[Garek to Tarik--report to the command deck!]
Tarik was roused from a brief nap he'd been taking at Kassia's side. "What's going on, Garek?"
[One of the Banshees has unexpectedly launched. I can't seem to raise it on the comm channel so I'm going to have to go after it. You're in command.]
Terrific. "On my way."
"Kass, I'll be back as soon as I can, honey," Tarik said. "I'm going to see if Paul can't come and stay with you for a while."
Paul Deveraux, having finished settling back into the station's lab facilities, decided to make a brief excursion to the station's brig. Two security officers stood guard over a forcefield-protected cell. Inside that cell was the now-infamous Lieutenant Kelly.
"Sorry, sir, no one is allowed access to the prisoner," one of the guards informed him.
"I don' want to go in zhere wit 'im! I jus' want to talk wizh 'im!" Paul said. In reality he would have liked nothing better than to go into that cell and rip Kelly's heart out with his bare hands.
"So, ze traitor ees revealed at last! And eet ees not me! You arrogant peez of shit, 'ow long did you zhink you could get away wit eet?" Paul asked.
"As long as I had you as a whipping boy and Wallace in the palm of my hands I could have done it forever," Kelly said, smirking. The fact that his smirk was contorted by a badly bruised face apparently mattered little to Kelly. The fact that two of the station's telepaths were convinced of Kelly's guilt--or at least of Deveraux's innocence--didn't seem to enter into the process. Megalomaniac was the word that came most readily to Paul's mind.
"You are not only a traitor but an eediot! Ze identifier codes gave you away! Did you zhink zhat all of ze officers on ze station would fall for eet? Wallace may be a fool but ze others are not!"
"You got lucky, Deveraux. Don't get cocky!"
"Jes' watch your back. I'll be zhere when you leest expect eet!" Paul said. Then his combadge chirped.
"Deveraux here."
[Paul, this is Tarik. I need you to go to Kassia's quarters for a while. She could use your help. I'm in command, which makes you first officer for the time being. I'll keep you posted of anything that happens.]
"Acknowledged. I'll be zhere een five minutes!"
Troy sat next to Kassia as she sat on their couch, wrapped in a blanket, holding a cup of tea as she stared out the porthole into the inky vastness of the space beyond it. He looked disheveled. Tarik had quickly awoken him, letting him know that Paul was on his way and that Kassia was up. But he was more concerned for Kassia than his lack of sleep.
"You want anything to eat?" he asked for the third time.
She shook her head, her green eyes stared forward, haunted.
"You want somemore tea?" he asked. His dark eyes observing her carefully.
She shook her head again, not looking at him. Suddenly, the door sensor sounded and for a moment she shuddered. But settled down again. Troy got up as he called for the door to open. In walked Paul.
"'Ey, Troy! You look like sheet! You should get zome rest. I'll watch her for a while."
Troy nodded. "Maybe you can get her to talk . . . I don't know, Paul, I am really worried about her. I've never seen her this way . . . All she's done since Tarik woke me up is stare out the porthole. She won't even talk. She just either shakes or nods her head to questions . . ." He sighed with his tired and frustrated concern as he continues to gaze at her. She just wrapped the blanket tighter around her body.
"She has had an evil zhing done to her," Paul said, placing a hand on her shoulder. Kassia didn't even stir. "Zhis will take time to work itself out. I weesh we had anozher counselor aboard ze station to help her."
As if sudden surprise had taken hold of her, she flinched for a moment and then calmed as she realized who was there.
"Me too . . ." He replied sadly. "I just don't know what to do to help her."
"All we can do ees be 'ere for her," Paul said. "But zhis ees not a time to kill yourself weeth guilt. Eef you don't hold up, 'ow do you zhink she'll take zhat?" Paul asked. "You get zometing to eat, and zome rest. I've got tings here under control."
He nodded and pat Paul on the back. "Thanks," he said.
He'd eat later. Right now he was going to try to sleep. The doctor had given him something to help with that. Taking one more look at Kassia, he disappeared down the hall to his room.
Paul watched as Troy left. "Kass, I don' know eef you can hear me or understand me, but I want to zhank you for what you did for me. Eef it weren't for you, I would ztill be in ze brig, and Kelly would ztill be on ze loose. I owe you everyting!"
Kassia turned her head and watched him as he took a seat next to her. Tears began forming in her eyes. She still couldn't speak, but she leaned into him, a gentle sob tearing from her throat. As her face rested against his shoulder, he put his arm around her.
"You have been one of ze few people on zhis station I could call a friend," Paul said. "I've never had very many friends before. You, Tarik, Troy--zhat's as many friends as I 'ave ever had at one time. I don' know ze words, but I jus' want you to know 'ow much zhat means to me."
Her tears quieted down again. For a moment, she was so still, he had thought she had drifted to sleep. But then, quietly, he heard her speak.
"You mean a lot to me too . . ." she said. "I just . . . I . . . I couldn't . . . I couldn't get away from him . . ." The tears started again. "I tried and . . . I just . . . and then he . . . Why did he do that? I just don't understand . . ."
"Zome people are good and smart, like Troy and Tarik. Zome people aren't zo smart, but are basically good, like me, and maybe like ze Captain," Paul said. "And zome people, like zhat bastaird Kelly, are just evil. You had ze meesfortune of encountering one of ze evil ones. But he will be punished for what 'e did," Paul said. And I hope I am on ze firing squad when zhey punish 'im!
She was quiet except for the tears. "When I close my eyes I see him . . . but its not just him . . ." she tried to explain. "Its like having waking nightmares . . . The images won't go away . . . And . . . and I can't force them away . . ." She let his presence try to comfort her, but nothing took away her fear and her pain.
"I 'ave ze same ting, with ze Proktolans," Paul replied, hoping to at least commiserate if he couldn't cure. "At least zhey were paid to do what zhey deed! Eef Kelly were just a traitor I could deal weeth zhat much better, but what he deed--merde! I zhould strangle 'im weeth my bare 'ands!"
Suddenly she began going slack. "I'm so tired . . . " she said, as he immediately took her tea from her before she spilled it. "I wish it would all go away. That somehow the world would right itself again . . . But I know it doesn't happen that way . . . I just want to sleep . . . and I'm cold . . ." She again pulled the blanket around her tighter than it had been before as if she were freezing.
"Eet will," Paul said. "We will find ze very best help available for you. Zhere are other ships in ze vicinity, and zhey 'ave counselors. Maybe one of zhem can 'elp."
She nodded weakly and then began to sag against him. In another moment, she seemed to be breathing deeply and steadily. He realized she was asleep. He realized her medication was probably sedating her.
Paul got up and settled Kassia down on the sofa, laying an afghan over her. "She needs ze rest," he thought, thinking also that he could use some rest as well. But first, something to eat.
Paul walked over to the replicator. "Foie gras weeth a glass of burgundy," he ordered, still feeling like celebrating despite what had happened to Kassia. He was free and his name was as good as it had ever been once again!
Paul was about to sit down and eat when he heard the red alert sound. He knew where he needed to be even before Tarik asked for him.
Garek briefed Tarik quickly before leaving the station to pursue the errant figher. Lieutenant Kim Tycho had not shown up for the pre-mission briefing; in fact, her whereabouts were unknown. Just ten minutes earlier a Banshee had launched from the station and was not responding to hails. "All boards are green right now; nothing but the usual commercial traffic. There shouldn't be any problems. The repair ship Yukon is due to arrive at 0700 hours; you may want to talk with Commander Preston about extending his layover. Offer him anything--we need all the help we can get right now! I'll be back as soon as possible," Garek said. "I'm taking the Lambda Flier. That leaves you with the runabout Hudson, four shuttles, and four of your armored transports. I'll stay in contact with both the station and the fleet. Good luck, Colonel."
"And good luck to you," Tarik said. We'll both need it.
Then, in a fit of inspiration: "Yeoman, contact the Yukon and find out if there's a counselor aboard," Tarik ordered the communications specialist. "And while you're at it, contact Starbase 732 and let them know our status. Find out if there's a counselor there as well."
"Aye, sir."
Another yeoman at the traffic control board called for Tarik's attention. "Sir, there's a ship about 150,000 kilometers from the station, bearing 180 mark 3. It matches the configuration of a Class 4 freighter but seems far more massive. She's just sitting out there, doing nothing."
"Any engine activity or comm traffic?"
"None, sir," the assistant engineer replied.
"Open a comm channel, all standard frequencies."
A chime announced the open frequencies. "Attention unknown vessel. This is Lieutenant Colonel Tarik in command of Federation Supply Base 901. You are approaching our defensive perimeter without a flight plan. Identify yourself at once!"
No reply, but--"Sir, I'm reading a tachyon burst from the freighter. It's directed toward Mulluran space!"
"Tarik to Hartman--get a platoon loaded aboard a transport. We might have a boarding action on our hands."
[Aye, sir!] Tarik could have sworn he heard a profuse amount of swearing just before the channel closed.
"Attention unknown vessel. Identify yourself. Prepare to heave to and receive an inspection team," Tarik said once again over the comm channel.
"Sir, I've got a data transmission. The vessel claims to be a Trayvan freighter carrying 100,000 tons of bauxite, along with various consumer commodities."
"Bauxite's the principal ore of aluminum--one of the most common metallic elements in the universe. It makes no sense to tranship that much; the fees and insurance alone would be enough to start mining it locally! Gentlemen, we have a Q-ship on our hands. All hands--red alert!" Tarik ordered. Red alert klaxons began sounding. "Communications, advise the Yukon and Starbase 732 of our situation." Then, to the ship: "Attention unknown vessel. You are not a Trayvan vessel. Identify yourself properly or you will be boarded by force!"
"Sir--something's happening!"
Indeed something was happening. The putative merchant vessel was shedding much of its outer hull--to reveal a Mulluran cruiser!
"All hands, general quarters!" Tarik ordered. "Condition 1AA--I want the station defenses hot, and I want them hot now!"
As the klaxon sounded through the station it rang loudly in Troy and Kassia's quarters. It wasn't so much the sound of the klaxon that got Troy out of bed, but that of Kassia's scream. Immediately, he bolted from his bed and out into the main room. There he found Kassia crying, fear in her green eyes as she curled up like a child with the blanket still around her. He realized she was almost terrified. He remembered the doctor warning him of a hyper arousal state where sounds were louder. He wondered if that was what was going on. Maybe adding to his sister's fear. As he drew closer, he noticed she was shaking.
"Kass, it's okay, I'm right here!" Troy said. "Everything's going to be fine!" he told her, deliberately lying to himself as well as her
He took her in his arms and held her close, trying to comfort her. She cried again. It seemed as if that's all she had been doing. That, or just staring off into nothingness . . . or sleeping . . .
"Its not fine," she replied. "We're under attack! The Mullurans are here . . . Kelly . . . " was all she could say as images of him came into her mind looming larger than life. The tears flowed like a waterfall as she curled into him.
"The Mullurans aren't going to get in here," Troy said, feeling the photon torpedoes firing far below him. "And Kelly's still in the brig. You're going to make it!" Troy said, feeling at least as helpless dealing with Kassia as he was feeling with the attack.
She continued to shake and cry as Troy held her as the battle raged beyond them in the space outside the station.
Paul arrived on the command deck. "No rest for ze wicked, I see," he said as he settled into the Operations station. Ordinarily he would work the science station but as the only other officer on the station who wasn't under indictment Paul's services were needed at a more critical station.
"Colonel, the vessel is bringing weapons to bear," a crewman at the Tactical station announced.
"Paul, apply as much power as we can spare to the shields. Where are my damn photon torpeodes?" Tarik ordered.
"Firing solution plotted, sir," Tactical replied.
"About bloody time! Full spread of quantum torpedoes--I want these sons of bitches to know they were in a fight!"
Tarik could feel the distant bump-bump-bump-bump of the torpedoes leaving their launchers. The Mulluran cruiser fired its phaser banks at the station. Tarik and half of the other people on the bridge fell as the station rocked under the blast. Somehow the phasers had pierced through the station's deflector shields! Kelly must have given them our shield and phaser harmonics as part of his betrayal--damn him!
"Damage control!"
"Multipule hull breaches on Decks 18 through 39," Deveraux replied."Dispatching damage control teams now!"
The Mulluran cruiser was hit amidships by one of the torpedoes. "One directhit and two partial hits on enemy vessel! We got their life support!"
"Keep firing--independent fire at will!"
The cruiser advanced toward the station. Several phasers hit their mark,but the Mulluran shielding held.
[Security to Colonel Tarik--Lieutenant Kelly is gone!] a security crewmanreported. [He appears to have transported out.]
"Son of a BITCH!" Tarik yelled. "I want that ship out of my sky now!Deveraux, trace back the carrier signal for that transporter."
No sooner than Tarik ordered it than three photon torpedoes hit their mark.The Mulluran cruiser exploded in a brilliant white flash that was almost toointense for the command deck's viewscreen to adequately compensate for. Theentire crew broke into cheers!
"I have ze carrier signal," Deveraux said amidst the din and clamor. "Eetwas aboard ze enemy ship. Eef Kelly was beamed zhere, he's in Hell now."
Tarik nodded silently. "All hands stand down. All available Marines to theHawke transports. Prepare for deployment to recover escape pods.Sickbay--what's our casualty count like?"
[Fifteen dead, another thirty wounded,] Cherrin reported.
Just beyond the station's sensor range, a heavily-cloaked Mulluran shuttlemade way back to its home space.
The carrier signal from the cruiser was a decoy. The Mullurans had actuallydeveloped interdimensional transport and used it to free the turncoat Kellyfrom his imprisonment in the brig. A cloaked shuttle had sat outside thestation's sensor range, waiting for the cruiser--an obsolete model with acaptain who had lost political favor--to reveal itself. During the ensuingbattle, the shuttle moved just within its transport range and retrievedKelly. The pilot of the shuttle (who happened to be a political rival ofthe doomed cruiser captain) would be assured of his own major command aftersecuring the Starfleet defector.
But Kelly had other plans...
Tarik had just transmitted the after-action report (and the information onthe compromised shield and phaser harmonics, and Kelly's escape and presumeddeath) to Captain Wallace when the Yukon arrived. While the small repairship's contribution to station defense was negligible, having a few moreseasoned officers around would improve the station's situation immensely.
"I understand you had a bit of a fight out here a few hours ago," CommanderPreston, captain of the Yukon replied.
"The old Q-ship routine by the Mullurans. Nothing we couldn't handle, butit is good to have you on hand," Tarik said. "There is, however, a slightfavor I need to ask of you--or, more specifically, your ship's counselor..."