Star Trek: Forsaken: Prologue

“Captain, we’re begin hailed.”  The comms bleeped insistently, making it known to the entire bridge that there was business at hand. 

The captain, a short-haired and lanky fellow occupying the command chair, was quiet for a few tediously long moments, and then finally waved a hand in acquiescence.  “Open a channel.”  He ordered quietly, his voice betraying none of the high stress that was evident in his face.  “On screen.”

As the display was being keyed up from another station, the first officer-slash-tactical officer leaned towards the captain, whispering from the corner of his mouth so that if they came on-screen at an inopportune moment, it would cause no harm.  “Sir, we should ready the-” The captain, however, seemed already to know what his second in command was going to say, and shut down the idea before it could be completed.  He was accustomed to Commander Kenghim’s methods, and was well aware that were the Trill allowed his way, the ship would probably be under full red alert by now.  That wasn’t the kind of stress that anyone needed, and it wasn’t on the top of his priority list to anger whatever adversary was loading up on the communications link.  “Not now, Kenghim.”

A look of irritation and exasperation flickered across the commander’s face, but he withdrew to his seat, forming a steeple with his fingers and reserving himself to simple observation.  He knew that when the captain finally required his input, he would ask for it.  And failing that, it would become highly obvious when it would be a work of little genius to intervene.  For now, however, he would watch.

The view screen flickered to life, and the captain was met with a fairly clean-cut, if still slightly primitively dressed, young human.  At least, he appeared human from what could be seen of him at this particular perspective.  The captain observed in silence for a few moments, nodded slightly, and then rose from his chair in a single, commanding sweep that made his presence imposing but not threatening. He folded his arms as he spoke, one set of fingers idly drumming on his other forearm “I am Captain Devin Rodeck of the Federation starship Atlas.  What appears to be the problem?”

The other man’s face contorted into a self-absorbed sneer, and he drew himself up, managing to look fiercely dominant even on a view screen.  “You are invading Halcyon space, Captain Rodeck,” his voice carried a hint of mockery, as though he considered those he was speaking with infantile and stupid “And you are ordered to depart immediately.  Your presence is not wanted here.”  He paused, waiting for some sort of response, which in his mind would undoubtedly be quailing on the behalf of Rodeck.

Such was not to be had.  “Who are you to speak for Halcyon, mister...?”

“You don’t need to know my name, Captain.  You simply need to leave.”

“I don’t think so.  We are well aware of Halcyon’s state as a pre-warp civilization.”  Rodeck may not have been what many considered a fighting captain, worthy of standing at the head of a battle, but that in no way implied him as being weak.  “Given the tactical analysis we’ve already made of your ship, which is far to advanced for such a culture, you and your crew can’t possibly be representing the people there.”  He lifted his chin slightly, a slight sense of arrogance entering his demeanor.  “State your real purpose here.”

Serious agitation flashed on the man’s face, and he crossed his arms in a defensive matter.  “Halcyon officials have elected to make use of our ability to properly represent the people against those that they would otherwise feel intimidated by.”

“Neither I nor my crew have at any point made ourselves a threat to this system.  We are simply on an exploratory mission-”

“There are plenty of other places to explore, Captain, make use of them.”

“I really don’t think you have the authority-”

“No.”  Rodeck was cut off rather quickly.  “I have every authority.  Your presence is neither wanted nor needed in this area.  Leave now.”

Declining to reply, Rodeck folded his arms as well, assuming the same sort of defensive position as his current nemesis.  He quirked an eyebrow at the other man, prompting uneasy shifting on the view screen. Rodeck had this way of making people uncomfortable when he tried - it was something that he’d learned over the last several years, putting it to good use when it was necessary.  Right now, the technique was certainly doing the job it was intended for. 

“Now,” he began, slightly more harsh than before “I don’t know who you are, and quite frankly I don’t care.  I will be making contact with Halcyon officials in order to ascertain your status as planetary ambassador.  If that turns out to be the case, and we are truly imposing our presence, we will leave.  One way or the other, Captain,” the final word was loaded with scorn “I would suggest you work on your skills of negotiation, as I really do find them lacking.”

The look on the other man’s face was shocked and angry, the creases around his eyes sharp and hard with irritation.  But Rodeck had heard enough, and before the opposing captain could further the confrontation he cut the feed to the view screen, terminating the communication channel.  Wiping a hand across his brow, he turned around and dropped back into his chair with a thump. 

“That was absolutely ridiculous.”

The first officer came forward again at that point.  “We all know that Halcyon hasn’t appointed some sort of external planetary ambassador for themselves, this man is a fraud.”

“I suspect as much,” Rodeck replied with a sigh “Nonetheless, it does require investigation.  If, by any slim chance, this situation has become a truth, we don’t want this to turn into a war between the Federation and Halcyon.”

Kenghim snorted.  “Sir, with all due respect, that planet couldn’t hope to match the strength of the Federation; if they showed open hostility we could crush them like insects-”

“The problem, number one, is that they are not ‘insects’, they are people.”

“I’m well aware of that, Sir, I was merely stating-”

Kenghim was cut off by a shuddering boom that reverberated through the entire ship, followed by some sort of shock that sent personnel tumbling to the floor.  There was a mad scramble for several seconds as the bridge crew made to get to their stations, and Rodeck pushed himself straight in his chair.  “Tactical, what the hell is going on?!  Who’s firing on us?”

A quick sequential tapping of the controls revealed the information, and Kenghim activated the view screen in time to show the other vessel launching a second torpedo.  Fortunately, that one missed the Atlas, spiralling off into the metreon clouds and disappearing.  Apparently, the unnamed captain wasn’t planning on letting them leave the area alive.  Not now, at any rate.  The much smaller vessel had shown far more firepower than Rodeck had expected.  “Torpedoes?” He snapped.  “Where in the name of all that’s holy did they get photon torpedoes?!”

“That, Sir, is irrelevant.”  Kenghim replied, punching more information into his panel.  “What matters now is that we either destroy them before they destroy us-”

“No.  I will not allow this to turn into a full-scale war because some over-arrogant little pirate can’t keep his weapons to himself.”

“But Sir, if we don’t-”

BOOM.

Several more people were bodily thrown from their stations at the second impact, but this time the crew had braced themselves, hanging onto whatever was nearest.  Rodeck, however, was catapulted from his chair to the floor.  He pushed himself up with a curse, nursing a bloodied nose.

“God-damnit, Kenghim, put us on yellow alert, shields at maximum.”

“Sir-”

“Do it!  Helm, get us the hell out of here, warp three.  Pull us right out of the damn clouds if need be.  If pursued into Federation space, we will be forced to fire upon them.  Not before.  Is that clear, number one?”

“Yes, Sir.” It was rather noticeable that Kenghim wasn’t impressed with the situation, but as the other ship pulled about to begin pursuit, the mind of the captain was drawn to other things.  He was far more concerned with shielding than he was with returning fire.

BOOM.

Another impact as the third impact occurred.  The impact wasn’t as noticeable this time - it had struck the shields, creating only minimal turbulence.  No one lost their footing, though there was a good deal of swaying and rattling of the bridge.  Kenghim sighed in exasperation, shaking his head, and glaring at the young man at the helm controls.  From day one he’d been telling the captain that the young idiot couldn’t pilot, but did the captain even consider such a thing?  Of course not.  Though outside of duty the captain and he got along rather well, their personalities always had a tendency to clash when on the bridge. 

BOOM.

“God DAMN IT, Leavoy, do you even know what evasive maneuvers are?!”

“Sorry, Sir-”

“Don’t be sorry, just fly the damn ship!”

“Kenghim, shut up!  Leavoy...fly.”

Fuming, the first officer returned to his rather useless position at the tactical station.  He missed, desperately so, the position of helm.  With a man like Rodeck captaining the Atlas, there was never anything to do for tactical.  He suspected, and had for a long time, that this was the entire reason that Rodeck had given him his current position.  Inwardly, Kenghim held the opinion that someone like Rodeck, a pacifist and a hater of combat, should have been placed in the command of something like a science and exploratory vessel, or a galaxy class–not a Sovereign class battleship.  Despite the fact that their mission in this area of space was designated as exploratory, it didn’t mean that use of the firepower possessed by the Atlas was illegal.  Rodeck was just utterly unwilling to enter into a fight unless he was pushed into a corner.  And even then he’d try to paw his way out with sickly little negotiations that rarely got him anywhere.  This was ridiculous.

BOOM.

Kenghim gritted his teeth in an effort to keep his mouth shut.  If they made it through this stupid little chase, he was going to drag Leavoy aside himself and show the little mouse how to actually fly.   If they survived.  If.  And at the moment, that chance seemed to be falling lower and lower by the instant.  As much as he respected the captain, he did not approve of these methods.  Such things were going to get the entire crew killed.

“Sir, we’re nearing the edge of the metreon clouds!”

“On screen.  Is our unwanted tagalong showing any sign of turning about?”

“None Sir.  See–” the viewer was indicated “They’re still hot in pursuit.  In fact, they’re accelerating.  It’s probably an attempt to catch us before we make it out.”

“That’ll never happen.  They don’t have the speed capabilities of our ship.  Proceed.  And once out of the clouds slow to impulse, and bring the ship about face, dead stop.”

“Aye Sir.”

Kenghim turned an inquiring eye on the captain, who had in turn been keeping an inquiring and watchful pair of eyes on Kenghim.  Cocking his head to the side in a silent query, the first officer merely observed Rodeck for a moment, before turning back to his work station.  But he wasn’t to be left alone.

“You disapprove.”  The voice was nearly in his ear.  The captain had risen, making his way closer.

Kenghim kept silent, standing at ease with his hands resting comfortably behind himself.  “Permission to speak freely, Sir?”

“Granted.”

“This entire affair is ridiculous.”

“Ungranted.”

“It doesn’t work that way, unfortunately.  And as a matter of point, this entire little stunt is a complete farce.”  Kenghim folded his arms, clearly displeased.  “We’re in a sovereign class battleship and we’re running–running–from that little piece of nothing.”

“Watch what you say to me, number one.”

“You know damn well I’m right, captain.  And you did give me permission to speak freely.”

“That permission is revoked.  I don’t want to hear any more of this silliness.”

“This isn’t silliness.  That,” and Kenghim indicated the viewer, and the fast-approaching ship that they were fleeing from like a dog with its tail between its legs “That is silliness.”

“Silence.  Back to your station and do your job.”

“I might as well not have one!” He snapped, turning away, arms still crossed, to stand for the most part uselessly at tacitcal.  Rodeck simply shook his head and returned to his chair.  Long ago was when he’d accepted Kenghim’s reckless, aggressive attitude as a fact of life.  It was that attitude that had kept him at his current rank, whilst his best friend rose to command of a starship, leaving him behind.  The assignment for Kenghim aboard the Atlas had been a nightmare, both on behalf of Kenghim and on behalf of Rodeck.  Neither had wanted the situation to occur, and yet it had, through the insidious stupidity of the next greatest moron of the fleet - Perrin.  This entire rift between the two best friends was the fault of that doddering twit.

But that was no longer the issue.  Team cohesion in a time of crisis was the issue, and at the moment they had next to none.

“Sir, preparing to exit the metreon clouds to normal space.”

“Pray to whatever you like that there’s no ship in the way - we can’t see a damn thing.”

“On screen.”

The display flickered, changing to a forward view of the edge approaching, and of the particles and sheafs of gas peeled away from the ship.  It was colour itself washing away, leaving a sudden nothing but black, empty space and far away stars.  The moment of eruption from the clouds was elating, but another wracking explosion from behind threw everyone from their stations.  A part of the panels at the tactical station exploded, spraying Kenghim and Rodeck with shrapnel as they went down.  Kenghim managed to avoid most of it, taking only a few pieces to his side as he fell, but Rodeck caught a good portion of the blast, and blood sprayed as he skidded across the decking with a high scream.  Collision with the support for another station cut the sound off abruptly, but Kenghim was already up to hands and knees, scrambling to get to his friend’s side.

“Rodeck.  RODECK!”  He slapped him sharply, bringing the man around to his senses with a moan. “What’s hurt?”

“The question is wh-what’s n-not h-hurt...”  Came the ragged answer, accompanied by a cough, and another spray of blood. 

“Don’t say that you idiot, it’s not that bad...we’ll...we’ll get you to sickbay.”  Kenghim bent, rolling the captain to his knees, and forcing him up enough so that the first officer could pull Rodeck’s arm around his shoulders.  “Come on...come ON, damn you!  UP!”

Rodeck made it a few steps before dropping to his knees again with a groan.  Blood slicked the floor heavily, smeared vaguely into the shapes of shoe prints. “I’m already dead, number one.”

Kenghim dropped to his hands and knees in front of him, shoving his face right up in Rodeck’s.  “No you’re not, and stop calling me that you sunuva bitch, you’re my best friend!”

Rodeck flinched and grinned, and the two were thrown onto their sides as another shuddering explosion took the ship in hold.  “S-something’s wrong with the sh-shields...”  Rodeck gasped, trying to push up, but unable to.  “I...I h-have t-to-”

“Shut up, you don’t have to do anything.”  Kenghim snarled.  “Except live.  That might help.”

The captain shook his head with a pained half-smile, showing teeth stained red with cherry-coloured blood.  “N-not gonna happen, number o-”

“Stop CALLING me that!”

“It’s what y-you are.”

“No it isn’t. I’m your friend.”

“True...and actually, th-that first one’s true t-too...”

Kenghim froze.  “What’s that supposed to mean?  You’re not firing me, you pompous arse.  You can’t get rid of me that easy.”

Rodeck flinched with gurgling laughter as more blood poured out his lips.  Kenghim shook his head to clear it, and started to lift him again, but was halted.  “P-put me d-down you idiot...”  He panted raggedly, and shallowly.  “I’m d-dead.”

“Are not.  Dead men don’t talk.”

“Y-you have t-to be c-captain...”  He groaned, rolling to his back, and clenching up in pain.  Kenghim went white, with anger or dread, it was uncertain. 

“Don’t you dare foist this damn ship on me, you...you...”

“No choice, Z-zee...S-sorry...”  His eyes flickered, half closed, and his breath came in short, light gasps.

Kenghim scrambled, changing positions so that he was kneeling at the Captain’s side.  Another explosion, and more sparks flew from the damaged tactical station.  “God-fucking-damnit, Leavoy, if I don’t get evasive maneuvers, I’ll blow you out an airlock!”

“Yes, Sir!”

“Shut up and do it you little cretin!”

When his attention returned to Rodeck, his heart thudded horribly in his throat at the glaze over his eyes.  He leaned down, putting his cheek over the other man’s slightly opened mouth, feeling for breath.  He couldn’t tell with the movement of the ship and the screaming klaxons.  Catching up Rodeck’s shoulders, he gave the man a light shake.  “Rodeck.”  Another shake, and no movement.  “Rodeck.  Rodeck!”  He slapped him across the face several times, trying to wake him up.  “God damn it, Jack, if you think I’m gonna let you leave me here-”

There was another shudder of an explosion, but it felt wrong, as though the torpedo had skipped across the hull, bouncing away.  The evasion was working...sort of.  People were running in all directions, medical staff dragging officers from the bridge, and other forms of absolute chaos.  For some reason, there was a security detachment on the bridge.  Hell only knew why.

“RODECK!  I’m not going to captain this fucking scrap bucket!”  Kenghim screamed hoarsely, shaking his friend furiously.  “You wake the hell back up right now!”

A medical officer appeared at his side, wavering at another skipping explosion, the tricorder in her hands shaking.   It only took her a few seconds, and she stood back up.   Kenghim looked up at her, hope on his face, desperate, desperate hope.  She shook her head.  “He’s dead, commander.”  She paused.  “Captain, I guess, now.  He’s dead.”

“No.  He’s not dead, Cole, fix him.  Get him to sick bay, we have to-”

“Kenghim, he’s DEAD.  They’ve killed him-”

“No, damn them!  You have to do something.”

She grew impatient, yelling at him in frustration.  “There’s nothing I can do, Captain, I’m not God!  That man is dead, and you’re taking his place.  Now do something before I have to tell that fucking twit at the helm that he’s captain because it’s you lying dead on the deck!  Think of the Fed-”

“DAMN the federation as well!” Kenghim stood rooted to the spot for a moment, flabbergasted at being blown up at by a Lieutenant, and more so by what she’d said.  There was no way-

BOOM!

This time the mechanical voice of the computer kicked in, screeching above the chaos of the bridge.  “Hull breach on deck eight, ten minutes until structural collapse.  Hull breach on deck eight, ten minutes until structural collapse.”

That voice snapped Kenghim out of his stunned state, and he shook his head, eyes hardening in pain and anger.  “Leavoy, get the fuck out of that chair.”  He grabbed the medical officer who’d just yelled at him by the scruff, and pushed her in the direction of the helm controls.  “You.  Fly it.  Get us the hell away from that damned thing.”

“But-”

“That’s an order!” He bellowed at her, face red in fury.  She took one look at him and scuttled for the controls.  Leavoy was thrown from the chair by another explosion, and she slid into his place neatly.

Kenghim stalked back up to the tactical controls.  “All hands to battle stations, Atlas to status red alert!”  He punched in the command on what was left of his tactical board, and the sirens began to shriek.  Red lights flashed, illuminating the smoke that was beginning to flood the bridge as something caught fire.  The out of place security team rushed to contain it.

Fumbling with the damaged controls, he snarled for the view of the other ship to be brought on screen, and armed what torpedoes he could - at least half of the launchers were damaged. 

“Sir, they’re hailing!”

“On screen.  NOW!”

The sneering face of the skinny little man on the other end of the battle leered at them from the screen as a momentary cease-fire occurred in order for the exchange to take place.  Kenghim straightened from his station, stalking in front of the captain’s chair to face the enemy.  Said enemy seemed to be taking pleasure in what destruction he could see of the bridge of the Atlas.

“Where’s your captain?”

Kenghim made an effort to sneer back at him, but the action was not natural to him, and thus wasn’t overly intimidating.  “I am the captain of the starship Atlas.  What the hell do you want?”

“Tsk, tsk, temper, temper.”  Came the mocking retort.  “Now, to the terms of your surrender-”

Positioning himself in front of one of the arms of the command chair, Kenghim put his hands behind his back, mimicking the motion of standing at ease.  “There will be no surrender, captain nameless.”  The insult was direct, but that wasn’t Kenghim’s concern.  He was trying to draw the other’s temper up so that he wouldn’t notice the tiny motions of his hands behind his back on the controls of the chair.  He made some sort of hand sign to one of the security officers, and the man disappeared around the other side of the bridge.  The man on the view screen didn’t notice, he was too rivetted on the new irritating Federation representative before him.

“You’re best to watch your mouth, Captain...?” 

“You don’t need to know my name.  Now get the hell out of our territory.”

“Your territory?  This isn’t your territory-”

“You are currently hovering in Federation space, you little weasel.  Now piss off before we-”

“No empty threats, captain nobody.”  The insult was thrown back.  “We could blow you to non-existence in a matter of minutes now.”

“Come up with your own insults.”  Kenghim snarled.  “In your next life.”

The other’s expression darkened.  “What’s that supposed to mean, little worm?  You have no weapons, no shields, and no captain.”

Kenghim blatantly ignored him.  “Oh, how foolish of me.”  He gave a nod to the security officer who was now occupying the tactical station.  “I had no idea that photon torpedoes were no longer weapons.  My mistake.”
   
“What photon torpedoes, you arrogant-” There was an explosion of fire on the bridge of the other ship, visible through the viewer.  Kenghim smirked.

“Those ones.”  He turned to tactical again, this time openly.  “Fire full phaser spread, reload torpedoes, and fire.  Everything.”

Cole turned from her position at the helm.  “But Sir-”

Kenghim glared at her.  “Don’t lecture me on ethics.  How many of us are dead already?”

“We’ve suffered a 40% personnel loss...there were a lot of people on deck eight that couldn’t get out, and there are more casualties...”

“That’s far too many, Cole.  The captain was far too many.  Hold your position.  Tactical, fire.  Now.”

There was a shudder as the ship fired from damaged bays, but the opposing captain had just enough time to scream as the weapons arched across empty black.  Kenghim gave him a little waved.  “Those torpedoes, dead man.”  And the view screen fizzled and died as the opposite ship exploded in a great nova of fire and scrap.  The screen went to what was now a flaming debris field, the largest chunk spinning away back into the metreon clouds.  Reaching down to the arm of the chair, Kenghim deactivated the screen, and turned away without a word, stalking back to the side of the dead Rodeck.  He bent down, crouching, an unreadable expression scrawled on his face.

“I’m sorry...”

***

Thin, forlorn music echoed hollowly about the torpedo bay, bouncing harmlessly from the metal walls, and falling flat on deaf ears.  The remainder of the crew that remained fit easily into the bay - non-combative personnel weren’t authorized to be present at the event.  Those that were there were few, very precious few.  The battle had been an absolute disaster - though it had been one, the ship had suffered structural collapse of five more decks, killing most of those aboard.  There weren’t even enough people on board right now to be a fitting skeleton crew, and what few civilians remained were too traumatized to be of any use.

A sleek metal tube of a photon torpedo lay on the feed track to the launcher, different in appearance only in that a cursive inscription in the centre of the top half of the cover was visible.  It read only the simplest of things - “Capt. Jack Rodeck: A Friend Who Was.” - and that was all.  The two halves of the casing had been welded shut neatly.  The seal was almost indistinguishable. 

At the head of the small procession of officers in the bay stood Lieutenant Natalie Cole, a single card of notes in her hand.  She stared down at in silence for several very long minutes, unable to speak.  But, the silence was fitting.  There was little that could be said that would adequately justify the death of their Captain.  But finally, she straightened, shoulders back in the blue-topped tunic of her medical division uniform.  Her eyes were bright with unshed tears as she spoke, but her resolve hardened enough that she could manage what she needed to do.

“Captain Rodeck was a good man,” she began solidly, her voice wavering slightly, but steadying fast “Not only was he a good man, he was friend to many of us.  It takes a certain character to make a starship run, make it run well, and still be loved by your crew.  Captain Rodeck had that character.  We can only hope that his example and his character will pass on to us in some way, shape, or form.  But regardless of what happens, not one of us here will ever forget him.  May heaven rest his soul, if that’s what he wanted.”  She placed her hand atop the modified torpedo for a few seconds, and then stepped away in silence.  The card with her few words on it fluttered out of her hand, flickering to the floor as she stepped toward the controls for the launch.

There, she looked over her shoulder for affirmation, and after a moment gave a simple nod, and engaged the launcher.  Slowly, the feed began to rumble forward on such a low setting, and Cole stepped back to the head of the rank of officers, snapping to attention with a sharp tap of her heel on the deck.  A count of three seconds elapsed, and then as one, ever person in the bay threw his or her hands into a salute.  The music that had been playing rose in volume, timed right to the nanosecond as the torpedo finally loaded into the tube, disappearing from sight.  The little company turned as one to watch out the transparent panel as a rumble signified the launch. 

A tiny black speck hurtled towards the blue-white glow of the star they were facing, disappearing from sight in seconds.  After another moment of wait, Cole dropped her hand, and turned to face the ranks. 

“Funeral party, dismissed.”  She nearly whispered, her voice was so low, and choked.

All but one of the people in the bay turned to the right, and took the three march steps before breaking ranks and filing silently from the room.  Natalie remained, her hands clasped in silence, staring forlornly out at the star they’d hurtled Rodeck into.  Several moments passed, and then the other occupant of the room moved up beside her, admiring the same view.  She turned to look at him, her eyes catching the four points of gold at his throat.  It took her a moment to speak, as she wasn’t really sure what to think.

“He wanted you to be Captain.”

Kenghim sighed, looking at the floor for a moment, but regaining his stony composure within seconds.  “That’s what he said, at any rate.”

“I think he made a good choice, Sir.”

“In all honesty...”  His fingers floated to the pips at his collar, and his expression turned to saddened “I don’t want it.”

“You’re needed.”

“I know.”  He whispered.  “And that’s the only reason I’m here.”

Cole simply stood silent, nodded after a few seconds, and then turned and trailed after the dispersed throng that had left only moments before.  Her shoulders were straight, and her head held high - a strong front needed to be shown after such a disaster.  Morale needed to be kept high.

Kenghim remained, alone in the silence, long enough that his legs began to cramp with stiffness from immobility.  His face was hard, closed, and wounded, but it was also filled with anger, and a certain amount of vengeance.  Whether it was vengeance for what had been done to Rodeck, or something else, was impossible to tell. He closed his eyes, in mental pain, tipping his head back, the long black hair that he kept for no reason at all streaming down his back. 

“Why, Jack?”

His fists clenched.

“Why me?”