A mission to the Badlands

This time, when Rai took the bridge, it actually hit him. His heart rose in his chest with excitement. He swallowed as he sat down in the Captain’s chair.
“Prepare to disengage docking clamps and take her out of here. From there go to Warp 2 to the Badlands.”

T'Pren's heart was similarly excited, though hers was not at all pleasant. She swallowed and concentrated on her work, watching her hands move across the screen even though she could have done the whole thing in her sleep.

"Docking clamps disengaged," she informed the Captain, grateful that she got to have her back to him. A few more seconds and, with a deep breath and very quick glance back at Rai that she instantly regretted, she reported, "Coordinates set, sir. Warp 2 at your command."

Tal'Ara sat at the Captain's right, confidently. She said nothing as the ship pulled out of dock, simply observing the bridge crew at work, and listening to the purr of the Romulan engine.

"Take her to two. Energize." He bit his lip and clenched his fists in excitement.

Please don't break apart at the seams or explode or implode horribly, Hippolyta, wished T'Pren intently. She took one last breath, gave the navigation station a little rub to encourage it...and launched them into warp.

"Status report on hull integrity and energy output?" Tal'Ara asked in a commanding tone to one of the ensigns at the helm.

"Hull integrity is at 100%, Commander. Energy output is optimal," said a young ensign nearby.

T'Pren let out a silent but sharp exhale of relief and swallowed at least the portion of her nerves connected to whether or not her engineering work was still going to kill them all. That, unfortunately, was only a tiny fraction of her inner turmoil.

She settled back in her seat a little and adjusted whenever something needed adjusting, waiting for further commands.

Tal'Ara turned to the Captain.

"How long do we have until we arrive in the Badlands? I want time to go over protocol with the away teams - in case it comes to that."

Despite herself, T'Pren looked back at Rai while she waited for Tal'Ara's answer with baited breath and a pain in her Vulcan heart that was entirely about her fathers.

"It should be three days to the Badlands at our current speed, two if we take it higher, but I didn't want to overtax the engine," he said.

"Understood. At 0600 tomorrow, with your permission, I would like to meet with the away team."

"Permission granted, teach them everything you think they'll need," he said.

Tal'Ara nodded her head sharply and sat back in her chair. This ship was a luxury yacht compared to the Romulan Warbirds she was used to commanding.