Disclaimer: I own none of the characters from Star Trek, they all belong to CBS Studios. This story is set after the end of Deep Space Nine and follows the novel canon, diverging slightly from Before Dishonor. There are also references to the novel only series Starfleet Corps of Engineers.
Star Fleet Intelligence
One: Trials
The Saber class ship Einstein-A decelerated to low impulse then came to a stop just outside of the Romulan Neutral Zone. The vessel was smaller than some ship's saucer sections, with just a crew of forty or so. They were mostly intended as light couriers and patrol boats, not war ships, but when a emergency call came in you had to answer.
Captain Rachel Hunter leaned forward in her seat, her red hair tied back as she studied the seemingly crippled ship in the view screen. The slim young woman looked over at communications and asked, "Are we still getting the distress message?"
"Yes ma'am," the lieutenant jg at the station listened, the young man frowning. "We have a live transmission. Should I put it on screen?" Matt Rllison asked.
"Do it," Rachel ordered briskly.
The man who appeared on screen was dirty, smudged with oil and haggard looking as he said, "This is Captain Choy of the Summer Belle. We were hit by some kind of meteoroid, and it took out our primary engine coupling." The grey haired man sighed as he said, "We've been drifting for days..."
Rachel cut off his sob story as she said, "Captain, this is urgent. Can you get your impulse drive up? Thrusters?"
Choy looked a bit offended by her stark manner but answered, "I barely have maneuvering thrusters, and they aren't enough even to stop our forward momentum."
"I see," Rachel sat back, for a moment debating what to say. "Sir, you have drifted into the Romulan Neutral Zone," she said, deciding to be frank.
His eyes widened and Choy's slightly chubby face paled. "Captain, you have to get us out of here!" he squeaked, obviously terrified of their probable fate. "We have five hundred settlers bound for New Hope colony..." he started.
"We'll do everything we can," Rachel promised him before gesturing to Matt to cut the transmission. There was a beat of dead silence on the bridge as everyone digested the lives that were on the line, then Rachel said briskly, "All right people, is there any way we can get them back here without crossing into the Zone?"
Commander T'lea, the second in command and a attractive Vulcan female, calmly noted, "The tractor beam lacks the power or range. The Summer Belle outweighs us by several times, we would have to cross into the zone to even attempt it."
'She's actually not being a precise as normal, I guess being around humans has paid off a bit,' Rachel noted. She looked over at Tactical,. "You agree, Lt. Green?"
Samuel Green nodded, his black hair falling into his eyes. "Even if we pump phaser power into the tractors," he said, quickly adding, "which I do NOT recommend, we still couldn't grab them."
Rachel looked at sciences next and asked, "Lt. Commander Kh'tanr?"
Kh'tanr was a rarity, a Klingon scientist who was participating in a ongoing officer exchange program with the Federation. She was tall, red haired, and was from the non-ridged minority of Klingons, which probably explained her willingness to serve on a Federation ship. Either that or it was just her contrary nature acting up.
Kh'tanr scowled at the image, "I agree, we have to get closer. Even attempting to evacuate the ship would require us to enter the Zone."
Rachel nodded, her expression calm. Her staff was making it clear Rachel didn't have a choice, and to be honest she didn't like it. Still, what options did she have? "Lt. Rllison, notify Starfleet Command," she hesitated, "and Romulan Fleet Command that we are entering the Neutral Zone on a humanitarian mission."
Commander T'lea raised a eyebrow, her auburn hair shining neatly as she noted, "Is notifying the Romulans wise, Captain?"
"Our just entering the Neutral Zone is a provocative act," Rachel answered her quietly, "doing it openly might prevent a war. Maybe." Raising her voice she addressed the helmswoman, "Ahead full impulse, take us in."
"Aye, ma'am," Ensign Merrick Hudson answered.
"Tactical, full scan sweeps," Rachel ordered as they began to move, "If there's cloaked ships out there, I want to know it."
The Einstein-A crossed the invisible line between Federation and the Neutral Zone and hurried to the Summer Belle, a freighter that loomed large above them in space. "Readying tractor beams," Lt. Green reported, then he yelped. "Ships decloaking!"
"Hudson, evasive pattern delta!" Rachel barked the order as the ships appeared on the screen around them. Two were Birds of Prey, which was bad enough, but there was also a Cardassian Galor class ship too.
Commander T'lea quite calmly noted, "It seems the rumors of a Cardassian alliance with the Romulan Empire were correct."
"They're firing!" Green yelled as disruptor blasts rocked the ship, only Merrick's skills as a pilot keeping them intact.
"Return fire, quantinum torpedos. Just target their weapons systems for now," Rachel ordered. "Merrick, keep us away from their shots!"
"Aye, returning fire," Green said as shining white streaks raced out from their ship, most harmlessly detonating against their shields.
"We're being hailed," Rllison reported, "it's the Romulans."
"Put it on screen," Rachel ordered, sitting back in her command chair and trying to project the image of complete calm.
The family resemblance between Vulcans and Romulans was obvious, with the same green tinted skin, sharp faces and pointed ears. Still, Rachel didn't think she'd ever seen a Vulcan with such a arrogant look on his slightly green tinted face. "Human, you have trespassed into the Neutral Zone," he said coldly, "surrender your ships or die."
"Romulan Captain, we are on a mission of mercy," Rachel stood, spreading her hands, "there is no need to break the fragile peace between our peoples."
"You have already broken it by crossing into the zone to save your spies," the Romulan hissed. "They must be very valuable, if you would dare so much to rescue them."
Rachel kept calm, though her thoughts were racing. They could possibly escape from the three ships, the Saber class was fast and agile enough, but not while towing the Summer Belle. They would have to drop shields to either grab the Belle or transport anyone off, and there was no way their opponents would let them do that and live.
"You're right," Rachel said as she walked to the captain's chair and sat back down, "The Belle is important. That is why I won't let you have her." She looked at tactical, "Target the Belle, phasers and a full spread of torpedos. Then fire."
Green looked at her in shock, then training took over. He targeted the larger ship and fired, phasers and torpedos racing across near empty space. The transport wasn't armored and only had light shields, not enough to protect it as it exploded in a burst of light and fire.
"Yes!" Kh'tanr cheered, "That is the act of a warrior!"
The Romulan commander even looked shaken as he said, "It seems we no longer have anything to fight over. But the Empire will not forget this."
"Get him off that view screen and take us out of here," Rachel ordered Hudson flatly, "maximum impulse."
"Aye aye," Hudson agreed, then as they crossed the border back to the Federation, a whooping alarm rang out.
"Simulation Over," the computer boomed as they control boards shut down and the lights went from 'bridge lighting' to the standard used at Starfleet Academy.
Rachel slumped in relief, glad she was no longer 'captain' and instead was merely a command track cadet. She got up as her fellow cadets were getting up to go, several giving her thoughtful looks as they left the bridge.
Sam Green gave her a faintly worried smile as he quietly told her, "I can't believe you had me shoot the ship."
Rachel walked beside him, her own expression troubled. "I don't see how we had much choice," she said, "though I don't want to think of the bad grade I'm going to get."
To be continued...
