Chapter 3
Hail me maybe
Bridge
Worf (tapping his combadge): Captain Picard, we are due to arrive on the edge of the Twobea system in 30 minutes.
Captain Picard (in his quarters): Thank you, Mister Worf. I'm on my way to the bridge. (Tapping his combadge) Mister Data, to the bridge in 5 minutes.
Data (in engineering): On my way, Sir.
One minute later, Captain Picard steps out of the turbolift. The other bridge officers are at their place.
Picard: Have we detected anything on our long-range scans, Mister Worf?
Worf: Nothing, Sir. We should get closer, however, to get reliable data.
Picard: Battle status?
Worf: Battle stations manned and ready, Sir. Alert Condition: Green.
Picard (tapping his combadge): Sickbay, medical status?
Doctor Selar (in sickbay): Doctor Selar here, Sir. Sickbay ready if it's needed.
Picard: I hope not, Doctor. Thank you.
4 minutes later.
Worf: Captain, scanners picking 3 ships on the edge near the Twobea main planet, Firanna. We are too far yet to determine origin and type, Sir.
Picard: Let's not take any risk, yellow alert, Mister Worf.
Worf: Aye, Sir.
Data enters the bridge and replaces Ensign Martinez at Ops.
Picard: Mister Data, try to boost the sensors to determine what ships are ahead.
Data: Aye, Sir. Boosting the sensors.
Worf: Captain! One of the ships is a Klingon bird of prey! Configuration of the other two ships unknown.
Picard: A Klingon ship? What could they be doing here? Are you sure, Mister Worf? Check again.
Worf: Of course, I'm sure, you worthless piece of sh….
Picard (Turning to face Worf): Mister Worf !
Worf: Sorry, Captain, it's that writer again ! (Growling to himself) If the writer was here, I would kill him where he stood!
Picard: Hail the bird of prey.
Worf: They're responding, Sir.
Picard : On screen.
An alien of an unknown species appears on the screen in the command chair, other aliens are on the bridge. The aliens are humanoid, a bit taller than an average human and have their hair arranged in some kind of banana shape. The are also two klingons.
Picard: I'm Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the Federation starship Entreprise. We are here on behalf of the Ornotians who are unable to leave their system. They received few days ago a message from the Twobeans asking for help just before they became unable to leave their system.
Alien Captain : I'm Commander Sivle Yelserp of the Twobea defense forces. We thank you for responding to the message but I assure you the situation in now under control.
Picard (smiling): I'm glad to hear it, Commander Yelserp. As long as we are here, I would be grateful for the opportunity to visit Twobea.
Commander Yelserp: Unfortunately, Captain Picard, it is not the best time, we are still in the process of re-establishing the situation and it is not the ideal time for a visit. Maybe another time.
Picard: Of course, I understand, Commander. Could we be of any help then?
Commander Yelserp: Thank you, Captain but your help is not needed.
Picard: All right, then. We'll leave and let you continue your work. Thank you for welcoming us.
Commander Yelserp: It was my pleasure, Captain Picard.
The communication is cut out and the main viewer displays again the three ships.
Worf: They have terminated the communication, Sir. I have to point that I don't believe him.
Troi: I would not call it outright lying, however, he is clearly hiding things from us.
Data: Sir, my scans on the bird of prey detected deuterium and flam in the cargo hold. I also detected zidane in one of the other two ships. These three combined produce...
Picard (interrupting): ...deuterium flamenzide. Well, Mister Worf, it seems our suspicions are correct. What about the three ships' tactical situation?
Worf: Standard armament for the klingon bird of prey. The two other ships are of an unusual configuration but I would say their armament is more powerful than the bird of prey. We're match for their ships.
Data: Sir, the sensors also detected several other ships of unknown configuration. They were too far for accurate readings but these readings are consistent with our readings we had from faraway on the two ships here.
Picard: Well, there's nothing we can do and we also have no reason to interfere. For now at least... And our duty now is to help the Ornotians. Worf, I want a detailed report on this ships, and Data, continue your studies on a way to destroy the vortexes. Mister Limansky, take us back to Ornotia, warp 6.
Ensign Limansky: Course set, Sir.
Picard: Engage!
[TO BE CONTINUED]
Stay tuned for chapters 4 ("Ornotian Rhapsody", writing already started), 5 ("It's never or now") and 6 ("Heal the planet") and the epilogue ("Ze End").