Chapter Text
Star Trek: Full Speed Ahead
By Lord McCovey Cove
Episode Two: Damn the Torpedoes! Part II
NCC-60597 (USS Farragut)
Within Tristnor Hegemony territory
Main Bridge
Stardate 43224.75
The viewscreen blinked and an angry-looking male face greeted them. "Identify yourselves."
"My name is Captain Krystine Leone, of the Federation starship Farragut. We mean you no harm." She made sure her posture was as non-threatening as possible, keeping her arms at her sides
He pointed his finger at her. "You have penetrated deep into the core of Tristnor Hegemony territory. Your vessel is forfeit and your crew is now the property of this ship. Hold your position and prepare for boarding!"
"Sir, we do not intend to allow anyone to take this ship. Nor will I allow my crew to become anyone's property. If necessary, we will defend ourselves against any attack."
"Your presence here is an act of war!"
"Our presence here was not by choice! We will depart your space, if you will allow us to."
"No more discussion! Prepare for boarding!" With that, the viewscreen switched back to the starfield and the nebula.
"Red alert," ordered Leone immediately. "Someone please tell me what our present location is?"
Lieutenant Commander Ariel Elannis, the ship's chief operations officer, worked her console quickly. "The computer is attempting to match sensor data to known star charts, sir."
Leone nodded as she moved behind the ops console and peered over Ariel's shoulder. "Fine. Petra, we're going to need shields and weapons, soon."
Lieutenant Petra Bartlet called back, "Shield emitters are coming back online, now, sir."
From the tactical station, Lieutenant Wilson Nieves confirmed, "Shields activated, Captain."
"Computer's got a location report," said Ariel. "According to this, we're over thirty-five thousand light years from our former location. Near the rim, within the Beta Quadrant."
Leone could not believe it, at first. She leaned in closer to look at Ariel's console, and there it was in the orange text of the LCARS display. "Okay," she said after blowing out a deep breath. There would be time to deal with that, later. "That settles that."
Nieves said, "Sir, my contact vessel is slowing to sublight speeds."
"Weapons range?" asked Leone.
"At present speed, fifteen minutes."
"Our weapons status?"
Nieves turned to look at Petra, who gave him a shrug. "I'm working on it."
"We left the yards with a rather limited store of photon torpedoes," noted Leone.
"Sixteen, sir."
Leone pushed herself away from the ops console and approached her chair. "All right, launcher status?"
"Fully operational," said Petra quickly. "I'm still working on phasers, sir."
"I'm getting some sensor data on their ship," said Nieves. "It's some kind of crystalline hull structure. Comparable in size, and I'm not sure what kind of armament they're using."
Leone walked back to her chair. "I guess we'll find out, soon enough. Propulsion?"
Lieutenant (jg) Gregory Aspinall replied, "Impulse power only."
"We're going to have to make repairs to the warp drive," said Petra. "There's no way I'd trust the engines after we passed through the anomaly, anyway."
"So, now, all we need to know is if our weapons will be effective against that kind of ship," said Leone. "Or if our shields will protect us from them."
"Not at first," said a new visitor from near the turbolift. "But, with some luck, I'm sure we can help to protect this ship."
Everyone turned to look at the newcomers on the bridge. One was a large, barrel-chested man; the thin and lanky man stood at his side wearing a peculiar smile given the circumstances. Both wore the civilian engineering jumpsuits worn by those who had stayed aboard to observe the warp trials.
"And who the hell are you?" asked Leone.
"We're the ones who brought you here, Captain," explained the lanky man. "You see, we need your help to put an end to this war."