Evolutions II: The Quest for Perfection
Chapter Three
As soon as Legaia had entered the shuttle bay Voyager had jumped to warp. They were affecting a few minor repairs as they were going. They needed to buy as much time as possible. The D'Larma would be coming at them in force, and in larger groups with more powerful weapons they were deadly. One of the few things about them the other races of the delta quadrant both feared and respected was their ability to hunt in packs. It was as if they were of one mind when it came to battle.
Voyager was on red alert as they made their way closer to D'Rama space. The sensors were being watched carefully on the off chance that the D'Larma would appear earlier than they expected.
Seven, B'Elanna, and Naomi had entered the bridge as soon as Legaia had landed. The next few hours were going to be the most difficult for the crew of Voyager. Waiting for something you new was going to happen, just not when was the most nerve racking part.
"Report ensign," Janeway said as she turned to face Harry Kim.
"All repairs have been completed. No sign of the D'Larma or anyone else for that matter." Harry reported.
"Shouldn't there be a few other species around here?" Janeway asked curiously.
"Once an area of space has been known to have D'Rama raiders searching it most species flee the area." Seven informed them.
"This information would have been helpful to us earlier." Chakotay said before Janeway could stop him. "Why didn't you inform any of us about it? As the senior officers of Voyager we had a right to know." Chakotay still wished to prove that the hybrids didn't call the shots on Voyager and show them that they were not in charge.
"You asked me for information pertaining to the D'Larma, which I gave you. You had never requested any information on how other species would react to the D'Larma. I have knowledge of thousands of delta quadrant species but not the months necessary to list them all or what they would do." Seven said before B'Elanna could be angered on her behalf. "The only way that you could have current information about the situation is if you were to contact the Borg. Perhaps you could make a bargain with them as well?" Seven said, putting Chakotay neatly back in his place. She had not liked his tone or his insinuation they would withhold that kind of information.
"Well surely you could have told us about this." Chakotay said, deciding not to get into Seven's latter comment. "Even the knowledge that they could be in the area would have been helpful."
"Open your eyes Chakotay." B'Elanna stepped in this time. "There is always a species in the area that wants to harm us or strip Voyager of all its key components. Seven didn't say anything because it was just assumed, and if she tried to tell you about all the dangerous species that might be in the area at any given time it could take days just to scratch the surface."
"I'm picking something up on sensors." Harry said as he preempted the argument that was about to begin. "I'm not entirely sure but I think it's the D'Larma."
"Put it on screen." Janeway ordered. "It's been less that an hour how could they have caught up with as that quickly?" She thought out loud.
"They didn't." B'Elanna deduced as she looked closely at the ship. "This isn't one of the ships that we faced."
"You mean there are more of them out there?" Janeway asked.
"They are not of the same pack as the last two ships we faced." Seven said as she looked at the markings on the new ship. "It is unlikely that they even know of our earlier battle with the other pack. Legaia concentrated a round of fire on the bridge of he last ship. It was an insult to their hunting skills. It would not be something they would tell others of."
"Okay, so now instead of one pack chasing us we have two, and if we have to drop out of warp to fight them, we only give time for the other pack to catch up with us?" Paris asked.
"It would seem so." Tuvok agreed.
"They haven't detected us yet." B'Elanna said as she stared at the enemy ship for a few seconds longer.
"How can you tell?" Harry asked curiously.
"Because they haven't attacked us yet, they haven't even changed course, or increased speed. It I had to guess I would say they are still at cruising speed." B'Elanna added.
"We are most likely out of their sensor range." Tuvok deduced.
"That's going to change pretty soon if we don't do something. With both our present flight paths we're going to pass right by each other pretty soon." Paris said.
"We have to fight them then." Chakotay said. He was eager to prove that Voyager didn't need Legaia's help to win.
"If you stop to fight them, you will allow the other pack to catch up with us, and increase the odds in their favor even more." B'Elanna said, never taking her eyes off the enemy ship.
"If you can think of a better idea I'd like to hear it." Chakotay said heatedly. He didn't appreciate having his ideas shot down, especially by nothing more than the civilian head of engineering.
"Seven, if you had to guess how far do you thing that their sensors extend?" B'Elanna asked, ignoring Chakotay, which only seemed to annoy him more.
"Judging by their current armaments, at most a radius of 50 000 kilometers." Seven asked as she considered it for a moment.
B'Elanna walked to one of the consoles and changed the view screen to on overhead view. After a few key strokes a large red circle surrounded the enemy ship.
"Alter course to avoid the red circle, as long as we remain blind to their sensors they won't have any reason to change course. We're going to loose a little time using an indirect route but it beats fighting two packs at once." B'Elanna said as she moved to stand beside Seven and Naomi again. She had very quickly become used to her new knowledge of tactics and was using it the best of her ability.
"Aren't their going to be more of them out there?" Paris said as he reduced speed. It was impossible to maneuver Voyager as precisely as needed at maximum warp.
"There's going to be at least one more in the area." B'Elanna guessed as long as we see them before they see us we should be fine.
"What about the other pack?" Harry asked. "Can we just stay out of their sensor range as well?" He asked hopefully.
"No, they have probably already figured out where we're going anyway. They're going to get there using the most direct course to the D'Rama home world." B'Elanna said.
"Another ship just came up on sensors. It's another D'Larma ship." Harry informed the crew as another red circle formed around the enemy ship, making what they had to do twice as difficult.
"It is likely that there are at least two more ships further ahead." Seven guessed. So far all the D'Larma they had met moved in groups of two, while they searched.
The next few hours were tenuous at best as Voyager avoided three enemy ships. They were all well aware of the fact that if even one ship detected them it would be the same as letting the entire pack no where they were.
"I still haven't detected the fourth ship." Harry said, breaking the silence that had descended over the bridge. 'We should have seen it by now.'
"We already passed them." B'Elanna supplied. "It was close to the first ship, just out of our sensor range."
"How did you know?" Tuvok asked. "If we could not detect them, then it is obvious that they could not detect us."
"I just know, keep your present course and don't worry about it." B'Elanna dismissed as she stared out at the view screen again.
"B'Elanna, may I speak to you privately?" Seven asked as another moment of silence passed over the crew. She knew that more questions would be asked, and leaving now would stop most of them, at least for the time being.
"Sure Seven," B'Elanna said as she, Naomi, and Seven left the bridge.
"B'Elanna are you sure that it was wise to mention that?" Seven referred to B'Elanna's comments about the D'Larma ship.
"I'm sorry Seven it just slipped out." B'Elanna said as the trio walked towards the shuttle bay.
"How did you even know about it anyway?" Naomi asked curiously.
"I don't know I could just feel it." B'Elanna said as she thought about it herself. "All I'm really sure is that I know it's true."
"Did you feel the same thing Seven?" B'Elanna asked. Seven didn't seem all that surprised about it either.
"I have as well. It is strange. This is the first time that I have been able to use this ability." Seven confirmed.
"It kind of feel like I picked something up, then used it touch something else, then used it to touch the other ship. The further away we get from it, the more things I have to touch before I can feel the ship." B'Elanna tried to explain. "The feeling just gets weaker and weaker as I use more things to touch it with."
"It is the same way that I have felt as well." Seven agreed. "I am able to feel basic shapes and know that there are living things inside, but that is all."
The trio entered Legaia to find her still correlating the data that Seven had given her.
"How far were you able to get so far?" B'Elanna asked curiously.
"I've got 48.473 of the data correlated. I'll most likely have the rest finished in another 12 hours." Legaia informed them as it brought up an image of how far she had gotten on the view screen.
"Have you detected the other D'Larma ships?" Seven asked.
"I have, we passed four of them already, and the pack that we had encountered earlier has just entered my sensor range. At their present speed they will intercept us in four hours. Guessing by their flight path they're taking the most direct route. If something doesn't change soon they'll reach D'Rama space before we do." Legaia confirmed.
"Legaia to Voyager," B'Elanna spoke into the view screen. "We have a problem. The D'Larma we fought earlier are going to be here in four hours. We may be able to stay out of sensor range but they're going to make it to D'Rama space before we do."
"We'll just increase speed then," Paris said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "We passed the four D'Larma ships already."
"Look at the four ships again." Seven instructed. "They have finished searching that area of space and are moving forward."
"Seven's right Captain, if they keep using that search pattern they're going to go to the edge of D'Rama space." Harry said, as he looked at his screen. "They're probably doing it on purpose. They probably think that any species that want to escape them would try to make it there." Harry deduced.
"There aren't too many options left now. If we jump to high warp now we're going to have set the most direct course to the D'Larma, otherwise the first pack will beat us there. When we jump to high warp it's going to take us right through the sensor range of two of the ships." B'Elanna said as she laid down they're two options. Neither one seemed very favorable because they both ended in a direct confrontation with both packs.
"I suggest we jump to high warp now." Seven said. "At the very least we will be able to disable a few of the enemy ships before they realize what has happened."
"You want us to go into battle at maximum warp?" Chakotay asked. "Our maneuverability is going to be severely compromised."
"Considering the situation the risk is acceptable." B'Elanna said. "I agree with Seven, Legaia and Voyager are going to have to jump to warp and disable the two ships we pass. I've looked over the data on the last two ships and they have a weak point on their deflector arrays. They don't have enough shield emitters, two photon torpedoes and the shields in that area will fail, and a third torpedo will destroy their arrays."
"You actually believe that we can get three shots off each before they notice us?" Chakotay asked. He knew the odds of something like that actually working were slim at best.
"If you can think of a better idea I'd like to hear it, otherwise the longer we wait the lower our chances of success." B'Elanna said. There was a time she would have been angry about being second guessed like this, but know she didn't let her annoyance show.
"Besides, their shields aren't charged for battle now, this our best shot at getting the drop on them.
"Can I assume that you will engage them regardless of what we decide?" Janeway asked.
"We're going to take the ship on the left." B'Elanna confirmed. "If you decide to go into battle with us I suggest you redirect all available power to your rear shields after we get passed them."
"We'll take the ship on the right." Janeway agreed to the plan begrudgingly. It really was the best option they had at the moment.
Legaia closed the link as the shuttle bay opened and they exited Voyager. With this many ships it was hard to say how long they would survive if at all, but if they did both ships would in all likelihood need considerable repairs.
"Alright Legaia target the ship on the left. Aim for the deflector array. We only have one shot at this before they figure out what's going on." B'Elanna instructed as they jumped to high warp, closely followed by Voyager.
"Target locked." Legaia said as it brought up an image of the enemy ship, "firing photon torpedoes."
Legaia didn't wait to see if the torpedoes did the appropriate amount of damage. It jumped to high warp leaving the three hybrids to watch the view screen and confirm the hit.
"It worked!" B'Elanna said with a smile. "The D'Larma ship is out of commission."
"How did Voyager fair?" Seven asked.
The view screen immediately changed to Voyager and the ship they were facing. They had also taken out their target but instead of moving off immediately after firing they had waited to make sure they hit their target. The paid for it with a couple of blasts from the enemy phasers but most of it was taken by their shields before they took off.
"Legaia reduce speed until Voyager is caught up with us." B'Elanna instructed. They both would need to be in close proximity to each other when the D'Larma figured out what happed and started chasing them.
"The remaining D'Larma ships are pursuing us, and the first pack has most likely deduced our location. They have altered course, and will reach us in approximately two hours." Legaia calculated as Voyager caught up with them.
"Match Voyager's speed Legaia," B'Elanna instructed. "We may need the extra power later." She said knowing that Legaia could easily move faster than Voyager and hold that speed for prolonged periods of time.
Legaia reduced speed as it began to calculate all the data she had about the D'Larma. "We must disable the remaining two ships as quickly as possible. They are only using light armor and heavy weapons. If we can avoid a direct hit from their phasers or torpedoes we can survive relatively unharmed."
"Hail Voyager." B'Elanna instructed. Legaia immediately activated its view screen to show the bridge of Voyager.
"The other two D'Larma ships are chasing us." Janeway pointed out as the view screen activated.
"I've noticed." B'Elanna said dryly. "We were able to scan the ships. They're packing light armor and heavy weapons. I think our best chance to get out of this is to deal with both of them now and do whatever repairs we can before we have to deal with the first pack."
"Deal with them now?" Janeway asked. "In case you haven't noticed they took our shields down to 56 with one hit from their phasers. I don't even want to think about what they can do to us if we give them a chance to fire their torpedoes.
"Their shields are light, which means they can take damage the same as us, and the way things are going we aren't going to survive a fight with four ships." B'Elanna pointed out.
"We can still try to outrun them. We still have some time before the first pack catches up with us." Janeway pointed out.
"The first pack has already deduced our location and have altered course. They will arrive in less than two hours." Seven said, repeating what Legaia had said earlier.
"Two hours?" Paris asked. "And they're going to be tougher than the two we're already running from?"
"Correct." Seven said.
"What are we going to do?" Paris asked. "Do you think that we have enough in the engines to stay out of their weapons range at least?"
"No, Voyager can't maintain maximum warp long enough to reach the D'Rama. You can't go much faster than cruising speed or you'll use up all the power and be sitting ducks for when the D'Larma catch up with you." B'Elanna said. If Voyager still had the alien technology from the Socadan this would have been a lot easier.
"You keep saying that 'we' can't go fast enough." Chakotay pointed out. "Can you go fast enough to outrun them?"
"Legaia is faster than the D'Larma ships." Seven confirmed.
"Then why are you staying here?" Harry asked without thinking about it. "Why haven't you tried to escape them?"
"If we leave, the D'Larma will kill you." Seven said bluntly. Seven's statement silenced the bridge crew. The hybrids were not willing to abandon them when they had so easily done it to them. It gave a few of them hope that one day they would be forgiven.
Legaia ended the quiet moment as it veered to the side as a phaser blast past by where it was only moments before. It reminded everyone that they were in a battle that they very well might loose their lives to.
Voyager moved away from Legaia as well. The other ship was targeting them, the phaser just grazing its shields as it moved out of the way.
Both ships broke communication after that. Maintaining communications and fighting the enemy ships would have been difficult at best.
"Legaia, target the ship that fired on us, try to take out their phaser banks." B'Elanna ordered.
"Acknowledged," Legaia said as it fired its own phasers at the enemy ship. "Direct hit, enemy shields down to 87."
"This isn't working," B'Elanna growled in frustration. "Even with light shields this battle is going to take too long. We only beat the other two ships because we surprised them."
"Maybe we can surprise them again." Naomi suggested.
"What do you mean?" B'Elanna asked. "They already know where we are and where we're going."
"If they're anything like Seven says they are they'll probably run as soon as it looks like the sides have evened out." Naomi explained. "I remember a report I did on Commander Riker. The Enterprise was ordered to take part in a training exercise. The Enterprise was supposed to have a mock battle against an all but decommissioned ship."
"That doesn't really seem fair." B'Elanna interrupted to point out.
"It wasn't supposed to be." Naomi continued. "It was a test to see what they would do if they were ever in a situation that they didn't have the fastest ships, or the most weapons.
Riker was able to trick enterprise by creating sensor ghosts of other ships. Enterprise's sensors couldn't tell the difference between them and an actual ship. We could do the same thing." Naomi said excitedly.
"Your plan is impressive." Seven complimented. "The D'Larma will not engage in a battle if the risks out weigh the potential gains. We can also generate false images and make it look as if they are being transmitted by our 'Armada.'"
"Let's do it." B'Elanna agreed. "Legaia hail Voyager."
The bridge of Voyager appeared again on the view screen. Everyone appeared to be in relatively good health, and they had not taken any obvious injuries.
"We have a plan." B'Elanna said simply.
"At this point I'm willing to try just about anything." Janeway said as Voyager shook from a phaser blast.
"We're going to use some advanced sensor ghosts to make it look like we have an Armada coming in to back us up." B'Elanna explained. She knew that she didn't have time to give a more detailed explanation so she settled for the simplest.
"How do you propose to accomplish that?" Tuvok asked calmly.
"There really isn't time to explain." Naomi said. "Just don't be surprised when the Armada shows up and begins to communicate." Naomi finished as the communication ended.
"Captain," the communication officer of the Warship Draxus said alarmed. "I am detecting a large group of ships in the nebula ahead. They match the technology of the smaller ship."
Captain Malokus paled slightly. They had discovered that the smaller ships was the more dangerous of the two, having to deal with more of them may be more trouble than they were worth, two of their ships had already been rendered helpless.
"How many ships are waiting for us?" Malokus asked.
"27 ships Captain, many of them larger and putting off a much larger weapons signature." The communications officer announced.
Malokus was silent for a moment as he considered his options. He wasn't like most of his other people in the sense that he would go into needless battles, and he knew when to back down. It was why he had lasted as long as he had, and only had to have minor repairs done to his ship.
On the other hand two of the ships he was traveling with were damaged. It didn't matter what way he looked at it, it was still an insult to his hunting skill to not have seen the attack.
"Captain we are being haled, audio only." The communications officer said. "I believe it is the lead ship of the Armada."
"Answer them."
"You have attacked one of our ships and our ally." A scratchy voice sounded over the bridge. "You will stand down immediately or we will attack."
"Your people have damaged two of my ships. I demand reparations." Malokus said, not about to loose face.
"You are in no position to demand anything. We are only moments away from our people, where we will destroy you, if you do not leave immediately. You have obviously scanned us, and know we have the weapons to easily defeat you."
"Why would you give us this chance to escape?" Malokus asked suspiciously. If the situation was reversed he knew that he would not be making the same offer.
"We are not like you. We do not wish to do battle with every species we com across. We are only interested in protecting our own." The voice answered simply.
"Who are you? We can not even see your face. What shall we tell others when they ask about this day?" Malokus tried to get as much information as he could out of them.
"Tell them what ever you wish. The next time we meet any of your kind we will leave a more lasting reason not to do battle with us." The voice said with supreme confidence.
After a long moment Malokus couldn't ignore the facts. "We have been out maneuvered break off pursuit." He said to his crew. "There is no shame in backing down to a superior force."
Janeway couldn't hide her smile as she listened to the communication that Legaia was sending.
She had made some bold moved herself, but nothing that compared to this. If she didn't know it was a bluff she would have believed it herself.
The last words of the D'Larma Captain were priceless. "There is no shame in backing down to a superior force."
If only they knew the truth of it.
"We're being haled by Legaia." Harry said, also unable to hold back a smile at the bluff.
"Put it on screen." Janeway said as she straightened herself up a bit.
She was surprised to be met with serious faces of the hybrids. She had thought for sure that if anyone would be happy about the new turn of events it would be them.
"You're bluff worked, they turned tail and ran, and pretty soon they're going to be out of our sensor range." Janeway said.
"You are forgetting the original D'Larma we faced." Seven pointed out.
"We still have some time before we have to deal with them, besides we can just use those sensor ghosts of yours."
"It will not work. We have insulted them. They will not stop until they catch us, regardless of their own well being." Seven said.
"We didn't loose that much time." Tom said.
"My calculations were based on our rate of speed. We had to stop while we used the sensor ghosts. They will arrive in less than one hour." Seven said gravely.
To Be Continued…