Battle Lines

Many months of searching the vastness of space had brought nothing. The elusive object they had been searching for had become more elusive with each passing day. It was almost a year since they left the small fortress to look for it.

The long-range Yellowstone shuttle had been their home for that long.

“Nothing we have done has help us acquire the object we have been looking for Sharra. What now ?” Lessa Ransome asked her Headmistress.

“I guess we can go through this sector and search here. If nothing comes up we will return to Serenity,” Sharra Parada smiled to her friend from the other side of the small table in the dinning area right at the back of the shuttle.

Lessa pressed a small communicator she was carrying on her belt. “Abson takes us through this coordinates…and inform us if you find any planets.” She commanded the pilot.

<Yes Mistress Ransome. >

Sharra picked up her coffee and drank some of the warm into her body.

“Captain there is a small ship approaching this sector,” Ensign Mike Stoviasky informed Kiok.

Kiok turned in his chair and looked at the view screen. “Magnify that image.”

The weapons officer complied. A small runabout size shuttle appeared on the screen.

“They are entering the sector sir,” Commander John Daza said.

“Open hailing frequencies NOW,” Kiok ordered.

“Yes sir,” Lieutenant Rick Green said, “channel is open.”

“Unidentified vessel this is restricted space, turn around at once,” Kiok was cut off by the weapons officer.

“Sir Romulan Warbird decloaking off of starboard,” Lieutenant Smith yelled from the weapons station.

“Take evasive action,” Commander John Daza ordered the helmsman.

The Romulan Warbird fired disruptors at the *SS Colombia*. Direct hit. The ship shook from the double concussion blast.

“Shields holding,” Lieutenant LeoSantos Smith calibrated the shields.

“Return fire, and fire at will Mr. Smith,” Kiok commanded the weapons officer.

“Yes sir,” Lieutenant LeoSantos Smith complied. “Firing phasers and quantum torpedoes.”

The Quantum torpedoes hit the Romulan Warbird on the left nacelle.

“The Romulans have taken moderate damage,” Lt. Commander Elliot McKnight stated.

“Multiple Romulan war ships decloaking dead ahead sir,” Ensign Mike Stoviasky said.

Kiok looked at the approaching enemy ships. “So it has come down to war.” Kiok turned to his communications officer. “Signal the fleet, tell them to engage and destroy the Romulan ships. Tell them that the Romulans would do the same to us if they can.”

“Yes sir,” Lieutenant Rick Green went to the task.

A few seconds later, two dozen or more ships appeared out of nowhere and attacked the Romulans.

<Mistress Sharra we are being ordered to withdraw from this sector. >

Sharra looked over at Lessa and they both got up and hurried to the bridge at a run. They entered the small bridge and found Abson sitting in the pilot’s chair.

“What is going on ?” Lessa asked the young man that was wearing brownish robes.

“We have been told that this is restricted space and to remove ourselves,” Abson looked out the window seen nothing.

“Well if that is the cas..” Sharra was saying but stopped seen a Romulan Warbird decloak and fire into the darkness of space. “What the H..?

A few seconds later the darkness fired back at the Romulan Warbird.

The three of them looked out the window confounded.

“Some sort of cloaked ship?” Abson said nodding.

“It probably is,” Lessa said sitting down in the co-pilots chair.

More Romulan warships started decloaking a few parsecs behind the Warbird and headed toward the place were the Quantum torpedoes had come from.

All of the sudden unknown ships of various types appeared out of nowhere and engaged the Romulans.

“I think we better get out of here,” Sharra said.

Before Abson could turn around a stray disruptor blast hit the shuttle. Deflector shields came on automatically but the blast was enough to send the small ship spinning. The crew was not ready and they were knocked out.

A while later…

“The Romulans have taken heavy casualties sir,” Lieutenant Smith said. “They have lost six ships. Two are heavily crippled and one is spinning out of control.”

“The three remaining Warbirds are beaming up personnel from the damaged ships,” Commander John Daza turned around and looked at Kiok. “Should we continue our attack ?”

Kiok looked out the view screen and saw the devastation. “No. Withdraw our ships. Let them lick their wounds.”

Commander John Daza wasn’t happy about this. “But those scum killed my brother.”

“You got your orders Commander,” Kiok looked at the Human sternly. “Follow them.”

“Yes sir,” the Commander was visibly angry. Turning around he faced the communications officer. “Order our fleet to withdraw from the battle.

“Right away sir,” Lieutenant Green complied. “They are withdrawing.”

“Sir the Romulans are destroying their crippled ships,” Ensign Stoviasky informed them.

“As expected. They never leave technology behind,” Kiok stated. “What are our casualties ?”

“Our ship took minimum damage sir. We lost no personnel,” Lieutenant Green sighted. “Unfortunately the Elsenor squadron took heavy casualties, they lost three of their eight ships, and one took heavy damage. I get no answer from them.”

“What ship is that ?” Kiok asked.

“The Alvion sir,” Lieutenant Green told him.

“Scan that ship.”

“Already scanning sir,” Lieutenant Commander Siak, the chief science officer scanned the ship. “No life signs.” The Vulcan’s voice seemed cold unfeeling.

“That’s three thousand people,” Ensign Mike Stoviasky got out of his chair.

“I understand Mr. Stoviasky. Look for any survivors.”

“Right away,” Ensign Stoviasky sat back down in the Helmsman’s chair.

“The small ship that we told to leave is hanging in space. Not moving,” Lieutenant Smith told them.

“Check for life signs,” Commander Daza told the Vulcan at science.

“Scanning for life signs,” Siak looked up from his console. “There are nine life signs.”

“That is good news. No civilian casualties.” Commander John Daza smiled.

“Bring their ship into shuttlebay two,” Kiok ordered.

The small ship was tractored and was brought inside the SS Colombia