Chapter 4 – Part Three – Reprisals
Sitting in her Ready Room Saavik's hands formed a steeple, as she sat engaged in deep Vulcan meditation, drawing upon her last ergs of energy. It had been an active tour this last three years, having been non stop supplying aid, medicines and personnel all over the Alpha & Beta Quadrants. She was beyond tired. What was worse was that they were responding to Gaila's scans which had reported a huge of heavy neutrino and chroniton emissions. Having no choice but to investigate they had set course for Bajor.
"Gaila to the Captain we are about to enter Bajor's system"
"On my way," she answered, standing slowly she made her way towards the bridge, walking through as the doors opened and closed automatically.
"Admiral on deck," was the cry from a marine situated near the turbolift doors.
"At ease," sitting down she adjusted her uniform. "Drop to full impulse, Contact DS9 and find out what they know," then turning to her Security Chief, the Cardassian Garrick, "Prepare an Away Team for transwarp beaming immediately."
"Yes Ma'am," he actively relayed the details through his station. "They're waiting in transporter room four now"
"Very good, lead the team Garrick and let me know your findings"
They were greeted with site of a lush Bajoran forest, huge green trees hundreds of feet tall created a canopy that obscured all but the most persistent sunlight. Following protocol they immediately fanned out with at least five meters separating each of them in the hopes of preventing any small scale weapons from killing them all, if anything larger was used armour wouldn't help in the slightest. Designed not to reflect sun or moonlight, their armour had chameleon features allowing them to change its colour to suit their surroundings.
"Sensors indicate we need to head about four hundred meters east," he whispered into the comms unit. "Spread out and stay sharp," and then almost as a afterthought Garrick remarked, "No stupid heroics."
"Yes sir," as affirmative responses was returned from all.
Taking a slow run they moved through the forest scanning for hostiles, their subspace channel was kept open, just in case. After two hundred meters they exited out the forest, nearing an encampment of Bajorans who all lay at odd angles on the floor – none were living. Parts of buildings were missing, as though huge chunks had been ripped off and then broken down into smaller pieces. A quick inspection of the bodies revealed that many had been pelted with chunks of masonry, bricks; a few were even impaled by large trinium supporting beams.
"What a mess," remarked one marine, "What could cause all this?"
Garrick accessed the suits internal tricorder and began scanning the bodies. "That's interesting," he said walking forward, "There's something you don't see everyday," he remarked sarcastically, "Apart from those impaled over there," he said pointing, "They all died of cerebral haemorrhages."
One of the marines came alongside, "Are you sure sir?" Nerves were causing him to sweat a little within the armour despite its attempt to keep the young marine cool.
"Quite positive," he replied closing the eyes of the dead Bajoran. "It's kind of a shame really they used to scream so loudly when I tortured them" the Cardassian stated without rancour. He could almost see the look of panic in the marine's eyes despite the opaque faceplate. "Don't feel bad," Garrick smirked, watching as the youth began to shake uncontrollably. "Relax I was only joking," he muttered assuredly. It was then he noticed that the soldier's P90 was pointing at the ground.
"Anyone else feel that?" Corporal Rodriguez had had enough listening to the Cardassian yammer on; in many ways it was water off a duck's back, but something felt wrong, so ineffably wrong it was oppressive.
"I feel it too Corporal" confirmed another marine.
It was then he noticed the group of Bajorans, all clustered together, they're eyes were completely onyx coloured. He'd seen betazoid's eyes go slightly black but never to this extent. "Marines open fire!"
Phaser and SMG weapons fire impacted on a forcefield erected by the Bajorans preventing anything from hurting them. Walking forward ominously, in many ways it reminded the Cardassian of the Borg, unrelenting, confident in their untouchability. Slowly he backed away watching the exchange knowing in his own way that this was very, very bad. Slowly the marines stopped firing, one by one, until Corporal Rodriguez stood alongside the Cardassian once more.
"What's happening?" he inquired watching in stunned amazement as his colleagues stripped off their armour to reveal eyes, identical to their pursuers.
"Run!" shouted Garrick turning around sprinting for his life, despite the suddenness of his action the marine was only slightly behind. Although the suits were not powered armour as such, it was incredibly lightweight and durable enough that it slowed neither down considerably.
"I heard Bajor was nice this time of year"
"Very droll Corporal," panted the Cardassian, "Garrick to Dominance"
"This is Saavik, is there a problem?"
"Yes!"
"We detected weapons fire"
"Really," he stated in dryly, "Can't say I ever noticed." He remarked dryly, tapping his helmet when his ear rang with static.
Both ran through underbrush careful to avoid tripping. In the haste of their retreat neither had had the opportunity, or ability to split their concentration enough to use the internal tricorder while fleeing for their very lives. It came as a surprise to both as their impromptu route led them straight to a large cliff several thousand feet down - having no choice now but to use their sensors in order to find an escape route. Tricorders could detect the same group of Bajorans walking this way accompanied by others they had obviously missed on their way in.
Corporal Rodriguez looked over the cliff edge speculatively. "We could jump sir" suggested the marine hopefully.
"You have got to be kidding. We'd be smashed to pieces on those rocks"
"I can't see the ground"
"Use your visor to magnify" muttered Garrick impatiently.
"That's exactly the reason I've not done so," he retorted sharply.
"Mmmm it helps to be informed Corporal," in tones that bordered on the positively hopeful. "What about climbing down?"
"Now you have got be kidding?" Stepping slightly closer experimentally kicked a small stone off the cliff waiting to se how long before it hit the ground. It was then the wall of Bajorans walked through the tree line. "Oh shit"
Within the safe confines of the ship she sat in her chair, pressing controls irritably, standing up walked towards the HSO. Leaning across used her century plus of knowledge to help Gaila clear up the interference.
"Garrick this is Saavik state again your situation." More static followed as the signal was finally lost. "What's going on?" Saavik inquired looking at the Orion, Gaila.
"Something is interfering with the signal. Unable to determine what although there are almost one hundred Bajorans walking towards the Away Teams position"
"Beam them out of there"
Inputting commands furiously she tried to follow the Captain's orders, find any way possible to circumvent whatever was preventing beaming the team back up to the ship. "It's no use, I can't. Whatever is blocking our signal is somehow scattering sensor lock"
"Torg take a scoutship and bring them home"
"Yes ma'am" replied the large burly Klingon warrior. Pressing his com-badge he announced, "One to beam directly to Cargo Bay One." Materialising outside the fighter craft, entered quickly keyed in the ignition sequence for the engines, hoping he would get there in time.
Down outside Area 51 the aliens regarded the scenery curiously; they recognised something familiar about the night sky. Their psychic communion was disturbed by an unfamiliar whining noise. One hundred meters distant half a dozen marines materialised behind two buildings and began taking up defensive positions. Their body armour was capable of full EVA activities should the need arise, each was armed with a vibro-knife, the new P90 fast attack phasers, slung over their backs were MA5B assault rifles, just in case energy weapons proved ineffective. In short they were extremely well prepared and ready to take on most threats. Next to them were Commanders, Verak and Peters, similarly armed.
"What are they doing?" said Peter's into her subspace communicator.
"They seem to looking at the sky, specifically the region where Mars would be located" answered the avian.
"Listen," urged Sergeant Miranda Meresin her stern voice interrupting both Starfleet officers. "We're here to stop them not open a dialog 'cos the only conversation I plan on having is over their corpses"
"Hold that is an order!" shouted Karen into her communicator.
"Bring'em down," ordered the Sergeant oblivious to the commands of the senior officer on site.
Verash consulted the Heads-Up-Display of his inbuilt tricorder. Why would these hotheads not wait to learn anything? "Their forcefield is absorbing everything – there's no point!" He sighed tiredly, usually he liked to scratch his beak when contemplating a problem but with the faceplate down that was obviously impossible. What an in tolerable situation!
"Switch," ordered Miranda, "Use SMG and phaser fire in conjunction. 2 by 2" she said making hand signals to her officers. Two holstered their phasers, grabbing machine guns instead, switching off the safeties automatically. Again her voice was heard over the comms, "Fire at will!"
"No!" shouted an exasperated XO.
It was then the aliens started firing back as an arc of red electricity hit one marine on an armoured shoulder. Where contact normally resulted in instant death, it merely threw the unfortunate officer twenty feet back. Smoke rose from the suit, the person within writhing in obvious pain, making strange bleating noises over the intercom.
"Shit, split up, stay in cover," said Peters levelling her phaser, briefly considering setting her smaller hand phaser on overload to see if that would work.
"'Bout fucking time you joined the party Commander," shrieked Miranda ducking just in time as bolts of crimson energy passed by her head.
"Don't get snippy with me, Sergeant" Karen retorted emphasising the marine's rank, that in fact she had seniority, even if it was being blatantly ignored.
"Cover me," she said reaching for a pouch.
"What in the hell is that?" Concern was etched across her features at what the marine could possibly be reaching for but she continued to fire nonetheless.
"What a stupid question," retorted Sergeant Teresin unable to bite back her insolence. In her hand she held a cubical grenade specially designed not to roll backwards, depressed the timer and hurled the object at the aliens. Watching in delight as the XO's eyes grew wide with alarm, knowing full well she should not enjoy the distress of another thinking being – but something about the woman just infuriated her!
Instantly all the marines rose from being prone, to extremely low attitudes, and into stances that would allow a sudden burst of speed should the need be required. An air of trepidation surrounded them.
A blue shockwave spread outward from the detonation point.
"Don't get inside that field," shouted Sergeant Meresin, although it was mainly for the benefit of the Command Officers.
"Interesting," remarked Merak, "Some kind of high gravity field," he continued to scan while the marines rose up guns blazing. Upon the floor were the two organic suits, unable to rise or even move so much as a limb. "Impressive technology," he commented absently, "At one hundred gravities they should be crushed like bugs, yet their armour endures"
"Whoa? What! One hundred gees inside that field. Are you crazy?"
"Determined, Commander Peters, that and most definitely unwilling to lose"
Concentrated weapons fire eventually caused punctures in the armour, it was then both suits glowed from within and went a sickly brown colour.
"Turn off that field now," ordered Verash, "It is imperative." One of the marines looked at the sergeant who nodded her armoured head as the blue bubble vanished leaving two organic suits of armour which were rapidly destabilising, forming brown puddles of goo upon the floor.
"Trailblazer this is Verash, lock onto the alien armour and beam back two samples. Hold in level ten containment fields. I want to examine the remains."
"You've got to be kiddin' right?"
"Actually Sergeant Meresin I'm not. They were taking a special interest in the sky for some reason. And therein may lead to a vital clue," he watched as the marine walked away shaking her head. He knew the Captain would be less than happy about a marine not obeying a senior rank this did not bode well at all.
Anastasia walked the corridor of the Minbari Sharlin, "It's a very beautiful ship Dukhat" she remarked.
"I'm glad you approve," he answered smiling.
"I enjoy the extra room." She spread her arms wide and turned in a circle. "I hope you can excuse the un-captain like behaviour but this ship makes mine feel cramped in comparison"
He watched her almost childlike glee, something they both had in common. Finally he came to one conclusion – he'd never pirouetted in a corridor before. So extending both arms began to spin on the spot - stopping only when he was panting for breath and very, very dizzy. Leaning against the bulkhead noticed the Captain had done the same. Deciding standing was not stopping the nausea, and was in fact making it worse he sat down, very unceremoniously for the Leader of the Grey Council but sometimes they were far too serious.
"It's much better if you sit down"
"Really?"
Copying her Minbari host, she let her legs collapse landing on her derriere. After a minute or so she felt much better, but not good enough to stand, not quite yet. Dukhat met her eyes and both could not help but laugh hysterically. In fact it felt good to relax as he had not truly done so in many years. He always had duties to perform and never any chance for time of his own, well not without someone interrupting within an hour or two. Raising his hand to rub his head felt a draft down the corridor, that's strange.
Anastasia caught his sudden seriousness.
"What's wrong?"
He got up and began walking down the corridor. What was that? Moving at a brisk walk analysed what was familiar about the sound. Turning the corner he saw a group of the Religious caste gathering around one of the Worker caste, writhing in considerable pain.
"What are you doing?"
All turned towards him, their eyes completely black it was then he realised The Great Enemy had returned. Spinning abruptly went around the bend without stopping running towards the Captain of the USS Discovery. "Run!"
She understood the universal language of fear. "What is it Ambassador?"
It did not take long before she noticed the Minbari walking towards them, a fierce preternatural wind blowing behind and in front of them. "This way" she pointed watching as her friend accompanied behind. Turning the corner they were greeted by yet more of the possessed. An unseen hand flung her against the bulkhead, but not hard enough to take consciousness from her, the will to survive took over as a surge of adrenaline flooded her system. There was a tug on her sleeve and she followed where the beckoning Minbari led her.
"It's not use we're surrounded"
"Surrounded but not dead yet" she said succinctly. "Captain to Discovery, two to beam directly to bridge"
Panic gripped his face briefly until he realised it was a Federation transporter whisking him away to safety.
Greeted by the face of her First Officer, her usually dark short shoulder length hair was now cut into a bob. "Don't you ever leave your hair in one style for more than a week?"
Leanne chuckled then went serious for one moment. "Captain, are you sure this won't be misconstrued as kidnapping?"
"Only when it's not voluntary" Dukhat answered. "Captain will you contact the other ships we must know if the Ancient Enemy has returned?"
"What enemy Ambassador?"
He sighed hoping that neither the humans not the other younger races would ever be faced with the Shadows, but it was too late their thousand years were up. Stopping those thoughts abruptly, that was defeatist talk, "I'll explain later Captain but for now I must contact the other ships to know if it is happening elsewhere"
"Understood," Leanne looked to Anastasia who nodded, once, "Open a channel to the whole Minbari fleet advise that…" She paused unsure how to explain the problem.
"Tell them that the Shadows have returned and I require immediate counsel" interrupted the Leader of the Grey Council. "That will get their attention"
Lieutenant Vran looked up from tactical, "Ma'ams, Ambassador. We're getting over two dozen separate channels including one from Minbar itself"
His single look told her what he intended. "This is Dukhat onboard the Federation ship. The Sharlin I was on was being taken over by Shadows and the captain graciously brought me to safety but I fear their reach, even here."
"Captain we've lost five communication channels and they've activated their ECM scattering our sensor locks."
"Damn!" she cursed.
One Sharlin exploded. Its proximity gutted another that had strayed too close and one more to list badly onto its side, it limped away barely more than a radioactive mess.
"In Valen's name"
"Catharia what in the hell happened to cause that vessel to go critical like that?"
Her fingers worked rapidly, gazing over to the science station, "Any idea what's going on Harry?" A shake of the head said it all. "Sorry Captain all we can tell at this minute is that it just exploded"
"Ma'am several Sharlin's are locking weapons on us"
"Remain alert Lieutenant Vran, but don't fire back unless absolutely necessary we're not here to start interstellar war"
Dukhat nodded sagely, the Federation crewmembers were smart. Who knows what would have happened if humanity had encountered the Minbari centuries earlier when it had still been EarthForce? He shuddered at the thought knowing it would not have ended well, not well at all. "What are your plans Captain?"
"Make sure we do not provoke any of your ships. If any open fire on us without full repairs on our shields or armour we'll be in deep trouble"
"Perhaps if I were…" He began.
She interrupted, "I think talking to them is only going to make it worse Ambassador….hopefully things will simmer down in a few hours"
"It could get worse."
With that thought silence engulfed the bridge.
Garrick could hear hundreds of Bajoran feet each steeping at the same time, it reminded him of the drums used during his military training on Cardassia. The noise was deafening, so much so that they were forced to turn down the sound discriminator on the suit, so neither he, nor the Corporal heard the crashing of branches or birds taking to the sky until the last minute.
It was then they saw the nine foot monstrosity as it entered the clearing.
"If we get out of this Corporal remind me to take a holiday somewhere less hostile"
"How's Mintaka 6 do?"
"That'll do nicely," they both laughed, sharing a brief moment of levity. Both were well aware that Mintaka 6 was a volcanic wasteland.
The marine stopped laughing abruptly glad no one was able to see the worried look on his face. "What are we going to do?"
"If it's a choice between taking a risk, and becoming them I know what I'm going to do." There was barely chance to see Garrick leap off the cliff as he became a falling blur. All he heard were the words, "Jump you idiot, jump!" Quickly weighing the options he leaped into the abyss.
A sleek vessel streaked through the atmosphere, its hull aglow, it did not pause or slow despite the turbulence it suffered. His readings were getting less hazy the nearer he got almost as though whatever was causing it lacked the power to prevent a close up scan. The only viable outcome was trouble and bloodshed. Fingers nimbly piloted the ship through the cloud cover, slowing from hyper-sonic to subsonic not wanting to kill the Away Team with the jet wash that followed in his wake. Tumbling down towards their position finally got a sensor lock, were they mad, hoping they could fly to safety! Hitting autopilot automatically, initiated transport, which he had taken the liberty to program in on his way down. Watching as both Garrick and a Corporal materialised in the aft part of the cabin.
He did not have to wait long for Garrick's cutting reply.
"Good of you to pick us up like that"
"Nice of you to drop in" he retorted.
"Oh very funny," he said smugly opening the faceplate of his armour. Sitting down next to the Klingon, "Take it down again, I want to get a specimen"
"They're not lab rats"
"No but interesting all the same."
The ship spun and dived back to the cliff face.
"Torg fire at the armour I'll see if we can get a lock on what's inside"
"You're both fucking crazy!" shouted the Corporal who sat there trembling unashamedly.
Twin lancets of phased nadions impacted the armour, neither set to full power, but it was enough. Designed to withstand ground and air assaults, although there was a limit to how far any technology could go. It burnt through the front and erupted out the back, spearing several Bajorans in the process, none survived.
"Mmmm…..I think its dead," muttered the Cardassian thoughtfully using the sensors to detect life signs. "Lower the power, I don't want it vaporised but I'm not bringing it up alive either" he stated pragmatically. The only good Boy Scout is a dead one! Besides he hadn't been in the higher echelons of the Tal'Shiar and survived by being blatantly stupid- he'd done some truly reprehensible things that was a given, but never rushed in without thinking first. "Cut power!" he shouted, "Beaming it up now."
There was a brief whine of the transporter, followed by the appearance of some kind of arthropod on the pad, dead with chunks clearly burnt out due to prolonged phaser fire. When it didn't move for a good minute decided he was finally satisfied that it was completely and irrevocably dead.
The smell of burnt insect filled the cabin all the way to the Dominance.
Back on the bridge Garrick sat down at his station, his chin resting thoughtfully on the palm of his hand.
"You've been quiet ever since you came back"
"I've been thinking Captain"
"About the incidents on the planet?"
"Partially, but they are by no means isolated"
"What makes you say that?"
"All the marines bar one were unaffected. How long have humans been on Bajor Captain? A hundred years?"
"What are you getting at? Are implying there is some link between these events and humanity?"
He tipped his head to the side, almost as though listening for something only he could hear. "Yes I suppose I am. I have no human genes in my past, and neither do you. But I'll be willing to bet most of those Bajorans did"
The green haired Orion Science Officer, Gaila, who had been unable not to eavesdrop, decided to interrupt. "That's a bit sweeping don't you think?"
"Maybe," he rebutted cordially, aware that he and Gaila had always verbally sparred with each other, reminding him of Bashir in many ways. "Don't you find it odd that it is only certain colonies being attacked?"
Anastasia sat in her chair waiting for the Minbari to open fire, surprised when nothing happened. "That's odd."
"How so Captain?" answered the XO quizzically. "That we're still alive or that nothing worse is happening?"
It was then that multiple explosions lit the skyline.
At the science station Harry's face creased in consternation, "I'm still having trouble counteracting their ECM effect"
"We were always curious about whether it would deflect your scans. Glad to know we can do something you can't" he replied smugly.
"Don't count your chickens yet Ambassador"
Curious all of a sudden at the unknown phrase, "Don't count your what Lieutenant?"
"It means we could still get a lucky break" clarified the Captain. "You got something for me LC Dover?"
"All the explosions have been triggered internally, like they…."
"Wanted to ensure whatever the threat was did not leave their ship?"
"A good analogy" stated Harry.
"Thank you" beamed Dukhat putting each hand in the opposite sleeve almost like a Chinese sage. It was then they noticed that the Captain was doubled over, unresponsive to commands, or requests, her jaws hanging slack as great rivulets of saliva dripped from her mouth, stretching to the floor like rope. He stepped back reflexively.
"Captain" said Catharia clearing a path around her commanding officer. "Captain," spotting instantly as her head turned towards them, her eyes they're black, completely black, devoid of the whites. Half a second later twin beams of crimson struck her in the back, courtesy of Harry and the First Officer.
The only thing they heard was Dukhat, "It's started here as well"
"What was that?" asked Leanne worriedly.
"It happened on my Sharlin," he said dejectedly, "it must have spread to the others"
"You don't know that?"
"Since we were united into three castes no Minbari has ever killed another. It makes sense!"
Leanne waited while the Captain was taken to Sickbay, "Makes a certain kind of sense." She remarked stolidly. "Ensign Mor set immediate retroactive course and get us the hell out of here, maximum warp!"
The Zenn-Lavian quickly set the coordinates as they jumped into warp.