by David Mack
Around the table, weary nods of agreement
Riker looked at Doctor Ree. “How has sickbay been holding up?”
“We’re busy,” Ree said. “I’ve seen the usual range of combat-related injuries, nothing out of the ordinary. No fatalities so far, but I have a few patients in critical condition whose luck might go either way.” He added as an aside to Troi, “I’d say morale is the bigger problem.”
That was news to Vale. “Counselor? Something I need to know?”
Tense, cryptic looks passed between Troi and Sarai. Then Troi said, “Just what one would expect after taking some hard hits, Captain. Commander Sarai is helping me deal with it.”
“All right,” Vale said. “But if this is going to be a problem, I want to know in advance.”
“It won’t,” said Sarai. “I promise.”
“Then let’s get back to working the problem in front of us,” Vale said. “Tuvok?”
Cool and stoic, the Vulcan said, “If we cannot currently achieve speeds greater than warp seven, and will continue to be so restricted for several more hours, it is unlikely that we will be able to catch up to the Husnock armada before it reaches the core systems of known space.”
“In that case,” Vale said, “we need another way to stop them. Pazlar, I still think your idea to disrupt the Breen’s telepresence control over the Husnock ships is a good one. Now that we have a bit more time, do you think you can put that into practice?”
The science officer shook her head. “Unfortunately, no. Several key systems in the primary and secondary sensor arrays were fried when we hit the gas giant’s atmosphere.”
Hopeful, Vale asked Ra-Havreii, “Can we fix those?”
“Not without a starbase,” Ra-Havreii said. “There were a lot of delicate components in there, including a few we either can’t replicate or calibrate on our own.”
Keru asked, “Could we salvage the parts we need from the Ajax? It’s still in orbit of the Husnock colony planet, less than a day away at warp seven.”
“Different system specs,” Ra-Havreii said, kiboshing that suggestion. “Wrong hardware, wrong firmware, all of it about two generations behind what we were using.”
Vale fought to contain her mounting frustration inside a clenched fist. “We can alert Starfleet Command and share Pazlar’s theory about disrupting the Breen’s control of the ghost fleet, but that would mean dealing with the threat after it’s already on the Federation’s doorstep. If the Breen get that far, billions of people might be killed. So if anyone here has any ideas for confronting the problem before it reaches that point, now would be the time to speak up.”
Concerned expressions and downcast eyes ringed the table. The exception was Keru, whose attention was fixed upon the padd in his hand. He scrunched his brow.
“Commander Keru?” Vale waited for the Trill to look up from the padd. “Found something worth sharing?”
He seemed caught off guard. “I’m not sure, Captain. It’s just—” Another frown, then he tapped at the padd and transferred its contents to the large companel screen on the bulkhead opposite the windows. It was a tactical scan of the sector surrounding the Titan. Keru rose from his chair and moved to stand beside the screen. “This is our position,” he said, pointing out the lone delta-shaped icon on the screen. Pointing to a large cluster of red triangles, he continued, “This represents the armada moving toward the Federation. And this smaller group, over here, signifies the detachment left behind to guard the munitions factory. But the one that catches my eye is this one—” He enlarged an upper corner of the scan to show a single red threat vessel icon. “This is the lead Breen vessel, the Kulak. It left the Tarcza to guard the factory, and sent the Sulica to bring home the armada. Both perfectly logical and expected. But the Kulak is pushing deeper into uncharted space, into the unexplored Eysaline Sector.” He faced the other officers. “Where’s that ship going? Why not stay with the attack force or the factory?”
Pazlar got up and joined Keru at the screen. “May I?” He motioned for her to take over, and she used the screen’s interface to call up star charts for the surrounding sectors. “Computer, note current heading of the Breen vessel Kulak. Project forward along the Kulak’s present course and note any systems with habitable Class-M planets or moons on, or within five light-years of, that heading, and within one hundred light-years of the Kulak’s current position.”
In less than half a second the computer’s feminine voice replied, “Only one star system conforms to the stated parameters.” It highlighted that system on the screen and indicated the Kulak’s most likely navigational trajectory to a standard orbit of its Class-M world.
Energized by a sense that Pazlar was onto something, Vale perked up. “Okay, so we know where the Kulak is headed. But do we know why? Is it another shipyard? Another munitions plant?”
“Neither seems likely,” Tuvok said. “Both of the major Husnock military facilities we have encountered have been located in interstellar space. That would suggest the Husnock, for all of their aggressive tendencies, possessed at least enough of an instinct for self-preservation to segregate their formidable munitions from their population centers.”
Now it was clear that Riker was intrigued. “So if the Breen aren’t racing toward another Husnock military resource, where are they going? And why?”
Sarai tapped her combadge. “Sarai to bridge.”
Rager answered, “Go ahead, Commander.”
“Open a channel to the Ajax. Patch them through to the conference room, on the double.”
“Aye, sir. Stand by.”
Vale eyed her first officer. “What are you thinking, Number One?”
“Just playing a hunch,” Sarai said, keying some information into a padd.
The charts on the bulkhead screen were replaced by the face of the Ajax’s Bolian commanding officer, Captain Atheta. “What can we do for you, Titan?”
“Captain,” Sarai said, “have you been able to use Doctors Kilaris and Pek’s work to access the Husnock computer networks on Rishon?”
“In fact, we have. Sorry to say, though, so far it’s all raw data without much context.”
“I’m sending you some stellar and planetary coordinates,” Sarai said, keying a command into her padd. “Can you do me a favor and see if those coordinates show up in any of the Husnock files? I don’t care what it shows up as—data, metadata, whatever. I just want to know if it shows up with any regularity, especially in their communications logs.”
“Hang on, my science officer is running a search for your data string now.” Anxious glances were volleyed about the Titan’s conference room while the officers awaited the results. Then they all leaned forward as they saw the evident surprise on Captain Atheta’s blue face. “Titan, I don’t know where you found those coordinates, but they are everywhere in these logs. It’s one of the most common markers in the Husnock network.”
“Thank you, Captain,” Sarai said. “You’ve been most helpful. Titan out.” The channel closed automatically as the computer parsed her valediction, and the screen reverted to the star charts it had shown previously. Sarai wore a look of vindication. “Unless I miss my guess, Captain, I’d say the Breen are on their way to the Husnock homeworld.”
Troi sounded dubious. “The Breen have never shown much interest in xenoarcheology for its own sake. So why would they care about finding the Husnock homeworld?”
“I can think of only one reason,” said Keru, staring at the charts. “They either suspect or know that something on Husnock Prime represents a threat to them and their stolen fleet.”
A solemn nod from Tuvok. “Logical, especially in light of our recent observations. If the Husnock really were concerned with protecting themselves from their own arsenal, it would stand to reason that they built in safeguards to prevent it from being turned against them.”
Riker seemed to share his wife’s doubts. “So we’d be chasing the Breen into a showdown for which we’re ill prepared, on the hope that Husnoc
k Prime—assuming that their destination is, in fact, the Husnock homeworld—contains some military or government command center that can be used to shut down the armada and its munitions?”
“That’s pretty much the plan I’m considering,” Vale said.
“Sounds like a mighty big gamble,” Riker said.
“True, but it’s also just about the only play we have left.”
Sarai said, “I concur, Admiral. We can’t hope to take on the armada or the battle group at the munitions factory, but the Kulak is traveling alone, which means we might be able to stand against it if we find a way to tilt the rules of engagement in our favor.”
Before Riker could respond, Keru added, “I agree with the captain and the XO, sir. And I just want to point out that whatever is on that planet, if the Breen think it’s strategically valuable, then we ought to do everything we can to make sure they don’t get their hands on it.”
Leaning in, Pazlar said, “Thanks to our civilian guests, we might be in a better position than the Breen to exploit whatever’s on that planet. Doctor Pek and his Bynar colleagues have already written software to help our equipment interface with Husnock computers, and Doctor Kilaris is working with Modan and Tereshini to update the universal translator with a better matrix for written and spoken Husnock than they gave to the Nausicaans.” She sounded almost hopeful as she concluded, “If we can catch up to the Breen and figure out what their target is, we might be able to beat them at their own game.”
Riker stood and smoothed his uniform jacket with a tug. “Commander Pazlar, send your specs for disrupting the Breen’s telepresence system to Lieutenant Ssura. I’ll make sure he relays them to Starfleet Command with the necessary information for intercepting the Husnock armada. In the meantime, work with our civilian guests to get those new assets ready for action—we’re going to need them.” He faced Vale. “Captain, hunt down the Kulak.”
She stood and smiled back, her confidence renewed. “With pleasure, Admiral.”
Twenty-six
* * *
Viewed from high orbit, Husnock Prime had what Thot Tren considered an austere beauty. Gunmetal-gray seas enveloped its three ragged continents. The largest land mass was marked by a ruddy scar of active volcanoes stretching like a fiery sash from southwest to northeast. Leaden clouds tattered by wind mingled with pillars of black ash spewing from the volcanoes, giving the entire planet the aspect of a homely bride concealed behind a filthy veil.
In the shadow of such a persistent ecological threat, the Husnock somehow had evolved and flourished. Their homeworld, though now expunged of their species, remained dotted with their massive cities, most of which were linked by marvels of civil transportation infrastructure, almost all of it grand enough in scale to be visible from space.
So much potential, Tren lamented. Such an industrious people. All wiped away by one self-righteous being that dared to think itself morally superior to those whom it murdered.
Footsteps turned his attention away from the Kulak’s viewscreen. He faced his fast-approaching second-in-command. “Vang, report.”
“Bol and I have located the capital city and identified the structure that houses our target.” Vang nodded to Bol, who routed their findings to the main screen. An annotated map of an isolated region on the planet’s surface appeared. “Ongoing analysis of intel from the Husnock ships’ computers suggests this bunker is the headquarters of the Husnock fleet. Remote command authorization for all Husnock military assets’ self-destruct packages should be coordinated from somewhere inside there.”
Tren grew apprehensive as he studied the intel on the screen. “That’s a rather large structure. How many levels does it have?”
“Three above the surface, eighteen below.” Vang cued Bol with a gesture, and the weapons officer switched the image to an exploded-view schematic of the command facility. “Our scans lack interior details because the building is hardened against sensors, as well as against orbital bombardment. Passive scans have confirmed its defensive screens are still operational, and they have likely been set to automatically repel any high-energy assault.”
So much for doing this the easy way. Tren ambled closer to the viewscreen. “What about a ground assault? Does the bunker have automated defenses in place for that?”
“We can’t tell from orbit,” Vang said. “It’s possible, but certain features of the bunker’s design suggest that it was made to be protected by Husnock personnel.”
“That’s a start,” Tren said. To Bol he added, “Restore the orbital view.” After the main viewscreen reverted to the high-orbit view of the planet, Tren said to Vang, “Will our cloak protect us from the planet’s orbital defense platforms?”
The first officer look askance at the viewscreen. “I don’t think the cloak will be necessary, sir. All scans indicate the orbital platforms are in some kind of low-power mode. None of them has responded to our probes, or to our approach.”
“Very well, then. Have Zaana take us into low orbit. We’ll beam down Chot Braz and the Spetzkar so they can storm the bunker and neutralize its command center.”
Vang straightened, projecting pride. “I already have Taan working on the demolitions charges. Half an hour from now, that command bunker will be nothing but a molten crater.”
“I look forward to that.”
At the tactical console, Bol tensed. “Thot Tren, long-range sensors have detected a ship closing from aft, matching our course at high warp speed.” Bol adjusted the controls on his panel, then added, “It is the Starfleet vessel Titan, sir.”
“So . . . not gone after all. They are as tenacious as I’ve come to expect.”
Edging closer to Tren, Vang said, “If we lead Starfleet to the Husnock command bunker, the domo will have us all killed.”
“If they’re tracking us, they likely already know our destination, and have transmitted it to their superiors.” Tren faced Sevv. “Open a channel to the Titan.” He waited for the silent cue from his signals officer, then continued. “Attention, Commander, Titan. This is Thot Tren, commanding the Kulak. On behalf of the Breen Confederacy, we have annexed this sector and all star systems within it to Breen sovereign space. You are trespassing. Cease your pursuit and reverse course at once, or I will destroy your ship and your crew with it.”
In the pause between Tren’s challenge and Titan’s response, Vang asked, “Why give them the option, sir? If they comply, are we supposed to let them go?”
“If they obey, we are free to complete our mission with a minimum of complication. If they disregard my warning, they give us a pretext for war. Either way, we win.” He held up his hand to silence Vang’s retort as Titan’s commanding officer replied over the comm channel.
“Thot Tren, this is Captain Christine Vale of the Starship Titan. There is no precedent in interstellar law for your claim of annex to a territory not contiguous with your own. Therefore, we declare your claim of sovereignty to be null and void. Furthermore, let me answer your ultimatum with one of my own. Reverse your course and attempt no landing on Husnock Prime. Do that, and I’ll let you, your ship, and your crew leave this sector alive and unharmed. But if your ship is still in orbit of Husnock Prime when we arrive, or if we find any sign of your personnel on the planet’s surface, I guarantee none of you will receive any mercy from us. You have two minutes to decide, Tren. Choose wisely. Titan out.”
The channel closed, and Tren chuckled softly inside his helmet, tickled by the human female’s show of bravado. She must know her hobbled ship is no match for mine. Hers had been an impressive display, but not one that could make him abandon his agenda, especially not when he stood on the threshold of victory. There was only one path left to him and his crew: forward.
“Vang, proceed with my previous orders.”
“As you command, sir.” Vang moved about the bridge, snapping out orders like the cracking of a whip, marshaling the crew of the Kulak into action.
The image of Husnock Prime filled the viewscreen, and details
of the scarred orb’s surface resolved into ever finer levels of detail as the Breen ship accelerated toward it.
When Vang returned to Tren, it was to bring good news. “Chot Braz and the Spetzkar have deployed, and we’re moving into position to launch a first strike against the Titan.”
His report earned a nod of satisfaction from Tren. “Well done, Vang. Now steel your nerve and stir the fire in your belly—because it’s time to finish what we’ve started.”
There were good plans and there were bad plans, schemes that verged on reckless and others that crossed the line into suicidal madness. As Vale counted down the minutes and seconds until her ship would reach Husnock Prime and begin its next—and possibly its last—confrontation with the Breen dreadnought and its veteran commander, she realized the Titan’s current plan of action might be all of those at once.
The bridge resonated with the wail of the red alert siren. It repeated precisely three times, the call to battle stations, then went quiet. From her command chair Vale watched Husnock Prime swell larger by the moment on the main viewscreen. There was no sign of the Kulak, however. The Breen dreadnought had vanished from sensors and visual scanners minutes earlier. They must be back to hiding behind their cloaking device, Vale reasoned.
It would be a one-on-one battle, assuming Thot Tren chose to reveal his ship. Vale’s only consolation at the moment was knowing that the Kulak, like most other starships, was unable to discharge its weapons while cloaked. No matter what Tren’s reasons might be for postponing combat with the Titan, Vale was grateful for the reprieve. Every moment she could avoid joining that fight was another that Ra-Havreii and the engineering department had to fix just one more bit of damage on the battle-ravaged Luna-class starship.
Or maybe he knows as well as I do that the real battle here isn’t the one in orbit. She turned almost by reflex toward Sarai, only to find the first officer’s chair empty. No way I’m taking on a Breen dreadnought without a strong XO at my side. She swiveled her chair toward the auxiliary tactical console. “Mister Tuvok, as of now you’re the acting first officer.” She beckoned him with a tilt of her head toward the empty seat.
