Act Six: "A Klingon, a Romulan, and a Kelvan walk into a bar . . ."
The lights of the X-Class Nebula continued to flash and astound outside, but Jean-Luc Picard paid them little mind as he worked hard figuring out who the Federation was working with. They were only to stay in the nebula until tomorrow afternoon, but he knew that by then it would be too late. By his calculations, the staff would have all of the necessary components for the Omega Particle.
Just then, he heard a chime at his door.
"Enter," he said firmly. In walked Beverly Crusher.
"Jean-Luc, I have the readings that Data and Troi got of Torres and Janeway."
She handed him a PADD. He nodded. "I see. Can you identify the type?"
"No. But I think I can synthesize a cure. I'll need help though. I was thinking about consulting the Doctor in the holodeck."
"Good idea. I would run an alternate program while doing so, just in case. We can't be sure who is watching."
"Yes Captain," she said with a nod. Beverly then looked at her Captain and old friend with sympathy. "You're tired, Jean-Luc. Get some rest."
He laughed lightly. "I don't think I've rested since the President came on board and told me about all of this. I'll get some rest when it's over."
"Jean-Luc," she said tenderly, touching his hand, "I know how you feel. Half my Sickbay has been commandeered. Here I am, helping to figure out the future of the Federation."
"Yes. But, we can not help but give in. We must stop this madness. What I discovered is so powerful, Beverly, that I doubt there can be any sort of resolution to it."
"Well, when this is over – and it will be over – we will all be able to rest again."
"I hope so, Beverly. I hope so."
***
The Klingon vessel Taj made its way into Sector 1784. Worf sat in the Commander's Chair and watched as the stars streaked by on the viewscreen. His eyes moved down to his son Alexander, who was at Navigation. He had learned and grown-up much during the Dominion War and was finally able to assert his strengths.
"Ambassador, we are detecting a takion surge bearing 374 mark 021," a Klingon science officer said.
The Taj was one of many experimental Bird-of-Preys. Part of this was a highly advanced sensor array – complete with takion detection systems. An anti-cloaking device sensor.
"Can you identify?"
"I am cross-referencing," the officer replied. "It appears to be a Romulan scout ship."
Worf sterned himself. "Prepare to decloak and fire an Ant-Takion Beam at the scout ship. Ready the shields and weapons."
The Klingon Bird-of-Prey decloaked and it turned towards the takion surge. A beam of yellow and green energy shot at the surge. A Romulan scout ship appeared in the vastness of space.
"Shields are up," another tactical officer replied. "They are arming their weapons and raising their shields."
"In-coming transmission! We are being hailed!"
Worf nodded. "On screen."
The image of the scout ship was replaced by a thirty-something Romulan, with short blond hair. She glared at Worf.
"Sela," Worf muttered. He immediately recalled the image of Sela's mother – Tasha Yar.
"Hello Ambassador. What are you doing all the way out here?"
"I was about to ask you the same question. You are a far a ways from the Neutral Zone."
"The Senate sent me out here to investigate some unusual readings. Since the Federation was ignoring our inquires, we came to investigate ourselves."
Worf grimed. "We also detected them."
"And received no comment from the Federation as well, Ambassador? I suppose somebody doesn't like you."
"I have been on leave."
"Of course you have," Sela replied, her flat and mocking expression falling against Worf's stern and hard one.
"I recommend you vacate this area immediately."
"I'll take your recommendation under advisement. Sela out."
With that, the image of Sela disappeared.
"Ambassador!" another science officer exclaimed. "I am detecting an energy pattern near a Class-M planet four light-years from here."
"The Romulans are picking up on it as well and are heading there immediately."
"Alexander, follow them."
The Taj spun around and chased after the scout ship, which remained just out of weapons range. Worf was growing antsy in anticipation and got to giving orders for weapons, shields, cloak and sensors.
"We have arrived."
"On screen."
Before them was a small, glowing weave of energy. Worf had them hold off on the weapons. The Romulans had arrived previous to them, but had made no aggressive moves.
Suddenly, the weave of energy seemed to explode. In its place was massive, on-going ship. It was very long and very wide. By Worf's calculations, it was the size of ten Galaxy-class ships put together. Maybe larger.
"What is that ship?" asked Worf.
"We are being hailed. So is the Romulan vessel," said the communications officer. "Audio only."
"On speakers."
There was pause, then a voice was heard. "We are the invading vessels of the Kelvan Empire. You are unneeded here."
The comm-line was cut. Then, a small beam shot forth and tore through the Taj. Worf was thrown to the ground.
"Father!" shouted Alexander, making for him.
"The ship has been decimated! All systems are going off-line! We are falling into the atmosphere!" one of the crewmen shouted.
Indeed so. The Klingon Bird-of-Prey began to streak white-hot as it spun towards the surface of the planet. Not far from it, the Romulan vessel did the same.
***
The Enterprise was silent that morning, Picard noticed. It had been, pretty much since the beginning of this hellish journey. From the corner of his eye, he saw that Dr. Crusher was about to catch up with him.
"Captain, I've been looking for you," she said. "The serum is ready."
"Good. And Data?"
"He's all set in Sickbay. We've replaced the EMH duplicate with the original. We take care of Seven of Nine, then move on to Janeway and the others."
"Good. Let's not screw this up."
The lights of the X-Class Nebula continued to flash and astound outside, but Jean-Luc Picard paid them little mind as he worked hard figuring out who the Federation was working with. They were only to stay in the nebula until tomorrow afternoon, but he knew that by then it would be too late. By his calculations, the staff would have all of the necessary components for the Omega Particle.
Just then, he heard a chime at his door.
"Enter," he said firmly. In walked Beverly Crusher.
"Jean-Luc, I have the readings that Data and Troi got of Torres and Janeway."
She handed him a PADD. He nodded. "I see. Can you identify the type?"
"No. But I think I can synthesize a cure. I'll need help though. I was thinking about consulting the Doctor in the holodeck."
"Good idea. I would run an alternate program while doing so, just in case. We can't be sure who is watching."
"Yes Captain," she said with a nod. Beverly then looked at her Captain and old friend with sympathy. "You're tired, Jean-Luc. Get some rest."
He laughed lightly. "I don't think I've rested since the President came on board and told me about all of this. I'll get some rest when it's over."
"Jean-Luc," she said tenderly, touching his hand, "I know how you feel. Half my Sickbay has been commandeered. Here I am, helping to figure out the future of the Federation."
"Yes. But, we can not help but give in. We must stop this madness. What I discovered is so powerful, Beverly, that I doubt there can be any sort of resolution to it."
"Well, when this is over – and it will be over – we will all be able to rest again."
"I hope so, Beverly. I hope so."
***
The Klingon vessel Taj made its way into Sector 1784. Worf sat in the Commander's Chair and watched as the stars streaked by on the viewscreen. His eyes moved down to his son Alexander, who was at Navigation. He had learned and grown-up much during the Dominion War and was finally able to assert his strengths.
"Ambassador, we are detecting a takion surge bearing 374 mark 021," a Klingon science officer said.
The Taj was one of many experimental Bird-of-Preys. Part of this was a highly advanced sensor array – complete with takion detection systems. An anti-cloaking device sensor.
"Can you identify?"
"I am cross-referencing," the officer replied. "It appears to be a Romulan scout ship."
Worf sterned himself. "Prepare to decloak and fire an Ant-Takion Beam at the scout ship. Ready the shields and weapons."
The Klingon Bird-of-Prey decloaked and it turned towards the takion surge. A beam of yellow and green energy shot at the surge. A Romulan scout ship appeared in the vastness of space.
"Shields are up," another tactical officer replied. "They are arming their weapons and raising their shields."
"In-coming transmission! We are being hailed!"
Worf nodded. "On screen."
The image of the scout ship was replaced by a thirty-something Romulan, with short blond hair. She glared at Worf.
"Sela," Worf muttered. He immediately recalled the image of Sela's mother – Tasha Yar.
"Hello Ambassador. What are you doing all the way out here?"
"I was about to ask you the same question. You are a far a ways from the Neutral Zone."
"The Senate sent me out here to investigate some unusual readings. Since the Federation was ignoring our inquires, we came to investigate ourselves."
Worf grimed. "We also detected them."
"And received no comment from the Federation as well, Ambassador? I suppose somebody doesn't like you."
"I have been on leave."
"Of course you have," Sela replied, her flat and mocking expression falling against Worf's stern and hard one.
"I recommend you vacate this area immediately."
"I'll take your recommendation under advisement. Sela out."
With that, the image of Sela disappeared.
"Ambassador!" another science officer exclaimed. "I am detecting an energy pattern near a Class-M planet four light-years from here."
"The Romulans are picking up on it as well and are heading there immediately."
"Alexander, follow them."
The Taj spun around and chased after the scout ship, which remained just out of weapons range. Worf was growing antsy in anticipation and got to giving orders for weapons, shields, cloak and sensors.
"We have arrived."
"On screen."
Before them was a small, glowing weave of energy. Worf had them hold off on the weapons. The Romulans had arrived previous to them, but had made no aggressive moves.
Suddenly, the weave of energy seemed to explode. In its place was massive, on-going ship. It was very long and very wide. By Worf's calculations, it was the size of ten Galaxy-class ships put together. Maybe larger.
"What is that ship?" asked Worf.
"We are being hailed. So is the Romulan vessel," said the communications officer. "Audio only."
"On speakers."
There was pause, then a voice was heard. "We are the invading vessels of the Kelvan Empire. You are unneeded here."
The comm-line was cut. Then, a small beam shot forth and tore through the Taj. Worf was thrown to the ground.
"Father!" shouted Alexander, making for him.
"The ship has been decimated! All systems are going off-line! We are falling into the atmosphere!" one of the crewmen shouted.
Indeed so. The Klingon Bird-of-Prey began to streak white-hot as it spun towards the surface of the planet. Not far from it, the Romulan vessel did the same.
***
The Enterprise was silent that morning, Picard noticed. It had been, pretty much since the beginning of this hellish journey. From the corner of his eye, he saw that Dr. Crusher was about to catch up with him.
"Captain, I've been looking for you," she said. "The serum is ready."
"Good. And Data?"
"He's all set in Sickbay. We've replaced the EMH duplicate with the original. We take care of Seven of Nine, then move on to Janeway and the others."
"Good. Let's not screw this up."