USS Lexington, S. P. Heller Commanding – Chapter 2
Steven made his way to the bridge. T'lan had announced that the necessary modifications were ready, and they could travel to and from Phased Space at will. "Captain on the bridge," declared Lieutenant (junior grade) McKenna, Chief Tactical Officer. T'lan took her place at Ops, and Steven walked to the room's center.
"Set course for the gateway, one-half impulse power. Have anyon emitters stand by to close the gateway once we're through." Anyon/Chroniton emitters were only just added by the science and engineering crews, and had yet to be fully tested. They would be able to leave Phased Space, but returning again might be a problem.
Lexington began to move. Several minutes passed as the distance closed to zero. "Sir, we are at the rift," announced the T'lan. A moment later, "We have cleared the rift."
"Mr. McKenna, close the door."
"Gateway has vanished from our sensors, Captain." Surprise was noticeable in her voice. "It vanished after we passed through."
"Very well," Steven said, a little uncomfortably. "Set course to the pre-designated coordinates, warp 8. Mr. T'lan, reconfigure running lights." Steven related the proper photon wavelength. Lexington was bathed in blue light as it sped to warp. An hour-and-a-half later, Lady Lex arrived the nearest star system. By then, Steven was seated.
McKenna worked her console. "Sir, detecting multiple ships in-system. They're ... that's odd. They just vanished." The Tactical Officer's station beeped rapidly as she entered commands. "No energy spike, nothing."
"What can you tell us about the ships, Lieutenant?" Rob asked, his eyebrows furrowed.
"They were massive, Commander. Each nearly the size of a Romulan Warbird. Composition indicates structure was organic in nature."
"Animals with a natural cloak?" Rob wondered aloud.
"We'll worry about them if they come back," Captain Heller decided. The main viewscreen showed a growing planet. "Helm, take us into orbit, half-impulse." Ensign Beech sent Lexington into standard orbit. "Any signs of sentient life?" Captain Heller asked. This was the only habitable planet in the system.
"Captain, I am detecting the remains of a civilization. Scorch marks indicate a large-scale engagement."
"On-screen."
Craters the size of mountain ranges littered the landscape. Remnants of cities were here and there, but virtually no living thing remained. "Nothing larger than a small mammal is in any of the population centers."
Steven comfortably leaned back in his chair. "Commander Walsh, select an away team and beam down to the planet. I want you to try and learn what caused this destruction."
"Aye-aye, sir," was the automatic response. Rob tapped Lieutenant McKenna on the shoulder as he left the bridge, and the Tactical Officer followed him out. A crewman took McKenna's place.
"Mister T'lan, increase power to the long range sensors. I want to know if those creatures come back."
Nearly an hour passed before the away team reported back. "Captain, there's what used to be a spaceport outside the city proper. Whoever lived here before, they look like a warp civilization. The city itself is a graveyard. Dead bodies are everywhere. I don't know how efficient the microbes are here, but judging by the decay this happened recently. No more than one or two days." Steven blinked in surprise. He had not been prepared for a recent event.
"Thank you, Commander. Let me know if you find anything else."
"Walsh out."
T'lan spoke up from her console. "Captain, more in-depth scans of the planet indicate an altered quantum signature."
"How is that possible?" asked Steven, trying to remember his theoretical physics.
"It's not, Captain. Quantum signatures are constant," T'lan replied. "Space debris has the same signature as the planet.... It seems passing through the chroniton field took us to a different quantum reality. We weren't close enough to any matter to notice before. By recalibrating the chroniton emitters with the new quantum frequency, I believe we can create temporary gateways to travel to this quantum reality at will."
Steven adjusted in his seat. "Does that mean we can travel to any quantum reality, if we have the correct signature?"
T'lan nodded. "I believe so, sir."
"Is there any way to disguise our quantum frequencies, to prevent hostile species from invading our own reality?" The potential danger was limitless. T'lan was thoughtful, but did not provide an answer. "Work on it, Mister T'lan." The vulcan gave an "aye-aye," and left the bridge.
"Captain, two ships approaching on an attack vector," announced the crewman standing at the tactical station. "Organic in nature. Shielding prevents us from detecting how many life forms are aboard. They've powered up their weapons." The viewscreen changed to show a pair of bat-shaped ships, blacker than the stars. Fear washed through the bridge crew.
"Beam up the away team, and go to Red Alert once they're aboard." One minute later, the computer announced Condition Red. The bridge lighting changed for combat conditions. "Open hailing frequencies. This is Captain Steven Heller, of the Federation starship Lexington to unidentified vessels. If you do not halt your advance, your actions will be considered an act of war." Heller suspected those bat-ships were responsible for the destruction on the planet below. He did not expect a response.
"It's an ugly thing, isn't it?" asked Rob as he walked onto the bridge. He obviously saw the viewscreen.
"Mr. Beech, break orbit. Set a course out of the system. Full impulse." When Captain Heller indicated speed, he was effectively telling the helmsman to execute the order. Some captains preferred to say, "Engage," or some such nonsense. Steven was not one of them.
"Captain, they're matching course," said Lieutenant McKenna, back at her station. "They'll be in weapons range in twenty seconds." A beam of energy lanced from the lead bat-ship, and Lexington shuddered. "Port shields are down to seven percent."
"Warp maneuvering. Execute attack pattern upsilon-beta." Lady Lex banked sharply, and the warp drive went online. Quantum and photon torpedoes struck at the lead bat-ship as both fired their beam weapons at Lexington.
When the Federation starship was alongside the bat-ships, she dropped out of warp and let loose with phasers. Lexington banked to starboard, placing the enemy ships in the arcs of ready phasers. A spurt of the warp drive sent Lexington a fair distance away so it could face the bats while the torpedo tubes finished reloading. "Starboard and ventral shields are failing, Captain."
"Boost power to the forward shields," he ordered, as the enemy ships turned about. "Fire all phasers." The lead ship withered and its wings folded in on the ship. Everyone heard the dying ship's psychic shriek. The second opponent shimmered into nothingness. "Damage report."
It took a moment for the assessment to come through. "Nothing made it past our shields, Captain," reported Lieutenant Ford. "But if they'd gotten a couple of more shots off, we wouldn't be here anymore." Steven could hear the engineer's scowl through the intercom.
"Understood." Steven thumbed off the intercom. "Maintain red alert. That ship could still be out there."
"Captain," McKenna said, getting his attention. "When we entered the system, there were at least four of those things. I recommend we get out of here before they come back."
"Agreed," he replied without giving it anymore thought. "I don't want to press our luck." Steven gave the helmsman new coordinates, the next scheduled stop in their flight plan. "How long will it take at warp nine?"
T'lan answered automatically, before Ensign Beech could plug in the calculations. "Approximately five days, sir."
"Make it nine point five, Mr. Beech. I want to outrun those Bats." That should take a day or so off the traveling time. And Michael would probably enjoy pushing the engines a little. After the Lexington had gone to warp, he ordered condition green. "Commander Walsh, you have the con." Steven walked steadily into his ready room. He managed to sit across from the desk before his knees gave way. How, he did not know.
"Computer, music. Composer: Johann Strauss. 'The Blue Danube.' Noise level three." Strings slowly began to play the famous waltz, helping to calm the young captain. Once his heart was beating at a normal pace, Steven sat down in his own chair. "Computer, resume log." It beeped an affirmative.
"Captain's Log, supplemental. Investigation of the fourth planet of system Phase Zero Three Six resulted in the discovery of a recently-destroyed civilization. While the away team was on-planet, organic, bat-like vessels attacked Lexington without provocation. We were forced to retreat, and did not have a chance to perform an in-depth archeological study. They appear to be equipped with cloaking devices, and time will tell if they are following us.
"Lexington is currently headed for Phase Zero Four Two. I can only hope that we will not encounter more hostile forces once we arrive. Computer, end log." Going over the events in his mind and relating them helped put the situation in perspective. Now that he felt in control again, Steven returned to the bridge.