CP 111 06740 - 22 -45B3D
1AP
TO: Cpt J T Kirk, USS Enterprise, NC 1701
FROM: Adml Dewey
STARDATE: 1651.2
PRIORITY PRIORITY PRIORITY PRIORITY
classified information follows stop reason for evacuation
starbase 18 all contact lost with starbase 34 stop ship
disappearances other events in surrounding sectors stop
given pattern extension towards starbase 18 emergency declared
stop other specifics of situation unknown stop enterprise
ordered investigate stop use your discretion in all matters
stop general orders suspended for duration although
starfleet expects you to continue observing to utmost your ability
depending situation stop.
Final transmission from SB 34 to follow under coded
scramble on frequency 116783 at 10:27 hours stop no base log yet
found scoutships currently searching stop
god be with you stop
endit
"I'd feel a lot happier," McCoy said, "without that last
line. And what does that mean, general orders suspended
but Starfleet expects you to continue observing?"
"It means," Kirk said, "I'm Johnny-on-the-spot. I'm
expected to solve the problem - whatever the problem *is* - by any
and all means necessary, but if I do something Starfleet doesn't
like, they can still hang me out to dry." He stood up and
paced a few steps. "We should get the transmission in a
little less than an hour, which will give us some idea of
what to expect."
'Why not send it with this?" McCoy asked.
"An additional precaution." Spock said. "Which leads me
conclude that the final transmission from Starbase 34 is of
a nature to cause disquiet in anyone knowing the source."
"Under separate cover and scramble anyone picking it up
wouldn't have a clue where it came from."
"I like this less and less." McCoy said.
"I like this not at all," Kirk answered. "Spock, how many
incidents have you heard of when a ship or a station has
lost contact without jettisoning a log buoy?"
"Precisely 4." Spock said. "The USS Intrepid; The USS
Tehran, the USS Fabulous and Starbase 37. The Tehran
and Starbase 37 were destroyed by catastrophic systems
failures which took less than 15 seconds in either case, which
made it impossible for the commanding officers to jettison the
logs. the Intrepid, as you know, was destroyed in an equally
swift manner. And the Fabulous, of course, lost contact
deliberately."
They were silent for a moment, each remembering the
story of Starfleet's worst rogue: the USS Fabulous, which had
vanished without a trace in the middle of a routine survey
mission and reappeared to harry shipping and trouble the
sleep of merchant captains and starfleet command alike.
No-one knew what exactly had happened aboard her, whether
the captain had led the crew to piracy or there had been a
mutiny, for the Fabulous refused all communications when
sighted. When two starfleet ships had finally gotten a
firm trail on her and followed her through the unmapped
spaces in the depths where such renegades made their
homes, the battle had been fierce. At the end, shields down and
limping, the white paint of her sides scorched and
blackened by phaser fire and a gaping hole in her hull, whoever had
been in control of the Fabulous had engaged the warp
drive in the very shadow of a red star. The resulting nova had
burnt every trace of the Fabulous to atoms, as well as one of her
pursuers. The other had limped in to Starbase 21 three
months later, with a decimated crew, a log of the
battle, and a captain whose hair had turned completely to
white.
"I doubt," Spock said, "that an entire Starbase has turned
traitor. I think we can dismiss the Fabulous as a useful
example." He steepled his hands. "It is more likely that
this loss of contact is in some way related to the shipping
incidents we have been monitoring."
"I think it's best we continue on current heading until we
hear that transmission." Kirk said. "Given the relative
positions of Starbase 9 and 34, the difference between
changing courses now and in an hour is minimal."
"Less than 12 minutes, in fact." Spock said.
"And I'd rather make one announcement than two.
Spock, I'd like a report on Starbase 34: history,
personnel, the whole kit and caboodle. And then the
space around it."
"To how many parsecs?"
"I'll leave the parsecs - and the decimal points - to
your excellent discretion." Kirk said.
Spock had compiled the report, and was in the process
of delivering, when the scrambled transmission came
through. The comm. interrupted him mid-sentence.
"Captain," Uhura said, "I've put the transmission
through descramble and I'm routing it to your office
now. The indicators show some interference in parts
that I can't clear up: it seems to be on the original
rather than this transmission. I can't tell more
without listening to it."
"Understood. We'll put up with the interference for
the moment."
"Yes sir. Sending now."
All three men turned to the computer, and Kirk
actually jumped when the screen flickered and Admiral
Dewey appeared on screen.
"You know what this is," he said solemnly. "You'll
understand our reaction. Further transmissions
follow, check your ship number. Dewey out."
The visual vanished, to be replaced by a series of
flickering lines. Then a haze of static obscured
whatever picture might have been there. A voice
distorted by static spoke.
"Itsy bitsy spider. " it said, and stopped.
"What the -" McCoy started.
"Itsy bitsy spider," the voice said again, and it was
just possible to tell that it was the voice of an
adult man. "climbed up the water spout. Down came
the rain - and - washed - poor Itsy out. Up came the
sun and - dried up all - the rain. And Itsy Bitsy
spider went - up - the -spout - AGAIN!"
Static. Silence.
The screen went blank.
It was suddenly very cold in the captain's office.
"Recommendations," Kirk said at least, his voice
steady.
"The transmission must be cleaned up." Spock said.
"Is it April Fool's day?" McCoy asked. "Let me check
the calendar."
'If this was a joke, it'd be in damn bad taste." Kirk
said grimly. "And Admiral Dewey isn't noted for his
sense of humour."
"We need a voice stress analysis on that." McCoy
said. "I'll cross reference it with the
psychological indices. There might not be enough to
get a reliable reading, but it'll tell us something."
"Indeed, doctor," Spock said. "Captain, do you
require the rest of the briefing on Starbase 34 at
this time? I can assure you there is nothing in it
which sheds any light on the situation."
"No, I'll read through it later." Kirk said. "I have
to get up to the bridge and get things underway.
Spock, see if there's anything in the datalinks on
similar incidents, assuming this is related to the
lost ships and then assuming it isn't. I'll have
Uhura clean up the transmission."
"Aye, Captain." Spock said.
"I'll be on the bridge, gentlemen."
Five minutes later he was in the captain's chair.
"Mr Sulu, lay in a course to Starbase 34, maximum
warp."
"Aye sir."
"ETA?"
"49 hours, sir."
"Ms Uhura, give me shipwide."
'Aye sir. Channel open."
"This is the captain." Kirk said. "We have received
new orders from Starfleet Command."
Chekov groaned very quietly.
"All contact with Starbase 34 has been lost. The
Enterprise has been ordered to investigate. We do
not currently know the nature of the emergency. We
will reach Starbase 34 in approximately 49 hours. As
of now, the ship is on yellow alert." He paused. "I
know this is a further delay in your much desired -
and much *deserved* shore leave. I'm as disappointed
as you are. And our civilian passengers - our
regrets at being unable to disembark you into more
comfortable accommodation at the moment. Hopefully,
after we rescue the inhabitant of Starbase 34 from
whatever bug eyed monster of the deep that has eaten
their communications relay, Starfleet Command will be
grateful enough to allow us a proper leave at
Starbase 34 or elsewhere. In the meantime, stay
alert, and all crew to review their procedures
manual, sections 42 and 43. Kirk out." Starfleet
crew would understand those were evacuation
procedures: the civilian passengers would not.
Despite having identified many of the ring leaders,
locked down the areas the refugees occupied and
posted plenty of security, Kirk was by no means
relaxed about the presence on his ship of four
hundred extra bodies, none of them Starfleet, and at
least one hundred of them known to have taken the
suicidal action of destroying systems on a ship they
were on at the time.
~Sane people did not do that. Sane people did not
join mobs that did that.~ No, Kirk was not relaxed
at all.
He turned in his chair. "Ms Uhura, it's of the
highest priority that that transmission be cleared
up. We're expecting further transmissions on a
frequency based on the Enterprise serial number.
Please brief Mr Mahese and have him take over your
duty shift."
"I can work on the transmission here, sir."
"I'm sure you can, particularly given your recent
recently paper on removing interference from subspace
transmissions and the excellent reception it received
at the Vulcan Academy of Sciences, , but in this
case, it's my order than this transmission be played
only in the presence of senior officers. There will
be a briefing for section heads at 18:00 hours, and
we'll play that transmission - and any others - in
whatever state they're in."
"Yes sir." Uhura said. She had smiled at his reference to
her recent publication, but his emphasis on restricting the
circulation of the transmission turned her grave again. She
turned back to her board and began to contact her second
officer.
"Mr Chekov," Kirk said, "We may require the weapons
systems, and armed landing parties. Dr McCoy will provide you
with a list of staff cleared for landing party duties in addition to
security staff. Liaise with Ms Tomlinson and Mr Singh
to prepare three possible forces - minimal, medium,
and all we can spare. Bear in mind that they may be
required to fight, or to assist in evacuation."
"Aye, sair." Chekov said. "Weapons systems are at .7
above maximum, sair. I completed a level three
diagnostic yesterday."
"Why do you think I didn't ask?" Kirk said, and Chekov
smiled. He was still young enough to be pleased at
the knowledge that his captain trusted him.
Uhura handed over the communications station to Mr
Mahese with the advice to look out for transmissions
on frequency 1701, NC 1701, and 1431701. On her way
to the communications lab she found she was reluctant
to look at the message tape she held in her hand.
~Superstitious, Nyota,~ she chided herself. ~Just
because you couldn't sleep is no reason to let fancies
run away with you, girl.~
Still, when she had loaded it into the computer and
engaged a privacy lock on the door she sat for a
moment longer before saying:
"Computer, playback."