Treachery

Captain Devore sat in a very soft chair at a very large oval table. He and most of his senior staff had been invited numerous times to the festivities of NarolkTul, the Season of Life. It was a time of great jubilation where the enemies of their ancestors were driven from this region of space and exiled many light years ago. The Bariens, as these enemies were called, were a brutal race that enslaved the Catatonian people hundreds of years ago. The Ancients fought their independence with the help of many races which also were enslaved. Races such as the Kirns, the Nuans, and the Doma Carie all warp worthy civilization, enslaved by the barbaric Bariens.

The Doma Carie were all but wiped out by the Bariens. As brutal as brutal can be, The Bariens rounded up the female Cariens and executed all leaving none. The remaining male became the servant class of the Barien until a small group managed to escape and o rendezvous with a Nuan battle fleet who protected and fought off the imminent annihilation. That is why up to today, the Doma Carie, who now have managed to repopulate this region, with help of the Catatonians, and have one sole purpose in life.... is to destroy the Bariens. The Doma Carie live along side the Catatonians. They are the technicians, the fighters, the tacticians, and the majority of the male population amongst the Catatonians.

The Catatonians are a female race. They were a simple race whom were peace loving full of life. They were gifted in the arts, the sciences, and in beauty. The Bariens enslaved them to be the eternal harem of the Barien war machine, but one woman Neryl Mat'thews, refused and spread messages of hope to the Catatonians. They rebelled and after numerous bloody onslaughts and countless defeats, they finally won their freedom resorting to terrorism.

Now the Catatonian are people who have returned to the ancient ways and reinvented the arts into their society. The Doma Carie and the Catatonians now have a symbiotic relationship to create a new race of people to live in harmony with one another. The Kirn are their offspring and new race.

This living arrangement between the Doma Carie, Catatonians, and the Kirn have worked for many centuries. They have worked to create a new people, a new life, a new society, and the NarolkTul is there to celebrate what the two races have created the Kirn!

Cerys Mat'hews sat on the opposite side of the table and told the Captain and the crew of the Leviathan of their history where they are and what has become. However from her side, Mat'hews would at different intervals look at Captain Devore and flash a smile, but Sierra sat his side and noticed what was going on and would elbow him sharply if he reacted, so the Captain was quick to hide any acknowledgment.

"But now Captain, we are again at war!" Cerys said noticing Captain Devore flinch as an elbow connected to his right rib. She smiled. "The Bariens have regained their strength and constantly attack our shipping lines. There is a people a few light years away that we have a trade arrangement with and we cannot get our goods to them. They are the Nuans at sector 443It is not far from here, but Bariens engage our ships and destroy them taking everything including the people."

"I see." Devore said. "What is that you would you like from us ?"

"Help."

After a very deep thought provoking look, Devore shook his head. "Cerys. I.. We are honoured by the aid you have given us. Your knowledge on the SlipStream have been indispensable. Lieutenant Shaka has adapted numerous of your ideas unto the ship which has increased our output by 500%. They have also contributed ideas and made modifications to my ship that would have taken us years to discover.. and for these things we are eternally grateful, but we abide by a very strict premise that is our philosophy in all matters- the Prime Directive. We cannot get involved in the internal affairs of a civilization."

"I see. Are there any exceptions ?"

"I am afraid not. If there is anything else we can do, I would be happy to oblige, but to fight a war for you.. I am afraid not."

"Okay.. " Cerys smiled and lifted her goblet. "To the crew of the Leviathan... may you always be as noble as you are honest."

"And may your civilization live long and prosper through all!." Devore added. He as the crew took a large drink.

[Leviathan to Captain Devore.]

Devore tapped his combadge. "Excuse me. Go ahead."

[Captain. Long range sensors have picked up three ships unknown signatures and one ship traveling at high warp from another position.]

"Okay. We are on our way. Devore out. Cerys. It has been a pleasure but we must return to our ship. "

"Of course Captain. May I accompany you ?"

Devore looked at Sierra who just smiled. He looked at Harris who seem to be having a great amount of fun on the station, but frowned as he realized duty called. "I don't see why not. Of course."

"Thank you."

"Leviathan six to beam up." Devore said as he tapped his combadge. The test that Hansen performed found that the static bubble could withstand demolecularization caused by the transport, so transporting proved to be safe.

Harris looked at the many beautiful faces and a tear formed in his eye as he dematerialized.

"Captain. We are picking up a distress call," Ensign Mason said from Ops.

"Very well. Put it on screen"

[This is Captain Gary Leary of the *USS Lynx* calling for any nearby vessels. We are under heavy attack from three unknown vessels. Requesting assistance. I say again.. This is the *USS Lyn....] The static cut off the communique.

"Captain Leary. What is your status ? " Devore said standing up and walking to Ops.

"Captain there is too much interference." Mason said.

"Fine. What is the fastest we can get to that ship ?"

"At warp 9, 2 minutes 3 seconds," Commander Toran said.

"Fine old man. Ensign Ambrose. Lay in a course Warp 15. Lieutenant Shaka engage the SlipStream drive. Old man arm all phaser banks and load all torpedo bays. Engage Mr. Ambrose."

"Aye sir."

The Leviathan jumped to high warp.

"Damn it. Fire quantum torpedoes." Lighter ordered. As another explosion rocked the *Lynx*. He had come out of warp hoping to find the Leviathan but it turned out that the ionic trail he had been following was a trio of ships that matched nothing that he had ever seen before. The ship were large and heavily armed and were not interested in communicating.

"I am sorry sir." Commander Lewis yelled. "Torpedo tubes are down. Engineering is working on the problem."

"Well are the warp engines on line."

"No sir ?"

*Piece of junk ship!* Lighter thought as he hit his fist on the arm console.

"Sir, there is a ship coming in to visual range. It is the Leviathan!" Lewis yelled as another explosion roared throughout the Bridge.

As the Leviathan came into visual range the Captain ordered the battle to show up on screen. The *Lynx* was completely surrounded by three triangular ships each sequentially firing phasers unto the battle worn defiant-class ship. "Mr. Mason. Status ?" Devore ordered.

"Those are Bariens." Cerys yelled.

"The *Lynx's* taking a heavy beating. Damage to secondary and primary hulls, life support at critical. "

"Captain. That little ship is not going to take much more." Harris yelled.

"Red alert! Target weapons on closest ship." Devore yelled. "Torpedo pattern omega. Now Cerys. You will see how we deal with fight."

The Leviathan came within range.

"Fire!" Devore yelled. The *Leviathan's* phasar array fired and intense beam into the leading the Barien ship and it destroyed with a beginning blow. The remaining Barien ship broke off their attack on the *Lynx* and attacked the Leviathan. A phaser burst hit the Leviathan rocking the occupants.

"Damage report!" Harris yelled.

"Shield down to 83%."

"Fire attack pattern Ki 112." Devore ordered. The Leviathan rolled to starboard as a torpedo launched from the Barien war ship, flew just under and between the saucer section and the warp nacelle. Then the quantum torpedo launcher of the Leviathan fired four torpedoes that connected to the second Barien ship. It central assembly, exploded and the ship now stood their in space a lifeless hulk. The third Barien ship turned tail and began to head out.

"I don't think so." Toran yelled and fired a phaser blast that took out it warp engines as it tried to jump to warp.

"Good shooting old man!" Devore yelled. "Call the Catatonian council and have them come out here and pick up the garbage."

"Captain, please allow me." Cerys asked,

"By all means." She walked up to tactical and issued the orders.

"Now lets see what is going on over there. Mr. Ambrose take us closer to the *Lynx* thrusters only."

"Thrusters aye."

"Captain.. The SlipStream Drive was knocked off line during the fight." Shaka informed the Captain.

"Well what are you sitting there, Lieutenant. Get it back on line," Barker said jokingly but somewhat serious.

"Shut up!" Shaka retorted.

"Excuse me Lieutenant JUNIOR GRADE."

"I am sorry. Shut up SIR!"

"He's right, Shaka. Get to work and get it back on line," Devore said breaking up the bickering.

"Aye sir." Shaka said returning to work.

"Commander Toran, open channels to the *Lynx*."

"Aye sir. Channel open."

"*USS Lynx*, this the Captain Marcus Devore of the Leviathan, can we be of assistance."

"Yes sir. This is Captain Gary Lighter of the *Lynx*. You have helped all ready, but we could use an engineering team. We took quite a beating."

"Understood. Lower your shields and we will beam over."

"Great. Captain do you have a counselor. My first officer looks like he can use one."

"We have the best in Starfleet."

"Good can you have the counselor beam directly to the Bridge."

"Sure."

"And you too sir. I would like to thank you in person.

"Very well. Devore out." The screen turned to stars. "Commander Harris you have the Bridge. Captain Phanan meet me in Transporter room 2."

[Acknowledged.]

"Captain shouldn't I go with you ?" Toran asked.

"That is okay Commander. We will be back soon."

"Yes sir.. but note this is under protest."

"Noted." Devore said with a smile and pat on Toran's shoulder. "Don't worry oldman. We'll be right back. Counselor.. You are with me." Captain Devore and Counselor Devore left the Bridge.

On the Bridge of the *Lynx*, the Devores were tending to the causalities as the engineering team went straight to engineering. It was reported that the repairs would take an hour.

"Well they seem not to be that bad." Devore said after acknowledging the report.

"It sure didn't seem all that great." Lighter said.

"You are alive."

"I guess so. Thank you sir.

"Don't mention it Captain."

An hour later after Sierra helped out Lewis, the engineering crew reported all fixed and ready to go.

"Beam back to the Leviathan. We will be there shortly Lieutenant Hansen."

[Understood.] The engineering team beamed back to the Leviathan.

Captain Devore was retrieving his wife when he turned around and noticed that Lighter had a phaser pointed at him. "I am sorry Captain. Thank you for you help, but we can take it from here." The phaser went off twice and Captain and Counselor Devore lay unconscious on the Bridge floor. "Lewis. Shields up, and sent a course somewhere."

"Aye sir"

"Commander. The *Lynx* has just raised their shields," Toran yelled. "I knew it!"

"What ?"

Commander Harris shifted uneasily in the *Leviathan's* center seat at the news. Then suddenly two faces came on the viewscreen and stared back at him both of which outranked him. "Admiral Leary, what is going on here ?"

[Captain Lighter has arrested Captain Devore for violations of Federation law,] Leary returned smugly from the screen.

"What sort of violations ?" Lieutenant Commander Toran asked from his position in the executive officer's seat.

[That is none of your concern Commander,] Leary replied sternly.

Toran was enraged, but was able to keep that to himself. It was time for exploitation of the facts. "You have taken my Captain prisoner for violations of the law, yet you won't reveal what they are."

[The Admiral has said that they are none of your concern Commander,] Lighter responded defending the Admiral.

[Your orders Commander Harris,] Leary began sternly, [are to allow a crew from the *Lynx* to board the Leviathan and pilot her back to Federation space."

Harris, looking defeated, reluctantly nodded at Leary, "aye sir. We will prepare to receive the team shortly."

[Good,] Leary replied, [Leary out.]

Ensign Ambrose turned to face his superiors, "you aren't seriously letting him do..."

Ambrose was silenced by Toran's raised hand. "Commander Harris," Toran began, "we need to speak in private, NOW."

Harris nodded towards the Captain's ready room and both men made their way there quickly.

Five minutes later Harris and Toran emerged from the ready room, both looking very confident.

"I'm about to commit a direct violation of our orders," Harris said addressing the Bridge crew, "if anyone has a problem with it they better speak up now."

The only one that looked as if she might say something was Rashad, but a hateful glare from Toran changed her mind.

"Good," Harris said turning his attention to Captain Phanan at tactical, "Captain Phanan, open a channel to Admiral Leary and Captain Lighter, NOW!"

"Aye sir," Phanan replied dutifully as his hands raced across the console. The faces of both men appeared on the screen at the front of the Bridge.

[Is there a problem Commander]" Leary asked.

"Yes Admiral," Harris replied confidently, "why is a traitor the one chosen to arrest Captain Devore?"

[Devore is the traitor,] Lighter began before Leary silenced him

[Captain Lighter is very qualified to lead this mission,] Leary replied calmly, [I have no idea what you are talking about.

"Do the names *Lucado* or Gnukeru mean anything to you Admiral," Toran asked, "I know they do to Captain Lighter."

[Gnukeru was a traitor,] Lighter began before he was silenced again by Leary.

*I'm sure not making this easy on him,* Toran thought.

[That incident is classified Commander, however if you must know, Captain Lighter has been cleared of all charges involving that incident,] Leary again replied coolly.

"No Admiral," Harris said, "you sprung him so he could come here because no one else could do your dirty work. Your first man failed."

"To bad your operatives keep screwing up Leary," Toran said disregarding Beard's rank, "maybe you should come yourself instead of sending your lackeys."

"Then again," Harris said aiding the ancient El Aurian, "you'd probably screw it up to."

Both men laughed heartily at the last statement. "Even after all these years," Toran began, "you're still to stupid to clean up after yourself. Of course, your problem is that, you're dead."

[What!] Leary was screaming now.

"Yes," Harris continued, "Captain Lighter, you can check for yourself, Admiral Leary died yesterday."

[You're crazy,] Lighter returned.

"Check for yourself Lighter," Toran replied now looking smug, "Now Leary, who the hell are you ?"

[He's right,] Lighter said, [you are a dead man, and you're playing me for a fool, but I'll have the last laugh Leary. I have what you want.]

Lighter's image disappeared from the screen leaving Harris, Toran and 'Leary' all a bit stunned.

"Phanan, fire on the *Lynx's* engines," Harris ordered.

"It's too late," Phanan replied, "they've gone into warp."

"Harris," Leary screamed, "get back to Starfleet..."

"Shut his ass up," Harris ordered as Leary's face was replaced by the stars. "Lieutenant Shaka, how long until the Slipstream drive is operational again ?"

"At least another four hours," Shaka replied.

"For Mark's sake," Toran said gloomily, "you had damn sure better be one of those engineers that multiplies their repair estimates by four."

*********** To Be Continued **********