Star Trek: Intrepid - The Double Edge

[TheLoneRedshirt]

Great portrayal of the fog of war. The realization of one's mortality in the midst of chaos and confusion can cause the mind to do all sorts of bizarre things. You did a great job capturing that in Perboda.

I liked the chaos you portrayed in sickbay also. Very gritty and real with a medical staff overwhelmed with casualties and the sick worry of a young woman who fears for the life of her injured husband. At least Perboda found something important to do.

Nice!

 

[CeJay]

There is something seriously wrong with Perboda and perhaps the most disturbing thing is that he doesn't even realize that himself. (A recurring theme for the series, no?)

Very well written sickbay scene as well, especially with the shaken young officer fearing for her injured and possibly dying husband.

Really great stuff.

 

[Galen4]

Thanks CeJay and LRS,
I hope you'll both enjoy the final outcome of where this is all headed. Your comments are appreciated! (Especially since feedback has been scarce lately.)
More to come this coming week. Hope you both had great holiday.

 

[Galen4]

Chapter 7
-Part 2-​

USS Nagasaki
Deck 1
Main Bridge

“Well done, Captain.” Edward Jellico said. The admiral wobbled slightly on his feet while maintaining his position in the forward bridge well. His face was a tic-tac toe board of scratches. His smudged and torn uniform hung on him like a rag.

The forward screen showed a massive debris field. Hull fragments crackled with plasma discharges as they expanded outward from the recent explosion that had consumed a once powerful Jem’Hadar battle cruiser.

Captain Zorek eased out of his command chair gracefully. As he stood, he casually brushed fragments of the bridge from his lap as if they were wayward cookie crumbs. “Your sentiment is appreciated, Admiral. But this victory belongs to Legacy as well.”

Jellico dabbed his forehead with a handkerchief. He gave Zorek a heavy look. “Survivors?”

“Three-hundred twenty-seven were rescued from Legacy.” He paused. “Including Captain Hiroko. My Physician, Dr. Sevda, has stated her injuries were not life threatening. However, a third of the remaining survivors suffered critical injuries.”

Jellico appeared to mediate on the news. Then he fell into a nearby bridge chair---wincing as he did so---and accessed its terminal. He spent the next few minutes calling up data.

The elderly Zorek took the time to absorb the disarray of blown out stations and ruptured bulkheads around the room. He smoothed his beard meditatively, the picture of a man who had been inconvenienced by a summer storm.

He turned to his first officer, a dark skinned Vulcan woman. “Complete damage report, if you please, Commander T’Chaya.”

“In progress, sir.” The young woman said politely. She had been immersed in the task already, her fingers walking across the PADD in her right hand. She moved to the back of the bridge, still downloading reports from the operations bank.

Jellico looked up from his panel. He had grown a shade paler, but his eyes were boiling. “We’re down to five ships, including Nagasaki and all of them are in retreat.” He jabbed out a series of numbers on the board. “I’m ordering them to regroup with us.”

Zorek nodded, apparently unsurprised by the announcement. Instead, he was pondering why the enemy had abruptly disengaged and pulled out of the system. Only the Cardassians remained. A squadron of destroyers was still in the area, but had yet to press an assault.

“Captain, Admiral; new report from the starship Empress.” This came from Security Chief L’Nira. “They were able to conduct a long range scan before withdrawing.”

“And?” Jellico demanded.

Did L’Nira show reluctance, or was she still evaluating data as it came in? After a few seconds that seemed like minutes to the admiral, she finally raised her eyes to meet his. “Betazed. Jem’Hadar forces have already overwhelmed the planet’s defense perimeter and are now in orbit. As we speak, shock troops are arriving on the surface.”

“That is why the Dominion didn’t pursue us.” Zorek mused. “They had thinned our numbers enough that we no longer poise a viable threat to their operation. It was logical to cut their losses and proceed on to Betazed before they met more resistance.”

“There is still a Cardassian flotilla comprised of seven destroyers. They are one point seven light years distant.” She added. “They are holding relative position between us and Betazed.”

“Did Empress show any sign of the Tenth Fleet?” It was nearly a rhetorical question, as L’Nira would surely have reported a fact of such significance. But Zorek wanted it voiced for the admiral’s benefit, not his.

“No, sir.” L’Nira paused, shifting her weight in a subtle show of discomfort. She glanced between the two men, and then addressed Jellico. “But I should point out that Empress was unable to make a complete scan, therefore we can’t say definitively how close the Tenth may or may not be.” This last remark was an unnecessary bit of conjecture that Zorek would have admonished her for under different circumstances. But he didn’t, for he fully understood the impulse behind it.

Jellico turned away to face the forward bridge. He trembled with rage. He fought off the temptation to scream obscenities at the top of his lungs. He might have given in to the desire had he been standing before any other captain. But he would sooner lose composure in front of the Federation president than Zorek. (And an all Vulcan crew would hardly make a sympathetic audience for his tantrum.)

 

[Galen4]

Chapter 7​

-Part 2 continued-​

The captain drew up behind him. “We knew this outcome was likely, Admiral.” He intoned dispassionately. “That any of our numbers survived at all is nothing short of miraculous.” Miraculous wasn’t a standard part of his vocabulary, but he wasn’t above dramatic license when dealing with humans. And secretly, he found colorful words entertaining.

They paused as Commander T’Chaya approached.

“Your report sir.” The first officer handed Zorek a PADD while bullet pointing the key facts in her verbal report. The bottom line was that Nagasaki had taken a beating that left her with hull breaches and numerous casualties. Warp drive and engines had escaped serious harm and at least some shields were functioning. “Lieutenant Commander Vessa has requested my presence in engineering, with your permission.” She concluded.

Zorek dipped his chin in approval.

She reflected the gesture back to both men. “Admiral. Captain.” T’Chaya whisked out of the room, nimble as a cat.

Jellico barely retained anything he had heard. He had withdrawn for the moment into anger and defiance. “Captain,” He growled in a harsh whisper, “I won’t stand here and watch these pack of wolves take the planet. I won’t allow all these lives to be sacrificed in vain. We may only have a handful of ships, but…” His voice trailed away.

Zorek left the sentence to die. He had made the decision to support Jellico’s dubious attack plan and publicly supported him in that regard. About that he had no regrets. He would not, however, help the admiral throw away those lives that remained.

Even if it meant reliving his superior officer of command.

He gave Jellico some time to work things out by pretending to study the PADD that T’Chaya had given him, even though he had already memorized the contents.

Jellico sounded tired and indecisive when he at last found his voice again. “Start looking for the nearest safe harbor. We’ll withdraw what’s left of the fleet once they get here.”

“Unless the Cardassians press their attack before then.” Zorek reminded him.

Jellico almost sagged within his uniform. He started to use his handkerchief again but caught himself. He glared at the cloth before tucking it away in his pocket. “Keep me informed.” He ordered quietly.

The captain indicated an area behind him with a controlled gesture. “My ready room is of course at your disposal, Admiral.”

The flag officer gave a curt bob of his head, but dodged Zorek’s invasive stare. There occurred at that moment, an unspoken transition of power between the two. More that Jellico had allowed another to shoulder his burden than an actual relinquishment of command---but the transition was there all the same, just as obvious to the Vulcans in the room as a sudden temperature change.

Jellico walked away with the gait of a man twice his age. He disappeared into the ready room like a hermit to his hole.

Zorek stroked his beard, reflecting silently on the closed doors.

When his tactical officer, Lt. Skell, sought his attention he assumed the Cardassian destroyers had begun their advance. He regretted that he would have to disturb the admiral’s solitude so soon.

Instead, what he heard from the burly Vulcan was completely unexpected.

“Captain, the subspace field around the Kokala nebula is dissipating quickly.”

Zorek felt utter surprise, a rarity during his one hundred and sixty-five years of life. He turned to his science officer who occupied an adjacent bridge station. “The Genesis weapon?”

“Unknown sir,” Lt. Telik answered. Her Auburn hair accented light colored eyes that could glow like a sunset under in the right conditions. “Since the cause of the nebula’s dead zone has never been identified, it is difficult to hypothesize about what is dismantling it.”

“How long before the dead zone collapses?”

“Eight minutes, twenty-one seconds if the decay rate remains consistent.”

One might have thought Skell was frowning, were the look not such a permanent fixture for the hardened tactical specialist. “Cardassian ships are breaking formation, Captain.”

Zorek looked with resignation at the forward screen. “Very well, then.” He was vocalizing his fatigue, but no longer cared. He gave his command seat a cursory brush with his hand before sitting down. “Admiral to the bridge.” He called out reluctantly.

 

[BrotherBenny]

In the words of Eddie Chase from Andy McDermott's books, which I feel are entirely appropriate, if colorful, "Buggeration and fuckery!"

 

[CeJay]

Much more interesting than the words spoken between Jellico and Zorek in this segment are those which are not. A really great use of subtext and body language here that perfectly illustrates the state and abilities of these two men right after a devastating defeat. Unsurprisingly the veteran Vulcan captain ends up handling this situation a great deal better.

Great stuff.

 

[Galen4]

Thanks, CeJay. I was shooting for some depth here, so I'm glad it came off as intended.

BB, what a quote! It sums up the last two years of my life rather nicely, I think.

 

[Dnoth]

I'm kind of jumping into the middle of this. I always like seeing 'canon' events from another character's point of view. The fallout of the Betazed invasion is one of those things just begging to be explored.

 

[DavidFalkayn]

I agree with Dnoth, the fall of Betazed was a major event in the war and deserves more exploration. I also liked the interplay between Jellicoe and Zorek--this battle obviously took a lot out of Jellicoe, but I have a feeling it has--or will have--an effect on Zorek as well.

 

[Galen4]

David and Dnoth,
True, the Battle of Betazed is a large story in itself. It's even been the subject of a published novel, although I never read it.

In this case, the Dominion War and Betazed are backdrops for a bigger tale. But I'm glad to have added my own small contribution to both subjects.

Thanks for the comments.

 

[Galen4]

Ahem...so I've been away from this for awhile. Okay, a long while. Well, maybe forever and a day.

But I'm now at a point where I can finish it.

Of course, I doubt anyone's still around who remembers this tale, but at least it will get completed. Any longer and it'll end up on my bucket list.

So, you can start at the beginning here at Trekbbs, or if you prefer, Ad Astra via: http://unitedtrek.org/star-trek-intrepid/

A small recap: The Double Edge takes place against the backdrop of the Dominion War, specifically the fall of Betazed. These events are only a primer for the main show, of course.




Chapter 8



USS Intrepid


On the main viewer, the bridge officers watched as a series of internal explosions rippled across the destroyer’s hull just before the Cardassian vessel dissolved into a blinding fireball. From the point of destruction, a fiery cloud of supercharged particles and debris blasted outward in all directions.

The crew’s triumphant cry fizzled quickly as they understood the looming danger.

The waive front was approaching fast, even as they raced away from it. Aubrey’s Hail Mary maneuver hadn’t allowed them time to reach a safe distance after bouncing off the Cardassian’s shields. It seemed their enemy was still intent on their destruction, even from the grave.

At the engineering station, Cal Benjamin’s eyes nearly bugged from their sockets. “Captain, warp power and shields are gone. We’re running on the reserves! Navigational deflectors are under ten percent. If a big enough piece gets through--“

“Particle wave will make contact in one minute seventeen seconds.” The Operations officer warned.

“We have full thrusters, captain, but we lost inertia from the collision.” Fidel said from the helm. “We cannot achieve greater speed.”

Aubrey fought to gather his wits through a skull that was still ringing from the recent battle. Clearing his throat, he said: “What if we reverse polarity on the aft tractor beam so it repels, then project it astern to scatter the wave?”

“Tractor beams are unavailable on auxiliary power, sir.” Shantok reminded him regretfully.

“Impact in fifteen seconds!” Benjamin blurted out. He turned long enough to give his shipmates a hopeless look of guilt. Young or not, he was the Chief. It disappointed him that he didn’t have a trick up his sleeve.

In the end, they were fortunate. The remains from the enemy ship rattled off the rear nacelles and dorsal saucer section, but Intrepid’s ablative armor---a holdover over from her days as a test vehicle---proved equal to the task of protecting her occupants.

Once the clattering stopped and Aubrey was assured of only minor hull damage, he looked to Shantok, who had just reported an anomalous reading. He walked up to the elevated command deck where she was manning an upright science station. “What are you showing?”

Her dark eyes traveled around her data screens. “It appears that the Kokala Nebula’s subspace distortion envelope is dissipating rapidly. Cause unknown.”

“Could it be the Genesis device?”

“No, sir. If it were, the cloud would already have imploded.”

“Does the subspace field have a history of oscillating?”

“Negative. The subspace distortion zone has been constant as far back as the first date of measurement, more than three hundred years ago.”

Before pondering this new twist, he gave orders to Benjamin, who had one leg halfway out the starboard doors, making a run for Engineering. “Lieutenant, I want repair updates every twenty minutes. Focus on warp power and shields.”

“Aye sir!” He hesitated for just a second more, thinking his captain would drive home the need for immediate warp power. But Aubrey was experienced enough a leader not to badger his people during a crisis. After all, no amount of prodding would make Benjamin’s work go faster. Either he could resuscitate the ship’s heart in time to save them or he couldn’t.

As Benjamin departed, the captain glanced towards the tactical podium. “Mr. Rodriguez, keep trying to raise the fleet. We may have a better shot with the interference zone collapsing.”

The order was acknowledged and he leaned over his first officer’s shoulder, noting that she was still squinting furiously at her display. “What’s that?” He asked, pointing at a flickering string on her board that had just appeared.

“Uncertain,” she answered carefully. “Long range sensors have detected an energy filament of undetermined composition. It has ejected from the nucleus of the dust cloud. And it’s elongating by the second.”

He waited patiently for more information as Shantok’s elegant fingers tapped over her board. After a minute, she looked at him, raising an eyebrow in the Vulcan equivalent of a sigh. “Captain, with the resources at hand, we’ve learned what we can at this distance. I’ll need more power to the lateral sensor array to perform a detailed scan.”

It was a calculated risk. A more powerful scan might give away their location. He briefly considered launching a probe, but decided against it. The situation was developing too fast. There wasn’t time to wait around for telemetry.

He nodded at his Operations Officer, who had been listening. “Let Engineering know they’ll get their power back again ASAP.”

“It looks like a vortex.” Said Fidel from the CON, as the shimmering funnel appeared on the main screen. Whatever it was, it was still tethered to the nebula, like a great umbilical cord.

“Wormhole would be a more apt description, Lieutenant.” Shantok corrected as she reviewed the new data before her. “The moving end appears to contain a spatial fissure, or aperture, although it lacks the other customary markers that are associated with known wormholes.” Turning to Aubrey, she continued. “I can also see gravimetric and temporal emanations, but more precise readings are proving difficult.”

“Well, sorry I can’t give you a stronger scan. You have all we can spare on emergency power.”

“It’s the phenomenon itself that is presenting the problem, Captain. It’s completely unstable.” Her timbre took on a quiet edge. “The structure is shifting in and out of our space-time continuum.”


Aubrey was taken aback. “A wormhole that’s in a state of flux? How could a nebula produce something like this?”

Shantok didn’t know, so she kept her own counsel.

Rodriguez started as small alarms began sounding from his tactical board. “Sir, the vortex has increased it’s reach by twenty million kilometers and is now angled towards us.”


“Confirmed.” The Operations officer reported. “Probable intercept in fourteen minutes, present speed.”

Aubrey ordered a course change at once. They original heading was taking them towards the nebula which had been just what he wanted. He had planned to hide his ship their while they made repairs. It would be safe since it was obvious the Genesis plan had failed. Once they were combat ready, they would rejoin the fleet. That option was now off the table. In their present condition, the last thing they needed was to crash into some bloody anomaly.

But only moments after changing their course, Fidel’s mood turned grim. “Captain, hostile has re acquired us. It’s also increased its reach by another fifty million kilometers and accelerating. Intercept now projected in four minutes, present speed.”

“How is it able to travel so fast?” Aubrey demanded.

He hadn’t expected an answer, but was surprised to find Shantok actually had one. “I would speculate it’s using a sophisticated form of quantum entanglement to increase its length.”



“So…it can replicate itself onto distant regions of space, regardless of distance.”

“Yes,” she agreed. “And instantaneously, by reaching through subspace. Which means it could achieve faster than light velocities. If it so chooses.”

He flicked a sharp gaze at her. “’If it so chooses’? You don’t think this is a natural phenomenon?”

“Unlikely. It’s targeting us, specifically. And there is nothing about our ship that would attract it.”
Against all reason, Aubrey felt an icy shiver of dread crawl up his spine. “Rodriguez, send a tight beam message towards the nebula’s center, standard friendly greetings. Maybe we can talk to whoever’s pulling the strings.”

“Aye, sir.” As he went to work, he offered a sobering update. “And Captain, I hailed the fleet but there’s been no response. I don’t know why. They should have received us. Kokala’s subspace interference is completely gone now.”

Maybe because there’s no one left to hear us. The captain saw that thought on the faces of everyone around him.

“Thank you.” Aubrey said quietly. “The Dominion may still be jamming our reception. Keep rotating through all of our encoded frequencies, including those on the lower emergency channels.” Returning to immediate business, he tapped his combadge. “Mr. Benjamin, I see we have impulse now and the navigational deflector’s back up. But what’s the status of our inertia dampers and structural integrity fields?”

“The SI field is at ninety-three percent, sir. It will hold us together for anything short of a core breach. The inertia dampers are still at peak performance and all redundant backup systems are fully functional. Umm…why do you ask?”

“Because we’re about to begin high-speed impulse maneuvers, and I’d rather not turn the crew into oatmeal.”
Aubrey realized he was breathing hard and forced himself into a picture of serene determination. Normally, his composure wasn’t just skin-deep, but the creeping fear he had experienced was still clinging to him.



Get hold of yourself. “Lt. Fidel, evasive pattern: Garth-Axanar, best possible speed.”





***



Gul Katorn owed his life to Timett. That fact alone was enough to make him consider different ways of killing the man. The humiliation of waking up in an escape pod to Timett prattling on about how he had dragged Katorn to safety was beyond excruciating.

Timett was further jeopardizing his existence by smiling continuously; that moronic, mentally impaired grin that announced to the galaxy that we was a buffoon and proud of the title. Even worse, he was now a buffoon who was insufferably pleased with himself.

The trouble was, there was no effective way of killing Timett that would not cause Katorn more grief than the effort was worth. He was crammed into a tiny escape pod with his former shipmate; so breaking the idiot's neck meant he would be trapped inside a coffin with a corpse.

Even if he were rescued soon, Timett's body would be difficult to explain, given that he was the son of a high-ranking government official. Katorn could not fall back on his normal tactics to cover his tracks because he would be under greater scrutiny from his superiors.

Nor could he vaporize Timett with his disruptor. The man was nearly sitting atop him within the small confines of the escape pod and Katorn would burn to ashes along with his tormenter. The thought had a certain appeal, but he wasn't wholly comfortable with it. Taking their lives together would mean validating Timett as an equal. That would taint the nobility of his action, which could lead to being disqualified from the rewarding afterlife he deserved. Better to live on in misery than bury a jester with a king, is how Gul Katorn saw it.

He went a step further by making a silent vow that the scum would receive no more undeserved acclaims while Katorn still drew breath.

There was little to celebrate. Bad enough that he had clumsily misjudged a wounded adversary and lost his ship, but to be cheated out of the ultimate escape from shame and punishment by a simpleton?

Timett suddenly ended his yammering. His eyes went wide with fascination. "Gul Katorn! Look!" He jabbed his finger out the view port with spasmodic animation.

Katorn bent forward and looked where Timett was pointing, not because he was swept up in Timett's exuberance---for he was a man easily fascinated---but only because there was nothing else to see from his small dungeon.

All Katorn saw for his effort was the angry glow of the Kokala nebula. That, and the light glittering off the spinning shards of his vessel.

He leaned back in his seat and hissed dejectedly. "I saw nothing. We should set a course in the direction of our forces. When we've gained distance from the nebula's interference we can transmit a distress call." Katorn only said as much because he was trained to survive, but in point of fact, he had lost interest in survival. The disgrace of losing his ship and a future as the pawn of Timett's family left very little for him to look forward to.

"I saw something really strange." Timett insisted. His eyes rolled everywhere while he plastered his face to the window port's surface, trying to see around the pod's curvature. After a moment he gave up, huffing in frustration. Then a new idea occurred to him.

Katorn observed with apathy as Timett twisted around in the small confines of the Cardassian lifeboat, grabbing for a portable scanner that was hanging on the bulkhead. He unsnapped it, and then held the small scope in front of their faces so the display screen was visible to both of them.

Timett made some adjustments on the control panel, and then said, "I think I can get a visual image with this." He fiddled some more, once or twice grunting with impatience like a stripling trying to fix a broken toy.

"What is it?" Katorn asked dully. "A rescue ship? Or an enemy vessel?" His tone indicated that he was indifferent to either prospect.

"Neither, sir. It looked like, like---" he made a final adjustment. "That!"

All at once, Katorn saw it. It looked as though part of the nebula had twisted away from itself, forming a cylindrical vortex. Energy snarled around the anomaly as it stretched forth from the dust cloud. Once clear of the outer boundary, it began to zigzag erratically into space

He snatched the portable viewer from Timett and changed the display, so the image pulled back to reveal a long distance shot. From afar, it was a bright scribble, almost like a lightning bolt, if one could witness it strike in slow motion. He wanted to know where that thing out there was going. Given its chaotic behavior, who could say that it wouldn't come their way?

Distantly, he saw it was chasing a vessel, a vessel very close to the nebula and just barely visible. He strained his eyes, continuing to fine-tune the scanners for better resolution. The anomaly was whipping directly for the ship, which he now recognized as having a Starfleet configuration.

Not just any Starfleet vehicle to be sure, but the very one he had dueled with just a short time ago! Katorn recognized the design, and more telling, the scorching along the hull that bore Katorn’s handiwork.

The enemy ship was desperately trying to evade the anomaly, but to no avail.

He grinned. "I do hope you enjoyed the sweet taste of victory while it lasted, my precious Starfleet commander, whoever you may be. Because you see, your new enemy is one that cannot be outwitted with the tricks of a stage magician. In the end, the universe will always have its way.” He spoke to the image with such tenderness that a stranger might have mistaken it for genuine sympathy.

He then beheld, thunderstruck, as the funnel of energy swept over the vessel with a speed that was terrifying to witness. The maw of the great vortex expanded at the last moment like a serpent unhooking it jaws to swallow an animal bigger than itself. The ship was enveloped, yet still momentarily visible as a ghostly specter through the raging wall of the disturbance---but only for a moment. Then the vortex shrank to its former size, crushing the captive ship into a thin strand of material, which slid down the funnel’s throat and vanished.

The writhing tunnel retracted back to the nebula, behaving more like an extended mandible than a distortion in space.

The starship Intrepid was gone---gone as if it had been nothing more than an insect, snapped from the air by the darting tongue of a reptile.

Form within the tiny lifeboat, Timett watched uneasily as Gul Katorn threw his head back and bawled out gales of laughter, the noise amplified into harsh echoes by the pod's acoustics.

 

[CeJay]

Hey, better late than never.

Reading this I realized I will need to go back and familiarize myself once again of what has happened before. But this is a great point to pick this story up again, what is this nebula up to? And where did it take Intrepid? I'm fairly certain Gul Katrorn's devilish bemusement over Intrepid's fate is at least slightly premature. But whatever is happening, I'm sure it's bad news of Aubrey and company.

Really excited to find out what happens next.

 

[Galen4]

Thanks for the feedback, CeJay.
Yeah, I know there's a lot of story to get caught up on at this point.
This time, it'll keep going to the end.
Your thoughts are always welcome and thanks again for stopping by.
Oh, and mthompson1701, thank you also for the "like".

 

[Galen4]

Chapter 9


​

USS Nagasaki


Captain Caroline Hiroko put her PADD aside when she heard the chime of the annuniciator. "Come."

Admiral Jellico stood before her as the doors to her cabin hissed open.

She wasn’t expecting him and felt slightly embarrassed to be discovered lying in bed. She tried to stand at attention as swiftly as her bruised body would allow, but Jellico gestured for her to sit back down.

"Captain. You're looking better." It was an observation rather than a compliment, but his tone hinted at genuine pleasure.

Hiroko couldn't honestly return the sentiment. Despite being well groomed, Jellico looked like hell. His facial grooves seemed to have deepened in the last twenty-four hours. His posture was even more telling; the normally ruler-straight backbone was hunched with the weight of exhaustion. He was very much a man in ill humor.

"Thank you, sir. Nagasaki’s doctors worked some magic on my broken bones, but I still have a little mending to do on my own."

He walked over to a mirror that was mounted against the bulkhead. He took a fleeting glance at his reflection and then turned away from it as though offended by the image. He was holding a small PADD, which he slapped against his palm while speaking. “The Tenth Fleet entered sensor range forty-seven minutes ago. It seems they were out on maneuvers. With the Dominion using our sensor array to jam communications, they had no way of knowing about the attack.”

Hiroko clawed her way into a standing position. “It’s about damn time! Are we planning a counter-offensive?”

He smiled at her tenacity, as if to say she was a woman after his own heart. “I’m afraid not. We’re being redeployed with the Tenth just beyond the Kalandra system.” He grimaced. “Starfleet wants us to withdraw.”

She clenched her hands into fists. “Respectfully sir, but command can go to hell! With the Tenth and what’s left of Tango Fleet, there’s a chance---“

“We’re not re-engaging.” He stated flatly. “But don’t count us out of the game yet. The occupation of Betazed is a strain on Dominion resources. This far out, they’ll have to set up a supply line very soon to replenish the ships we just took from them. Our new job is to block any such efforts.”

“They won’t need supply lines if we take them out now, admiral. We should hit them again while they’re still off balance.”

“Captain…”

“We can do this, sir! I’ve seen how their forces are dispersed. If we use a two-pronged attack---“

“Enough!” He almost shouted.

Her face fell in astonishment.

The admiral closed his eyes as if fighting for composure. He turned back to her, his words seething but now under his control once more. “I share your sentiments, captain. And then some. But this isn’t open for debate. We have orders in hand.”

She sat down on the edge of her bed again, deflated.

Jellico made a point to soften his tone before continuing. “Caroline, the Dominion’s entrenched now. There are heavy contingents of ground forces all over Betazed. Projections show a forty-five percent casualty rate for the population even if we make planet fall. And given the Dominion’s penchant for using the scorched earth policy, I’m sure those figures are conservative.”

“Aye, sir.” She stared off into a corner of the room, not sure what else to say. The admiral’s information would have shortly been made available to her anyway. He was obviously here for something else, so she waited for him to continue.

“As you know, we’re blind and deaf out here. And now Betazed herself is blacked out because of the occupation. So Starfleet wants a ship to stay behind for reconnaissance and to provide tactical updates.”

Hiroko was slow on the uptake. Full understanding came only when she finally noticed he was extending his PADD to her. Blinking in confusion, she took it and began skimming through the text. When she was finished her eyebrows shot up in naked disbelief. “Me?”

"I need an experienced command officer. So yes, that's you."

She looked down again at her orders. “The Sentry? What happened to Captain McKenzie?”

Jellico answered with silence.

“I see.” She intoned sadly.

“Your orders are to stay out of sight if at all possible while reporting all relevant Intel; ship movements, intercept of enemy communiqués, etc. It’s all there in your briefing.” He took the PADD back for a moment, showing it off for proper emphasis. “You will not engage the enemy under any circumstances. If you’re chased down or come under fire, you withdraw as fast as your nacelles will carry you. This also means no rescue or EVAC operations, should you come across survivors. Is all this clearly understood?”

“It is, sir.” She said carefully. She reached for the PADD but Jellico didn’t relinquish it just yet. “Was there something else?”

“There is. You just had your ship shot out from under you. Two thirds of your crew are dead. Those were people who entrusted their lives to your care. Even worse, Sonya Kantrovitch was killed, the woman you loved.” He eyed her carefully for a reaction to the cattle prod he had just shot her with.

You old bastard, Hiroko chafed silently. She held her composure defiantly however, because damned if she would fail his test.

When she offered no eruption, he continued. “If I had any sense, I’d follow regs and get a psych evaluation on you before clearing you for another command assignment.” He went back to tapping the PADD on the palm of this hand. “But to be candid with you, I’ve never put much stock in what starship counselors have to say. Frankly, I think Starfleet overstates their relevance. I’d take my own intuition over a counselor’s any day of the week. Now, at the moment that intuition tells me you can walk this off and complete the mission. If I’m wrong, tell me now. I’ll give this to someone else and no one will think the lesser of you.”

She stared him down with iron determination. “I can handle it, sir. I give you my word on that.” She put her hand out assertively.

After a moment, he handed back the PADD. There was the smallest measure of relief on his face.

“Why the Sentry, if you don’t mind my asking?”

“As a Nebula, she’s fast and light on her feet. Also, she’s one of the few ships left that’s fully operational. What’s more, she has some of the latest stealth technology. In fact, she used to run reconnaissance missions on the Dominion before the war broke out.”

“Ideally suited.” She commented approvingly.

“Her crew isn’t,” Jellico spat back. “The senior officers are all dead. You’ll be commanding junior-level crewman and NCOs. It’s a boat full of peach fuzz and training bras.”

Despite the dire circumstances, she chuckled. “I’ll make sure they’re all in bed before nine. Anything else, sir?”

“We have two Cardie ships holding position near the nebula. So far, they haven’t moved on us. We think they’re just keeping tabs on us for their Dominion masters. Zorek thinks you can slip away undetected once the fleet gets under way again. But you’ll have your work cut out.”

Hiroko was already limping around him towards the doors. “When do I leave?”

“You’ll report aboard in fifteen minutes. Godspeed.”

“On my way, sir.” But as she started through the doors, Hiroko halted in mid-step. “Admiral, it was worth it.” She announced suddenly. “We were outnumbered two to one, but you should feel proud of Tango Fleet. We cut down their numbers. I hope that brings you some comfort.”

Jellico’s mouth curled into a tiny snarl. “Don’t waste your breath coddling me, captain. You have a lot of work to do. Just get it done and come back to us in one piece.”

“Aye, sir.” And she was gone.

Jellico was needed on the bridge. But instead of following her out, he moved over to the cabin’s window. He lingered for a spell, hands clasped behind his back, chewing his lip and contemplating the darkness beyond.

 

[Galen4]

***​

It seemed to take forever to make any progress as Adol and Pal walked towards the shimmering globe that hung hundreds of meters above them and far in he distance. Had they traveled for hours or minutes? He couldn’t tell. His internal chronometer seemed oddly out of whack, making the journey a disorienting experience.

Luckily, the Andorian had been able to get Pal up and moving. He wouldn’t speak after his last outburst and his eyes remained glassy, but at least he was capable of bipedal locomotion. Together they had started making their way down the organic pathway, following a gentle slope. After a while it met a tangle of wider intersecting bridges. He was able see better the closer they came to the hovering globe, which continued to give off a dull light.

He stopped to let Pal rest when they reached an especially wide section of pathway. He gently encouraged his friend to sit down and covered him with his uniform tunic, all the while trying to lasso his instinctive revulsion of the spongy tissue and cartilage that Pal was sitting on---pointedly ignoring how some of it was pulsing like arteries.

Looking up, he saw a massive starship tumbling inside the energy globe far above him. It continued to somersault, end over end. As it rotated, he could make out angry scorch marks crisscrossing the hull and saucer, as though something had attacked her with a giant blowtorch. They were battle scars indicating she had taken one hell of a beating.

Seeing the USS Intrepid humbled this way was disheartening. He thought the grand old lady deserved a more dignified fate.

How long had she been here, and where was the crew? Incapacitated or dead, no doubt, he thought, judging by the ship’s state.

From the corner of his eye, he saw a pulse of light and then, off to his right, another. He hunkered into a fighting stance and examined the last flash more closely. It had deposited someone in its wake, much like a transporter. It looked like a female humanoid with dark complexion, clad in a Starfleet uniform. She had appeared on an adjoining pathway but so far away in the gloom, he could barely make her out.

He was flabbergasted. “Hello!” He called out, but received no response. He stood to full height and tried again, but she had already moved out of sight. He turned and sought out the second figure, which to his utter amazement looked like Captain Aubrey.

“Captain!” He yelled. But Aubrey too, had already moved away into the gloom.

Were they visions? Mirages born from this macabre prison?

More flashes now, coming in quick succession. Some were near, others far, turning the darkness into a night of twinkling stars.

“What by all the gods is happening?” Adol grumbled aloud.

From behind him he discerned movement. Something was disentangling itself from the shadows and lumbering down the path in his direction! Adol pulled the combat knife from his leg and stood protectively in front of Pal. He saw little point in fleeing, as there was no place to run.

He held his breathe as the thing behind him slowly materialized from the dark. It became a massive biped, and then it turned green as the shadows fell away. As the silhouette drew closer, he realized it was wearing a Starfleet uniform.

“An Orion?” Adol puzzled aloud.

“Last I checked.” Answered the man.

The towering officer walked up to him. The height difference was extreme. The tips of Adol’s antennae ended just south of the man’s chest. “Who are you?”

“Lt. Perboda, ship’s counselor.” He eyed the Andorian carefully. “You’re Lt. Commander Adol, aren’t you? I recognize you from the files.” He blew out a hearty gust of air. “I’m glad to see you, Commander. I heard you had been assigned to a covert operation. When we lost contact, I feared the worst.”

Adol stared up at him, making no move to sheath his blade. “How did you get here?” he asked suspiciously.

Perboda squeezed his eyelids into narrow slits, straining to see past the wall of blackness around them. “I don’t know. One moment I was in sickbay, the next thing I knew, the ship seemed to melt around me. I felt like a painting whose colors had started to run. Then I was here. I came too while I was walking. I know how that sounds, but it’s true.”

Adol finally returned his combat knife to holder under his right pant leg. “Have you seen any other crewmembers?”

The counselor shook his head slowly. “I’ve been wandering around these pathways for a long time, at least a couple of hours. I finally happened on a path that sloped downward, so I followed it and found you.” He leaned over, noticing Pal for the first time. The operations officer was still sitting, oblivious to Perboda’s company. “What happened to him?”

“Whoever or whatever captured us, singled Lt. Pal out for telepathic probing. It was highly invasive. He’s still in shock.”

As the two compared notes, they were surprised by Captain Aubrey who, like Perboda, walked out of the darkness behind them. A few minutes later, Dr. Kella Lisern appeared.

Adol was almost euphoric at suddenly having his shipmates around him after hours of isolation. He patted each of them on the shoulder to confirm their tangibility. Dr. Kella actually hugged him for the first time in memory, giddy herself at the reunion.

She then knelt before Pal and performed a rudimentary examination by checking his pulse and examining his eyes. The Bajoran doctor confirmed he was in shock, as Adol had thought, but without any equipment, all she could add was that his vitals were strong.

When Kella mentioned they had been lost for hours in the labyrinth of pathways, Adol became confused. “But I just saw you and the captain appear a few minutes ago.” He objected.

“We detected temporal energy from the anomaly that hit us,” Aubrey considered. “Time might be distorted in this environment.”

Kella gasped at seeing the ship suspended above them, spinning helplessly in the energy globe. “Prophets and gods!” She exclaimed. “What is this all about? Who captured us?”

In answer, Adol related his experiences on the runabout, beginning with the nebula somehow smothering the Genesis wave. He further explained how he and Pal had been caught by a mysterious vortex soon after. The captain looked especially troubled at hearing that the runabout had been crushed with apparent deliberation.

Aubrey thought of his ship, held up for display like a trophy. It was obviously a demonstration of their captors’ power. He worried that it too might get crushed like an eggshell at any moment, killing anyone who was still aboard.

The ship wasn’t the only thing in danger. He could feel something roaming around the boundaries of his mind, loitering just beyond full detection. They might all end up like his operations manager before the day was out.

He struggled to control his rising temper at Pal’s injuries and their own helplessness by focusing on the immediate dilemma. “So, you believe we’re actually inside the nebula?”

“Pal thought so,” Adol affirmed. “And he’s had the most direct contact with this intelligence.”

“That would mean they created this environment for us. But why?”

“To keep us prisoner.” Adol answered bluntly.

“Doesn’t add up,” Perboda said. “Beings this powerful wouldn’t need to take prisoners.”

“Children on Andoria have no good reason for catching ice-bores, either.”

Aubrey covered his mouth with the back of his hand, trying to ignore the foul mix of organic scents in the air. “Did Pal say anything else that might be useful?”

Adol’s antennae waived thoughtfully. “He said they were angry. And that they had been gone but have now returned.”

“Who’s ‘they’?” Perboda asked.

Adol shook his head. “He couldn’t tell me, so he just yelled out something nonsensical.” He combed his memory. “Oh yes…he called them the ‘Inth’. You know, the monsters from those old fables?”

The crew went silent as they considered the idea.

“Is it possible?” Aubrey wondered.

Adol was incredulous. “Sir, with all respect to poor Doug, he was delirious. We all know the Inth are just folklore.”

“That may not necessarily be true.” Perboda countered. “Legends of the Inth are woven into the history of every species we’ve ever encountered. Including yours and mine.”

“And every folktale is different. It seems no one can keep their stories straight. Depending the on the parable, the Inth are either giant sea serpents or a swarm of killer insects.”

“But one thing is consistent. They obliterate without mercy every race they attack.”

“It’s a catch-all label used to describe any malevolent species that commits genocide.” The Andorian stated dismissively. “Besides, it’s widely accepted that the Borg were the basis for the Inth legends. They sure fit the profile.”

“Except that the Borg have a reference to the Inth in their history, also.”

Dr. Kella scowled in surprise. “They do?”

“Yes. They refer to them both by name and numerical designation: species zero point zero.” Perboda continued.

“Doesn’t sound like a typical species index number.”

“It isn’t. Which is cause for concern in and of itself. There are also archeological records of the Inth being referenced by the Tkon Empire and the Iconians. And both cultures were destroyed shortly after the references were made.”

“But I thought the Iconians were felled by conventional enemies?”

“True Doctor, but historians are now speculating that the Iconians may have developed their gateway technology not just as a means of exploration, but to facilitate a mass evacuation of their territory. According to the surviving records, they feared an Inth attack was imminent.”

Aubrey looked up at the giant in confusion. “Counselor…how is it you know so much about all of this?”

Perboda cleared his throat self-consciously. “Well…I did my undergraduate thesis on interstellar history with an emphasis on folklore and mythology.”

Adol rolled his eyes. “Sir, do we have time for a group discussion right now? We’re in the belly of the beast.”

“We’re making the time, Commander.” Aubrey snapped. “I need to know what we’re up against. And if folk tales are all we have to go on at this point, so be it. It’s better than nothing.”

“Aye, sir.” He complied morosely.

 

[Galen4]

Chapter 9 ---continued--​

The captain brought his attention back to Perboda. “Counselor, let’s assume for right now that we really have been abducted by the Inth. Let’s further assume every legend we’ve ever heard is true. Put all of that together and give me a species profile.”

Perboda looked uncomfortable at his sudden promotion from conversationalist to expert. He allowed himself time to gather his thoughts. When he was ready, he began a methodical explanation.

“So…we’d be talking about beings that were at the top of the food chain as far as interstellar predators go. For a quarter of a million years, they attacked and destroyed any civilizations that were building or had already built up trade networks with neighboring races.”

“Just like us.” Kella chimed in uneasily.

“They had no defined territories that we know of. They didn’t use technology as we understand it, but they could still travel vast distances and launch devastating attacks. And as the commander has pointed out, they manifested themselves differently each time they appeared, which means they might have had no predefined appearance.”

“Has anyone ever communicated with them?”

“I’ve never heard of a successful communication taking place, captain. And I’m afraid it gets even bleaker when discussing their offensive capabilities. When an attack is launched, it’s sudden and overwhelming. There are references to epic battles in which thousands of warships have gone up against the Inth, only to be annihilated in a matter of hours. By all accounts, they’re unstoppable.”

“No one’s unstoppable.” Adol scoffed.

“Their existence would explain the anomalous state of our galaxy, now that I think about it.” Dr. Kella contributed.

“How do you mean?” Aubrey asked.

“Well, given the size and age of our galaxy and the abundance of sentient life, the majority of star systems should have been colonized by advanced races long before we all arrived on the scene. In fact, our galaxy should be overflowing with mega-civilizations by now. Yet, we’ve found very few. What happened to the rest?”

“Self-extinction events. War with other species. Natural disasters.” Adol suggested, still playing devil’s advocate.

“That only accounts for some of the losses. There are still too many gaps.”

“There’s also the fact that most space-faring cultures, like those represented by all of us, possess the same approximate level of technology, plus or minus a few centuries, say between Class H and J on the Richter Scale of Development.” Perboda expanded. “No one has yet explained how that much commonality is possible.”

“You’re saying the Inth have been…’thinning the herd’ so to speak?”

“In so many words, captain. They’re completely dissimilar from us. For all we know, they could have been operating in our galaxy for millions of years---or longer---destroying each interstellar culture as it emerged.”

“Whack-a-Mole, played out on a galactic scale.” Aubrey muttered under his breath. “And we’re the moles.”

Perboda did a double take. “Sir?”

“Forget it.”

Kella hugged herself. For the first time since she’d been captured, her face registered actual fear. “If all this is true and these beings have returned, then every civilization on this side of the galaxy is in danger of extinction.”

“It IS all true.” Pal said. “Everything you’ve been saying and more.”

They all looked down at him with surprise. Dr. Kella knelt beside him. “Doug, how do you feel?”

He shuddered violently. “Horrible. Violated.” He replied simply.

She took his pulse again and then pulled Adol’s uniform tunic closer around him. “Try to stay calm. When we get back to the ship, I’ll take good care of you, I promise. You might even get some of my homemade hasperat if you behave yourself.”

Pal gave no indication he had heard her. But soon, his tortured vision drifted up to Aubrey. “It’s all true, captain. The legends, the horror stories we told around the campfires. It’s even worse than that. You have no idea what they made me see. No idea.”

The captain crouched at his side. “Easy there, Mr. Pal. We’ll get through this. I promise.”

Pal jerked his head back and forth emphatically. “No we won’t. Nobody will. You don’t understand, sir. The Inth disappeared all those years ago because they were…hibernating.”

“And now they’re awake?” Aubrey looked around the dark emptiness and the unseen things that could be hiding just beyond his sight.

Pal looked confused. “No, no. That’s not right. Not hibernating.” All at once his face became animated. “Evolving! That’s it. They were about to evolve into another dimensional plain. They would have left our universe all together.”

“’Would have’?” Kella asked while gently supporting his back.

“Genesis! You did this!” Pal suddenly hissed at Aubrey. He lurched to his feet as Adol and Kella just barely restrained him in time from tackling the captain. Startled, Aubrey sprang up and backed away a few steps.

“You disrupted the whole process with Genesis! You RUINED IT! Now they can’t evolve! Don’t you see? Now we’ll never be free of them!” He began to weep. “They’ll destroy life now, wherever they find it. Everywhere. Everything. They’re angry, so angry.” He looked beseechingly at Aubrey, tears now gushing like faucets. “Why, captain?” He sobbed. “Why did you DO THIS TO US?”

Adol and Kella eased Pal back to the ground. Once again sitting, Pal fell back into a stupor, staring off into the darkness, seeing nothing---or maybe seeing things that were hidden to everyone else.

After making sure Pal was calm again, Kella stood up to find Aubrey standing like a lifeless dummy. Even in the sickly green light, he looked pale as ghost.

“Captain? What do we do now?” Adol asked.

Aubrey was silent.

Perboda tilted his green head in concern. “Captain, can you hear us?”

Kella held up her finger to cut off the chatter. Keeping her voice calm and soothing as she moved closer to him. “Jason, are you there?”

He returned her look, but his face was barren of all emotion.

“Jason, listen to me very carefully. You have to understand that you’re not responsible. You know that, don’t you? There’s no way you could have known.”

Except that wasn’t entirely true, from where Aubrey was standing. He was remembering that nebulas were often habitats for exotic life forms. To destroy one was to risk genocide. He had considered that at the beginning but decided it was worth the risk to save Betazed.

He had lost the gamble. And now, untold billions would pay the price for his mistake.

What came next would be a cataclysm of such scope and magnitude that it was impossible to comprehend. The death toll alone would be incalculable. Even worse, civilization itself would be extinguished in the process, plunging the Alpha Quadrant into a new dark age. And the rampage might not end there. The Inth---now whipped into a fury---could very well march through the rest of the galaxy, devouring everything before them like a legion of army ants set loose on a jungle crop.

Trillions of people, including the crew of the Intrepid, would soon meet a ghastly end.

Jason Aubrey would die among them---and he would draw his last breath with the knowledge that he had unleashed the ultimate apocalypse.

The enormity of that knowledge and the immeasurable guilt that came with was a crushing weight. It threatened to break him, to drive him to his knees in despair.

Of those in attendance, only Dr. Kella Lisern could see that anguish play out between the gaps in Aubrey’s armor. She saw him in that moment, not as an infallible starship captain, but as a frightened and miserable human, who just about now was shouldering a burden that might drive anyone else to suicide.

She wanted to comfort him, to sooth his fractured conscience. She wanted to say it wasn’t his fault that the universe was so unjust. He wasn’t responsible for creating these monsters; they were here already, lurking in plain sight for thousands of years like a ticking time bomb.

To acknowledge his weakness would do her shipmates no favors, however. She saw them looking at Aubrey expectantly, yearning for his next words. Kella realized that she was doing the same. Like them, she wanted equilibrium restored to a world gone mad.

They wanted hope.

It was so damned unfair. They had no right to expect this of him. Because, when all was said and done he was still only a man, a man who was every bit as despondent as the souls around him.

Of course, they expected it of him anyway. He was the captain. He was their captain. And right now they so desperately wanted their captain to light a candle and lead them out of this nightmare.

Aubrey hunched forward and his eyes glazed while his ferocious internal conflict ran its course. Kella could only watch helplessly, daring to believe he would overcome the torrential feelings of guilt and hopelessness that were tearing at his spirit.

When a minute of aching silence had passed, the crew began circulating nervous glances between them.

“Sir?” Adol prompted. “Sir, are you all right?”

It was hard to say if Aubrey would recover his wits anytime soon. He was still slumped, his expression a blank daze, now eerily reminiscent of Douglas Pal’s.

And then, ever so slowly, he straightened to his full height. His shoulder re-aligned. Some fire sputtered back to life behind his eyes. He took a cleansing breath and began to speak again, his voice gathering momentum and confidence with each word that was spent. “They captured us. Why?” He asked. “They could have destroyed us instantly. It’s safe to assume they want to communicate, maybe for the first time in a million years. And where there’s communication there’s hope.”

Adol and Kella looked sideways at each other, their relief apparent.

“So what’s our next move?”

Aubrey pointed down the inclined pathway. “We go communicate, Commander Adol. It’s obvious we’re meant to follow these paths to the bottom.”

Perboda was dubious. “Sir, you realize we’re submitting to their will. It could be interpreted as a submissive gesture.”

Aubrey looked up at the towering Orion and smiled coyly. “I certainly hope so, Counselor. They’re in charge at the moment.”

They began moving down the pathway in single file. Dr. Kella helped Pal walk, while the formable-looking Perboda brought up the rear. Adol insisted on taking point, even over the captain’s objections. He bought out his dagger and kept it at the ready, despite it being a pointless gesture.

Hope.

Together, the five of them descended into the unknown.

 

[CeJay]

Ah Jellico. I missed that guy. He's a no-nonsense, do it my way or the highway, don't take sh** from no-one, no time for mushy feelings kinda guy. It makes him a phenomenal jerk, but sometimes that's just what'cha need to get things done.

Also, let's talk about upping the ante here. And damn, it couldn't really go any higher, could it? Looks like the fate of the entire galaxy hangs in the balance and if the nightmarish stories about the Inth are to be believed (I see no reason so far why they shouldn't) it's really already game over for the galaxy. And it's all Aubrey fault who started the events that lead us here and the potential end of the galaxy as we know it. Prophecy fulfilled?

There seems to be some light at the end of the tunnel, after all, the crew isn't dead yet and they have been brought to this place, seemingly for a reason.

Great to have Intrepid back and at this pinnacle point of this story as well.

This is outstanding, galaxy-shattering stuff, right here.

 

[Galen4]

Chapter 10

​

The sight of a Galor-class Cardassian warship should have brought a smile to Gul Katorn’s face. It didn’t, for he no longer valued his existence.

Timett, no doubt, would have beamed stupidly upon seeing his rescuers, were he still conscious. He didn’t because he wasn’t. Katorn had used a hypo from the medical kit to shut him up some hours ago. He had enjoyed blissful silence since then. He had administered another dose not long ago to preserve the peace.

Katorn fingered the transmit button of the aging subspace radio within the rescue pod, going through the motions of survival. “This is Gul Katorn of the Seventh Order, requesting assistance. My ship was destroyed in combat.” He injected proud dignity into his voice, shooting for the demeanor of a wrongfully dethroned king rather than what he actually was: a humiliated gul who had just lost his ship.

The response was immediate. “This is Gul Palad. Greetings, Katorn. We find you in some difficulty.”

“A shrewd tactical assessment.” Katorn replied wearily. “Now bring us aboard.”

“Who is with you?”

“My pet vole. Keep your voice down or you may wake him.”

“Very amusing. We read another life sign, and it is no vole. Now I ask again, who is with you?”

Katorn began to snap out of his apathetic stupor. Palad’s behavior was odd for such a straightforward rescue operation. “Timett is with me. I’m uncertain if there are other survivors. We have less than an hour of breathable air left.” He raised his voice forcefully. “Initiate transport. Now.”

“You said Timett is with you? Stand by.”

Katorn leaned back, suppressing a dozen retorts. He knew something of Palad. Two months ago he had been a glinn. And so he should have remained. No doubt, he was among those that the Dominion had arranged a hasty and undeserved promotion for, possibly because his family had something to offer. He sighed angrily. Was nothing sacred anymore?

Beside him, overlapping splinters of light marched over Timett and then he vanished. Katorn put his game face back on and awaited his turn.

But what should have been just a few seconds became nearly a minute. He slammed the COMM switch with his fist. “What’s taking so long? Are you having problems with the transporter?”

“No trouble at all.” Palad’s intonation oozed with conceit. “It would seem the great Gul Katorn of the Obsidian Order isn’t accustomed to waiting like a commoner.”

Katorn was aghast. Evidentially, his secret was no longer a secret. He was forced to concede, not for the first time, that the Dominion’s intelligence network was a thing to behold. If his identity was available to pedestrians like “Gul” Palad, then it was now available to everyone. Even if Katorn survived the day, he would never know a moment’s peace.

Still, he was a well-practiced sparring partner with disaster. He recovered quickly. “Everyone knows that. Everyone it seems, but you. You were being tested to see how well informed you are. You’ve made it clear just how lacking your knowledge is. Now, bring me aboard. If you’re quick about it, I’ll forgot to mention this lapse to your superiors.”

He heard Palad sputter and the channel closed for a few seconds. He had faltered at the commanding tone of a more seasoned officer.

Katorn snickered. He began counting down from ten, predicting exactly how long it would take the inexperienced Palad to right himself.

Sure enough, Palad was back on the line by the time Katorn reached “one”. Now his voice was shrill with anger. “Just like your kind. Always with the lies and the subterfuge!”

“I prefer to think of it as a friendly social experiment among peers. You really should learn to have some fun, Palad. After all, have I ever wronged you?”

This time, venomous hatred came through the speakers. “The Obsidian Order has wronged many people. In particular, one who would have been my wife. But why would you care? Did you know I was forced to disown her? Her reputation was destroyed by the Order and mine was threatened as well. Now she’s with another and beyond my reach. I have you and your ilk to thank for that.”

You have your cowardice to thank for that, Katorn decided. Obviously, you fled from her to save yourself. Little wonder she wouldn’t take you back. “So…now you seek retribution. What’s more, you can curry favor by leveraging yourself as the man who saved Timett. I’m sure his family will be very…grateful.”

“I expect no special treatment for saving his life,” Palad said, aware he was speaking on an open channel. “I am pleased to serve the Cardassian people however I can.”

“Ah, a true patriot!” Katorn laughed heartily. “May I at least know your assignment? I’m not the greatest navigator, but it seems you’re going in the wrong direction.”

There was profane muttering. And then: “The Kalandra perimeter, if you must know. We’ll be joining two other vessels to monitor the withdraw of Federation forces.”

Katorn’s face puckered with scorn. “Three ships? You’ve been sent on a fool’s errand, Palad. You should be fortifying Betazed, not chasing an enemy who is already in retreat.”

“That is no longer your concern. Especially since you won’t live to see our victory.”

“Because you’ll destroy me?” Katorn snorted. “I would expect nothing less from you. It would seem the only enemy you can kill is a defenseless one. Your crew must find your courage…inspiring.”

“Oh, your death won’t come that easy, I assure you. I’ll leave you here and let fate decide how soon you perish.” He paused, relishing what he considered to be the coup de grace of this threat. “And don’t expect anyone else to rescue you, either. I’ve made sure the whole fleet knows who and what you really are. You have no friends here, Katorn. No favors to call in. Even the Dominion despises you. Consider that while you drift alone in the blackness.”

“Well, at least I should thank you for giving me this extra leg room.”

Katorn’s composure was maddening. The younger man snapped. “ROT in your tomb, you Obsidian bloodworm!” Palad snarled. “But before you die I want you to remember but a single name. Lanella. That is whom the Order stole from me! Lanella!” The channel went dead.

Through the scratched window of his pod, Katorn watched the destroyer flit away, shooting off towards the nebula at full impulse.

“Lanella,” Katorn mumbled to himself. “Hah.”

If I survive, I might just have to look her up. He thought.

 

[Galen4]

***​

Aubrey had been right about one thing; they were meant to follow the pathways down to a central meeting point. He was both relieved and worried at what he and his officers found waiting for them…

From their vantage point on the high sloping pathway, they looked down to see an enormous cluster of people standing in an open area hundreds of meters in circumference. They were Intrepid’s crew. They mulled about, their voices churning with a collective murmur of agitation.

During their trek, the light had been dull, casting the organic pathways in a soft blur of gloomy luminescence, generated by the energy globe and the phosphorus tissue under their feet. Now they were directly under the primary light source and the energy bubble was rendering everything with the blaze and clarity of a spot light.

Adol, who was leading the decent, looked back at Aubrey with the same blend of relief and anxiety that the captain felt. Aubrey nodded at him to continue and the group moved down to join the crowd.

At the sight of Aubrey and his command staff arriving, the confused rumble of the crowd swelled to exited exclamations. The captain shook hands as he moved through the thicket of crewmembers, pausing here and there to pat some on the back and offer words of comfort.

Dr. Kella recognized a senior nurse from her department and stopped to ask a question. “Mohammed, where are the wounded from sickbay?”

“They’re here, too.” The Middle Eastern man answered at once. “We were all scattered among those pathways up there. The wounded were carried down here and we made room for them on the other end of the platform.” He pointed across the populated floor. “The criticals are stable. Luckily, they were out of immediate danger before…” He shrugged helplessly. “Before this happened, whatever this is.”

“Have there been any new causalities?”

Kella winced at his expression, which telegraphed more bad news. “About a third of the crew was victimized by telepathic probing.” He said. “Many of them are in shock or unconscious. We can’t tell if there’s neural trauma until we get them back to the ship.”

Her tone sharpened to match her piercing glare. “And why aren’t you attending to them?” She demanded. “Our patients should always be your first priority. Or did you miss that day at medical school?”

He stiffened at the reprimand. “Ma’am, to be honest, there isn’t room for me. Our entire medical staff is present and accounted for and they’re already doing what they can for the patients, which, without any equipment, isn’t much…other than keeping the patients comfortable and administering first aid when necessary. So I’ve been helping the seniors officers do a head count and trying to provide moral support.”

Kella brought her emotions up short. Embarrassment quickly followed. “My apologies, nurse. I let my nerves get the better of me.” She smiled out an olive branch. “You were doing the right thing, of course.”

He returned the smile. “It’s alright, doctor. No hard feelings. My nerves are just about shot, too. You have no idea how glad I am that you’re here.”

Adol and the captain had made their way back in time to hear Mohammad’s update. “According to everyone I just spoke with, the only crewmember absent is Commander Shantok.” Adol said uneasily.

“That’s what I was told, as well.” Aubrey confirmed. In truth, he had suspected as much. The throng of crewmembers lacked her orderly leadership.

Adol squinted up past the emerald light bulb over their heads. He put a hand up to hood his eyes, looking in vain over the lattice of twisting bridges above them. “She must still be up there. Maybe she’s injured and can’t move. Request permission to go back and search, captain.”

“Sorry, commander. I appreciate the thought but I can’t risk losing anyone else.”

“All I need is twenty minutes.”

Aubrey shook his head. “With the temporal distortions in this place, twenty minutes could mean twenty hours up there. Besides, you’re acting XO in Shantok’s absence. A stubborn, fearless Andorian is just what the crew needs to see at the moment.”

Adol gave a wry grin. “I do believe there was a compliment hidden in there, someplace. But yes sir, message received and understood.” Both of his antennas bent forward anxiously. “It still feels like were abandoning her.”

“Only for the moment, commander. Only for the moment.”

All at once Perboda stepped next to Aubrey. He was cradling Pal in his arms like a small child. His charge was still in a daze, eyes open, surveying nothing. The counselor poked his hand out from under Pal’s legs. “Captain, it occurs to me we haven’t met formally.”

Aubrey considered the large hand distractedly. “Oh. Well. No need to stand on ceremony, counselor. We’re fairly well acquainted at this point.”

The Orion blinked robotically. His congenial expression slipped away, replaced with a grim intensity. His proffered hand stayed where it was.

Deciding the formality was an important stress reliever for Perboda, Aubrey accepted his hand and squeezed it. “Very good, then. I welcome you aboard, counselor.”

Perboda squeezed back painfully.

“Counselor!” Aubrey barked.

Perboda kept his vice-like a grip for a moment longer before unclasping his hand. The cloudy, dull look in his eyes disappeared abruptly, replaced by concern. “Captain, I’m sorry. I don’t know my own strength sometimes.”

Adol stepped in front of Aubrey while shooting daggers up at the larger man. “This isn’t the time for idiotic accidents. We can’t afford more injuries.” He turned back to the captain. “Are you okay, sir?”

Aubrey was flexing his hand experimentally. “Nothing broken, gentleman. Forget about it. We have more important matters to attend to.”

Dr. Kella turned to Perboda. “Counselor, let’s get Pal over with the other injured crewmembers.”

He nodded sheepishly. “Good idea. Sorry again, sir.”

“I’ll show you the way.” Mohammad volunteered.

As the three moved off into the crowd, Aubrey and Adol came together.

The Andorian jabbed his thumb at Perboda’s towering back, easily visible as he moved into the thicket of bodies around him. “Sir, regardless of what the jolly green giant thinks, I still don’t believe we’ve been captured by the Inth.”

“Don’t worry. I have the feeling the matter will soon be settled, whether we want it to or not. Any other thoughts?”

Adol surveyed the crowd. “From a tactical perspective, it’s bad. The crew is too vulnerable, all grouped together in one place like this. We’ve got no weapons and no immediate shelter. What’s that human expression? ‘Sitting ducks’?”

“True, but we’re stuck with it. I’m sure these all-powerful creatures didn’t go to all this trouble just to destroy us. They want something.”

“So we just wait?”

“Yes. But in the meantime, I need you to keep the crew focused on other tasks. Get them organized. Give them something to do.”

Adol harrumphed. “Aye, sir. But respectfully, wouldn’t they be more comforted by you at the moment?”

“Oh, I’ll be with you, too. But let’s be honest. I’m a soft touch, always have been. You and Shantok are the ones who handle discipline on the ship.” His eyes twinkled with mirth. “If it weren’t for you two, the crew would walk all over me.”

“I have trouble believing that.”

“Regardless, a firm hand is exactly what the doctor ordered. See to it.”

His security chief confirmed his orders and stalked away. Soon, he could be heard shouting for all department heads to assemble around him. Since all their communicators had been removed at some point during the abduction, he was getting things done the old fashioned way.

Aubrey noticed his hand had gone numb. He began massaging it to restore feeling. His over zealous new counselor must have pressed a nerve, he decided. The numbness passed, but it was replaced with a tingling sensation. There was also a bout of dizziness, but it too passed. He shrugged the symptoms off to the environment and soon forgot all about them as he and Adol began to assemble the crew.

Time passed once again. Yet, because of the strange forces at work around the crew, it was difficult to know just how much time had slipped by. All that could be said for sure was that the taut interlude came to the same unsettling end for everyone…

It began with a loud buzzing. The noise came from everywhere as though the crew were standing within a massive beehive that was bustling with activity.

“Drop and cover!” Aubrey shouted over the noise. Those within earshot passed the order along, and within moments the crew was laying flat on their stomachs, arms covering their heads protectively.

The captain and his command officers sank into a crouch, each of them looking frantically in different directions.

“There!” Perboda shouted, pointing off into the dark void.

As everyone watched, the open blackness before them became a whirlwind of gray streaks. Those streaks coalesced into a pillar that was hundreds of meters tall. The buzzing became a jumble of shrieks. The repugnant organic smell worsened to the extent that people began to gag miserably.

“Stay down!” Adol warned, doubtful that anyone had heard him.

The enormous pillar of twisting, slithering grayness was continuing to change. Two mandibles sprouted from the top section. An oval blob oozed out from the apex of the pillar and wobbled there unsteadily, like a glob of Jell-O on a Popsicle stick.

It was a crude, stickman approximation of a humanoid torso. But that soon changed as well.

The transformation progressed quickly. Fine details emerged. The oval became a face, complete with lips eyes and a nose. The extensions turned into actual arms with fingers.

The buzzing noise dwindled and then died away. The powerful smell dissipated. What was left before them made even the most hardened of the crew question their own sanity.

The three hundred meter giant was, quite ridiculously, Commander Shantok. She scowled down at them, blue fire boiling where there should have been pupils and irises.

The assembled crew was struck mute with astonishment---all but the resilient Adol that is, who made his way back to Aubrey’s side. “It’s a projection, captain. It has to be.”

Aubrey wasn’t so sure. The gargantuan figure of Shantok gave the impression of physicality that could be felt in his bones. There was an undeniable sensation of mass about her, as though he were standing in the shadow of a mountain. He had little doubt in his mind that she could crush them all flat with one strike of her mammoth fist.

“Her likeness wasn’t borrowed at random. They must be using her as some kind of conduit. Probably because of her telepathic gifts.” Aubrey speculated.

“It makes sense.” Adol agreed. “They must have tried this with other crewmembers, searching for someone who could survive contact with their minds. That’s probably what happened to poor Doug and the rest.”

“I just hope they haven’t destroyed her in the process.” Aubrey mused darkly.

A shroud of silence descended over the crew as they looked up anxiously, waiting for the leviathan to either speak or attack.

It did neither. In fact, nothing at all happened. Time crawled by at an excruciatingly slow pace.

It was becoming obvious to Aubrey that the ball was firmly in his court. He stepped forward into a clear space, not filled with prone crewmembers. As he did so, Dr. Lafayette’s First Contact Guidelines from the academy began replaying for the hundredth time in him mind. Keep your language simple to give the translator less room for misunderstandings. Even universal concepts can be interpreted differently among species. Avoid gestures in the beginning, body language varies across cultures, etc, etc.

Keeping his hands at his side, he looked up at the enormous image. “I’m Captain Jason Aubrey of the Federation starship Intrepid. We are peaceful and mean you no harm.”

At the sound of his voice, the giant Shantok furrowed her brow, causing her eyebrows to form a black V shape. The frothing blue energy began to churn in agitation. It spilled from her sockets and blue veins began to creep down her face.

She opened her mouth and a horrendous scream tore at Aubrey’s ears. Or was it his mind? A million voices, a hundred trillion voices, a jumble of roars and threats, eons of genocide and history…it all crashed into him at once. An agonizing cry was forced from his lungs and he crumpled to his knees.

Adol sank down and grabbed him by the shoulders. “Captain! Talk to me. Focus on my voice…”

The mental assault switched off as suddenly as it had come. In it’s wake there was knowledge, knowledge that only confirmed his worst fears. But it still wasn’t enough, not nearly enough to satisfy Aubrey. He pushed the Andorian away and staggered back to his feet.

“Sir, don’t try this again. Even talking to these creatures is dangerous! Let them initiate the next contact.”

The warning was ignored. He waived Adol back. His brain was pounding with what ancient people might have called a “migraine” but he pressed forward anyway. “I accept full responsibility for interrupting your evolution. But it wasn’t intentional. If you must punish someone, I ask that you punish me alone. Spare my crew. Spare the Alpha Quadrant.”

“Captain!” Adol exclaimed. “What are you doing?”

This time there was nothing, not even an invasive mental barrage.

Aubrey held his arms upward, now trying a different tact. “I know you’re in pain. Let us help you!”

It was hard to say if his last comment brought a reaction, or the timing was just coincidental. However, it was then that the enormous Shantok began to liquefy, her features melting into an oozing black tar. The flaring eyes went dark as her sockets filled with muddy fluid. The alien’s body---if one could call it that---began to ripple and slosh, as if tiles were shuffling just under sheen of black oil.

“Everyone! On your feet!” Adol belted out. The crew began hopping up like marionettes jerked erect by a puppet master.

Aubrey gave up trying to fend off Adol’s protection, realizing that neither force nor rank would dislodge the Andorian from his duty. His only recourse was to step backward, so that his “bodyguard” would be forced to accompany him.

The thing that had looked like Shantok no longer bore a resemblance to anything even remotely humanoid. It was a grotesque combination of bird and crocodile--- all teeth, scales and feathers, with insect features thrown in for good measure. It could have passed for a horrific transporter accident in which half a dozen species had been merged together by mistake. Other elements of the alien remained fuzzy and continued to blur in and out, eluding any coherent patterns.

Enormous, spider-like arms unfolded from the creature’s upper body. It’s height shot upward again, nearly doubling its size.

In those last moments Aubrey finally understood why these creatures had evoked such terror throughout the cosmos. This was how it felt to be in the presence of life so utterly foreign that one rejected it on a primal level. He now knew, for the first time, what it was like to be no more significant than a smear of bacteria. He felt from the Inth what every other race must have felt just before they were destroyed; utter disgust and hatred for anything not Inth---and a pathological need to annihilate all other sentient life.

The light began to darken. He looked up just in time to see a monstrous shadow blot out the energy globe above him and envelope his ship.

It was then that he heard the Inth speak with it’s own voice, perhaps for the first time in the history of the universe. It was a deafening rumble, mixed within a symphony of cracks and hisses, as if the elements themselves had magically been granted the power of speech…

“COMPLETE US.”

Something fell from the darkness. Aubrey just had time to discern a sharp outline before it was upon him. A massive pincer---much like a scorpion’s or a crab’s---clamped painfully over his waist.

Adol watched in shock as the captain was snapped high into the air, his legs kicking helplessly as he disappeared into the blackness above.

“JASON!” Dr. Kella lunged after him.

“No Doctor!” Adol grabbed her, trying to drag her back to the relative safety of the group. They fell to the floor and she landed on his stomach, momentarily knocking the wind from his gut.

The situation unraveled with dreamlike horror. Thousands of slimy tentacles descended over the crew, writhing and clutching with malevolent determination.

Adol rolled on top of Dr. Kella, trying to shield her from the dense tangle of limbs. He removed his combat knife and slashed for all he was worth. But the things were everywhere. They soon coiled about his arms and torso. Like Aubrey before him, the Andorian was hoisted into the air.

The last thing he heard before blacking out was the screams of the crew around him.