
"You're not serious," he said.
"I'm serious," Elizabeth replied.
"It's not a misunderstanding?"
"Unlikely. He fired at vessels in pursuit."
On the viewscreen, Mac tilted his head, smile growing. "Because he wants to... time travel?"
"Apparently."
Silence.
"You're telling me Jellico stole a ship with the ability to time travel and he's currently heading toward the Neutral Zone by way of Thallonian space, and it's up to me to stop him?"
"More or less."
Mac still had a ridiculous grin on his face. Clearly she had made his day. "You're kidding me."
"I wish I were joking," she replied, and not just because Mac was never going to let her, Jellico, or the entire Starfleet admiralty live this incident down. For all his shortcomings, Jellico was an intelligent, clever man who knew the workings of Starfleet inside and out. She didn't even want to think about the damage he could do with that ship if he wasn't stopped quickly.
"You're saying he's going to time travel. Are you sure about this, Elizabeth? Maybe he just wanted to take the ship out for a ride."
She rolled her eyes. "In the Neutral Zone?"
"Well, by the sound of it, he's lost his mind completely."
"Granted," she said. "But why else would he have taken that particular ship? If he simply wanted to go on a ride, he could have stolen a less heavily-guarded ship. Or-- here's a wild thought-- he could have requested a shuttle from headquarters." She folded her hands on her desk and leaned closer to the viewscreen. "We're fairly certain he intends to travel in time."
"Any idea why?"
"No." She paused. "Your orders are to intercept the ship and take Jellico into custody. Ideally, you would retrieve both the admiral and the ship unharmed. However... your priority is to ensure the ship is no longer a threat to Federation security. Use whatever force is necessary."
Mac nodded. "Understood." Then his composure broke and he laughed. "Are you positive this is Ed Jellico, Eppy? I'm having trouble picturing this scenario."
"Of course we're sure it's Jellico. Mac, come on, this is a serious situation."
"I don't know, Eppy, I'm finding it very amusing," he said, grinning at her.
God, my husband is twelve. She rolled her eyes again. "Yes, I can tell."
Well, okay, it was kind of funny. The idea of Jellico stealing a starship so he could travel in time was ridiculous. She hadn't known what to make of it when she first heard the news. Was the man under the influence of an external force? Did he know something that the rest of Starfleet didn't? Had he simply snapped?
"You don't have much time. I'm forwarding you coordinates and further information," she said to Mac. They would find out what happened with Jellico eventually. Elizabeth just hoped they weren't too late to stop him.