TRT7: The Hidden Trek Voyage! – By DS Wynne
Disclaimer: R1/2, SM, ST and other genres belong to their respective owners.
Note: This is a multi-genre story.
Part 11
Sometime later…
As Kirk walks around the Bridge, while observing his crew, he wonders if the ship will be sufficiently ready to deal with the possibility of a military engagement. He then wanders towards Scotty's station.
"Status, Mister Scott," Kirk asked.
"I'll have the port nacelle fully operational within the hour," Scotty replied.
"Well, let's just hope that whatever that blip is doesn't decide to engage our ship-"
"Sir, that blip I detected earlier just showed up again," DeSalle said at helm. "Definitely stronger this time."
"That's the fourth time the blip has reappeared," said Rand at tactical.
Kirk turns towards Spock, who had already begun his intense sensor sweep.
"Spock?"
"The unidentified object is definitely within our sensor range," Spock said, as he looks at the incoming data. "Wait, sensors have confirmed a Klingon battle cruiser."
"Definitely the Klingons," DeSalle said.
"Or Romulan," Rand said.
"Either is likely, though, given recent Klingon activity, it is doubtful that there is Romulan activity in this sector," Spock replied.
"Sir, that Klingon ship just cloaked again, but appeared to be on an attack vector," Rand said.
"They must be toying with us," Kirk said. "I'm not about to take any chances. Uhura, sound the 'Red Alert'."
"Aye, sir," Uhura said. "All hands, 'Red Alert'. I repeat: all hands, 'Red Alert'. This is NOT a drill…"
Down in Ranma's quarters, Ranma and Usagi sit up from their shared bed.
"Action, finally," Ranma said, as he hops out of bed in order to put back his clothes on. The showers will have to wait-
"Ranma, wait," Usagi said, as she waves her tiny hand. Sparkles and faerie dust fell from her hand as she waved them.
The next thing Ranma knew, he was clean and fully dressed.
"No one needs to know what we were doing, you know," Usagi said with a smile.
"Um, thanks," Ranma said. He looked at his wife, now essentially a dwarf in size and stature, thanks to her body absorbing itself, in an effort to maintain its "peak". Ranma had met other immortals that continued to age, and none of them was a pretty sight. However, Usagi will always be beautiful to HIM.
"I'll be right back," Ranma said, as he kissed Usagi.
"You better, because we haven't finished yet," Usagi replied with a toothless smile.
"Um, yeah…"
Soon, Ranma, along with Sulu, were back on the Bridge. Kirk turns towards his senior crewmembers.
"Ranma, Sulu, welcome back," said Kirk, as Sulu and Ranma took DeSalle and Rand respectively. DeSalle then sits at Auxiliary Control, while Rand takes "Ops".
"Thank you, sir," Sulu said, as he takes the Helm.
"What's up?" Ranma asked, as he adjusted his seat.
"Spock?"
"Klingon cruiser just uncloaked, and is on an attack vector," Spock said.
"So, it is," replied Ranma. "Well, we'll see how THIS one measures up."
"A little cocky, aren't we?" Kirk asked.
"Maybe, but with the lives at stake aboard this ship, I'll be at my cockiest."
"Huh."
Soon, the Klingon vessel comes about.
"Klingon ship is armed," Spock said.
"Confirmed," Ranma said.
"Raise shields and prepare to return fire," Kirk replied.
BLIP!
Wrrrrrr…
"Ready."
Upon getting into range, the Klingon ship discharges it's weapons.
BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!
The Enterprise's deflector grid seemed to hold. However, something catches Ranma's eye.
"What the-?"
BOOM!
The Enterprise takes a direct hit on the upper deck.
Kirk holds on, as the Enterprise rocks from the blow.
"Ranma, what the hell just happened?"
"I don't how, but the Klingon ship has managed to match the energy type of its disruptors with the shield frequency of the Enterprise," Ranma said, as he quickly maneuvers the ship.
"Confirmed," Spock replied, as he quickly performs an analysis of the energy used by the Klingon vessel. "The shield modulators are unable to compensate."
"In other words, we might has well not have had shields to defend ourselves," Kirk said.
"It's worse than that, sir," Scotty said, as he turns towards the captain. "The Klingons knew exactly where to hit us."
"Meaning?"
"The deflector grid is down."
"Great, just great."
"Sir, I better get down to Engineering to facilitate the auxiliary 'back-ups'," Scotty said to Kirk.
"Go," Kirk replied.
"Aye, sir."
As DeSalle replaces Scotty, Kirk turns towards Ranma.
"Evasive, Mister Saotome," Kirk said.
"Aye, sir," Ranma said. "Sir, he's coming about-!"
"Fire phasers."
"Firing."
The Enterprise unleashes a streaming pair of energy, blue in color, which strikes key areas of the Klingon ship.
CHOOM!
"Surface damage only-" Spock began to say, when the Klingon ship returned fire.
BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!
The saucer section takes two hits, while the port nacelle takes a hit as well.
BANG!
A pylon on the Bridge collapses from the stress of blows.
"Decks 5 and 6 have been ruptured," Rand said, as she sat at Ops. "I'm isolating that section…"
"Helm is sluggish…even more," Sulu said.
"Power output is down at 40 percent!" DeSalle said.
Kirk turns towards DeSalle.
"We need SOMETHING to defend ourselves, DeSalle," Kirk said.
"Diverting available power to the structural integrity field," DeSalle said, before-
BLAM! BLAM! BLAM-!
BOOM!
The front of the saucer section takes a direct hit, causing the loss of several sections in the process. Unfortunately, there were a few casualties amongst the crew as well.
"We just six decks in Forward," Rand said. "Allocating resources to compensate…"
"Damn it," Kirk growled. "Ranma, return fire."
"Yes, sir," Ranma said, as he begins to modulate the energy signature of the phaser. "Firing."
The Enterprise unleashes another barrage of phaser energy, this time striking the underbelly of the Klingon vessel.
"Direct hit," Spock called out.
"Good job," Kirk said.
"It's not over yet, sir," said Ranma, as he quickly began to rotate the Enterprise, in order to protect the damaged sections of the Enterprise.
"Indeed, fire at will-"
"Captain, the Klingon vessel has cloaked again," Spock said.
"Damn. Ranma, belay that last order."
"Sir?" Ranma asked.
"We can't waste any more resources needlessly. Besides, I want you and your security teams to assist in search and rescue efforts, as well as assist in patching up the decks."
"Yes, sir" Ranma said, as he turns around. "I'll get DeSalle to take my place-"
SHHHIP!
On the Bridge appears a newly rejuvenated Chekov.
"Chekov?" Ranma said.
All eyes turn towards Lt. Chekov.
"Chekov, you seemed well," Kirk said with a smile.
"Thanks to Commander Tsukino," Chekov said with a faltering smile. "But…"
"But what?"
Chekov turns towards Ranma.
"The Doctor needs to see you right away."
Ranma nods his head, as he gets up.
"Sir, permission to-"
"Go ahead," Kirk said.
"Thank you, sir," Ranma said. And then he turns to face Spock, who nods his head. Ranma replied likewise before leaving the Bridge for Sickbay.
'I hope Usagi gets well,' Kirk thinks to himself.
Ranma quickly goes down to Sickbay, where Dr. McCoy greets him.
"Doc?" Ranma asked.
"Usagi…is in the final phase of her molting," McCoy said. "It's not a pretty sight."
"Waking up to your mate without the benefit of make-up isn't a pretty sight either," Ranma replied. "Where's Usagi?"
"This way…"
Ranma goes into a special room where Usagi is being kept. He sees Nurse Chapel and Asst. Physician Dr. M'Binga there tending to some kind of cocoon…a LARGE one at that.
"M'Binga, Chapel," Ranma said. It was hard to believe that a goofball like M'Binga would turn into a respectable and accomplished medical doctor and specialist, while Chapel was the younger sister of his closest friend…
"Ranma, you're here," M'Binga said, as he turns away from the monitors. "You're here."
"Indeed," Ranma said, as he goes over to the egg sac. Essentially, Usagi did what caterpillars tend to do, before becoming a butterfly.
"Usagi is resting comfortably," Chapel said.
"Thanks," Ranma said, as he goes to the cocoon. Part of it was slightly opaque or transparent. He could almost make out Usagi within that mass…
And then, Ranma touches it.
'Babe, how are you holding up?' Ranma thought telepathically.
Usagi moves her hand through the fluid mucus, and touches the inner wall of the cocoon, where Ranma was touching.
'I fee…weird, Ranma,' Usagi thought back. "I should be drowning, but…I'm not.'
'Hey, you're the one with the xenomorphic tendencies, Usako.'
'Ranma…I…I don't want to become a monster.'
'Usagi, you're NOT going to be a monster."
'But what if I am? What will happen to us?'
"Usagi, even if you become like one of those aliens that have REAL acid for blood, I'll be there for ya.'
'Oh, Ranma…'
Meanwhile, Uhura picks up an incoming message.
"Sir, you're not going to believe this, but-"
"But what, Lieutenant?" Kirk asked, as he turns around to face the communications officer.
"Sir, we are being hailed by another Klingon ship," Uhura said. "It's Captain Kargh, of the 'Dark Destroyer'."
"Confirmed," Spock said. "The Klingon vessel is, however, neither cloaked, or on an attack vector."
"Interesting," Kirk said. "On screen."
CHIRP!
"Greetings, Captain Kirk," Kargh said.
"Same here Captain Kargh," Kirk replied. "Come here to gloat, or to finish us off? To force a surrender?"
"No, Kirk," Kargh replied. "We are here to investigate a report that a Klingon vessel has been attacking a Federation starship. I was surprised to have learned that YOU were the target of this unknown ship."
"'Surprised'?" Kirk replied. "You're telling me that the Klingon ship that attacked you wasn't one of yours?"
"If it is, then there is a renegade amongst the Klingon fleet. Regardless, even if it is a fellow Klingon that is attacking you, he does not have any authorization to do so."
"And you expect me to believe that?"
"On my honor, the Klingon Empire has a vested interest in keeping the peace in this sector of space…THIS time. I am here to assist you, and to discover the true nature of this…renegade."
"I see. Allow me to confer with my senior officer."
Kargh nods his head in reply.
"Uhura, close channels."
"Aye, sir," Uhura replied.
CHIRP!
Kirk turns towards Spock.
"Ideas?"
"Considering the fact that 'honor' is seen as a premium amongst the Klingon people, and considering the fact that we have very little in the way of options, I believe we should explore every opportunity to extricate ourselves from our predicament."
"I see. But what happened the shuttle pod incident from yesterday?"
"A different time, a different exercise."
"Humph."
Kirk then returns his attention towards the main view screen.
"Open channels, Lt. Uhura," Kirk said.
"Aye, sir," Uhura replied.
CHIRP!
Kirk could see Kargh's face on the screen.
"What do you propose to remedy this situation, Kargh?" Kirk said.
"A temporary alliance," Kargh said. "I am willing to beam myself aboard to discuss the matter, face-to-face."
"Very well," Kirk said. "Prepare to beam aboard."
"I look forward in meeting you, face-to-face."
CHIRP!
"Lt. Uhura, have Ranma escort Captain Kargh to the Conference Room, and have Scotty meet me there as well."
"Aye, sir."
"Spock, you're with me. DeSalle, you have the Bridge."
"Yes, sir," DeSalle said, as he took the center seat. "Finally…"
"Between that disease I had to fight off and the Klingons visiting, this day is getting absolutely weird," Chekov said to Sulu.
"Tell me about it," Sulu replied.
Tbc.