Star Trek: The Nara-Maru Files
A Deadly Betrayal
In the year 2561...
"Great-Grandmother. As I have said, you can not hold yourself responsible for what happened" The young girl named Teela said slowly and lovingly.
"Yes, I can. You don't know the full story… where was I?" She said with confusion.
"You had just left Quark's bar?"
"Ohh yes. Our plan almost fell apart as we walked through the station, we met Admiral House once more, only… an old friend was with him. It seems that the Klingons had an interest in our little game and Worf was on the station. We all played along with the meeting for Worf's benefit before we boarded our ship with five minutes left, the Sutherland was watching us closely as we left the station at a speed they instructed…"
"And?" She said with interest.
"Everything fell apart…" Asami said with a smile of fond memories.
"How?"
"The fourth ship had arrived and our worst fears had been realised…"
185 Years Earlier…
Clearing the station and slipping past the patrols, the Nara-Maru had almost reached the safe-zone as a fourth ship had dropped out of warp directly before them, with the modified shields and weapons activated a familiar voice echoed through the Nara-Maru's bridge as Teela and Asami looked at each other with a deep sigh.
"This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the Starship Enterprise to all vessels currently involved in the war-game. A device of Iolian origin has been attached to the buoy around Bajor, the target ship is the Nara-Maru. All vessels, converge on this location"
"Ohh shit!" Teela said with a laugh.
"I thought you said the device could not be seen on sensors" O'Brian said with a large smile on his face.
"We've had some… dealings in the past with Enterprise and her crew. They always seem to know where we are. Raising cloak" Asami replied with a slight laughter. "Of course, this now changes things. Teela, Plan C?"
"No, we didn't anticipate this development. This is not the usual patrol route for Enterprise… Sam, remember me telling you about the battle of the Courageous Forge on Iolia?"
"What, Ohh… you've gotta be kidding me. That was a planet-side battle and over 1'000 years ago, although the tactic seems sound enough. Give me fifteen minutes… get us the hell out of here. Miles, I know that you are an observer here, wanna get your hands dirty for awhile?"
"I'm just here to observe Asami, you know that" Miles said, disgruntled.
"Relax, I just need an extra pair of hands that's all. All you'll be doing is handing me some equipment while I do all of the work. Trust me?"
"No one will know Miles…" Teela said with a large smile. "Plus, Asami can explain what we are doing for your report while she works. I'm taking us away from the Enterprise, Defiant and Prometheus is closing on our location… Sutherland is not far behind"
"Alright, but I can't do any work for you, you do know that Asami?"
"Of course, follow me to the forward launcher… hand me that emergency tool-kit next to you console, will you?"
Onboard Starfleet's latest Flagship, Captain Jean-Luc Picard sat back in his chair with a large grin on his face as his crew continued with their business of now locating the cloaked vessel, Nara-Maru. A small and effective former transport vessel now utilised as a makeshift warship. Although they had dealt with her unusual crew on several occasions in the past, he held them in a high esteem as a possible ally and perhaps even friends. It had become clear to the captain in the past of Asami's former Starfleet Career and her reliance on unusual tactics when backed into a corner. However, more of a mystery to him and his crew was the woman known only as Teela, Asami's Iolian business partner and wife.
Throughout Starfleet's many encounters with the vessel, their strong telepathic abilities had been widely documented by Starfleet Command along with Teela's assistance to help Asami with increasing her own abilities, however it was not known to what effect this change had made. Nevertheless, one thing was of a concern to Starfleet, the rumours of several within the Iolian species having a telekinetic ability of unknown strength, perhaps the real reason why Starfleet had chosen this small distraction in the first place.
"Commander Data, report?"
"Scanning sector two so far, there is no sign of the Nara-Maru Captain" Replied the Android officer.
"Her cloak is perfect Captain. Obviously the Iolian government has been holding out on us" Geordie replied from the Engineering Slave console.
"Keep at it people, I want answers not excuses. They have challenged the Federation to this game of their's. Also, find out why they where really onboard Deep Space Nine Commander Riker. This doesn't feel right. I'll be in the ready-room. You have the bridge number-one!"
With a nod from his first officer, the valiant captain entered his personal office space onboard the ship to once again review their past encounters with the Nara-Maru and her owners as Riker sat in the Captain's chair with a somewhat familiar grin on his face as he looked at the ship's Councillor, Deanna Troi.
"Deja-Vu… Will" Troi laughed.
"What?"
"I was simply thinking, several years ago we had a similar job of locating that ship…"
"She's right Commander…" Replied Geordie from behind them. "Try not to fall asleep this time"
"One little mistake!" Riker said with an embarrassed shuffle in his seat. "Will I ever live that down?"
"Not really Will" Troi laughed.
"Speaking of which Deanna, do you… sense anything from the crew of Maru?"
"Nothing, but of course… I never could when Teela was around, she has the ability of… blocking me somehow. I could never get a reading on her Asami however, was an open book to me"
"Scan the aft quadrant of the ship… they could be hiding between our nacelles again" Declared Riker as he stood quickly.
"Commander, do you believe that they would try that action once again?" Data replied.
"Asami is a student of Earth's history… specifically, the old west"
"Butch and Sundance?" Troi said with a fond memory of her father's holodeck programs.
"It worked once before, no-one would believe they would try it again" Riker said with a nod.
"Butch and Sundance? Accessing… Butch Cassidy, born Robert Leroy Parker April 13 1866. The 'Sundance Kid' Born Harry Alonzo Longabaugh sometime in 1867... both presumably killed in a shootout in November 1908... Fascinating"
"I know the file Data… the also robbed the same train twice, thinking that no-one would believe they would pull the same stunt twice. Asami will know that…"
"Scanning aft section of the ship… sensors are detecting what appears to be a large disturbance close to the port nacelle"
"On-screen!" Riker said with a large smile.
Shifting from the image of the small fleet and Deep Space Nine to the aft section of the ship, a small anomaly appeared between the twin nacelles as the image shifted through the sensor range. With a smile on his face, Riker called for the captain to return to the bridge while he sat in his own seat with a smile of content on his face as the captain stepped back to his station as he looked at the screen with a smile.
"Well Commander, that did not take very long. I see they are once again hiding in our wake?"
"Yes Captain" Riker said with a smug grin on his face.
"Alright, send an encoded message to the Prometheus, move in our position. Have the Defiant stand ready and the Sutherland protect the station"
"Gladly sir!" Riker replied quickly.
Slowly, the USS Prometheus moved into position as the USS Defiant took an offensive position between the Enterprise and their home port of Deep Space Nine while the aging Nebula Starship Sutherland maintained her defensive position. Watching their screens onboard the Nara-Maru, the 'Renegade-Crew' for the duration of this assignment, sat backwards in their twin seats as the Starfleet vessels took up the positions they had wanted as O'Brian nodded with interest at what he saw.
"Of course you do realise that they can see the cloaked drone between Enterprise's nacelles?"
"Yes!" Teela laughed. "All apart of the plan. Sam, send the activation codes when ready…"
"And that will do what?" O'Brien replied as he typed away at a Starfleet Issue Padd.
"The Buoy will self-destruct as programmed by our… little device, the virus will activate on DS9, taking the station out of the equation while at the same time, our little distraction will send out… something similar to an EMP pulse which should, in theory at least take the Enterprise out of the equation also. Hopefully, the Sutherland being as close to DS9 as it is, her computer should recognise that DS9 was destroyed and react accordingly…" Asami said quickly.
"But that still leaves Defiant and Prometheus"
"Yes Miles, I know that… ergo our next move… speaking of which, opening a secured channel. Nara to Akagi, you in position brother?" Teela said with a smile.
"Ready and waiting Teela"
"Stand by, on my mark. Keep this channel open… Ohh relax Miles. We never… work alone" Teela said with a wink.
In the year 2561...
Asami's frail and elderly body had begun to fail her as her breathing became difficult. Although her telepathic abilities had long since left her, her grand-daughter could still hear her thoughts while the old woman could barely speak.
'Teela, I know that you can hear me… I am… afraid'
'Do not be afraid Asami, I am here with you. You need rest, close your eyes…' The young woman said tears in her eyes, after hearing the full story and hearing the guilt of her crimes.
'Tell me Great-Granddaughter, do you se me in a different light now? Everything I had done… I tired so very hard to protect Iolia and the Federation… and I failed' Her mind called out.
'No! it was not your fault. You where both cleared by a board of inquiry on Earth… you said that, I saw that from your own mind'
Almost instantly, the doors of the room where Asami lay with her last breath burst open as an elderly woman entered with tears rolling down her face as she ran to her side and took her hands carefully as Asami looked up with a half smile.
'Kaila… my beautiful daughter'
"What's wrong with her Teela?"
"She is close to passing over Grandmother. The doctor has done all he can for her"
"No! please, not now… Mother, I need you. I need your guidance" Kaila wept.
'Kaila, Teela can help you now… she knows everything that I did. Remember what I gave you, use it… use everything you can and live your life as I no we have taught you. I have been blessed with a long and fruitful life, because of you… I am proud of you Kaila. My daughter…'
Alarm bells rang through her room as the holographic doctor reappeared automatically and checked her vital signs with a tricorder which had been left on the table at the side of the bed before he shook his head as Kaila broke into tears while her granddaughter and almost the mirror image of her late mother wrapped her arms around her and broke into tears while the doctor deactivated the alarms as he made a note in the medical logs of her time of death.
Throughout the Iolian Unity, a small alliance of eight Star-systems, a week long time of mourning had been ordered by the Regent himself in honour of the woman who had helped to sculpt the Iolian people into one of the most technologically sophisticated in the known galaxy. Under Iolian traditions and her own last wishes, her remains where placed in a large mausoleum next to the remains of her late wife after a state funeral paid for by the Royal Court itself.
Sat before her large family, the young girl and heir to Asami and Teela's personal effects had begun to explain everything that Asami had told her as a part of her last request.
185 Years Earlier…
"Captain the fleet has responded and awaiting your reply" Called out Lieutenant Commander Data from his station.
"Very well Commander, Enterprise to all ships… now!"
Moving from his seat with a large smile on his face, Captain Picard stepped at Data's side as he looked down at the display next to his long time Android friend and subordinate. Shock overcame him instantly as the orbiting buoy around Bajor exploded with a small fire-ball before the cloaked object between the Enterprise's nacelles decloaked before a shockwave bounced harmlessly off of his ship's hull. Reacting instantly at the simulated damage, all systems on the ship shut down accordingly as if a large explosive device had been detonated between their vital Warp Nacelles.
"What the hell is going on?" Riker yelled as the emergency power activated.
"Computer has reported simulated damage to all sections, warp and impulse drives are off-line they would have been destroyed" Data replied as stoic as ever.
"We're dead in space" Growled the chief of security.
"Impressive…" Picard said past his laughter.
"Captain, I do not know they have accomplished this, Deep Space Nine has reported a simulated destruction and the USS Sutherland has also reported simulated destruction. Although we can not continue due to the simulated attack, main sensors are on-line however captain, we can not contact the remaining vessels"
"Very impressive… status of the Defiant and Prometheus Commander?"
"USS Defiant has taken minor simulated damage to their impulse drive, estimated repair time is eighteen hours. The USS Prometheus is fully operational. Detecting a vessel decloaking…"
"She's bragging" Riker replied as he stepped at his Captain's side.
"It is not the Nara-Maru Commander"
Onboard Deep Space Nine, Colonel Kira leaned against the central table in the operations centre as she laughed slightly at what had happened, in one brief moment a small vessel and her crew had albeit destroyed two heavily armed Federation Starships and Starbase leaving only two vessels to complete the task at hand. Walking towards the Commander of the Station, Admiral House smiled slightly as he stopped at the table console opposite her as he clapped his hands.
"I told you they where good. Thinking outside of the box has always been Asami's strong point"
"How the hell did she shut down my station so easily?" Kira said with an impressed smile on her face.
"I don't know Colonel, I'm jus glad they're on our side" Called out Doctor Bashir.
"We still have sensors… the vessel Akagi-Maru has entered the games. She is targeting the Defiant and firing her main weapons array, simulated damage to the Defiant's weapons array… Akagi is cloaking, picking up another ship decloaking, it's the Nara-Maru she is strafing the Defiant. Prometheus is moving to assist. The Nara has cloaked once again…"
"Hit-and-Run tactics…" Kira smiled.
"Both ships are decloaking and heading towards the Defiant. The Akagi seems to be having trouble with it's starboard upper nacelle, she's leaking warp plasma and pulling away from the combat zone for repairs"
Onboard the Nara-Maru, the voice of the Commander of the Akagi called out threw the speakers as Teela looked at Asami with a slight worry on her face.
"Teela, Nacelle one has taken damage… the injectors have broken loose once again"
"Understood, veer off… I guess we'll have to this the old fashioned way" Replied Teela slowly.
"Shut down Nacelle one and divert power to the remaining nacelles?"
"Already done, however… with this damage, we are unable to fully cloak" Replied Jerrod from the Akagi-Maru.
"Sam, the Defiant has altered her position… they're coming straight for us"
"Jerrod, remember what I told you?"
"We're on it Sam!"
Feeling almost useless as they continued to observe the battle-simulation progress without them, the bridge crew of the USS Enterprise, the pride of Starfleet, Flagship of the United Federation of Planets and one of the few 'Legacy Vessels' in the Federation itself could do little more then sit back in their seats and watch the battle unfold before them as the two remaining vessels moved towards the tiny enemy vessels.
Almost instantly the warp plasma from the Akagi-Maru stopped streaming from the nacelle as it re-entered the battle-zone along with it's sister ship as they began to weave around each other in an unusual fashion.
"What the hell is she doing?" Riker called out.
"Thatch Weave…" Picard replied with a smug grin.
"Accessing… Thatch Weave, also known as the 'Beam Defence Position' is an Arial defence tactic devised by John S. Thatch soon after the United States of America's entry into the Second World War. Theoretically, if an opposing vessel approaches either ship, the second vessel can cover said vessel with defensive fire" Data recited from his memory banks.
"They appear to have modified the tactic slightly" Called out Captain Picard.
Locking her modified main weapons onto the Nara-Maru, which appeared to be controlling the unusual tactic, the USS Defiant continued with her assault while the Akagi-Maru made strafing runs while in position against the powerful Defiant Class ship before the Akagi-Maru broke off her assault once again seemingly by accident, which allowed the Defiant a clear shot against the Nara-Maru herself.
"Sensors have indicated the Nara-Maru is taking moderate damage to her aft shields Captain" Called out the Security and Tactical Officer. "Defiant is moving in for the kill shot"
"When backed into a corner, Asami Hirayama often relies on unusual tactics and… What the hell?" Riker said with shock on his face.
With all eyes on the bridge now firmly locked onto the main viewscreen, they watched in shock and awe as the tiny greyish-black vessel made what appeared to be an impossible move for a vessel moving at such speeds as instantly, the vessel changed position. Pointing the bow of the vessel in the direction of travel, it instantly nosed down the viewscreen of the Enterprise and continued to swing around on it's axis while travelling in the same direction. For a brief moment, it was travelling backwards while her powerful weapons fired through the Phaser-arch, slamming into the Defiant's modified shield grid as it continued along it's trajectory before returning towards their direction of travel before levelling off.
"How did they do that?" The Tactical officer called out.
"I have no idea" Picard replied.
"Simulated damage on all decks of the Defiant, estimated repair time, three days four hours. Akagi and Nara-Maru have altered course and heading towards the Defiant, they are firing their main weapons… Simulated destruction of the USS Defiant Captain. Both Akagi and the Nara-Maru have altered course for the USS Prometheus, they are firing their modified disrupters and torpedoes. Prometheus' shield are holding…" Data narrated.
"She was right, they are a formidable vessel" Picard said with an almost pride in his voice.
"Prometheus's shields are beginning to collapse…" Data continued. "Prometheus is separating…"
"Big mistake" Riker laughed.
"Both the Akagi and Nara-Maru are targeting the middle section of the Prometheus… her shields have collapsed. The second section of the Prometheus has reported it's destruction Captain, the shockwave from that section would have destroyed all three sections. The Nara-Maru has now moved towards the beacon and activated the system"
"She's won? Damn it!" Riker called out.
"Attention all ships and Deep Space Nine, thank you for that little distraction… it was… entertaining to say the least. This war-game is now over as a victory for the little-guys" Asami called out with pride over the channel to the entire fleet.
"This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the Enterprise, well done…"
"Debriefing in one hour onboard DS9. Congratulations Mrs Hirayama, Colonel Kira out!"
Although her voice showed a hint of anger over the humiliating defeat at the hands of two freighters, Kira was more then impressed by the perfectly planned attack against the station and surrounding ships. With all ships either docked at Deep Space Nine or orbiting the old Cardassian Station itself, a full debriefing had been delivered in the Ward-Room onboard the station before all command staff had been invited into Vic Fontaine's bar in one of the Holo-Suites above Quark's bar. Upon entering the bar seemingly out of time for the 24th century, O'Brian instantly felt at home as the holographic lounge singer walked towards him and greeted him with a warm smile and hardy handshake before he looked at the two women at O'Brian's side.
"And who do we have here?"
"Vic Fontaine, allow me to introduce Teela of Iolia and Asami Hirayama…"
"Mister Fontaine" Teela said with a warming smile. "He's a…"
"Hologram, yes I am" Fontaine said quickly.
"You know what you are?"
"It's a long story" He said before he turned and spoke to Asami in Japanese as she blushed and replied.
"Yes and no… excuse me please? I see someone I would like to speak with"
Turning a bright shade of red, Asami left as Teela looked at Fontaine with a questioning look as she spoke.
"What did you say to her? I've never seen her like that"
"Never mind, please… help yourself to drinks and whatever you need. Excuse me please, Miles, Teela… I think I see someone else I haven't seen in a long time" Fontaine said politely before he nodded slightly and left.
"Interesting Program, how brought it here?" Teela said with a large smile.
"Originally, it was Julian's… Fontaine has become an institution around here. He runs constantly except for maintenance routines. I miss the guy" O'Brian said with a smile.
Walking towards the bar area of the Holo-suite, they ordered their drinks before turning and heading towards a table with a smile as Asami sat at their table with Captain Picard at their side as he spoke with a large smile on his face.
"Well Teela, I must commend you on your victory, it was an interesting tactic. Asami informs me that it was your idea?"
"Most of it Jean-Luc. To be honest, when you showed up… we had to adjust our tactics. I was hoping to leave the Akagi out of it until the last moment" Teela replied with a laughter in her eyes. "Enterprise always seems to show up around us"
"Indeed, we have also noticed that. Your vessel is most… unusual. Next time Teela, we will defeat you" Picard said with a wink.
"Ohh I still have a few moves in reserve. O'Brian here thought I was nuts when we flipped the ship over like that. A basic defensive move on Iolia, modified of course… the Defiant is a powerful ship, we where lucky"
"Then what about the Prometheus?" Called out a voice from behind them.
"Ahh yes, we took a gamble on her shields, at the moment of separation between the three sections, we noticed a 0.35 second whole in your shield grid… we saw that a year ago when your ship was under another battle simulation with Klingon forces" Teela called out to the First Officer of the Prometheus.
"And we took a gamble it hadn't been corrected. However, it all went wrong for a brief moment, the Defiant had us and we knew that, but the commander of that ship blinked or hesitated for a moment, that gave us our opening"
"When?" Called out the Ferengi officer as he stepped at their side.
"When we flipped the ship Lieutenant Nog, it was not our intention to continue along that trajectory, we wanted to instantly change our heading towards you… our impulse drive shut down for a moment under the strain. Whoever was in command of the Defiant had us…"
"That was me!" Nog said with embarrassment. "I was just shocked at what I saw. You risked your ship being torn apart for the kill shot?"
"Not really Nog!" O'Brian smiled.
"If you'd like, I'll show you how to do that sometime? And how to defend against it in the future" Asami said with a warm smile on her face.