The Approaching Storm
- December 5th, 2380 -
The entire bridge of the U.S.S. Enterprise-E stood quietly in stunned silence. The same words echoing inside their heads over and over again. Not a single soul in that silent room could comprehend on what to do next, their only respond is by staring at the view screen dumbfounded. Captain Jean-Luc Picard ran through the word in his head for the millionth time. He could clearly tell the officer on the other side of the view screen, Captain Thessien, was rather agitated by the hush that had swept the Enterprise's bridge. Although it seemed like it took an eternity, Picard finally did slap out of the trance.
"What… is the basis of this charge?" The captain of the Enterprise managed.
"Captain Picard, we have evidence that your vessel, along with something called the Armia Krajowa, took part in the destruction of the U.S.S. Illustrious and the death of her crew." Thessien replied with a mono-toned voice, almost as if he were reading a script.
"What? That's impossible. We were attacked by…" Picard attempted to rebuttal but was promptly cut off.
"I am sorry Captain, but this transmission from Captain Williams of the Illustrious tells otherwise." Thessien briefly turned around to signal one of his bridge officers. Moments later, the Enterprise's main view screen flickered, switching the picture from that of Thessien to that of Captain William's. The picture was hazy, plagued by static but Picard could make out various facial injuries on Williams, as well as a smoking and burning bridge behind him. The audio crackled and clicked as it blared out from the bridge's speakers.
"Enterprise… opened fire… they call themselves… Armia… Krajowa…" Williams muttered as he heaved from the overwhelming smoke flooding his lungs. "Picard has… turned against… Federation…" What?! "Must… warn Starfleet… get word to… Federation… Picard is lead…" At that point, an explosion roared from behind Williams, followed by a bright flash and a hellish scream. The entire bridge crew was once again in shock. Captain Thessien returned to the view screen and Picard wasted no time, walking forward and speaking in a frustrated tone.
"That's impossible! The Enterprise did not open fire on the Illustrious! We were ambushed by the Armia Krajowa who were jamming our communications!"
"Then what happened to the Illustrious? Was she destroyed?" Thessien shot back.
"I don't know! Her warp drive failed before we arrived in Titov… Captain Williams…" Again, much to Picard's anger, he was cut off.
"Is there any evidence to back your claims?" Picard quickly turned to his ops officer.
"Ms. Perry… the ship's records?" Perry nodded and turned to her console and started working feverishly.
"What the hell?" Perry muttered only seconds later. "Captain…" She said as she looked up to her commanding officer. "You're not going to believe this… according to the Enterprise's logs… we did destroy the Illustrious…" And for the third time in as many minutes, Picard was stunned.
"Captain Picard." Thessien said in the background. "I am sorry, but you must surrender your vessel immediately." Picard turned back to face the view screen, and in a rare moment of his life, he was speechless.
"This is some sort of mistake…" Picard muttered to himself. Thessien turned again to face an unseen officer, and nodded. "It's impossible…" As Picard stood, trying in vein to grasp the situation, the familiar twinkles of light representing a transporter beam appeared throughout the bridge. An instant later, a half-dozen Starfleet security personnel, armed with phaser rifles drawn and fully charged materialized on the bridge. One of them walked up to captain of the starship Enterprise.
"Captain Picard, you are now under the custody of the United Federation of Planets…"
- February 1st, 2156 -
The bright afternoon San Francisco sunlight shone off the cluster of buildings that formed Starfleet Command. It was always a breath-taking view, behind the main campus stood the Golden Gate Bridge that has survived for centuries. It is a monument that truly inspired all those who set their eyes upon it. Jonathan Archer could certainly use some inspiration now.
He continued to stare out the window as the small shuttle glided gently pass Starfleet's headquarters and towards the main parliament building that was the heart of the World Government. The World Government is the ruling body on Earth; they held authority over the entire planet and also administered Starfleet which was its naval branch.
It had taken a month for Enterprise and Endeavour to limp home; they had to make several stops for emergency repairs. Both ships now reside safely in dry-docks orbiting the blue planet undergoing major repairs. While his vessel was getting a face-lift, Jonathan Archer has been meeting with Starfleet's senior staff on a daily basis for several weeks. The topic was always the same, the Romulans. Since Enterprise and Endeavour's near fatal run with a Romulan patrol, they have been launching raids on terran shipping lanes and these attacks have been escalating.
The World Government was holding an emergency session to determine their response, and Starfleet's top officers have been summoned as military advisors. Of course Archer declined to attend the meeting, instead leaving Admiral Forrest and other officers to handle the bureaucrats. Archer never considered himself a politician and would rather not be put in a situation to have to deal with them. So instead of being locked in a stuffy council chamber for several hours, Archer excused himself, tending to his damaged ship and spending sometime overseeing repairs and his recovering crew.
His crew is exhausted. Thankfully none of his bridge officers were badly injured, but many lives, too many lives were lost. Starfleet gave the surviving crew members several weeks of leave. Of course Trip never left, always staying by the Enterprise's warp core's side. He was very eager to get the Enterprise all patched up so he can take the ship out and return the favour to the Romulans.
The shuttle landed softly, Archer barely felt the jolt. When it was clear, he marched out of the cramped vehicle and followed a guide through a maze of large hallways and corridors to the main senate hall. The main hall was an impressive sight, it was a large circular room with hundreds of seats and tables spread out across the floor. Each successive row of chairs and tables were elevated higher then the previous row, and in the center was a large circular table with a rotating chair where the President of the World Government sat.
He had only been here once as a child on a school field trip and had only seen the senate in session over video. The room was filled and bustling with activity as the numerous senators conducted business or idle chat although many were simply rounding up and packing documents and preparing to leave. Archer caught sight of Admiral Forrest in a discussion with two other Starfleet officers and a well-dressed senator. Archer decided to stand and wait patiently for the Admiral to conclude his conversation with the politician. It took an additional five minutes before Admiral Forrest was able to divert his attention to the Starfleet captain.
"I'm terribly sorry to make you wait Jon…" Forrest said as he shuffled towards his friend and fellow officer. Archer raised his hand to indicate it wasn't a problem.
"How was the meeting?" Archer asked, although it was a rhetorical question as he could tell how it went judging by Forrest's exhausted posture.
"If you wanted to know whether skipping it was a good ideal…" Forrest gave Archer a funny look, "It was." Archer nodded.
"We should head to my office, we can talk more there… and I need a drink too." Forrest started marching and Archer fell into formation beside him. They walked out of the senate building and into beautiful afternoon weather.
"Damned nice outside, too bad I wasted it all in there." Forrest grunted. Archer smiled as Forrest continued, "Things are going bad Jon." The pair continued their walk as they entered the Starfleet campus.
"How bad?" Archer asked, although once again he knew it wasn't necessary. Forrest let out a sigh.
"Most of the senators are screaming for bloody murder, war." Archer wasn't entirely surprised. "Although you can thank our Vulcan friends for intervening, again." This did not shock Archer either. "Ambassador Soval convinced the President to dispatch a Vulcan-led envoy to Romulan space."
"A Vulcan emissary?"
"Exactly. The Vulcan High Command volunteered a diplomatic team and several ships to spearhead the 'peace process'…" Archer let out a huff. "We will, of course, be sending a few of our own ships to escort them."
"Those people are unbelievable." Archer shook his head as the two passed through the main doors and into Starfleet Command.
"I know Jon. We've already wasted too much effort and time trying to establish contact with the Romulans; I doubt the Vulcans will have anymore success." Forrest stopped briefly as an empty turbo-life arrived to carry them to the upper floors.
"What's our plan then?" Forrest stood silently in the turbo-lift for a moment as he concentrated.
"Nothing right now, we wait. We'll need to have another meeting first." Archer resisted the urge to groan at the thought of another day-long meeting while being imprisoned in a room. "We shouldn't jump the gun yet, we don't know enough about the Romulans to wage war on them. Best thing we can do now is let the Vulcans do their thing and see what happens."
"Great… more waiting…"
- December 7th, 2380 -
Captain Jean-Luc Picard sat quietly in his chair, a prisoner confined to his own cabin, as Beethoven's 9th Symphony roared from the many speakers strewn throughout the room. Classical music always eased him and helped him concentrate. The Enterprise sat in space, surrounded by three Federation vessels. Most of the Enterprise's crew were under cabin arrest, and security personnel from the other three ships patrolled the corridors. A few officers were permitted to remain on duty, but under constant guard and heavy escort.
All four Federation starships have remained still for the last two days. They were awaiting a troop ship to arrive to properly secure and take over the Enterprise before heading towards the nearest starbase. Picard has been cut off from his crew since his arrest, and he has been denied access to the ship's subspace communications so he could not contact Admiral Janeway. In fact, no one at all has contacted him.
Picard continued to think, jogging the same scenario with the Illustrious in his mind over again. He suspected sabotage of the Enterprise's records, but he cannot understand how that transmission could've even come into existence. Its possible that he was set-up but the whole situation was simply too far-fetched to believe. A flash outside the window caught Picard's eye as another Federation vessel emerged from warp. Probably the troop ship. Well at least I won't be a prisoner in my room for much longer. Although it was too far for Picard to identify it. However that question would be answered just 10 minutes later.
"Captain Picard." A voice rang over the intercom. Picard was a little startled and quickly motioned to turn the music off.
"Yes, Picard here." He replied.
"We have a guest who would like to see you." Again, Picard was surprised.
"Come in then." He said as he stood up from his chair and turned to face the door just as it whooshed open. A familiar security officer, with phaser rifle in hand stepped in and took a position by the door. Another figure walked in, someone entirely unexpected, Captain William T. Riker.