Chapter 41.
The Swarm.
(Scott POV)
When I woke up. Kes was still asleep next to me. As Kes stayed last night after we had dinner. So I managed to get up without waking her and then went for a shower and got into my uniform. Then went to check on Chloe and Clara. Who were both still asleep. So I replicated some Coffee. Then was heading to the mess hall to get something to eat. But As soon as I got there.
"Chakotay to McCall," Chakotay said.
"Go ahead commander," I said.
"Captain, we're got Tom's and B'Elanna's shuttle on sensors, It looks like they have taken damage and aren't responding to hails. We'll be in transporter range in 2 minutes," Chakotay said.
"Beam them to sickbay. I'm heading down there," I said. "Computer, Locate EMH,"
"The EMH is in Holodeck 2," Computer said.
"McCall to the Doctor, We have a medical emergency, Report to sickbay immediately," I said.
"Right away, Captain," Doctor said.
As I managed to get down there as Tom and B'Elanna were beamed in and the Doc started to work on them. After half an hour, B'Elanna was awake and the Doc was giving his report.
"Their nervous systems suffered trauma from some type of neuroelectric weapon," Doc said. "It must have been extremely painful,"
"It certainly was," B'Elanna said.
"Do you know why they attacked you?" I said.
"No Idea, they seemed to be trying to communicate with us. But we couldn't understand them," B'Elanna said. "Then they just lifted their weapons,"
"The injures are treatable it shouldn't take long," Doc said.
"Tuvok, Send a message on all subspace bands. I want to find out why my people were attacked," I said.
"Aye captain," Tuvok said.
"I'll ask Neelix if he knows anything about these people," I said. "Doc, keep me posted,"
As we headed out.
XXX
Then we were in the conference room.
"I've made numerous hails on wide band subspace," Tuvok said. "The only response has been a single repeating message,"
"What's that?" Chakotay said.
"I'd guess it's a language so unlike ours that the UT's can't interpret it," I said. "Harry, Remodulate the translator, See if we can decipher those sounds, Neelix what can you tell us?"
"If these people are who I think they are, I can tell you this is very bad news," Neelix said.
"Won't be the first time, What is it?" I said.
"I've never actually encountered them but from what I've heard I'm glad I didn't," Neelix said. "Most ships that enter their space are never heard from again, Some have returned with everyone on board dead, they're a complete mystery, No one knows their name, how many of them there are, what their culture is like Just that they really don't want people violating their territory,"
"If this is any indication of their borders, It's a huge area of space, Hundreds of sectors, If we were to go around it, it would take months," Harry said.
"I'd say over 15 months," Chakotay said. "Even if we could sustain maximum warp, which we can't,"
"What if we use the ZPM's for it," I said.
"They would probably last 10 months Captain," Harry said.
"I'm not going to tell this crew we're adding another 15 months to this journey, We'll have to find another option," I said.
"If we are not to go around their space, the only available option is to go through it," Tuvok said.
"Precisely, We are going to stay at Yellow Alert," I said.
"Tom and B'Elanna hit a sensor net as they crossed the border, We have to figure we'll run into it when we try to cross, But they are ways around sensor nets," Harry said.
"They can't possibly have enough ships to patrol a border this size. We can probably find an unguarded section," Chakotay said.
"Would it affect your decision if I pointed out that encroaching on the territory of an alien species is prohibited by Starfleet Regulations?" Tuvok said.
"Remember what I said when we started this journey home. I meant it. No it wouldn't," I said.
"Captain, you have managed to surprise me," Tuvok said.
"We're a long way from Starfleet Lt, I'm not wasting 15 months because we've run into a bunch of bullies, Harry I want to cloak ready to go at any time just in case,"
"Aye Captain," Harry said.
"Sickbay to Captain McCall," Doc said.
"Go ahead, Doc," I said.
"Please turn to your emergency medical holographic channel," Doc said. "I'm afraid Lt Paris suffered greater neurological damage than my initial scan revealed I'm going have to perform a motor cortex reconstruction, There is no need to be overly concerned His condition is not life threatening, The procedure is a relatively simple one for a skilled physician,"
"Keep me informed, Doc," I said. "All right I want a plan for crossing that border as quickly and as quietly as possible, We'll reconvene in an hour, Dismissed,"
XXX
"Torres to McCall," B'Elanna said.
"Go ahead, B'Elanna," I said.
"Captain, I need you down in sickbay now. It urgent," B'Elanna said.
"On my way," I said as I got down there. "What is it?"
"The EMH Database seems to be experiencing a cascading overload of some kind, Doc's memory circuits are deteriorating," B'Elanna said.
"We knew the Doc was never designed to be up and running as much as he has been, But I thought you programmed safety buffers, So his circuits wouldn't degrade," I said.
"I did and I installed them but they're breaking down," B'Elanna said.
"My Self diagnostic routines have always indicated that in the event of cascade failure, I should simply be reinitialized," Doc said.
"That would stop the cascade and allow us to reset your database and Personality subroutines but," B'Elanna said.
"But what?" Kes said.
"It would restore the original program reset him to the person he was when we first activated him," B'Elanna said.
"In other words, He'd forget everything that's happened to him over the past 2 years," I said.
Right," B'Elanna said.
"Doc," I said. "How do you feel about that?"
"I can't say I'd like to lose the last 2 years, but my primary responsibility is the health and welfare of this crew. In mu current state, I am useless to them," Doc said. "I Believe Lt Torres should start the reinitialization process immediately,"
"No wait," Kes said. "We can't just treat the Doctor like he's a computer anymore he's come too far for that, Doctor please think about this you'd be losing so much all the relationships you've developed, our friendship, your sense of being a true member of this crew all that would be gone,"
"I can't put personal concerns over those of the crew," Doc said.
"Look at the experiences you've had since you were activated, You've made friends learned how to sing opera, You've even fallen in love, if you lose those memories you won't be the same person, You said you don't know what's causing his memory circuits to fail," Kes said.
"Unfortunately no," B'Elanna said.
"So if you reinitialize without finding out what's wrong? the problem could occur again," Kes said.
"Well, it's a possibility," B'Elanna said.
"Isn't it a better plan to look for the cause of the problem? If B'Elanna can find it, there may be a less radical solution," Kes said. "Tom Paris is stable, he'll be back on duty today, There's no medical crisis at the moment, I can certainly handle all the routine cases in sickbay."
"B'Elanna get on with it but if he program starts to degrade to a critical point start the reinitialization," I said.
"Aye Captain," B'elanna said.
"Keep me informed," I said as I headed out.
Once I got to the bridge.
"Captain," Chakotay said. "I think we found it, a way to get across the border without being detected,"
"Let's hear it," I said.
"Their sensor net uses a series if interlaced tachyon beams If we adjust the shield to refract those beams around the ship we can slip across without appearing to have disrupted the net," Harry said.
"Not bad," I said.
"And we've found that this area show no indication of vessels, We can slide through go to high warp and be through this narrow section of their territory in 4 days," Chakotay said.
"Good work," I said. "Helm, set a course for the border, Let's get this show on the road,"
"Aye captain," She said.
XXX
"Bridge to Torres," I said.
"I'm here, Captain," B'Elanna said.
"We're approaching the border, We need your help in Engineering," I said.
"I'm on my way," B'Elanna said.
"We're holding position 500,000 kilometers from the border, I'm ready to go as soon as you give the word, captain," Tom said.
"All set Harry," I said.
"I'm ready whenever Lt Torres is," Harry said.
"Bridge to Engineering," I said.
"Torres here," B'Elanna said.
"B'Elanna, are you ready to reconfigure the shields, to match Harry's refraction pulse?" I said.
"Ready," B'Elanna said.
"Captain, Long range sensors show a large vessel 5 lightyears from our current position," Tuvok said.
"According to my readings, It's huge," Tom said.
"On screen," I said. "Magnify,"
"That looks like thousands of ships, I'm not reading any energy signatures," Tuvok said. "Their propulsion systems must be off line."
"Maybe they haven't detected us," Chakotay said.
"Yet," Tom said.
"All right, Let's get through that sensor net. Harry, go," I said.
"Engineering, initiate the refraction pulse," Harry said.
"Pulse is activated," B'Elanna said.
"Moving to full harmonic resolution. 60% 80% 90%. Maximum resolution, Shields at nominal output," Harry said.
"Mr. Paris take us through," Chakotay said.
"Aye sir, here we go," Tom said.
"The net is registering as intact," Harry said. "If those vessels get the same readings, they won't suspect a thing, I think we did it Captain, Like a Snake through the tube,"
"What about those ships," I said.
"They appear not to have detected us, they have not powered up engines," Tuvok said.
"All right, Let's get through this as fast as we can, Tom, What's your recommendation?" I said.
"I'll trying holding Warp 9.75 for as long as I can," Tom said.
"If we can sustain that for 12 hours, We'll be nearly a third of the way through," Chakotay said.
"Tuvok keep your eye on those ships, If they so much as twitch I want to know it," I said.
"Ready," Tom said.
"Engage," I said.
As we went to Warp.
"Captain," Tom said. "Something is wrong,"
"What do you mean?" I said.
"It's like there's a drag on the engines," Tom said.
"Captain, sensors indicate a resonant Particle Wave, It's Dumping our warp field. We're losing speed," Harry said.
"Bridge to Engineering, B'Elanna can you compensate for the particle wave?" I said.
"I'll try. The Antimatter reaction chamber may have been compromised," B'Elanna said.
"Keep me posted," I said. "Tom hold our speed, Harry, Get ZPM's ready to go if we need them,"
"Aye Captain," Harry said.
"Chakotay, you got the bridge, I'll be right back," I said.
"Aye Captain," Chakotay said as I got into the turbolift and went to my quarters where Clara was already up.
"Dad, What's up," Clara said.
"You got your phaser ready," I said.
"Yes, Off course," Clara said.
"Go if anything goes on, keep Chloe near you got it," I said.
"You know I will, Dad," Clara said. "Now get you ass back up there, We'll be fine Dad," As She hugged me and pushed me towards the door.
"Okay," I said as I headed out after one last look around then headed up to the Bridge.
As I stepped onto the Bridge.
"Tuvok," I said.
"Still unpowered, They don't seem to have detected us," Tuvok said.
"When I was in High school, I snuck out of the house a couple of times late at night, I ended up having to go out my bedroom window and jumped down to the ground without making a sound or waking Mum up. That's kind of how I feel right now," I said.
"You sneaked out of your house?" Tom said. "Where were you going?"
"There was a forest nearby. Would go in that, But I'll leave the rest to your imagination, Tom," I said.
"Can I take a few guessed?" Tom said.
"You sneaked out of your house in the forest where did you say you lived then?" Harry said.
"California," I said.
"Weren't there Wolves in there area," Harry said.
"Yeah, Friendly sort," I said.
"Captain, I'm detecting another ship, not part of the swarm, It has been damaged, Propulsion systems are not functional," Tuvok said.
"Yellow alert, Drop out of warp, On screen," I said.
"Looks like it's been pounded on for days," Tom said.
"Lifesigns" I said.
"I checking, Only one and it's faint," Harry said.
"Transporter room 1. Beam the survivor to Sickbay, Harry Start scanning that ship See if you can figure out what happened to it, Maintain scans on that swarm," I said.
"Aye Captain," Harry said.
XXX
I was down in Sickbay with Kes going over him.
"He's suffering from severe dehydration, Damage to the spinal column, there's evidence of trauma to the nervous system, just like we found on B'Elanna and Tom after they were attacked," Kes said.
"Same group then, Can I talk to him?" I said.
"You can try, I'll work on restoring his cranial nerves, But he's so badly injured I'm not sure it'll help," Kes said.
"I'm Captain Scott McCall of the federation Starship Voyager, Can you hear me?" I said.
"Yes," He said.
"Can you tell me what happened?" I said. "Who attacked you?"
"There were thousands of them, Little ships, swarmed around my freighter, covered every square meter of the hull, Then they began extracting energy from all the ships systems, we had no defense, Then they boarded us," he said.
"Did they use neuroelectric weapons?" I said.
"I don't know what they used, It was painful, People screaming, Dying," He said.
"Had you provoked them in any way?" I said.
"We were in their space That was enough, Captain, the rest of my crew," He said. "Is there anyone else?"
"I'm sorry, you were only alive when we got here," I said. "This woman is trying to regenerate your motor neurons,"
"We come form Mislen, 5 parsecs from here, In a yellow dwarf system, If you pass, Will you tell our people?" he said.
"I'll make a point of it," I said.
"It happened so quickly," he said the he was gone.
"His injuries were too severe," Kes said.
Then I started to headed out.
"Captain the Doctor is getting worse, He doesn't even know who I am anymore he has to be reinitialized," Kes said.
"I agree, But I can't spare B'Elanna now. We have to get through this space Before we're attacked like his ship was, As soon as it's possible, I'll break her free," I said.
"Is there anything at all I can do for him?" Kes said.
"The only thing I can think of is to keep his neural pathways active, Ask him questions keep him thinking, force him to use his neural matrix, That might at least slow down the degradation," I said headed out back to the bridge.
XXX
"The Pilot of the freighter is dead," I said. "We need to keep going, Tom,"
"Captain, I am detecting a vessel," Tuvok said as it disconnected from freighter.
"It's one of the swarm," Harry said.
"It was still attached to the freighter's hull," Tom said.
"Red Alert, Shields to Maximum," I said. As the Klaxons went red.
"They are scanning us Captain," Tuvok said.
"Hail them," I said.
"I am getting a response audio only," Tuvok said.
"Harry how are you coming with the UT?" I said.
"I'm working on it," Harry said.
"Let's see if they can understand us," I said.
"Channel is open," Tuvok said.
This is Captain Scott McCall of the Federation Starship Voyager, We only want to proceed peacefully through this region of space," I said.
"Do you think they're trying to communicate?" Chakotay said.
"Could be, but what they're trying to communicate is another question, Harry any luck," I said.
"I'm getting a general idea, It's something like Too late Should have listened," Harry said then we got hit.
"Report," I said.
"We've been hit with some kind of polaron burst," Harry said.
"The Energy expenditure was not high enough to cause any damage, It may not have been a weapon," Tuvok said.
"Captain, That little ship is hightailing it out of here," Tom said.
"So it scanned us sent out a polaron burst that caused no damage then pissed off," I said. "Wait, Harry, Check those shields,"
"The Burst has changed the shield polarity, captain, It's now rotating at 92 Gigahertz," Harry said.
"That means if anybody wanted to find us. it's a lot easier now," I said.
"I'll say, As far as anyone's sensor's are concerned, We're lit up like a Christmas tree," Chakotay said.
"Let's not stick around, Tom," I said.
"Captain the swarm has powered their engines and turned towards us," Tuvok said. "They are in pursuit,"
"We have a head start. Tom get us out of here, We could be able to outrun them," I said. "Bridge to Engineering,"
"Torres here," B'Elanna said.
"How's the warp drive, B'Elanna," I said.
"I'm going to try to realigning the Dilithium matrix, but we'll need to shut down the warp drive to do it," B'Elanna said.
"Not an Option, That swarm is headed straight for us," I said.
"I don't know if I can do this on the run, Captain," B'Elanna said. "But I'll give it a try,"
"Do it. B'Elanna, McCall out," I said. "Harry, can we use the cloak,"
"No, that polaron burst damaged it. It's going to take me at least an hour to track it down and repair it," Harry said.
"And we don't have that," I said.
"Captain, the swarm is gaining on us," Tom said.
"Tuvok," I said.
"They will be in weapons range with in 5 minutes," Tuvok said.
"Battle Stations," I said.
"The ships are now within range, Captain," Tuvok said. "But I do not detect any indication that they are powering weapons,"
"Do you any idea what weapon they use?" I said.
"Negative. Sensors show no weapons signature at all," Tuvok said.
"They're only a hundred thousand kilometer away now," Tom said.
"Ready Phasers banks," I said.
"Aye captain," Tuvok said.
"Captain," Kes said.
"Kes what is it?" I said.
"The Doctor is getting worse. He's starting to dematerialize, I'm afraid we're going to lose him completely, I know B'Elanna is busy, But I wondered if Harry could take a look at him," Kes said.
"Sorry, Kes, but we're in the middle of something here and I need everyone at their posts," I said.
"Captain, They're only 40,000 kilometers away, Still no weapons signatures," Harry said.
"Changing to evasion pattern Gamma 4," Tom said.
"Captain, our shield strength just wen to zero," Harry said.
"How could that happen?" Chakotay said.
"Each one of those ships is emitting an interferometric pulse, They're modulating in opposition to our shield frequencies, completely cancelling them out," Harry said.
"Polarize hull plating, That's enough. Tuvok, give them a phaser sweep with the forward array, Don't destroy any of them just let them know we're not going to sit here like ducks," I said.
"Aye captain," Tuvok said.
Which we did till we got hit.
"What was that?" I said.
"The Interferometric pulses they're emitting? they've reflected the energy of the phasers right back at us," Harry said. "Hull Planting is holding,"
"Anything we fire is going to affect us instead of them, What about a Photon torpedo?" Chakotay said.
"Since our shield strength is non existent, and our hull planting the only thing online, I would recommend it," Tuvok said.
"We can't use drones," I said.
"They're only 7,000 kilometers away and still coming," Tom said.
"Harry, Start analyzing those interferometric pulses. See if there's any pattern any code to them," I said. "We might be able to find a weakness, Tuvok deploy security teams on all decks, If they board us. I want to be ready," I said.
"I'm on it," Harry said.
"Aye Captain," Tuvok said.
"Security Teams on all decks and ready," Tuvok said.
"Captain, they're right on top of us," Tom said. "I can shake them,"
"Captain, they are clamping onto our hull," Tuvok said.
"They're starting to drain our systems," Chakotay said.
"Arm your selves," I said.
"Captain, I've got a pattern on the interferometric pulses, It's a lattice connecting all the ships to each other," Harry said.
"All right, here's what we're going to do, Turn those pulses right back on them," I said.
"Tuvok lock phasers on their nearest ship, If we can destroy one of them, there's every chance the interferometric pulse that links them together will cause a chain reaction," I said.
"But the phaser fire will be reflected back towards us," Tuvok said.
"Harry modulate our shields frequency to an inverse harmonic of the pulse That should allow the phasers to hit the ship," I said.
Then one beamed in and Tuvok shot it. Making it beam out. "Ships phasers are locked on target, Captain," Tuvok said.
Then one beamed into front of me and Tom speared it.
"Tom move," I said. As he did and I shot it.
Then One appeared in front of Chakotay and he wracked it then shot it.
"Tuvok, Harry, Do it," I said.
Which hit us too.
"Report," I said.
"The Swarm of ships has disbanded, Captain, They are moving away," Tuvok said.
"Shields are back to full strength," Harry said.
"Nice work, People, Now let's get the hell out of here," I said. "Tom,"
"Going," Tom said.
"Engineering to Bridge," Torres said.
"Go ahead," I said.
"We got Warp drive back online, She's all yours captain," B'Elanna said.
"Nice work, B'Elanna, Tom Get us out of here, Maximum warp," I said.
"Yes, Sir," Tom said.
That's all for this chapter.
More to follow.
Stay tuned and safe.
Love Y'all
PEACE!