When Worlds Collide
Chapter Eight
Sector 001
A Few Hours Later
The Shutari dropped out of interdimensional space near the orbit of Mars so as not to startle anyone by just appearing in orbit of Earth. The Taelons knew full well that the last time an alien warship had abruptly appeared in Earth orbit it had been a fleet of Breen warships on a mission to attack Starfleet Headquarters – something that not even the Klingons had had the audacity to attempt. That attack had been only partially successful, Earth's planetary defence grid and patrolling Home Fleet warships had swiftly engaged and obliterated the Breen force – but serious damage had been done to the Headquarters complex and to San Francisco – killing thousands many of them civilians. Ever since then Starfleet had been very jittery about non-Federation warships just appearing in Earth orbit – even ships from the Klingon and Romulan Empires, who were both still allied to the Federation, came out of warp some distance away from planetary orbit and came in on impulse power to avoid scaring anyone.
Nevertheless the Shutari's sudden appearance near Mars startled the Home Fleet. Almost immediately the nearest starship the Akira-class cruiser Reliant moved to intercept the ship that had so suddenly appeared.
*****
Bridge
U.S.S Reliant
Captain La'vaya studied the alien ship on his view screen as the Reliant closed upon the vessel. It was a big ship he noticed readouts showed it to be seven hundred and twenty meters long – fifty meters longer than a Sovereign-class starship like the Enterprise, Sovereign, Dauntless or Excalibur which were the only Sovereigns currently in the fleet though four more were nearing completion at Utopia Planetia – which the alien was dangerously close to. The aliens mass was also concerning and so was the estimated firepower that it seemed to be carrying. The sensors showed the presence of twenty phaser banks each on the port and starboard sides of the vessel, ten disruptor banks of unknown kind forward and aft and fourteen torpedo banks spread out in a four forward, four aft, three port, three starboard arrangement. Fortunately sensors showed no activity or energy readings present in the alien warships weapons. Whatever it's mission was it didn't seem to be aggressive.
"We're coming into weapons range of the alien ship captain," tactical reported.
"Any luck identifying it?"
"I believe so. The databanks show it to be a Taelon warship." La'vaya threw a startled glance at his first officer. The Taelons! Like many people he knew very little about the enigmatic Taelons. The Federation had only encountered them once – and the exact details of that contact were classified – but what was generally known was that the Taelons were an extremely old and highly advanced race and that always with them were a race that was an offshoot of Humans, like Romulans were an offshoot of Vulcans. Except in the case of these Human offshoots they appeared to be a hybrid race that was both Human and Taelon, and that these hybrids dominated the Taelon military. No one in the Federation or elsewhere knew how that could be as there had been no recorded contact between Humans and aliens prior to first contact with the Vulcans.
"Sir the Taelon ship is scanning us," the operations officer reported. The incoming signal chirp sounded. "They're hailing us."
"On screen."
La'vaya was startled when a Human face appeared on the view screen – immediately La'vaya realised that he wasn't looking at a Human at all but at one of the hybrids. The hybrid looked equally startled at the sight of him. As a species his people – the Vordashi – were used to it. Physically they were bear-like in form indeed they had evolved from a bear-analogue. To Human eyes they appeared to be living, breathing, talking teddy bears, something that caused Vordashi no end of amusement.
"I am Captain La'vaya of the Federation starship Reliant," La'vaya began.
"Captain Enrique Ramirez of the Taelon Defence Force," the hybrid responded. "Commanding the cruiser Shutari. I carry an urgent message for Starfleet Command."
"A message from whom," La'vaya asked. He was not expecting the hybrids answer.
"Voyager."
*****
U.S.S Voyager
Ya'sa'ra System
The Doctor looked up from his office computer at the sound of the sickbay doors opening. He had been taking advantage of the quiet time he was having at the moment to start organising a schedule for the crews next round of physicals – and wondering how he was going to convince Captain Janeway to take hers as usual – the woman despised physicals like most officers and tried every trick in the book – and a few that weren't – to get out of it.
Lieutenant's Paris and Torres came into his office. Lieutenant Paris didn't look that well – not sick it looked from the way that he was occasionally wincing at the light that he had a nasty headache. The Doctor should have expected it. Tom and B'Elanna had only recently come back aboard from a picnic on the surface of Ya'sa'ra. Several other crewmen and women upon their return from Ya'sa'ra had complained about headaches. When he'd queried the captain about it she'd called Da'an who seemed a little surprised but assured them both that it was nothing other than a harmless reaction to some elements in Ya'sa'ra's atmosphere which did have slightly more carbon dioxide present than normal for class-M planets.
"Lieutenant you don't look well," he commented standing up from behind his desk and picking up his medical tricorder. "Headache?"
"Yes," Tom responded. "I've had it since we came back from the planet."
"I see. Several other crew members have returned from the planet with headaches – according to Da'an it has something to do with the slightly elevated carbon dioxide levels and some other unusual but harmless elements in Ya'sa'ra's atmosphere." To be sure that it was merely a reaction he scanned Paris with the tricorder. Then frowned. What the-? he thought. He hadn't seen this reading in any of the other crew who'd returned from Ya'sa'ra. Tom Paris' bioreadings had changed slightly.
"What is it?" Tom asked noting the look on the Doctors face.
"I don't know," the Doctor responded. "Your bioreadings have changed."
"Changed! How?" B'Elanna demanded to know speaking just before her husband could ask the same questions.
"I don't know," the Doctor replied. "Come over to the surgical bay so I can run a more in depth scan." Quickly he led them over to the surgical bay.
Paris lay down on the surgical biobed. The Doctor activated the biobed scanner which immediately rose from its normal slots inside the bed holding Tom down as it began running a detailed scan. The Doctor blinked startled and concerned when he saw the results.
"What is it Doc," Tom demanded to know from where he was lying down.
"Lieutenant were you exposed to any energy fields or the like when you were on the planet," he asked.
"No," Tom and B'Elanna said in unison. "At least I don't think so," Tom continued. "Why?" The Doctor paused as he always did when he was uncertain how to say something.
"It's the Taelon DNA in your system," he said finally.
"What about it?" Tom asked wondering what on Earth the dormant Taelon genes in his system had to do with him having a headache. Those genes – which the Taelons hadn't been able to completely remove since they were already deeply interwoven with his DNA – had never caused any problems before.
"It's starting to become active again," the Doctor replied. Both Tom and B'Elanna's eyes went wide and Tom would have sat up to stair at the Doctor if it hadn't been for the scanner holding him down.
"What!" Tom breathed. Then he went pale as the realisation dawned. Was he going to be a hybrid again? No way did he want that. He couldn't withstand the pain of such a change in him again.
"How is this possible," B'Elanna demanded.
"I don't know," the Doctor replied even as he went and filled a hypospray with medication and walked back over to a still stunned Tom Paris. "This will counteract your headache," he said as he injected the hyposprays contents into Tom's neck. "I'll need to keep you here lieutenant see if I can stop whatever's causing your Taelon DNA to reactivate." Tom nodded.
"If anyone can figure out what's going on then you can," he commented even as he felt his headache fade away to nothing only to be replaced by anxiety.
"I'll also have to call the captain," the Doctor said grateful that he was incapable of blushing otherwise his cheeks would be red at Paris' faith in him. A faith shared by the whole crew whose health was his responsibility. Tom nodded in agreement – Captain Janeway would have to be told so she could possibly get help from the Taelons. And if neither of them could stop what was happening to him again then the other members of the senior staff would have to be told as well.
The Doctor lowered the scanner unit freeing Tom's torso and left to speak to Captain Janeway. B'Elanna Torres immediately went to her husband's side and took his right hand in hers and held it reassuringly. Whatever happened now she would face it with him. This time he wouldn't be on his own.
*****
Theoretical Propulsion Section
Daystrom Institute, Earth
Doctor Leah Brahms went through her things one last time to make sure that she had everything. She was both excited and worried about the task that she was going to face when she got to the Delta Quadrant courtesy of the Taelon cruiser Shutari which was currently sitting in high orbit of the planet. Adapting Taelon interdimensional technology to work on a Federation starship was going to be a hell of a challenge. A challenge she wasn't sure that she was really up to. Stop it Leah, she told herself, you've never really doubted your abilities before don't start now. And you were head of the team that designed the warp engines for both the Intrepid and Sovereign-class starships. Your knowledge of their systems is going to be necessary if you're to get the Taelons ID technology to work.
A knock came at the door. Leah looked up.
"Come in," she called. The old fashioned oak door opened and Geordie LaForge poked his head through and she smiled warmly at him. Her husband had divorced her nearly six years ago now during that time her friendship with the Enterprise chief engineer had grown into a relationship – especially in the year he'd been here while the Enterprise-E had been awaiting completion after the destruction of her predecessor. He was here on leave and she had been going to spend it with him until Starfleet Command had called her and asked if she would mind going to the Delta Quadrant with some other propulsion specialists – many of whom she'd worked with before – to help adapt Taelon interdimensional propulsion technology to work with Federation technology. Relishing the challenge she'd agreed to go but had insisted on Geordie coming with her – since Geordie was a brilliant engineer himself and would make a valuable additive to her development team if she could ever entice him out of Starfleet. Geordie had been as keen on joining her as she'd been keen on having him with them – and after okaying it with Captain Picard – had agreed to come.
"Ready Leah?" he asked his own satchel slung over his shoulder.
"As ready as I'll ever be," she confessed as she picked up her satchel and slung it over her shoulders. "Let's go." Geordie smiled and tapped his combadge.
"LaForge to Shutari. Two to transport."
"Acknowledged," the soft lyrical voice of a Taelon said in response. For a moment nothing happened then an alien transporter beam locked onto them both. The lab vanished in a haze of blue light and for a second their was the usual sensation of nothingness that accompanied being transported then the shimmering blue light resolved into a room of alien design and construction clearly on the Shutari.
Standing in the room with them were the rest of the science and diplomacy team that was being sent to Ya'sa'ra. From the science side of the team Leah recognised T'vren of the Vulcan Academy of Science, the Klingon scientist Gorak, and Lieutenant Reginald Barclay on the diplomatic side she recognised Ambassador Vales and Admiral Owen Paris who had personal as well as diplomatic reasons for being on this mission.
"Ah good your all here," a voice said. Leah and Geordie both turned to see a short man dressed in a Taelon jumpsuit with the military belt, sash and shoulder tabs coming into the room. Geordie immediately recognised Captain Ramirez. "Welcome aboard the Shutari," Ramirez continued. "For those of you that don't know me I'm Captain Ramirez I'll be your host for our short trip to Ya'sa'ra."
"I would hardly call twenty-seven thousand light years a short trip Captain Ramirez," Admiral Paris pointed out.
"In interdimensional space it is admiral. This ship can cross the void between galaxies in a week or so. We will reach Ya'sa'ra in just over four hours at the speeds this ship is capable of attaining."
"Remarkable," T'vren commented. "How long have the Taelons possessed this interdimensional technology Captain Ramirez."
"Millions of years. Around four million years to be exact."
Leah shook her head in amazement at the incomprehensible age of the Taelons. By anyone's standards they were ancient much older than any of the known races save the annoying Q. They had become old before any of their races had evolved.
"We should get underway now," Ramirez said the waved his hand opening a datastream. A Taelon appeared. "Vu'ul lay in a course for Ya'sa'ra and engage the ID drive."
"As you wish," Vu'ul responded the Ramirez waved away the datastream.
For a few moments their was silence except for the living background sounds of the ship. Then there was a powerful hum and a jolt. Through the view port on the far side of the room space suddenly transformed into a glowing, rippling tunnel of multicoloured light. The hum of power died back down.
They were on their way. Travelling at speeds that to the science and diplomatic team was incomprehensible.