Chapter Ten
The USS London dropped out of warp as it entered the small planetary system where the Andorian colony world of New Loknar was located. The planet grew larger in their viewscreen as they approached at high impulse. At first glance, nothing seemed to be amiss, but this brief sense of serenity was soon destroyed.
Commander Arie Cayman quickly turned from her station. "Picking up weapons fire from orbit directed down towards the planet," she reported. "Ship as of yet unidentified."
Captain Anthee leant forwards in her chair, resting her hands on her knees. "What's our ETA?" she asked.
"Fifteen minutes, ten seconds," the helmsman replied. "At current speed."
"Divert power to the engines," Anthee commanded. "Let's cut that down. We need to stop them before they destroy the colony."
"Aye captain," the officer manning the engineering station acknowledged, making the adjustments.
Anthee stared out of the viewscreen with a heavy frown. "When we're in weapons range of the attacking ship, Divert power to phasers," she commanded. "I want them disabled as soon as possible."
"Aye, Captain," came Arie's response.
She pressed a few buttons on her panel and began to charge the phaser banks so they would be ready once they were in range. With energy currently being put into the engines, the charge time was slower, but she was confident that they would be ready to engage the moment they were in range.
"Three minutes," the helmsman called out.
"Any change?" Anthee asked, looking to Arie.
"They have raised shields," she reported. "They may be preparing to engage us."
"Good," the captain said. "As long as it gets their attention off of the planet."
"They're altering course," Arie then informed her, looking at her readout. "Coming about to engage."
Anthee glanced to the engineering station. "Divert power to shields." She looked over at the commander. "Any idea on their weapons?"
"From the readings I'm getting, they may be the same weapon type used to destroy the colonies on Corvin," Arie reported. "Will need more data to confirm."
"Considering they were firing on the planet, I think we can safely make the connection," Anthee said.
"This might be another Gorn situation," Arie pointed out. "We might be unwittingly trespassing on their territory."
"Then they should tell us that instead of attacking," Anthee snapped. "There's no excuse if you're an advanced civilization to attack first unprovoked." She then calmed and turned to communications, understanding that there might be some truth to what her executive officer had said. "Hail them. Let's see if we can stop this here and now."
"Yes, captain."
"They're in weapons range," Arie informed the captain.
"Hold fire," Anthee commanded. "Any response to hails?"
"Not yet," the communications officer responded.
"At least they're not shooting," the helmsman said just as a streak of energy shot out of the enemy ship and struck their shields.
"You were saying?" Captain Anthee asked the helmsman, before turning to the engineering station. "Damage?"
"Minimal impact on our shields," he reported.
"Their weapons don't appear to be very effective against us," Arie added.
"Let's give them a taste of what we can do," the captain said. "Fire phasers at half power."
"Locking phasers. Firing."
Twin beams shot out of the lower saucer of the starship and struck the enemy ship's shields hard.
"They won't stand up to much of that," Arie informed the captain. "They're firing torpedoes," she then called out quickly.
The ship shuddered from the impact but they did little damage, which the engineer reported. "Those pack more of a punch captain, but still minimal damage to our shields," he said.
The captain didn't want to get too confident. "Return fire. Drop their shields then disable their weapons. Let's see if they're willing to talk then."
"Firing," the commander reported. "Direct hit. They won't take much of this, their shield strength is already down forty percent, Captain."
"Then let's get this over with," Anthee said. "They have a lot to answer for."
The enemy vessel fired back at them, doing barely any damage. The London returned fire with three twin phaser blasts, the third strike knocked out the enemy ship's shields. They immediately broke orbit.
Commander Cayman reported on this. "Looks like they're trying to flee, Captain."
"Knock their engines out. They need to answer for their unwarranted attack."
"Targeting. Firing."
Once again, twin phaser beams shot out of the front of the London and struck the rear of the enemy ship.
"Their main sub-light engines are offline," Arie reported. "Looks like they're using thrusters to come about. They're charging forward weapons."
Anthee shook her head in disbelief. "They can't possibly hope to win." She looked back at communications. "Hail them."
"Yes, Captain."
Anthee then looked at Arie. "Disable their weapons."
"Yes, Captain. Targeting."
The communications officer looked around to face the captain. "Still no response," he said.
The captain could barely believe it. They were clearly no match, yet they still fought despite their obvious pending defeat. "Open all frequencies," she ordered. "They might not want to respond, but let's hope they're willing to listen."
"Frequencies open."
"This is Captain Anthee of the Federation Starship London. Stand down, you cannot win. Avoid destruction and surrender."
Arie looked at a power build up on the enemy ship. "They're preparing to go to warp, Captain," she warned.
It took a moment for the captain to realise that the enemy ship was pointed right at them.
"They'll destroy us both," the helmsman said, verbalizing the everyone's thoughts.
"Evasive," Anthee commanded, desperately hoping that they weren't suicidal.
The helmsman was already moving the ship out of the way before she finished the command. A few officers on the bridge closed their eyes and braced themselves for what could be the end. Instead, the enemy vessel skimmed past them as they leapt into warp causing the London to shudder from their wake.
The helmsman wiped his brow. "That was close, really close."
The navigator concurred. "Just short of one-hundred metres clearance," he said.
Anthee turned to Arie, trying to hide the fact that she was a little shaken. "I take it they're gone?"
"They're accelerating out of the system," Arie confirmed. "Do we pursue?"
The captain really wanted to, but there were people down on the planet that needed help and she knew helping them was more important at that moment. "No," she said, turning back to communications. "Contact the surface and have sickbay prepared for injured."
"Yes, Captain."
Anthee turned to Arie. "Commander Cayman, I want you to organise landing parties to help down there."
Arie rose up from her station. "Aye, captain. But what if the unidentified ship has reinforcements?"
"They aren't much of a threat. We kicked their asses. Right now we need to help those down below."
"Understood, Captain." Arie acknowledged.
The moment the explosions had stopped, the crew of the cargo ship Periphery had headed into the city to help those in need.
It hadn't been immediately apparent to those in the city that it had been an orbital bombardment, but the sensors on their ship had told them that's exactly what it had been. There was little they could really do to help with their meagre medical supplies, but their medic, Charlotte did her best to tend to the wounds of those they found, the others helping her as best they could. Entire sections of the colony had been wiped out, the space port and the surrounding area had gotten off lightly, with only a few destroyed or damaged buildings.
That was partially thanks to the Periphery or rather Mira, who'd had come up with the suggestion of raising the dorsal shields and extending them, the moment the planet's own defensive shield had been quickly overwhelmed. The shield's had lasted a lot longer than they had expected, but after ten minutes they finally collapsed under fire, but thankfully the bombardment had stopped soon after.
Things got a little better when officers from an orbiting Starfleet ship came to help. They didn't tell them that they had driven off the attacking ship, they didn't need to. It was fairly obvious. Instead, they got straight to work in helping people escape collapsed buildings and using their transporters to free those they couldn't reach or move those more seriously injured.
The night turned to day and they kept on working. By early afternoon, Joshua almost collapsed from exhaustion. The officers told them all to go get some rest.
Their ship stood almost untouched apart from a scorch mark along the upper hull where they had taken a glancing blow from the orbital attackers.
It would require attention at some point, but at that moment all any of them wanted was to get some sleep.
It was a nightmare.
Arie stood there holding out her bloodied hand as the nurse dabbed it down.
She had cut her hand freeing someone from underneath some rubble. She had saved them, but not the others around him who had been crushed and were already dead by the time they had arrived.
The pain in her hand was almost secondary to the pounding of her head. Overexertion, little sleep and not enough water to drink had all accumulated into a dehydrated and very unhappy first officer.
But it wasn't just her. She could see the same look in everyone's faces. They were all tired, but they pushed on.
Arie's thoughts were interrupted as her communicator began to beep. She reached around with her free hand, grabbed it and flipped it open.
"Cayman here."
"This is the Captain. I need you to take a team to the central government building. They're holding an alien that might know what's going on."
"Have they been able to get anything out of him?" Arie asked.
"Unfortunately, no. He did become very agitated during the attack, but that is to be expected."
Arie looked towards the tall central building which appeared to be on the order of twenty storeys high. Not a particularly large building, but most definitely the biggest thing around. Well, apart from the large cargoship over by the space port.
The structure itself had taken a few hits, with scorching and a large hole torn through the side. It had seen better days and might even have to be torn down.
She looked at the medic who as bandaging their hand as they finished. She lowered her hand and turned her attention back to the communicator. "I take it the cells were unaffected during the attack?" she questioned.
"Seems that way," the captain said. "Why was the main municipal building hit?"
"Yes and it looks pretty bad," Arie informed her.
"Nevertheless, I need you there questioning him while I contact Starbase 59."
"I'll get a team and head over there as soon as I can, Captain."
"Excellent, Anthee out."
Arie put her communicator away and looked at her bandaged hand.
The medic addressed her. "You should really get back to the ship and have that seen to properly."
"It can wait an hour or two," Arie replied. "I still have work to do down here."
"Good luck with the questioning," he said.
"It's the one I'll be questioning that'll need the luck," Arie said as she moved off towards two of her security officers who were taking a short break. "Shyth, Thessa, with me."
The two Andorians nodded and followed her towards the central building. It wasn't a long walk from where they were and within ten minutes they were at the doors.
The two Andorian guards manning the entrance let them right in with little more than a nod.
A police officer approached them. "You're here about the alien I take it?"
Arie confirmed. "That's right."
"I'll take you to see Captain Theleck," he said, promptly taking them to the office.
The officer lightly tapped on the door before pushing it open.
The police captain looked up from his computer monitor, his antennae twitching at the sight of the Starfleet officers. Arie wasn't sure if that was a good sign or a bad one, despite living with Andorians for the last year.
He seemed pleasant enough, regardless. "Good to see you," the police captain said standing up. "I'll not waste your time. Follow me, I'll take you to the prisoner."
They headed straight back out of the office and down a set of stairs into the holding area where they came to a stop outside a cell where a small alien sat.
"He had a device on him," the captain mentioned. "Some kind of glowing cube. Have no idea what it does and he won't tell us."
Arie nodded. "It would be best if we took the cube off of your hands and had it analysed aboard the London."
The captain agreed wholeheartedly. "That's great because I don't really want the thing down here. For all I know it could be a bomb that could wipe this town off of the face of the planet."
"Bring it here," Arie said.
"Okay," he said, eagerly moving off.
Not five minutes later he was back with the glowing cube in hand. It was roughly eight centimetres cubed and didn't particularly look threatening, then again neither did a photon torpedo until it was flying at you.
He gave her the strange object and she took a good look at it. She had expected it to be warm but it didn't seem to have any heat to it at all. She studied it for a few more moments before stepping right up to the cell door.
The alien looked up at her, then to the cube, which held his gaze.
"You're coming with us," Arie said, seeing what his response would be.
He didn't seem at all concerned or surprised by this. "Very well," he said standing up. "I will obey."
Arie had expected at least some resistance. She wished it was welcome that he was willing to come with them so easily, but his easiness and near eagerness put her on guard.
She gestured to her two officers. "Get him ready for transfer to the ship. I'm going to have the lab take a look at this device."
The two security officers acknowledged and Arie moved off out of the building still clutching onto the device.
She pulled out her communicator, then looked back at the device before flipping it open. "London, this is Commander Cayman. Requesting a shuttle, I have an unknown device here and I don't want to risk beaming it."
"Acknowledged," came the response from Captain Anthee. "A shuttle will be dispatched shortly, Commander."
"Thanks, Cayman out." She put the communicator away and stared at the cubic device. In some ways, it was rather pretty. She hadn't noticed when she had first picked it up, but the sides weren't a solid colour. Instead, they seemed to pulsate softly and the colours swirled and changed.
Her gaze moved passed the cube and onto her bandaged hand. Once she had given the cube to their chief science officer, she would have to go to sickbay and have her hand seen to.
First, though, she would have to wait for the shuttle to arrive.
"You should really be careful," doctor Naren said to Arie as he scanned her hand in the sickbay of the London. "You should have come to see me as soon as possible."
"You had more pressing issues," she said looking at the injured civilians that filled the room. There were many injured from the attack and she felt that a cut hand was a far second to the needs of those caught up in the attack.
"This still needed proper attention," he argued.
"Not as much as these people do."
"Don't argue," Naren said as he wrapped her hand again. "Keep this on for the next day or so until it heals a little more, then I'll be able to do the rest. Leaving it only creates more work for me, understand?"
"Thanks, doc," Arie said, flexing her hand.
The doors to sickbay slid open and Captain Anthee stepped inside and made a beeline straight to Arie. "Everything alright, Commander?" she asked, her attention going to her hand.
Arie nodded. "Just a cut," she said, raising her arm. "Though the doctor here is acting as though it was nearly amputated."
Doctor Naren folded his arms. "The longer you leave these things, the more difficult it makes my job, I told you that."
Arie turned her full attention to the captain. "Anything you need, Captain?"
"Firstly, Lieutenant Beveth is taking a good look at that cube."
"Discovered anything yet?"
"Absolutely nothing. We've been unable to penetrate its shell so far."
"And the second thing?" Arie asked, knowing that it was probably going to be regarding their guest.
The captain confirmed it. "The alien in the brig."
"Have you gone to speak with him, yet?" Arie asked her.
"Not yet, that's why I'm here. We need to have a little talk with with him."
"Let's hope he's willing."
"He better be," Anthee said sharply. "Let's not keep him waiting, come on."
The both of them left sickbay and took a short turbolift ride to the brig. The two of them found the alien of unknown origin sat in his small cell exactly as they had expected.
He seemed disinterested in them at first, at least until the captain began to glare. Only then did he raise his head and look back at them. with his black eyes and emotionless face.
The captain began with the questioning. "Were you at Corvin?" she asked, getting right to it.
The alien answered quickly though dispassionately. "I do not know what that is, please elaborate?"
"A colony world that was destroyed," Anthee said, her tone sharp. "A ship landed on the outskirts. Next thing we know, all settlements have been wiped out. Why is that?"
The alien answered only the first question. "I have been to one of your worlds, yes. I stopped there briefly to recharge my ship's energy capacitors."
The captain repeated her question. "Why was it destroyed?"
"It is unfortunate that it was attacked. However, it was not intended. I had hoped that they had not known where I was. It seems I was mistaken."
Captain Anthee didn't like that answer. She wanted more. "Every single settlement on that planet was wiped out. We're presuming it was the same ship that attacked this colony, the same ship we managed to drive off. I want to know why?"
"I was unaware that they destroyed your other colony. Again, it is unfortunate. I am sorry," the alien said showing some emotion for the first time. He seemed genuine in his remorse for what had happened. Though there was no way to tell whether he meant it or not. There was actually no way to tell whether it was actually even a he. They were assuming based on its lower register of voice.
They both remained sceptical of whether he was telling them the truth or not. Arie continued on with the line of questioning started by her captain. "Who are they and what do they want with you?"
"It is a difficult question to answer," the alien said. "They are a military group that has taken control of my home planet."
"They are a hostile foreign power that conquered your world?" Arie asked, wanting clarification.
"No, they are the military of my home planet. They destroyed the body of our queen, claiming she was a false leader and took control of the home planet."
"Why are they after you?" Arie asked. "There has to be a reason."
"I was the queen's personal bodyguard," came his unsatisfactory answer.
"There has to be more to it than that," Captain Anthee said. "You have been driven off and on your own, you're not a threat. So why chase you and why obliterate entire settlements to try and kill you?"
The alien looked away from them. "I cannot say more."
"What is your home world's name?" Arie asked.
He glanced at them, then back ahead at the wall. "Draya," he said.
Anthee slowly shook her head. "Not a world I'm familiar with."
The alien seemed perplexed. "Why would you have heard of it? We have not yet made contact."
Anthee glared at him. "Your people have made contact now and it was by destroying one of our colony worlds, which is an act of war."
The alien started to grow agitated. "It is not my people's fault. Do not punish the innocent because of the crimes of the guilty."
Arie attempted to console him. "Don't worry, we're not the type to jump into war at the drop of a hat. We just want to understand why a colony was destroyed and why another was attacked. Can you help us understand why?"
"I have told you. They were in pursuit of me."
"But why destroy all those settlements?" the Captain questioned, growing agitated herself. "Was it to do with that device you had on you?"
The alien turned completely away this time, facing his back to them. "I will answer no more questions."
"What is the device?" Anthee asked more forcefully.
"I shall not answer," the alien repeated.
"And if we decide to throw it out of an airlock?" the captain questioned.
The alien looked at her in alarm, but then quickly settled down. "You would be just inviting more destruction to this world," he said rather calmly. "I will answer no more questions."
Captain Anthee disagreed. "You'll answer whatever question I give to you."
The alien stood firm. "You can ask, but I decide if I answer."
"What is the device, what is its purpose?" the captain demanded.
He said nothing.
"Does it pose a threat to this ship?" Anthee demanded hotly.
Still no response.
"At the very least, tell us if it's dangerous?" Arie questioned, keeping her tone softer than her captain's.
He looked at them. "No, it is not dangerous. That is all I will say."
Sensing that they wouldn't get anything more from him, the two left the brig and stepped out into the corridor.
The captain massaged the roots of her antennae for a few moments before she looked up and addressed Arie. "He's hiding something, what I want to know is what and why."
"Got any other ideas?" Arie asked.
"One," the captain said. "He tried to hijack a cargoship before the attack. Go see if they know anything."
"You honestly think they will?" Arie asked not at all believing that the alien would have willingly blabbed to some cargo crew what he refused to tell them.
"It's doubtful," the captain agreed, "but maybe he let something slip. He wanted their ship for a reason, maybe he gave them a destination. That in itself could tell us something."
"It could," Arie agreed, though remaining pessimistic. "Anything else?"
"If they don't know anything then we'll have to keep trying to and pry it out of our prisoner again until the Ishimura arrives."
The commander's brow raised in surprise. "The Ishimura is nearby?"
"No, they're a day away, but they're able to deal with this situation better than we can, being a cruiser."
"I thought she was a carrier?"
"Hybrid," Anthee clarified. "Still, they'll be able to deal with this better than us. They have the facilities that we don't and the resources if that ship returns with help."
"Understood, captain."
"Let's hope no more colonies are attacked in the meantime."
Arie nodded glumly. "Let's hope," she agreed. "We may have to request that future colonization efforts to be denied until we figure out what in the hell is actually going on."
"Agreed. Oh, one moment," the captain called out as Arie turned to leave. "Go see the crew of the cargoship tomorrow. Right now you deserve some rest."
Arie smiled. "Understood, captain."