Runner Up 3 20209.14
Walking with the Shadow – Lt(JG) Havek
© 2002 by Federation Space and the author pen named Havek
Stardate 20208.12 - Starbase 99, in the proximities of the Cardassian space
A red nebula in the dark sky, full of stars, was a fantastic view outside, but although Commodore T’Rel was looking at the hatchway his mind was not focused in the view. He was thinking about the past.
Why? Why the past insists to return sometimes to our mind?
Even a Vulcan mind, trained for decades to have control over the emotions can’t escape the trickiness of the memory sometimes.
T’Rel had just received the news about the promotion of his son Havek, now a science officer serving at the Republic.
Now he is no more a boy. He is an adult and appears to be very successful in the initial steps of the Star Fleet career. Less than one month serving and now he is a Lieutenant Junior Grade! Very efficient! And very fast for a Vulcan… Maybe the Betazoid side can be helping him in some way…
The Mind of the veteran Science officer turned back to the past.
24 years, so much time! I know it is not logical but I miss her! Yes I miss Valisha… If I at least could tell Havek the truth…
Suddenly somebody chimed out the door
“Come in”
A male Haliian Lieutenant Commander, wearing the black uniform of the intelligence personnel, entered carefully the commodore’s office and calmly said:
“Sorry for the interruption sir, but the project team needs your advice about the shield configuration of the prototype. As the communications via combadge are prohibited, for obvious security reasons, I came here myself to call you.”
T’rel calmly heard the Haliian officer report with the typical Vulcan emotionless face
“Of course Lieutenant agatsh. I just need to finish some logs and I’ll be soon in the lab. Tell Captain Zarav that the new scanners just arrived and are being unloaded in the shuttlebay-3, he knows what to do about it”
“Yes Sir”
And the Haliian went back trough the doors heading for the lab.
T’Rel finished the logs and took the way for the secret subterranean lab facilities
I expect nothing serious had happened! The Shadow’s shields were working very well yesterday. Maybe the holographic projectors are interfering with the shields again. Prototypes are ever a very hard work, but this is our job.
The officer’s mind was again in the past, but now in another time. He remembered the time he worked in the Deep Space 7 station ship-developing laboratory with shuttlecraft projecting. Again the image of Valisha appeared in his mind.
She was beautiful and very efficient piloting the prototypes too… Focus T’Rel we have a job to finish here! I need to perform some meditation techniques later I need to regain focus in my mind!
The Commodore entered the turbolift and after the door closing he scanned the area with an advanced tricoder for ‘bugs’ and spying devices. As everything was clean he said:
“Computer Deck 1003 security code T’Rel, Zeta, theta, bravo, nine, one, zero, omicron, theta, four”
A Scanning light coming from a secret compartment in the turbolift roof passed trough the Vulcan’s body without any noise and a voice came from the computer
[Security code proceed, identification positive, authorization granted]
The turbolift quickly started going down running for the secret lab in the subterranean facility of the Starbase. Less than ten percent of the Starbase crew knows about this ultra-secret lab. Of course there were no deck 1003 it was the first access code for the lab. The security codes changed all day, and sometimes more than one time per day, good memory was essential to work in this facility. This Starbase was built in an asteroid what turn possible the construction of the secret lab.
The turbolift door opened and T’Rel could see a stonewall outside the door in front of him. He took the tricoder again and the holographic wall disappeared. T’Rel walked out through a long stone corridor filed with secret sensors. He knew nobody could enter this area without being noted and if necessary the security could take the precautions to detain and sometimes eliminate any intruder.
Finally he reached a round room with five Security officers wearing the black uniforms of the intelligence personnel inside. Everybody that worked there was relocated to the intelligence despite the rank or department they come from.
The commodore walked and stepped in front of the Terran security officer that was standing just in front of the door saying:
“How is your son Lieutenant Commander Pereira?”
Again a scanner from the roof passed through the Vulcan’s body
[Identification positive, welcome Commodore T’Rel]
The security officer stepped out the way without pronounce even a word and the door opened suddenly.
T’Rel entered the immense Lab where a great number of officers were working hardly and in the center of the Facility he could see something big, something like a shadow, such kind of big machine with graffiti color.
A Klingon female officer came in his direction saying
“Glad to see you Sir. We are having problems using the shields at the same time of the Holographic Camouflage System again, what do you suggest we to do now?”
T’Rel thought for some seconds and said
“Well Commander G’harisak as the pulsing acceleration did not work I think we could try to interchange the pulses between high and low frequency pulses. Maybe it can work better”
The Klingon Commander Smiled and said with enthusiasm
“Yes Sir it can work!”
This Vulcan Is a damn smart ‘pointing ears’ he deserves the position he has!
Quickly she went into the lab roaring and calling some officers to help her with the system changes
T’Rel Walked heading for a console were a Terran Captain was working
“How is going your job Captain Mombassi?“
The Captain looked at him saying with satisfaction:
“The weapon systems are working perfectly Sir. The secret tests in the asteroid field are a great success. The new High Potency Pulse Cannons are amazing! The time to disengage the hologram camouflage and fire is only 0.7 seconds; with this system we can surprise the Damn Romulans without time for reaction!”
With the same emotionless expression of all times T’Rel said:
“Good Job Captain. Now you should work in the torpedo launchers dampening system. It is compromising the disguise of the ship yet. No detection should be possible or our ship will be suspect for the Romulans Warbirds.”
“Of course Sir! This is our priority now!”
T’Rel walked away and started to supervise many stages of the project when finally he reached the big machine in the center of the hangar. Now its shape was clear:
It was a ship, a drop-shaped ship with a dark graffiti color and the dimension of an escort vessel. An oval dish section and three small warp nacelles were visible, but instead the normal configuration of side nacelles, these are set together in the ‘tail’ of the ship conferring it the drop shape. The ablative armor and a touch of Borg technology were clearly apparent too.
Another officer came in direction to T’Rel Saying:
“Commodore! Glad to see you again down in the lab! She is not quite beautiful? Oh sorry! I forgot that you are a Vulcan Sir… I know Vulcans don’t have this kind of link with material objects!
Well… We have luck! More than Thirty years after the Voyager went back from the Delta Quadrant and finally we could decipher some of these technologies and, the most important, make it compatible with our systems with acceptable costs! Without the Borg technology we couldn’t develop the new High Potency Pulse Cannons and make the ship practically undetectable for the sensors with the Nanoprobe Based Dampeners.
Now we are working hardly in the Shield Weakening Beam but it will be a harder job than the others! It is weakening our ship shields too, expending very much energy and it is very, very unstable. Even a ship like the Shadow with three Serial Warp Cores cannot support such expense of energy!”
T’Rel heard Calmly the talkative Bolian Commander and after some thinking said:
“ Well Commander Ukad I think maybe we could consider the hypothesis of standby the Shield Weakening Beam project for some time, I think we have worked so much in this system without results, I’ll discuss it with the Star Fleet Intelligence commanding officers. For now continue working on it. And the Semi-Regenerative Hull, is it working properly?”
A bit disappointed with the bad news gave by the Commodore Ukad said:
“It is working perfectly sir, although it regenerates in a very slower rate than the Borg ships it can accelerate the ship recover time in 27%. More than it is virtually impossible!”
“Excellent, continue with your good job”
The Vulcan officer walked away and asked a Lieutenant that was passing for the Lieutenant Commander Diaz, chief of the holographic systems team. The young officer pointed a beautiful brunet Terran officer in the corner
“Yes this is she, thank you Lieutenant.”
Approaching her he said:
“How are the Holographic Camouflage Systems working Lieutenant Commander Diaz?”
The young woman was very concentrated in the work and took some time to rearrange the thoughts and answer
“Well Sir… except for the interference with the shields the Holographic Camouflage System is working at satisfactory parameters. We can give the ship the appearance of any ship with its approximate dimensions in our databank or even an asteroid.
The Sensor Dampeners can give the ship numerous different signatures what turns our disguise more reliable. The Shadow will not only appear like other ships but will emit the signatures of these ships. Even the warp signatures are being well tampered by the Warp Signature Molecular Replicators in the ‘tail’ of the ship.
To put three warp Cores working serially in the ship, although very expensive, resolved the high-energy deficit problem caused by the Holographic Camouflage. To reduce the crew at minimal rates decreased the energy input for the Life-Support System and saved some energy too.
Now we are working in the Holographic Projecting System that will confuse the other ships sensors projecting images of the shadow or even another ships that will appear real in the enemy sensors for some time.”
T’Rel was surprised with the quick advance of the ship’s holographic systems
“Really good job Lieutenant Diaz, I will inform the Star Fleet Intelligence commanding officers about our advancements in the holographic system. Commander G’harisak is working in the new adjustments of the shields to avoid interference from the Holographic Projectors, please help her and maintain me informed about the progress of this work”
“Yes Sir! As you wish”
T’Rel was satisfied with the results of the project. Although very expensive the Shadow project probably would be success and this ship could be a key element in the war against the Romulans.
The Shadow was the perfect ship to be used in secret missions: a fast, extremely maneuverable, very advanced, and sneaky ship, with reduced crew (25 in total, all from intelligence, and some Marines if necessary) with power to infiltrate enemy territory and take information or to cause serious problems to the defensive system of the Romulans.
The T’Rel’s idea of putting three Warp cores to work serially (one for propulsion, one for weapons and the other for the holographic/sensor sneaking systems) made the ship efficient but increased even more the building and maintaining costs. The Shadow was certainly the most expensive ship built by the Federation in all the times. The idea of mass production of this type of ship was completely impossible in the moment.
The Commodore looked one more time around and could see all the personnel working, including many hologram workers, the ship in the center and the enormous door of the secret hangar, used by the ship to leave the complex and gain the space. Suddenly he turned back and left the lab heading for his quarters
I need some rest and meditation
In the calm environment of his quarters T’Rel could relax using some Vulcan meditation exercises and finally, after more than 36 hours without sleep, he went to bed.
Why I Cannot Sleep? Why even after meditation the Valisha’s image do not leave my mind?
The Commodore’s mind went back in time again. He remembered all the moments of the day when the shuttle that his team was testing needed to make an emergency landing, in an inhabited moon, killing two crewmembers including his wife Lieutenant Valisha. The image of Valisha dead in the ship’s floor persisted in his mind for a while. He remembered that the investigation demonstrated the shuttlecraft had been sabotaged. But the secret aspect of the mission obligates him to maintain sigil about the sabotage.
One day I will tell Havek the truth…
Even if I spend all my life I will find the criminal that took Valisha’s life…
And T’Rel felt sleeping the dreamless dream of the vulcans…
T’Rel was sleeping when suddenly a loud noise of explosion interrupt his sleep
What is happening?
Tapping the combadge he said:
"Security report”
[Lieutenant Capriati reporting Sir: we are being attacked Sir! Seven Romulan Warbirds decloaked and started to fire!]
“Send a distress call for the Star Fleet immediately Lieutenant ”
[We are trying Sir but the Com-system is not working]
Sabotage there are saboteurs in the base! I need to go down in the lab to check if is everything is all right whit the Shadow
"Maintain me informed of everything Lieutenant! Dispatch some security to seek possible saboteurs I think is an enormous coincidence the Com-system failing at the same time the Romulans are attacking”
[I’ve done it Sir! I agree with you it is an implausible coincidence. I’ll maintain you informed Commodore]
Running for the turbolift T’Rel could not avoid thinking about the possibility of a traitor infiltrated in the intelligence team
Somebody must have given information for the Romulans about the Shadow we cannot allow this prototype to fall in enemy hands
The Base was in Red alert and the sound of explosions was becoming louder. Security and repair personnel were running in the corridors and a thin smoke started to spread allover the deck.
It is serious I think we are in trouble, if they board the base we can loose the ship for them!
Entering the turbolift T’Rel headed for the secret lab after the habitual scan.
He left the turbolift running and almost forgot the security procedures down in the lab.
“Halt! Identify yourself!”
Shouted the security officer
“It’s me Officer! Commodore T’Rel. How is the situation in the laboratory?”
"Sorry Sir! The situation is tense Sir, the Romulan attack took us of surprise”
“I am going in”
After the security scanning T’Rel entered the lab and could see the personnel collecting the equipments and destroying documents about the ship, as is required in this kind of situation.
Commander G’harisak went in his direction visibly worried
“What’s happening here Sir? How the damn Romulans could attack us without warning? There are traitor among us I’m certain!!!”
“I Agree Commander how is the situation?”
“We are prepared to destroy everything if necessary Sir even the ship! She will not be on Romulan hands in any hypothesis!”
A communication went from the combadge for the Commodore:
[Commodore the situation is critical our shields are down! The Romulans are boarding the base. We took severe causalities … the weapons are failing… we are hopeless here! No Star Fleet ships remaining to defend us! We need to evacuate Sir!]
I cannot believe that! There is no choice we need to evacuate!
Touching the combadge he said
“This is Commodore T’Rel for all remaining personnel! All hands initiate immediate emergency evacuation procedures. Repeating all hands initiate immediate emergency evacuation procedures”
I cannot allow all this work to fall in enemy hands or be destroyed! This ship is very important for the federation if we lost it we can be severely in disadvantage!
“Commander put all personnel of the lab inside the shadow and prepare for departure we are going to escape with this ship or die inside it! We will destroy everything here before escape, only a copy of the prototype plans should be keep. I will carry it personally understood?”
The Klingon officer roared affirmatively and started to organize the personnel to board the ship and instructing others to destroy the equipment and data registry
Quickly all the data were deleted except for a copy keep personally by the Commodore
“All officers attention now! I will set the auto destruction sequence in the laboratory systems we will have less than 30 seconds after I set it to leave the hangar. Understood?”
All the last ten officers remaining in the lab responded affirmatively.
The sound of phasers trying to open the door made everybody even tenser in the group.
The Romulans reached the lab doors! They really had help from inside! We have little time until the door’s force fields start to fail
Lets go inside everybody! I and Captain Mombassi will activate the auto destruction sequence now!
“Computer start auto destruction sequence authorization code T’Rel alpha, delta, three, nine, omicron, bravo”
[Authorization code confirmed. Please input another authorized officer code]
Without hesitation Mombassi said
“Computer input auto destruction authorization code Mombassi, gamma, seven, epsilon, eight, theta, five”
[Authorization code proceed. Initiating auto destruction procedure]
“Lets go inside the ship Commodore!”
The two officers started running in the ship’s direction when a loud sound of explosion coming from the door alerted them that the Romulans had gained access to the lab. Quickly a transporter bean took the two inside the shadow and the prototype started moving in the direction of the hangar exit.
“We’ve done it Commodore!”
“Yes Captain Mombassi but we need to escape the Romulan Warbirds yet. Do not anticipate the commemoration. Good work Lieutenant Zimmerman if you had not transported us in time I think we would perish in the Romulan’s hands”
The Romulan assault team went inside the lab firing on the ship but the shields were already up and hand phasers could not penetrate it. They were so focused on the ship that had not observed the console where the computer were proceeding with the regressive counting
[12… 11… 10…]
The ship quickly left the hangar just before the explosion reduced everything in the hangar to dust, including the Romulam team. At the same time the holographic camouflage system was activated and the ship took the appearance of a Romulan scout ship.
The Commodore was already in the bridge but he left the commanding of the ship in the hands of Captain Mombassi that was much more experienced in commanding ships than him. T’Rel is just a ship developer and never had the opportunity to take a commanding post in a starship.
Mombassi ordered the tactical officer in the helm to head out the reach of the Romulan ships.
“Sir I’m detecting four Romulan Warbirds left, they are firing on the base, one of them is hailing us sir”
Mombassi was extremely upset
“Damn Romulans they will pay for that I assure you! They will pay! Take us out of here Foster! Ignore the hailing! Set a course for the nearest Federation Starbase maximum warp!”
“Course set sir!”
And the Shadow left the war scenario escaping from the ruined base. One Romulan ship tried to track them but the Warp Signature Masking System were working perfectly and they had no sufficient signal to track the Shadow route.
“They will pay for that Commodore … I assure you”
The Captain was repeating it all the time with angry in his voice.
