The squadron had no idea what hit them.
The patrol of Narn fighters had travelled along the rim of unexplored space at regular intervals for a few days now, hoping that they would see something, something that could tell them what or who had attacked their outpost in Quadrant Thirty-Seven. The reports had been of a strange ship that was there and was then not there.
This patrol, however, carried a ‘special’ pilot. Ever since he had left Babylon 5 G’Kar had hardly been seen. The attack on the outpost had upset him greatly. He had learned upon arrival on the Narn Homeworld that his nephew had been killed in the attack. Now he wanted to find out who or what had killed his nephew.
He did not have much longer to wait.
Suddenly, it appeared out of nowhere. A ship, a spaceship, the size of which G’Kar had not seen before. It then attacked them. Firing it’s weapons two Narn fighters were destroyed instantly. Two seconds later three more were destroyed by torpedo-like weapons. Finally there were just two left. One of the fighters belonged to G’Kar.
The other pilot signalled to him.
“Ambassador, this is too dangerous for you. You must return, you must leave here!”
Then, for one fleeting moment, the ship, their attackers, ‘phased’ into full view. G’Kar could not believe his scarlet eyes. The Treaty of Algeron had prohibited them from developing cloaking technology, and yet G’Kar could see it. Less than a thousand metres in front of him was a huge, very agile Federation starship. Then the ship began to vanish again. G’Kar had not managed to see the registration number, but he did see the name - ‘Tannhauser’.
It was then too late for G’Kar’s companion. A phaser blast from the ship ripped into his tail section sending him spinning out of control He only had enough time to send one more message to G’Kar.
“Go! Tell them of our struggle! Tell them of our new enemy, our old friend!”
It was then too late for him. His fighter then exploded. After seeing this G’Kar set his new co-ordinates into the flight computer. Seconds afterwards he was on his way back to Babylon 5.
The Valkyrie had arrived in orbit around the penal colony of Cygnus Alpha. On the Bridge Watt awaited the signal to tell them that the holding cell was ready.
“Receiving the signal now Captain.” Amarus reported. “Holding cell on Cygnus Alpha is ready.”
“Good.”
Watt activated his communicator.
“Watt to Transporter Room. Beam the prisoners to the location of the holding cell.”
The transporter chief looked at his panel. As soon as the force field around the Brig was lowered the two remaining prisoners, Gan and Vila, were beamed down to the surface.
“Getting another signal from the surface.” said Amarus. “Prisoners have been received.”
“Set a course for the rendezvous point Lieutenant.” Watt ordered. “And if Starfleet Command contacts us about the incident put it through to my quarters. Mister Sutek, you have the Bridge.”
And with that Watt exited the Bridge.
On the surface Vila and Gan looked around at their new home. It looked like a very old type of cell. They hoped they wouldn’t have to stay in it much longer.
Then they saw someone approaching the cell. The man was big, with a bushy beard and wearing what appeared to be a monk’s habit. He was also carrying a tray. On the tray was what seemed to be a little bottle of pills.
“Greetings! I am Lord Vargas, leader of the people of Cygnus Alpha. I welcome you here!”
“I thought this was a penal colony.” said Vila.
“It is! The Federation leave us alone to do as we want. We have no governors here, nothing! Just those who have broken the laws of the Federation.”
“Then we can go?” said Gan.
“No. There are no spaceships here my friend. You are to remain here for the remainder of your life! You cannot leave here! Not now! If you did you would die!”
“What do you mean?”
“As soon as you arrived on this planet you contracted the Curse of Cygnus, a fatal disease, kept in check only by this drug. If you leave the planet’s atmosphere you will die instantly!”
Vargas handed them each one pill.
“You will need to take this drug every day for the rest of your life. That way your life will remain relatively normal!”
“And the Federation knows of this disease?” asked Vila.
“Why do you think they never come down here themselves?” Vargas asked. “Why do you think there are no guards here? Because one they arrive here they cannot leave! They would become prisoners like us! Now my man, take the pill, and then I will go and arrange living quarters for you!”
They placed the pills with their mouths, and with one gulp swallowed them. Then Vargas turned and began to walk away from them, until Villa called out to him.
“Wait! Where are you going?”
“You must wait here! Do not worry friend! I will return!”
Seconds later Vargas was gone from their view Vila and Gan looked at each other. They had gone from the proverbial frying pan into the proverbial fire.
Avon stood on the bridge of the alien space craft, taking in his surroundings. He new felt like someone who had power, vast power to command. He then looked around at his two companions, Blake and Jenna. Blake was standing not far in front of him, looking at what appeared to be some sort of shelf.
“Come and look at this.” Blake said.
Avon joined him, and Blake handed the device to him.
“It appears to be some sort of weapon.” said Blake.
“So it would seem.” added Avon. “And this power pack would seem to make it far more powerful than any phaser or disruptor.”
Suddenly Blake and Avon were thrown to the deck, as if the ship was hurtling forward at high speed. Then there was a jolt as they came to a sudden halt. Getting to their feet Blake and Avon looked over at Jenna.
“Sorry.” she said. “I was just trying some of the controls.”
Then Jenna clasped her head as she suddenly began to feel faint. Blake and Avon rushed to her side, but a few seconds later she steadied herself.
“What happened?” Blake asked.
“I don’t know. I just felt dizzy, and it felt like something was trying to read my mind!”
Then there was a whirring noise behind them, and the computer suddenly came to life.
“The force you felt inside your mind was from me.” it said. “I was reading your mind so I could learn your language. From your thoughts I have christened myself ‘Liberator’.”
“Quite fitting.” said Blake. “Tell me, what is your name?”
“You may refer to me as Zen. I am the ship’s main computer. I can run all of it’s systems automatically. I am at your disposal. Please speak your names and I will respond to your voices only.”
They each spoke their names, giving them direct access to the ship’s computer network. Then Blake asked Zen a question.
“Zen, how well do you know this star system?”
“During my time here I have mapped every system in this quadrant using my long-range scanners.”
“Then set a course for Cygnus Alpha, at half your normal speed.”
Avon grabbed Blake by the arm.
“Why are we going there? We just did a hell of a lot to stop from going there!”
“I said before, this ship needs a crew. I’m going to Cygnus Alpha to get Gan and Vila, and then we will begin to fight back!”
And with that the newly-christened Liberator set a course for penal colony Cygnus Alpha.
The patrol of Narn fighters had travelled along the rim of unexplored space at regular intervals for a few days now, hoping that they would see something, something that could tell them what or who had attacked their outpost in Quadrant Thirty-Seven. The reports had been of a strange ship that was there and was then not there.
This patrol, however, carried a ‘special’ pilot. Ever since he had left Babylon 5 G’Kar had hardly been seen. The attack on the outpost had upset him greatly. He had learned upon arrival on the Narn Homeworld that his nephew had been killed in the attack. Now he wanted to find out who or what had killed his nephew.
He did not have much longer to wait.
Suddenly, it appeared out of nowhere. A ship, a spaceship, the size of which G’Kar had not seen before. It then attacked them. Firing it’s weapons two Narn fighters were destroyed instantly. Two seconds later three more were destroyed by torpedo-like weapons. Finally there were just two left. One of the fighters belonged to G’Kar.
The other pilot signalled to him.
“Ambassador, this is too dangerous for you. You must return, you must leave here!”
Then, for one fleeting moment, the ship, their attackers, ‘phased’ into full view. G’Kar could not believe his scarlet eyes. The Treaty of Algeron had prohibited them from developing cloaking technology, and yet G’Kar could see it. Less than a thousand metres in front of him was a huge, very agile Federation starship. Then the ship began to vanish again. G’Kar had not managed to see the registration number, but he did see the name - ‘Tannhauser’.
It was then too late for G’Kar’s companion. A phaser blast from the ship ripped into his tail section sending him spinning out of control He only had enough time to send one more message to G’Kar.
“Go! Tell them of our struggle! Tell them of our new enemy, our old friend!”
It was then too late for him. His fighter then exploded. After seeing this G’Kar set his new co-ordinates into the flight computer. Seconds afterwards he was on his way back to Babylon 5.
The Valkyrie had arrived in orbit around the penal colony of Cygnus Alpha. On the Bridge Watt awaited the signal to tell them that the holding cell was ready.
“Receiving the signal now Captain.” Amarus reported. “Holding cell on Cygnus Alpha is ready.”
“Good.”
Watt activated his communicator.
“Watt to Transporter Room. Beam the prisoners to the location of the holding cell.”
The transporter chief looked at his panel. As soon as the force field around the Brig was lowered the two remaining prisoners, Gan and Vila, were beamed down to the surface.
“Getting another signal from the surface.” said Amarus. “Prisoners have been received.”
“Set a course for the rendezvous point Lieutenant.” Watt ordered. “And if Starfleet Command contacts us about the incident put it through to my quarters. Mister Sutek, you have the Bridge.”
And with that Watt exited the Bridge.
On the surface Vila and Gan looked around at their new home. It looked like a very old type of cell. They hoped they wouldn’t have to stay in it much longer.
Then they saw someone approaching the cell. The man was big, with a bushy beard and wearing what appeared to be a monk’s habit. He was also carrying a tray. On the tray was what seemed to be a little bottle of pills.
“Greetings! I am Lord Vargas, leader of the people of Cygnus Alpha. I welcome you here!”
“I thought this was a penal colony.” said Vila.
“It is! The Federation leave us alone to do as we want. We have no governors here, nothing! Just those who have broken the laws of the Federation.”
“Then we can go?” said Gan.
“No. There are no spaceships here my friend. You are to remain here for the remainder of your life! You cannot leave here! Not now! If you did you would die!”
“What do you mean?”
“As soon as you arrived on this planet you contracted the Curse of Cygnus, a fatal disease, kept in check only by this drug. If you leave the planet’s atmosphere you will die instantly!”
Vargas handed them each one pill.
“You will need to take this drug every day for the rest of your life. That way your life will remain relatively normal!”
“And the Federation knows of this disease?” asked Vila.
“Why do you think they never come down here themselves?” Vargas asked. “Why do you think there are no guards here? Because one they arrive here they cannot leave! They would become prisoners like us! Now my man, take the pill, and then I will go and arrange living quarters for you!”
They placed the pills with their mouths, and with one gulp swallowed them. Then Vargas turned and began to walk away from them, until Villa called out to him.
“Wait! Where are you going?”
“You must wait here! Do not worry friend! I will return!”
Seconds later Vargas was gone from their view Vila and Gan looked at each other. They had gone from the proverbial frying pan into the proverbial fire.
Avon stood on the bridge of the alien space craft, taking in his surroundings. He new felt like someone who had power, vast power to command. He then looked around at his two companions, Blake and Jenna. Blake was standing not far in front of him, looking at what appeared to be some sort of shelf.
“Come and look at this.” Blake said.
Avon joined him, and Blake handed the device to him.
“It appears to be some sort of weapon.” said Blake.
“So it would seem.” added Avon. “And this power pack would seem to make it far more powerful than any phaser or disruptor.”
Suddenly Blake and Avon were thrown to the deck, as if the ship was hurtling forward at high speed. Then there was a jolt as they came to a sudden halt. Getting to their feet Blake and Avon looked over at Jenna.
“Sorry.” she said. “I was just trying some of the controls.”
Then Jenna clasped her head as she suddenly began to feel faint. Blake and Avon rushed to her side, but a few seconds later she steadied herself.
“What happened?” Blake asked.
“I don’t know. I just felt dizzy, and it felt like something was trying to read my mind!”
Then there was a whirring noise behind them, and the computer suddenly came to life.
“The force you felt inside your mind was from me.” it said. “I was reading your mind so I could learn your language. From your thoughts I have christened myself ‘Liberator’.”
“Quite fitting.” said Blake. “Tell me, what is your name?”
“You may refer to me as Zen. I am the ship’s main computer. I can run all of it’s systems automatically. I am at your disposal. Please speak your names and I will respond to your voices only.”
They each spoke their names, giving them direct access to the ship’s computer network. Then Blake asked Zen a question.
“Zen, how well do you know this star system?”
“During my time here I have mapped every system in this quadrant using my long-range scanners.”
“Then set a course for Cygnus Alpha, at half your normal speed.”
Avon grabbed Blake by the arm.
“Why are we going there? We just did a hell of a lot to stop from going there!”
“I said before, this ship needs a crew. I’m going to Cygnus Alpha to get Gan and Vila, and then we will begin to fight back!”
And with that the newly-christened Liberator set a course for penal colony Cygnus Alpha.
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