“If we end up facing Klingon battle cruisers, keep in mind that their crews may not be in control of their own helms and weapons, Fletcher said, effortlessly picking up where Hernandez had left off. “And if they arent really the ones running their own control panels, then its likely that they wont return our hails. If the hostile vessels really are being controlled remotely, then their tactical maneuvers might be a bit more sluggish than you might expect. But dont bet the farm on that in the absence of hard information. Until we actually engage the aggressors, I want every sensor focused on telling us whether or not the hostile vessels crews are actively piloting their ships, or if they might just be along for the ride, so to speak.
“Two minutes, Captain, Akagi said.
“Arm phase cannons. Load and arm torpedoes, Hernandez said, settling back firmly into her chair. “The moment we exit warp, charge the hull plating. Ensign Valerian, open a broad-band hailing channel as soon as we go sublight.
“Major Foyle reports that his full MACO complement is standing by if we need them, Fletcher said. “Theyre also deployed near all emergency containment areas, and ready with pressure suits, just in case.
“Thank you, Hernandez said. “Helm, take us out of warp as close as you can to the line of scrimmage. We want the element of surprise on our side.
The deck plates shuddered beneath Hernandezs boots, and Columbias entire spaceframe groaned in a familiar yet still disconcerting manner. The main viewscreen at the front of the bridge showed the distorted streaks of the stars aligned with the ships flightline compressing to almost dimensionless pinpoints as Columbiaabruptly decelerated to subluminal speeds.
Squaring her shoulders and setting her jaw, Hernandez looked directly toward the screens center, knowing the viewer would pick her image up in the same manner as any other audio/visual hail. “This is Captain Erika Hernandez of the United Earth Starship Columbia. We are responding to acts of aggression against cargo vessels under the protection of the Coalition of Planets. All aggressor vessels must stand down and submit to boarding. Any resistance will be considered an act of aggression, and will be met with deadly force. Hostile vessels, this is the onlywarning you will receive.
Out of the corner of her eye, Hernandez saw Lieutenant Commander el-Rashad turn toward her from his science station, a gobsmacked expression on his chiseled, mocha-colored features.
The reason for his reaction appeared on the main viewscreen a moment later. The visual sensors displayed what lay in Columbias path. The aggressor vessels and the cargo fleet they menaced came into sharp focus, and it was immediately clear that the attackers were of neither Klingon nor Romulan design. Nor was their identity a mystery; the attackers long, blunt-nosed central hulls, with each of their aft sections surrounded by a single wide, ring-shaped warp-propulsion module, were all too familiar to everyone present.
“ Vulcans?Why would Hernandez said under her breath, scarcely able to contain her incredulity.
“Captain, sensors confirm the presence of two DKyr-type Vulcan combat cruisers, Thayer said from her tactical station. “Particle-beam residue readings show that they arethe aggressors here. Should I hold fire?
Hernandez stood, raising her hand to signal restraint. “Yes. Hold fire. What the hellare they doing? Her mind galloped to find an explanation, but the longer she stared at the image, the more insane it seemed.
“Theyre not responding to hails, Captain, Valerian said.
Hernandez continued staring at the vista on the screen, trying to drink in every detail. The beleaguered convoy consisted of five cargo vessels, many of them already severely damaged. One seemed completely beyond salvaging, as plasma fires burned on what little remained of its outer hull, apparently fed by atmosphere that continued to escape from interior compartments. The cargo vessels almost seemed to cower in the presence of the Vulcan ships that appeared to have instigated the entire situation.
“One of the ships is charging up its weapons again! Thayer shouted. On the viewer, Hernandez watched as the forward particle-beam tube on the ship nearest to Columbiabegan to emit a baleful emerald glow.
“Charge hull plating to full! Hernandez shouted.
“Their weapons lock isnt focused on us,Captain, Fletcher said.
A moment later, a brilliant green beam shot forth from the underbelly of the Vulcan cruiser, lancing into the hull of one of the more heavily damaged cargo ships. Almost immediately, the wounded vessel exploded, sending an expanding cloud of metal debris and ignited gases into space. The effect reminded Hernandez of a Fourth of July fireworks display shed seen as a child, though her mood at the moment was anything but celebratory.
“Have they responded to our hails yet?
“No, sir, Valerian said.
“Try to disable the lead vessel, Hernandez ordered, hoping that she hadnt just made the mistake of her career.
“The second ship is charging weapons and targeting us,Thayer shouted before shed managed to fire her first shot.
“Evasive maneuvers! Hernandez returned to her chair, strapping herself in place as her crew got to work.
As Columbialurched and vibrated in response to Hernandezs demands, the captain studied the viewscreen, which showed several of Thayers phase cannon blasts making contact with one of the DKyr-type cruisers. The concentrated energy bursts seemed to warm the greenish hull up a bit, while a photonic torpedo exploded against the cruisers underbelly without doing any apparent harm.
“Incoming!
Hernandez felt her ship shudder for a moment as one of the Vulcan vessels returned fire, and the lights on the bridgealready crimson-hued from the moment Columbiahad gone to full tactical alertflickered and dimmed significantly.
“Status? she yelled.
“Hull plating is down to eighty percent, Thayer said.
“Fire at will, Lieutenant, Hernandez shouted to the tactical officer. She tapped the com unit on her chair. “Karl, we need that hull plating at full.
“Im working on it,Graylock said, sounding testy.
“Firing! Thayer said, and the viewscreen showed that Columbiawas swooping over what appeared to be the dorsal surface of one of the combat cruisers. This time, a full spread of Columbias photonic torpedoes struck the warp ring of the ship, resulting in a blazing arc of bluish energy that crackled around the surface of the ring.
“Bring us about for another salvo, Hernandez said.
“Theyre targeting another one of the cargo ships, Fletcher said.
“Get us betweenthe Vulcans and the cargo fleet, Hernandez said. “Our hull plating can take the pounding better than theirs can. She didnt add the words “I hope out loud, though she felt certain she wasnt the only one on the bridge thinking them.
“BothVulcan ships are opening fire! Thayer said.
“I need every last amp of power you can send to the hull plating, Karl, Hernandez shouted into her com unit.
Perhaps a second later, Columbiashuddered and jumped as though shed been struck by the fist of some angry god. The sharp impact threw Hernandez from her chair. Above her head, the hull rang like a gong, and the bridge abruptly plunged into darkness. She heard several screams and thumps from across the bridge, and saw showers of sparks as various duty stations overloaded.