Chief Medical Officer's Log USS Challenger NCC-374:Stardate 424.08
With the assistance of Captain T'Pol from the USS Enterprise, I believe we close too finding a cure for this plague. However, I doubt we will have the cure before we intercept the USS North-Gate.
End Log Entry.
"Doctor, the final calculations are completed" T'Pol reported.
"Very well" He said calmly.
"You are very young for such achievements" She said politely.
"Excellence knows no age Captain" He smiled slightly.
"You don't like me do you Doctor?"
"I haven't given it much thought. I've met lots of Vulcans… you're strange, even for a Vulcan"
"My father was Human, my mother a Vulcan teacher"
"An unusual mix… hand me that PADD please" He said quickly. "I wasn't aware that Humans and Vulcans could…"
"Have a child?" She smirked slightly. "In case you haven't realised Doctor, I was married too a human"
"Captain Tucker, I browsed your file. I thought you're kind mated for life"
As he reached out and took the hand held computer from her, he double checked the readings once more before he input the calculations into the computer before him.
"Trip and I… drifted apart. He was in love with something else"
"Another woman?" He smiled as he looked into a scope before him.
"No!" She said abruptly.
"Another man?" McCoy laughed.
"No, the Enterprise actually. It took up most of his time, after six months of marriage, we had it annulled"
"I see" McCoy smiled slightly.
"Do you have a wife, any children?"
"Not yet… I've concentred on my career first. These calculations are off by 0.01% this is useless!" He barked.
"Did you take into account the phase variance?" T'Pol replied firmly.
"Of course I did you Green-Blooded Hob-Goblin. I'll do it myself…"
Throwing the PADD too the floor, McCoy turned and sighed as the Vulcan Officer stood face too face with him almost too the point of tears.
"I'm sorry Captain, I haven't slept in two days. Currently I'm running on stimulants and caffeine. Why don't you show me what you mean?"
"Of course, Lieutenant!" She barked.
In the ready room of the Challenger, Archer read over the many reports from fleet movements as Captain Reed sat on a sofa reviewing ships department head reports.
"We've lost another system. Setlec III has fallen too the enemy advance, the eighth fleet has pulled back once again" Archer complained.
"I'm getting tired of this damned war. Do you remember when we used to explorers?" He laughed.
"Good times. Do you think we'll be able to stop the North-Gate?"
"All other concerns are second. As far as Command is concerned… this ship is expendable"
"Understood, we'll go down fighting if we have too. Have you thought of asking the Romulans for help with this?"
"Command sent several warnings to the Empire… no response. We don't know if the message had gotten through. Intel reports the Klingons are moseying around, engaging some of the stragglers and running interference. We believe they are about too enter the war on the Romulan side…"
"What?" Reed said in disbelief. "Why wasn't I informed?"
"It's a closely guarded secret…"
Placing his computer on the desk, he leaned forwards as he spoke with a deep regret in his voice.
"… What I'm about too say is classified beyond top secret and must not leave this room. Understood?"
"Of course" Reed said calmly.
"Projections state that if this war continues on it's current path… Starfleet will have no choice but too surrender within two years"
"Are you serious? I knew things where bad… but not that bad"
"We have plenty of ships… but we're experiencing a man-power shortage. Must ships are running a little over a skeleton crew. We're almost at the point of drafting in conscripts too crew those ships. Rumour has it, the Romulans are drafting in a species from another empire called Cardassia. Unconfirmed reports say that the Cardassians are building more Romulan ships in the hundreds and manned by a joint crew from both Empires… we'll be out numbered hundreds too one. Starfleet has sent a group of specialists to infiltrate Romulus to confirm these reports"
"I-I didn't know" He said with regret.
"No one does. Fleet moral is at an all time low, you must have noticed"
"Something like that"
"Malcolm, if the North-Gate succeeds with it's attack…"
"Understood"
The revelation of what Archer had said in confidence had shaken the officer too his core, Reed knew that Starfleet was in a bad way, but a dangerous man-power shortage and a possible turn in the balance of power against the Federation was too much for the officer. Thinking quickly, Reed searched through the many Padds strewn out on the sofa until he found what he was looking for. Quickly activating the device he searched for the data he noticed earlier as a slight smile rang out over his face.
"A year ago, we encountered a species out on the rim of Federation space, they have a high ESP rating… off the charts. Somewhat pacifists though, but when backed into a corner… they will fight with deadly consequences for their enemies"
"Really?" Archer smiled.
"A full report was sent too Command and we where ordered to leave the system immediately. Since then no ship has entered that area of space under orders from Starfleet Command, the incident was classified beyond top secret. If we could speak too Starfleet Command… perhaps we could…"
"Have them use this species for intelligence gathering…"
"Their telepathy knows no bounds sir. They had us running in circles for days whilst under their influence"
"Interesting idea Captain!" Archer smiled. "Where are they?"
"The system is located between Rigel VII and the Vega colony, approximately six days away from Starbase 11 for an Enterprise-class starship travelling at maximum warp"
"What system?"
"In the Talos star group, the forth planet in the Talos system… they live underground… they'd make one hell of a intel group"
"I'll look into it" Archer smiled.
For days, the Challenger travelled at high warp while the crew continued their exhausting research into the Anti-Virus for the plague, with their engines running above maximum tolerances, they finally reached the Neutral Zone without incident. Sat calmly on the bridge, Admiral Archer reviewed the data on the console before him as Travis reported back too his commanding officer.
"We're approaching the zone sir"
"Already? Nice. Fast ship you have here Malcolm"
"I want her back when you've done Jon" Reed smiled.
"No promises. Scan for the North-Gate!"
"Scanning… I've got her sir… cruising at Warp four, her defensive systems are online, she's ready for a fight"
"Let's give her one. Hoshi… hail that ship"
"Channel open sir"
"Attention USS North-Gate, this is Admiral Jonathon Archer commanding the USS Challenger… you're actions are in violation of orders. Turn about… and surrender too us immediately"
"No response sir" Hoshi said quickly.
"They're increasing speed sir. Going to maximum warp"
"I can see that T'Pol. Travis… intercept that ship. Malcolm, lets see what you've done too your weapons"
"Finally!" He laughed.
"Sir, they're entering the Zone… and set course for the nearest Romulan Planet. ETA Fifteen Minutes!" T'Pol reported.
"Engine Room, Give me everything you've got!"
"Admiral, Engines are at 120% I can't give you anymore" The Chief Engineer cried out.
Screaming through warped space, the Challenger closed the distance between the two ships as her engines began too overload quickly. Warp plasma began to stream from the two large nacelles at the rear of the ship as the ice-blue Bussard collectors began to change colour too a deep red as they worked over their design limitations .
"Admiral, we're fifteen minutes from a warp core overload. We need to slow down!" Pleaded the Chief Engineer.
"GIVE ME EVERYTHING YOU CAN!" Archer yelled.
"I'M GIVING IT ALL SHE'S GOT CAPTAIN!" Yelled the Engineer in anger.
Explosions began to ripple through the engine room as the ship was forced through space at beyond its design limitations, finally dropping out of warp, the Challenger screamed towards the renegade USS North-Gate as phaser blasts slammed into the protective shields of the Enterprise Class ship. Anger swelled in Archer as he stood from his seat and walked towards the helm.
"Evasive, Malcolm… cripple that ship"
"On it!" Reed smiled.
For several years Malcolm Reed had served as the commanding officer of the USS Challenger and had rarely fired the ships phasers although like riding a bicycle, the instant the command was given his hands expertly accessed the weapons on the ship. Locking the main phasers on the North-Gate's main engines, phaser blasts slammed into the shields of the renegade vessel as Malcolm smiled slightly. While the shields on the renegade ship began too loose power from the deadly assault delivered too it by Malcolm Reed, T'Pol checked her sensor readings once more as a look of shock began too surface on her face. Although half Vulcan, her human side had begun too assert itself since she had joined Archer's crew as she grew ever closer too the Captain of Engineering, Charles Tucker III.
"Jon, sensors are picking up a power build on the North-Gate… she's settling into orbit sir"
"Romulan forces?" Archer said quickly.
"Picking up fighters being launched from the surface, they won't get to her in time"
"Travis, ready for some fancy flying?" Reed smiled.
"Very!" Travis smiled.
"Do it! Hoshi, hail them once more!"
"Channel Open Admiral"
"North-Gate… halt your advance, surrender on lesser charges. We know what you're planning… Captain, think of your crew. BE a Starfleet Officer once more, think of your crew… think of the Federation!"
"Sir, they're responding. On screen"
The Romulan held planet before them, was a deep blue ocean planet with a large continent on the southern hemisphere close the equator with streaks of white clouds floating harmlessly above. A peaceful and beautiful planet with a small spattering island chain near the north pole. The sensors on the ship showed a perfectly warm planet with a stable subtropical climate and over one million Romulan and Remans living on the planet below, orbiting the planet was two small spherical moons and a thin ring system which gave it an almost majestic look which was rarely seen by the seasoned crew of the USS Challenger. 'Almost perfect' thought Archer as he looked upon the world before him, 'What must this world look like from the surface' he thought once more as he stood from the seat and walked towards the helm as the face of the Commanding officer of the renegade ship appeared on the large viewscreen.
"Archer, I'm glad they sent you. Someone who knows what's happening out here"
"Tom?" Archer said in disbelief.
"It's been a long time old friend. Do me a favour… don't stop me. You know what they are capable of… I read the reports, they said two damned years… two years and we'll be history. Can you live under the Romulan whip?"
"Tom, stop this. Don't make me cripple your ship!" Archer said with regret.
"You can try Archer… you will fail. Freddie, lock primary and secondary targets!" He said too his tactical officer.
"Final warning Tom, I'll destroy anything launched from your ship… I do have the authority to destroy your ship if needed. Now, I'd rather not do that Tom, we've been friends since the Academy… you taught me a lot. Hell, I was your best man and godfather too your son!" Hw said quickly.
"It is for my SON that I am doin this, how many more sons and daughters are going too die in this damned war?"
With his hands behind his back, Archer signalled too Captain Reed as he replied quickly.
"If you do this, thousands more, Think of Andy, Tom. What would he say if he saw you now… about too commit genocide"
"They're only Romulans!" Tom said with deadly intent.
"This is a Civilian colony… check your damned sensors"
"They're animals. No Romulan is a civilian… you know that"
"Do it? Stop this madness…"
"I'm sorry Jon. It's been an honour knowing you… I'll say hello too Karen for you!"
"TOM!" Archer cried out.
As the viewscreen changed, eight photon torpedoes launched the USS North-Gate on a collision course for the planet's atmosphere, before he even had a chance too give his next order, Malcolm launched a full barrage of photon torpedoes too intercept those launched from the renegade ship. As the USS North-Gate attempted to break orbit, the Challenger spun on her axis and fired a full spread of torpedoes and phaser fire into the ship's shields causing a devastating collapse of what remained of their shield grid. With the final strike from the Challenger's torpedoes and phaser fire, the North-Gate began too burn in space as six of her torpedoes where destroyed by those from the Challenger.
A look of horror echoed across the faces of the Challenger bridge crew as the remaining two torpedoes exploded in the upper atmosphere of the peaceful planet below and spread the deadly plague throughout the atmosphere.
"WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?" Archer yelled.
"We missed two sir" Reed said with sadness.
"Sir, look!" Travis said in shock.
Spreading throughout the atmosphere of the beautiful blue planet below, an ugly brow gas began to cover the planet slowly.
"Ohh shit!"
Quickly spinning on his heels, Archer turned too the location of the voice as his face changed too a deep shock as T'Pol's eyes began too show signs of tears forming for her distant Romulan brothers.
"Umm… Status?"
"The torpedoes exploded in the upper atmosphere spreading the plague through the air currents. Time too total coverage… one hour fourteen minutes. We failed!"
"NO! I failed" He said slowly.
"Sir, sensors are detecting eight Romulan Warbirds on an intercept course. ETA one hour" Reed said still in shock.
"Admiral, should I set course out of the system?"
"No Travis… Hold position. Hoshi, contact Starfleet Command, give them a full report… then contact the Romulan ships… let me speak too their commander"
"Umm… aye sir!"
