To those that have continued reading this story, I thank you. Enjoy this new chapter.
shaw 18
Star Trek the Next Generation
Rabies
Chapter 6
Formation and Attacks
Geordi and Worf were in ten forward talking about the virus, when the waiter gave them their drinks. Worf took the glass and asked looking at its contents, "What is this?"
"It is an earth drink," Geordi said taking a drink, "It is called green tea."
"Green tea," Worf said looking at Geordi and then at the murky colored drink.
"Try it," Geordi said leaning forward.
Worf smelled it and then took a sip, before making a face and setting the cup on the table, "It has a piquant taste."
"I am glad you like it," Geordi smiled, "Because our dinner will be coming soon and well I think you'll like it."
As soon as Geordi said that, the waiter brought two plates and set it on the table. "Thank you," Geordi said reaching for his fork.
"What is it?" Worf asked.
"Do you have to question everything?" Geordi said looking at Worf.
"Yes," Worf said quickly, "So what is it?"
"It is a family recipe," Geordi said using his hands to describe the food, "My family calls it Potato-de-laphino. It is potatoes cut into pieces with a sweet wine gravy on it. Simple but good, it has carrots and onions diced up really small and sprinkled on top with a melted slice of cheddar cheese. Try it; I think you'll really like it."
Worf tried it and grinned. Geordi smiled and tried some. The taste was overwhelming and Geordi almost choked on it. There was a salty and better taste to it. It was supposed to be sweet with a cheesy taste. Geordi looked at Worf and Worf said, "It tastes good."
"Worf," Geordi said leaning forward, "The replicator must be malfunctioning, and it isn't supposed to taste like this."
"Really?" Worf said forking up the rest of potatoes, "It is really… uh… exhilarating."
Geordi made a face at Worf's word usage but didn't say anything about it. "Next time I guess I'll make the food on my own," Geordi said.
"No," Worf said shaking his head, "It really was good, but if you really do desire, next time I will chose the meal. It is a Klingon dish called Kal'Tach."
Geordi shook his head, "Uh I don't think my stomach will agree with anything living."
"But the Kal'Tach is one of the few Klingon dishes that is cooked," Worf said with an intrigued look on his face, "It is cooked only until the outside is a dark color and the inside is raw. We eat it whole with a bowl of the Tel'zek blood. It is really good."
"Worf," Geordi said shaking his head, "I don't want to be out of place, but humans don't eat raw food."
"Humans are…" Worf stopped and stopped to think.
"Let's just say," Geordi interrupted Worf, "Would rather eat cooked foods."
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Picard looked at Jeral with confusion and asked, "The daughter?"
"Yes Captain," Jeral said with a look of slight pain in her face, "My father was a Romulan defector."
"I wasn't aware he had a daughter of this age and rank," Picard asked.
"Actually," Jeral said, "I am his only daughter from his first wife. He had two other daughters from his second wife."
Uh huh," Picard said, "And why then are you contacting me?"
"With all due respect," Jeral said with a determined look on her face, "I know you don't trust me. But let me tell you something, I am risking a lot by coming here. "
"I bet," Riker muttered.
"Romulus is lost," Jeral said slowly and sadly, "The virus has infected Romulus and it is being cut off. No ship is allowed to approach it and no ship is allowed to exit it. Any ship that wishes to do so, will be destroyed at sight," Jeral paused for a second, "I lost the remaining family I have to that virus."
"I am sorry to hear that," Picard said as Jeral nodded in acknowledgement, "But that still doesn't answer why you are contacting me?"
"Captain," Jeral frowned, "I was one of the few Romulans to come up with the idea and create the virus. Sad to say I didn't think the virus would do the damage it did. When it broke out on a ship sent to spread it to the Federation, I ordered for it to be destroyed and the idea forgotten. But no one listened to me," Jeral said showing anger, something very few Romulans showed, "I was told to study some planet far in Romulan space. When I came back I found out that Romulus was infected and that's when my family was attacked."
"Jeral," Picard said quietly, but loud enough that Jeral was able to hear him, "I believe you. But I have to get the Federation headquarters to believe you too."
"Please do so," Jeral said with relief, "Contact me regardless of what happens, Jeral out."
The screen went blank and Troi stood up as Picard scratched the back of his neck. Riker stepped up to Picard and asked, "Do you really believe her?"
"Yes," Picard said walking to his ready room.
He stepped inside and sat by his desk. He pressed a button to open up his computer and requested it to open a channel with Earth. Admiral Jacobs appeared on the screen looking tired. "What is it?" She asked.
"Admiral, "Picard began, "I had the most interesting discussion with a Romulan lieutenant named Jeral. She told me she would give me information about the virus that had attacked my ship," he paused to see if Admiral Jacobs would say anything and when she didn't he continued, "Lieutenant Jeral told me she is the daughter of Admiral Jarrock. She also told me that Romulus has been attacked by the virus."
"Captain," Admiral Jacobs asked, "What are you telling me exactly? That this Romulan wants to help us cure the virus?"
"Not exactly," Picard shook his head, "I want to ask you to give me permission to work with Jeral and find out as much information about the virus as possible."
"I give you permission," Admiral Jacobs hesitantly, "I trust you will make the right choice. Remember Captain, this could be a trap. I hold you to take everything with caution."
"Yes sir," Picard said.
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The Enterprise, the Phoenix, the Mongoose, the Goldfinger, and the defiant all flew on high warp to the Neutral Zone. They would be heading where the rendezvous point with the Lieutenant Jeral said she would be. All the Captains of the ships were in the Enterprise observation lounge discussing strategic matters. Captain Picard stared at the 3D star chart in the middle pf the table. He pressed some buttons on a pad and then pointed to Earth on the chart, "Once we reach the Neutral zone," He said looking at all the Captains, "The four ships patrolling that sector will be joining the fleet at Earth."
"We have just gotten a message from General Martok telling us that fifteen Klingon war birds have just joined the fleet at Earth."
"Good," Captain Reynolds of the Goldfinger said as he drummed his fingers on the desk, "The more help we can get the better."
"Won't the Romulans take the Federation and Klingons grouping fleets together as an act of hostility?" Captain Smith of the Mongoose asked.
"Maybe," Picard said leaning forward, "But the Romulans had already crossed into Federation space once and even attacked a Federation ship. I would scarcely call the Federation and the Klingons acting in a hostile way."
"I would call it as an act of paranoia more to say," Sisko said looking at Captain Smith, "We are scared of a Romulan attack that is all."
"Listen," Picard said pointing to a section of the Neutral Zone, "There is one more thing we need to discuss. Grid 8, approximately two light years from where we will be sectioned, is the weakest. There are only two ships there, but I don't see it o be a problem. It one day, there wills fifty war birds patrolling the Neutral Zone from the Federation part."
"Even if the Romulans do attack," Captain Smith asked, "They would hardly be a match for the Federation and the Klingon Empire."
"Our aim though," Sisko said is to prevent a war, not provoke one."
"I guess we will have to wait for Admiral Jeral," Picard said.
"Speaking about her," Captain Harold asked leaning back in his chair, "How can you trust a Romulan?"
"I never have said I fully believe her," Picard said shaking his head, "But I guess we will find out more when we see her. Out ETA is four hours."
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The Ghandi and the Diego were patrolling the Neutral Zone when the Ghandi picked up something strange on their sensors. But before they could do anything, two Romulan war birds decloaked and fired on the ships and then recloaked. Two more decloaked, fired and recloaked.
The Ghandi and the Diego had no way of stopping this sudden attack. How could they fight, what they can't see? After about thirty of the cloaking attacks, the Diego was attacked. But for some reason the Ghandi remained intact. One last Romulan war bird decloaked and fired a blue torpedo. It struck the Ghandi a weird green and red bubble appeared around it and then there was nothingness.