PROLOGUE
From Escort Duty to Battle
The Archer System
Just Outside of the Klingon Border
--Stardate: 7998.6--
Federation Starship USS Yamato, NX-5628
Captain Lyle Parker, commanding officer
Space was vast.
The stars expanded as a lone starship concluded its journey at warp speeds. The ship flew by elegantly, its hull shining and new. The ship was Federation in origin, that much was clear. The duranium hull gave that away immediately. The ship's registry was NX-5628. The name was emblazoned on the saucer of the ship. USS Yamato. NX was an experimental designation, meaning that this ship was an experimental one. The only other ship in the fleet to carry this kind of registry was the USS Excelsior, which was to be a testbed for a new warp system known as transwarp. When the transwarp project failed, Excelsior was given an NCC registry and outfitted with standard warp drive. In time, the Yamato would also be given an operational registry. The Yamato herself was a sleek battleship, even if it was experimental. With a large amount of weaponry, this ship was indeed intended for battle. Unfortunately, at this moment, the ship was serving as an escort.
On the main bridge, many stations were active and occupied. The captain's chair was swiveled to the left, as a young ensign was going over figures on the datacount with the captain. The captain nodded and the officer returned to their station. Captain Lyle Parker, commanding officer of the Yamato, was a young captain. He was top of his class at the Academy, and many years of serving on cruisers and dreadnoughts led to this command. A powerful battleship. One of Starfleet's newest ships. Everyone on this ship was his responsibility.
"Captain," Commander Tomas Oliver said from his communications station. He turned and face Parker. "The Alexandria and Harrisburg report that they're ready to proceed."
"And the freighters?"
"They're ready as well."
"Then let's do it."
Tomas nodded and opened a channel to the captain of the first freighter. The view screen showed two Miranda-class cruisers, the shark-like Bulldog-class freighter, and the balloon-sized Porter-class freighter. There was nothing to report out of the ordinary according to long range scans. It was going to be an uneventful mission. "Freighter Ashburn," Oliver said, talking through a communications earpiece. "Yamato, Alexandria, and Harrisburg are ready to escort you and the Counter Stone through the Mempa system."
"Acknowledged, Yamato."
"They're ready, Captain."
Parker nodded and turned to his helmsman and navigator. The helm and navigation stations were also sleek and advanced, just like this ship. Compared to the designs of a refitted Constitution-class cruiser and Excelsior-class heavy battlecruiser, the helm and navigation stations were top of the line, just like the ship itself. The bridge was also advanced, with Tactical elevated above the captain's seat. This was truly a warship. "Helm, come about to heading 14, mark 31."
"Aye, sir," Lieutenant Omaru Smith replied.
"Three-quarter impulse."
"Aye, sir," Lieutenant John Blackwood answered.
Sitting here on the bridge of one of Starfleet's finest warships', serving escort duty was already beginning to bore Lyle. For heaven's sake, this was a battleship, not a cruiser. If he had said that in front of an admiral, they would have busted him back down to a cadet. He'd have to start fresh again. He dismissed the sarcasm, as his ship and the escorts continued through the Mempa system.
"Captain," Tactical Officer Sean Rosenberu said from his station behind Parker. He looked from the console screen to the captain. "Long range sensors detecting massive energy surges."
"Location?" Parker asked, turning slightly.
"Unknown. The surges are erratic."
Energy surges meant trouble from the get-go, and knew this. Chances are, the surges involved either Romulan or Klingon ships, whose cloaking devices were engaged. At this distance, with the Yamato's sensor array, they were able to detect the surges. They could not pinpoint the origin of the surges or the identity causing them, but something was making the crew get slightly on edge.
Before anyone could say anything, the ship shook. It was not a hard jolt, but Parker grasped his chair arms and looked at the view screen, as a blue projectile hurled toward the ship. This time, the bridge was rocked hard, almost as if whatever it was that hit them had intensified in power. The ship came about and on the view screen showed images of green hulls plasered with a familiar insignia. "Klingon ships, Captain!"
"Red alert. Evasive maneuvers!"
The ship jolted hard as the Klingon ships released a volley of photon torpedoes and disruptor fire. The bridge continued to shake, as the sound of tritanium impacted with duranium. "Captain, I'm reading a massive build-up in our secondary warp core!"
"They're trying to disable our warp drive," Parker said silently. "Sean, target the lead ship's primary weapons array."
Rosenberu nodded as the bridge once again shook hard. It was amazing that the hull was still intact following the blast. "I've got a lock."
"Fire!"
As Rosenberu's fingers started to press the button to fire, two more blasts, one following another, hit the ship. As the first one hit, the second one penetrated through an exposed area in the shields. Another blast shook the ship, as a console exploded in fireworks. Smoke filled the bridge, as Rosenberu looked over his instruments to see the extent of the damage. "Shields are down to 64%," he reported.
"Do we have impulse?"
"I can give you as much as one-half impulse," Blackwood said, clutching on the console as the bridge continued to shake. "Our secondary warp core is off-line."
"Very well, one-half impulse."
"Captain, the freighters!" Rosenberu cried out.
The scene on the view screen showed two Klingon ships, which looked similar to the Bird of Prey, engaging the freighters. The freighters shields were raised but were quickly compromised as the warships penatrated them. The two ships lashed out with disruptor fire, destroying the freighters. All that remained of the ships was smoldering debris. There was no time for remorse, as a photon torpedo once again filled Yamato's view screen. A purple projectile also contacted the ship's shields, and the ship jolted hard. Another console blew off-line as the bridge was filled in darkness.
Rosenberu quickly gained his footing and checked his instruments. He shook his head as the bridge continued to shake. "SHEILDS DOWN TO 16%!" he called out. "Whatever weapon they hit us with that time penatrated our shield grid. Our shields are flucuating rapidly."
Parker watched worriedly on the view screen as the Harrisburg and Alexandria were engaged in a fight with two K'Tinga-class battlecruisers. The bridge shook again, and Parker was almost flown from his seat. The Klingon warships continued to fire on the Yamato, as more consoles blew off-line. Behind him, the tactical console exploded violently, hurling Rosenberu almost halfway across the bridge. Parker turned to see his first officer lying still, staring upward blankly. Dead.
Parker vaulted over to the tactical console, and quickly assesed the situation. Phaser power was weakening. No warp. Impulse drive power down to 9%. The forward secondary torpedo tube was destroyed, well-beyond repair. And life-support was failing. The Yamato was a strong ship, and now, she was falling apart under the constant bombardment of several Klingon warships. He was thankful that he did not hear a computer voice warning him about a possible warp core breach.
He studied the bridge one last time, as a massive Klingon warship arrived in the vicinity and fired her torpedoes. What remained of the Yamato's shields were immediately torn apart under the stress. Parker keyed in commands on the tactical station, which would send out an emergency distress call. "To any ship that receives this message," he started. The bridge shook less violently as he continued. "This is Captain Lyle Parker of the Yamato. My ship has been attacked by Klingon warships in the Archer system. Life support is failing, and we are surrounded. Alexandria and Harrisburg also engaged Klingon ships. The freighter convoy has also fallen. Starfleet Command, if you receive this, hear this now. The Klingon Empire—"
Before Parker could finish, the hum of a transporter beam engaging filled the bridge. Five columns of crimson and orange surrounded the turbolifts as the officer in charge spoke to Parker. "Brave Starfleet Captain," he said coldly. "You invaded our space. Now prepare to answer for your crime." The Klingon did not know the emergency comm line was still open.
"I — I can explain. Perhaps, I would — "
"P'TaQ!"
Two other officers held Parker in a strong grasp, strong enough to prevent escape. The Klingon drew his d'ktang and ran the Starfleet captain through. Parker's eyes opened wide with shock as the knife pierced through his body. His vision blurred slightly. He clutched the tactical station, his hands smeered with blood. He hunched over the console as his finger hit the transmit button. The last thing Lyle Parker felt was a disruptor blast, shooting him in the back.
Parker lay still, hunched over the tactical console.
The Klingon officers stood at attention as their transporter beams once again claimed them. The bridge of the once mighty Starship Yamato was in shambles. All of the consoles were off-line and lighting on the bridge was out. On the barely functional view screen, several of the Klingon warships cloaked and left the vicinity. Harrisburg and Alexandria also warped out of the vicinity, with two Birds-of-Prey in immediate pursuit.
Retreating the Archer system and engaged in a firefight with two Birds-of-Prey, Alexandria and Harrisburg fired their aft phaser banks and photon torpedoes at their adversaries. The fight had gone on for about thirty minutes, with the Klingons cloaking and decloaking in opposite areas. The bridge of the Alexandria was tense, with Captain Hugh Gruber barking out commands for evasive maneuvers. The bridge was a near mess. Several stations were off-line and non-operational. Smoke filled the bridge as the ship shook hard.
"Aft torpedoes locked on target," Lieutenant Warick Davidstone said from his station.
"Fire!"
On the view screen, the Klingon ships shields flashed brilliantly, but four photon torpedoes penatrated through the shields, destroying the two ships. Immediately, the ships engaged their warp drive and exited the system.
The bridge of the Harrisburg breathed a sigh of relief as they and Alexandria headed back to Federation space. "Captain," Lieutenant James Gregory said from communications. He turned to face his captain. "I'm picking up an automated distress signal." Gregory sighed uneasily as he continued. "The Yamato has been disabled well-beyond repair. We'll have to retrieve her."
"Set a course for home, and contact Starfleet Command."
"What about the Yamato?"
"I will address that when we are in contact with Starfleet Command."
