INSTALLATION 18
Volume 1, chapter 22
Published: 22 February 2020
Word count: 9,081 (24/02/20)
A/N: This is the final chapter of volume 1 of my story (the end of an almost 7-year journey)! Thank you to everyone who has supported the story up until now! I have lots of exciting things planned for volume 2. For those not familiar with the STO timeline, I'll be focusing on the Romulans in volume 2 and also trying to flesh out more of the crew members who didn't get a ton of development yet. Stay tuned!
Aboard the USS Leviathan, a small away team was preparing to transport down to the surface of Nimbus III.
"Stay safe down there, Tala," Jason Fredricks said to his executive officer.
Tala Jones smiled. "I will. You won't be too bored up here, will you?"
"No. Captain Taggart and I have a lot of catching up to do." Jason paused. "I'm still in disbelief that we found him. It's surreal."
Tala put her hand on his shoulder. "He's a true warrior. He never gave in, even when things seemed hopeless. All the great heroes on my home planet were the same."
"We ready, sir?" Jessik Cameo asked, stepping onto the transporter pad.
Tala turned to the Bajoran security officer. "Yes, let's go."
Joining the two women on the transporter pad were Lucas Wells and T'mar, a Vulcan security officer.
"Oh, Jason. She passed," Tala said, smiling.
"Did she?" Jason asked. "Good to hear."
Dylyp Azeli, who stood next to Jason, nodded. "Ms. Flores surely has come a long way in redeeming herself."
"That she has." Jason turned to Charlie Morgan, who was manning the transporter. "Energize, Charlie."
"Aye, cap'n," Charlie replied, activating the transporter beam.
The away team dematerialized.
"I can't believe he's back," Charlie blurted out. "The cap'n, that is."
Jason nodded. "Same here."
"Hope I get the chance to speak with him before we head back home. I'm sure lots of people are in line for that, though."
"Well, I'm headed to see him right now; it's the captain's privilege." Jason gestured to him. "Come along."
"I'm on duty, sir."
"Call someone to take your spot for a bit."
Charlie nodded. "Thanks, cap'n."
"I'll return to the bridge," Dylyp said.
"Right." Jason nodded. "See you later."
…
On the IKS SuvwI', Law and S'lade Zdanas were about to beam to the planet as well, as Kardok saw them off.
"The Romulans have said they'll bring you two back to us after your mission is concluded here," Kardok said. "See to it that you return."
"A Klingon captain showing concern for his subordinates? Do my old ears deceive me?" Law asked.
"Now that you are a part of this crew, Law, you will learn that we do many things differently than your typical Defense Force crew."
"I look forward to meeting the rest of the crew, then, captain."
Kardok turned to his other officer. "S'lade, go with strength and honor. Discover what those despicable Tal Shiar bastards don't want us to know about."
"Yes, sir," S'lade said proudly.
"Qapla'!"
S'lade and Law stepped onto the transporter and were dematerialized.
An officer entered the transporter room. "Captain Kardok," he said. "Engineering reports all repairs have been completed and we are ready to depart on your order."
"Very good. Tell the engineer that the word is given."
The officer nodded and walked away.
Kardok made his way to the nearest turbolift and entered it. "Bridge."
The doors closed and the turbolift carried him away.
ACT I: BASE INFILTRATION
Three away teams – Starfleet, Klingon, and Romulan – rendezvoused at the entrance to the secret Tal Shiar facility hidden under the sands of Nimbus.
"So we enter through one of these satellites?" Lucas asked, gazing at the group of satellites in front of them.
"Yes. Everyone ready?" Tovan Khev questioned. "Once we enter, there's no turning back."
"Don't worry yourself, Romulan," Cameo said. "We Starfleet types don't scare easily. Especially not us Bajorans."
"How comforting," Sora, the Romulan security officer, scoffed. "Be sure to remember that when you're six levels down and you're pissing yourself."
Cameo scowled at her. "Why you—"
Tala cleared her throat. "Jessik, play nice." She turned to Tovan. "On that note, just how many levels are in this base?"
"It's hard to tell due to the inhibitors they have in place. Could be up to a dozen, though," he answered.
"You'd better watch your mouth, kid," Sora said to Cameo.
"Hey now, let's not argue, guys," Rhiana Valkyrie said, stepping in between them. "We're friends, remember?"
"Rhiana's absolutely right, you two. I say you should apologize to each other," Lucas chimed in.
"Oh, shut up!" Sora and Cameo said almost in unison.
"Sora!" Tovan called. "Knock it off."
Sora grumbled to herself.
"Jessik," Tala said, frustration in her tone. "If your attitude is going to be an issue, I'll send you right back to the ship."
"No, sir. It's not," Cameo replied.
Law shook his head. "While all of you dumb kids are standing around arguing, the enemy likely already knows we're here. Have any of you ever even been on a stealth mission before?"
"No need to worry, old timer! We set up a jamming device before you guys got here to neutralize their external security measures. It's our key into the place," Rhiana explained. "Once they realize their cameras and sensors aren't working, they'll send somebody out to check on it. That's when we'll sneak in."
Law gave her an unamused look.
"Rhiana, have some tact when you're speaking with your elders," Tovan scolded. He turned to Law. "I apologize for her irreverence, sir."
Law stared at him for a moment. "I don't need your sympathy, kid. I've been called far worse. At least the girl here is unafraid to be herself. She can call me what she wants."
Rhiana gave a hearty grin. Tovan shook his head and sighed.
"Lieutenant Jones, this appears to be the entrance," T'mar said, waving her tricorder at a part of the satellite nearest to them. "The door is composed of a tritanium alloy, so we will be unable to blast our way through it."
"We should split into two groups and stand on either side to wait for someone to come out. We can catch them by surprise," Tala suggested.
"Agreed," Law replied.
The entrance to the facility was on the end of one of the 'legs' of the satellite. Tala's team stood on the left side of the doorway and S'lade, Law, and Rhiana's stood on the right, keeping themselves hidden.
Soon, the door could be heard opening, and four Romulans walked out.
"The damn sensors must've gone down again after that last sandstorm," one of them said.
"Just be quick about the repairs. I don't want to be caught off—" another one of the Romulans began, only to stop mid sentence upon realizing they were being ambushed.
"Back inside!" a third Romulan shouted.
The away teams quickly shot down the Romulan officers. Rhiana and Lucas were already inside by the time the others finished the Romulans off.
"Where's Rhiana?" Tovan asked.
"In here!" she called.
The door suddenly closed, separating them.
Tovan charged at the door. "No!" He raised his disruptor to fire at it.
"It won't work," T'mar said.
"Put your weapon away, boy," Law said, inspecting a small console next to the sealed door. "Hmm. There seems to be a retinal scanner here. Bring me one of those officers we just killed. The centurion, not the sublieutenants."
S'lade walked over to the centurion and pulled out his knife.
"What the hell are you…" Cameo trailed off.
The others either grimaced or turned away in disgust as S'lade plucked the man's eye out.
"How gruesome," T'mar managed.
S'lade scoffed. "Easier than dragging a corpse all the way over to the door."
Law raised an eyebrow as S'lade handed the eyeball to him. He then held it in front of the panel on the door. The retinal scanner activated, scanning the eye. The door then creaked open.
"Hurry inside. This door is designed to close rather quickly to prevent people from doing what we're doing."
The group made its way inside, and the door shut behind it. The corridor ahead was rather dimly lit.
"Lucas?" Tala called out to the darkness.
No answer.
"Rhiana?" Tovan yelled frantically.
"Jessik, give us some light," Tala said.
Cameo activated the lamp on her phaser rifle. "I'll take point," she said.
T'mar activated her lamp as well, following behind Cameo. At the end of the short corridor lay a small room on the left side and a closed door on the right.
"There's nothing in here," Tovan said, shaking his head. "Where could they be?"
"This other door is sealed… curious," Law pondered. "And that room is too small to be useful for anything but a storage closet… or…"
"State destination level," a computer voice said.
"An elevator," Tala finished.
Law nodded. "Everyone, get in."
The group piled into the elevator and the door shut.
"State destination level," the computer repeated.
"Command level," Law said.
"Confirmed." The elevator began whirring.
"If your Starfleet boy lays a hand on her, I'll chop it off," Sora said, looking directly at Tala. "I've seen the way he looks at her."
Tala sighed. "Lucas knows to keep his hands to himself." She hoped he did, at least.
…
Right after the outside door had closed, Rhiana and Lucas were left alone in the dark.
"This sucks," Lucas bemoaned.
"There seems to be some light up ahead," Rhiana said. "Let's see what's over there."
"We should wait here until they find a way in. There could be enemies nearby."
"It's not that far from the door. Come on." She grabbed his hand. "If any bad guys are in there, we'll just take them out."
He sighed. "Alright."
They made it to the end of the corridor and found the two small rooms that the others would later find. One of the doors was closed, however. A humming sound could be heard inside.
"Is this an elevator?" Lucas asked.
"I think so. Sounds like somebody's coming up," Rhiana replied.
"Shit. Alright, let's step inside this other—"
The door to the elevator sprung open. Out walked a Romulan officer. Rhiana and Lucas stood silently in front of him.
His eyes widened. "Intruders!" He ran back inside the elevator, but Rhiana and Lucas charged in after him.
"State destination level," the computer requested.
"Down! Just take me down!" the Romulan screamed.
Rhiana and Lucas dogpiled him, trying to hold him down.
He continued struggling. "Get off me, damned rats!"
"What do we do?" Lucas asked frantically.
"We might have to kill him," Rhiana replied, looking directly into his eyes.
"Listen, we won't kill you if you don't tell your friends we're here," Lucas said to the man.
"Screw you! As soon as we reach the bottom my 'friends' will take you and string you up like marionettes. You'll never leave Installation 18 alive!"
"Quiet!" Rhiana said, covering the man's mouth.
He tried to bite her hands, but she quickly withdrew them and pulled out her knife, holding it to his crotch.
"If you don't wanna lose your jewels, you'd better not try anything rash," she said harshly.
Lucas' eyes grew wide. "Remind me never to get on your bad side."
She grinned widely at him. "Don't worry, Lucas. I'd never hold you hostage like that."
Lucas chuckled nervously. "Thanks… I think?"
She eyed him curiously. "Not that I'd have a reason to hold you hostage in the first place..."
"You worthless little shits!" the Romulan growled, trying to pull himself away from them.
The elevator stopped and the door opened. Waiting to greet them were some more Romulan officers.
"H-help me!" the captive officer yelled.
The Romulan nearest the elevator raised his disruptor to fire. Rhiana quickly lunged at the officer's foot with her knife and slashed his ankle.
"State destination level," the computer said.
"Up! To the surface!" Lucas called.
The doors closed, preventing any of the other Romulans from entering.
"Computer, override! Take us down!" the captive Romulan shouted.
"I said be quiet!" Rhiana said. "Computer…"
"Authorization code Phi-Theta-Kappa-262, lock!" the officer continued, ignoring her.
Lucas punched the officer. "Shut up!"
Rhiana sighed. "It's no use. We'll have to fight them when we get down there."
"We don't have enough people."
"We'll figure something out." She gave him a half-smile.
Meanwhile, the rest of their group had just arrived at the first level. The Romulans did not immediately take notice of them due to Rhiana's distraction.
"Damn that girl! I want her dead!" the Romulan that had been slashed shouted.
"It's just a flesh wound. Be a man about it," another jeered. "Get ready for them to come back down."
Before they could react, the Romulans were gunned down by the away teams.
"Must alert security…" one of them, still conscious, said quietly, reaching for his armband.
"No you don't," Law said, pushing him off the railless platform they were on. "All of you watch your step in this area."
"Did you hear them talking?" Sora asked. "They mentioned a girl. It's gotta be Rhiana."
"She and Lucas might be in the other elevator," Tala suggested.
They all gathered around the door of the other elevator. Moments later, the car arrived and the door opened. Three individuals emerged from the elevator. The first two were the captive Romulan and Lucas, arms restraining him, and the third was Rhiana.
"Stand down! We've got your man!" Lucas said, voice raised. "Wait… it's you guys…"
The Romulan elbowed Lucas and shoved Rhiana towards the edge of the platform. He tried to run past the others, but S'lade punched him in the throat, knocking him to the floor.
"Uh-oh…" Rhiana yelped, teetering on the edge.
"Rhiana!" Tovan called, trying to reach her.
Lucas quickly grabbed her around the waist and fell backwards with her on top of him. She blushed. "You saved me, Lucas."
Lucas looked terrified. "Oh, I guess I did, didn't I?"
Sora walked over, steaming. "You… you fiend! Put your hands where I can see them!"
"Uh…" Lucas began, startled. "I think you've got the wrong idea, lady!"
"Sora," Tovan said.
"Let go of her!" Sora shouted, arming her disruptor. "Rhiana, get away from him!"
"Sora, please, he just saved my life!" Rhiana begged. "You're being too harsh."
"Sora!" Tovan said, louder this time. "Stand down!"
Cameo and T'mar had their phasers trained on Sora.
"Drop the disruptor!" Cameo shouted.
Sora looked back at Tovan and then at the others. She angrily holstered her weapon.
"Why, Sora?" Rhiana pleaded, tears welling in her eyes. "He was just helping me. If I had fallen..."
"Thank you for saving her, but don't think this makes us friends," Tovan said to Lucas. "I'm going to ask you to stay away from Rhiana from now on."
Lucas raised his hands up in disbelief. "What the hell for? What's your deal and what's hers?" He pointed at Sora.
"It's because... we don't trust Starfleet," Tovan replied. "You're not old enough to remember, Rhiana, but Sora and I know how the Federation and the Vulcans abandoned us when our homeworld was destroyed. Old wounds don't heal easily."
"That's not true," Tala shot back. "Ambassador Spock did all he could—"
"Don't you ever say that name again," Tovan snapped. He looked at Rhiana, who had an expression of shock on her face. "We've wasted too much time bickering. Since everything's on the table now, let's just complete our mission and part ways."
Law, who was already at the other end of the platform, sighed. "Am I the only one who would rather make it out of here alive than stand around squabbling like a pack of wounded ter'ak?"
S'lade shook his head. "They all whine louder than an Orithian saber cat in heat. You think we should go without them?"
Tala walked over. "Apologies. My officers will be reprimanded after all of this is said and done."
"Maybe you should have brought your Andorian friend who talks like a Vulcan. He seems to know how to keep officers in line," S'lade suggested.
"I fought alongside your crewmates, lieutenant," Law said. "Your officers are disciplined, for the most part. It's the Romulan crew I'm more concerned about. They're unruly."
Tala nodded. "They are a bit… eccentric."
The others walked up in a single file line as Law got the door in front of them to open.
"For the record," Law continued. "I'm older than all of you, and I don't blame Starfleet nor Ambassador Spock for the ails of our people. Now, all of you shut up until we're safely out of this hostile base. Once we're out you can kill each other for all I care."
The group silently made its way down the corridor that lay ahead.
ACT II: LAB OF HORRORS
Jason and Charlie were seated in chairs in the guest quarters that had been prepared for Captain Masc Taggart. Adjacent to them – reclined on a couch – was Taggart.
"It's wonderful to see you again, Mr. Morgan. I'm glad you finally committed yourself to a specific profession," Taggart said.
Charlie nodded. "It wasn't easy. Took me the better part of two years performing one random task after another until I found something I liked."
"Did you ever think of attending the Academy?" Jason asked.
"Being a noncom suits me fine," Charlie replied. "I wasn't cut out for all of the higher education bollocks you have to go through to become an officer."
Taggart chuckled. "Even so, you've become a fine man, commissioned or not."
"Thank you, sir," Charlie said, smiling. "So… what is gonna happen now that we have two captains on the ship?"
"Jason is the commanding officer. I have no intention of usurping him," Taggart responded.
"Starfleet Command hasn't responded to us yet. We're a long way from the heart of the Federation. I'm sure they'll give us appropriate directions when they do respond," Jason said.
"Indeed," Taggart agreed. "Oh, Jason, is Crusoe still on board?"
"He is. Would you like to see him?"
"Yes. I think I'll rest up for a bit first, though. Don't worry, I still know my way to the mess hall."
Jason nodded. "We'll let you get some rest, then."
"Cap'n," Charlie said, standing and heading to the door.
Jason turned to follow him.
"I'm proud of you," Taggart said. "All of you. You've become a fine crew."
Jason and Charlie smiled back at him as they walked out.
...
Shrieks and screams of terror could be heard coming from the rooms littering both sides of the corridor in the Tal Shiar facility.
"That's horrid," Tala managed.
"Makes me think of the stories I was told as a little girl," Cameo said, head hanging low.
Sora and Tovan looked over at her.
"Stories about the Occupation of Bajor, my homeworld," she continued, gazing back at them. "I learned to hate Cardassians for the horrific war crimes they committed against my people, even though I wasn't alive back then. The first time I met one was when my parents took me to Deep Space 9 with them (they were spice merchants). Some of our customers were Cardassians, but they were nothing like the monsters I'd heard about in the stories. They had a sense of duty about them, but also sincerity and kindness. One of them even bought me a jumja stick because he thought his appearance had scared me."
Law looked back at them contemplatively.
"Does this feel like a trap to you?" S'lade asked Law quietly.
Law nodded. "Yes. There should be guards and scientists all over this base. I have a feeling they'll have a surprise waiting for us up ahead."
"I'll go see what lies in store for us." S'lade swiftly and stealthily disappeared around a corner up ahead of the others without any of them noticing.
"The Vulcan elders would often talk poorly about the Romulans," T'mar spoke up. "I believed them for a time, but the words of Ambassador..." she trailed off, remembering Tovan's anger. "...his words of reunification always echoed in my head. Many Vulcans hated him for his stance on Romulans, but others believed he was right. I had never met any Romulans until now, and even though we have our... differences, I believe you are far better people than what the old stories said."
Tovan sighed. "Our leader, D'Tan, also talks about reunification. Seems he was a follower of Ambassador Spock."
"When your homeworld was destroyed, the four of us were either infants or not even born yet," Tala said, indicating her comrades. "Whatever shortcomings the Federation had in preventing the disaster of your homeworld, we had nothing to do with it."
"You're right," Tovan agreed. "How would the Vulcans put it? Our hatred is... illogical."
Sora's nose twitched. "I have to admit, you people aren't what I expected. You're not the cruel, soulless bastards I took you for."
"T-Tovan and Sora both were alive when Romulus and Remus were destroyed," Rhiana said. "They were just kids, but they knew very well what happened that day. Tovan was offworld when it happened, but Sora—"
"I was one of the lucky ones who got on an evacuation ship," Sora interrupted. "They packed as many women and children as they could fit into those ships. Most of the men got left behind, including my father. I would always dream that he somehow made it out alive, but it's been 22 years since then. There's only so long you can hold out hope."
Everyone fell silent.
"Well, I'm glad we could come to understand one another," Tala said after a moment.
"Indeed. Now we can finally get some work done," Law replied. "S'lade has scouted ahead a bit. We suspect we're being led into a trap."
"So why send him off by himself?" Lucas asked.
"Have a little faith. He used to work as an assassin. He won't be captured so easily."
Lucas gulped nervously. "An assassin? No wonder something felt off about him."
A few moments later, S'lade re-emerged from the corner where he had disappeared earlier. "There are two more rooms ahead of us. One appears to be an interrogation chamber. I am not sure about the other."
"Let's continue on. We're more vulnerable standing out here in the open," Law said.
The group continued down the corridor.
In one of the rooms ahead, a Romulan officer activated a small viewscreen on the wall. "Colonel Hakeev," she said.
"Have you dealt with the intruders yet, centurion?" Hakeev asked.
"We've lured them to the lower levels as you commanded."
"Good. Release it. Our secrets cannot be allowed to escape from the facility. Contact me again once they're all dead."
"Did you wish to keep any of them alive for interrogation, colonel?"
"If any of them survive the Elachi, hold them for questioning. Otherwise, do not bother. The recent acquisition of thalaron weapons by the Remans is a far more pressing concern to me at this time."
"One of the intruders is a Reman, sir."
"He's not affiliated with Obisek. He works for that troublesome Klingon captain, Kardok. He's not worth my time. Besides, he'll continue being a thorn in my side if he escapes. He is a hard man to keep in a cage."
"Understood, colonel."
The channel closed.
The female centurion turned to a subordinate. "Send in the Elachi."
The officer nodded in compliance.
Out in the corridor, the away teams reached the first room. They stood on either side of the open doorway, ready to burst in guns blazing.
Suddenly a voice came over the intercom. "Attention all personnel of Installation 18, please evacuate the area surrounding section D of the command and experimentation level. This will be your only warning."
Multiple officers rushed out of the interrogation room, completely oblivious to the away teams.
"I've got a bad feeling about this," Tala said. "Quickly, inside."
"What if they trap us in here?" Lucas asked.
"There's no damn door for this room. Unlikely," Sora replied. "Whatever they're planning, it's gonna come to us."
"We need to check for prisoners in here," Tovan said.
"Tovan, you don't think—" Rhiana started.
"She might be," he replied, anxiety in his voice.
Lucas looked at them, confused. "Who?"
"My sister," Tovan responded. "She's been missing for some time, and we've been searching for her on each planet we go to, especially ones in the clutches of the Tal Shiar."
"Well, let's not waste time," Law spoke up.
The interrogation room was dimly lit and had several stations designed for questioning and torture. Each station contained a spotlight and a metallic, reclined table occupied by a prisoner who was fastened down by multiple straps. Most of the prisoners were very emaciated and looked as if they had been severely beaten.
"This is barbaric," T'mar commented.
"Like the old concentration camps on Bajor," Cameo replied solemnly.
The away team members began unfastening the straps holding the prisoners to the tables.
"They're all going to need immediate medical treatment," Tala said.
"We'll take them on our ship," Rhiana replied. "It's our responsibility to get them back to their families."
"It's too bright here…" a Reman prisoner moaned, squinting his eyes.
"What is your name?" S'lade asked, turning off the spotlight above the other Reman.
"Slamek," the prisoner managed. "If you're thinking of escape, there's no way out. You were foolish to come down here."
Tovan frantically made his way to the far end of the room where the last two stations were. On one was a deceased male Romulan who had had at least one arm amputated and other gruesome surgical work done on him.
Tovan grimaced. "I'm sorry we couldn't get here sooner." He looked over at the other table, half expecting to find another gut-wrenching scene, but instead he was pleasantly surprised. "Rinna?" he asked, her name barely vocalizing due to his shock.
"T-Tovan?" the woman asked, seemingly fading in and out of consciousness.
He ran over to her and hugged her. "I was so worried. I'm so sorry we couldn't find you before now, sis. I'm so sorry..." he trailed off, tears in his eyes.
"So, you finally found me, little brother." She smiled weakly. "I guess I've seen better days."
"Don't worry. We're gonna get you out of here." He loosened her straps and picked her up, carrying her over to the others. "I don't suppose one of you is a doctor," he said.
"No, but we all have basic triage training," Tala replied.
Lucas pulled out a medical tricorder and scanned Rinna. "Well, aside from malnourishment, a few bruised ribs, and a hairline fracture of her left leg, she's doing alright."
"I was one of the lucky ones," Rinna said after taking a drink of water that Tovan had offered her. "They would pick prisoners at random to perform essentially life-ending procedures on. I never knew which day it might be me getting chosen."
"You're safe, now. We're gonna get you out of here soon," Tovan assured her.
She smiled. "I know you will."
"You might want to hold off on making such lofty promises, kid," Law said. "There's something headed this way."
Rinna's face suddenly grew grave. "We're not safe here."
Slamek slumped to the floor. "Look what you've done. They've released the creature, and now it will kill all of us."
"What is it?" Tala asked.
"Whatever it is, I'll blast it," Sora said.
"I don't know. I've only heard the guards talk about it from time to time. Even they're afraid of it," Rinna replied, coughing. "They call it an Elachi."
Rhiana's eyes grew wide. "Elachi?" she asked, not sure if she heard Rinna correctly.
Rinna nodded. "What is it?"
"They're an alien race that we've encountered a few times before. They destroyed our colony on Virinat," Tovan replied.
"Oh, no. How many made it out?"
"A few dozen of us. Those who weren't killed during the assault were abducted by the Elachi for their experiments."
"What about old man D'Vex?"
Rhiana dropped her gaze. "He didn't make it. We think he got abducted."
"We'll make it out of here," Tala said, looking back at them. "No matter what's coming."
"I imagine this is the secret the Tal Shiar have been hiding here," Law mused.
"They likely have more," Tovan replied. "We need to access their computer banks. The Elachi complicates things."
"We will have to split into three groups," Law posed. "There's no other way. One group will protect the freed prisoners and focus on clearing the way out of here, one will deal with the Elachi, and the third will access the computer core and then destroy it. I'm betting that last room is where we'll find it."
"Seems reasonable," Tala said.
"We'll take care of the Elachi," Tovan replied. "We've faced them before."
Tala nodded. "Jessik, you help them. T'mar, you're with me. Lucas, you're pretty good at hacking things; help S'lade and Law get into that computer core."
"But that only leaves two of you to protect the prisoners," Lucas said.
"If you have an extra weapon, I can help," Rinna said. "I'm a bit weak, but I'm not dead. I can fight."
Tala handed her a phaser. "Let's get to work, people."
Rhiana's team – consisting of herself, Tovan, Sora, and Cameo – charged out the door to try to lure the incoming Elachi away.
"Is it just me or has the environment in here changed?" Cameo questioned. "Feels chilly."
Tovan nodded. "The Elachi's close. They're able to manipulate certain aspects of the environment at a close range. Don't let your guard down; they're deadly."
Law, S'lade, and Lucas headed straight for the second room on the final corridor, while Tala, T'mar, and the former prisoners waited in the interrogation room for the time being.
...
Taggart entered the mess hall on the Leviathan. Several people turned and smiled at him as he walked up to the bar.
"Good to see you up on your feet, captain," Hannah Freeman said, walking hand in hand with Ernie Hauser.
"I'm glad you're alright, sir," Ernie said. "We thought we'd never see you again."
Taggart smiled. "Can you two stay for a moment?"
They nodded, joining him at the bar.
"How have things been for you two?" Taggart asked after a moment.
"Mostly positive," Hannah replied. "I switched career paths and became an engineer. I've learned a lot, and I realized that this is definitely what I want to do."
"Good. I remember you mentioning something about engineering when you came aboard, but you had trained to be a science officer—"
"That's... a touchy subject, sir," Ernie said, interrupting.
Hannah looked over at Ernie. "It's okay. When I was young, I would play with model starships, pretending to be the person who kept them functional. Then I started taking things apart around my home, trying to learn how they worked. Before long, I could take a replicator apart and reassemble it at a breakneck pace, and I would even tinker with it to improve its efficiency."
"Impressive," Taggart said intently. "It sounds like you were cut out for the engineering department. What made you change your mind?"
Hannah hesitated. "Well…"
Crusoe, the ship's bartender, walked up to where they were seated. "Sorry for the wait. I had to deal with an inventory-related issue. What can I get you three?"
"Crusoe," Taggart said, smiling. "How are you, old friend?"
"Oh, Masc! I was relieved to hear you were finally found and you were alive. It's good to see you." Crusoe looked over at Hannah and Ernie. "Apologies. I interrupted your conversation. We can talk later, Masc."
"Of course. And I'll take a synthale." Taggart turned back to Ernie and Hannah. "Did either of you want anything?"
"No, we have to leave soon. We're both going on duty in a few minutes," Ernie replied.
"Well I… I suppose I should finish telling you what happened, sir," Hannah said.
"I can see it's painful for you. You don't have to say anything if you don't want to," Taggart responded.
Hannah collected herself. "In short, my mother came from a long line of scientists, so she wanted me to follow in their footsteps. She… passed… and I felt obligated to fulfill her wishes, so I studied science at the Academy instead of engineering." She turned to Ernie. "Back then, I never told you any of this stuff. I was so private with my personal life, but whenever I would talk to you, you'd keep telling me to live my life the way I wanted to and not let others' aspirations get in the way of my own."
Ernie smiled. "I still feel like I wasn't supportive enough. Like when you transferred to the engineering department and I got upset with you."
"We all make mistakes, Ernie. Mine was not embracing who I am sooner than I did."
Taggart took a sip of the synthale that Crusoe had brought him.
"Quite a story, Ms. Freeman," Crusoe said, wiping the bar down. "You've come a long way, and whatever trauma you went through in your youth doesn't have to define you now."
She nodded. "That's why I'm dedicating myself to the future, not the past."
"Thank you for sharing that, Hannah. I know it wasn't easy for you," Taggart said. "From experience, though, I've found that sharing your pain with others makes the burden easier to carry. Bottling it up can have disastrous consequences."
Ernie hung his head. "I know how that feels, too."
Taggart turned to him. "Care to share?"
"My dad died a few months ago in a bombing on Luna in the city I grew up in. I almost let my rage engulf me, but I'm managing it now. Mr. Dylyp taught me some techniques the Vulcans use to contain their emotions."
"I see. I'm very sorry to hear about that, Ernie," Taggart replied solemnly. "Both of my parents died several years ago, so I can empathize with you. Losing a loved one wrenches the heart in so many ways and tries to break your spirit. The only way to fight it is to move forward and cherish what you still have."
"Yeah," Ernie said, nodding in agreement. "I've been keeping in touch much more frequently with my mom since the incident. She's trying to push forward too."
"Thank you for taking the time to speak with us, captain," Hannah said, smiling. "Hopefully we didn't bring your mood down with our personal woes."
"Not at all," Taggart replied. "I may not be your captain anymore, but I've always tried to prioritize the welfare of those around me."
"You'll always be our captain, sir," Ernie said. "I think Jason feels the same."
Taggart chuckled. "Well I'm honored that you all still think of me that way, but this is his ship now. I'm glad he's done right by all of you."
"We've got to go now, sir," Hannah said. She opened her arms. "May I?"
Taggart grinned. "Certainly."
They embraced in a hug.
"Thank you for everything," she whispered to him, tears welling in her eyes.
Ernie held out a hand to shake. "Thank you, sir."
Taggart shook it and pulled him into a short embrace.
"Both of you are fine officers. Keep doing great things," Taggart said as they began to walk away.
"Yes, sir!" they both called back.
Taggart turned back to the bar and noticed Crusoe looking back at him.
"What?" he asked.
"I'm just realizing how much I've missed having you around," Crusoe replied. "With you here, I don't have to double as a bartender and a therapist."
Taggart laughed. "Your wit is as sharp as ever, I see."
"This crew keeps me on my toes. If I don't stay interesting enough, I might find myself out of a job."
"If Jason ever fired you, I'd have him court-martialed." Taggart smirked.
Crusoe shook his head. "So, tell me about your time in that hellhole."
"Oh, where do I begin?" Taggart mused. "Well, after I was taken by the Klingons, they threw me in their brig for a while. Their captain kept telling me 'this night will be your last', but he never followed through with his threats. About three months later, I was pawned off to that Orion kingpin to cover gambling debt. He needed fresh meat for his gladiator tournaments, so who better to have than a seasoned Starfleet captain?"
"I've lived a long time, but I've never understood the taste for blood sport."
"There's a whole culture to it. People who take part in such things pour their whole heart and soul into the experience. It was interesting to say the least."
"Where will you go from here?"
Taggart stared blankly at his drink. "I haven't quite decided yet."
"It would be a major loss to Starfleet if you were to leave."
"I'm not as young as I once was. Flying about the cosmos isn't a game for aging soldiers. If I stay in the fleet, I think I'll want something a bit more laid back."
"A desk job, huh? Well, the higher ups at Starfleet would be crazy not to promote you, so maybe you'll get your wish. I'll petition Fleet Admiral Quinn himself on your behalf."
"You're a true friend, Crusoe. A true friend indeed."
"And don't you forget it," he replied, pouring Taggart another drink.
ACT III: THE END IS JUST THE BEGINNING
Law, S'lade, and Lucas entered the final room. They crouched behind some consoles near the entrance upon hearing voices elsewhere in the room.
"I have a stun grenade," S'lade said. He peered around the corner of the console and tossed the grenade toward the voices.
There were multiple yells and then silence.
"They won't be out for long. Hurry," S'lade said, turning back to Law and Lucas.
"Work your magic, kid," Law said.
Lucas sighed as he headed for the main console. "I'm not some master hacker or anything. I just know a few tricks my brother taught me..." Lucas trailed off. "I wish he were here now."
"I'm sure it's a wonderful story that can wait until later," Law replied, growing impatient.
"Jeez, old man. Hold your horses."
"I don't have any horses."
Lucas rolled his eyes. "I guess they don't have sarcasm where you come from either."
"I'm gonna break every single one of your fingers if you take too long," Law said, half-smirking.
Lucas gulped and worked faster.
"Law, help me tie them up," S'lade said.
While Lucas worked at the computer, the other two bound the Tal Shiar in the room.
"How's it coming, kid?" Law asked.
"Eh… it's…" Lucas began, as the console beeped angrily at him. "...not too great."
"Keep working. We'll cover the door."
"Bad news. The door controls aren't working. If something comes this way, we'll be forced to fight immediately," S'lade said.
Before he could respond, Law suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. "Did you feel that? It can't be..."
S'lade frowned. "What are those Starfleet bastards doing? They were supposed to lure it the other way."
Law shook his head. "It must have overpowered them. We have to assume we're the only ones left, whether it be conscious or... alive…" he paused. "Protect the kid until he can get the data."
"Why don't we just save ourselves time and destroy the core?"
"You know how much valuable data we could get on the Tal Shiar from this place? It's a treasure trove. We only destroy it as a last resort if he can't hack into it."
S'lade sighed. "Alright. Here; take these rifles and find some cover. We may be in for the fight of our lives."
Lucas continued typing at the console as fast as his fingers could move. "No, no, no! Damn it," he cursed to himself. "Come on, think! What would Bennie do?"
...
Early 2402, Carson City, Nevada, Earth.
"What's wrong, Lu?" Benjamin Wells asked his younger brother, who was sitting out on their house's front steps with his arms crossed.
"I'm supposed to have my project solved for class by Monday. I've been working on it all week, but I can't figure it out. I suck," Lucas responded sharply.
"What can't you figure out?" Benjamin sat down next to him.
"I have to crack through a security firewall on a PADD."
Benjamin raised an eyebrow. "Well, have you tried running a recursive algorithm on it? Think of it like this; your recursive will chip away at the firewall and while it's occupied on fighting that off, you can sneak in with a secondary algorithm and steal the data."
Lucas perked up.
"Of course, it's not foolproof. If the security's too tight, you might never be able to crack it. Worth a try, though."
Lucas nodded. "Thanks, Bennie."
Benjamin patted him on the back. "No problem, little bro. Now come on inside; mom and dad said dinner's almost ready."
Lucas followed his brother inside.
...
In the present, Lucas determined to crack into the base's computer no matter what.
"A recursive algorithm…" he said to himself.
The cold air began filling the whole room, and something could be heard out in the corridor.
"It's here," S'lade said to Law.
The duo had positioned themselves on either side of the doorway. As soon as they saw something that resembled movement, they opened fire.
Law began to cough. "Don't breathe in the smoke!" he called.
S'lade fired repeatedly at the doorway. Suddenly, an arm reached out at him. He slashed it with his knife, and it recoiled.
Law tried to position himself between the creature and Lucas. He laid down his own barrage directly into the smoke.
Lucas crouched down behind his console, phaser at the ready. "Let's hope that algorithm works…" he whispered.
Law flew towards the console from out of the smoke.
Lucas jumped back, startled. "Hey, old man, are you alright?"
Law groaned. "Yeah. It'll take more than that to kill a stubborn old geezer like me. Tell me you've got some good news on the data."
"I've got a recursive—" Lucas was cut off by the creature, who grabbed Law from behind and slammed him up against a wall.
"Law!" Lucas screamed.
S'lade ran up to the Elachi and cut it again with his knife. It shot a burst of smoke at him from a device on its wrist in response.
Lucas then fired a shot at it with his phaser. It dodged and then looked his way.
"No! Focus on your job! We'll handle it!" S'lade snapped.
Law pulled himself back up. He unsheathed a disruptor pistol and took a shot at the Elachi's back. He hit his mark, but it did not severely phase the alien.
The console suddenly beeped, this time in a more pleasant tone.
Lucas crawled back over to it. "Yes! I'm in!" He put his tricorder up against the console and began downloading the data. "I just need about 45 seconds."
The creature looked back and forth between Law and S'lade. They stood firm, weapons aimed at its head. It jumped backwards into the smoke and went silent for a moment.
"Just 10 more seconds…" Lucas said impatiently.
Law eyed the room quickly. Something behind Lucas caught his eye. The Elachi emerged from the smoke and pulled out a weapon from its utility belt, aiming it at Lucas.
Realizing that it had gotten behind him, Lucas quickly spun around to defend himself. The Elachi shot its weapon, and Lucas slumped against the console.
...
Tala's group had made it to the corridor leading to the elevators. Some smoke was in the room at the end of the corridor.
T'mar covered her mouth and nose with her arm. "It is most unpleasant."
Tala nodded.
Tovan suddenly emerged from the smoke, coughing. "Shit," he cursed. "We were no match for that thing. It took us by surprise."
"Tovan?" Rinna asked. "Where are the others?"
Still disoriented, Tovan looked around the room, wobbling as he tried to walk.
"Sit down," Tala ordered. "They must be in here. We'll find them." She took a deep breath before entering the smoke. Her eyes began to sting as the chemicals in the smoke irritated them. She stumbled around until she found what felt like another person.
An arm grabbed on to her with desperation. She tugged until they were back out. It was Rhiana.
She gasped for clean air. "The other two are still in there," she managed after a moment. "They were pretty close to me."
Tala nodded. "I'll get them out.
"Lieutenant!" T'mar called. "You may not be able to make it back out a second time. Allow me to…"
Tala put her hand up as she took another deep breath and went back in.
T'mar sighed. "We need to find a way to ventilate this room."
"I can help," Rinna volunteered.
"Check over in that alcove," T'mar said, pointing to the corner of the room. She went to the other corner not filled with smoke and examined the wall for an environmental control panel. "Ah." She raised an eyebrow. "This should be it." She typed at the panel and the ventilation system kicked in, slowly vacating the room of smoke.
Tala, Cameo, and Sora emerged from the remainder of the smoke shortly after, all coughing, but luckily alive.
"Fuckin' Elachi!" Sora growled. "I'm gonna kill that little…"
"Ah, Sora, you're alright," Tovan said cheerfully.
"You bet I am. And ready as ever to kick some ass!"
All of a sudden, Cameo realized that Tala's team had made it that far. "Wait, lieutenant, how did you get past the Elachi? After it attacked us I thought it doubled back."
"We stayed in that room until just a little bit ago. We never saw it," Tala replied. Her face suddenly turned pale. "But if it doubled back…"
"Law's group!" Tovan said worriedly.
"We've gotta go back and help them," Rhiana chimed in.
"Yeah, but not all of us. Tovan, get your sister and the other survivors out of here," Tala said. "I'm responsible for Mr. Wells. T'mar, Jessik, and I will go help them."
"Right," Tovan replied.
"I'm coming too," Rhiana said pleadingly.
"Rhiana, no!" Sora shouted. "I can't protect you if you—"
"Lucas saved my life. What good am I if I can't do the same for him? I don't deserve to be a captain if I leave my comrades behind."
Tovan smiled. "Go save Lucas."
"Tovan?" Sora asked.
"She can take care of herself. Let's go."
Sora sighed. "Be careful. Don't make me have to come back in and save you."
Rhiana grinned.
The groups parted ways and Tala, Rhiana, Cameo, and T'mar rushed back to the computer core room.
...
Lucas gasped as Law fell to the floor in front of him. He had sustained the blast, saving Lucas' life.
"Damn it, old man! Don't die on me!" Lucas shot the Elachi in a rage.
It scampered back into the smoke. S'lade threw his knife at the creature, catching its leg. It screamed out in pain.
"K-kid…" Law managed, breathing heavily. "I've got an explosive device on me. I..." He coughed up some blood. "I took it from Hassan's place. Thought it might come in handy."
Lucas shook his head. "Whatever you're thinking, don't!"
"You've got the data. Now get the hell out of here! I'm just an old man who's at the end of his adventure. Yours is just beginning."
S'lade was thrown backward by the creature, but he quickly rose to his feet. "Promptness would be much appreciated, gentlemen!" he called.
"S'lade! Take the kid and go. He's got the data. I'll keep this thing occupied."
S'lade realized what Law meant to do. "Understood."
Law turned back to Lucas. "Thanks for showing this old fool a good time. I know you and your crew will do great things for many years to come. Give your captain and that Andorian girl my thanks as well. You're all fine people. Maybe we'll meet again in another life."
"Jolan tru, Law," Lucas said, squeezing Law's hand.
Law smiled. "Jolan tru, Lucas."
S'lade hastily made his way over and grabbed Lucas.
"Whoa…" Lucas said, startled.
"Tell Kardok I'm sorry I couldn't return. He seems a very honorable man. I'm sad I won't have the chance to get to know the crew."
"I'll tell them of your sacrifice here today. The Klingons are renowned for their songs honoring heroic acts. You won't be soon forgotten," S'lade responded.
The Elachi charged at them.
"Never thought I'd have songs written about me, least of all by the Klingons. That oughta be interesting." He fired his pistol at the Elachi, briefly stunning it.
S'lade and Lucas took that moment to run out of the room.
Law activated the explosive device he had on him. "It's just you and me now." He looked the Elachi in the eyes. "We'll die together."
The creature didn't seem to fully understand, but it quickly tried to make its way to the door.
Law fired several shots at the bulkhead above the door, causing it to collapse. "I said you're staying with me."
The Elachi stared at him for a moment and then raised its weapon to shoot him again.
Law pulled himself to his feet and grinned, taking a couple steps forward. "Time's up."
The entire room erupted in an enormous explosion. What was left of the Elachi was splattered against the wall opposite the computer core room. Main power shut down following the explosion, causing the facility to black out.
Activating the lamps on their phaser rifles, Tala's group continued to run, now in a panic. Lucas and S'lade suddenly appeared around the corner, almost slamming into them.
"Lucas!" Tala exclaimed, relieved to see him. "We got worried when we heard that explosion."
Lucas looked down at the floor solemnly. "Law didn't make it. He destroyed the computer core and that… thing."
"We retrieved the Tal Shiar data from the computer, at least. His sacrifice was not for nothing," S'lade assured him.
Rhiana ran up and hugged Lucas. "I thought I might not see you again. You scared me."
He kissed her forehead. "It's alright; I'm here. I made it."
She leaned forward and kissed him on the lips. "Don't do that to me again," she said, taking his hand in hers. "My heart might shrivel up from grief."
He chuckled. "I'll do my best."
The two teams returned to the surface, where Tovan and Sora were still awaiting their return.
Lucas instinctively let go of Rhiana's hand upon seeing Sora. "We'd uh… we'd better not anger her."
Rhiana rolled her eyes. "She's not my mom."
"I know, but… she's like your older sibling. And they're always looking out for you."
Tala walked up to Tovan. "Here she is, safe and sound as promised."
"Thank you, lieutenant. I hope we can all work together again at some point, now that we've got a better understanding of one another," he replied.
"I hope so too."
"Hey, Sora," Cameo called. "Thanks for not letting go of me back there in that smoke."
Sora managed a smile. "We were all in it together, weren't we?"
She nodded. "Yeah, we were."
"What happened to Law?" Tovan inquired.
"He sacrificed himself so we could escape with the data," S'lade responded.
"We'll provide both of you with copies of the data we retrieved," Tala said. "We have to get it back to the ship first so it can be analyzed, though."
"Not to worry! We're all friends now, so get it to us whenever you can," Rhiana said cheerfully.
"S'lade, do you have a way to get back to your ship?" Lucas asked. "We can give you a ride if—"
"I've already made arrangements, but thank you. I look forward to seeing you again, Lucas."
"Well, I think it's time we return to our respective vessels," Tala said. "Until next time, everyone."
"Jolan tru," Tovan said.
"Live long and prosper," T'mar added.
Rhiana and Lucas smiled at each other as they dematerialized.
All parties transported to their separate vessels, leaving the desolate world of Nimbus III behind.
...
Tala and Lucas returned to the bridge.
"Ah, welcome back, you two. How did things go?" Jason asked.
"We retrieved valuable data from the Tal Shiar, and I think we also gained some valuable friends," Tala replied.
He smiled. "Well done."
"Mr. Wells behaved himself?" Dylyp asked. "Fascinating."
Lucas rolled his eyes.
"He conducted himself with the utmost integrity. I personally recommend him for a long overdue promotion, captain," Tala said.
"What a fine crew you've become," Taggart, who was standing on the far end of the bridge, observing, noted.
"Captain Taggart!" Lucas blurted out. "Glad to see you're back on your feet again."
"Thank you. I feel better than I have in a long, long time."
"What's next for you, sir?" Lenerea Mendel asked.
"I don't know yet. If I'm lucky, I'll get another command."
"They might give you back the Leviathan," Ernie suggested.
Taggart looked at him and then over at Jason. "Oh, no. Even if they try, I won't let them. Jason's the captain now. He's earned the right to sit in that chair."
Lenerea's console beeped. "Jason, we've just received an order from Starfleet Command. It says we're…" she trailed off.
Everyone looked over at her, confused.
"It says we're what, Len?" Jason asked.
"We're to return to Earth… for Leviathan to be decommissioned."
Jason's head sank. The rest of the bridge crew remained silent, most of them with sad or expressionless faces.
"Will they give us a new ship?" Lucas asked after a moment.
"Jason, I can try to pull some strings and have them keep the Leviathan in service," Taggart said.
Jason looked over at him. "Maybe… maybe it's time to let the old girl rest."
Taggart smiled. "She's had a good run… 17 years. I remember being assigned to her as the second officer when she was fresh out of drydock." He paused to look around at everyone. "This isn't the end for this crew; it's only the beginning. I'm excited to see where you go next."
Jason composed himself and managed a half-smile. "The Leviathan has taken us on numerous adventures and gotten us through many tough situations. It's been a home for this crew… this family. But the captain's right; this isn't the end." He turned to Taggart. "It would be an honor to see her off with you at my side, sir."
Taggart chuckled. "The honor is mine, Mr. Fredricks."
"I think that it's only fair that you give the order, sir. She was your ship for far longer than she was mine. Please," Jason asked, offering him the captain's chair.
Taggart lingered for a moment before taking the offer. "Helm, set a course for Earth, warp factor 5."
"Course plotted, sir," Ernie replied.
Taggart looked around the room at all of the eager faces. He chuckled and shook his head as he gestured with his hand. "Engage."
A/N: If you enjoyed this chapter, please leave a review! Find out more about the story at federationlegacy. fandom. com.
NEXT CHAPTER: "Under the Cover of Night" (the start of volume 2!)
