Chapter Text
Coronado System
Nelia sat nervous in the center chair tapping her fingers on the armrest as the Spoiled Princess, accompanied by the Aeolia, closed to within passive scanner range of the asteroid. Speaking to her Betazoid science officer, she inquired, “What are we looking at Twes?”
“At least a half dozen Syphon frigates.” Twesata reported from her science station, her lips turned down in a frown.
On the other reconnaissance ship, the Aeolia’s executive officer, Commander Anara Rysyl, reported to her captain. “In passive scanning range, Sir.”
Leaning forward in his chair and cupping his chin, the captain, his poker face, and cool aristocratic voice giving evidence as to how he earned his nickname, the Iceman, addressed his science officer, “Composition of enemy forces, Mr. Velen?”
“Two Exeter-class Terran Empire cruisers and a Tal'Shiar D' deridex-class warbird.” Lieutenant Commander Velen, the Aeolia’s Denobulan science officer called out to his captain.
Back on the Spoiled Princess, as Twesata read off the next ship, she cursed, “Shit! I’ve got a goddamned Elachi Monbosh-class battlewagon.”
“Fuck me dead.” Nelia muttered.
“Terran Miranda-class frigates.” Velen, on the Aeolia, recited as Captain Hobson nodded his head in response.
“It looks we’re going to be very busy today.” Anara remarked to her lover in the captain’s chair.
“I would say so.” Chris replied in his usual level tone. “Anything else?”
“One other ship.” Velen reported, “Unarmed. Configuration unknown. Fusion power source detected, but at low levels.”
“Hmmm…” The stoic captain vocalized, “Run it through the ship database that Edi uploaded for us. See if there’s a match.”
“Playing a hunch, my love?” Anara whispered.
Nodding his head slightly, Chris responded with the slightest of smiles, “Call it a feeling.”
Carrying out his captain’s request, the Denobulan science officer responded, “The database classifies it as an Athabasca-class freighter from the other universe. Systems Alliance origin. Configured to carry both freight and passengers.”
“Interesting.” Hobson mused, “It would appear our friends have been busy.”
“I’m picking up two Nausicaan destroyer escorts.” Twesata announced from her science station on the Princess. “That’s it for the starships.”
“That’s enough to fuck up anyone’s day.” Nelia groused, “What about station defenses?”
“Two squadrons of fighters, a phaser turret, and a photon torpedo turret.” Twesata grimaced, “And a giant ‘No Trespassing’ sign.”
“Well…we’ve got everything we came for.” Nelia sighed, “Signal Aeolia and tell Tight Ass we’re heading back to the fleet.”
“Aeolia acknowledges.” Ashley reported.
Taking a deep breath, the green Orion requested, “Take us back Shels so that we can give Magnussen the bad news.”
The Outer Coronado system where the taskforce is hidden.
“We are going to have to alter our plan of attack somewhat.” Captain Hobson declared to the other captains on his view screen. “Belladonna and Klothos are not sufficient force to keep the frigates and light ships from flanking and targeting our capital ships.”
“Agreed.” Magnussen replied with a nod of his head. “Suggestions?”
“We need to distract those fighters so that we can take out the turrets and beam our people down into the base.” Nelia mused. “I have my peregrine, but we’ll need a pilot. I’m going to be needed on the bridge, and Shelana and Ashley will be leading landing parties and they’re the only other ones in our crew other than myself checked out to fly it in combat.”
“I can provide the pilot, dahling.” Captain Rosza volunteered, “He used to fly peris back in our old universe and has over a hundred confirmed kills. He’ll take care of your bird as if it were his own.”
“One peregrine alone is not going to get the job done. No matter how good the pilot is.” Soren pointed out with a frown. Addressing the Romulan and Klingon ship commanders, the Fleet Captain inquired, “Do either or both of you have fighters you can spare?”
“I have half a squadron of scorpions I can deploy.” Commander Kaval responded in the affirmative.
“And I have two To’Duj fighters with pilots aching for battle and glory.” Korath declared.
“They’ll get that chance, Captain.” Magnussen replied before once again turning his attention to the Aeolia’s captain, “That still leaves us those light ships.”
“Yes, Sir.” Chris nodded his head, “I can bring Aeolia in to help the escorts.”
“That’ll work, dahlings.” Zsa-Zsa replied, “But Soren…Boris...Kaval…edessegek…you’ve still got those cruisers and that Monbosh to play with.”
“Sirs? I think I have an idea.” Ashley chimed in.
“Go ahead, Lieutenant.” Soren encouraged.
“Thank you, Sir.” Ashley responded, “Once the Princess drops off our landing parties, she cloaks and hits the capital ships in the rear while you, the Bellerophon, and the D’ressa have them tied up. If the breaks go our way, we might be able to knock out at least one of the cruisers before they even know what hit them.”
“I love it, dahling.” Zsa-Zsa praised as she gave Soren a wicked grin and wink, “I can see why you see so much potential in her, dragam.”
"Da." Captain Rodenko further suggested. "Bellerophon can also keep those annoying support craft of the Monbosh occupied and watch for extra uninvited guests."
"Good ideas--both of you." Soren acknowledged, "Chris? Your thoughts?"
Inclining his head slightly, the Aeolia’s captain also responded positively, “It’s a doable plan, but it’ll have to be executed precisely.”
“It’ll work.” Nelia asserted, “The only problem is that Shels, Ash, Twes, and Rana have to be on the landing party. Twes and Rana are our teeps. Ash and Shels are experienced in ground combat and Ash, along with Rana, will be needed on the spot if they’re holding extra-universal prisoners. I’ve got engineering on the Princess covered with Belen, but I’m going to need a good helmsman, tactical officer, and science officer.”
“I can take care of the helmsman and science officer positions for you.” Soren replied adding, “I believe you’ve seen both Atris and Candy in action.”
“Yes, sir.” Nelia answered back with a nod of her head, “They’ll work well.”
“And I’ve got a helluva tactical officer for you, dahling.” Captain Rosza announced with a leer, “You remember Joachim? He’s as good with a weapons console as he is with other things.”
Her lips turning up in a wicked grin, the roguish Orion replied, “I remember everything about Joachim. He’ll do nicely.”
“The last issue is that freighter. Lieutenant Williams.” The Fleet Captain interjected. “What can you tell us about that class of ship?”
“The Athabasca is basically a larger version of the Kowloon-class freighters that you’ll generally see in the other universe.” Ashley recalled, “Both classes are modular in that you can trade out cargo, lab, and passenger compartments as needed. They’re also lightly armored and don’t have any weapons.”
“Easy marks for pirates.” Zsa-Zsa sneered, her lips turned down into a frown. "Fucking pirates are as bad as the barbarians."
Adding his voice to the conversation, Boris recalled, his thick Russian accent coming to the fore, "Da. Back in my old universe when I was in the Border Service captaining the Scamp there was more than one occasion where we'd run into the end result of Orion pirates stripping an unarmed or lightly armed freighter and slaughtering its crew."
Ashley nodding her head in agreement, added, “Back when I was on the Normandy, we boarded more than one Kowloon that had been taken by pirates, geth, or Cerberus commandoes and set adrift after they’d gotten what they came for—usually with the crew dead—those crew not taken to be sold as slaves or for other purposes, that is.”
“Why didn’t they carry at least minimal armaments and shields?” Commander Kaval queried, “Even the Tuffli, Kobayashi Maru, and Tong’Duj-class freighters we generally use possess defenses that are capable of warding off most solitary pirate ships. And as for Ferengi ships—they’re as much commerce raiders as freighters.”
“Both classes only have a standard energy core and can’t maneuver very well.” Ashley replied, further elaborating, “Another reason is simply credits. The Kowloons are generally owned by independent traders or small corporations on the Traverse and can’t afford defenses, while the majority of the Athabascas are owned by the larger corps and mostly stick to the shipping lanes. The corpos are willing to either pay off the pirates or lose a ship or two in exchange for larger overall profits.”
“Rule Number 71.” Belen interjected, “Gambling and trade have two things in common: risk and latinum.” After a momentary pause, the Ferengi businessman then remarked with a sardonic grin, “Only problem is that Rule 71 sometimes conflicts with Rule 155…”
“What’s mine is mine and what’s yours is mine too.” Nelia chimed in with a sarcastic laugh.
“What FTL system does it use and will it work in this universe?” Zsa-Zsa asked thoughtfully.
“It should be equipped with a standard mass-effect drive that uses an eezo energy core.” Ashley answered.
Before she could continue with her explanation, Edi interrupted, “The mass-effect core reduces the overall mass of the ship where it can travel at superlight speeds with minimal time dilation effects. However…” the AI further qualified, “…the engine core alone will not allow the vessel to move. It merely lowers the mass. The ship still requires some sort of motive power—chemical rockets…fusion torch…ion engine…”
“The military ships use an anti-proton drive.” Ashley interjected.
“So you do have some means of anti-matter propulsion.” Soren mused.
“Very limited compared to this universe.” Edi replied, “The thruster is dependent on the mass effect core reducing the ship’s mass in order to attain FTL travel. Without that, it is merely a form of impulse drive. The engine core also builds a static-electric charge while engaged in superlight travel.” The AI further explained, Zsa-Zsa interrupting.
“That would mean that it would have to stop and discharge all that energy before boom…no more ship.” Tapping her chin thoughtfully, the Hungarian destroyer captain put forth, “That effectively limits both speed and range of your ships. Large ships would require large energy cores to maintain the reduced mass which in turn builds up more energy faster—especially at higher speeds.”
“Correct.” Edi confirmed. “This is why the mass effect relays are so important. They are the equivalent of the veins and arteries of the interstellar societies in the other universe. They also permit the use of ships without interstellar drives to travel outside their systems.”
“Lessening the cost for civilian shipping traveling in safe areas.” Hobson concluded.
“Mmmm…” Korath mused as he pondered the implications. “That would also make those systems with primary relays choke points. Whoever controls them also controls any systems using subsidiary relays.”
“That’s what gives the Reapers their biggest edge.” Doris declared, joining the discussion. “They left behind the Citadel, mass relays, and mass effect technology to make sure that whoever comes later develops along the lines they intended. Makes it easier when they come back to wipe everything out.”
“Which they do every fifty thousand years.” Ashley interjected.
“In other words, they rigged the dabo wheel.” Zsa-Zsa quipped, earning brief chuckles from everyone. Getting back to the subject, the Hungarian captain pondered aloud, “If we can’t find any survivors with engineering experience, we’ll have to take the ship in tow.”
“Ma’am?” Dixie tentatively spoke up.
“Yes, dahling?”
“Between Edi and I we can probably get and keep those engines runnin’. Although it would help if we could find one or more of the crew’s engineers alive.”
“That will work.” Soren decided, “What would be the safest warp equivalent speed that freighter could travel at?”
“Assuming no damage to the engines and enough fuel…” Edi quickly ran the calculations, “…approximately warp two and the ship would have to stop to discharge its engines every twenty light years.”
Making his decision, Soren announced, “Very good. If the freighter can move on its own, then it’ll accompany us to Drozana Station. Otherwise we tow it and, should that not prove possible, we destroy it.” After giving the other captains a few moments to bring anything else up, Fleet Captain Magnussen gave the order, “Bring the fleet to red alert and prepare for action. We’re going to battle.”
Taking a deep breath, Ashley recited, “By the rude bridge that arched the flood, Their flag to April’s breeze unfurled, Here once the embattled farmers stood and fired the shot heard round the world.”
“Emerson.” Hobson remarked approvingly as he heard the former gunnery chief’s words. “Most appropriate. Commander Rysyl…take the ship to red alert.”
Spoiled Princess
“Launching peregrine.” Shelana reported as Nelia’s sleek fighter exited the raider’s shuttle bay.
“Take care of my baby.” Nelia commanded the pilot of her personal ship.
“Don’t worry mon cheri.” A French accented voice responded, “I will treat it as I would my lover.”
“You better.” Nelia quipped back, “Otherwise no nookie for you.” Speaking to her crew on the bridge, the green Orion commanded, “Ash…Shels…Twes and Rana…head down and prep your people for landing.” Turning to their replacements, she commanded a light green skinned Troyan woman wearing a mustard colored minidress, her long mauve tinted hair hanging loose and a tall and leggy human woman with a bright smile and blonde hair also loose wearing a blue miniskirt, “Atris…Candy…take their positions.”
“Yes, Ma’am.” They both responded as the Troyan woman took the helm while the human assumed her place at the science station.
“Joachim?” Nelia leered as she turned her attention to a handsome blond-haired human male with slightly long hair and a goatee wearing a 23rd century Terran Empire uniform, “You know what to do.”
“Aye.” The tactical officer formerly assigned to the Belladonna replied as he took Ashley’s position behind the tactical console. “Ready when you are.”
Belladonna
“Now we kill something, dahlings. Bring the ship to red alert and start the music, Eliza, dragam.”
“Anything in particular, Captain?” Commander Flores asked as the red alert klaxon sounded.
“Anything with a beat, dahling.” Captain Rozsa licked her lips in anticipation as her executive officer, also breathing heavily at the prospect of the coming battle, called out her musical selection to the computer.
“Play the Maia Threes’ cover of Bad Reputation.”
Klothos
“Launch fighters. Action stations. We go to battle.”
“Fighters launched. Weapons at the ready.”
The Klothos moving as a predator stalking its prey, took its station with its fellow killers, its captain stroking his beard in eagerness for the coming battle.
D'Ressa
“Deploy fighters.” Commander Kaval ordered, “Action stations and cloak.” As he issued his orders, three scorpion fighters exited from the Dedi’s shuttle bay and cloaked just before the big warbird also cloaked itself.
Bellerophon
"Dya?" Boris turned his head towards his Elasian weapons officer, "Run a final check on our weapons. Simi? You're going to have to be very quick and smart in your executions of those maneuvers we talked about."
"Don't worry, Boss." The Bajoran science officer responded, "I'm ready."
"I never doubted that." The Russian captain responded with a toothy grin. "Angie...Lucky...you know what to do."
"Aye, Sir."
"Tanvir?"
"Damage control parties are on standby, Sir." The Indian operations chief responded, "We're ready for whatever they throw at us."
"Good." Boris nodded his head in satisfaction. "Inform Valley Forge that we are ready to move on their orders."
Valley Forge
“The fleet reports ready to engage, Sir.” The Valley Forge’s Andorian first officer reported.
“Take us to red alert, XO and inform the fleet that we're ready to move.” Soren ordered, “We have work to do.”
Inside the base just before the fireworks start
“What in hell are they supposed to be?” Donkey exclaimed as three peculiar looking aliens coming from races he’d never seen before walked up to the cell he and the other prisoners were being kept. Two of the aliens were at least somewhat humanoid looking. Burly with large ridged foreheads, long dark hair styled in dreadlocks, and tusks protruding from their mouths, they screamed ‘bad news’ to the Alliance marine. The third alien appeared truly bizarre to the soldier and his friends.
“Looks almost like some sort of walking fungus.” Captain Forrester murmured as the alien pointed to both Donkey and Donna. One of the large aliens, brandishing what seemed to be a whip, stood at the ready as the other pressed something on the side of the cage, lowering the barrier.
Deciding that it was now or never, Donkey struck quickly, charging the alien who had just opened the cage only to feel intense pain as if every nerve on his body caught fire as he was struck by the alien with the whip. The gunnery chief was then roughly yanked to his feet only to have the alien he was charging punch him hard in the gut, commanding in guttural English, “Move! Both of you—now or you’ll receive another lash from the neuro-whip.”
“Better do as he says, Donkey.” Donna urged as she cautiously stepped out of the cage. Raising her voice, she pleaded, “Where are you taking us?”
“Evaluation.” The strange alien uttered, seemingly through a vocalizer.
“Evaluating us for what?” Donkey demanded as he and Donna were pushed forward.
“Indoctrination.”
“I don’t like the sound of that.” Donna whispered, only to be silenced by a push from behind.
“Hey!” Donkey shouted only to receive a powerful shove that almost knocked him to the floor.
“The subjects will remain silent.” The weird looking alien commanded as the two humans were once again shoved towards a door at the end of the corridor. As they approached the door, it opened to reveal two almost human looking aliens except for their pointed ears with both wearing uniforms.
“These are the subjects.” The strange alien announced. “They are yours.”
One of the aliens commanded in a silky voice, “We will take charge of them now. You may go.”
“Who are you and what is this indoctrination?” Donkey demanded as he and Donna were pushed in the direction of another door by the two aliens.
“You will find out soon enough.” The first alien replied with a sneer.
Passing through the door, the two humans saw what looked like a large laboratory where Lorrin, the turian with whom they had only recently dined laying on one slab, his body splayed open, brain case exposed as one of the weird aliens seemed to be working at a console. The pair saw the krogan mercenary lying on a second table with two more of the pointed-eared aliens hunched over him. Then, they recoiled in horror as one of the aliens took something and jabbed it into the krogan’s eye.
“What are you doing to him?” Donna screamed, “Is that what you’re going to do to us?”
“No.” The leader laughed, “We have something else planned for you. Now…move!”