From
The Dregs of the Universe
“Shadow of
an Empire”
“Precious
Moments”
“Reconciliation”
“Heart and
Soul”
Unfortunately (or perhaps
fortunately), most of the 30+ episodes I had written in script format vanished,
including “The Emergence,” the very
first—and very bad—episode of The Final Frontier. Only the first six episodes of Season Two managed to survive from
1997. I don’t recommend reading them, because they are all terrible
beyond your ability to comprehend. But scanning through them, I suppose, would
not be overly detrimental to your health.
You may notice some familiar
episodes in that listing, and indeed, “Reconciliation,” “Velora,” and “Shadows
of an Empire” all made the transition to the REAL Final Frontier. “Reconciliation,” however, was basically the
same episode in both cases (which explains why the TFF version is so wretched),
while “Velora” was completely rewritten—and became one of TFF’s greatest
episodes. Aside from the inclusion of
the Elorg, “Shadows of an Empire” has no relation to the Season Five episode of
TFF. I just thought I’d resurrect the
title. “Ravage” also made the
transition to TFF, in the form of the Season One episode “Prime Directive,”
however it changed quite a bit—and did not become and ongoing storyline as it
was to be in proto-TFF.
Some of the characters are a
bit different from what I presented earlier in this guide. Mainly, Alan and Matthew—both of them use
their TFF names here, as I thought these episodes might be salvageable at some
point (“Reconcilation” was one of the unfortunate victims I tried to save). I was wrong, of course. This stuff is from the dregs of the
universe, and is being considered as a possible means of torture in several
third-world countries.
PRISONER: I’ll never speak!
INTERROGATOR: If you don’t speak, I’ll be forced to take
extreme measures. I will read aloud all
six episodes of Proto-TFF until you break.
PRISONER: No! Anything but that! Force me to watch First Season TNG! Or Barney! Anything but Proto-TFF!!!
If you don’t want to read ahead, I don’t blame you.
Just click the link below to continue to the next section.
A FRIENDLY WARNING FROM THE
UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT:
THE FOLLOWING TEXT IS WRETCHED
BEYOND BELIEF (“PURE CRAP”), AND MAY CAUSE VOMITTING, BLINDNESS, CONSTIPATION, AND
SEXUAL SIDE-AFFECTS. PLEASE CONSULT
YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE READING AHEAD. IF
YOU ARE PREGNANT, NURSING, OR MAY BECOME PREGNANT, DO NOT READ AHEAD UNDER ANY
CIRCUMSTANCES.
“Shadow of an Empire”
Written by Chris Adamek
««««
Episode #27
Additional Cast
Gorvak To’Chall Elorg
Commander
Korva Elorg officer
Gevan Elorg Commander
Alien Commander
Prologue
CAPTAIN’S LOG; STARDATE
73006.2: We are en route to the Alteran Expanse in response to what appears
to be a renewed Elorg expansion. They
have been extremely quiet since their revival nearly one year ago, however I
have a distinct feeling that is about to change.
[Bridge]
ALAN: Status report, Ensign?
ERIN: We are nearing the former location of Starbase 77. Several Elorg scout vessels are present.
BATOR: Shields are down, weapons are off line.
ALAN: We don’t want to provoke them.
We’re not here to pick a fight . . . we’re . . . just visiting.
MATTHEW: How close are we to the Expanse?
HAWKE: Not close enough for a detailed sensor sweep.
ALAN: How long?
HAWKE: Just under a minute.
MATTHEW: ...We are crusin’ for a bruisin’
ALAN: C’mon Matthew, think good thoughts.
MATTHEW: Sorry.
I tend to see only the dark side of the situation when we’re flying
directly through the heart of enemy territory.
I don’t know...maybe it’s just me.
ALAN: It is.
MATTHEW: Thanks.
HAWKE: We’re entering sensor range.
ALAN: ...and?
HAWKE: Seven more warships have emerged from the rift within the past
two weeks.
BATOR: That is a decrease in the amount of ships they have been
sending.
MATTHEW: I don’t like this.
ALAN: Neither do I. They’re
hiding something.
MATTHEW: Like the rest of their fleet?
ALAN: Something like that...
Technically, it’s not our concern at the moment. We have what we came for, do we not?
HAWKE: We’ve got as much data as we can from the rift. If we pry any more, we might risk setting
off their sensor grid.
ALAN: That’s the last thing I want.
Ensign, get us out of here, warp eight.
ERIN: Course set.
ALAN: Engage.
[To’Chall’s Vessel]
TO’CHALL: Status of the enemy vessel?
ELORG1: Moving off at high warp.
TO’CHALL: They still don’t suspect that we can penetrate
their cloak?
ELORG1: No sir.
They think they’re safe. Shall
we teach them otherwise?
TO’CHALL: No.
We will let them think
they have an edge on us until it no longer serves our purposes.
ELORG1: And when will that be, your excellency?
TO’CHALL: ...Soon...
ELORG2: The others report they are in position.
TO’CHALL: When the Starlight is out of sensor
range, have the others join the fleet.
[Exterior]
Several dozen Elorg warships
uncloak, and several more emerge from the rift. The new ships from the rift join the formation. The fleet cloaks and sets a new course for
the Federation.
>>IF YOU’VE MANAGED TO
READ THIS FAR, YOU MIGHT WANT TO GET YOURSELF A BARF BAG, BECAUSE THE VERY NEXT
SCENE IS SO WRETCHED, YOU WILL PROBABLY LOSE YOUR LAST MEAL.<<
Act I
[Christopher’s Quarters]
{Door chimes}
ALAN: Come in.
AMY: Hello. [Hands him a
package]
ALAN: What is this?
AMY: Happy Birthday...
ALAN: Oh...you just had to remind me.
AMY: So, how old are you?
ALAN: Amy, you know how old I am.
AMY: Well, I’d rather you tell me.
ALAN: We go though this every year...
AMY: Well, the least you could do is open the gift.
ALAN: If you insist.
AMY: I do.
ALAN: All right then. [Opens gift, pulls out piece of black metallic
substance]. What is it?
AMY: The vendor said it was part of an ancient ship. A people that roamed the stars thousands of
years ago; before the Vulcans, before
the Elorg, before anyone. Their ships
were great spectacles, sparking fear, and awe into the eyes and hearts of
anyone who saw them.
ALAN: Where did you get it?
AMY: Does it really matter?
ALAN: I suppose not... [He starts heading for the door]
AMY: Where are you going?
ALAN: My duty shift starts two minutes ago.
AMY: You didn’t take today off?
ALAN: ...No... Why did you have something planned?
AMY: No, but, it’s your birthday.
ALAN: Like I said, I need not be reminded. [Exit]
AMY: Why do I even bother? [Exit]
[Exterior]
Starlight flies by at high warp.
[Conference Lounge]
[Enter MATTHEW, BATOR, LOGAN,
HAWKE, ERIN, AMY, ALAN]
ALAN: As you may or may not know, today is my birthday. Now, before you get all upset because you
didn’t get me a gift, or throw me a party, or whatever, you should know that I
hate birthdays and birthday parties in general. So, don’t bother.
MATTHEW: Of course.
ALAN: Well, now that that’s over with, I just received our new orders.
[Brief pause]
MATTHEW: Which are?
ALAN: We’re going to patrol the Federation border near Elorg
space. Starfleet has decided that we
need to have a greater presence in this region of space.
AMY: This is a science vessel!
HAWKE: Officially, yes, it is a science vessel, Doctor, but, we are
armed to the teeth. We could probably
take out a Romulan Warbird before they knew what hit them.
ALAN: Exactly, and the Elorg know this. With any luck, it will make them think twice before attacking.
[Brief Pause]
If there’s nothing else, then,
we’re dis--
LOGAN: There is.
ALAN: Yes?
LOGAN: I wasn’t going to bring it up...it’s nothing, really. But, because of what happened last year,
it’s probably worth mentioning.
ALAN: Let me guess... the anadyne relays.
LOGAN: Good guess. Three went
down earlier today.
ALAN: I thought we fixed that little problem?
LOGAN: We did.
ALAN: They why are these silly little relays acting up?
LOGAN: Like I said, it could be nothing.
ALAN: Keep me posted. Now, unless
there is something else? . . . . . .
Dismissed.
[To’Chall’s Vessel]
ELORG1: Sir, the Starlight has begun a patrol
of our border.
TO’CHALL: Are they scanning our space?
ELORG2: No.
They are simply patrolling.
KORVA: Preparing to attack...undoubtedly.
TO’CHALL: That is where you’re wrong. The enemy won’t attack us. It is against their Prime Directive to
initiate hostilities with an alien race, enemy or not. They are undoubtedly trying to show us that
they’re not afraid of us or our cause.
TO’CHALL: What is their position?
ELORG1: Grid 002, coordinates 415x18x7.
KORVA: We should attack now.
Show them we aren’t afraid either.
TO’CHALL: Poor young fool, Korva. We may strike, and soon, but, not if the
enemy is in grid 002. That is an area
of little strategic value. When we
strike, we strike hard, but, not without reason.
KORVA: I do not see why we do not simply erradicate them all. An all out invasion.
TO’CHALL: Our territory here is small. Nothing more than a few annexed
systems. If those systems fall, and our
vortex is collapsed, we may never be able to reach this universe again. Small steps, Korva, small steps.
KORVA: Still, sitting here doing
nothing accomplishes just that:
nothing. Should we not respond
by dispatching warships to their border?
TO’CHALL: Ahh,
there! Now you are thinking
Korva! There is still hope for you
yet. Helmsmen, set a course for the
border, warp nine. Have the Zraal
and the Vakliri meet us
there.
ELORG1: Course set.
TO’CHALL: ...Let the games begin.
Act II
CAPTAIN’S LOG; STARDATE 73009.1:
In response
to our patrol of the Elorg border, the Elorg have posted three warships on
patrol of their side of the border. We
are currently en route to intercept the nearest one.
[Bridge]
BATOR: Starfleet has dispatched the Nova and the Quasar to
the border.
ALAN: Good. How long until they
get there?
BATOR: Twelve hours.
MATTHEW: A lot can happen in twelve hours.
ALAN: Think good thoughts, Commander. The Elorg have a lot of ships and
very little territory. They are hungry
for territory, so, we’ll need all the good thoughts we can get.
BATOR: Elorg vessel entering visual range.
ALAN: On screen.
[Vessel appears on screen]
MATTHEW: What is its status?
BATOR: Shields are up, however, its weapon systems are not even on line.
HAWKE: We’re being hailed.
ALAN: On screen.
GEVAN: I am Gevan of the EWS Zraal. Your presence here is strictly
prohibited under Elorg mandate 4-7-0-9-2-9-3-6. Under this mandate, you are required to relinquish command of
your vessel to the Elorg Bloc.
ALAN: I am Captain Alan Christopher of the USS Starlight. Unfortunately for you, we don’t recognize
the Elorg Bloc as a legitimate government in this part of space, and therefore,
all Elorg mandates are nullified.
GEVAN: Unacceptable. We have a
birthright to this region of space!
ALAN: A birthright centuries old?
I think that’s obsolete. All of
your ancient enemies have been vanquished.
All that’s left is a shadow of the great empire you once had. You have no quarrel with us.
GEVAN: You simply take our territory and expect us not to retaliate?
ALAN: You didn’t object at the time.
GEVAN: We were imprisoned like animals in a zoo by the T’Kon! Have you no sympathy for us? We are simply trying to retake that which is
ours, and belive me Captain, we will get it.
Either you will give it to us willingly, and we can coexist peacefully,
or you can continue to hoarde it. In
that case, you will undoubtedly perish.
The choice is yours, Captain.
Which do you choose? Life or
death?
ALAN: We will never surrender Federation territory because of a
centuries old birthright.
[GEVAN terminates communication]
BATOR: They are powering weapons.
ALAN: That didn’t go so well.
MATTHEW: Indeed.
What’s our move?
ALAN: There’s only one choice:
shields up; red alert.
LOGAN: Logan to Christopher.
ALAN: Go ahead.
LOGAN: We’ve got a problem.
ALAN: The anadyne relays?
LOGAN: No. The warp core just
shut down.
ALAN: Why?
LOGAN: Unknown.
HAWKE: There is an abnormal amount of verteron particles in engineering.
MATTHEW: Verteron particles? What do they do?
HAWKE: Inhibit the usage of the warp core, but, they are not associated
with any naturally occuring phenomenon in this sector.
ALAN: They’re usually associated with wormholes, are they not?
HAWKE: Yes.
MATTHEW: If I recall astrometric charts correctly,
there aren’t any wormholes around here.
ERIN: You recall correctly.
ALAN: Then where the hell are these things coming from?
LOGAN: Good question.
MATTHEW: What about the Elorg? Are they hindered?
HAWKE: It’s hard to say. They’ve
been masking their warp signature.
ALAN: We’d best go with the assumption that this is a highly localized
phenomenon. That way we’re not caught
off guard.
MATTHEW: Agreed.
ALAN: Ensign, put us under cloak and use the maneuvering thrusters to
move us to their dorsal side.
ERIN: Aye sir.
ALAN: I’ll be in my ready room.
The bridge is yours, Commander.
MATTHEW: Aye, sir.
[Exterior]
Starlight cloaks
[Gevan’s ship]
GEVAN: What are they doing?
ELORG: Cloaking.
GEVAN: That’s right, they don’t know our sensors can penetrate the
cloak.
ELORG: Shall we attack them?
GEVAN: No. We shall let them
live for now. Signal the others to move
in on our position and pretend to look for the Starlight. Once they’ve arrived, we’ll simply move out
of the way and let To’Chall take care of them.
ELORG: And then what?
GEVAN: And then, if I know To’Chall, he’ll order that which we have been
waiting for since our emergence one year ago...
ELORG: The reconquest.
GEVAN: Yes. That which was
wrongfully taken from us will be ours once again.
Act III
[Ready Room]
[Bell Chimes]
ALAN: Come in.
LOGAN: Captain.
ALAN: Have a seat. What can I
do for you, Commander?
LOGAN: It’s about the verterons.
ALAN [Gets up, goes to the
replicator]: Tarkalean tea. [Replicator creates tea]. Can I get you anything?
LOGAN: No thanks.
ALAN: So, what about these damn verterons?
LOGAN: I assume Kristin told you about wormholes the nanosecond she
mentioned verterons, correct?
ALAN: More or less.
LOGAN: That could be it. We
could have somehow snagged a developing wormhole somewhere along the
lines. I’ve checked astrometric sensors...
ALAN: And?
LOGAN: We did pass through a class-9 nebula.
ALAN: Known for their temporal distortions and strange phenomenons,
yes, it is possible. But, are they
really wormhole breeding grounds?
LOGAN: It’s never been proven, but, it would explain the verterons, and
maybe even the anodyne relay failures.
ALAN: If this is true, then how
do we un-attach ourselves?
LOGAN: I’m working on it, but, I’m not a wormhole theorist.
ALAN: What about Kristin?
LOGAN: Theorist? No. Self-proclaimed expert? Yes.
ALAN: It will have to do. I’m
assigning to two of you to work on a solution to this wormhole situation, if that is indeed what we are dealing with.
LOGAN: Aye, sir.
ALAN: Dismissed.
[Science lab]
HAWKE: Okay, where do you want to get started?
LOGAN: The very beginning.
HAWKE: A very good place to start.
Computer: access all astrometric
logs since, say, stardate 72925. Look
for anything unusual, such as wormhole eruptions, verteron fields, etc. Begin.
COMPUTER: Stand by.
Search in progress.
LOGAN: Do you realize we’ve been serving on this ship since it was
comissioned, and this is the first time we’ve been assigned to work with each
other.
HAWKE: I hadn’t realized that, no.
LOGAN: It’s true.
HAWKE: Does this bother you?
LOGAN: Not really. It’s just
strange. I hardly know you.
COMPUTER: Search complete. Zero matches found on the requested topics.
HAWKE: Thank you computer, you were no help whatsoever you piece of
garbage...so you want to know me better?
Read my personnell file.
LOGAN: That’s hardly sufficient.
HAWKE: Are you impling something?
LOGAN: Not that I know of.
HAWKE: Good. Computer, same
search perameters, but, search from stardate 72000.
COMPUTER: Stand by.
Search in progress.
LOGAN: Forget I said anything.
HAWKE: Forgotten.
[Long silence]
HAWKE: Okay, fine. Let’s talk.
COMPUTER: Search complete. Zero matches found on the requested topics.
LOGAN: Wonderful. Then where did the verterons in engineering come from?
COMPUTER: Unknown.
LOGAN: When did they first appear?
COMPUTER: Stardate 73009.2.
LOGAN: How did they get there?
COMPUTER: Unknown.
HAWKE: You keep asking it the same thing.
LOGAN: And I get the same
answer.
HAWKE: What a revolution. Who’d
a thought?
[To’Chall’s Vessel]
TO’CHALL: What is the status of
the Starlight?
ELORG2: It’s taken a position under the Zraal.
TO’CHALL: A wise maneuver. Have the Vakliri come up from their starbord-ventral
flank. We’ll take the
port-dorsal. When we arrive, have the Zraal fall back to optimal firing range.
KORVA: And then?
TO’CHALL: And then the fighting begins.
KORVA: What of the rest of the Federation fleet?
ELORG1: They won’t arrive for another six hours.
TO’CHALL: Plenty of time. Worry not, Korva, everything will work out fine.
[Sickbay]
[AMY is with a patient briefly
before turning to the opening doors.
Enter TERON]
AMY: Good afternoon, Teron. How
can I help you?
TERON: It’s about that offer you made last month.
AMY: ...
TERON: The office.
AMY: Oh, yes! Have you decided
set one up?
TERON: Yes. And I would like
your assistance in doing so.
AMY: Teron, this is wonderful.
I’ll talk to Alan about it tonght.
TERON: You’re close to him, aren’t you?
AMY: You could say that. But
we’re just friends.
TERON: Doctor--
AMY: Amy.
TERON: What?
AMY: Amy. My name is Amy.
TERON: I’m sorry. I’m a bit
uncomfortable calling you that.
AMY: Why?
TERON: I hardly know you.
AMY: That’s no excuse. We’re
friends, aren’t we?
[Long pause]
TERON: Just help me set up the office.
AMY: Fine.
[Science lab]
HAWKE: We’re quite satisfied that this is not a wormhole, are we not?
LOGAN: Quite.
HAWKE: Then what the hell is it?
Nothing except wormholes emit these damn verteron particles.
LOGAN: I know.
HAWKE: Well, we’d better get thinking, or else something could go
terribly wrong.
LOGAN: Bad things are bound to happen when you’re parked beneath a
warship.
HAWKE: Isn’t there some sort of rule against double-parking?
LOGAN: Dictators can do it at their leisure.
HAWKE: Of course.
LOGAN: Wait a minute, Kristin, what if this is a quantum singularity.
HAWKE: Wait a minute! I’ve never
seen a singularity that produces verterons.
Nor have I seen one inside a starship.
[Ship shakes]
MATTHEW [over comm]: Red alert!
[Bridge]
MATTHEW: Our friend Gevan just pulled back a few
thousand kilometers, and just as he did that, two more warships appeared at our
remaining flanks.
BATOR: They proceeded to fire several warning shots in our general
direction.
ALAN: They’ve found us.
MATTHEW: What about cloak!?!?!
ALAN: They must have found a way to penetrate it. Mr. Bator, drop the cloak, raise the
shields, and goto red alert.
Act IV
[Bridge]
BATOR: The enemy has opened fire!
KENDALL: They’re using high energy plasma weapons.
ALAN: Damage?
KENDALL: None.
[Exterior]
Elorg vessels strike at the Starlight
hard.
[Bridge]
ALAN: Target their weapon systems.
BATOR: Aye sir. Loading
torpedoes.
ALAN: Fire.
[Exterior]
Quantum torpedoes lash out and
impact upon the hull of Gevan’s ship. A
huge exposion disables its weapon array, but, the ship is not destroyed.
[Sick bay]
AMY: It’s only a minor laceration.
The dermal regenerator should...
A large hazy object appears
briefly in the wall before disappearing.
AMY: Wrighton to Hawke or Logan.
[Science Lab]
LOGAN: Logan here, what is it Doctor?
AMY: I think you guys should get down here...now.
HAWKE: What is it?
AMY: I don’t know, but, it might have something to do with the
verterons...
LOGAN: On our way.
[Bridge]
BATOR: Restricting our fire to their weapon systems has not proven
effective.
ALAN: Fire at will.
BATOR: Aye sir.
[Exterior]
Starlight quickly maneuvers around a beam before swerving under Gevan’s
warship and firing all weapons. The
ship blows up, but is still not destroyed.
[Gevan’s ship]
ELORG: We are heavily damaged.
GEVAN: Can we still fire weapons?
ELORG: No!
GEVAN: Retreat? Have the others
cover for us!
[Bridge]
KENDALL: The Zraal is retreating.
ALAN: Let them go.
KENDALL: The remaining two ships are closing in on
us.
MATTHEW: Evasive maneuvers.
[Exterior]
The Starlight swerves and
quickly turns around to fire at the Elorg.
The Elorg return fire and impact
the front of the ship.
[Bridge]
MATTHEW: Foreward shields have failed.
BATOR: We have over two hundred microfractures in the hull.
ALAN: Are any of them about to breech?
KENDALL: No.
ALAN: Divert power to--
[Ship shakes violently. Explosions everywhere]
ERIN: Helm control is gone!
KENDALL: We’re losing attitude control.
BATOR: Targeting scanners are
off line.
ALAN: Make due with what you’ve got.
[Exterior]
Starlight shoots wildly in any and all directions, impacting the nearest
Elorg ship.Its sheilds absorb most of the blast, however.
[Sick Bay]
AMY: There. What is it?
LOGAN [Scans]: It looks like part of a ship.
HAWKE: What does the tricorder say?
LOGAN: Not much.
HAWKE: Is this the source of the verterons?
LOGAN: They are coming from here, yes.
HAWKE: Compensate for the verteron interference and then scan it again.
LOGAN: Done.
AMY: And?
LOGAN: It’s a...ship.
HAWKE: What? Are you reading
that thing right?
AMY: Of course he is.
HAWKE: Hawke to Christopher.
ALAN: Have you got something?
HAWKE: Yes. There is a ship
emerging into our ship.
ALAN: What?
HAWKE: There is a quantum singularity opening in sickbay. A ship is coming through.
[Bridge]
ALAN: This is not good? Can we
somehow free it?
HAWKE: I don’t know. We haven’t
had long enough to study it.
ALAN: Well, we’re about to be destroyed, so, I’d make any investigation
you’re planning with haste.
HAWKE: Aye, sir.
[To’Chall’s ship]
KORVA: We’ve got a lock on their warp core.
TO’CHALL: Then by all means. . . fire.
Act V
[Exterior]
Elorg fire at Starlight. It absorbs most of the fire, but begins to
explode.
The next volley blows off the
port warp nacelle.
[To’Chall’s ship]
KORVA: Their warp core is not critical, but, they aren’t going anywhere.
TO’CHALL: Excellent.
Continue fire.
ELORG2: Wait, sir, their ship is in a state of flux.
TO’CHALL: Explain.
ELORG2: I can’t.
A massive amount of verterons has prompted their ship to begin phasing
out of the space-time continuum.
KORVA: We can still destroy them.
TO’CHALL: Not when their ship is in flux. We will wait.
KORVA: Sir....
[Bridge]
ERIN: The hull is starting to buckle around the vortex.
MATTHEW: Increase structural integrity fields.
BATOR: Aye sir.
MATTHEW: What are the Elorg doing?
KENDALL: Because we are in a state of flux, their
weapons are useless. They are waiting
for us.
MATTHEW: Wonderful.
[Sick Bay]
[Enter ALAN]
LOGAN: Captain, we think we can unattach ourselves from the singularity.
ALAN: How?
HAWKE: We can use the deflector dish to open another singularity just
above us.
LOGAN: With any luck, the second singularity will be more stable than the
first, and the ship will “backwash” out into normal space.
ALAN: Is this theory or fact?
HAWKE: I’d have to say neither one.
LOGAN: This is pure hypothesis.
HAWKE: If we don’t act, this ship will emerge and will tear us apart.
ALAN: Okay, do it.
[To’Chall’s ship]
KORVA: What are they doing?
ELORG2: Unknown.
TO’CHALL: Fire at them. One burst.
KORVA: Why not an all out assault?
TO’CHALL: We need to know what will happen first.
KORVA: A wise maneuver.
[Exterior]
To’Chall’s ship fires at the Starlight. The pulse simply dispurses when it hits the
ship.
[To’Chall’s ship]
ELORG2: No damage.
KORVA: I see, master.
ELORG1: The Federation starships are drawing nearer.
TO’CHALL: Call for reinforcements. We almost have them.
ELORG1: Aye, sir.
[Bridge]
KENDALL: They are calling for reinforcements.
MATTHEW: Damn.
[Enter Alan]
ALAN: Status report?
MATTHEW: The Elorg are calling for
reinforcements. Our own reinforcements
are almost here.
KENDALL: Our own reinforcements will not arrive in
time, however.
MATTHEW: How long?
KENDALL: Less than five minutes.
[Enter Hawke]
HAWKE: We’re almost ready, sir.
ALAN: Tell me when you’re ready to proceed.
MATTHEW [aside]: What’s going on?
ALAN: We’re going to attempt to open a quantum singularity behind us,
so we can pull the alien ship into normal space.
MATTHEW: It’s risky.
ALAN: So is sitting here being surrounding by Warships [End aside]
HAWKE: We’re ready.
ALAN: Proceed.
[Enter Logan]
HAWKE: Activating deflector dish.
LOGAN: Deflector at fifteen percent.
Thirty-eight
percent.
Forty-seven
percent.
Eighty-one
percent.
Deflector
dish charged.
[To’Chall’s ship]
ELORG2: They are opening a quantum singularity.
KORVA: They’re trying to escape!
Destroy them.
TO’CHALL: Do it.
ELORG1: Our reinforcments are dropping out of
transwarp.
ELORG3: The Federation starships have arrived. They are opening fire.
[Exterior]
Starships attack To’Chall’s
ship. It’s shields absorb the first volley,
but let in a few shots with the second.
To’Chall returns fire and
collapses the shields of one of the Federation starships.
[Bridge]
LOGAN: Singularity is opening.
HAWKE: The alien ship is not moving.
MATTHEW: How much longer until the singularity is at
its full size?
LOGAN: Two or three minutes.
ALAN: We’ll give it until then.
BATOR: The ship is starting to move, however, it is unphasing.
[Bleep]
They are hailing us.
ALAN: On screen.
ALIEN: Help us...we are caught in an unstable quantum singularity...we
need help...
ALAN: This is Captain Alan Christopher of the Federation Starship Starlight. We’re trying to help you. If you can put your engines in full reverse
it will help you out.
ALIEN: Stand by.
BATOR: Sir, the Elorg have disabled both starships, and we are becoming
vulnerable once again.
ALAN: Hail the Starfleet Captains.
Tell them to cover for us until we’ve freed the alien vessel. Otherwise we’ll all be destroyed.
BATOR: Aye, sir.
ALIEN: We have complied.
HAWKE: They are nearly freed.
ALIEN: We’ve done it. Your rift
is unstable, however. We are returning
to normal space.
[Exterior]
The alien vessel emerges from
the quantum singularity above the Starlight. A huge vessel, even larger than the Elorg, it dwarfs the Starlight.
[To’Chall’s ship]
KORVA: A large alien vessel has emerged from the singularity. The Starlight is no longer it its
state of flux.
TO’CHALL: Open fire.
[Bridge]
[Shakes]
ALAN: Mr. Bator have we any weapons?
BATOR: Minimal.
ALAN: Fire.
BATOR: The aliens are hailing us again.
ALAN: On screen.
ALIEN: Have we caused you trouble?
ALAN: No, this trouble was started long before you arrived.
ERIN: The Elorg are out-flanking us.
ALIEN: Elorg?
ALAN: Yes, an ancient race of--
ALIEN: We know them well.
[Channel closes]
[Explosions. All lights turn off.]
HAWKE: We’ve lost primary power on all decks. The Quasar has been crippled. The Nova is under heavy fire.
ERIN: Wait, the aliens are on an approach vector. Weapons armed.
ALAN: Ah, hell!
[Exterior]
It appears that the aliens are
firing at the Starlight, however, their blue phaser fire misses, and
destroys the distant Elorg vessel.
The aliens continue fire until
all of the Elorg ships are destroyed.
[Bridge]
HAWKE: The aliens are opening a singularity.
ALAN: Follow them.
HAWKE: It’s too late. They’re
gone.
ALAN: Damn.
BATOR: There are several Elorg escape pods adrift.
ALAN: Leave them. We’re in no
condition to take prisoners. Stand down
red alert...and...begin repairs.
CAPTAIN’S LOG; STARDATE
73014.2: We have managed to escape with minimal losses from the Elorg
border. Although the damage to the Starlight
is extreme, we should be up and running in a few weeks.
As for the alien vessel which turned
the tides of battle, it remains a mystery as to who and what they were. Commander Harrison believes it was the
T’Kon, however, since no one has ever seen a T’Kon vessel, it remains to be
seen.
[Holodeck: Forest Simulation]
[Enter Matthew, Erin, and Amy]
[Enter Alan]
ALAN: Aahhh... I see we’ve got the holodeck running.
MATTHEW: It was a top priority.
ALAN: Tell that to everyone on deck four. Artificial gravity is still off line.
AMY: So what brings you here?
ALAN: I thougt I would enjoy myself a little before the day ended.
AMY: It’s about time.
ALAN: You know, I’ve never really been in here with you guys.
ERIN: You’re always welcome.
MATTHEW: You always have been.
[Enter Logan and Hawke]
They quietly walk away from the
others toward the shore, engaged in conversation.
AMY: Erick and Kristin?
ALAN: I guess we have to accept one simple fact: strange things happen every day.
Executive
Producer Chris Adamek
Written by Chris Adamek
««««
Episode #28
Additional Cast
Admiral Steven Marcette
Lieutenant Brooks
Captain Michael Redding
Sub-commander Selatt
Commander Lorak
Reval
Prologue
[Windcress]
MARCETTE: Lieutenant Brooks, what is our position?
BROOKS: We’re just outside the Hedron System.
MARCETTE: Excellent.
Our little package should be bearing 097 mark 4.
BROOKS: Nothing on sensors.
MARCETTE: Good.
Send a message on wide-band sub-space.
BROOKS: What do you want it to say?
MARCETTE: “Now”.
[Exterior]
Behind the Windcress forms a
huge distortion. A massive Federation
starships uncloaks, nearly four times the size of the Windcress.
Act I
[Teron’s Office]
[Enter Teron, Amy]
AMY: So, this is it?
TERON: Yes.
AMY: Is it to your liking?
TERON: It’s sufficicent.
AMY: But do you like it?
TERON: It’s better than nothing, Doctor. Thank you for speaking to Captain
Christopher on my behalf. And could you
thank him for his haste in meeting my request?
AMY: Of course. But why don’t
you do it?
TERON: I’m rather busy down here.
AMY: I see. Well, getting you
this space was easy, since the Elorg were thorough in trashing us. All I had to do was find an empty room.
TERON: What was the function of this room before the attack?
AMY: I’m not sure. I think it
was some sort of lab. But, since it was
so close to the residential area, it seemed out of place. The Captain was glad to give it to you.
TERON: I am in his debt.
Amy picks up a chain from one of
Teron’s boxes.
Don’t
touch that!
AMY: Sorry [Hands it to her].
TERON: It was my mother’s. I’m sorry. It’s all I have left of her.
AMY: I’m sorry. What happened
to her?
TERON: She was a marine biologist aboard the Lexicon sixteen
years ago when the Borg invaded the Typhon Sector. They boarded the ship.
She was assimilated.
AMY: ...Teron...I...
TERON: It’s okay. What’s past is
past. That was sixteen years ago. I’m fine now.
ALAN [comm]: Christopher to Wrighton.
AMY: Wrighton here.
ALAN: Amy, I need you to report to to observation lounge at once.
AMY: On my way. Duty calls.
TERON: ...um...Maybe you could stop by later?
AMY: I’d love to.
CAPTAIN’S LOG; STARDATE
73034.8: With our heavily damaged escorts, the Starlight has managed
to reach Starbase 104 to replace our lost warp nacelles. Since repairs are nearing completion,
Starfleet has sent us our latest orders, along with some very disturbing news.
[Observation lounge]
[Enter Senior Staff]
ALAN: I’ve just received our latest orders.
MATTHEW: I’m doubting that’s why you’ve called this
meeting.
ALAN: Right you are, Mr. Harrison.
What you are about to hear is extremely confidential...for the
moment. It is not to leave this
room. Is that understood? If anyone has a severe case of jibber-jaws,
I suggest they leave now.
[Nobody
leaves]
Good. Along with Starfleet’s communiqué, they sent a little treatise
reguarding a revolutionary new warship, the Ravage. This Federation warship is state-of-the-art
design. It bears no markings, and looks
nothing like a Federation starship. It
has more weapons than most of our fleet combined, a cloaking device, and
transwarp capabilities. It is truly a
warship.
AMY: My God.
BATOR: A Federation warship...if the Romulans or the Cardassians found
out about this...
MATTHEW: All hell would break loose. It’s bad enough that we have this warship,
but, it’s not marked? That’s what
worries me. What was Starfleet
thinking?
ALAN: I don’t know. Unless they
plan on moving against our neighbors...
MATTHEW: What are we going to do?
ALAN: Follow our orders. We
won’t talk about this, not even amongst ourselves. We’ll simply carry out our mission.
MATTHEW: Which is?
ALAN: Fuel for the fire...Our orders are to intercept the Romulan
Warbird patroling the Neutral Zone near Outpost 23. During the rendezvous, we are to clandestinely download the
entire Romulan database for use at Starfleet Research and Development.
LOGAN: With that sort of information, the Ravage could be
equipped with hull armor that can repel Romulan weaponry, or cut through
Romulan shields like a piece of cake.
HAWKE: Or worse. They could research biological weapons.
ERIN: Guys, this is Starfleet we’re talking about.
HAWKE: She’s right. There’s no
need to jump to conclusions. We don’t
know what they’re going to do with the database.
ALAN: I couldn’t agree more. Dismissed. Ensign, take us to Outpost 23,
warp six.
ERIN: Yes sir.
[Bridge]
ALAN: Engage.
Act II
[Bridge]
ALAN: Status report?
HAWKE: We’re nearly to Outpost 23.
The warbird is holding its position near the Hizar System.
ALAN: Activate the cloak, and set an intercept course.
ERIN: Aye, sir.
[Exterior]
Ravage drifts by.
[Windcress]
MARCETTE: Is the Ravage ready for its shakedown
run?
BROOKS: Yes.
MARCETTE: Captain Redding, would you like to take your
ship for a little spin?
REDDING: Yes, sir!
MARCETTE: Excellent.
Then you are herby requested and required to take command. Do you accept?
REDDING: Yes sir.
MARCETTE: Then as of January the twelfth, 2388,
Captain Michael Redding is the official commander of the USS Ravage. Congratulations, Captain.
REDDING: Thank you, sir. I’m honored.
MARCETTE: You should be. Bring her on-line, Lieutenant.
BROOKS: Aye, sir.
[Exterior]
The Ravage comes to life. Lights flicker on, the deflector dish
activates. The warp nacelles are aglow.
[Windcress]
BROOKS: The ship is fully operational.
MARCETTE: Your bridge awaits, Captain.
[Exit Redding]
BROOKS: Sir, I’m detecting a tetrion surge directly
ahead.
MARCETTE: What is it?
BROOKS: Two Romulan Warbirds.
MARCETTE: Red alert.
Arm all weapons.
BROOKS: Armed.
MARCETTE: Fire.
[Exterior]
Windcress fires at
Warbirds. Shots are absorbed by
sheilds.
The Romulans return fire, and
damage the Windcress.
[Windcress]
BROOKS: Heavy damage to decks
four through ten!
MARCETTE [Presses Comm
Key]: Captain Redding, is the Ravage
ready for combat?
[Ravage]
REDDING: I think so.
MARCETTE [Comm]: Destroy them.
REDDING: Aye, sir.
Lieutenant Bailey, lock on to their warp core and fire.
[Exterior]
The Ravage destroys both
Warbirds.
[Ravage]
[Transporter beams fill the
bridge. Romulans armed with disruptors
appear.]
[Cooridor]
Amy is walking down, and reaches
Teron’s office. She rings the
bell. The doors open a few seconds
later.
TERON: Amy...thanks for stopping by.
AMY: It’s no problem.
TERON: Look, I’m no good at small talk, so, I’ll just get to the
point. I’ve been poking around
recently, and I’ve discovered that the Romulans are more of a threat than
anyone seems to know.
AMY: How did you find this out?
TERON: That’s the thing. I
didn’t know either. I just knew. But then, during the crisis two weeks ago, I
felt something strange. Real strange.
At first I couldn’t figure out what it was.
It was so garbled, I couldn’t make heads or tails of it. But then, I was able to start focusing on the
message. I was picking up the thoughts
of people light years away; the
Romulans.
AMY: How is this possible?
TERON: I don’t know. All I know
is that we are in grave danger.
AMY: How grave?
TERON: I don’t know.
AMY: I’d like to get you down to sick bay.
TERON nods affirmatively.
[Exterior]
Starlight uncloaks and flies by.
[Bridge]
ERIN: Sir, we’re within range of the Romulan Warbird.
ALAN: Hail them.
HAWKE: Aye, sir....no response.
ALAN: Keep trying.
HAWKE: Still nothing.
MATTHEW: What is their status?
BATOR: Fully functional. Their
shields are down, and their weapons are inactive.
ALAN: Life signs?
HAWKE: Nine-hundred forty-six Romulans, Two-hundred eight Taakrinians,
forty-seven Garidians...and twelve humans.
ALAN: What?
BATOR: It is true, my sensors have confirmed her readings. There are twelve humans aboard that ship.
ALAN: Why?
HAWKE: Six more humans just beamed aboard...
BATOR: And six Romulans left.
MATTHEW: Something fishy is going on here...
ALAN: Indeed... Hail them
again, Lieutenant.
HAWKE: Still no response.
ALAN: Can you get the bio-readings of those humans?
HAWKE: No. We’re too far away.
ALAN: Ensign, move us in closer.
ERIN: Aye, sir.
BATOR: They have raised their shields.
MATTHEW: ...So they know we’re here.
ALAN: But why won’t they talk to us?
HAWKE: I don’t know, but, six more humans just arrived, and six more
Romulans just left.
ALAN: Well, if they won’t listen to diplomacy, maybe they’ll listen to
phasers. Mr. Bator, lock onto their shield
generator and fire.
BATOR: Aye, sir.
[Exterior]
Starlight fires on Warbird’s
shields.
BATOR: No damage.
MATTHEW: None?
BATOR: None.
ALAN: Are they doing anything yet?
BATOR: No.
ALAN: Move us to twenty-thousand kilometers.
ERIN: Aye sir, 20,000 kilometers.
BATOR: They are coming about...foreward disruptors are locked on our
weapon’s array.
ALAN: Now we’ve got their attention.
Hail them again.
HAWKE: They are responding.
ALAN: It’s about time. On
screen.
SELATT: I am Sub-Commande Selatt. Why do you approach us?
ALAN: We detect humans on your vessel.
SELATT: You do.
ALAN: What are you doing with them?
SELATT: That is none of your concern?
ALAN: It is my concern. They
are my brothers.
SELATT: If I were to compare your genetic makeup, it
would probably reveal that you are not related at all.
ALAN: And you are probably correct.
But still...why do you have them?
SELATT: I don’t know. Why do you have thirty Romulans aboard your ship?
ALAN: What?
[Romulans beam in, armed.]
SELATT: Reval, you are in command of the
Starlight. Once the crew has been
incarcerated, set a course for the Ravage.
REVAL: Aye, sir.
[Channel closes]
REVAL: Come on! Move!
[No one moves. Reval shoots HAWKE in the chest. She falls.
As she does so, MATTHEW tackles REVAL.
The Romulan guards break up the fight and escort the crew to the cargo
bay.]
[Cargo Bay]
AMY: The wound appears to have severely damaged her upper thoracic
region. A couple of milimeters lower
and she would have been killed instantly.
LOGAN: Will she live?
AMY: If I could get her to sick bay, yes, but, our “guests” probably
won’t allow me to do that.
ALAN: I would think not. But,
there are only thirty of them. We
outnumber them terribly.
MATTHEW: All we have to do is organize a small
resistance.
BATOR: We will need weapons.
LOGAN: There’s a weapon’s locker by the cargo bay exit, but, it’s
heavily guarded. We’ll need a
diversion.
ALAN: We’re not ready to move against them yet. Their ship is still within transporter range. The Romulans could have reinforcements
within seconds. We’ll wait about an
hour, and then, forego the plan.
[Nods as guards pass by]
ALAN: Let’s do it...
Act III
ADMIRAL’S LOG; STARDATE
73039.2: The Romulans have successfully captured the Ravage moments after
its comission. The Windcress is adrift
after engaging the Romulans while trying to protect the warship. We’ve been tracking the Starlight on long
range sensors for the past forty-five minutes.
They appear to be on an approach vector, however, they are not answering
our hails.
[Windcress Bridge]
MARCETTE: What is our status?
BROOKS: Still adrift. It doesn’t look like that’s going to change
any time soon.
MARCETTE: Damn.
We’re sitting ducks. It’s only a
matter of time before the Romulans finish us off.
BROOKS: The Starlight can save us.
MARCETTE: We can only hope...
[Ravage Bridge]
ROMULAN: Sir, we’ve secured all Starfleet
personell. They are either locked down
in quarters or are being held in the cargo bay.
LORAK: Good.
ROMULAN: And, we have learned this vessel’s primary
functions. We should be operational
within fifteen minutes.
LORAK: Very good. As a saftey
precaution, we should begin downloading their entire database, in case we loose
control of the ship.
ROMULAN: Yes, sir.
[Starlight: Cargo Bay]
MATTHEW: Here’s the plan: Hathaway and I will approach the guards and begin surveying the
control panel mounted on the wall near the door.
ERIN: With any luck, the Romulans will think we’re up to something, and
they’ll leave their posts.
MATTHEW: Now because the cargo containers will be
blocking their comrad’s view, we can easily take out our unsuspecting Romulan
buddies.
ERIN: That’s when we make a run for it.
BATOR: The weapon’s locker i--
REVAL: Which one of you is the Captain?
ALAN: I am.
REVAL: Come with me.
[ALAN looks at the others
briefly before REVAL grabs him and drags him away]
AMY: Now what?
MATTHEW: We continue without him.
NURSE: Dr. Wrighton!
AMY: Yes?
NURSE: It’s Lieutenant Hawke.
AMY: What is it?
NURSE: Her blood pressure just dropped by fifteen percent, and her heart
rate is slowing down markedly.
AMY: Damn. There’s nothing I
can do for her from here.
ERIN: What about the medkits stored in the cargo bay?
BATOR: The Romulans have placed forcefields around them.
MATTHEW: Heartless bastards. How long does she have, Doctor?
AMY: I’d say less than an hour.
Probably less than half-an-hour.
MATTHEW: Then if we’re going to do anything, we’d
best do it soon.
AMY: The sooner the better.
MATTHEW: We’ll wait until the guards clear over
there, and then we’ll move.
[Brig]
SELATT: Humph.
ALAN: What do you want?
SELATT: Isn’t it obvious. I want to speak with you.
ALAN: Then let’s get it over with.
SELATT: Patience, dear human. Patience.
Let’s start off with an easy question.
Why was your vessel approaching our position?
ALAN: We were ordered to by Starfleet.
SELATT: Go on.
ALAN: They wanted us to download your database.
SELATT: Why?
ALAN: I don’t know.
SELATT: Unacceptable, but, predictable. ...
Here’s another question: Why
does Starfleet have a warship located in the Hedron System?
ALAN: I don’t know.
SELATT: You are quite the uninformed, Captain. I just happen to know that that warship, is
now a Romulan vessel. We plan on
finding out why that warship is there.
And as a gesture of good will, I will tell you why as well.
ALAN: How thoughtful of you.
SELATT: I am a thoughtful person. Now, what is this I hear about a possible
rebellion?
ALAN: You heard nothing.
SELATT: That’s what I thought...
[Cargo Bay]
[MATTHEW and ERIN are examining
a panel near the door.]
ROMULAN1: What are you doing?
ROMULAN2: Get away from that panel.
ROMULAN1: Stop them!
[Romulans pull their disruptors,
but, MATTHEW and ERIN attack them and knock them to the floor. BATOR rushes for the door and opens it. BATOR, AMY, LOGAN, and KENDALL run out. MATTHEW and ERIN take the Romulan disruptors
and start shooting the guards going after BATOR. The Romulans return fire.
ERIN is hit in the shoulder.]
ERIN: I’m okay.
MATTHEW: Good.
[Cooridor]
BATOR: The weapon’s locker is this way!
[They reach a door down the next
cooridor. Bator struggles to punch in
the password as the Romulans close in on them.
The doors open, and they go in.]
BATOR: Here!
[He throws AMY a
phaser-rifle. LOGAN and KENDALL grab
their own weapons, while BATOR takes a phaser rifle. The Romulans enter the doorway.
KENDALL shoots all three of them.]
LOGAN: Nice shooting.
KENDALL: Thank you.
[Brig]
REVAL [comm]: Reval to Selatt!
SELATT: Yes?
REVAL: The Starfleet officers have overthrown most of our forces in the
cargo bay. A small group of them have
escaped to the weapon’s locker.
SELATT: What?
REVAL: It’s true.
SELATT: This is Selatt to all renegade Starfleet
officers. I have your captain, under
heavy guard. If you do not retreat to
the cargo bay at once, I will order his execution. You have one minute.
ALAN: Computer, deactivate forcefield.
[Coordior]
SELATT [comm]: What are you doing?
COMPUTER [comm]: You do not have authorization to enable that
command.
KENDALL: He is in the brig.
LOGAN: Let’s go.
AMY: I’m going to sick bay.
[Enter MATTHEW and ERIN]
BATOR: Commander, Ensign, acomapny Kendall and Logan to the brig. I will escort Dr. Wrighton to Sick Bay.
MATTHEW: Wait a minute? Who’s the senior officer?
BATOR: You are.
MATTHEW: Then why am I taking order from you?
BATOR: Sorry, sir.
MATTHEW: It’s okay.
Let’s do it.
[Follow the two groups through
the halls until BATOR and AMY reach Sick Bay.]
[Sick Bay]
AMY: We can use the transporters to beam Kristin here.
BATOR: Hurry.
AMY: Got it. Energizing.
[HAWKE beams into the bio
chamber. AMY rushes over to her and
scans]
AMY: Get me 50cc’s
tricordrazine.
BATOR: Aye.
[AMY injects the tricordrazine]
AMY: She’s stabilizing.
[Cooridor outside Brig]
MATTHEW: Are you sure this is it?
KENDALL:...
MATTHEW: Of course you are.
[MATTHEW goes for doors but they
don’t open]
ERIN: Computer, open doors.
[No response. LOGAN doodles with his phaser.]
[Brig]
SELATT: Five...four...three...two...one...
[Door is vaporized. Team comes in and vaporizes most of the
guards, and SELATT. MATTHEW shoots the
control panel and releases the forcefield.]
ALAN: Your timing is impeccable.
MATTHEW: I always say I like grand enterances.
ALAN: Let’s get to the bridge.
[Ravage bridge]
ROMULAN: Sir, we are ready.
LORAK: Bring the phasers on line.
Target the Windcress.
ROMULAN: Aye, sir.
LORAK: Fire.
[Exterior]
Ravage fires massive amounts of
phasers at Windcress. Shields collapse.
Act IV
[Bridge]
[Enter Erin, Matthew, Kendall,
Alan, Logan]
ALAN: What’s our status?
ERIN: We’re on a direct course for the Ravage.
ALAN: Maintain course.
[Enter Bator]
BATOR: Most of the Romulans have been contained.
MATTHEW: Most?
BATOR: There are still a few on the run. I have security hunting them down.
ALAN: Catch them.
BATOR: They will.
ALAN: Mr. Johnson, what is the status of the Ravage?
KENDALL: They have opened fire on the Windcress.
MATTHEW: That ship doesn’t stand a chance.
ALAN: Neither do we. Unless we
can get the prefix codes to shut down the Ravage....Mr. Bator, open a channel
to the Windcress.
BATOR: They are responding.
ALAN: On screen.
MARCETTE: Captain!
What is it? We’re nearly
destroyed.
ALAN: Can you use the prefix codes to disable the Ravage?
MARCETTE: It is possible, but, most of our systems are
shot to hell.
ALAN: Can you transmitt them to us?
MARCETTE: I believe so, however, there were several
Romulan Warbirds in the vicinity...be ware, Captain.
KENDALL: We have received the codes.
ALAN: Thank you, Admiral. We’ll
be there in less than an hour.
MARCETTE: If we are lucky, we’ll be there to greet
you.
ALAN: You will be. Starlight out.
[Ravage]
LORAK: What is the status of the
Windcress?
ROMULAN: They are heavily damaged.
LORAK: Excellent. They have
suffered long enough. Let us put them
out of their misery. Lock on quantum
torpedoes.
ROMULAN: Aye, sir.
[Windcress]
BROOKS: Sir, they have locked on torpedoes.
MARCETTE: Do we have any shields?
BROOKS: None.
MARCETTE: Weapons?
BROOKS: Our aft torpedo launchers are still in tact.
MARCETTE: Arm all torpedoes and fire at their weapons
array.
BROOKS: Aye sir.
Target locked.
MARCETTE: Fire!
[Exterior]
Windcress comes about, launching
dozens of torpedoes. They all impact
the shields of the Ravage.
[Ravage]
ROMULAN: Shields are down to 74%
LORAK: Fire!
[Exterior]
Ravage fires at Windcress,
however, the Windcress’ torpedoes intercepts a few of the Ravage’s
torpedoes. One still impacts the
Windcress, blowing up its foreward section.
[Sick Bay]
TERON: How is she?
AMY: Not well. I’ve barely
managed to stablize her. She’ll be fine
for now. But, you...how do you feel?
TERON: The vision was three weeks ago.
I feel fine.
AMY: Why didn’t you say anything earlier?
TERON: I don’t know. I was new
here. I still am. I’m a bit uncomfortable with the others.
AMY: I see. Well, I’d like to
run a complete analysis on you to see what could be causing your increased
abilities.
TERON: Go ahead.
AMY: I haven’t told the Captain about this yet. The last couple of hours have been the most
hectic hours I’ve ever been through.
But, if these tests shed any light on our mystery...
TERON: You will tell him immediately.
AMY: Yes. Okay, I’m starting now.
[Teron nods. After a few moments, she cringes]
AMY: What is it?
TERON: I don’t know! Something’s
happening!
[Amy cringes]
[Jumble of voices. Some begin to clear up:
VOICE1: Red alert!
Voices
VOICE2: Shields have failed.
Voices
VOICE3: Destroy them.
Voices
VOICE4: You will find no clarity there...
Voices
VOICE5: ...was killed today when an unidentified
ship attacked the....]
TERON: Agh!
[AMY Grabs head].
TERON: Did you see that?
AMY: I don’t know how, but yes... Wrighton to Christopher.
ALAN: Yes, doctor.
AMY: Alan, we may have a big problem on our hands.
ALAN: What’s new. Is it about
Kristin?
AMY: No. It’s about Teron.
ALAN: Teron? Is she okay.
AMY: I’m not sure. Perhaps you
should get down here.
ALAN: On my way.
AMY: Have you any idea how I saw this?
TERON: The vision must have been so strong that I projected it into your
mind, as well as my own.
AMY: If this vision is right, we have more than trouble on our hands. Was this like the last vision you had?
TERON: Yes.
AMY: I don’t remember any of those events ever happening. This may be a sign of things to come.
TERON: So many things...so little time to interpret them.
ALAN: I came as fast as I could.
What is it?
TERON: The doctor and I just shared a disturbing telepathic vision from
what we believe to be the future.
ALAN: And?
AMY: Someone is about to die...
Act V
[Sick Bay]
ALAN: Die? Is this some kind of
joke?
TERON: No. I’ve been getting strange
“visions” from the future recently.
None of them have come true, but, all of them are disturbing.
ALAN: And Amy, how are you involved in this?
AMY: These visions are so strong, that Teron can projec them to
others...well, that’s what we think...
ALAN: Okay. Assuming this is
true...who is going to die?
TERON: The vision was too foggy.
But, I do know that we must prepare for extreme violence.
AMY: It seemed unavoidable.
And it was very real.
ALAN: I will only believe you two because one, Teron, your powers have
been a marvel to everyone. Seeing the
future is the only logical step.
Second, Amy, I’ve known you longer than anyone. You’re not the type to pull off a stunt like
this unless you knew what you were getting into. We’ll stay on alert....but, people die all the time.
TERON: I understand that, but, this person seemed important...
AMY: Very important.
ALAN: Like the president?
TERON: No...more like...you.
ALAN: ...I’ll be on the bridge if you need me.
[Bridge]
ALAN: How much longer, Ensign?
ERIN: Twenty minutes.
MATTHEW: Are there any other ships in range?
KENDALL: No.
Starfleet diverted most of the fleet elsewhere so this project would
remain clandestine.
ALAN: Drop the cloak and punch us up to maximum warp.
MATTHEW: What about the Romulans?
ALAN: KENDALL, are you detecting any tetrion distortions?
KENDALL: No.
ALAN: So if the Romulans are there, they have very few vessels. Engage, Ensign.
ERIN: Aye, sir.
[Exterior]
Starlight uncloaks and increases
its speed.
[Bridge]
ALAN: How much longer now?
ERIN: About a minute.
ALAN: Good. Shields up, red
alert. Arm all weapons. Mr. Johnson, prepare to send the package to
the Ravage.
KENDALL: Aye, sir.
[Windcress]
BROOKS: Sir, the Starlight is on sensors.
MARCETTE: Good!
[Exterior]
Starlight zooms past the damaged
Windcress and fires at the small hole in the Ravage’s shields. The shields collapse in that spot, allowing
torpedoes through. The primary weapons
array is destroyed.
[Ravage]
ROMULAN: Sir, our primary weapons array has been
destroyed.
LORAK: Engage secondary systems.
ROMULAN: Aye, sir.
LORAK: Fire at will.
[Bridge]
KENDALL: The “package” is ready to be sent.
ALAN: Send it.
[Exterior]
Ravage is firing at Starlight
when all firing stops.
[Ravage]
ROMULAN: Sir, I’ve lost weapon’s control. All systems are shutting down!
LORAK: What?
ROMULAN: Our shields are lowered. The forcefields holding the prisoners have
been lowered as well.
LORAK: Arm youselves.
REDDING: It’s too late, Lorak. This ship is ours, once and for all.
LORAK: So be it.
[Lorak, and all his men beam
away]
REDDING: Where did they go?
MAN: Unknown. There aren’t any
ships nearby. Cloaked or otherwise.
REDDING: They couldn’t have transported to a site out
of sensor range, could they?
MAN: I suppose it’s possble, but, extremely unlikely.
REDDING: Are they on the ship somewhere?
MAN: No.
REDDING: Then where did they go?
MAN: Unknown...
REDDING: They’ll be back.
MAN2: I suppose this is also unlikely, but, the Romulans don’t have the
technology to beam someone that far.
REDDING: What are you getting at?
MAN2: This ‘disappearing act’ has been seen before.
REDDING: Oh really?
MAN2: Ninteen years ago, in 2370, when we had first contact with the
Dominion... Our Vorta prisoner
mysteriously beamed out of ops on station Deep Space Nine. Nobody knew where she went, but, it was
clear she had gone somehwere.
REDDING: Are you suggesting the Romulans are involved
with the Dominion?
MAN2: No, sir. Simply noting a
peculiar similarity.
REDDING: Duly noted.
Notify the others of this similarity.
Let them analyze it. We’ll see
what comes out of it.
MAN: Aye, sir.
CAPTAIN’S LOG, STARDATE
73042.8: Although the Romulans have fled from the Hedron System, they have
left us with more questions than answers.
This whole situation has left more questions than answers. Are the Romulans involved with the
Dominion? Am I about to be killed? Is death and destruction on the
horizon? Only time will tell.
[Conference Lounge]
ALAN: We have a lot to go over this morning...first an most important,
the Ravage. I have asked Admiral
Marcette to join us to discuss what to do about our warship.
MARCETTE: We believe the Romulans have downloaded our
database. They know everything there is
to know about the Ravage. But, we can
still use it as a tool fo--
ALAN: No. The Ravage project
must stop. The Federation is an
organization of peace, not war. We
don’t go around building warships, escpecially warships like that. I am kindly suggesting that you decomission
the ship before it causes any more trouble.
MARCETTE: Others might not agree with you, Captain.
ALAN: I’m not others, am I? But
I speak for my crew, and they agree with me.
Decomission the Ravage.
MARCETTE: All in good time, Captain. All in good time. It will take time to cover this ---
ALAN: No. We won’t cover this
up. As a matter of fact, you
can’t. I just had Commander Harrison
trasmit our report on the Ravage to every major and minor government in the
quadrant. They all know.
MARCETTE: What?
This is...insubordination!
ALAN: You didn’t give any orders to stop me!
MARCETTE: ....
ALAN: Next, the Romulans.
Captain Redding, formerly CO of the Ravage, has revealed the Romulans
may have a connection with the Dominion.
LOGAN: My God.
MATTHEW: It’s true.
I checked station logs around stardate 47990. They showed a Vorta named Eris beaming aboard Deep Space Nine,
and leaving a few hours later, to an undetermined destination.
BATOR: Unfortunately, this was the only time the Dominion has
demonstrated this tactic. Therefore, it
is a weak link, if any.
ALAN: But we can’t rule it out.
So far, we have no evidence which suggests the Romulans are allied with
the Dominion. We’ll keep with that assumption until it’s proven otherwise. Doctor?
AMY: As you all know, the Romulans shot Lieutenant Hawke. Her wounds are extreme, and the dermal
regenerator is hardly healing the wounds.
As of right now, she’s in a coma.
Most of her neural network has gone into shock. It’s beyond my capabilities, so, I’ve sent a
signal to Starbase 84’s trauma facilities.
They believe they may be able to help her.
ALAN: That brings us to another point:
Lieutenant Hawke may not be joining us for some time. She’ll need a replacement. Therefore, effective immediately, Lieutenant
Commander Kendall Johnson is herby promoted to Commander Johnsonl, and our
senior operations officer.
Congratulations, “Commander”.
KENDALL: Thank you.
I am honored.
MATTHEW: Upon her return, Lieutenant Hawke will also
be promoted, to Lieutenant Commander, and will take over for our Chief Science
Officer, Commander Garrison, who, I regret, was killed during the attack. Services for the Commander will be held today
and tomarrow in the mess hall.
ALAN: ...and one more thing.
While all this was going on, Miss Faladan reports that she has had a
powerful vision about death and destruction, including the death of someone
important.
LOGAN: Who?
AMY: She doesn’t know.
ALAN: But, it may be me. Now,
don’t get your hopes up, you’ll all be promoted eventually. Hopefully, not anytime soon. Keep in mind, it could be any one of
you. At least we have a fighting chance
against anything... Dismissed.
[Bridge]
MATTHEW: This is going to be one crazy year. It’s only been two weeks, and already this
much has happened?
ALAN: Ensign Hathaway, set a course for Starbase 84, warp 5.
ERIN: Course set.
ALAN: Indeed. And I have a
strange feeling that today was just the beginning of a long, rocky road...
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
Chris Adamek
Written by Chris Adamek
«
Episode #29
Additional Cast
Prologue
UNDER
CONSTRUCTION ELSEWHERE
Written by Chris Adamek
««
Episode #32
Additional Cast
Ordikan
Prologue
CAPTAIN’S LOG; STARDATE
73200.9: The Starlight is in the Azira Sector studying tachyon emissions
emanating from a strange singularity that has recently formed in this
sector. What caused the singularity is
as of yet unknown, however, we don’t suspect it to be anything serious.
[Bridge]
[Enter MATTHEW, ERIN, BATOR,
KENDALL]
KENDALL: I have completed recalibrating sensors to
penetrate the rift.
MATTHEW: Good.
Proceed with the scans.
KENDALL: Aye, sir.
[Amy’s quarters]
[AMY: ...so I injected him with tricrodrazine and told him to get on
his way. Suffice it to say, he wasn’t
happy, but, I told him to get over it.
ALAN: Busy day I take it?
AMY: To say the least. But
this [view out the window] more than makes up for it.
ALAN: It is impressive. I’ve
never seen anything more beautiful than this.
Imagine, this singularity could lead to anytime, anywhere. It’s sheer beauty beckons us... I only wish
we could go in.
AMY: One day...
ALAN: I’m sure we will. Look--
[The singularity flares]
AMY: Wow. It looks like its
growing.
ALAN: It’s probably a subspace singularity undergoing an inversion of
some sort.
[The singularity continues to
flare]
AMY: Should it be getting this close?
ALAN: We’re still safe.
AMY: If you say so.
[The singularity suddenly
expands. The plasma pervades the
windows and strikes Alan]
Act I
[Tachyon field is gone]
AMY: Are you okay?
ALAN: Didn’t you see that?
AMY: See what?
ALAN: I must be off in la-la-land.
I’d better get to bed.
AMY: It’s still early.
ALAN: Well, I’m not feeling well.
AMY: Then I’ll take you to sick bay.
ALAN: I’m not that sick. I just
need to rest.
AMY: Fine. I’ll see you
tomorrow.
ALAN: Bye.
[He leaves, walks down the
cooridor, nods at a few fellow officers, and enters his quarters. Once there, he quickly changes into his
night clothes and goes to bed]
[Exterior]
Starllight flies by.
[Conference lounge]
[Enter Alan, Logan]
ALAN: Good morning, Erick.
LOGAN: Sir.
ALAN: You’re awfully early.
LOGAN: I couldn’t get to sleep last night. I was up five hours early.
Belive me, I had nothing better to do.
ALAN: I see. I’m sure Kristin
will be back soon. Starfleet medical
says she’s making a fine recovery.
LOGAN: I’m glad to hear that.
ALAN: So am I.
[Enter Matthew]
MATTHEW: Good morning!
ALAN: Commander! Did you see
Dr. Benton Haering’s latest report on his dig on Praelor V?
MATTHEW: It was the first thing
I did this morning. I’ve been waiting
for this since last week.
ALAN: Incredible, wasn’t it?
MATTHEW: This new creature he’s unearthed will
certainly be one for this history books.
Did you catch what he named it?
ALAN: I believe he’s calling it Aries gigantus maximus.
MATTHEW: The king of combat and war.
ALAN: Exactly. This thing was
obviously designed to fight. And it was
huge.
[Enter Erin and Kendall]
ERIN: Dr. Benton Haering’s report I take it?
ALAN: How’d you guess?
KENDALL: Over the past several week’s I’ve noted that
without fail, every other Tuesday when we arrive for the daily breifing, both
you and the Commander are enagaged in conversation in regaurds to
paleontological studies.
ERIN: Using our highly advanced methods, we were finally able to
determing what the hell you two were talking about.
KENDALL: And another point of interest I might also
bring up, every other Tuesday, without fail, Dr. Wrighton is last to arrive.
[Enter Bator]
ALAN: You two need to get a hobby.
ERIN: Yes, sir.
[Enter Amy]
ALAN: Well, now that we’re all finally here, I suggest we get
started. First on the agenda today,
it’s our favorite time of year, crew evaluation. Each of you are to evaluate each and every member of your staff,
and send in the results to me. Now,
because we don’t have a chief science officer at the moment, Commander Harrison
will evaluate the science department.
MATTHEW: I’m not a science officer.
ALAN: You’re good enough, and Doctor, this year, I would appreciate it
if you would actually evaluate your staff.
Moving right along, our new orders have arrived. The Elorg attacked a small transport ship
near the Boralis Sector. Since that
time, they’ve pulled out of that sector, so it’s safe to go pick up the
survivors. After that, we’ll proceed to
Starbase 84 to drop them off, and retreive Lieutenant Hawke. In other news [reads from PADD], the
Federation is pleased to announce that the Arun’s request to join the
Federation has been granted. Membership
is expected to occur within the next five years. Let’s see...um, the Klingon
Ambassador J’Groth was assassinated by his political rival Se’tlak last
night.....and the USS Contenental was destroyed in the Zhargosia Sector
last night by what is believed to have been a malfunction in the ship’s power
grid. Unfortunately, no one
survived. If there is anything else?
Dismissed.
CAPTAIN’S LOG: STARDATE
73204.1: We are heading for the Boralis Sector on a fairly simply rescue
mission, before heading out to Starbase 84 to pick up Lieutenant Hawke.
[Bridge]
KENDALL: We’ve got the ship on sensors. It’s heavily damaged. Life support is minimal, at best.
MATTHEW: Life signs?
KENDALL: Nine humans, three Bajorans, two Vulcans,
and one Betazoid. All of them are
unstable.
ALAN: Take us to within transporter range, Ensign.
ERIN: Aye, sir.
...
BATOR: We are within transporter range.
ALAN: Beam them directly to sick bay.
KENDALL: Aye, sir.
ALAN: Christopher to Sick bay.
AMY [comm]: Wrighton here.
ALAN: Doctor, we have about fifteen patients coming from the transport
ship. Most of them are hurt.
AMY: Thanks, I’ll get prepared.
Wrighton out.
BATOR: Sir, I am picking up a disturbance on sensors.
MATTHEW: What is it?
BATOR: One small Elorg scout ship.
Minimal weapons. It does not
pose a threat, however, they have opened ire.
ALAN: Return fire.
[Exterior]
Starlight fires at Elorg ship. It blows up.
[Bridge]
KENDALL: Transport complete.
BATOR: The Elorg vessel has been destroyed.
ALAN: Good. Set a course for
Stabase 84, warp six. Engage.
[Exterior]
Starlight jumps into warp.
[Amy’s Quarters]
AMY: So, what do you feel like having tonight?
ALAN: I was thinking Bajoran.
AMY: Hasperat Soufflé?
ALAN: Sound’s good. Could you
have some kava juice on the side?
AMY: Fresh squeezed or concentrate?
ALAN: It’s replicated...it all taste’s the same.
AMY: Okay, fine...concentrate.
Rough day?
ALAN: Not really, why?
AMY: You seem grouchy...oh?! What’s new?
ALAN: Ha ha.
AMY: It was actually a fairly quiet day in Sick Bay. None of those patients we received from the
transport were that badly hurt. Most of
them were a little oxygen deprived, but other than that, they were okay.
ALAN: Good. Well, we arrive at
Starbase 84 tomarrow. It’ll be good to
see Kristin again.
AMY: We’ve all missed her.
She’s missed so much.
ALAN: I’m sure you’ll fill her in.
Whether it’s accurate or not.
AMY: Watch it...
[Dissolve to Alan all snug in
his bed]
[Exterior]
Starllight flies by.
[Conference lounge]
[Enter Alan, Logan]
ALAN: Early again, Erick?
LOGAN: Again, sir?
ALAN: Well, I’m sure you’ll sleep better once Kristin gets back.
LOGAN: So am I.
[Enter Matthew]
MATTHEW: Good morning!
ALAN: Commander Harrison.
MATTHEW: Did you read Dr. Benton
Haering’s latest report this morning?
ALAN: Another one?
MATTHEW: Yeah.
I’ve been talking about it for weeks.
Certainly you didn’t forget.
ALAN: I know I wouldn’t forget something like this. Another one? So soon? I’ll have to
keep a closer eye on the new channels.
MATTHEW: I still have it saved. I’ll show it to you later.
ALAN: Please do.
[Enter Erin and Kendall]
ERIN: What? No Dr. Haering?
MATTHEW: He forgot to read it.
KENDALL: This is highly unusual. Over the past several week’s I’ve noted that
without fail, every other Tuesday when we arri--
ALAN: Tuesday? I thought today
was Wednesday?
ERIN: Not as far as I know.
[Enter Bator]
ALAN: Something isn’t right.
[Enter Amy]
ALAN: Well, I suggest we get started.
First on the agenda today [glances at PADD], it’s...sorry, I have
yesterday’s agenda. Just a second.............................
I seem to have lost today’s agenda.
AMY: Party!
ALAN: No. Just continue with
crew evaluations, and keep our course for Starbasea 84.
MATTHEW: What?
Sir, we’re not heading for Starbase 84.
AMY: Crew evaluations? Alan,
I’m sorry, but we haven’t started those, either.
ALAN: What day of the week is this?
MATTHEW: Today isTuesday!
[Alan glances over today’s
news.]
ALAN [mumbles aside]: Arun’s join the Federation...Contenental destroyed....
Act II
[Conference Lounge]
MATTHEW: Sir?
Are you okay?
ALAN: I must be having a severe case of deja vu. No, it can’t be.
MATTHEW: Sir?
ALAN: Is this some kind of joke?
BATOR: No, sir.
AMY: Maybe you should go to sick bay?
ALAN: No... I’m fine. Set a
course for the Boralis Sector, warp eight.
ERIN: Aye, sir.
CAPTAIN’S LOG: STARDATE
73204.1: We are heading for the Boralis Sector on a fairly simply rescue
mission, before heading out to Starbase 84 to pick up Lieutenant Hawke.
[Bridge]
KENDALL: We’ve got the ship on sensors. It’s heavily damaged. Life support is minimal, at best.
MATTHEW: Life signs?
KENDALL: Eight humans, three Bajorans, two Vulcans,
and one Betazoid. All of them are
unstable.
ALAN: Take us to within transporter range, Ensign.
ERIN: Aye, sir.
...
BATOR: We are within transporter range.
ALAN: Beam them directly to sick bay.
KENDALL: Aye, sir.
ALAN: Christopher to Sick bay.
AMY [comm]: Wrighton here.
ALAN: Doctor, we have about fifteen patients coming from the transport
ship. Most of them are hurt.
AMY: Thanks, I’ll get prepared.
Wrighton out.
BATOR: Sir, I am picking up a disturbance on sensors.
MATTHEW: What is it?
BATOR: Two small Elorg scout ships.
Minimal weapons. They do not
pose a threat, however, they have opened ire.
ALAN: Return fire.
[Exterior]
Starlight fires at Elorg
ships. They blow up.
[Bridge]
KENDALL: Transport complete.
BATOR: The Elorg vessels have been destroyed.
ALAN: Good. Set a course for
Stabase 84, warp six. Engage.
[Exterior]
Starlight jumps into warp.