March Challenge - The Fissure

[ghiaman74]

The Fissure


Miral sat down on cargo container and gasped for breath. She put the butt of her phaser rifle and rested her forehead against the barrel. Eyes closed, she listened as Joval and Semina locked down the door to the space.

"Are you ok Captain Lynch?" Keevan asked, seating himself on a container across from Miral.

Miral wiped the sweat off her brow and looked at the Votra. Keevan sat upright resting a small box in his lap. "I haven’t run like that since my plebe summer, and you haven’t even broken a sweat."

"There was a joke I once heard told in the Dominion. That the Founders engineered the Vorta to be better runners than even the Jem’Hadar, as long as we are running away from the battle."

Miral found a smile. "That’s a good one. I’m surprised you didn’t lock up the one who told it."

"Don’t be ridiculous." Keevan snorted. "I killed him. And everyone in earshot."

"You’ve got to be joking." Semina said as she sat down with them.

"Not at all, it was blasphemy against the Founders."

"They’re a race of beings, not gods, you can’t blasphemy a race." Semina voice was rising.

"Religion and politics." Miral injected, trying to derail the building argument. "Everyone has their own and nobody agrees. This talk won’t help us complete our mission."

"I will avoid speak of my spiritual beliefs if the Romulan will avoid belittling them." Keevan said.

Semina nodded, but remained silent.

"Good." Miral lay down her rifle and paced thoughtfully. "Joval, how are we looking?"

Joval was accessing a computer terminal by the door. He answered in typical Vulcan calmness. "Neither the Cardassians nor the Klingons have been successful in overcoming the computer lockout. We are still on course and will be at the fissure in eighteen hours."

Good. Miral thought. The mission could still be accomplished. She looked around the space. It wasn’t big, but that was the point. "We should set for a defense. Hopefully they’ll be content fighting themselves, but just in case."

Joval and Semina set to the task.

Miral then turned to Keevan. "How long are we looking at?"

Keevan shrugged, "Hard to say. Ten hours maybe, depends on the metabolism."

**********

"What is this about?" Miral had to walk uncomfortably fast to keep up with the Admiral.

Admiral Wieman didn’t reply. He didn’t even look at her. He just led her further and further into the depths of Starfleet Command.

Miral had never been this deep into the building. They had passed two security stations with heavily armed guards and a set of doors opened by Admiral Wieman’s retina scan. He had hardly missed a step as they passed the check points.

Finally they entered a conference room. It was dark and Miral couldn’t make out the faces of those already seated. The Admiral directed her to an empty seat, and then he proceeded to the podium.

The horseshoe shaped table curved around the plain podium. Each seat had a small light for the attendee to review whatever materials they might have. It was enough light to make out the others seated at the table. She realized that she was not only the only human in the room besides the Admiral. She recognized the Klingon Ambassador. She didn’t recognize the Cardasian Gul next to him. She was happy to see the Vulcan in the next seat over, at least it was another Federation citizen. She then realized the ‘Vulcan’ was wearing a bird of prey, the emblem of the Romulan Star Empire. Miral then stole a glance at the man sitting beside her and nearly gasped. The man’s hair was slicked back. His face was nearly featureless save his deep sunken eyes. He was a Founder, one of the shape-shifters that led the Dominion. ‘What is this?’ She asked herself.

Admiral Wieman cleared his throat. "I won’t waste any time recounting what brought us to this point. The fissure is four months away from reaching critical energy state. The Union is nearly complete. She will be ready to get underway before the week is out."

"Any indications of the Hiratu?" Asked the Cardiassian Gul. Miral would later find out his name was Julak.

"Our probes give no indication of Hiratu activity on the far side of the fissure. However, I cannot guarantee the sensor scans are penetrating it." Admiral Wieman replied.

The Founder then spoke, "The sensor packs we have provided you penetrate the fissure. Unlike the Hiratu life signatures, we have never had difficulty detecting their ships. If you have no readings, there is nothing there to read. We have had experience with this. We are the only ones that have. That said, I must again insist more Jem’Hadar be allowed to augment the crew."

"That debate has been settled Shapeshifter!" The Klingon envoy bellowed with characteristic Klingon diplomacy. "All in this room have lost countrymen at the hand of your Jem’Hadar soldiers. They will not outnumber the Klingon Warriors the Empire has committed to this mission!"

"We are allies in this venture. Your suspicion is unwarranted. The Dominion is invested in success just as much as your Empire." The Founder said. "I went to the planet the Hiratu invaded before we were able to push them back and seal the fissure in the gamma quadrant, a planet with a population of over a billion beings. They left no one alive. They ripped flesh from bone, burned people alive, and worse. Most frustrating is the apparent lack of reason for it. I know what you think of the Dominion, Klingon, but I’m sure even you sympathize with the horrors visited on our people."

"Excuse me." A mild voice interjected. All eyes turned to the Romulan. "Admiral, this operation is of the utmost secrecy, so I am obliged to inquire: who is this woman you have brought with you?"

Admiral Wieman looked at Miral. "She is Captain Miral Lynch. She will command the Starship Union."

When Miral noticed the room of leaders staring at her in expectant silence, she gave a curt nod. As the briefing continued she picked up the important points. In roughly four months the fissure will have progressed to the point to give a race called the Hiratu access to the Milky Way. The Hiratu were hostile. In fact they were so hostile that they frightened the Dominion and united this unlikely room of adversaries in a common cause. Then there was the Starship Union. It had the best of every race represented. The Klingons provided the weapons. An artificial singularity provided by the Romulans provided ample power to the ship. The warp system was a new Cardassian design. And the Dominion provided the device the fate of a galaxy rested upon.



When the brief had concluded Admiral Wieman escorted Miral out of the secure inner sanctum of Starfleet Headquarters.

"Any questions?" The Admiral chuckled.

Miral didn’t find it funny. "Why me sir?"

"The fissure is at the edge of Federation territory. We couldn’t allow any of our ‘allies’ to have the authority of command when we are the faction most directly threatened by the Hiratu."

Miral sighed. "I have limited combat experience. I have never dealt with anything remotely similar to this fissure. My experience is in diplomacy. Frankly sir, I am at a loss as to why I have been given this assignment."

The Admiral stopped and looked the Captain right in the eye. "Miral, the Union will be filled from bulkhead to bulkhead to with warriors. Klingons, Cardassian, Jem’Hadar, races battle hardened against each other throughout decades of war. The Union needs a diplomat. Your mission is to keep that crew together long enough to complete your mission."

**********

"We’ll know in an hour if it works." Semina concluded the update.

"To have come all this way only for the ship to fail on us." Miral sighed and leaned back in her ready room chair. "Where is Joval by the way? I’m not sure how it works on Romulan ships, but it’s usually the chief engineer and no the first officer that delivers reports concerning ongoing repairs."

Semina shut off the briefing screen and sat down across the desk. "We’ve already lost fifty hours traveling at this speed. Joval said it was not logical to take him away from his engineering duties when I was perfectly capable of delivering the information."

Miral found a small smile. "He is one committed Vulcan."

"Aren’t they all?" Semina asked.

Miral’s smile turned into a laugh. "There is a place for our differences. And I suppose only a Romulan would be sneaky enough to find that place."

Semina returned the sentiment with a broad grin. "Don’t let your human emotions take you away, Captain."

"If only Goran and Julak could find some common ground as we have." Miral sighed again.

"To be honest, I never thought I would find such friendship with a human, Captain. But then again it’s not like we’re--"

"A Klingon and Cardassian?" Miral finished the thought.

Semina could not hold back another smile. "Actually, I was going to say ‘male’."

**********

They sat in silence in the cargo bay. Three of them at least, Joval was still standing at the computer terminal trying to glean what information he could.

Keevan finally stood. He placed the small box he carried carefully on the container he had been sitting on. He let go of the box’s handles as if it pained him to do so. He regarded it a moment as someone would something precious to them. He then turned and snatched the phaser rifle Miral had been holding out of her hands. He steadied the fire arm against his shoulder, leveled it at the small box, and he pulled the trigger. The box disintegrated into thin air. Semina was on him, tackling Keevan to the ground.

"What are you doing?" Miral yelled as she got to her feet.

"It was useless to us. It was a liability." Keevan protested as Semina ripped the phaser rifle from his hands. "The Jem’Hadar can smell it. We would have been a target as long as we had a box of white."

"It may have been the only way to control those berserkers." Semina said, keeping the rifle trained on Keevan as she stood up.

"No." Keevan sat up, but did not try to stand at the point of the Romulan’s rifle. "When they go, they are beyond redemption. No Jem’Hadar has ever been reformed from a berserker state, but in it they crave the white they have been denied. They would have come for us if I hadn’t vaporized it."

"Put the gun down Semina." Miral ordered. "This is what we wanted. Let’s just hope our people are safe." She looked at Joval.

"The Federation and Romulan engineering spaces are secure. The Jem’Hedar are all experiencing heightened pulse and body temperature. Especially when their body signatures are found in close proximity to Klingons or Cardassians."

"It’s working." Keevan said.

"Maybe." Miral replied. "We’ll know in a few hours."

**********

 

[ghiaman74]

**********

"Where do I know you from?" Goran eyed the Cardasian sitting across from him.

Gul Julak didn’t look at the klingon. He kept his eyes fixed on the head of the conference table. "You have asked me that same question every day we have been underway. And no, you do not know me." Julak spoke through gritted teeth.

"Gentlemen." Semina hissed.

Gul Julak lazily shifted his gaze to the front of the conference room. Goran smiled broadly at Julak, then looked towards Joval, who had paused his briefing to allow the spat to conclude.

"As I was saying," Joval resumed, "the warp nacelles are functioning at 89 percent efficiency. With power diverted from the ships weapons systems, our maximum sustainable cruising speed is warp 8.45. We are now 54 hours behind our original schedule. Considering the reduced cruising speed we can expect to arrive at the fissure seven hours after critical energy state has been reached."

"Why call a meeting for this?" Goran bellowed. "On a Klingon ship we send these technical matters to our terminals in our quarters. Do all races talk this much without action, or is it just the Captain’s Federation?"

"We hold these meetings so I can hear all opinions, Goran. With the unique crew of the Union, I expect equally unique points of view from my senior staff." Miral wondered how much easier her life would be if she did simply post ship operations to state room terminals rather than bring these particular personalities together. No, she needed all of her senior staff to get over their petty differences and work together. If they could not work together towards completing the Union’s mission, how could the rest of the mixed crew unite in that cause?

"Ah…" Goran let the sound linger in the air for a moment. "Then here is my unique opinion. Cardassian warp systems are steaming piles of targ waste. They are only useful in short sprints away from battle, not the spirited rush towards it."

Gul Julak threw daggers from his eyes at Goran. "This is the opinion of a Klingon? A race renown more for its weakness for blood wine than any endeavor related to science or engineering?"

At the mention of weakness Goran’s body tensed. His nostrils flared and he leaned forward as if to stand, but Semina put a light hand on his shoulder and kept him seated. "Genltemen, please. The warp power issues stem from their compatibility with the artificial singularity. The singularity is only artificially created, after creation they are a nature phenomenon and act with the same peculiarities of nature."

Miral continued to be thankful for her first officer. Then Keevan spoke.

"So the Romulans are to blame." Keevan made the assertion in his gentle voice, his eyes bright and an almost undetectable smile across his face as he watched the reactions of Goran and Julak.

Joval then spoke. "The Union was built quickly with the best available technologies from all races. Integration issues were expected. This is not the first, nor will it be the last, but this ship still stands as the only asset available to complete our mission. This concludes my brief."

**********

Miral was pacing across the cargo bay. They had been locked in the small space for hours. Her legs which had earlier had been cramping from exertion were now growing stiff with inactivity. Keevan remained sitting, with a straight back on a cargo container. Semina was resting on the floor by one bulkhead with her hands behind her head and her eyes closed. Joval continued to monitor the ship outside the cargo bay from the terminal be the door.

"Who’s winning?" Keevan asked.

Semina opened her eyes.

"Keevan, please." Miral protested.

"Why? Don’t you want to know?"

"It’s not a game." Miral explained. "Those are our crew killing each other."

"Captain," Keevan paused considering his words, "we have destroyed the entire supply of an enzyme critical to the life function of my people. When I say my people, I mean it literally, proprietarily. The Jem’Hadar, while sentient beings, are owned by the Dominion. With me as the Dominion’s representative, our present situation is about to deprive me of both property and countrymen in an effort to give a primal edge to my Jem’Hadar soldiers so they can savage their Cardassian and Klingon enemies. Once they metabolize the last of the Ketrecel White in their bodies and their behavior reverts to more primitive brutality, they will be stronger, feel less pain, and have more aggression. They will kill without reason and without mercy. They will win. And then, they will die. This plan was put into motion on your authority. I do not find joy or delight in it, but I do have a healthy curiosity as to its progression. I understand it is not a game. Do you understand you no longer have any credibility when you lament the deaths of your Klingon and Cardassian crew members?"

"Been waiting long to get that off your chest?" Semina was now sitting up.

"No. I just said what came to me. It was…cathartic." Keevan answered.

Miral took a seat on the cargo box across from the Vorta. "You’re right." She said to him. "By whatever measure you wish, you have made a great sacrifice. I was not trying to trivialize that sacrifice, but remind us all of the inevitable consequences of this difficult situation."

Keevan smiled. "Now is not the time to be a diplomat Captain Lynch. You have failed at that task, just ask Goran and Julak. Besides, there is no need to it. I am bound to you. I am bound to you by command of the Founders, no offense intended to our Romulan friend. And I am bound to you by the fact I have no wish to die quite yet and allies are growing scarce on this ship."

**********

Gul Julak leaned back in his chair and stroked his Cardassian goatee which consisted of two well groomed patches of hair, one along each side of his jaw line. "So?"

"I don’t know what you expect me to do." Miral tried not to look at the patch of facial hair Julak continued to run his fingers over. She thought it revolting. She thought it the hardest part of getting people from different cultures to speak, ignoring the petty differences each culture thought annoying, ugly, or down-right disgusting about the other. She kept the revolution buried and concentrated on Julak’s problem.

The hand stroking the patch of well groomed facial hair stopped. Gul Julak straightened in the chair leaned forward, posturing one are on Captain Lynch’s desk for support. "Are you not the Commander of this vessel? Are you not responsible for the good order and discipline of its crew? Goran is a brute. His constant needling is not becoming of a senior officer nor anyone daring to call themselves civilized. What I find worse is that you, as Captain, find the matter of no concern. Do you remember how you became captain? Do you remember it was a council of contributing races that voted you into this position, a council I was a member of?"

"Cut the rhetorical flourishes Gul, speak plainly."

"I supported your appointment to Captain of the Union. I thought your history as a successful diplomat would help ease the tensions caused by all of our cultural differences. Now he we are, haze gray and under way as I’ve heard your Federation personnel are fond of saying, and you refuse to take action. Perhaps my support was misplaced and I should remove it. You do realize that the Cardassians on this ship serve you only at my pleasure."

"That is you position?"

"That is my position." Julak leaned back again and resumed stroking the ridiculous patch of hair.

Miral had dealt with enough bullies to know acquiescence would only lead to more problems. "How old are you?"

"Excuse me?"

"I was wondering how old you were. I haven’t threatened to take all my toys and go home since I was ten years old, which is quite young by human standards. You may have been on the council that arranged the construction of this ship, the make-up of its crew, and even who its captain would be, but that work is done. We are on a mission to defend the galaxy. Perhaps you should show the maturity of a Gul and keep your mind focused on the mission rather than Goran, who your council also appointed to his position."

Julak had started picking at the hairs of his goatee as anger welled up in him at the human female’s words. "Is that your position?" He spat her words back at her.

She kept her face calm and met strength with strength. "I am Captain, Julak. Not only is it my position, but yours as well."

**********

Miral had followed Semina’s lead and found a quiet corner of the cargo bay where she could lay down and attempt to sleep. Her attempt was unsuccessful. She opened her eyes when she felt someone standing over her. It was Joval.

"The Jem’Hadar have begun to abandon their posts." He reported.

"Have they engaged anyone?"

"The Cardassians were closest. Which should multiply the effect of their berserker rage. The Cardasians currently outnumber the Klingons three to two. The sides will now be kept even."

"So the Cardassians were winning." She smiled .

Joval raised an eyebrow in response.

"Sorry, bad joke." Miral sat up and then she got to her feet. "So, how long?"

"We will reach the Fissure in approximately seven hours and thirty-four minutes." Joval answered.

"Any indication of the Hiratu?"

"None as of twenty minutes ago, at that point the Klingons severed the data conduits in junction C-64-J. It has cut off our access to external sensors as well as all communications internal and external to the ship."

"Are they trying to break the computer lock out?"

Joval shook his head. "The Cardassians tried unsuccessfully for several hours, but have long since given up. The Klingons have taken to denying the Cardassian use of what ship functions are still available to them."

"What about our people, and the Romulans?"

"They are still secure in main engineering and several auxiliary spaces. While we have lost communication, it does not appear that they have been engaged by any hostile force."

It was a small consolation. "So two fifths of my crew is safe and sound."

"Actually Captain, the figure is much better than that. The Dominion personnel are very under represented compared to the other races. I would say up to forty-eight percent of your crew is out of the fight."

"Oh good, so I’m nearly a half decent Captain." She made another bad Joke.

"I do not know how to calculate that figure, Captain." It was lost on the Vulcan.

Miral sighed. "Could I have held it together Joval? Could I have said something or performed some act of contrition to keep those two from warring with each other?"

"I assume you speak of Goran and Julak. Their issues stem from emotional differences. I am incapable of empathizing with either of them. I have worked alongside many humans such as yourself, sir. I have noted their ability to not only aptly judge the emotional state others, but also control their own emotions in the most difficult of circumstances. I have no doubt that you were able to aptly judge Goran and Julak’s emotional state. I cannot judge your response, but theirs is obviously a gross overreaction. If you are searching for a way you could have reasoned with them, I believe both of them had abandoned reason long ago."

"It’s still my ship. My crew. My responsibility. They’re killing each other, Joval. They’re killing each other and my solution is to let them die. Let them remove themselves from the equation."

"Captain, you are taking responsibility for your ship and crew. More importantly you are taking responsibility for your mission. This mission is not about diplomacy with a new culture, it is not about scientific research, and it is not about exploration. This mission is about the security of the entire galaxy. Every person on this ship that has taken up hostile arms is an enemy to that security."

Miral smiled meekly. "Thank you Joval. Maybe my human emotions are out of control, but all these hours waiting have given me time to think and to second guess my decisions. We’re locked in a room and I feel helpless. I’m a spectator on my own ship. I can’t do anything until the plan has played itself out. I needed someone to approve of my decisions."

Joval nodded curtly.

**********

 

[ghiaman74]

**********

"Where do I know you from?" The words were a soft growl.

Miral sat in her chair in the center of the bridge, but came to her feet upon hearing the words. Gul Julak had been working at a console at the rear of the bridge. Goran was standing a little too close to the Cardassian. Julak’s hands were tense and frozen over the console. He jaw was tense and stare full of fire as he turned to face Goran.

"Goran!" Miral barked. "My ready room, now!"



"Sit." Miral was surprised how much force came out with the command.

Goran sat. Miral remained standing behind her desk. Her expression was grim, but Goran sat back leisurely, a smirk on his face and his hands clasped over his belly.

"Why do you insist on making my job harder than it is?" Miral tried to make her stare icy. "Each race represented on this ship has its own issues with the others. One of my senior officers constantly belittling another does nothing for the unity and civility of this crew."

Goran chuckled to himself. "Captain, the Klingons and Federation are great allies. I have thought you and I are great allies. I do not envy your task: to keep Klingon and Romulan, Cardassian and Dominion united to a cause. I would not want it myself. However, I am committed to this mission and loyal to you. Gul Julak is not. The Klingon Ambassador told me of Gul Julak. How Julak was a member of the council responsible for this ship and how Julak desired the Captaincy of this ship. He seeks to undermine your authority, so I do what I can. I make him seem less of a man in front of the senior staff. I keep him isolated from potential allies. I do this because you cannot. I am Klingon, what is expected of me beyond being loud and crass? No one doubts my prowess as a warrior, but they now doubt many things about Julak. There is no need to thank me."

Miral considered Goran’s logic. It was patently flawed by Vulcan standards, but had a uniquely Klingon eloquence to it. How to make him understand? "How does that help me unite Klingon and Cardassian? Subcommander Semina finds no special respect for you as a result of your behavior, so how has it helped me unite Klingon and Romulan? The troops see your behavior, Julaks men and your own, as you execute this plan to undermine the authority of own of my staff. A plan I did not, and would never approve. How does that serve the unity of this crew?"

"My men are loyal to me, Captain. And I am loyal to you."

"Don’t you see that is the problem?" She knew he didn’t. "I need the direct loyalty of your men and of Julak’s men. All people on this ship must be loyal to me, and that only happens if we break down the artificial barriers of our races. We need to put aside our prejudices and political differences. You are reinforcing those barriers."

"Are you ordering me to stop?"

Miral felt she was getting to him. All that was left in the way was his pride. "I shouldn’t have to, but if that’s what it takes, yes. Act your age. Act with honor. Stop acting like a school yard bully."

Goran now sat silently, considering his response. That is what Miral had been waiting for, more than any words that would follow. He was thinking, reconsidering, and then he spoke. "I do not think that is a fair characterization. But I have pledged my loyalty, and I will comply."




In the days that followed, Goran was true to his word. He did not engage Gul Julak except on a professional level. Miral even caught him disciplining one of the Klingons for a minor confrontation with a Cardassian technician. The tensions were still there, but they had eased somewhat.
The day before their projected arrival at the fissure Miral ordered a diagnostic of all major systems. Semina reported the nominal state of the singularity that acted as their power source. Joval reported that sensors and shield provided by the Federation were working optimally. Keevan assured that the device was ready. Goran was the first to interrupt the parade of positive news.

"Unknown." Goran answered when Captain Lynch asked the status of weapons.

Miral, sitting in her chair in the center of the bridge, turned her head to look incredulously at Goran.

"All power for the weapons systems has been diverted to the warp system. We are unable to conduct any diagnostic tests without sacrificing speed. But prior to the power diversion, all systems were at maximum lethality."

"Very well. Conduct a full systems check when we arrive at the Fissure." Miral ordered. She continued down the list. "Warp systems."

"Operating at 89 percent efficiency." Gul Julak reported. He noticed Goran looking at him as he reported. "What? Do you blame me for the integration issues? Am I responsible for power being diverted from your precious weapon?"

"I said nothing." Goran complained. "And I assure you I care nothing about the warp system. We are either fighting or we are running. We do not need them at the same time."

"Say it." Julak said.

"I don’t know your meaning." Goran replied.

"Tell me you know me, say it. Say it as you always have. Say it like you know. Say it like I don’t know you killed my brother during the Dominion War!" Julak screamed.

Goran answered in as civil a tone he could. "The past is the past. Let it lay there."

Gul Julak would not let it lay. Miral was aware of Goran jumping out of the way before she was aware of the disruptor in Julak’s hand. There was a burst of light, a cry of pain, and the smell of burnt flesh. Goran was on the ground, but alive. The other Klingons on the bridge leapt to their wounded comrade’s defense, the Cardassians rushed to Julak.

Miral’s orders were lost in the noise of the armed conflict breaking out on the bridge. She felt hands on her shoulders and she was dragged into the turbolift. The door closed and the lift started. It took a few moments before the events settled in her mind. She inhaled deeply and let the breath out. She was sitting on the floor. She looked up and found Semina standing over her.

The Romulan’s arms were crossed and she started at the console counting down the decks. "The mission has been lost thanks to those two."

Miral stood and brushed herself off. "Not yet Subcommander." She hit her comm. badge. "Lynch to Joval, lock out the main computer. Ensure our course cannot be altered. Order all Federation and Romulan crew lock themselves in there spaces. Do not allow any Klingon or Cardassian refuge."

Joval’s response was two words, "Aye, sir."

"You don’t think that’s a little premature?" Semina asked. "Having the crew lock themselves in their spaces?"

"Those orders can be easily reversed, but if this mutiny has spread to other parts of the ship we have to act quickly to minimize the damage."

"So now what?"

"Now we have to find Keevan." Miral answered. "The Jem’Hadar will not stay out of this for long."



The fighting spread with gaining momentum through the ship. Miral and Semina avoided it the best they could. Whatever the Jem’Hadar were up to didn’t make it easy. They had already found themselves locked out of two entry points to the spaces that housed the device. The third access point they tried was the only door down a long and open corridor. They had hoped to avoid this direction. They felt exposed, even with the phaser rifles they had gotten out the weapons locker.

Miral shrieked. She raised her rifle. The man had come out of nowhere. Semina had been watching the rear, but the barrel of her own weapon covered the target a second after.

The man spoke. "Captain Lynch, please follow me." He was a Jem’Hadar soldier. He paid no attention to Miral’s rifle. He simply turned and began walking. Miral and Semina followed.

"You surprised me when you shut off your cloak soldier. I had no idea you where there." Miral said.

"We call them shrouds, ma’am. And there are four of us." The soldier replied.



Keevan smiled when he saw Miral and Semina approaching. "Captain Lynch, I was so hoping you would find time to call on us. I do apologize for leaving so abruptly earlier on the bridge, but I do have my anxieties about fire fights." He then looked at the soldier. "Resume your post."

When the soldier had left Keevan spoke quickly and quietly. "The device is secure for now. We have sealed off every entrance save to the one you came through. My soldiers will be able to defend it. Unfortunately they are too few to crush this rebellion for you. There is no way my twenty-five men could overcome the hundreds fighting right now, well one way, but it is not an attractive option."

"What way?" Miral had asked. Keevan explained his plan: to allow the Klingons and Cardassians to attrite themselves while the ketrecel white worked its way out of the Jem’Hadar’s system. The Jem’Hadar Berserkers would act as a force ten times their numbers and eliminate most of the survivors.

Miral contacted Joval and ordered him to take care of cargo hold storing the white. When it exploded, Keevan told his soldiers it had been the Klingons, but that the box he kept with him would sustain them for weeks if rationed.

Miral, Semina, Keevan, and Joval could not stay with the Jem’Hadar and they were cut off from the Federation and Romulan positions. Keevan suggested a cargo bay with spare parts for the device. The path looked clear. It wasn’t.

"The bay is right ahead." Keevan told them. He then screamed like a girl as a bolt of energy hit bulkhead next to him.

"Klingons, six o’clock!" Semina yelled. She and Joval returned fire.

Keevan was squatting on the floor covering his head. Miral grabbed him by the collar and started pulling him along. "Run!" She ordered. And they ran. They ran until their legs burned and their lungs begged for air. They ran until they reached the cargo bay.

**********

"Fascinating." Joval muttered as he looked at the computer console.

"What’s that?" Semina asked.

"The Klingons and Cardassians are being eliminated at a staggering rate." Joval said.

"That’s what happens when your front line meets Jem’Hadar Berserkers." Keevan said.

"Yes." Joval agreed. "But now they appear to be falling from both sides, and there is no apparent enemy coming from the rear of either the Cardassians or the Klingons."

"Could it be a chemical agent?" Miral asked. "Maybe one side is gassing the other."

"Both races are affected." Joval manipulated the sensor readout. "I am not detecting any foreign agent, but there are definitely energy discharges at both sides of their lines."

"What are you doing?" The question came from Semina. She was staring at Keevan. The Vorta had opened a cargo container and begun pulling out heavy weapons.

"I thought this bay contained spare parts for the device." Miral looked coldly at Keevan.

"I lied, it’s full of weapons." Keevan said, continuing to empty the container. His voice was tense and his manner manic. "We must arm ourselves, they’re here."

"Who?" Semina’s question was drowned out by a new sound. A stuttering creaking came from the bay door. Then a shower of sparks burst from the top of the door and began slowly inching down.

"Cardassian or Klingon?" Miral asked Joval.

Joval consulted the console. "No life signs." He answered.

"It’s them. They don’t have life signs. They’re on the ship." Keevan’s voice was almost a whisper.

"Who is on the ship Keevan?" When he didn’t answer Miral walked to him and shook him lightly to draw him out of his daze. "Who?"

Keevan looked at Miral in terror and answered, "The Hiratu."


To be continued…

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

Whoa. That is...extremely disturbing, to say the least. What Miral's doing could itself be provocation for another war between the AQ powers and the Dominion, if word gets out. Even if they solve their current problem, she's going to have to answer for that.

 

[Mistral]

That was both an interesting story and fascinating dilemma. A very strong last minute contest entry.

 

[ghiaman74]

Nerys, I never saw Miral's actions as tempting war. She is putting down a muntiny in order to complete her mission and save the Alpha Quadrant races. I never thought about how the muntiny would effect galactic politics, I was focused on the immediate probelms Miral faced: the Fissure in space and the fissure in her crew.

Mistral, it was close to the wire. I finished it on the 30th, then had to cut out some words to get it under the 6000 word limit.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

Nerys, I never saw Miral's actions as tempting war. She is putting down a muntiny in order to complete her mission and save the Alpha Quadrant races. I never thought about how the muntiny would effect galactic politics, I was focused on the immediate probelms Miral faced: the Fissure in space and the fissure in her crew.

I understand--but since I write my own work from a Cardassian perspective, I just couldn't help seeing what they would see.. I have a feeling they're going to be VERY pissed when they find out.

 

[CeJay]

A terrfic story!

I really liked the disjointed structure here as well as what you've done with all these characters. It was obvious that the pre-existing tensions would ultimately lead to disaster but the way you structured this left plenty of intresting twists and suprises.

I also liked the fact that the Romulan first officer is a somewhat level-headed gal, instead of another agitator. While the Klingon and the Cardassian simply couldn't help themselves.

The Jem'Hadar solution is quite clearly a morally questionable course of action but possibly the only option Miral had. A very disturbing situation indeed, especially considering the deep scars from the recent Dominion War. Considering the new threat that all these races are facing, I believe Miral did what she had to.

And a great cliffhanger to boot!

Very well done!

 

[ghiaman74]

I'm glad you enjoyed the story CeJay! I sturctured the story the way I did to fit all the plot in there in under the word limit. I was worried it might throw some people, but luckily not .

 

[Starkers]

Great story, full of wonderful characters and a horrific yet logical plan to save the galaxy...great cliffhanger--I'm dying to know what the Hiratu are like!