Chapter Two

"Duj?" Ship? A gruff-looking Klingon male sat at a command chair, one that looked too petite to fit him comfortably. "Duj!" Ship! The Klingon demanded, pounding his fist.

"Soko!" AS young, slender human male turned from the helm to look at the Klingon. "No one here speaks Klingonese but you!"

"The Captain does." Soko said stubbornly.

"Well, she's not here." The helmsman replied. "And we've finished scanning this sector. There's no trace of her shuttlecraft, and nothing to indicate a fight."

"Is it possible she could have crashed on her to way to rendezvous?"

"Well, duh." The helmsman retorted. "Doncha think I would 'a checked that? There's no traces of a shuttlecraft crash on any of these planets."

"Here's a grim possibility," a woman sitting next to the Klingon interjected. "The Federation coulda picker 'er up. They coulda beamed her an' her shuttle aboard."

"Yeah, except yer fergettin' one thing, Leeza." The helmsman replied. "The Federation don't hold hostages."

"They hold hostages of they're at war with someone."

"Do you still think we're a ar with them?" the helmsman asked incredulously, raising his eyebrows and tapping a few keys, still scanning for the shuttle.

"Is this ship a flying bucket"?" Leeza shot back.

"Vars, Leeza!" the Klingon named Soko barked. "Is your banter helping the Captain?" he paused. Then shut up!"

"Soko…" the man next to Vars called out. "We're approaching another ship— a Federation ship!"

"Could it be the one that kidnapped Kayaus?" Leeza asked eagerly, inching toward the edge of her seat.

"Well, they are close to the rendezvous point." Soko pointed out.

"They're scanning us." the Weapons Controller announced. "I'm raising shields." Xeric paused, and then said, "They're hailing us."

"Fine." Soko said, and muttered Klingon under his breath before Xeric Hawco opened the channel.

"Independent vessel." The woman said, her face stern and as red as her uniform with anger. "You are trespassing into Federation space. I would let you pass, but our databases do not have any records of your ship."

"My name is Soko, son of Mok. We are searching for our Captain. We were set to meet at coordinates close to here, and have been scanning this sector for the past ten hours."

"Hm. Well, unfortunately, we cannot help you. However, I will let you pass." Though he did not show it, Soko was relieved. "Also, I will send out a transmission to all nearby Federation Starships. Perhaps they have come in contact with your Captain."

"Thank you." Soko said courteously. "You assistance is appreciated." The channel closed, and Soko got up from the Captain's chair. He walked around the bridge, checking every screen and console he passed. "Where are you, Kayaus?" he muttered.

Captain Shannon Arak, of the Federation starship U.S.S. Musica sat back down in her Captain's chair. "Establish a transmission to all nearby ships," she commanded, and paused as an officer did so. "Attention all Federation ships near this sector. This is Captain Arak of the Musica. We have just come in contact with an Independent vessel. They claim to be searching for their Captain, who apparently was I nsome kind of shuttlecraft that has disappeared. If you have found this shuttle and its Captain, I advise you to send out a general transmission that the Independent ship will be able to pick up. I have allowed them passage into Federation Space because of this. However, if you find that they are lying… feel free to open fire."

"They underestimate us." Xeric commented with some amusement, when they had stopped listening to the Federation transmission.

"It is better to be underestimated." The Klingon replied. "The better to surprise the enemy with."

Vars groaned and rolled his eyes. "Why do you all think we're at war with the Federation?" He shook his head. "Well, judging by that last sentence an' all, we should probably do something to make us seem less hostile. Like lower our shields." Soko grunted, unhappy with the suggestion. Reluctantly, he used his own controls to lower the shields.

"I had a right to raise shields." Xeric said stubbornly.

"They didn't fire on us." Vars shot back, not bothering to turn and look at the man that was sitting next to him.

"Look, I'm in charge of weapons—"

"HELMSMAN!" Soko roared. "Into Federation space!" Vars Jupcury practically punched the controls, and the Independent ship moved forward at Warp Two. "Keep scanning for the shuttlecraft." He told Leeza, and she moved to a station, her eyes glued to the screen. "Hawco. Reconfigure the weapons, in case the Federation decides we are lying. And Jupcury, you—" The helmsman turned to face the Second in Command.

"No," he said before Soko could give a command. "Whatever you're gonna tell me, I ain't doin' it. You may be against the Federation, but I'm not."

Shoko was silent for a moment. "make dinner." He said, practically glaring at Vars. Vars left for the mess hall, glad for once to be off the Bridge. "Massy," Soko barked at the girl who stepped in at the helm. "Keep monitoring and saving all Federation transmissions you can. They obviously can't tell we can, so let's take another advantage from our enemy."

"The Federation isn't necessarily—" Masidonia started to say. Soko's growl interrupted her. "Well, fine." She snapped. "But Kayaus feels the same way, an' you know it. She'd tell us to be friendly and to—"

"What if she's been kidnapped?" snapped Xeric Hawco. "I doubt she'd want us to be nice to her murderers!"

"And what would the Federation kill her for?" Massy asked calmly. "What would they even hold her for?"

"For being against the Federation!" the half-Vulcan, half-Klingon roared, turning toward Massy, outraged. His genealogy was a deadly combination: his Vulcan side thought logically about the deadly attacks his Klingon side could execute.

"What grounds would they kidnap or kill her on?" Massy asked calmly. "Seriously. Xeric. Cool down. Sure, the federation may have her, but maybe her shuttle crashed." Masidonia only seemed a little fazed as she felt Soko and Xeric glare at her, her 'brain tail' twitching slightly.

"Silence, all of you." Leeza said. "Before you anger another Helmsman and send them off to make you renegades your dinner." A retort would have been made, but everyone on the Bridge knew Leeza was more eager to fight than anyone, save Soko. And even the son of Mak knew that strategy could overcome strength any day. Leeza and Masidonia were the same race, and Leeza felt an obligation to look out for the younger one. Even though Massy had been on the ship longer than most people, the status of her people caused her to be picked on, mocked. The race that Leeza and Masidonia came from was infamous for being slaves of all kind, and Massy was still young enough to be sold into slavery.

The bridge was silent, and stilled as the ship moved into Federation space. "New Federation transmission." Massy announced, tapping the panel in front of her to play it.

"U.S.S. Korea to the Musica. The independent Captain you mentioned is legitimate, the Enterprise has her. We were supposed to rendezvous and take her to Starbase sixty-two, but the Enterprise responded to a distress call."

"Another transmission." Masadonia said quickly.

"Musica to Korea. Do you know what happened to her?"

"Another."

"Her shuttle crashed on Vegas Nine."

"Another!"

"Dear gods above," Leeza muttered. "Don't these people talk in bulk?"

"Vegas Nine? That's a long way off."

"Another!" Soko resisted the urge to tell Massy to shut up.

"Indeed. Either away, we should tell the Independent ship where their Captain is." Both Federation Captains nodded in agreement.

"They're hailing us."

Soko grumbled.

"Independent vessel," the male addressed. "I am Captain Glencoe of the U.S.S. Korea. We were supposed to rendezvous with the ship that has your Captain. Her shuttle crashed, but she is fine. We can give you the coordinates they're heading for."
"Thank you." Soko replied.

"Receiving coordinates." Masidonia announced. Transmission was cut, and Massy put it the new course. "Warp?" She asked, as if the bridge wasn't in anticipation.

"Maximum!" Soko growled, gripping the sides of the chair. The ship went, gradually picking up speed. "We should have never let Kayaus go." He muttered.

"Or alone." Leeza added.

"A ship should never be without its Captain." Remarked Massy, her voice sad and piteous.

"Especially the Batlh." Xeric Hawco replied, patting his controls affectionately. Those words echoed in everyone's minds as they headed light years away.

"It should take us three days." Massy announced, and ignored Soko's growl.

"Should we hijack a ship? Leeza asked casually. Soko shook his head; even though the Batlh's maximum warp only went up to four, Soko knew he couldn't risk stealing a ship, especially with the Federation around.

"No." Soko replied, his tone somewhere in between stern and disappointed. "Keep on course." He paused. "Leeza. Put all other systems on minimal power, and use that to boost warp power. Perhaps we can get this bucket to a decent level." Silently, the bridge agreed.

"Cutting power from the lighting system." she announced, pressing buttons on her console. The lights on the bridge, as well as the rest of the ship, immediately dimmed considerably. "Diverting power to the engines. Now cutting power from the replicators. Diverting power to the engines. Cutting power to the water boilers. Diverting power to the engines. Taking powers from the transporters, now diverting it to the engines." Leeza paused. "Cutting fifty perfect of life support. Diverting it to the engines."

"Hawco," Soko ordered. "Engine power report."

"Engine efficiency up by three hundred and twenty-five percent!" Xeric exclaimed, turning around to face Soko.

"What warp can we get to now?" Leeza asked excitedly.

"Warp… warp SIX!" Xeric yelled, and whooped, pounding his controls as the bridge crew cheered. "I love this ole bucket, I love it!"

"Arrite," Soko growled happily, pounding the arms of the chair. "Gradually go up to Warp Six, and maintain it as long as you can!"

Soon, the Batlh –Honor— was speeding towards the given coordinates, towards their Captain.