First Contact in the Gamma Quadrant – Star Trek Fanfiction (Red Directive #07)
Even though tensions were high, it was almost calming.
Too calm…
Like the calm before a storm.
The thought had barely formed in my mind when I heard the soft hiss of the turbolift doors opening. I turned in the captain’s chair, hoping it was exactly who I expected.
Keeping a ship on yellow alert for extended periods was not good for morale.
The young Andorian stepped onto the bridge wearing a new yellow Starfleet uniform. His antennae were no longer drooping and he had clearly cleaned up from his shuttle fiasco. If I didn’t know any better, it was almost as if he already belonged on this ship. Somehow, I felt like I already knew him.
I stood from the captain’s chair before he got too close.
“Come, Sub-Commander. Let’s have this discussion in my ready room.”
I gestured toward the bridge doors leading into the antechamber.
“Commander T’Varen, you have the comms.”
She nodded and continued whatever Vulcan calculations she was working through on her PADD.
I tapped the panel beside the door and we stepped through the aft hatch into the antechamber, crossing the short corridor into my ready room.
The Cairo’s ready room was compact compared to my ready room aboard the USS Rutledge. A single desk dominated the small space, backed by a wall display showing the ship’s tactical status. A narrow viewport looked out into the streaking stars of warp.
The Andorian waited for me to take my seat before moving toward the chair across from my desk. He walked slowly, fascinated by the modern LCARS displays and upgraded tactical monitoring panels along the walls.
The USS Cairo may be old, but the refit made it feel like a completely new ship.
“Captain,” he said, “I am quite familiar with Federation Excelsior-class vessels, but so far the USS Cairo’s design has surprised me.”
“It was refitted right before our departure from Deep Space Nine.”
The Andorian glanced up toward one of my personal shelves. His eyes stopped on a small vintage polymer model of the USS Enterprise NX-01.
“Captain, I see you are also knowledgeable about legends of the early Federation.”
He pointed toward the model, though I already knew what he meant.
“That was the ship where Thy’lek Shran met Captain Archer and declared a similar oath to him like I made earlier to you. I believe our friendship will become as valuable as theirs did when it helped form the United Federation of Planets.”
“Sub-Commander Zh’Lek Ren, it’s nice to hear someone else appreciates the USS Enterprise NX-01. There aren’t too many.”
“Captain, please… you can call me Ren. In fact, now that I’m Transporter Chief, if it’s alright with you, Chief Ren works for me.”
“Affirmative, Chief Ren.”
I smiled hearing his suggestion. It was a million times easier to say. As a captain I would never disrespect another species, so it was always a relief when they didn’t mind simplifying things.
He smiled back at me for a moment, almost forgetting why I had called him in.
Then he sat up straighter and cleared his throat.
“As I was saying earlier, Captain… we were attacked by a species we had never encountered before and narrowly escaped.”
“Yes. Now tell me more about this species and the attack that destroyed your ship.”
“I was not fortunate enough to get a good look at them before our ship was destroyed. The captain contacted me immediately after their initial interaction and ordered me to the bridge. Luckily, I was only one deck away in my quarters reviewing reports when it happened.”
“I barely made it to the bridge in time to grab the captain and get him to a shuttle as we were being shot down.”
“Were you able to speak to your captain about that contact?”
“Yes, sir. When he regained consciousness he told me the attackers said we were not authorized to explore their territory.”
I raised an eyebrow.
Ren continued.
“They warned us to leave and claimed control of a large region of space. I caught only a small glimpse of their ships as we escaped.”
“Continue.”
“They used extremely advanced technology. Their ships were very large — roughly six hundred meters in length. Multiple polaron batteries, heavy shields, and some carried fighter craft. They destroyed our ship in minutes.”
“It sounds like you are a very lucky Andorian, Chief Ren.”
He chuckled slightly.
It was amusing, but the thought of what he had just said left a knot in my stomach.
We believed we were explorers.
But someone out there clearly believed the Gamma Quadrant already belonged to them.
Lost in thought, my communicator badge chirped.
“Bridge to Captain.”
T’Varen’s voice came through the Starfleet insignia on my chest.
Ren looked at me with questioning eyes. I wondered if we were thinking the same thing.
I tapped the badge.
“Go ahead, Commander.”
“We are in need of your assistance on the bridge, Captain.”
I stood immediately. Ren did the same.
“Be right there.”
We moved quickly through the antechamber and back onto the bridge.
“Captain on the bridge.”
I didn’t know who said it, but I appreciated that someone had.
Commander T’Varen looked up from the science console.
“Captain, Lieutenant Darak has detected a warp signature on long-range scanners. It is on an intercept course with the Cairo. Sixty seconds.”
Lieutenant Darak displayed the warp signature.
I glanced at the console, then moved toward the command chair.
“Ensign Jaxa, take us out of warp.”
“Drim, take communications. Chief Ren, take Ops.”
Drim gave a mild grunt and shifted to the communications station.
Everyone knew Ferengi had the best hearing in the galaxy.
I sat in the captain’s chair.
“On screen.”
The ship shuddered slightly as it dropped from warp. The soothing hum of the warp engines faded away.
Only the cold void of space filled the viewscreen.
Maybe this wasn’t the interception point.
Or maybe we were early.
Then Darak’s voice cut through the silence.
“Captain, warp signature closing rapidly!”
There it was.
Two seconds later.
“Contact! Vessel dropping out of warp!”
An insect-like vessel appeared on the viewscreen.
Roughly ninety meters long, its dark bronze curved wings wrapped around a central spine. There were no visible windows. Green polaron emitters glowed along its hull.
Organic curves in the armor made it look less like a machine and more like some kind of armored insect.
I looked toward Ren.
His expression told me everything.
“Captain… they don’t hide. They simply arrive.”
“Kurn, raise shields.”
“Computer, red alert.”
The klaxon erupted across the bridge as crimson lighting flooded the command pit.
“Red alert. All hands to battle stations.”
“Kurn, weapons status.”
“Armed and ready, Captain.”
“Captain,” Darak reported, “we are being scanned.”
“Ren, anything else we should know?”
Ren’s hands moved quickly across the Ops console.
“This ship is smaller than the one that destroyed the Tal’Kir, but the technology appears identical. Polaron beam weapons. They can bypass Federation shields. Their vessels also emit a polaron interference field that disrupts transporter locks.”
“Drim, open hailing frequencies.”
The viewscreen flickered.
Two tall humanoids appeared.
They were unsettling.
Their skin was mottled gray and reptilian. A thick ridge ran down the center of each skull, branching across the forehead and nose. Their eyes were yellow and predatory.
Two white breathing tubes protruded from either side of their necks.
Living weapons.
One of them spoke.
“Your presence here is not permitted. Alter course and depart this region immediately.”
“This is Captain A. Kelly of the Federation starship USS Cairo. Why is our presence not permitted? We are—”
“You will leave this region immediately,” the other one interrupted, “or we will remove you.”
“We are not—”
“Scans show weapons armed. Prepare for battle.”
The transmission cut off.
Weapons fire erupted.
The Cairo shuddered as the first hits landed.
Sparks burst from consoles across the bridge.
“Ren, status!”
“Their ships are extremely fast and maneuverable.”
“Kurn, options?”
“Shields down to seventy percent,” Darak warned.
“Target their aft plasma vents,” Kurn growled.
“Death to the opposition.”
“Engage.”
Photon torpedoes streaked from the Cairo.
They struck the attacker’s aft plasma vents.
The explosion tore through the vessel before it could maneuver away.
Flames burst outward before collapsing into the vacuum of space.
Debris drifted where the ship had been.
Not the kind of first contact Starfleet preferred.
But I don’t believe we had a choice.
The final echoes of the red alert klaxon faded.
“Computer, stand down from red alert. Maintain yellow alert.”
“Red alert cancelled.”
“Commander T’Varen, damage report.”
“Minor damage to decks ten through twelve.”
“Bridge to Sickbay.”
“Captain,” the doctor replied, “my hands are full at the moment.”
“Doctor, any casualties?”
“None reported so far.”
Good.
“Bridge to Engineering.”
Commander Pelia appeared on the viewscreen. Her silver curls were scattered wildly as sparks flew behind her and engineers worked frantically.
“Captain, what the hell is going on up there?”
“Status.”
“We took a hit through the starboard EPS grid. One conduit overloaded. Minor power fluctuations and temporary system losses, but the warp core is stable.”
“These old EPS regulators don’t like polaron weapons.”
Pelia laughed sarcastically.
“Who’s shooting polaron weapons at us?”
“As soon as we know, Commander, you’ll know.”
“How long until repairs are complete?”
“Oh Captain… it’s day one and we’re already making enemies.”
She glanced behind her.
“Engineering is isolating the overload now. Give me twenty minutes.”
“Engineering out.”
I looked back toward the helm.
“Commander T’Varen, is our course still plotted for EOS Prospera?”
“Yes, Captain.”
“Ensign Jaxa. Once engineering finishes repairs, take us to warp seven. We’ve lost enough time already. I would prefer we reach EOS Prospera before running into whoever that was again.”
“Aye, sir.”
Jaxa’s hands moved across the helm console.
What exactly did we just get ourselves into?
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