"I can't upload these documents to the main viewscreen. These documents are all labeled 'Top Secret.' That space station isn't on any of our star charts because it doesn't officially exist. I'm seeing diagrams. . .engineering project outlines. . ." Operations said.
The lights on the bridge doubled in brightness.
"What kind of 'diagrams'?" the First Officer asked.
"Some kind of missile, or torpedo." Operations said darkly.
"WHAT?" Jason asked sharply.
"Did I hear you say 'missile' or 'torpedo,' Operations?" the Engineer asked.
"Yes." Operations replied sharply.
"What else do the documents say?" the First Officer asked.
"Some of the text has been blacked out. . .but from what I can discern. . ." she squinted at her screen. "These documents bear the signature of Mad Dog." A cold chill swept through the bridge. The Captain and First Officer looked at each other darkly.
"An Orion Pirate space station this deep into Federation space?" Aaen asked.
"How?" the Captain asked.
"The space station bears the Federation's flag, and these documents refer to it as a simple science station; however, it looks like that space station wasn't for medical research or development. It was a weapons development outpost. The Orion Pirates apparently either are or were working with someone from within The Union."
"Working with the Orion Pirate Syndicate on developing weapons?" Aaen asked skeptically.
The Captain threw his palms in the air as he stepped up to the Operations station. "What weapons were being developed there?"
"Some kind of new torpedo. I'm not familiar with this design. But according to these technical specifications, the torpedo's equipped with some kind of faster-than-light propulsion system. Based on this information, Captain, this new torpedo could out-run our sensors and would hit its target with enough explosive force to pulverize an entire planet. A big one."
"How 'big'?" the First Officer asked.
"About the size of Qo'Nos."
"There are hundreds of planets in this sector that are comparable in size to that planet." the First Officer said to the Captain.
"Do the documents identify the torpedo's target?" the Captain asked.
"The torpedo's target is—"
The bridge shuddered.
The Captain looked at Sensors. "Report."
"Someone's locked on a tractor beam. We're completely immobilized!"
"Who locked on that tractor beam?" the Captain asked sharply.
"Dunno! External sensors aren't detecting any other ships!"
"Do a scan for a translight signature of one-two-zero terahertz!" Aaen said.
"Do it." the Captain said.
"At our four o'clock!"
"On screen!" the Relentless' dauntingly dimly lit forward-ventral hull filled the main viewscreen. Aaen sensed the rest of the bridge crew felt like they were being watched. A repetitive series of loud chirps echoed through the bridge.
"Captain. . .we're being hailed. . .on a Union Priority Frequency." Communications said fretfully. A cold chill swept through the bridge. Aaen got goosebumps on his forearms and shoulders.
The Captain sat in his chair, and then defiantly said, "Onscreen."
The Main Computer chimed the line's opening. "This is Captain—"
"I know who you are, Captain. You will surrender your ship, or I will take it by force."
"We don't have the torpedo." Operations ran to the forward bridge and then handed the Captain a piece of bright pink paper. He scanned the document, and then looked back at the main viewscreen. "Who are you?"
"My name is of no consequence to you. You have ten seconds to surrender your ship." the intruder growled.
The Captain showed the First Officer the paper. "We know the exact coordinates of where the torpedo launch platform is located."
"Maybe the torpedo's on Relentless?" the First Officer guessed.
"Captain!" the intruder growled.
The Captain looked at Sensors. "Do a scan of Relentless, for this." he gave Sensors the paper, she carried out the order, and then looked back at the Captain and pointed at her screen. The Captain returned to his chair.
"It's already got the torpedo, doesn't it?" the First Officer asked.
"Yeah," the Captain nodded. "It's just trying to make sure there are no witnesses. Someone at Spacefleet Command is trying to change the balance of power in the Alpha Quadrant." the Captain looked at the main viewscreen, and then boldly said, "I will not surrender my ship."
. . .The line went silent.
The Captain snapped, "Disconnect the line. Maintain red alert and raise shields!" a spine-chilling alarm filled the bridge.
"Warning: weapons lock has been established on this vessel." the Main Computer droned.
"Evasive maneuvers!" said the First Officer.
"Got it!" Aaen switched to the thruster controls and then started to carry out his order.
"Incoming torpedo! Twelve o'clock!" said Sensors.
"I see it!" Aaen quipped, watching the gleaming red warhead soar past the Relentless' saucer section, and then sharply changed course to Odyssey. Not on my watch, Aaen thought, grinning as he started an evasive maneuver.
The gleaming red warhead rattled the bridge for several seconds as a strong hiss filled the bridge.
"It missed! It nearly hit the starboard translight nacelle!" Sensors announced. "They're re-arming!"
The sharp whine of a particle bolt filled the bridge as the lights flickered violently. The bridge shuddered under the apparent hull pressure of the bolt.
"Cannon impact on the dorsal hull. It's trying to hit our translight core!" said the Engineer.
"We can't take another direct torpedo impact, Captain." the First Officer said.
The Captain stood behind Jason, and sharply said, "Alright. Enough of this. Tactical. Load a torpedo."
"Aye, sir!" a series of harsh mechanical sounds filled the bridge. Aaen reasoned special mechanisms were installed to load such warheads. Understandably, he silently agreed. The destructive force of one torpedo is roughly equivalent to ten torpedoes. "Torpedo, loaded," Jason announced.
The bridge shuddered again.
"Hull integrity down to forty-eight percent!" the announcement from Operations was sharply followed by another shuddering motion. The bridge felt like it was rolling to port. Aaen braced against his station to stay upright.
"We're losing hull plating on the dorsal hull, Captain! The shields are too weak to fully protect us, and the ship's repair nanites can't keep up with repairs while we're taking all this damage!" said the Engineer.
"Understood!"
"Captain, Relentless' has no shielding on its port or ventral sides. I'm detecting micro-fissures in their hull plating, here. We might be able to get a torpedo through their hull at that point, and hit their translight core."
"Tactical. Lock on to that section of their hull, and fire the torpedo!"
"Entering targeting coordinates!"
"They're ready to fire!" said Sensors. Relentless yawed to port. It's twin forward-ventral cannon emitters zeroed-in on their target.
"TORPEDO AWAY!" Jason announced. A high-pitched mechanical scream filled the bridge as the bright blue warhead soared under Relentless' port nacelle, and then sharply rose upward and tore through the Relentless hull. Relentless rose by ten meters and then started to roll to starboard, further yawing to port. Relentless' external lights started flickering erratically.
"Direct hit!" Jason exclaimed.
"Uh-oh!" Sensors said.
"What?" the Captain asked sharply.
"Translight core breach on Relentless in sixty seconds!"
"Aaen, get us outta here!" the Captain yelled. "Operations! Beam the torpedo weapon aboard! HURRY!" Operations nodded acknowledgment.
"Aye!" Aaen used the thrusters to turn Odyssey sharply to port, and then clicked 'Destructive Impulse.' A flurry of alarms filled the bridge as Aaen watched the impulse engine heat gauge gradually rise. 20%. . .30%. The hull started to gradually rattle.
"We're not going to reach a safe distance on impulse, Captain! We need to go to translight! Now!" Aaen said, bracing against his station, eyeing the flood of alerts appearing on his screen. The impulse engines can't take this much longer! Aaen reasoned.
"TEN SECONDS!" Sensors yelled.
"Captain!" the First Officer snapped.
"MAXIMUM TRANSLIGHT!"
Aaen noticed the ship's translight capacity increased to translight nine. "Thank you, ENGINEER!" Aaen cheered, slamming the control on his screen.
"Five. . .four. . .THREE—!"
The hum of the translight engines' powering up amplified the rattling, as Aaen watched the yellow horizontal meter on his screen gradually inch toward translight one.
"Translight core breach in progress!" said Sensors.
"The warhead detonated!" Jason announced. The stars gradually became streaks of light streaming across the main viewscreen as the shuddering suddenly intensified. Relentless' aft hull was consumed by a nearly blinding spherical fiery blue and white shockwave that quickly consumed the hull, and then continued to expand toward Odyssey. Pieces of jagged, burning debris scattered violently in every direction as the shockwave consumed Relentless' hull. A few larger metal fragments sharply grazed Odyssey's dorsal and forward hull.
"Shockwave INCOMING!" Sensors said.
"Translight one!. . . Translight two!. . ."
"It's STILL COMING!"
"Translight three!. . ." Aaen exclaimed. "—Translight FIVE!" the vibrations were so intense Aaen could no longer read his computer station screen. He guessed they were about to get ahead of the growing ball of fire.
"Hull temperature is climbing rapidly!" said Operations. Ten seconds later, "—Hull temperature is dropping!" the bridge filled with gasps of relief and cheers and raised fists for several seconds. The Captain turned to Aaen, picking up the paper and then handing it to him.
"Set a new course for these coordinates, Lieutenant."
"Aye, sir."
The Captain sharply sat in his chair, and then faced the front of the bridge. "Time to end this." he sharply declared.
*****
Steve H. told Jordan Foutin, "You are the next Tom Clancy. You really are a gifted writer."
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