The Gift

The USS Leviathan exited the quantum Slipstream and returned to normal space once more. For the past thirty-three hours they'd been flying at top speed to reach Chi Alpha nine in order to rendezvous with a Nuan transporter, Ambassador Opinger Mual had stated was heading for this sector.

Chi Alpha nine was on the border between Federation and Nuan space, as well as being close to the Romulan border. The transport had been travelling at it's own top speed, but had taken nearly a week to reach the rendezvous point.

"Status ?" Captain Taybar requested.

"We have come out of the slipstream just outside the Chi Alpha system." Cadet Brayden McCaffee announced from the helm.

"All sensor readings show that the system is clear of all vessels." Lieutenant Commander Chu Barker announced. "Looks, like we're the first here."

"Long-range sensors are picking up a vessel approaching from Nuan space at warp six point eight." Ensign Tony Omega announced from the Ops console. "Estimated time of arrival eighteen minutes."

"Helm take us into the system and prepare to make orbit around Chi Alpha nine." Aki ordered. "Full impulse."

Chi Alpha nine was a class six gas giant, composed mainly of hydrogen and helium gas. It also had a ring system that emitted high-band gamma radiation. So long as the shields held, there would be no threat to the crew. The Chi Alpha system was however disputed space, between the Romulans and the Federation and the radiation would 'hide' the ships from the long-range sensors of the various listening posts on the Romulan border.

The Romulans would have picked up the Nuan transport, but would have done nothing about it. To the Romulans, the Nuan's were not a threat to their borders. For many years, the Nuan had been the buffer between the Romulan Empire and the Barien Imperium. With the Bariens all but defeated during the Barien war, the Nuans had started to take back their former territory.

Port Airlock

Eighteen minutes later, the Nuan transport was docked to the Leviathan's port airlock and the two vessels maintained a synchronised orbit. The Leviathan dwarfed the much smaller transport vessel and the two vessels looked like a mother whale and her young child.

Captain Taybar, Commander T'Kul and Ambassador Maul all waited by the airlock doors to greet the Captain of the transport. Aki was still puzzled by the fact that they had travelled halfway across the quadrant to meet this vessel. All the Ambassador had told her was that they transport would be carrying something that would help the crew of the Leviathan to defeat their mirror self.

The inner doors opened and a young Nuan stepped out. Aki was surprised to see that he was infact male and that there was a striking resemblance to the Ambassador.

"Captain Miko Maul." The young male stated. "Permission to come aboard Captain."

"Permission granted." Aki replied. "Welcome to the USS Leviathan."

The Ambassador stood motionless, staring at the newcomer.

*Could it be true ?* She asked herself.

"Hello sister." Miko announced. "It's been a long time."

The shocked face of the Ambassador turned into a smile as she gave in to her inner emotions.

"It's good to see you again brother." Opinger replied. "We all thought you were dead years ago."

"I was officially." Miko said. "I've been undercover, deep within Barien space for the past three years. One thing about the Bariens, they trust their own too much. Follow orders and no-one asked any questions."

"Why didn't anyone tell me ?" Opinger asked. "Why did father tell me you were dead ?"

"All part of the plan, you needed to think that I was dead." Miko replied. "Your mission depended on it."

There was a small commotion behind the Captain and he turned around to see what was going on.

"Be careful with those." He stated. "We wouldn't want to destroy the ship."

Four Nuan females were slowly trying to pick-up a large crate so they could get it through the airlock gap. The crate had been on an anti-grav trolley, but the trolley was just too wide to go through the doorframe. Aki tapped her comm badge and ordered a dozen men to come and help off-load the cargo.

"Take them to cargo bay three." Aki ordered as the men placed each crate on a anti-grav lifter and left. In total there were five crates, all the same size. Each crate was heavily armoured and shielded and there were markings that Aki didn't recognise. The one thing she did recognise was the Barien Imperium insignia.

Cargo Bay Three

"So what's in the crates ?" Aki asked finally as they followed the last crate down the corridor and into the cargo bay.

"Five Decrum torpedoes....." Miko replied. ".....recently liberated from a Barien outpost on Sigma Delta Six."

"You've taken Sigma Delta ?" Opinger enquired. "When ?"

"About two months ago." Miko replied. "We've managed to regain most of Nuan space from the Bariens."

Sigma Delta six was the heart of the Nuan Alliance, the government planet for the Nuan's, Catatonians, Doma Carie and Kirn races. It's recapture signalled the final days of the Barien Imperium's invasion of Nuan Alliance space. Given that both the Nuan and Catatonian homeworld had been decimated during the invasion, it was also now their joint homeworld.

"Leecher torpedoes." Commander T'Kul announced.

Aki was a little confused as to why the Nuan's had brought them these torpedoes. The Commander, realising the Captain's lack of knowledge began to explain exactly what they had in front of them.

"Captain, these are the Bariens greatest weapon." Rashad stated. "They're based on some kind of techno-organic mineral that feed off all kinds of energy. The Bariens have converted this mineral into a highly potent warhead, hundred's of time more powerful. The torpedoes are designed to latch onto the shields of any enemy ship and slowly drain all the energy from them. Once the shields are depleted, the torpedo then continues onto the hull of the ship where the stored energy is released in one massive explosion."

"How big an explosion ?" Aki asked.

"Depends on the size of the ship, but I'd say we have enough to destroy this ship twice over." Rashad replied.

"I can only see one problem." Aki stated, looking at one of the now open crates. "How are we suppose to fire these torpedoes ? They're far larger than our quantum torpedoes."

Rashad was silent for a moment before replying. "What about the probe launcher ?."

Aki tapped her comm badge. "Captain Taybar to Commander Taline. Please report to Cargo Bay three immediately."

[On my way.] The voice of the Chief Engineer came back.