Chapter 27
Lieutenant Lucas Tavell and Lieutenant Trallii Antraia met the chief engineer Ranji Singh along with the Nova's first officer who had luckily made it relatively unscathed despite being attacked by several Arkhitourians in the nearest corridor under the bridge.
The engineer's plan was to climb up the vacant jefferies tube to the next section, then travel up the emergency escape staircase to the main bridge.
Unfortunately the engineer had tried to regain control of the ship by repairing the auxiliary control, but to no avail. His tactics had been useless, but at least several functions of the great starship had gone back to normal mode.
Luckily they could gain entrance to the engine room which was achieved after several of the aliens had fallen asleep, via the Quasimite so there was no longer a continuing futile battle to get into there.
Unfortunately access to direct main control of the ship's computer was still out so the chief engineer and Antor Jax decided that the only way to regain power was to access the main bridge itself. This could have been a very dangerous task if the officers hadn't lugged with them eight heavy sacks full of the ruby coloured stones.
Cleverly they managed to salvage several engineering gadgets as well as a pair of phaser riffles from the ammunition room situated on the deck one level above engineering. The personnel weapons now functioning properly which was due to the relapsing of power from the alien's computer device, which was situated on the bridge.
They had learned that as each creature went into a coma due to the chemical in the Quasimite their control of the ship began to cease. Somehow they seemed to be physically joined with their equipment, but it was undetermined how. It would take a field day for engineers and scientists to figure out how this was possible.
It was established that the minds when attached to the alien bodies could be jury rigged to the device they bought with them to the Nova. When one being was separated from the whole it decreased the mental link between the others and so their computer became considerably weaker.
Also it was thought that a similar device was also responsible for the reforming of small planets like Droline V in such a way that the world became a twin to the Arkhictourians home world wherever that was.
The access hatch was tightly shut when the three officers came to the top of the tube. It had been quite difficult climbing upwards considering that the passage was completely dark.
Engineer Singh swore softly to himself in Indian when he tried to open the small shaft. Everyone helped. Soon the small metallic mesh door came loose and they pulled it away with ease.
"Phew, that was a job," muttered Tavell wiping beads of sweat off his forehead. "Good job it's not much further to go."
Everyone squeezed through the small square which was barely large enough to pass through. By the time everyone had clambered out to the other side they could just make out a yellow light up ahead.
"Come on," said the engineer. His Indian accent seemed to become broader as they went along. Still on hands and knees the officers struggled forward. Finally they came to another larger hatch.
"We're gonna think we're moles by the time we get out of this," said Tavell. "You three boys okay?"
"Could have felt better," murmured Jax sarcastically.
"I am fine," replied the Betazoid with alertness in his voice. He sat down facing the hatch. Soft glowing light surrounded the large square and it glowed eerily on his face.
"Good," said Tavell. "Don't forget we don't know what we will find when we get through there. No one throw up. Understand?" Every one nodded.
"Good."
"Ranji if you please," Jax said.
The engineer shoved past the other two and opened a small-protected grill beside the door. He keyed in a sequence then waited.
"I hope the hell this works," said Tavell mildly. "I hate to think someone might find three skeletons up here in the near distant future."
"I'm sure it won't come to that," Trallii said from behind him.
"I hope your right. Can you sense anything from above?" The Betazoid shook his head.
"Nothing. They seem to mask their emotions." Tavell sighed.
"Anyone else besides?"
"No," Trallii said icily.
"The sequence has been accepted," said the engineer gleefully.
"That means more and more of those critters are dropping off," Jax said with a wide grin.
The engineer pulled on the activation handle in the middle of the door. Quite remarkably it opened with a loud swoosh. In front of them there was a small winding staircase. In the opposite direction there was a narrow corridor barely tall enough to stand up in. It leads into complete darkness.
"Up there," muttered Jax in the gloom.
Everyone climbed the steep steps towards the top level and yet again there was another hatch. Singh crawled over, keyed in an identification sequence and waited. Finally the small screen at the side of the door blinked acceptance.
He heaved the handle open and a cool rush of air escaped. Through the other side there was the main bridge.
"If we could catch them by surprise," whispered Trallii.
"Then they won't know what hit um'," replied the engineer. "Keep your Quasimite at hand. Come on lads."
Firstly Singh slithered through the small gap with great ease not once did his co-ordinating coloured turban topple of his head.
The other side was darkly lit and there were about eight aliens positioned around the main circular bridge. Quietly Singh sneaked behind the furthest Arkhitourian without being noticed and scattered the mineral he had taken with him around it.
The creature suddenly let out a cry of alarm. Singh wasn't sure if the creature itself had made it or the disembodied mind within its box had. The hulk fell.
"Just like slug killer," said Singh peering at the dissolved Quasimite mixture on the floor beside the alien.
"Except they do not die," Jax's voice said behind him. "Be careful. The boxes attached communicate telepathically. They probably know were here." He crept beside him as did Trallii and Tavell lobbed the Quasimite in all directions disabling the creatures on the spot.
"I don't like this," murmured the Krackatowa helmsman to the Betazoid. "It's too easy. Unless we've been blessed."
"Don't underestimate them my friend," he said.
The engineer ran low as fast as his little legs could carry him towards machinery connected to the science station and successfully disabled it. He grabbed it with both hands and put it on the floor before the thing could respond to a possible back up device. Judging from it's appearance this device was extremely old perhaps as old as the souls themselves.
It surprised him that there had been no fight with the aliens or that there computer wasn't holding up a protective force field of some kind. With swift hands the engineer reconnected power to the main computer. Lights from stations blinked on and hummed into action.
Singh slumped down into the captain's chair exhausted. It was time to see if communications was back on line. He flicked a switch on the arm of his chair and waited for silence. Instead someone answered. In the background the ecstatic cheering and laughing could be heard. He guessed people hadn't laughed like this for a long time.
"Commander," said the voice on the other side. Singh recognised it for being Henri Lowe. A security guard who made it to the Nova from the Krackatowa.
"We've done it," yelled the engineer. Below he heard the security chief report the fact and everyone cheered again. "I'm gonna need people up here." Singh sobered. "It's good to hear from you again, but we also need to get these bugs off this ship before we sink."
Behind him came a rough mechanical voice. "YOU ARE NOT SAVED YET. WE COME AGAIN YOU ARE NOT ALONE AND NOR ARE WE. WE PROMISE THAT MUCH." It belonged to one of the spirits.
"And we'll be ready for you," said the engineer with great confidence in his voice.
"YOUR THREATS DO NOT FRIGHTEN US. WE DEFEAT YOU ANOTHER TIME. THEN YOU WILL BE NO MORE THAN ROTTING CORPSES DOING WHAT WE BID."
"Your pathetic childish words don't frighten us. Better separate those boxes from the beasts," he said. He did just that and pulled the box off the alien's body. It came away relatively easy along with it a lovely coating of slippery slime.
* * *
Below on the planet Anagossia the last of the Arkhictourians were down. Chai entered into the grand room in the house. It was brightly lit with hangings on the walls of brightly colourful weavings and tapestries much like all buildings on the planet.
In the middle of the room stood a large table and six chairs. It was simple in design. On the far right corner stood a large sculpture. Across the back of the room a long wooden sideboard stood covered with plants and bowels of fresh fruit.
"Droah, the lassst of the aliensss are down," said Chai coming into the room dressed in a long woven flowing blue cloak.
"That isss excccellent newsss my dear." Her husband came close and hugged her.
"Tanny isss trying to cccontaccct the Nova."
"Any sssuccccessss?"
"Not that I believe," she said.
Aboard the Nova Singh opened communications to the planet. Instead of the leaders softly spoken voice there came a reply of a small almost childlike voice.
"Who is that?" Said Singh almost grumpily.
"Tanny. Whom may I make this acccquaintanccce with?"
"Commander Singh chief engineer of the Krackatowa," he said. "I must speak to your Prime Minister."
"Of cccourssse sssir." On the screen a picture appeared and a beautiful blush coloured Anagossian was seated in front of her desk.
"I'm putting you through to Droah," she said with a toothless grin.
"Yes. It is very important that I speak with him." Tanny pressed a button on her consul.
"He will talk to you in hisss ssstate room Commander," she said.
For a matter of seconds the view screen went blank then an equally angelic looking man appeared standing side by side with another woman of the same species and grinned at the engineer with toothless gums.
"Are you and your vessssel sssafe?" Said the man.
"As well as can be expected," said the engineer.
"What about thossse nasssty aliensss?" Said the woman who was evidently his wife.
"I'm afraid you can keep them for the moment. We're having difficulty with them aboard our own little ship as it is."
Aboard the Nova the functioning turbo lift door opened and a group of officers stepped out. A science officer made her way to her station, grabbed a fallen chair and wiped it with her hand before sitting down. She turned towards the engineer in her chair that was now correctly positioned upright as before it had led on the deck.
"Sir, I'm searching for a suitable planet to drop these aliens off on."
"Be my guest," Said Singh.
"How many of your people are dead?" Said Jax coming up behind where Singh was sitting. He placed a hand on the back of the chair. Droah looked down at the floor. His face had shadowed a little and took on a sadness that was rarely seen on the birdman's face.
"We're not cccompletely sssure. People are finding out asss we ssspeak." Singh crossed his legs in his chair.
Jax turned towards the science officer whom he didn't know.
"Commander. Lets see if our scanners are now functioning?"
"Aye sir." The red head, Michelle Wotley adjusted her instruments and peered down the scanning hood. A blue translucent light glowed on her face.
"If my instruments are working properly all the aliens are in a state of hibernation or coma." She said.
"Thank you," said Singh. He turned back to the screen. "Your safe. My science officer is looking for a suitable world for our guests to make their home on. As soon one is found we'll take the slugs from you."
"Thank you Cccaptain," said the woman standing next to Droah.
"We ssshall be delighted to have you and your cccrew ssstay with usss for a few daysss." Said Droah.
"You are very kind. We may need your hospitality as the ship is carrying practically twice the amount it should. We are fit to bursting. Finally I recommend you remove the little glowing boxes from the aliens bodies."
"Done ssso."
"Excellent.
"What are they anyway?" Said Droah coming out of his momentary meditation state.
"As far as we can determine the alien bodies are no more intelligent than a slug."
"A ssslug?" Said Chai questioning.
"Yes, an earth creature about six to twelve centimetres long. They mostly live in moist areas. The boxes we believe are disembodied souls who took the slugs and used them as a means to move about. They travel planet to planet with their pet slug in search for food and to conquer." For a moment he sighed. "For now I must end this transmission, stand by for visitors. Singh out."
