An Opportunity - Part 1

Posted on 16 May 2011 @ 1:12am by Commodore Da`nal of the House of Varal & Captain Reva Madhava

1,060 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: M8: The Kzinti War!!!!
Location: SB 517

The USS Sahara had had the unfortunate task of finding what was left of the USS Archer. Their initial report had been gruesome in the extreme but what they had found was so important they had warped back the the starbase as fast as their engines could carry them. Their away team had been sequestered, the brig locked down to only the Captain and XO, and the isolation ward of sickbay could be accessed only by the Chief Medical Officer. On the Captain's order all intership communications had been restricted to the senior staff and all external communications required the Captain's personal approval.

The Saraha dropped from warp and instead of requesting dock clearance it took up a position between the starbase and two of her guardian platforms.

"All stop."

"Aye, sir. Captain we are being hailed. The station is requesting to know why we have taken a position within their defense perimeter."

"Tell them I will be beaming over to inform the Commodore personally. XO, have our 'guests' ready to move."

Rachel was aleady on her feet. "Yes sir."

[30 minutes later]

Commodore Soran still had difficulty accepting the reality of what he had heard, it was just too implausible. However after seeing things for himself the facts spoke for themselves. Looking to the Sahara's medical officer, "Is your patient ready for transport?"

"Yes, I was able to repair the damage easy enough and he has regained his composure with the help of his mentor. Though not after almost destroying my iso ward when he woke up and saw where he was."

Soran looked over to the towering form standing there with a prideful expression at the impression his pupil had made on their hosts. "Very well, prepare a full security detail and contact me when ready. Computer, transport me to Admiral L'Berr's office."

* * *Admiral's Office* * *

It wasn't long after Captain Da`nal and the two Marines had left then Marks jumped up as a small alarm chimed and the hum of a transporter started. The hum stopped as soon as Soran was completely materialized. "Commodore Soran, what has happened that you're using the transporter to get here?"

He ignored the inquiry. "I need to see the Admiral Immediately."

"Go on in, Sir," Marks nodded and pressed a button that alerted L'Berr that she had a visitor. He tapped it twice more - that was their prearranged signal, letting her know who was coming.

It worked; L'Berr looked up before Soran entered and asked, "What brings you by, Commodore?"

"Computer seal this section and prepare for site to site transport."

"What are you doing---," the Admiral started then stopped and glared at the Commodore.

The Commodore's badge chirped and he raised a a hand to cut off the Admiral's rant. "Captain is everything ready?"

=^= As ordered =^=

"Energize."

Commodore Soran had moved to the side of the Admiral's desk and the rest of the room filled with armed security surrounding two large forms being held in the transporter. As the effects cleared Soran introduced the two towering figures.

"Admiral, allow me to introduce Fleet Commander Hezrk-Jal and Eldest-heir-Ritt, heir to the Kzinti Patriachy."


---------------end part 1---------

L'Berr had a phaser out, in her hand, though it was, as yet, not aimed at anyone. Forcing herself to be calm, she took in the two prisoners and their shackles. She also looked over Soran and the armed security personnel. Surmising that this wasn't an attempted coup, Amber relaxed slightly and immediately saw the possibilities presented by the two Kzinti. "Take their restraints off. Let's not treat such dignitaries in an undignified manner."

The irons were removed promptly and the younger Kzinti rubbed his wrist. The elder, an experienced warrior and senior representative for his clan, stood his ground. In Kzinti society females weren't even sentient, yet the human in front of him was the senior officer. Hezrk-Jal turned to the Vulcan to speak but stopped and return his gaze to the woman.

"Thank you....Admiral. Do not take this as an insult, but we are not accustomed to dealing with females."

"That's okay; I'm not used to having my feline talk to me," L'Berr responded as a flashed message popped up on her console. Reading it quickly, she added, "Please have a seat." She didn't really like surprises and this was a big one. Would a reprimand or an award be in order for the commander of the Sahara? By protocol, she should have been notified of this development before the Sahara arrived at the starbase. "How did you come to be captured by the Sahara?"

Looking down at the chair before him and his ears turned slightly, the equivalent to a human raising their brow. It was obvious that their larger frames would not fit into what these humanoids used as furniture, but the gesture did not go un-noticed.

Having no choice but to remain standing he answered her question. "I command...commanded an fleet of ships that are spread across the border where your USS Archer crossed into our territory. The task force that destroyed that ship was under my direct command and on my orders our young warriors boarded the ship to earn their names.

"Following the operation I had been informed that Eldest-heir-Ritt had fallen in battle. As his mentor it was my responsibility to teach him, to protect the next ruler of our people. Believing that I had failed in that duty I ordered the Archer towed and allowed to drift towards Federation space I then boarded the ship to face my death and take out as may humans as I could."

Eldest-heir-Ritt was growing more and more uneasy as his mentor spoke. There was an anger building in him and his ears told the story as they turned back and lowered.

"Just before the Sahara's arrival I found my student's body and discovered the truth of his death."

Amber, having had cats as pets most of her life, was silently amused by how the Kzintis' ear movements could be read just like a feline's. She watched the younger male for a long moment, reading his vexation in his flattened ears and twitching tail, before speaking up again, "That he'd been killed by Starfleet personnel as a consequence of boarding the dying Archer?"

"That the attempt on his life was not from your people...but from ours."

TBC

 

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