by David Smith
The Steward put down the coffee pot and sat down opposite Dave. ‘The difference between the Magistrate Grosvenor that we observed and the Commander Grosvenor that we know was quite astonishing, wasn’t it?’
‘Absolutely. From what I’ve been told, Lieutenant-Commander O’Mara’s double was equally frightening, and my counterpart seems to have led a failed rebellion that cost hundreds of thousands of lives’ added Dave. ‘Are we all monsters in this universe? Are there no decent persons here?’
‘We have only encountered a small cross section of the Empire, sir’ cautioned the Steward.
‘But things aren’t looking good. It’s a bit scary that even the really nice people in the crew could have violent, evil duplicates here.’ Dave paused. ‘Take Lieutenant Chen. He’s a charming, intelligent, helpful person . . . I can’t even understand how he ended up on Tiger in the first place?’
The Steward nodded ‘Lieutenant Chen is an example to us all. He’s only on Tiger due to his sexual preferences. He got in trouble over a felching incident . . . ‘
‘Felching?? That’s not against regulations is it?? I thought that those sort of things were ok as long as they were consensual and off-duty??’ Dave queried.
‘Indeed they are sir, but there was a gerbil involved that broke Fleet quarantine regulations.’
Dave shuddered ‘Anyway, that’s not the point. The point is that Chen is one of the good guys, but I have to assume that in this universe even his duplicate might be unspeakably evil.’
‘But if that is the case sir, there’s the possibility that in this universe, Vlad the Impaler might have been Vlad the Bonne Homme? My counterpart too, might have been a better man.’
Dave looked up sadly at the Steward. The Steward, like Chen, was a good man. He’d been exiled to the Tiger after he’d killed a fellow crewman. The victim had gone mad and was trying to destroy their ship, and Butler’s actions had saved the ship and her crew, but he was burdened with a massively over-active guilt gland and simply couldn’t forgive himself.
‘Thank you, Steward,’ said Dave ‘I guess we all have good and bad within us. Maybe it’s the balance between the two that makes us human.’
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On the third day of their trip PO Park finally managed to complete the decryption of the Empire data files they’d lifted from Hole and the Star-base.
Dave spent a day going through the records in the privacy of his own quarters, and was horrified by what he read. He completed his assessment, and decided he’d best brief the Captain and the rest of the ship’s senior staff on what they’d uncovered.
They gathered in the Officer’s Mess (minus Captain LaCroix who was otherwise engaged) and Dave summarised his findings as best he could.
‘Good morning, ladies and gents, I have some very disturbing news which I need to share with you. I’m not sure what the best way to tackle this is, so I’ll start with the history of the matter, to give context to more recent events. Please bear with me.’
He pulled up a three-dimensional display in the middle of the meeting table. It showed an area of space familiar to them all: the border of what they knew as Federation territory and the thin passage of space between that and the areas occupied by the Tana Empire.
‘It’s another of those coincidences we keep coming across that the disputed area between the Terran Empire, the Sha T’Al and the Tana Empire more or less equates to the area we saw affected by the aspirin plague in our own universe.’
‘In this universe, the area was invaded by the Terran Empire some time ago. They over-ran twenty-odd star systems quickly and easily, before the Sha T’Al could respond. However, when the Sha T’Al did respond, they did it with skill and tenacity that completely flummoxed the Empire’s forces. With a relatively small fleet, they stopped the advance of the Imperial forces and as they built more and better equipped ships, they drove the Empire back out of their space altogether.’
‘The Empire didn’t accept this turnaround gracefully, and fought dirty. They co-opted Commander Mengele, Lieutenant-Commander O’Mara and several other officers with knowledge of the Sha T’Al to develop weapons of mass destruction. We haven’t found details of the weapons involved in the files we’ve recovered, but their Commander Mengele has confirmed that the development team were using a stand-alone computer system that was detached from the Star-base’s main-frame for security reasons.’
‘Regardless of that, Commander Mengele has confirmed that a bio-genetic weapon was successfully deployed against the Sha T’Al over a year ago. She cannot specify the nature of the weapon but understands that the weapon operated at a genetic level, as her part of the research process was to identify DNA structures and proteins that are unique to Sha T’Al physiology.’
‘In the first instance, the Terran Empire forces deployed it against the worlds they’d recently conceded back to the Sha T’Al. As the weapon took hold, the Sha T’Al began to suffer enormous civilian casualties on all of the disputed worlds and began to evacuate their population. Rather than have the Empire move into the space and bring the border closer to their home worlds, the Sha T’Al drew up a non-aggression pact with the Tana Empire and ceded all the afflicted territory to them as part of the process.’
‘Even at that stage, the Empire refused to give up the territory. They’d already prepared an invasion force to occupy the Sha T’Al space they’d infected, and used this to try to drive the Tana out.’
‘This was a disaster. They lost a huge numbers of ships, and committed themselves to fighting on two fronts. With the Sha T’Al re-equipped with better vessels the Empire was out-fought and out-numbered. The Tana held the disputed Sha T’Al colonies and the Sha T’Al decimated Empire forces and infrastructure with lightning quick raids across the border from within their own space.’
‘The Empire was in disarray, and things got worse when the obvious weakening of the Empire’s grip encouraged a rebellion in Sector 193, led, apparently, by my counterpart in this universe.’
‘The Empire has become desperate to stave off this three-pronged assault. Like the Federation, they’re surrounded by other aggressive Empires, and these are thought to be forming an alliance against them. The leaders of the Terran Empire are moving quickly to win the war at this end of the Empire, before this other alien alliance begins attacking elsewhere.’
‘They’ve deployed an entire fleet to put down the Rebellion in Sector 193, and are currently moving against the Tana in the Sha T’Al colonies. Again, we can’t confirm it, but we believe they are deploying biological weapons and are even developing weapons that use the fission of sub-elementary particles as an energy source.’
There were gasps around the table this time. Whilst the potential of biological weapons was frightening, theoretical studies had shown that the destructive potential of splitting sub-elementary particles was of god-like intensity. Entire star systems could be annihilated by such weapons and all research in such matters had already been completely banned . . . in their home universe.
Dave paused wondering if all of this bad news was sinking in: there was so much of it.
‘What we do know from the Star-bases records is that the Third Fleet is preparing for a strike against the Sha T’Al colonies. It’s being reinforced with elements from other fleets too, as Admiral O’Connor is determined to finish the challenge from the Tana and the Sha T’Al for once and for all.’
Dave paused, but unusually, the team were completely silent, all horrified at the madness that was engulfing this universe.
Dave took a deep breath and continued. ‘I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about this. We have a directive of non-interference that I feel sure applies in these circumstances, but if I’m honest, I’d ignore that if I thought there was anything we could do to alter the balance of power here. Much as it goes against the grain for me personally, I believe our only course of action is to move into the disputed zone, avoid conflict with all three factions of the conflict, work out how we can get back
to sanity, and get the hell out of here as soon as we can.’
‘In the mean-time for the sake of my own conscience I propose to investigate the worlds afflicted by bio-genetic weapons and see if we can at least assist them.’
He slumped in his chair ‘If anyone has any other suggestions, I’m keen to hear them.’
The silence that followed was so deep, Dave was sure he could hear every heart beat around the table.
With a heavy heart, Dave said ‘Dismissed.’
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After another twenty-four hours of travel they crossed the old border completely unnoticed and headed into the disputed zone. Travelling at the drive settings they’d associated with warp-factor eight, they’d been travelling nearly twenty times faster than they should have been, but were also going backwards further and further in time, nearly two and a half days for each day they maintained that speed.
Dave elected not to make their temporal situation worse and asked the Engineers to take the Tana warp-coils off line, reducing Tiger’s speed to warp six, still more than two hundred times the speed of light. A few days later they arrived at the system the Sha T’Al called Cho-Dal-Far, but local time readings showed it was still more than a week before they had escaped from Sector 212.
As a precaution, Dave dropped Tiger out of warp on the fringes of the star system and ASBeau, Crash, Dolplop, Shearer and O’Mara scanned the system in depth before they proceeded further in.
O’Mara spoke first. ‘We’re looking at a Class F9V main sequence star, slightly more massive than our sun, a mix of fourteen planets, with three terrestrial worlds in the habitable zone. Everything is in accordance with the data we have for this star system.’
‘So far so good’ said Dave quietly. ‘Crash, any kind of flight control data available?’
‘No sir. No flight control telemetry available and no navigation beacons apparent’ replied the young Helmsman.
‘Shearer, any comms traffic at all?’ Dave asked.
‘Naw sir, norra peep. Ah, hang on. Gettin lo level comms, but naw sub-space traffic. Mus be terrestriel comms liek.’
Dolplop’s tendrils drifted across the navigation console and his metallic voice said ‘I’ve plotted a course for a medium altitude equatorial orbit, First Officer.’
‘Thank you Lieutenant. Crash, lay it in, ahead one-third, steady . . . ‘
ASBeau interrupted ‘Sir, I’m reading a very large vessel in orbit around the largest terrestrial planet. It’s very, very massive . . . yep . . . thought so. It’s a Tana battleship.’
Dave sat forward. He hadn’t been expecting that. ‘Yellow Alert! Shut down all transmissions! Shields up! Cut the drive. Any indication they’ve spotted us?’ Dave asked nervously.
‘No incoming scans or transmissions, sir, if they have spotted us they’re playing it really cool’ confirmed the Tactical Officer.
‘So what are they doing ASBeau?’ asked Dave, now curious.
ASBeau scanned patiently. ‘Nothing, sir. No movement. No running lights, no transmissions of any kind that I can see.’ He tried adjusting some settings. ‘This is weird sir. No signs of damage, but the ship looks completely dead.’
Dave rubbed his chin. ‘Well, we can’t just sit here. Crash, ahead one quarter, take us in closer, but watch them like a hawk. Any sign of activity, we bug-out.’
‘Aye sir!’
Tiger edged forward, ASBeau and O’Mara using passive sensors to make them harder to detect. ASBeau was using the ships telescopes to visually reconnoitre the huge Tana vessel. ‘She’s in a low equatorial orbit, shuttle bay doors are open . . . yeah, I’m seeing a couple of her shuttles are still in there, looks like they’re ready to go.’
O’Mara soon had more disturbing news ‘Reading hull energy levels: they’re very, very low. Even temperature is down to about minus twenty Celsius. The whole ship is as cold as the grave sir.’
Dave wasn’t sure if that was good news or bad: Clearly the ship was no threat. But what had forced the Tana to abandon such a powerful vessel?
ASBeau kept watch on the Tana hulk, but O’Mara began scanning the planet.
The news from there was no less disturbing. O’Mara was shaking her head as the data streamed in. ‘It’s not looking good sir: I’m reading minimal life signs. If this planet has developed along the same path as Cho-Dal-Far in our universe we should be looking at a population around twenty million, but I estimate less than twenty thousand here.’
‘Is it possible they’ve suffered the same disaster with aspirin?’ asked Dave.
‘Unlikely sir’ sighed O’Mara ‘unless the Empire has deliberately introduced the compound as a weapon?’
Dave gulped. He knew the Empire had been developing bio-genetic weapons. Was it possible they’d discovered the devastating effects this simple chemical could have on the Sha T’Al?
They still knew nothing. They were blundering around in the dark as they had been since they’d arrived in this damned universe.
He slumped back in his seat. It was like trying to put together a jigsaw without knowing what the picture was or how many pieces there were.
Well, they were here, they might as well find out what they could.
‘Ok, I won’t worry about them yet, we still need to find out what’s happening planet-side. Crash, adjust your approach to put us into the same orbit as the Tana ship but on the opposite side of the planet. ASBeau, O’Mara, prep a probe, drop it close to the battleship to watch them and give us early warning if they show any sign of life. Nothing else has changed.’
Dave took a deep breath ‘Right. we need an away team. I’ll lead. Lieutenant-Commander O’Mara, I want you and someone with specific knowledge of the Sha T’Al.’
‘Yeah, that’ll be Verity Selassie. She’s the only one with any real in-depth knowledge’ nodded O’Mara.
Dave agreed and called the Security Team next for two bodies. Chief Belle answered ‘It’ll be me and Running Deer, Commander. I figure she might be useful.’
The last spot on the away team required a Medic, so Dave’s final call was to the Sick-bay, where Lieutenant Chen answered.
‘Chen, I need a medic for an away team immediately’ explained Dave.
‘It’ll have to be me, sir’ replied Chen ‘Commander Mengele is busy searching for the Captains wrist-watch.’
Dave was a little surprised ‘That’s hardly a top-priority. Tell Mengele that if she wants to go I’ll send a couple of the house-keeping team down to look for the watch.’
There was a pregnant pause.
Slowly Chen replied. ‘Yeah. Um. Actually, the house-keepers can’t really help on that score. Commander Mengele is in the operating theatre. The Captain thinks he lost his watch somewhere in Yeoman Carmichael’s colon.’
‘I’ll see you in the Transporter Room, Chen’ said Dave, feeling ever so slightly queasy as he closed the comm-link.
Chapter 8
Chief Carstairs beamed them down in the centre of the largest city on the most heavily developed continent.
Dave wasn’t sure how they’d be met and insisted that everyone carried a side-arm. He’d also taken the precaution of insisting on full environmental suits, just in case a pathogen was responsible for the apparent population crash.
They materialized with phasers and tricorders in hand, poised for instant action, but the only movement was from small bits of rubbish being blown by a gentle breeze.
The sun was shining brightly, and wasn’t significantly different from their own sun. A little less bright and with a yellow to orange taint, but still a sun, rather than a star. They’d chosen a small piazza as their landing zone and around them the buildings of the Sha T’Al lay in small groups, each group of buildings displaying a distinctive style that was subtly different from its neighbours.
The piazza was extensively landscaped, and Dave immediately noticed gentle variations in ground level that seemed to exist to create a particular view of one of the buildings or to highlight one of the sculptur
es that graced the open space.
O’Mara and Selassie were busily scanning the area. ‘No signs of recognizable pathogens, toxins or biological agents, but I wouldn’t recommend ditching the suits just yet. There’s a cluster of life signs about a hundred meters thataway’ said O’Mara quietly, indicating a gap between buildings in the corner of the piazza.
‘Ok,’ said Dave ‘we go in light and don’t do anything rash. The last thing we want to do is upset more people.’
‘I’ll take point’ said Belle, but Dave stopped her, mostly because he knew she was the person in the party most likely to start a fire-fight.
‘Selassie will lead: she’s the only one who can judge Sha T’Al reactions and demeanour.’
Belle didn’t look happy, but fell in line behind Selassie as she led the small party forward.
The gap turned out to be a small roadway, running down through what appeared to be a shopping area. Unlike the streets they’d seen on Todot Hahn in their own universe there were no signs of destruction or looting. Many of the shops appeared to have been carefully closed up, but even those that still had goods in the windows were neat and tidy.
The life-signs O’Mara had detected seemed to be coming from a little way down the road. As they got closer it became apparent that the signs were emanating from what seemed to be some kind of municipal building.
Dave was about to step inside, when O’Mara stopped him. ‘Now that is weird!’ she said.
‘What is??’ asked Dave who was already far more nervous than he would have liked.
‘In addition to the Sha T’Al signals I’m picking up, I’m reading human life signatures’
Dave shrugged, looking around the party and taking a completely unnecessary head-count.
O’Mara rolled her eyes at him. ‘There are six of us, but I’m reading seven human profiles.’
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Dave edged in, unwilling to leave Selassie in the line of fire. Belle stood beside him, phaser at the ready.
