Chapter 2
"Of Prowlers and Raiders"
The Command carrier had been carrying out a set of self-diagnostics and repair teams were busying around there duties. Prowlers had been flying recon sorties, finding little signs of life or habitable worlds.
Onboard the Carrier herself, technicians had just finished bringing the ship to battle readiness. It had been forty eight hours since the wormhole enveloped them and spat them out god alone knows where. Most of the crew were just thankful they were still alive.
A young technician by the name of Saharra Fargo snapped to attention, waiting for Captain Braca, who turned towards her. "Yes, you have information for me?" His voice was firm but true, and sent a tiny shiver through the young woman's being.
"Yes Captain, if you would care to look upon this information you will see the Carrier is at battle readiness," she replied proudly as she handed him the pad.
A hint of surprise briefly played across Braca's face, he'd reckoned on repairs taking long, by as much as another twelve hours or so.
"I'm impressed. I thought the repairs would take longer, who is your superior?"
"Chief Technician didn't make it through the wormhole, Sir," she informed the Captain nervously before continuing. "I took control of the situation at hand, and have completed the task."
"Very impressive, and on this show of intuition, I think we have found our new Chief Technician," Braca replied to the stunned young Woman. "Carry on."
Saharra snapped a salute to the Captain then returned to her duties at hand.
Peacekeeper Patrol
"You think there's anything out of here, or we just wasting out frelling time?" Officer Martok moaned to his wing man.
"You tell me," he quipped. "But if you think it's a waste of time you can tell Scorpius, that could be entertaining to watch," joked officer T'relk. Truth be told he was just as bored.
As the two sleek looking prowlers flew in formation, a sudden flash alerted them that something that had appeared close to them.
"Unknown craft arrived in system, T'relk, we're being scanned," Martok announced in astonishment as the ship vanished from his scanners as quickly as it had arrived in system.
"What the frell was that? It was there one moment then gone the next," replied Trelk. "I got an outline scan, but it just provided a basic scan of the ship."
"Officer Martock to Hades, reporting a brief encounter with an unknown type of vessel; am sending outlaying scans."
Command Carrier: Hades.
The scans had been received, and Captain Braca had informed the technical staff to glean as much information out of the scans as possible. He knew this was not going to be easy, but this encounter raised some important questions, one of which was whoever they were, or what ever they wanted.
Meanwhile, Scorpius had been working upon his readings taken while the ship was dragged through the wormhole. If truth be known they should be dead, he realized if it had not for her. A small feeling of annoyance grew within his being. He was being used, and that was something he detested. A sudden flare of pain within him alerted him to the answer that he knew had been true all along. His rods needed changing and if that were true, then what he had thought had happened to him was just an illusion. Looking at the mirror again he noticed that his new face the one of the smartly groomed officer began to fade. It was being replaced with his chiselled features of his old face. He had been tricked by this being. Growling he slammed his fist into the desk before him leaving an imprint on it. How dare she! He fumed as his rods immediately ejected, ready for their replacements.
He had just hoped that for once it could have been true, and then his mind started to scheme how to turn this to his advantage. To find this females weakness and exploit it, and then use her as she had used him, then he would take great delight in slowly killing her. His personal attendant emerged into his chamber answering to his call; she helped replace the rods, she then left him to his work at hand.
Starbuck flung the Viper round in a tight formation with hotdog following close behind. She was in the middle of a training scenario; Apollo and Sledgehammer were the opposing team that had to be tagged.
"Starbuck, you know that little manoeuvre will never work with a toaster behind you." teased the playful tones of Apollo as he slipped his viper closely behind and opened fire. Instantly Starbuck rolled to port, cut power and within a brief moment slipped in tight behind Apollo and opened fire. Red dye spattered all over the viper, leaving the engines and cockpit covered.
Laughing as she spoke Starbuck replied, "Your fracking dead, Sir." However a second or two later, the smile was wiped from her face.
As she finished her sentence the viper was hit by blue dye of the training rounds as Sledgehammer expertly saw his chance while Starbuck was gloating and had gone in for the kill.
"So are you, and blue is so your colour Starbuck," Sledge Hammer replied with a hint of sarcasm within his voice. Both Starbuck and Apollo throttled down their Vipers and flew in formations watching how the rest of the scenario played itself out.
As the final two Vipers began a quick and decisive dogfight, within the C'I'C of the Galactica a warning Siren sounded as a DRADIS contact appeared upon the screens.
The crew visibly tensed as the contact was marked upon the screen.
Colonel Tigh looked briefly at the DRADIS display before issuing orders.
"I want a full report, set Condition one throughout the fleet. Get all ships to spin up their FTL drives and prepare to jump to the emergency coordinates on my mark."
"Apollo, scratch the mission, return to Galactica. Possible Cylon contact has been sighted on the DRADIS."
"Roger that," Apollo replied as he looked over to Starbuck who winked at him.
"We could always go over there and cover them with dye!" she said half in jest, half in annoyance.
A moment later the Vipers headed back to the Galactica as three fully loaded Vipers headed out in the contacts direction.
"Some guys have all the fun," sighed Apollo, as he watched the three Vipers passed him. He just wished he had the chance to be one of them.
Galactica:
Admiral Adama had arrived on the CIC deck, and been brought up to speed by his Executive Officer.
"Contact is Cylon Raider SirIt jumped in a few moments ago. I've sent a wing of Vipers on there way to investigate the contact."
"Lt. Gaeta, order the fleet to jump. I want the Raiders communications jammed and the Raider destroyed."
"Aye Sir" Lt Gaeta replied as he related the jump order to the fleet, and one by one the fleet jump in quick succession. Leaving the Galactica on her own with her fighters closing fast upon the Raider.
"I don't like this Saul, something smells foul," Adama said rubbing his chin thinking about the possibilities of this situation.
"Oh frack!" Murmured Colonel Tigh as the signature of three base stars lit up the DRADIS screens.
"Raiders being deployed Sir" Lt Gaeta replied calmly, as his board before him lit up as the main weapons systems of the old ship powered ready for possible deployment.
On sighting the three Basestars appear in system and begin to launch Raiders. The three lone Vipers banked sharply away, and headed back for the cover of the Galactica.
"I want covering fire for the Vipers and as soon as there on board jump to rendezvous with the fleet," Adama ordered. As he watched the three Vipers returning to the Galactica, closely behind them a number of Riders closed in on their position. Once the Raiders had closed into the firing arc of the Galactica her defences open up, sending the ordnance towards the approaching Raiders with devastating results. As many of the Raiders were killed, more Raiders came into the range only to met with a fiery death, splashed to the four winds by the Galactica's defences.
Onboard the CIC all were watching the display and heard the muffled booms as the rail guns came to bear on the approaching Basestars. As the Basestar came into long distance weapons range of the Battlestar it opened fire with a full salvo of nuclear missiles that sped towards the Galactica.
"Radiological alarm," shouted Lt Gaete, as his screen flashed a warring up upon his screen.
As the three Vipers performed a text book landing, the deadly missiles fast approached there mark. With a white flash the Galactica barely made her jump to safety.
Onboard the USS Albion the crew had started repairs; the two humanoids that had been appeared on the bridge had been taken to sickbay. They were in a comatose state. The female was in good remarkable good health. However the humanoid male was in a terrible condition. His body had suffered from and had horrific plasma burns, and was close to death. The uniforms they wore were of early Starfleet design. This posed the question what and how did they come to be onboard the Albion?
"The two crew men here are Lt Commander Charles Tucker of the NX01 Enterprise, and this Vulcan officer has been identified as Sub Commander T'pol." Dr Norris replied, as he handed a padd over to Captain Shelby.
"As you can see these are their service records pulled from the computer. Commander Tucker here according died October 10, 2161. He gave his life to save his Captain."
Looking through his service records, his face showed a sign of recognition, "a Captain Archer by all accounts."
"Fascinating, but it posses a question how did they get here onboard the Albion?" The Captain asked looking at the two individuals.
"I think you would have to talk to Kayla about that. However she's in no state to talk to anyone for the time being. And to be quite honest I couldn't tell you how long it would be before she will talk to any, after her, change" he trailed off looking at the new form of the former Vorta.
"Can we trust her?" The Captain mused slowly as the events of the last few moments before she blacked out played out in her mind.
"Of that, I would like to say yes judging from the footage of the incident, and of the other winged female. But I think only time will tell, as he looked over towards the armed security guard standing by the foot of the bed.
"Besides I think we have things covered if she was to turn hostile," the doctor said softly with a smile.
"I only hope your right doctor" the Captain answered.
"Have you heard from Moya? How's the crew after that little diversion."
"Well to be frank, from what Pilot said the crew were as stunned as we were by the attack of this being. And the sheer power, Moya thought only the Builders had that sort of power."
"Builders?" enquired the doctor.
"Yes, aliens Moya calls the Builders created the Leviathan transports. She considers them god-like creatures, and it's said they have god-like powers."
Captain Shelby sighed, god-like powers. First the Q, now these winged females, and then these builders, was there anyone else left? She mussed to her self before turning her attention back to the two prone figures on the bio-beds.
"This Vulcan T'pol is it?" Captain enquired as she walked back towards the top of the bed. "What has her records said about her?"
"She served with the diplomatic envoy in the Vulcan compound in the early days of Starfleet history. Before she served onboard the NX-01 as the Science Officer, to which she stayed until the Enterprise was decommissioned," he added, before continuing. "This 'Trip' Tucker and T'pol were rumoured at one point to have an emotional attachment, and after his death, her records become rather hard to find."
"In other words doctor she disappeared into the history books," Captain Shelby finished. "Can we wake her?"
"I see no reason why not." He replied as the doctor reached for the medical supplies took a hypo spray and pressed it to her neck, there was a hiss as the hypo spray delivered it dose.
Slowly, Tpol's eyes opened.
Moya
It had been sometime since crossing over into this region of space, wherever here happened to be. With the astrometrics labs on the Albion, it had been discovered that yet again the Albion had traverse universes, but this time Moya had been dragged along as well.
After much deliberation, it had been decided that the captured Peacekeepers needed to be kept in the loop. They had the Commandant onboard Moya, and it was a logical assumption that she was needed to be a voice for the Peacekeepers onboard both ships. The only question was would she co-operate?
The answer to that question was total and utter none cooperation from the Commandant. She railed at the sheer indignity of being held captive on Moya. As far as the Commandant was concerned she was a high profile member of the Peacekeepers and it was she, not any one else that should be in charge of the peacekeepers, Moya and of course the prisoners that now seemed to be in charge, which was of course abhorrent.
And so it was decided that Officer Samantha Talrin a Prowler pilot would be approached. She had proven herself while she was onboard the Albion. She'd started to listen to the back ground of other cultures and took a great interest in the history and formation of the federation. Its goals and morals, and had been heard discussing the wish that the people of her universe could come to some sort of understand similar to which had brought about the birth of the federation.
And so it was that Samantha Takrin found herself in the Captain's ready room onboard the Albion. Waiting for the Captain to arrive, she knew the Captain had taken an interest in her from what the crew members had said to each other, that she had overheard. But that was to be expected she had been a prisoner of war, but shed been treated like a guest now rather then her former status of prisoner. To be honest that took a lot of getting use to, she could rebel. However what would that get her rather then another stay in the wonderfully clinical cells within the brig, something she really did not want to do anymore.
The doors hissed open and in walked the Captain with a smile on her face, she was reading something on one of the pads, as she passed the former Peacekeeper she put the pad on the table and then sat down, facing her.
"Good morning Officer Takrin," The Captain spoke softly before she continued. "As you may be aware we have found ourselves once again lost in another universe this time because of an attack by a creature with unearthly powers."
"I see," Samantha said as she shifted a little uncomfortably within her seat.
"What you're about to see is the battle of wills, between two of these creatures, one of which was a female Vorta by the name of Kayla. She was sitting where you now sit. When this creature which was hidden upon a harp attack her, trying to take her as a host."
Turning the monitor round so that the former Peacekeeper could see the display, the Captain let the recording of events that brought both vessels to there present location play out.
To say that Samantha was stunned was an underestimate, she like most of her universe had never seen anything like this before. The sheer power this creature could wield was freighting.
The display froze when the lights of the Albion had flickered and returned to normal, and the two strangers had appeared prone by the view screen.
"What has become of this Kayla now if I may enquire" Samantha asked nervously.
"She's in sick bay with an armed guard around her, as we don't know what she capable of, or even if it is Kayla anymore," the Captain replied with a tone of that indicated that she had done so with remorse. "Which is why I have asked you here, Samantha, may I call you Samantha?"
The Peacekeeper nodded in response to the Captain's question, she was still trying to understand the complicity of the situation she had just witness on the monitor. What could she do in all this, she was an officer in the Peacekeepers they had no pervious experience of anything like this. Hell they had been bested as easily as the Albion had been by this creature and now the Captain wanted her help, but why?
"Captain, if I may ask a frank question," Samantha asked hesitantly.
"Of course Samantha, what would you like to ask?" Captain Shelby replied as she rested on hand under her chin listening to her question.
"Captain, why would you think that I can help in any way, you are far superior to our forces and yet, you were brought to your knees by this creature? I fail to see just how I can help you in this cause."
"It is not with this creature that I require your help Samantha, it is that as I said earlier that we have found ourselves in a totally new universe. I feel that it's only right that some one should represent your people, and I feel that you are most suitable for the job at hand."
As the shock of the last statement slowly washed over her, Samantha let play across her lips a trace of a small smile.
"Thank you Captain, I will endeavour to justify the trust you have put before me."
Captain Shelby smiled before handing over a com badge to the officer. "I have arranged for all the Peacekeepers that can be trusted to be transported over to Moya where, you will debrief them. You however will be stationed onboard the Albion and will report directly to Commander Worf."
Also some of the Albion's crew will be transported over to Moya to help equip her with food replicators. And they'll perform a full diagnostic of Moya herself and her slipstream capabilities. You will be responsible for ensuring their well being at all times."
"Yes Captain, I understand." As she nodded towards Captain Shelby; who's mood suddenly changed to one with dark overtonea.
"I will make this very clear to you Officer Takrin, if anything happens to any of my crew, I will hold you personally responsible do I make myself crystal clear?"
Yes, Sir," Samantha said sharply.
As the Captain's mood seemed to return to normal. "Very good Samantha," The Captain replied before tapping her com badge. "Lt Justin, please could you escort Ms Takrin to Transporter Room one."
As the doors to the transporter room hissed open, the Officer Takrin walked through the door with her chaperon. She had seen the transporters in use while shed been onboard the Albion but had not had the chance to use them until now. Too say that she was a little nervous was an understatement. She looked at the transporter chief who smiled understanding what she must have been feeling.
"Hey there's nothing to it lass" He said nodding towards the transporter in a reassuring tone.
Tentatively Samantha and her Chaperon stepped up to the platform and stood on one of the pads. She looked nervously at the Lieutenant, who smiled back before confirming the order to transport to Moya.
A slight wave of dizziness enveloped Samantha as she let out a muffled gasp as the Transporter room dissolved, and she found herself standing in the command deck of Moya.
Commander Worf was waiting for her, Worf nodded as the former Peacekeeper looked around quickly to survey her surroundings.
"Officer Takrin I presume" Worf stated gruffly; "I see that you've been assigned to be the representative of the Peacekeepers onboard Moya and the Albion."
Samantha snapped to attention as Worf started to speak. After Worf had enquired on her status she replied with a curt, "Yes Sir."
"Very good, I've arranged for you to meet with all the Peacekeepers onboard save for one, she is under solitary confinement until future notice."
Worf tone implied that this matter was not up for discussion, and what from she'd heard about this Klingon, he was not for crossing.
Sitting in the corner watching this scene play out Crichton looked at Aeryn, who let a brief pained smile play across her lips.
"You known before this lot turned up," she said in hushed tones, "things seemed so simple. Now we are lost, with more Peacekeepers onboard then I feel comfortable with."
"Amen to that," Crichton replied with a sigh.
They watched as Worf and this Peacekeeper officer walked off away.
The crew onboard Moya had been told about this transporting technology after they'd discovered they were lost. It was decided by Captain Shelby that
It was the most efficient way to transport people from one ship to the other, but only key personal would be permitted to use this technology.
Pilot was monitoring Moya's system when something caught his eye some kind of craft had appeared in system. If it were not for these new scanner upgrades he'd of never been able to see this vessel. It was a small one man fighter, it wings swooped round in a semi circle. He could detect no sign of life to speak of, and then before any more information could be gleamed the vessel was gone.
At the same time upon the bridge of the Albion the vessel was spotted by the officer who manned tactical.
"Captain ,unknown vessel has appeared on sensors," replied Ensign Phillips smoothly.
"What sort of vessel, Ensign?"
"Single vessel strange bio mass detected Captain, it appeared to have no shields. Sorry Captain, the vessel has vanished."
"Vanished?" remarked the Captain. "Clarify 'vanished', Ensign."
"The vessel displayed a tremendous build up of energy then simply, vanished. My best guess would be that they were some kind of FTL engine. But to what design I couldn't possible say without further analyses."
The Captain was quiet for a few moments, taking in the information before her and the ramifications of a possible first contact situation. "I want a full report on any data we have. Also I want full sweeps of the area, just in case our friend has some kind of clocking technology and is still in the area."
"Aye, Captain."
"Ensign, Hail Pilot. Let's see what he's discovered, maybe from both sets of readings we can get some more answers."
"Yes, Ma'am."
Captain Shelby left the bridge. There was the small task of getting to know a Vulcan that had disappeared from the historic records in the early days of the Federation. As she walked through the corridor towards the quarters that had been assigned to T'pol, she wondered just how this Vulcan would absorb her currant situation.
Sitting inside her newly assigned quarters T'pol was mediating, everything had changed so quickly and in such a relatively short period of time. She had been back in time before courtesy of crewman Daniels, but this was different she sensed. The ship was far beyond that of even the most advanced Vulcan vessel. In the time that she had been on board the Albion; she'd taken to reading some of the historic documents. Historical from their point of view, but as far as she was concerned it was events in the future and far future at that.
The door chime alerted T'pol. She opened her eyes and sighed softly to herself before inviting the person to enter. The door hissed opened as the Captain walked into the darkened room, T'pol looked towards the Captain and nodded.
"Greetings Captain," she said softly, her voice devoid of emotion.
"T'pol, I trust you find your Quarters to your liking." The Captain told her. "And if there is anything you would need just use the com."
"Thank you Captain I will indeed," T'pol said then she seemed to hesitate for a brief moment before continuing. "I understand that I was brought here with Commander Tucker." At the mention of his name she looked downwards towards the ground before continuing. "From my perspective he's been dead for twenty years" her voice trailed off with a hint of remorse.
If the Captain hadn't heard it she'd have never believed it was possible for a Vulcan to show that much emotion. "Yes that's right; he's suffering from major burns. It looks like what ever force brought you here from your time frame; also brought him from just after the explosion that fatal injured him. From your prospective that was twenty years ago."
"Then am I to presume he will not survive from his injuries as he did twenty years ago, Captain?" Her voice faltered as the pain of seeing someone so close to her critically injured die again.
"Are you alright, T'pol" the Captain asked her voice filled with compassion.
"Yes Captain, it's just that, we were close friends and to see him die again would be…..unfortunate."
"Then T'pol you'll be pleased to hear that the medical techniques have improved quite a lot since your time. Commander Tucker's out of surgery and should make a full recovery in the next couple of days or so. But the doctor has said no visitors for the next 24 hours."
A brief smile played across T'pol's lips as she seemed to let slip a small sigh. "Thank you, Captain that is indeed welcoming news."
Sickbay
Trip's eyes were open but all he could see were shapes of grey moving around. He sighed. A moment later a grey blob moved towards him and spoke, it was male, no doubt about it, but it wasn't Dr Phlox.
"Just try to relax you've been caught in a serious explosion, your going to be okay though." He seemed to pause; there were hushed whispers, something that Trip couldn't make out but scared the hell out of him.
"Doc," Trip called out worriedly. "Am I going to go blind?"
He felt a reassuring tap on his shoulder as the doctor said now spoke to him. "No you're not going blind. Your eyesight should start and recover quite quickly actually."
"Is Dr Phlox anywhere near, I wouldn't mind hearing his voice right about now."
"I'm afraid he's not here," the doctor said as Trip felt something touch the side of his neck, a gentle hiss, then everything went dark.
Ensign Philips had been collating the data that had been amassed from both the Albion and Moya. He'd done quite a bit to work upon the data and had discovered something rather interesting. While the vessel as indeed made from a type of alloy that they had no record of, there was a definite life sign. The weapons systems of this ship were still a mystery. However the one thing that had been determined is the vessel did not use a cloaking device, but had shown a massive build up within her engines before she'd vanished.
As the Captain read through the data, she could see that this vessel could appear at anytime without any warning. This could put the Albion and Moya at a tactical disadvantage.
"What have you discovered about this life sign aboard the vessel?" she enquired studying the data.
"Nothing yet Captain, because the vessel was only there for some short period of time we had limited chance to scan the vessel."
"I see, thank you Mr Phillips. If our friend makes an appearance again, I want a full scan everything you can give me."
"Yes Captain."
A day later the sickbay doors opened Captain Shelby walked in. Behind her was T'pol, who had insisted on seeing Trip at the soonest possible time.
The first thing that T'pol noticed was the horrendous burns that had cover all his body the last time she saw him were gone. His skin looked fresh, clean and no sign of burn damage at all. He appeared peaceful, and alive. In her minds eye she recalled seeing him in sick bay back on Enterprise, lifeless. Captain Archer's grief was raw and there for all to see, how she wished he was here now.
"Doctor, how is Commander Tucker, when will it be safe to revive him?" enquire T'pol, studying the medical equipment around the bed.
"Well I would say that we can wake him at any time." Replied Doctor Norris, as he pressed the hypo spray to his neck, with a small hiss Trips eyes started to flutter open.
Slowly Trips started to make out shapes that to start with where blurred, but this time in colour. He looked around and slowly his eyes focused in on someone that was looking over him. Slowly the blurredness started to fade and he made out the face of T'pol, he smiled as she looked at him. He noticed that she showed a brief sign of concern within her eyes.
"Morning Sub commander" he replied to her gaze with a soft voice, he then started to look from one person to the other. None of whom he recognized at all, neither did he recognize his surrounds.
"Hello Trip, slowly now, you're in sick bay," T'pol said softly to him. As she spoke she noticed his features start to relax a little more.
"But where, which ship where Captain Archer, and is the Enterprise safe?" He asked urgenly.
"Enterprise is safe; you made sure of that Trip. However Captain Archer is not here. I'm afraid the situation is a little more complicated then your aware of," she said softly. "Dr Norris here has taken good care of you, and you'll be up and around in no time at all."
"Complicated how? Come on T'pol, please, you cannot leave it as 'a little more complicated'. What's happened? Where's Captain Archer?" Trip's tone started to show that of stress, which bore out in his medical readings.
"Calm yourself Commander or I will be forced to sedate you again," Dr Norris interrupted. "Captain Shelby is here and I'm sure she'll be able to shed some more light on the situation you find yourself within Commander."
Trip seemed to calm down on hearing that someone would soon be answering his question, or so he hoped. It helped having T'pol around him. Mind you looking at her, she seemed to have changed slightly although he couldn't quite put his finger on how.
"Well Captain, where am I and where's Captain Archer?" Trip asked.
He noticed Captain Shelby shoot a concerned look at the Doctor and then at T'pol. Tis started to set alarm bells ringing.
"Hell has something happened to the Captain. T'POL come on tell me!" Trip almost shouted.
"Commander," T'pol interrupted him as he was about to start shouting again.
"I saw you, in sick bay," she continued her eyes showing a brief hint of pain, that Trip picked up on instantly. "You'd died saving the Enterprise and Captain Archer. That was twenty years ago..."
"T'pol, you're saying that you brought me back after twenty years? How?" asked a very sceptical Trip. "What did Dr Phlox cook up this time, some magic reanimation gene or something like that? I bet the Captain's real piss at me for dieing on him," His tone was becoming more and more agitated.
"No it was nothing the Doctor cooked up. However some kind of force brought us here and Dr Norris saved your life. Trip you were noted as killed in action on the October 10th 2161." T'pol took hold Trips hand and looked deep into his eyes. "Commander that was over three hundred years ago."
A Total look of shock and disbelief played across his face, Trip opened his mouth trying to say something, but nothing came forth."
Captain Shelby took a step closer to the bed to which Trip was laying on. "Welcome onboard the USS Albion, and to the 24th century Commander. I have assigned quarters to you next to T'pol's here. The Doctor says you should be fit enough to leave sickbay within the day.
Trip turned his head to look at this Captain Shelby blankly, and manage to mutter the words, "thank you," before turning back to T'pol. He looked at her and said in a barely audible voice, "What the hell are we going do now, T'pol?"
Officer Takrin walked with Commander Worf towards the assembled Peacekeepers, she could hear mutterings as she approached, to which she choose to ignore.
One Peacekeeper had whispered to another, "traitorous bitch." A couple of other mummers echoed round the room before Officer Takrin stood at attention before them. Worf stood silently behind her watching the group intently, his hand by his phaser just in case.
"You sold out you bitch," shouted one of the Peacekeepers from the back of the group.
"Have I? Well frell you. I have information that I need to impart with you. I could tell you, or just lock you up in your cells and leave you to your ignorance; shut the frell up and listen!"
One of the Peacekeepers broke rank charging at the traitor before him, the cheers of the others echoed round the room. As a golden beam hit the charging Peacekeeper, as he slumped to the floor moaning. Which cut short the cheers from around the room; Worf let slip a low menacing growl and place his phaser back within its case. Watching the whole scene play out where Ayern, Crichton…and D'argo, who let slip a chuckle of the Peacekeeper was felled by Worf's weapon.
"The sign of a true warrior," he remarked to anyone that was listening. Looking back at the screen he could see the other Peacekeepers were more subdued.
"AS I WAS SAYING!" Samantha shouted, looking rounded at the rest of the Peacekeepers, two of which had gone to the aid of the felled comrade.
"We are lost, all of us, Moya, her crew, the Albion every single one of us." Choosing her words carefully she continued. "As you are aware something strange occurred onboard Moya, and the Albion, which in turn affect us all, by incapacity us during which time we slipped through an anomaly. From what I'm lead to believe by the Albion's Captain, we are no longer within our own universe, just as the Albion, is not part of our own universe." She waited gauging the response from the assembled Peacekeepers. Which was not long, "You lost your senses, you've obviously been cohorts and you've been irreversibly contaminated."
Although trying not to show any sign of emotion, Samantha let slip a small gasp, which Worf and some of the assembled Peacekeepers picked up on.
Watching this through the monitor Ayern shuddered. She knew what that statement meant to a Peacekeeper.
Worf could see that the statement hit Officer Takrin like a physical blow. She just stood there opened mouthed for a time, before turning to Worf. "Take them away," she spoke to him softly.
From behind one of the crates, Ayern moved slowly and stood behind Worf. She smiled at him then spoke to Samantha.
"May I speak with you, alone?" she enquired.
The two former Peacekeepers made there way towards Ayern's Quarters.
Onboard the Albion, Captain Shelby was looking at the readings that had been collected by Moya, and the Albion's sensors. The craft on the screen before her was obviously a fighter. It was sleek and mean looking. The question was would it return alone or with a fleet?
These questions started to permeate around her mind just as yellow alert klaxons started to wail.
"Captain to the bridge."
As the Captain made her way from the ready room to the bridge, she could see on screen a large star-shaped vessel, it hung in space, waiting, but for what?
"Open com channels," the Captain ordered.
"Open," came the response from the officer at tactical.
"This is Captain Shelby of the USS Albion, of the United Federation of Planets." There was no response; however a heavy raider launched from the Base Star on a course to rendezvous with the Albion.
"Captain I am reading one craft it's hailing us audio only"
TBC