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Here We Stand
Chapter 12
Red Key Mission
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Personal Log Supplemental:
Having a fully crewed Klingon Battleship that had been disguised as a Tanker was a fun ride for me and I believe T'Pol. My code breaker worked exceptionally well we didn't trigger any of the tripwires that would have started the self-destruct, core wipes, or any other of a few hundred contingencies.
It allowed us full control of the ship's computer and access to all the Intel the ship had. House Mogh liked to disguise the number of battleships they had and guarded the number like a momma bear protects her cub. It also allowed them to move unmolested through Klingon Space after all what fear would a warrior have from a garbage scow.
Clever really.
It also allowed me to get a real look at the photonic torpedoes, the shield generator, and its schematics. These Klingons for all their barbarian accoutrement are very adept at the higher sciences and while their engines throw out radiation like coloured streamers at a ticker-tape parade the shield systems were comprehensive in their coverage and economic in their power consumption.
It's ingenious that the shields are split into sections that all overlap at the boom neck of the ship. Means that they effectively negated the supposed weakness in their ship design it's ingenious whoever designed it was very aware of the weaknesses in the Klingon design and armour schemes.
But it's the photonic torpedoes where the Klingons proved to be masterful in their design the targeting system alone is a work of art I could… Computer pause recording Log.
Personal Log ended at 13:45 pm.
Horatio stopped recording as the ship's PA whistle sounded a moment later the familiar ones of a slightly annoyed Captain Archer sounded out over the system.
"This is the Captain our detour to Risa has unfortunately been postponed Commander Smith please report to the Bridge."
Horatio tapped the button on his comm.
"Smith to Bridge I am on my way."
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"Oh my god." Said Horatio as he turned away from the garishly bright shirt of Commander Tucker. The sudden jolt from his voice drew the eye of the majority of the bridge crew "that should come with a hazard warning."
"eye-catching ain't it." He smiled straightening it and tuning slightly each way to give Horatio the full view of the shirt. "I picked this beauty up at Fort Lauderdale spring break graduation year."
"you must have been very lonely that summer." Tucker looked mildly annoyed
"Actually, this beauty got me a lot of present company."
"well, there is no accounting for taste." He said as he reached his station revealing the ensign and taking his seat. "so, is there a reason I was called here besides looking at that eyesore." He asked, folding his arms expectantly.
"we've been contacted by Star Fleet Command Admiral Forest has a request from the Vulcan High Command."
"interesting, what kind of request." Came the southern Drawl of Commander Tucker
"they've had an issue with one of their ambassadors on the planet Mazar we're to pick her up and bring her to Vulcan."
"not to a rendezvous but to Vulcan itself?" asked T'Pol
"that's what they said." T'pol nodded but Horatio could see a flicker of something cross her brow for a moment like she knew that that was incorrect but couldn't speak about it.
"I'll have the security teams begin VIP protocol and get a volunteer to be her steward." He said looking towards the nodding Vulcan. "is there any preference for room or meals that should be dealt with asap so that she is comfortable on her journey."
"That's a heck of a detour to get to Vulcan at Warp 5," said Travis as he turned to look at the command officers with a look of concern.
"their nearest ship is over a week and a half away at their top speed, and they're diverting a ship to try and meet us but it may not reach us before were with in Vulcan space in three days." He said with a sigh "Mazar is in a very out of the way location for the Vulcans they said they'll keep us informed if anything changes."
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The Planet Mazar was nothing special it was right in the middle of class M like the earth with only a slightly higher level of pollution, but they were in a hurry to get rid of the Enterprise.
"Sir, I think that they don't like us." Said Travis moments after the transmission from the planet's president had ended.
"nonsense Ensign, we're just too pretty they're intimidated by us." Said Drag, he had been on station at the operations console as Horatio was preparing for the Ambassador's arrival.
"I think something is going on." Said Reed his well leaned paranoia was practically screaming at him.
"I think we'll need a bit more cation on this one Malcolm."
"Understood sir."
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Horatio hadn't met the ambassador, but he had heard that she was surprisingly warm for a Vulcan or even a human for that matter. Not that he had any time to know since Archer was playing diplomat, he had been in charge not something he minded but this mission was too soon. He had to consider whether or not the butterfly effect had made most of his future knowledge useless.
"Sir." He was brought out of his musing by Malcolm, he turned to look at the man whose eyes were locked on his tactical sensor screen. "Long-range sensors have detected an unknown ship at extreme range, according to the trajectory they seem to have come from Mazar."
"Run it through the Vulcan war book."
"analysing now."
"ship reads as a Mazarite Heavy Cruiser." He looked again to verify something "its military markings have been removed even the nameplate."
"oh, that's not suspicious at all is it." He said his voice seething with sarcasm "yellow alert." He ordered the neutral lights shifted to an amber hew as he tapped the PA system "Captain to the bridge." Horatio stood and walked to his station as he sat the bulkhead door opened and the Captain entered followed by T'Pol.
"what have we got."
"Mazarite Heavy Cruiser on our tale and closing." Said Malcolm he had his hand close to the weapons control expecting trouble.
"We aren't expecting an escort, are we?" asked Archer turning to Hoshi and T'Pol
"none was offered nor requested Captain." Replied his Vulcan officer
"there hailing us sir." Said Hoshi
"I apologise for this unexpected call captain but there has been a change of plans regarding Ambassador V'Lar."
"We were not informed of any change." The Captain gave a subtle nod to Hoshi who jumped into action immediately his hands dancing over the communications console.
"they have been an attack on our long-range communications systems on the planet the Separatists are connected to the Ambassador I've been tasked to bring her back for more questioning."
He turned to Hoshi who signed him that communications were blocked by the ship and there was no way to get around it. The Captain nodded slightly before he began formulating a plan his thumb tapping the hidden key card around his neck.
"I don't want to be any more of an inconvenience if you'll just hand her over, I'll be out of your way."
"your magistrate was in a hurry to get rid of her."
"I'm just a soldier, I don't pretend to know what goes on in the mind of a politician too many shadow games and backstabbing for me,"
"I'll have to contact my government for verification." The man's demeanour changed and the smile on his face twisted slightly sending alarm bells and lightning down the captain's spine.
"I don't think that's necessary."
"I am just a simple starship captain." He smiled; Malcolm raised an eyebrow with a small smirk. "do you think they would trust me to make these kinds of decisions." The Mazarite captain smiled again before cutting the communications.
"there going to fight us aren't they." Sighed Archer as he sat in his command chair.
"they're charging weapons." Said Malcolm a moment later the console beeping out a warning
"Charge the weapons and polarise the hull plating." He pinched the bridge of his nose before he took a deep breath leaning back in his seat, the impact of weapons against the hull shook the ship. "target their engines and weapons then accelerate us to Warp factor 4"
The twin amber beams of the aft phase cannons punched through their shields system with contemptuous ease, the weapons system was the first target eliminating the offensive capabilities then the twin beams lanced through the ship's nacelles blowing off one and piercing through the other the heavy cruiser dropped out of warp and the Enterprise speed away leaving the attacker in its wake.
"we're at Warp 4 sir."
"Good now let's get some answers." Said the Captain as he walked to the door "Horatio you have the bridge call me if we get more visitors." He said as the bulkhead closed
"Aye Sir."
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Horatio spent the better part of his shift in the command chair as Archer went Nancy Drew and investigated what was happening. Apparently, the Government of Mazar was so heavily corrupted that they made Chicago in the 20s seem like an ideal governmental utopia.
V'Lar had been asked by various police and military officials to clean up the planet from the influence of both foreign and domestic criminal organisations the largest influence was that of the Orion syndicate which was a bit of a shock as Mazar is nowhere near the main haunts for that kind of scum.
As Horatio was about to hand off the command Mal spoke up as his console beeped a warning.
"weapons discharge."
"what?" the impact had forced Horatio from his feet he landed heavily on his front his head bouncing off the metallic bulkhead with a meaty thud. "Red Alert, Weapons free return fire, Polarise the hull plating and someone gets Archer up here." He roared as he got to unsteady feet it took a moment for his eyes to focus but he could see the change in lighting.
"sensors are having trouble locking onto the ships attempting to compensate."
"keep fire rate up so they keep their distance."
"what the hell is going on." Shouted archer as he zipped his uniform closed from the mid-chest to the collar. T'Pol had gotten to her station and was already going through some sensor readings.
"Ambush sir." Said Malcolm as Horatio made it back to the ops station. "they're using a sensor scrambler I'm trying to compensate."
"The jammers are using a specific frequency for a human ship." Archer turned to her in astonishment
"what! How is that even possible?"
"They may have gotten their hands on a nebular type ship's sensor equipment." Said Horatio as he combined the two readings, "switching frequencies now."
"I have a hard target lock, firing." He smiled as the weapons discharged "direct hit one ship damaged but not slowing down."
"how many are there."
"three Mazarite ships and two Orion."
"Long odds." He said as he wiped his lower jaw "you know Mazarite ships what's their top speed." He asked as he approached T'Pol
"Comparable to Starfleet I do not believe they have exceeded warp 5" once again his hand touched the key card. Turning he sat on his chair and Horatio noticed the Captain pull out the device.
"Sir, we still haven't tested the upper levels yet."
"no time like the present Commander." He said simply, "Mayweather." He called out; the ensign turned to face him "it's time." T'Pol looked intrigued at the device the captain brandished at the young ensign.
"aye, sir." He nodded gravely
"Archer to Engineering prepare for Red Key activation."
"engineering acknowledged"
"Insert Key card in three." He said as he hovered the key above its slot "two, one." Simultaneously the keys were entered and the warp throttle on Mayweather's console seemed to raise from its slot and allowed him to move the throttle even farther forward.
"Warp 5," said Travis, "5.5" he called as the ship began to vibrate slightly "Warp 6" the vibration wasn't drastic, but it was increasing "Warp 6.5"
"they're eating our dust sir."
"Engineering how long can we keep this speed."
"About six hours Captain." Came Trips voice
"if we hold this speed for the next hour, they'll never catch us."
"time to Vulcan."
"three Days at Warp 5.5." Said Mayweather
"keep an eye on our friends and anything ahead of us I don't want more surprises."
"aye, Sir."