Secrets Revealed (Part Three of Three)

"Mister Zim, plot a course Alpha Centaur." Captain Ramsey had his hands clasped behind his back as he watched his Bridge crew bustle around, preparing for their first slipstream jump.

"Course plotted Captain." Zim replied.

"Very good. Mister Wepps, bring the slipstream drive online."

"Slipstream drive operating at peak efficiency Captain." Lieutenant Wepps watched his panel diligently as the operating levels displayed in graphs of the slipstream drive began to rise.

"Mr. Zim, you may enter the slipstream when ready."

"Aye sir."

Captain Ramsey tapped his commbadge. "Attention all hands, this is the Captain speaking. We will be entering the slipstream tube within the next few moments. We will be arriving in the neutral zone in approximately one half hour and will be at our destination in forty five minutes. That is all."

"We have entered the slipstream tube Captain." Ensign Zim turned around in his seat, with a grin on his face.

"Very good Ensign." Ramsey sat down in his command chair. "Very good indeed."

"They ain't sendin us to Eta Centaur." One Private said to another in the Mess Hall. "Not to my baby said mama dearest." He laughed.

"Yeah." The other one replied with a grin. "I heard Beta Centaur."

"You're both wrong." Phanan said, upon entering the mess hall. He sat down next to the two privates with his tray of food.

"Sir. Can I ask where we're going sir ?" The first private took a bite out of his apple.

"Alpha Centaur." Phanan looked a the two of them as the reactions came across their faces. There were some mixed responses.

"I guess shit happens sir." The two then laughed, and Jon smiled.

"Sounds about right." All of a sudden, the lights dimmed, and the red alert klaxons started sounding. "What the....."

".....hell is going on ?" Captain Ramsey looked over to the helm station.

"We've dropped out of the slipstream tube sir." Ensign Zim announced.

Ramsey then looked at tactical.

"It's a trap !" The tactical officer said. "I'm detecting four Romulan warbirds. They're firing disruptors." The ship rocked violently.

"Return fire !"

"It's too late sir. They've knocked out our weapons systems. We're being boarded !"

"Signal intruder alert !" At that moment, four Romulans appeared on the Bridge, and opened fire, killing all of the Bridge crew. After a few moments, Admiral Beard materialised in the middle of the Bridge. He looked around the Bridge at the dead officers.

"I want everyone exterminated...." Beard started."....but the ship must remain intact. I can't over emphasis that enough."

"Very well," one of the Romulans replied.

The small arms room was full with the sound of metal clanking and the hum of compression rifles powering up. Marines were getting themselves ready by putting on anti-phaser armour. Phanan grabbed a type IIIa phaser rifle, and pressed the activator. He strapped a few flash grenades to his belt, and slipped his ka-bar into his boot. "Third platoon, intruders have been identified as Romulans. We were jumped, which means shoot first, ask questions later.

"Questions ?"

"No sir !" His platoon responded in unison.

"Alright, let's go !" The platoon subdivided into multiple squads and they all went their separate ways. Phanan accompanied the first squad as they made their way quickly yet quietly through the halls, firing rapidly at any enemies they encountered. Then, the problems started.

The Marine turned a corner, and there were about thirty other Romulans. The Marines opened fire, dropping about eight to ten Romulans right off the bat, however, the problems started after they fell back and a small rapid fire disruptor was carried by another Romulan. He opened fire and the squad started to drop like flies. Phanan rolled quickly out of the way in time to see one of the private's head explode after being hit directly in the face by one of the disruptor blasts.

"Definitely not what we expected."

After nearly an hour and a half of fighting, the battle was complete onboard. The Marines suffered heavy casualties from the nearly endless supply of Romulan invasion personnel. Jon had received multiple lacerations and had bee knocked out and presumed dead by one of the Romulans. Beard, along with a small security force of Romulans walked through the corridors taking in a visual inspection. "Very good work Korel. I am impressed."

"Of course Admiral." Korel replied as they walked through the corridor. Phanan, barely conscious looked through his barely open eyes at the group that walked passed him.

*A Federation Admiral ? It can't be.* He watched as the Admiral and his group went around the bend and vanished from site. He looked around. The first squad's technician was dead, so doing this would be tricky. Barely being able to crawl, he made his way to an access panel. Staggering, he stood and accessed the ship communications systems. He then sent out an emergency distress signal and fell to the ground loosing consciousness.

Major Phanan's Officer : January 30, 2384

".... And that's the last thing I remember," Jon said, looking into the eyes of Counsellor Devore. Sierra paused for a moment to copy down the information into her PADD. "This was truly horrible." Jon nodded solemnly and took a deep breath.

"That's why I plan on NEVER letting anything like this happen again. Especially on this vessel." Sierra finished copying down some information and then rose. "Thank you for your time Jon. I realise you're a very busy person." She leaned over quickly and gave him a small kiss on the cheek. "I realise it's very late, but thank you for saving my husband back on the Utopia."

Jon smiled. "It was my pleasure Counsellor." Sierra gave a small smile and left his office. Jon rose, and walked over to one of the side walls of his office, and looked at one of the pictures. The picture contained a picture of Jon, with his platoon in the Mess Hall smiling.