After the battle with the Barien
fleet in zebra sector, the *Ronin* had been left in a bad way. Deck 5 was uninhabitable,
as was the bridge and sick bay. Engineering was a mess to and with the engineers
and the bridge crew sharing the same space, things were starting to get a little
tense.
"Watch where you put that foot!!!!" cried McQueen as Heim nearly stood
on a replacement panel for a computer console "I'm sorry, I'll be more
careful next time"
"Damn right you will! I don't want all you wussy command officers down here interfering with our work, but as you are, stay out of our way!"
"I just...."
"Ok, lets calm down people" said Ryan climbing down the ladder. "I know things have been getting a little tense down here, but we're never going to get this ship fixed if we're at each others throats all the time. So cool it! Both of you!"
"Aye sir" they said together. Just then, a blinding flash spread through engineering
"What the hell was that?" asked McQueen
"Not sure" replied Benosk. "I'm scanning now. Captain, I'm reading the *Leviathan*, but I'm reading a different star system."
"What star system?"
"I cant tell sir, sensors are to badly damaged"
"Get me the *Leviathan*"
"Channel open sir"
"Captain Devore, What happened? We were making repairs and all of a sudden ended up here. Um I am sorry sir, but where is 'here'?"
[Captain. I am not sure myself. Why don't you and your senior staff come aboard and we will try to figure out what is going on?]
"Understood captain, but the *Ronin* is quite a wreck. We need to get repair teams on her right away."
[Very well. I have a few people here that may be able to help. Why don't you see about docking to our aft section and we will initiate repairs, while we try to find out what is going on.]
"That will be fine sir. I will see you in about 30 minutes. Ryan out. Well, lets get over to the *Leviathan*. Ensign McMillan, take the helm and dock with the *Leviathan*. Heim, McQueen, Benosk, you're with me."
Later in the *Leviathans* conference room...
"Ladies and Gentlemen. All right I am not going to beat around the bush and blow sunshine up your butts." Devore began. He had a flair with dramatics but not now. There was a sense of urgency and he needed to get answers fast. "I have just one word to explain what happened and why... Q."
The room was filled with murmuring.
"Captain," began Ryan. "So Q put us here. But why the *Ronin*?"
"I don't know Captain. Your guess is as good as mine."
"Okay, so we know who and what happened but now where."
"Mr. Barker." Devore said giving the floor to his science officer.
"As far as we can determine we are no longer in our own galaxy. We are in the Andromenda Cirrius Galaxy which is the neighboring galaxy."
"What does this mean?" Some one asked.
"We're stuck here." Another yelled.
"Captain," interrupted McQueen "Isn't the *Leviathan* equipped with a slip stream drive."
"Lt. Shaka."
"At full slip stream we could be back in Federation space in about 5 years," Lt. Shaka answered. "However, the adjustments are precise for the *Leviathan* itself. We wouldn't be able to sustain a stable slip stream field with the combined ships. So at maximum warp, it will take the *Ronin* a minimum of 175 years."
"Hold on everyone. We are jumping the gun. I think we need to first find out where exactly we are. Then we can initialize a plan." Devore said calmly.
"Well I think that we should get the *Ronin* up and running again." Ryan said.
"That is fine. Lt. Taline and an engineering team should be able to facilitate your repairs." Devore said.
[Captain.] Brayden said through the combadge. [We are approaching the planet.]
"Very good Brayden. Establish standard orbit." Devore ordered.
[Sir. Also I don't understand, but when we approached the planet, it came up with a designation.]
The room fell silent. "It did?"
[Aye sir. Moria]
Rashad's eyes widened. She couldn't believe her ears. Her many years in starfleet intelligence and as a hacker uncovered millions of teraquads of data all believed to be useless. However, now, one piece of information she remembered came to the surface. "Captain."
"Yes commander." Devore said.
"I need to have a word with you in private."
"Very well. Commander Barker, continue gather information on this sector and of Moria, I want a report by 0800. Commander Soliel and Mac. Let's get some readings on the planet. We may need to send an away team so Major Phanan prep your marines. Engineering teams get to work on the *Ronin*. Dismissed." Devore said.
The room slowly dispersed and all that was left was Captains Devore and Ryan, and Rashad.
"Captain. You alone sir."
Ryan reluctantly left. The doors slid behind him. *What the hell is going on?? Surely I should no what's going on, I am the Captain of the Ronin after all*
"What should we do?" asked Heim
"Head back to the *Ronin*. Continue with the repairs. The four of them began walking down the corridor when Ryans comm. badge beeped,
[Captain Ryan please return to the conference room.]
"Go on back, I'll catch up" He reentered the conference room "Damn Marc, I didn't get that far." He said with a smile.
"I think that you may want to hear this. Whenever intel has anything to say about something I have made it a habit to listen especially when it comes from Commander Rashad."
"Okay."
"Captains please understand, I had no idea about this until Cadet Brayden said Moria." Rashad said.
"Okay. Go ahead."
Rashad began at the beginning. In 2098 there was a planet called Galgadon Corea, a humanoid planet in the Alpha Quadrant. In 2230 the planet was destroyed by a massive asteroid that obliterated the entire system. However until this time the Coreans created a very powerful organization called the United Power League(UPL) overthrew the planet fledging provincial government. Its society was based on trade with the outer planets and even some with a post warp era Earth. But the people were infantile and crooked creating a need for the UPL. The UPL had become the ultimate incarnation of the vision for a unified society. So this new order encompassed and controlled over 93% of the Corean population and ruled with a stern fist. The UPL was founded upon the basis of enlightened socialism, but often resorted to harsh , fascist police actions to maintain the public order. For over eighty ears, the UPL began to devise rigid agenda that would unify the various cultures. Till this time their society was diverse and refuse to "melt' into one. So the UPL took greater lengths to eradicate the last vestiges of racial separatism by instituting an ethnic cleansing.
However the UPL, upheld an almost zealous belief of the purity of species. This dogma called for the immediate eradication of any non-vital prosthetic or mutations amongst the pure gene pool. It was argued that genetic alterations, cyber technology, and the use of psychoactive drugs all led to the eventual degeneration of their species. So the UPL then devised a plan to round up these people with said 'enhancements' under the Project Purification. This genocidal crusade was the UPLs final solution to the matter of cleansing their society of its degenerate facets. In a matter of years the UPL troops rounded up everyone who did not conform, dissidents, hackers, synthetics, the cybernetically enhanced, tech-pirates, and criminals of every kind and systematically executed millions. Eventually those that survived the genocide were forced into exile and with the help of some people in high facets of the UPL took to the empty, unknown. In 2159, They were moved via large super carriers to the outlying planets. By 2171 the remaining ethnically impure were en route to Gantris VI.
"Okay commander where does this all fit in with Moria." Devore asked.
"The *Vixen* was conducting sensor surveys on the outlying planets when it uncovered a data pod from the *Argo*, one of the super carriers. It contained detailed information about the Corians and what happened to them."
"So what did happen to them?"
"They had never made it to Gantris VI. Obviously, we have colonies and a science station now on the Gantris Prime. But these refugees went beyond our galaxy and settled on what they called Moria."
"Let me guess, " Devore interrupted. "Since Starfleet Intelligence got their hands on this data pod, they went ahead and designated some planets out here.. this being Moria."
"Yes sir. But sir not only does StarFleet Intelligence have a stake out here...." Began Rashad.
"Great.. Section 31."
"Exactly."
"Why?"
"Not because of these people, but because of what is out here,"
"What is out here?" Ryan asked.
"Yes sir."
Suddenly the red alert klaxons came on and the ship rocked from some kind of hit. It was unlike any phaser blast.
[Captain to the Bridge]
"On my way." Devore said tapping his combadge. "T'Kul. You are going to have to finish this story later."
"Understood sir."
Devore and Ryan ran to the bridge followed by the intel officer. As they got on to the bridge, Commander Soliel immediately reported in anticipation, "Captain. We were conducting survey scans of the surface as instructed when this thing came and began to attack us."
"On screen."
The creature on the screen was large. It was about 75 meters across and about 12 meters high. It was covered in spiked, rock hard carpices and a tail similar to that of a modern day scorpion. Its eyes, which were on both sides of his head, glowed orange with intensity.
"Can we speak to it?"
"Getting no understandable response from it."
"Try all channels."
The creature opened its mouth a gaseous cloud was propelled. It hit the *Leviathan* and shook her.
"Shields down to 74%. Request to return fire." Phanan yelled.
"No Major. Not yet. Let's try to communicate with it first." Devore said rubbing his chin.
"Still no response." Phanan yelled perturbed.
"Captain, I am getting multiple targets bearing 002 mark 19. They are coming from the planet surface." Mac said.
"Captain. They match the configuration of that in front of us."
"ETA?"
"2 minutes."
Two minutes!" Devore yelled. "Scan for a nebula or something?"
"Nothing."
"Set a course away from here."
"176 mark 0 sir." Brayden said.
"Engage."
The *Leviathan* spun and began to head out of the area, but the massive creature was in pursuit. It fired its gas again.
"Captain direct hit, shields down to 54%" Phanan yelled.
"Arm quantum torpedo. Fire on my command."
"Aye sir."
"Sir the creature is firing again."
"Evasive maneuvers, Mr. McCaffee." The ship banked causing the cloud to overshoot. "Fire Jon."
The torpedo launched out of its aft tube and struck the creature dead centre. It exploded sending 'debris' all around.
"What is the status of the other creatures?' Devore asked.
"They are not in pursuit."
"Stand down from red alert. Keep full sensor sweep. I want some answers now and I think that we are going to only get answer from the planet. Mr. McCaffee set a course back, but Jon, engage the refractive shielding. I don't want know more surprises."
"What about the *Ronin* Captain?"
"We'll give your engineer the schematics for the refractive shielding, I have a feeling your going to need it. As for repairs, I'll increase the repair crews working on the *Ronin* I suggest for now, you head back to the *Ronin* and oversee the repairs. If anything else turns up, I'll call for you"
"Ok, Marc, Good luck in finding out what's going on"
"Thanks Ryan" With that Ryan left the bridge and headed for the docking bay where the *Ronin* was docked.
"Captain Evans" a familiar voice called from behind him. Ryan turned round to find Eran Dakul, his old friend from the *Britain* running up to him
"Dakul, what the hell are you doing here?"
"I got transferred shortly after you took command of the *Ronin* sir, I'm now assistant security officer of the *Leviathan*"
"Bit of a change of career isn't it? You were a helmsman."
"I found it dull and boring sitting in that chair all day and to be honest, I wasn't the greatest of pilots"
"Well, I've got to head off to the *Ronin* now to supervise the repairs. Maybe we could meet up for a drink later"
"I'd like that sir. Shall we say 1800?"
"I'll see you then" The
two officers parted and continued with their duties.