NX-03 Challenger
Sirius III (Alpha Canus Majoris)

On the forward viewscreen the broad, thin eagle shaped Warbird continued its approach. In the top right of the screen an ETA counted down. At ten seconds T'Pol spoke.

"Tactical, be ready." T'Pol said. "I want to hit the Warbird at least once before it cloaks."

"Copy that." Feral responded.

On screen, at ETA zero, the warbirds subtly shifted, indicating it had arrived. Distance to target was marked at ten thousand kilometers.

Feral's fingers danced over her console and two orange-red beams lanced out to splash across the Warbird's shields, followed by two golden torpedoes penetrating with a brilliant flash,

"Hull penetration." Feral reported. "Their shields are at 70%, hull 75%."

Twin green bolts sprang out from the Warbird, retaliating for the hit. Both crashed against the Challenger, but neither penetrated hull polarization.

"Our hull stands at 90%." Feral said.

Onscreen the Warbird wavered and disappeared.

Feral was a master tactical officer, T'Pol thought, but it remained to be seen how she'd respond to a cloaked Warbird.

Feral worked her console frantically, trying to find the Warbird, but her time ran out. It wavered into existence starboard at five thousand kilometers, point blank range. It fired fission missiles immediately.

Both struck the Challenger's secondary hull, penetrating and ravaging operations.

"Hull stands at 80%." Feral reported. "Hull breach, all systems offline."

It was the worst possible scenario so early in the fight. Every console on the bridge required access to the computer core and those lines had been disrupted. The ship was dead in the water.

"Olson," T;Pol said. "Report directly to engineering and inform them that operations have been cut and are required immediately."

Onscreen the Warbird didn't bother cloaking again, clearly detecting the Challenger's status. It fired both disruptors and fission missiles, striking the saucer section and penetrating the hull on deck D, enlisted officer's quarters. T'Pol had no idea how many crew she'd just lost.

Olson met Trip and Chang at the turbolift, moving aside to let the two take the bridge before taking the turbolift himself to engineering. T'Pol almost breathed a sigh of relief that Trip was both in good health and present to take the conn.

"Status." Trip said, as he arrived.

"Operations are offline." Feral reported. "Our hull stands at 40%."

"We are engaged with a Romulan Warbird." T'Pol said. "Their shields are at 70%, hull 75%."

"I assume Olson is off to see about repairs personally?"

"Indeed." T'Pol said.

Onscreen, the Warbird fired again. Both disruptor beams licked across the hull near the deflector, with twin missiles striking the momentarily weakened hull.

All around the bridge the consoles suddenly sprang to life. It seemed that the engineering crew had already been hard at work on operations before Olson could even reach them.

T'Pol took her station at the science console, utilizing sensors, trying to find a weakness in the Warbird.

"Hull polarization is offline." Feral immediately reported. "Our hull stands at 32%."

"Helm," Trip said. "Let's give them a moving target. Match speed and orientation."

"Roger that, Captain." P'Trell responded.

"Tactical, lock on and target their operations." Trip ordered. "I want their cloak offline."

"I have a lock." Feral reported.

Twin beams of energy lashed out from the Challenger, striking the central hull of the Warbird.

"Impact." Feral said. "Their hull is at 32%. Shields and cloak are offline."

Onscreen, the Warbird retaliated with both disruptors, focused atop the saucer section.

"They've locked on.' Feral reported.

The ship shook.

"Our hull stands at 30%. Phasers are offline."

"Target their sensors and fire torpedoes."

Feral's fingers danced over the console once again. Twin golden torpedoes launched out from the Challenger, striking the Warbird amidships.

"Their hull is at 21%." Feral reported. "Their sensors are offline. Their weapons are offline."

"Full departure, disengage at full impulse." Trip ordered. "I'm guessing now is when they self-destruct, trying to take us with them."

The engines became barely audible on the bridge as P'Trell turned the ship, moving away at top speed.

"Energy spike in their warp core." T'Pol reported.

"Can we reach minimum safe distance?" Trip asked.

"That remains to be seen. It will be close, at least."

Onscreen the Warbird suddenly rippled and exploded, sending fire and debris in all directions.

"Brace for impact." Trip said.

Attention, all hands. Brace for impact.

The Challenger braced itself but having reached in excess of fifty thousand kilometers it barely felt the shockwave.

T'Pol found Trip hard at work in the jeffires tubes, putting a more reliable fix on operations. He spoke before she could.

"Hey," He said. "Did the shuttle return yet?"

"Yes," TPol answered. "Collins and Gibson have joined the rest of their team in guest quarters."

"Good. Did you get a look at the Vulcan script on the sarcophagi?"

"I did. It's an ancient dialect that I lack the skill to translate. Nevertheless, it appears to uphold Collin's assertion of a four-thousand-year-old link between Romulans and Vulcan. I find it very disturbing."

"Same here. You'd think that if Vulcan High Command knew anything about the Romulans, they'd have said so by now."

"There are many legends that the High Command would not wish to verify. One being the followers of S'Task. Vulcans who rejected logic and voyaged among the stars to find a new home. The Romulans could be one and the same. It would answer why the High Command has nothing to offer concerning the many instances of so-called emotional Vulcans aiding the Romulan cause."

"Doesn't answer why their soldiers put parathermite in their suits to hide the identity of their species."

"I agree. So it remains a mystery."

T'Pol took advantage of the natural pause in communication to speak.

"Trip, I read your letter. It was quite evocative."

"Evocative in a good way?" Trip asked.

"Indeed. I find all such correspondence to be most agreeable."

"Good. Then I'll keep it up."

"I encourage you to do so."

Trip chuckled.

"I noticed," T'Pol said. "That you are using your birthday present to conduct repairs."

"Yeah, I hope you don't mind. I wanted the best tools to work with, what with all the repairs going on."

"I don't mind. It is gratifying to see you work with them."

"Good. And thanks again."

"I will leave you to your work. Be sure to leave something for Jupiter station to fix. We're still ETA two weeks."

"You got it."

T'Pol made her way out of the Jefferies tubes. Now in the corridor it occurred to her that she and Trip were still unable to communicate through their bond. Were they so able, she would not have had to search and find him in the Jeffries tubes to speak to him.

Still, it would have robbed of the opportunity to see him working with the tools she'd bought him. So bonded communication remained something worth waiting for.

END EPISODE