Amelia and the Mystique had been 'tailing' the unknown vessel for six days now. In that time they'd managed to make several quick scans of the vessel and it was some ship. Over five hundred metres long and heavily armoured, it would be a match for any of the Federations larger vessels.
The most interesting fact about the vessel was its power source. Monica had been detecting occasional massive gravametric pulses from inside the vessel. Amelia had recognised the pattern almost immediately as being generated by a quantum singularity. Romulan warbirds were notorious for doing this when there was a sudden demand for additional power.
These pulses were however very different from those made by a Romulan vessel. They were far more random and there had been no indications for a need to increase the power output.
The vessel had been cruising at warp seven since leaving the New Canada system, on a straight and true course. The only thing that Amelia could come up with to explain these pulses were that the singularity was natural and not artificial. If that theory was true, then this new race was both technically advanced and a potential threat.
[Amelia, the vessel is heading for that type-D nebula.] Monica announced.
"Have we been detected ?" Amelia asked. "Do you think there are trying to hide in the nebula ?"
[I don't think so.] Monica replied. [Their course has always been in the direction of the nebula. This maybe their destination, a class-D nebula is highly dangerous, even a vessel that size wouldn't last more than a couple of hours. It would take them at least six to fly through it at full impulse, where as it would take about fourteen to go around at warp six.]
"Can we follow ?" Amelia asked.
[I'm afraid not. Our shields wouldn't last more than ten minutes in there.] Monica replied.
Damn. We've lost them. Amelia thought to herself.
[Amelia, I'm picking up a strong power signal from a nearby planetoid.] Monica announced.
"Let's take a look." Amelia requested.
Immediately the planetoid appeared on the viewscreen and Amelia started to look over the sensor analysis.
"Definitely not a Federation power source, nor any of the major races. It looks familiar though, but I can't quite think where I've seen this power signature before." Amelia said. "Monica, set a course towards that planetoid, let's take a closer look."
Half an hour passed by until the Mystique was able to obtain a high orbit above the planetoid.
[There's definitely something big down there.] Monica exclaimed. [It seems to be protected by an energy shield, I can't get any sensor data, only visuals.]
"Let's see what we've got any way." Amelia said.
What she saw was big, an entire industrial complex.
"I think we need to take a much closer look at this base, it could be where the stolen cloning tanks are located, there's certainly enough power to run such a facility." Amelia announced.
[How do you intend to get down to the surface, the upper atmosphere is filled with theta radiation. I can't transport you through that interference and if we attempt to travel through it, our engines will leave a trail that will be seen for miles behind us.] Monica announced.
"Then I guess It's time to take a walk. Would it be possible to transport me through the layer so that I just materialise on the other side of the upper atmosphere ?" Amelia asked.
[I guess so.] Monica replied. [We could enter the upper atmosphere until we are close enough to make the transport.]
"Great, then I'm going to jump for it." Amelia replied.
[But how will you get back ?] Monica asked.
"You'll come pick me up, getting down is the hard part we need the element of surprise. To leave we don't." Amelia replied. "I'm going to get prepared, start our decent into the atmosphere in ten minutes."
[Be careful.] Monica said.
"Yes mother." Amelia replied sarcastically.
Amelia knew that a jump would be a huge risk. She'd first been introduced to orbital skydiving whilst at the Academy, now she was going have to remember everything she had learnt.
As she started to put on the bulky but necessary protective suit, she tried to remember everything that she'd been taught as she did so.
She 'waddled' across toward a console and pressed a few buttons. The panel unlocked and slid sideways revealing a hidden compartment behind. Amelia removed a small box and placed it in a protective casing. Finally she removed a phaser rifle, placing it in another protective case, which she attached the rifle to the back of her suit.
Amelia picked up the other box and walked towards the airlock door.
"OK Monica, I'm ready." Amelia announced.
[We're approaching the lower edge of the upper atmosphere, you can jump when ready.] Monica replied.
Amelia pushed the airlock door controls and the door opened.
Taking a deep breath, Amelia stepped out of the airlock and into the atmosphere.
Amelia fell for over ten minutes before reaching the planet surface.
Once on the surface, she quickly removed the skydiving suit and removed the equipment and rifle from their protective casings. Hiding the suit, box and rifle casing behind a rock outcrop, she processed towards the base.
Because of the shielding around the base, Amelia had a long walk. It took her over two hours to reach the boundary of the shield.
She took out a pair of binoculars and took a look around the base. She saw various building but no 'people', adjusting the zoom on the binoculars.
I need to get closer Amelia thought.
She started to look for a way through the shield and soon came across a shield emitter. It wasn't very sophisticated and Amelia knew that she could quickly deactivate it. But she also knew that deactivating it would raise the alarm. What she needed to do was disable the shield long enough for her to get through.
However, another opportunity 'fell' in her lap. Two Son'a's soldiers appeared from a building close to the shield boundary. They deactivated the shield so that they could pass through. This was Amelia's chance and she waited behind a large rocky mound until the two Son'a were out of sight of the base.
Taking her rifle, she set it to high stun. Since Amelia had become aware of the re-emergence of the Son'a in this area, she'd been doing some research. One of the things she'd discovered was the fact that Son'a have a resilient nervous system. A phaser set to stun wouldn't work on the Son'a. Only by setting the phaser to the highest stun setting would a shot disable a Son'a.
Amelia fired a short at the nearest Son'a who dropped like a stone to the floor. Before the second Son'a could react he too had joined his colleague. She quickly dragged the two unconscious bodies towards the rock and out of sight.
Amelia quickly picked up the shield deactivator and headed back towards the shield boundary.
Amelia was soon inside the compound and headed towards the shield power source. She knew that if she was discovered and she needed to get out quick, she'd need to disable the shields. It would be the only way Monica could beam her out.
Placing high explosive charges around the power conduits, within ten minutes she had finished.
She again took out her binoculars and scanned the base once more. This time she hit pay-dirt. She could see through a window a number of people inside, that's when she noticed something and realise where she'd seen the energy signature before.
Inside the room Amelia saw three Son'a sat at a table. With them were two aliens, which Amelia didn't recognise. What scared her more and what reminded her was a Vorta who was also sat at the table. As she 'scanned' the room further, she also saw several Jem'hadar guarding the entrance doors.
Amelia suddenly hear a sound from behind her. Like a cat she rolled over and fired a single shot into the Jem'hadar soldier. The soldier fell to the ground, but the noise of the phaser rifle had alerted other guards.
Time to play is over. Amelia said to herself, adjusted the setting on her phaser rifle and headed back towards the shield perimeter.
All hell had broken loose and as Amelia reached the shield boundary she realised that she'd dropped the deactivator when she'd fired at the Jem'hadar. Her only option now was to set off the explosives that she'd planted.
In a blaze of fire, the shield power plant exploded and the shield in front of Amelia faded.
Amelia ran for the outcrop where she'd left the two Son'a patrol guards and took up position.
A group of soldiers, mainly Son'a were soon approaching her position and Amelia fired two shots. Each shot hit its mark and the poor Son'a soldiers exploded as the plasma held within the bullet casing was released. Amelia had been wanting to try out the new rifle for sometime, a 'gift' from a Federation 'friend'.
Amelia fired two more shots, one hit its target, but the second missed and hit one of the outer most buildings. The enemy were now very close to her position, when Amelia dissolved into the Ether.
Amelia re-materialised on the Mystique.
"Oh Monica, just when I was starting to have fun." Amelia said, placing the rifle and equipment down and heading for the Command deck.
The Mystique was ascending fast back into space.
[So what did you find down there ?] Monica asked.
"Trouble. Load all torpedo tubes and charge all weapons." Amelia replied "I think we're going to need help. Set a course back to New Canada."
[Are you mad, Amelia. You'll surely be put straight back in the brig and I'll be dissected and probed.] Monica protested.
"Maybe, but with the information that I've got I think I can 'cut a deal'". Amelia said. "As soon as we're clear of the upper atmosphere take us to full warp."
The Mystique rose out of the atmosphere.
[Detecting a number of small vessels approaching on our position.] Monica announced.
"Target the lead ship and throw everything we have at it." Amelia ordered.
Almost as she said it multiple explosions on the shields rocked the Mystique. The Mystique fired three photon torpedoes back at the lead vessel, along with a volley of phaser fire. The vessel exploded in a blaze of fire, causing the remaining vessels to move out of formation to above getting caught in the aftermath.
Then the Mystique was gone, heading back to New Canada and Supply base 901.