STAR TREK

The TONarians

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By: Derek Kestner

 

Based on Star Trek™ created by Gene Roddenberry

            Captain’s Log, Stardate: 51710.6.   I am adjusting well to the U.S.S. Cobalt and the crew that Starfleet has given me.  I will miss my crew on Starbase 53, they were all sad to see me go, as I was saddened to go, but it has always been my dream to take the center chair of a starship.  Our starship has been specifically assigned to continue to deal with the Volshins.  After reviewing the crews profiles I have found that two of my crew have had dealings with the Volshins that make them specifically assigned to my vessel, Lieutenant Commander Derek Kestner and Lieutenant Commander Brad Foreman.  I have high hopes that my crew and I will get along nicely.  End of log entry.

 

            Captain Brandon Blankenship sat in the center chair of the newest ship to be added to Starfleet, the U.S.S. Cobalt.  He surveyed the crew stationed around him.  He was surrounded by one of the finest crews that Starfleet had to offer, and he felt proud to be their commander.  His ship was patrolling the Klingon boarder.  The Federation had opened talks with the Klingon High Command to allow Federation ships to be allowed to pass through the Klingon boarder in light of the Volshin situations.

            Lieutenant Commander Derek Kestner, stationed at ops. reported, “Captain, Starfleet is hailing us.  They say that the talks have been successful; we may pace through Klingon Space unharmed.  They do tell us that part of the talks was that all Starfleet vessels to stay one light-year away from all Klingon worlds.”

            “Thank you, Mr. Kestner,” Blankenship said.  “Set course for the Klingon-Volshin boarder.”

            Lieutenant Commander Brad Foreman, at conn, said, “Course set, Captain.”

            “Very good, engage at warp eight,” Blankenship ordered.  The Cobalt turned toward the Klingon-Volshin boarder and entered warp.

 

            Lieutenant Commander Joey Odum and Lieutenant Commander Derek Kestner were sitting together in the officer’s lounge.  Over the past few weeks they had formed a steady friendship.  Joey took a sip of his drink and asked, “Derek, would you tell me about Mr. Foreman?”

            “Brad?” Derek asked.  “Well, Brad’s been my best friend since before we entered the Academy.  He’s a good guy.  You’d like him; he’s an engineer like you.  He was hopin’ to get the Cobalt’s Engine Room when he heard that Starfleet was putting you onboard as her Chief Engineer.  Brad’s not been the same since Whitney died however, but I think that he is finally starting to see that life does go on.”

            “What do you mean?” Joey asked.

            Derek took a sip of his drink then said, “Well, he’s certainly warmed up a lot.  There for about three weeks he didn’t say two words to me.  But here lately we’re starting to hang out again, almost like we used to. 

            “On the Bozeman a big group of us would get together about once a week and play cards, and he’s been showing interest in doing that here.”  Getting off the subject, Derek said, “You know, I’m pretty good friends with Commander Data on the Enterprise.  He told me that during their whole stay on the Enterprise that he and a bunch of the officers would play cards but that Captain Picard never did play until a couple of months before the Enterprise-D was destroyed.  Who knows, maybe our captain will play with us?”

            Realizing that he had gotten off the subject Derek quickly said, “But as I said, if you talk to Brad, I think you will like him.  As I said earlier, Brad is showing interest in playing cards again and we are going to play tonight in here.  Would you care to join us?”

            Joey thought of his schedule for a moment then said, “Sure.  I have nothing planned for tonight.  I think I will.”

            “Who knows,” Derek said, “a couple of card games and you could be accepted into our family?  It’s tonight at twenty hundred hours.  We were going to make it a little earlier, but I have a meeting with the Science Department at eighteen hundred.”

            Joey nodded and said, “Alright, twenty hundred it is.”

            Derek downed the last of his drink and said good-bye to Joey.  He then stood and walked out of the officer’s lounge.

 

            “Joey seems to be a nice guy,” Derek said to Brad as they walked down the corridor toward the turbolift.  Derek was headed toward his Science Department meeting and Brad had to go to the bridge for a moment. 

            Brad nodded and said, “I only got to talk to him for a little bit, but he did seem to be a nice guy.  Are we still on for the card game tonight?”

            Derek nodded and said, “Yep. Twenty hundred hours.  I asked Joey to join us.”

            “Well, that’s good.  Did you ask the rest of the gang?” Brad asked.

            “Everyone’s coming.  Since you’re going to the bridge, ask our new captain and first officer if they would like to join us,” Derek said.

            Brad nodded, “Alright then.”  They reached the turbolift and the doors opened for them.  They quickly stepped inside and told the computer their destinations.

 

            Captain Brandon Blankenship, Commander Heather Turner, Lieutenant Commander Brad Foreman, Lieutenant Commander Derek Kestner, Lieutenant Ashley Rickman, Lieutenant Michael Sheffield, and Lindsey crowded around a table in the officers lounge playing cards.  Blankenship said, “I want to thank you all again for inviting me to play cards with you all tonight.”

            “Well, Captain, we thought this would be an easy way to get acquainted.  Neither Captain Bateson nor Commander Bush ever played cards with us.  I guess they weren’t betting men,” Derek replied.

            Michael took a sip of his drink and said, “I will have to admit, I miss Scotty’s Scotch.”

            Blankenship looked up and said, “The replicators on the Cobalt can make Scotch.”

            Michael said, “I know, that’s what I’m drinking, but Scotty made his fresh.”  He took another sip. 

            They continued to sit around the table and laugh when suddenly Blankenship’s comm. badge chirped and a voice said, “Ensign Lovell to Captain Blankenship.”

            Blankenship tapped it and said, “Blankenship here.  What is it?”

            Ensign Lovell’s voice said, “Captain, we are picking up a transmission from a Klingon ship. They say that their sensors pick up a Volshin ship barley in range and it seems to be fighting something.”

            Blankenship thought for a moment then said, “I’m on my way.”  He then turned his attention to the officers seated around the table and said, “I’m calling all officer’s to the bridge.”

            The officers stood and walked out of the officer’s lounge.  They walked down the corridor toward the turbolift.  They only had to wait a few moments as the doors slide open for them.  The officer’s stepped onboard and road it to the bridge.

 

            The officer’s stepped off and quickly took their stations.  Kestner quickly looked over his consol to confirm the Klingon’s message and found that it was there.  Blankenship looked up and Kestner and asked, “Mr. Kestner, do you know where the Klingon ship is?”

            Kestner turned to face his captain and said, “I can trace the source of the communiqué, Captain.”

            Blankenship nodded and said, “Very well.”

            Kestner turned back to his consol and traced the communiqué back to its source.  After looking over the readouts on his board, Kestner said, “The Klingon ship is on course zero-three-seven-mark-four-three-two.”

            “Mr. Foreman, set course and engage, warp eight,” Blankenship ordered.

            Foreman nodded and said, “Aye, Captain.”

            Blankenship then turned and said, “Mr. Sheffield, red alert.”

            “Aye, Captain,” Sheffield said.  As they jumped into warp, the bridge darkened to red lights as the shields raised and the weapons powered up.

 

            As the Cobalt neared the Klingon ship Foreman reported, “Captain, coming up on the Klingon ship.”

            “Very well, Mr. Foreman.  Slow to full impulse power,” Blankenship ordered.

            The Cobalt slowly dropped out of warp.  The Klingon ship almost filled the entire viewscreen.  Blankenship ordered, “Mr. Kestner, hail the Klingons.”

            Kestner said, “Aye, Captain.”  After a few moments he turned back around and said, “Captain, I have a visual.”

            Blankenship said, “Onscreen.”  The Klingon ship faded away and was replaced by the face of an elder Klingon male.  Blankenship inclined his head and said, “Klingon Commander, I am Captain Brandon Blankenship, commander of the U.S.S. Cobalt.  We received your transmission about what you thought was a Volshin ship fight something.”

            The Klingon nodded and said, “I am Captain Klor, of the Klingon Empire.  We made that contact about twenty of your minutes ago.  The Volshins have since gone out of our sensor range.  Some of our ships in this region has logged such incidences before, but it was not ever thought of as important, until we knew the power of the Volshins.”

            Blankenship nodded and said, “I understand Captain Klor.  We will contact Starfleet and get advised, then we will get back to you.”

            Klor nodded and said, “We will be waiting for you signal, Captain Blankenship, Klor out.”

            Klor’s face was then replaced on the viewscreen by his ship.  Blankenship then looked toward Kestner and said, “Mr. Kestner, contact Starfleet and tell them our situation and ask for instructions.”

            “Aye, Captain,” Kestner said as he turned his attention to his consol.  After conversing with Starfleet for a couple of minutes, Kestner finally turned back to Blankenship and said, “Captain, Starfleet advises that we proceed with caution and find out who the Volshins are fighting, and, if we see it necessary, attempt to aid whoever they are fighting.”

            Blankenship was quiet for a moment.  Blankenship, Kestner noticed, was more cautious than Captain Bateson was, thinking things over more before jumping into trouble.  Blankenship finally said, “Mr. Foreman, set course for the Volshin ships last known position.  This could be dangerous, I suggest we move all families to the saucer section and separate taking the stardrive section into the unknown.”

            The officers around him nodded in agreement.  Blankenship stood and said, “Very well then.  Commander Turner, you will command the saucer section.  The rest of us will go down to the stardrive section.  Ms. Turner, you have the bridge.”

            “Aye, Captain,” Turner said.  The officers stood and followed their captain to the turbolift.  The turbolift took the officer’s to the battle bridge, the commanding point of the stardrive section. 

            Blankenship looked at Kestner and said, “Mr. Kestner, hail the Klingon ship and inform them of what we are going to do.  Request that they accompany us in seeing what the Volshins was fighting.”

            “Aye, Captain,” Kestner said.  He then turned and did his work.  Minutes later he reported, “Captain Klor say that they will accompany us into the unknown.”

            “Very good.  Contact the saucer section and tell them prepare for saucer-sep,” Blankenship ordered.  He then tapped a control on the arm of his chair and said, “This is Captain Blankenship, prepare for saucer-separation.”  He then turned his attention back to the battle bridge and said, “Mr. Foreman, engage saucer separation.”

            “Aye, Captain,” Foreman said.  His hands flew over his consol, making adjustments to it.  The command crew of the Cobalt waited patiently as they herd the locking mechanism holding the saucer section and the stardrive section together detach and the locks lower themselves.  Minutes later Foreman reported, “Saucer separation complete, Captain.”

            Blankenship smiled and said, “Good work Mr. Foreman.  Set course for the last known position of the Volshin ship.  Mr. Kestner, hail the Klingon ship and tell them to engage at warp six.”

            Foreman and Kestner said, “Aye, sir,” in unison.  They then went to doing their work.  When Foreman had made the course adjustments he said, “Captain, course laid-in.”

            “Engage.”  The stardrive section and the Klingon ship both jumped into warp, headed for the Volshin ships last know position, not knowing what to expect.

 

            The stardrive section of the Cobalt and the Klingon ship zipped through space at warp speed.  The stars around them looked like streaks of light, as they went by.  They soon began to close in on the Volshin ship’s last position.  Blankenship ordered, “Mr. Foreman, slow to full impulse power.”

            Brad quickly did as he was told and said, “Slowing to full impulse, Captain.”

            Blankenship then turned toward Kestner and said, “Mr. Kestner, full sensor sweep of the area.”

            Kestner quickly turned to the sensor controls on his consol and set the sensors to a full sensor sweep.  It only took minutes until all the information came back.  Kestner read and reported, “Captain, the sensors are picking up a debris field on course three-zero-one-mark-four-five-eight.  The debris seem to be a debris of a destroyed Volshin ship.”

            Blankenship took all of this in then asked, “Other than the Klingon ship, are there any other ships in the area?”

            After another quick glance at the readouts Kestner reported, “Captain, there is something at the edge of our sensor range which could be a ship.”

            “Could be?  That’s a little vague Mr. Kestner,” Blankenship said.

            Kestner looked back at him and said, “At this range, that’s the best I can tell you.”

            Blankenship sat back in his chair and rubbed his chin.  He finally decided, “Mr. Foreman, set course for the object, that Mr. Kestner says could be a ship and engage at warp three.  Mr. Kestner, hail the Klingon ship and tell them we are going to find out what the object is.  Tell them to hold position until we call on them.”

            “Aye, sir,” they both answered.  They then turned back to their work.  The stars on the viewscreen became streaks of light as the stardrive section went into warp. 

 

            “Coming up on the object, Captain,” Foreman reported minutes later.

            “Slow to full impulse.  Mr. Kestner, scan the object now,” Blankenship.

            It only took a few moments before Kestner responded, “It is a ship, Captain.  It does not match any ship we have ever encountered.”

            Blankenship thought for a moment then asked, “Have they made any attempt to contact us?”

            Kestner shook his head and said, “Negative, Captain.  Shall I hail them?”

            Turner turned to Blankenship and said, “Captain, this ship is not in any of our records.  We could be looking at first contact with an unknown race.”

            Blankenship nodded in agreement.  “Yes.”  He turned back to Kestner and said, “Mr. Kestner, hail them.”

            Kestner nodded and said, “Aye, sir.”  Kestner turned to his consol and carried out his captain’s order.  Minutes later Kestner turned and said, “I have a visual.”

            “Onscreen.”  The unknown ship flickered off the viewscreen and was replaced by the bridge of the ship.  Blankenship looked at the bridge and found that it was like many bridges, the commander chair in the center, with the stations surrounding it.  He then looked at the person sitting in the center chair.  He had no hair on his head.  His skin was dark blue.  His eyes, Blankenship noticed, was dark black.  Blankenship cleared his throat and said, “I am Captain Brandon Blankenship, commander of the U.S.S. Cobalt.  We represent The United Federation of Planets.  Who do we have the honor of speaking too today?”

            Blankenship was surprised when a feminine voice answered, “I am Captain Ta’lON, I represent the government of TONaria.  We have herd of The United Federation of Planets from the Volshins.  According to them, you are nothing but lying, cheating, and cowards.  Are you lying, cheating cowards?”

            Blankenship responded, “I must admit, we do have our faults, be we are not lying, cheating, cowards.  From our point of view, the Volshins are lying, cheat cowards.”

            The entire command crew saw the commanders blue lips curl into a smile.  She said, “I can see now that we could become very good friends.  We have been at war with the Volshins for centuries.  Our people harbor very strong feelings of hate toward the Volshins.  Hundreds of thousands of our people have died at the hands of the Volshins.”

            “As it turns out, we are not very good friends with the Volshins either.  Was it you who destroyed the Volshin ship?”

            Ta’lON nodded and said, “It was us.  For years we have fought the Volshins.  We have destroyed many of their ships, but they have also destroyed many of ours.”

            Blankenship said, “We were patrolling the Volshin boarder when we got a message of a Volshin ship in this area of space.  The message said the Volshin ship seemed to be fight something, so we came to offer any help we could.”

            Ta’lON said, “Thank you, Captain.  We do have one need.  Does your ship have a surgeon onboard?”

            “Yes.”

            “Our doctor was killed in the Volshin attack.  Many of our crew is in serious need of a doctor.  We ask if your doctor could help our wounded,” Ta’lON said.

            Blankenship thought for a moment then said, “If you would please let us contact our superiors, to make sure they authorize beaming our doctor over to your ship.”

            “Please, Captain, don’t take too long.  Many of our people are dying here,” Ta’lON said. 

            “We wont take long,” Blankenship said.  “Blankenship out.”  Blankenship then turned to Rickman and said, “Is she telling the truth?”

            Rickman was silent for a moment.  Her face had a far away look plastered on it.  She finally said, “Yes, Captain.  She’s telling the truth.  She does want to be our friend, and she does have seriously wounded on her ship.”

            Blankenship took all of this in then turned to Kestner and said, “Mr. Kestner, hail Starfleet and tell them that we have come into contact with a new race.  Tell them that they are enemies with the Volshins and have been fighting them in a war for centuries.  Tell them that they are in serious need of medical assistance and our counselor tells us that everything she’s told us is the truth.”

            Kestner nodded and said, “Aye, Captain.”  He then turned to his work.  Six minutes later Kestner turned and said, “They give you the go ahead to beam a medical team over, Captain.”

            Blankenship nodded and said, “Scan the ship and find out what kind of atmosphere they have over there.”

            Kestner did a quick scan of the ship then said, “Their atmosphere has a little more oxygen than what we are used to, but other than that, everything is basically normal for humans.”

            Blankenship nodded and said, “Very well, Mr. Kestner, you will lead the away team to that ship.  Gather any information you can on them.”  Blankenship then called out, “Blankenship to Hayter.”

            There was silence for a moment then Hayter said, “Hayter here.”

            “Doctor, prepare a medical team to beam over to the TONarian ship.  Their commander says that they have serious wounds, take care of them as best as you can,” Blankenship said.  “Mr. Kestner will lead the away team.”

            “Aye, sir.  A medical team will be waiting in the transporter room,” Hayter said.

            “Blankenship out.”  He turned his attention back to the bridge and said, “Mr. Kestner, to the transporter room.”

            Kestner stood and said, “Aye, sir.”  He started to walk toward the turbolift then stopped and turned back.  “Captain, should I take a phaser?”

            At this question Blankenship rubbed his chin.  Blankenship finally decided, “Take one as precaution only, some of them over there might not share the captain’s hopes for peace.  We will keep the channel to your comm. badge open at all times, understood.”

            Kestner nodded and said, “Aye, sir.”  Kestner then turned and walked up to the turbolift.  The doors slide open before him.  He stepped onboard and it quickly took him to level 13 where transporter room one was located. 

            He walked into the transporter room.  Hayter and his med team were already there ready to go.  Kestner walked over and picked up a tricorder and phaser and hooked them onto his belt.  He then joined the med team on the transporter pad.  Kestner then turned to face the transporter chief and said, “Energize.”

            Kestner and the med team then disappeared in the transporter effect.  They reappeared in the TONarians transporter room.  Captain Ta’lON and two other women were standing there.  Kestner lead the med team off the transporter platform.  Captain Ta’lON walked forward and extended her hand in a salute and said, “I am Captain Ta’lON of the TONarian Government.”

            Kestner returned the salute as best he could and said, “I am Lieutenant Commander Derek Kestner, science officer of the U.S.S. Cobalt.”  He gestured to Hayter and said, “This is our doctor, Doctor Karl Hayter.”

            The Doctor inclined his head and said, “Captain.  If you would please, direct me to your wounded.”

            Captain Ta’lON smiled and said, “To the point, I like that.  This way.”  She gestured with her hand and led the med team out of the transporter room. 

            Kestner let them leave the room before tapping his comm. badge and saying, “Kestner to Cobalt.”

            “Blankenship here,” was the answer.

            “We just arrived on the TONarian ship.  I am using my tricorder to record what I can of the materials that was used in the construction of the ship.  They are like nothing I have seen before.  The only component I am familiar with is iron, but it is not one of the main components in the material,” Kestner said.

            Kestner then walked out of the transporter room to come face-to-face with Captain Ta’lON.  She smiled and said, “Mr. Kestner, can I help you with something?”

            Kestner was startled and said, “Oh, I am sorry, Captain, I was just curious at the materials that you used to construct this ship, very amazing, like nothing the Federation has seen before.”

            At this Ta’lON chuckled.  “I can tell you are a scientist.  You sound a lot like our own science officer.”

            Kestner blushed.  “Well ma’am, science amazes me.  How is Dr. Hayter doing with your wounded.”

            “He was surprised to find that our anatomy is similar to your own.  Would you like me to give you a tour of the ship?” Ta’lON asked.

            Kestner smiled and said, “Please.  Do you mind if I take readings of your instruments with my tricorder?”

            Ta’lON said, “Of course not, take as many readings as you think are necessary.”

            Kestner said, “Thank you, Captain.  I am sure that we will return the same courtesy back to you.”

            “We’ll begin our tour now,” Ta’lON said.

 

            For the next two hours Captain Ta’lON showed him around her massive ship.  As she showed him around, he recorded all the information he could on his tricorder.  He had so many questions he didn’t know where to begin, but she tried to answer all of them as best she could.  The instruments he saw were amazing.  When he say the engine room the first thought that came into his mind was, Scotty would love to see this.

            Captain Ta’lON was amazed to see the curiosity that was in the humans face.  The Volshins spoke of humans as savages, whose only concern was military, but in this humans eyes, she could see dreams, and curiosity of a non-military sort.  Maybe these humans could become strong allies in the fight against the Volshins.  Perhaps they could help them end this war that has gone on for so long. 

            The tour finally ended on the bridge of her powerful ship.  She took the center chair as he looked around.  When he was finished he came to her and said, “Thank you very much, Captain for allowing me to tour you ship.  It is simply an amazing ship.”

            At this point Captain Ta’lON said, “Lieutenant Commander Kestner, I just finished contacting my government and telling them that we had just made contact with the Volshins Federation.  When I told them that you were enemies with the Volshins they became eager to meet you.”

            “Well ma’am, that’s not exactly my department.  I am sure that the in the coming months the Federation will open diplomacy with your government.  We may come to be very valuable friends,” Kestner said.

            Kestner’s comm. badge suddenly beeped and Hayter’s voice said, “Hayter to Kestner.”

            Kestner tapped his comm. badge and said, “Kestner here.”

            Hayter said, “Sir, all of the wounded are stable.  If their journey is not too long, they will make it back to facilities where they can be taken care of.  If you are ready, we can beam back to the Cobalt.”

            “Thank you, Doctor, I will be there in a few minutes,” Kestner said.  “Kestner out.”  He then turned to Captain Ta’lON.  “Captain, I believe it will be interesting to see what happens to our two governments.”

            The Captain nodded and said, “Our government will be in contact with the Federation very soon.  Until then good-bye.”

            Kestner said, “Good-bye, Ta’lON.”  He tapped his comm. badge and said, “Kestner to transporter room, the med team and I are ready to beam up.  Energize.”

            He then disappeared in the transporter effect.

 

            Slowly the stardrive section of the Cobalt slide into place with the saucer section, making her one large ship once again.  The command crew of the stardrive section stood and quickly walked toward the door.  It parted for them and they walked through.  They walked down the short corridor to the turbolift.  Minutes later they were taking their stations on the bridge.

            When Kestner had got settled Blankenship called out, “Odum to the bridge.”  It took Odum only minutes to get to the bridge.  When he was standing on the bridge Blankenship turned to Kestner and said, “Mr. Kestner, let us see the information you collected from the TONarian ship.”

            “Aye, sir,” Kestner said.  He then took out his tricorder and transferred all of the data on the TONarian ship to the computer.  He then displayed it on the viewscreen.  Everyone watched as the information scrolled up the screen.  Kestner heard Odum let out a low whistle as he saw that their warp engines were capable of warp 9.99. 

            Blankenship then said, “Mr. Kestner, send this information to Starfleet, they’ll want to have a good look at it.  Good work of there, Mr. Kestner.”

            “Thank you, sir.”

 

            “So, Captain, what do you think Starfleet will do about the TONarians?” Derek asked as he, Captain Blankenship, Commander Turner, Brad, Joey, Michael, Ashley and Lindsey sat around the card table.

            “I would suspect that Starfleet and the Federation will embrace the TONarians since they feel the same way about the Volshins as we do.  We will just have to see what happens,” Blankenship said.

            Everyone nodded in agreement as they laid down their cards, and found that Joey won this hand.