CHAPTER NINE

Receiving the Distress Call

The Enterprise, under James T. Kirk's command, and the Excelsior, under Hikaru Sulu's command, arrived at the edge of the Klingon Neutral Zone where the Ulysses and Okinawa awaited the return the Lexington. It had been over twenty-one hours since the ship under Captain Forester's command entered the Neutral Zone. Kirk had been restless, waiting for the Lexington to return. "Captain," Commander Uhura said from her communications station. "I'm picking up a distress call in the Neutral Zone."

"Can we respond to it?" Kirk asked, raising from his seat.

"No, sir. It's automated."

"On speakers."

Uhura nodded and the distress call filled the speakers of the Enterprise.

"To any Federation starship. This is Captain David Ross Forester of the Lexington. We have been boarded by a Klingon raiding party. Our current location is the Mempa system, in the Klingon Neutral Zone. If any ship receives this, we require immediate assistance. Our weapons, shields, and sensors are offline. Warp is functional, but we're barely able to maintain warp five. Our last known whereabouts--" Then the sound of a phaser was heard and the message ended.

"That's all, sir."

Kirk nodded as he leaned on the comm. "What's the current location of the Lexington?"

"The Lexington is currently leaving orbit of a Class-Y planetoid deep in the Klingon frontier," Captain Spock reported from his science station. "There are several Klingon ships flanking the Lexington as well."

"How long until they arrive?" Kirk asked.

"They vill arrive in approximately twelve point five hours at maximum varp," Chekov reported from his station. "Keptin, one of the Klingon varships is a qeylIs betleh class battleship. Ve have never seen that class ship before."

"How long until her weapons come online?"

"Twelve point one hours."

"Go to yellow alert. All hands to duty stations."

The Klingon ships and the battered Lexington continued on its course toward the edge of the Federation Neutral Zone. Though the Klingons had the advantage with Chang's qeylis betleh battleship and Thok Mak's Suvwl' QeH command crusier as well as the numbers in their fleets, they did not wish to enter the Federation border. At least not while decloaked.

The Lexington was now flanked by three K'Tinga cruisers as three Birds-of-Prey flanked them, while a pIH science frigate took fore, and in front of them were Thok Mak and Changs' ships. On the bridge of the DraQ'Du, Thok Mak watched as the Federation starship he and Chang had captured proved to be quite a prize. And sending the crew to Rura Penthe was even better.

"Open a channel to the D'taga," Thok Mak commanded.

"Channel open, sir," the communications officer replied.

"We are arriving at the Federation border. I am ordering all ships except the DraQ'Du and the Yejquv Ghop to cloak and prepare to enter Federation space. Boost your sensors and jam their satelite network."

"At once, Commander."

Two Birds-of-Prey broke formation and engaged their cloaking devices, as did the science firgate. The ships headed for the Federation border at maximum warp, and all Thok Mak and Chang had to do was sit and wait until the listening posts sensors were jammed.

Outside of Federation space and nine hundred eighty million kilometers out from the Klingon Neutral Zone, the Enterprise, Excelsior, Ulysses, and Okinawa waited for the possible invasion by the Klingon fleet. Kirk knew, as did Sulu, Cross, and Riley, that before the Klingon ships could cross the border, they had to get past the defense grid. Several defense satelites were set up in place around the Neutral Zone, and it was next to impossible to isolate just one of them.

Enterprise, Excelsior, Ulysses, and Okinawa remained at their place, awaiting the Klingon fleet. That was all they could do. Wait. It had been thirty-one hours since the Lexington sent out an emergency distress call to the nearest starship for assistance. Unlike the Freedom and Independence that were destroyed in the Neutral Zone, the Lexington was surprisingly spared. Though her condition when she arrived at the border would say otherwise.

The Birds-of-Prey and the pIH science frigate arrived at the edge of the Federation border. The ships remained under cloak as they did not wish to be detected. On the view screen, the Federation network of satelites. "The satelite defense grids have been disabled," the tactical officer said from his console.

"Open a channel to Commander Thok Mak." The view screen changed from the image of the satelite network to the image of Thok Mak. "The network has been disabled, sir, you are clear to proceed."

"Splendid. Remain under cloak until our arrival. Thok Mak out."

"Captain," Dimitri Valtane reported from his science station on the Excelsior. "I am detecting an unusual build-up in sensor activity along the border."

"Can you be more specific?" Sulu asked, raising from his chair.

"In a minute." Valtane keyed in several commands on his console and hit a button so that what he saw on his screen could also be seen on the view screen.

"That's the defense satelite network," Sulu said. On the view screen, he saw nothing. "But, what's--" Before he could finish, he noticed faintly a slight shimmering in the vaccum of space. "Magnify grid twenty-one, zeta."

Valtane pressed several buttons on his science board. Computer enhancement, the computer replied. On the view screen, the image showed the faint shimmering. Whatever it was, it was small. Sulu had to walk over to the view screen closer just to get a look at it.

"Captain," Janice Rand called from communications. "The satelite network is no longer transmitting."

"What?" Sulu asked, turning his attention to Rand. "That's not possible." Sulu looked to the view screen, showing the defense perimeter satelites. "Open a channel to the Enterprise." Rand nodded and Captain Kirk came on the screen. "Captain, the defense perimeter around the border has been disabled."

"We're tracking that as well, Excelsior. It seems the Klingons are using a science cruiser to jam the defense networking."

Sulu nodded as he looked over to his left at Valtane, who was gathering more information at his console. "The cloaked ship has been identified, Captain," Valtane said. He transferred his findings to Spock's console on the Enterprise. "Captain Spock, the ship you are viewing is a pIH class science ship."

"Suspicious class," Spock translated. He keyed in several commands on his station and the image on the view screen changed. "The defense network is scrambled," he reported. "If we do not assess repairs to the satelites around the border, the Klingons will attack, destroying the Neutral Zone."

Kirk nodded, understanding what his first officer was saying. "Uhura, open a channel to Admiral Rotherfort."

"Channel open, sir," Uhura said.

The view screen changed to show the face of Admiral Rotherfort, with Colonel West, the President's attche, beside him. "We've been following the situation along the border, Captain," he said uneasily. "We should have been more prepared for the coming attack."

"Admiral, how many ships can you send to defend the border?"

"I can have the Sacremento and Missouri at the border now. They should arrive within the hour. The Ulysses was one of our best."

"This isn't the time for grief, sir, not yet. We must enter the Neutral Zone and dispatch as many ships as we can."

"I don't wish to have my best captain and his ship captured in Klingon space."

"It won't come to that. You have my word."

Rotherfort nodded and continued. "Very well. I will send as many ships as I can to fill in the ranks. The First and Third Fleet will rendezvous with Enterprise and Excelsior at Starbase twenty-one near the Archer System."

Kirk nodded, understanding his orders. He turned to face Uhura. "Open a channel to the Excelsior."

"Channel open," Uhura replied, turning to face Kirk.

"Hikaru, we've been ordered to rendezvous with the First and Third Fleet at Starbase twenty-one."

Sulu nodded. "We have been monitoring the Klingons position," he said. "They are still at the edge of the border, still disabling the network.

"Which means we haven't much time until the entire network is down."

Sulu nodded again. "I've already spoken to the captains of Okinawa and Ulysses. The Second Fleet will join them while we assess repairs to the defense satelite network."

"We'd best be under way. With each passing hour, the network won't hold for long, and we'll have the entire Empire breathing down our throats."

"I'll go through the Beta Quadrant, scan for cloaked ships should they be out there."

"Be careful, Hikaru. Enterprise will go perpendicular to your course."

"And you be careful as well, Jim. Excelsior out."

On the view screen, the powerful Excelsior roared as she came about and engaged its warp drive. In a matter of moments, it was gone. Kirk sat back into his chair. "Red alert, all hands to battle stations." The crew responded instantly to their captain's orders as Lieutenant Hesley waited for Kirk to say his final order. "Warp eight. Engage."

The Enterprise came about, its warp engines charging to a natural blue as her impulse and warp engines came alive. The stars began to change into long streams of light, as the starship's warp drive was fully charged. Then the ship was gone in a stream of blue light, traveling now at warp speeds.