The Continuing Story of Deep Space 2: Page 10
Stardate 50198.1: Major Jan Personal log
I have adjusted the shields of runabout DS2-Alpha to the exct frequency of the DS2 shields. This was very easy and gave me the opportunity to launch the Alpha. All communications with the Station and the runabout are lost. I have no contact, but I am sure the commander does anything he can to get control over the station again. After launch I have tried to hail the starship which is approaching, but apparently DS2 blocks my communications. I have ordered the runabout's computer to compute the time I need to get out of the communications blockout. I have exactly six minutes when I am in clear communication range of the starship. I don't know the name of the ship, nor the captain. The only thing I know is that maybe, just maybe ensign Luke, our new chief of communications is aboard that vessel. That should be reason enough to get to it. Speed is no warp 9.9. At this point I consider this an emergency and the warp 5 limit is certainly out of the question now. All systems seem to be functioning like they should. It is a bit strange, sitting here and watch the displays of strange configured stations. In a few minutes I will reach the communication range of the starship. Then I will finally know what ship it is against which the DS2 computer wants to launch an attack. Altough I am a marine, fighting is the last resort. One more minute now.
End log
Ensign Luke was getting up, still a bit sleepy. Almost two weeks now that he was a guest on the Intrepid Class USS Pennsylvania. DS2 was waiting for his arrival, but although he was very sure that the Pennsylvania was already in communication range, he had not been called yet. Maybe the communication systems of DS2 weren't operational yet. That was probably the reason the station needed him. Why had he made this choice of assignment ? It was simple really. Deep Space 2 needed not only a paint job but a energetic crew to rebuild the old station from scratch. There was a rumour in the fleet that this station was the last Starfleet facility before entering the Delta Quadrant. That was of course exagerated. The Delta Quadrant was still fourty years away from Deep Space 2. It was the imagination of the junior officers which had resulted in this rumour mill. Exploring the Delta Quadrant was not planned for another two decades. But civilians had to be put at ease. Someone told somebody else about Borg and although the Borg were beaten several times and even time travel did not help them in assimilating the human race, the word Borg still had a frightning sound. There were three officers at Luke's door.
"Enter."
Three officers jumped ensign Luke. As he resisted one of the officers landed on the floor. The other two hesitated just long enough for Luke to get out of his quarters into the corridor. Before the brave ensign could shout, he felt pain. His back was burning. He realised he was stunned by a phasershot. The moment he woke up, he was lying on the floor in the brig. He had no clue what this was about. When he asked to see the captain the guards at the other side of the forcefield only laughed.
On DS2 Commander Arthur could only tripple his effort to gain control of the station again. There had been no contact with runabout Alpha since she was launched. The DS2 XO was the best pilot in the corps. Now the next problem was to get communications bacjk on line. Louis and Jan Roel were working on a portable self supporting subspace transceiver. It was not sure it was going to work, but at the moment it was the best they could do. The computer refused to get the weapons off line. As the runabout could be followed on screen the sensors also showed the USS Pennsylvania.
"Computer, did the Pennsylvania tried to contact us ?"
"Negative."
There was another puzzle. The Starfleet vessel should at least try to contact the station. It was in communication range. When the commander had tried to establish contact with the starship, communication systems were off line according the computer. That could be the reason why they hadn't heard from the approaching ship.
Major Jan tired to contact the Pennsylvania for the third time without success. He took a last turn towards the starship heading for the shuttlebay. Suddenly the runabout trembled. The major took a quick look at the displays. He could not determine where the shocks came from.
"Computer ! Report ! What happened !"
"Runabout Alpha has been hit three times by phaser fire. Shields are holding but down to eighty percent."