Chapter 8: Home sweet Home.
Report! Christ called out as he entered the bridge of the Destroyer.
All stations report ready sir. Engineering reports all impuls and warp engines operating at maximum possible efficiency . A voice could be heard from the turbo lifts
Well over maximum efficiency you mean! I ve revved the warpcore up to an efficiency of .. and the voice was interrupted by the closing doors of the turbolift. over 158% captain the voice of Larek finished the sentence over the communicator. Thank you mr. Lalbeohk. That s commendable Christ replied with a smile on his face. Continue Falo he turned back to his first officer.
Communications Helm and Medical all report ready as they ll ever be. Science reports no changes were needed to that station. Christ turned to look at Ezri and was greeted with a smiling Trill face that made him feel warm inside.
Guess you can handle Klingon controls and readouts due to you re experience with Klingons eh? he asked her. Well, I am part of the House of Mortok and I was married to a Klingon you know! she answered. Christ knew that allready though.
Very well, Aerdna, open a channel to the USS Deuzige He ordered as he wanted to say goodby. Channel open sir, Aerdna said. Mr. Idamha are you ready to depart? he asked the chief engeneer of the Deuzige. Yes sir, we re as ready as we ll ever be. Thank you for keeping us alive Captain. Bye. Deuzige Out
The crew wached as the Deuzige arched back, turned and shot into warp. Okay, we ve got some catching up to do. Begin longe and short range scans. Set a course for the Antaris system and engage, at maximum warp. Christ ordered.
Now it was the Disasters turn to arch back, in the opposite direction of the USS Deuzige and then turn and dissapear in a bright reddish flash. All that remained as a witness to what just happened there was a piece of saucer section, a Galaxy class starship s bridge and a nuyscell gently floating toward a red giant star.
For the next few days, the IKD Qugh flew a zigzag pattern across the course to the Antaris System. By doing so they made first contact with a species before not encountered by the Federation. They came across a vessel which obviously had been attacked. The vessel had fired their final weapons power on the Qugh when their scans showed it to be the same design as the 2 birds of prey that had attacked them 2 days before. Only diplomaticly brilliant response by Christ prevented the Quch from having no option other than to return fire, (Christ beamed the entire crew to the bridge).
This encounter told the Quch s crew they were on the right track and allso provided the Quch with two warp trails to follow. The IKD Quch was faster than any bird of prey and calculations showed they d overtake the two birds of prey in 37 hours.
Christ was in his ready room when Lerak came to see him. Come in mr. Lalbeohk. What can I do for you? Christ asked. Well sir, I ve been going through the ships database. After bypassing some very elaborate security encryption codes and security lockouts with some help from Ezri I ve found out a lot about the technology on this ship. What I found out concerns me a lot Captain. Lerak stated.
Christ looked at him with anticipation. Well, go on, spit it out he said as Larek took to long to his liking before continuing. Well sir, I think there is a spy very very high up in the starfleet command chain. The Forced Plasma beam cutter is allmost identical in design as the forced plasma beams on the USS Shake. Besides that, the armour technology used on this destroyer are allmost identical as the one starfleet refuses to use because of the tempral prime directive after Voyager s return. I know about it only because I was part of the Strip crew that took the Future technology off of the Museum piece Voyager now is.
Christ had to swallow a few times as he realised what that meant. You ve got a report ready on this? he asked. Yes sir. Here it is. Lerak replied holding up a PADD. anything else I should know? christ asked. Yes sir, The reason they were able to beam in through our shields is that they had our shields frequencies, The Deuzige is an older type vessel which still hasn t been upgraded to use randomly rotating frequencies. This means that if one knows all used frequencies and has the rotation cycles right, they can transport in as if the shields were nt there. Larek added. Make sure they re not able to do the same with this vessel. I don t perticulartly like these Klingons. They re unpredictable and have a lesser sence of honour than we re used to. I don t wanna have to go hand to hand with one of them. Christ ordered him. And give this report to Aerdna, and ask her to come in Christ added.
You asked for me Captain? the young peljannite asked. Suddenly Christ realised how young the crew was. Noone on his crew was over 45, and most were under 25. Yes I have, sit down. I need you to send a high priority, high security clearance message to Christ said as he was interupted by his computer console chiming to indicate a high priority message from starfleet. Sorry, coul d you wait outside for a few seconds? He asked Aerdna. As she left the bridge Christ entered his clearance code.
Looks like you re in for a whole lot of problems Christ . Sorry to say, because of treason within the highest echelons of starfleet command .. were the first words Admiral Picard said. The words went past Christ. He figured as much. How else could this many Klingon vessels get through Federation Space undetected.
Well, and a good evening to you to admiral Christ replied lightly. What kind of problems are we talking about? he asked. Well, as you might know we ve been having a lot of exchanges of officers between the Klingon Empire and the Federation. One of those exchanges was Admiral Ptagh. He is, as we have been informed now, part of the renegade fraction in the Klingon Civel War. Picard explained.
Excuse me sir .. Civel War? Christ interupted to ask. Yes, the Klingon High Councel has now officially admitted this situation has into a full scale conflict worthy of the name War. Picard answered. The Admiral obtained the secret preliminary designs of the weapons on the Shake and of the armour on the USS Voyager when it returned. He continued.
He had 2 destroyers and 2 birds of prey fitted with the results of Klingon Engeneering of the federation preliminaty designs. You noticed the effect. Now as luck has it the Admiral s treatury was found out and we ve allso discovered that the remaining Destroyer with it s escort are heading for the Antares shipyards to destroy it. Picard spewed the information as if he was in a hurry.
Your orders are to head for the Shipyards at best possible speed to head of the destroyer. If you arrive sooner than the destroyer, you are to take up a defensive cloacked position near the shipyards. The shipyards are kept unaware of what s happening so operations there will go on as usuall, erousing no suspiscion with the destroyers crew, until they are to late. You have orders to disable and capture the 3 vessels if possible, but to destroy them if they pose a threat to the shipyards. Picard finished.
Admiral, you know they are a threat to the shipyards because they are there to RED ALERT! Captain to the bridge! Man Battle stations! The interuption was as rude as it was shocking, Sorry sir, I ve got to go! Christ said as he ran towards the door to the bridge.
REPORT! Christ yelled as he entered the Klingon bridge of his IKD Qugh. 2 Klingon birds of prey, escorting a Qugh class destroyer sir, they ve detected us and turned to an intercept course. Their weapons are charged and their shields are up. Nesnaj reported swiftly, Number one, what s your assessment of our chances? Christ asked. In a direct confrontation with them, as we re headed for now, we don t stand a chance sir! Falo answered.
Engage armour Nesnaj! Christ ordered. Around the ship a secondary shell was formed by what seemed to be sheets of metal . Only Christ knew this technology was not of this era. Even though he knew the Klingons he would be fighting would have the same shell around their vessels it gave him a secure feeling to have them.
Captain, this is Lerak, I have an idea to even the odds just a little bit sir. I found out that the plasma cutter beam this vessel uses is based on preliminary designs. If you let me I can increase efficiancy on them within 5 minutes sir. They d be up to 600% sir. A voice sounded on the comm.
DO IT ASAP! We need an edge agains these asswhipe s! Christ practically yelled Good work Larek! he added.
Sir, permission to post security teams around the ship just in case they board us sir Dnevel asked. Good idea! was Christ s simple reply.
Ezri, how many people are on board those vessels? Christ had turned toward the trill. To far away to tell sir! She answered.
Sir, they ve fired torpedoes, 8 in all. Nesnaj reported. Naj Treeg, evasive manouvers. Nesnaj, switch the phasers to rapid fire and target the torpedoes. Fire 2 torpedoes at each vessel Christ barked. Torpedoes away sir! the replie from Nesnaj came allmost simultaniously with the order to fire. He d excpected the order and had anticipated. The Qugh was able to pick off 5 of the torpedoes one by one. The other three hit the shields of the Quch. Shields holding at 89% Captain. All Klingon vessels are preparing to fire their forced plasma cutters captain. As Nesnaj finished saying it the three vessels fired a beam of forced plasma at the Destroyer. Two of them hit and rocked the ship violently. Fire forced Plasma beams, disrupters and torpedoes at the destroyer now! christ yelled. Seconds later 4 beams of disruptors, 8 torpedoes, and 2 forced plasma beams (adapted by Larek) shot from one destroyer to the other. First to hit were the disruptors, followed by the torpedoes, nocking down the armour in a small area. The forced plasma beam hit the destroyer at that exact spot and sliced through the hull as if through butter. An instant later the beam exited the destroyer on the opposite side of the entry. As the beam stopped, the destroyer exploded in an amazingly small explosion sending pieces of debries all over the place. One bird of prey cought in the blast was suddenly dead in space.
Nesnaj, target the remaining vessel and fire all weapons at it! Christ ordered. But sir, I m sure we can disable the vessel. There s no need to . Nesnaj intervened. Sir, they ve gone to warp. They ve allso cloacked sir. No way to track them with the sensors on this vessel sir. We ve lost them! Ezri followed to interrupt Nesnaj. Nesnaj looked at Ezri with a shocked look on his face, punched in a few keys to confirm what she said and then looked at Christ with the same shocked look as he gave Ezri a moment earlier. He could see Christ was absolutely Furious.
Nesnaj, I will see you in my office in 15 minutes! Christ said as he sped off the bridge. Before the door closed he yelled Set a course for the Shipyards and engage at maximum speed!
Damn! he thought entering the ready room. He sat down, and punched the controlls of the console. In seconds the face of Picard showed up. Report! picard simply said. Sir, we ve been attacked by the 3 Klingon renegades. They must have detected us looking for them. They turned to intercept. Christ started his verbal report. We ve been able to destroy one Klingon destroyer and . Shit One moment sir. And christ sped out of the ready room.
Dnevel, get a security team together and .. christ started to order And take it to the bird of prey to arrest the crew. Yes sir, allready underway sir. Dnevel answered. Christ smiled and went back into the ready room,
Sorry sir, just making sure of something Christ said to picard after taking a deep breath. Before Picard could scald him for his behaviour christ continued. We ve disabled a bird of prey as well and are now taking the Klingon crew in custady. The other bird of prey got away untouched. . Picard had a surpised look on his face as he never expected the Qugh to be able to win a head on confrontation. How did you manage that Captain. You were outnumbered! he asked in appearant disbelief. Well sir, lets just say I ve got one hell of an engineer who souped up the forced plasma cutters on this baby and gave us the edge. We destroyed the destroyer and the blast took out the bird of prey. Before I could decide wether to disable or destroy the bird of prey that was left it went into warp and cloacked. I take full responsabillity for that sir, Christ answered. Strange isn t it? How engineers can make the difference between victory and defeat? Picard asked more to himself than Christ. He remembered all the times Geordy had saved the enterprises ass. Larek was clever enough to see the design used for the plasma beams was an early design of the ones used on the USS Shake. He souped up the Forced Plasma beam cutters by using that knowlage. Noone else in starfleet would have even thought of it. Christ replied, commending his engineer. What are our orders sir? Do we look for the bird of prey or do we head for the shipyards and defend it there?
Go to the shipyards. Starfleet has ordered the shipyards to step up the construction. When you get there in two weeks, you ll find her ready for her shakedown cruise. Well done! Make sure though you don t make admirals wait in mid discussion again Captain. One might think it to be insubordinate Picard said. Christ smiled. Thank you sir, I wont. He answered.
very well. I ve been assigned full controll over the USS Shake project, so we ll be speaking to eachother a lot. I think we ll get along just fine. Report to me when you ve arrived. The rest of the USS Shake s crew will all be there when you arrive. Some have been reassigned from the transport ships but they ll all perform the tasks they ve been assigned to acceptably. Picard out.
As the screen turned black Christ took some deep breaths, Nesnaj, come to the ready room please. He said into his communicator. Moments later the Bajorran came in. He stood to attention, as Christ proceded to give him a good shouting and informed him this incident will go on his record. Then Christ ordered him to do double shifts for a week as a disciplanairy measure, and dismissed him.
After Nesnaj had left, the councellor came into the ready room. Yes Lucyanna. What s on your mind? he asked the beutifull Betazed. You didn t think I d come to see you after our little battle just now? she asked him in return. Well, ofcourse I did. I just wondered if you were gonnan second guess my desiscions as well. He replied. No I am not. Nesnaj was out of line. You are right, I just came in to tell you he know too. He feels really really bad about it too. I thought you d wanna know that. I ve never seen an entire crew fall so much in love with their leader as this crew has with you Christ. Falo, Dnevel, Nesnaj, Naj Treeg and the rest i mean. They have the fullest trust and confidence In you and your skills. The two battles we were in and the way you handled them was amazing. They know it and respect you for it. That s what I came in to tell you. Lucyanna told him. She looked into his eyes and saw his confusement. He d felt as if he d screwed up big time by allowing the Klingon bird of prey to escape. He d never even considered the fact that he and a crew only flying the vessel since a couple of days defeated a Klingon force bent on destroying them when they were outnumbered. As he let that sink in, he smiled and turned to the Betazed. Well, pack up your stuff cause we re finally going to our new home! he said.