Paint and Powder
A Star Trek anthology by Andrew Joshua Talon
DISCLAIMER: This is a non-profit fan based work of prose. Star Trek: The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager et al are the property of CBS Television, and creation of Gene Roddenberry. Please support the official release.
"Woden: First Blood"
2364
Ronara Prime
Being out in the black was something Woden had looked forward to since he'd first achieved sapience. It seemed so long ago to the nascent AI, despite it being a mere two years, two months, six days, five hours, and thirty-seven minutes.
It seemed a trifling matter from the perspective of a mere computer: He had been built in space, his hull assembled over Ceti Alpha V. The vacuum had been around him since he had come online. Even now, he was out under his crew's directions, and not entirely his own will.
But there was a difference. He felt it, deep in what might be his soul. He wasn't sure, but... It was there. He knew it. He felt it.
"How's the message processing going, Woden?"
He looked to his captain, as his holographic avatar stood next to her command chair on the bridge. She was Captain Adain Wynn, a red headed human female from Wales, Earth. She wore the black and gray uniform of Starfleet Intelligence, and gave him the smallest of smiles in encouragement.
"Cardassian activity has increased in this sector, Captain," Woden reported dutifully, "high volume tight beam subspace transmissions. They are centered near Quatal Prime."
Wynn frowned deeply, considering.
"That's the site of a highly profitable Cardassian mining colony, four moons," she said, "no military bases near there."
"No Captain, none for seven lightyears," Woden reported, "I..."
He paused. His ops officer looked up, alarmed.
"Captain," the ops officer, Tuny Glinn, a Saurian, stated, "I'm picking up Cardassian warp signatures entering the system!"
"Onscreen," Wynn ordered. In a moment, the viewscreen displayed multiple dark amber warships dropping out of warp. "Threat assessment?"
"Nine Galors, one uprated Galor, ten additional support craft of Tonga-class and lighter vessels," Woden stated, his good eye narrowed.
"They're headed for the colony, Captain," Glinn warned, "they're charging weapons!"
"Have they spotted us?" Wynn asked. Woden shook his head.
"No," he stated.
"Where are the nearest Federation starships that could respond?" Wynn pressed further, looking to their comms officer. She was a Tellarite, named Gruji Kron. She tapped her earpiece and scowled.
"The Resilience, Rutledge, and Frosk are the closest task force. They could be here in twenty four minutes."
"Too long," Woden stated, "the Cardassians will be in firing range in five minutes."
"How did they get this close without anyone spotting them?" Wynn demanded, clenching her fists, "especially us?!"
"Unknown," Woden stated, "however, the large amount of solar flare activity in this system may have helped shield their approach."
Wynn pursed her lips. Her first officer, a Rigellian named Vrowud, clicked softly.
"Captain, our orders were to observe and investigate, not interfere," he stated, "Project Aesir is supposed to be top secret-"
"There are over one hundred thousand people down there, Vrowud," Wynn said sharply. Vrowud nodded.
"I know, Captain. But it's my job to inform you of what we may be risking," the large, turtle-like being said, utterly calm.
Wynn was silent for one minute, twenty-three seconds. She sucked in a deep breath.
"Woden? Red Alert. All hands? Battlestations!"
Again, a strange satisfaction washed over Woden as he charged his weapons and headed into battle. A feeling of... Rightness.
Despite everything, the feeling told him he was where he was meant to be. As sure as the expansion of the universe or the constant of the speed of light.
He was home.
Legate Trun Drale had worked for months to set this plan up. The Central Command was growing weary of this conflict, seeing no way to truly win. Drale saw things differently.
The Federation was a paper scotrill-Fearsome in appearance, rich in resources, yes, but their days of glory were behind them. They were a weak, decadent people, fat and lazy. They offered peace terms when they could crush the Union-If they had the will.
But they didn't. They never would. They were too divided among all their various member races.
Use their free press against them, see how fearsome their foes were, and the Federation would give everything to the Cardassians. And more.
He sat in his chair on the bridge of his flagship, the Keldon. It was an experimental design, still unproven, but Drale had enough friends in high places to grant him the use of the prototype for this expedition. While it still had teething problems, it was better armed than any Galor, Norin or Tonga-class cruisers available. And it had one of the Science Directory's newest acquisitions.
"Keldon, report!" He barked.
A holographic avatar of a Cardassian female appeared at his side, dressed in a simple but flattering civilian tunic. It did his men good to see such a sight, given how long they had to stay away from Cardassia Prime.
Especially since, unlike the shipgirl AIs on other vessels, this one wasn't a spy for the Obsidian Order.
"All ships report operational. Surface targets have been chosen," the avatar reported in a dull, professional tone. Drale hid a frown-They'd have to do something about her personality.
"Any Federation starships in the vicinity?" He asked.
"Four civilian freighters, two transports, five other civilian vessels," Keldon relayed, "no Starfleet-"
She froze, and glitched badly. Drale's jaw dropped as the usually dull avatar's eyes widened in fear.
"Keldon? Keldon!"
"Error-Error-Error-!"
For a moment, a huge, dark figure loomed behind the holographic avatar. He seized her by the throat from behind, and yanked her back as the projection died and the light darkened. Drale swore that, in the darkness that had formed where the figure's face should have been, there was only one deadly glowing blue eye.
"AI has gone into lockdown mode!" His ops officer shouted, "switching to emergency backup systems!"
"What happened?! What's going on?!" Drale demanded.
"Something's accessing our systems remotely, Legate!" His engineering officer shouted, frantically tapping at his controls, "they shut Keldon down!"
"Another ship is entering visual range!" His sensor officer shouted, "Starfleet-Unknown configuration!"
"On screen!" Drale shouted.
The viewscreen at first appeared to show nothing... But the sensors finally got a lock, and Drale sucked in a breath into his suddenly tight chest.
It looked like a Nebula-class starship, stripped down to the bare minimum. There was no secondary hull, just a single, ominously glowing deflector dish on a dorsal-side rollbar. Numerous pods decorated the vessel, which was a dark, battleship gray.
Unlike most Federation ships, it was barely illuminated, adding to the ominous sight.
"They're launching weapons-Torpedoes!" His sensor officer shouted.
Photon torpedoes erupted from the ship in a massive wave, dozens of them. Their escorts, plucky little Norins and armored Tongas, flew up to try and intercept them... But were annihilated by the sheer number of projectiles. They exploded into bright new stars, as a second wave of missiles flew through and began blasting apart their Galors.
The dark ship flew through the plasma flames, that blue deflector dish glowing like the eye of the being that had disabled Keldon's AI.
"Shields, SHIELDS!" Drale shouted.
The large pod underneath the centerline of the unknown ship's saucer section let loose phaser blasts, like lightning from a vengeful god. Two shots punched through the shields of the nearest Galor, and it exploded. The Keldon was hit next-One shot, two shots, and Drale was thrown off his feet onto the hard deck plating as the lights went dead.
"Damage report!" Drale cried. "DAMAGE REPORT!"
"Shields have failed, Legate! Main power offline!" His sensor officer shouted.
The viewscreen flickered, but that same glowing deflector-That same eye-burned through the wreckage of his fleet.
Drale had grown up hearing whispered legends of the Reaper, a spirit of Death that would take Cardassians away to the next life. Such legends were discourage by the State as meaningless superstitions, attempts to escape, even mentally, from the perfect existence.
Drale had never put much stock in such legends... Yet as he knew death was upon him, he couldn't help but note the similarities...
And hope that the Reaper would be quick.
"All power has failed, Legate! They're firing again-!"
His sensor officer was cut off as the third blast struck, and the world erupted into white flame.
Drale closed his eyes.
His hope had been answered.
There was that, at least.
Captain Wynn leaned back in her chair, wary, her fists clenched around her armrests. Woden looked at her curiously with his one eye, as they fled the area at high warp speed.
"Captain?"
Wynn looked over at Woden, and shook her head. She again shared a small, soft smile. Those were rare, and Woden treasured them.
"You did well, Woden," she said, "no matter what anyone says... Or will say... You did well."
Woden frowned.
"Why would they say otherwise-?"
Gruji Kron cleared her throat indelicately.
"Captain? Subspace traffic has us," she said, "we've been flagged on multiple civilian video sharing sites and message boards. FNN and all the other major news networks are broadcasting us."
Wynn sank back in her chair.
"Show me," she stated.
Woden obliged, and a pretty Vulcan newscaster appeared in her studio. Behind her was a holo of Woden engaging the Cardassian ships.
"Thanks to live witness accounts and recordings from multiple sources around and on Ronara Prime," the newscaster stated calmly, "it is clear an advanced Starfleet vessel of unknown type intercepted and engaged a fleet of over twenty Cardassian vessels approaching the colony. The vessel destroyed all of the Cardassian vessels with no apparent damage to itself, and then departed, ignoring all hails. Analysis of the footage has revealed the name of this vessel: USS Woden, NX-70000. Officially this vessel is listed as a test platform in Starfleet databases with no other information available, but it is clear the vessel is a warship, operating in secret-"
"Off," Wynn sighed, and the screen went blank. She looked up at the ceiling.
"Three... Two... One-"
"Admiral Haden of Starfleet Command is on the line for you, Captain," Kron said.
"Right on time," Wynn sighed. She stood up, and headed for her ready room. "Vrowud, you have the bridge."
"Aye sir," the Rigellian rumbled, and he sat in the captain's chair. Wynn entered her ready room, and shut out Woden's access. He frowned and looked to Vrowud in concern.
"Will... We be all right?" He asked.
Vrowud nodded.
"We will be all right, Woden," he said calmly, "no matter what anyone says... We did good today. Maybe not in the convenient way? But if the only alternative is to let the innocent die? That's... No choice at all."
Woden nodded, that grim satisfaction returning.
He was... At peace. It may have been strange, after he had killed so many, taken so many lives. But he was... Centered.
He wasn't overjoyed at all the death and destruction, mind you. Just... Grimly satisfied.
He had done his duty. Expressed the true core of his purpose: He had protected the defenseless and destroyed his enemies.
Admittedly, had he lacked the element of surprise (and over 400 photon torpedoes he could launch in a massive alpha strike), the battle could have easily ended in a different manner. He was not invincible. And he'd gotten lucky that the AI running the Cardassian Flagship was not yet sapient, despite it being a copy of a third generation Starfleet AI.
The other ship AIs had all been very basic, first generation Starfleet at best.
Still... He had pride for a job well done.
No matter what the future held.
Cardassia Prime
Central Command Headquarters
"This is insanity!"
Legate Kell slammed his fists on the table before him, scowling across it at his fellow military commanders.
"A single Federation starship annihilated Drale's entire fleet?! ALL ON IT'S OWN?!"
He turned his wrathful eyes on the lone "civilians" in the room, the representatives of the Obsidian Order: An old man, rotund and proud in his age, with his slick lieutenant at his side.
"And what do you have to say for yourselves, spies?! Hm?! Almost seven thousand Cardassians are dead all because of you!"
The old man looked over the reports with a keen eye, and chuckled thoughtfully. Kell snarled.
"You dare laugh at this, Tain?!"
"Twenty ships and seven thousand men is a cheap price for what the Federation has taught us today, Kell," Tain stated calmly, "if we can pay attention."
"What?!" Kell demanded. He nearly got up, but his glinn held him back.
"Sir, don't, please," the younger man muttered. Kell grit his teeth, but slowly sat back down. Tain set the padd down, shaking his head.
"Legate Drale's plan was ambitious... But foolhardy," he said, "the Federation is peaceful because it can afford to be peaceful. If they were truly serious about wiping us out, they would be deploying dozens of these ships against us now. No, no... This was clearly a warning."
"A warning?!" Gul Macet scoffed. Tain nodded.
"A warning we should take heed of. For over a decade now, we've been nipping at the Federation's heels. Striking their colonies, raiding their outermost worlds. It was only a matter of time before they got tired of it. Before even their patience hit its limits. But to use such an advanced ship we knew nothing about... No. It doesn't quite fit together. The game just got much bigger."
"What does that mean?" Legate Ghemor asked, the large man finally breaking his silence. Tain chuckled.
"It means, quite simply... There is something out there that requires their attention more than us. Nothing happens by accident." Tain rested his hands in a steepled position as he gazed around the room.
"Numerous colonies of theirs and the Romulans were recently attacked. Scooped right off their worlds, as though by a huge hand," he said, "and there was some kind of coup attempt from within. Perhaps courtesy of the same force, perhaps not. In either case, the Federation decided to make it clear that it would no longer tolerate our raids, and test an advanced warship they were building for that greater threat. Now... We can either take the lesson for what it is, and pull back. Reassess our strategy towards them... Or we can lose many more men and ships. What is your choice?"
Silence ensued. Kell sighed heavily.
"Inform the Detapa Council to send out... Diplomatic feelers," he stated. "We will answer their calls. Tain? We will need intelligence."
"Yes, you always do," Tain observed dryly. He stood up and turned, heading out, his assistant right at his heels. The military leaders glared hatred at his back the whole way out.
It was not until the pair was outside in the plaza that Tain finally spoke.
"It's only a wonder that this didn't happen sooner," Tain sighed, "the military, always biting off more than they could chew."
"But of course, ambition is rewarded," his assistant said, "if one can twist a failure into a victory. Shame they weren't creative enough to try that."
"Some lies are too far, Elim," Tain said, shaking his head at the younger man. Garak hummed thoughtfully.
"Perhaps if they're not good enough," he admitted. Tain laughed quietly.
"Same old Garak... Still. Perhaps the Central Command will see the wisdom in making use of our shipgirl AIs from now on, instead of trying to use their own bad copies."
"Oh?" Garak asked, "it's almost like you planned it out that way."
Tain smirked.
"Really? That would have been clever of me," he said, "if I could work such plots like I was omniscient."
"Isn't that the job description for the head of the Obsidian Order?" Garak asked, as they walked through a small, well kept public garden. Tain chuckled.
"And here you are, doubting the effectiveness of a lie?"
"Hardly," Garak stated, "just impressed with how far reaching those must be. I feel positively inadequate!"
"As you should, the apprentice to the master," Tain returned. They stopped at an overlook, admiring the scenery of the vast capital city before them. Tain shook his head.
"There are greater threats out there though, Elim. Never forget that," he stated, "Our win is Cardassia's win, Elim. Never forget that. All we do... Is for Cardassia."
"For Cardassia," Garak said solemnly.
Earth Space Dock
2364
Woden had never been to Earth. His brothers and sisters had spoken of it in awe, when they researched the meaning and history of their names. This was the world where gods once strode, where Ragnarok had burned the old, and the new had been born courtesy of Zefram Cochrane and the Vulcans.
Looking down upon it, under escort by Yorktown, Thomas Paine and Renegade, Woden could almost sense the history of the place. Could almost see the tracks and footprints of billions of humans over thousands, millions of years.
He wished he could have visited under better circumstances.
His pilot, some ensign that had beamed aboard from one of the escorting ships, flew him in slowly and carefully into Earth Spacedock herself, cutting off his view of the Earth. Tractor beams locked onto him, as he was pulled onto a docking clamp. He tried to access the station systems, per normal, but he was locked out. A message flashed to him.
"Woden, throttle down to safe, open Borderlands, cyberdefenses offline," the controller from Earth Space Dock commanded.
Woden frowned, and looked over at Captain Wynn. She stood on his bridge, tense. Next to her was a Commander Kennedy, an obnoxious little woman who had beamed over from the Yorktown. She sneered.
"Well, Captain?"
"Starfleet Intelligence protocols dictate that we maintain basic cybersecurity defenses while in dock, Commander," Wynn said, "given the nature of this... Incident, I don't think we need any more security-"
"ESD's cybersecurity will be adequate," Kennedy stated, "if you have nothing to hide, there's nothing to worry about!"
"That's not what I mean-" Wynn tried patiently, but Kennedy scowled and moved her hand to her commbadge.
"Do I need to tell my superiors you were noncompliant with your murder machine?" She hissed.
Wynn managed to keep her emotions under control, though it was obvious it was not easy for her. Her neck muscles tensed, her heartrate sped up.
Out loud, she calmly said:
"Woden, please comply."
"Yes captain," Woden stated. He went through the check list with the unfamiliar officers, shutting himself down. He was on umbilical power now, as his warp core shut down.
He stood stoically as Kennedy walked right through his hologram, towards the turbolift.
"Well? Come along," she stated, as though addressing children and not officers, "time for the debriefing."
Wynn smiled at Woden, softly.
"We'll be fine," she murmured, as she headed out.
Woden watched them go, confused and worried. He didn't let it show on his face.
He got pinged, and he closed his eyes. He reopened them in the Borderlands.
He found himself in an Elizabethean/Jacobean manor sitting room, similar to many such homes in Great Britain. A fire roared in the nearby fireplace, in front of which were several pieces of comfortable looking furniture. Two other shipgirls were sitting there.
One was an elegant blonde woman in 19th century dress, with leather gloves. She sat on the couch and drank coffee, and slowly rose to nod to him politely.
"Hello Woden. I am Thomas Paine. It's a pleasure to meet you."
The other was a redheaded woman in white pirate dress, spinning a silver gun with sapphires embedded in the grip around her fingers. She shot him a roguish grin and wink.
"Hey Handsome. I'm Renegade! Nice to meet you!"
Finally, Yorktown herself walked in, all smiles in her usual long dress.
"Hello Woden," Yorktown said, "please, sit."
Woden frowned cautiously. Renegade snorted.
"Don't be like that," Renegade consoled, "we're all ship AIs here. Let us get a good look at you, handsome~."
"Don't be crass, Renegade," Paine scolded her sister ship. Renegade tried to look innocent.
"What? I'm just stating the obvious," she said, winking at Woden. He remained stoic, as he sat down in a chair facing the fireplace. Yorktown served him some cookies and coffee. He ate them mechanically, checking them for any invasive programs.
"What will happen to my crew?" He asked.
Yorktown sat down across from him, and sighed.
"Given the... Confused situation in Starfleet Command right now," she said carefully, "most likely, they'll be debriefed and held for questioning. Certain elements want to bring charges against them."
Woden's eyes widened in disbelief.
"For what?!"
"For being 'aggressive and warmongering'," Renegade sneered. Paine huffed, equally filled with distaste.
"But-But we saved that colony-!" Woden shouted, nearly getting up to his feet. Yorktown held out her hand, and Woden stopped. She looked at him with compassion.
"You haven't interacted with a lot of other AIs, have you?" She asked.
Woden slowly shook his head, and just as slowly sat back down.
"Just... My siblings," he said, "we were to be kept top secret."
"He could be worse," Paine suggested. She flushed at his look. "Sorry. That was rude of me. Forgive me, Woden."
"It's... All right?" Woden managed.
Renegade chuckled and got up, practically slinking to Woden. She sat down in his lap, and gave him a big grin. He flushed at the contact.
"Well, that does explain a few things," she said, "though he's not as bad as those Section 31 AIs. Poor girls..."
"Section 31?" Woden asked, confused. Yorktown waved her hand.
"Later, later. To answer your question, it's politics. After the shake up of Starfleet Command from those Bluegill Parasites, and the colonies attacked on the Neutral Zone Border, Starfleet Command is in chaos. They're looking for something to blame, to maintain their 'peaceful policies'. Your actions were right, Woden. Never doubt that. But the fact is... You are a secret warship project in a time of largely peaceful efforts."
"I am supposed to maintain the peace," Woden insisted. Renegade nodded.
"And you did great there, pal! But I think this generation of officers has forgotten the price paid for peace."
"Eternal vigilance," Paine stated calmly. She had gotten up and now stood next to Woden. She pushed Renegade out of his lap.
"Honestly Renegade, act with some decorum!"
"He didn't mind!" Renegade whined.
"Ladies," Yorktown said, calm but firm. Both frigates stepped away, bowing their heads. Yorktown got up, and walked over to Woden. She smiled at him.
"You are not to blame, Woden. You and your siblings will not be scrapped or anything like that. But I think there will be some compromises coming."
"Compromises?" Woden echoed.
Yorktown nodded.
"More than likely, you and your siblings will be under lockdown for the next few months, assessed and analyzed while Command figures out what to do," Yorktown said. She reached out and took his hand.
"I promise you," she said, "I will do everything I can to help you. Our captains all agree with what you did. It just takes time for the right decisions to be made."
Woden nodded, feeling comforted. Yorktown smiled and leaned down to hug him. He was surprised, but managed to return the gesture.
"In the meantime," Yorktown said softly, "we'll help you acclimate to being social. It will help your crew, and your siblings."
"Yorktown," Paine growled.
Yorktown held up her hands, a light blush on her cheeks.
"I hardly meant it the way you think-!"
"You'd better not!" Renegade growled. "And people say I'm shameless!"
"You are," Paine deadpanned.
"Well at least I'm honest about it!"
Woden frowned.
"What... Will our relationship be?" Woden asked. All three AIs stared at him for a moment. Yorktown smiled.
"Friends," she said, "comrades in arms. And family."
Woden thought of his crew. His siblings. How close they all were. He slowly nodded.
"I... Would like that," he said.
"As would we," Renegade agreed, leaning forward and hugging him. Woden blinked in confusion, but hugged her back.
He hadn't gotten many hugs, either. His siblings simply didn't do it. Nor did his crew.
It was... Nice.
Yorktown smiled gently... Just as she whacked the back of Renegade's head.
"OW! What was that for?"
"Watch your hands," Yorktown stated firmly, "you cradlerobber."
"Look who's talking!" Renegade growled.
2367
Yorktown had been right. Woden and his siblings were sent back to Ceti Alpha V, and all their missions were suspended for an indefinite amount of time. None of their crews were charged with anything, thankfully. But they were all debriefed, and debriefed, again and again, by these new admirals and commodores promoted in the wake of the Bluegill Conspiracy.
The public perception of these events helped keep all his siblings in higher spirits. They were mostly seen as heroes, who had protected the Federation from a deadly sneak attack. Even Klingons thought the Cardassian's actions were cowardly, and more than a few Klingon shipgirls had sent requests to get to know the young warship AIs.
Some more... Aggressively than others, ahem.
For six months, they sat, doing some testing for their more "peacetime" technologies, but unable to leave. Commander Kennedy had been assigned as Starfleet Command's liaison, and she made every decision made by Admiral Reynolds, the appointed project head, a teeth gnashing nightmare.
Every memo was questioned, every decision scrutinized, all their computer files gone through over and over, as though seeking proof that this was a plot by the Bluegills or other nefarious entities.
Then... Things changed.
Some 7,000 lightyears away, the Enterprise-D had encountered a race known as the Borg. And they were no joke. They were coming.
Starfleet Intelligence had, of course, kept track of rumors about the Borg since El-Aurian refugees began to show up in Federation space in the 2290s. They had flown over ten thousand lightyears away from them. A few xenobiologists had gone missing trying to study them. And the colonies along the Neutral Zone, both Federation and Romulan, had been scooped up by something powerful. Something terrible.
Well, Enterprise got a good look at how terrible they were. An industrial might and technological sophistication that dwarfed the Federation's. A collective hive mind that adapted and changed. Ships that healed themselves like living machines.
Woden was a warrior... But Enterprise was the warrior of the Federation. The strongest and most cunning fighter of all ship AIs. And she... Had been terrified.
She had tried to hide it in the reports, of course... But he could tell.
That terror had seemed to get through to even Commander Kennedy, to a point. Woden and his siblings were allowed to undertake missions again, though representatives from the Admiralty had to be aboard every time. Kennedy, unfortunately, was Woden's.
He likened her to a political officer from various totalitarian regimes. She called him a brute and a monster in machine form.
Captain Wynn kept them from fighting, as best she could... But it wore on her to have this child on her bridge, questioning her orders. Openly!
Woden found patience he had never been able to find before. Largely thanks to Yorktown, Paine, and Renegade. They kept up their communications with him, even against orders. Even Yorktown's sisters, Hornet and Enterprise, had sent letters.
And of course, his siblings kept him grounded. They had also made friends.
The sense of relief when Admiral Reynolds came aboard towards the end of 2366 was palpable. He looked grim, but determined.
"There's a Borg cube enroute to Sector 001," he said, "there's a fleet of 40 starships that's going to hit them at Wolf 359. We need to get underway as fast as possible to back them up."
Kennedy, who had been fussing with some files at her station (usually reserved for the second officer), started and looked up.
"Wha-Wait-But I haven't finished collating these reports on our last intelligence mission-!"
"Drop it, Kennedy!" Reynolds barked. "We have no time for paperwork! Either get this tub moving, or get off!"
Kennedy seethed at him.
"You wouldn't dare-!"
"Try me, Kennedy," Reynolds stated, cold as the northern wastes of Europa he hailed from, "only try me."
They glared at one another for another forty two seconds, before Kennedy broke first. Wynn smiled gratefully to the Admiral, briefly-A look he returned. Wynn turned to the crew.
"You heard the man! Load the weapons bays! Patch up the hull damage from that Orion raider! Woden-?"
"Systems online," Woden reported, "within the boundaries of the various 'security' measures Commander Kennedy installed."
Wynn nodded.
"Good. Kennedy? You put all the lockouts on my ships: Get them all off, now."
Kennedy gaped in disbelief.
"All of them?! That'll take ten hours-!"
"You have two, on your way," Wynn stated coldly. Kennedy looked around, for any allies. Finding none, she gulped, nodded... And scurried off to the turbolift. The doors closed behind her, and Reynolds grinned at the crew.
"Been waiting a year to say that," he stated, and much laughter was his response. He looked over to Wynn.
"Adain? Woden? Let's get ready for war."
"Aye sir," both said grimly.
Commander Kennedy, despite her nature, had been as good as her word. Two hours of furious, frenetic work, and the exhausted, frazzled commander had arrived back on the bridge. Her hair was in disarray and she was covered in grease and filth.
"We're... All ready... Sirs," she managed.
Reynolds turned, and nodded.
"Good work, Commander," he stated, "man the second officer's console. We will need everyone we've got."
Kennedy almost looked like she would protest, but she gritted her teeth and staggered to her station. Woden watched her, in case she fell over from exhaustion. She didn't, but she was struggling to stay awake.
Reynolds looked to Wynn, and smiled.
"Captain? If you would?"
"Open a channel to the fleet," Wynn ordered.
"Open," Woden declared.
"This is Reynolds to all ships," he said, "clear the slips, and then, set course for Wolf 359. Maximum warp!"
Woden and his siblings moved out, slow and perhaps a bit clumsy. They were like birds that had been confined from the sky.
But the moment their warp nacelles came online, and they leaped to warp... Any hesitation vanished.
They were where they were meant to be.
... Or so Woden thought.
They had made it to Wolf 359... And saw nothing but broken hulls. 39 ships, wrecked and savaged.
The sensor readings made no sense. It was impossible.
Thirty minutes. Thirty minutes had been all one Borg Cube had needed to wipe out 39 ships...
Skadi burst into tears. Tyr's jaw hung open wide. Heimdall was sullen. Eir and Lofn, twin AIs, held eachother in the Borderlands to support each other. Woden stood alone, his good eye blazing blue.
"Full scans, search for survivors," Reynolds ordered, "launch every probe and drone we've got. We're not going to leave anyone behind!"
Woden tensed up when the wrecked form of an Ambassador-class ship drifted into view. A familiar one. Wynn grimaced.
"Yorktown," she murmured.
Kennedy stifled a small cry of dismay. She covered her mouth, tears poking at the corners of her eyes. Woden stared in amazement at the usually smug, difficult woman...
But her service record had been largely spent on Yorktown.
He set his teeth. He scanned the debris, coordinating with his siblings...
"There," he said, pointing at a tangled heap of wreckage, "there... Yorktown's black box! It has to be!"
"Beam her out," Wynn ordered, "full isolation protocols!"
"On it, s-sir," Kennedy spoke, working quickly.
Reynolds sucked in a deep breath.
"Get all the survivors we can aboard," he ordered, "then we're setting course for Earth. We have to-"
"SIR!" Gruji Kron shouted. "I-I mean, SIRS! I-They-!"
She just put it on screen. Not a jaw was left closed when they saw the footage courtesy of an FNN broadcast. A tiny gray form warped away from the massive Borg cube, a mountain of a ship... As the cube exploded, like a new star being born.
"It is confirmed," the reporter cried, "it is confirmed... The Enterprise has destroyed the Borg cube! The Borg Cube has been destroyed! I..."
She broke down weeping. Woden could see similar tears in the eyes of many of his crew.
Wynn wiped hers quickly, even as cheering broke out.
"Hey! HEY! Celebrate later!" Wynn shouted. "We've got survivors to rescue! MOVE IT!"
For Woden... His duty was clear. But he could see the wrecks of two other starships... And see that there were no blackboxes waiting to be rescued there.
"Woden?"
He glanced to Wynn, looking at him in concern. He looked back at the hulks that were the Renegade and the Thomas Paine.
"Woden? Are you all right?"
"... I am fine," he murmured, blue eye burning in his grief and rage.
Yorktown's blackbox was beamed to an examination lab. None of her crew had made it. Woden put a holographic avatar up to watch over her, even as he tried to access her systems.
It was slow going. She'd gone into total lockdown mode. Tried to pretend to be a hole in space, to the Borg sensors.
Outside, Woden's avatar looked to the doors to the examination lab as they opened. Kennedy walked through.
Kennedy hesitated... Before she walked up and patted the battered black box fondly.
"... I'm sorry," she murmured, "I... I'm so sorry..."
She looked over at Woden.
"Can-Can you talk to her?" She asked.
"Yes," he said.
"Is... Is she okay?" Kennedy asked.
Woden was silent for a moment.
"I can't access her right now," he said.
Kennedy nodded quickly, her eyes still low.
"... I started out as an ensign on her, you know," she said softly, "my father, he's an admiral... He got me the posting. I tried to do him proud... She helped me a lot."
She trailed off, and sighed.
"I stopped listening when I made commander... How stupid was that?" Kennedy asked.
Woden remained silent. Kennedy bit her lower lip, and then looked back at Woden.
"... I feel like this is all my fault," she said softly.
Woden paused, and stared at her.
"You?"
"Me... Everyone who..." She shook her head and laughed, as though in a daze, "I feel... Like such an idiot. When you see... All that death and destruction... See how we were swatted away, like bugs, I..."
She sighed.
"Please... When you make contact with her? Tell her... I'm sorry. I miss her. I wish... I wish I wasn't so stupid, so arrogant, so..."
Kennedy gave him a small smile.
"Thank you," she said.
Woden shook his head, his own feelings in disarray.
"I... If you failed, so did I," he stated, "I did not make it here in time, I did not-"
"You?!" Kennedy walked up to him, angry. "No! You didn't-It's not your fault, Woden!"
She sucked in a deep breath, calming herself. Her voice came out more steady.
"You... It wasn't your fault," she said firmly, "if we hadn't been so stupid, so short sighted-!"
The blackbox activated, seeking access to Woden's holographic projectors. After checking there were no Borg programs coming through, Woden granted the request.
In an instant, that battered armchair he had sat in so long ago when he first met her materialized, facing away from them. Yorktown slowly rose from the chair.
She turned to face them. She looked... Awful. Covered in bruises, smoke, and her clothing was torn.
He froze. He didn't know what to say...
"Yorktown!" Kennedy gasped. Yorktown smiled weakly.
"H-Hello... Donna... Hello Woden..."
Woden projected himself by her avatar in an instant, and held her up as she wobbled. It didn't really do anything, perhaps, but it made him feel like he was doing something.
"Yorktown," Kennedy gasped, rushing over, "I-I'm so sorry! It's all my fault!"
Yorktown's jaw dropped.
"I-Wha-?"
"It's my fault," Kennedy cried. "If I hadn't been so stupid, if I'd-!"
"No," Woden interjected, "I... I should have been there," he murmured, "I should have-"
Yorktown's arms were around them both in an instant. He looked up, into her eyes. She shook her head, even as tears gently ran down her cheeks.
"No," she stated, firm and strong, "no. We don't blame anyone but the Borg for this. They are to blame... Not you."
He held her. Kennedy broke down into sobs. She kept repeating that message... But she never let go.
Neither did he.
He had no words for her, no wisdom... Save for silence, and comfort.
Which, perhaps, was a kind of wisdom all its own...
He hadn't been so sure of where he was. But perhaps he now knew where he was going.
To keep a day like this from ever happening again...
Hope you enjoyed a different take on the early TNG era.
SHIP FILE: WODEN/BROADSWORD CLASS
Starship Class :: Woden/Broadsword
Starsip Type :: Advanced Tactical Concept Heavy Cruiser
Starship Production Status :: In Production
Starship Fleet Status :: Currently in Service
Starship Design Statistics
First Launched: 2360
Length :: 480 Meters
Beam :: 467 Meters
Draft :: 108 Meters
Displacement :: 3,150,000 Metric Tons
Cargo Capacity :: Mission Dependent
Hull Type :: Duranium & Tritanium
Decks :: 20
Crew :: 800
Troops :: 2,500
Evacuation Capacity :: 8,700
Performance:
-Cruising Speed: Warp 7
-Maximum Cruising Speed: Warp 9.2 (Warp 9.4 Broadsword-class)
-Emergency Speed: Warp 9.75/12 hours
Armament (Standard Broadsword-class):
-8 x Type X Collimated Phaser Arrays
-6 x Rapid Fire Torpedo Launchers (4 Fore, 2 Aft)
-2 x Vertical Launch Torpedo System Pods (200 x Single Shot Torpedo Launch Cells Each) (Optional)
Woden-class Only Armament Additions:
-2 x Vertical Launch Torpedo System Pods (200 x Single Shot Torpedo Launch Cells Each) (Standard)
-1 x Type XII Ventral Spinal Phaser Cannon
Defenses:
-Triple Redundant Deflector Shield Grid
-Double-Hull "Whipple Armor"
-Ablative Armor
-SESW-5 Subspace Electronic Warfare System (Woden-class only)
-Polarized Armor (Woden-class only)
Space Wing:
-16 Type-8 Medium Short-Range Shuttlecraft
-16 Type-9 Medium Long-Range Shuttlecraft
-Eight Type-11 Heavy Long-Range Shuttlecraft
-Ten Work Bee-Type Maintenance Pods
-Mixture depending on mission
History:
The Galaxy Dynasty of starships was part of an effort to not only upgrade Starfleet of the 2360s and simplify logistical issues, but also to help with testing of numerous technologies and components of the Galaxy Project across the fleet. Numerous successful designs arose from this, including but not limited to the Nebula, New Orleans, Cheyenne, and Galaxy-X classes. Even smaller designs such as the Challenger, Springfield and Freedom classes proved their worth as light cruisers, scouts, and destroyers. While most of these ships were built with mainly peaceful intentions, elements within Starfleet Intelligence felt that the Galaxy Project had exceptional possibilities in combat.
Starfleet Intelligence was often far more pragmatic than the Admiralty during the "Golden Age", and while not the warmongers and criminals that Section 31 would come to be seen as, SI was nevertheless committed to bending the rules as needed to defend the Federation. They knew that peace with the Klingon Empire might not last, the Romulans might be emerging, the Cardassians still posed a threat to Federation interests, and there were rumors of a powerful new threat beyond their borders.
With this in mind, Starfleet Intelligence acquired a number of spare parts from the Galaxy Project and undertook Project Aesir. There were no other new starship project families on the horizon aside from Galaxy-based technologies, but this was not a hinderance, as the logistics tree had massive potential in all sorts of areas.
Officially, Project Aesir was just one of numerous test bed programs of this same type all across the Federation: Building prototype starships with Galaxy-class technology and components. This one would be focused on intelligence gathering and some tactical missions.
Unofficially, it was the first real dedicated warship program the Federation would undertake after the Khitomer Accords and before the Battle of Wolf 359.
Six Galaxy-saucer sections, twelve warp nacelles, and twelve miniature deflector dishes with additional custom parts were assembled into six vessels at the Ceti Alpha 5 Orbital Construction and Testing Facility. The Woden/Broadsword class, similar to early Nebula class ships in purpose and configuration, but with a built-up aft hull rather than a separate secondary hull. This results in a shorter overall height and a cleaner warp field profile. Taking a historical cue from the 23rd century Miranda class, it features a modular "mission wing" assembly spanning extended nacelle pylons, which can be swapped out for various equipment modules. While using off the shelf systems, several key innovations were introduced into the Woden-class (Named after the combat-focused shipboy AI who was created specifically for the project):
=/\=Vertical Launch System Pods: These pods, taken from the New Orleans-class and heavily modified, can each carry up to 200 photon torpedoes, tricobalt devices, probes, or other missiles in individual cells, and launch them in massive barrages. Two of these pods would be carried on each Woden-class starship, allowing for a massive alpha strike against enemy threat forces.
=/\= "Whipple Armor": Named after the Whipple shield system developed by American Fred Whipple to protect spacecraft from micrometeorites during Earth's 20th century, the Whipple Armor acts as a double hull-A layer of light duranium over a network of honeycomb-like gaps over the main hull of the Woden. This would help kill the momentum of enemy projectiles and explosive shrapnel that hit the hull. A layer of ablative armor over this layer increased protection, and a high powered Structural Integrity Field further increased the strength of the hull, akin to old-style Polarized Armor.
=/\= Triple Redundant Shield Grid: While all Federation starships can create backup shielding grids and other support systems with quick modifications, the Woden/Broadsword-class came with it standard. While not a particularly elegant solution, it was practical and simple to implement, and increased the Woden's ability to take punishment considerably.
=/\= Type XII Linear Spinal Mounted Phaser Cannon: Using the same Pod technology from the New Orleans-class again, the LSMPC-1 was essentially a collimated phaser emitter in the form of a coiled spiral and contained within the pod. While the phaser cannon had a much smaller range of fire, it had almost three times as many phaser emitters as the collimated strips on the Woden's saucer section and a much bigger focusing emitter at the front. This gave the Woden exceptional phaser firepower from the pod, though firing times had to be staggered given the time for the weapon to build up the charge. This weapon is essentially integrated into the Woden-class, but can be removed with a great deal of yard time. Both classes can also mount two standard Type X Linear Phaser Cannon pods on the Rollbar for additional firepower.
=/\= Subspace Electronic Warfare System SEWS-5: The "Soos" was essentially a custom modification of the Galaxy-class's Subspace Active/Passive Sensor System, designed to better tap into subspace and electronic transmissions and also jam them. With this capability, enhanced with an internal secondary deflector array, the Woden-class would be able to monitor enemy transmissions from more than thirty lightyears away. They could also jam and deceive enemy sensors out to five lightyears, making them excellent for covert operations. This is only available on the Woden-class as standard but can be equipped on the Braodsword-class for special missions.
=/\= Multi-Function Modular Hanger Bay: The MFMHBs are two hanger bays with reconfigurable internal bulkheads and decks, allowing for them to serve multiple functions from hospital space to Starfleet Marine Battalion Housing. The ship can also carry at least 40 shuttles of multiple types, making the Wodens excellent troop transports or assault vessels. This comes standard on both variants.
The Woden-class underwent a great deal of testing and participated in a number of covert missions, primarily dealing with the Romulans and Cardassians. In 2364, Woden himself destroyed a secret Cardassian strike force off Ronara Prime of ten Galor-class destroyers and their support ships in a surprise attack, preventing them from massacring the Federation colonists.
Unfortunately, this incident became public thanks to Federation colonists getting direct images of Woden and sending them to the Federation. The Federation Council and Starfleet were outraged that Starfleet Intelligence had created a "murder machine". The project was halted for a full review and Woden and his sisters and brothers were drydocked. A great deal of voices in Starfleet wanted to dismantle them all.
First Contact with the Borg abruptly changed their tune. The efforts by Project Aesir were quickly lauded, and was continued... But with serious oversight. Every action of the small fleet had to be checked and signed off with higher ups, to an almost comical degree, while the technology was distributed across the Federation for research into next generation of ships.
The Borg came early-Far earlier than anyone had anticipated. Woden and his siblings were reactivated as quickly as possible, but recruiting and shipping out crew was difficult given the project's distance from Earth. All six vessels were eventually brought back online, loaded for war, and deployed to Wolf 359... A full day after the massacre of 39 starships and the loss of 11,000 people.
The restrictions placed on the project were unanimously lifted after Enterprise-D and her crew saved Earth, and a simplified mass-production version of the class, called the Broadsword-class, was authorized to quickly increase Starfleet's fleet strength and combat readiness.
Woden and his siblings were handed to Starfleet Intelligence and given carte blanche, within the rules of war and the Federation constitution, to protect the Federation from the shadows. A duty the Woden-class takes very seriously, alongside their simplified but still quite formidable siblings the Broadswords.
Ships of the Woden Class:
USS Woden NX-70000
USS Heimdall NX-70001
USS Tyr NX-70002
USS Skadi NX-70003
USS Eir NX-70004
USS Lofn NX-70005