The last four days had been hard on Commodore Wallace, he was still pondering his decision. He had used the last several days to allow Chief Matthews help the Niprons get the shipyard up and running, now it was up to them to keep it running. Richard took a deep breath and shook his head knowing now what his choice was. "Commander Wolf and Lieutenant Chee, meet me in transporter room 3. Captain Lataro, you have the bridge. Wallace out." Richard walked out of his ready room and headed directly to the turbo lift.
Upon walking into the transporter room Commander Wolf spoke. "I take it you've come to a decision." She looked a little puzzled. However she knew this wasn't anything to take lightly.
"Yes, Commander. I want you and the Lieutenant with me to help support my decision. It'll all be revealed in due time," said Wallace, standing on the pattern buffer. Lieutenant Chee was thinking of reading Wallace but figured it wouldn't be polite.
Grandar welcomed the officers very warmly, offering them drinks and food. Finally after four days, the answer he wanted was about to be given. Wallace and Chee took a seat, Wolf stayed on her feet hoping to be more alert than sitting.
"Grandar. I'm sorry I can't accept your application into the Federation or place my endorsement of it. Your people are and were involved with some very bad things. Your ideals and beliefs go against everything our Federation was founded for. I recommend, if you want membership, to apologize to those races you've inflicted harm on. Resign your position and hold another election. Get rid of the government officials that were involved with the Mullurans," Wallace said with firmness and a calm tone.
Grandar started to show signs of anger. "Fine! Your Federation is not what I think is in my people's best interest. " Grandar pressed a button and opened a comm signal. "Colonel General Betio. I think the information Vince Kelly provided us on the Sovereign Class vessel shows if you hit the ship's deflector and the area above the shuttle bay it'll be forced to leave."
It occurred to Wallace what was happening. "Wallace to Hornet! Red alert!"
No reply.
Grandar laughed. "I'm sorry your comm signal is blocked through a jamming sensor."
Five Mulluran men walked in from the door carrying weapons.
"Freeze, Federations! You're prisoners of the Mulluran Freedom Army," The eldest one said.
Wallace took a look around and saw no signs of a possible escape. He put his hands up to show he wasn't armed.
On the Hornet bridge....
Okul was over at his station running a few checks on the backup ODN system when he detected something odd. "Captain Lataro, a subspace rift is opening up about 12 meters from the deflector array. Wait, it's a subspace torpedo!"
The torpedo slammed into the dish causing enormous damage. The bridge rocked back and forth. Five ships came out of the nebula firing their weapons above the hanger bay.
"Tactical report!" Lataro yelled above an explosion.
"Shield generators off-line. Transporters are gone," Ensign Dreke said after another explosion.
"Commander McAllister, bring us to bearing 04 mark 12. Full impulse. Ensign, see if you can get a shot off!" Lataro screamed, as another explosion erupted on the bridge.
Okul was horrified to turn and see McAllister lying on the deck with a piece of metal in his chest. "Sir, we have to retreat. Their is no other option. We've taken direct hits to the main and auxiliary power supply. We can't even go past Warp 2!" Okul yelled as another explosion went off.
"Very well. Carter, take the helm. Plot a course to Starbase 901. Warp 1.4"
"What about the Commodore and Wolf?" Dreke yelled.
"Three people for a starship isn't a fair trade. We must fall back and regroup," Lataro said, as the Hornet turned around and went to Warp 1.4. Lataro walked over to where young David McAllister had fallen. He bent down and felt no pulse.
God damn it. Lost four people under my watch.
"Captain it'll take us at least six days to get to Starbase 901," Carter said, turning her head and face that was now dirty.
"Thank you, Commander. Ensign Okul, send out a distress signal to the station. Chief, I want to be up to warp 4 by tomorrow," Lataro said, walking past the chief to the conference lounge.