Contact
U.S.S. Enterprise
Picard walked out of his ready room and sat on the bridge. Riker got up and walked up the ramp to take his position beside the tactical officer. Picard had to admit that he was excited. For the first time in over 20 years, a potential first contact mission! The very reason that he joined Starfleet until that damn war ruined everything.
Lt. Commander Data monitored all communications channels from his console. No one expected to receive anything on subspace. The same could not be said, however, for tachyon-based channels. There was still much to learn about the races' communications in this universe, though enough was currently understood to enable communications.
"Admiral, we have received a tachyon-based distress signal originating from the Orion system, audio-only and in English."
"Put it on speakers, Mr. Data."
"This is Commander Ivanova on White Star 1. We have just been attacked by a Shadow vessel and require immediate assistance. We have sustained heavy damage and are unable to escape. We request immediate assistance from any friendly ships in range. Proceed with extreme caution as the Shadow vessel is still in the area."
Picard turned to look at Riker. "Admiral, do we respond to this distress signal? Given our current situation, it's risky."
"Agreed, Commander. However, if we ignore this call for help, we would be turning our backs on one of our core values as Starfleet officers. I don't believe that our situation is quite so desperate." Picard chose not to express the rest of his thoughts; the word 'yet' was left unsaid.
Picard then turned to face the viewscreen. "Mr. Data, contact the other ships and place them on the main viewer."
"Channel opened, Sir."
On the main viewer appeared the bridges of the Phoenix and the Destiny. Picard noted the expressions on the faces of each Captain. They'd obviously received the same distress signal, and he wanted their input.
"Captains, you have both listened to the distress signal. I am inclined to respond as we would in our universe. I would like to hear your thoughts. Captain Maxwell?"
"Admiral, needless to say, I have strong reservations about entering a potential combat situation against an unknown enemy in an unknown universe." Maxwell looked down for a moment while he tried to collect his thoughts. "However, we are Starfleet officers and obligated to respond to a distress signal. I suggest formulating a battle strategy to reduce our exposure."
Garrett then shared her thoughts. "Admiral, I had hoped that our first interaction with the local races would be on more friendly terms. Unfortunately, that doesn't seem possible now. I agree with both of you. We cannot ignore that distress signal."
Picard nodded. "Very well. We will enter the Orion system in a delta formation. I want each ship to maintain a distance of 300,000 KM port and starboard. The Enterprise will lead. We will feed each ship targeting data if we enter combat. Captain Garrett, you will hail this White Star 1 once we have secured the area. Hopefully, we arrive in time to save the ship."
Both captains responded with "Yes, Sir."
"Very well. All ships are to maintain Yellow alert until we enter the Orion system. Once we are in the system, we'll go to battle stations. Picard out."
The viewscreen went blank, and Picard turned and returned to his seat.
"Mr. Crusher, plot a course to the Orion system, warp 8. Engage."
White Star 1
- A few minutes later-
The situation on White Star 1 was grim. The scene on the bridge told the whole story. Life support was working overtime as the system tried to remove all the smoke from the bridge. Several consoles were no longer functional; their previous operators were injured and no longer fit for duty. Conduits and wiring hung from the ceiling. Several bulkheads had buckled. By all accounts, this hadn't been much of a battle despite their best efforts. The Shadow vessel was too strong for them, and there was very little chance they would survive until help arrived.
Ivanova was a fighter, always had been, even when fighting wasn't necessarily the best course of action. She looked around the bridge and then down at her uniform. It was dirty and torn in several places. She had more than a couple of bruises and, hopefully, just a sprained wrist. "Damage report!" After that last hit, she knew what Marcus was going to say.
"That last hit knocked out the starboard engine. We only have thrusters left."
"That ship is toying with us. It's picking us apart, trying to make us suffer. We won't last much longer," whispered a somber Ivanova.
Ivanova could hear Minbari voices all over the bridge. She couldn't speak the language, so she could only guess it wasn't anything good.
U.S.S. Enterprise
"Admiral, we are entering the Orion system."
"Slow to impulse. Battle stations! Mr. Data, status?"
The always calm android responded. "Sensors detect two ships in the system. Configurations are unknown."
"Life signs?"
"The larger ship has one life sign: human. The smaller ship has 112 unknown and two human life signs."
"Well, that answers one mystery," offered Riker upon hearing about human life signs.
"Indeed, Commander," Picard agreed.
As the Federation starships moved further into the Orion sector, they witnessed the shadow vessel attack the White Star.
"Tactical assessment Mr. Avarak" ordered Picard.
"The White Star is heavily damaged. Main power is offline. Weapons are offline. Life support is stable for the moment. The other ship is undamaged. Sensors indicate that the larger ship's weapons can cause significantly more damage than we are witnessing. Neither ship has shields."
"So, they are trying to prove a point to the people on the White Star?" asked Riker.
"That would be my assessment, Sir."
"Mr. Data, hail the black ship," ordered Picard.
"No response, Sir."
The Shadow ship fired once again on the White Star. Parts and debris could be seen floating away.
Picard decided that he had seen enough.
"Very well. Stand by for Attack Pattern Alpha. Attack on my command."
"Aye, Sir."
"Any response to our hails?"
"No, Sir. Sir, the black ship is moving in our direction. It appears to be on an attack vector."
"Prepare to engage. All ships. Attack Pattern Alpha. Increase speed to 1/3 impulse. If it fires, fire at will."
Shadows
The Shadow vessel was surprised when three unknown ships appeared without a jump point. It would wait to destroy the White Star after it dealt with the new arrivals.
It would use the same battle plan that was just used to disable the White Star. It would then analyze the new vessels' remains to determine where they came from and their origin race.
U.S.S. Enterprise
"Admiral, the ship has fired on us. No damage. It used the same low power that was employed on the other ship. It did not account for our shields."
"Acknowledged Mr. Data." Picard opened a channel to the fleet. "All ships, fire at will."
The three starships each attacked from a different vector, effectively surrounding the Shadow vessel. The effects were noticeable.
"Admiral, several direct hits have been confirmed. Phaser fire is having a limited effect. The points of impact change phase and disappear, leaving a hole at the point of contact."
Shadows
The Shadow vessel quickly realized its mistake, which had led to multiple holes in its hull. The new ships were protected by an energy field capable of deflecting the energy from its beam weapon. The victory was no longer assured. Now, survival was all that mattered. Before beginning their conquest, the homeworld must be informed of these new ships. From now on, it would use its weapons at maximum power to win this battle.
U.S.S. Phoenix
Maxwell noticed the limited effectiveness of his phasers. A change in tactics was required.
"Direct hit from the enemy ship. Attack was significantly higher than before. Shields down 10%."
"Captain, order from Enterprise. Attack Pattern Bravo."
"Helm, move us into a flanking position. 1/2 impulse."
"Aye, sir."
Moments later. "Captain, we're in position."
"Tactical, fire a spread of four torpedoes."
The Shadow vessel never knew what hit it. The strategy to focus on the destruction of a single ship proved to be its undoing. It was overmatched by one Starfleet ship. Against three, it had no chance. The vessel ceased to exist when it was hit by four fast-moving photon torpedoes, followed by another four from the Enterprise. The anti-matter explosion completely removed any trace of the ship.
"Well done, everyone. Inform Enterprise that we would like to execute a standard patrol of the area, just in case there are other enemy forces in the area."
"Admiral Picard approves. He will contact us with further instructions once they've contacted the damaged ship."
Ben Maxwell felt alive again. None of their ships were damaged, they had lost no crew members, and they were about to contact a local race. For the first time in a long time, he had hope. They had rescued a ship and made a difference. He started to like their chances.
U.S.S. Destiny
The battle had been brief. Garrett would have preferred that their first engagement with a native government had been outside of combat. Unfortunately, the Shadow attack made that impossible. No, with that behind them, she would be able to play her part and demonstrate to the other ships what Starfleet should represent.
"Captain Garrett, it's your turn now. We'll be monitoring the system for enemy vessels."
"Acknowledged Enterprise. Garrett out."
"Mr. Castillo, open a channel to the White Star."
White Star 1
-A few minutes earlier-
"Susan, we've detected three new ships on scanners. No jump points were detected. They've engaged the Shadow vessel!"
"Show me!"
The 3-D display came to life, and three unusually shaped, gray ships could be seen firing on the Shadow vessel through the static-covered display.[RR8] Ivanova didn't recognize any of the ships, but she hoped they would survive the battle. Though she was happy that her death sentence had been temporarily commuted, she did not take comfort in causing the death of her unknown benefactors.
Minutes later, she witnessed the anti-matter explosion caused by the detonation of eight photon torpedoes. After the blast dissipated, the Shadow vessel ceased to exist.
"Marcus, what happened to the Shadow ship? That wasn't a nuclear explosion."
"No, Susan. Anti-matter. A very large anti-matter explosion."
"...and the Shadow vessel?"
"Disintegrated."
Ivanova didn't know what to think. She wasn't aware of any race with enough firepower to vaporize a Shadow vessel. All available intel was consistent with a single fact. No ship ever survived a Shadow attack.
"Magnify the front of the largest ship, near the running lights."
Ivanova let out a loud gasp. Marcus then said, "Are you seeing what I am seeing?"
The words U.S.S. ENTERPRISE NCC-1701-D could be seen in big, bold letters.
Ivanova collected her thoughts and wondered if she had just traded one devil for another. "I hope to God that those are not new Earthforce ships."
"We are receiving a transmission from one of the new ships," Marcus informed her.
Ivanova became a little nervous. These ships had simply appeared without the usual forming of a jump point. Her crew was still alive, and White Star 1 was still functional, barely. She hoped that the new arrivals were friendly.
"Put them on, Marcus."
"This is Commander Susan Ivanova of Babylon 5 commanding White Star 1. I would like to thank you for rescuing us from the Shadows."
U.S.S. Destiny
"First contact in a new universe," Rachel Garrett thought. She stood and turned to look at her crew with a smile. "This is why we're out here. To discover the unknown and to meet new races."
They had detected the human life signs, but Garrett was still a little surprised by Commander Ivanova's very Russian name, who also spoke English. If this wasn't the mirror universe, where were they?
On the main viewer appeared a very haggard-looking woman sitting on a wrecked bridge. A human male could be identified, standing just behind the seated woman. The remaining personnel on the bridge were unrecognized.
Garrett took a small breath to help settle her. "Greetings, Commander. I am Captain Rachel Garrett of the U.S.S. Destiny, representing The United Federation of Planets. We received your distress signal and decided to render assistance. Do you have any injuries that you require assistance with, or maybe require engineering assistance to effect repairs?"
Ivanovna was shocked to see this human woman staring at her on a ship with artificial gravity though relieved that she wasn't wearing an Earthforce uniform. She no longer believed that these ships were from Earthforce, but she was very uncomfortable with these unknown humans who possessed enough firepower to erase a Shadow vessel. Unfortunately, her options were severely limited. They needed help and fast just in case other Shadow vessels were en route.
"I'm sorry, Captain. I've never heard of The United Federation of Planets. What's the name of your colony? Did the Shadows also attack you? Are you looking for help to fight them?" She realized that she was rambling. However, she also realized that this might be the break they needed. The adrenaline rush from the battle hadn't yet worn off, which didn't help.
"Commander, it's a bit of a long story. We can discuss the details when we meet in person." Garrett paused for a second before she continued. "We regrettably had to destroy the vessel. They wouldn't answer our hails, and after their hostile intent became obvious, we defended ourselves and, in the process, destroyed their vessel."
"That's not surprising, Captain. The Shadows will speak with no one. They only seek to destroy."
Garrett realized that there was more going on here than expected. "I see. As I previously stated, my offer stands for assisting you with medical and engineering assistance. I would also like to meet in person to continue our conversation, when possible."
Ivanova thought about that for a second. They were vulnerable and exposed out here. On Babylon 5, she wouldn't hesitate to meet. Here, she was exposed, but they also needed help. They couldn't reach Babylon 5 without a working jump drive, nor could they survive another Shadow attack. "That would be appreciated, Captain. However, I'm unsure what condition our shuttle bay is currently in. We may not be able to launch or retrieve anything."
"That won't be a problem. We have transporter technology that allows site-to-site travel without shuttles."
"So, you say you can move people without shuttles?"
"Yes, that is correct."
"Captain, excuse me for a moment."
"No problem, Commander."
Babylon 5-CIC
Lt. Barnes was the on-duty Communications officer responsible for monitoring local and long-range communications. His workload steadily increased due to the ongoing stream of refugees coming to Babylon 5 caused by the sporadic Shadow attacks. His daily routine was steady, if not exciting, until now. "Lt. Barnes to Captain Sheridan."
Sheridan had just finished lunch with Delenn. Just as he reached for his jacket, his Comm badge beeped. "This is Sheridan, go,"
"Captain, we just received a distress signal from White Star 1. They are under attack from a Shadow vessel and are requesting immediate assistance."
Sheridan felt the blood drain from his face. Delenn held a small gasp when she heard the message. "Damn. That message is at least 15 minutes old. Thanks, Lt. I'll take care of it. Sheridan, out."
"Could you provide a couple of ships for a rescue and recovery mission?" Sheridan asked Delenn, who was seated next to him. "If we're lucky, they might find a few survivors."
"Of course, John. I will inform the Alyts." Delenn felt Sheridan's pain. She respected and liked Ivanova, Marcus, and most of the White Star crew. This loss wouldn't help their cause at all.
"Thank you. Let's talk later when your ships arrive on the scene. We need to discuss our next steps."
Delenn nodded. "I understand."
White Star 1
"Marcus, what do you think? Should we trust them?"
"Honestly, Susan, what choice do we have? We can't stay here. Who knows if there are more Shadow ships in the area?"
She sighed. "I know. Good point. Open the channel."
"Captain, we would welcome any medical assistance. What do you need for this transporter?"
"We only need the coordinates for the person to be transported. We will take care of the rest."
"Do you know anything about Minbari physiology?" The blank look on Garrett's face provided the answer. "In that case, we will transmit information on the Minbari. I must also advise you that we shouldn't stay in this area. There may be more Shadow vessels nearby, and we would be unable to put up any sort of resistance. Rumor has it that Shadow vessels rarely travel alone. There might be enemy reinforcements en route, and I cannot stress this enough – you don't want to face the Shadows if you don't know what they can do. They're ruthless enough to destroy entire planets and have it out for the galaxy. If you could open a jump point, we'll be able to get to Babylon 5 under our own power."
Garrett looked at her and clearly didn't understand. "What's a jump point, and what is Babylon 5?"
Ivanova couldn't believe what she had just heard. Who doesn't know what a jump point is? "We open jump points to access hyperspace. Doesn't your ship have a jump drive? How do you access hyperspace?"
"We don't use jump drives or hyperspace. We use warp drives that create a subspace bubble that allows us to travel faster than light."
Ivanova didn't know what else to say, so she responded simply, "Ok. Babylon 5 is a space station built by EarthGov and formerly administered by Earthforce, but we have since declared independence from EarthGov. I am the XO of Babylon 5. It's in neutral space, so you don't have to worry about diplomatic issues. It was originally built by the Earth Alliance to be a diplomatic hub to prevent wars and misunderstandings. Let's just say that hasn't exactly worked out."
Garrett looked over at Sisko, who shared her surprised look. "Did you say Earth, Commander?"
"Yes. It's the home planet for humanity. You must have heard of it?"
"You could say that. I take it you're from Earth?"
"Yes, I'm from Earth and a member of Earthforce, or at least I used to be. Would it be possible to tow our ship to Babylon 5 using your warp drive?"
"Of course. Where is Babylon 5?"
"It's in the Epsilon Eridani system. I will transmit the coordinates."
"Thank you. We'll begin transporting your injured to our ship. Please let me know when you are available to meet in person, and I'll have you transported aboard my ship."
"Thank you, Captain. Stand by."
"Garrett to all transporter rooms. Begin beaming injured crew members from White Star 1 directly to sickbay."
White Star 1
Susan Ivanova had been accused of being paranoid more than once. As the excitement from the battle wore off, she quickly realized that she was moving too fast and trusting their 'saviors' a little too quickly. Now was the time for her to change tactics.
Before she could complete her thought, injured Minbari began to disappear from the bridge. Everyone stopped moving for a few moments, caught completely off-guard by the transporter beams. The Vree was known to have teleportation technology, but no one on the ship had ever seen it in action. The Minbari were becoming concerned by the technology possessed by these humans.
"Marcus, have the injured also been removed from sickbay?"
Marcus briefly reviewed the internal sensors. "Yes, Susan. All injured personnel has been removed from the ship."
"Marcus, I'm thinking I should delay meeting with them until we arrive at Babylon 5. We don't want to get ahead of ourselves just because we're in a tough spot." The Ranger sighed and moved towards the captain's chair, taking his position as her right-hand man. "Open a channel to Destiny."
"This is Captain Garrett. Go ahead, White Star 1."
Ivanova took a deep breath. "Captain, I think that we should delay our in-person meeting. It's not safe to remain here since there may be more Shadow ships around here, and we won't survive another attack."
The intensity of Ivanova's voice convinced Garret that ignoring this warning would be a mistake. "Understood. I'll inform the admiral. In the meantime, we will tow your ship to the Epsilon Eridani system."
"I'd appreciate it if you could take us to Babylon 5." Ivanova took a breath. "I think you should meet with my commanding officer and get briefed on the situation. These are dangerous times, and there are a lot of things happening around here that you should be aware of."
"What can you tell me about Babylon 5 and the surrounding system?"
This exchange wasn't going according to the plan that Garrett envisioned. She noticed the change in demeanor in the Commander. The Commander's mood changed from confident to paranoid to fearful. Whatever was going on here, they needed to know about it. "Well, we'll arrive in the system in two hours. I look forward to speaking with your captain. In the meantime, could you transmit language files for the Minbari? We have never encountered Minbari, so we are unfamiliar with their language. It would be helpful to communicate with our new patients."
"Of course, Captain. I'll also transmit language files for the other known races."
"Thank you, Commander. Contact us if you require any further assistance."
"Will do. Ivanova out." She motioned for the communications officer to cut the connection, then sank into her chair, utterly exhausted.
U.S.S. Destiny
Garrett took a moment to reflect on her conversation with Ivanovna. She tapped her fingers on the arms of her chair before turning to face her XO. "Commander, what are your thoughts on the exchange with our new friends?"
Commander Sisko, still getting used to his new position as Destiny's first officer, quickly assessed the situation. "She responded just as I would have. Even though we rescued her ship and crew, we could be an even worse enemy than the one that attacked her. She was shocked by our appearance and thought we might be from an unaffiliated Earth colony. She's exposed here and wants to return to a more predictable situation with reinforcements nearby. I'd say that she's a combat veteran – that level of caution is prudent without being excessive, especially in a war zone."
Garrett was impressed. She had hoped Sisko could provide valuable insight in areas that she was deficient in, and he delivered. There was no doubt in her mind that he was the right person for the job.
She turned to face the viewscreen again. "Ops, contact the Enterprise."
"Yes, Ma'am."
U.S.S. Enterprise
The Enterprise was still at battle stations, its crew ready for immediate action. Picard was dealing with an unknown enemy in a new universe. He had no intention of underestimating any adversary, especially given the limited resources at his disposal. He knew from bitter experience that a sufficiently determined enemy could easily overwhelm three or four starships.
Picard was reviewing the results from the battle on a PADD when…
"Admiral, incoming hail from Destiny."
Picard set the PADD on the arm of his chair. "On screen."
Rachel Garrett's face replaced the cold, unblinking stars. "Admiral, according to our new friends, the ship we destroyed belongs to a very violent race called the Shadows. More importantly, those ships rarely travel alone – more are likely en route to our position."
Commander Riker reviewed the tactical sensor data from both alien ships and looked at Picard. His 12 years of combat experience have helped him develop the ability to assess any situation and develop viable strategies quickly. "Then we most likely destroyed a scout vessel."
"My thoughts exactly, Commander," Picard quickly agreed.
Garrett continued. "Since her ship cannot travel faster than light (FTL), she requested that we tow her ship to their station, Babylon 5, in the Epsilon Eridani system. The Earth Alliance built the station." She saw the look of surprise on Picard's face. "Interesting, isn't it? We'll be able to meet her captain there. Commander Ivanova says he could give us a better picture of the current state of affairs in this part of the galaxy."
Picard nodded. "Do you think these Shadows are responsible for the destroyed planets we've encountered?" asked Picard.
"I'm not sure," Garrett answered honestly. "However, she was clearly frightened when talking about them. At this point, anything is possible."
Picard nodded. "Very well. Once underway, see what you can learn from this commander. I would like to have as much information as possible before we enter the Epsilon Eridani system."
"Yes, Sir. We'll signal you once we have a tractor beam on the White Star. Garrett out." Her face blinked off the screen, once again replaced by stars.
"Mr. Data, signal all ships to set course for the Epsilon Eridani system, warp 7. Engage once we receive the signal from the Destiny." Picard stood and turned to face Riker. "Commander Riker, once we clear the Orion system, have all ships stand down to Yellow alert and maintain alert condition until otherwise ordered."
"Aye, Sir."
"Also, Commander, I want you to conduct a tactical assessment of our engagement with the Shadow vessel. Coordinate with the tactical officers from the other as well. I would like your initial report before we reach our destination."
"Yes, Sir. It will be ready." Riker walked away from the tactical rail and began relaying the orders.
"Admiral, we have received the signal from Destiny. The fleet is ready to get underway," Data informed Picard.
Picard raised his right hand and pointed at the viewscreen. "Engage."
White Star 1
The White Star's crew was quite surprised when they saw Destiny's blue tractor beam grab their ship. The only other young race known to possess such technology was the Centauri. They had expected Destiny to use tow cables to haul the White Star back to Babylon 5 like any other human ship.
"Susan, we have entered FTL. Sensors detected no jump point," Marcus reported from his position.
Ivanova stood up from her chair. The pain in her left leg quickly caused her to change her mind. "Marcus, turn on the viewer."
Ivanova tried to process what she saw as the crew worked to clean up the bridge and repair the battle damage. Everyone stopped when the viewer became active. They expected to see the familiar colors of hyperspace. Instead, they saw empty, black space with the occasional stellar object zooming by.
"Marcus, how fast are we going?"
"If the sensors are working correctly, 651c."
Ivanova hobbled over to his station. "651c! How? We're not in hyperspace."
"Right. We're traveling FTL but in normal space." Marcus looked at her and shrugged. "I didn't know this was possible."
"It wasn't until today. I need to speak to Captain Sheridan. Open a channel to Babylon 5."
It took Marcus longer than usual to open the channel. They had sustained damage to virtually every system. Long-range communications had not been fully repaired, so he had to improvise. A minute later, he said, "Channel opened."
Babylon 5's commanding officer appeared on the screen. "Sheridan here. I'm glad that you're still in one piece, Susan. How badly are you hurt?"
"We sustained several injuries, and the ship was badly damaged. We still have life support, but not much else," Ivanova said.
"That's unfortunate, but I'm glad that you survived. Delenn has dispatched two Sharlins to rescue you. How long can you hold out?"
"Captain, we've already been rescued." She paused for a moment because she knew that it sounded ridiculous. "You probably won't believe this, but we were rescued by ships from The United Federation of Planets."
"Who?" asked a stunned Sheridan.
"Exactly. The Minbari have never heard of them either. Their ships are unlike anything that we've ever seen." She paused and took a breath." But it gets even weirder. I'm almost positive that the captain of one of the ships is human."
"Human? Are you sure?"
"I don't know. I didn't ask many questions because I wanted to get out of the Orion sector as fast as possible to avoid a possible Shadow ambush. She wanted to meet before we arrived at the station, but I told her I wanted her to meet with you first." Ivanova looked at Marcus; his hands started flying over the controls again. "I'm sending you video footage from the battle. Don't worry. It's short but exciting. We'll be arriving in less than two hours. You'll probably want to talk to them as soon as possible."
Sheridan looked utterly baffled. "How are you getting here so quickly?"
"One of their ships is towing White Star 1. Get this – their FTL drives work in real space and seem faster than ours."
"Well, I look forward to meeting these new people. I'll call off the rescue ships. Sheridan out."
Babylon 5 – CIC
John Sheridan didn't like surprises, mainly because they almost always meant bad news. Unfortunately, his job as commander of Babylon 5 meant that his days were usually spent responding to one surprise after another. Maybe Ivanova's surprise will be the first one that helps them.
Three Omegas had recently arrived from Proxima III. Each had refused to fire on the colony, with the E.A.S. Pollux taking the worse damage. The other ships had also sustained damage as well. Sickbay had already been overwhelmed with patients from refugee ships from systems attacked by the Shadows. The situation was desperate with the addition of the Earthforce ships. Franklin was close to cracking under pressure. Sheridan needed him now more than ever, but he wasn't sure how long he could continue to count on him.
The Earthforce blockade continued to cause massive problems. Supplies of critical resources were starting to become scarce. The black market had exploded, and Garibaldi and his people were doing everything possible to contain it.
Everywhere Sheridan looked, he saw chaos. He almost lost Ivanova and White Star 1. However, she had been successful in confirming what they most feared. The Shadow threat was real, and they would be tough to defeat.
"Coms, have we received the video from White Star 1 yet?"
The specialist checked her console. "Yes, Sir. It just came through."
"Let's see it."
Everyone in CIC watched the Federation ships and Shadow vessel trade fire; the Shadow vessel staggered under the onslaught while the Enterprise shrugged off the enemy's fire. A similarly styled but more compact ship unleashed four missiles that vaporized the Shadow vessel, then a third vessel closed in once the battle was over. The video's final shot was the camera zooming in on the largest ship's name: U.S.S. ENTERPRISE NCC-1701-D.
There were a few moments of silence as everyone processed what they had just seen. These ships could survive a Shadow attack without apparent damage while possessing weapons that could vaporize a Shadow vessel. New vessels with that kind of technology were frightening. However, the English writing and names on the ships frightened them the most.
"Captain," the Ops officer asked, "are those new Earthforce ships?"
Sheridan had heard rumors of new Earthforce ships, but no one knew anything for sure. He turned to the officer and answered honestly. "I don't know, but I don't think so. If they were, then we wouldn't still be here. There's no way we could survive an attack from those ships."
A metaphorical dam burst in the CIC, and the questions began to flow freely from everyone in the room.
"What was that 'bubble' around the big ship?"
"How did they move so quickly?"
"Just how powerful were those missiles? They vaporized a Shadow vessel!"
Sheridan had to admit that those were all great questions. But he needed everyone focused on their jobs, not endless speculation.
"Can I have your attention? You're all raising excellent questions. Unfortunately, I don't have any answers yet." He looked around the room, making eye contact with each crew member. "However, those ships will be here in less than two hours, and I need everyone at their best. I don't want any surprises when they get here."
A chorus of 'aye, sirs' echoed throughout the room. Sheridan nodded and stepped out of CIC. He headed back to his office to plan for a meeting with these newcomers. If he played his cards right, he might be able to add a powerful ally to the upcoming war against the Shadows.
U.S.S. Enterprise – Captain's Ready Room
Admiral Picard set aside a PADD full of status reports and began the meeting with his captains. "Captain Garrett. What did you learn from the rescued ship?"
Garrett proceeded to give them a summary of her conversation before she provided her analysis.
"….Unfortunately, the commander decided to cancel our face-to-face meeting, supposedly because of the risks involved in staying in the area. This is a shame – I wanted to know why there were only two human life signs on a ship with over 100 crew members. Everyone else was from a single race. She also seemed quite nervous, almost paranoid." She paused and made eye contact with each of the others. "Commander Sisko believes that these people might be involved in a losing war with these Shadows and that trust is not something freely given around here. I happen to agree with his assessment."
Captain Maxwell was the first to ask Garrett a question. "Did you find out where they're from? Could she be sending us into a combat zone, Rachel?"
"Yes, I did," Garrett answered. "She said that she's from Earth, and the Earth Alliance built the station where we're traveling. I don't think we're being lured into a combat zone. She might be paranoid but not suicidal. I don't believe she would ask us to tow her barely functional ship from one war zone into another for a second. She wants us to meet the commanding officer of the station we're heading to."
"Well, that answers another question," Picard said. "Earth exists in the universe and, presumably, hasn't been destroyed like the other planets. I'd like to know if it's also a protectorate of the Vorlons, presumably like Betazed."
"I agree, Admiral," Maxwell said. "Unlike Betazed, Earth has space travel capabilities. That will make performing surveillance on the system difficult."
"Agreed. Another challenge for another time. Rachel, what do we know about the system and station?" Picard asked.
Garrett sighed. "Not much. All I know is that the station's considered neutral territory, which is why they've been flooded with refugees from Shadow attacks."
Picard nodded and turned to Maxwell. "Ben, based on our admittedly limited information, do you have any tactical recommendations for when we arrive at this Babylon 5 station?"
"I do. Until we know who and what we are dealing with, I strongly suggest we continue to maintain Yellow alert with our shields raised. I also suggest we maintain this formation, allowing each ship to maneuver if necessary. Finally, I strongly suggest we maintain an active ECM. If there is heavy traffic in the system, we should make sure that we maintain a safe buffer between them and our ships."
"Agreed." Picard paused, pulling up a chart on his PADD. "We will enter the system in a Delta pattern, 200,000 km distance between ships. We will also maintain Yellow Alert until we obtain more information and can quantify all the risks and threats to which we'll be potentially exposed."
Picard continued. "When we arrive at the station, Rachel and I will transport to the station with support and security personnel. Ben, I want you to command the fleet while I'm on the station." Picard's expression became more intense. "I want to be ready for anything. Don't allow our ships to be placed in a tactically exposed position. If those Shadow ships return and appear to be on an attack vector, take them out immediately."
Maxwell gave him a thin smile. "Yes, Sir."
Picard nodded and leaned back in his chair. "On another note, I'm pleased with how our crews are working together, and I want to maintain this momentum. I don't want low morale to defeat us. Entering into a new war was never the plan, but we must adapt to our new circumstances. Hopefully, the station commander can provide us with enough information to develop a coherent action plan."
"Commander Riker will be presenting his tactical report on the battle with the Shadow vessel soon. I expect to see you both there. Dismissed."
U.S.S. Enterprise – Main Conference Room
Will Riker was very good at his job, priding himself on his thoroughness and ability to get things done quickly. However, he wasn't delighted with the report on the Shadow vessel. There hadn't been enough time to review all the sensor data on the ship, so many things were still unknown. Fortunately, he had only been asked to prepare a preliminary report. As far as Riker was concerned, this barely qualified.
"Commander Riker, please proceed with your report."
Riker glanced at the other captains and officers in the room, then turned to his primary assistant. "Yes, Sir. First, I'd like to brief you on the vessel's armor. Data?"
The android began his report. "Sensors indicated that the ship was composed of an unknown organic armor that seemed to 'bleed' when damaged. We will not know what the substance is without a sample. When attacked by a phaser, the armor phases out of existence as if it never existed. It does not burn nor melt away. Sensors also confirmed that the armor has multiple layers; multiple impacts would be required to reach the ship's internal areas."
Riker picked up where Data left off. "Based on this analysis, I suggest two options. The first would be to attack a single point with multiple phaser banks or arrays. The second would be to fire phaser pulses that would phase away multiple layers using the same phaser array."
Picard nodded and turned to his chief engineer. "I believe the second approach would provide us with greater tactical options. Commander LaForge, do you foresee any challenges configuring our ships to utilize pulse firing patterns?"
"No, Sir. I can program the battle computer to automatically utilize pulse firing patterns whenever we encounter a Shadow vessel. I'll provide the proper configurations to the other ships. Their phaser arrays should be able to handle it."
"Very well. Commander Riker, what can you tell us about the ship's crew?"
Riker grimaced. "We detected a single life form, human. No other life signs were present."
"Very Interesting. There is more to the Shadow business than we currently know. Another question to ask the captain when we meet. Once we finish this briefing, I intend to contact the commander to get her thoughts."
There were several nods from those seated around the table.
"What can you tell us about the ship's tactics?" Picard asked. "That ship moved, unlike anything I have ever encountered."
"The ship seemed to be able to phase in and out of normal space and into another dimension. We know it isn't subspace because we never detected any subspace disturbances around it." Riker took a breath and looked at the senior-most officers. "We don't know what it uses for propulsion nor how it's able to phase. We initially thought it was employing cloaking technology, but that proved incorrect. Maybe it has something to do with this hyperspace Commander Ivanova mentioned to Captain Garrett. We won't know for certain until we collect more data."
Maxwell sat up straighter to get Riker's attention. "Commander, we fired four torpedoes at that ship and vaporized it. I assume we didn't need that much firepower to destroy that ship."
"You're correct, Sir. Two photons would have been enough to destroy the ship we fought. Three would have vaporized it."
Although she had no first-hand experience fighting the Shadows, Lt. Yar felt she had something to contribute to the conversation. "Given how these ships can simply phase in and out at will, I think we should always have our shields raised as long as these ships are in known space."
Picard nodded. "Agreed, Lt. The captains and I have already agreed to implement that position. It sounds like we still have a lot to learn about these Shadows. Thank you, Commander, for assembling that report."
Picard stood up from the table and turned to Garrett. "Captain Garrett, please join me on the bridge. I want to contact this Commander Ivanova. Everyone else dismissed."
Picard and Garrett walked out of the room onto the bridge to contact Ivanova.
U.S.S. Enterprise – Bridge
Picard and Garrett walked onto the bridge and stood in front of the command seat. Garrett wasn't sure if she would ever get used to being on such a dark bridge. It felt so different from her ship. Maybe she would suggest that Picard turn on the lights in the future. She looked over at him and decided that today was not the day.
"Open a channel to the White Star," ordered Picard.
"Channel Open, Sir."
The Enterprise bridge crew saw a hive of activity on the bridge of the White Star. Technicians and repair crews were everywhere attempting to repair their battle damage. A human female was standing in the center, clearly agitated but trying to project a sense of control, with limited results.
"Commander Ivanova, I presume? I am Rear Admiral Jean-Luc Picard, commander of the U.S.S. Enterprise and this fleet. You, of course, have already met Captain Garrett."
White Star 1
Ivanova was impressed and somewhat intimidated by meeting Admiral Picard. His command presence, even over the viewer, was unmistakable. The Enterprise's bridge was much darker than Destiny, with many more people stationed at the various consoles. It looked much more like a warship, unlike Destiny. The fact that an admiral was in command made her question who this federation was and its plans.
"Yes, Admiral. We've met. I, unfortunately, had to cut our previous conversation short due to the Shadow threat."
"Of course. That was sound advice. That is the reason for contacting you now. We're new to this area and have minimal knowledge of the current political landscape. It would be beneficial for you to share anything that might help us avoid any potential misunderstandings when we reach Babylon 5. Also, any information you have on the Shadows would be useful."
"Honestly, Admiral, there isn't much to tell. The space around the station is overrun with refugees from various wars and Shadow attacks. I've already contacted Captain Sheridan, so he knows we're on the way. As for Shadow information, we don't have much information. That's why I was out here in the first place. I suggest you speak to Ambassador Delenn of the Minbari Federation when we arrive at Babylon 5."
"Thank you, Commander. I'll do that. If you think of anything else before we arrive, please contact Captain Garrett or me immediately."
"Yes, Sir."
"Picard, out."
