Captain Picard sat in his Ready Room aboard the Enterprise. He was not best pleased that Servalan had imposed Travis upon him. The man was nothing more than a thug. As he sat brooding a message came through from the Bridge. It was Data.
“We have received a rather strange transmission Captain.”
Picard stood and entered the Bridge. Data was seated at the science station.
“What does the transmission say Mr. Data?” asked Picard.
A quizzical look passed over the android’s face.
“It merely says ‘Speak, friend, and read on.’”
Picard looked at the strange script on the screen.
“What language is that?” he asked.
“The computer has identified it was Dwarfish Captain.” replied Data. “A language spoken by the Dwarf races on the Time of Legends. I believe that Ambassador Magus is fluent in the language.”
Picard smiled thinly.
“Data, Magus is fluent in every language. Are you trying to tell me the transmission is from him?”
“It is a possibility sir.” replied Data.
Picard looked pensive.
“Very well. I want no word of this to get to Commander Travis. Data, use the computer to analyse the message. If it is from Magus it must mean something, but what?”
Avon stood, smug smile on his face.
“This ship is now ours.” he announced. “I have total control over the computer.”
“But we don’t have total control over the ship.” said Blake.
Then a call came through. It was from the Bridge.
“This is Captain James Watt. I would like to speak to someone in Engineering.”
Blake went to activate the panel, but Avon stopped him.
“Do no answer him.” Avon said. “Let him sweat.”
Reluctantly Blake moved away. Watt then called again.
“You now have control over our computer, so you must also have control over the sensors.” Watt continued. “A massive shockwave, more power than the ones which previously hit us, is less than two minutes away. Without the computer we cannot move. We are dead in the water. Return control of the ship to the Bridge or we will all be destroyed!”
“He’s lying!” said Avon.
Jenna checked the sensors.
“He’s not.” she reported. “The shockwave is seventy-six seconds away.”
“Return control to the Bridge.” said Blake.
“No.” said Avon. “We have control of one of the Federation’s finest ships. We can’t, I won’t give it up!”
“We have no choice!” said Blake. “We cannot handle this! We’ve failed!”
“Thirty seconds until impact.” Sutek reported. “Still no computer control.”
Suddenly Sutek’s panel came to life.
“Computer is back on…”
“Evasive manoeuvres!” Watt shouted.
With just seconds to spare the Valkyrie moved out of the way of the shockwave, only just managing to avoid further damage.
In Engineering the doors suddenly opened and a full security team, led by Amarus, burst in.
“Hands in the air!” the Traxxon ordered.
They knew they couldn’t go anywhere. They raised their arms. As the guards led the prisoners away Amarus activated his communicator.
“Amarus to Bridge.”
“Watt here.”
“Engineering has been re-taken.”
“Understood. Get the engineering team in.”
An hour later Watt entered to see Lom working away.
“Report Commander.”
“I managed to get the junctions working again.” Lom reported. “We should have power in thirty minutes.”
Thirty minutes later Watt was back on the Bridge.
“Miss O’Rourke, set a course for Cygnus Alpha, ahead warp five. Mister Sutek, please inform Starfleet Command of our situation.”
In the Brig Blake reflected on what might have been.
“We almost did it.” said Avon. “If it hadn’t been for you.”
“Could you have avoided that shockwave?” asked Vila. “I don’t think so. From what I understand you didn’t have control over the thrusters.”
“Vila?”
“Yes Avon?”
“Shut up.”
Blake was not listening to the conversation. Instead he was thinking, trying to plan his next move. In his head he had information that could bring Servalan to her knees, but he did not know how to use this information.
An hour later the Valkyrie entered the Cygnus system and was now only a short time away from the penal colony. As Watt ordered the ship to drop to impulse power Amarus’ sensor panel came to life.
“I’m picking up a ship ten thousand kilometres away.” he reported.
“Sensors also indicate that is where the shockwaves emanated from.” Sutek added.
“On screen.” Watt ordered.
The image of the alien vessel appeared on the screen before them. They had never seen the likes of this vessel before. The ship appeared to have three engines which surrounded the main section of the ship.
“What is it?” said Watt. “Are there any life signs?”
“No sir.” said Amarus. “But I am getting a strange energy reading from what appears to be the bridge of the ship.”
Watt turned to face Amarus.
“Strange? How so?”
“Strange in the sense that I’ve never seen anything like it before.” Amarus added.
Sutek turned and stood to face Watt.
“Permission to lead an away team to the alien vessel.” he said.
“There may be a danger present her, Commander.” said Watt.
“There is always danger present in…everything.” said Sutek.
A broad smile appeared on Watt’s face.
“The Brig is secure, isn’t it?” he asked.
“Definitely.” Amarus reported.
“Then assemble your team Commander.” said Watt. “Cygnus Alpha can wait a few moments. This may prove to be an important discovery.”
The Vulcan had soon assembled his team, which included Amarus. Shortly afterwards they beamed over to the alien vessel.
In the Brig Avon suddenly looked up.
“We have stopped.”
“How can you tell?” Gan asked.
“When a ship is in motion it produces a certain kind of vibration. I can normally feel that vibration. Now there is no vibration, so we must have stopped.”
“He’s right.” said Blake. “I can’t feel anything either.”
Blake then walked over to one of the guards.
“Do you know why we’ve stopped?” he asked. “Surely we’ve entered the Cygnus system by now!”
“We have, but we’ve encountered some sort of alien ship.”
Avon suddenly leapt to his feet.
“What sort of ship?”
“I can’t tell you that.”
On the Bridge Watt tried to contact Sutek.
“Is there any word yet?” he asked.
O’Rourke, who had taken the tactical station, operated the panel.
“I’m picking up their life signs, but they aren’t moving.”
“Are they studying any piece of equipment?”
“It’s possible, but it’s hard to say.”
O’Rourke changed the settings on the panel.
“They aren’t moving sir.” she reported. “Life signs are getting weaker.”
“Then I’m going over there Lieutenant, you have the Bridge.”
“I recommend against it Captain. What happened to Commander Sutek could happen to you.”
Then a call came in from the Brig.
“Captain, the prisoner, Blake, wants to speak to you. He says it’s about the alien ship.
A short time later Watt stood in his Ready Room. Blake and two guards stood before him.
“What do you know about the situation?” Watt asked.
“I know that four of your men are missing aboard that ship.” said Blake.
“How?”
“I told him, sir.” said one of the guards. “I thought there was no harm in it.”
“So what does this have to do with you?”
“Your men are not expendable.” said Blake. “I am. I am volunteering my services. Send me over to the ship. The Federation won’t say too much about a prisoner dying.”
“Out of the question.”
“You have no choice Captain Watt. You have a skeleton crew, and you can’t leave the ship. I am your last chance to bring your crewmen back.”
Watt thought for a few moments.
“You have the experience.” said Watt. “Alright then, but I will keep track of you at all times. You will wear a tracer.”
“I will need help. May I suggest two other prisoners, Kerr Avon and Jenna Stanis. They have experience in starship matters.”
“I agree, reluctantly. Your priority is the safe return of my officers. Guards, kit them out…and no weapons are to be given to them!”
Minutes later Blake, Avon and Jenna were escorted to the Transporter Room. Each had had an electronic tracer injected into them by Doctor Singh which could track their movements aboard the alien vessel. After stepping onto the transporter pad the beam was energized and they soon left the Valkyrie.
“We have received a rather strange transmission Captain.”
Picard stood and entered the Bridge. Data was seated at the science station.
“What does the transmission say Mr. Data?” asked Picard.
A quizzical look passed over the android’s face.
“It merely says ‘Speak, friend, and read on.’”
Picard looked at the strange script on the screen.
“What language is that?” he asked.
“The computer has identified it was Dwarfish Captain.” replied Data. “A language spoken by the Dwarf races on the Time of Legends. I believe that Ambassador Magus is fluent in the language.”
Picard smiled thinly.
“Data, Magus is fluent in every language. Are you trying to tell me the transmission is from him?”
“It is a possibility sir.” replied Data.
Picard looked pensive.
“Very well. I want no word of this to get to Commander Travis. Data, use the computer to analyse the message. If it is from Magus it must mean something, but what?”
Avon stood, smug smile on his face.
“This ship is now ours.” he announced. “I have total control over the computer.”
“But we don’t have total control over the ship.” said Blake.
Then a call came through. It was from the Bridge.
“This is Captain James Watt. I would like to speak to someone in Engineering.”
Blake went to activate the panel, but Avon stopped him.
“Do no answer him.” Avon said. “Let him sweat.”
Reluctantly Blake moved away. Watt then called again.
“You now have control over our computer, so you must also have control over the sensors.” Watt continued. “A massive shockwave, more power than the ones which previously hit us, is less than two minutes away. Without the computer we cannot move. We are dead in the water. Return control of the ship to the Bridge or we will all be destroyed!”
“He’s lying!” said Avon.
Jenna checked the sensors.
“He’s not.” she reported. “The shockwave is seventy-six seconds away.”
“Return control to the Bridge.” said Blake.
“No.” said Avon. “We have control of one of the Federation’s finest ships. We can’t, I won’t give it up!”
“We have no choice!” said Blake. “We cannot handle this! We’ve failed!”
“Thirty seconds until impact.” Sutek reported. “Still no computer control.”
Suddenly Sutek’s panel came to life.
“Computer is back on…”
“Evasive manoeuvres!” Watt shouted.
With just seconds to spare the Valkyrie moved out of the way of the shockwave, only just managing to avoid further damage.
In Engineering the doors suddenly opened and a full security team, led by Amarus, burst in.
“Hands in the air!” the Traxxon ordered.
They knew they couldn’t go anywhere. They raised their arms. As the guards led the prisoners away Amarus activated his communicator.
“Amarus to Bridge.”
“Watt here.”
“Engineering has been re-taken.”
“Understood. Get the engineering team in.”
An hour later Watt entered to see Lom working away.
“Report Commander.”
“I managed to get the junctions working again.” Lom reported. “We should have power in thirty minutes.”
Thirty minutes later Watt was back on the Bridge.
“Miss O’Rourke, set a course for Cygnus Alpha, ahead warp five. Mister Sutek, please inform Starfleet Command of our situation.”
In the Brig Blake reflected on what might have been.
“We almost did it.” said Avon. “If it hadn’t been for you.”
“Could you have avoided that shockwave?” asked Vila. “I don’t think so. From what I understand you didn’t have control over the thrusters.”
“Vila?”
“Yes Avon?”
“Shut up.”
Blake was not listening to the conversation. Instead he was thinking, trying to plan his next move. In his head he had information that could bring Servalan to her knees, but he did not know how to use this information.
An hour later the Valkyrie entered the Cygnus system and was now only a short time away from the penal colony. As Watt ordered the ship to drop to impulse power Amarus’ sensor panel came to life.
“I’m picking up a ship ten thousand kilometres away.” he reported.
“Sensors also indicate that is where the shockwaves emanated from.” Sutek added.
“On screen.” Watt ordered.
The image of the alien vessel appeared on the screen before them. They had never seen the likes of this vessel before. The ship appeared to have three engines which surrounded the main section of the ship.
“What is it?” said Watt. “Are there any life signs?”
“No sir.” said Amarus. “But I am getting a strange energy reading from what appears to be the bridge of the ship.”
Watt turned to face Amarus.
“Strange? How so?”
“Strange in the sense that I’ve never seen anything like it before.” Amarus added.
Sutek turned and stood to face Watt.
“Permission to lead an away team to the alien vessel.” he said.
“There may be a danger present her, Commander.” said Watt.
“There is always danger present in…everything.” said Sutek.
A broad smile appeared on Watt’s face.
“The Brig is secure, isn’t it?” he asked.
“Definitely.” Amarus reported.
“Then assemble your team Commander.” said Watt. “Cygnus Alpha can wait a few moments. This may prove to be an important discovery.”
The Vulcan had soon assembled his team, which included Amarus. Shortly afterwards they beamed over to the alien vessel.
In the Brig Avon suddenly looked up.
“We have stopped.”
“How can you tell?” Gan asked.
“When a ship is in motion it produces a certain kind of vibration. I can normally feel that vibration. Now there is no vibration, so we must have stopped.”
“He’s right.” said Blake. “I can’t feel anything either.”
Blake then walked over to one of the guards.
“Do you know why we’ve stopped?” he asked. “Surely we’ve entered the Cygnus system by now!”
“We have, but we’ve encountered some sort of alien ship.”
Avon suddenly leapt to his feet.
“What sort of ship?”
“I can’t tell you that.”
On the Bridge Watt tried to contact Sutek.
“Is there any word yet?” he asked.
O’Rourke, who had taken the tactical station, operated the panel.
“I’m picking up their life signs, but they aren’t moving.”
“Are they studying any piece of equipment?”
“It’s possible, but it’s hard to say.”
O’Rourke changed the settings on the panel.
“They aren’t moving sir.” she reported. “Life signs are getting weaker.”
“Then I’m going over there Lieutenant, you have the Bridge.”
“I recommend against it Captain. What happened to Commander Sutek could happen to you.”
Then a call came in from the Brig.
“Captain, the prisoner, Blake, wants to speak to you. He says it’s about the alien ship.
A short time later Watt stood in his Ready Room. Blake and two guards stood before him.
“What do you know about the situation?” Watt asked.
“I know that four of your men are missing aboard that ship.” said Blake.
“How?”
“I told him, sir.” said one of the guards. “I thought there was no harm in it.”
“So what does this have to do with you?”
“Your men are not expendable.” said Blake. “I am. I am volunteering my services. Send me over to the ship. The Federation won’t say too much about a prisoner dying.”
“Out of the question.”
“You have no choice Captain Watt. You have a skeleton crew, and you can’t leave the ship. I am your last chance to bring your crewmen back.”
Watt thought for a few moments.
“You have the experience.” said Watt. “Alright then, but I will keep track of you at all times. You will wear a tracer.”
“I will need help. May I suggest two other prisoners, Kerr Avon and Jenna Stanis. They have experience in starship matters.”
“I agree, reluctantly. Your priority is the safe return of my officers. Guards, kit them out…and no weapons are to be given to them!”
Minutes later Blake, Avon and Jenna were escorted to the Transporter Room. Each had had an electronic tracer injected into them by Doctor Singh which could track their movements aboard the alien vessel. After stepping onto the transporter pad the beam was energized and they soon left the Valkyrie.
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