The Continuing Story of Deep Space 2: Page 77
Admiral Arthur sent a report to Deep Space 2 to update his XO Jan Theys with the current situation.
Message from USS Strike: Admiral Arthur in command.
To Space Station Deep Space 2.
Deep Space 2, the situation is normal. The prison ship has been destroyed and we have been able to take 24 prisoners ourselves. Interrogations indicate these people were recruted by a Cardassian female who called herself Lukana, but we are just gessing here as this Cardassian could have used a false name. The prisoners are mercenaries, mostly humans. The locations where they were recruted were all different so we suspect that this Cardassian Lukana has traveled a lot. We will drop of the prisoners at Starbase 88 and let Commodore Ginoppi handle this further. After we have dropped of the prisoners, we will start looking on every planet mentioned by these mercenaries to look for this Lukana. She shouldn't be difficult to find as she is Cardassian. I will keep you all posted.
End of Message.
Twenty planets had to be investigated. On route to Starbase 88, the USS Strike was able to investigate already six planets on the list, but no Cardassian activity had been detected. After nine days the USS Strike arrived at Starbase 88, where Commodore Ginoppi and his security troops were already waiting to receive the mercenary prisoners.
"Good morning Admiral, good to see you again."
"Hello Josepho. I see that you have taken a lot of precautions. Now they are all yours. If you get more information out of them could you let me know. We could gain some time that way."
"Sure thing Admiral. Any word yet on how this out of phase ship worked ?"
"We are working on it. But now we know how to scan for ships like this. We suspect our madman enemy jumps out of phase and attacks completely unexpected. Now that all ships can scan for this enemy, it will be more difficult for him to attack. He will lose the element of surprise. Admiral Juliana has assembled a fleet of almost 200 ships to form a net. This net will hopefully catch a big fish."
"Yes indeed. I have sent 4 ships to Admiral Juliana's fleet as well. We must get this madman soon. Luckily all of the enemy's prisoners have been rescued."
"Now we still have to find the bastard who did this. I can promise you Josepho, I will do everything we can do get him. Well... Speaking of which... We better get on our way. There are still 14 planets to go. See you later."
"Yes sir. Go get him."
The main viewer on the USS Strike bridge showed space again. Commodore Josepho Ginoppi returned to his duties and the USS Strike was again on its way...
Aboard the USS Ajax, Jan Theys was staring at the viewscreen. Apparently his Chief of Operations had found something which he had not seen before.
"It looks like a very small rift in space sir. I have not seen anything like this before and there is nothing like this in the Federation databanks. I have also consulted the Klingon and Romulan databanks, but there is nothing there either."
"Lieutenant Franks, send drone Alpha to the rift. Don't let it go in."
"Aye sir, drone Alpha is on its way."
The TK72 Cromwell autonomous enhanced multimission strike craft Aplha, known as battledrone Alpha set course towards the rift, while the other battledrones stayed at their positions in a standard battle screen.
"Colonel sir, we are receiving telemetry from drone Alpha, arriving at the rift sir. The rift is somewhat bigger now, but not much. It now has... Sir there is an object coming out of the rift. It is somekind of probe."
"Capture it ! Now !"
"I have a tranporter lock sir. Sir, this is not a probe. It is a weapon of some kind. It is on course directly to us."
"They are testing us. We will not let them see our full potential. Use only one battle drone to destroy it."
"Engaging Battledrone Hotel. Target aquired. Target destroyed."
"Well done Lieutenant."
"Sir the rift opens further. A ship is coming through. It is a small ship sir. It has powered up weapons. We are being hailed sir."
"Recall battledrone Alpha in the screen. Stand-by to attack on my command. Put them on screen."
On the main viewer a female cardassian appears.
"I am Lukana. Admiral Arthur, we attack you with the greetings of Doctor Leka. Prepare to die."
But Jan Theys only has a strange grin on his face. Apparently this Lukana was not informed.
"Well Lukana. I am Colonel Jan Theys, Starfleet Marine Corps. There is no Arthur aboard this ship. Your information is not correct. Surrender your ship and I might let you live."
But Lukana does not wait. She closes the channel and sends her ship to attack. But her smal ship is no match for nine TK72 Cromwell autonomous enhanced multimission strike craft. The attack is short. While the USS Ajax itself is held back out of the battle Lukana's ship is attacked by the battledrones. Aboard Lukana's ship, nobody understands.
"What is this ? What happens ? What are these ships which are attacking us ? I want answers. Doctor Leka has promissed an easy victory. What is happening here ?"