The Tarpeans - Chapter II - "Chaos and Consent"

Posted on Mon Apr 3rd, 2023 @ 5:51pm by Captain Samuel Woolheater

Mission: MISSION 0 - History Speaks
Location: KIRO - The Prohestra Prison Camp and in orbit
Timeline: Early 2394
7280 words - 14.6 OF Standard Post Measure

[ON: The Tarpeans: Chapter II – Chaos and Consent]

THE PLANET KIRO – RASHAAN SECTOR – ROMULAN SPACE – EARLY 2394

A VERY LARGE OPEN-AIR STADIUM IN THE KIRON CAPITAL – FILLED TO CAPACITY AND WITH A GREAT MULTITUDE OF TARPEAN INITIATES AND SOLDIERS ARRAYED ON FIELD PARADE


The Tarpeans were obsessed with images and methods of order. They viewed orderly things with the same reverence and awe as their initiates and the religious orders viewed holy relics. In their monasteries, which were now so fortified that they could hardly be called religious institutions any longer, they displayed writings, art and sculpture that reinforced the idea and the nature of orderly things. They sought to show how individuals do not matter for themselves alone. Rather, the individual matters only when seen in context with the whole of the society.

That the normative substance of a society should be as their founder, Inceptiux Tarpeus had suggested over three-thousand years ago: “No one really matters. To be perfect, to be a whole person, you must be connected to others; interlocked and of the same mind, the same spirit as they are. Only then shall the body politic be made ‘perfect’. ( Necessary Things , chapter seventeen, stanzas 121-123).

And through the Tarpeans parades and pageants all over Kiro, they sought to show how each Kiron and each Romulan was but a part of the ordered national community. The Tarpeans, early on, recognized that it was better to include the Romulans in their plans rather than to exclude them. In this aspect, they deviated from the absolute teachings of Inceptiux.

But, on the planet Kiro, the Tarpeans only created an illusion of order. The unchallenged leader of the Tarpeans was a man named Spornak. And he was made, he was presented to the Tarpeans and the rest of the world as this very orderly, very in control, very commanding figure. All on his own, Spornak reviewed the initiates, new to the Tarpean way of life. The next generation of soldiers. All on his own, Spornak reviewed the troops, those who had taken the Oath. Be they Romulan or Kiron; it did not matter.

The regular, non Tarpean citizens of Kiro would say, “There. That’s order for you. Look at how they line up. Look at how they march. Look at their uniforms, how they march together, how crisp is their salute and how accurate are their maneuvers!”

But this was all propaganda. People mustn’t look behind the scenes. For there is no order there.

On the month of Veshtoo and on the 30th day, Ullux Spornak became the leader of the Tarpean orders and the leader of the civilian government on Kiro. That same day, on Romulus, the Imperial Senate held a vote on whether to recognize the new Tarpean Government.

The vote was 420 Romulan senators….to 1. Senator from Ingassenep, Ramil Rethe wrote an explanation of why he voted no.

He wrote,

“My countrymen, I confronted the solemn responsibility of voting to authorize the Romulan Empire to recognize the new Tarpean Government on Kiro. Some believe this resolution was only symbolic, designed to show our resolve. But I could not ignore that it provided explicit, imperial sanction, imperial consent, and legitimacy, under the War Powers Resolution to grant sovereign rule to a single party. A single man. With virtually no one left to challenge him.

If we permit this, we are handing the Kirons and generations of Kirons a blank check to the Tarpeans. Granting them the authority and the power to attack anyone -- anywhere, on any land, anybody and on any planet, without regard to our people’s long-term foreign policy, economic and planetary security interests, and without time limit. In granting these overly broad powers, the Senate failed its responsibility to understand the dimensions of its declaration. I could not support such recognition and Imperial sanction. The Tarpeans must not – they cannot represent the people of Kiro; I believe it would put more innocent lives at risk.”

The vote proceeded. Ramil Rethe was the only Senator to vote against the resolution.

=======
“They brought us into Invoxum. I could see the power plant burning, smell the smoke. I did not think about it. They gave us tattoos. I was… number 133777. I did not have a name anymore; just a number.” - Survivor of Tarpean camp at Invoxum.


======
“Through the smoke, the flames…that rotten stench, I saw a sign: ‘Prohestra.’ I didn’t know what it was but, a minute later, I found out.” – Human survivor, liberated by Starfleet Marines from the Tarpean Prison Camp at Prohestra.

=====
“They must have thought I was crazy. I ran…like a crazy person, a living horror, towards them. I was a skeleton, a running, mad, skeleton…They were human, and I later found out they were Starfleet Marines that had tried to liberate us earlier. I ran to them. I collapsed and they picked me up and brought me to a doctor. They saved my life. The pain and memory of suffering comes back to you. You cannot deal with it.” – Escapee, Lindsay Frick after surviving and then escaping from Tarpean internment at Momunex.

========

This is the story of what life was like on Kiro under Tarpean rule. It was collected by interviews with people from all walks of life. The same people that rejected the Tarpeans and their message. The same Kirons who would aid in the daring rescue of a marine sniper by his fellow marines, a starship captain, a storied vessel, and her crew.




THE BAD OLD DAYS - EARLY 2390’S

It all started with the banning of certain books.

Then, more books. Books, turned into classes of people. People started to get banned. And once you have banned books, ideas, and people; the rest is quite easy.

Books are repositories of ideas and ideas are bulletproof. So, the best way to avoid all of that unpleasantness is to suppress the idea by getting rid of the idea itself. Hence, the banning of books. It wasn’t long after the banning of books that history was either taught or not taught. History, the events of the past, became a kind of commodity. History became something that was to be interpreted and could be changed. If the past is unpleasant; don’t talk about it. And if it was a thing that could be changed; then it could also be ignored. And ignoring it would be easy if history were never taught in the first place. And it wasn’t long after those books again came into the picture. Those tomes of human knowledge? Since the banning of books by the Tarpeans was now an accepted and tolerated reality and since history could be taught or ignored it seemed very natural that one could eliminate two birds with a single torch.

History is not there to make you comfortable. In fact, the more uncomfortable it is then the better. Before mass leaders seize the power to fit reality to their lies, their propaganda is marked by its extreme contempt for facts. Facts, as such, are stubborn things. The aim, therefore, of totalitarian education has never been to instill convictions but to destroy the capacity to form any.

The Tarpeans were, in a word, evil. Evil comes from a failure to think. It defies thought for as soon as thought tries to engage itself with evil and examine the premises and principles from which it originates, it is frustrated because it finds nothing there. That is the strength and ignorance of evil.

The sad truth is that most evil is done by people who never make up their minds to be good or evil. Evil requires just one thing. Silent obedience. Evil wins when decent people remain silent.

And the public burning of books became such a community event. The bands would play, the children got involved. And, with the Tarpeans looking on and providing the fuel, it started to become ‘normal’. Because while physical force and physical violence may be used in lieu of conversation, words will always retain their power. Words offer the means to meaning, and for those who will listen, the enunciation of truth. And the truth is, there is something terribly wrong with Kiro. Cruelty and injustice, intolerance, and oppression. And where once you had the freedom to object, to think and speak as you saw fit, you now have censors and systems of surveillance coercing your conformity and soliciting your submission.

And we call that “patriotisim”. And thus, wrong thinking, improper opinions, forming your own opinions and thinking for yourself becomes “unpatriotic”. And that is how the Tarpeans duped the masses. When facts are subject to interpretation; then a slippery slope is next. One is entitled to one’s own opinion. But one is not entitled to one’s own facts. Facts remain true whether you believe them or not.

That’s how it started. And that’s how they met.

MILITARY SQUARE – A HUGE BONFIRE AND PUBLIC BURNING OF BANNED BOOKS

Bethel, a member of the military. The Romulan Army actually. Stationed on Kiro and now technically, obligated to report to the newly recognized, sovereign government on Kiro. Bethel was of course, not her real name. It was her clandestine service name. She stood a few hundred meters away and watched the…spectacle.

She was joined a few moments later by a man. A fellow member of the Romulan empire but a man of Kiro. Avex was his name and it was his real name. Avex could only be killed once. But Bethel had many contacts and they would be a treasure trove if the Tarpeans ever found out. For contrary to popular belief. In a city like this on Kiro, of nearly one-hundred thousand people, just outside of Valex, there were only twenty-four members of the Tal Shiar.

And we used to think that as the Tarpeans and the Kiro population started to denunciate one another, that the Tal Shiar was actively engaged in their surveillance. Now, as it would come out in eyewitness testimony and the documents recovered post-Tarpean rule, that the Tal Shiar simply did not have enough agents to possibly cover a city this size. And the truth is, the system was not used top down. Rather, it is manipulated from the bottom up. With all kinds of people, for all kinds of reasons, who started to denounce each other. Fear kept them in line. And fear kept them oppressed.

Bethel wore her army uniform. Avex wore civilian clothes. Avex spoke first, “When governments fear the people there is liberty.”

Bethel watched the flames greedily devour the books before answering with the challenge response, “And when the people fear their government there is tyranny.”

Avex nodded, “Truer words were never spoken.”

“Where do they come from?” she asked.

Avex didn’t look at her but kept his eyes scanning the conflagration and the crowd, “A human. Thomas Jefferson. A long time ago.”

Bethel said, “Never heard of him. Shall we go on to the business at hand? Why did you want to meet so urgently?”

“The Tarpeans have captured a human. A Starfleet human. Not just another Federation human.

“And I’m sure there is a point to this?” Bethel asked.

“They have a starfleet marine. A sniper/scout. His orders were most likely to gain intelligence on the facilities at Valex.”

“Oh, that is a problem” she said.

“I thought you might see it that way too. They haven’t killed him yet. They plan on making a show of him. In two days. At the large forum in Valex” Avex said.

Bethel was quiet a moment, “Why haven’t they killed him as soon as they captured him?”

“I don’t know for sure. But I think they want to gain some publicity with the people of Kiro and the Romulan Praetor” Avex replied.

“Are they torturing him?” she asked. Knowing human frailty and weakness even among their soldiers.

“No. Not to my knowledge. But we must suspect a little. Valex, as you know, is not an extermination center. Psychological torture and beatings are their specialty.” Avex paused. The book burning flames so were so large now and so bright. “ He asked, “Will you tell Starfleet?”

“That’s not the right question” she answered.

“Then what is?” Avex asked.

“The question we should be asking is why are the Tarpeans going to tell Starfleet?” Then she looked over at Avex.

“What do you mean?” he asked. “Why would the Tarpeans tell Starfleet” Avex asked.

Bethel said, “That is the right question. Why would a group such as this be holding a Starfleet marine and keeping him alive?” She paused and looked over at Avex and then answered her own query, “They gain nothing by killing him. They will gain political legitimacy when they embarrass the Federation by bringing him out and exposing him. Then, they’ll kill him.”

The fires burned bright and there were so many books piled on it and fueling it.

“If we’re going to act; we’d best do it soon. Your position makes you the most logical choice.”

He paled, “I can’t. I can’t do that! I’ll be discovered. My family!” he countered.

“You no longer have a choice. You’ve made your decision. You’ve picked which side you’re on. The Tarpeans will kill him if they get the chance. They want a war with the Federation. So does the Romulan Senate although they won’t admit it. There is only one way out of this, and you know it. Spornak has grown bold. He wants a conflict. He thinks the Federation…Starfleet is too weak. We will have to deny him the opportunity.” Bethel said.

“I won’t do that. I’m a Kiron officer….”

Bethel cut him off, “You’ll do exactly as I say. Your oath to Kiro has been betrayed. You are a traitor. It’s best to come to terms with that as soon as possible. Keep your eyes on the human marine. Make it happen. Find a way to leak the information. I’ll make it possible for them to rescue him. But only…if they will come for him. Romulus must be protected” she said.

Avex said, “Hypocrites! You don’t want to get your hands dirty but you’re just as guilty as them!” he pointed to the large bonfire.

Bethel nodded as she looked at him. The long shadows of the dancing firelight across their faces gave them sinister looks, “I shall die here. On Kiro. I have known that for quite some time. Every last inch of me shall perish. Except one. An inch. It's small and it's fragile and it's the only thing in the world worth having. We must never lose it, or sell it, or give it away. We must never let them take it from us.” She looked on at the Tarpeans throwing books into the blaze. “I’m doing this to preserve the peace. Romulus does not need yet another war. The Tarpeans are nothing more than one bad chapter in our collective story. Present company excluded, of course.”

Avex snarled, “You insult me and then demand I help you?”

“Help yourself. Think! If there are marines here, then Starfleet already knows.” She nods her head, “They know what we are doing. They are here already. Like a Viscan eel, they are laying the trap. We give them their sniper back. It is not going to be enough. Valex will be the first domino to fall. It’s over Avex. We…are already dead. The movement…the Tarpeans…already dead. Returning their marine only buys us time. Your family? Think of them. Without a dead marine, Spornak can only show the Federation the thousands he has killed of their people. And you and I both know that he won’t do that. And neither will Romulus. Return the human and for the time being – things go back to the status quo.”

Now Avex understood the grave nature of the problem, “I will try.” He resolved himself, “I will do what I can.”

“Don’t contact me again. I will contact you when everything is set. Two days. Find a way to keep the human alive.”

Avex nods and they both part ways.

Exuent

“What I propose, therefore, is very simple: it is nothing more than to think what we are doing.” -Hannah Arendt, “The Human Condition”




=== THE PRISON CAMP AT PROHESTRA - TWO DAYS LATER ===

It was raining that morning. The rain came down in gentle droplets. The water drops landed on the leafy greens. The trees and the lush plants that bordered the camp. It was quiet here. Prohestra was just eight kilometers (4.97 miles) from the Tarpean capital of Apocryphux. The camp was both close to Spornak and the leadership of the Tarpean movement, and non-descript enough not to draw too much attention to it. It sat on the edge, hidden off the road. The high fences and the durasteel structure prevented anyone from getting too close. Almost anyone that is.

The trees were thick here on this hillside. Half a kilometer between this nest and the camp facility. Inside the branches and covered by camouflage and leaves; death observed and waited for the Tarpean guards. The business end of a TR-116 rifle remained motionless under the canopy. The water droplets form on the end of the barrel. The scope covered with a leaf to reduce the glare. The weapon held motionless. 2nd Lt. Samuel Woolheater had been here for almost eight hours now. He had observed two shift changes and had enough intel to get the job done.

His all-weather gear kept him warm and dry. The grease face paint helped him match the green and black of the trees here. His finger on the trigger. In his mind, the Circumdederunt me setting the tempo for what is about to come.

In the scope sight, Sam can see the first Tarpean guard. The Tarpeans dressed all in black. Their heads are bald, their hair cut as a sign of submission. There are four guards here roaming the outer walls. Sam knows that this is the mid-shift. There will not be a better chance. On his earpiece he can hear the extraction team has just beamed in. They ask Sam if he’s ready.

“Mmmmm….” he replies.

“Execute” comes the command.

Sam sights the first guard and squeezes the trigger. “Circumdederunt….me” the first guard is instantly killed when his skull is turned to mush.

“…gemitus…..mortis…..” The marine sniper keeps the cadence. It is ingrained into him. He doesn’t need to even think about it. His body keeps the time for him. He sights the second guard and drops him. So far so good.

The third guard still does not sense anything is out of place. And has no idea that death is coming for him. Sam sees the guard. The guard looks right at him. As if, only in this last second, he is aware that in a moment he will find out if there is a Tarpean god. Samuel squeezes the trigger.

“…dolores…..inferni….” The Tarpean takes the round in the chest. His green Romulan blood spatters against the durasteel of the Prohestra camp. He staggers, still alive but unable to raise the alarm. Sam knows that he will go for the alarm. But slowly, Samuel chambers the spent round and it falls away. He cycles in the next round, carefully, slowly, even as the man, spouting blood like a fountain fumbles forward. Sam silently squeezes the trigger and the Tarpean has no head. It was terribly messy to have his brains spattered like that.

One more guard to go. And this guy has noticed that things are looking awfully lonely. Where is everyone he must be thinking.

”…..circumdederunt……” Sam squeezes the trigger and the Tarpean guard falls dead from the wall to the other side and out of sight.

”….me…..” Sam keeps still even as his inner voice finishes the Morales motet. He starts the motet over again in his inner voice. He scans the area that he has just cleared. He presses the comm box that is snuggly around his next and speaks, “The backdoor is open.”

At that moment, a Starfleet runabout, the Coventry materialized by being transported from the Hale that was in orbit.

Sam stayed put in order to pick off the sentries that were now on their way. The automated defenses came on. There were no shields, but they had phaser canons.

“C’mon AVEX!” Sam muttered to himself as he kept his eyes on the scope and looked for the sentry. Everything now depended on the Kiron named Avex.



MEANWHILE – AT WARP DESTINATION: KIRO

Captain Hammond looked to the right at the Science station. Everything was ready. He tapped the COMM and the ship wide hail sounded like, “ooooooWEEEEEEEEEYoooooo”.

=A= All hands, this is the captain. We are about to warp into orbit above the planet Kiro. There is a new threat to our people in this sector. They call themselves the Tarpeans. We’re uninvited, unexpected and we have a job to do. As many of you know, the Tarpeans have captured a few Starfleet personnel and are holding them on the surface. The extraction team from the Hale is right now getting these people out. It may get a little bumpy. Captain out =A=

Turning back to face the center screen, “OK. Shuttle Coventry, are you ready marines?”

=A= Coventry here. We’re ready Captain. =A=

Hammond said, “You realize we’ve never even tried this before?”

1st Lt Schaefer smiled and said, =A= Then it will be interesting. You get us there; we’ll take care of the rest. =A=

Hammond closed the channel and said, “Let’s do this. Next stop…the planet Kiro.”



=== SIXTEEN HOURS EARLIER – USS HALE ===

Captain Hammond sat stunned at the conference table. Present with him were 2nd Lt. Woolheater, 1st. Lt. Schaeffer and several Engineers and Security personnel. They had just watched a video released from the Prohestra prison camp.

On the video release 2nd Lt. Mason Hall, looking exhausted, hungry and with slight bruising, was in handcuffs and leg chains and stood along with a dozen other Federation captives. Samuel recognized his sniper buddy from Titan marine base. The video ended with ransom demands and a challenge for Starfleet to try and rescue these prisoners.

A plan had been devised, hashed out and thought through for the past two hours. It put everyone at risk. The ship, the crew and the lives of those that had been imprisoned. A young Science Officer had proposed what Sam called, “a Kooky” plan. But the Captain supported it.

Marines from the Hale would take the shuttle Salisbury ahead of the rest of the ship by one day. They would observe and plan a rescue using whatever means necessary. The Federation persons held at Prohestra were a mix of Starfleet security, marine, Intelligence and civilian. They were there to gather intel on the new Tarpean threat. They could not be allowed to become pawns on a political chessboard. Starfleet and the Federation wanted their people back. Alive. The Hale, because she was a Steamrunner class. Light, quick and agile was to warp into Standard orbit above Kiro. While the Hale kept the Tarpeans busy with their newly acquired Romulan defense vessels, the Coventry would be beamed into the lower atmosphere close to the Prohestra camp.

Hammond said, “Assuming that we don’t blow every single relay on the flight deck beaming an entire shuttle full of marines – which – I might add has never been done. Assuming that works, we will not have a lot of time once they detect a transporter signature. There’s no way we’re going to be able to mask something as big as a shuttle being transported.”

“We have the element of surprise” the science officer offered.

“It can be done Captain…the simulations are supporting the idea” said a transporter specialist.

1st Lt. Schaefer said, “Never been tried before. Little chance of success. Might blow up the ship. Terriffic. When do we start?” he said sarcastically.

Hammond got to his feet, “Right now. I approve of the plan. I trust all of you to make it the best chance for success. Get anything you need, wake up anybody you need. Get it done. Woolheater?”

“Sir?” Samuel said as he looked at the captain.

“You’re my sniper. I’m sending you and the strike team first to get the lay of the facility. Sam, we’re getting our people back.”

“Sir, yes sir.”

Hammond nodded, “You have your work and your orders.



THE PRESENT – IN ORBIT HIGH ABOVE THE SURFACE OF KIRO


The Hale dropped out of warp exactly on target. Which surprised the Kiron navy. Hammond did not hesitate, “Beam the Coventry away.”

Inside the shuttle bay, the transporter cycle had begun. The blue and white energy ribbons started from the inside of the vessel and moved outwards. The hum got louder and the lights on the starship seemed to dim as a huge energy draw was happening. The transporter cycle was so much slower than normal. It was thousands and thousands of gigaquads of data for an entire shuttle and all of the occupants. Finally, it dematerialized as the transporter system primary relays blew out in a shower of sparks.

High above the Prohestra camp, the Coventry materialized. Hanging there in mid-air as the painfully slow transporter cycle finally ended. 1st Lt. Schaefer said, “Yeah. Not doing that again. Report back that we have successfully made it. Now, I just hope the strike team has done their job!”

A few shots from the guard towers automated defenses started. The shields were holding, for now. Schaefer said, “C’mon Woolheater….report!”

Sam saw the Coventry materialize. He aimed his next series of shots and the control mechanisms on the turrets that rimmed the guard tower. Sam could only get a few. Out of the four phaser turrets, he got two of them off line. It was now up to their inside man to do his part.

INSIDE PROHESTRA SECURITY CONTROL CENTER

Avex stood at the door to the command center of the camp. He had been standing there when the camp went on alert. He walked away twice. And twice he came back. This time he stood at the door and was about to walk away for the third and final time. Then the door opened. There in front of him was the Chief Prelate of the Order.

“What are you standing here for? Get inside. Do your job brother” the Prelate said and stepped past him. Avex found his courage and stepped inside the command center.

“We’re under attack! Get to your station and lock down the prison!” one of the initiates stated.

Avex moved to his console and entered in his access codes. He was sweating. Outside, the Starfleet shuttle was firing on the gun turrets and had disabled them.

Captain Hammond was keeping the Kiron defense ship busy, but that would only last a few minutes before they launched fighters. Romulan trained fighter craft at that.

Suddenly, the shuttle opened fire at the shield emitter and it overloaded. Sending a power surge through the shield grid and a feedback loop was generated. It manifested by exploding panels inside the command center. All around him, Avex ducked low, the panels and the control systems overloaded. And when they did, the explosions killed the remainder of the control center staff. There were only three other persons here at any one time. Now, as Avex got to his feet, he was the only survivor. And he had done nothing. The effect was that the shields and the counter-measures systems went offline.

The Coventry saw the systems collapse and set down. Her doors opened and marines from the Hale deployed out and stormed the camp from the inside. The camera system was mostly offline, but Avex could see that there would be a fierce firefight to liberate the prisoners. There was still a chance for him to do something.

He picked up a disruptor from the small arms locker. He opened the door and stepped into the corridor. It was dark and yellow emergency lights flashed in sequence. In Kir-shaan, the computer spoke the emergency alert announcement. Down the corridor Avex went. He knew one prisoner that he needed to make sure got out alive.


CELL 13

Section by section, methodically they went, clearing each of the suspected sixty cell capacity of the Prohestra camp. The freed “inmates” were in various stages of torture. Prohestra was not a death camp. Not like Invoxum or Momunex, Prohestra was designed for brutality. Psychological torture and beatings were common. Systematic extermination like at the other two camps, was not. Marines from the Hale reported in.

=A= Fire Team Bravo reporting in, we have breached the perimeter wall and we have accessed the buildings. We are actively freeing the prisoners. =A=

The voice of Captain Hammond aboard the Hale could be heard in each marine’s combat gear,

=A= Understood. That is your top priority. Did you rendezvous with the sniper? =A=

=A= Yes. Bushwookie has rejoined the team. =A=

Samuel nodded as he appeared towards the middle of the group of marines on this fire team.

Hammonds voice came back, =A= Then proceed to get those prisoners out of there and remember to pick up the Kiron asset, Avex is his name. You have ten minutes. Then you get your asses back. =A=

1st Lt. Schaefer nodded, =A= Copy that =A=

They moved quickly. Some prisoners could no longer walk, they were starved or beaten. In those cases, tranporter tags were affixed and the person was beamed to either the Hale or the shuttle. The starship was beginning to take fire from the defensive ships in orbit.

When they came to cell number thirteen and opened it. Sam was one of the closest marines to enter the small room. There. He saw his former spotter. In a corner, ready to defend himself. Sam recognized and greeted him.

“Hall! Mace! It’s me. Sam! C’mon bud….we’re here to get you out!”

2nd Lt. Mason Hall couldn’t believe his eyes. He hadn’t been injured beyond being roughed up. He certainly couldn’t fight. But he wanted to. Sam calmed him down.

“Sam?” Mason said in recognition, “What the fuck took you so long?!”

Sam replied, “Oh you know…there are so many prisons here….we wanted to pick one that would make us look good. Fancy you being here ay? Had a little vacation have we?”

Hall smiled despite the deadly seriousness of still having to get out. “Oh yeah….room service here is shit!”

Sam checked him over really quick. “Yeah? Well, you can fill out the feedback card later. We’re leaving. You’re not dressed for combat dipshit!”

Hall took the weapon Sam handed him, “Maid’s day off. Sent my rifle out to the cleaners. For some reason these religious types don’t like weapons.”

An explosion down the corridor and they exited the cell, “Really?” Sam said. “Because I think they learned how to use them.”

Marines used their body armor to protect their fellow sniper. Lt. Hall. They made their way down the length of corridor, freeing another five persons, before coming to the end of the hall.

“We need to get to the roof!” 1st LT Schaefer said and indicated to the roof access stairway. “From there we can EVAC to the Coventry. It sounds like the Hale is in a firefight. Move! To the roof!” was the order.


IN ORBIT – USS HALE ENGAGED WITH KIRON HEAVY CRUISER

“Captain! Aft shields are down! They are launching auxillary craft to the surface.”

Hammond knew that was bad. “Move us closer to the command ship. Make us more of a threat.”

The Steamrunner could take a pounding. And that was being tested right now. From a distance, the Romulan warbird V’rata Bethe remained stationary. Observing the battle and taking notes. They were sure the little starship was doomed. But Hammond still had a few tricks up his sleeve.

“Captain! Coventry is en route from the surface. They have as many as they can carry. The rest, a dozen or so, including our marines, need to be beamed up. But with the shields up…”

“I KNOW! We can’t. Then we’ll just have to get the Kiron’s to stop firing.” Hammond looked around and then to the tactical screen. His mind rushed to find a way out. “What class of ship is that?”
The science officer pulled the data and displayed it on the terminal.

[[ VEN’SHRAA CLASS – LIGHT FRIGATE ]] There….he saw it. This was the way out.

He ordered, “HELM! Come about. Heading two-one-zero mark zero-five-zero. Open the drive plasma relief valve. Start venting drive plasma…one-quarter impulse. In twenty-seconds….drop all the shields.”

The helmsman and the tactical officer looked at him, “Now! Do IT!” he barked at them.

He came alongside the HELM and said, “Venting drive plasma as we turn tail and run. They’ll enjoy that. They won’t fire because they could destroy the ship. These are greedy bastards. With the Romulans watching from a safe distance. No…they want more prisoners and their hands on some Federation technology….well….come and get it boy-o’s.”

Hammons looked to Engineering, “We got anything left in the batteries?”

The engineer at the station said, “We need that for shields or weapons.”

Hammond said, “No. The fight is over. We’re not getting out of here on batteries. Kiron’s are using old Romulan naval surplus. Ven-Shraa class frigates. Type 1 model micro-singualrity. We use the batteries to generate a magnetic pulse aft of the Hale. The energy will travel aft and should trigger their micro-singularity to reboot.

The Engineer said, “ Assuming that they haven’t retrofitted that oversight. And assuming that we have enough battery to create a wave of the proper magnitude.”

Hammond turned to the Science officer, “That’s your job. I need to know how much energy it will take to generate a magnetic ripple to reboot that attacker’s micro-singularity core.”

The Vulcan lifted an eyebrow.

Hammond said, “Fast, if you please.”

“INCOMING!” some yelled as another volley of fire hit the Hale


THE SURFACE – PROHESTRA

“We’re cut off from the shuttle and the ship!” one marine said.

Woolheater and Hall continued to fire and they were only four marines and two prisoners. They were being surrounded. Then, the firing stopped.

The Chief Prelate stepped forward and said, “Hold your fire. We have you surrounded. There is no hope for success. Why waste your lives? Surrender now and you can spend the rest of your days here. Under my protection.”

Sam said, “Not gonna happen.” Sam looked at the Lt. in charge, “LT? What are your orders?”

The Chief Prelate asked, “Who is your commanding officer? Have them step forward and we will negotiate a settlement.”

Avex, who up until now had done nothing, came out of the prison and into the courtyard where the Starfleet marines and prisoners were engaged. He walked out and into the rest of the group of Tarpeans. He came and stood alongside the Chief Prelate.

“I am” said 1st Lieutenant Schaefer. “Deal with me.”

“Indeed” the Chief Prelate said as Schaefer stepped forward.

“Let these go. And I will stay in their place.” The marine said.

“Keep you? Just you? There’s something you should know about me. I don’t negotiate!” and with that the sound of a disrupter being fired was heard and everyone flinched.


AT THE SAME TIME – IN ORBIT

The Science officer had run her calculations, “Captain, we need seventy-seven megajoules. The only device we have on board for that much energy…” Hammond finished her sentence.

“….is the main deflector.”

The HELM officer got an idea, “Captain, we are still under power. I could fake an engine failure and start us to list. To make it believable it will have to be a slow turn. But, when the ship is faced about, we can power up the deflector dish and send out the wave energy.”

Hammond said, “Do it. Don’t make it too slow…we don’t know if anybody over there actually read the manual.”

“Sir?” the officer asked.

“The manual. Every ship has a manual. An owner’s manual!” he looked around for support. Ending up on the Engineering station.

“Manual?” Hammond asked.

“No sir” was the reply. “Never seen an owner’s manual for a starship before. Sir”

The Hale started to drift and list to port. It was a lazy…slow….list but very effective. Venting drive plasma, engine failure and now a slow turning list. The Tarpeans,, inexperienced in combat and not used to the ruse of the Human mind fell for it. And slowly, the arc was closed and the deflector dish came around and when it was in the right orientation.

“Now. Energize the deflector dish” the Captain said.

The deflector came to life. The blue and the red as it energized and then grew brighter. Looking like a round cloud of smoldering haze, the deflector discharged the energy, and the wave was forming. As it left the dish, it started to grow and the Tarpeans, caught off guard, could not move out of the way.

The wave of energy engulfed the light frigate and instead of rebooting the singularity, it caused the magnetic constrictor coils to become de-polarized. And instead of a reboot, the singularity stopped in space. It became fixed. The ship, however, kept moving. And as if a piece of fabric was being torn, the Tarpean ship tore its guts out and exploded.

“oopps!” said the helmsman.

“Let’s not wait around for an apology. Full power to the ship. Close the plasma vent and drop the shields. Let’s get our people off the surface, our shuttle in the bay and get the hell outta here!”


THE SURFACE

The sound of the disrupter was the last thing that the Chief Prelate heard.

He fell dead to the ground. Avex said, “And I don’t negotiate with religious bigots.”

The rest of the Tarpeans were stunned. Avex was, or had been, a loyal officer of the Order. Immediately, dozens of weapons were trained on the marines and the prisoners and Avex. “Tarpean brothers. What have we become! What are we doing? We have fallen away from our teachings. This is because of Spornak! He has corrupted our minds and our teachings! Do you not see this?”

Sam stepped forward, in a weapons drawn crouch and said, “Think fast or we’re all dead. You gotta convince them to let us go. And I don’t mean up in smoke.”

But the Tarpean guards had had enough.

“This is it!” Mason said to Sam. “Thanks for coming to get me Sam.”

“Anytime dipshit” he replied.

The Tarpeans opened fire at the same time that the transporter from the Hale enrobed each member of the team in a protective energy transporter beam.

Their weapons could not penetrate the beam and in a blue and white hue, the marines, with Avex and prisoners were beamed away.


TRANSPORTER ROOM NUMBER ONE – USS HALE

Samuel and the rest of the team materialized on the transporter pad. Sam said, “Thank you!”

The transporter chief said, “You’re welcome!” Then she tapped the COMM, “All aboard sir.”


MAIN BRIDGE

“Coventry is recovered and secured sir” the Tactical officer reported.

“Let’s go” Captain Hammond said.

The Hale leapt to warp and was gone.

The Romulans, still at a distance, quietly made notes.


LATER – THE DEBRIEFING

Th conference room table had every seat taken. Avex had just shared everything he knew about what was happening on Kiro and at the other camps, Invoxum and Momunex. It was a somber meeting. 2nd Lt. Mason Hall was also debriefed and shared what he had learned on his scouting mission. It was clear that Starfleet and the Federation had to intervene. There was no way they could ignore the situation any longer.

Captain Hammond asked, “Avex, what will happen to your contact? I believe you said her name is Bethel?”

Avex paled, “She is a soldier. First and foremost. She knows the cost. She told me that she will continue to supply the Federation with information as long as she can. She is prepared to give her life for the cause.”

“What cause is that?” Sam asked.

Avex sighed. Then said, “Never has our future been more unpredictable, never have we depended so much on political forces that cannot be trusted to follow the rules of common sense and self-interest—forces that look like sheer insanity, if judged by the standards of other people. It is as though the Kiron heart had divided itself between those who believe in our own omnipotence, those who think that everything is possible if one knows how to organize masses for it and those for whom powerlessness has become the major experience of their lives. My people feel powerless….at least we did. Spornak….he made us feel powerful again.

“And nothing perhaps illustrates the general disintegration of our lives better than this vague, pervasive hatred of everybody and everything, without a focus for its passionate attention, with nobody to make responsible for the state of affairs—neither the government nor the Federation nor any other power. It consequently turns in all directions, haphazardly and unpredictably. We were told to hate Humans…because you’re human. Nothing else. Spornak himself doesn’t believe the lies he tells.

When I was a new initiate….what proved so attractive was that terrorism had become a kind of philosophy through which to express frustration, resentment, and blind hatred, a kind of political expressionism which used bombs to express oneself. And we watched delightedly the publicity given to resounding deeds and we were willing to pay the price of life for having succeeded in forcing the recognition of one’s existence on the normal strata of society.”

Lt. Schaefer said, “You mean….other people’s lives.”

Avex nodded silently. “Yes” he finally said. “We have accepted chaos and given our consent to it. This is the way Kiro is ruled now. And we need the Federation. We need Starfleet’s help to stop it. Before it grows. And spreads. Before there is another war.”


[OFF:]

Captain Samuel Woolheater
“Saepius Exertus, Semper Fidelis, Frater Infinitas”
Division VI, MARDET 62nd Company "Spartans", 1st Platoon CO
=/\= USS ELYSIUM - NCC-89000 =/\=