Meanwhile Indy was prepping the ship for launch. From his seat in the center of the bridge, he could see every station with just a turn of the command chair. For a minute, he looked around and noted that everyone was at his or her station. He glanced over his left shoulder and saw Jania at the com-panel, to her right was the engineering station. Since Stonek was down below in main engineering, Fred had taken over the station and had slaved half of the screens to Engineering relays and the other half to the environmental systems. Directly to his right was the security station, including the weapons controls, and as only proper, Joel was there. Indy looked forward, past Jean and Maria at the helm and nav consoles, to the view screen, then past the vacant subsystems monitors, and finally over his right shoulder to where Sarn sat at the science station.
When he was satisfied that all the main stations were manned, he swiveled his chair to the right and looked directly at Sarn. "Release moorings and disengage umbilicals."
The Vulcan's fingers danced across the keyboard as he complied. "Moorings released, umbilicals away." He replied as he looked up at Indy.
Indy smiled at Sarn, then instantly turned forward and looked at Jean, who calmly stated, "Confirmed, we are floating free."
Indy's smile widened, "Thrusters at station keeping."
"Aye sir, thrusters at station keeping." All around the ship, dual reaction thrusters briefly fired, holding the Quanah Parker absolutely still.
With a light push of his feet, Indy turned left. "Jania get me dock control."
The Andorian affirmed and gently moved her hands across the keyboard, "USS Quanah Parker to dock control." She waited until she heard a voice then she requested clearance for departure. After the voice spoke again, she looked up, "Sir, dock control confirms our departure, thirty seconds till dock gates."
"Give them our thanks." Indy said, then faced front and waited for the giant doors to open. Within moments the docking bay was opened to space and Indy could see the stars beckon invitingly, just beyond the port gates. Entranced, he leaned forward and looked out, "Aft thrusters, take us out."
Jean's only response was to engage the aft thrusters. Under her control the Quanah Parker slowly eased out of her berth and moved toward the freedom of her home. As the Cheyenne class Cruiser exited the star dock, the blue-white light of the twin suns of Salazaar bathed the white hull plates.
Indy called for the departure angle of the viewer and watched as the doors sealed shut and felt triumph, as he knew without a doubt the Quanah Parker was back in her natural environment. After ordering the forward view back to the screen, he turned to Maria. "Set course for Remfry."
Moments later, she stated, "Course plotted and laid in."
"Standard system exit, go to warp five thereafter."
Jean nodded, "Of course dear," then entered the command and turned control over to the computer, while she watched the planets go by on the view screen.
