Cr.02.07 – Alyxx Darkka returned to her place at the science station with Lt. Marks, whilst Captain and Commander exchanged the news of what the sensors had picked up. That of the possibility of some company heading their way.
“Configuration?”
“Unknown at this time, Captain. Still too far away to get an accurate and proper reading, to confirm ID.”
“Understood, Commander,” frowning concerned. “Lieutenant Commander, has the database come up with anything?”
“Negative, Captain,” the Centurion said, shifting his shoulders to ease the armour encircling his torso.
“You chose that it should be authentic,” Chakotay said softly, having moved to stand at the tactical station, a soft teasing smile across his face. The Hispanic male’s response was a wryly sour expression, as if to say – don’t remind me! The tattooed face before him, grinned wider.
“Captain!” called the Lieutenant at the helm, her voice expressing surprise.
“Yes, Lieutenant?” turning slowly to see what only the sensors were telling the crew.
“Visual,” called the Commander, standing in the command section of the bridge, whilst the Tattooed male stayed by tactical. All they were seeing at that moment was three or four shapes in formation coming toward them, from just above the Kylata star and its two companions.
“Magnify,” he commanded, trying to determine what he was seeing. “ID?” he asked.
“The computer cannot identify or confirm the configuration,” sounding frustrated.
“Sciences?” he questioned, knowing Alyxx would be looking at all angles to get an ID.
“Sorry, Captain. I’m drawing as much of a blank as the computer on this one,” the woman said, studying her console carefully. Suddenly she looked up at him, a strong thought crossing her Trill features. “Hur’q!” she said, he frowned puzzled as he gazed at her, his thought processes trying to make sense of what was happening.
“Hur’q?” he questioned, his expression still puzzled. “Outsiders?! Three in one!” stepping forward to join Whyte. “Computer, run a spectro analysis on the configuration coming at us from the Kylata star.”
“Captain?” Whyte asked, puzzled.
“The computer will not be able to ID something that hasn’t been put into its database. But it can analyse the metallic and electro spectrum of the structure or vessel coming at us.”
“Ah! I see. Science is not really my forte,” he said, with a soft smile.
“Nor mine either, Commander.” Looking over to the science station, where the two officers worked at the main console to get the answers they required. Chakotay found himself wanting to join them, so he moved down to the helm’s navigation sensors to access what was out there.
“Hold our current position, Helm,” the Commander ordered, quietly.
“Aye, Sir,” her tone telling both males, she was unsettled as to what could be coming at them.
“I think we may have something,” noted Lt. Marks carefully.
“You don’t sound too sure, Lieutenant.”
“I’m not, Commander.”
“What do you have?” Chakotay asked, watching Alyxx as she worked quickly.
“Well, it’s an asteroid.”
“An asteroid? Are you sure?”
“A very movable asteroid!” noted the Centurion.
“True, Lieutenant Commander,” she said. “Most asteroids are made up of clay and silicate rocks, they’re the most ancient objects known to man in any solar system. The S-type (stony) is made up of silicate materials and nickel-iron. The M-type are metallic just nickel-iron,” she paused for a moment, checking her readings. “This one is the S-type, plus there is a large amount of Stainless steel in its hollow core.”
“Are you suggesting that that asteroid is a spaceship?”
“I’m not just suggesting it, Captain. It is a spaceship, possibly a Chozo ship.” Silence greeted this revelation, whilst the object moved closer to them, becoming more visible on the viewscreen.
“Maybe that’s why the computer couldn’t ID it; because it’s a natural occurring object in space.”
“Lieutenant,” putting a hand on the helm-woman’s shoulder. “That’s a very good explanation,” he said, giving Henley a gentle smile. She responded in kind, relaxing somewhat.
The misshapen shaped asteroid stood out against the backdrop of the Kylata star’s bright rays as a dark oval shadow with two smaller rocks trailing in its wake, either side of the main body. It was quite a sight to realise that this was a spaceship, rather than just a natural occurring asteroid. The crew of Carzena watched silently as it closed the distance between them, waiting for something to happen. Quietly Hoon the Gorn entered the bridge from the lower entrance at the back of the bridge and watched also, hoping to clarify some of the details of his clan’s ancient legends of the Hur’q and obviously the Chozo.
=/\=
Whilst the asteroid/spaceship moved closer, Carezna just stayed in place as if playing a waiting game once more, the tension palatable. Something seemed to be niggling at the back of the minds of the four in command. Commander Whyte, looked at Chakotay warily as if wanting to say or ask something, yet wasn’t sure just what, frowning puzzled. Captain felt the same unease he saw on Whyte’s face and in his bodily stance. Centurion at tactical stood uncertainly at his console. “Something is off kilter,” he whispered, into the quiet bridge, checking his readings.
Suddenly two person’s almost flew out of the turbo-lift, startling everyone on the bridge. It was the Deltan’s, the first of their crew to be affected by the noise that had brought them here. Alyxx felt as if her head would explode as pain lanced through her brain. Marks had to help her stay on her feet, whilst the Deltan’s spoke in a language no-one could understand, waving their arms about in a wild fashion, their eyes unfocused. Chakotay helped Marks move Alyxx to the Captain’s chair to sit down; Whyte and Centurion tried to contain the Deltan’s, but in the end, someone fired a stun set phaser at them, thus they fell to the deck.
“What the hell was that about?” Ops asked, stunned. Hoon stood, a small phaser in his clawed hand.
“Doctor?” Commander asked, his breathing returning to near normal, after his and Ayala’s fight with the brother and sister Deltan’s.
“I guess the translators are down,” he said hesitantly, his facet eyes a pink colour.
“Yet you understood them,” noted Chakotay, softly making sure the Trill female was alright. She smiled at his care of her, whilst enduring the blinding pulsing headache. Marks handed her a small cup of water.
“Care to enlighten the rest of us, Doctor?” Cmdr. Whyte asked.
“Captain, there are reports of some minor fighting on all decks,” informed Ayala, having returned to his post at tactical.
“The same groups as in the mess hall?”
“Aye, Sir,” he confirmed sadly. The male Captain ran a hand through his hair, and quietly pulled at his left ear, making those that knew him well, smile at the gesture. He breathed deeply and stood straight, squaring his shoulders. He made a hand gesture, that Ayala the Centurion recognised and opened the ship wide communications channel.
=/\= ATTENTION ALL CREW THIS IS THE CAPTAIN! ATTENTION =/\=
“You will all return to your duty posts NOW!” He bellowed into the communications system. Those on the bridge, paled at the force of his anger behind his words, seeing his fisted hands at his side, his body shaking slightly as he fought to control his boiling emotions. Alyxx quietly watched him, willing him to calm down, worried as to what had set off the anger building in him.
“You are Starfleet officers not brawling kids!” he added, the anger still in his tone of voice, that carried right across the ship. “I DO NOT want to hear any excuses for your behaviour OR any accusations of who started what and when, at any time. Is that CLEAR?”
Silence was the only answer; soon though both operations and tactical/security; were receiving non-verbal confirmation of his order.
“All stations report green. Message understood, Captain,” said Darkka, having checked the console beside her.
“Close the channel, Lieutenant Commander.”
“Aye, Sir.”
“You alright?” asked Cmdr. Whyte, standing beside the tattooed male, who heaved a deep sigh and nodded, eyes closing for a moment or two. “You, Ma’am?”
“I’ll survive, thank you, Commander,” she said, trying not to move her hammering head too much.
“Doctor?” turning to the tall Gorn.
“I was hoping you’d forgotten, Commander,” he hissed softly. The look he got in return from Whyte said otherwise. “I can’t be sure, but something along the lines of – Conquest is all. Rule or ruin!”
The two Deltan’s started to stir and looked around them confused and bewildered as to how they’d ended up on the bridge command area, as they moved to sit up. Helped by others to their feet and quietly questioned by Whyte, not that they could clearly recall what they’d said or why. Chakotay stood swaying a little, eyes still closed, until Alyxx’s voice softly persuaded him to sit in the command chair next to her. Breathing deep as he sat, head in hands, still trying to stem the rolling tides of angry emotions he felt still building inside him. The Deltan’s were escorted off the bridge and taken back to their quarters, by security.
“We knew there might be some alterations inside the ship as well as out, considering what happened a day or two ago, in the Mess Hall. As to why, we’ve yet to discover,” Alyxx spoke quietly, as if giving out a report on their predicament at that moment, watching the man beside her with growing concern.
“I think we’ll all rest a lot easier once this is all over and we can return to our own time and place.”
“Here here, Commander,” noted one of the junior officers. The comment earned the junior a stern look from Centurion and Whyte. The former approached the male officer and removed him to the rear of the bridge. Ayala spoke quietly, so only the junior officer heard him and then ordered him off the bridge. Sullenly he left with a second junior officer leaving with him.
A gentle hand rested on Chakotay’s arm as he sat up and gave her a wan smile, gathering himself together, his eyes telling her he was still struggling to keep his temper.
“Where is that asteroid ship?” he asked softly, looking up at Cmdr. Whyte, who turned to the main view screen and the Lieutenant at the forward console.
“Helm?” he questioned.
“Still ahead of us. It appears to be slowing, Commander,” Henley responded, checking her console.
“Let’s see what they want. Ops, open hailing frequencies,” Cmdr. Whyte ordered. “What’s our call sign?” he asked, a bit flustered.
Chakotay smiled, as he stood and helped Alyxx to her feet also, so she stood close alongside him, as her balance due to the pulsing headache was a little off, his arm around the back of her waist.
=/\= Alien vessel, this is Chozo Expeditionary Force vessel Carezna. Please respond. =/\=
=/\=