Pytheas 1x07 - Broken Bridges

[BrotherBenny]

Chapter Twelve

Federation Embassy
North Star colony
Stardate 55630.5 (August 19, 2378)

Lieutenant Parker looked at the Skagarans and North Star Militiamen and inwardly sighed. They would be about as useful as a handheld phaser against a shielded starship. Astar and MacReady were discussing the finer points of gunboat diplomacy while she was dividing the people she had at her disposal into workable units since she now knew their strengths and weaknesses after four hours of drills. There would be three Militiamen and two Skagarans, plus one Starfleet officer in each group. Though the Embassy had been staffed with almost entirely North Star natives, there was ninety year old Starfleet security officer who had remained behind to teach the Militiamen, and raise a family. She would lead the third team. Parker would lead the first team, and Astar the second.

'Are you ready to deploy?' Astar asked as she walked over.

'They're as ready as they'll ever be,' Parker answered noncommittally. 'There are two entrances to the barracks, front and rear, but there's also the possibility of a rooftop entry. I want Lieutenant Jenson's team to take the roof, you to take the rear and I'll take the front.'

Astar nodded. 'You want as many diversions as possible.'

Parker grinned. 'Since the Militiamen are with us, Ambassador MacReady will call on the Xindi for a couple of fake incidents in town, which the townsfolk are willing to take part in, even knowing the risks. They want the Xindi gone.'

Astar scowled. 'This isn't a civilian operation.'

'If the Xindi decide to use that weapon of theirs on the surface, they won't be any civilians.'

The captain sighed. 'Fine, let's go.'

'Alpha team, with me.'

'Beta team, this way.'

'Gamma team, follow my lead,' Jenson broke ranks with the others and took command of his quintet. 'We have a little trick to drop the roof on their heads. That will be your signal,' he told Astar and Parker.

'You have to be ready as soon as MacReady signals the Xindi to assist her.'

'We will be.'

'All right, we'll split up here and go in separate directions. Whichever route you take, you have fifteen minutes to reach the barracks, dismissed.'

The people exited the Embassy, headed in several different directions, and formed into their teams some distance away so as not to arouse suspicions should any Xindi be watching. Parker and her team quickly double-timed it to the barracks, and were in position with six minutes to spare. They checked their phaser rifles and waited for Ambassador MacReady's signal.

It wasn't long in coming.

Fires broke out in the town square as the revellers from a number of parties “clashed”. With the Militiamen nowhere to be found, MacReady had no option but to call on the Xindi soldiers. They started to flood out the front exit only to be cut down by her team. Astar had reluctantly agreed that all weapons should set to kill as the Xindi would have their weapons on the same setting and they didn't want any surprises.

Seconds later, there was a crash inside and a few screams as the roof did indeed collapse. More phaser fire was heard from the rear as Astar's team moved in and within three minutes, the barracks was clear. The Xindi were either dead or being held in their own brig. Astar, Parker and Jenson met outside the energy field control room.

'I lost three,' Jenson said sadly. 'They were good men.'

'Two,' Astar replied, making no further comment.

Two as well,' Parker replied and ask Jenson, 'do you know how to shut down the energy field?'

Jenson held up a satchel with a grin. 'Got all the “tools” I need right here.'

Astar shook her head. 'Set the explosives and let's go.'

Two minutes later there was a tremendous shaped explosion which caved in the energy field control room without touching the barracks themselves. Astar tapped her combadge only to find that it didn't work. She turned to Parker. 'Lieutenant?'

'The electromagnetic shockwave could have knocked them out.'

'There's a communications system back at the Embassy,' Jenson said. 'But we might have company. There are a number of civilian Xindi living on North Star, but even civilians are taught in military schools. The state is the only employer. Sound familiar?'

As they walked back to the Embassy, Astar filled Jenson in on the last sixty years of Starfleet history. He was shocked but able to put that aside when they reached the Embassy gates to find a horde of angry Xindi.

'What the hell is going on here?' Jenson stepped forward and used his parade ground voice.

'What's going on?' A Xindi-Marsupial mocked. 'You just destroyed the only thing that's keeping us safe from the Empire.'

'What?' Astar asked.

The Xindi ignored her, keeping her eyes on Jenson. 'That energy field is the only deterrent against the Empire's Superweapon. You just blew it to pieces and we're now defenceless.'

Ambassador MacReady emerged from the main building of the Embassy compound. 'Who do you think installed it? They have the codes to disable it at a whim, and whatever defence you thought you had was an illusion. These people destroyed one of the small weapons in orbit earlier today with no loss of life. They can get everyone off this world and take us somewhere else.'

'The Empire will still get us!' another Xindi called out.

Astar stepped to Jenson's side. 'The Empire is led by aliens who wish to destabilise the political arena and set everyone against one another so they can enslave us all as they have done in other galaxies. We've stopped them before and we will stop them again. I can't promise that the Empire's leaders won't try to destroy this world because of what we are about to do, but we will do our best to rescue you before that happens. It is your choice whether you come with us and live to fight another day, or die here as the Superweapon destroys your planet.'

While the crowd digested that information, a Starfleet shuttle descended through the cloud cover to land just a few metres away from the Embassy. Lieutenant Weston stepped out followed by a small contingent of security officers, all carrying phaser rifles.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

Ahh, good...this gives some three-dimensionality to the Xindi. I like that, seeing that some of them have made up their own minds about what happened instead of all following along sheepishly like one gets the impression happened on ENT. After the experience with the Sphere Builders, I would think that would make some Xindi very skeptical about any claims from their government.

 

[BrotherBenny]

Chapter Thirteen

Federation Embassy
North Star colony
Stardate 55630.6 (August 19, 2378)

'Is there a problem, Captain?' Weston asked.

The Xindi looked angry but made no further comments or hostile moves. 'Have you recovered the Heyerdahl?'

'An engineering team is picking it up now. The atmosphere is still ionised so we decided it was best not to beam you up.'

'Good choice,' she smiled and then turned to MacReady. 'Ambassador, I'd like you to get what these people know about the Xindi and keep it in a secure location. We're going to New Xindus to deal with the problem and then we'll swing by and pick everyone up.'

'We're not leaving!' the Xindi woman replied.

Astar looked at her. 'If the Xindi want the Delphic Expanse they can have it. We're taking the humans and Skagarans. You can enjoy life without them.'

'But...they do my cleaning and my cooking. I pay them good money, for servants anyway.'

Astar bristled. 'Then you'll have to learn to cook or starve to death.'

'Ready, Captain?' Weston asked as the Xindi looked ready to fight.

'More than ever,' she replied.

Six phaser rifles were pointed at the Xindi crowd to cover the Starfleet evacuation. As the shuttle lifted into the air and joined its companion as it neared the atmosphere, Astar leaned back and sighed.

'Sir, we had a little trouble while you were on the surface. The lead Xindi ship launched a probe like the one that hit Earth two hundred years ago.'

'I know, we saw it on sensors from the Embassy. The Skagarans are almost all dead because of a genocidal campaign by the Xindi.'

'The Cha'lav,' Parker corrected.

Weston looked at her. 'Are they involved?'

'They lead the New Xindi Empire,' Parker told him. 'They've wiped out the Skagarans, annexed hundreds of planets in the Expanse and are now using this region to stage their attack, using the Xindi as cannon fodder.'

'We should do something about that.'

Astar interrupted. 'We're going to give the Xindi help in getting rid of the Cha'lav. If that fails, we'll destroy the Council Chamber and every Cha'lav inside.'

'Captain, that's not the right thing to do,' Weston countered.

'We cannot, will not, let the Cha'lav get a foothold in this galaxy. If they do, it will be over because they'll bring in thousands of ships to stop the Federation and anyone who joins us, and commit genocide on the rest. Unlike the Dominion, the war won't be stopped by one man.'

'Odo was just the lynch pin, Captain,' Parker told her. 'Damar's resistance, the Prophets preventing the Dominion from pouring through the wormhole, the Federation alliance; all these helped to drive the Dominion back, allowing us to hold them there. Even if Odo hadn't gone back to the Great Link, the alliance could have held them indefinitely.'

'No, we couldn't,' Weston disagreed. 'With nothing to do but blockade Cardassian territory, the alliance would have crumbled and the Jem'Hadar would have taken advantage of that. Without Odo the war would have dragged on for months or even years and the stalemate would have eventually broken. I did my senior year dissertation on that very fact.'

Parker scowled.

'He graduated second in his class, Lieutenant. He knows what he's talking about,' Astar interjected. 'We should learn from our mistakes. We need to start gathering exceptional intelligence from our allies and enemies so we know whether the Cha'lav are testing them as well. The more we know the better prepared we'll be.'

'Captain, once this assignment is over, what are our orders?'

'Lieutenant, you can explain the situation.'

'I was sent back in time to prevent the Cha'lav from gaining a foothold in the past. We were losing in the future and it was a last-ditch attempt to save our entire galaxy. But an Andorian friend of mine betrayed us and jumped back earlier. She has been assisting the Cha'lav in getting a foothold in unclaimed space. We stopped the Cha'lav in the Kursican sector and they are now somewhere in the Delta Quadrant. The Pytheas' official mission is to find the Cha'lav and stop them. My mission is a code black on the Andorian.'

'What's a code black?'

'Terminate with extreme prejudice,' Astar answered sourly, 'although this particular one has a neat little addendum. Any Cha'lav hostiles we come across during our mission are to be interrogated or eliminated, regardless of the Prime Directive implications.'

'It supersedes the Prime Directive? Who issued that order?'

'It came from the Starfleet Commander-in-Chief who received the order in writing from President Satie. The Cha'lav represent the greatest threat this galaxy has ever known.'

'And I thought the Borg were bad.'

'I've seen worse,' Parker muttered cryptically.

'Kon-Tiki to Gibraltar, request permission to dock.'

'Permission granted, Kon-Tiki. Captain, the Xindi Emperor requests an audience with us at our earliest convenience.'

'He can wait until we're ready,' Astar replied. 'Is the Heyerdahl aboard yet?'

'Just now, Captain.'

'As soon as we dock, you can break orbit and set a leisurely course to New Xindus, warp five.'

'Aye sir, Gonzales out.'

'Is it wise to keep him waiting?' Weston asked.

'I don't care. I'm not in the mood to kowtow to a genocidal maniac. My mission in the Expanse is to find out what's been happening. However, I'm not in command of the mission anymore.'

'What?'

'I am,' Parker said. 'Condition of the code black. Our new orders are to stop the Cha'lav using whatever means are necessary, even if it means blowing the capital city to hell. Though I would prefer that no one is killed except the Cha'lav.'

'How are you going to do that?'

'Threaten to kill them all if they don't leave.'

'And if they don't?'

'Kill them one by one.'

Weston scowled. 'Doesn't that go against the Khitomer Accords' article on treatment of prisoners of war?'

'I don't like it any more than you do, Lieutenant. But as we've explained, even the Prime Directive is ignored on this. The Accords are so far down the list as to be meaningless,' Astar said sadly.

'We'll stop them, Captain, somehow.'

 

[BrotherBenny]

Chapter Fourteen

Shanchen's Temple
The Khyzhon Sea, Andor
Stardate 55635.5 (August 20, 2378)

Talen could not help but be impressed with the work done thus far. Over the last two weeks, a number of overlapping forcefields had been put in place to keep the seawater away from the site and the Laikan had used its transporters to remove as much of the seabed as possible. Enough of the temple had been uncovered for the transporter to get a permanent lock on any away team members, but as usual, the Chancellor had denied them permission to enter. Shar was pacing the bridge while Talen was fine tuning the search for the final temple.

'Shar, instead of pacing, why don't you contact the Project and see if they've found any compatible bondmates.'

'They found them yesterday, I was going to wait until they were all together before I told you,' the other Andorian replied absently as he continued pacing.

'I could kill you,' Talen hissed, angry energy pouring from his antennae.

Shar turned and saw his expression. 'Sorry, sometimes I just get wrapped up in my work.'

Talen shook his head in exasperation. 'I've been working with you on this project for weeks, and you still think you're the only one here.'

Commander zh'Share walked up to them. 'Will you two give it a rest. The Captain is trying to get you access to the temple but you're not making it easy for him.'

Talen sighed. 'Tell the Captain that I have a Sheltreth and once we have bonded the four will enter the temples together.'

'Unnecessary,' Captain th'Dolus told them as he emerged from his ready room. 'All you need to do is go into Uzaveh's Temple, the others are all linked, but they do need to be uncovered.'

'So it's time to go to the Northern Wastes?' Shar asked.

'Yes.'

'Captain, one of the forcefields is failing!' the operations officer said. 'The engineers are having trouble keeping it stable against the flow of the ocean.'

Shar cursed and flew to the bridge engineering station. 'Talen, can you help me. I need to strengthen the forcefields with the ship's power.'

'That'll only work in the short-term. We need to leave a portable generator on site.'

'Where are we going to get one of them from at this short notice?'

'One of the shuttles. The on-board computer will be able to keep the forcefields in line.'

'Captain?'

Th'Dolus nodded. 'Do it.'

'Remotely launching the shuttle now.'

'Two minutes to forcefield failure,' the operations officer called out.

'Shuttle will reach the site in one minute and eleven seconds,' Shar said as Talen guided the shuttle toward the surface.

'We'll be cutting it close,' Talen added as the shuttle passed through the upper atmosphere and into the cloud cover above the ocean.

'Forcefield failure in forty seconds,' Shar told him.

'Computer, link all the forcefields around the temple to the Shran's primary computer.'

'Acknowledged, link established.'

Talen turned to the captain. 'I've written a basic program to master the forcefields, but someone will need to monitor it periodically to make sure it doesn't fail. It will take three seconds to download once the shuttle is in place.'

'Fifteen seconds.'

'Shuttle in position in five...four...three...two...one...now, downloading program.'

'Well?' th'Dolus asked as he turned to the viewscreen to see the forcefield waver and flicker.

'Computer, activate program Talen-Temple-1, now!'

'Program initialised, forcefields holding.'

Shar clapped his hands briefly. 'Nicely done. How about we head to the Northern Wastes and get the last temple uncovered?'

'Not so fast,' zh'Share countered. 'We'll monitor the situation for a couple of hours and make sure all is well. I'm sure you can accept that, gentlemen? We wouldn't want all your hard work going to waste now, would we?'

Talen nodded. 'As you say, Commander.'

Th'Dolus narrowed his eyes at his exec but said nothing. 'You have your orders. Commander, you have the bridge.'

'Aye sir,' zh'Share replied, shooting her commanding officer a quizzical glance.

After both senior officers moved away, Talen turned to Shar. 'What was that about?'

'Zh'Share wants the Laikan but the Captain isn't retiring any time soon. I would say she has something up her sleeve which will grant her the promotion, one way or another.'

Talen shook his head. 'This isn't the Imperial Guard.'

'You'd be surprised,' the scientist muttered and then changed the subject. 'Your program seems to be working. How did you write it so fast?'

Talen shrugged. 'I wrote it last week. Figured we might need something like it sooner or later.'

Shar grinned. 'Let's say you and I go down to the surface for a while and have a little fun.'

'I have my bondmates to see first,' Talen reminded him.

The ship suddenly trembled and th'Dolus emerged from his ready room. 'What the hell was that?'

Shar looked at the science station. 'There's been a massive explosion just outside the capital and extensive power loss across the planet.'

'Where?'

'The primary power node from the ancient generator,' Shar said looking at the captain with a stricken expression. 'It's been destroyed.'

Talen paled. 'The entire planet will lose power.'

'There'll be mass panic and the Temples will be unprotected.'

'That's right, the Way of the One will finally take what is theirs!' Commander zh'Share replied and held a phaser on them.
Half the bridge had phasers out and it was impossible to tell whose side they were on.

'Commander?' th'Dolus asked.

'Tactical, destroy the Temple.'

'You can't do that!' Shar yelled and rushed the woman.

She fired and vaporised him in mid air. 'Would anyone else care to try and stop me?'

'Why?' Talen asked. 'These are the greatest finds in our history.'

'And the last of the myth keeping us as four instead of One. Uzaveh will return when we are One and bring us all to salvation.'

Th'Dolus roared and everyone turned to look at the viewscreen as Shanchen's temple was destroyed by a photon torpedo. 'You will die for this, traitor!'

'I have people across the world who will do my bidding.' Zh'Share calmly looked at the helmsman. 'Take us to Therin Park.'

The helmsman stood up and produced a phaser of his own. 'Put down your weapon, Commander.'

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

Well, that was not at ALL what they were expecting from zh'Share! Just how large is this terrorist group, anyway, that zh'Share can think she is going to get enough people on the ship to cooperate?

You know, though...I wonder if this will be used later as an argument for doing away with species-specific ships, that she managed to get such a large concentration of terrorists on one Starfleet vessel? (If indeed she did.)

 

[TheLoneRedshirt]

Great yarn, BB! Just got caught up and I'm enjoying the two plot threads immensely. Astar seems ready to kick some Cha'lav butt with the Gibraltar and your Andorian thread is most interesting, both for the rich cultural detail and the way the situation is quickly going sideways - nicely done!

 

[DarKush]

Still in the process of catching up. I'm at chapter 12 now. Good story, with two interesting plots running concurrently (not to mention the sideplots too) that are shedding light on the Andorians and the Xindi. I am glad that you choose to highlight the Xindi. Despite my misgivings about a lot of ENT, I liked the Xindi and thought they had a lot of potential. I'm also glad that you've tied them to the Cha'lav. It will be interesting to see how their similiarites tie them together but also set them apart.

 

[DavidFalkayn]

I'm just beginning to catch up on this and I have to say I'm enjoying the plot you're weaving. It's looking like Janeway's still being Janeway--which is not necessarily a good thing for Astar and her new command. And it's good to see the Gibraltar on one last sure to be dangerous mission.

 

[BrotherBenny]

Chapter Fifteen

Shanchen's Temple
The Khyzhon Sea, Andor
Stardate 55635.6 (August 20, 2378)

She fired a moment before he did and his shot went wild, stunning on the younger bridge officers. The helmsman was vaporised. 'I warned you. I don't care who does it, but someone better move this ship.'

'Computer, initiate self-destruct sequence, authorisation th'Dolus-Echo-2-3.'

'Unable to comply. Secondary command processors are offline.'

'Did you think I wouldn't figure that into my equations?' she smiled thinly and put on a mask of some kind. 'Computer, activate program zh'Share-1.'

Talen looked up as gas began to flood the bridge. 'Computer, initiate transport to shuttlecraft Shran.'

Zh'Share's angry visage was the last thing he saw as he dematerialised. He slipped into the pilot's chair and manoeuvred the shuttle away from the destroyed Temple. The Laikan fired at him but he pushed the shuttle to maximum thrusters and out of the ship's line of fire. He aimed the shuttle for Tower Hill. If he was lucky he would be able to convince the Guardian that he was worthy of access and find some way of stopping the religious fanatics from destroying everything that made his people what they were.

Even flying at thruster speeds, it only took him seventeen minutes to reach Tower Hill and Uzaveh's Temple. He opened the hatch before the shuttle was even on the ground and jumped out. As expected, the temple was completely unprotected. He walked inside and almost immediately Uzaveh's Guardian, the warrior Thirishar, appeared as the cavern brightened.

'Who dares destroy a Temple of Uzaveh?'

'I don't know if you can understand me, warrior Thirishar, but a religious group known as the Way of the One have destroyed the primary node of an ancient power generator that powers our planet, and they will destroy the other temples as well. I am Shanitalen ch'Maras of Andor and I request access to the Temple of Uzaveh to stop the scourge of evil.'

'You are one, Shanitalen, and cannot hope to stop them alone,' the Guardian replied.

'I am whole!' Talen retorted. 'My bondmates do not need to be here. Uzaveh, search my mind if you have that power and see what has become of us because of what you did. My people are dying but I can save them with your help. We were always whole but we needed to see it for ourselves.'

The Guardian disappeared and Uzaveh appeared in his place. 'You are still young, Shanitalen, but you see the truth and I believe your intentions are pure. I will protect my Temples from the evil that plagues my world if I have your promise that you will tell no one of what has transpired here today.'

'I swear upon my own life that it shall remain secret.'

'You are whole once again,' He added and vanished.

The cavern dimmed and Talen walked out into the sunlight. It was almost anticlimactic but he had saved his people from the Way of the One. He reached the shuttle but found zh'Share standing by it holding a phaser rifle.

'What have you done, Lieutenant?'

'The Temples are protected from the likes of you,' Talen answered. 'I'm going to inform the Chancellor and Starfleet of your treachery. You'll face the firing squad for this.'

'The Federation won't allow it. Capital punishment is illegal, or have you forgotten?'

Talen stepped right up to her and the phaser rifle dug in to his chest. 'I will make you pay for what you've done.'

She fired but nothing happened. 'What trickery is this?'

'Your actions are not in the best interests of the Andorian people,' Talen replied. 'Give me the phaser rifle.'

'You won't kill me, you can't,' she stated but there was fear in her eyes.

'Commander Granapirto zh'Share, I'm arresting you on the charge of treason. The evidence in clear and you'll be court-martialled. I have no doubt you'll be found guilty and dishonourably discharged from Starfleet Command. Then it's up to you what you do. The Imperial Guard will have a warrant out for your arrest across the entire Federation and in allied space before the court-martial is over.'

Zh'Share sighed and handed over the phaser rifle. 'Now what?'

'Now we go to the Chancellor and you tell her what you've done.'

'The Way of the One will protect me,' she replied and smiled.
She began to convulse as she dropped to the ground and Talen knew there was nothing he could do, even if he had wanted to. Suicide was the best option for her. He left her body on the ground and entered the shuttle. It was already programmed for the Office of the Chancellor and he engaged the thrusters. As he flew over the capital city he saw not mass panic but orderly life and he wondered what was going on.

'Captain th'Dolus to Lieutenant Talen, could you please join me in the Chancellor's office as soon as possible.'

'I'm on my way, sir, Talen out.' Th'Dolus and the Chancellor were the only two people in the office when he was shown in ten minutes later. 'You called for me, sir?'

'What happened at Tower Hill?'

'I'm afraid I can't tell you, sir. I promised.'

The Chancellor smiled. 'No matter. I had a vision of Uzaveh a few minutes ago, and I believe the rest of the world did as well. We are whole again. The Way of the One have given up their arms and will be arrested. The power node has been restored and I believe that our troubles are over. Thanks to you, Lieutenant.'

'Thank you, Madame Chancellor. I have one thing to ask of you, if I may.'

'I think it is only fair.'

'Grant pardons to the Way of the One.'

'They're terrorists!' th'Dolus replied.

'No, they're believers in a different culture, one in which we have just been granted. We could learn from them about the way we used to be. We will probably need them in the coming months as the full scope of what has happened comes out.'

'You told me he was smart.'

'Yes ma'am,' the captain replied.

'Very well, I will grant them pardons. Captain, I expect a commendation to go into his personnel file regarding this.'

'It will, Madame Chancellor. I can assure you,' he replied. 'Talen, I think it's time you got your bond sorted out. Don't you?'

'Yes sir, if you'll excuse me, Madame Chancellor?'

'Go.'

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

WOW!

I'd like to learn more about what Uzaveh did, exactly--did he just change the genome of the Andorian people so they no longer required four genders, or fix the gene pool so that the four genders could mate without fear of extinction? Or is there some completely different practice that the Andorians will have to adopt now? SOOOOOOO much curiosity!

I am disturbed, however, by the implications of granting pardons to the terrorists. Those who have not committed violent acts or been implicated in any...that I could see, in the wake of such a major cultural upheaval. However, anyone who engaged in an act of violence--I would require them to be expunged in some fashion from society before anything that might be useful in their doctrine be explored.

Question--is capital punishment required to be outlawed by the local constabularies of Federation worlds, as well as by authorities that speak for the Federation as a whole? Is it a requirement, perhaps, of Federation membership?

 

[DavidFalkayn]

This chapter does lead to all sorts of interesting directions for the Andorian people. Nerys, from TOS, we do know that there is one capital crime still on the books--at least through the 23rd century--going to the Talos star system. However, I think that was the only one. I believe Talen was engaging in both a bit of wishful thinking and attempting to put a scare into zh'Share.

 

[BrotherBenny]

What happens to the Andorians will be explored further through other stories, both through the eyes of Talen and the Federation as a whole.

 

[BrotherBenny]

Chapter Sixteen

USS Gibraltar
The Delphic Expanse
Stardate 55656.6 (August 28, 2378)

Lieutenant Commander Isaac Epstein took a walk around the bridge before he lowered himself into the command chair. Captains Astar and Logan were arguing about the correct way to handle the situation and although Logan favoured the diplomatic approach, and Astar favoured gunboat diplomacy, it would be Parker who made the decision, an aspect of the mission that Logan strenuously disagreed with, even after reading the full code-black mission orders cut by Command. He was a pacifist but a life in Starfleet taught one that although violence was a last resort, it was necessary on occasion. He'd read reports of other Border Service ships and they seemed to get into phaser matches more often than not. It was not an ideal situation for him to be in but he did his duty, whether he liked the orders or not.

'Commander, we're approaching the New Xindus system. There are three warships flanking our position.'

'Don't worry, Lieutenant. They're our escorts. They want to make sure we're not going to kill the Emperor.'

Weston snorted. 'Like they'll be able to do anything.'

'We're not in the habit of creating regime changes in foreign empires, Lieutenant.'

'Sir, we've done that twice for the Klingon empire in the last fifteen years, accidental though it might have been, and at least twice for the Borg. Captain Kirk himself was responsible for doing so on several occasions.'

'That was a different era.'

'Aye sir,' Weston replied, clearly not convinced, but felt he wasn't going to be able to pursue the point at this juncture.

'Captain Astar to the bridge, we're approaching the New Xindus system.'

Astar emerged from the ready room at the bridge's rear, and looked at the viewscreen. 'I see we have some escorts. Gonzales, tactical assessment?'

Logan said nothing as he entered the bridge and took a seat at the mission ops station.

'The Xindi vessels have substantial firepower, definitely more than they did a few decades ago. It will be like fighting the Cha'lav again as the weaponry confirms what we believe. What I'm seeing is definitely Cha'lav-derived.'

Astar turned to face her. 'How will we fare ship to ship?'

'We'll come out on top. I've had Xeris' engineering crews make modifications to our weapons systems to give us an advantage over them, or rather to counter their advantage.'

The captain nodded and sat down in her chair. The Xindi-reptilian vessels were herding them to New Xindus and Astar thought it wise not make any antagonistic moves. She would be being antagonistic enough once she had an audience with the Emperor, whether he be Xindi or Cha'lav. She was sure the Cha'lav were behind this, and the weapons and various intelligence she had bore that out, but there was still the possibility that the Cha'lav had been and gone, leaving behind enough trouble to make this sector perfect for them when they decided to attack again.

'Captain, we're being hailed.'

'Put it through.'

'Federation vessel,' the same envoy as before spoke, 'you will be meeting with the Emperor at 1900 hours your time. I suggest you wear appropriate clothing.'

'Thank you, we'll be ready to beam down five minutes beforehand.'

'You will arrive by shuttle thirty minutes beforehand. Further details will be forthcoming at 1800 hours. New Xindus out.'

'Interesting,' Epstein said.

'How so, Commander?'

'Presuming the Cha'lav know who you are based your activities in the Kursican sector, you might think that the Emperor is being exceptionally accommodating.'

'You're saying he doesn't know?'

'It is a possibility,' Epstein conceded.

'Then this could be another advance fleet which zh'Malashan knows nothing about.'

'For an empire who have successfully conquered thousands of galaxies, they would have to have multiple methods of attack,' Logan said.

'They're overreaching themselves,' Gonzales countered. 'I was speaking with Parker earlier and she had been going through the Cha'lav database. She told me that reading between the lines, she was sure that the rebellion was doing far better than they wanted to let on and they were fighting fronts in several galaxies. In Parker's opinion, the Cha'lav Hegemony have reached maximum entropy and our galaxy is their last push to prove to the Cha'lav people and their vassal worlds that they still have teeth.'

'Then we started fighting back,' Astar replied, 'and scuppered their plans. So now they're just going to keep sending a few ships here and there to keep us on our toes.'

'A sound tactic,' Logan added. 'We'll be off balance if they decide to make an all out attack sooner rather than later and with numbers on their side, they'll win.'

'That's just it, they don't have numbers on their side,' Gonzales reminded him. 'If they did, then the Kursican sector would be under Cha'lav control. They had to pull significant ships off other duties in this galaxy to try and stop us. And they failed. That means that whatever they have planned in the Delta Quadrant needs reinforcements from home.'

'We know what they're planning,' Astar said sourly. 'We have known for some time, but we didn't put it together.'

'Sir?'

Astar sighed. 'Last year, a number of ships were detected entering the Alpha Quadrant from the Delta Quadrant and a small fleet was set to find out what was going on. Task Force Vanguard discovered that all the refugee ships had come from deep in the Delta Quadrant decades ago, some had been travelling for centuries, and there were some in the taskforce who thought it might be the Borg. One or two ships said something was ravaging Borg space and taking out our greatest enemy. Admiral Janeway dealt the Borg a worse blow when she destroyed their transwarp hub, preventing them from escaping their own territory. When we interviewed people on various ships, we were told that what they left was a scene of utter devastation. The ships fled the destruction and are still coming, but we're putting them where we can.'

'Does Captain Picard know about the Borg?' Logan asked.

Astar turned to him. 'I'm afraid that information was classified by someone higher up.'

'I see,' Logan replied, thinking about what that might mean. 'What is the state of the Borg Collective now?'

'That I don't know, but I'm sure Command is planning on sending someone back out there once we can be sure they'll be able to come home.'

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

Uh-oh...now to think that the Cha'lav are taking on the Borg and possibly winning--that is a SCARY thought.

A scarier one, though, is the Borg getting the upper hand on the Cha'lav somehow.

The bit with the pacifist in Starfleet, though--I dunno. I think if the guy is THAT opposed to violence, and to what the commander in chief is doing, he shouldn't be in the military. A private citizen holding those opinions is fine. A military officer...I dunno. All I can say is, he'd better be able to compartmentalize his opinions from his performance of duty or else.

 

[CeJay]

Some serious implications here both for the Andorian people but also for the Federation, considering the looming Chav'lav threat and their dealings in Xindi space and in the Delta Quadrant.

Some of the curve balls I really didn't see coming, especially in the Andorian plot line.

About Epstein being a pacifist, I don't see any problem with that. In fact I would argue that most Starfleet officers would not see themselves as soldiers or Starfleet as a military institution. Many would have joined to pursue sciences, engineering work or space exploration. Of course this perception may have changed slightly after the Domination War.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

And that's one of the things that has come to disturb me, over the years, about Starfleet. Exploration's fine if you have the safety in which to explore--but if you act like you have that luxury when you don't, you're in trouble. I dunno...after all these years, I am more comfortable with the idea of a military that knows what it is--that sees it as a valid mission to protect and assist the civilian scientists (just as, say, Antarctic research is aided by the military), but does not have this sort of mission confusion as to its own reason to exist.

What I mean by that confusion is, even Starfleet officers who signed up for the sciences should know that they might be called upon to pick up a weapon. If someone is as opposed as that Epstein guy, to my mind he should have become a civilian scientist so that he would carry no such obligation. As it is, he comes dangerously close to violating his oaths to serve and to protect, because if those views affect his actions, they WILL constitute a failure to carry out his duty.

 

[CeJay]

From the way BrotherBenny has described Epstein I don't think there is any risk that he'll fail at carrying out his duty. He seems to understand that violence "is necessary on occasion."

 

[BrotherBenny]

That is indeed exactly as I see it. Epstein is a pacifist, but he knows that diplomacy doesn't always work and that violence is sometimes necessary. That's my personal philosophy as well. But as a Starfleet officer, especially a command-level officer, he knows that violence is used only as a last resort.

----------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Seventeen

USS Gibraltar
In orbit of New Xindus
Stardate 55656.9 (August 28, 2378)

'The Heyerdahl is prepped and ready for launch, Captain,' Weston called out from the helm.

'Thank you, Lieutenant,' Astar replied as she fiddled with the white dress uniform. 'I hate this thing.'

'So does everyone else, sir,' Gonzales said as she pinched the jacket.

'It's not the worst dress uniform,' Logan added from the science officer's station. 'The older ones were worse. At least these look like a dress uniform and not a Vulcan robe.'

'Are we supposed to pin medals on these or what?'

'When Starfleet decided to release them, possibly,' Logan muttered. 'But you're up for a court-martial Captain. Not a medal.'

'Thank you for reminding me,' Astar countered through clenched teeth.

'And your actions and behaviour in the Expanse won't go over well either.'

Astar pulled away from Gonzales' ministrations. 'Captain Logan, I have had enough with the Federation Council overlooking things because it's not convenient. Admiral Janeway sent me into this stew so I can mend fences with the Xindi. If I can get rid of the Cha'lav and get the Xindi back to the way they were before, then I have to try.'

'If it is the Cha'lav,' Logan countered. 'And there's no way the Xindi will be able to go back to the way they were. The best we can do is hope that they are able to get past this unpleasantness.'

'My aim is to protect what is left of the Skagarans and bring the Xindi into the Federation, or at least keep them as allies rather than enemies.'

'They have never been our allies.'

'There's a first time for everything,' she said. 'If you'll excuse me, I have a bloodless coup to engineer.'

Logan opened his mouth to protest but a glance from Gonzales silenced him. Once she had gone, he turned to Weston. 'Who is she taking with her, Lieutenant?'

'It will just be her, Commander Epstein and Lieutenant Parker.'

'Oh boy.'

Gonzales planted herself in front of Logan. 'Unless you're going to help, get the hell of the bridge.'

'I'm an observer on this mission, and you're coming dangerously close to being insubordinate, Commander.'

'Captain Logan, if you're an observer, then observe. This crew's morale is low enough at the moment without your comments.'

Logan nodded. 'I understand that, Commander. But Captain Astar should not leave you in command of the ship. You're not ready.'

'I've been left in command several times,' Gonzales replied. 'The fact of the matter is, she took the most qualified people. Commander Epstein knows more about the Xindi than anyone else on board, and Lieutenant Parker knows more about the Cha'lav.'

Logan sighed. 'She seems to know what she's doing. I'll leave you to it,' he added and walked off the bridge.

Gonzales sat in the command chair. 'Before anyone thinks of making a comment about Captain Logan's attitude or behaviour, be aware that I shall note this conversation in the ship's official log and make a complaint against him myself when we return to Earth.'

'Heyerdahl to bridge, request permission to depart.'

'Permission granted, Heyerdahl, bridge out.'

'Now, we wait,' Talen said.

'Talen, scan for all ships in the area and get Malling down to stellar cartography. I want to know if anything can sneak up on us.'

'Sir, the Gibraltar is hardly a ship of the line,' Talen replied. 'Even with the upgrades she received last year, the ship still has a number of weaknesses.'

Gonzales grinned. 'Captain Sandhurst managed to keep this ship in one piece through thick and thin, I think we can do the same for one mission. But in order to do that, I need to have all my options open, and there's a good possibility that we're going to have a fight on our hands once the Captain does whatever she intends to do on the surface.'

'Aye sir,' Talen replied. 'All the ships in the area are of standard Xindi design, but the weaponry has been augmented by what appears to be Cha'lav technology. I can't be sure though.'

'Any Cha'lav ships in the area?'

'None that I can detect, but that doesn't mean one isn't hiding behind one of the many moons or planetoids in this system.'

'Continual scans, Lieutenant.'

'Aye sir.'

'Commander, incoming starship. Cha'lav design,' Weston said a few minutes later.

'On screen,' Gonzales ordered.

'Standard cruiser. Nothing we can't handle,' Talen said with a smirk.

'Red alert, all hands to battle stations. Someone keep Logan off the bridge.'

'Can we do that?' Weston asked.

'Not within regulations, no. We just have to hope he doesn't decide to observe.'

'Right,' Weston replied sarcastically.

'Open a channel.'

'Channel open.'

'This is Commander Gonzales of the Federation starship Gibraltar. This is sovereign Xindi territory, withdraw immediately.'

The screen came on and a familiar face appeared. 'This is Lord Ashal of the Cha'lav Hegemony. While you may have destroyed my flagship, you have not destroyed me, and I will return the favour, but only when your pathetic captain knows the truth. Where is she?'

'Captain Astar is on her way to the surface to negotiate with the Emperor for all Starfleet withdrawals from the Expanse.'

Ashal chuckled. 'Ah yes, I do remember agreeing to that. As Emperor, I hereby deem negotiations concluded. Withdraw or be destroyed. This territory belongs to the Cha'lav. The Xindi are merely a means to an end and will be eliminated when they have served their purpose.'

Gonzales took a deep breath and felt a hand on her shoulder.
'I am Captain Lionel Logan. On behalf of the Federation, I would like to issue the following statement,' he said. 'At no time in the past, present or future, has the Cha'lav ever held territory in this galaxy, and nor shall they. You are trespassing in sovereign territory and any actions you take against us will be considered an act of war, end transmission.'

Gonzales whirled round. 'What the hell was that about?'

Logan held up a hand and tapped his combadge. 'Did you get all that, Captain?'

'I did, Captain, and thank you. The Xindi leadership heard every word.'

'Sirs, I'm picking up a massive subspace disturbance approaching the system. It's the Xindi!'

'How many ships?'

'Sixty-three, and thirteen Skagaran ships.'

'What's going on?'

'The Xindi are now a Federation protectorate, Commander,' Astar said. 'The rogue factions who supported the Cha'lav have been routed and the government-in-exile has been restored to power. If Lord Ashal opens fire, take care of him.'

'My pleasure.'

 

[TheLoneRedshirt]

Nicely played, sir - nicely played! Ashal was hoisted by his own petard.

 

[CeJay]

And again, I didn't see that coming. You really keep the readers on their toes.