The Weakest Link
Disclaimer and Author's Note: I do not own Star Trek. This story is based off the alternate reality version of Star Trek (2009) and Star Trek: Into Darkness. However, I am making references to all Star Trek movies and TV shows.
This story takes place a few months after the end of Star Trek: Into Darkness and my fanfic "Birthday." It features characters introduced in my other fanfic "Exam Day."
If you haven't read it just know that April Mayweather is a pilot/engineer onboard the Enterprise and is the grand-daughter of Admiral Travis Mayweather. Nick Paris is another pilot/engineer onboard the Enterprise. Trish is a navigator/stellar cartographer onboard the Enterprise. Basically, these are named minor characters.
Ch. 1 - The Ferengi
Location: Space Station orbiting Andoria.
1st Week of the Five year mission
"Our first stop on our five year mission is a normal, perfectly Pre-explored space station!" Scotty asked incredulously.
"Sounds nice," McCoy said, "No explosions, no volcanoes, no people trying to kill us!"
"Come on, Bones!" Kirk said, clapping the ship's doctor on the back, "Where's your sense of adventure?"
"Frozen with Khan," McCoy answered sourly.
Kirk rolled his eyes and looked at his science officer. "Can you believe this guy?"
"I have no reason to think that Dr. McCoy is a liar," Spock answered. "Although his comment is highly illogical and not at all accurate."
Kirk sighed. "That's not what I meant, Spock. We need to work on your ..."
"Use of the vernacular," Uhura suggested, not turning away from her station, but a small smile on her face.
Chekov laughed but managed to turn it into a cough, and Sulu smiled as he announced, "The Enterprise's docking clamps are locked into the station, Captain."
"Good job, Sulu," Kirk said, standing up from his chair. "Let's get going. Sulu you have the com for the first shift."
"Yes, sir," Sulu replied. He smiled at Chekov as the young man stood. "Have fun."
Chekov grinned and entered the lift with the others. Trish took his place in the Navigator's station and asked Sulu, "Think they'll wait for us before getting into trouble?"
Sulu laughed. "Not a chance!"
"April!" Chekov jogged to catch up with the pilot who has recently begun working in Engineering with Scotty. "You free during the first shift?"
"If I wasn't free I think I'd be on the ship, Chekov," April Mayweather replied with a smile.
Chekov shrugged, grinning back. "Thought I'd check. You could be running an errand."
"With all the weird things Mr. Scott makes me do, I wouldn't be surprised!"
"You two kids stay out of trouble," grumbled McCoy from behind them. He'd just come through the airlock connecting the Enterprise to the station and was frowning with annoyance.
"Yes, sir," said April.
"What's wrong?" Chekov asked.
"Technically, nothing," McCoy grumbled. "But Scotty took Jim and Spock to some sort of bar..."
April began giggling, imagining Spock in a bar and Chekov managed to keep a straight face for only a second longer.
"Laugh all you want," McCoy grumbled, "But they could have at least waited for me..."
Realizing what he said, he gave both of the younger officers a glare. "Just stay out of trouble," he growled and walked after his friends. But once his back was turned he allowed himself a smile.
Still laughing, Chekov and April went to get some lunch with other ensigns on the ship and later found themselves simply browsing the different stalls manned by aliens from all around the quadrant.
"Hey, you two!" A nasally voice called. "You! Humans! Over here!"
Chekov and April exchanged startled looks and looked at the speaker: an orange alien with giant earlobes and a bright purple suit standing by a stall filled with clothing.
"Are you speaking to us?" Chekov asked politely.
"Yes," the alien said, bowing low. "And may I say it's just a pleasure to make your acquaintance. You're from the Enterprise, right?"
"Yes," Chekov replied.
April was examining the alien with avid, yet cautious, interest and asked slowly, "You wouldn't happen to be a Ferengi, would you?"
"Of course I'm a Ferengi!" The alien snapped. "What else would I be?"
"Sorry," April apologized quickly. "I've never met anyone from your species before."
A grunt was the Ferengi's only reply and the two officers looked at each other, at a loss of what to do.
"Now, now, Quintan, don't be rude," another slightly nasally voice said from behind them.
Another Ferengi, this one in a bright green suit and with even larger ears approached them.
"I apologize for my brother, he doesn't have the lobes for customer service," the Ferengi said. "I'm Quartel, the owner of this shop. Would you be interested in some of our..."
"No thank you," April said politely. "We've got to get back to the ship..."
"You will wound me deeply if you don't take a look," Quartel said with a pained look and a hand on his heart.
"We really do..." Began Chekov but Quintan interrupted and said to his brother, "See? I told you! Humans are rude! A true blight on the galaxy! Why do we even bother...?"
"We can take a quick look...right, Sir?" April said. Chekov glared at her. She was using his rank as an excuse to not look bad in front of the aliens. Granted, it was a good idea.
"What do you recommend?" Chekov asked Quartel.
The Ferengi grinned and April tried not to stare at the pointed teeth.
"I have this lovely silk that is native to Andoria," the green-clad alien said. "Take a look!" The two humans followed the Ferengi's to their stall and as one alien looked through the wares, the other asked Chekov, "You wouldn't happen to be a high-ranking officer, would you? We give discounts based on Starfleet rank."
"We're both Ensigns," Chekov told him, "But I work on the bridge."
"Perfect!" Quartel said before thrusting a bolt of silk into Chekov's face. Chekov tried to push it away, but his eyes felt heavy and it was hard to breathe. The last thing he registered was April reaching for her communicator and the Ferengi running after her.
As soon at Quartel thrust the silk into Chekov's face, April knew they were in trouble. Her grandfather had told her about the Ferengi space pirates that had attacked the ship on which he worked long ago, and April had kept one hand on her communicator just in case. As Chekov's knees hit the floor April had already flipped open the communicator but before she could say a word Quintan had thrown another scrap of silk in her face. April swatted it away, careful not to breathe and shouted into the communicator, "Mayweather to Enterprise! We're..."
Quartel hit her from behind with a wooden rod usually used to store cloth and the young officer collapsed.
"You...!" Began Quintan but Quartel interrupted, his eyes darting around to various alien shoppers that were looking at them curiously,
"They collapsed! Oh no! Brother, we have to get them to their ship!"
"Yes! Yes!" Quintan agreed quickly. They deftly loaded the two unconscious Enterprise officers onto hover-carts and hurried away.
April's communicator was left beeping on the ground behind them.
"Ensign Mayweather, please come in! Ensign Mayweather! April, are you all right!?" Sulu looked at the communications office on duty. "What's wrong? Is it her communicator?"
"No, sir. It's working fine..."
"Try Chekov."
"No answer."
Sulu frowned, and said. "Connect me to Captain Kirk."
The officer nodded and flipped a switch.
"Enterprise to Captain Kirk."
"Go ahead."
"Captain, Ensign Mayweather just tried to contact the ship and was cut off. She and Chekov are together and not responding to our hails. I have a feeling something is wrong."
Kirk glanced at Spock and asked, "Where are they?"
"They seem to be on their way to docking clamp seven."
"Why would they be going to the seventh docking clamp when the Enterprise is at the first?" Spock asked.
"I don't know, sir, that's why I contacted you," Sulu replied.
"We'll find them. Kirk out." Kirk stored his communicator and set off for the docking area at a jog, Spock followed him. McCoy and Scott saw them leave from inside the bar, exchanges glances, and hurried after them. Scotty drained his glass first.
Kirk and Spock stepped out of the turbo lift and were almost run over by a couple of Ferengi pushing a hover-carts piled with cloth.
"What the hell?" Muttered Kirk as the aliens pushed by without apologizing.
Spock looked down at his triquarter, and looked up in a way that Kirk would describe as the Vulcan's version of puzzled.
"Captain, according to these readings. The Ensigns are only 3 meters ahead of us and heading quickly towards..." Spock trailed off as both he and Kirk looked at the hover-carts.
"Hey! Ferengi!" At Kirk's call they slowed down and looked back.
"What's in the carts?"
The Ferengi began to run and the two officers chased after them.
Spock caught up without much trouble and pulled the cloths off both carts to reveal April and Chekov, unconscious but clearly alive. Then he dropped to the ground as one of the Ferengi pulled out a phase pistol and shot at his head. Kirk jumped on the shooter and wrestled him to the ground, and Spock had no trouble twisting the arms of the brother behind his back.
"Owe! That hurts! Stop! I surrender! I surrender!" The Ferengi squawked.
"Quintan, you idiot!" howled the other as Kirk manages to grab the phase pistol from his hand and aim it at the previous owner.
"Good God! What's going on?" McCoy said angrily the turbo lift opened and he appeared with Scotty.
"Were the lad and lassie kidnapped? "Scotty asked, looking at the cart with the unconscious ensigns.
"Almost," growled Kirk, glaring at the Ferengi before him.
"Evidently they failed," Spock added.
Meanwhile, McCoy had scanned April with his medical triquarter and told Kirk, "They're fine. Just unconscious. But I'd like to get them back to the medical bay."
"We can beam there. And I'd like to get these two," Kirk growled, "To the brig and demand an explanation!"
"Captain," Spock said, "As we are on an interplanetary space station we must take them to the station manager."
Kirk looked at Spock, a bit exasperated; "I assume that's the logical thing to do?"
"Of cour..." Spock was cut off as phase-fire filled the hall. Everyone dropped to the ground except the Ferengi that Kirk had been threatening. Instead, Quartel grabbed the nearest hover-cart, the one with Chekov, took a running start, and then rode it all the way into the ship at the seventh docking clamp. He was not hit.
Kirk tried to follow, only to be hit in the leg and fell back to the ground with a grunt of pain.
"Captain!" Spock called, holding fast to the arms of his Ferengi captive.
"I'm fine! Who's shooting at us?"
But no one could see their attackers, who were hiding behind the seventh docking clamp doors. As suddenly as it started, it stopped and the light signaling that a ship was taking off began blinking.
"Kirk to Enterprise!" Kirk shouted into his communicator, "Sulu! Don't let that ship leave!"
"Yes, sir!" Sulu replied. He turned to the officer at weapons. "Try to disable their warp drive! Hurry!"
But it was too late, the ship warped and those on the Enterprise were left staring at the black expanse of space and stars.
"Enterprise? Do you have them?"
Sulu winced inwardly at the sound of Kirk's voice and he said regretfully, "No, sir. They went to warp."
"Is Uhura onboard?"
"Just got to the bridge, Captain," Uhura replied as she sat down in her station. "What's going on?"
"Contact everyone aboard the station and tell them to get back on the ship." Uhura and Sulu could hear that something was very wrong in Kirk's voice.
"Captain? What happened?"
"Chekov's been kidnapped."