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"Blue Tears" by Lady Rainbow
Rating: PG-13 Another mention of Hoshi and the escalating troubles on Vulcan (which will be explained in the next story), as well as Terra Prime’s influence on Earth. Please leave a review! Thanks! Five Captain J. Matthew Hayes’s Personal Log: We have rendezvoused with Shran’s Hanrii and his First Squadron as well as Talas and her Second Squadron, sixteen ships in all, not counting Columbia and the other Starfleet ships on their way. Shran’s Weapons Officer came prepared with all the schematics of every inch of the automated Weytahn/Paan Mokar listening station. J.T. Daniels still doubts that even our combined efforts will be able to overtake the Vulcans’ defenses, but try telling Shran that. Hoshi warned me that Vulcan’s government is sending a fully armed battle fleet to Paan Mokar. She pointed out that the High Command is now in charge and they see Shran’s actions as an act of war. Of course, the same HC claims they have no proof that they are behind Jhamel’s and Talla’s kidnapping. Mark’s information has dire implications...Terra Prime has seized upon this “incident” as proof that we need “to protect ourselves, because we’re probably next.” “Man, they weren’t kidding when they built this place,” Major Nate Kemper groaned. “The Vulcans didn’t destroy the Andorians’ defenses; they made ‘em better. Whatever they’ve got down there, they don’t want anyone to see, much less get to.” “But you think you’ve got a way in?” Hayes asked Captain Shran, who stood around the situation table with the rest of them. The cramped space was even more uncomfortable with the members of the joint Terran/Andorian strike team. Shran, Talas, and a hand-picked squad from both Andorian Squadrons, as well as Hayes, Kemper, Lieutenant Fitzgerald Hawkins, Doctor Rosie Arroyo, Lieutenant Jane Taylor, and a mix of Security and MACOS. “Yes, but it will not be easy. The main tower’s here—“ Shran indicated a tall, slim, cylindrical building, “but if they have Jhamel and Talla, they’d be in the bunker that’s underneath this thing, about 150 meters down. According to Lieutenant Silias’s father, it’s stocked with all sorts of supplies good for about six or seven years or so.” “High-security hidey-hole,” Lieutenant Jane Taylor said with a sour expression. “Part of their defenses are tied to a certain set of wave frequencies that can kill, if necessary. Lieutenant Shovas—“ she nodded at her counterpart, who nodded back, “--and I are designing a countermeasure to it that’ll give us some protection, but it won’t last very long.” “Quick in, quick out,” Hayes murmured. “Talas?” Shran’s sister touched the schematic on the table and the view changed slightly. “The orbital defense grid is pretty solid, but only if these relays and their back-ups are functional. If a relay and its backup is destroyed, then a hole is formed, one large enough to slip a strike team through.” She tapped a certain area in the grid. “We’ve determined that Relay ADT-1321 and its 1321-C backup is the most convenient place to start.” Nate Kemper nodded. “It’s one of the most centralized nodes in the grid. The problem is that we’d have to keep it from reforming, and to do that will require a LOT of firepower.” Hayes nodded. “How long can you keep it open?” Talas shrugged and said, “Best case scenario, two hours. Worst case, fifteen minutes.” Daniels winced at the prospect. “Ouch. Doesn’t give the team a lot of time to locate Jhamel and Talla.” Shran tapped the relays around ADT-1321. “If we constantly shift our weaponry frequencies, we can keep the gap open for a longer period of time. Of course, it will depend on how quickly the Vulcan’s systems can adjust...Trinmel—“ The Hanrii’s main Weaponry Officer smiled, but it only made her seem more ferocious. “We will keep them guessing, Captain, do not worry.” “And once the team reaches the surface, we must disable the defense emplacements here, here, here and here, then—“ Hayes narrowed his eyes at the formidable surface defenses of Weytahn. Two hours. All they had were two hours. This was going to be a challenge; although he’d been on similar retrieval missions when he’d been with Section 31, none had been quite this complicated. Shran, Talas, Kemper, and he had formulated a battle plan that involved every ship in both Andorian Squadrons, Columbia and the other Starfleet ships, all taking turns attacking in waves to keep the automated defenses busy while the incursion team rescued Jhamel and Talla. Daniels (and others) had stated their concerns about the joint operation, but Hayes knew Shran’s and Talas’s people would come through in a pinch. For one, they’ve got honor. For another, they cherish family almost to a fanatical level. Even if it hadn’t been Jhamel and Talla and another member of their clan was gone, Shran and Talas would’ve been obligated to do this anyway. Hayes knew that Hoshi, with her intricate and convoluted family relationships, would sympathize and understand. It was another reason why he loved her. Just as the tactical meeting came to a close, the commlink chimed. “Captain Hayes, we’re approaching Weytahn Point Alpha.” “Go to red alert. Have Team One assemble in the Shuttle Bay immediately and implement Formation Five-One Alpha-J.” “Five-One-Alpha-J, aye, sir.” A moment later, the red alert sirens whooped as the lights went from blue to scarlet and Columbia’s crew smoothly went into battle mode. Shran looked up at the ceiling and nodded in approval; even Talas seemed impressed. “We will launch in thirty minutes as planned,” Shran said. “May the Fates be with you.” “And with all of us,” Hayes echoed with a grim smile. Engineering was in controlled chaos. Ensign Mori Klees ran into the room, one hand still affixing the single pip to her collar and her hair still damp from the shower. She spared Chief Engineer Opur a cordial nod, then approached Crewman Ray Fienes. “C’mon, Ray, talk to me.” “We’re about to come out of warp around Weytahn,” Fienes replied, “and then we’re gonna be at full impulse—“ Klees nodded as he made his full report, double-checking the readings on her board. She opened her mouth to say something, but then a flash on her screen grabbed her attention. “What’s that blip on Junction Fifty-Five A-Three, Ray?” Her fingers danced on the controls. “I don’t think I imagined it—“ “I don’t see anything now, Mori,” Fienes said, confused. “Are you sure you saw something?” She shook her head. “Nah, but I’m gonna run a diagnostic on it anyway, just to be sure. We really don’t want something to go really bad when we get out of warp.” “Yeah, good idea.” Both he and Klees waited for the diagnostic to cycle through, then they sighed in relief as it was clean. “At least we had the time to check it.” She nodded again, but a tendril of fear uncoiled in her stomach. A set of automatic patches had kicked in with the switch to red alert, so the computer would have no hesitation or difficulties following the Bridge’s commands. Klees didn’t like Outworlders, or their hypnotic siren call over Humans, but damned if she was going to let her own kind get killed for their sake. It held together without any problems before, so it should do it now. To be sure, she entered a few lines of code, then took a deep breath. There was no reason why the safety features would fail her now. No reason at all. Hanrii and its squadron came out of warp around Weytahn. The planetoid’s sensors picked up their signatures and their targeting computers began calculating firing sequences and solutions. The eight ships fired as one, their powerful lasers obliterating target platforms and orbiting defense drones. Then Talas’s Asahari appeared in another area of space and pummeled the defense drones in another part of the grid. Its torpedo barrage slammed into more defense platforms and their backups. Now Weytahn had to deal with a two-pronged assault, its power grid fluctuating under the onslaught. Finally, Columbia appeared like an avenging angel. “Targeting ADT-1321 and 1321-C,” reported Lieutenant Hawkins. Commander Daniels nodded. “Fire,” he ordered in a flat tone. “Full spread.” Hawkins nodded and mashed the button with his fingers. A stream of Mark I torpedoes shot out of both of Columbia’s torpedo bays, all angled at the target on assorted vectors. There was a bright flash on the viewscreen as they detonated into a cloud of shattered debris. Daniels ignored the sudden clench of fear in his gut as he touched the intercom button on the captain’s chair. “Team One, clear to go. Repeat, clear to go.” “Hang on,” warned Ensign Katakanian. “This is gonna be rough.” The helmsman slammed his hands on the controls and Shuttlepod Seven shot out of the bay as if it had been fired from a circus cannon. Matt Hayes gritted his teeth as the G-forces slammed him backward into his seat; it was as if he was in the cockpit of a WWIII fighter jet. “Damn air jockey,” muttered Rosie Arroyo. The doctor’s face was pale, but Hayes choked down a laugh at her expense. “Lokari’s coming up on our port side,” reported Nate Kemper. “Formation Three-Beta, sir?” Hayes nodded. “Do it. Eleftarios?” “With pleasure, sir.” Katakanian replied with relish. He threw Shuttlepod Seven into a complicated spin that only a fellow pilot could appreciate. Lokari, on his left, copied the maneuver. Hayes knew that it was Talas at the stick and she kept up with Katakanian’s crazy juking and side-swiping with ease. “Enemy fire at ten o’clock—“ Kemper began. Then, another missile platform went up in spectacular flames under Columbia’s laser fire. The Armory Officer shook his head. “Never mind.” “Approaching the gap in the grid,” reported Lieutenant Jane Taylor. “I’m reading heavy jamming...electronic countermeasures coming on in five...four...three...two...NOW!” She brought her hands down on the comm board as if she was a concert pianist banging a last chord. There was an ear-piercing screech as Shuttlepod Seven and Lokari dove into the gap made by the destroyed platform and back-up relay. Hayes took a deep breath as his stomach flipped over. It felt as if he was on the Romulan ship again, under their cloak...wait a moment. He opened his eyes and grated out hoarsely, “Nate?” “Checking, sir.” Kemper’s board lit up with his scans, and the Armory Officer’s eyes widened in surprise. “The orbital defense grid’s automated...but it looks like the planetary defenses aren’t. I’m reading several people down there...all resembling Vulcans.” “Resembling?” “The sensor readings are scrambled, but that’s what’s getting through—“ Kemper broke off a curse as Katanakan veered hard right. “I’m also picking up two distinct Andorian life-forms in the vicinity of the main tower...they’re getting fuzzy...damn, lost ‘em.” “Probably taking them to that bunker,” Hayes mused. He nodded at Taylor. “Signal Lokari...we’re going in. The clock’s ticking...we’ve got to get Jhamel and Talla before we either get trapped or reinforcements get here.” “We’re with you, sir.” Kemper nodded to the rest of the strike force, who proceeded to get their gear and armaments ready. Hayes allowed himself a thrill of pride in his crew before he set the emotion aside to concentrate on their mission. |
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