Chapter Title: TheSincerest Form of Flattery

Chapter Synapses: Hyperion is charged with robbery from several planets all while docked at a starbase. Starwind and Nechiev's associate, Commander Romana Maher, lead an investigation.

Written by: Seraph Koji

A curator led a group to another exhibit in the museum on Argos III. "This is the most sacred treasure in our museum. It's called the Argon Heart, it's a giant ruby that was passed down through royal families on our planet, much like the crown jewels on Earth." She turned her back to it, "Of course, it is the best guarded artifact in our entire museum." Ironically, as she said this, the jewel dematerialized.

"Argos II Guard to Federation Starship, please return the item to the museum." A security officer sat at the controls of an orbital defense platform.

A man with shoulder-length blond hair appeared on the console display, smiling, "I am Victor Starwind of the Federation starship Hyperion. We will be allowed to leave orbit or we will obliterate your insignificant world." Of course, the bridge behind him looked nothing like Hyperion's.

There was a chime at Starwind's ready room door, "Come." He said. It was Aleena Nechiev. "Admiral!" He stood, "Can I get you anything?"

"Victor, there's a warrant out for your arrest." Nechiev sat down at his desk, "Actually, several."

"Umm… what?" Starwind was confused.

Shortly after, Nechiev and another woman, a human with reddish hair, stood before Hyperion's senior officers. "Hyperion has spent a week here at Starbase 331. In that time seven planets have reported robbery or robbery and homicide committed by the rouge vessel USS Hyperion and her pirate of a captain, Victor Starwind, who they describe as a blond man with an English accent."

Collins shot a glance at Starwind, who fir neither of these pieces of information.

"That's why I'm here." The slightly aged Irish Commander explained, "We can't have Victor Starwind hailing planets he robbed, can we?"

Keriasso had to ask, "Why do we have to be the ship to investigate?"

"Because I want to be the one to catch these imposters." Starwind replied, "Besides, if they actually have a – what did the aliens call it – Vixnavis? We need to be there to make sure their wormhole generator is disabled."

"Starfleet Command agrees with the Captain." Nechiev concurred.

There was a silence while the officers thought over the delicate situation.

"All right." West broke the silence, "Someone's out there pretending their us, I say we take the fight to them! I say we go get 'em!"

"I like the sound of that." VonBach nodded in agreement.

"Are we all in favor, then?" Collins asked, looking about the conference room.

"Good, Ivano, set course for Argos III, that's where our investigation will begin. Romana, familiarize yourself with Hyperion, you need to look like you're in command. Dorian, assist Commander Maher. VonBach, I want us at Yellow Alert once we arrive at Argos III. Winters, escort the Admiral to the Transporter Room." Starwind ordered, "Dismissed."

As people filed out of the room, VonBach approached Starwind, "Sir, if their ship is identical to ours, their weapon systems might be as well."

"If that's the case, how could pirates get that kind of information?" Starwind said, a hint of worry in his voice, "Talara should monitor all long-range communications. And I want the guards around the access points to the Fusion Catalyst armed with better weapons than hand phasers. I'm sure you can come up with something."

Photon torpedoes struck the surface of the planet. As people ran, screaming, from their homes and great buildings burst into trillions of pieces, a monument in the center of town dissolved into a beam of energy.

"Enrique!" A woman on the fake Hyperion's bridge screamed, "We're thieves, not mass murderers."

"Melissa, darling, you're so right" The fake Starwind smiled, "Orlov, leave the rest down there still alive. I want them to be able to say who destroyed this city on Angel One."

"Receiving a distress call from Angel One." Talara infromed them, "It's just saying their under attack."

"It's on our way, Captain." Collins urged.

Maher was less enthused, "Sir, we should stay on our course. There are other ships to deal with that."

Talara interrupted again, "I'm reading a ship at high warp leaving Angel One."

"Your protest is noted, Commander Maher." Starwind said, nodding to Collins, "Ensign, set an intercept course, maximum warp."

"Another ship is closing on us." Orlov reported, "It's Hyperion."

"Enguage the Marauder circuit." Enrique ordered.

The pilot, a man named Angelo Tessoni, frantically reported, "Marauder circuit can't engage. We've suffered damage to that area from Angel One's defenses."

"What is it Starfleet people say, Angelo?" Melissa asked.

Tessoni winced, "Red alert."

"Red alert!" Starwind called, "Romana, in my ready room. Open a channel to Angel One. Tell Beata – that's who you'll want to speak to – that your ship has engaged the renegade Hyperion."

"Won't we be identified when we hail them?" Maher asked.

"Phral tinkered with our communications relay." Starwind said. He then immersed himself in the impending battle, "VonBach, bring those rail guns online. Time to take 'em for a test drive."

"Hail them." Collins ordered to Talara.

Enrique appeared on the viewer.

"Captain Starwind, I presume?" Starwind asked.

Enrique smiled, "Yes. And you are?"

Starwind's eyes were sharp and narrow, "I am Captain Victor Starwind of the Federation starship Hyperion." He said coldly and forcefully.

Taken by surprise, Enrique looked shocked, "Is that so?"

"Prepare to be boarded." Starwind hissed.

Enrique stood next to Tessoni, "Where is the nearest ship junkyard."

"Raxes VI." Tessoni replied, "Half an hour at maximum warp."

"Orlov, can you disable Hyperion's engines?" Melissa asked.

Orlov smiled a VonBach-worthy smile, "I can try."

Hyperion's bridge rocked, "VonBach, fire all foreword rail guns." Starwind ordered. From several of Hyperion's phaser arrays short bursts of energy rapidly shot forward toward the false Hyperion.

"They've target our warp nacelles. With a virteron pulse!" Winters looked over her shoulder toward the front of the bridge, "Evasive maneuvers, sir. Now!"

"You heard her." Starwind relayed the order to Ivano.

"It's no good!" Talara called. The ship shook wildly and lights flickered. Lights came back up, but some panels on the bridge had shut off. On the viewer, the phony Hyperion jumped to warp.

Winters sighed, "It was a polarized virteron pulse. It tore our warp field. It'll take at least an hour to repair the damage to the nacelles."

"Watch that ship, Talara. I want to know where it's going." Starwind went for his ready room. "Is Romana still in there?"

"Yes, sir." Talara reported.

"Right." Starwind inhaled deeply and entered.

"Captain's log, stardate 57759.9. Due to some impressive guerrilla tactics used by the pirate ship, we've lost them. I can't say that I appreciate the pirates' imitation of Hyperion. Talara is convinced they've gone to a ship graveyard a short distance away, but with repairs having taken this long, I fear the next time we hear about the pirate ship will be after they rob another world. Now that repairs near completion, however, I plan to follow Lieutenant Talara's lead."

"This is weird." Talara reported, "I'm not picking up the fake Hyperion, but I am reading a warp signature What's even stranger is the high levels of photonic emissions I'm reading near the warp signature."

"Like…" Ivano looked behind him, "Like holographic something?"

Red Alert sirens blared as VonBach, with great precision, sliced an inbound quantum torpedo in half. "We're under attack."

"From where?" Starwind asked.

VonBach shrugged, "I can't track it. The guidance system was set to weave through the ship graveyard until it came for us."

Maher glanced at Starwind, "Captain, I seem to remember a story about an early Romulan technology. A ship lined with holographic emitters on the outer hull."

"Marauders." Starwind nodded. He paused, understanding, "I get it! You think this 'Hyperion' is a Marauder-class?"

"The question remains," Collins interjected, "How do we expose the ship?"

Winters responded instantly, "Let's take a page from their book. Use a more passive tactic first. We fire off Dyseric pulses from our deflector."

"A Dyseric pulse will fry a holographic emitter!" Phral cheered, "I can do it."

"As soon as a ship reacts, VonBach, I went a weapons lock. Fire off whatever you can." Starwind stood, "Winters, assemble a security team to take their bridge. Ivano, start flying through this field. Phral, fire the pulses."

"And when we find the ship?" Collins asked.

Starwind grinned, "Disable the shields, arrest the bridge crew. Drag the Marauder to a starbase." He paused, "Talara, broadcast on all subspace frequencies."

"You're on."

"Hyperion to Marauder. Is that the name of your ship? What the hell do you call is?" He paused, "Well, we're calling it Marauder. And we know about your holographic technology. Stealing age-old abandoned Romulan tactics. Clever. Not clever enough." Starwind smiled, "You're here. You shot us when we came out of warp. Probably a bit jumpy."

"We have a reaction to the pulse." Phral replied.

Maher turned, "Fire on that ship, Commander!"

"Bridge to Transporter Room 2, as soon as your clear, energize." Starwind ordered.

Multiphasic bursts, torpedoes, and phaser fire crashed into the Marauder.

"Shields are down. Winters is away." Talara reported.

Starwind sat down. A grin swept his face, "We win."

"Captain's log, supplemental. What looked like a mad dash after our replica turned into a hunt for a ship that could change its form. But now that we captured the Marauder, and arrested her crew, we have returned to Starbase 331. We now intend to hand the stolen goods, prisoners and ship over to Admiral Nechiev. She plans to have the hull emitter technology analyzed by Federation scientists. Also, we say a fond farewell to Commander Maher. Her help was invaluable."