Everything was ready for the Leviathan's departure.

[Engineering to Bridge.] Lieutenant Taline's voice announced over the comm. [All systems are operational Captain, you can leave when ready.]

"Thank you Mister Taline." Captain Taybar replied. "Bridge out."

"All worker bees have cleared the area." ASHER announced from the operations console. "All external connections have been retracted and docking clamps released."

"All decks are secure." Lieutenant Dukal announced from the security console.

"Main deflector and sensors are online." Ensign Oakenshield announced from the tactical station. "All sensors show we are clear to leave."

"Bring the thrusters and impulse engines online and prepare to depart." Commander Rashad ordered. "Take us out Mister Shale."

Slowly the Akira class vessel started to move forward. The Bridge crew watched as they slowly saw the dry-dock disappear off the viewscreen and the darkness of space replace it. Finally the Leviathan was free of the 'shackles' that had bound the ship and crew.

"Captain, we've cleared the dry-dock." Shale announced.

"Leviathan to dry-dock control. We are ready to leave." Captain Taybar announced.

[Understood Captain. Good luck and farewell.] The quartermaster replied from the station adjacent to the dry-dock facilities.

"Mister Shale, set course for Starbase 132." Commander Rashad ordered.

"Course laid in." Shale replied.

"Slipstream drive is online and operational Captain." Lieutenant Commander Barker announced from the slipstream console.
As the Leviathan was still without a slipstream expert, Chu was filling in. He was probably one of only four members of the crew capable of performing this task and the only one available at the time. Lieutenant Taline and Lieutenant Redburn were both working hard down in engineering and ASHER was manning the operations console.

"Mister Shale, take us into the stream." Captain Taybar ordered.

Ahead of them the quantum slipstream vortex started to develop until it was fully formed and pulled the mighty Leviathan inside at incredible speed.

"Time to reach Starbase 132 ?" Aki enquired.

"Twenty six hours Captain." Shale replied.

An hour passed with no drama, then Lieutenant Commander Barker started to notice a potential problem. "Captain, I'm reading a fluctuation in the quantum slipstream." He announced. "It looks like the drive's energy levels are fluctuating."

[Engineering to Bridge. We're experiencing a power fluctuation in the EPS grid that is causing the slipstream drive to drop out of phase. Recommend dropping out of the slipstream and continuing at warp until we can find and resolve the problem.] Taline announced.

"How long do you estimate it will take you Lieutenant ?" Captain Taybar enquired.

[I don't know Captain, it could be a couple of hours or we may have to return to dry-dock. This is one of the problems I was half-expecting, we haven't had a chance to test all the systems under stressful conditions. We were bound to have a few teething problems with taking the ship out early.] Taline replied. [I'm sorry Captain, I think I know where the problem is, but until I can take the slipstream drive offline I can't be sure.]

"Understood. Bridge out." Aki replied. "Mister Shale take us out of the slipstream."

"Returning to normal space in five, four, three, two one…." Shale announced.

The Leviathan came back into normal space and stopped.

[Engineering to Bridge. We're bringing the auxiliary warp drive online, you should have warp in five minutes. We'll take the slipstream drive offline and start to investigate as soon as we are underway again.] Taline informed the Bridge.

It was actually nearer ten minutes before the auxiliary warp drive was online, having suffered from problems of it's own. During that time, they had been running on impulse power, at least the sub-light engines were causing no problems.
"Warp drive is on-line and functional." Shale announced. "Course laid Captain."

"Engage." Aki ordered. "How long will it take us to reach Starbase 132 ?"

"We're currently at warp six Captain. It will take us about a ninety six hours to reach the Starbase if we maintain this velocity." Shale stated. "Let's hope Taline can get the slipstream back soon."

"Mister ASHER. Inform the Starbase of our delay and tell them we'll give them a better ETA when we have it." Aki requested.

"Affirmative." ASHER replied. "Captain, I'd like permission to leave the Bridge and assist Lieutenant Taline with the Slipstream drive."

"Permission granted." Aki replied.

ASHER left the operations console and headed for the turbolift, a replacement arriving and taking his place.