Dauntless 1x04 - To Serve the Unwise

[BrotherBenny]

USS Dauntless
Eeroth IV orbit
Stardate 57393.1

Lieutenant Jamal Mahtani waited for the computer to finish its current set of simulations regarding Eeroth’s atmosphere and he stared at the padd sitting atop his station on the bridge. He wasn’t going to let it out of his sight, and didn’t want to go to anyone just yet. As long as Wright was concentrating on helping the Eeroth as per Captain Astar’s orders, the deflector modifications weren’t going to be his primary concern. Mahtani knew what the guy was planning, or was pretty sure of it, but he couldn’t authorise a search of the computer library without alerting him. As soon as the captain entered stasis, the ship’s command codes were automatically transferred to Wright, giving him the full run of the ship and its crew.

‘Computer, where is Lieutenant Parker?’

‘Lieutenant Parker is in Captain Astar’s quarters.’

Mahtani made a decision and grabbed the padd. He let the computer continue to run its simulations, though he did lock out the console, and headed for the captain’s quarters. His entire science team, numbering almost thirty officers and crewmen, were working on the problem and feeding new variables into the computer as they went along. It was tedious work and he was thankful for the distraction, negative as it might be. Beta shift was on the bridge at present so there were few personnel walking the corridors, and he encountered none of his alpha-shift companions during the walk and turbolift ride from the primary science laboratory on deck eight to the captain’s quarters on deck three.

He pressed the enunciator and when the doors opened, he saw Parker standing just inside the main room. ‘Lieutenant?’ she asked.

‘We need to talk.’

‘Here?’

‘As good a place as any.’

‘Before you tell me anything about our acting captain, which I presume is the reason you’re here and clutching that padd as if your life depended on it, I want to know if someone can poison someone else without them knowing it.’

Mahtani considered the question and looked around the captain’s quarters as he passed Parker the padd. There were a number of photographs and Trill artefacts in the room, as well as a good number of padds of all sizes.

‘It is possible, but in the old days it would be added to food. I don’t see how that could be...’ he paused and then with an alarmed look in his eyes, crossed over to the replicator and pulled off the panel at its base.

Parker followed and the two crouched down. ‘Is that supposed to be there?’ she asked, pointing to a small padd-like device attached to a power junction.

Mahtani stood up. ‘No, Lieutenant, it isn’t. That device is actually connected to the materialisation relay. Whatever the captain has eaten in this room will have been contaminated by whatever was poisoning her.’

‘I’ll have the doc examine this,’ she replied, disconnecting it. ‘And then pass it to Xeris. Maybe he can tell me who would have the know-how for this.’

‘Anyone that was in the Maquis or has used guerrilla warfare tactics. This type of device is something that the Bajoran resistance might have used against the Cardassians.’

Parker glanced at the padd held in her other hand. ‘Or someone who might have been in a longer-term resistance movement?’ she asked.

Mahtani nodded.

‘Don’t worry, I know what it’s like to fight a losing battle every day. He’ll never know we’re onto him. I will just have to make sure that anyone else I involve will also keep quiet.’

‘He’ll figure it out before too long. He’s too smart not too.’

‘Wright to Mahtani, report to Science Lab One immediately.’

‘He knows I was here,’ Mahtani replied and tapped his combadge. ‘On my way.’

Parker nodded as Mahtani headed out the door.

Mahtani reached the science lab in just under two minutes and saw two security officers standing there. ‘What’s going on?’

‘You locked out the console, why?’ Wright asked as he continued to try in vain to override the lockout.

‘I didn’t want anyone to stop the simulations while I wasn’t here,’ Mahtani replied.

‘You could have used your authorisation code.’

‘I’m a little compulsive when it comes to running such serious simulations, Commander.’

Wright narrowed his eyes. ‘Unlock the console. And give me the padd I gave to you.’

Mahtani reached under the console and passed the padd back to him, then unlocked the console and stepped back.

Wright examined the console and then the padd. ‘You haven’t copied this have you?’

‘I didn’t need to.’

‘That is not an answer, Lieutenant.’

‘No, I have not copied the contents of that padd.’

He nodded, satisfied. ‘Carry on,’ he added and walked out.

Mahtani breathed a sigh of relief as the ship’s first officer left the science lab. He hoped that Parker, Maxx and Xeris were going to have better luck in gathering proof against him. In the meantime, he had bigger problems to deal with, such as how to fix a planet’s atmosphere without destroying the population in the process. The simulations were all coming out negative, telling him that everything they were trying was not going to work. He needed something else and decided to go down to deck thirteen where the majority of the science labs were located and see exactly what his team was up to.

No sooner had he left his lab than the intruder klaxon sounded and the ship instantly went to red alert. Something had got onto the ship and he knew exactly what it was.

‘Commander Wright, I’m detecting a null-space rupture on deck nine, there are six Cha’lav aboard,’ he reported.

‘I’m sending security, do not engage,’ the exec replied.

‘I’m close, I can find out what they are doing.’

‘Do not engage, that’s a direct order.’

‘I wasn’t planning to attack them, Commander, just observe,’ Mahtani replied and headed for the turbolift, ignoring repeated calls from Wright and Gonzales.

He would be able to reach them faster than security unless Wright authorised a site to site transport, which he knew wasn’t going to happen.

 

[DavidFalkayn]

Ingenious method of poisoning. And now the Cha'lav have boarded. You're doing a good job in ratcheting up the tension here and I'm definitely getting a better appreciation of Mahtani's abilities.

 

[TheLoneRedshirt]

It's a dicey thing to turn against a captain, even a temporary one like Wright. Yet, at some point, the officers of the Dauntless are going to have to face him down. I'm looking forward to the time of reckoning!

Great stuff!

 

[CeJay]

I've been scratching my head and wondering about Wright from day one. Now he has become a real nemesis, something I didn't quite anticipate.

Nothing worse than the enemy you know ... well, maybe the Cha'lav intruders, come to think of it.

 

[Mistral]

Enter...(dramatic drumbeat) the Cha'lav! And just where the heck did they come from?

 

[BrotherBenny]

USS Dauntless
Eeroth IV orbit
Stardate 57393.5

Rashal sat in the brig aboard the Federation starship and wished, not the first time, that he had never been found by these people. After his vice-presidential government had been deposed and the rest of his cabal imprisoned or executed, President Janar had given him a merciful choice, execution or banishment. On the surface it seemed merciful but prior to the arrival of the Cha’lav, the Eeroth believed themselves to be the only intelligent life in the galaxy, cut off as they were by the Badlands. He’d chosen banishment and been placed in a converted missile, then ejected into a Cha’lav rift which opened close to the warship he was on. Rashal knew that he’d been drifting for a long time before he was found and was immediately grateful. It was only after learning what kind of a threat the Cha’lav were that he accepted the offer to return home, knowing it meant certain death if the government was still intact.

Since the Dauntless arrived in the Eeroth system, and after the peculiar power play between the captain and first officer, he’d learned that the Dahreki and the Fahira had joined forces to combat the Cha’lav threat, though it proved fruitless. Dozens of worlds and inhabited moons had been laid waste to, and the few million survivors of his entire species had all but forgotten about their racial divide. It was not the end he hoped for, but it was positive. With the Federation’s help they could drive off the Cha’lav and rebuild their world with a new government and none of the old hatred. He just hoped that he was alive to see it, though with Commander Wright in charge, he didn’t think it was likely. The man looked like the others, but he wasn’t one of them; he was a fighter, a man who had grown up in a world where survival was granted only to those who fought for it.

The doors the brig slid open and Commander Wright entered, followed by President Janar and two Dahreki soldiers. Wright stood back as Janar strode closer to the forcefield. ‘Commander Wright has held a hearing in your absence and granted me with your custody.’

Rashal looked to Wright and sighed. The ship’s first officer seemed to have skirted the law on this one, whereas Captain Astar would have at least granted him a proper hearing. ‘Do with me what you will. The Cha’lav have beaten you but you are better for it.’

Janar looked at the soldiers. ‘We have learned to tolerate each other, but there is still much work to be done if we are to heal ourselves. The longest journey starts with the smallest step and so, being the sole law-giver left alive, I absolve you of treason.’

Rashal blinked twice, unsure if he had heard what the President said. ‘Mister President?’

‘You are correct, the Cha’lav have beaten us, but only into recognising our own faults as a species. If we are to be the heralds of a new generation, where we are of one race, then we must start somewhere. I am asking you, Rashal, to return to Eeroth to work at my side as my right hand once again.’

Rashal stood. ‘I accept.’

‘It will not be easy, for almost everyone you meet will have lost someone to the Cha’lav or the aftermath of their attack.’

‘I am responsible for what has befallen our people and our worlds, it is only right that I should assist in their recovery, no matter the cost.’

Janar turned to Wright and nodded. Wright took one step forward, to the only console in the room, and deactivated the forcefield. ‘Welcome home, Rashal.’

He stepped out of the cell and noticed the eyes of one of the Dahreki soldiers, they were a shade too dark. The soldier stepped forward and pressed a control stud on his wrist as he clasped Rashal’s arm. Both men disappeared in a transporter beam.

* * *​

‘What happened?’ Janar asked as he turned to the other soldier.

‘It would appear that the healing process has a long way to go,’ Wright replied.

‘We have been oppressed for too long,’ the soldier replied and shot Janar in the chest before disappearing himself.

‘Computer, lock on to my combadge and transport to sickbay, authorisation Wright-Everest-2-5-3,’ the first officer ordered as he knelt by the president.

He put a finger to the man’s neck as they dematerialised. His finger was still there as sickbay coalesced around them.

Maxx was at his instantly. ‘What happened?’

‘He was shot in the chest by one of his soldiers. It was some kind of plasma discharge.’

Instead of asking Wright how he knew about a plasma discharge weapon, no known race in the galaxy used them anymore, he began to assess the patient. ‘It was a low setting, not designed to kill.’

‘That is irrelevant. The leader of a sovereign nation was attacked on my ship. It won’t go unpunished.’

Maxx called over corpsmen to transfer Janar to a biobed. ‘I’ll keep him alive, you find the rebels,’ the doctor snapped.

Wright narrowed his eyes but stormed out of sickbay, tapping his combadge. ‘Gonzales, there have been two unauthorized transports in the last five minutes. Tell me you know what happened.’

‘I was monitoring the situation, as you requested, Commander. The transports were directed to a series of relay stations throughout the system. It will take time to discover the eventual location.’

Wright sighed. ‘Get to work, Commander. I need to find those rebels.’

‘Sir?’

‘If they have any chance of fighting the Cha’lav they need a united front. While the President is willing to provide that, there are some that aren’t. I intend to assist them in making their planet habitable and making sure that the Captain’s orders stand. Getting rid of the Cha’lav is our top priority.’

‘Aye sir, I’ll let you know the second I have a location.’

‘While you’re at it, deactivate the relay stations.’

‘That’s not a good idea, sir. The relay stations work for communications and an early warning grid. We would compromise their entire infrastructure if we shut them down.’

‘Fine, tap into it so we can monitor everything. Have some security personnel on duty in astrometrics at all time, watching everything that comes through.’

‘Aye sir, Gonzales out.’

Wright tapped his combadge again, ‘Parker, where are those damned intruders?’

‘Nowhere, sir. I’m not picking up any lifesigns other than the crew. I have security searching every deck and all non-essential personnel have been restricted to quarters.’

He sighed, nothing was going right. ‘Find them,’ he snapped.

 

[DavidFalkayn]

Interesting...Wright's making some good calls here...or is he? The soldiers could--and should--just as easily shot him as the president--but they didn't. Perhaps they didn't want to torque off the Federation, or maybe something more is afoot As for Rashal...was his words genuine or was he merely mouthing platitudes? Lots of questions.

 

[TheLoneRedshirt]

I also have a lot of questions about what's happening - you're doing a great job of ramping up the intrigue.

I have a hard time trusting anything Wright does. Even if Wright does something right (ow - that was painful to write! ) I have to wonder about his motives.

Each segment just adds to the mystery - great job!

 

[CeJay]

Seeing that this is a Dauntless story I will refrain from making any assumptions as to what is going on or what will happen. Anything goes.

And that seems to be more true than ever now that Wright is calling the shots. One thing is for sure: I'm completely hooked.

 

[Mistral]

I dunno what that was about-different color eyes? WTF? And how does Senor Wright know about those archaic weapons? Is that a clue?(Head spins 360 degrees on shoulders)

 

[BrotherBenny]

Yes, he's a mysterious bad-ass.

Yes, he's up to something.

No, you have no idea what it's gonna be - but feel free to guess.

 

[BrotherBenny]

As with the TNGR, I have rechaptered the story so I can keep track of the different threads. Here we go with the next part.

***​

Chapter Seven

Rebel base
Eeroth system
Stardate 57393.7

Rashal blinked in the harsh glare of the lamps before figuring out how to adjust the controls. Somehow, his comrades had managed to get some surgical manipulation to pass themselves off as ebony-skinned Dahreki but the contacts used for the eyes weren’t perfect. It was the only way that he was able to discover the truth before he was rescued. It didn’t, however, explain the fact that he was currently being kept waiting by the man who had not only led the rescue but was supposed to be his second in command. As his eyes focused to the different level of light, he concentrated on the map of the solar system on the screen in front of him. The Federation ship was in orbit of the homeworld and there were several Fahira and Dahreki patrols, apparently working in tandem, working together, and it disgusted him. The Dahreki were nothing more than a labour-class, or at least they had been until a two centuries ago when the president granted them equal rights. In the time since, they had been responsible for the two system-spanning wars which left entire colonies in ruins and led directly to his own overture to the Cha’lav. Yes, it had been a mistake, but he was desperate not see his family’s lands destroyed by a politician eager for the approval of the fast-breeding Dahreki masses. He’d personally vetoed as many Dahreki-centric reforms as he could and he was well-liked by the Fahira for it. It seemed the time had come for a final reckoning, and he intended to stand once the dust had settled.

‘Sorry for keeping you,’ Teliz said as he entered the room. ‘A strategy meeting went longer than expected. I expect you’re glad to be out of that cell.’

Rashal narrowed his eyes. ‘I should have been informed of and involved in the meeting.’

Teliz shook his head, his short hair looking wrong against his pale face. ‘You no longer lead us, Rashal. You abandoned us to our fates and we do not forgive that.’

‘I accepted exile so I could come back when the enemy was gone and reclaim my home!’ Rashal shouted in fury.

‘We no longer have a home!’ Teliz responded in kind. ‘Janar was a figurehead only. Why do you think he has Dahreki guards, they are to make sure that he does not attempt escape. And our ships,’ the rebel leader gestured to the screen, ‘we’re not working with them, they are shadowing us to make sure we know our place.’

Rashal slumped in defeat. ‘What happened?’

Teliz sighed and gestured to a crate. ‘After you left, the Cha’lav did not come back and we were left to pick up the pieces. The Dahreki fared better in the war and were able to gain the upper hand in almost every skirmish. They have taken over the government and control our lives as we once controlled theirs. They have orders to shoot you on sight.’

‘I can lead you to a better place.’

‘No, you can’t,’ his friend replied. ‘The only reason I rescued you was to use you as a bargaining chip. You are worth more to me dead than alive.’

Rashal took a step back. ‘Somehow, I think I prefer the Federation cell.’

Teliz gestured to two rebels with a snap of his fingers. ‘Take him to the ship. I’ll be there shortly.’

‘Wait, what if I can give you something?’

‘There is nothing you can possibly have which will mean more to me than your death.’

Rashal swallowed. ‘I can give you a way to defeat the Cha’lav once and for all.’

‘We did,’ the rebel leader replied. ‘Their debris litters our system,’ he added and turned to face the screen, making several adjustments.

‘You’re making a mistake!’ Rashal yelled as he was strong-armed out of the cave.

‘Perhaps.’

‘The Dahreki will kill you all! You’re being used.’

This time, Teliz did not even answer. Rashal turned his attention to the two men dragging him.

‘You do realise that the Dahreki won’t rest until they’ve killed every last one of us. If you let me go, I can stop them.’

‘You’ve done enough damage,’ the taller one replied. ‘As long as we leave the Dahreki alone, they leave us alone.’

‘And how long do you think that will last? As soon as they find this place, they’ll blow it to oblivion.’

‘They cannot find us, it is impossible.’

‘Nothing is impossible,’ Rashal muttered.

The rebels dragged him into a cavern which served as a hangar for their shuttles and fighters and up a ramp into a Dahreki cargo hopper. It was a small craft with a small cargo hold and single-seat cockpit, perfect for a prisoner transfer. Rashal allowed himself to be dumped and locked in the cargo hold and waited for the footsteps of the rebels to die away. As soon as he was sure that he was alone, he reached for his belt and pulled a small device from its reverse. He activated the device and then replaced it on his belt.

Having spoken with Commander Wright prior to President Janar’s visit, they both agreed that something was going to happen and made allowances for it to do so. However, since he had been taken to a rebel base that may or may not have some kind of shielding or cloaking technology, there might be a slight delay in the Starfleet officer finding him. He decided to pass the time by finding an escape route, since he knew the Dahreki were prone to hiding all kinds of contraband for when they were boarded. He’d known this type of ship had carried slaves to freedom in the past, but he couldn’t remember, if he had ever known, where that might be.

All of a sudden he felt vibrations through the deck plating and knew that Teliz was powering up the engines. In a few moments the ship would leave the rebel base and his plan would be scuppered. The fact that his own life might finally be forfeit was third on the list.

 

[DavidFalkayn]

Wright's scheming is beginning to come into focus now. Nothing like intrigue to spice up the evening.

 

[Mistral]

You are right-I don't have a clue.

 

[CeJay]

Wright has made an interesting ally here. But I'm with Mistral, I have no clue where this is going. But I do want to find out.

 

[Dnoth]

Defiantly unexpected.

 

[BrotherBenny]

Chapter Eight

USS Dauntless
Eeroth IV orbit
Stardate 57393.8

She knew there was something about Wright that made her uneasy. He’d always given her the creeps but ever since that incident in the observation lounge, he had become more creepy. It was like there was no longer anything stopping him from doing what he wanted to do. She wouldn’t be a very good tactical officer, and former security chief, if she couldn’t see what was going on. Mahtani was jumpy around him and the doctor barely spoke two words. Even Parker was suspicious of him, but then she was suspicious of Parker. Wright was an unknown variable in the command crew, and she didn’t like that. She’d already looked up his jacket and noticed that three previous incidents were classified and needed a level nine security clearance. Hers, as third in command of the ship, was level eight since Wright had not officially granted her the promotion to first officer, even though he now asked that the crew address him as captain. Mentioning it to him would likely make him suspicious and she didn’t want him to know that she suspected him of anything. She didn’t even know what she suspected him of, except maybe taking the captain out of commission.

Lieutenant Commander Sheena Gonzales perched at the tactical station, having raised the chair from its lowest height position, and watched the information of all shipboard systems scroll across her screen. It was all mundane. The ship was at yellow alert as she ran continuous searches for the rebel base that Rashal had most likely been taken to after his unusual kidnap from the ship. Wright was in sickbay speaking with President Janar regarding the rebel situation, leaving her in charge. So far she’d had no luck in finding any trace of the rebels and time was short. The latest scan came back negative and she began it again, adjusting the parameters to account for a cloaked location. A positive result came back almost instantly.

‘Gonzales to Wright, I’ve got something. A small cloaked asteroid seven hundred million kilometres from our current position.’

‘Watch for a small vessel leaving the cloaking field,’ Wright replied and she realised that this was a tactical plan to draw out the rebels.

‘Aye sir, should I deploy the SPRA probes?’

‘Negative, we don’t want to tip our hand. As soon as that ship leaves the cloaking field, I want you to track it. If you think we’re going to lose it, tractor it and bring it aboard. It’s the least we can do to help these people after bringing their pariah back.’

‘Aye sir, Gonzales out.’

The least they could do was nothing. But even her morality argued against that. By bringing him back they had caused a new set of problems for the Eeroth, and they had to make it right somehow. Perhaps this was Wright’s way of doing so, but she believed that there was something else going on in his head, she couldn’t read him properly and that scared her. No human she had ever encountered had mental shields that strong, not even those strengthened against torture. It was that singular fact which caused her to look deeper into his background.

‘Anything happened?’ Wright asked as the turbolift doors parted.

‘Not as yet, sir,’ she answered, having no intention of calling him “Captain.”

He narrowed his eyes at her. ‘Keep looking. We’re only going to get one chance at this.’

‘Aye sir.’

‘Sir,’ Larson called, ‘There’s a small flotilla of ships headed our way.’

Wright sighed. ‘Gonzales, concentrate on the cloaked asteroid. I’ll bet these ships are a diversion.’

‘They’re firing,’ Gonzales said.

‘Transfer firing control to the helm,’ Wright ordered as the ships firing in concert. ‘Larson, fire at their engines. I’ll bet they’re drones.’

‘Aye sir.’

‘They are drones, Commander,’ Mahtani added. ‘I’m reading no lifesigns. I cannot get a clear reading regarding their base of origin.’

‘It doesn’t matter,’ Wright replied testily. ‘Larson, destroy them. Gonzales, there should be a ship emerging any second now.’

‘Got it!’ she cried and entered a sequence of commands. ‘It’s adjusting course, heading relative to us on a bearing of 226 mark 121, out of the system.’

‘Tractor beam.’

‘We’re too far,’ she replied. ‘Mahtani, do the SPRA probes have tractor beams?’

‘Sure, they were designed for a multitude of purposes.’

Wright headed for his chair. ‘Pursuit course. As soon as we’re in range, engage the tractor. I don’t want them getting away.’

‘Aye sir,’ Larson replied as he manoeuvred the ship out of the planet’s gravity well. ‘Going to three quarters impulse.’

‘Full impulse,’ Wright ordered. ‘Ignore the regulations.’

Larson glanced at Gonzales who inclined her head barely. ‘Aye sir.’

The Dauntless surged forward, the inertial dampers whining slightly as Larson compensated. Another one of the major differences between this ship and all the Intrepid-class vessels before it was the new impulse drive, the first radical redesign for more than two hundred years. Even the Sovereign-class ships were only capable of impulse speeds up to point-seven-three of light-speed, the Dauntless was capable of point-eight-four of light-speed. It was this extra push that Wright used in order to prevent the small freighter from getting away.

‘Now less than one hundred million kilometres away,’ Gonzales called out.

‘Can we get any more from the engines?’

‘Xeris says you’ve got more than you should,’ Gonzales snapped back. ‘Eighty million kilometres.’

‘Target their engines and fire a low yield phaser burst,’ Wright suggested.

‘That might destroy the ship. It’s not exactly in optimal condition.’

‘That was an order, Ensign.’

‘Aye sir, firing,’ Larson replied. ‘Their warp engines are off-line, but impulse it still active.’

‘Fire again.’

‘Sir, their shields were seriously weakened by that shot. I recommend against firing again,’ Larson said, looking at Wright and holding his gaze.

‘Distance?’ Wright asked.

‘Fifty million kilometres.’

‘Open a channel.’

‘No response.’

‘Commander, look!’ Larson said as the freighter vanished before their eyes.

‘Slow to half impulse and hold us ten million kilometres from their last position.’

‘Aye sir, slowing to one half impulse.’

‘Sensors?’

‘Sir, our sensors show nothing there. The freighter just vanished.’

 

[Mistral]

So who is this officer named "testily" that was speaking during the "shoot the drones" scene?(you left Wright's name out)

Seriously, Wright seems like he's about one step away from going off the reservation. And if they could detect a cloaked asteroid, how did the shuttle go to cloak? Or did it?

Good job of making Wright seem even more furtive and enhancing that lovely "he's up to no good" feeling. I don't think he's human-just passing as one.

 

[BrotherBenny]

So who is this officer named "testily" that was speaking during the "shoot the drones" scene? (you left Wright's name out)

Fixed, thanks!

Seriously, Wright seems like he's about one step away from going off the reservation. And if they could detect a cloaked asteroid, how did the shuttle go to cloak? Or did it?

*walks away, whistling*

Good job of making Wright seem even more furtive and enhancing that lovely "he's up to no good" feeling. I don't think he's human-just passing as one.

I can safely say that he is human, but you're getting closer (still very cold though!!)

 

[Mistral]

AHA! He's a time-traveler, specially conditioned to avoid (shield ) from T-paths so they don't discover his true identitiy and he's been killing officers who would otherwise wreck/preserve the timeline he's from.

NO awards please, just send cash to my account.