Irrigating in the Desert part 3 of 3 (SG Atlantis/ST:Ao3 movies fusion
Title: Your Young People shall See Visions
Author: Karrenia_rune
Fandoms: Stargate Atlantis w/Star Trek Aos Movies Fusion
Rating: PG-13
prompt: #19 white
Notes: Picks up from where "Thursday's Child" left off. Written for Journey Story 4.0
Almost a week later, alarm klaxons sounded shrilled throughout the station, but instead of eliciting the kind of panicked response instead the new crew of Atlantis had spent the majority of that time going through emergency simulation drills in order to be able to anticipate just about any eventuality, recognized the alarm for what it was; a proximity alarm indicating the presence of potentially hostile vessel.
Along with Commander Sheppard, Commander Spock, and Lieutenant Spock, Elizabeth stood in the forefront of the recessed nerve center of the station facing down the glowering face of very angry and very belligerent Klingon male. Once she’d ordered the proximity alarms silenced her next order was to open hailing frequencies.
The kilngon was burly, and bearded and had a faded scar marring the left side of his face, but from what little she knew about the species was as a race of warriors a scar might just very well be a badge of honor as far as they were concerned.
She figured she’d try pleasantries first, because after all there really was no reason to expect matters to unravel so rapidly that both sides would open fire and risk casualties on both sides.
“Welcome, gentlemen to space Station Atlantis, I am Dr. Elizabeth Weir, Liaison officer, what can I do for you?”
Sheppard was tugging at her elbow and Kirk was hovering behind her a grimace marring his handsome looks and from the few seconds she could spare from dealing with the Klingon captain it appeared that Lieutenant
Spock was attempting to remonstrate with his commanding officer in muted tones. Elizabeth sighed and decided to leave them too it, she had enough to deal with and really didn’t need to have also deal with them as well.
“Doctor Weir!” growled Commander Praxis,” you must heed me for I seldom speak to humans and I most certainly waste my valuable time and breathe repeating myself for them!”
Elizabeth smiled a charming, fixed smile that would not have been out of place on the proverbial cat that ate the canary and with as much vigor as she could put into it said: “To what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?”
“Did you not hear me the first time, female!” Praxis demanded vehemently. “Your presence in this sector is an affront to the Empire! The act of occupying this station means you are in violation of our sovereign territory and you have until the end of one solar cycle to leave the station or the consequences will be dire!” he concluded.
At that point Sheppard thrust himself into view and calmly added, “I am Commander John Sheppard, and you have the advantage of us, Commander Praxis. “
“If you would care to explain how it is that you come to claim this sector as part of the empire we’d be most grateful,” Weir added.
“By right of ceded territory,” answered Praxis, “Of course.”
“Oh, of course, that makes everything so much clearer,” purred Sheppard.
“I am pleased we understand one another, “replied Commander Praxis as if he’d completely missed the sarcasm of Sheppard’s remark.
“You understand that we are not cognizant of the ins and outs of Empire politics, what do you mean by ceded territory, Sir?” asked Elizabeth the frozen smile on her face made her cheeks and jaw ache and the longer she continued to maintain the more it began to resemble a grimace, but she refused to be baited. In guttural whisper he leaned over to one side and tapped one of his subordinates and muttered in his own language, “Females!”
“Then allow me to explain,” sighed Praxis, some of his bellicose attitude he had exhibited earlier muted, “It means that we won it through conquest and the defeated party ceded the area to the Empire.”
“Let me get this straight, “interrupted Captain James T. Kirk, ignoring Spock’s restraining hand on his shoulder. “You’re here now a long way’s from the heart of the Empire, if I’m not mistaken, and suddenly you care about some out-of-the way territory that nobody’s been using for,” he paused dramatically,” then threw up his hands and added, ”Oh, I don’t know, say at least a century, and just expect us to hand it over to you because you say so?”
“You have one solar cycle to comply, Tantras out!”
With that Commander Praxis slammed one meaty, burly hand onto a button on the control panel on the armrest of his chair, uttering something in his own language that no one understood, but its implied meaning was obvious; he’d gotten tired of talking
“You heard him, we’ve got one day,” Sheppard looked around Operations. “Well, anyone have any brilliant ideas?”
“What do we know about Klingon vessels?” asked
“Other than that they’re big, armed to the teeth, and have the ability to cloak, then no. How do they do that anyway? I’d dearly like to figure that one out,” Kirk stated.
“Our ship is still out there, we could send a message to Ensign Sulu and Mister Chekov and have them keep a wary eye on her friends,” stated Spock.
“That’s a good idea,” Sheppard remarked. “In the meantime we need to alert all hands to be ready for hostilities on their part.
“Also, we can’t yet rule out a diplomatic solution to the situation,” Weir stressed.
“You got any weapons in this place?” demanded Kirk.
“Just the standard stuff,” Sheppard replied, wondering as he did so if he was being entirely truthful. On the one hand it was true: the station was equipped with the standard issue Starfleet phaser banks, photon torpedoes and computer-guided drones. But in the course of the past week or so Sheppard with the aid Doctor Carson Beckett had stumbled upon something apparently sealed up and left behind by those who had abandoned Atlantis centuries ago.; a chair of perhaps alien design.
Sheppard was no expert on either alien architecture or interior design but he could learn to appreciate that other species could have their own ideas about aesthetics.
It was only when Carson had stumbled upon something unexpected and rather startling, the chair, once activated by the user with the appropriate gene sequence, it could act as a kind of remote-control device, linking the user with the station’s weapons systems.
It was a heady thought for Sheppard, seeing the advantages such a system could possess, but why he’d withheld that particular bit of information from Captain Kirk, Sheppard could have not expressed at the moment; no, not just now, he thought.
“You mentioned something earlier, Captain Kirk,” said Rodney, who until now had been the quietest member of the staff grouped around the conference table, “something that to the effect that you wished you know how they managed to cloak their vessels.
“What are you getting at, Rodney?” Weir asked.
“Well, it seems to me that we can’t cloak ourselves, or the ship out there, but we can use the one to serve the other.”
“Go on,” Sheppard encouraged.
“Well, ‘our friends,’ gave us one day, and they haven’t bothered to jam our transmissions signals, so we can still communicate with the rest of the Enterprise crew, or even send some of you back to act as a diversion.”
“That’s good thinking,” Kirk said, enthused, ignoring Sheppard’s scowl.
“I don’t think that they can fire while cloaked, nor do they seem aware that we’ve got a ship docked at the station. I think we can use that to our advantage,” Sheppard added.
“Would you care to risk everything on that kind of gamble, Mr. Sheppard,” Kirk fire back.
“Would you, Mister Kirk?” Sheppard fired back.
“So, what if, mind you, we could mask our live signs here on the station?” Rodney concluded mildly.
“That way they’ll think we’ve abandoned the station?” Spock stated.
“Yeah, I think it can be done. Of course I haven’t had the chance to run the computer simulations or crunch the numbers, but it could work; in theory that is,” Rodney replied.
“It could work,” Spock said. “Of course we would need to test it first, but I would happy to lend my services to those of your science team.”
“Of course, Mr. Spock, “Weir replied.
“Wait a minute! I’ll need Mr. Spock with me….” Kirk began and then trailed off when he caught the look in Spock’s eye and subsided back into his chair. Over the communication system Lieutenant Ford said, “Priority one incoming transmission for Doctor Elizabeth Weir.”
She sighed and stood up, answering the message, “Mister Ford, I’ll take the message in my office.”
***
Interlude
She’d seen his service record, followed his career in Starfleet not only because he’d been something of an inspiration for he classmates in school and later on when she’d gone on to graduate school.
The first and celebrated captain of the Starfleet’s flag-ship, the Enterprise who had led that ship on its maiden voyage and gone up against a Romulan captain from the future with an axe to grind and technology and weaponry that was unlike anything that anyone in the Federation had ever seen, in his time-line anyway.
Pike had been ‘invited’ to negotiate by the rogue Romulan leader, Nero aboard the Romulan vessel, under the impression that his counterpart would honor his agreement to find a diplomatic solution.
Instead Christopher Pike had been captured and tortured, thus leading to his rescue by then cadet James T. Kirk and the crew of the Enterprise.
In the end Kirk had made such an impression on Starfleet brass he’d been given the big chair on the Enterprise and Pike had been promoted to Admiral.
Weir figured that she might have been more impressed if she’d been working for Starfleet in more of the military branch and less so in their sciences and exploration division. All the same the blunt-spoken, strong-minded person that had lived through what he had and had come out of with all his faculties intact was still formidable.
“Let’s not stand on ceremony, Doctor Weir,” Pike began. “I would ask to what I owe this meeting, but we both know that the circumstances don’t warrant it.”
“As you say, Sir,” replied Elizabeth, adding with some heat. “I don’t know how you found out about the current situation, but do you know how much validity there is to the Commander Praxis’ claim that they have sovereignty in this area?”
Even through the two-way video-feed Admiral Christopher Pike’s discomfort about having to answer that question was evident. Finally he shrugged, The Klingon Empire once laid claim to that sector when the Empire was bigger and much more aggressive or that it’s a small faction that sided with Khan in the last clash between the Federation and the Klingons.”
“And now?” she demanded.
“In prosaic terms, they don’t have a leg to stand on, if they force the issue, we’ll have no choice but to return in kind.”
“You’re not seriously advocating fighting with fire!” exclaimed Elizabeth perhaps more shocked than might have been, but all the same she wasn’t military so perhaps she had misunderstood his intentions.
Pike hemmed and hawed, “No, Doctor Weir, not as such….” Pike began and then trailed off.
“Sir, the Enterprise is still docked here, a fact that they might not be aware of. And we’ve come up with a two-pronged system that has a lot of promise.”
“How so?” he asked. “And while you are nominally in command, I strongly suggest allowing Commander Sheppard to take the lead in any military decision,” he added.
Weir thought it came across more like a command than a suggestion but choose not to make an issue of it saying: “I can’t tell you the details, Sir, mainly because we’re still ironing them out….” She trailed off.
“Don’t tell me, then,” responded Pike. “You can never be certain that the opponent isn’t listening in on this conversation if they aren’t actively jamming the transmission,” interrupted Pike.
“But, Sir,” she exclaimed.
“The Enterprise is there, did you say? Use her and her crew, not that the station itself isn’t without its own defenses. I’d hate to lose Atlantis, good hunting to you and your crew Elizabeth, and good hunting, Pike out.”
“Damn it,” Elizabeth Weir griped. “Of all the cheeky bastards, he has some nerve to call and then just sign off like that. I guess that means we’re on our own.”
**
Fight scene
“What’s the word?” asked Sheppard cheerfully with an eager glint in his brown eyes.
“The word is that is that we’re to proceed as planned,” she replied.
“I’ve been in contact with our ship, unless anyone has any objection,” Kirk added darting a significant glance at John Sheppard although his words were addressed Doctor Weir.
“Do that,” Weir decided.
Just then a thundering boom echoed through and around the station.
“I see they’re starting early,” Uhura dead-panned.
“Maybe the days are shorter on their home-world than it is ours?” Teyla replied.
“Or maybe they decided not to wait the designated solar cycle after all,” Ronon remarked. “Either way I’m eager to see what this station can do.”
“Simmer down, Mr. Dex, we’ve barely begun to fight back,” Sheppard said with a wicked smile creasing his face. “You and your crew head back to the Enterprise, Mister Kirk; we’ll provide covering fire and back up your action.”
From his station at tactical Lieutenant Evan Lorne spoke up,” Ah, Ma’am shields are holding at eighty percent so far, but if the bombardment keeps up I’m not sure how long they will last.”
“Keep me posted, Mister Lorne,” Weir replied. “In the meantime try to get a lock on the Tantras and see if we can’t do so damage of our own.”
***
Aboard the Enterprise Kirk leaned forward in the center seat tensed and eager to go, to do as a hunting dog on point with the scent of the prey in his nostrils, hands tensed on the arm-rests of his chair. It seemed that Commander Praxis and the Tantras weren’t at all concerned with hiding because they had begun bombarding the station with gravitational bombs that deflected off the shield. Nor did the Klingons seemed at all concerned with going after multiple targets on the station, seemingly content to concentrate their fire on one central point.
“They would have had the tactical advantage in utilizing their cloaking technology, but Praxis appears to be eager to take the station quickly and by any means possible,” Spock noted, after a rapid but through reading of the display of data on his computer screen.
“Yes, I wonder why, too Mr. Spock,” Kirk replied.
“If that’s what they’re up to,” remarked Ensign Chekov, his accent more pronounced than ever from the pressure, they have to be aware this could start a war.”
“Yes, Mr. Chekov, but we’ll worry about that later, “said Kirk cheerfully, perhaps more than the situation warranted, but nevertheless the wicked smile never left his face, “One crisis at a time; that’s my motto.”
Chekov exchanged a glance with Ensign Hikaru Sulu at helm; the other man sighed and shrugged and contained to watch coordinates on his own station. Chekov waited for instructions to return fire.
He did not have to wait very long, Kirk barked out, “Fire, all main batteries, bring us around for another strike and execute attack pattern Delta!”
Their opening salvo was met by a return fire from the Tantric performed its own series of looping and darting evasive maneuvers, whilst taking pot-shots at the station. Its ability to cloak made it a difficult target for both the station’s and the Enterprise’s weapons systems to lock onto.
Meanwhile the shields on the station continued to take a steady bombardment and Lorne rattled off the percentage of how much hull integrity continued to steadily drop. Sheppard paced impatiently, knowing that it was a catch-22; they couldn’t fire back while the shields were in place, and the Klingons’ couldn’t through either. He wondered if he could slip away unnoticed and get down to the chamber with the Chair and use that instead.
Commander Praxis was becoming increasingly frazzled, although being a Klingon that frustration was channeled into anger, and that anger in turn was directed towards anyone and anything that got in the way of accomplishing the task at hand. He pummeled his arm-rests; he hurled curses and orders at his crew, and generally was impossible to be around.
In the back of his mind, Commander Praxis’ thought, “Atlantis is a tougher nut to crack than I had anticipated and they have shown more tenacity than I gave them credit for.’
“Sir, what are you orders?” asked his second-in-command.
Another bridge officer said, “Readings indicate that they bombardment is having less than favorable effects on the station’s energy force filed, and the cloaking field is failing. At this rate the cloak will fail in less than forty five minutes.”
“Leave off the bombardment, concentrate your fire on the Starfleet ship,” roared Praxis.
****
Aftermath/Conclusion
Several hours later the bombardment dwindled and gradually before either side could quite understand how it had happened; it stopped altogether.
“What happened?” asked Carson bobbing up at John Sheppard’s shoulder all wide-eyed wonder and agitated energy.
Sheppard nearly tripped over him, irritatingly shoving him, not ungently, out of the way. “We don’t have enough data to make that determination yet, Doctor.”
“Oh, well, I was just wondering,” Carson stammered before lapsing into a chair and humming to him, trying to stay out of the way.
Sheppard allowed a small, satisfied smile to crease his mobile and expressive mouth, “Ford, open hailing frequencies and radio the Tantras, I want to have a little chat with Commander Praxis.”
Ford responded, “Hailing frequencies open, Sir.”
On the screen Commander Praxis’ craggy, long-jawed face appeared. “What do you want, hu-man? Can’t you see that I’m busy destroying you?”
“Not from where I’m standing,” was Colonel John Sheppard’s sarcastic rejoinder. “What we have here is distinct failure to communicate. What you’ve failed to understand Commander Praxis, is that possession is nine-tenths of the law.”
At his side in sotto voice, Elizabeth Weir had gone over to Ford and in a low voice and out of the field of view of the screen, she instructed Ford to get in touch with Captain Kirk and his crew. She wanted to know their situation as well.
“What do you mean by that?” Praxis demanded.
“It means, that we’re here, and we plan to remain here for the long haul, and I, speaking for my people and my crew, frankly don’t recognize Klingon authority in this sector. And since,” Shepaprd paused and glanced down at the readings on flashing at the various consoles in Operations, “You don’t have the power to make good on your earlier threat.”
“We can come back with more ships!” Commander Praxis threatened.
“You can, but I don’t think you will, that leaves the ball in our court,” Sheppard stated.
Praxis raised a meaty fist and shook it, “You may have won this skirmish….”
“But we haven’t won the war, “ interrupted Sheppard smoothly, “Yes, Yes, blah, blah, yadda, yadda, don’t think I haven’t heard it all before. “Honestly, Commander, is that really the path that you want to go down?”
Weir added, “Do you even have the authority to speak for the entirety of your people, Commander? Come now, let’s all be reasonable. It’s over. You take yourself and your ship away from this sector and we can just forget this unfortunate incident even happened.”
“Honor demands...” Praxis began to sputter, spittle wetting the salt and pepper strands of his goatee.
“Hang what your ‘honor’ demands,” Elizabeth finally snapped. “We’ve given you out; I strongly suggest you take it.”
The screen went black and the Tantric powered away from the station, it’s energy vapor trails streaming out from behind out like a reverse comet rollicking around a sun.
Sheppard shrugged. “I guess that answers that question. “Any word from Enterprise?”
“They’re fine and are coming back to dock to effect minimal structural repairs. In effect the only damage they sustained was flesh wounds,” Ford replied.
“Then once they get here, I guess it’s a cause for celebration, once we see to our own damages,” Sheppard said.
“I couldn’t agree more,” Weir smiled. She had known going into this situation that she had more or less been ordered by Admiral Pike to allow Commander Sheppard to take the lead in any military engagement; both because he had the training and the experience, and because it was more or less expected. But, she found, she hadn’t minded, even when he’d begun to needle their opponent, she’d even begun to ride the wave of the vibe he’d been putting out.
When she’d done the recruiting she had put out every erg of her energy to exude confidence in the mission, the station and its crew, but privately had held more than a few doubts of her own. But even throughout this trial by fire, brief though it might have been, had proven that the station and its crew could take as good as they got, perhaps even better. Of course, she had to bear in mind that things could have been much worse than even she could imagine, but she’d take her wins where she could get them.
Over the station’s speaker Weir announced, “It’s over, ladies and gentlemen. I wish to commend everyone for a job well done.”
McKay smiled, thinking,” So far, so good.’ And following almost immediately on the heels of ‘that’ particular he added aloud, “It could have always been worse.”
Sheppard chanced to look over at him and sauntered over to drape a comradely arm over his shoulder, “Come on, Man, buck up. That’s no kind of attitude to have. This station just went through its first test, and we came out of it with our head held high.”
“If you say so,” muttered Rodney.
Sheppard grinned, adding, “I do, and don’t make me turn that it on order, Doctor McKay.”
Author: Karrenia_rune
Fandoms: Stargate Atlantis w/Star Trek Aos Movies Fusion
Rating: PG-13
prompt: #19 white
Notes: Picks up from where "Thursday's Child" left off. Written for Journey Story 4.0
Almost a week later, alarm klaxons sounded shrilled throughout the station, but instead of eliciting the kind of panicked response instead the new crew of Atlantis had spent the majority of that time going through emergency simulation drills in order to be able to anticipate just about any eventuality, recognized the alarm for what it was; a proximity alarm indicating the presence of potentially hostile vessel.
Along with Commander Sheppard, Commander Spock, and Lieutenant Spock, Elizabeth stood in the forefront of the recessed nerve center of the station facing down the glowering face of very angry and very belligerent Klingon male. Once she’d ordered the proximity alarms silenced her next order was to open hailing frequencies.
The kilngon was burly, and bearded and had a faded scar marring the left side of his face, but from what little she knew about the species was as a race of warriors a scar might just very well be a badge of honor as far as they were concerned.
She figured she’d try pleasantries first, because after all there really was no reason to expect matters to unravel so rapidly that both sides would open fire and risk casualties on both sides.
“Welcome, gentlemen to space Station Atlantis, I am Dr. Elizabeth Weir, Liaison officer, what can I do for you?”
Sheppard was tugging at her elbow and Kirk was hovering behind her a grimace marring his handsome looks and from the few seconds she could spare from dealing with the Klingon captain it appeared that Lieutenant
Spock was attempting to remonstrate with his commanding officer in muted tones. Elizabeth sighed and decided to leave them too it, she had enough to deal with and really didn’t need to have also deal with them as well.
“Doctor Weir!” growled Commander Praxis,” you must heed me for I seldom speak to humans and I most certainly waste my valuable time and breathe repeating myself for them!”
Elizabeth smiled a charming, fixed smile that would not have been out of place on the proverbial cat that ate the canary and with as much vigor as she could put into it said: “To what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?”
“Did you not hear me the first time, female!” Praxis demanded vehemently. “Your presence in this sector is an affront to the Empire! The act of occupying this station means you are in violation of our sovereign territory and you have until the end of one solar cycle to leave the station or the consequences will be dire!” he concluded.
At that point Sheppard thrust himself into view and calmly added, “I am Commander John Sheppard, and you have the advantage of us, Commander Praxis. “
“If you would care to explain how it is that you come to claim this sector as part of the empire we’d be most grateful,” Weir added.
“By right of ceded territory,” answered Praxis, “Of course.”
“Oh, of course, that makes everything so much clearer,” purred Sheppard.
“I am pleased we understand one another, “replied Commander Praxis as if he’d completely missed the sarcasm of Sheppard’s remark.
“You understand that we are not cognizant of the ins and outs of Empire politics, what do you mean by ceded territory, Sir?” asked Elizabeth the frozen smile on her face made her cheeks and jaw ache and the longer she continued to maintain the more it began to resemble a grimace, but she refused to be baited. In guttural whisper he leaned over to one side and tapped one of his subordinates and muttered in his own language, “Females!”
“Then allow me to explain,” sighed Praxis, some of his bellicose attitude he had exhibited earlier muted, “It means that we won it through conquest and the defeated party ceded the area to the Empire.”
“Let me get this straight, “interrupted Captain James T. Kirk, ignoring Spock’s restraining hand on his shoulder. “You’re here now a long way’s from the heart of the Empire, if I’m not mistaken, and suddenly you care about some out-of-the way territory that nobody’s been using for,” he paused dramatically,” then threw up his hands and added, ”Oh, I don’t know, say at least a century, and just expect us to hand it over to you because you say so?”
“You have one solar cycle to comply, Tantras out!”
With that Commander Praxis slammed one meaty, burly hand onto a button on the control panel on the armrest of his chair, uttering something in his own language that no one understood, but its implied meaning was obvious; he’d gotten tired of talking
“You heard him, we’ve got one day,” Sheppard looked around Operations. “Well, anyone have any brilliant ideas?”
“What do we know about Klingon vessels?” asked
“Other than that they’re big, armed to the teeth, and have the ability to cloak, then no. How do they do that anyway? I’d dearly like to figure that one out,” Kirk stated.
“Our ship is still out there, we could send a message to Ensign Sulu and Mister Chekov and have them keep a wary eye on her friends,” stated Spock.
“That’s a good idea,” Sheppard remarked. “In the meantime we need to alert all hands to be ready for hostilities on their part.
“Also, we can’t yet rule out a diplomatic solution to the situation,” Weir stressed.
“You got any weapons in this place?” demanded Kirk.
“Just the standard stuff,” Sheppard replied, wondering as he did so if he was being entirely truthful. On the one hand it was true: the station was equipped with the standard issue Starfleet phaser banks, photon torpedoes and computer-guided drones. But in the course of the past week or so Sheppard with the aid Doctor Carson Beckett had stumbled upon something apparently sealed up and left behind by those who had abandoned Atlantis centuries ago.; a chair of perhaps alien design.
Sheppard was no expert on either alien architecture or interior design but he could learn to appreciate that other species could have their own ideas about aesthetics.
It was only when Carson had stumbled upon something unexpected and rather startling, the chair, once activated by the user with the appropriate gene sequence, it could act as a kind of remote-control device, linking the user with the station’s weapons systems.
It was a heady thought for Sheppard, seeing the advantages such a system could possess, but why he’d withheld that particular bit of information from Captain Kirk, Sheppard could have not expressed at the moment; no, not just now, he thought.
“You mentioned something earlier, Captain Kirk,” said Rodney, who until now had been the quietest member of the staff grouped around the conference table, “something that to the effect that you wished you know how they managed to cloak their vessels.
“What are you getting at, Rodney?” Weir asked.
“Well, it seems to me that we can’t cloak ourselves, or the ship out there, but we can use the one to serve the other.”
“Go on,” Sheppard encouraged.
“Well, ‘our friends,’ gave us one day, and they haven’t bothered to jam our transmissions signals, so we can still communicate with the rest of the Enterprise crew, or even send some of you back to act as a diversion.”
“That’s good thinking,” Kirk said, enthused, ignoring Sheppard’s scowl.
“I don’t think that they can fire while cloaked, nor do they seem aware that we’ve got a ship docked at the station. I think we can use that to our advantage,” Sheppard added.
“Would you care to risk everything on that kind of gamble, Mr. Sheppard,” Kirk fire back.
“Would you, Mister Kirk?” Sheppard fired back.
“So, what if, mind you, we could mask our live signs here on the station?” Rodney concluded mildly.
“That way they’ll think we’ve abandoned the station?” Spock stated.
“Yeah, I think it can be done. Of course I haven’t had the chance to run the computer simulations or crunch the numbers, but it could work; in theory that is,” Rodney replied.
“It could work,” Spock said. “Of course we would need to test it first, but I would happy to lend my services to those of your science team.”
“Of course, Mr. Spock, “Weir replied.
“Wait a minute! I’ll need Mr. Spock with me….” Kirk began and then trailed off when he caught the look in Spock’s eye and subsided back into his chair. Over the communication system Lieutenant Ford said, “Priority one incoming transmission for Doctor Elizabeth Weir.”
She sighed and stood up, answering the message, “Mister Ford, I’ll take the message in my office.”
***
Interlude
She’d seen his service record, followed his career in Starfleet not only because he’d been something of an inspiration for he classmates in school and later on when she’d gone on to graduate school.
The first and celebrated captain of the Starfleet’s flag-ship, the Enterprise who had led that ship on its maiden voyage and gone up against a Romulan captain from the future with an axe to grind and technology and weaponry that was unlike anything that anyone in the Federation had ever seen, in his time-line anyway.
Pike had been ‘invited’ to negotiate by the rogue Romulan leader, Nero aboard the Romulan vessel, under the impression that his counterpart would honor his agreement to find a diplomatic solution.
Instead Christopher Pike had been captured and tortured, thus leading to his rescue by then cadet James T. Kirk and the crew of the Enterprise.
In the end Kirk had made such an impression on Starfleet brass he’d been given the big chair on the Enterprise and Pike had been promoted to Admiral.
Weir figured that she might have been more impressed if she’d been working for Starfleet in more of the military branch and less so in their sciences and exploration division. All the same the blunt-spoken, strong-minded person that had lived through what he had and had come out of with all his faculties intact was still formidable.
“Let’s not stand on ceremony, Doctor Weir,” Pike began. “I would ask to what I owe this meeting, but we both know that the circumstances don’t warrant it.”
“As you say, Sir,” replied Elizabeth, adding with some heat. “I don’t know how you found out about the current situation, but do you know how much validity there is to the Commander Praxis’ claim that they have sovereignty in this area?”
Even through the two-way video-feed Admiral Christopher Pike’s discomfort about having to answer that question was evident. Finally he shrugged, The Klingon Empire once laid claim to that sector when the Empire was bigger and much more aggressive or that it’s a small faction that sided with Khan in the last clash between the Federation and the Klingons.”
“And now?” she demanded.
“In prosaic terms, they don’t have a leg to stand on, if they force the issue, we’ll have no choice but to return in kind.”
“You’re not seriously advocating fighting with fire!” exclaimed Elizabeth perhaps more shocked than might have been, but all the same she wasn’t military so perhaps she had misunderstood his intentions.
Pike hemmed and hawed, “No, Doctor Weir, not as such….” Pike began and then trailed off.
“Sir, the Enterprise is still docked here, a fact that they might not be aware of. And we’ve come up with a two-pronged system that has a lot of promise.”
“How so?” he asked. “And while you are nominally in command, I strongly suggest allowing Commander Sheppard to take the lead in any military decision,” he added.
Weir thought it came across more like a command than a suggestion but choose not to make an issue of it saying: “I can’t tell you the details, Sir, mainly because we’re still ironing them out….” She trailed off.
“Don’t tell me, then,” responded Pike. “You can never be certain that the opponent isn’t listening in on this conversation if they aren’t actively jamming the transmission,” interrupted Pike.
“But, Sir,” she exclaimed.
“The Enterprise is there, did you say? Use her and her crew, not that the station itself isn’t without its own defenses. I’d hate to lose Atlantis, good hunting to you and your crew Elizabeth, and good hunting, Pike out.”
“Damn it,” Elizabeth Weir griped. “Of all the cheeky bastards, he has some nerve to call and then just sign off like that. I guess that means we’re on our own.”
**
Fight scene
“What’s the word?” asked Sheppard cheerfully with an eager glint in his brown eyes.
“The word is that is that we’re to proceed as planned,” she replied.
“I’ve been in contact with our ship, unless anyone has any objection,” Kirk added darting a significant glance at John Sheppard although his words were addressed Doctor Weir.
“Do that,” Weir decided.
Just then a thundering boom echoed through and around the station.
“I see they’re starting early,” Uhura dead-panned.
“Maybe the days are shorter on their home-world than it is ours?” Teyla replied.
“Or maybe they decided not to wait the designated solar cycle after all,” Ronon remarked. “Either way I’m eager to see what this station can do.”
“Simmer down, Mr. Dex, we’ve barely begun to fight back,” Sheppard said with a wicked smile creasing his face. “You and your crew head back to the Enterprise, Mister Kirk; we’ll provide covering fire and back up your action.”
From his station at tactical Lieutenant Evan Lorne spoke up,” Ah, Ma’am shields are holding at eighty percent so far, but if the bombardment keeps up I’m not sure how long they will last.”
“Keep me posted, Mister Lorne,” Weir replied. “In the meantime try to get a lock on the Tantras and see if we can’t do so damage of our own.”
***
Aboard the Enterprise Kirk leaned forward in the center seat tensed and eager to go, to do as a hunting dog on point with the scent of the prey in his nostrils, hands tensed on the arm-rests of his chair. It seemed that Commander Praxis and the Tantras weren’t at all concerned with hiding because they had begun bombarding the station with gravitational bombs that deflected off the shield. Nor did the Klingons seemed at all concerned with going after multiple targets on the station, seemingly content to concentrate their fire on one central point.
“They would have had the tactical advantage in utilizing their cloaking technology, but Praxis appears to be eager to take the station quickly and by any means possible,” Spock noted, after a rapid but through reading of the display of data on his computer screen.
“Yes, I wonder why, too Mr. Spock,” Kirk replied.
“If that’s what they’re up to,” remarked Ensign Chekov, his accent more pronounced than ever from the pressure, they have to be aware this could start a war.”
“Yes, Mr. Chekov, but we’ll worry about that later, “said Kirk cheerfully, perhaps more than the situation warranted, but nevertheless the wicked smile never left his face, “One crisis at a time; that’s my motto.”
Chekov exchanged a glance with Ensign Hikaru Sulu at helm; the other man sighed and shrugged and contained to watch coordinates on his own station. Chekov waited for instructions to return fire.
He did not have to wait very long, Kirk barked out, “Fire, all main batteries, bring us around for another strike and execute attack pattern Delta!”
Their opening salvo was met by a return fire from the Tantric performed its own series of looping and darting evasive maneuvers, whilst taking pot-shots at the station. Its ability to cloak made it a difficult target for both the station’s and the Enterprise’s weapons systems to lock onto.
Meanwhile the shields on the station continued to take a steady bombardment and Lorne rattled off the percentage of how much hull integrity continued to steadily drop. Sheppard paced impatiently, knowing that it was a catch-22; they couldn’t fire back while the shields were in place, and the Klingons’ couldn’t through either. He wondered if he could slip away unnoticed and get down to the chamber with the Chair and use that instead.
Commander Praxis was becoming increasingly frazzled, although being a Klingon that frustration was channeled into anger, and that anger in turn was directed towards anyone and anything that got in the way of accomplishing the task at hand. He pummeled his arm-rests; he hurled curses and orders at his crew, and generally was impossible to be around.
In the back of his mind, Commander Praxis’ thought, “Atlantis is a tougher nut to crack than I had anticipated and they have shown more tenacity than I gave them credit for.’
“Sir, what are you orders?” asked his second-in-command.
Another bridge officer said, “Readings indicate that they bombardment is having less than favorable effects on the station’s energy force filed, and the cloaking field is failing. At this rate the cloak will fail in less than forty five minutes.”
“Leave off the bombardment, concentrate your fire on the Starfleet ship,” roared Praxis.
****
Aftermath/Conclusion
Several hours later the bombardment dwindled and gradually before either side could quite understand how it had happened; it stopped altogether.
“What happened?” asked Carson bobbing up at John Sheppard’s shoulder all wide-eyed wonder and agitated energy.
Sheppard nearly tripped over him, irritatingly shoving him, not ungently, out of the way. “We don’t have enough data to make that determination yet, Doctor.”
“Oh, well, I was just wondering,” Carson stammered before lapsing into a chair and humming to him, trying to stay out of the way.
Sheppard allowed a small, satisfied smile to crease his mobile and expressive mouth, “Ford, open hailing frequencies and radio the Tantras, I want to have a little chat with Commander Praxis.”
Ford responded, “Hailing frequencies open, Sir.”
On the screen Commander Praxis’ craggy, long-jawed face appeared. “What do you want, hu-man? Can’t you see that I’m busy destroying you?”
“Not from where I’m standing,” was Colonel John Sheppard’s sarcastic rejoinder. “What we have here is distinct failure to communicate. What you’ve failed to understand Commander Praxis, is that possession is nine-tenths of the law.”
At his side in sotto voice, Elizabeth Weir had gone over to Ford and in a low voice and out of the field of view of the screen, she instructed Ford to get in touch with Captain Kirk and his crew. She wanted to know their situation as well.
“What do you mean by that?” Praxis demanded.
“It means, that we’re here, and we plan to remain here for the long haul, and I, speaking for my people and my crew, frankly don’t recognize Klingon authority in this sector. And since,” Shepaprd paused and glanced down at the readings on flashing at the various consoles in Operations, “You don’t have the power to make good on your earlier threat.”
“We can come back with more ships!” Commander Praxis threatened.
“You can, but I don’t think you will, that leaves the ball in our court,” Sheppard stated.
Praxis raised a meaty fist and shook it, “You may have won this skirmish….”
“But we haven’t won the war, “ interrupted Sheppard smoothly, “Yes, Yes, blah, blah, yadda, yadda, don’t think I haven’t heard it all before. “Honestly, Commander, is that really the path that you want to go down?”
Weir added, “Do you even have the authority to speak for the entirety of your people, Commander? Come now, let’s all be reasonable. It’s over. You take yourself and your ship away from this sector and we can just forget this unfortunate incident even happened.”
“Honor demands...” Praxis began to sputter, spittle wetting the salt and pepper strands of his goatee.
“Hang what your ‘honor’ demands,” Elizabeth finally snapped. “We’ve given you out; I strongly suggest you take it.”
The screen went black and the Tantric powered away from the station, it’s energy vapor trails streaming out from behind out like a reverse comet rollicking around a sun.
Sheppard shrugged. “I guess that answers that question. “Any word from Enterprise?”
“They’re fine and are coming back to dock to effect minimal structural repairs. In effect the only damage they sustained was flesh wounds,” Ford replied.
“Then once they get here, I guess it’s a cause for celebration, once we see to our own damages,” Sheppard said.
“I couldn’t agree more,” Weir smiled. She had known going into this situation that she had more or less been ordered by Admiral Pike to allow Commander Sheppard to take the lead in any military engagement; both because he had the training and the experience, and because it was more or less expected. But, she found, she hadn’t minded, even when he’d begun to needle their opponent, she’d even begun to ride the wave of the vibe he’d been putting out.
When she’d done the recruiting she had put out every erg of her energy to exude confidence in the mission, the station and its crew, but privately had held more than a few doubts of her own. But even throughout this trial by fire, brief though it might have been, had proven that the station and its crew could take as good as they got, perhaps even better. Of course, she had to bear in mind that things could have been much worse than even she could imagine, but she’d take her wins where she could get them.
Over the station’s speaker Weir announced, “It’s over, ladies and gentlemen. I wish to commend everyone for a job well done.”
McKay smiled, thinking,” So far, so good.’ And following almost immediately on the heels of ‘that’ particular he added aloud, “It could have always been worse.”
Sheppard chanced to look over at him and sauntered over to drape a comradely arm over his shoulder, “Come on, Man, buck up. That’s no kind of attitude to have. This station just went through its first test, and we came out of it with our head held high.”
“If you say so,” muttered Rodney.
Sheppard grinned, adding, “I do, and don’t make me turn that it on order, Doctor McKay.”