Second Meetings : Part Two

The photon torpedo hits something in the darkness of space. The dark form shakes a bit from the powerful impact.

“Photon torpedo hit has caused no damage.” Ensign Leo Smill checked his readouts on his console.

“What are the Orion ships doing ?” Kiok asked.

“They are attacking the small squadron sir,” Commander John Daza said.

“What is the squadron doing ?”

“They are transmitting to a Federation Nebula class starship sir. The only bad thing is that the Nebula won’t arrive for about twelve hours.” The Communications officer said.

“What is the estimate on the survival of the Federation squadron ?” Kiok asked his first officer.

“They are more than a match for the two scouts. The cruiser is an entirely different thing.” Commander John Daza told him.

“So the cruiser is a big threat ?”

“It is.” John nodded.

“Prepare for battle. Bring us to attack speed helmsman,” Kiok turned to the weapons officer, “Mr. Smill target the cruiser,” he points a finger at the young human, “and use quantum torpedoes.”

“It will be done sir,” Ensign Smill gulped once Kiok turned to look back at the view screen.

<This is Yee Wong I am losing life support. Request immediate evac…> The Lieutenant aboard the Peregrine class ship, Bluehawk talked through a static filled channel.

“We are retrieving you,” Commander Joel Palatio turns to Stirrak. “Bring the ship about, face our port shields to the enemy and lower aft shielding.”

“Yes sir,” Stirrak went to work. The ship shook from a concussion from a phaser blast. “Port shields holding.”

“I’m beaming you aboard Lieutenant Wong,” Commander Joel Palatio enters the calculations on his console and energizes.

Commander Joel Palatio presses the comm. Badge on his chest. “Lieutenant Wong are you alright?”

<Yes sir I am here. Do you want me to come to the Bridge ?>

“No transport yourself to the Venom and get ready to join the fight,” Commander Palatio commanded him to board the Scorpion class fighter.

<Yes sir I will do this now.>

“Sir the Bluehawk is spinning out of control,” Stirrak told the Commander.

“Are the enemy ships trying to destroy it ?”

“No sir. They are concentrating their fire on the other four fighters.”

At that moment one of scouts succumbed to heavy fire from the four fighters and it imploded. Stirrak was deep in concentration looking down at his console.

“Sir one of the scouts has just blown up.”

Commander Joel Palatio was looking out the front window. He was looking at the many pieces of the enemy ship flying in space. “I can see that Mr. Stirrak.”

Stirrak looked up and saw it too. “It appears sir that a computer console is not needed to see the destruction.”

“It appears so,” Commander Joel Palatio smiled. “One down two to go.”

"Fire Quantum torpedoes, Mr Smill,” Kiok ordered.

“Firing Torpedoes sir,” Ensign Smill fired torpedoes at the cruiser.

Four Blue lights come out of the darkness and hit the cruiser dead centre.

“Direct hit,” the first officer whooped and jumped up and down.

“Behave yourself Commander.” Kiok told John Daza.

“Bring us to course…..and fire again,” Kiok ordered the Helmsman Ensign Stoviasky.

“Setting course, bringing the ship around,” Ensign Stoviasky passed above the USS Daniel Boone and headed for the rear of the turning cruiser.

“Were those Quantum Torpedoes?” Commander Joel Palatio got up out of his chair and almost pressed his face to the forward window.

“Affirmative sir,” Stirrak looked outside. “Four Quantum torpedoes hit the Cruiser dead centre. Their shields are down to sixty percent.”

A black shadow passed over the window and for a moment the Cruiser, scout and the squadron disappeared from view.

“That’s some kind of ship. I can see it,” Commander Joel Palatio pointed out the window.

“It’s blending in with space sir.”

They both watched as the huge almost pitch-black ship got behind the Cruiser and fired another four quantum torpedoes. It was a direct hit.

”Sir the Cruiser is down to twenty percent of shielding. They are escaping sir,” Stirrak pressed the communications console to signal the fighters, “The scout ship is also withdrawing. They are going to warp sir. Should I order the squadron to follow?”

“No. We must first deal with this other ship.” Commander Joel Palatio sat down in the co-pilots chair.

<Sir this is Yee Wong I am ready to beam over to the Venom.>

“Wait don’t board it yet. Stand by for further orders.” Commander Joel Palatio cut off communications and looked at the black shadow moving in space.

“Bring us out of attack speed and place us in front of the Federation scout,” Kiok ordered his subordinates.

“Do you intend to talk to the Federation personnel sir ?” Commander John Daza asked him.

“Yes I want to see how Commodore Rick Hunter is doing,” Kiok waited until the ship was in position.

“Sir the ship is coming about it is directly…” Stirrak looked more closely at the open space in front of them. “I can’t see it anymore.”

“Me neither. Tell the squadron to form back into formation.” Commander Joel Palatio was sweating a bit.

“They are coming back and forming point sir.”

<What is going on ? Who fired those quantum torpedoes? I can’t see anyone out there.> Lieutenant Commander Eleanor Ball, Squadron Leader asked impatiently.

“Hold your cool Commander. We are checking into the situation,” Joel glanced down at Stirrak.

Stirrak nodded, looked out the window and at his console and shook his head. “Nothing sir. Is as if space itself had fired those Quantum torpedoes.

“Come on you’re a Vulcan. Wouldn’t you say that was illogical ?”

“Yes I would. That means that that ship is still out there.”

Lieutenant Wong walked into the bridge in his pilot’s uniform and looked out the window. “Oh my God. Look a Romulan warbird is decloaking right in front of us. We are dead men.”

“Relax Mr.” Commander Joel Palatio told the young man. “You will hold your tongue.”

The three of them looked outside and saw a ship that looked Romulan. It was Blue and grey or was it white.

“That is not a Romulan warbird. I never have seen anything like it. It does look Romulan,” Stirrak checked his sensors. “But is in fact not Romulan.”

“Open Hailing frequencies Mr. Stirrak,” Commander Joel Palatio put his hands at the small of his back. “This is Captain Joel Palatio of the Federation starship USS Daniel Boone can we help you.”

The image on a small viewscreen next to the right wall showed the image of a bridge. A Romulan was sitting on a black chair.

“I am Captain Kiok we saw that you needed assistance so we lent a hand,” Kiok said from his command chair.

“This is Federation space, thank you for your aid but Romulan warships are not allowed into this part of space without clearance.” Commander Joel Palatio told the Romulan.

Kiok looked over to his right and raised and eyebrow, then he turned back toward the viewing screen.

“I am not Romulan, I’m a Vulcan,” Kiok told the Commander.

It was the turn of the three men on the Bridge of the USS Daniel Boone to look at each other in puzzlement.