That's right, space Nazis, and our heroes have to work with them... for
now, anyway.
Also, more importantly, the introduction of Hargert, the best cook in the Multiverse.
Also, this is the shortest nUF episode at just 15k, so I'm getting it wrapped up in two posts.
Years of service made it impossible for Scotty to sleep past 0600, and as a result he was in Engineering at 0620 sharp to get a report from the Gamma Shift engineers. Sensor modifications had been finished, warp field harmonics streamlined, and the ship's armor-repair systems quadruple-checked.
From there it was on to breakfast in the crew lounge (Scotty not particularly caring for the nickname of "Lookout"). Hargert was quick to attend to him while preparing for Gamma Shift's post-watch dinner meal. After a proper breakfast was laid out it was time to enjoy it while reading the morning reports on his data tablet. Occasionally Scotty peaked out to see the gasses of the Krellan Nebula swirling and shifting through the window, blue highlights to a red sky creating a vista that reminded him too much of Mutara Nebula.
"Good morning, Scotty." Jarod slipped into the chair beside him, his breakfast of eggs and replicated sausage links with a bowl of wheat cereal and blueberries in milk on his tray. He set down a cup of coffee and picked up his own tablet. "I see Lieutenant Nesay got those sensor modifications done."
"Aye." Scotty put the tablet down and took a drink of coffee. "So, when dae we play hosts tae those...
gentlemen again?"
Jarod sighed. "Staff meeting is set for eleven hundred. Julia... Commander Andreys has already put in the order for a lunch meal to be delivered to the conference room."
"Captain Lamper seemed like a decent sort, but that man Fassbinder..." Scotty shook his head. "Cannae trust 'em."
"You'll get no argument from me." Jarod took a bite and looked out at the nebula. "Do you ever think of retiring?"
"Aye," Scotty answered. "When my bones creak an' I'm slow risin' from bed. It's nae easy bein' an old man tryin' tae run with ye young people."
Jarod chuckled at that. "But then you decide against it."
"Of course." Scotty allowed himself a small smile. "Especially for a chance like this. I'll always miss th'
Enterprise, but th'
Aurora... the lass is a work of art. Retirement can wait. Besides, someone has tae teach these lads and lasses what it means tae run a starship."
"I don't know where we'd be without you, Scotty." Jarod's answer came with a wide smile and a nod. "Experience wins in the end, after all."
"Nae all th' time, Mister Jarod," Scotty answered. But he was smiling. "But often enough."
Julia signed in on the bridge and sighed as she settled into her chair beside Robert. "Sleep well?"
"No. Dreamed of that time my grandfather took a belt to my rear for putting silly putty in the family combine," Robert said.
Julia smirked. "Oooh, I remember that. You couldn't sit for a week. And I hit you too, because it was
my can of silly putty you ruined."
Robert blanched from memory.
"I've got something on short range sensors," Jarod stated, drawing everyone's attention.
"Go to Code Yellow," Julia ordered. "Standby for battle stations."
"Fat lot of good that's gonna do when we can't raise shields," Barnes muttered.
"Any luck on that, Tom?", Robert asked.
"Nope. The nebula's too dense."
"On screen, Jarod."
Julia's request was met immediately. The holoviewer shifted to show a single-hulled warp vessel. Its running lights were flickering and the ship was adrift. "Do we have any life signs?"
"Some indications that could be, but the nebula is making scans impossible."
"We'll need someone to fly up to the ship and check. Or try to beam over."
Barnes shook his head. "I wouldn't do that if I were you, with how thick the gasses are going the transporter beam's going to be seriously distorted. We could try a drone or something, but that's it. And we'll have to get within five kilometers for the transporter to work."
"Take us to the very extension of transporter range. Signal Lamper..."
"The
Glory is already moving into position," Jarod confirmed.
The two ships drew within the aforementioned range. "Preparing transport of drone. Transporting." Jarod waited for the report from the transporter operators to come back. "We're getting a live feed. Putting it on..."
The screen showed a dark bridge chamber with the light of the probe moving over panels. "Wait." Caterina tapped something on her board. "I'm picking up a buildup in that ship's warp core! It's going into overload!"
"A trap," Julia hissed. "Get us to safety!"
Jarod tapped an intercom key on his board. "Scotty, what if we reversed the graviton generators on the tractor emitters?"
"
What would ye... ohhhh. Good idea, Mister Jarod! Turn the tractor intae a repulsor!"
"The ship reactor is building up, we've only got seconds!", Caterina shouted.
"Jarod, now!"
Jarod's finger stabbed on the control. A beam of blue energy lashed out from the tractor emitter placed on the bottom of the primary hull toward the bow. When it struck the other ship it began pushing it away, every moment adding to the speed of the other vessel. And then....
The holoviewer went white as a bright light erupted from the vessel. It auto-dimmed before it became painfully blinding, but nobody was watching at that point as the ship rocked violently under them. As the rocking stopped Robert settled back into his chair, his chest aching a bit from being forced against his harness. "Damage report."
"Surface damage to all decks in the direction of the blast. Having the gas that didn't combust forced against us caused some stress in the integrity support fields." Jarod looked over his reports from the ship's departments and systems. "Auto-repair systems are not engaged, the damage is minimal." His comm light went green. "Captain Lamper on audio."
"Go ahead."
"Aurora,
do you receive?"
"We hear you, Captain."
"
Ah, good. We took minor hull damage from the blast. It would have been worse if you had not pushed the ship away. My engineering officers are most impressed with your use of tractor systems."
"They can give their thanks to Commander Scott and Commander Jarod," Robert replied. "This was clearly a trap and I'm betting the pirates will know someone triggered it."
"
Even with Lieutenant Delgado's protocols we read no ships in our vicinity."
Robert looked over at Cat, who shook her head. "Neither do we. They probably had an active beacon on the ship, or something nearby keeping an eye on it."
"
We read no communication."
"We didn't either," Cat said. "And even if it was a low-powered transmission to avoid detection, nebula interference would mean they couldn't read it either."
"Suggestions?", Julia asked.
Jarod answered first. "Give us time to examine readings, we can present them at the staff meeting."
"
Agreed. I will beam over with some of my staff in thirty minutes."
"We'll be waiting for you," Robert promised.
The officers who came over were the same from last time but with one unexpected addition, a short and thin dark-haired brown-eyed
Leutnant named Kurt Rabe who seemed as nervous as Caterina as they took seats. "Our scans confirmed that there was a high-powered receiver on the ship," Jarod stated, bringing up a holo-representation of the destroyed trap vessel. As its destruction was "replayed", a spike of energy was seen in the vessel. "That's why we didn't pick up a signal. It was set to send an immediate burst transmission only microseconds before the containment field in the warp core failed."
"'Warp Core', Commander?", Buhle asked quizzically.
"A term for matter/anti-matter reactor very common in the Federation," Jarod clarified. "You can blame Mister Scott."
"I would be most interested to learn of what other societies you have in this multiverse," Rabe said. He shrunk back in his seat when he saw Fassbinder glare at him.
"A matter for another time,
Leutnant," Lamper remarked sternly, though he clearly had a different concern from the SS man. "Our sensors detected no such signal."
"Most of our's didn't either. Even with the power available, to carry the signal through the nebula required it to be sent through high subspace bands. It's actually an added benefit for them because most sensors wouldn't pick it up. We didn't realize we saw it until Lieutenant Delgado and I checked our readings again and found the burst." Jarod put his hands behind his back and looked down at the smiling Cat, who was beaming from the compliment and from the fact that he had agreed to give the brief. "Of course, this is an advantage for us now."
"You can detect the direction of the transmission?"
"Yes," Jarod answered. "We know where it was sent. And they
won't know that we survived the blast intact."
"You don't think they could transmit our distance?", Julia asked. "If they did then they'd have to know we weren't caught in the blast."
"The energy required to punch a signal through the nebula at that band of subspace is so much that all they would be able to feasibly power is a simple message, a few characters of text," Jarod explained. "Anything more and the transmission might fade before it reaches their receiver."
"So we either find a chain of relays or we find their base," Robert said. "but either way, we now know where to search. Of course, I have another question for us to consider." He put his hands together. "What if they vector ships to intercept us?"
"If they do that, we will take damage before we can assault their base," Lamper remarked. "Either they will be powerful enough to present a threat or they will warn we are coming. It is best if we take an indirect route."
Caterina blinked. "Well, W..Why wouldn't they do that too?"
"Easier to follow whatever relay system they have set up...."
The far door to the ship's turbolift system opened, interrupting Julia. Two figures dressed in the lounge servers' suits came out with a push tray full of dishes, with Hargert following with his own smaller cart. The older man looked dour in his plain gray suit and did not have the customary smile the
Aurora crew knew him for. He was silent as they put the carts into position and began putting dishes on the table. They were a variety of warm foods, casseroles and stews with a variety of sausages on some plates. "I asked
Herr Hargert to provide a proper lunch," Robert said. "A gesture of hospitality and some familiar foods for your benefit. And, selfishly, because I still miss my grandmother's cooking."
As plates were given out and foods shown, the five visitors couldn't help but notice the scowl fixed on Hargert's face. The
Aurora crew noticed it too. "Are you alright?", Leo asked. "Is something wrong?"
Hargert gave him a thin smile. "You could say that,
Doktor," he remarked in his own accent.
"If I may..." Weigle looked up from the sausages he was retrieving from the plate. "There was a family of Hargerts beside my parents' home, in Köln. Would you happen to be..."
"No," Hargert said curtly.
"Hargert...." Julia looked at him with concern.
"I will be fine,
Fraulein, as soon as I depart this room," Hargert assured her.
Most of the visiting Reich officers were more perplexed than anything, but there was clear irritation on Fassbinder's face. "You hate us," he grumbled.
All eyes turned toward Hargert, who said nothing as he sat a container of rice pudding on the table.
"Look at me!", Fassbinder demanded.
Hargert continued to ignore him, going for another dish.
With his face turning red, Fassbinder stood from his chair and moved around Lamper to confront Hargert. "
Sturmbannführer!", Lamper called out.
"Look at me, old man!"
Hargert continued to ignore him, but Fassbinder pushed the cart hard enough that it struck the wall toward the head of the table, causing the remaining dishes to softly clatter. He stood between Hargert and kept getting in his way. Lamper shouted, "
Sturmbannführer, cease this at once!"
"I can see the disgust burning in your eyes," Fassbinder growled. "Why?! I am
Schutzstaffel!"
"I
know," Hargert rasped.
"Then you know what I represent!" As Hargert repeated the prior answer, Fassbinder cut him off. "I am sworn to uphold the virtues and integrity of the German People!
All Germans, even you, I serve
you!"
"No you
don't," Hargert responded with a rage in his voice the
Aurora crew had never heard. "You represent nothing but a perversion of the German nation, a disgrace! You and your
filth are the shame we can never wash away. Your crimes, your death camps, your slaughter.... you think we would side with you?
Nie weider!" Hargert looked past Fassbinder, who had only turned more purple, and asked Robert, "Captain, I would like to leave. Olujwe and Hasters can finish providing the lunch."
"Sure, Hargert," Robert said in a low tone. "Go ahead."
"Thank you, Captain." Hargert glared at the enraged Fassbinder and walked to the turbolift.
Fassbinder followed Hargert to the turbolift. "You vile old traitor! You lost the war, didn't you?! You proved yourself unworthy of the First Fuehrer and now you blame him for your failure! You didn't fight hard enough! You didn't sacrifice enough! You gave up on your Fatherland and you let the lesser races and the mongrel nations they ruled castrate you and pollute your blood! We will not be treated like this, old
gelding! We will not be insulted by you!"
Hargert did nothing but sneer as the turbolift closed on him.
"
Sturmbannführer, sit down!" Lamper rose from his chair. "You are disgracing yourself."
For a moment Fassbinder stared at the turbolift door. When he turned around the purple had begun to fade from his face and his expression had become controlled, or frankly wooden. "
Jawohl, Kapitan," he responded briskly, returning in measured steps to his chair and sitting in it. He did not touch the food.
"My apologies for the
Sturmbannführer's conduct, Captain," Lamper said.
"I accept his apology, yes," Robert answered.
Everyone was quiet as they began the lunch.
When the lunch was over and the following meeting concluded, Caterina headed for the door leading to the bridge when she was intercepted by one of the Reich officers. She looked at him with trepidation, unsettled and her customary shyness growing in potency due to how much she really didn't want to be near him. "You're... Rabe, right?"
"Lieutenant Rabe, yes," the young sensorman replied. "I wanted you to know, Lieutenant, that I found your protocols for deeper subspace scanning to be brilliant. I've never seen such a thing done before. I am honored to have worked with you."
"Well, uh..." Caterina swallowed. A small smile forced itself onto her face. "Okay. Okay, thank you. Thank you for that." She held out a hand. Rabe eyed it for a moment and took it, giving her a simple handshake.
Both became aware of a looming presence and turned to see Fassbinder glaring at them. Rabe pulled his hand back quickly and gulped. He marched past the SS man briskly and joined Weigle and Buhle as they headed to the turbolift. Fassbinder watched him go and looked back to Caterina, who eyed him warily. The scowl on his face was still there, but it turned into a smirk as he turned away.
On the other side of the conference room, Lamper looked quietly out at the nebula. "Your grandmother... she felt the same way about the Reich, yes?", he asked Robert.
"She did." Robert nodded. "But she liked to talk about people who weren't involved in the activities of the regime. She talked about Oskar Schindler and John Rabe and other Germans who opposed Hitler or protected innocent people."
"Just as we would villify them." Lamper drew in a breath. "I do not know what life is like for the Germans of other worlds. To think that they would hate me for what I do.... I am not Fassbinder, I cannot simply dismiss them as failures and traitors. And I do not think I would have the heart to draw my sword on countrymen, even those of another cosmos."
"Hopefully it won't come to that." Even as the words left his mouth Robert found them completely naive.
The look on the older captain's face made it clear he understood the sincerity of the words and just how wrong they'd turn out to be. "You are kind, Captain." Lamper reached over to the table and put his officer cap back on. "I will be returning to my vessel. We'll follow the recommended course and see how far we must go before we find the pirate
schwein."
"We'll call if we see anything."
"Yes." He nodded respectfully and joined his officers in departing.
There was quiet in the kitchen that served the Lookout. That quiet ended when there was the clatter of a dropped spoon. Hargert muttered in irritation and reached down to pick it up. As he looked up, he saw Julia standing in the entry way. "Ah, Commander," he said. "How may I help you?"
"I'm sorry." Julia walked up and reached down beside him to retreive the spoon. "We didn't think of how you'd react."
"It is not your fault," Hargert said to her, reaching a hand up to pat her on the shoulder. "I did not realize how I would react either. I thought... they are ancient history to me. Their crimes were so long ago..." Hargert looked distantly, past Julia. "But then I realized they are still there."
"They're not your crimes," Julia pointed out.
"True. But, to be German... it means we must confront what we, as a nation, have done. It's just.... we say never again, we say it.... but will it be true? Can we go mad like that again?"
For a moment Julia was silent. She reached over and took the old German man's hand and stood with him. "You won't. Not with the rest of us around. Not with people like you to keep things like that from happening."
Hargert accepted her assurance with a smile. "I believe you are right. Seeing them, it just gives me dark thoughts. Now, before you go, we should discuss something of great importance."
Julia blinked "And that would be?"
Hargert grinned and explained it, making Julia smile and laugh.
The clock in Robert's quarters displayed 2200 ship time when he got out of his shower and made his way to his bed. He allowed a yawn and took a quick look at reports before sliding into bed. He stared at his ceiling for about a minute before turning on his side and closing his eyes.
He fell asleep soon enough.
There was nothing at first, just the bliss of quiet sleep. But soon he felt himself... he knew it was a dream, but it didn't feel like one. He caught flashes of images. He could see ships moving around the blackness of space, on fire, with the
Aurora rampaging amongst them.... he didn't recognize the shapes.
More shapes. Evil-looking ones, like spiders, crossed his vision, striking at his ship. He saw the
Aurora impaled by purple light repeatedly until....
A large number of warships bearing the Nazi swastika moved in his vision, green light erupting from their hulls as they fired... and he could see Fassbinder, an evil smirk on his face and an inhuman glow to his eyes as he looked down at a terrified teenage girl in a red and gold-trimmed vest and skirt.... and then they were gone.
And then there was a gray silhouette, the sound of metal clanking, a high-pitched whir as the figure fell and a tall man in a jacket and suit smiling at him and.... it faded. It was Lamper now. But there was something wrong, he was....
Darkness.
"What's going on?!", Robert called out. "What is..."
Suddenly he was on his knees, trying to suck in breath. His right arm felt like it was on fire and he smelled fire and smoke and dust. He looked up and stared as a single red light tracked toward him. An unearthly sound boomed from the darkness, like a trumpet being blown through a synthesizer. To his side was a figure in the darkness, just a silhouette, save for red hair bright like flame and intense green eyes. A large object - a rifle? - was in the figure's arms. An unfamiliar voice, rough and distorted through his dream, called out, "We're almost there!" and turned toward the red light.
And then the red light became a beam. He could hear screams and feel scorching heat as it came up on him....
....and his quarters appeared around him as Robert's eyes opened. He sat up, ramrod straight, on his bed, breathing like he'd been running for two miles.
Oh God, that was.... As dreams went it had been short but intense, so intense, leaving his heart racing. He glanced over to see what time it was. The clock was showing 0420. With just an hour or so before he was to get up anyway, Robert groaned and got out of bed.
On the other side of the deck, Meridina rose from her bed, her eyes intent on nothing. She'd
felt something.
"I was right," she murmured to herself. "Swenya's Light, I was right."
The command staff was in their places on the bridge to begin the morning watch. "Another day in this nebula," Robert sighed, sitting in his chair. "And with a Nazi ship beside us."
"Not what I expected in life," Locarno remarked.
"Tell me about it. Jarod, Cat, any sign of....?"
"Nothing," was Caterina's response.
"And what about..." He let the question trail off when Jarod nodded. "Okay. How far have we gone?"
"We're deep enough, they've got to be somewhere around here," Julia said.
There was a tone from Caterina's board. "I've got something on scanners. A subspace signature..." She turned to look at Robert. "It matches the attacker at Grodni."
"And they're alone?"
"Yes.... wait, no." Caterina shook her head. "I've got a few other subspace signatures."
"Get me Lamper." Robert waited while the holoviewer shifted to show Lamper on his bridge, Fassbinder standing beside him. "Captain, we've got signatures on sensors."
"
We have found one as well. It is clear we have found our target." Lamper frowned. "
They will undoubtedly discover our presence soon. We should consider our attack."
"I have Marines ready to land on their base to take prisoners and determine more about their targets and whatever support they've gotten."
"
A waste of effort,," Fassbinder said dismissively. "
We simply need to destroy their base."
"
No. I wish to find out more about these pirates myself." Lamper turned his head slightly. "Sturmbannführer
, prepare your men."
Fassbinder frowned and nodded. "
Yes, Captain."
"We'll beam if we can, but we're going to be using an internal magnetic field to interfere with any enemy attempts to transport aboard. Let us know if you get any boarders. We'll do the same."
"
Agreed. I am sending my ship to battle stations now, Captain. We will be right beside you."
Robert nodded as the communication cut. He looked to Julia, who nodded."Code Red!", she called out. "All hands to battle stations!"
Wailing alert sounds briefly echoed in the command bridge of the
Reich's Glory. Lamper secured himself into his chair and brought up his personal tactical display. "Time to target?"
"Ten minutes from firing range, Captain," Weigle responded from the tactical station to Lamper's right. "All disruptors armed and ready. Torpedo launchers online and torpedoes loading."
Fassbinder was still on the bridge for the moment. He was not in a seat, but he was securing his life support jacket. "Captain, may I remind you of the prospect we are presented with?"
"I am well aware of your desires,
Sturmbannführer. But I will not jeopardize this operation by attempting to take or destroy the
Aurora."
"Then let us hope Captain Dale has similar sentiments, Captain. If you strike first we have some hope of victory; if he strikes first, we will die."
"Then we do not give him a reason to suspect duplicity on our part, Fassbinder," Lamper pointed out. "Go and get your men prepared. I will hear no more of this."
"I will be sure to include your decision in my report," Fassbinder said, his voice containing the whiff of a threat in it.
Lamper returned the look. "Do as you must,
Sturmbannführer. Now, we have duties to attend to. See that they are done, or I will be mentioning your inability to complete them in
my report."
The pirate vessels saw them coming in and moved into a combat formation. Robert brought up his tactical monitor. "Do we have identification on these ships?", he asked Lamper over the comm line.
"
The carrier vessel is the Albert Stammel
, a Dusselmann
-class tender vessel with modifications, that would be the vessel they took from us. The two vessels beside it are old Berlin
-class cruiser vessels, they pose little threat. Or rather would not if we had shields."
"Important factoid there," Angel muttered.
"
I would suggest we focus on the cruisers and adjoining vessels first. Reducing enemy firepower is the most important objective."
"Agreed. Moving into engagement range now." Robert watched the distance close to firing range, noticing the enemy converted tender was launching its fighters.
"All fighters are launched," Julia confirmed from her station. "They're taking up defensive formations to screen us."
"Good. At will, Angel, with target priority to combat ships."
"I hear you on that. I'm locking weapons.... locked. Firing!"
The
Aurora's forward weapons blazed to life. Large pulses of blue energy lashed out across the nebula and slammed into one of the enemy cruisers. Without shields the enemy hull had to take the force entirely, losing large sections of its bow in the process. Twin lances of green energy retaliated and sliced along
Aurora's bow, one beam glancing on the hull enough to scorch and the other digging into the armor that protected the ship.
Torpedoes were already in flight, both ways, as the
Aurora's phaser strips lashed out. Amber energy stabbed the cruisers to the right and to the left while the central ship maneuvered hard, trying to avoid the solar torpedoes flying toward it. All but one missed, the successful strike slamming into the blue ramscoop of a warp nacelle and blasting the nacelle to pieces.
Fighters from both sides were racing forward, meeting halfway across the distance. Beams and pulses criss-crossed the area as the
Aurora's fighter wing engaged, and the resulting combat was fast and brutal; any hit likely to cripple or destroy a fighter without shields for protection.
Both cruisers were firing on
Aurora; their smaller compatriots gunned for the
Reich's Glory. The Reich cruiser fired first, solid beams of disruptor cannon fire slashing out through the nebula's red and blue color to strike the smaller ships assaulting it. But when the bow weapons fired again, it was at one of the cruisers; pulsing red torpedoes and green beams lashed into the ship as it endured another barrage from the
Aurora's main guns. Further torpedoes from both ships blasted the pirate vessel to pieces.
Torpedoes from the other cruiser and two of the smaller ships converged on the
Aurora. Its interceptor mounts lashed out to stop the incoming fire, blowing up torpedoes before they could make it into range. Two got through anyway, blasting chunks of hull and armor off.
The blasts sent a tremor through the ship that pulled Robert against his safety harness. "Damage?"
"Hull breach in Decks 4 and 5, Section 11. Forcefields in place, armor repair systems engaged."
"I'm going for that cruiser, but it looks like the smaller ships have us as their primary target," Angel reported.
"Engaging evasive maneuvers," Locarno added. Under his control the
Aurora twisted and turned, avoiding some of the incoming fire.... but not all, given her size, and the ship continued to shift under their seats. "They're not making it easy."
One of the vessels exploded, its reactor core speared from a disruptor shot by the
Reich's Glory. Robert paid more attention to Angel's efforts to blast the cruiser to bits. "And where's that carrier?"
"The tender vessel is falling back." Jarod shook his head. "I think they're heading to the base."
"They might be planning to run," Robert mused.
"
We are pursuing the enemy tender vessel," Lamper said over their two-way tactical link.
"We'll keep their attention," Robert answered. On his screen one of the light ships erupted in flame as it took several phaser hits. But there were more out there, and they were quick enough to outmaneuver the kilometer-long
Aurora...
The ship shook hard again and more hull damage appeared on the monitors. "Jarod?!"
"We just took a disruptor to the upper port nacelle, but it held."
"We've got one on our tail," Angel shouted. "And the pilot is slippery, I can't get a solid lock!" The ship shuddered again, harder this time.
Lamper felt his ship shudder as a disruptor struck its bare hull. "Report!"
"Hull damage to forward decks. We have lost a forward starboard disruptor," Buhle reported. "The tender vessel's rigged weapons are more powerful than they look."
"Focus disruptors on them, Buhle."
"Yes sir. Firing."
The
Reich's Glory's heavy disruptors on the bow fired. Thick beams of emerald energy slashed across the tender ship, taking out an impulse engine and sending a cloud of debris and atmosphere flying from a hull breach. "We have disruptions in their internal magnetic field, Captain," Rabe said.
"Then we can engage transporters." Lamper pressed a key on his chair. "
Sturmbannführer Fassbinder, we are sending your men to
Stammel. I want it recovered."
"
Immediately, Captain. Sieg Hiel
!"
"
Sieg Hiel," Lamper answered. As he waited for the transport operation to finish and for Weigle to finish disarming the
Stammel, he checked his tactical plot. The enemy was focusing on the
Aurora entirely, more intimidated of the large vessel than of his own
Sedan-class cruiser. One of the several remaining enemy light ships exploded from multiple hits by the
Aurora's amidships emplacements, but it was being hounded on all sides. "Do we have range to engage the enemy ships attacking our ally?", he asked Weigle.
"No, Captain, I am afraid the nebula's interference prevents a sufficient lock, if I fire I may strike the
Aurora," he answered.
And that I simply cannot risk. You are on your own, Captain Dale.
"There went the primary port impulsor," Jarod warned.
"Lamper's out of position to help and our fighters are busy, I think it's time we played our ace," Julia said, looking to Robert. When he nodded, she looked to Jarod. "Lock onto the
Koenig's IU drive."
"Doing so now." After three seconds and another rumble through the ship, Jarod's console beeped. "We've got someone locking onto our IU drive."
"Here goes nothing," Locarno muttered as the ship rattled again.
The pirates had some fairly good pilots in their numbers, and one in particular was allowing his ship to batter the
Aurora's dorsal hull and engine drives to give his compatriots a chance to board a crippled vessel.
The
Aurora turned in space and the attack vessel matched it. After it did so, a point of green light appeared behind it, expanding until it formed a portal in space. The
Koenig emerged from the jump point. The point had not a moment to start closing before
Koenig's main battery came to life. Amber energy slammed into the aft of the pesky attack ship, blasting its drive assembly to bits. It barely survived those shots, leaving it helpless as one of the phaser banks on the
Aurora's dorsal hull lashed out and sliced into the vessel's engineering space, causing it to explode in a white fireball.
"I could make saving your butts a habit," Zack crowed over the comm line. "Apley, next target, Attack Plan Charlie!"
Lieutenant Apley's hands moved deftly over the flight controls for the
Koenig. "Moving us into position."
The arrival of the
Koenig sent the pirates scrambling. They'd never seen such a thing happen before, and all of the sudden they had an extra warship prowling the battlefield, going after their smallest ships and clearing them from the
Aurora.
Lamper watched the arrival of the small vessel and, most importantly, the wormhole that had been opened for it to arrive. "Lieutenant, could that be...?"
"I registered a major neutrino surge, sir, but the nebula's interference kept me from getting an accurate scan," Rabe answered. "All I can say is that it was a wormhole of some sort."
"Their IU drive," Lamper murmured. "Make sure you compile all of our data on it, Lieutenant. I must report it to the OKW as soon as possible."
"
Jawohl."
Lamper watched the newcomer engaging and had to admit the vessel was formidable. It reminded him of a
Doenitz-class strike vessel, the successor to the legendary
Unterseeboot ships that had starved the English in the Great Wars. It certainly had the shark-like quality he expected of such vessels. "These Alliance people are very formidable," Lamper said softly, mostly talking to himself. "The Reich must know more about their capabilities."
Another blow made the
Aurora shake. "Hull breaches on Decks 10, 12, 15, 20, and 28 through 32, mid-hull sections," Jarod reported.
"We're giving the armor repair systems a Goddamned insane stress test," Barnes muttered from the Engineering station. "Effectiveness is actually dropping below 80%, there's so much hull to patch up!"
"Tom, when this is over, find out a way for us to raise shields in a nebula," Julia ordered.
"Will do."
Robert was more focused on the remaining cruiser. "The
Koenig is taking care of their lighter ships, time to focus on that cruiser."
"As soon as Nick brings us back around, I'm going to tear it apart."
"Getting you that shot, Lieutenant," Locarno promised.
The
Aurora came about. As she did so, phaser fire from her strips and pulse cannon emplacements hammered at the enemy cruiser, blasting through several decks. The enemy ship's torpedoes blew out another section of the primary hull and damaged more armor with a disruptor blast. A second green bolt sliced across one of the phaser banks and silenced it.
But the gesture was defiant more than it was effective. Locarno finished the turn and Angel locked on with the forward cannons. The battering impacts of the blue cannon pulses quickly overwhelmed the older ship's hull and began tearing into its internals, with phaser beams and cannon fire expanding the damage zone. The spread of solar torpedoes Angel put into the remaining cruiser as an afterthought finished off what was left.
"The pirate vessels are breaking away from the fight," Jarod said.
Robert keyed the tactical comms to bring
Koenig into his link with Lamper. Mindful that they weren't on two-way, he reverted to formal address. "Commander Carrey, can you finish off the stragglers?"
"
Consider them finished," Zack answered.
"We'll detail fighters to assist." Robert looked at Julia and the tactical display. "How are they?"
"We've lost seven so far with a dozen badly damaged," Julia answered. "The enemy fighters are almost eliminated."
"Have a squadron break off and support
Koenig. Locarno, bring us in to that base." Robert keyed the tac comm again. "Captain Lamper, I'm going to commence transporting Marines to the enemy base."
"
Very well. I have already sent my vessel's SS detachment to board the tender and secure it. My officers suspect the vessel's crew is being held aboard the base."
"Commander Kane and his Marines will recover them, Captain." Robert left the channel open and asked, "Mister Barnes, time to transporter range?"
"Thirty seconds and I can start to get locks."
"Good. Make sure..."
"The base's core!" Caterina's voice went up a pitch from excitement. "Captain, the core is destabilizing! It's going critical!"
"Barnes!"
"I'm trying! I'm locking onto whatever signals I can...."
On the screen, the pirate base - which looked like cobbled together modules forming a pair of cylinders linked by modular chains - had an explosion ripple out from the middle linking chain. Another explosion erupted from the right cylinder, and then the left, and the chain of explosions soon engulfed the entire base. When they receded almost nothing was left.
Robert looked over to Barnes. "Tom?", he asked, forgetting himself for the moment.
Barnes looked up from his screen with a somber expression. He shook his head. "I couldn't get a lock through the nebula's interference, we weren't close enough."
"Damn." Robert's heart fell into his stomach. "Captain Lamper, I'm sorry..."
"
I understand. You tried, Captain.." There was a pause. "
We are showing no more hostile contacts."
Robert looked to Jarod, who chook his head. "Nor are we. Do you need help taking the
Stammel?"
"
No. Sturmbannführer
Fassbinder is reporting that resistance has ceased. We have control."
"That's good to hear. We're launching craft to see if we can find any survivors just in case and to recover our ejected pilots. We can have a final meeting in three hours to discuss our findings."
"
Agreed. Lamper out."
Robert closed the tactical comm line. "Send a tight-beam to Zack, tell him not to dock just yet."
"You think Lamper will attack us?", Julia asked.
"No, but better safe than sorry. Having
Koenig present and visible keeps things honest and removes temptation."
"For them, anyway," Locarno pointed out. "If we wanted to do something...."
Robert shook his head. "No."
"Do you really buy that the pirates just so happen to blow up their base but not their ship?", Angel asked, an edge to her voice. "For all we know they weren't pirates at all, just Nazis pretending to be to attack us."
"She has a point," Barnes remarked.
Julia shook her head. "Honestly, given our shape I wouldn't want to start a fight even if we would win."
"Besides, I'm betting Lamper called home like we did. If we come out and he didn't..." Robert shook his head. "I'm not taking that risk. Lamper has done nothing to make us suspect him. Keep an eye on things, but we're not starting a fight."
"Yes sir." Angel sounded far more disappointed than she should have been.
Ship's Log: 8 March 2641; ASV Aurora. Captain Robert Dale recording. The crew continues to make repairs to the Aurora
following the battle. I am sorry to report that we lost five pilots and ten crew in total from the fight. I'm not sure how many Lamper lost, but I'm already certain we won't be holding a joint service this time.
Captain Lamper and select members of his command staff have beamed back over for a final meeting to speak of the battle's results. Angel's point that this could have been a scheme, that the pirates were Nazis too, is one I can't get out of my head, but everything I see tells me Lamper is sincere. I can't let suspicion color this meeting. As much as we hate them, we cannot afford conflict with the Reich right now.
The two groups of officers were quick to finish the meeting. Robert felt at unease the entire time and realized it was because
everyone was uneasy. Undoubtedly the
Koenig's presence made Lamper's people scared he might attack them; on his side, Angel's argument of this being one big scheme that Robert and the crew had fell for had found fertile ground.
"From our review of
Stammel's computers the pirates have no other ships out at the moment," Buhle informed the assembled. "Even if there was a vessel or two, without their base they are vulnerable. They will be forced to cease their activity or flee the area."
"So that's it?", Angel asked, an edge to her voice. "The threat's over? Everything is hunky dory?"
"'Hunky dory'?", Weigle asked in confusion.
"
Untermensch babble," Fassbinder muttered.
By this point nobody was looking toward him for it, save Robert. In his case, he couldn't get his dream out of his head. Something about Fassbinder was really starting to set him on edge. "It would appear so," he forced himself to say, breaking the silence. He stood up. "I thank you gentlemen for your time." He ignored the dirty look Angel shot toward him. "Our mission was a success. It's probably best if we get out of the nebula and re-establish contact with our superiors to reassure them of what's happened."
"It has been an honor working with you, Captain Dale." Lamper had a thin smile on his face. "Your crew is imaginative and brave. Your Alliance is fortunate to have such defenders." He rose to his feet, as did the others. "Good fortune to you, Captain."
"And to you, Captain." Robert rose with them. "Our cooperation can provide the basis, I hope, for a policy of peace between our governments."
Lamper's smile never wavered. "A noble sentiment, Captain. God grant us that it comes true."
Robert matched his smile. Everyone stood and filed out.
Rabe stood back for a moment, letting Fassbinder move on to the turbolift, and approached Caterina. "Lieutenant Delgado." He extended a hand. "It has been a pleasure to work with you, Lieutenant. Please, stay safe. A mind as brilliant as your's enriches us all."
Caterina was lost for words, but she did take his hand. "Uh... th... thank you, Lieutenant Rabe. It's be... been a pleasure." Caterina kept her eyes focused on Rabe's soft brown eyes and not the regalia of his uniform, with the eagle and swastika on one breast or the swastika armband.
I'm shaking hands with a Nazi!, was her thought, even if she found Rabe to be very nice.
"Safe travels, Lieutenant." Rabe gave her a smile and continued.
Lamper remained in the turbolift with Robert as the others filed out, waiting for the doors to close and give them privacy. "You have something to say, Captain?," Robert asked.
"You are very kind to speak such lies," Lamper began. "It eased the fears of our crews. But I think you know the truth as much as I do."
"I believe so," Robert agreed, his heart feeling heavy as he did so.
"You know in your heart the fate that is in store for us."
"I do." Robert's words were hoarse, as was the breath. "I dread it though."
"Yes." Lamper's eyes were full of sorrow, bright only with unshed tears for the suffering that was to come. "As an officer of the Reich and a man of Aryan blood, I am supposed to look forward to battle with an enemy. And that is all your Alliance and the Reich can be, Captain Dale. There is no hope of peaceful co-existence. We are your nightmare and you are our's."
"I know."
"Then you know that the next time you and I meet, it will be as enemies on the field of battle. I will not shirk from my duty to the Reich, but..... I will take no pleasure in that day."
For a moment Robert said nothing. Even here his stomach spun in disgust at the swastika insignia on Lamper's uniform and armband, yet more proof of how true Lamper was. "I can't take pleasure in war. It's not in my nature," he said. "But whatever I feel about the nation and movement you represent, Captain Lamper..." Robert pulled in a breath. "I see you as a good man. You didn't get to pick the universe you were born in. All I can say is that I am sorry."
Lamper acknowledged him with a nod, but he said nothing else. Nothing needed to be said. He nodded in a silent salute, put his cover back on his head, and went to join his officers to depart for their ship.
When Robert returned to the bridge everyone was at stations. "Scotty says we have another five hours before he gets the impulsors back up to full," Barnes said. "Until then we're going to be limited to point seven five impulse."
"Set a course back to Alliance space, Mister Locarno, best speed," Robert said, getting into his command chair. "Jarod... keep an eye on them. Let me know if I'm wrong about Lamper."
"Yes sir."
Robert settled back into his chair and looked over at Julia, who was examining a damage report summary. "Did you ever expect something like this when we came out here, Julie?"
She looked at him and shook her head. "Not at all. It's weird and scary at the same time. Nazis, for Christ's sake. And we had them here,
on our ship."
"Yeah." Robert drew in a breath. "Hard to hate them as much when you meet a few people and they seem like good ones, though. That's what's so insidious about those kinds of movements."
"You won't find disagreement here." Julia handed him the tablet. "Final damage report, it's for you to sign off on."
"Oh, paperwork." He smirked as he took the tablet. "So there is worse than Space Nazis. Give me Fassbinder over this any day," he joked.
Julia smiled and chook her head. "No whining on bridge watch, sir. It looks bad to the crew."
"Yes, mother."
Lamper had just returned to his ship to find an unexpected sight. Fassbinder was with another man, one showing a battle injury, and in an SS uniform with the rank insignia of a
Hauptsturmführer. Said man saluted stiffly; like Fassbinder he was blond-haired, blue-eyed, and looked very fit.
All SS do. Genetic engineering to maintain racial purity, because the Master Race's natural superiority isn't as superior as they like to think, Lamper thought defiantly. Such thoughts would cost him his career if they got out, of course, but years of service in the
Raumskriegsmarine had bred some skepticism into him about the Party and their SS guardians.
More importantly, though, was the fact that the man was still in restraints. Or rather was in them until Fassbinder removed them. "What's going on, Fassbinder?", Lamper asked.
"Captain, this is
Hauptsturmführer Ludwig Vogts. He is the commander of the
Stammel."
Lamper remained silent. And he put everything together in his mind. "This was all an SS trick."
"The Fuehrer wished to have a reason to rally ships to this area," Fassbinder said. "To prepare for our campaign against the blue beasts and other species that pollute our frontiers.
Hauptsturmführer Vogts provided that reason. When we discovered the existence of the Alliance his role was...
expanded." A grin crossed the SS man's face. "Please put this in your report. The SS has decided it is time the OKW learned of our operations here, in preparation for the coming war."
"How many of our people did you kill for this?", Lamper asked quietly.
"They are all martyrs of the Reich, Captain," Fassbinder said coldly. "Do not be overly concerned. Our lives are all forfeit to the will of the Fuehrer."
"Heaven hope their deaths are not in vain."
Fassbinder ignored him. "You still have a chance, Captain, to fulfill my request. The
Stammel is mostly intact, and our damage is not as severe as the
Aurora's. Their backs are turned. A single volley to their drives and they would never escape us."
"The other vessel could, however," Lamper reminded him.
"You think those sentimental weaklings would leave their friends to death or capture?", Fassbinder asked, contempt dripping in his voice.
"No,
Sturmbannführer, I believe that Captain Dale would order Commander Carrey to get out of the nebula to warn the Alliance of our treachery," Lamper retorted. "That is presuming they cannot activate their IU drives in this nebula. And we have already seen them do so."
"One way," Fassbinder retorted. "And in the end, what does it matter if the other vessel escapes. You know war is coming between the Reich and the Alliance, Captain. Why wait?"
"Because you are asking me to risk my crews' lives on a foolish gamble fueled by your ambition and not the needs of the Reich and the Fuehrer. Because the Reich needs time to prepare for an interstellar war against a power like the Alliance."
"You do not have faith in the power of the Aryan Race to prevail, Captain?"
"No, I simply understand the threat we face. The Reich must prepare to defend itself, Fassbinder. It needs
time." Lamper shook his head. "I am not firing. My crew will not fire. We are returning to Reich space, and that is
all."
"Your caution is unworthy of your rank," Fassbinder hissed. But he said nothing more as Lamper left.
Vogts looked to him. "Why are you so obsessed with attacking this '
Aurora',
Sturmbannführer?"
"I have... a feeling, Vogts." Fassbinder smiled. "Since I saw that ship I knew that my time had come. Somehow, someway, the
Aurora is the key to my future. And I mean to have it."
The
Aurora and
Koenig continued on their course out of the nebula in silence. Aboard
Aurora the battle damage was being steadily repaired while preparations were made for honoring the fallen.
Fresh from their bridge watch together, Angel led Caterina through the ship's forward corridors. "You really don't have to do this, Angel," Cat insisted. "We can have dinner in my quarters."
"Stop fussing, little sister," Angel said in her "I am reproaching you" tone of voice. "You didn't get to finish your party. The least I can do for you is give you a birthday dinner."
"Fine," Cat sighed.
"Admit it." Angel smiled. "You just want to go back to reading those logs Scotty got for you."
Cat blushed. "There's so many of them! The
Enterprise was, like, it was this
magnet for phenomena!"
"It'll be there tomorrow." Angel's smile turned mischievous. "Or is this about that Nazi who was buttering you up?"
Caterina looked both embarrassed and mortified. "He was just being nice..." A confused look crossed her face. "A Nazi was being nice. I thought Nazis were supposed to be mean? I mean, we're not German-style Aryans, right? Our family is from Mexico, we can't be Aryans. Why would he be nice to me?"
"I had the feeling he wasn't a model Nazi. He probably is as much a geek as you are, Cat." Angel stopped as they got to the port entrance to the Lookout lounge. "After you birthday girl."
Cat walked by her. Her third step activated the sliding door's proximity sensor, and two steps later....
"
SURPRISE!!!!"
The shout echoed down through the corridor. Angel entered behind her awestruck sister to see who had made it. Virtually everyone had; the main command staff of both ships, Commander Kane, and some of the other ranking science officers were present, as were the few civilian scientists assigned as advisors to the ship. Hargert and Julia stood together by the table, the elderly German host putting a final touch to his painstaking recreation of the birthday cake while Julia lit the "2" and the "1" candles. "Caterina, my dear girl," Hargert said with a wide smile. "Happy Birthday!"
"But... but..."
Scotty shook his head. "Now lass, we cudnae let those pirates ruin yer birthday party, cud we?"
"Yeah!" Barnes raised a glass. "Three more cheers for the birthday girl!"
Caterina blushed deeply as she got the cheers.
Tag
They were finally out of the nebula, and Scotty was preparing to go to bed for the day. Repair reports moved over his tablet as he read them and confirmed them, ensuring Lieutenant Nesay would know what was expected of Gamma Shift. He was interrupted by the chime at his door. When he stepped up to it and prompted it to open Jarod was standing there, a bottle in his hand. "Ah, Mister Jarod?"
"I figured it was time for us to share that drink," Jarod answered. "Hargert let me into his drink cabinet, I found what I think is some very good Scotch."
Scotty moved and allowed the younger man into his quarters. He retrieved two glasses from the replicator and set them on his table. Jarod began pouring the contents of the bottle into them. "So, hell of a thing, huh? Nazis, I mean."
"Aye.... wish I could say it's new for me."
Jarod looked at him with surprise. "You've met Nazis before?"
"Well... nae like these scunners," Scotty admitted. "It's one of th' missions we went on back on th'
Enterprise." Scotty took up his glass and drank from it. A pleasant look came to his face. "Oh! This is great stuff, I'll have tae speak tae Mister Hargert about where he got it from."
"I tried. He called it a secret." Jarod smirked and took a drink himself. "Oh.... I think I see the appeal now."
"Ye havenae lived, Mister Jarod, until ye've enjoyed a fine Scotch," Scotty insisted.
Jarod poured more and they each took smaller drinks this time, letting them savor the contents of their glasses more. "So...."
"Aye?"
Jarod smiled. "Meeting Nazis on the
Enterprise."
"Oh! Yes. See, there was this daft historian by th' name of John Gill who was sent tae th' planet Ekos as a cultural observer..."
"I am certain,
Mastrash."
Ledosh's image remained still on Meridina's screen. "
You felt him have a vision?"
"A dream state vision, yes. His life force was clearly tapping the talent. I
know this." Meridina's voice was almost urgent. "And before, he caused a mental bond I had created to strengthen...."
"
Yes, I saw your report on that." Ledosh remained quiet for a moment. "
What request do you wish to make of me?"
"I wish to approach him about it. He knows about
swevyra. He will be receptive."
"
Request denied."
"But..."
"
Meridina, please." Ledosh sighed. "
Karesl has been making maneuvers amongst the Council. He is crafting an isolationist movement. We cannot give him and those who doubt the Prophecy of the Dawn any more chances to sway the others. Otherwise.... you would likely be recalled and disgraced, and our involvement with the Alliance would decline heavily. And with these 'Nazis' existing, the Alliance needs us now more than ever. For now, you must
allow things to develop on their own. Let him come to realize what he has. Only then can you approach Robert Dale and offer to train him. Only then
. Do you understand?"
Meridina sighed in disappointment. "Yes,
Mastrash. I understand. And the same with...?"
"
Yes. The same with her."
"I will do as you instruct then,
Mastrash."
"
Thank you. It is for the best. Mi rake sa swevyra iso,
Meridina."
"
Mi rake sa swevyra iso,
Mastrash Ledosh."
Robert let out a yawn and put his uniform jacket up, standing alone in the red command branch undershirt that was part of the standard uniform design. He walked toward his bed for a moment and stopped as he went to sit down. There was a chirp over the intercom, causing him to reach to where he'd put his multidevice on the nightstand. "Dale here."
"
We have a subspace signal for you from Admiral Lithgon."
"Put him through." Robert stood, keeping his spine as straight as he could as Lithgon appeared on his wall-mounted screen. "Admiral."
"
Captain. I've read your report. Good work in subduing that pirate band." Lithgon's expression belied something more on his mind, however. "
I'm cancelling your survey operation. You will report to the Capital Fleet Base for repair, under Admiral Maran's orders."
"Very well, sir." Robert swallowed. "What about the Reich? Has anything else developed?"
"
Nothing. We've sent subspace signals offering to establish diplomatic relations, but they're being quiet about it. Too quiet. Thankfully, I'm getting the Fourth Fleet by the end of the month, we should be able to hold the line with their help."
"We'll need more than one fleet," Robert mused.
"
I agree. But for now that's what we have to settle on. Besides, the Liberty
is the biggest dreadnought-class starship in the Alliance, with a good fleet around her we'll give the Nazis pause." Lithgon cracked a confident smile. "
Good luck, Captain Dale. I hope to see you back sometime, so long as you're not here to fight a war."
"God help us prevent that from happening," Robert said. "Take care, Admiral. Dale out." He reached to his multidevice and ended the call. The torch insignia of the Allied Systems appeared briefly before the screen went blank. Robert finished removing his uniform. He laid on his back, hands on his belly, and stared at the ceiling as he waited for sleep to claim him.
He almost didn't want to go to sleep. His dreams had been getting vivid these past couple of days, especially that night when they were still in the nebula. Figures and ships he didn't recognize, and people he did recognize but in ways that left him full of dread.
"God, please? One night without bad dreams like that? Can't I just dream about my family again? Or Angel? Anything but those dreams again....." Robert felt sleep tug at his eyelids until they were fully closed. He rolled under his sheets and felt the softness of his bed under his ribs as his head settled into the pillow.
It was about that time that sleep claimed him. The dreams came afterward.
They were dreams of fire and death.
And deep in his heart, Robert knew they were dreams of the war that was to come.