The Cardassian Incident- Part I Continued
Part I
“Enrek tan nol gul enal. Enrek tan na,” the person - woman if the vocal timber was any indication - stated commandingly.
“I'm sorry, we don't understand what you're saying,” Pike said, then gestured for her to keep talking; hoping the matrix would catch up fast.
The woman glanced at something off screen before her blue gaze returned to the Enterprise’s bridge. “I apologize. Do you understand me now?”
Pike blinked again, glancing at the surprised looks his officers were exchanging.
“Yes, we read you now,” he answered slowly, “I'm Captain Christopher Pike of the Federation star ship Enterprise.”
An eye ridge rose in... amusement? It was hard to tell with the woman's face so schooled to neutrality.
“I am Gul Enal of the Cardassian trade freighter Do'lock. May we be of assistance?”
“Assistance?”
Enal nodded once. “My ship intercepted a transmission mentioning a pirate attack from this sector a few days ago. Naturally, we felt it prudent to investigate the claim and render aid if necessary.”
A trading vessel willing to risk a pirate encounter? Either these people were stupid, or prepared.
“You had people in the area?” he asked suspiciously.
“Not to my knowledge, Captain. However, with the Rymusians growing ever bolder, there is no telling what they would do. Our peoples may not have contact with each other, but we do not wish you the damage the Rymusians can inflict.” Her gaze tightened. “They attacked the planet below, didn't they?”
“We're looking into the matter,” Pike replied. “But maybe you could tell us who these people are.”
“Captain, of course we will do anything we can,” Enal said as Uhura sent the footage.
The two leaders eyed each other for a moment before Pike decided to get some answers. “So, Gul Enal, you're from...”
“The Cardassian Union, Captain. You probably haven't heard of us, but we certainly have heard of you,” she answered simply, “both of your Federation and your Enterprise.”
That was the problem with captaining the flagship- everyone knew who you were.
“You're right, I haven't,” he said, and then added in an attempt at friendliness, “This should be an interesting learning experience.”
Enal gave him an inscrutable smirk. “Perhaps,” she said, as someone barked in that indecipherable tongue. She glanced off screen, nodded, and threaded her fingers in front of her.
“Captain, I'm afraid your data didn't come through intact.” She brought a hand up to stall Pike's reply. “So in the interest of expediency, I ask permission to come aboard your ship to view the data first hand.”
Pike frowned as he weighed his options. It was possible the two computers couldn't communicate. But these people had some means of intercepting and translating a Federation report. He didn't know a whole lot about computers, but video data wasn't all that different from audio or straight-written data. So what was this about? Was she trying to gain access to the ship directly, learn its capabilities as they were attempting to learn hers?
In those seconds, Enal's gaze never left his, as though she was trying to communicate through the look alone.
“Why not? We haven't had guests in a while. My Chief Engineer will give you the transporter coordinates,” he said as Scott came through the door. “I look forward to meeting you in person.”
“As do I, Captain,” she responded before the line went silent.
Pike turned to his crew. “Uhura, Chekov, you're with me. Scott, get those sensors adjusted. I want to know what that ship can do yesterday. Sulu, you have the conn.”
A chorus of 'aye, sirs' followed Pike as he entered the turbo lift and punched in their destination. The second the lift started, Uhura spoke.
“They're lying, Captain. About not receiving the security footage. They got it and they got it whole.”
Pike raised an eyebrow. “You're sure.”
“Positive. With the signal boosters and looping I put it through, there's no way it came out scrambled.”
“But why would they lie about something that obvious?” Chekov asked her.
Why indeed? Possibilities raced through Pike's mind; pieces to the puzzle appearing, but not fitting. For a second he wished Kirk or Spock were here. Their insights were among the best when dealing with the unknown, even with whatever was bugging Kirk lately. But as they weren't, he would make do. It'd been a while since he made a first contact personally, and even longer since a species caused such an uneasy feeling in his gut. But he wasn’t a captain for nothing.
“We'll keep an open mind for the time being, ensign,” Pike replied shortly as the doors opened.
The trio marched into the transporter room where Pike called in a few of Kirk's security officers. No sense in taking chances when these people had already proven themselves untrustworthy.
“Mr. Scott, feed them the coordinates,” he called to the bridge as Chekov made himself comfortable in the transporter controls. As the Enterprise sensors couldn't penetrate that strange hull, the Cardassians would have to send themselves rather than have the Enterprise transporters bring them onto the ship as was customary. However, that didn't mean someone didn't need to be on hand in case something went wrong.
Seconds later, three figures materialized on the pad. Enal was small by human standards, and apparently by Cardassian as well; if the way her colleagues dwarfed her was any indication. Her hair was pulled off her face, while the two males' was slicked back. They all dressed simply, favoring darker colors, but otherwise the clothing wasn't similar enough to suggest a uniform.
Each of the Cardassians quickly scanned the room and each occupant. Apparently satisfied by what she saw, or didn't see, Enal stepped off the transporter pad with a quick nod in Pike's direction.
“Gul Enal,” he greeted neutrally, “these are two of my officers. Lieutenant Uhura, head of Communications, and Ensign Chekov.”
The duo nodded as Enal sported an almost surprised look. So Cardassian introductions didn't involve the lower officers, just the leadership?
“These two are my first officer, Glinn Ghemor,” the taller and broader of the gentlemen nodded deeply at Pike, “and my aide, Gan Serjak.” The snake-like, smaller man also nodded.
Pike smiled thinly. “We appreciate you taking the time to help us out. But I have to say, if you wanted an inside look at our ship, all you had to do was ask,” Pike said calmly, as he directed Enal to the view screen.
The Cardassians traded looks before Ghemor and Enal stifled snorts.
“I apologize for the deception, Captain. But it was necessary if we were to aid you,” Enal replied easily as she followed Pike.
“Really...” Pike trailed off, while Chekov called the footage on the screen.
“Really, Captain,” she answered, her tone slightly offended at Pike's disbelief. “The official policy of the Central Command is that no Cardassian ship is to have any contact with the Federation, no matter the cause. If contact cannot be avoided, we are to minimize it and not share any information whatsoever,” she finished. She sat in Chekov's vacated chair as he activated the footage.
“So you're breaking the law, huh?” Pike didn't know whether to respect the people in front of him or not for that.
“Not quite, Captain,” Enal replied absently, waving once behind her.
Ghemor stepped forward. “We are following the letter of the law, if not the spirit. Sometimes that is enough.”
“You're minimizing the contact the Enterprise has with your crew,” Uhura stated.
Ghemor inclined his head before smirking. “Among other things,” he said matter-of-factly.
The footage ended and Enal stood, with her eye ridges slightly furrowed. She and the other Cardassians once again exchanged looks, making Pike wonder if those guys were telepathic, or just hypersensitive to body language.
“It seems that you are in a bit of a predicament, Captain,” she finally said after several seconds of silent deliberation. “Do you see those uniforms?”
Pike glanced back at the view screen, noticing for the first time that indeed, all the kidnappers were similarly garbed. He nodded.
“The breast plate and collar suggest that those Cardassians are in the employ of either the Central Command, or the Obsidian Order. Hence your predicament,” she stated simply.
“And the Central Command and Obsidian Order are...”
Enal took a deep breath as she considered her answer. “Officially, they are two sub-sects of the government monitoring the military and space endeavors. Unofficially is another story.”
Pike almost blanched. Federation scientists had been taken on government authority?
“I thought you said that policy is not to make contact with the Federation in any way,” Uhura said suspiciously.
Enal didn't spare her a look, as all of the woman's attention was on Pike.
“Official policy doesn't stop the Order nor the highest members of the Command,” she dismissed. “I would abandon the idea of seeing those people again. In fact, if I were you, I would start praying for their deaths.”
“Excuse me?!” Uhura burst out.
“Lieutenant,” Pike snapped, yet not quite blaming her for the outburst.
Enal blinked, somewhat taken aback. “Did I say something wrong?” she asked.
“Gul Enal, if you'd elaborate,” Pike all but ordered.
“Captain, I'm afraid that is simply- ”
“Listen up,” he interrupted. “You claim my people have been taken illegally by your government. Now I want to know what to expect when we go retrieve them.”
The tense silence reigned a moment.
“It all depends on who ordered the capture,” she finally said, silencing her aide's spluttered protests before they began. “If the Central Command did, your people would be taken to Cardassia Prime, where they would be interrogated and executed inside a week. However, if the Order is responsible, your people could be on any number of worlds and will merely wish they'd been killed.”
Pike turned from that piercing gaze, with a hand pinching his temples. What the hell had they gotten into?Why would Cardassians risk the Federation's wrath for a few scientists, and why would they be interested in such a small outpost in the first place?
“I regret that our peoples’ first official meeting is under such... tragic circumstances,” Enal said.
He snorted. You and me both.
-\/-
Jim was ticked off when Pike recalled them to the ship two hours later. The computer data was well and truly gone; even with his and Spock’s combined computer prowess they couldn’t find it. But that wasn’t all that had Jim grinding his teeth as the team returned to the beam-out point. He and Spock hadn’t gotten anywhere with the damn computers, but still- his reaction had been uncalled for. Lan was just trying to help, and what did Jim do? Snap at the kid when he too couldn’t produce results.
“Welcome back, Commanders,” Pike greeted them as they rematerialized on the Enterprise, and Jim was mentally scolding himself.
Well, until he got a glimpse of the welcoming committee. Standing next to Pike were three of the strangest-looking people Jim had ever seen. He quickly made his way off the transporter pad to avoid staring at the Cardassians.
“These three have agreed to help us talk to their military. Gul Enal, Glinn Ghemor, and Gan Serjak, these are three of my top officers. My first officer, Commander Spock.”
Spock inclined his head.
“My Chief Medical Officer, Dr. McCoy.”
Bones offered them a half wave.
“And my Security Chief, Commander Kirk.”
Jim smiled wearily at the introduction.
Before things could get awkward, or Bones or Spock could start in on the questioning Jim saw them itching to begin, one of the Cardassian’s comms beeped. Enal lifted her wrist and spoke into it, her language completely indecipherable.
“Tal ist na rok ital, kor retan one stal nok,” the person on the other side said.
Jim blinked. Did he just hear…judging from the looks around him, he had just heard a speck of Standard in that mess. Enal finished the rest of the call in a bit of a hurry, or at least it seemed that way.
“Good news, Captain,” she addressed Pike, “The lead ship of the Fifth Order has been spotted not too far from here.”
“The Fifth Order?” Spock asked.
“One of the most prestigious Orders of the military. The lead ship is one of our finest,” Serjak said.
“And most likely to know what you seek,” the leader added. “Not that they will cooperate, Captain. Just because the Central Command can get away with whatever they like doesn’t mean they flaunt it.”
Pike smiled. Jim hated and loved that smile. It meant that someone was about to get schooled.
“You just let us worry about that,” he said pleasantly. “The coordinates, please.”
“Perhaps Ghemor can assist your navigator with plotting the course,” Enal returned. “There is a lot of rough space between here and there.”
“Why, Enal,” Pike said, “if you wanted to stick around, all you had to do was ask.”
“Please, Captain,” the eye roll she didn’t display was fully evoked in her tone, “you are about to enter Cardassian space. If a member of the Central Command has kidnapped your people, the deed should come to light. They endanger us all.”
“It’s all duty with you, huh?” Bones joked.
The Cardassians all looked at him like he was an idiot.
“The well-being of our state comes before anything, Doctor,” the other male said before turning to the woman. “I will order the ship to its destination. No sense in raising the Order’s suspicions before we have to.”
She nodded sharply.
“Chekov, once he’s done with that, plot the fastest course to our ship. Enal, if you’d accompany me,” Pike made the ‘after you’ motion. “You guys, get some sleep while you can. I have a feeling it’ll be in short supply soon enough.”
With a round of ‘aye, sir’s, Pike left the transporter room with the Cardassian woman hot on his heels. The taller male activated his comm. and barked a few orders into it. Jim didn’t stick around long enough to hear much, as he fully intended to take Pike up on his order to crash. Despite Bones’ help the previous night he still hadn’t slept much, and what sleep he did manage was restless. He’d tossed and turned and hadn’t gotten more than an hour at a stretch. He barely noticed Bones’ scrutinizing gaze until he exited and the man’s hand was on his shoulder.
“Geez, don’t scare me like that,” Jim said, depleted of the energy needed to shrug out of the man’s grip of doom. “You been taking creeping lessons from Spock or something?”
Bones’ eyes narrowed in concern. “That’s not very damned funny,” he retorted. “And I’m just fine, Jim. You’re the one who hears a bra drop on the other side of the ship, not me.”
Jim chuckled but put himself on his guard. Bones didn’t try to be witty unless he was about to say or suggest something he knew would have Jim up in arms.
“What’re you trying to say, Bones?”
“How you doing, kid?” he asked lowly. “Last night help any?”
Jim scowled. “I’m fine, Bones.” And yeah, it was defensive but he was fine. Just fucking tired.
“That’s not an answer and you know it,” Bones growled.
“Since when do you sound like Spock?” Jim asked almost harshly.
“Since the hobgoblin had a point - and stop dodging the question.”
“I’m fine, Bones,” Jim repeated because the last thing he wanted was a few hours in sick bay, or to be taken off duty when he was just tired. Since it was easiest to placate his friend early, he added repentantly, “I’m just a little tired, okay?”
Bones raised an eyebrow. “You think about cutting those kids some slack?”
Jim nodded. “Yeah, you were right,” he said, hoping to get the man off his back, and that the desire that he do so wasn’t obvious. “But every few weeks or so, we’ll go to five days a week. Gotta keep them on their toes, you know?”
Bones still looked at him warily, but a half-smirk made its way to his face. “And they say I’m the hard-ass of this crew.”
Jim laughed, really laughed.
“What can I say? Someone has to run a tight ship around here,” he said. “I’m going to go catch a nap. See you in a couple of hours?”
Bones nodded. “Sure, 1800 in the officers’ lounge? Provided, of course, that we don’t meet those other damn Cardassians in the meantime.”
“Sounds good.” Jim clapped him on the shoulder, and then headed for the nearest turbolift.
-\/-
It started with a laugh. It always started with a laugh. Most of the time, the laugh was pitched low and mocking. Though sometimes it was higher. High and desperate and hysterical.
“Look around you, you idiot!” someone screamed, a child, at him, “We’ve got nothing! What’re we supposed to do? At least there they’ll kill us fast.”
He growled at the kid and grabbed his scrawny head, pulling it in close. “You wanna die that badly? We’ve got a damn chance,” he yelled right back, his voice cracking involuntarily. “They’re coming. It’s just a bit longer.”
“That’s what you said before Fred died,” the boy retaliated, smacking his hands off of him. “That’s what Teddie said before you got her killed. That was five fucking months ago, Jim. They’re never coming! All you’ve done is kill us slower.”
“Shut up,” Jim yelled, tackling him to the ground but it didn’t help. He was right. Six months of scrounging for scraps and going without so the younger kids could have a chance. Six months. How much longer did Starfleet - did anyone - need to figure out what the hell was going on out here?
Straddling the other boy, he just kept punching like he was possessed.
“We’ll be fine, we’ll be fine,” he chanted with each blow; but hunger made the kid crazy or something because he wouldn’t - shut - up.
“Steve, Dalia, Amaris, Eddie,” the brat laughed as on and on the list went.
Jim just kept hitting, harder and harder.
“It’s all your fault!”
Jim gasped loudly, falling out of bed and landing roughly on the floor; completely freaked out. There he sat for several minutes, trying to get his breathing back under control. It was a hard fought battle.
Sighing, he placed his head in a hand, trying to re-banish the memory to the far recesses of his mind. But now that it had seen the light once again, it was that much harder to ignore. It was the worst year of Jim’s life, the year that most of the time, as far as he was concerned, didn’t exist. But now…
Names echoed through his mind, as quiet, ultimately futile reassurances flitted into his ears once again&. Faces long dormant and dead once again sprang to life behind his eyes.
Not knowing what else to do, he curled in on himself and tried to endure the onslaught.
-\/-
A loud comm ping sounded in Jim's quarters, jerking the exhausted man from his restless memories. Wearily, he unfolded himself from his spot on the floor and made his way to the comm.
“Kirk,” he said, trying to blink the dead from his eyes.
“We're arriving at our destination, Kirk,” Uhura reported. “Pike wants you up here in five minutes.”
“Gotcha. Kirk out.”
Jim glanced at the clock, realizing with a start he'd only slept a couple of hours. Of course Kirk, he thought to himself while changing his uniform, reliving hell will make even a minute feel like an eternity. And why were things coming back now? Well, he had a job to do and he could not let this mess with him. No matter what.
Shoving the memories back into their dark little corner in his mind and praying they'd stay there, Jim marched up to the bridge, nodding at Spock and Sulu on his way in. He took his place behind Pike's chair as the captain conversed with the Cardassian leader. On the viewscreen was a ship, of a similar style to the freighter, but obviously built for war.
“But with your support, things might go a little more smoothly,” Pike was saying to Enal.
She smirked. “If it is all the same to you, Captain, my colleagues and I shall wait out this... encounter somewhere hidden from their sensors,” she said. “We are risking enough as it is. We have to live in this Union after you leave, after all.”
She nodded to the bridge crew before she and her minions slunk off.
Jim didn't like the way she spoke. Something about the Cardassians as a whole was off-putting. It was like trying to see through a thick San Francisco fog - you could make out shapes and movements, but the finer details were obscured.
Pike sighed and nodded at Uhura, who sent out the hail as they stared uneasily.
Jim hated going in blind like this, hated the uncertainty it caused. The seconds stretched before they received an answering ping indicating an open channel.
“This is Gul Inson of the Fifth Order. You have entered Cardassian space. Identify yourselves immediately,” the man snapped the instant his image appeared on the screen. He had an almost bug-eyed look to him, with large but shallowly set eyes that unsettled Jim more than the others’ deep-seated gazes.
“I am Captain Christopher Pike of the Federation starship Enterprise,” Pike returned. “We have reason to believe your government kidnapped some of our scientists, and we were hoping you'd be willing to help us out.”
Inson scoffed. “Captain, you invade our territory and make demands? You are either brave or foolish. But to indulge your request,” he said in a long suffering manner, “you must be mistaken. Our official policy is to remain within our borders and not contact outside powers. Now, if you will leave our space I'll forget this little incident occurred.”
Pike ignored the threat.
“Well, if everyone follows your policies,” he said almost mockingly but not quite- dang, Jim wished he could speak that way- “then you must have a rogue element floating about out here. We have proof if you'd like to see it.”
“Captain, not just any Cardassian can run a spaceship. I assure you, we keep very strict watch on all our ships,” Inson stated as if he was lecturing a particularly slow child. “Besides, why would we take your scientists? What use could we possibly have for them?”
“You tell me,” Pike said mildly.
Jim hated that tone when Pike directed it at him. It meant trouble, and lots of it, in the near future. Watching the man direct it at other people however, especially one who seemed oblivious to the danger, was plain fun.
“Captain, if indeed your people were captured by Cardassians I assure you, you would not be here discussing the possibility with me. We would have made sure to point you in another direction, far from Cardassian space, or made it look like your people were dead. Now I will not ask you again. Leave our space immediately.”
“As soon as I retrieve my people, I will happily leave your space,” Pike answered. “Until then, I’m afraid you’re stuck with me.”
“Fire,” the Cardassian ordered. A second later, the Enterprise barely rocked as something obviously made contact. Inson’s eyes widened.
“Care to reevaluate your position?” Pike asked with just a slight smugness.
Inson barked at one of his subordinates, and then there was a high-pitched whining as the transmission cut. The Cardassian ship detonated some sort of device, and the screen went blank as the power faltered for a second.
“That thing fired some sort of discharge, sir,” Sulu reported.
“Lost them on communications.”
“And the computers.”
“Scanners are officially disabled, Captain,” Spock reported.
Which meant they couldn’t track the ship until they were restored. Fuck.
“How long until function’s restored, Commander?” Pike asked.
“At least two hours, provided their device did not burn out any of the wires or equipment.”
Great, now what were they going to do? “The trail will be long gone by then,” Jim commented.
Spock fed him a ‘yes, I know that, what do you want me to do about it?’ look.
“Ensign, plot a course back the way we came,” Pike said. “No use in waiting around for unwanted company.”
Yeah, and pray they didn’t run into other Cardassian ships on the way out.
“Well?” Enal asked as she entered, her first officer on her heels. “Were they as informative as I warned?”
“Less,” Pike answered dryly, as he sat in his chair.
Jim blinked slowly, willing his mind to keep up, as he leaned on one of the consoles with his arms crossed.
“I did warn you they wouldn’t acknowledge what they’d done.”
“Gee thanks, Gul Enal. Way to state the obvious,” Jim retorted.
“Commander,” Pike said almost absently.
Jim rolled his eyes as tension mounted on the bridge.
“Just what are these people to you?” Ghemor asked.
“Why do you wish to know?” Spock returned, an eyebrow raised.
“Because…there is another option, Captain,” Enal said almost hesitantly.
The entire bridge fed her looks of incredulity.
“Another option,” Pike said flatly.
She inclined her head just slightly. “Yes. If you are willing to permit me to plot the course.”
“Why didn’t you mention this earlier?” Pike said, full of quiet fury.
Enal stood in front of him, completely unfazed. “Because Captain, what would you think if someone you had never met told you they had a less than legal method to solving your problem, without first exhausting the legal means?”
That sentiment deflated some of the mounting tension. But Jim knew what he would see: a trap. And an obvious one at that.
“From where I’m standing, Captain,” Enal said quietly, “the choices are thus. Leave your people and whatever classified information stored in their brains to the mercy of the Central Command, or meet with my contacts and pray they can assist you. The choice is of course yours, Captain. But I wouldn’t take long deciding if I were you.”
Jim swore he saw Pike’s nostrils flare as he launched himself from his chair.
“Senior staff, conference room, now,” he barked before giving Enal a hard look. “Get off of my bridge.”
Everyone snapped to it. Replacements slid into their posts with practiced ease, as the others marched into the conference room.
“Ideas,” Pike demanded before everyone had taken their seats.
“It is a trap,” Spock said immediately.
“What choice do we have?” Bones retorted. “Unless you advocate abandoning those scientists, Mr. Spock?”
“They are officers of Starfleet. They would not want us to risk so much on the mere chance of rescuing them.”
“You sure you aren’t cold-blooded, you pointed-eared-”
“Would you two give it a rest?” Jim snapped, rubbing his temples. He could’ve heard a pin drop in the ensuing silence. “You’re giving me a damn migraine.” He looked up to see everyone staring at him. “What?” he said shortly.
Spock and Bones traded almost concerned glances, as Uhura and Scotty looked taken aback. Pike looked him over again like he was still that damn drunk kid back in Iowa. Damn.
“Any other comments, Kirk?” he asked almost mildly.
Jim bit back a sigh and ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t think it’s a trap,” he said slowly to gather his thoughts. “If that Gul had suggested this first, maybe. They’ve definitely got some kind of agenda, sure. But they’ve been pretty helpful so far, if a bit slimey.”
“What is this agenda, Commander?” Spock asked rhetorically. “I do not trust these people.”
“Why not, Spock?” Jim returned.
“This situation seems entirely too convenient,” he said. “The only reason we have to believe that the Cardassian military is responsible for this incident is the word of three individuals-”
“Convenient or not, this is the only lead we have,” Jim interrupted. “And whether or not we can trust these guys, I’d rather have someone in the know with us if we have to go underground.”
“I think we can agree that the Cardassians probably aren’t the self-sacrificing type,” Pike said. “I agree there’s some larger game here, Spock. But if they’re willing to go in, they probably have an escape route.” He sighed. “Scott, get those sensors working. Let’s see what Enal’s friends can do for us.”
Part II
Part III Part IIIb End Notes
“Enrek tan nol gul enal. Enrek tan na,” the person - woman if the vocal timber was any indication - stated commandingly.
“I'm sorry, we don't understand what you're saying,” Pike said, then gestured for her to keep talking; hoping the matrix would catch up fast.
The woman glanced at something off screen before her blue gaze returned to the Enterprise’s bridge. “I apologize. Do you understand me now?”
Pike blinked again, glancing at the surprised looks his officers were exchanging.
“Yes, we read you now,” he answered slowly, “I'm Captain Christopher Pike of the Federation star ship Enterprise.”
An eye ridge rose in... amusement? It was hard to tell with the woman's face so schooled to neutrality.
“I am Gul Enal of the Cardassian trade freighter Do'lock. May we be of assistance?”
“Assistance?”
Enal nodded once. “My ship intercepted a transmission mentioning a pirate attack from this sector a few days ago. Naturally, we felt it prudent to investigate the claim and render aid if necessary.”
A trading vessel willing to risk a pirate encounter? Either these people were stupid, or prepared.
“You had people in the area?” he asked suspiciously.
“Not to my knowledge, Captain. However, with the Rymusians growing ever bolder, there is no telling what they would do. Our peoples may not have contact with each other, but we do not wish you the damage the Rymusians can inflict.” Her gaze tightened. “They attacked the planet below, didn't they?”
“We're looking into the matter,” Pike replied. “But maybe you could tell us who these people are.”
“Captain, of course we will do anything we can,” Enal said as Uhura sent the footage.
The two leaders eyed each other for a moment before Pike decided to get some answers. “So, Gul Enal, you're from...”
“The Cardassian Union, Captain. You probably haven't heard of us, but we certainly have heard of you,” she answered simply, “both of your Federation and your Enterprise.”
That was the problem with captaining the flagship- everyone knew who you were.
“You're right, I haven't,” he said, and then added in an attempt at friendliness, “This should be an interesting learning experience.”
Enal gave him an inscrutable smirk. “Perhaps,” she said, as someone barked in that indecipherable tongue. She glanced off screen, nodded, and threaded her fingers in front of her.
“Captain, I'm afraid your data didn't come through intact.” She brought a hand up to stall Pike's reply. “So in the interest of expediency, I ask permission to come aboard your ship to view the data first hand.”
Pike frowned as he weighed his options. It was possible the two computers couldn't communicate. But these people had some means of intercepting and translating a Federation report. He didn't know a whole lot about computers, but video data wasn't all that different from audio or straight-written data. So what was this about? Was she trying to gain access to the ship directly, learn its capabilities as they were attempting to learn hers?
In those seconds, Enal's gaze never left his, as though she was trying to communicate through the look alone.
“Why not? We haven't had guests in a while. My Chief Engineer will give you the transporter coordinates,” he said as Scott came through the door. “I look forward to meeting you in person.”
“As do I, Captain,” she responded before the line went silent.
Pike turned to his crew. “Uhura, Chekov, you're with me. Scott, get those sensors adjusted. I want to know what that ship can do yesterday. Sulu, you have the conn.”
A chorus of 'aye, sirs' followed Pike as he entered the turbo lift and punched in their destination. The second the lift started, Uhura spoke.
“They're lying, Captain. About not receiving the security footage. They got it and they got it whole.”
Pike raised an eyebrow. “You're sure.”
“Positive. With the signal boosters and looping I put it through, there's no way it came out scrambled.”
“But why would they lie about something that obvious?” Chekov asked her.
Why indeed? Possibilities raced through Pike's mind; pieces to the puzzle appearing, but not fitting. For a second he wished Kirk or Spock were here. Their insights were among the best when dealing with the unknown, even with whatever was bugging Kirk lately. But as they weren't, he would make do. It'd been a while since he made a first contact personally, and even longer since a species caused such an uneasy feeling in his gut. But he wasn’t a captain for nothing.
“We'll keep an open mind for the time being, ensign,” Pike replied shortly as the doors opened.
The trio marched into the transporter room where Pike called in a few of Kirk's security officers. No sense in taking chances when these people had already proven themselves untrustworthy.
“Mr. Scott, feed them the coordinates,” he called to the bridge as Chekov made himself comfortable in the transporter controls. As the Enterprise sensors couldn't penetrate that strange hull, the Cardassians would have to send themselves rather than have the Enterprise transporters bring them onto the ship as was customary. However, that didn't mean someone didn't need to be on hand in case something went wrong.
Seconds later, three figures materialized on the pad. Enal was small by human standards, and apparently by Cardassian as well; if the way her colleagues dwarfed her was any indication. Her hair was pulled off her face, while the two males' was slicked back. They all dressed simply, favoring darker colors, but otherwise the clothing wasn't similar enough to suggest a uniform.
Each of the Cardassians quickly scanned the room and each occupant. Apparently satisfied by what she saw, or didn't see, Enal stepped off the transporter pad with a quick nod in Pike's direction.
“Gul Enal,” he greeted neutrally, “these are two of my officers. Lieutenant Uhura, head of Communications, and Ensign Chekov.”
The duo nodded as Enal sported an almost surprised look. So Cardassian introductions didn't involve the lower officers, just the leadership?
“These two are my first officer, Glinn Ghemor,” the taller and broader of the gentlemen nodded deeply at Pike, “and my aide, Gan Serjak.” The snake-like, smaller man also nodded.
Pike smiled thinly. “We appreciate you taking the time to help us out. But I have to say, if you wanted an inside look at our ship, all you had to do was ask,” Pike said calmly, as he directed Enal to the view screen.
The Cardassians traded looks before Ghemor and Enal stifled snorts.
“I apologize for the deception, Captain. But it was necessary if we were to aid you,” Enal replied easily as she followed Pike.
“Really...” Pike trailed off, while Chekov called the footage on the screen.
“Really, Captain,” she answered, her tone slightly offended at Pike's disbelief. “The official policy of the Central Command is that no Cardassian ship is to have any contact with the Federation, no matter the cause. If contact cannot be avoided, we are to minimize it and not share any information whatsoever,” she finished. She sat in Chekov's vacated chair as he activated the footage.
“So you're breaking the law, huh?” Pike didn't know whether to respect the people in front of him or not for that.
“Not quite, Captain,” Enal replied absently, waving once behind her.
Ghemor stepped forward. “We are following the letter of the law, if not the spirit. Sometimes that is enough.”
“You're minimizing the contact the Enterprise has with your crew,” Uhura stated.
Ghemor inclined his head before smirking. “Among other things,” he said matter-of-factly.
The footage ended and Enal stood, with her eye ridges slightly furrowed. She and the other Cardassians once again exchanged looks, making Pike wonder if those guys were telepathic, or just hypersensitive to body language.
“It seems that you are in a bit of a predicament, Captain,” she finally said after several seconds of silent deliberation. “Do you see those uniforms?”
Pike glanced back at the view screen, noticing for the first time that indeed, all the kidnappers were similarly garbed. He nodded.
“The breast plate and collar suggest that those Cardassians are in the employ of either the Central Command, or the Obsidian Order. Hence your predicament,” she stated simply.
“And the Central Command and Obsidian Order are...”
Enal took a deep breath as she considered her answer. “Officially, they are two sub-sects of the government monitoring the military and space endeavors. Unofficially is another story.”
Pike almost blanched. Federation scientists had been taken on government authority?
“I thought you said that policy is not to make contact with the Federation in any way,” Uhura said suspiciously.
Enal didn't spare her a look, as all of the woman's attention was on Pike.
“Official policy doesn't stop the Order nor the highest members of the Command,” she dismissed. “I would abandon the idea of seeing those people again. In fact, if I were you, I would start praying for their deaths.”
“Excuse me?!” Uhura burst out.
“Lieutenant,” Pike snapped, yet not quite blaming her for the outburst.
Enal blinked, somewhat taken aback. “Did I say something wrong?” she asked.
“Gul Enal, if you'd elaborate,” Pike all but ordered.
“Captain, I'm afraid that is simply- ”
“Listen up,” he interrupted. “You claim my people have been taken illegally by your government. Now I want to know what to expect when we go retrieve them.”
The tense silence reigned a moment.
“It all depends on who ordered the capture,” she finally said, silencing her aide's spluttered protests before they began. “If the Central Command did, your people would be taken to Cardassia Prime, where they would be interrogated and executed inside a week. However, if the Order is responsible, your people could be on any number of worlds and will merely wish they'd been killed.”
Pike turned from that piercing gaze, with a hand pinching his temples. What the hell had they gotten into?Why would Cardassians risk the Federation's wrath for a few scientists, and why would they be interested in such a small outpost in the first place?
“I regret that our peoples’ first official meeting is under such... tragic circumstances,” Enal said.
He snorted. You and me both.
-\/-
Jim was ticked off when Pike recalled them to the ship two hours later. The computer data was well and truly gone; even with his and Spock’s combined computer prowess they couldn’t find it. But that wasn’t all that had Jim grinding his teeth as the team returned to the beam-out point. He and Spock hadn’t gotten anywhere with the damn computers, but still- his reaction had been uncalled for. Lan was just trying to help, and what did Jim do? Snap at the kid when he too couldn’t produce results.
“Welcome back, Commanders,” Pike greeted them as they rematerialized on the Enterprise, and Jim was mentally scolding himself.
Well, until he got a glimpse of the welcoming committee. Standing next to Pike were three of the strangest-looking people Jim had ever seen. He quickly made his way off the transporter pad to avoid staring at the Cardassians.
“These three have agreed to help us talk to their military. Gul Enal, Glinn Ghemor, and Gan Serjak, these are three of my top officers. My first officer, Commander Spock.”
Spock inclined his head.
“My Chief Medical Officer, Dr. McCoy.”
Bones offered them a half wave.
“And my Security Chief, Commander Kirk.”
Jim smiled wearily at the introduction.
Before things could get awkward, or Bones or Spock could start in on the questioning Jim saw them itching to begin, one of the Cardassian’s comms beeped. Enal lifted her wrist and spoke into it, her language completely indecipherable.
“Tal ist na rok ital, kor retan one stal nok,” the person on the other side said.
Jim blinked. Did he just hear…judging from the looks around him, he had just heard a speck of Standard in that mess. Enal finished the rest of the call in a bit of a hurry, or at least it seemed that way.
“Good news, Captain,” she addressed Pike, “The lead ship of the Fifth Order has been spotted not too far from here.”
“The Fifth Order?” Spock asked.
“One of the most prestigious Orders of the military. The lead ship is one of our finest,” Serjak said.
“And most likely to know what you seek,” the leader added. “Not that they will cooperate, Captain. Just because the Central Command can get away with whatever they like doesn’t mean they flaunt it.”
Pike smiled. Jim hated and loved that smile. It meant that someone was about to get schooled.
“You just let us worry about that,” he said pleasantly. “The coordinates, please.”
“Perhaps Ghemor can assist your navigator with plotting the course,” Enal returned. “There is a lot of rough space between here and there.”
“Why, Enal,” Pike said, “if you wanted to stick around, all you had to do was ask.”
“Please, Captain,” the eye roll she didn’t display was fully evoked in her tone, “you are about to enter Cardassian space. If a member of the Central Command has kidnapped your people, the deed should come to light. They endanger us all.”
“It’s all duty with you, huh?” Bones joked.
The Cardassians all looked at him like he was an idiot.
“The well-being of our state comes before anything, Doctor,” the other male said before turning to the woman. “I will order the ship to its destination. No sense in raising the Order’s suspicions before we have to.”
She nodded sharply.
“Chekov, once he’s done with that, plot the fastest course to our ship. Enal, if you’d accompany me,” Pike made the ‘after you’ motion. “You guys, get some sleep while you can. I have a feeling it’ll be in short supply soon enough.”
With a round of ‘aye, sir’s, Pike left the transporter room with the Cardassian woman hot on his heels. The taller male activated his comm. and barked a few orders into it. Jim didn’t stick around long enough to hear much, as he fully intended to take Pike up on his order to crash. Despite Bones’ help the previous night he still hadn’t slept much, and what sleep he did manage was restless. He’d tossed and turned and hadn’t gotten more than an hour at a stretch. He barely noticed Bones’ scrutinizing gaze until he exited and the man’s hand was on his shoulder.
“Geez, don’t scare me like that,” Jim said, depleted of the energy needed to shrug out of the man’s grip of doom. “You been taking creeping lessons from Spock or something?”
Bones’ eyes narrowed in concern. “That’s not very damned funny,” he retorted. “And I’m just fine, Jim. You’re the one who hears a bra drop on the other side of the ship, not me.”
Jim chuckled but put himself on his guard. Bones didn’t try to be witty unless he was about to say or suggest something he knew would have Jim up in arms.
“What’re you trying to say, Bones?”
“How you doing, kid?” he asked lowly. “Last night help any?”
Jim scowled. “I’m fine, Bones.” And yeah, it was defensive but he was fine. Just fucking tired.
“That’s not an answer and you know it,” Bones growled.
“Since when do you sound like Spock?” Jim asked almost harshly.
“Since the hobgoblin had a point - and stop dodging the question.”
“I’m fine, Bones,” Jim repeated because the last thing he wanted was a few hours in sick bay, or to be taken off duty when he was just tired. Since it was easiest to placate his friend early, he added repentantly, “I’m just a little tired, okay?”
Bones raised an eyebrow. “You think about cutting those kids some slack?”
Jim nodded. “Yeah, you were right,” he said, hoping to get the man off his back, and that the desire that he do so wasn’t obvious. “But every few weeks or so, we’ll go to five days a week. Gotta keep them on their toes, you know?”
Bones still looked at him warily, but a half-smirk made its way to his face. “And they say I’m the hard-ass of this crew.”
Jim laughed, really laughed.
“What can I say? Someone has to run a tight ship around here,” he said. “I’m going to go catch a nap. See you in a couple of hours?”
Bones nodded. “Sure, 1800 in the officers’ lounge? Provided, of course, that we don’t meet those other damn Cardassians in the meantime.”
“Sounds good.” Jim clapped him on the shoulder, and then headed for the nearest turbolift.
-\/-
It started with a laugh. It always started with a laugh. Most of the time, the laugh was pitched low and mocking. Though sometimes it was higher. High and desperate and hysterical.
“Look around you, you idiot!” someone screamed, a child, at him, “We’ve got nothing! What’re we supposed to do? At least there they’ll kill us fast.”
He growled at the kid and grabbed his scrawny head, pulling it in close. “You wanna die that badly? We’ve got a damn chance,” he yelled right back, his voice cracking involuntarily. “They’re coming. It’s just a bit longer.”
“That’s what you said before Fred died,” the boy retaliated, smacking his hands off of him. “That’s what Teddie said before you got her killed. That was five fucking months ago, Jim. They’re never coming! All you’ve done is kill us slower.”
“Shut up,” Jim yelled, tackling him to the ground but it didn’t help. He was right. Six months of scrounging for scraps and going without so the younger kids could have a chance. Six months. How much longer did Starfleet - did anyone - need to figure out what the hell was going on out here?
Straddling the other boy, he just kept punching like he was possessed.
“We’ll be fine, we’ll be fine,” he chanted with each blow; but hunger made the kid crazy or something because he wouldn’t - shut - up.
“Steve, Dalia, Amaris, Eddie,” the brat laughed as on and on the list went.
Jim just kept hitting, harder and harder.
“It’s all your fault!”
Jim gasped loudly, falling out of bed and landing roughly on the floor; completely freaked out. There he sat for several minutes, trying to get his breathing back under control. It was a hard fought battle.
Sighing, he placed his head in a hand, trying to re-banish the memory to the far recesses of his mind. But now that it had seen the light once again, it was that much harder to ignore. It was the worst year of Jim’s life, the year that most of the time, as far as he was concerned, didn’t exist. But now…
Names echoed through his mind, as quiet, ultimately futile reassurances flitted into his ears once again&. Faces long dormant and dead once again sprang to life behind his eyes.
Not knowing what else to do, he curled in on himself and tried to endure the onslaught.
-\/-
A loud comm ping sounded in Jim's quarters, jerking the exhausted man from his restless memories. Wearily, he unfolded himself from his spot on the floor and made his way to the comm.
“Kirk,” he said, trying to blink the dead from his eyes.
“We're arriving at our destination, Kirk,” Uhura reported. “Pike wants you up here in five minutes.”
“Gotcha. Kirk out.”
Jim glanced at the clock, realizing with a start he'd only slept a couple of hours. Of course Kirk, he thought to himself while changing his uniform, reliving hell will make even a minute feel like an eternity. And why were things coming back now? Well, he had a job to do and he could not let this mess with him. No matter what.
Shoving the memories back into their dark little corner in his mind and praying they'd stay there, Jim marched up to the bridge, nodding at Spock and Sulu on his way in. He took his place behind Pike's chair as the captain conversed with the Cardassian leader. On the viewscreen was a ship, of a similar style to the freighter, but obviously built for war.
“But with your support, things might go a little more smoothly,” Pike was saying to Enal.
She smirked. “If it is all the same to you, Captain, my colleagues and I shall wait out this... encounter somewhere hidden from their sensors,” she said. “We are risking enough as it is. We have to live in this Union after you leave, after all.”
She nodded to the bridge crew before she and her minions slunk off.
Jim didn't like the way she spoke. Something about the Cardassians as a whole was off-putting. It was like trying to see through a thick San Francisco fog - you could make out shapes and movements, but the finer details were obscured.
Pike sighed and nodded at Uhura, who sent out the hail as they stared uneasily.
Jim hated going in blind like this, hated the uncertainty it caused. The seconds stretched before they received an answering ping indicating an open channel.
“This is Gul Inson of the Fifth Order. You have entered Cardassian space. Identify yourselves immediately,” the man snapped the instant his image appeared on the screen. He had an almost bug-eyed look to him, with large but shallowly set eyes that unsettled Jim more than the others’ deep-seated gazes.
“I am Captain Christopher Pike of the Federation starship Enterprise,” Pike returned. “We have reason to believe your government kidnapped some of our scientists, and we were hoping you'd be willing to help us out.”
Inson scoffed. “Captain, you invade our territory and make demands? You are either brave or foolish. But to indulge your request,” he said in a long suffering manner, “you must be mistaken. Our official policy is to remain within our borders and not contact outside powers. Now, if you will leave our space I'll forget this little incident occurred.”
Pike ignored the threat.
“Well, if everyone follows your policies,” he said almost mockingly but not quite- dang, Jim wished he could speak that way- “then you must have a rogue element floating about out here. We have proof if you'd like to see it.”
“Captain, not just any Cardassian can run a spaceship. I assure you, we keep very strict watch on all our ships,” Inson stated as if he was lecturing a particularly slow child. “Besides, why would we take your scientists? What use could we possibly have for them?”
“You tell me,” Pike said mildly.
Jim hated that tone when Pike directed it at him. It meant trouble, and lots of it, in the near future. Watching the man direct it at other people however, especially one who seemed oblivious to the danger, was plain fun.
“Captain, if indeed your people were captured by Cardassians I assure you, you would not be here discussing the possibility with me. We would have made sure to point you in another direction, far from Cardassian space, or made it look like your people were dead. Now I will not ask you again. Leave our space immediately.”
“As soon as I retrieve my people, I will happily leave your space,” Pike answered. “Until then, I’m afraid you’re stuck with me.”
“Fire,” the Cardassian ordered. A second later, the Enterprise barely rocked as something obviously made contact. Inson’s eyes widened.
“Care to reevaluate your position?” Pike asked with just a slight smugness.
Inson barked at one of his subordinates, and then there was a high-pitched whining as the transmission cut. The Cardassian ship detonated some sort of device, and the screen went blank as the power faltered for a second.
“That thing fired some sort of discharge, sir,” Sulu reported.
“Lost them on communications.”
“And the computers.”
“Scanners are officially disabled, Captain,” Spock reported.
Which meant they couldn’t track the ship until they were restored. Fuck.
“How long until function’s restored, Commander?” Pike asked.
“At least two hours, provided their device did not burn out any of the wires or equipment.”
Great, now what were they going to do? “The trail will be long gone by then,” Jim commented.
Spock fed him a ‘yes, I know that, what do you want me to do about it?’ look.
“Ensign, plot a course back the way we came,” Pike said. “No use in waiting around for unwanted company.”
Yeah, and pray they didn’t run into other Cardassian ships on the way out.
“Well?” Enal asked as she entered, her first officer on her heels. “Were they as informative as I warned?”
“Less,” Pike answered dryly, as he sat in his chair.
Jim blinked slowly, willing his mind to keep up, as he leaned on one of the consoles with his arms crossed.
“I did warn you they wouldn’t acknowledge what they’d done.”
“Gee thanks, Gul Enal. Way to state the obvious,” Jim retorted.
“Commander,” Pike said almost absently.
Jim rolled his eyes as tension mounted on the bridge.
“Just what are these people to you?” Ghemor asked.
“Why do you wish to know?” Spock returned, an eyebrow raised.
“Because…there is another option, Captain,” Enal said almost hesitantly.
The entire bridge fed her looks of incredulity.
“Another option,” Pike said flatly.
She inclined her head just slightly. “Yes. If you are willing to permit me to plot the course.”
“Why didn’t you mention this earlier?” Pike said, full of quiet fury.
Enal stood in front of him, completely unfazed. “Because Captain, what would you think if someone you had never met told you they had a less than legal method to solving your problem, without first exhausting the legal means?”
That sentiment deflated some of the mounting tension. But Jim knew what he would see: a trap. And an obvious one at that.
“From where I’m standing, Captain,” Enal said quietly, “the choices are thus. Leave your people and whatever classified information stored in their brains to the mercy of the Central Command, or meet with my contacts and pray they can assist you. The choice is of course yours, Captain. But I wouldn’t take long deciding if I were you.”
Jim swore he saw Pike’s nostrils flare as he launched himself from his chair.
“Senior staff, conference room, now,” he barked before giving Enal a hard look. “Get off of my bridge.”
Everyone snapped to it. Replacements slid into their posts with practiced ease, as the others marched into the conference room.
“Ideas,” Pike demanded before everyone had taken their seats.
“It is a trap,” Spock said immediately.
“What choice do we have?” Bones retorted. “Unless you advocate abandoning those scientists, Mr. Spock?”
“They are officers of Starfleet. They would not want us to risk so much on the mere chance of rescuing them.”
“You sure you aren’t cold-blooded, you pointed-eared-”
“Would you two give it a rest?” Jim snapped, rubbing his temples. He could’ve heard a pin drop in the ensuing silence. “You’re giving me a damn migraine.” He looked up to see everyone staring at him. “What?” he said shortly.
Spock and Bones traded almost concerned glances, as Uhura and Scotty looked taken aback. Pike looked him over again like he was still that damn drunk kid back in Iowa. Damn.
“Any other comments, Kirk?” he asked almost mildly.
Jim bit back a sigh and ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t think it’s a trap,” he said slowly to gather his thoughts. “If that Gul had suggested this first, maybe. They’ve definitely got some kind of agenda, sure. But they’ve been pretty helpful so far, if a bit slimey.”
“What is this agenda, Commander?” Spock asked rhetorically. “I do not trust these people.”
“Why not, Spock?” Jim returned.
“This situation seems entirely too convenient,” he said. “The only reason we have to believe that the Cardassian military is responsible for this incident is the word of three individuals-”
“Convenient or not, this is the only lead we have,” Jim interrupted. “And whether or not we can trust these guys, I’d rather have someone in the know with us if we have to go underground.”
“I think we can agree that the Cardassians probably aren’t the self-sacrificing type,” Pike said. “I agree there’s some larger game here, Spock. But if they’re willing to go in, they probably have an escape route.” He sighed. “Scott, get those sensors working. Let’s see what Enal’s friends can do for us.”
Part II
Part III Part IIIb End Notes