Retriever

“Report” Captain Hunt stated.

<This is Blue leader….> A crackly male voice replied. <….encountered hostile vessel enroute back to base. Retriever has taken heavy damage…..Sub-space transceiver damaged…..unable to jump to warp…….>

“Does Retriever have the package ?” Alice enquired.

<Package is secure….Rendezvous with base in ten minutes…..Blue leader out.>

“What’s their status ?” Alice asked, looking over towards the Tactical console.

“I have all three vessels on long-range sensors.” Lieutennat Joxal, the Tactical officer announced. “They are travelling at high impulse…..correction…..I’m picking up six small vessels travelling at low warp on an intercept course…they will be in range of our vessels in three minutes.”

“How far from the neutral zone are they ?” Alice enquired.

“On their current course and speed, they won’t cross the border for six minutes.” The Tactical officer reported.

“Initiate all ECM counter-measures and go to Yellow alert.” Alice ordered. “Helm, set an intercept course for our vessels maximum impulse.”

“Captain, need I remind you that crossing the neutral zone is a violation of the Algeron treaty.” Joxal stated. “If we do cross the border, we will alert the Romulans to our actions.”

“I think we’ve already done that !” Alice remarked. “What’s your analysis of the sensor buoys ?”

“They are more than capable of detecting us passing across the border.” The Tactical officer replied.

“What’s the range of the sensor system ?”

“They have a range of about 100,000 kilometres” The Lieutenant stated from the Tactical console. “They are however calibrated to look outwards, it is possible that if we could get past them undetected, we could continue into the neutral zone unhindered.”

“What are they designed to detect ?” Alice enquired.

“Power signatures.” Lieutenant Joxal reported. “The only way to evade them would be to power down the ship.”

“Bridge to engineering, how fast can you power down the warp core ?”

<About three minutes.> The chief engineer replied over the comm. <But we won’t have it back online for another ten.>

“You’ve two minutes to power down everything and I want that core back online in five minutes.” Hunt ordered.

<Understood.>

“What’s the status on those hostile vessels ?” Alice now enquired.

“They don’t appear to be Romulan, the warp signatures are wrong.” The Tactical officer reported. “In fact the signatures appear to be close to Federation vessels, but I can’t find an exact match.”

“Federation !” Alice exclaimed.

“The signatures would appear to have close similarities to Federation vessel, but there are some differences.” Joxal replied. “Most likely someone using Federation designs to construct their own technology.”

“We’ll be within range of the sensor grid in one minute Captain.” The helm officer reported.

“Engineering, how’s that shutdown going ?” Alice enquired.

<We’ll have it down in thirty seconds.> The chief engineer replied.

“Helm, prepare to cut all power to the engines as soon as the warp core goes offline.” Alice ordered. “We’ll drift across the border past the sensors. As soon as we’re passed the sensors, go to full impulse and resume course.”

<Warp core going offline in ten…nine…eight…seven…> The Chief engineer counted down.

The warp core finally went offline and quickly the entire vessel darkened, the last thing to lose power being the deflector array. Now moving forward using only the inertia created by the impulse engines, the vessel slowly passed across the neutral zone border undetected. Once they were safely past the sensor grid, emergency power kicked in and the vital systems came back online.

“How long until we are outside the range of those sensor buoys ?” Alice enquired.

“Eighty seconds.” Joxal answered.

“Helm, be ready to go to full impulse as soon as we’re out of sensor range.” Alice ordered. “Engineering, I need the warp core online ASAP.”

<Eight minutes Captain……that’s the best I can do.> The Chief engineer replied.

“Good enough.” Alice said. “How long ?”

“Thirty seconds” Joxal stated.

It appeared to the Bridge crew to be the longest thirty seconds of their lives. However, finally the Prowler came back to life as the impulse reactors were brought back online and they could increase speed.

“Status of the hostile vessels.” Alice demanded.

“They will be weapons range of our vessels in thirty seconds.” The Lieutenant reported from the Tactical console. “It looks like the escort vessels have altered course to protect the shuttle.”

“Let’s give them some help.” Alice stated.

Beside her, Commander Hunt started to rise, but Alice reached across and stopped her husband and XO from leaving.

“Not this time Jack.” She stated. “Bridge to Lieutenant Commander Underhill. Prepare to launch the rest of Blue squad.”

<Blue squad is ready to launch now Captain.> The voice of Lieutenant Commander Underhill, the squadron’s second pilot replied.

“Launch when ready.” Captain Hunt ordered. “Proceed to intercept Retriever and provide additional support to Blue leader and his wingman.”

<Understood Captain, Blue two out.>

The shuttlebay doors opened in the rear of the Prowler and four vessels emerged, turning through a 180 degree loop and then heading towards their colleagues vessels.

“Time to intercept ?” Captain Hunt enquired.

“Blue squad will reach the other in forty-five seconds.” The Tactical officer reported. “Engineering reports that we should have weapons within two minutes.”

“What about main power ?” Alice asked. “When can we jump to warp ?”

“Another five minutes.” Joxal replied. “We will however be within weapons range of the vessel in two and a half minutes, provided we all remain on our present courses.”

“Let me know once we have weapons and shield.”

Meanwhile the four Scorpion class fighters were heading towards their companions.

“This is Blue two to Blue wing.” Lt. Commander Underhill announced over the comm. “We should be in weapons range of the hostile vessels any moment. Yven take Aquitar and escort Retriever back to the Prowler. M’Leah, you’re with me. Good hunting.”

<Blue Four to Blue Two. Affirmative.> Lieutenant Yven Wess replied. <Blue Five, form up beside me and follow my lead.>

The four fighters now split off into pairs. Blue two and Blue six increased their speed to intercept, whilst the others altered course to rendezvous with the shuttle.

<Where are those ships….> The female voice of Ensign M’Leah announced over the comm.. <…..come to think of it, there are Commander Davenport and Lieutenant Dawson.>

“Cut the radio chatter Ensign.” Lt. Commander Underhill ordered. “Six vessels, bearing two-thirteen mark twelve. Deploy armour and prepare to engage.”

Both vessels were almost immediately encased in ablative shielding as they got ever nearer to the six hostile vessel.

“Break right.” Commander Underhill suddenly ordered, as three of the vessels started firing at them. “Return fire.”

The hostile vessels were however much more manoeuvrable and easily evaded the long-range shot. Suddenly there was a familiar voice over the comm.

<Nice of you to join us.> The familiar voice of Commder Davenport announced.

“The Captain thought you might need a hand sir.” Lt. Commander Davenport replied.

<I’ll have to thank her later.> Davenport stated. <Let’s get these fighter off us and head home before the carrier arrives.>

“Carrier !” Davenport exclaimed.

<There’s a large vessel about sixty-thousand kilometres away.> Davenport reported. <That’s what we initially ran into on our way back. We managed to disable their warp core, but we took a lot of damage before we managed to slow them down.>

<Blue Four to Blue Two.> The voice of Lieutenant Yven announced. <We have Retriever and are heading back to the Prowler.>

<Well done Wess.> Davenport announced. <Get back to the ship, we’ll be right behind you.>

<Thank you sir.> Yven replied. <It’s good to know that you’re OK.>

<Thena, we’re going to have to take these vessel on at close range, they have the superior speed and manoeuvrability, but if we work in pairs, we should be able able to take them down.> Davenport suggested.

“Understood, We’ll follow your lead.” Underhill stated.

Increasing their speed, they were soon within visual range of the fighters. Even though they attempted to dodge and weave their way out of trouble, eventually, one by one they fell to the superior firepower of the Scorpion fighters.

“Hostile vessel on short-range sensors, time to weapons range about ten seconds.” Underhill announced as the last fighter shattered into a dozen pieces. “More fighters are being launched.”

Just as they were about to turn to engage the larger vessel, there were several several explosions.

<This is Prowler to Blue squad, prepare to dock.> The voice of Captain Hunt announced.

<Combat landings everyone.> Davenport ordered. <The sooner we’re back on deck, the sooner the Prowler can get out of here.>

The Prowler flew over the four fighters, still firing at the larger vessel. Then they made a complete turn around and headed back out towards Federation space, both hanger bay doors open. The four fighters headed at maximum speed towards the hanger bays, all four finally hitting the crash webbing. As soon as the last vessel hit the deck, the doors started to close and the vessel jumped to warp.