Transmutare Fabrica Chapter 7
Sorry for the Two year gap between chapters. What can I say I'm a lazy ass writer. X3
Transmutare Fabrica Chapter 7
Captain Sorrat and Alkidan walked into the stations conference room.
"Captain, Doctor. Glad to see you're on time."
T'Lar faked a smile.
"Nechyeve, a pleasure."
T'Lar and Alkidan sat down at the conference table. Captain Sorrat glanced around the table and noticed several familiar faces. To his left, sat Captain Beckmann, who had changed into a fresh uniform since he last saw him; at the far end his sister, Admiral M'Rtess was seated, she seemed to be closely studying a padd. Sitting adjacent to her was Captain Jean Luc Picard, Captain of the Enterprise. On the other side of the table he saw several unfamiliar captains. Nechyeve was seated at the head of the table, reviewing a padd as well. After a few moments Admiral M'Rtess set down her padd.
"Now Captains, you've all probably been wondering why you were summoned here today..." M'Rtess began to say before Admiral Nechyeve abruptly cut her off.
"We don't have time for pleasantries Rear Admiral."
M'Rtess shot Nechyeve a nasty look. Nechyeve ignored it and continued on.
"Captains,Doctor, you are here today to discuss the newest threat to the Alpha quadrant."
A silence swept through the room like a cold wind. While the room was silent, Nechyeve walked over to the view screen and activated it.
An image of man appeared on the screen. The man's skin was grey, with a bluish/purple tint. He had boney ridges running down either side of his face that met at his chin. He also had two ridges down the sides of head and neck. His eyes were slit like a reptile, and they purple in color. He had long black hair tied back in a top knot.
T'lar's eyes widened as he saw man on the screen. "*The Vorhon*" he thought to himself.
"This species is called the Vorhon. They reside in the Delta Volanus Cluster, and as some of you are aware they have been launching raids on the Cardassian Union and Regulus system for decades. Our latest Intel on them shows an increased activity in their shipyards. Starfleet Intelligence reports that they have a minimum of 1,000 warships already built and another estimated 200 on the way. They have also increased their territory by 20% in the past three m months."
The view screen changed to a map of the Delta Volanis Cluster, with a yellow potion highlighted to show the territory of the Vorhon.
"As you know, much of the Volanis Cluster is unexplored. What we do know we have received from Captains Picard and Sorrat. The rest remains unexplored due the risk of upsetting the Vorhon. "
The image on the view screen changed again, this time it was a closer view of the border of the Volanis Cluster, with two white dots on it.
"We have two starbases on the planets near the Cluster; Starbase 7 and Science Base 12. Both bases have had no trouble with the Vorhon until last week."
Nechyeve pressed the padd on the side of the screen and an image of a smoking Crater filled with twisted metal, appeared.
"This is what's left of Starbase 7 on Nila Prime. All 2,000 officers were killed, and some Federation technology was stolen from the site. But that's not all; a Vorhon message beacon was found amidst the rubble."
Nechyeve pressed the padd again and the smoking crater was replaced with the face of a harsh looking Vorhon. The image began to speak:
"To all Tucort'Oush (Alien Scum), in the area, you have 40 days to evacuate this sector, or face destruction!"
After the aliens face disappeared from the screen the room fell into an eerie silence. One of the Captains on the other side of the table, a Trill, broke the silence.
"What are the defensive capabilities of the remaining base?"
Necheyeve narrowed her eyes slightly her question.
"It can hold out about two weeks in a fire fight, and it will take about three weeks for the Vorhon to reach the base, that's all I can say Captain Regnii."
T'lar raised an eyebrow and gave the Admiral a look of disbelief.
"Two weeks? What kind of science station is this?"
Necheyeve's muscles tensed and she clasped her hands behind her back.
"That's classified, Captain Sorrat. "
She quickly regained her composure and approached the conference table.
"Starfleet has ordered an armada of 300 ships to defend the Starbase, and they requested that you four Captains lead this mission. All other missions are on hold until this crisis is over."
Necheyeve sat back down in her seat and turned towards Alkidan.
"Doctor Ikados is the only expert in Vorhon technology; she'll be debriefing you on what you should expect. Doctor. "
The Admiral nodded her head in Alkidan's direction. Alk rose from her chair and sauntered over to the view screen with one of the padds T'Lar had seen earlier on the floor, in her paw. She ran her furry fingers across the padd, and a ship appeared on the screen. The ship was curved in design, looking like a crescent moon. It had talon like struts jutting from each tip which appeared to be weapons.
"This is a Lunata class destroyer, it's about a year ahead current Federation technology, but is still a formidable ship. As you can see here, each side has two trilithium based torpedo launchers and fore and aft polaron phasers. The standard shield type is a Mark 1 Covariant pulse. This effectively renders most photon torpedo yields useless against it. It will take maximum phaser power to make a dent, even then not enough to do significant damage. Modifications to all 304 ships must be made before we engage the Vorhon, or it will be like our ships were blowing bubbles at the enemy. "
Alk tapped her padd again and the small crescent ship was replaced by a larger fiercer looking vessel. Like the first ship, this one was curved in a semi-circle, but had what looked like spikes on the tips of the curves.
"This is the Falcate Striker Class. It has mark IV neutron phasers and about 400 tricobolt explosives. Its shields are a bit weaker than the Lunata class but still difficult to penetrate. "he screen.
"How many Vorhon ships do we expect to show up?" Picard asked as he studied the ship on the screen
Admiral M'Rtess quickly answered him not giving Necheyeve a chance to cut her off.
"Around 500 to 600 ships, but we won't just have our 300. The Klingon Empire has agreed to send a fleet of 48 warships to our aid. "
"We also have four of the strongest ships in the fleet on our side. " Alkidan chimed in.
Necheyeve stood up and pushed her chair in. "Quite right Doctor, now the fleet with rendezvous at Minos Korva in two weeks. Until then, you're dismissed".
As everyone started to leave the conference room, T'Lar approached Captain Picard.
"Captain Picard, it will be an honor to serve with you again." T'Lar extended his paw and Picard took grasped it and shook it firmly.
"Ah yes Captain T'Lar, you used to be a Lieutenant on the Enterprise did you not?"
T'Lar broke into a grin. "Yes I did sir; it was the best time of my life."
Picard returned the smile. "I look forward to working with you again Captain. " Picard headed out of the door as T'Lar hung back and waited for Alk.
"Are you coming Doctor?"
Alkidan picked up her padd and a data schematic from the table and started off in T'Lars direction.
"I'm coming, I'm coming."
As they both walked out of the conference room, a voice called out to them.
"Little brother!"
T'Lar turned around and saw his Sister M'Rtess hurrying after him.
"T'Lar, we need to talk, not here and not now." She looked over her shoulder before finishing. "Meet me on the Argo at 2000 hours for dinner, M'Raiel is invited too. "
T'Lar was a bit surprised and it took him a few seconds to respond.
"Uh,ok see you then sis...I mean Admiral."
M'Rtess headed for the space dock as T'Lar and Alkidan headed down the walkway in front of the giant space dock windows. T'Lar watched the Admiral walk down the walkway until she was out of site. He turned to Alkidan, a slightly confused look on his face.
"What do you suppose all that 'We need to talk' stuff was about. Its not like her to be so cryptic."
He asked Alk as they both began to walk towards the docking ring.
"I don't know. All higher ups are cryptic and mysterious. You'll find out later on tonight apparently. Oh that reminds me. I have to turn in some ship schematics to the Chief engineer before..."
Alkidain looked at her fancy holowatch.
"Shit, twenty minutes ago. I have to go. I'll see you when I see you!"
And with that she hurried off down the corridor in the opposite direction.
T'Lar surprised, said a quick "Goodbye" as Alkidan hurried away.