LEGAL DISCLAIMER: Star Trek is trademarked and copyrighted by CBS Studios.
NO infringement is intended. All other material is copyright to Unusualsuspex 2009.
STAR TREK : ANGEL
BOOK TWO
BROKEN SWORD
Prologue
USS OASIS - BRIDGE
FREE SPACE
March 20th 2361 – 0914 FST
“On screen Commander.” Captain Jack Wallman stared intently at the derelict they had discovered. Dark, lifeless, foreboding; it matched nothing in the ship’s databanks. No welcome lights shone across its surface and there was no glow of energy in its drives and right now Wallman was desperate to find out more about it. The trouble was it wasn’t his mission.
Drifting quietly in space between the boundaries of the Cardassian Union and the Talarian Republic, his mission was one of stealth monitoring a suspected build-up of Cardassian units in the vicinity of Vitar. But damn, this was a hard one to give up.
The Nebula Class Oasis had been designed from the start as an ELINT vessel and was less than a year old. But despite her wartime role, she still carried a contingent of science personnel and Wallman finally decided that he could spare an away team to study the derelict while the Oasis finished her sortie.
Turning to his Chief of Security he said “Commander Saran, I want an away team aboard that derelict. Transporters are still down so they’ll be going out in a shuttle. Five science personnel and two security for each science member.”
“Aye Sir,” responded the Vulcan security chief.
“Sir, permission to lead the team?” Commander Juliet Gerard was not only his Chief Science Officer but his first officer as well and would normally have been his first choice to head up the away team, but not this time.
“Sorry Juliet, I’ll need you here for now.” He saw the disappointment in her face but she quickly covered it knowing that the primary mission was of greater importance right now. “Sounds like the ideal chance for Mr Goenka to shine though?”
Ravi Goenka had recently arrived aboard Oasis and was an unstoppable force when it came to his passion for archaeology. In other words it was almost impossible to stop him talking about it.
Gerard entered several names on her console and detailed them to be in the shuttle bay in ten minutes. Passing the details to Saran, she turned once more to Wallman.
“Whatever it is, it’s been drifting for a long time. Signs of natural impact craters on the hull, no atmosphere, no signs of any power.” She raised an eyebrow knowing full well that Wallman was as desperate to see inside that ship as she was. He mock scowled at her.
“It’ll still be there on the way back. I might let you out to play when you’ve got your chores done.” He cut her satisfied grin short by saying, “Or I might just lead the team myself.” Quickly turning his attention back to the main viewscreen, he stifled the guffaw that was on the verge of bubbling up.
“Conn, once the away team has deployed, resume course for Point Alpha.”
SHUTTLE USS PALM
FREE SPACE
March 20th 2361 – 0925 FST
Lieutenant Commander Ravi Goenka was so intent on observing the derelict that he missed the flash of the USS Oasis departing altogether.
“Oh this beats even a first contact!” He enthused. “The only clues here are the ones we find. Just think, we are probably the first sentients to set eyes on this for goodness knows how long!”
“Sir, I hate to dampen your enthusiasm, but please remember that each science member is to be protected by two security guards at all times.” The young lieutenant in charge of the security detail squeezed the bridge of her nose already becoming weary of Goenka’s relentless enthusiasm. “That means Sir that you will not enter any section of that ship until it has been cleared by your security attachment.”
Goenka turned to the lieutenant gravely. “As long as they touch nothing at all I can live with that Lieutenant Carmen.”
As the shuttle circled the derelict, Goenka moved up to the cockpit taking the right hand seat beside the pilot while Carmen stood between them inspecting the hulk.
“There, Ensign. The dark area beside that pylon.” Goenka pointed to what appeared to be an open access point in the shadow of a drive pylon, at least that’s what the extrusion resembled. Flicking on the shuttle’s floodlights, the ensign deftly guided the shuttle down and around the pylon to settle some 20 metres away from the opening.
“Ma’am, sensors are showing an open space some thirty metres per side in there. No power, no artificial gravity and no atmosphere.”
Carmen patted the young pilot’s shoulder. “Thank you Ensign, take us in. Commander, let’s brief.”
Although Goenka was the senior officer on the away team, command had passed to Carmen for the duration of the mission due to the security implications. As the team suited up, she gave them a final brief.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I’ll remind you once again that security personnel are to clear all routes prior to entry by science personnel. However, security are to watch their size twelve boots. This is a scientific mission and Commander Goenka wants nothing breaking, understood?”
There were nods all round.
“Very well, I’ll be remaining aboard the shuttle to co-ordinate the mission and should any team run into trouble they will be transported back here immediately. That’s a crisis event however, so no screaming at shadows please.” There were one or two sheepish grins at that. “Finally, if the code word BISON is heard, it means we have company outside the ship and you will adopt comms blackout. Commander?”
“I have nothing to add to that Lieutenant, thank you.”
Somewhat surprised at Goenka’s sudden lack of verbosity, she nodded to the teams to head out. Returning to the cockpit so that the whole rear of the shuttle could be decompressed, she spoke briefly to Tahass, the shuttle pilot.
“Ensign, monitor those sensors like a hawk and keep them passive. Any sign of anything, and I mean anything, other than the Oasis and you holler ok?”
Tahass looked nervously at the security officer. “You expecting trouble Ma’am?”
“Always Mr Tahass. That’s why I’ve lasted this long in the job.” The console chimed to indicate that the rear of the shuttle was now safe to re-enter, but just before she left the cockpit Carmen patted Tahass on the shoulder. “Don’t worry Tahass, expecting trouble and getting it are two completely different things.”
Tahass didn’t appear convinced.
DERELICT
FREE SPACE
March 20th 2361 – 0950 FST
Goenka stepped from the reduced lighting of the shuttle into a stygian gloom pierced by the swinging beams of palm beacons and backlit by the gentle glow of multiple tricorder screens.
“Ladies and gentlemen, you have your assigned areas of responsibility. Your primary concern should be that of corroded metal. Be careful of both flooring and overheads, we have no idea what state the internal structure is in. Equally, watch out for fractured surfaces that may threaten your suits.”
Seeing that the teams were now grouped into their threes, he ordered them out and then set off with his own security escort.
From the empty staging area, Goenka’s team entered a corridor that ran aft for several metres before turning left deeper into the vessel. As their palm beacons lit the scarred walls, he noted and recorded glyphs that could have been anything from directions to advertising posters. Arriving at a door, he tapped the nearest security guard on the shoulder.
“I’d like to try rooms as we pass them please Mr Capon. If you would?”
Capon nodded and taking a stance to the left of the door indicated that Munroe should cover low from the right.
“Stand clear please Commander.”
Goenka huffed but stepped back nevertheless. He watched as the security officers first pushed at the door trying to slide it open and then attempted to pry it open from the side but neither offered any success.
Capon shook his head. “Not this time Sir.”
It was hardly surprising conceded Goenka. No power and the effects of being sealed for goodness knows how long would likely mean that most of the doors would take more effort than two security officers could muster to open them.
“That’s fine Mr Capon, let’s proceed. Unless we see a door that appears at least partially open, we’ll leave them for now.”
Moving deeper into the derelict, they did indeed pass more doors but all seemed as tightly closed as the first. Each branch in the corridor that they came to, Munroe placed a small marker tab on the appropriate corner. It glowed dimly and gave them some indication of the route back to the shuttle.
It was five minutes later that they discovered their first alien or at least the remains of one. Goenka scanned it as Munroe and Capon held back. It would have stood roughly two and a half metres tall when alive estimated Goenka. Little was left of whatever clothing it had worn, but it appeared to have been plated like armour. The skull was large with two tusk like protrusions though Goenka was slightly perturbed to note that much of the side of the skull was shattered.
In its three fingered grasp was what could only have been a weapon if form dictated function. Similar in many respects to the older Starfleet issue phasers, Goenka was in two minds whether to attempt to place it in the sample case. He eventually decided not to, not knowing whether decay may have made it unstable and therefore dangerous. From that point onwards, their discovery of bodies mounted.
Some were alone, others in pairs, occasionally several together but all of them showed signs of trauma injuries as if they had died in the midst of battle. This however seemed to have been an internal battle between those present on the ship, all the desiccated corpses appearing to be from the same species. A mutiny perhaps wondered Goenka.
Checking in with the other teams, he found a similar story throughout the ship although their discoveries had been fairly scattered whereas Goenka’s team was almost hip deep in them by now. Turning a corner in the corridor, they entered a wide area filled with mutilated remains. Judging by the pile that had mounted by the pair of large doors on the far side of the room, it would seem it had been a case of attack and defence of whatever lay behind those doors.
After scanning and recording the scene thoroughly, Goenka carefully ushered the security officers forward and despite the vacuum preventing the transmission of noise, he shuddered at the thought of brittle bones snapping beneath their feet as they approached the doors. He was doubly careful to avoid possibly stepping on a decaying energy weapon, although he noted that many of the weapons here were melee type. Clubs, short swords, sometimes simple iron bars were clutched in skeletal hands and judging by the damage wrought, this had been a frenzied battle.
“Commander?” Capon waved him closer to the doors and pointed out where one of the aliens had managed to slide a thick bar in between the doors preventing them from sealing properly. Placing his visor against the crack, Goenka could see nothing in the darkness beyond but a sense of foreboding gripped him momentarily.
Goenka scanned the room beyond the doors with his tricorder and while he could define walls, ceiling, floor, a platform and several ancillary items, there was a wavering area of nothingness which his tricorder couldn’t penetrate. He recalibrated the device and tried again with similar results. As he pondered his next move, he received a call.
“Commander, its Jabir on team Charlie. We’ve reached what looks like the bridge and it’s a real mess.”
SHUTTLE USS PALM
FREE SPACE
March 20th 2361 – 1010 FST
“Commander, its Jabir on team Charlie. We’ve reached what looks like the bridge and it’s a real mess.”
Carmen came alert at that. If any answers to the mystery this derelict posed were to be found, the bridge seemed the one place that held most promise. Switching her feed to that of team Charlie, she saw just what Jabir meant. In the shadowed images that they were transmitting broken bodies lay everywhere, sprawled across consoles and the deck.
The one apparent exception was the seat that was in its own clear space at the centre of the massacre.
Here sat a large figure of the same species showing no sign of injuries and almost comical in its apparent calm repose. It appeared that while the carnage was going on all around, this solitary alien adorned in what appeared to be gold chains had been untouched by it. It hadn’t changed the fact that he was as dead as any of them now.
“Is there any sign of power up there Abu?” That was Goenka.
“No, nothing Sir, although damage to the consoles seems fairly light. I still think it would take a full engineering team for us to get anything useful out of it though.”
“Very well, record all you can for now. Lieutenant Carmen?”
“Go ahead Commander.”
“Lieutenant, we’ve reached an area barricaded by doors. Scans show something on the other side but I am unable to discern exactly what it may be. Would it be possible to use the shuttle sensors to attempt a deeper scan?”
Carmen felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up, a sign she seldom ignored.
“Commander, when you say you can’t discern it, what exactly does that mean?” She almost but not quite heard the huff of impatience that seemed to be Goenka’s trade mark.
“I mean Lieutenant that there is an area which my tricorder is unable to penetrate. It is possible that it is shielded in some way.”
Now that rang alarm bells. “Commander, this derelict has shown no signs of having a single power source still active but you’re reporting a shielded area? I’m not happy about this.”
“This is why I’m requesting a deeper scan from the shuttle Lieutenant.” The impatient tone was quite clear now but Carmen had made up her mind.
“I’m sorry Commander, that’s one that will have to wait for the Oasis to return. As a security protocol, I’d like you to leave that area alone for now. If you wish to continue the survey elsewhere, that’s fine.” Carmen waited for the bluster of protestation she was sure would come, but strangely Goenka seemed quite calm.
“Very well Lieutenant, we’ve covered our area. I’ll head for the bridge and co-ordinate with team Charlie before returning to the shuttle.”
Somewhat surprised, Carmen responded with “Thank you Commander, that’s appreciated.”
Well, well, she thought to herself. Wonders will never cease.
DERELICT
FREE SPACE
March 20th 2361 – 1015 FST
Even Goenka had been slightly surprised at his own willingness to abandon his request. For some reason, his feeling of foreboding amidst the remains of the butchered aliens had intensified and he was feeling distinctly uncomfortable. The fact that at least one faction had been trying to get into the sealed room while it was defended to the death by a second group made him even more uneasy.
Suddenly scared of ghosts Ravi? said a small voice inside his head.
Brushing aside the random thought, he recorded one final scan of the room then made his way towards the bridge.
USS OASIS – BRIEFING ROOM 2
FREE SPACE
March 20th 2361 – 1430 FST
Having returned from their intelligence gathering mission, the Oasis had recovered the away team and Captain Jack Wallman was now wrapping up the debrief.
“I’ve just had word that the USS Alfven will be with us inside eight hours. SCE are hopefully going to recover the derelict to Starbase 214, presuming its in a fit state to be tractored.”
The Starfleet Corps of Engineers were better equipped both in terms of technology and manpower to accomplish the task of moving the derelict to the Starbase and it had proved fortunate that the Alfven had just completed a mission in the Argaya system close by.
“Sir, would it be possible to request a temporary assignment with the Alfven for the duration of the recovery?” Goenka, it seemed, had recovered much of his enthusiasm after returning to the Oasis.
Wallman deferred to Goenka’s science department head. “Commander Gerard?”
“I’ll speak to Captain Irving on the Alfven Sir, but it doesn’t pose a problem here. We’re due to lay over at Starbase 214 for the transporter repairs anyway.”
Goenka nodded his thanks.
Wallman stood signifying the end of the meeting. “Thank you ladies and gentlemen, I’ll forward the report to Starfleet unless there’s anything else to add?” The shaking of heads around the table satisfied him that there wasn’t. “Good work out there. Mr Goenka, I’ll be interested in anything further you might discover?”
“By all means Sir, I’m sure that when…” Wallman held up his hand.
“Later Mr Goenka, Starfleet needs this report.” Wallman noted that Gerard discretely covered her face at that point.
USS ALFVEN – CREW QUARTERS
UFP SPACE – EN ROUTE TO STARBASE 214
March 21st 2361 – 0128 FST
The short sword had narrowly missed his head and clanged harmlessly off the bulkhead but it gave Panwad the chance to lunge under the swing, plunging the knife deep into his assailant’s ribcage. He twisted and withdrew then struck out backhanded at another attacker, slicing deep into his shoulder and forcing him to lose his grip on the iron bar he’d been swinging wildly.
“You shall not enter!” he screamed, barely retaining his footing on the blood slicked floor.
“Traitor!” Screamed the attacker before Panwad silenced him with a solid blow to the head. He backed up to gain some room in the bloodbath that had ensued and only at the last moment did he see the flash of steel plunging towards his face and driving deep into his skull…
Goenka sat bolt upright in the bunk, smashing his head into the empty bed above. For the briefest of moments he honestly felt that the blade had been thrust into his skull, but as the stars cleared from his vision and his breathing calmed, he recognised it for the nightmare it had been.
When he was young, his mother would have chided him for watching too many adventures late at night. He could almost hear her voice now saying ‘You have an overactive imagination Ravi. Go to sleep and think of good things for a change instead of all this nonsense!’
Feeling slightly foolish and glad that he was indeed in a single room, he lay back down but found it difficult to sleep for quite some time, the sense of unease still palpable.
NO infringement is intended. All other material is copyright to Unusualsuspex 2009.
STAR TREK : ANGEL
BOOK TWO
BROKEN SWORD
Prologue
USS OASIS - BRIDGE
FREE SPACE
March 20th 2361 – 0914 FST
“On screen Commander.” Captain Jack Wallman stared intently at the derelict they had discovered. Dark, lifeless, foreboding; it matched nothing in the ship’s databanks. No welcome lights shone across its surface and there was no glow of energy in its drives and right now Wallman was desperate to find out more about it. The trouble was it wasn’t his mission.
Drifting quietly in space between the boundaries of the Cardassian Union and the Talarian Republic, his mission was one of stealth monitoring a suspected build-up of Cardassian units in the vicinity of Vitar. But damn, this was a hard one to give up.
The Nebula Class Oasis had been designed from the start as an ELINT vessel and was less than a year old. But despite her wartime role, she still carried a contingent of science personnel and Wallman finally decided that he could spare an away team to study the derelict while the Oasis finished her sortie.
Turning to his Chief of Security he said “Commander Saran, I want an away team aboard that derelict. Transporters are still down so they’ll be going out in a shuttle. Five science personnel and two security for each science member.”
“Aye Sir,” responded the Vulcan security chief.
“Sir, permission to lead the team?” Commander Juliet Gerard was not only his Chief Science Officer but his first officer as well and would normally have been his first choice to head up the away team, but not this time.
“Sorry Juliet, I’ll need you here for now.” He saw the disappointment in her face but she quickly covered it knowing that the primary mission was of greater importance right now. “Sounds like the ideal chance for Mr Goenka to shine though?”
Ravi Goenka had recently arrived aboard Oasis and was an unstoppable force when it came to his passion for archaeology. In other words it was almost impossible to stop him talking about it.
Gerard entered several names on her console and detailed them to be in the shuttle bay in ten minutes. Passing the details to Saran, she turned once more to Wallman.
“Whatever it is, it’s been drifting for a long time. Signs of natural impact craters on the hull, no atmosphere, no signs of any power.” She raised an eyebrow knowing full well that Wallman was as desperate to see inside that ship as she was. He mock scowled at her.
“It’ll still be there on the way back. I might let you out to play when you’ve got your chores done.” He cut her satisfied grin short by saying, “Or I might just lead the team myself.” Quickly turning his attention back to the main viewscreen, he stifled the guffaw that was on the verge of bubbling up.
“Conn, once the away team has deployed, resume course for Point Alpha.”
SHUTTLE USS PALM
FREE SPACE
March 20th 2361 – 0925 FST
Lieutenant Commander Ravi Goenka was so intent on observing the derelict that he missed the flash of the USS Oasis departing altogether.
“Oh this beats even a first contact!” He enthused. “The only clues here are the ones we find. Just think, we are probably the first sentients to set eyes on this for goodness knows how long!”
“Sir, I hate to dampen your enthusiasm, but please remember that each science member is to be protected by two security guards at all times.” The young lieutenant in charge of the security detail squeezed the bridge of her nose already becoming weary of Goenka’s relentless enthusiasm. “That means Sir that you will not enter any section of that ship until it has been cleared by your security attachment.”
Goenka turned to the lieutenant gravely. “As long as they touch nothing at all I can live with that Lieutenant Carmen.”
As the shuttle circled the derelict, Goenka moved up to the cockpit taking the right hand seat beside the pilot while Carmen stood between them inspecting the hulk.
“There, Ensign. The dark area beside that pylon.” Goenka pointed to what appeared to be an open access point in the shadow of a drive pylon, at least that’s what the extrusion resembled. Flicking on the shuttle’s floodlights, the ensign deftly guided the shuttle down and around the pylon to settle some 20 metres away from the opening.
“Ma’am, sensors are showing an open space some thirty metres per side in there. No power, no artificial gravity and no atmosphere.”
Carmen patted the young pilot’s shoulder. “Thank you Ensign, take us in. Commander, let’s brief.”
Although Goenka was the senior officer on the away team, command had passed to Carmen for the duration of the mission due to the security implications. As the team suited up, she gave them a final brief.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I’ll remind you once again that security personnel are to clear all routes prior to entry by science personnel. However, security are to watch their size twelve boots. This is a scientific mission and Commander Goenka wants nothing breaking, understood?”
There were nods all round.
“Very well, I’ll be remaining aboard the shuttle to co-ordinate the mission and should any team run into trouble they will be transported back here immediately. That’s a crisis event however, so no screaming at shadows please.” There were one or two sheepish grins at that. “Finally, if the code word BISON is heard, it means we have company outside the ship and you will adopt comms blackout. Commander?”
“I have nothing to add to that Lieutenant, thank you.”
Somewhat surprised at Goenka’s sudden lack of verbosity, she nodded to the teams to head out. Returning to the cockpit so that the whole rear of the shuttle could be decompressed, she spoke briefly to Tahass, the shuttle pilot.
“Ensign, monitor those sensors like a hawk and keep them passive. Any sign of anything, and I mean anything, other than the Oasis and you holler ok?”
Tahass looked nervously at the security officer. “You expecting trouble Ma’am?”
“Always Mr Tahass. That’s why I’ve lasted this long in the job.” The console chimed to indicate that the rear of the shuttle was now safe to re-enter, but just before she left the cockpit Carmen patted Tahass on the shoulder. “Don’t worry Tahass, expecting trouble and getting it are two completely different things.”
Tahass didn’t appear convinced.
DERELICT
FREE SPACE
March 20th 2361 – 0950 FST
Goenka stepped from the reduced lighting of the shuttle into a stygian gloom pierced by the swinging beams of palm beacons and backlit by the gentle glow of multiple tricorder screens.
“Ladies and gentlemen, you have your assigned areas of responsibility. Your primary concern should be that of corroded metal. Be careful of both flooring and overheads, we have no idea what state the internal structure is in. Equally, watch out for fractured surfaces that may threaten your suits.”
Seeing that the teams were now grouped into their threes, he ordered them out and then set off with his own security escort.
From the empty staging area, Goenka’s team entered a corridor that ran aft for several metres before turning left deeper into the vessel. As their palm beacons lit the scarred walls, he noted and recorded glyphs that could have been anything from directions to advertising posters. Arriving at a door, he tapped the nearest security guard on the shoulder.
“I’d like to try rooms as we pass them please Mr Capon. If you would?”
Capon nodded and taking a stance to the left of the door indicated that Munroe should cover low from the right.
“Stand clear please Commander.”
Goenka huffed but stepped back nevertheless. He watched as the security officers first pushed at the door trying to slide it open and then attempted to pry it open from the side but neither offered any success.
Capon shook his head. “Not this time Sir.”
It was hardly surprising conceded Goenka. No power and the effects of being sealed for goodness knows how long would likely mean that most of the doors would take more effort than two security officers could muster to open them.
“That’s fine Mr Capon, let’s proceed. Unless we see a door that appears at least partially open, we’ll leave them for now.”
Moving deeper into the derelict, they did indeed pass more doors but all seemed as tightly closed as the first. Each branch in the corridor that they came to, Munroe placed a small marker tab on the appropriate corner. It glowed dimly and gave them some indication of the route back to the shuttle.
It was five minutes later that they discovered their first alien or at least the remains of one. Goenka scanned it as Munroe and Capon held back. It would have stood roughly two and a half metres tall when alive estimated Goenka. Little was left of whatever clothing it had worn, but it appeared to have been plated like armour. The skull was large with two tusk like protrusions though Goenka was slightly perturbed to note that much of the side of the skull was shattered.
In its three fingered grasp was what could only have been a weapon if form dictated function. Similar in many respects to the older Starfleet issue phasers, Goenka was in two minds whether to attempt to place it in the sample case. He eventually decided not to, not knowing whether decay may have made it unstable and therefore dangerous. From that point onwards, their discovery of bodies mounted.
Some were alone, others in pairs, occasionally several together but all of them showed signs of trauma injuries as if they had died in the midst of battle. This however seemed to have been an internal battle between those present on the ship, all the desiccated corpses appearing to be from the same species. A mutiny perhaps wondered Goenka.
Checking in with the other teams, he found a similar story throughout the ship although their discoveries had been fairly scattered whereas Goenka’s team was almost hip deep in them by now. Turning a corner in the corridor, they entered a wide area filled with mutilated remains. Judging by the pile that had mounted by the pair of large doors on the far side of the room, it would seem it had been a case of attack and defence of whatever lay behind those doors.
After scanning and recording the scene thoroughly, Goenka carefully ushered the security officers forward and despite the vacuum preventing the transmission of noise, he shuddered at the thought of brittle bones snapping beneath their feet as they approached the doors. He was doubly careful to avoid possibly stepping on a decaying energy weapon, although he noted that many of the weapons here were melee type. Clubs, short swords, sometimes simple iron bars were clutched in skeletal hands and judging by the damage wrought, this had been a frenzied battle.
“Commander?” Capon waved him closer to the doors and pointed out where one of the aliens had managed to slide a thick bar in between the doors preventing them from sealing properly. Placing his visor against the crack, Goenka could see nothing in the darkness beyond but a sense of foreboding gripped him momentarily.
Goenka scanned the room beyond the doors with his tricorder and while he could define walls, ceiling, floor, a platform and several ancillary items, there was a wavering area of nothingness which his tricorder couldn’t penetrate. He recalibrated the device and tried again with similar results. As he pondered his next move, he received a call.
“Commander, its Jabir on team Charlie. We’ve reached what looks like the bridge and it’s a real mess.”
SHUTTLE USS PALM
FREE SPACE
March 20th 2361 – 1010 FST
“Commander, its Jabir on team Charlie. We’ve reached what looks like the bridge and it’s a real mess.”
Carmen came alert at that. If any answers to the mystery this derelict posed were to be found, the bridge seemed the one place that held most promise. Switching her feed to that of team Charlie, she saw just what Jabir meant. In the shadowed images that they were transmitting broken bodies lay everywhere, sprawled across consoles and the deck.
The one apparent exception was the seat that was in its own clear space at the centre of the massacre.
Here sat a large figure of the same species showing no sign of injuries and almost comical in its apparent calm repose. It appeared that while the carnage was going on all around, this solitary alien adorned in what appeared to be gold chains had been untouched by it. It hadn’t changed the fact that he was as dead as any of them now.
“Is there any sign of power up there Abu?” That was Goenka.
“No, nothing Sir, although damage to the consoles seems fairly light. I still think it would take a full engineering team for us to get anything useful out of it though.”
“Very well, record all you can for now. Lieutenant Carmen?”
“Go ahead Commander.”
“Lieutenant, we’ve reached an area barricaded by doors. Scans show something on the other side but I am unable to discern exactly what it may be. Would it be possible to use the shuttle sensors to attempt a deeper scan?”
Carmen felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up, a sign she seldom ignored.
“Commander, when you say you can’t discern it, what exactly does that mean?” She almost but not quite heard the huff of impatience that seemed to be Goenka’s trade mark.
“I mean Lieutenant that there is an area which my tricorder is unable to penetrate. It is possible that it is shielded in some way.”
Now that rang alarm bells. “Commander, this derelict has shown no signs of having a single power source still active but you’re reporting a shielded area? I’m not happy about this.”
“This is why I’m requesting a deeper scan from the shuttle Lieutenant.” The impatient tone was quite clear now but Carmen had made up her mind.
“I’m sorry Commander, that’s one that will have to wait for the Oasis to return. As a security protocol, I’d like you to leave that area alone for now. If you wish to continue the survey elsewhere, that’s fine.” Carmen waited for the bluster of protestation she was sure would come, but strangely Goenka seemed quite calm.
“Very well Lieutenant, we’ve covered our area. I’ll head for the bridge and co-ordinate with team Charlie before returning to the shuttle.”
Somewhat surprised, Carmen responded with “Thank you Commander, that’s appreciated.”
Well, well, she thought to herself. Wonders will never cease.
DERELICT
FREE SPACE
March 20th 2361 – 1015 FST
Even Goenka had been slightly surprised at his own willingness to abandon his request. For some reason, his feeling of foreboding amidst the remains of the butchered aliens had intensified and he was feeling distinctly uncomfortable. The fact that at least one faction had been trying to get into the sealed room while it was defended to the death by a second group made him even more uneasy.
Suddenly scared of ghosts Ravi? said a small voice inside his head.
Brushing aside the random thought, he recorded one final scan of the room then made his way towards the bridge.
USS OASIS – BRIEFING ROOM 2
FREE SPACE
March 20th 2361 – 1430 FST
Having returned from their intelligence gathering mission, the Oasis had recovered the away team and Captain Jack Wallman was now wrapping up the debrief.
“I’ve just had word that the USS Alfven will be with us inside eight hours. SCE are hopefully going to recover the derelict to Starbase 214, presuming its in a fit state to be tractored.”
The Starfleet Corps of Engineers were better equipped both in terms of technology and manpower to accomplish the task of moving the derelict to the Starbase and it had proved fortunate that the Alfven had just completed a mission in the Argaya system close by.
“Sir, would it be possible to request a temporary assignment with the Alfven for the duration of the recovery?” Goenka, it seemed, had recovered much of his enthusiasm after returning to the Oasis.
Wallman deferred to Goenka’s science department head. “Commander Gerard?”
“I’ll speak to Captain Irving on the Alfven Sir, but it doesn’t pose a problem here. We’re due to lay over at Starbase 214 for the transporter repairs anyway.”
Goenka nodded his thanks.
Wallman stood signifying the end of the meeting. “Thank you ladies and gentlemen, I’ll forward the report to Starfleet unless there’s anything else to add?” The shaking of heads around the table satisfied him that there wasn’t. “Good work out there. Mr Goenka, I’ll be interested in anything further you might discover?”
“By all means Sir, I’m sure that when…” Wallman held up his hand.
“Later Mr Goenka, Starfleet needs this report.” Wallman noted that Gerard discretely covered her face at that point.
USS ALFVEN – CREW QUARTERS
UFP SPACE – EN ROUTE TO STARBASE 214
March 21st 2361 – 0128 FST
The short sword had narrowly missed his head and clanged harmlessly off the bulkhead but it gave Panwad the chance to lunge under the swing, plunging the knife deep into his assailant’s ribcage. He twisted and withdrew then struck out backhanded at another attacker, slicing deep into his shoulder and forcing him to lose his grip on the iron bar he’d been swinging wildly.
“You shall not enter!” he screamed, barely retaining his footing on the blood slicked floor.
“Traitor!” Screamed the attacker before Panwad silenced him with a solid blow to the head. He backed up to gain some room in the bloodbath that had ensued and only at the last moment did he see the flash of steel plunging towards his face and driving deep into his skull…
Goenka sat bolt upright in the bunk, smashing his head into the empty bed above. For the briefest of moments he honestly felt that the blade had been thrust into his skull, but as the stars cleared from his vision and his breathing calmed, he recognised it for the nightmare it had been.
When he was young, his mother would have chided him for watching too many adventures late at night. He could almost hear her voice now saying ‘You have an overactive imagination Ravi. Go to sleep and think of good things for a change instead of all this nonsense!’
Feeling slightly foolish and glad that he was indeed in a single room, he lay back down but found it difficult to sleep for quite some time, the sense of unease still palpable.
Let’s hope he can keep it professional and resists the urge to make an idiot out of himself pursuing Escher.
