The Continuing Story of Deep Space 2: Page 96
"Dear Lord", Frances seemed both angry as well as shocked, observing
the interior of the alien ship both she and Karn now explored -- its
dark interior lit only by a dim reddish/pink phosphorescent glow
radiating from the strange substance lining the corridor they now
explored -- a rather soft yet resilient substance lending the
narrow, cramped passage all the pleasant warmth of a slaughterhouse
in its appearance.
"Yep; sure creepy", Karn replied; Frances examining with a small,
portable scanner the material it seemed this alien vessel was mostly
composed of.
"Not only that, but it's semi-organic. alive. alien syntha-flesh
like. like", Frances found herself unable to finish -- telling
instead Lt. Katz to inform Maccs concerning what they just
discovered.
"Yes, Ma'am", Elayna obeyed her superior officer just as Frances and
Karn saw something moving about in the corridor ahead -- a dark,
spectral figure approaching them like some grim reaper straight out
of Terran mythology. And without uttering a single word, it swung out at both Frances and Karn with the glowing scythe-like weapon it carried into battle.
Before their eyes one of the enemy ships the USS Ajax just attacked
went up in a brilliant ball of stellar hot fire.. the battle lasting
only a minute or less... Admiral Arthur watched as well all this
aboard the USS Strike; the main viewer on the USS Strike's active
bridge. And realizing they also needed to take, having to find out what this was about -- the motive behind the enemy's attack of the USS Alice Cooper-B -- Admiral Arthur contacted both Karn and Frances. learning before from Karn himself his plan to board the other enemy ship. asking both of them to see if they could try taking prisoners during their up-close investigation of the enemy vessel in question.
And about to contact both Sarah and Maccs about doing the same --
Starchild closing in now on the other enemy ship left standing (the
ship closer now to the Alice Cooper-B, beaming over there just
recently the raiding party now holed up on deck 13) -- Admiral
Arthur then noticed something quite odd before contacting either
Sarah or Maccs, his bridge crew noticing the same thing.
"Sir, I'm picking up a smaller alien vessel within the debris of the
larger enemy we just destroyed", Admiral Arthur's security chief
informed him from his/her post on the USS Strike's active bridge --
the Admiral's Chief Science officer concurring, giving Admiral
Arthur his official report as well.
"Confirmed, Sir: The smaller vessel taking up an intercept course
with the larger enemy vessel trying to board the Alice Cooper-B",
the USS Strike's Chief Science officer sounded quite confused.
deeply puzzled.
"Sir: that ship reads inside it organic matter too great in mass to
be a regular crew compliment", he added. " sensor sweeps of the
other enemy vessels revealing this same peculiarity.
"It's as though each and every enemy ship is under the
command/control of a single individual each -- an entity almost as
great in physical size as the ship it's aboard."
"In fact, Admiral, the readings I get from each enemy ship are not
unlike those I'm picking up aboard Starchild, too", Admiral Arthur's
Chief Science Officer continued, sounding both confused and
concerned.
"Different chemical composition, but the same as Starchild in
general principal".
However, before Admiral Arthur could say anything in reply,
Communications intercepted a message from Maccs meant in fact for
Karn and Frances. And if Admiral Arthur's Chief Science Officer
sounded a tad worried, Maccs sounded absolutely scared. terrified.
everyone on bridge hearing his message.
"Get off that freakin' ship Admiral Straker. Karn." Maccs insisted,
sounding panicked. I'll explain later but, for now, get the
sanguinary heck outta there!!!!!"
Maccs and Sarah were within close firing range of the alien ship
trying to board the Alice Cooper-B, Maccs informing Sarah of this
fact as he likewise picked up on his sensors the small vessel headed
their way -- the small craft that emerged from the debris left of
the larger vessel the USS Ajax just recently destroyed -- picking up
as well a communiqué to one-another from aboard both alien vessels.
And scanning the smaller ship's interior. receiving also right then
the message Frances sent him concerning the ship she and Karn now
explored.. Maccs sent back his panicked warning to both her and Karn
the USS Strike likewise intercepted.
"Get off that freakin' ship Admiral Straker. Karn." Maccs insisted,
sounding panicked. I'll explain later but, for now, get the
sanguinary heck outta there!!!!!"
Then before Sarah knew what was going on, Maccs banked. hard. to the
right -- heading now away from the enemy ahead -- headed instead now
for both the USS Strike, WarBird, Ajax, and Guardian1.
"What's going on, Maccs??", Sarah snapped, confused by Young Maccs
Starchild's almost cowardly behavior in the face of danger --
turning tail and running as it were away from the enemy.
"No time to explain", Maccs snapped at her.
"Just pray I can contact Admiral Arthur before his people try and
destroy that smaller vessel"
And contacting both the Ajax, USS Strike, WarBird, and Guardian1 --
telling each ship to leave the little alien vessel alone -- Maccs
likewise gave it a wide birth. And still battling the enemy away team trying to board the Alice Cooper-B, Lt. Cmdr. Gav Tiral noticed as well something else odd about the enemy before them -- the only sounds to be heard throughout the entire battle either the firing of weapons on both sides, or the clipped voices of the defenders either giving him their impromptu battle reports or requesting further orders. At no time at all could he hear any enemy communications. unable to detect at all any hint of speech on the part of the invaders spoken words. the enemy fighting as it were in complete silence -- no similar battle reports, or spoken orders being passed back and forth from the enemy behind this well coordinated attack.
"Could they be total telepaths.?" Gav wondered to himself: "And, if
so, could they also tell the thoughts of the crew aboard the Alice
Cooper-B".
However, before he could ponder that rather disturbing thought any
further, Gav heard right then and there the immediate cessation of
all weapons fire -- his security personnel closest to the enemy rank
and file reporting as well that the raiding party just beamed off-
ship as abruptly as they came aboard. And, learning from Cmdr. Eerag on the Alice Cooper-B's command bridge that the alien ship likewise seemed to be withdrawing, Gav then gave the order for his people to investigate that territory aboard ship recently under enemy occupation.
"So lets see what they took with them", Gav grumbled as he lead the
way to Cargo bay 13. all the same sure of what he WOULDN'T find
there..
Aboard the USS Strike there was reason for optimisme. With the withdrawal of the enemy from the USS Alice Cooper-B there was some good news. But the bad news was the retreat of the Starchild. But that was no longer a priority. The USS Ajax had shjown it could destroy one of those enemy ships in a matter of minutes. A feeling of safety among the crew on the Federation ships should have been regained... But this fight wasn't over yet. The warning to retreat, coming from Maccs... Why ? The small alien vessel, probably an escape podd of some kind or a shuttle, didn't seem to be a threat, but still this Maccs warned his comrades to abort their mission. Arhtur realised that if they could not take any prisoners, they would lose the chance of getting information, but with the USS Alice Cooper-B free of hostiles, that was no longer the first priority. Arthur ordered the USS Ajax to secure the Alice Cooper-B with extended shields, but there now was a new order.
"Only shoot when fired upon. Do not fire first. They are now the ones who are outnumbered and outgunnned. Give them the chance to surrender. If they leave Federation space that is OK by me. Unless of course they have stolen Federation properties. There is of course also the possibility to follow the aliens if they flee and see where they came from..."
The USS Ajax fired up the engines and took a position on top of the USS Alice Cooper-B, extended the shields to protect the ship and keeping the battle drones in space around the two ships for an impressive defense screen. the question of why the aliens had not yet answered communications were still puzzling. By now they should know they would be destroyed if they would keep attacking Federation ships. What was more puzzling for the Admiral was that the enemy suddenly had left the USS Alice Cooper-B, apparently in a hury. Arthur could not believe that the enemy invaders would have been driven out in fear by the USS Alice Cooper secuity forces. The way the enemy attacked was more like a suicide mission. That was so fanatic that Arthur could not believe the enemy would run... just like that... Why would they board a Federation ship anyway ? What was onboard the USS Alice Cooper-B that made those aliens make such an attack in Federation space. They should have known an entire fleet of Federation ships would arrive within a short time to defend one of those fellow ships. The enemy attack was clearly an in an out mission. Get in, do what you have to do and get out, as fast as possible with minimal casualties and minimal forces. Just as these thoughts filled Arthur's brain, he was interupted by his communications officer.
"Sir, sir, incoming message from Deep Space 2 sir."
"Better be important Lieutenant, we are still in the middle of a battle."
"Sir it is the Katsimari sir."
"Yes Lieutenant ? Are they on their way to help us out here ?"
"Negative sir... They are gone sir, like the Denoradons sir. Gone, vanished... Including their outposts, their seven warp capable ships... It is all gone sir. Strange thing is though that the Federation embassy on Katsimar is still there. All Federation personnel is accounted for. It is just that the Katsimari themselves, sir, they are gone as if they have never exsisted..."