The Price of Liberty

The USS Leviathan (NCC-93151) responds to a distress call from the SS Break Even, but is attacked en route by a Klingon vessel bent on gaining an advantage in the war with the Federation.

Act One
A Federation vessel is under attack by a Klingon. The ship is near destruction, and the crew is doing their best to keep the ship in one piece. The captain orders to return fire on the Klingon vessel. The informs the captain that structural integrity is failing, and the captain realizes the end is near. A volley of fired by the Klingons strikes the Federation vessel, causing Fredricks's console to explode in his face.

He suddenly wakes up in his apartment in, realizing he was having a nightmare. He calms himself and returns to sleep.

Act Two
On the following day, Fredricks is at the Starfleet Academy graduation ceremony. An admiral approaches the podium and begins speaking. Fredricks's friend, Lucas Wells, is also graduating. The admiral invites Fredricks up to say a few words, and he complies. At first, he is a bit nervous, but he gains his composure after a few moments. When he is finished with his speech, he steps down from the podium, receiving a large round of applause from the crowd.

The admiral begins naming the graduates, and having them stand behind her. All of the cadets line up, including Fredricks and Wells. Another admiral hands them all their certificates for graduating.

Act Three
Fredricks reports to Ferra at Starfleet Academy. Ferra tells him that wishes to speak with him. Taggart tells Fredricks that he wants him to be his tactical officer aboard the USS Leviathan (NCC-93151). He then tells Fredricks to report to the shuttlebay at the Academy.

Fredricks enters the shuttlebay and orders a drink at the bar there. Another cadet named Daniel Harvey begins agitating him, comparing him to a five-year-old. Dylyp Azeli attempts to diffuse the situation, but is pushed away by Harvey. Fredricks begins to walk away when Harvey insults his father as a last resort to rile him up. It works, and Fredricks nearly strikes him, though he is stopped by a senior officer. Fredricks then boards the Zeus, a shuttle inbound for the Leviathan. On the shuttle, he meets some other recent graduates, Hannah Freeman, Ernie Hauser, Jhael Onika and Vance L'eher.

Act Four
Eight months have passed since he was assigned to the Leviathan, and Fredricks is getting accustomed to life on a starship. He enters the mess hall, and finds that his old friend Lucas Wells has just been assigned to the Leviathan from the USS ShiKahr. They begin to discuss where their next assignment may be, but are interrupted by the ship-wide announcement by Captain Taggart that they have just received a distress call from the SS Break Even.

The duo is proceeding down a corridor, when the first officer, Henry Fuller, asks where they are going. Fredricks tells him that they are headed for the, and the three of them enter a turbolift. Fredricks introduces Wells and Fuller to each other, and they exchange greetings.

When they reach the bridge, Taggart is waiting for them. Fuller tells him that Wells is the new science officer, and Taggart directs him to his. Fredricks assumes his place at the. The informs the captain that they are approaching the location of the Break Even. Taggart gives the order to drop out of warp. Ensign Koja Nara declares that a Klingon ship is decloaking, and charging up their weapons. The ship takes heavy damage, and several crewmen are badly injured. The engineer reports over the comm that Klingon boarding parties have invaded engineering, and Taggart sends Fredricks and Wells down to assist them.

Act Five
Fredricks and Wells meet up with Jhael Onika and Vance L'eher, and storm engineering. They fight their way past several Klingons, and eventually manage to retake engineering. Fredricks reports their success to the captain, and is ordered back to the bridge.

Fredricks and Wells enter the bridge, only to find a Klingon boarding party has just transported there. Fuller is wounded by one of the Klingons, and Taggart is taken hostage aboard the Klingons' ship. Fredricks calls upon Dr. Travis Murray, to which he finds out from the nurse, Julia Cromwell, is dead. Fuller, near death, informs Fredricks that he must complete the mission. Fredicks then mades a ship-wide announcement that he is taking command.

Act Six
Cromwell soon arrives on the bridge, accompanied by Ernie Hauser, Hannah Freeman and Charlie Morgan. Hauser takes the conn station, Freeman takes, and Morgan the ops station. Fuller dies shortly after, from a pierced lung and internal bleeding.

Fredricks then orders Freeman to send a distress call to the nearest Starfleet vessel, twice, once to alert the Klingons, and a second time without their knowing. The Klingons hail them and their captain, Kadek, informs them that he has relayed their distress signal to Starfleet using an "old Earth method." He then offers them a deal. If Fredricks will give him information regarding the Federation's fleet movements along the Klingon border, as well as the ships' design specifications, he will release Captain Taggart to them. He allows them to speak to Taggart for a moment, to which Taggart convinces Fredricks not to mount a rescue. He tells Fredricks to get the Leviathan to safety, and leave him behind. After exchanging farewells, Fredricks has Freeman terminate the channel between the ships.

He orders Morgan to fire upon the Klingons, but Morgan informs him that weapons are still offline. He then prepares to ram the Klingon ship with the Leviathan. Suddenly, the USS Renown warps into the system, and hails the Leviathan. Captain Vo'Lok informs Fredricks that they will handle the Klingons.

Act Seven
The and USS Renown exchange blows until the Renown finally lands a major hit to the Chot's engine. The Klingons retreat, and the Renown is unsuccessful in rescuing Taggart. Just then, the Renown receives another distress call, this one from the USS Khitomer. Vo'Lok contacts Fredricks and tells him of their failure to retrieve Taggart, to which Fredricks insists on tracking the Klingons. Vo'Lok also tells him of the distress call, and their duty to assist the Khitomer. Vo'Lok then sends several work crews over to the Leviathan to assist them in repairs. The two ships then embark for the location of the Khitomer.

To be continued...

Log entries

 * Captain's log, USS Leviathan

Characters

 * Dylyp Azeli &bull; Julia Cromwell &bull; Crusoe &bull; Ferra &bull; Elisa Flores &bull; Jason Fredricks &bull; Hannah Freeman &bull; Henry Fuller &bull; Daniel Harvey &bull; Ernie Hauser &bull; Tala Jones &bull; Kadek &bull; Koja Nara &bull; Vance L'eher &bull; Lenerea Mendel &bull; Charlie Morgan &bull; Charles Oni &bull; Jhael Onika &bull; Jeff Philips &bull; Serov &bull; T'Vrell &bull; Masc Taggart &bull; Raltha Trebor &bull; Vo'Lok &bull; Lucas Wells &bull; Sofia Wenner &bull; Zarva


 * Referenced only
 * Jorel Quinn &bull; Travis Murray

Starships

 * &bull; USS Leviathan (NCC-93151) &bull; USS Renown &bull; Zeus


 * Referenced only
 * SS Break Even &bull; USS Khitomer &bull; USS ShiKahr

Locations

 * Earth &bull; Earth Spacedock &bull; &bull;  &bull; Starfleet Academy

Other references

 * 2408 &bull; Andorian &bull; &bull;  &bull;  &bull;  &bull;  &bull; Human &bull;  &bull; Klingon &bull;  &bull;  &bull;  &bull;  &bull;  &bull;  &bull;  &bull; Class of 2408 &bull; Starfleet &bull;  &bull;  &bull; United Federation of Planets &bull;

Memorable quotes
"Well, this is it... you brought your speech, right?"

"Of course I did."

"Okay, it better be good, because I'm not clapping if it sucks."
 * &mdash; Lucas Wells and Jason Fredricks on graduation day

"You wished to see me, sir?"

"Yes. I've heard of your skills in weapon tactics. You're the kind of officer that I need on the bridge of the Leviathan."

"The...Leviathan?"

"Yes. Is that a problem?"

"No, sir. I've heard a lot about her, sir. A fine ship from what I'm told."
 * &mdash; Jason Fredricks and Masc Taggart, discussing the USS Leviathan

"Name's Daniel Harvey, by the way, but people call me Buck."

"Why do they call you that?"

"Because, if you try anything stupid, I'll break your face, got it, cadet?"

"You know, the more you talk, the more I want to punch you in the face."
 * &mdash; Daniel Harvey and Jason Fredricks, exchanging verbal blows

"I do not believe it would be wise of the two of you to continue. A physical brawl would certainly be grounds for your ejection from..."

"Shut up, Andorian. This is not your concern."

"He's right, Buck. Besides, you're not worth losing a career over."
 * &mdash; Dylyp Azeli, Daniel Harvey and Jason Fredricks

"The USS Leviathan, Miranda-class cruiser, registry number: NCC-93151, 12 decks, crew complement of 400, maximum speed: Warp Factor 9.2."

"Wow, she's a nice ship."

"I dunno, it seems kinda small..."

"She may not look like much, but she's got it where it counts."
 * &mdash; Jhael Onika, Hannah Freeman, Ernie Hauser and a shuttle pilot, referring to the USS Leviathan

"How was life on the ShiKahr?"

"Unbelievably boring. As much as I enjoy science, those people somehow found a way to smother all the fun out of it."

"You haven't changed a bit, my friend."

"Nope, I'm the same old, same old. Oh, do you know where our next assignment is?"

"Imaga I hear."

"Imaga? There's nothing of interest in that system. I know, because it's one of the systems we mapped out on the ShiKahr."
 * &mdash; Jason Fredricks and Lucas Wells, discussing their next assignment

"Number one, there you are."

"Number one?"

"Oh, just something I picked up from my former commanding officer."
 * &mdash; Masc Taggart and Henry Fuller (a reference to Jean-Luc Picard)

"Sir, the chief engineer is dead. We managed to subdue a few of the Klingons, but we can't retake engineering without more people."

"This is all we've got. We'll have to make do."

"Here goes nothing..."
 * &mdash; Jhael Onika, Jason Fredricks and Vance L'eher

"This is Ensign Jason Fredricks to all personnel. Captain Taggart has been captured by the Klingons, and Commander Fuller has been critically wounded. I am hereby taking command of the Leviathan as of stardate 83164.0."
 * &mdash; Jason Fredricks, taking command of the USS Leviathan

"This is Captain Kadek of the IKS Chot. You will be pleased to hear that we have picked up your distress signal and relayed it to your friends at Starfleet. We sent the message via an old Earth method, so it should reach them in three to four... years."
 * &mdash; Kadek, informing Fredricks that he relayed the Leviathan's distress call to Starfleet, albeit using a very outdated method

"Fredricks, how is the Leviathan?"

"She's holding together, sir."

"...it's up to you to get the Leviathan out of here."

"We won't leave you, sir!"

"I'm not worth it. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. Get the ship and crew to safety... number one."
 * &mdash; Masc Taggart and Jason Fredricks, after Taggart has been captured by the Klingons

Background information

 * , previously titled, received an extensive rewrite in January , with only small portions of the story left unchanged.
 * The characters Vance L'eher, Jhael Onika and Vo'Lok, among others, did not appear in the original version of the episode.
 * Hannah Freeman was originally named Hannah Morrison, and Charlie Morgan was simply called Morgan or Ensign Morgan.