The Pebbled Sea

[BrotherBenny]

Since I have been working on my crime novel and not getting very far with it, I thought I'd spend a little time on reworking the Triton series. Now an Intrepid-class ship called the Dauntless, I have totally reworked the story and I'll post occasionally when the chapters are done.

Hopefully there won't be cliffhangers that will have you waiting for days or weeks before I post again, but I'll try to keep it on the move.

The story has almost completely changed though the more retentive of you who have read the Triton series since the beginning will notice some of the same elements. Don't be afraid to pull me up on things I get wrong, it's the best way to get better.

Here's the prologue.

 

[BrotherBenny]

PROLOGUE

Federation Timeship Enterprise, NCC-1701-R, June 11, 2945 (Old Calendar)
Blasts of phaser fire rocked the ship as the inertial dampers whined in protest. The holographic tactical display flickered a few times before disappearing altogether, probably for the last time, thought Lieutenant K’Tyra Parker, the half-Klingon tactical officer. On the old-fashioned viewscreen, she saw the quartet of Cha’lav cruisers come around for another pass and then fire a volley of temporal flux torpedoes. She felt the ship shudder as the torpedoes penetrated the unprotected hull. She knew that this was a suicide mission; Admiral Dexx had told them that much but every single one of them had elected to stay on board regardless. This would be the deciding factor in the war, and most likely the last battle too. The Cha’lav had built up a massive fleet over several months for what seemed like a final assault against Allied forces and Starfleet was stretched to breaking point. Every available ship had been drafted into service but Starfleet was still outnumbered by at least two to one.

The Enterprise was the lead ship in a fleet of thirty cruisers which was leading an assault on one of the larger shipyards in Cha’lav-occupied space, formerly the Klingon Empire. It wasn’t a glorious mission since destroying the shipyards was only part of it. The remainder of the mission was highly classified and would be for her alone, provided she survived the next few minutes. The Cha’lav cruisers had broken off their attack as the Enterprise appeared to be adrift and leaking plasma and air from most decks. It wasn’t an act. The recent battles had taken their toll on the timeship and it really was on the verge of falling apart at the seams. The shuttle was waiting for his order to execute the mission, but she needed to be aboard.

‘All hands abandon ship, repeat, all hands abandon ship.’ Admiral Dexx had always intended to give the order since the mission called for the flagship to be destroyed. It would provide a distraction while he crept aboard the Cha’lav Control Ship and entered their most sacrosanct room.

After several minutes passed, she and the Admiral were the last two on the bridge and he finally gave the order. ‘Computer, initiate autodestruct, authorisation Dexx-Bolius-Alpha-Omega-execute.’

‘Autodestruct sequence engaged. Eight second silent countdown,’ the computer replied.

‘Dexx to Shuttlecraft Picard, two to beam aboard.’

As the two of them materialised aboard the Picard, the most advanced shuttle ever designed, Dexx raised the shields to maximum and initiated the ablative hull armour generator. The destruction of the Enterprise would be a violent one and he needed to make sure that they survived. This was the most important thing that they would ever do, and Parker knew that she alone would survive it.

The shuttle was cocooned in the ablative hull and she felt the Enterprise explode around her. She inwardly wept for the loss of the once-majestic timeship, the pride of the Federation for more than a century, but she had a job to do that would save trillions of lives. This ship would once again be built, but she would not be alive to see it. Using the holographic wraparound helm controls, Dexx manoeuvred the Picard so that he appeared to be a piece of debris until he was close enough to the Cha’lav Control Ship. All around him drifted the hulks of his fleet, the hundreds of people who had believed that this mission was to destroy the shipyards and help prevent the inevitable. The Federation had lost by numbers. The Cha’lav had far more ships and personnel to fill them. Of the seven hundred member races of the Federation, only representatives of seventy-three still lived. Many had their planets wiped out or their populations annihilated or erased from history using a weapon stolen from the Krenim, a race from the Delta Quadrant which had fallen to the Cha’lav early on in the war.

‘The Control Ship is within range,’ Parker said, watching the information scroll across her screen.

Dexx powered up the weapons system. Parker knew that they would only get one chance at this before the Cha’lav blew his ship to pieces. Dexx sent out a number of tachyon bursts to disrupt the Cha’lav ship’s shields, and when they reset their shield harmonics they beamed aboard.

‘I still think we should carry more than a phaser and tricorder,’ Parker muttered.

‘This section of the ship is unpopulated. We should be able to make our way to the tertiary control centre without being detected.’

‘It looks like some kind of cargo bay.’

‘There are only a few crates in here, not much of a cargo bay.’

‘That depends on how long they have been here without being restocked. Pity we didn’t know this sooner. They don’t have supply lines.’

‘You can find out where they come from during the course of your mission. It was one of the parameters,’ Dexx replied and reached for the door.

It blew inward and he was thrown across the room. A dozen Cha’lav warriors entered, firing in all directions. Parker had been crouching to the side of the door and mowed down half the soldiers before they realised what was going on. Dexx began firing and within seconds, the warriors were all dead.

‘That was fun,’ Parker deadpanned.

‘So much for not being detected,’ Dexx muttered. ‘There’s no need for stealth now. Let’s just get this done.’

Running into the corridor, they consulted their tricorders and headed aft, toward the centre of the ship where the most closely-guarded Cha’lav secret was kept.

It had been a coup, turning one of their own agents against them, and he had agreed to give them the information. Starfleet Intelligence also found out that there was a rebellion brewing amongst the Cha’lav races but that did them little good. The high level meetings which were a result of the information led to a decision that the Federation President, the third Romulan to hold the post, had agreed to only as a last resort, as in the case of his death, which occurred just days later.

As the Bolian and Klingon-human crept cautiously along corridors, they heard the sounds of battle clearly and knew that almost none of the fleet had survived. While it upset her greatly, she knew that it would soon be of no consequence.

‘My tricorder isn’t helping now,’ Parker said. ‘I’m just getting static.’

‘We’re nearing our goal.’

‘Easy for you to say, sir. This is easiest part of the mission for me.’

Dexx smiled. ‘Only you would say that, Lieutenant. Besides, we wouldn’t need to do this if the Department of Temporal Operations had been a little smarter.’

‘Never underestimate the stupidity of politicians.’

‘We’ll probably be in for a fight here. This is supposed to be the most heavily guarded part of the ship.’

‘Doesn’t sound like it’s guarded, sounds deserted.’

Dexx listened hard but heard nothing except the usual ship sounds. As they rounded the corner, they saw that it was not heavily guarded at all. The eight armed guards were dead, killed by a blade that lay on the ground.

Dexx picked it up and immediately recognised it as an ushaan-tor, an Andorian ritual blade.

‘Someone beat us to it,’ he said and frowned. ‘I thought Andor was annihilated by the Krenim weapon.’

‘It was, but a few Andorians did survive, especially those that served on timeships. Once the shield failed it was all over for them, since the personal shields don’t have a long life expectancy.’

‘Well,’ Dexx replied. ‘One of them survived and used this chamber for something. Let’s hope it is still intact.’

They entered the room. It was functional but had little in the way of aesthetics, like most Cha’lav technology. In the very centre of the large, cavernous room was a raised platform that could easily hold eight to ten people and just below it was a control console. It was the only technology in the room except for the door sensor. The platform glowed with an eerie blue light and Dexx set about programming in the coordinates. Starfleet had spent months working out what the best coordinates would be and the specific time had been pinpointed.

‘You’d better get up there,’ Dexx waved his phaser toward the platform.

Parker strode up the steps and stood in the very centre of the platform. ‘I hope to Grethor this works.’

‘Lieutenant, if this doesn’t work, the Cha’lav will take over the galaxy and everything will be lost. Good luck.’

He started the countdown sequence and watched the door, knowing that the build-up of chronometric energy would be noticed sooner or later. The blue glow of the temporal transporter engulfed Parker and he watched her dematerialise.

The doors opened and a Cha’lav woman entered. Dexx had never seen her species before and he fired before she could pull her weapon up. The phaser beam bounced off her chest and fizzled into the deck plating. He instinctively ducked as she fired at him and her beam hit the console. Dexx’s eyes widened. She knew exactly what she was doing and her well-aimed shot jumbled the coordinates he had set. He looked up at Parker’s shocked face as she dematerialised. She could end up anywhen. His last thought was to hope that she was still in time to prevent the tragedy from occurring.

Then the Cha’lav woman shot him.

 

[TheLoneRedshirt]

You sure like to start a story with a bang - literally! Blowing up the Enterprise right off the bat is pretty radical. Lot's of fast action in the prologue - I'm looking forward to more! :thumbsup:

 

[DavidFalkayn]

What a way to start a series! I'm looking forward to seeing where you take this.

 

[BrotherBenny]

Re: The Pebbled Sea - Chapter ONE

CHAPTER ONE

Kursican Orbital Platform, stardate 57249.6
She stared out of the window at the former prison station and wondered why she had been ordered to the edge of the explored galaxy with hardly a word of explanation. Her extended leave wasn’t even halfway through and she found herself recalled to active duty and sent express delivery on this cramped scout ship. It was a Vulcan long-range scout, the only one available at such short notice, and as she got closer to the Platform she noticed a starship warp away. Forcing her eyes back to the incarceration platform, Captain Leza Astar could quite easily pick out the external modifications to the station to bring it up to Starfleet standards. The weapons had been upgraded from what she had been able to read up on the place, and the docking ports had been modified to fit any vessels, not just Kursican ones, since this area of the Beta/Delta Quadrant border was about to be opened up.

Externally, Astar didn’t think that the Platform deserved the title of Starbase, but on all the new star charts it was officially listed as Starbase 535. Astar brushed an errant hair from her face and tried to recall the sketchy facts she knew about this operation. Just after the war, the Kursicans had applied for Federation membership but the issues between several worlds in the system made that difficult and then a former Starfleet officer had kidnapped a Federation diplomat and turned the Platform into a spinning free-for-all. It had taken the Corps of Engineers to get everything back under control and rescue the diplomat before the Kursicans killed him and most of the rebels. Since then there had been a change of government and the Federation Council had made them a protectorate, turning their prison station into a barely-operational starbase from which a handful of new colonies were protected and the Delta Quadrant border was watched.

The scout docked with the station with barely a sound and she hefted her duffel. She couldn’t wait to leave the cramped confines but as soon as she stepped onto the newly-carpeted starbase, she walked into a young woman standing at attention.

‘Can I help you, Cadet?’ she asked, noticing her rank insignia.

‘I was assigned by Commander Logan to escort you to your quarters, Captain.’

‘Thank you, but I would like to see Commander Logan as soon as possible.’

‘You will, sir, but he is in a meeting at the moment and does not wish to be disturbed.’

Astar nodded her head, resigned to the fact that she would be waiting around for a while. ‘Is there a holodeck on the starbase? I’d like to get involved in a holonovel if I have time.’

The Cadet smiled. ‘Deck seventy-nine, former prison cells. It’s the largest holodeck in the sector.’

Astar returned the smile. ‘Alright, take me to my quarters and then I’ll take a tour of the starbase if you have the time.’

‘I was asked to give you a tour, ma’am.’

‘“Captain” is fine, Cadet, or sir, anything but “ma’am.”’

‘Aye sir,’ the young woman replied.

‘What’s your name, Cadet?’

‘Maria, sir. Maria Snowcroft.’

‘Well, Maria, let’s get going. I’m sure that the cramped scout wants to return home as soon as possible.’

‘Aye sir, this way.’

Astar found herself led through corridors that seemed to go nowhere, only to end at bulkheads which turned out to be doors. This was by far the strangest starbase she had ever been on, eclipsing even the weirdness that was the Cardassian monstrosity of Deep Space Nine. The starbase was impressive but Command probably had it rushed into service and the Corps of Engineers weren’t able to get everything working, including the atmosphere scrubbers in certain areas. The air smelled stale and Astar wondered if the young woman by her side noticed it over the aroma of her shampoo, or whatever it was that made her smell sweet. She blinked to clear her head of those thoughts and cursed her former executive officer for being so distracting. Cadet Snowcroft stopped outside a set of doors that looked like they belonged to a shuttlepod.

‘Are these my quarters?’

‘Yes, sir. They’re a little small but the Commander is hoping to knock a few hundred bulkheads down just as soon as the engineers get the Operations Centre fully operational.’

‘Have there been problems?’ Astar asked, frowning that Command would send her all this way just to see a barely-working starbase. She just hoped that she wasn’t going to get command of this bucket.

‘A few, sir, but Commander Logan says not to worry. Everything will work out just fine, always does.’

‘An enlightened philosophy.’

‘Says he learned it on the Enterprise.’

‘I wouldn’t be surprised. Can you give me a few minutes to freshen up before we continue the tour?’

‘Aye sir.’

‘I won’t be long.’

Less than ten minutes later, Cadet Snowcroft was leading Astar through the Hanging Gardens, eight decks of gardens made from three cell blocks. A good use for a bad place. There was even a slight breeze in the air and the scent of flowers. A drop of water landed on her nose and she wrinkled it, brushing off the droplet.

‘What the…?’

‘Sorry, sir, it’s about to rain, we should find some cover.’

‘Rain?’ she asked incredulously.

‘The atmospheric controls here work too well. The Hanging Gardens have their own climate.’

‘I guess it gives a more realistic experience,’ Astar replied.

‘I said the same thing,’ a man said, his voice echoing slightly through the Gardens.

‘Commander, sir,’ Snowcroft replied and snapped to attention.

‘As you were, Cadet. I believe your duty shift ended half an hour ago.’

‘Aye sir, Captain,’ Snowcroft smiled and headed for the exit.

Astar smiled briefly and buried it, but Logan caught it. ‘I think she’s too young for you, sir.’

‘Commander Logan, I presume,’ she replied and held out her hand.

Logan took it and shook it, briefly, before breaking contact. ‘I guess you’re wondering why you’ve been sent to the ass-end of the galaxy?’

‘I was,’ Astar answered, inwardly holding her breath.

‘Well, if it eases your concerns, you’re not taking this heap of junk from me. I was assigned here for two reasons. The first is to help the Kursicans find their place in the Federation family, and the second is to find out what the hell is happening around here.’

‘Commander?’

‘Over the last few months there have been reports of alien intruders into the sovereign territory of several dozen worlds, all of which have ended with one male and one female, one of each gender if there are more, being kidnapped. Command fast-tracked this starbase into operation when the aliens kidnapped two Federation citizens, one of which was the son of the Denobulan Ambassador to the Federation.’

‘That sounds serious.’

‘I’ve had a starship on site for the last month, going over the locations of the abductions with a micro-scanner. They found only the barest hint of alien DNA, and it matches nothing in our database.’

‘Why am I here?’

‘Starfleet feels that although this starbase is primarily here for the Kursicans and the twenty or so colonies, there is also a need for us to get to know our neighbours, since they will hopefully be bordering Federation space soon. You have been assigned to “fly the flag,” so to speak.’

‘I don’t exactly have a ship, unless I’m using your shuttles.’

Logan smiled. ‘Actually, Captain, you do have a ship. She left as you were arriving.’

‘I saw a ship leave, but I have no idea what it was.’

‘The Dauntless is an Intrepid-class ship, latest one out of the shipyards. She’ll be back after her patrol around the system when you will officially take command.’

‘To be honest, I’m surprised I’m getting another ship.’

‘What happened to the Monarch was not your fault, Captain. You wouldn’t still be wearing the uniform if you had been found negligent in any way. Your first officer is Aaron Wright, former executive officer of the Quebec.’

‘The one who got his captain killed?’ Astar asked.

‘He was found innocent, Captain Astar,’ Logan admonished. ‘But keep an eye on him. I think he’s dangerous but Admiral T’Lane believes he deserves a second chance. “It is, after all, logical,”’ he quoted.

Astar snorted. ‘Sure it is.’

‘The Dauntless is scheduled to return to the Plat at 1600 tomorrow. I would like you to leave as early as possible after that time to rendezvous with the Weisskopf and transfer equipment and supplies. For now, the Weisskopf and the Dauntless are the only ships I have at my disposal so you’ll be doing a lot of menial labour, and hopefully getting some exploring in.’

‘Aye sir, I guess I have some reading to do in the meantime.’

‘Indeed you do, Captain. I’ll be in Operations if you need me for anything.’

‘Thank you, Commander. This has been a most interesting day.’

‘I hope it will continue to prove interesting. Our jobs should never be boring.’

‘Did the Enterprise turn you into a philosopher, Commander?’

‘No, the war did that. Helped me get through it, in fact. I trust you can find your way back to your quarters?’

‘As soon as the rain stops.’

‘You might be in for a bit of a wait. The last time it rained, it rained for two days solid.’

Astar sighed. ‘Maybe I’ll just wait for a little while. I have a lot to think about.’

‘I’ll leave you to it then, Captain,’ Logan said and dashed off into the rain.


USS Weisskopf, New Tokyo, stardate 57251.1
The sound of the transporter filled the air and Commander Dhrex turned to see his commanding officer materialising at the edge of the village. Captain Gregory Drummond rarely stepped off the ship, allowing his officers to take point on away missions, so when he did appear there was usually a good reason for it. He was in his eighth decade but still looked like fifty because he always took pride in his appearance and never worried about anything. Dhrex, on the other hand, always worried for his captain and looked a good decade older than he was. The Denobulan left the security detail and headed toward the captain, who strode faster in his direction. They met less than ten metres from the cordoned off area.

‘Is there a problem, Captain?’ Dhrex asked when he saw his superior’s expression.

Drummond nodded. ‘It looks like we’re finally being relieved. Starfleet are sending an Intrepid-class ship to take over here. We’re to continue with our scheduled colony run.’

‘How soon? We still need to run soil analyses.’

‘Then run them, the ship won’t be here for another day at least. We’ll transfer supplies and data and then head over to Parisol Five.’

‘I hate that system, too many asteroids.’

‘Inform the crew, Commander. I want to leave this backwater planet as soon as we’ve handed everything to whatever luckless captain is lumbered with this mission.’

‘Aye sir,’ Dhrex replied and watched his captain walk over to the cordoned off zone where the two people had been taken.

He knew that Drummond didn’t want to be stuck in one place for too long, especially when there was nothing for him to do, but Command had made this kidnapping a top priority and now they had sent what was essentially a ship of the line to fly the flag. Dhrex knew that the Intrepid-class ship wasn’t just here to finish the job that his crew had started. They had another mission and he intended to provide them with as much information as possible in order to complete it. Whatever aliens had been taking people had certainly not counted on Starfleet getting involved, for if they had, they had severely underestimated its determination.

‘Commander!’ Drummond yelled and Dhrex realised that he was looking skyward, and that the captain had been calling him for several minutes.

‘Sorry, sir,’ Dhrex replied.

‘Lieutenant Banks informs me that you have already run soil samples, Commander. What exactly are you hoping to find if you run them again?’

Dhrex frowned. ‘I lied to you, Captain. I know you don’t want this assignment, but since Command has their panties in a twist, I thought it might be a good idea to provide the new ship with everything we can. I wanted to run a spectrographic analysis on the air in the area and around the region based on wind patterns, to see if there was anything airborne that the aliens might have left behind, and if any of that made it into the soil elsewhere.’

Drummond laughed. ‘Commander, you’re right. I don’t want this mission and I think that Command is worrying for nothing. People disappear all the time. If one of them wasn’t the son of a diplomat, I doubt we’d even be here, but now that politicians dictate our missions, I just feel as if our mission is no longer exploration.’

And that was the crux of the matter. Dhrex had heard the rumours but dismissed them. Drummond’s application for command of a Luna-class ship had been turned down and he had been feeling depressed ever since, but until now it had not interfered in his job. ‘Sir, our mission is to explore the boundaries of space, and our minds. There is a mystery here.’

‘Commander, with all due respect, it is not my mission and I don’t care about all these people being kidnapped.’

The transporter hum filled the air again. ‘Thank you, Commander,’ Lieutenant Carl Vallejo said once he had materialised. ‘Captain Gregory Drummond, under the authority of Starfleet Medical, I hereby relieve you of your command pending an official psychiatric evaluation. Come with me please.’

Drummond looked at them both. ‘You planned this.’

‘No sir, we didn’t,’ Dhrex replied. ‘You did this to yourself.’

The captain sighed and walked a few steps away, waiting for the doctor.

‘The ship’s yours, Commander,’ Vallejo said and then walked over to the captain. ‘Vallejo to Weisskopf, two to beam up.’

‘Commander, I think we have something,’ Lieutenant Banks called out.

‘Report!’

‘We’ve got DNA traces identical to those found at the other sites where people have been taken, but the species profiles are slightly different.’

‘Meaning?’

‘Biology isn’t my area of expertise, sir,’ the tactical officer replied. ‘Doctor Vallejo should take a look at this. He’ll be able to tell you what it means.’

Dhrex nodded. This was turning out to be a lot more complicated than he had planned. He saw two possibilities and neither was very palatable. Either there were two or more species doing the kidnapping, or it was one species with DNA that was completely unknown to Starfleet or the Federation.

‘Send samples back up to the ship, Lieutenant, maximum biohazard containment. I’m going to have another chat with the Governor.’

‘He prefers the term Prefect, sir, since he is the leader of the New Tokyo Prefecture.’

Dhrex sighed. ‘Isn’t that being a little egotistical?

Banks shrugged. ‘He can call himself whatever he wants, sir. You can call him whichever you prefer.’

‘Calling him a Prefect sounds too pompous, but if he wants me to call him that, who am I to argue.’

Banks smiled. ‘You’re going to call him Governor.’

‘Just to bait him, Lieutenant. I am not a hardass.’

‘Of course not, sir.’

Dhrex chuckled to himself as he walked into the village. It was more of a town but being mostly Japanese, the townsfolk had decided that whatever size the place was, it was the only prefecture on the planet and so its governor was a prefect. They had used the original name in the language, Tokyo-to, which had been used over three hundred years ago, before many of the islands had disappeared beneath the rising tides of the post-atomic horror. The buildings were of the same minimalist design that the Japanese had been using for centuries and it amazed him that these simple buildings still stood, for the world of New Tokyo was known for its storms.

‘Prefect Kuwata of Tokyo-to, I am Commander Dhrex, first officer of the Federation starship Weisskopf.’

‘Do not mock me, Federation,’ Kuwata Katsuo said boldly. ‘You are here only because an important Denobulan was kidnapped. When you leave we will be alone again and in peace.’

‘Prefect, we will not leave you alone. Another ship is rendezvousing with us and either that vessel or this one will make regular patrols of the sector.’

Katsuo narrowed his eyes, looking for falsehood and found none. ‘I see, but what of the alien craft that did this. Have you found any trace of it?’

‘We haven’t,’ Dhrex admitted.

‘What about the identity of the aliens?’

‘We’re working on that now, Prefect.’

‘If you say so.’

‘The chief medical officer is looking at DNA samples as we speak and I hope he will have information soon.’

‘You want the glory for yourself, and not to share it with your brothers and sisters on that other vessel. Your pride is not worthy, whether you succeed or not. You are all one. What happens to one of you; happens to you all. Your successes and failures belong to all.’

Dhrex recognised that he was being given a lecture and accepted it, for there was a grain of truth in it. ‘I will return before we leave orbit.’

‘I’m sure you will, Commander. Have a pleasant evening.’

Dhrex bowed his head in respect and then returned to the beam down site. Lieutenant Banks was the only one still there and they both beamed back to the ship together.

‘Lieutenant, you have the conn until I return to the bridge. I want to stop by sickbay first.’

‘For the Captain or the DNA?’

‘Both,’ Dhrex answered, glaring at the unrepentant tactical officer.

‘Aye sir.’

Dhrex stepped off the transporter and left the room before he hit his best friend. While Banks was an expert marksman with any type of weapon, including his wit, his interpersonal skills often left something to be desired. But then he knew a lot of people like that, including his very own captain.

Doctor Vallejo was staring at his computer screen and frowning at it.

‘Problem, Doc?’

Vallejo looked up. ‘Whatever this species is, there are several of them.’

‘Run that by me again, in Standard.’

‘I ran the DNA profile through the database and it initially matched nothing. Then I ran it again, this time looking for the near matches rather than perfect matches and I came up with something. Do you remember the Xindi?’

Dhrex slumped. ‘The first aliens to attack Earth, back in the twenty-second century. Tell me this isn’t the Xindi?’

‘It isn’t the Xindi, but there are several characteristics in the DNA you found down there that are quite similar.’

‘In what way?’

‘The base pairs are identical to those found at the other sites, but the rest is not.’

‘In Standard, Doc.’

‘The genotype of all the samples of identical, indicating that they all come from the same genetic species, but the phenotype is different, incorporating DNA that we would regard as non-humanoid.

‘So you’re saying what exactly?’

‘Did you read the report on the Neyel that Captain Riker brought back from the Smaller Magellanic Cloud?’

‘They used genetic manipulation to survive.’

‘And in doing so, changed their phenotype, but they read genetically as human.’

‘Let me see if I have this straight,’ Dhrex said, trying to work through his own confusion. ‘The DNA we have been finding all read as the same basic species, but they may have several sub-species like the five or six Xindi species.’

Vallejo nodded. ‘Exactly. What I have found so far indicates avian, reptilian, amphibian and primate phenotype variants.’

‘How many could there be?’

‘Well, there could also be aquatic, arboreal, and insectoid at the very least. We could only guess base on the Xindi variants that we know of.’

‘If only we had a Xindi on board, we might be able to get some help on this situation.’

‘Since they’re not members of the Federation that might be difficult.’

‘There is one Xindi-Primate in Starfleet.’

‘And she is assigned to one of the Luna-class ships, which one escapes me at the moment,’ the doctor replied. ‘We could contact Starfleet and ask for more detailed information.’

‘Which they would be unlikely to give us. Even now, the information on the Xindi is kept on a need-to-know basis.’

‘Why?’

‘They asked to be left alone, and you may notice that the Federation have not even tried to explore the area that once held the Delphic Expanse. It is considered Xindi territory and off limits.’

‘Seems like they get what they want and we’re left with a place we can’t explore.’

‘It was a compromise, Doctor. They weren’t allowed to explore beyond that area and are essentially hemmed in by the Federation on all sides. Since their abortive attempt to destroy humanity, they have become wildly xenophobic.’

‘I guess it’s the best we can hope for, but there may come a time when they decide to have another go.’

‘And I hope that if such a day comes, we’ll be ready for them.’

‘You had better inform Commander Logan of what we’ve found, Commander. It might change the entire nature of the situation.’

‘I plan to as soon as we’re finished here. How’s the Captain?’

Vallejo sighed and stood up from his desk, leading Dhrex to the biobed where the captain was sleeping. ‘He’s not himself.’

‘Doc, I could have figured that one out without you telling me that.’

Vallejo shook his head. ‘That wasn’t what I meant. Look at his brainwaves, there is another consciousness in there.’

Dhrex uttered a curse. ‘Is this linked to the DNA?’

‘I wish I knew, but I hope not.’

‘Damn, Logan isn’t gonna like this one bit.’

‘You’re the lucky one, he has to tell Command.’

Dhrex smiled wanly. ‘Yeah, but I still have to tell him that his job has just gotten a lot harder.’

‘Good luck with that.’


USS Dauntless, en route to New Tokyo, stardate 57253.9
Commander Aaron Wright stood by the captain’s desk in her ready room while she finished reading his latest report. He was getting impatient and started to fidget slightly, sure that she was deliberately making him wait. Wright knew that he had a reputation in Starfleet and it was deserved, at least in part, but he knew that it wasn’t his fault entirely. It was just that no captain had given him the chance to explain, they had just kept him at arm’s length.

‘Commander, take a seat and stop hopping from foot to foot, it’s driving me mad,’ Astar said without taking her eyes off the report.

‘Thank you, sir.’

‘Tell me why we’re doing sensor sweeps of this sector.’

Wright frowned. ‘Sir?’

Astar looked up. ‘Why are we completing sensor sweeps of this sector instead of actually going to our rendezvous with the Weisskopf?’

Wright shrugged. ‘I honestly don’t know, sir. We received a message to hold station almost two hours ago from Commander Logan and haven’t heard anything since.’

‘Have we received any communications from the Weisskopf?’

‘Not yet, sir, you’d think they would be anxious for us to replace them.’

‘Finally,’ Astar said, leaning back. ‘An opinion. Tell me, Commander, why have we been on this ship for almost a day and barely said a word to each other?’

‘I can’t say, sir.’

‘Hogwash,’ Astar replied. ‘We both know of your reputation in the fleet, but here and now let me tell you that I don’t give a vole’s ass about it. I know only what I’ve read in your jacket and it doesn’t say much beyond the fact that you like to be a hardass and a stickler for protocol, and the fact that you seem to have a knack for getting your commanding officers killed. On this ship, you are my first officer. You act the way you want to act and we’ll see what happens, but I will be honest with you. When I heard that you were assigned as my exec I didn’t want you, but I decided to find out why you were assigned to this ship. No one has been able to give me a straight answer and I don’t like that.’

‘I don’t understand.’

‘Neither do I, Commander, but I will. If Command thinks that they have just got another puppet, they’re wrong. I’m quite happy to jump to their tune, it’s my job as a Starfleet officer, but I don’t like being used, by anyone.’

‘Captain to the bridge please,’ the tactical officer called over the comm.

‘Now we’re getting somewhere,’ Astar muttered. ‘Come on, Commander; let’s see what’s got everyone in a twist.’

Astar emerged onto the bridge first and Wright went straight to his seat, surreptitiously noticing everyone on the bridge. The conn officer looked bored, but he was alert. The tactical and operations officers at the rear of the bridge were both watching the viewscreen which no longer showed the empty starscape, but the Federation logo, indicating an open subspace signal and a waiting message.

‘Commander Logan on subspace, sir,’ Lieutenant K’Tyra Parker said.

‘Onscreen,’ Astar said.

Wright sat back, safe in the knowledge that this might finally be the break in his career that he wanted, provided that he didn’t screw it up again. This woman was giving him a second chance and he had to be careful. She was shrewd and would notice the slightest things that he did.

‘Captain, I wanted to apologise for keeping you waiting, but after the disturbing report from Commander Dhrex aboard the Weisskopf, I needed to speak with Command urgently.’

‘What’s going on?’

‘I’m not going to reveal it over an open comm channel, secured or otherwise. Suffice it to say that until further notice, there is to be no unauthorised comm traffic whatsoever from any vessel in the sector. If there anything that you need to say urgently, send it in an encrypted microburst transmission. Commander Dhrex will give you the low-down when you rendezvous at New Tokyo.’

‘We’ll get back underway immediately.’

‘Good, from here on in, you are under radio silence, Logan out.’

‘That was different,’ Astar said. ‘What do you make of it, Commander?’

Wright turned to face her. ‘Something has Command spooked and I don’t like what it bodes for us.’

‘Ensign, resume course for New Tokyo, maximum warp.’

‘Aye sir, New Tokyo at warp nine point seven. Estimated time to arrival sixteen hours and eleven minutes.’

‘Engage.’

The Dauntless’ nacelles rose into position and the ship surged into warp, leaving their ion trail behind. Wright could feel the jump to warp and Astar’s gaze on him.

‘Captain, permission to run drills.’

‘Granted,’ Astar replied and turned to her tactical officer. ‘Lieutenant Parker, what is your opinion of the situation?’

‘I believe that the reason for us being assigned to the Kursican sector has just changed. If, as you say, we were assigned here to fly the flag, explore this region, and discover who was kidnapping these aliens, I would say that the latter reason has just become top priority.’

‘What makes you say that?’ Astar asked, knowing that something about her jacket didn’t quite add up.

‘The Weisskopf is examining the site where the Federation citizens were taken from and a report from the first officer has suddenly changed Starfleet Command’s plans, and quite possibly our mission, for the region. I would say that my theory fits the available evidence.’

Wright seized upon the comment and glanced at Astar. ‘What “mission” for the region, Lieutenant? I wasn’t aware that there was one?’

‘We were assigned here for a reason, sir,’ Parker replied. ‘The fact that we don’t know exactly what that mission is doesn’t mean that there isn’t one.’

‘She’s right, Commander,’ Astar interjected before her exec could utter a word. ‘While Kursican may well be a candidate for Federation membership, I think that it’s only a cover for what is really going on here, and it surely isn’t a coincidence that this particular vessel is outfitted with a number of technologies that Voyager brought back from the Delta Quadrant.’

Wright acquiesced. ‘So we’re just going to blindly follow orders and jump through hoops?’

‘I didn’t say that, Commander,’ Astar replied. ‘We will do our duties as assigned but that doesn’t mean that we can’t investigate whatever mysteries this sector has to offer as we go along.’

‘Aye sir,’ Wright said. ‘With your permission I will prepare for the drills.’

‘Of course, dismissed, Commander.’

Wright escaped from the bridge as quickly as he could and stood in the turbolift as it descended through the ship. The drills would be coordinated from the Astrometrics laboratory, one of the improvements made to the Dauntless over its fellow Intrepid-class vessels. From there, he could see where every single officer was anywhere on the ship. Externally, the Astrometrics lab could provide real time data on the Kursican and neighbouring sectors of space and it had been proven to be an excellent tactical tool. The Astrometrics lab had been combined with the stellar cartography department and that meant that there were two crewmen on duty in Astrometrics all the time. He could dismiss them but that would look suspicious so he decided to allow them to stay while he made preparations for the combat drills. Lieutenant Parker would probably complain that such drills were in her domain but he had been given the go ahead so he didn’t care overmuch for her thoughts on the subjects.

‘Astar to Wright.’

‘Go ahead, Captain.’

‘Since you are on your way to Astrometrics, could you provide me with an up-to-date profile on the political make-up of the sector? All the relevant data should have been uploaded from Starbase 535.’

‘Aye sir, I’m entering the lab now.’

‘Good, Astar out.’

‘Commander, what can I do for you?’ asked the chief science officer, Lieutenant Jamal Mahtani.

‘Aren’t there supposed to be two of you in here?’

‘I needed the lab for a scan of the sector, sir. Lieutenant Talen approved it,’ Mahtani answered, referring to the operations manager.

‘I see, well the captain would like a real time profile of sector politics.’

Mahtani smiled but Wright ignored it. ‘Coming right up, will take about half an hour.’

‘Excellent, while you’re working on that, I’ll get on with what I came here for.’

‘Sir, if you don’t mind my asking. What did you come here for?’

Wright considered giving the eager young officer the brush off but decided against it, he had the feeling that whatever he did would find its way back to the captain.

‘Combat drills.’

Mahtani nodded and backed away to the other side of the wide Astrometrics console. The large screen on the far bulkhead came on and the starscape amended itself from a galactic viewpoint to that of the local sector in seconds. Wright watched Mahtani manipulate the console and turned back to his own work. He really needed to make an effort to get on with the crew if his agenda was going to succeed.

‘Lieutenant,’ Wright began. ‘Can you explain the basics of the Astrometrics computer to me?’

 

[BrotherBenny]

Re: The Pebbled Sea - Chapter TWO

CHAPTER TWO

Ynelav IV, Kursican sector, stardate 57254.4
First Prime Gexin disliked being woken in the middle of the night but when she had accepted the nomination for the leader of the Ynelavii people, she knew that if she won it would be part of her life. As a lifelong member of the Prime Council, she had had bred to lead her people from birth. Only a quirk of fate had allowed her to ascend to the highest office and she thanked the deities daily for it. Since her predecessor had died on one of his mountain-climbing expeditions, as Second Prime she had taken over his term of office. When the general elections were held two years later, she won in a landslide. Gexin pulled on her robe and glanced at the time-teller by her bed before leaving her chambers for the situation room, it was literally the middle of the night. Only an emergency would have caused Colonel Allak, the head of her personal guard, to rouse her at such an hour and he would have only done at the urging of General Tyrro, the head of the armed forces.

‘This had better be important,’ she said grouchily as the entire Council rose from their seats. She was the last to arrive.

‘It is, First Prime,’ Tyrro called from the far end of the room. ‘Major Golix, the Commander, Air Group aboard the Battlecruiser Polius sent a distress call a few minutes ago.’

‘Let’s hear it.’

‘There is nothing to hear, First Prime. He only had time to open the channel before his fighter was destroyed.’

‘Was it the Resoto?’

‘No, ma’am,’ Tyrro replied. ‘There was one alien vessel, larger than anything the Resoto Hegemony has in its arsenal. It destroyed the entire fighter squadron on patrol, crippled the Polius and then entered high orbit.’

‘It’s still there?’ Gexin asked.

‘It is leaving now.’

Gexin cursed. ‘Destroy it.’

‘We cannot,’ Tyrro replied. ‘The pulse cannons are not responding.’

‘Sabotage?’

‘Jamming signal, these aliens knew exactly what they were doing, First Prime.’

‘As soon as you are able, I want every cruiser in orbit on continuous patrol. And just in case we’re being blinded by our former enemies, I will speak with the Resoto High Lord, informing him of what happened and what will happen if I find out that his people are responsible for this. I will not have my citizens being terrified of an alien vessel that arrives, destroys our fighters, and sits in orbit before leaving.’

Tyrro bowed his head. ‘It will be done, First Prime.’

‘Excellent, I want the new battle-cruiser brought online,’ she replied and turned to Allak. ‘Colonel, get me a secure channel to the High Lord immediately. I believe you know the frequency.’

‘I do, Your Eminence.’

‘I will return in five minutes.’

‘Eminence?’

‘Yes General?’

‘The Polius was the new battle-cruiser.’

Gexin narrowed her eyes at the military leader. ‘What of its sister ship?’

‘How do you know about that, First Prime?’ Tyrro asked.

She smiled menacingly. ‘I approved its design, General, and allocated the funds for its construction. When will it be ready?’

‘It was to be launched next week, on your birthday.’

‘Launch it today, Colonel Allak will be in command.’

‘But he is…’

‘That’s right; I will be aboard the Oxelus.’

‘I’ll have it prepped immediately,’ Tyrro replied.

‘Good man. Allak, have that communications channel open when I return, then pull your squad together. You will command the Oxelus.’

‘Of course, Eminence,’ Allak replied, bowing his head. He had never expected to get a ship assignment, even it if was to be the First Prime’s personal cruiser.

Gexin spent less than five minutes getting herself ready, a record even for her. She returned to the situation room and found it cleared of all non-military personnel. It struck her as strange but she had bigger problems to worry about and turned to the large screen that now dominated the room. The insignia of the Resoto Hegemony, a geometric canine face, stared back at her as she waited for the High Lord to answer her urgent call. She preferred the term “summons” but the High Lord could be a little awkward at times and wouldn’t answer if he felt he would be subservient to anyone, least of all his most hated enemy.

The screen suddenly changed into that of the canine-visaged High Lord and Gexin withheld her revulsion at the sight. ‘You dare to contact me after the heinous acts you have committed?’ He bellowed and Gexin was actually glad that only military personnel were present.

‘I was going to ask if any alien vessels had appeared in orbit of your world and destroyed your ships, but it would seem I have that answer,’ Gexin replied without actually answering his question, she knew how to handle him.

The High Lord glared. ‘That is not all the damage they did. How many of your people were taken?’

Gexin tried not to let the surprise show on her face, but she was aware that her mask slipped a little. A data slate was surreptitiously slipped onto the table in front of her and she glanced down. ‘Two, one man and one woman.’

The High Lord growled and the hairs on her neck stood up. ‘It would seem we have a common enemy. What are you doing to combat it?’

Always the military solution, Gexin thought, but this time she agreed. ‘I have all of my cruisers and fighters patrolling the system. What of your troops?’

‘I have ordered the borders sealed and all vessels on full alert.’

‘I doubt the vessel will return if we are on full alert.’

‘I agree, what do you suggest?’ The High Lord asked. It was uncharacteristic of him to ask for other’s opinions and she immediately became suspicious.

‘I suggest we meet and discuss the situation. Perhaps there are other worlds that have suffered as we have. We could pool our resources.’

The High Lord snorted, though it sounded like a bark, much like his laughter. ‘I will not entertain that ridiculous alliance of yours, no matter what danger we are in. It is doomed to fail, like that bizarre Federation you mentioned.’

‘They have remained intact, and expanded, over the last two centuries. The same cannot be said of your empire.’

The High Lord literally barked an order to someone off-screen. ‘This is not the time to be discussing alliances. This is the time to protect our own territories. We will meet and if anyone should interfere they will be destroyed.’

Gexin nodded. ‘Very well, we will meet in neutral territory.’

‘The Gethsemane system is neutral,’ the High Lord said with a smile.

Gexin frowned. The Gethsemane system was the site of the bloodiest battle in either of their histories. Thousands died because of a betrayal. Their peoples had been in an alliance that stretched across the sector several hundred years before which crumbed after the Battle of Gethsemane. It had become neutral territory after the end of the war but neither side had visited it in decades.

‘The Gethsemane system it is,’ Gexin conceded. ‘Remember the Treaty of Gethsemane, Yannik. No shields or weapons. At the first sign of betrayal I will end your existence.’

‘As I will yours,’ the High Lord replied. ‘If you’ll excuse me, I have an empire to tend to,’ Yannik cut the signal from his end.

‘What is the travel time to the Gethsemane system?’

‘Eight hours at hyperlight velocity,’ Colonel Allak said.

General Tyrro stayed seated. ‘I think perhaps this is the time for the military to be in control,’ he said and most of the soldiers in the room all raised their weapons.

‘As always, General; you are one step behind,’ Allak said and his own Militia Elite team entered the room from thin air. ‘I thought now might be the perfect time to try out the new technology,’ he added as Tyrro’s men were taken into custody.

Gexin smiled. ‘Tyrro, you’re under arrest for treason. The sentence is death, to be carried out immediately.’

Allak fired. ‘You all have a choice. You can rejoin the Militia or be executed here and now.’

The soldiers handed over their weapons and echoed in unison, ‘First Prime, Ruler of the People!’

‘That’s better,’ Gexin replied. ‘General Allak, please escort me to my ship.’

‘First Prime, would you care to try the new matter-energy technology?’ the newly promoted General asked, not quite believing his luck this day.

Gexin nodded. ‘Is it dangerous?’

‘It is, but I wouldn’t have allowed my best men to use it if I feared losing them all,’ Allak replied. ‘There is, however, a small chance of your molecules drifting in the air for the rest of eternity.’

She nodded again. ‘Very well, let’s go.’

Allak touched a button on his wrist device and his entire team, the first Prime now included, vanished in pillars of silent light.

Gexin materialised in the Combat Information Centre aboard the Oxelus and stood to one side as Allak took his seat as commander of the vessel. ‘General, prepare to leave the system.’

Allak turned to face her. ‘How did you know we weren’t still in dock?’

Gexin smiled. ‘I used to be a fighter pilot, General, I know my way around a ship and I know the feel of a ship in space, no matter how advanced it is.’

Allak chuckled and turned to the engineer. ‘Cycle up the engines,’ he ordered and then toggled the ship’s all-call. ‘All hands, prepare for hyperlight jump. Secure all stations.’

Gexin sat in an available chair as the ship’s engines peaked with a barely audible whine. She felt the Oxelus shudder slightly as they passed the light-speed barrier and accelerate to maximum hyperlight velocity. Hopefully they would arrive before the High Lord’s fleet did. She was taking only this new cruiser, but she knew the paranoia that was manifest in almost everything the Resoto did and she knew Yannik just as well. He would bring along a small fleet of four ships and one of them would be a fighter carrier.

‘First Prime, we’re receiving a message from the Resoto Hegemony, from the High Lord, in the clear.’

‘Unscrambled? What does it say?’

‘“Battle Fleet destroyed in Gethsemane system by unknown alien vessels. Treaty of Gethsemane abrogated until further notice,”’ Allak quoted.

‘Can we increase speed?’

‘A little, maybe, ma’am; but what can we do?’

‘Find out who attacked the Resoto fleet and destroy them. Yannik might not want the alliance but he allowed a few clauses to sneak past his canine eyes into the Treaty. Remember that the Akishi signed it as well. An attack against one shall be met with kind against the aggressors. There was nothing to say the aggressors had to be signatories to the Treaty.’

‘Then we’ll find out who is responsible and show them that we don’t take kindly to aggressors in our territory. As the saying goes, “the enemy of my enemy shall be my enemy also.”’

‘Indeed,’ Gexin agreed as the Oxelus sped toward what was sure to be a scene of devastation.


[/i]USS Dauntless[/i], in orbit of New Tokyo, stardate 57255.7
The Nova-class ship was in a high orbit and Ensign Larson brought the Dauntless alongside her. For the last couple of hours, Captain Astar had been reading up on the Weisskopf’s mission at the New Tokyo colony, just prior to the subspace silence order. Since the Federation citizens had gone missing, the Weisskopf’s crew had apparently been scanning every cubic millimetre of the planet for any signs of alien intrusion. That they had now found something was obvious, but what they had found would shortly be discovered by her own crew. As soon as the supplies and equipment were transferred across, the Weisskopf would return to her regular patrol route of the Kursican sector and the numerous colonies dotted throughout. Astar was sure that there was something else going on but until she had any concrete information she wasn’t going to do anything about it, except keep her eyes open. She watched the viewscreen as Larson narrowed the gap between the two vessels.

‘Captain, the Weisskopf has slowed to our relative speed to facilitate docking,’ Talen called out from the operations console.

‘Docking will be complete in eighteen seconds,’ Larson replied. ‘We’re less than ten metres from their docking port.’

Astar just watched and she could see Wright’s expression as the two ships connected with each other. She smiled at his expulsion of breath and then stood up. Parker, you’re with me; Commander, you have the conn,’ she said and touched a control on the console beside her. ‘Doctor, please meet me by the port airlock.’

‘Aye sir,’ Wright replied and Parker was relieved at tactical by the security chief, Lieutenant Sheena Gonzales.

The turbolift doors closed around the two women and as they descended, Astar answered the question that she was sure was on Parker’s mind. ‘I brought you along because I know that you would have asked to come along anyway, even though Gonzales should come along.’

Parker turned to her commanding officer. ‘I was going to ask, sir, but only because there may be tactical issues at hand.’

‘Allow me to be blunt, Lieutenant,’ Astar said plainly. ‘I’ve read your service jacket and there are glaring errors in it that cannot simply be explained away. Perhaps someone who was very good at their job in Intelligence or Tactical Operations, or some other department of Starfleet, thought that they had done a good job with your file and placing you on board this ship with a full complement of people who are unlikely to have served with you, but I know that there is something wrong with that file.’

‘Sir, I can guarantee that no one on this ship has served with me before,’ Parker replied.

‘And therein lies the problem, Lieutenant. Other than the fact that a couple of Captains and Admirals have vouched for your excellent service record, I can find no evidence that anyone in Starfleet has ever served with you and that worries me.’

Parker sighed, cursing the Department. ‘Everything in there is true to some degree, Captain, but saying anymore would violate about a dozen Federation and Starfleet statutes.’

Astar didn’t have the chance to make a retort or ask a question as the turbolift came to a halt and the chief medical officer appeared in the open doorway. ‘I wondered what was taking you so long,’ the Bolian said with a smile.

‘Arlon, one of these days I’m going to do something about that fitness regime of yours,’ Astar muttered.

‘What exactly am I doing here, Leza?’

Astar smiled at the high pitch of his voice. ‘It wasn’t so long ago that you kept calling me Aunty Leza, Arlon, so I’ll let your lapse slide. The reason you are here is that I have a feeling your expertise will be needed.’

‘I only just graduated from the Academy, Captain, what expertise could I have?’

She smiled. ‘You scored higher in your genetics class than only one other person in the history of the fleet, and he was a certified genius. I just have a gut instinct.’

Arlon Maxx, valedictorian of Starfleet Medical class of 2379 sighed and turned to Parker. ‘We’re in trouble.’

‘Because she has a hunch, Lieutenant?’

‘No, because she’s acting on it.’

Parker turned to Astar who just shrugged with a wry grin on her face. ‘Lieutenant Parker, do we have a confirmed soft seal?’

‘Soft seal confirmed, Captain,’ Parker replied.

‘Good, then open the airlock and lets get this show on the road. I’m just as eager to get my teeth into this as Dhrex is to get out of here, of that I’m sure.’

Parker nodded and entered a sequence of commands. The airlock doors slid open and standing on the other side was the acting captain, Commander Dhrex. He stepped forward.

‘Captain Astar, welcome aboard the Weisskopf, I’m Commander Dhrex.’

‘Commander, this is my tactical officer, Lieutenant Parker, and my chief medical officer, Lieutenant Maxx.’

‘This way, we’ll go directly to sickbay, where my chief medical officer will no doubt explain everything far better than I can on this matter.’

‘What exactly is this matter, Commander?’ Parker asked.

‘My team found some disturbing evidence that Command clearly feels has some greater significance. Admiral Flintoff contacted me directly and ordered me to await your arrival, and then he contacted Commander Logan at Starbase 535.’

Parker inwardly cursed at such a brazen action by the old admiral. Her mission was never going to succeed if he kept interfering beyond what was absolutely necessary. She had already spent ten years being shuffled around so that no member of Starfleet could ask awkward questions after her badly-mistimed temporal journey. Now that she was finally where she was supposed to be, things were already going from bad to worse. From her point of view, Federation history had already been drastically changed by the Kursican situation and she was not too bothered by that, her future was too bleak to be considered worth much and if her mission succeeded then it would never have happened at all.

‘I’ve never heard of him,’ Astar said.

Dhrex shrugged his shoulders. ‘Neither had I until he called. I did some checking on him and according to our records he’s the Head of Biochemical Research at Starfleet Medical. Have you heard of him, Lieutenant?’ he asked Maxx.

The Bolian nodded. ‘I have, but he was reassigned six months ago. I don’t know what department he heads up now.’

‘Someone has gone to some lengths to make it appear as if he’s still at Starfleet Medical,’ Parker said, knowing the full situation but unable to say a word to anyone.

‘Regardless of what position he currently holds, he is an Admiral and he has ordered us to do a job, lets get on with it,’ Astar said.

Dhrex nodded. ‘Doctor Vallejo will be only too happy to hand over everything he’s got.’

‘That’s for sure,’ a crotchety voice bellowed along the corridor. ‘I wondered when you lot would get here.’

‘Are all doctors like that?’ Astar asked Maxx sotto voce. He shrugged.

‘Show them what you have,’ Dhrex said, gesturing for them to enter sickbay.

‘Doctor?’ Vallejo asked.

‘Arlon Maxx.’

‘Ah, the geneticist, stroke of luck having you here.’

Parker and Astar shared a glance.

‘What the hell is this?’ Maxx asked, looking through the microscope. ‘Can you put it on the screen for me?’

‘Sure, I was hoping you could tell me.’

‘It looks like standard DNA except for an unusual sequence. I guess you didn’t do a helix comparison?’

‘I didn’t think I had a need to, what did I miss?’

Maxx turned to the others. ‘What we have here is a triple helix DNA sequence. The standard double helix contains all the information that every carbon-based living creature has, but this triple helix has even more, though I couldn’t guess at what it was.’

‘I also found the double helix strands to be avian, reptilian, amphibian and primate phenotypes of whatever species this is.’

‘I would speculate that all phenotypes can actually reproduce with each other, based on this triple helix. The question is why such species would evolve that way.’

‘Did they evolve or were they engineered?’

‘I would have to analyse all of this very carefully to answer that.’

‘It’s your headache now, Captain.’

Astar nodded. ‘Now I know why subspace silence was initiated. We’ll take everything you have.’

‘Is there anything else I should be aware of?’ Parker asked, hoping that there would be nothing just yet.

‘Only that there are bound to be more inhabited planets in this sector with people missing,’ Dhrex answered. ‘We’ll keep an eye out, but it would be helpful if you did as well. If we’re able to get a clearer picture of who was taken from what planet, we might be able to build the big picture and it could take us a step closer to finding out who these aliens are and what they want.’

Parker felt like screaming. She knew more about these aliens than anyone else alive but the parameters of her mission were not to reveal anything that they hadn’t already learned. Those parameters were further reinforced by the Department before she was assigned to the Dauntless. ‘I will keep an eye out,’ was all she said.

‘Doctor, I want you to personally take these samples back to the Dauntless and keep them secured at all times, maximum security.’

‘Aye sir.’

‘Lieutenant, supervise the transfer of supplies and equipment. Commander Dhrex and I need to have a little talk.’

‘Yes sir.’

‘Dismissed.’

Dhrex had a look of surprise on his face as the two junior officers left sickbay, and he was about to ask Astar why she needed to talk when she pulled him aside, out of Vallejo’s earshot. ‘What is wrong with Captain Drummond?’

‘He’s been relieved pending a psychiatric review. We’re going to drop him off at Starbase 535 after our assigned patrol.’

‘There’s more to it than that.’

Dhrex nodded. ‘There’s another consciousness in his brain and he has been fighting it. Doctor Vallejo has been providing him with better means of fighting the alien consciousness but it still seems to be winning.’

‘If it does?’ she asked.

‘Then his own brain pattern will be lost and the new one will take over, so Carl tells me.’

‘What are the medical facilities like at Starbase 535?’

‘They’re up to Starfleet specs, but that’s not what you’re asking, is it?’

‘No, can he be contained if he loses this battle?’

‘That I don’t know, Captain.’

Astar narrowed her eyes in thought. ‘Commander Logan has ordered us to maintain subspace radio silence, but I think we may still need to communicate. If you do need me in an emergency, just use the codeword “ice cream” and your coordinates, scrambled of course.’

‘Isn’t that defying orders?’

‘Yes it is, but we’re the only two ships out here and this is shaping up to be a dangerous sector.’

‘Aye sir,’ Dhrex replied, still unsure, but he trusted Astar for some reason that he couldn’t quantify.

‘We’ll take over here, I’m sure the other colonies need the supplies that we’re transferring to you.’

‘Yes sir, I will be glad to get back on our patrol route, this colony doesn’t have much to offer in the way of distractions, and this ship has become a little too small while we’ve just been sitting here.’

Astar nodded. ‘I felt like that on my first mission as an exec, command can be tedious at times, but we still have a job to do, even if it just to administrate what goes on aboard the ships we serve on.’

Dhrex smiled. ‘Optimism, I should remember that I guess.’

‘If you’ll excuse me, Commander, I have a crew to order about. Is there anything I should know about the people down there that isn’t in the database?’

‘I’ll send my logs over, sir. That should give you all you need to know.’

‘Thank you, Commander.’

They shook hands and Dhrex returned to sickbay proper while Astar headed out the doors and back toward the Dauntless. She knew that Maxx was probably setting up one of the ship’s science labs for the work so he wasn’t going to be sickbay unless he was needed, meaning that the head nurse, Lieutenant Jazen-Arja would be taking any injuries that were reported. He refused to take the exam to be a full doctor though his file implied that he was eminently capable of such a position, and she assumed that he was probably content in his current role.

‘Astar to Lieutenant Jazen-Arja,’ she tapped her combadge once she was back aboard, noticed the security officer at the airlock and nodded to her.

‘Jazen-Arja here, Captain; is there something I can do for you?’

‘Lieutenant Maxx will be occupied for the next few hours; can you take over sickbay in the meantime?’

‘The doctor already asked if I would, Captain. I am on my way as we speak.’

Astar smiled, ‘very well, Astar out.’

She stopped in her tracks and realised that the security officer standing guard by the airlock was the cadet that she had spoken with aboard the starbase when she arrived. ‘Cadet Snowcroft?’

‘Yes sir?’

‘I thought you were assigned to Starbase 535?’

‘No sir, I arrived by transport ship a few days before you did. Commander Wright asked that I remain aboard the starbase while the Dauntless completed its latest patrol and cargo run.’

‘I see, well I’ll see that you’re given a more exciting assignment next time, carry on.’

‘Aye sir,’ Snowcroft replied as Astar turned the corner.

‘Astar to Wright, meet me in the briefing room.’

‘Aye sir.’

She needed to speak with him about his behaviour before it got out of hand. She didn’t see any reason for the cadet to remain behind while the Dauntless did its patrol, though she would soon find out if there was one.


Starbase 535, stardate 57259.1
Commander Lionel Logan squirmed under the gaze of Admiral Drew Flintoff. He had never met the man in person and never wanted to. The so-called Head of Biochemical Research was a gruff, uncompromising bastard with no clue about the real world, and now he was getting involved in something that was nothing to do with him.

‘Admiral, with all due respect, there is nothing remotely connected with biochemical research here. Why are you involved?’ He knew he was skirting around insubordination but he wanted answers.

‘I never did understand engineers,’ Flintoff replied. ‘It doesn’t matter why I’m involved, suffice it to say that I am.’

‘That’s not good enough, sir. I have two science ships out here running around looking for an alien ship or ships abducting Federation citizens and you tell me to halt the search so you can find some more alien DNA? This seems to be exactly what the problem with Operation Vanguard a hundred years ago.’

‘That was different, Commander. The Taurus Metagenome paved the way for advances in medicine that would have taken generations otherwise.’ Flintoff was silent for a moment and then let out a loud puff of air. ‘What I’m about to tell you, Commander, is classified at the highest levels.’

‘I’m listening.’

‘Ten years ago, we got reports of an alien incursion that would destroy the Federation and the rest of the galaxy about six hundred years from now. Needless to say it was met with some scepticism until other information came to light. The informant was knowledgeable about the war with the Dominion that hadn’t even happened yet.’

‘Why didn’t we try to stop it then?’

‘Because it would have violated the Temporal Prime Directive.’

Logan sighed. ‘So the aliens which are taking our people are doing so for what reason?’

‘Based on the informant’s information we believe that the first stages of the invasion was made by creating a disease coded genetically to different species. Genocide on a scale never before seen. My mission, and yours too, is to make sure that particular history does not repeat itself. If we can stop them annihilating the populations of dozens of worlds we’ll be able to slow their invasion considerably.’

‘But this biowarfare of theirs is only the first wave.’

‘Exactly, and we’ll be moving on to the second wave once this threat has been dealt with.’

Logan nodded. ‘For your information, Admiral. I switched from engineering to command after my stint as chief engineer on the Enterprise-D came to an end. I felt I had more talent in that area. Can I divulge this information to Captains Drummond and Astar?’

‘Not under any circumstances. Since you brought up Operation Vanguard, you’ll know what happened when Commodore Reyes violated his oath of secrecy. The current political make-up is even more hostile than it was then with so many empires collapsing.’

‘Aye sir, I won’t say anything.’

‘See that you don’t, because I won’t hesitate to end your career. It won’t matter in the long run but it will make me feel better about the headaches I would surely get. This must be kept under tight wraps.’

‘In that case, I have to tell you about Captain Drummond’s mental state.’

‘Go on.’

Logan did so and Flintoff sighed. ‘I’ll pass this along the chain of command and see what happens. I don’t imagine they’ll be too pleased. They might even contact our informant for more information, if she’s still willing to share after what she’s been through.’

‘I think you’re telling me more than I need to know, Admiral.’

The admiral nodded. ‘Flintoff out.’

The screen darkened and Logan stood up to stretch his legs. It would seem that the entrance of the Kursicans into the Federation really was a cover. He had no doubt that they would enter the Federation at some point in the near future, possibly a few years down the line, but right now his main concern was getting the two ships he had at his disposal to work on their mission without knowing it. From what Dhrex had told him, he was fairly sure that it was happening anyway and all he needed to do was keep an eye on it. He stepped out of his office to find someone waiting for him. Aulyffke was the former Regent of the toad-like pumpkin-orange Kursicans and his ground-glass voice was just as annoying as ever. Since his Chief Magistrate, Juhstraffe, had overthrown him in a bloodless coup, he had been public enemy number one and numerous attempts had been made on his life so Starfleet had assigned him as Logan’s number two aboard the Plat.

‘Aulyffke, what can I do for you?’

‘Regent Juhstraffe asked if he could meet with you this afternoon regarding the trade embargo to Szylith.’

Logan sighed, he’d known this was coming up. ‘I should have some free time after lunch, just make sure that he only bring two security guards and not his entire entourage.’

‘I’ll see to it, Commander.’

Juhstraffe had reversed most of Aulyffke’s taxation strategies and then proposed a referendum for Federation membership after a campaign that extolled some of the organisation’s virtues, though certainly not all of them. It was just one of the items on the agenda that Logan was trying—in vain—to get Juhstraffe to understand. His Regency was progressing in a friendlier manner than Aulyffke’s had, to the point of him being re-elected in a democratic vote, but he was still as recalcitrant as the latter was.

 

[DavidFalkayn]

Re: The Pebbled Sea - Chapter TWO

Very good characterization and a strong plot in a very well done chapter. My only gripe is the rather large portion posted made working through it take quite a bit of time, which is why it took so long for me to get back to you. As a rule, I like to try to limit my postings to about 10 to 12 pages give or take a few per installment. I've found that that's a length that allows for a thorough reading in one go, but at the same time allows the writer to put forth a lot of material.

 

[BrotherBenny]

Re: The Pebbled Sea - Chapter TWO

DavidFalkayn said:
Very good characterization and a strong plot in a very well done chapter. My only gripe is the rather large portion posted made working through it take quite a bit of time, which is why it took so long for me to get back to you. As a rule, I like to try to limit my postings to about 10 to 12 pages give or take a few per installment. I've found that that's a length that allows for a thorough reading in one go, but at the same time allows the writer to put forth a lot of material.

Thanks. I was thinking that doing such a huge post might be difficult for some to read but I was waiting for a response to see what readers thought.

I'll be posting Chapter Three and future installments in smaller segments from now on. In fact, I'm almost ready to post the first part of Chapter Three.

 

[BrotherBenny]

Re: The Pebbled Sea - Chapter THREE

CHAPTER THREE

Ynelavii Battlecruiser Oxelus, Ynelav IV, stardate 57260.2
The ship had reached the Gethsemane system and found debris consistent with the wreckage of four Resoto vessels, including the flagship. There were only a handful of escape pods and High Lord Yannik was not among the Resoto survivors. General Allak had them all placed in guest quarters aboard the cruiser with security guards after Gexin had questioned them about what had happened. Most of the survivors had been on the bridge at the time and remembered the events quite clearly. The Resoto had already staked out the Gethsemane system and were waiting for the Ynelavii ship to show up and destroy it, but something hit them even though there were no ships on the scanners.

Yannik had ordered his weapons officer to fire in the direction the blast came from but a volley of energy pulses shredded the shields and the ship was destroyed minutes later. They all believed Yannik escaped in his personal shuttle but it was found as part of the wreckage, which Allak had not mentioned to the survivors. The First Prime had agreed and the Oxelus had returned to Ynelav to await a Resoto transport vessel so the survivors could be returned to their homeworld. In the meantime, the First Prime had returned to the surface to continue conducting her affairs and General Allak had assigned his best man to be her personal bodyguard, Colonel Rokan. Colonel Ferok was now his executive officer aboard the ship and pacing like a caged animal.

‘Is there a problem, Colonel?’

‘I don’t like waiting around, General. I prefer to be active.’

Allak agreed with the sentiment. ‘I don’t like the waiting game either, Colonel. But until we know what we’re facing we can’t fire blindly. The Resoto vessels are more than a match for ours and whatever destroyed them is far more powerful than we are. I don’t intend to lose our ships so quickly, so we need more information.’

Ferok nodded. ‘Perhaps the Federation know something?’

‘An interesting idea, those traders we come across might have a way of contacting them, the First Prime might also have a way of doing so, I shall ask her when she returns to the ship.’

‘General, we are receiving a message from the Yeolus,’ the tactical officer, Major Beqan, reported. ‘They have found an unusual energy signature at the edge of the system and are requesting permission to follow the trail.’

‘Colonel, open a channel to the First Prime, priority one.’

‘Is there a problem, General?’

‘The Yeolus has found an alien energy trail and is requesting permission to track it to its source.’

‘Permission denied; I want you to track the trail back to its source, and stay in communications range for as long as possible. I may need you back here in a hurry.’

‘Yes ma’am,’ Allak replied.

‘Recall the Yeolus and have them take over your patrol, Gexin out.’

‘We have our orders people, prepare for hyperlight velocity, cycle up the engines and secure all stations.’

‘The Yeolus is returning, sir,’ Beqan added.

‘Excellent, have Colonel Kulou contact me immediately, I will speak with him in private. Route the call to my office.’

‘Yes sir.’

‘Ferok, you have the CIC.’

‘Aye sir.’

Allak strolled off the CIC into his office, situated to the port side of the ship. The open signal bleeping confirmed that Colonel Kulou was waiting for him. He hadn’t expected the First Prime to grant him the permission to find the killers of his people, but he was glad she had. For a long time, he had believed that he would remain a bodyguard after a disastrous accident as a fighter pilot. But being granted the position of bodyguard to the First Prime had redeemed him in the eyes of the military and he had been given greater responsibilities, and now he was commanding the most advanced vessel in the Ynelavii military.

Kulou’s face was scarred from the many battles he had won, and a few he had lost, and he was known to be one of the greatest tactical minds alive. His only failing was his political ineptness, otherwise he might well have reached the rank of General and been the commander of all the armed forces. The Yeolus was one of the oldest ships in the fleet and would have become a museum piece if there hadn’t been the constant threat of war between the Ynelavii and the Resoto.

‘General, what are my orders?’

‘You are to patrol the homeworld until further notice. The First Prime has ordered me to track the aliens back to their origins.’

‘And when you find them?’ he asked.

‘We’ll make them pay for what they’ve done, and in doing so unite the peoples of this sector.’

‘Perhaps, but they destroyed the Polius with ease.’

‘The Polius was unprepared, we are not. The Militia Elite will bring vengeance against the killers of our people.’

Kulou nodded. ‘See that you do, General, Kulou out.’

Allak sat at his desk and smiled. Kulou believed in his own superiority and believed, possibly rightly so, that no one was as good as he was. But where Kulou’s talent lay in the planning of tactical engagements, his lay in the execution of them and no matter how well one planned an attack against a foe, there would always be something to foul it up. Allak prided himself on taking the unexpected in his stride and this alien threat was no different, but mastering the threat on this occasion would take some doing. He stepped back into the CIC and took his chair again, relegating his second in command to a standing position.

‘Colonel, are we ready to depart?’

Ferok consulted the readouts and received the nods from the engineer, navigator and helmswoman. ‘Yes, General; the engines are charged and ready.’

‘Then signal our departure to Control, prepare for hyperlight jump.’

The Oxelus was in orbit of Ynelav Four one second and gone the next, without even a flash of light to indicate the amount of energy it had taken. Allak watched the purple-hued space on the monitors and turned to Ferok.

***

‘General, we should run drills.’

‘Our people know what to do, Ferok. Ready all the fighter squadrons for launch. I want them in formation as soon as we return to normal space.’

‘Aye sir,’ Ferok replied. ‘What do you think we’re going to find?’

‘I don’t think we’re going to find anything, Colonel. I think that this is a wild zxunta chase, but I will follow my orders and track this energy signature back to the ship it originated from. Do the tactical people know what type of energy it is?’

‘Yes sir, they believe it is supercharged particles we call ions making the trail, indicating that the vessel we are tracking is travelling at speeds below the light threshold.’

‘Then we should catch up to it soon. There is however the possibility that we are being lured away from the homeworld.’

‘I thought of that, sir,’ Ferok replied. ‘There are two cruisers waiting behind the second moon in case the aliens do return.’

Allak smiled. ‘You disobeyed a direct order from the First Prime; she ordered all cruisers to be on patrol.’

‘They are on patrol, behind the moon, making sure there are no surprise attacks.’

Allak chuckled, earning strange glances from the CIC crew. ‘You have the tactical prowess of Kulou and the cunning of a politician, do you want my job?’

‘Not yet, sir, but I was planning on it someday.’

‘Perhaps you could be my successor one day.’

Ferok’s answer was cut off by a curse from the tactical station. ‘General, I am picking up debris ahead of us.’

‘Slow to sub-light speed and engage all tactical systems.’

Purple lighting dimmed the CIC as the crew hurried to their tactical stations. The Oxelus slowed and Allak could immediately see that there was no threat. The debris had been a medium-sized vessel, possibly a freighter, and was now nothing more than drifting metal. He saw a flare of something and squinted.

‘General, do you see the flare?’

‘I see it, Colonel, send out the Third Squadron to identify.’

‘Aye sir.’

There was an anxious wait as the fighters picked though the debris, but all of a sudden one of them pulled something different from the general wreckage. It was a casing of some kind that was completely undamaged. Coloured lights blinked along its length and Allak made a decision.

‘Bring it aboard and take it to the medical lab. There may be something inside. Major Beqan, please join me. Colonel, the CIC is yours.’

Without waiting for an answer, Allak and Beqan left the CIC, then took the metal staircase down to the next level and continued striding along the deck plates toward the medical lab several decks down. When they arrived the fighters had returned and the casing was being carried by the soldiers into the lab. They followed the casing inside and the ship’s doctor stood by, waiting.

‘Sorry, Doctor, this is a military matter. Major, open it.’

Beqan stood over the casing and found what looked like a hatch release. She pressed it and the upper half split in two and opened. Inside, a pale alien almost two metres in length looked back with blue eyes. She pulled her gun and the alien raised its arms in surrender, obviously it was used to this kind of treatment and that did not please Allak in the least. Beqan allowed the alien to extricate itself from the casing and then gestured for it to back against the bulkhead.

Allak took in the alien’s clothing. It was old and dull, but there was a peculiar device attached to the torso that seemed oddly out of place. The alien looked at them with what seemed to Allak intelligent eyes and then opened what he assumed was a mouth, since it had similar features to his own.

‘Thank heavens you found me, I thought I would be drifting forever in that thing.’

Beqan took a step back. ‘How do you know our language?’

The alien smiled. ‘I don’t, this device allows me to understand you, and you to understand me.’

‘What are you?’ Allak asked as Beqan once again pointed her weapon at him.

‘I am human, from a planet far away from here.’

Allak sighed. ‘I presume you have a name, human.’

The alien smiled again. ‘Sorry, it has been a long day. My name is Locarno, Nicholas Locarno.’

 

[BrotherBenny]

Re: The Pebbled Sea - Chapter THREE

Starbase 535, stardate 57260.6
Commander Logan paced his way around the Operations centre with a scowl on his face. He was used to being woken up in the middle of the night for red alerts, but not for something that then became nothing. His people on this gods-forsaken outpost were good but they were not geniuses. Something had spooked them and they didn’t spook easily, not after hanging around the aggravating Kursicans for any length of time. The Core, as the central table was known, was full of officers trying to triangulate a signal.

‘Please tell me you have something?’

‘Yes sir, we received a distress call from a freighter in the sector but it suddenly stopped.’

‘Where was the freighter?’

‘On the far side of the sector, and it was substandard, which is why it took so long to reach us.’

‘Which freighter? I didn’t think we had any colonies out that far.’

‘The New Hampshire colony, Commander,’ one of the enlisted personnel reminded him.

‘Which freighter?’

‘The Kolvoord, sir.’

‘What the hell was Locarno doing out there? Try to hail him.’

‘There’s nothing to hail, sir. The distress call was cut off, he’s probably dead.’

Logan chuckled. ‘Nicholas Locarno was chucked out of the Academy for attempting the Kolvoord Starburst, but he still managed to get himself a freighter, which he named Kolvoord to remind him of everything he had lost. He has an annoying habit of staying alive, and I won’t count him out even if that claptrap freighter of his was blown to smithereens. Send the Weisskopf out to look for him; they’re probably closer than the Dauntless anyway.’

‘Yes sir, they are.’

‘So send them.’

‘What about the subspace radio silence?’

‘This is a priority. Something blew his ship up and none of the locals have the capability of blowing it up.’

‘What about the Resoto Hegemony and the Ynelavii Cooperative?’

‘They’re too busy fighting amongst themselves, and neither has set foot out of their respective systems for months.’

‘Sir, Commander Dhrex says he’ll set a course as soon as he’s finished dropping off supplies at the Waystation.’

‘Good, now if you’ll excuse me, I would like to get back to bed.’

‘Aye sir.’

‘And remind me to give Locarno a good thrashing when he steps foot aboard the starbase,’ Logan said as he moved toward the doors of Operations.

The red alert klaxon sounded and he looked up. ‘Now what?’

The Chief of Operations smirked. ‘A Romulan warbird has just decloaked one million kilometres from the starbase.’

Logan sighed and his shoulders slumped. ‘Advise Subcommander Sokal that I will greet her at the airlock, and cancel red alert. Maybe next time she’ll call ahead.’

‘She hasn’t yet,’ Hassan Osden said with a grin.

‘Chief, just get things rolling, and then get yourself to bed. The generators in this place still need to be calibrated for the new Starfleet equipment coming in on the next supply ship.’

‘I can bring the Kursican equipment up to Starfleet specs.’

‘I know that, and you know that, but Command doesn’t care. They think you need Starfleet equipment to run a Starfleet outpost.’

Osden rolled his eyes. ‘Deep Space Nine is Cardassian, Xendi Starbase Nine is actually a Xendi outpost run for the Federation, and I could list others.’

‘But this place used to be a prison station and as such some of the technology is so far below Federation Starfleet technology as to be laughable,’ Logan shot back good naturedly. ‘Just make sure that you’re ready.’

‘I’ll be ready, sir.’

‘Good, now if you’ll excuse me, Chief, I have to go and placate a Romulan commander who will no doubt berate me for not finding her missing operative.’

‘Has she told you when she lost this person?’

Logan stopped in his tracks. ‘Why do you ask?’

‘Judging by Romulan—and Vulcan—ageing, sir, Subcommander Sokal looks to be about one-hundred-thirty years old, a bit old to still be a Subcommander, and that brings up the question of where the Talon’s Commander is.’

‘Since the collapse of the Empire, there were probably far too few commanders for the number of ships, the same problem we faced at the end of the war. I’ll try and ask carefully, but Intelligence still wants as much information as she can give us about the current state of the Empire.’

‘I think she’s a rogue, sir,’ Osden said plainly.

‘There are a number of rogue ships operating in the galaxy these days. I’ll accept that, Chief. But what makes you think that Sokal is a rogue?’

‘I’ve made repairs to her ship and I can tell you that she hasn’t had access to a repair base for some time. She’s operating outside the Empire so any information you do get is likely to be misinformation or meaningless lies.’

‘That’s a wild accusation but it’s not up to us. If Intelligence or Command wants to ask Praetor Tal’Aura about Sokal, that’s up to them.’

‘You’d better greet her, sir. She’s probably done with the docking procedures by now.’

‘Thank you for your words of wisdom, Chief,’ Logan muttered and entered the turbolift.

Privately, he agreed with his chief’s opinion. Sokal’s behaviour was peculiar at times, like she was doing something on her own agenda and not following the Praetor’s wishes, whatever those were. His experience of Romulans in the past was that of a cunning, conniving and treacherous race intent of seeding discord between their enemies so that they could conquer the galaxy. Since Shinzon’s attack, that Empire had collapsed almost to the point of no return and now their precept of unlimited expansion had taken a back seat to something else, something that seemed far more wide-reaching, and Intelligence wanted to know what it was. In fact, it was the only reason that he was trying to keep Sokal happy, so she would reveal something to him that he could use.

When the turbolift deposited him at the docking berth, he found Subcommander Sokal waiting for him. Her prominent brow ridge and upswept eyebrows, as well as the disapproving scowl on her face, made him smile a little. Sokal was abrasive, fierce, arrogant and patriotic, but she was attractive too. Her lithe athletic figure made him wish that his marriage would collapse faster than it already was. Anna had refused to make the trip with him to this far corner of the galaxy even though she had lost the few friends she did have after her affairs become public. He had offered to allow her a clean start but she was a fighter and decided to stay on Earth and claw her way back into the good graces of those around her. The day before he left she filed for divorce and he didn’t fight it. They had nothing to argue over so it was just a matter of waiting for the paperwork to come through.

‘Are you just going to stand there?’ Sokal asked.

‘Subcommander, welcome to Starbases 535. It has been too long since your last visit,’ Logan said with a sincere smile. He enjoyed dancing around with her, and noticed that she was alone, without a phalanx of centurions. ‘Where are your guards?’

Sokal shrugged. ‘I wanted to speak with you in private. Is there anywhere we can talk?’

‘The Hanging Gardens?’ he suggested.

‘I find it tends to rain too much there for my liking. I do not like the rain, even on ch’Rihan.’

‘What about my quarters?’ he asked before he realised what he was saying.

Her eyebrows rose into her forehead and he cursed himself for even thinking it. ‘That would be…interesting,’ she replied in an even tone.

Logan stifled a coughing fit and gestured for her to follow him. ‘This way, Subcommander.’

Sokal started to follow him but there were soon walking in step and he found himself turned on by her close proximity. The distinct scent that emanated from her heightened that feeling and he was sure she could sense it. Anyone walking by would have been able to, and it made him feel vulnerable.

‘Do not worry, Commander. Whatever happens in your quarters, will stay in your quarters. A human idiom I believe.’

Logan coughed as his face coloured. ‘Yeah, a human idiom.’

Sokal laughed and he found the sound at odds with her personality. ‘Humans are so easy to play with.’

‘I think you’ll find that we can give as good as we get.’

‘I would like to put that theory into practice.’

Logan knew that she was being playful, more so than usual, but he still hoped that she would provide more than a mere distraction.

 

[DavidFalkayn]

Re: The Pebbled Sea - Chapter THREE

Nothing like tossing in a Romulan into the mix to ratchet up the intrigue level. I'm liking the two competing races you've developed--I'd say they're at late 22nd--early 23rd century level in tech.

And now we have Nick Locarno added to the mix.

This is definitely an eclectic soup here.

 

[BrotherBenny]

Re: The Pebbled Sea - Chapter THREE

USS Weisskopf, stardate 57261.1
The message was clear to Dhrex’s mind. Find the remains of the Kolvoord, see if Locarno is still alive, and return him to the starbase for debriefing. There were only two problems with that. The debris field was across the other side of the sector and would take almost a full day to reach, and someone else might have picked him up first. The Weisskopf got underway less than an hour after Chief Osden had ordered them to find the Academy washout and they were now four hours closer to their destination. Dhrex had checked out Locarno’s jacket after receiving the call and received the shock of his life.

Of the five cadets who had participated in that event, one had been expelled, two were dead, one was missing in action and the fifth was serving on his ship. Drummond could have warned him but after looking at the woman’s service record he found it to be exemplary. It was the only reason why he was going to speak with her in private rather than calling her into his ready room. She was the chief science officer and since this was the beta shift she was exercising with the off duty security personnel. Dhrex entered the holodeck and blinked in surprise at what he saw. There was a recreation of the Weisskopf’s bridge and on the viewscreen a Borg cube was delivering crippling blows to another starship.

‘Lieutenant, run program Hajar-Three, let’s see if the new phasers have any effect on the cube.’

Dhrex recognised only three of the seven bridge officers, assuming the others were holograms programmed for the simulation. ‘Commander, what’s going on here?’

Hajar spared a brief glance at her superior officer before the lieutenant suddenly called out. ‘Minor flare in their shields, but no damage.’

‘Run Hajar-Four,’ she bellowed as the cube turned its attention to them and the bridge shook.

‘The vessel has been destroyed,’ the feminine computer voice told them.

‘Commander?’ Dhrex asked again, in a considerably harder tone of voice.

‘Dismissed, I expect your reports on my desk before the beginning of the next shift.’

‘Aye sir,’ the two officers replied and hurried out.

‘Computer, remove holographic personnel,’ Hajar said and the holograms vanished. She stood facing Dhrex. ‘Sorry, sir. What can I do for you?’

‘What was all that about?’

‘I think the Borg may come back and this time we might not be able to stop them. I’ve been working on a few programs to give us a fighting chance but they haven’t been successful so far.’

‘I want a report on your activities in this field on my desk before the end of shift, Commander. Now, I have some interesting news about a former bunkmate of yours and I need some information.’

‘Sir?’

‘Nicholas Locarno.’

Lieutenant Commander Jean Hajar’s features hardened at the mention of that name. ‘I’d rather not talk about it, sir.’

‘Tell me what happened, Jean.’

Hajar sighed and sat in the command chair. ‘Nick wanted to make an impact for the graduation ceremony and convinced the rest of Nova Squadron to do the Kolvoord Starburst. To be honest, we were thrilled at attempting to do something that no one had done for a century.’

‘What happened?’

‘I don’t know. Something went wrong and the plasma ignition destroyed all five vessels, only four of us were able to activate our emergency transporters in time. Cadet Albert died.’

‘And then?’

‘We were all disciplined in a hearing. Cadet Crusher eventually told the board what happened and Cadet Locarno took full responsibility as head of Nova Squadron. He was expelled from the Academy and the rest of us had our academic credits cancelled from that year.’

‘What happened to Locarno?’

‘The last I heard of him, he joined his uncle’s freighter crew.’

‘Do you know what happened to the rest of the Squadron?’

‘Yes sir, I tried keeping in contact with them afterwards, but it was difficult after the Academy. Sito was killed in the line of duty and Wesley is missing in action. I think Nick is still in his uncle’s crew.’

‘Nicholas Locarno was running his own freighter in this sector. Starbase 535 received a distress call a few hours ago and we’re on our way to find out what happened to the Kolvoord.’

‘He called the freighter Kolvoord? I guess he does feel sorry for what happened. He tried to keep in contact with us but we kind of pushed him out. Do you know if there was any crew aboard the freighter?’

‘No, there wasn’t, just Locarno.’

‘At least no one else will have died if he screwed up again.’

‘Commander, you were all responsible for what happened to Cadet Albert, but Locarno was the one that acted like a true Starfleet officer and took full responsibility, even knowing what it would cost him.’

‘Commander, I have regretted that day ever since it happened and I still wake up sweating some nights having just beamed out in time. Nothing anyone can do will erase my guilt, but Nick was the one who wanted to do it and convinced us that we could. Yes, we were wrong to try, but that was the second attempt. The first attempt was completely successful. Nick made us all promise that we would never tell anyone that we’d already done it.’

‘I am assuming that I’m not the first person you told?’

‘No sir, once the hearing was over, Locarno had been expelled, and I was told that my academic credits had been cancelled, I went and sat in the Academy gardens.’

‘Let me guess, Boothby was the first one you told?’

Hajar nodded. ‘I told him everything, including that I was thinking about leaving, and he just listened. When I stopped he just said one thing to me. He asked me if I still wanted to wear the uniform after everything that had happened. I decided I did and told Rear Admiral Brand.’

‘And she did nothing but thank you for telling the truth?’

Hajar snorted. ‘She promised to do something for me in the future.’

Dhrex was intrigued. ‘What was it?’

‘When I finally graduated, she called me to one side and handed me my assignment. Even though I graduated second in my class, I wasn’t allowed to pick my assignment. She gave me a chance to redeem myself, just as Captain Picard had done for Wesley and Sito.’

Dhrex nodded, having known most of this before. ‘I hope you will not let your feelings about Locarno get in the way of the mission, Commander. When we get to the site of the distress signal, I want you to lead the investigation into whatever happened.’

‘I will do my job, sir. What happened twelve years ago cannot be changed but I have changed since then.’

Dhrex nodded. ‘Computer, end program. It’s about time you get that report ready. If I see that it has promise. I might well send it back to Starfleet Tactical.’

‘It’s not ready yet, sir.’

‘You’re a scientist, Commander, not a tactical officer. Tactical may find something that you have overlooked.’

‘Aye sir,’ Hajar replied.

‘Dismissed, Commander.’

Dhrex watched Hajar leave the holodeck as the ship faded around them and smiled. She was a very good scientist with an expertise in weaponry of all kinds, but there was something gnawing at her even after all this time. Something that he could do nothing about until she was ready to talk about it herself. He wasn’t even sure that it had anything to do with that incident at the Academy, but right now he had other things to worry about. Locarno might have been a freighter captain and Academy washout but he was still a Federation citizen and this sector did not seem to be conducive to Federation civilians living free lives. Someone was doing their level best to wreak havoc and he intended to find out who that was and stop them. Walking along the quiet corridors, Dhrex realised that he had not checked up on the captain since they had rendezvoused with the Dauntless almost two days ago.

‘Dhrex to sickbay.’

‘He’s still unconscious, Commander,’ Vallejo said before Dhrex could even ask the question.

‘I could have been asking a different question, Carl.’

‘And I could be an Admiral. It’s been a while since you were last here. The drugs I’m giving him are helping him to fight whatever alien consciousness has got him pinned down, but if he decides to give up there will be nothing I can do. I’d like you to come down here whenever you have the time and talk to him. He’ll be able to hear you.’

Dhrex considered it for a moment. ‘I’m on my way.’

‘Not now you’re not,’ Vallejo shot back. ‘He does need rest. You can come down in six hours when I give him the next shot. Your voice should be a booster.’

‘It might also convince him to give up,’ Dhrex joked.

‘There is that chance,’ the crotchety doctor replied, ‘but I’m betting that he has more respect for you than you give him credit for. He didn’t make a fuss when we relieved him of command because he knew two things. The first was that we were right to do so and the second was that he trusted you to run his ship.’

‘He told you that; didn’t he?’

‘If you tell him I told you, I’ll deny every word.’

‘Don’t worry, Doc. I have more important things to deal with. Get sickbay ready for burns and decompression sickness, we might have a very sick patient coming aboard in the next day or so.’

‘We’ll be ready down here,’ Vallejo said in a more serious tone. ‘Can you tell me who it is since you know what he might be suffering from?’

‘You were right with the “he” part, but I’m not saying anything more.’

‘Spoilsport.’

‘That’s as it may be. I want to know the second anything changes regarding the captain’s condition.’

‘Don’t worry; you’ll know the second I do.’

‘Thanks, Doc. At least I know Greg had a reason for being a grouch recently.’

‘Do you have any idea when he was infected?’

‘It could have been any time in the last six months, since we were assigned to the Kursican sector. I was hoping that you might be able to tell me something.’

‘When I know what infected him maybe I’ll be able to tell you. Right now I’m concentrating on keeping him fighting fit.’

‘Thanks, Dhrex out.’

It wasn’t exactly what he wanted to hear, but it was better than hearing nothing at all. With that taken care of, Dhrex decided to get some exercise of his own in and headed for the gym. He had expressly forbidden one of the cargo holds for being used for anything other than a gym since he hated using holographic weights. He never felt like he’d had a full workout after using them and he was gratified to know that the crew frequented the gym as well, either because he did or because Carl made them. He didn’t know and didn’t particularly care, because right now he needed to work up a sweat.

 

[BrotherBenny]

Re: The Pebbled Sea - Chapter FOUR

CHAPTER FOUR

USS Dauntless, New Tokyo, stardate 57261.9
Lieutenant Sheena Gonzales sat in the mess hall sipping at a coffee as she thought of the last shift. Protecting the scientists from the New Tokyo population was a piece of cake and she deserved better than that. She had joined Starfleet to be a tactical officer and was now just one step away from that goal. If Command hadn’t placed Lieutenant Parker as tactical officer at the last minute, she was sure that she would have that bridge position and for the most part she was quite content to wait for it. But the scientists weren’t in any danger from the colonists who ignored the crew anyway, but the captain had insisted on a five person security team led by the security chief. Her shift was over and she was planning to go to her quarters for some quiet meditation when chief engineer walked in. Lieutenant Commander Xeris was a full-blooded Romulan, the only one in Starfleet, and he was an enigma. It was attractive to be with someone who was difficult to figure out, especially for a Betazoid. She watched him peruse the replicator menu and then select something and continued to watch as he sniffed the contents and nodded, satisfied.

‘Commander, over here,’ she called before she realised what she was doing.

‘Lieutenant,’ Xeris said in greeting as he strolled over. ‘How is your coffee?’

‘Passable, I prefer the real Berengarian blend, but it’s difficult to get the beans.’

‘I know the feeling. My favourite food is grecha, but it is only available on ch’Rihan and since the fall of the Empire I have not been able to get a case.’

‘What is grecha?’

‘It is similar to a Terran pear but has the tartness of a Terran lemon. It is a popular base for many sauces.’

‘I see,’ Gonzales replied. ‘Can I ask what exactly you’re eating? It smells like rotting fish.’

Xeris smiled. ‘That is close to what it is, though the smell is wrong. It is supposed to smell like the Apnex Sea.’

‘Ah, the Apnex Sawfish,’ she said.

‘You’ve tasted it?’

‘A Vulcan I once knew kept some Sawfish on ice. He enjoyed it.’

‘Curious, can I ask a personal question?’

She was taken off-balance but recovered quickly, ‘Of course.’

‘What do you find so fascinating about me?’

‘Why do you ask?’

‘I have noticed you watching me surreptitiously on numerous occasions.’

She grinned. ‘I find you hard to read, kinesically.’

‘I am a Rihannsu, my body language is supposed to be hard to read, that we have in common with our Vulcan cousins.’

‘Alright, but I still find you fascinating. I often wonder how you must feel being the only full-blooded Romulan in Starfleet.’

‘It was difficult at the Academy but I made a few friends and that did help. After the decommissioning of the Monarch, I was assigned to the Corps of Engineers’ vessel T’Kumbra but found that I did not fit in with the all-Vulcan crew so I requested a transfer and was assigned to the Dauntless.’

‘Were you assigned to the Monarch straight out of the Academy?’

Xeris nodded. ‘I was, but I didn’t have much to do as a junior engineer until the War broke out. When some of my crewmates perished, I was given a field promotion which was made permanent after the war.’

Gonzales could tell he was hiding something, or holding something back, and she wanted to dig deeper but she knew that it would betray his confidence. ‘How has it been on the Dauntless so far? We haven’t exactly been doing much.’

‘True, but I disliked the continuous fighting during the war. I still believe that had the Federation been willing to sit down and talk, we might have been able to avoid the conflict, and saved billions of lives.’

‘We did lose a lot of people,’ Gonzales admitted, her homeworld having been one of the planets which had fallen to the Dominion. ‘But some lost a lot more. The Cardassians were being wiped out and their empire is in ruins.’

‘Had it not been for the war, the Romulan Empire might still be standing as well.’

Gonzales had to concede that point. ‘There is a positive outlook to this. We might be able to become allies with the Cardassians and the Romulans and the Alpha and Beta Quadrants will be at peace.’

‘There will always be war. It is the nature of the universe.’

‘Please don’t quote philosophy like that, I can’t stand it,’ Gonzales pleaded.

Xeris raised an eyebrow at her. ‘It is unusual to find a security officer who does not partake of at least some philosophy.’

‘You make it sound as if I abhor it, I don’t. I just prefer to read philosophical treatises than hear people quote out-of-context lines.’

‘I see,’ the Romulan replied. ‘In that case, I will refrain from quoting philosophy in your presence.’

‘Thank you, and why are you talking like a Vulcan?’

Xeris chuckled. ‘Was I?’

Gonzales groaned. ‘I was planning to go and meditate, but for some reason I don’t feel like doing that anymore. Would you care for a walk?’

‘In the holodeck?’

‘Of course, I have a few meditation programs that we could choose from.’

‘I’d like that. All I was planning on doing was reading a technical manual.’

‘Let’s go then,’ she said, draining the rest of her coffee.

The two stood and recycled their empty mug and bowl in the replicator before leaving the mess hall. The holodeck was four decks down and they took an empty turbolift. Strolling toward the holodeck in companionable silence, Lieutenant Parker passed them without even a nod and Gonzales sensed something odd, that the tactical officer was intent on getting somewhere and might not have even noticed them. She turned back to face Xeris, but saw that he was also looking at Parker’s retreating back.

‘Wonder what has her so engrossed.’

‘She’s always been a little off,’ Gonzales said.

‘How long have you known her?’

‘Eight months, since just before she was assigned to the Dauntless, you?’

‘Five months, since I came on board,’ Xeris replied. ‘How can you say always, when you’ve known her for eight months?’

‘Good point,’ the Betazoid conceded. ‘She’s seemed off since I’ve known her.’

‘She’s off duty so she can do whatever she wants,’ Xeris muttered, but he wanted to know what had her so wrapped up that she didn’t even acknowledge her shipmates.

‘Computer, run program Gonzales-Trill-Three.’

‘Program running, enter when ready,’ the computer replied.

‘Trill?’

‘It was something I picked up from a friend of mine at Jupiter Station. It’s a great little program, full of hidden gems,’ she said as the doors opened and they entered. ‘You’ll enjoy it, trust me.’

Xeris found himself thinking that he could trust her, a strange feeling for a Romulan, and he followed her in, wincing slightly as the doors closed behind him. His people did not have holodecks.’


Lieutenant K’Tyra Parker noticed her shipmates pass by but did not acknowledge them. Her workout routine had been interrupted by the computer informing her that “phase one of her project” had been completed. It was a prearranged code to alert her to the fact that she had a message waiting for her in her quarters on a priority channel. Knowing that it was from Admiral Flintoff made her uneasy since he had promised her that they would not communicate unless it was absolutely necessary, meaning that either something had happened which meant that she would need to break her unstable cover, or information had been uncovered which he needed her to verify. The latter was more probable since Doctor Maxx had not yet completed his genetic analysis of the DNA found at the scene of the abduction. She already knew what he was going to find, since in her time Starfleet knew a lot about the genetic structure of the Cha’lav. They had even broken the Prime Directive to commit genocide against certain species, but without the help of the geneticists that the remnants of Section 31 had tried to give them, the Cha’lav had been able to develop a counter virus.

She would have loved to give Maxx a little helping hand but Flintoff had warned her against doing so, indicating that such information could cause a panic, and that the fewer people that knew, the better, at least for now. When and if Maxx broke the code on the third helix, which geneticists and linguists in her time had been unable to do, then she could reveal as much as she knew. Parker had hoped that she was wrong and that the Cha’lav would not begin their invasion the same way, but to her it was history and had happened. What she was trying to do now was change her own history and knew that a paradox existed in which she might never be born because of the changes, meaning that everything she had worked for would be undone. To combat that, she had been given a chronexaline gland which secreted nanoscopic amounts of the drug into her bloodstream causing a small temporal flux which could not be detected by twenty-fourth century tricorders. It was the only way that she could do her mission without being killed by the changes that she needed to bring about.

Parker entered her quarters and left the lights low as she walked over to the desk. Sitting in the chair, she activated the monitor and entered her authorisation code which would unlock the file. After listening to it she could compose a response, encrypt it, and send it back the same way it had been sent.

‘K’Tyra, I know I told you we wouldn’t communicate unless it was necessary,’ Flintoff said in a whisper, ‘but I need to know about the second wave of the invasion. Commander Logan informed me that Captain Drummond is currently being given drugs to help him fight off an alien consciousness which is invading his brain. Is this part of their invasion plans?’

Parker’s eyes grew wide at the mention of the alien consciousness. She wasn’t sure if she could even tell Flintoff about her suspicions because they were groundless and theoretical in her time. After careful consideration, and several hours of silent meditation and contemplation, she composed the message and sent it off. Only time would tell if she was going to be believed in this century. She knew that she had been chosen to go back in time because she was the foremost—and last living—expert in Cha’lav methodology, technology, and physiology. Entire fleets had been destroyed so that she could be protected and smuggled aboard the Cha’lav control ship. They had destroyed every single one of the temporal supercomputers that Starfleet Temporal Command used to scan space, and even the timeships with that capability had been destroyed, to prevent them from going back in time. It had been Admiral Dexx who had come up with the audacious plan to get aboard the ship.

Parker suddenly let out a string of curses. The ushaan-tor which had been left behind could have belonged to only one person. Dexx believed that the weapon was left by someone trying to help them, but she now knew better. One of the last living Andorians had defected to the Cha’lav after her colony world had been obliterated. She had obviously travelled back in time as well, but there was no telling where or when she had ended up, as no one had been shooting up the control room when she dematerialised.

‘All senior officers, report to the briefing room,’ Astar’s voice impinged on her meditative stance.

Parker stood up, changed her uniform and headed out. She was actually the last to arrive and took her seat quickly, wondering why the captain’s voice sounded so urgent.

‘Doctor Maxx had completed his study of the alien DNA,’ she said.

Parker listened to the Bolian intently, ignoring the looks from Gonzales and Xeris.

‘The information encoded on the double helix common to all carbon-based life forms is what you would expect: mental and physical features, etc. The information encoded on the third helix strand is impressive and different. It allows for interbreeding between the different phenotypes as Doctor Vallejo suggested, but it also has some unique abilities.’

‘Like what?’ Wright asked before Parker could, for which she was grateful.

‘Extra information including what I believe could be genetic memory. If we can break that genetic code, we’ll know their entire cultural history. There is also evidence of psionic abilities to an unprecedented level.’

‘What do you mean by that, Doctor?’ Mahtani, the chief science officer, asked.

Maxx swallowed. ‘I think that they might be able to communicate with a non-physical entity.’

‘Are you sure?’

‘Of course I can’t be sure at this early stage, but since every humanoid culture across the galaxy has ghost stories or the like, there has been some scientific evidence to support the theory that some people are more prone to receive “visions.” What if these aliens have, as well all the previous phenotypes previously mentioned, a non-physical—or non-linear—phenotype as well?’

Parker suddenly knew what the second wave of the invasion had been all about and knew that Captain Drummond would not survive his ordeal. She would have to contact Admiral Flintoff again, but would do so in two ways.

‘Captain, we should inform Commander Logan immediately. I believe this is serious enough to break radio silence,’ she said.

Astar shook her head. ‘Doctor, can you learn anything else from the colony?’

‘No sir, I’ve got all the information I’m likely to get from here.’

‘Then we’ll set a course back to Starbase 535 and report to Commander Logan in person. Dismissed.’

Parker jumped up, intending to head back to her quarters and send another message to the admiral, but her plans were fouled up.

‘Wait behind a moment, Lieutenant.’

‘Sir?’

Once the others had gone, Astar stood up. ‘There was a communications breach last night and I want to know who it was. Whoever it was made it impossible to track them, which means someone who is extremely familiar with the security codes. I want you to keep a lookout on the system and set up something to alert you to any unauthorised use.’

Parker nodded. ‘I am already aware of it, sir. I was in the process of tracking them when you called this briefing.’

Astar looked surprised. ‘How did you know? I was only informed just before the briefing.’

‘I know because whenever you have radio silence there is always someone who wants to break it for something.’

‘I see,’ the captain replied, but she wasn’t convinced. ‘You’ll keep me apprised?’

‘Of course, sir.’

Astar nodded. ‘Dismissed.’

 

[DavidFalkayn]

Re: The Pebbled Sea - Chapter FOUR

I really do like how you develop your characters and how the story is slowly unfolding. This is a pretty elaborate tapestry you're weaving with a lot of subplots and twists. I'm curious to see how it unfolds.

 

[BrotherBenny]

Re: The Pebbled Sea - Chapter FOUR

Thanks for your input. There are a lot of twists and subplots and most will be resolved by the end of the story. The second half of chapter four tomorrow evening (BST).

And I'll start writing chapter five this evening.

Hope you enjoy the next part.

 

[BrotherBenny]

Re: The Pebbled Sea - Chapter FOUR

Unknown Alien Vessel, Kursican sector, stardate 57262.5
Yannik woke up in a cell and howled.

His articulated paws tested the strange energy field at the front of the cell and he received a jolt of electricity that caused all his hair to stand on end. He looked around the cell, saw nothing that he could use to escape and then pushed his wet nose as close to the forcefield as possible. There were other cells, all with unusual aliens which looked more like the Ynelavii than the Resoto. Yannik sniffed the air and almost retched, the humanoid smells of fear were strong. Fear was not something he generally ascribed to, even in this situation, but he was feeling a little trepidation.

‘Can anyone hear me?’ he asked.

‘I’m the only one who understands you, but we can all hear you,’ a voice replied in what sounds like his own language but somewhat accented.

‘Are you Resoto?’

‘No, I’m Denobulan, from the United Federation of Planets. Were you kidnapped in the battle?’

‘My ship was destroyed and my crew killed,’ Yannik growled. ‘Do you know who is responsible?’

‘I was taken from my home with a woman by two aliens that looked like reptiles.’

‘That is who destroyed my ship. What do they want?’

‘I don’t know, but I don’t want to wait around to find out. Whenever they come for you, fight like you’ve never fought before.’

Yannik grinned. ‘I will take great pleasure in ripping out their throats.’

‘Do whatever you have to,’ the Denobulan replied. ‘My mother is a Federation diplomat. She will send Starfleet out here and whoever these aliens are will be sorry they ever heard of us.’

‘Federation,’ Yannik muttered. ‘I guess Gexin was right, damned Ynelavii intelligence.’

‘Who?’

‘An enemy of mine, our peoples have been fighting for many years but she was the only one I could send a distress call to when the aliens attacked. She has this foolish notion that we should ally ourselves with other local races and form an alliance.’

The alien chuckled. ‘That is what the Federation is all about. We are a collection of over a hundred and fifty races all working together.’

Yannik listened to the Denobulan and then his ears pricked up. ‘Quiet,’ he hissed. ‘Someone is coming.’

There were indeed footsteps coming closer and Yannik saw the aliens clearly as they passed his cell. Both of them looked like snakes given humanoid form and they were repugnant in his eyes. They had black vertical pupils in yellow eyes and a forked tongue and wore uniforms that resembled reptilian skin, with sigils that looked to determine rank. He could not identify the ranks but he ranked them no higher than security guards since they had definite military bearing and were alert to everything around them, but they did not say a word, which commanders usually did when dealing with prisoners, well he did anyway. He heard a buzz and a struggle, then silence, and realised that they had actually been able to knock someone out. They dragged a young woman back down the corridor and Yannik heard an anguished scream as someone hammered on the forcefield.

‘Was that your mate?’ he asked.

‘Yes,’ the Denobulan answered through clenched teeth.

There was no longer fear in his odour but anger which he categorised as cold rage. This individual would find a way to get out of the cell.

‘What do you know of fighting, Denobulan?’

‘My name is Melex, my race is Denobulan. I used to be a member of Starfleet Command, the exploration and protection arm of the Federation.’

‘Why did you leave?’

‘I had seen too much death, so I moved out to this far flung corner of the galaxy with my wife so that we could begin a new, peaceful life.’

Yannik could hear the pain in his voice and heard him moving around in his cell. ‘You left that life behind and now you are contemplating more death.’

‘You’ll learn many things about the Federation and Starfleet, but one of the major tenets, which many races had from their very beginnings back on their own homeworlds before exploring space, was that we never leave our own behind. No matter what. I will die to protect her, as she would me, it is our way. I will break out of this cell and I will rescue her. If these aliens have to die in the process, then so be it.’

‘That doesn’t sound very enlightened, it sounds like revenge.’

‘It is revenge, one of the basest humanoid emotions.’

‘But you will do it anyway?’

‘Yes.’

‘Than you will need help,’ Yannik replied and placed his claws against the forcefield. He knew that they would not conduct the electrical current. It would hurt but there was something greater in its purpose and he did not intend to rot in this cell for the rest of his life.

‘What are you doing?’ Melex asked.

‘I am making sure that you do not die alone,’ Yannik replied.

He knew that this was almost against the character that everyone saw in him, but he had not had a fight that truly filled him with purpose for some time. Gexin and the Ynelavii were just an enemy, what he really wanted was an adversary. The last real adversary which he faced was his cousin’s army decades ago. He had been successful and his cousin’s feral gang fled from Resoto homeworld to take refuge somewhere else, he knew not where. The forcefield flickered and wavered as Yannik’s claws began to ache. He could withhold a significant level of pain but the electrical energy was beginning to affect him and he howled in agony, just as the forcefield collapsed in sparks.

The Resoto leader collapsed on the floor and felt someone lifting him. He looked up into the face that seemed similar to that of the young woman dragged off earlier. ‘Melex?’

‘You have fulfilled your part of the mission, my friend, now let me do mine.’

‘We’re coming with you,’ a chorus of voices echoed.

Yannik recognised some of the races, including a Ynelavii couple, and Melex nodded. ‘They will likely have weapons, and it will be dangerous.’

‘More dangerous than waiting for them to take us away?’ one of the aliens asked. ‘I don’t know about you, but I wish to return home to my family and my farm.’

‘Let’s go.’

‘Not without me, you don’t,’ Yannik said as he pulled himself up and shook himself off. ‘I will go ahead and leave the way clear.’

‘We have to find out where they are holding my wife.’

‘I will leave one survivor.’

Melex nodded curtly and Yannik dropped to all fours before bounding out of the still open door. ‘We need to be ready.’

‘Where do we go?’

‘Follow the screams,’ Melex answered and headed out the door, followed by over thirty aliens of more than twenty races.

Yannik skidded into two reptilian guards who were too surprised to react but they recovered in time to draw their weapons. The Resoto leader was faster and shredded their jugulars before they could fire. Leaving the weapons where they were, he ran down another corridor and tore the arm off another alien, leaving him alive as promised. The taste of their blood was disgusting, but his teeth were his most powerful weapon and he intended to use them to the best of their ability. Every corridor looked the same and he was getting lost. He sniffed the air and grinned, the other prisoners were getting closer and the alert status had been initiated. The aliens knew that their prisoners were loose.

Eight guards suddenly appeared ahead of him and he knew that he would never be able to kill them all before they fired. Their weapons looked like primitive projectile pistols but they emitted some kind of sonic stun that incapacitated. It hurt like hell to his sensitive ears but it was better than the electrical stun from the cell forcefield. None of the aliens fired, but they didn’t move to intercept either. It was as if they were waiting for something. Yannik strained his hearing to pick up sounds but all he could hear was an incessant clicking. Someone was giving the reptiles their orders, and they were the ones he wanted. The ones giving the orders, the ones who ordered him kidnapped.

The guards backed away slowly and Yannik made a run for them, wondering what was happening. He saw a bulkhead coming down in front of them and tried to get under it but couldn’t. The bulkhead prevented him from attacking and he knew without turning round that another bulkhead and slammed into place behind him. He was trapped. Yannik considered his position and guessed that the others were also being trapped in a similar manner. When a fine mist began raining down on him he howled and curled into a foetal position to limit his exposure to whatever they were trying to do to him. Backing up as slowly as the guards had, Yannik reached the other bulkhead and looked around. There was a door to his left and there appeared to be no forcefield. He approached it and stood up; coughing at the mist he was unable to stop inhaling.

Touching the plate beside the door, he was surprised when it opened and quickly entered. The door closed behind him and he saw the young woman the guards dragged away earlier. There was no one else in the room and he padded over to her. She was unconscious but still breathing. Monitors around the room showed other people lying on beds similar to hers and with information scrolling across. He couldn’t read any of it but had an inkling about what he was seeing. This room and others like it were laboratories for experimenting on living beings, though for what purpose he couldn’t fathom. There were other doors and he hoped to find a way out before the aliens showed up to continue their experiments. He considered trying to rescue her but he wouldn’t be able to carry her and be an effective weapon.

‘Glad you made it out of the gas,’ Melex said, entering the room from another door. ‘And you found my wife too, thanks.’

Melex was covered in blood, as were the others that followed him in. The blood was different colours, the red of the reptilians and Melex, the purple of the Ynelavii and the blues and greens of the other races. They had clearly been involved in heavy fighting, but apparently all had survived their encounters, some barely.

‘Where do we go from here?’ Yannik asked. ‘My preference is the control centre.’

‘Ordinarily, I would agree, but I want to get off this ship, not steal it.’

‘What about finding out who these aliens are that have been kidnapping people from across the sector?’ Yannik asked.

Melex pulled the straps from his wife’s unconscious body and lifted her onto his shoulders. ‘You can find out who they are, I’m finding a shuttle or escape pod and getting out of here.’

‘Running isn’t honourable.’

‘Neither is dying.’

Yannik grinned again. ‘Let’s find out who these aliens are and then get out of here, alive. This ship could help my people and yours.’

Melex considered the idea. ‘All right, the control centre it is, but we’ll need more weapons.’

‘No problem with that,’ one of the aliens replied. ‘There’s a weapons cache in here.’

Yannik and Melex strolled over. There were a dozen pistols and half a dozen rifles of similar design. ‘I’d say we have the advantage now.’

‘They still have the home field advantage,’ Melex said. ‘This is their ship.’

Yannik nodded. ‘True, but they do not seem completely prepared for a prisoner break out.’

Yannik took point and the other filed out of the lab behind him. The corridors were empty and the bulkheads had been raised. Only the slightest whiff of the gas was still present and there were no guards to be seen. He sniffed and could not even tell whether any guards were approaching. Melex followed close behind, his body radiating fear pheromones, but he was determined. The group came to the end of a corridor and for once there were no branches leading elsewhere, only a door.

‘A turbolift,’ Melex said, ‘possibly leading to the control centre. We won’t all be able to fit.’

‘Why is there a turbolift here when the rest of the ship we’ve seen has staircases?’ Yannik asked.

‘To provide extra security for the control centre,’ Melex suggested.

‘We’ll go in two groups,’ Yannik replied. ‘That way, if the first are killed, the second have a chance at taking over the ship.’

Melex agreed, having decided that his wife would actually want to know what had happened, and he wanted to have something to tell her. ‘Let’s go,’ he said, touching the plate beside the door.

It opened but there was no turbolift. It was in fact the control centre they had reached, without guards. Melex and Yannik, standing upright, fired at the aliens, dropping them before they had a chance to fire. Staring at them without making a move was an Insectoid that resembled a Terran cockroach grown to humanoid proportions.

Melex stepped forward, holding his weapon steady. ‘Who are you?’

The alien made a move for a console by its side and Melex fired the pistol at the console. It shorted out. ‘I’ll ask you again, who are you?’

The Insectoid replied with clicks. Melex’s Starfleet-issue universal translator was unable to render the speech into anything intelligible, though the alien clearly was a sentient life form.

‘We need to communicate with them,’ one of the aliens replied.

‘No we don’t,’ Yannik muttered and fired at the insectoid. It shattered, blood and carapace going everywhere.

‘There was no need for that.’

‘Yes, there was,’ the Resoto leader said. ‘This vessel is now under the command of the Resoto Hegemony. I want any of the Insectoids and Reptilians still living on this ship imprisoned in the cells. Then we’ll figure out the shields, weapons and engines and return to Resoto territory.’

‘And what of us?’ Melex asked. ‘We’re not Resoto. I wish to return home.’

‘And you will, but right now, we need to get this ship fully under our control.’

‘Fine, then I will work on the communications system so I can send a message to my people.’

‘I cannot permit that.’

Melex puffed his face up in anger. ‘I will be returning home and you will assist in that endeavour. My people have greater experience in dealing with unknown alien vessels. They will be able to learn the secrets of the vessel quickly.’

‘What will happen to us?’

‘You will all be returned to your homeworlds, unharmed.’

‘And the others held prisoner here?’

‘Will be released and returned home.’

‘I wouldn’t suggest that,’ one of the aliens said. ‘I am a doctor on my homeworld. I think that we were allowed to escape and do this exact thing. If your wife has been experimented on, they may have infected her with a disease that will kill all of your people. If any of us return home we could annihilate our entire populations. Can your people help us there?’

Melex nodded. ‘They can, I will need to communicate with them as a priority if she has been infected with any virus.’

‘Very well, I want the rest of you to find any of the aliens that are still aboard.’

 

[DavidFalkayn]

Re: The Pebbled Sea - Chapter FOUR

The plot deepens as we see how the aliens plan to spread their bioagent. You delivered a very well written escape and action sequence. I also like how you're developing your created races. Yannik is an intriguing individual and your building of the Resoto/Ynelavii rivalry has me most interested in seeing how it will impact on the building crisis.

 

[BrotherBenny]

Re: The Pebbled Sea - Chapter FOUR

DavidFalkayn said:
The plot deepens as we see how the aliens plan to spread their bioagent.

You ain't seen nothin' yet. Might even give David Mack a run for his money with my impending death toll.

You delivered a very well written escape and action sequence.

Thanks, I was a little worried about the long paragraphs but I guess they worked.

I also like how you're developing your created races. Yannik is an intriguing individual and your building of the Resoto/Ynelavii rivalry has me most interested in seeing how it will impact on the building crisis.

It has barely began.

 

[TheLoneRedshirt]

Re: The Pebbled Sea - Chapter FOUR

It took me a while, but I read through the entire story thus far. The more I've read, the more I've liked it. You have developed a very intriguing story line with multiple sub-plots and interesting characters. It's really coming together well and I look forward to more!

 

[BrotherBenny]

Re: The Pebbled Sea - CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER FIVE

Ynelavii Cruiser Oxelus, stardate 57262.8
Nicholas Locarno sat up and smacked his head on the bunk. The Ynelavii weren’t that much shorter than the average human but they were short enough, none of the ones he had seen coming up past his shoulder. The ship was the size of a medium-range Starfleet ship and travelled in some kind of faster-than-light capacity, that much was obvious. He had been well looked after, though the female guard assigned to him spent more time staring at him than at anything else. It was a little gratifying, since his last relationship ended rather abruptly a few months before. He had lost everything, his lover, his ship and his supplies. Everything that he had worked hard to build had suddenly gone, and all because of these aliens. Locarno watched the small screen on his tricorder, the only evidence he had of the alien attack on his ship. All he had were the clothes he wore and the stolen Starfleet-issue phaser, tricorder and communicator—with spare power packs for each. His cabin was small and utilitarian, containing a bed, chair, desk and computer terminal. The commander of the vessel had allowed him to access the ship’s database so that he might learn about their culture without nagging the guard, or other members of the crew.

What he had been able to translate and learn so far was interesting to say the least. Whereas humans had discovered space travel themselves after a war amongst old nation states, the Ynelavii had been given it—according to legend—and their benefactors had then left the primitive populace to their own devices. The Ynelavii spent many years adapting the technology for comfort and when they did finally make the move into space, they were attacked by the Resoto Hegemony. The Ynelavii then turned their attention to war and the two races had been fighting ever since. Locarno turned his attention to the Ynelavii’s more interesting cultural aspects and learned of their religion which was split down two main branches, the mainstream Nelanii sect and the Seer sect which was ridiculed and seen as an improper heretical sect. Locarno remembered old Earth religions being like that before the end of the third world war when all religions were granted equal status by consensus.

The door chimed and he hid his tricorder in the carry-sack he’d taken with him in the escape pod. ‘Come in.’

The female guard, Beqan, entered and paused two steps into the cabin. ‘General Allak requests your presence in the CIC.’

Locarno nodded. ‘Lead the way.’

As the woman led him down corridors, he reflected on the fact that he had denied himself the Starfleet existence when he convinced his team mates to try the Starburst. Since then he had drifted around and done minimal work, even when he was working with his uncle’s crew. After his uncle’s death the old man had passed the freighter company to him, but war broke out soon after and most of his ex-Starfleet crew reenlisted or returned to active service to defend the Federation, as he would have liked to do. He had to sell off four of the five freighters and kept the smallest one, which could be run by one man. After skirting the edge of dangerous territory during the war, he decided to eke out a living on the real frontier once Federation space was returned to its rightful owners. Having picked the Kursican sector because of the new colonies, he was having a great time zipping between a half-dozen worlds and making new friends, none of which knew about his past life.

Then Starfleet had to turn the Plat into a Starbase and he had to work within Starfleet guidelines, for the most part. It wasn’t a great life, but the colonists were always willing to share a meal for a story or gossip about the core worlds, and he enjoyed being part of civilisation again. On his way to New Bolarus he gets attacked and everything spirals into nothingness. Nicholas Locarno ends up back where he started ten years before, with nothing but his dubious honour.

They reached the CIC and Beqan stepped aside for Locarno to enter. His first impression was of a war room, charts and screens everywhere. There were similarities to Starfleet bridges, and those of other races, most especially Romulan ones. General Allak sat in the throne-like chair at the centre of the CIC and turned the chair to face the newcomer.

‘Welcome, Mister Locarno. I presume you slept well.’

‘As well as can be expected, thank you, General.’

‘We’re still tracking the vessel that attacked you, and they appear to have slowed down. Their course has also become somewhat erratic.’

‘Perhaps they are having trouble with their engines. We could ask if they require assistance,’ Locarno replied.

Allak laughed. ‘I like your style, but I doubt they would accept it. At our current relativistic speeds, we should catch up to them in approximately two hours.’

Locarno nodded. ‘I would like to be part of the team you send over.’

Allak frowned. ‘I don’t understand.’

‘When my people catch up to an alien vessel in this situation we board it to recover our people and the crew into custody.’

‘We will destroy the vessel,’ Allak replied simply.

‘What about the Ynelavii on board? The aliens have kidnapped several people from the region, have they not?’

Allak turned to Beqan who nodded. ‘Yes, they have. But my orders are to prevent any more people being kidnapped.’

‘What of the intelligence and technology you could gain by taking the ship as your own?’

This gave the general pause. ‘Colonel, prepare a boarding party.’

‘Sir, our orders…’

‘Were to stop the vessel at all costs, and I intend to obey those orders. The First Prime left the minutiae of the mission at my discretion, Colonel. Mister Locarno makes a good point. We might finally be able to win this never-ending war with the Resoto with that vessel.’

Locarno sighed. It was not what he had intended to suggest but it did allow him to be part of that boarding party. ‘I would like to go aboard that vessel.’

They stared at each other for a long moment. ‘Very well, Colonel Ferok will lead the team and you will follow his orders.’

Locarno nodded acquiescence but he intended to follow his own agenda. That vessel would make a nice trophy for Commander Logan and Starfleet, or any of the local races wanting a technological leap. ‘Thank you, General.’

‘He’ll be watching you.’

‘General, the vessel has changed course, it has now reversed heading.’

‘Time to intercept?’

‘One hour and twelve minutes.’

‘Can we get any more speed out of the hyperlight engines?’

‘Unlikely, sir. The engineer has already pushed them sixteen percent above maximum.’

Allak returned his gaze to the stars streaming past. ‘Mister Locarno, tell me what you know of this region.’

‘General?’

‘You run a freighter through the sector and have dealings with colonies and this Federation Starfleet. So, tell me what you know.’

‘I know about the colonies and the Starfleet vessels that frequent the sector, but I keep my business to myself, so I don’t get into trouble. It’s the reason I’m out here in the first place.’

‘Since we have a little time, why don’t we get to know each other? Tell me about yourself, Mister Locarno.’

Locarno knew that he couldn't refuse and told the general of his life story, carefully concealing some of the more recent happenings. His problems at the Academy were still raw, especially after the loss of his small cargo hopper, the last of his uncle’s fleet. When he had finished, he could see the eyes of the CIC officers boring into him.

‘They don’t approve of your actions,’ Allak said.

‘Most of the people I knew didn’t approve,’ Locarno replied. ‘What I did was wrong. Trying the manoeuvre was illegal, covering up the death of a fellow cadet was immoral, and lying to my superiors was stupid. The truth came out and I lost my career. I know that I can never undo those mistakes, and naming my freighter after the manoeuvre made sure that I would never forget the incident that cost me everything I wanted.’

Allak smiled. ‘You appear to have changed since those days, Mister Locarno, but there is still something about you that I do not trust.’

‘I never trust me, General, I’ve learned not to over the years.’

‘General, the alien vessel is entering visual range.’

‘Let’s have a look at it.’

Locarno almost did a double take when he saw it on the CIC monitors. If he hadn’t known better he would have thought he was seeing a vessel from Starfleet’s past. The alien vessel which had terrorised this sector resembled—at least superficially—the old Daedalus-class starships of the late twenty-second and early twenty-third centuries. The tubular secondary hull and the spherical primary hull with two nacelles jutting out at odd angles. It was not quite identical, as though the designers had taken it apart and put it back together without looking at the instructions. After seeing it, he really did want to get aboard and see what the inside looked like. Someone somewhere had acquired the designs for Federation starships and created something hideous out of them. He was aware of Allak looking at him but there was nothing he could say, it was a Daedalus-class but at the same time, it wasn’t.