Title: "The Blood of Saints"
Author: NorJC
In association with: Albert Green Jr.'s "A Thin Veneer Universe"
Contact:
Date began: December 10, 2010
NOTICE: THIS STORY MAY BE DISTRIBUTED FREE OF CHARGE BUT MUST NOT BE SOLD OR EXCHANGED FOR FINANCIAL RETURN IN ANY FORM.
-COPYRIGHT/DISCLAIMER NOTICE-
NOTICE: THIS STORY MAY BE DISTRIBUTED FREE OF CHARGE BUT MUST NOT BE SOLD OR EXCHANGED FOR FINANCIAL RETURN IN ANY FORM.
"Star Trek", "Star Trek: The Next Generation", "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine", and "Star Trek: Voyager" and "Star Trek: Enterprise" and all related Star Trek related material, its characters and certain technological devices and/or references to such, from the television shows and movies, may be or are registered trademarks of, and may be or are copyrighted by Paramount Studios and whatever corporation it may or may not be owned by.
No studio is responsible for the content of this story. Other names and additional characters are the creation of the author who is solely responsible for them as such.
THIS STATEMENT MUST ACCOMPANY THE STORY 'The Blood of Saints' IF DISTRIBUTED. THIS STORY IS FREE OF CHARGE AND MAY NOT BE SOLD OR EXCHANGED FOR FINANCIAL RETURN IN ANY FORM. THIS DEDICATION MUST ACCOMPANY ANY DISTRIBUTION OF THIS STORY.
Dedication:
Both my lovely bride of nearly 20 years and our children have allowed me to hide in our office and write in relative peace. As I have said before and shall always say again, thank you, my beloveds. I also would like to thank Albert who galvanized me to get off my duff and start writing again with his wonderful stories, 'A Thin Veneer', its supplements and his 'A Universe of Change', 'Those who Stand' and 'the Evolutions-Ruination war series' and who helped me edit this story. I'd also like to thank my beta reader Ruth.
This story is the fifth in a series of short stories and novels that focus on the life and times of the crew of the Constellation-class, USS Valkyrie, NCC-2590, a single Federation starship engulfed in the war encompassed by the 'A Thin Veneer' ("ATV") series. I heartily recommend reading 'A Thin Veneer' in connection with this novella about the Valkyrie and her valiant crew.
Chapter 1
Captain's Log, Stardate 9528.2. After traveling seventy thousand light years through a conduit that had to have been constructed by an advanced race as far above us as we are above amoebas, I didn't believe anything could top that.
I was wrong.
If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn't have believed it. Jupiter, Saturn, Mars…they were all here, every planet, every moon, every asteroid, for the most part, was an exact duplicate of their counterpart in our solar system, including the third planet from this sun, a planet its inhabitants call…Earth.
#
"Fascinating," she murmured.
Sarek of Vulcan, the at-large ambassador of the United Federation of Planets shot a perfectly stoic look at his niece, Commander V'Lar, the first officer of the star cruiser Valkyrie, marred solely by a single raised eyebrow. "Indeed," he said in a smooth monotone. "I find it to be…intriguing."
"Remarkable. It appears to be an example of Hodgkin's law of Parallel Planet Development just like UFC 347601 III in the Beta Quadrant," Lt. Commander Salayna Rex, the Valkyrie's Chief Science Officer noted for the record.
"Miri's world," Sarek said. "My son described the Enterprise's mission there to me long ago."
"Yes, but with a twist," Rex drawled. "For some reason as yet unknown, this system seems to look, in most respects, like the Sol system in the Alpha Quadrant as it appeared forty-five years ago."
"We must avail ourselves of this opportunity to obtain measurements of this planet," V'Lar stated. "Ambassador," she asked, "would you care to assist Commander Rex and me at the science station console?"
There was a gleam in the elder man's eye as he answered her query. "That would be…satisfactory, commander."
Captain Jason Tynen struggled to hide the smile that threatened to break out on his face in response to the reactions of his Vulcan first officer/wife, her uncle, and his Trill chief science officer to the sight of Alliance Earth after the ship had dropped out of warp slightly beyond one A.U. from the planet. With his intimate knowledge of both species, Tynen knew that their behavior was equivalent to that of a human shouting for joy at the top of his or her lungs.
Moments later, his wife announced, "Measuring the planet now, captain. It is geoid-shaped; its circumference is forty thousand seventy-five point one-six kilometers."
Sarek then continued the thread. "Mass is six point six sextillion short tons, captain."
Rex then added, "Sir, the planet's mean density is five point five-two grams per centimeters cubed. Like your Earth, this version also has the highest density of any of the planets in this solar system."
For the Vulcans and Rex, this was their version of 'tittering-with-excitement.' Tynen was happy they had a chance to lose themselves in their passions for a moment because he feared they soon would be too busy fighting for their lives to protect this world from destruction at the hands of the Minbari. Just then, Ensign Lanei Rager, the ship's helmsman, announced, "Captain, we are proceeding to Alliance Earth at a quarter impulse."
"Thank you, ensign," Tynen said to the young woman who also happened to share the home state of Louisiana with him. "Etana," he called out over his shoulder with a smirk, "did we manage to shake the Pagh during our run to this duplicate Earth?"
"No, sir, unfortunately, she's still with us," his attractive Ktarian tactical officer, Lieutenant Mazan, growled coolly from her position at the tactical console directly behind the captain's and first officer's chairs. Apparently, she was annoyed that her captain had decided to tease her about Commander Klagh's attraction to her. Klagh happened to be an old friend/rival of Tynen and the skipper of the Klingon K'tinga-class battle cruiser that had left the conduit with the Valkyrie at the flank speed of Warp 9. "She is shadowing us approximately twenty kilometers aft of our position."
Tynen grinned and said, "Very good, lieutenant. Please send Klagh my compliments and remind him not to kill anybody if he can help it." As Etana transmitted her message, he fervently hoped that the Alliance Earth people wouldn't react badly when they got their first look at a Klingon warship up close and personal.
A moment later, the captain punched a button on his chair-arm console. "Bridge to Engineering."
"Rad here, captain," his chief engineer answered via the intercom.
Lt. Commander Janja Rad was a native of the planet Catulla. He and his twin, the infamous Tongo Rad, were sons of the Catullan ambassador to the Federation, a man who may have challenged the Enterprise's Montgomery Scott for bragging rights as the galaxy's best engineering 'miracle worker.' Both sons inherited their amazing skills from their talented father and Tynen felt lucky to have the more stable twin as a member of the Valkyrie's crew. "Janja," Tynen asked, "how did the warp coils fare with the prolonged stress of traveling from Courtor at Warp 9?"
"Surprisingly well, sir. We've detected no cracks in any of the assemblies or any material diminution of gallicite, captain."
"That's great news, Janja. However, the Pagh may not have been as fortunate as the Val. I want you to be prepared to assist the Klingons in overhauling their coils if necessary."
"Aye, sir," the engineer said and signed off.
"Vox," Tynen said as he turned to his Trill navigator, "do you have the coordinates to meet the Alliance Earth ships that are assigned to escort us to the planet?"
"Aye, sir. I have laid in the course and executed it…now."
"Good," Tynen murmured. "Hopefully, they won't shoot at us this time around like they did with the Excelsior."
The entire expeditionary force had been briefed by Captain Sulu on the trigger-happy nature of the Alliance Earth personnel, particularly after their rash act when confronted by an unidentified, alien vessel, albeit one that had appeared to bear script that looked like written English.
The shoot-first-and-ask-questions-later reactions like the one Sulu had experienced apparently were par for the course with these people. Earth Alliance's current predicament stemmed from the response of a poorly chosen commander of a small EA scouting party who'd acted rashly when his task force had run across several massive Minbari war cruisers.
Unfortunately, that now long-dead fool of a commander had fired upon the vessel that had carried the Minbari seat of government and had killed the leader of the Minbari people. Now said, enraged people were fully committed to the eradication of all humans, everywhere. Yet even with certain destruction because of their rash acts staring them in the face, these human idiots still managed to panic at Excelsior's appearance and launched two nuclear-tipped missiles at the former Enterprise helmsman's vessel.
Now, Tynen shook his head and said, "If they do shoot at us and damage the Pagh, I don't know if we can act in time to stop Klagh from blowing those bricks they call ships to kingdom come."
"Captain," Rager said, "we shall rendezvous with the Alliance Earth vessels in one minute."
"Thank you, Lanei. Etana, raise the shields and bring the ship to yellow alert. Energize the phaser capacitors and load torpedoes; however, do not target any of our hosts' vessels unless I expressly order you to do so."
"Aye, sir, the ship is now at yellow alert! Energizing capacitors, all torpedo bays loaded and ready, shields are up, sir!" Then she glanced at her board and announced, "Captain, the Pagh has adopted a similar posture. Her shields are up, disruptors and phasers are energized and her forward torpedo bay is armed."
"Acknowledged, Lieutenant Mazan," he murmured. "V'Lar, please give us the forward view."
"Viewscreen activated, captain," his first officer announced. As the view shimmered onto the screen, the crew saw two gigantic vessels colored gray and blue being escorted by thirty or so small X-shaped spacecraft. The large ships appeared to have antennae sticking out of their fronts like the quills of a porcupine along with various gun turrets sprinkled about their hulls.
"Captain," Sarek said, "the large vessels are called Hyperion Attack Cruisers. The small craft are called Starfury fighters."
"Thank you, ambassador," Tynen said.
Soon, the native vessels intercepted the two starships more than three hundred thousand kilometers from Earth. The small fleet appeared to approach cautiously; not wanting to appear aggressive but at the same time not wanting to give the impression that they were passive, either.
A man in his early fifties appeared onscreen. His face looked haggard and his eyes were red from lack of sleep.
"This is the EAS Inchon, General Bainbridge, commanding. Please identify yourselves."
"I am Captain Jason Tynen of the Federation star cruiser, Valkyrie. The olive drab ship accompanying us is the Klingon Defense Force battle cruiser, the Pagh, under the command of my counterpart, Commander Klagh. We are the vanguard of our expeditionary force sent here by our governments to assist you in the war with the Minbari Federation."
A look of hope swept across the general's face. "Another Federation ship? Captain, you sure are a sight for sore eyes!" the man gushed.
Tynen smiled at the Earth Alliance flag officer. "I hope you continue to think so, sir, because there are more ships riding hard on our tails."
"More? How many more ships, captain?"
Tynen's smile looked deadly like a predator's. "A whole lot more, general." Indeed, Tynen wasn't kidding. After the expeditionary fleet had left the subspace conduit in the Courtor sector near the Centauri border, twenty-six ships under the command of Admiral Kirk, Commodore Kryiss, Commodore Alcaltha, General Kor and General Chang began their offensive forays into Minbari space. Another nineteen starships went with Earth Alliance General Leftcourt's upgraded Omega-X destroyer to evacuate the mid-range base at Proxima. That left fifty-five starships racing at high warp speed to the Earth on this side of the galaxy. These ships were led by Admiral Tapin, Captain Sulu, Brigadier Kerla, and General Kang. Soon, the Earth space on this side of the galaxy would be crawling with Alpha Quadrant starships, from the venerable Constitution, Excelsior, and Miranda classes to Bird of Preys, Ktingas and D-7 command cruisers
At that moment, the general said, "That's wonderful to hear, captain. Wonderful!"
Tynen couldn't help but grin at the other man's enthusiasm. "Thank you, sir. Now, if you don't mind, we'd appreciate an escort to your Earth. We're carrying Ambassador Sarek on this ship and it's our understanding your president wishes to confer with the ambassador as well as his Klingon counterpart. Meanwhile, the Pagh and the Valkyrie will begin to deploy the first of our planetary shield generators and weapons satellites to help defend your world from a Minbari attack."
The other man frowned at Tynen, his confusion plain to see. "Captain, this may sound like a stupid question, but what exactly is a planetary shield generator?"
"It's a machine that emits a powerful forcefield. After we install forty or so of these machines on your world, they'll work in tandem to protect it from Minbari energy weapons and missile strikes."
The general regarded the captain with a dumbfounded stare. "Are you shitting me, captain?"
Tynen smirked at the flag officer. "No, I don't believe so, sir."
Bainbridge shook his head in disbelief. "I'm sorry…it's just that your machinery sounds like something right out of a sci-fi movie!"
"Well, sir, please don't just take what we say at face value. We intend to prove to your satisfaction that our technology works."
"All right, Captain Tynen. Now, you say the Vulcan ambassador is with you?"
"Yes…" Tynen answered.
"Then, by all means, captain, we'll escort you to Earth, immediately. Please follow us and welcome to the Earth Alliance!"
"Thank you, sir. Valkyrie out." Then he shot a glance at Rager and said, "Follow them in, Lanei. I know it'll be difficult to go so slowly but try to keep us down around their speed, all right?"
"Aye, sir," she answered. "But I might have to use our maneuvering thrusters to keep from flying up their engine cones."
Tynen shrugged. "I know, Lanei. Just do your best."
She shot him a demure smile over her shoulder. "Aye, aye, sir!" she murmured before she turned back to the task at hand.
#
Three hours later, the two Alpha Quadrant starships crawled into standard orbits above the counterpart of Tynen's home world while V'Lar and he strode down the corridor of Deck 5 toward the turbolift. They entered the lift and after the door shut, Tynen called out to the computer control. "Deck 8."
As the car began to move, V'Lar noted in her cool and sexy monotone, "Adun, I am…gratified that you decided to wear my Christmas gift to you on this mission."
Even now, it still surprised him that his logical wife would have given any thought to celebrating Christmas, particularly after their trying times in the Regulus star system following the Minbari attack. Yet, he knew her intimately now and realized she cared deeply for his well-being, particularly in regards to her consideration of his cultural beliefs. Unlike most humans in the Federation, Tynen, like most of the members of his family, was a deeply religious person. He was a remnant of die-hard Southern Baptists who still haunted the bayous of Louisiana. Although he was somewhat devout, he was extremely tolerant of others and their beliefs, in particular, his wife's.
Now, he smiled at the woman who completely possessed both his heart and his soul, wrapped his arms around her thin waist, pulled her close and kissed her gently. After he broke the kiss, he said, "Thank you again for your thoughtfulness, aduna. My captain's jacket is quite comfortable." Indeed, it was, he mused inwardly. He reveled in the supple leather of the captain's variant duty uniform that had the classic lines of a World War II bomber jacket. It fit him like a glove and felt almost as nice as the tender skin of his wife as he held her close in their bed.
She nodded. "You are welcome, my husband. However, you are much too kind to me because the favinit oil you managed to find and give me for Christmas is quite rare even on Vulcan."
He shook his head gently. "Now, now, none of that. I am gratified to give you something that is harmonious to your well-being. Besides, it's a percentage gift, V'Lar. I gain the benefit of its fragrance enhanced by the glorious essence of you whenever you're near me."
Her eyebrow cocked slightly toward the ceiling. "Then I must also take this moment to confess," she whispered, "that the jacket is a 'percentage gift' as well because I am gratified by the way it does not obstruct my view of your posterior as you walk, aisha."
He grinned at her. "So…you like to ogle me?"
Her face displayed the look he'd describe as 'mild bemusement.' "It seems so, beloved."
That won her a bigger grin as he leaned forward to kiss her again. "Well, I like to ogle you, too, so I guess we're even." That certainly was no lie. He could stare at her for days on end because his wife had a cat-like sensuality, a wiggle to her walk that may have actually been outlawed on at least seven Federation worlds, and a body to die for, especially when she wore a skirt which showcased her long and lean legs.
"As your people are wont to say, Jason, what is good for the gander is even better for the goose," she drawled.
He chuckled at her little joke while her eyes twinkled at him. Although her humor was certainly subtle, he enjoyed her dry wit and found it to be thoroughly intoxicating, just as he did with the rest of her. It was a side of the love-of-his-life most people on the ship had never seen and it humbled him to know he was the only person of which she could share that side of herself.
Seconds later, the married couple entered Transporter Room Two to find most of the members of their landing party awaiting their arrival. First Sergeant Madden, the ranking noncom of the ship's MACOs had outfitted Lance Corporals Rodriquez, Skon, Thompson, and himself with full MACO field uniforms and Assault Phaser Carbines, enhanced versions of standard Assault Phaser pistols with extended barrels and stocks. Tynen nodded to Madden while Etana approached bearing two Phaser I's and a tricorder for V'Lar. "Captain, commander, here is your equipment. Captain, Commander Klagh has informed me that his party will beam down two minutes after our arrival in Earthdome."
He took the weapon from Etana and placed it in one of his jacket's pockets. Then he thanked his Tactical Officer, glanced at everyone in the room and said, "All right, listen up. This has changed from a salvage mission into a diplomatic one since we didn't find the Minbari knocking on their front door when we arrived." Indeed, Tapin had ordered them to fight their way to Earth long enough to retrieve the president and her cabinet and to escape with the Earth Alliance government in the hopes that some of humanity on this side of the galaxy would have survived to rebuild. However, they didn't have to worry about that possibility for the present.
Tynen then studied each of his team members' faces and said, "I want you to be polite but firm if necessary. Try to be friendly to both the Earth Alliance people and the Klingons but remain professional in your approach. Remember, it's still our job to protect Ambassador Sarek to the best of our ability. So stay frosty and alert."
"Aye, sir," Madden said.
"Sergeant, we'll probably post your men outside with the Klingon security team. Etana, I want you in the room with us and the president. Your primary job is to protect Sarek and V'Lar…"
"And you, captain?"
He sighed heavily. It was a safe bet that he was the most dangerous man in the entirety of Earth Alliance space given his physical capabilities and his Section 31 training to use anything, even mundane items such as playing cards, for instance, as lethal weapons. However, even with that in mind, both his Tactical Officer and his First Officer would step in front of the proverbial bullet for him without any hesitation on their parts.
"Only after you make certain Sarek and V'Lar are safe, Etana," Tynen ordered.
Inwardly, he luxuriated in the warmth of the caress of his wife's mind in appreciation for his gallantry toward her uncle, as he said, "I want you all to remember that these people may appear to be similar to Federation humans but they aren't like us. They have not had the same exposure or experienced the levels of cooperation between members of different species as we have. So they may ask you questions about this aspect of our culture. Answer them truthfully but avoid appearing judgmental in any way, shape, or form."
The members of the landing party murmured their affirmations to his instructions just before Ambassador Sarek entered the transporter room. "Greetings, captain," said the elder statesman.
"Greetings, ambassador. Are you ready to leave, sir?"
"Yes, captain. Let us not delay. We have much to do in the coming days and need to be prudent with the use of our time."
"Indeed, Ambassador Sarek," Tynen said. Then he turned to the rest of the members of his party and snapped, "Places." The party members all took their positions on the transporter pads. Finally, the captain said to the transporter operator, "Energize."
Moments later, the transporter effect caused the forms of each of the landing party members to shimmer and fade from the transporter operator's view.
#
TBC
