Chapter 5 – Part Four - Confirmations

Deep within the bowels of Mars, Riker walked alongside the Pahkwa-thanh Doctor, and his Bajoran Science Officer. After departing from the moon, the being within had sent coordinates of where they were look in Mars.
"It's a good job we have the anti-gravity illuminator otherwise we'd be tripping over each other"
"Or falling down deep dark holes," he did not sound re-assuring.
"If I had known Bajorans were this depressing I would have got posted to another ship," the reptilian snorted, doing its best to fake a scowl. He noticed they both smiled, and returned the gesture, camaraderie between friends. He continued to turn slightly trying to enhance his sensor readings; claws pressing the touch sensitive screen on the tricorder. "I thought I had something," a low hiss escaped his throat.

Unlike the older more bulky tricorder models, these were a 'slim-line model,' no more than half a centimetre thick – like the older version these flipped closed as well. As well as the screen being touch sensitive it was also considerably larger allowing a greater area to view and interact with the results. They continued even further down the tunnel which grew ever darker as the rocks seemed to absorb the light, somehow, drawing it out of the little floating globe until it flickered in warning.

"What the hell?" Will cursed. "Something's draining all power," reaching into a hip holster withdrew a phaser, watching as the others did the same. "Let's proceed forward, slowly"
Easing forward, a step at a time, each taking a lower posture, cross stepping as they went. All were alert as their eyes were scanning constantly, although the way was tricky each footfall made virtually no noise as they alighted with utmost care. Rounding another bend they were greeted by a huge gaping cavern made of darkness night, even with the flickering of the gravity globe the bottom was beyond sight.
"Sir it is approximately six kilometres down and half a click across."
"There's no way we can hope to cross that"
"We'll have to try one of the other tunnels"
Checking his tricorder once more to be sure of the results, he pointed, "Sir past those rocks is an open tunnel"
"Would blasting bring the cavern in around our ears?" Riker Inquired.
Chuckling slightly, "Interesting expression, but I do not believe so," affirmed the reptilian. Increasing the setting on their phasers orange fire lit the cave as rocks grew hot under the phased nadions, some exploded outwards covering the Away Team, but most were disintegrated leaving free floating atoms.
"Let's go," order Riker.
Placing a scaled hand and claw on his chest in a restraining gesture, "Wait a minute Captain, I'll go first" stated Shenti, "By rights Worf should've ordered you to remain on the Bridge"
Smiling good naturedly, "You've been reading too many of my old logs"
"What is it you humans say? Sauce for the goose is good for the gander?"
He laughed, "Indeed we do doctor," he said gesturing for the doctor to lead the way, "After you."
After a hundred meters they found a metallic door of some kind and halfway up was a disused computer terminal, guarding entry and exit - without the right code they would be hard pressed to continue.
"What's behind that?"
Lieutenant Commander Najem scanned the door and control panel, "Doctor I want you to double check the readings, but I believe behind here is some kind of mortuary leading to a graveyard."
Using his medical tricorder rapidly came to the same conclusion. "I agree."

Raising his phaser the Bajoran fired at the panel which sparked briefly – within moments molten slag was dripping along the wall and onto the floor. As if by magic the door slowly opened revealing a tunnel four feet high meaning they would have to stoop for a short while at least as according to the tricorders the room opened out a bit further on. Sandwiched in between reptilian and Bajoran, he moved steadily forward until they reached an antechamber. Here the ceiling was somewhat higher allowing them to stand – bodies lay on the crescent shaped beds that resembled an open cocoon more than anything else, the aliens within lay perfectly preserved.

"Finally we get to see the face of the enemy," murmured Riker.
Doctor Ree regarded the corpse of the arthropod curiously – it resembled an extremely large locust. Setting his medical tricorder to take deeper, more intrusive scans he began - staring in awe at the results of the DNA sequence. "Captain you must see this, now"
His six foot plus frame walked towards the doctor, "What did you find?"
"Some of their genetic code is contained in the human genome"
"Impossible"
"Scans also indicate this structure is over five million years old – nearer to six"
"You're not seriously suggesting?"
"Yes Captain, at some time in Earth's past they visited your planet and in all probability experimented on your ancestors"
Najem became immediately more sombre. "You don't think the HG Wells classic was an allegory to them?" He pointed at the nearest corpse.
"That would imply someone knew and wanted to pass on the message" the incredulity of the Captain's tone was unmistakable.
"Perhaps our man in the moon, which if I remember correctly was also a very old story" stated the Bajoran. Silence descended over the group as the conversation had suddenly taken a somewhat darker overtone, secrets and conspiracies.
His combadge beeped, tapping it was greeted by the voice of his XO, "Enterprise to Captain Riker"
"Go ahead"
"Sir we have a disturbance on the planet surface, in New Alaska some kind or organic craft has surfaced, reports are coming in of transformed humans, grouping together and killing hundreds of others. So far phaser fire has proved ineffective"
"Doctor, please ensure that we get several corpses for the Enterprise. We need to know what they did in order to turn it off," tapping his badge once more, "Two to beam up, energise." While they materialised on the flagship, the Doctor issued his own orders and then disappeared in the similar light.

Exiting the turbolift both Captain and Science Officer took their duty stations; his face had a slightly awed expression upon seeing the number of ships in orbit.
"When did they get here?"
"Not long after you beamed down, it seems the doctor of the Dominance managed to reason out the connection between us and the aliens."
He nodded in understanding, "So the Watcher just wanted to hedge his bets that we would find what we needed"
"A sound assumption Captain"
"Admiral Shelby on subspace," announced his wife.

Admiral Kirk exited the turbolift onto the Bridge, taking a glance at the state of the art bridge, a definite change since the Constitutions of his age, but it was the very latest upgraded Patriot class. It sped through space at transwarp velocities, heading towards Earth ready to defend his home planet, wanting to help anyway he could.
"What's our ETA?"
"One hour fifty minutes Admiral"
"Damn. Open a channel to Admiral Spock's vessel"
"Yes sir," replied the male Andorian. "On screen"
He stared once more at his lifelong friend, one of the few, a half Vulcan that could quite often anticipate his actions – such was his bond. Usually down in Sickbay was his conscience, Doctor McCoy, who was at this moment standing alongside leaning on the railing.
"Admiral," the Vulcan face smiled, "It is pleasing to see you again. You too doctor"
"It's been too long Spock" his eyes alight with happiness, they had not actually seen each other in person for about five years – they did share regular monthly subspace communications though, trying to find any pretext to talk, work or just personal issues. In the last six months they had only spoken once – it felt as though some force was trying to break up the most successful team in Starfleet history –it was purely a hunch, and some instincts he had learnt to trust!
"Admiral I have a level one communication from Fleet Admiral Picard – we are to rendezvous with the fleet waiting in orbit around Earth. They fear another attack having learnt they intend to retake Mars, or at worst – Earth itself"
Sweat beaded his forehead, "I never heard about that"
"It is quite a recent piece of intelligence"
"I see, we should be there in about two hours"
"The same"
"Understood, see you in two hours Spock." He watched as his best friend vanished, wondering what this would mean for the Federation, and looking at Bones knew he was thinking the same thoughts too.