The Iwo Jima was beginning to approach the escape pods. Lieutenant West had come up from Engineering to man the tactical station in Captain Bicardi's absence. Lieutenant Vansen was at the conn/OPS station working her magic.
"Major sir. Approaching two escape pods of Nausicaan design." Vansen said as she ran her fingers over the controls. Boyle was standing over by the master display screen directly behind the Tactical station.
"Very well, drop out warp approach at 1/3 impulse power." Boyle ordered, walking up behind Lieutenant West. Lucas was scanning the life boats but found no signs of life.
"Nothing, Major," West said, turning and looking at his senior officer with some disgust in his voice.
"Lieutenant, tractor one of the escape pods into the shuttle bay." Boyle wanted a detailed investigation into this incident. "Lieutenant, I want you to follow me to the shuttle bay. Doc Harper, met me in the shuttle bay," Boyle said, tapping his comm badge as he stepped into the turbo lift.
Doc Harper was the Federation Fleet Medical Officer for the 58th Squadron. He was only a Chief Warrant Officer but had served as corpsman in combat and eventually became a nurse and then a physician's assistant. He knew enough to be a doctor but didn't have the credentials.
The refitted Nova class shuttle bay was large enough for two Type 9 shuttles and four Type 10 shuttle pods. Sitting in the middle of the shuttle bay was a black square escape pod. The outside writing was Nausciaan. Lucas found the entry hatch easily and opened it up. Inside were two lifeless Nausicaan bodies. The bodies appeared to have disruptor wounds and had been beheaded but as the Doc scanned the two dead bodies he shook his head.
"Sir, these men were alive nearly 13 minutes ago. They appear to have been beheaded while alive," Doc Harper said, closing the tricorder. Boyle pulled one of the bodies out and looked where the head was missing. It looked like a deep chasm.
"Shit, it looks as if the spine has been taken along with the head." Boyle said, sticking his hand down the empty neck cavity and feeling around, feeling no spine.
[Major, Lieutenant Vansen here.] Boyle was handed a towel to wipe his hand off and then tapped his comm badge.
"Yes."
[Sir I am picking up a faint ion trail. It appears to be a warp drive.]
"Where is it?"
[32 degrees off the port side, roughly 140 meters from where we are. It appears to be a cloaked ship.] The comm channel was quiet for a few seconds. Boyle thought what had to be done. He also knew if they were as close as
Vansen reported they'd detect the ship powering up shields and weapons and could trigger a fight. A fight that Major Boyle wasn't sure about fighting right now.
"Listen, Lieutenant, I'll be up to confirm your findings. Boyle out."
"Doc I want you to place these bodies in stasis. Meanwhile get the sick bay for possible casualties. Lieutenant West, let's see who is out there." Boyle and West made it to the bridge in a matter of minutes.
Lieutenant Vansen was standing near the science station and looked at the Major as he came back on the bridge. "Sir, here are the readings." Vansen didn't quite understand Boyle's reply on the comm channel.
"Lieutenant, I know your reports are accurate; I just want to take the necessary precautions," Thomas said as he walked over to the science station.
"Lucas, we still have two quantum torpedoes in the tubes?"
"Yes sir."
"On my mark power up shields and forward tubes. Open a comm channel."
"Open sir."
"To unidentified vessel, we have detected you and know you're responsible for the attacks and killings we have seen evidence of. Drop your cloak and identfy yourself or I will fire upon you." At that moment Lucas saw a huge power surge where Vansen ID'd a possible ship.
"Lieutenant, raise shields!!!!" Boyle shouted before West could report the power surge.
A ship roughly the size of a Intrepid class ship dropped out of a cloaked state and fired a signle energy blast that struck the main hull just behind engineering, causing explosions and some heavy damage.
"Fire!" Boyle yelled as the bridge shook violently. Lucas fired the shot. They hit their mark causing about the same damage the enemy d inflicted on them. Then the enemy ship went to warp speed.
"Damage report!"
"Decks 7-12 have sustained damage, power fluctuation in the forward shields and deflector grid. Warp drive is operational, 3 injured crewmen," West said looking at Boyle as he walked over to the door to his little ready room.
"Helm, take us back to Major Jackson and Captain Bicardi."