Newsgroups: alt.startrek.creativeSubject: Re: REQUEST: could someone repost The Return?From: hyc@hanauma.jpl.nasa.gov (Howard Chu)Date: 4 Apr 92 02:51:00 GMTHere ya go, parts 1-7 of The Return, fresh from my personal disks...  }-)For those of you following the alternate continuation, note that it picks upfrom the end of part 6, while my part 7 is included here. Part 8 to be postedsometime after I've filed my income tax return...  -- Howard                           T H E   R E T U R N                                   by                               Howard ChuA "Star Trek: The Next Generation" meets "Star Wars" story/script.  Thismaterial was distributed in the rec.arts.startrek andalt.startrek.creative news groups on Usenet during April 1991.  This copywas obtained from the author on 17 April 1991.  Comments and criticismshould be directed to the author, hyc@hanauma.jpl.nasa.gov (Internet).=========================================================================Laforge: All's well that ends well, eh Reg?Barclay: I-if you say so, Commander.  P-personally, I thought th-thingswere well in hand.Laforge: Yeah, I can see how you might have looked at things that way. Still,I'm glad we're going to be getting some shore leave soon. It may just be astarbase, but it's better than trying to analyze the ship's computer logson the ship's computer itself.Barclay: I c-could've done that a-a lot more easily, you know...Laforge: Well, yeah. Anyway.... I just feel a lot more comfortable about thingsthis way, you know?<break to>Riker: Well, we actually got to make contact with a new life form, and ratherpainlessly, in fact. I wish all our missions were so productive.Picard: Indeed, Number One. Although I think I've had enough reminders of justhow little we know about the galaxy we inhabit. I hesitate to say so, but Imust admit that I'm looking forward to a little shore leave myself.Troi: Shore-leave, Captain? You? If I couldn't read the thoughts myself I wouldswear that you're joking.Picard: Now Counselor -Troi: Relax, Captain. You know *I'm* only joking...(strained chuckles between Picard and Riker)Riker: So we're going to Starbase 42... Isn't that slightly unusual for asimple shore leave and ugprade stop?Picard: In what way, Number One?Riker: Well, it's so close to the Romulan Neutral Zone, as I recall it's moreof a monitoring post than a resort, if you know what I mean.Data: In fact, Commander, Starbase 42 has three AAA-class hotels with over4000 room occupancy and regular tours of gourmet cuisine and diverseentertainment, as well asPicard: Thank you Data, that will be enough for now.Data: Yes, sir.Picard: At any rate, Will, it should be fairly interesting, also beingsituated so close to the galactic rim. Since we're here already I'm justhappy to have refit facilities so near at hand.<bleep>Worf: Sir, incoming message from Base Commander Stone at starbase 42.Picard: Onscreen, Lieutenant.Worf: Aye sir. (pause) It is double-encoded sir, the secondary transmission isfor you only.(pause, meaningful glances...)Picard: I'll take it in my ready room. Number One, you have the con.Riker: Aye sir. (pause, till Picard exits) So much for R&R...<cut to ready-room, Picard seated, facing Stone on viewer>Picard: Greetings Commander, to what do I owe the honor of a doubly-cryptedtransmission? Surely the Romulans haven't broken our last codebook already...Stone: Hello, Captain Picard. Just arranging some last minute details foryour refit here. No one knows quite what's going on with the Romulans, soI decided to use the second code for safety. Things have moved quickly inthe ten days you were gone, Picard.Picard: How so? The Romulans are massing for war?Stone: Maybe, but not with the Federation. In the past week listening postshave picked up increasing numbers of military transmissions, while all ourmonitor posts have detected *fewer* Romulan warships near the Neutral Zone.Picard: But that would meanStone: Starfleet thinks the Romulans have encountered a new spacefaring race,on the far side of their territory. The drastic shift in military forceindicates that these newcomers have the Romulans worried.Picard: And anything that would make the Romulans worried makes Starfleetworried, of course.Stone: Absolutely. We still don't have anything solid to go on yet, which iswhy Starfleet is sending you into Romulan space.<break. if i had any sponsors, they'd get to scream at you here.>....Captain's Log, Stardate (N). We are enroute to Starbase 42 for debriefingand refitting from our recent journey. The Enterprise' computer banks willundergo a complete system dump for transcription to the Memory Alphaarchives for study, while upgrade modifications are made to the ship's systems.During the time we were with the Zitherians, the Romulans apparently madehostile contact with a powerful new race. The Enterprise is being sent intothe Neutral Zone and possibly into Romulan territory itself in hopes ofgaining more detailed surveillance reports.<back to the bridge... >Picard: Ensign, what is our estimated arrival time at Starbase 42?Ensign: Approximately two days at our current cruising speed of warp two,Sir.Picard: Increase speed to warp 5, Ensign.Ensign: Aye sir, increasing to warp factor 5.Riker: Something we should know about, Captain?Picard: Indeed, Number One. (toggle a switch, announce:) Senior staff meetingin 10 minutes.<swish on to the turbolift, swish out to the briefing room...>Riker: So the Romulans have made a new enemy...Picard: It appears that way, but Starfleet isn't ready to jump on mereappearances.Riker: Especially not after our *last* Romulan encounter, no doubt.Picard: No doubt. But the Klingon contingent is, understandably, getting morerestless since they see an apparent weakening of their longtime enemy. Theyare currently willing to keep the peace; they see the wisdom of trying tolearn more about the situation, but their impatience continues to grow.Worf: A warrior does not go blindly into a fight. But a true warrior alsoknows when the time is right to attack!Laforge: I wonder if it's the Borg again, they reported attacks similar to theones we witnessed before.Picard: At this point it's anyone's guess, since the Romulans aren't talking,as usual. But part of our upgrades will include installation of ImprovedDefinition phaser arrays and control banks.Troi: "Improved Definition" ?Data: The Improved Definition phaser project is an offshoot of the researchundertaken after our first encounter with the Borg. It is an enhancement ofthe frequency shift algorithm we employed against the Borg in our secondencounter, but does not employ all of the enhancements of the High Definitionphaser project for the new Cluster-class starship. It only involves a few ofthe principles being explored in the High DefinitionPicard: If we could continue please, Mr. Data.Data: Yes Sir. Sorry, sir.Picard: It could be the Borg, but no one knows. Still, the products of theresearch taken to prepare for the Borg are the best we have for facing theseunknowns. Commander Laforge, pick 3 of your team to oversee the upgrade, thestarbase will provide the facilities and necessary manpower. You and Mr.Data will also have responsibility for upgrading the ship's sensor arrays.If we can get enough information without leaving the Neutral Zone then somuch the better.Crusher: No one's even explained yet how we're going to stay in the NeutralZone. What's going on?Picard: Reports indicate that the majority of the Romulan warships have beenwithdrawn from the Neutral Zone to participate in whatever distant action isoccurring. The Zone is currently being patrolled by a scattered number offrigates and police ships.Riker: Sooo... Starfleet figures there are sparse enough patrols that we cantraipse in unnoticed, or if we are noticed, we can stare down any Romulanwho cares to make a point of it?Picard: In essence...<Bridge to Captain Picard: Sir, we're picking up a number of Romulan distresscalls. All frequencies, linguacoded.>Picard: On my way. - Well, I think we've covered most of it anyway. Let's seewhat these Romulans are really up to...<break again!><back on the bridge>Worf: The signals are still very faint. We are now getting enhanced signalsrelayed from starbase 42.Riker: Who ever heard of a Romulan making a distress call?Picard: Let's see it, Lieutenant. Onscreen.<fuzzy, unstable, jagged image of a smoking bridge, lots of transmissionnoise...: To any starship, please respond ... life support failing, enginesdestroyed ... ><Image of Base Commander Stone cuts in>Stone: Enterprise, as you can see, this Romulan is shaken up pretty badly.The Klingons have dispatched a squadron of cloaked ships to investigate. Theyshould arrive in two hours, but they have not contacted the Romulans yet.Starbase out.Riker: Looks like the Klingons want to hog all the fun to themselves. Arewe going to let them?Picard: Perhaps not. Ensign, increase to warp 8. We may not have time forall the upgrades, but we can get a better perspective of things from thestarbase.(Ensign: Increasing to warp 8.)Picard: Commander Laforge, contact the starbase engineering staff, try toget a head start on the phaser array upgrades.Laforge: Aye sir...Picard: Data, join Mr Laforge in Engineering. A fair number of systems aretargeted for modification, and I'd like to have as much covered as possible.Data: Understood, sir.<Data exits>Riker: Then what?Picard: Then? Then we see what unfolds, Number One.<engineering...>Laforge: Whew-ee, these plans call for some pretty comprehensive changes!Phaser control, sensor array, warp engine output, even modifications to thephoton torpedo systems. I sure hope those R&D guys know what they're doing...Barclay: Th-these phaser control sy-system changes look pretty s-straight-forward. I th-think we can f-fabricate the necessary parts with the replicator.Data: That sounds plausible. The reconfiguration should not take long.Laforge: Great Reg. Get on it. Data, let's have a look at these new sensorand scanner controls...<bridge...>Worf: Another transmission from Starbase 42, sir.Picard: Onscreen, Lieutenant.Stone: We're about to receive telemetry data from the Klingon ships. Patchingyou in, Enterprise.Picard: Understood, we are receiving.<Klingon transmission cuts in... View of a littered solar system, wreckage ofa number of ships all around. Several Romulan warships can be seen maneuveringin the distance, in various stages of cloaking/firing. Quite a firefight isoccurring, in fact. Some triangular wedge-shaped vessels are engaging theRomulans. The wedges are much larger than the warbirds, although their weaponrydoes not seem overpoweringly effective. Apparently this star system is of someimportance to the Romulans; there is an orbiting starbase and evidence of aground base on one of the planets. The bases are continually firing plasmatorpedoes at the strange wedge-shaped behemoths. The alien ships dwarf even thestarbase, and appear to be bristling with small beam weapons. Smaller flashesof light are frequently seen throughout the display.>Riker: Judging from the scale, those ships must be immense!Troi: I sense ... great evil, Captain. Something terrible is happening outthere.<Back to the viewer. One of the alien vessels is seen to crumple under aconcerted Romulan attack, as multiple globes of plasma energy slam into itfrom all sides. The Romulans are not totally unscathed, however. Their torpedofiring rate is relatively slow, while the aliens' smaller weapons fire muchmore rapidly. The tremendous firing rate allows them to damage some warbirdsin the process of cloaking and uncloaking... The levels of energy beingreleased is awesome, with beams of phaser fire lancing out from Romulanwarbirds and pulsed blasts of energy spraying from the aliens.>Picard: Evil? What do you mean?Troi: Great malevolence is at work here. Just... Evil!<Troi looks increasingly tense/uncomfortable...>Riker: There's certainly something terrible out there. That must be at leasta third of the border fleet in action.<viewer again... there is a tremendous flash of energy, temporarily blankingout the screen. viewer dims, bridge crew shades their eyes... view returns.apparently a meteor shower has chosen this moment to pass thru the vicinity.><Troi screams in agony and falls on the floor, unconscious>Picard: Crusher to bridge, medical emergency! (stands up)Riker: Deanna! (Rushing to her side...)Worf: Sir! Tactical telemetry indicates the planet has disappeared! And oneof the moons in the system is now moving in a *linear* path.Picard: Linear path? That doesn't make sense.<on viewer... the image begins to distort and momentarily fades into noise.The image is rocking unsteadily as it returns more clearly. No Romulan vesselsare visible, although the starbase and alien ships are still evident. Thealien ships seem to be regrouping, while another plasma globe races awayfrom the starbase. A brilliant beam of energy flashes out between the moon andthe starbase, which begins to glow pulsatingly. There is another blindingflash, and then the image returns. The starbase is conspicuously absent.Picard looks visibly shaken, somewhat pale. Troi seems to be coming around.Dr. Crusher arrives in the turbolift. [Busy little scene, eh?]>Crusher: What happened? Deanna, are you alright?Troi: (moan...) I-I think so... (moan...)Riker: But what happened?<Riker and Crusher are still hovering over Troi, who is now sitting up on thefloor. Crusher is running one of many little feinbergs over Troi and frowningconcernedly...>Worf: Captain, the Klingon squadron has ceased transmissions.Picard: Acknowledged. Worf, raise Commander Stone.Worf: Aye sir. Captain, Base Commander Stone is already hailing us.Picard: Onscreen...<Riker returns to his seat. Base Commander Stone is on the viewer. He too looksa little pale.>Stone: I hope you were watching closely, Picard, so you can tell me I didn'tjust see a planet destroyed.Picard: I was indeed, Commander, but I suspect we both saw the same thing.Stone: I was afraid you'd say that. I'm forwarding a report to Starfleet. Whenis the Enterprise going to arrive?<Picard turns to the navigation officer...>Ensign: Approximately 24 minutes, sir.Picard: In 10 minutes, Commander. We can discuss this further then.Stone: Fine. Till then.<end transmission. Picard turns to ensign>Picard: Warp factor 8.2, ensign.  Ensign: Aye sir, increasing velocity to warp factor 8.2.Riker: So what exactly happened just now? Those alien ships were big, butthey couldn't destroy a planet, could they?Picard: Hopefully we'll be able to determine that when we dock. Counselor,are you alright?Troi: I will be in a moment, Captain.Crusher: No physical damage evident, but tremendously increased cerebralbloodflow. No hemorrhaging, but that must be one heck of a headache.Troi: All of a sudden, such intense fear, then pain, like a million voicescrying out all at once. Now ... nothing. Except ... a lurking malevolence.<shudder><Crusher administers injection...>Crusher: This should ease the headache, but I think you better come down tosickbay for a more thorough examination.Troi: I don't think that will be necessary, Dr. It was a psychic shock, notsomething that would cause physical damage.Picard: We only have a few minutes, Deanna, but perhaps it would be best ifyou spent them resting under Dr. Crusher's observation.Troi: Yes sir...  <Troi & Crusher exit to turbolift...>Laforge: Engineering to bridgeRiker: Go ahead Geordi...Laforge: Sir, we've recalibrated the sensor array according to thesespecifications and have extended our range 35% according to preliminarytesting. Scanner resolution has also improved.Picard: Well done, Mr Laforge. Further testing will have to wait, we'll bedocking at Starbase 42 soon and I'll need you and Data then. Your backupcrew will have to oversee any further operations.Laforge: Understood sir. I'll put Barclay in charge, since he's alreadyhandled it up to this point. Laforge out.Riker: Barclay? (sigh...)Ensign: Sir, we've entered sector 43-12. Ready for docking approach in 2minutes.Picard: Acknowledged, Ensign. Drop to impulse.Ensign: Aye sir. Impulse power only.<Enterprise drops out of warp, starbase 42 can be dimly seen in the distance.Enterprise rapidly approaches while decelerating, then is held in a starbasetractor beam. Docking completes...><Seems like another good breaking point..... At this point, 99% of you areprobably saying "Geeze, *That's* what all this was building up to??" Well,someone had to do it, right?><Now in a briefing room on Starbase 42. Base Commander Stone and two of hisaides are present, along with the Enterprise senior officers. A Klingonofficer is speaking via the viewscreen.>K'lnok: The alien battleships docked with the battlestation shortly after thestarbase was eliminated. We have been unable to detect further activity, andare approaching with full cloaking. There has been no sign of any survivingRomulan warships. We will resume contact in one hour. K'lnok out.Stone: The Klingons have maintained radio silence to avoid detection, with a fewintermittent dispatches like the one you just saw. We have not been able toconverse with them since their telemetry relays stopped.Picard: Has Starfleet been notified of the latest developments?Stone: Yes, but we've received no reply yet. Your previous orders will standuntil further notice.Riker: Even with the improvements made to our sensors we won't get a betterpicture than you'll get here on this starbase. What's the point of sendingthe Enterprise into Romulan space to monitor a situation that the Klingonscan already monitor? Especially since they can move freely with their cloakingdevices?[ed: So we'll have a story to watch, obviously!!  }-)  ]Riker: If I may speak candidly sir, I must say that something about theseorders doesn't make any sense.Stone: As you've guessed, there are other motives here. We have enjoyed aprosperous, peaceful alliance with the Klingons for many years now, but noone can overlook their natural warrior instincts. In fact, a few members ofthe Federation Council have expressed some concern about the Klingons beingthe first Federation representatives to make contact with these aliens. I'msure you can appreciate these concerns - um, no offense, Lieutenant Worf.Worf: None taken, *Sir*.Picard: So we are actually now being assigned to make contact with thesealiens?Stone: Yes, if at all possible, find out where they're from, what sparkedtheir conflict with the Romulans, what they're ultimately seeking. We wantto establish peaceful contact with this race.Riker: That could be interpreted as a hostile act by the Romulans, though.Never mind that simply violating the Neutral Zone is an act of war.Stone: That's a risk we'll have to take. These aliens are too powerful to beallowed to remain unknowns. We have to learn more about them, see if theypose any threat to the Federation. We can justify your initial entry intoRomulan space as response to distress calls. We're betting that the Romulanswill be too busy with the aliens to offer much objection.Picard: Since we *are* dealing in unknowns, it would seem wiser to wait itout, since we *know* violating Romulan Space is an act of war.Stone: Jean-Luc, we're not here to debate Starfleet orders. And Starfleetdoesn't want to get caught unaware. Given the destructive power we'vewitnessed, the problem may grow too large to handle if we wait it out.Picard: Yes, but what I mean is<Klaxon interrupts.>Voice: Alert. Intruder detected in sector 43-13. Commander Stone pleasereport to the bridge.Stone: That's in the Neutral Zone! I wonder what the devil is going on.We'll have to talk more later, Picard. I suggest you and your crew returnto your ship, we may need your services sooner than we thought.<break><Bridge of the Enterprise.>Picard: Data, link us in to the starbase commnet. Let's see what's happening.Data: Aye, sir.Picard: Bridge to Engineering -Barclay: Engineering, B-Barclay here, sir.Picard: What's the status of our warp drive upgrade? Is Commander Laforgethere yet?Barclay: He j-just arrived sir. A f-full status report is on-on the way.Picard: Fine. Picard out. (turn to stare at viewer...)<A relatively empty region of space. A wedge-shaped ship is visible, anda number of tiny points of light seem to be ejecting from the underside ofthe ship.>Riker: How did they get there so fast?Picard: Let's not jump to conclusions Number One. We don't know that thisis one of the ships we watched before. Data, can you increase the magnification?What are those objects being ejected?Data: Increasing. Scanners indicate the objects in question are metallic,no life signs indicated. They appear to be small self-propelled probes ofsome kind. Judging from the number and trajectories, the aliens would seemto be surveying the star systems in that sector.Riker: Surveying? So they're on a mission of conquest and colonization?Worf: Pardon the intrusion, sir. Klingons fight for conquest. That battlestation was *not* designed for conquest. One cannot expand one's empireby vaporizing the member planets.Riker: Point taken, Mr. Worf. But if they're not colonizing, then what *are*they doing here?Picard: Counselor - can you pick up any impressions that would shed lighton the question?Troi: Sorry Captain, the distance is too great. I cannot isolate theirthought patterns from everything else in the intervening space.Worf: Sir, the starbase is receiving another transmission from Captain K'lnok.Picard: Onscreen, Lieutenant.Worf: Aye sir.<View of bridge of Klingon Bird of Prey, K'lnok seated in foreground,staring forward.>K'lnok: Federation Starbase, this is Captain K'lnok. We have lost contactwith the alien warships. We are now scanning the area for survivors.<Red alert goes off on Klingon bridge. K'lnok turns away, switching tobattle language. A few short barking commands are heard, and the transmissionends.>Picard: Worf, what happened to their signal?Worf: They switched off, sir. The aliens reappeared in their sector, andCaptain K'lnok ordered full cloaking. That is all I heard before the channelclosed.Data: Sir, the alien vessel has changed course and is accelerating.Picard: What is its new heading?Data: 268.7 mark 3. Sir, it is on a direct intercept course with ourcurrent coordinates.Picard: Alert Commander Stone. Data, what is their ETA?Data: They are still traveling at sublight speeds, but continue to accelerate.I cannot determine their maximum velocity or estimated time of arrival as yet,Captain.Worf: The starbase personnel are aware of the course change, Sir. They havegone to red alert. We are being cleared to disengage from the spacedock.Picard: Ensign, take us out of dock. Lieutenant Worf, sound red alert.(aside) where is that engineering status report??Laforge: Engineering to Captain PicardPicard: Go ahead, Commander.Data: Captain, the alien vessel has disappeared from sensors.Picard: Number One, take care of Geordi's report. Data, what do you mean"disappeared" ?Data: They were accelerating to lightspeed, sir. The moment they attainedlightspeed they vanished from the sensors.Worf: Sir, sensors are now picking up a subspace anomaly, bearing 352.Picard: Onscreen.<view of typical starfield, with a blurred region in the center. Suddenlythe familiar wedge-shape appears as the blurring subsides.>Picard: Lieutenant, hail the alien vessel. All freqencies.Worf: Aye sir.Picard: Number One, what is our weapons status?Riker: Thanks to Lieutenant Barclay, we have Improved Definition phasersavailable. But Geordi is still working on increasing the warp engine outputto provide sufficient energy for the new phasers.Worf: The alien vessel is not responding.Picard: Keep trying, Lieutenant. Can we fire the phasers with our currentwarp configuration?Riker: Yes, but only for a limited amount. The old power couplings won'thold up to the higher energy levels for very long.Picard: With luck it won't come to that.Riker: I'd like to know how they found us so quickly...Picard: Indeed, Number One. Unfortunately they're not giving us the opportunityto ask.Ensign: We are clear of the spacedock, sir.Picard: Lay in an intercept course with the alien vessel, one-half impulse.Ensign: Course plotted and laid in, sir.Picard: Engage.  Counselor, what can you make of the aliens now?Troi: I sense a note of surprise, Captain. And also a slight hint of fear andapprehension. They seem to think we are the Romulans, Captain! They were notexpecting to find us here.Picard: Indeed. Fear of us? Fear of the Romulans?Troi: I'm not sure, sir, but I don't think so. I can't pick up anything morespecific.Picard: Lieutenant Worf, any luck hailing the vessel?Worf: None sir. They are apparently capable of receiving our transmissionsbut are ignoring them.<On the viewer - the alien vessel looms closer. Small points of light areagain seen to be darting from the underside of the ship.>Riker: More probes? (looking confused. he's good at that look, eh?)Data: Negative. I am detecting life signs. The small objects appear to bepiloted spacecraft.Picard: What is our current range?Data: Twenty thousand megameters and closing, sir.Riker: Are those smaller vessels armed?Data: That is highly probable. Energy levels are too high to be accountedfor solely by their propulsion systems.<viewer again - gosh, is that thing *ever* gonna run out? A vast number oftiny lights can now be seen streaking toward the Enterprise.>Riker: Raise shields.Worf: Shields raised, sir.Picard: Are we still tied in to the Starbase communications net?Data: Affirmative.Picard: Good. Link our fire control scanners to the Starbase scanners.Riker: Afraid they'll overwhelm our targeting systems?Picard: It's a possibility we cannot rule out, Number One. We may stillbe able to communicate peacefully, but the likelihood of that seems to bedecreasing.Data: Range is twelve thousand megameters, sir. The smaller craft areapproaching at approximately eight tenths of lightspeed. The largervessel is also continuing to approach.Picard: Lieutenant Worf, try to open a channel again. Broadcast thismessage: "To unidentified vessel. You are encroaching on Federation territory.Stop and identify yourselves or we will be forced to take action against you."Worf: Aye sir, opening channel.  ... Sir, they are responding.Picard: Onscreen!<A human appears onscreen, wearing a drab-green uniform with variousdecorations. A vast control deck can be seen behind him, with figures inblack or white armor or uniforms moving in the background...>Ozzel: This is Admiral Ozzel of the Imperial Star Destroyer Ventooin. We donot recognize the sovereignty of your "Federation" over this space. We havetraced your communications with rebel ships and recognize you to be aidingenemies of The Empire. Surrender and prepare to be boarded.Picard: (gestures to cut the channel) Rebels? Surrender? Counselor, can youtell what he's talking about?Troi: He must be referring to the Klingon vessels, sir. I sense anticipation,this Admiral is waiting to hear how other task forces have fared.Riker: They must have intercepted K'lnok's report of looking for survivors.Then they traced the source and destination of the signal to reach us and theKlingons!Data: That seems highly likely sir. This vessel was situated nearly betweenus at the time.Picard: (nodding to Worf to reopen the channel) This is Captain Jean-LucPicard, of the Federation Starship Enterprise. We know nothing of the rebelsof whom you speak. We seek only to communicate and establish peaceful relationswith your people. Why do you wish us to surrender? We have no quarrel with you.However, I must repeat my prior warning, and ask you to cease your advance intoFederation space.<channel closes, returning to starfield. The alien ships are much closer now.>Riker: Well, that didn't seem very friendly.<A small tremor passes through the ship.>Picard: What was that?Data: The small alien spacecraft have opened fire. They appear to be usingpulsed energy beam weapons.Riker: Any damage?Data: None sir, shields are holding.Picard: Lieutenant, fire a low-intensity warning shot at the mother ship.Target one degree off their bow. Let's give them one more chance to desist.Worf: Aye sir.  <Phaser fires, lancing out toward the wedge-shaped vessel, missing by atiny margin.>Riker: Think they'll take the hint, sir?Picard: We'll know soon enough, Number One.<The main batteries open up on the star destroyer. The Enterprise is rockedby a large number of energy blasts.>Picard: Damage report!Worf: Shields are holding at 90%, sir. Minor disturbances on decks 9 and 22.Picard: Arm photon torpedoes, ready phasers. Lock on the mother ship.Worf: Torpedoes armed, phasers locked on target.<A flight of TIE fighters zooms in on the viewer, blasters firing. More smalltremors as the fighters veer out of view.>Picard: This is damned annoying. Fire photon torpedoes, delta cluster.Worf: Firing photon torpedoes.<A volley of torpedoes lashes out. One intercepts an unfortunate TIE fighter,which is vaporized instantly. The others diverge, MIRV-style, detonating atthe star destroyer.>Data: A hit, sir. They seem to have deflector screens, no structural damageis evident.Picard: Inform the starbase of our action. That ship should be enteringtheir weapon range soon.<More pounding. The ship rocks again.>Riker: That was different - where did it come from?Data: A small projectile, sir, very dense. Composed primarily of protons.Apparently these gunships have a diverse complement of weapons.Worf: Shields down to 72%, sir.<Another impact...>Picard: Begin evasive maneuvers!Data: Sir, we are completely surrounded by these craft, and they are ordersof magnitude more maneuverable.<Yet another impact...>Riker: Worf, lock phasers on any small fighters, wide dispersion. Fire at will.Worf: Aye sir. Firing.<Phaser fire lances out from banks along the saucer and the main hull. Thebeams hit targets before they have widened appreciably. Three beams strike,three fighters vaporize.>Data: Sir, phaser energy conduits are approaching danger zone. Critical in20 seconds at present rate of fire.Riker: Another round, Worf. Dammit sir! We can track them but we can'thit so many targets.Picard: Indeed, Number One. We're wasting our firepower destroying such tinyobjects.<Another tremor... The star destroyer is closing ground, and unleashinganother volley.>Worf: Shields at 61%. Phasers deenergized. Minor injuries reported.Picard: Full reverse. Let's put some distance between us and that star destroyerbefore it lives up to its name.Data: The gunships are pursuing, sir. They appear to have only forward-firingweapons; they can only attack when they are facing us.Picard: Interesting... Worf, ready tractor beam. Select targets as theyenter facing trajectories. Filter out other objects from the targeting systemuntil they attain firing threshold. Activate when ready.Worf: Aye sir. Targeting computers reprogrammed, tractor beams ready.<A trio of TIE fighters zooms in on an attack run, in tight formation. Atractor beam shoots out from the Enterprise saucer, locking onto all threecraft at once. The effect is like that of a brick wall; the fighters crumpleunder the sudden deceleration. They explode somewhat slowly, as the tractorbeam is still active.>Riker: Brilliant! (beaming at Picard)Picard: Thank you, Number One. However, we're not out of the fire yet.Also, I was only expecting to hold them out of attack position, I didn'trealize the craft couldn't handle the stress of deceleration.Riker: Well, it was still an excellent idea, sir.<Another impact rocks the ship. Tractor beams are locking in all around theship, but there are still too many fighters, though their numbers are slowlydeclining.>Worf: Shields are down to 30%! Structural damage reported on decks 23 thru 29.Sickbay reports casualties throughout the ship.Picard: But even that may not be enough. Data! Quickly, transmit to starbase:Lock tractor beams on us, and cycle every 30 milliseconds. Ensign, cut impulse,full stop.Ensign: Full stop, aye!Data: Message acknowledged, sir.<The Enterprise is completely enveloped in the starbase tractor beam, whichis shimmering rapidly. In a few moments most of the TIE fighters are crushedor torn apart as the beam fluctuates. The remaining fighters turn and headfor their mother ship, which has continued to approach. Riker is about tocongratulate Picard again, when suddenly...>Worf: Sir, sensors detect new subspace anomalies!Picard: Onscreen, Mr. Worf!<Two more star destroyers shimmer into view...>Riker: Our options for peaceful contact seem to be dwindling, sir.Picard: I'm well aware of that, Number One. This is exactly the kind ofsituation Starfleet wanted to avoid. Now we're facing an interstellar warwith a race we've only been aware of for a little over a week!Riker: Well, if they want a war they picked a helluva bad spot to start.We've seen these star destroyers' firepower; they won't even faze ourstarbase.Picard: Let's not get too overconfident, Will. They didn't just politelytap our shields just now either.<The Enterprise has been drawn aside the docking bay of the starbase. TheTrio of star destroyers is standing off, halting their advance.>Riker: What are they waiting for? They seemed in such a hurry to advance on usa few moments ago.Troi: Their commander is experiencing grave doubts, Sir. I sense that AdmiralOzzel is having difficulty committing to a course of action.Riker: Doubts? Maybe those one-man craft were their primary means of offense?Data: That is a likely hypothesis, sir. Analysis of the overall design of thestar destroyers would indicate they are unaccustomed to fighting ships of acomparable size.Picard: Explain this analysis, Data.Data: Sir, the armaments they have so far displayed are not the size one wouldexpect for dealing with ships of such mass. The number, size, and rate of fireindicates an arsenal targeted at small gunships, such as the ones launchedagainst us, or possibly ships up to the size of a patrol cruiser. Their beamweapons were individually too weak to greatly affect our shields, but theyobviously have the technology to implement larger weapons. Also, they wereunable to coordinate a concentrated firing of their weapon turrets against us,further supporting the hypothesis that their vessels are designed to deal withmultiple small independent targets.Riker: But how does that explain that battlestation we saw?Data: I do not know, sir.Picard: That's very interesting, but I don't know how it will help us in theimmediate situation. Counselor, you said you sensed doubt in the aliencommander. Can you learn anything more? Perhaps we can capitalize on thosedoubts some way.Troi: I don't know, Captain, I'm not picking up anything now. It's as ifmy senses were being jammed...Worf: Sir, motion detectors are picking up an object closing at high speed.Picard: Identify, Mr. Worf!<A pair of Klingon Birds of Prey swoops in in the distance, weapons blazingas they drop cloak. A closer view of the "new" star destroyers reveals a numberof burn marks and battle scars. The Klingon vessels unload a barrage ofdisruptor bolts in tight formation, while a number of phasers dotted aroundeach ship pick off the returning TIE fighters. The rightmost star destroyershudders under the disruptor blasts. The star destroyers return fire, scoringseveral hits on the Klingons.>Riker: Just when you thought you'd seen it all...<The Klingon vessels bank hard for another pass. A warp engine is visiblydamaged on one ship, hampering it's maneuvering slightly. Both Klingonsfire another volley, and the star destroyer explodes in a blinding flash.The two remaining star destroyers continue firing, until the Klingon shipspass behind them. Phaser beams continue to lash out as the Klingons fly by.>Riker: They don't have rear-firing weapons!Picard: So it would seem...<The star destroyers diverge and accelerate. They appear to be trying to avoidgetting outflanked. The Klingon ships have not completed their turns yet, andhave momentarily stopped firing.>Worf: They are attempting to escape!Riker: What?<Sure enough, the two big lugs continue to accelerate and flash off, vanishing.The Klingons decelerate.>Picard: We seem to have been given a reprieve! Hail the Klingons, um, Klingonvessels, Mr. Worf.Worf: Aye sir. Channel is open.Picard: Greetings, Klingon Commander. It is a great pleasure to be speaking toyou. I am Captain Picard, of the starship Enterprise.K'lnok: I am K'lnok, Captain of the Vindicator. We have many things to discuss,Captain Picard.Picard: Agreed. Perhaps we should dock and continue our discussion on the basefacilities.K'lnok: An acceptable proposal. We have need of a shipyard. K'lnok out.Riker: We better tell Commander Stone to expect more company... And weshould requisition additional technicians to get on the refit.Picard: Make it so. Lieutenant Worf, inform Commander Stone.Worf: Aye, sir.<Break to starbase briefing room.>K'lnok: Two of the alien vessels returned during our previous transmission.They must have planned an ambush but were no match for our firepower. Thecowards escaped again, leaving almost no trace.Picard: Yes, we've noticed the peculiarity of their drive systems. How didyou discover that this was their destination?K'lnok: Our sensors detected residues from their propulsion system. They usea crude type of ion engine, once we discovered the ion emissions we coulddetect tremendous amounts ejected by their engines. We were able to plot theships' trajectories based on these traces and followed until we encounteredthem here. We were still unable to track the vessels on our scanners.Riker: Ion engines? They'd leave a trail like a flare... But our sensorscouldn't pick them up until just before they arrived.Stone: Even the base scanners didn't pick them up. But we're recording massiveion traces now.Laforge: That's no surprise. If they're using ion engines, they must beenormous to move ships of that size. But that doesn't explain their translightcapability, or why it doesn't leave any traces at translight speeds. We alwaystracked them right up to lightspeed, then .. nothing.Picard: It seems we continue to face questions with no sign of any answers.We cannot effectively deal with a threat if we cannot detect when it willarrive.Data: The solution is elementary. Uh, sirs. The alien vessels leave no iontrace in the intervening space because they do not traverse that space.Riker: What do you mean, Data, how can they travel distance without traversingthe distance?Data: By eliminating the impossible, what remains, no matter how improbable,must be the truth. Sir, our own communications and transporter systems arebased on subspace technology - they do not operate in normal space.Riker: Yes, but we know that only energy forms can be transferred throughsubspace, not matter. Are you proposing that they use transporters to beamtheir ships from point to point?Data: No sir, the energy costs would be prohibitive. However, anotheralternative exists - theoretically, matter endowed with sufficient kineticenergy could be elevated to another dimension, a hyperspace. The theory wasin its infancy in the twenty-first century on Earth, but no practical resultswere achieved and research was abandoned with the advent of the warp drive.K'lnok: We too have recorded such research. It was proven to be impracticalto implement.Picard: Judging from what we've seen so far, these aliens have a differentstandard of what is "practical." Data, access all records relevant to thetopic. We need a way of detecting these vessels while they are in transit.We know there is a delay, the transition into and out of hyperspace is notinstantaneous. There must be a way of tracking them while they are in flight.Mr Laforge, go with Data and work out a means for detection.Data: Aye sir.Laforge: On our way, Captain. <Data & Laforge exit>K'lnok: We found no survivors in the Romulan sector, and only minimalRomulan ship debris. It is likely that their vessels cloaked and escapedin time to avoid destruction.Picard: What about alien survivors?K'lnok: We found only the remnants of their fighter craft. None of thepilots survived to be taken prisoner.Picard: Prisoner? We have not declared war with these aliens.K'lnok: A slip, I meant "to be rescued."Stone: Well, the Federation may not formally be at war but we are on awar footing here. This base monitors a highly sensitive area, we have totrack shipping thru the Neutral Zone in three bordering sectors. Our regularpatrol craft are totally outclassed by this menace.K'lnok: And we have yet to discover the location of the battlestation.If you will excuse me, I must file another report with the High Command.Stone: By all means, Captain.<K'lnok exits.>Troi: Captain, I believe we should return to the ship.Picard: Why do you say that, Counselor?Troi: I'm feeling .. a premonition, of sorts. We haven't much time, sir.Picard: Commander, I suggest you alert your personnel. I know it's not muchto go on but I've come to trust my officers' instincts.Stone: I understand, Captain. <Expression of total non-understanding, ofcourse.> I think we've covered as much as we can for now.<break><view of starbase 42. Enterprise moored along exterior bay.>Captain's Log, supplemental: After a brief encounter with the alien vessels,we have returned to dock at Starbase 42. We still have no means of detectingthe approach of the alien vessels. Counselor Troi has been experiencingpremonitions of impending doom, but several hours have now passed uneventfully.The ship remains at yellow alert, as is the starbase. The Klingon vesselswere recalled to other duties by the High Command. No further messages havebeen detected from the Romulans. All seems quiet.<bridge...>Riker: What news have you got, Geordi?Laforge: Well sir, Data and Mr. Barclay are working out a prototype for theirhyperspace scanner in holodeck 2. I just came to deliver the damage report.Picard: Proceed.Laforge: Phaser couplings are now fully operational, and shields are back tofull efficiency. Also, we've installed an additional polarity detector inthe shield controls. This should increase shield effectiveness in deflectingcharged particles, like those proton torpedoes.Picard: Good work.  Riker: Well, that ought to take care of those fighters.Troi: Captain, I'm sensing it again. Intense evil, it's getting closer!Picard: Ensign, prepare to exit spacedock. Lieutenant Worf, anything onthe sensors?Worf: Negative sir. Sensors detect nothing unusual.Picard: Take us out, Ensign, ahead one half impulse.Ensign: Aye sir.Picard: Lieutenant, contact the starbase.. Find out if they've picked upanything.Worf: Aye sir. <pause> Nothing within scan range, sir.Troi: It *is* there, Captain. I'm certain of it.Picard: Ensign, lay in an elliptical course. I want a full sweep of thissystem, focused on the starbase.Ensign: Aye aye, sir. Course plotted and laid in.Picard: Engage.<Enterprise moving in foreground, starbase fading back.>Riker: Sir, the starbase has much greater detection range. If they can't seeanything, we won't see it.Picard: Probably true, Will, but if there really is something out there I'dprefer to go looking for it rather than wait for it to find us.Worf: Sir, subspace anomaly detected, bearing 339 mark 25!Picard: Onscreen, Lieutenant!<viewer now shows empty space, a slight rippling, and then a flashy entryof ... the Death Star, with the requisite train of "support" ships, i.e.,a couple super star destroyers, some star destroyers, you get the idea...>Picard: Hail the aliens, Mr. Worf.Worf: Aye sir. <pause> (under breath) I do not believe they came here totalk.Riker: What was that, Lieutenant?Worf: Channel open, sir.Vader: <breathing apparatus rasp liberally inserted here...> My admiralreported some difficulties dealing with you. I am here to sort them out.Picard: This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the Federation starship Enterprise.I must warn you that you are violating Federation <suddenly stops speaking>Vader: Your Federation means nothing to me. You have aided enemies of theEmpire. You have assaulted Imperial troops. Now you shall learn the pricefor crossing the Empire.<Picard is now gasping, hands around his throat, and sinking to his knees.>Riker: Captain! <gestures to Worf - "close the channel"> Red alert, Mr.Worf! Raise shields!<Riker and Troi move to Picard, who is now kneeling and gasping.>Riker: Medical emergency! Dr Crusher to the bridge immediately!<center on Riker's face, fade out...><fade back in to Enterprise bridge. Battle stations, red lights flashing.>Riker: Dr. Crusher to the bridge immediately!Troi: He's being attacked telepathically, I can feel it!Captain, you must relax your body, stop struggling physically! Concentrateyour mind on resisting! We can fight it but you must focus your thoughtscompletely.<Picard is still kneeling, but straightens up. Beads of sweat cover hisface, but he appears to have mastered his initial shock.>Riker: Deanna - <she shushes him with her arm. Troi and Picard's eyes arelocked together in concentration.>Worf: Sir, the aliens are launching multiple fighter craft. Estimated interceptin 2 minutes. Phasers ready. Shall I arm photon torpedoes?<Riker snaps back to attention on the viewer. The Imperial forces are stilldistant. The Death Star is a shimmering globe, with Star Destroyers scatteredaround it. Several squadrons of TIE fighters appear as tiny points of lightspeeding forward.>Riker: Affirmative, Worf. Arm forward *and* rear launchers. From what we knowso far it's a fair bet these aliens can't cope with warp drive. How far to themain ships?Helmsman: Range is approximately 12,000 megameters, sir.Riker: Ensign, set course 357 mark 35. Give me a .3 second burst of maximumwarp on my mark.Navigator: Aye, sir!Riker: Worf, prepare to target rear torpedo launchers. After we move I want youto hit the closest target in the rear firing arcs. Full spread, maximum yield.Worf: Aye sir, photon torpedoes ready!Riker: Now, Ensign!<From behind the Enterprise we look forward and see the Imperial fightersracing forward in precise formation. Suddenly the Enterprise warp enginesengage, throwing the ship forward and slightly upward. The TIE fighters, DeathStar, and Star Destroyers flash past underneath the ship as the Enterprise stopswell behind the Imperial ships.>Riker: Mr. Worf?Worf: Photon torpedoes locked on target, sir.Riker: Fire!Worf: Aye sir!<Four torpedoes are launched in rapid succession from the rear of the ship.As the sparkling orbs of energy streak toward the rear of a Star Destroyer,the first explodes in space, obliterating the Destroyer's rear shields. Thenext collides with the control towers, incinerating them. The other two enteran engine exhaust port, triggering a massive explosion that completely shattersthe vessel. The explosion is also witnessed on the Enterprise viewscreen, aslooks of relief appear on the faces of the bridge crew. Riker doesn't have timeto savor this victory, however, as we see Picard slump forward into Troi'sarms, gasping. Troi's face is lined with sweat, and she is looking very weary.>Troi: Captain!Riker: Deanna, what happened?<Dr. Crusher arrives from the turbolift, looks, and hurries forward.>Picard: I'm (gasp) alright.Troi: It stopped, he's free now.Crusher: What are you talking about? What stopped?Troi: The Captain was attacked telepathically; he was being strangled. Theattack stopped just a moment ago.Crusher: Strangled? We'd better make sure you're alright, Jean-Luc.Riker: Better make it fast, Dr. We surprised them just now but that won'tlast much longer.Worf: Sir, the enemy vessels are changing course.<External view, the Star Destroyers appear somewhat chaotic as they try to turnand bear on the Enterprise. The TIE fighters are also turning slowly, as theImperial forces try to assimilate what has just happened.>Crusher: This TriOx compound should help clear your head faster, Captain.<Crusher injects Picard with the TriOx.>Picard: Thank you Dr. <stands up, returning to seat.> What is our status,Number One?Riker: We have just warped behind the aliens and destroyed one of theirvessels, Sir. I suggest we turn and prepare for a second assault.Picard: Make it so. <leans back in chair, still looking pale.>Riker: Ensign, set course 180 mark 0. Turn us around!Navigator: Aye aye, sir.<The Enterprise wheels around, as the TIE fighters attempt to close in again.The larger vessels are still in the distance, although they and the DeathStar are steadily approaching.>Picard: Well Counselor, it appears that we have encountered the source of theintense evil you've been sensing. The question is, how do we combat that sortof attack? Our shields are of no help.Troi: I'm not certain, Captain, but I believe it must take great concentrationto achieve such effectiveness. Possibly the destruction of the enemy vesseldistracted the being enough to break his mindlink with you.Picard: If only we had more time to analyze the situation. Picard to CommanderData -Data: Here, sir.Picard: You'll have to suspend your work on the hyperspace scanner, Mr. Data.We need you here on the bridge.Data: Acknowledged. On my way, sir.Riker: Captain, our conventional weapons far outclass theirs. If we're goingto be vulnerable to psychic attacks as well, though, I suggest we take out asmany of their units as possible before they get another chance.Troi: I don't believe they are all psychics, sir. I have only sensed one mindof appreciable power, and the evil emanates from there.Picard: Can you pinpoint the location of that being?Troi: Somewhat. My own telepathic powers are limited, and directional sensesare always imprecise, but I am fairly certain he is on that base station.Picard: Then that is our target. We cannot reason with them, so we must disablethem before that base station can destroy another starbase.<break to ... the command bridge of the Death Star.>Vader: Report, commander. What happened?Commander: We don't know yet, sir. One moment they were ahead of us, and ourfighters were closing in, then suddenly they were behind us. Whatever drivesystem they're using, it's unlike any we've ever seen before.Vader: You said they were using fusion-based propulsion reactors.Commander: Yes, yes, that's what the sensors said, that's what they say now,but for a moment they read something totally different.Vader: You should pay more attention to verifying your facts, Commander. Youare not sounding very rational.Commander: Yes, Lord Vader.Vader: How are your forces currently deployed?Commander: The fighter squadrons are closing with the cruiser, they shouldengage it shortly. They will break off and form an enclosing screen when thestar destroyers enter attack range. The cruiser will not escape this time,Lord Vader.Vader: I want that ship captured intact. No unnecessary damage should beinflicted. Inform the fleet captains.Commander: As you wish, Lord Vader. <motioning an aide to come forward>Inform the fleet captains - the cruiser is not to be destroyed, it is to betaken intact!Vader: Now, proceed towards the base. We shall make another example of it...<Back to the Enterprise. Data has just taken his seat at the helm.>Riker: Data, how long before those fighters reach us?Data: Estimated intercept in 20 seconds, sir.Riker: Worf, lock phasers, wide dispersal. Prepare to fire at maximum rangeand dispersion.Worf: Aye sir.Data: Sir, the alien base station has changed course.Picard: What is the new heading, Mr. Data?Data: It is now on a direct course for Starbase 42, sir.Picard: Damn. Mr. Worf, fire when ready. Ensign, set intercept course forthe base station, full impulse. Engage!Worf: Firing phasers, sir!<external view, the Enterprise accelerates toward the Imperial ships. Thewide-beam phaser fire disintegrates the TIE fighters in the Enterprise'spath. The Star Destroyers begin their barrage as the Enterprise approaches.The blasters strike the Enterprise shields, but there is little effect.>Riker: Geordi, divert auxiliary power to the forward shields! Once we'repast them it'll be a while before they can bring their weapons to bear onour rear.LaForge: Aye sir, shields holding steady.Picard: Mr. Worf, can you target the base station's propulsion systems?Worf: Negative, sir. If they are using ion drive there is no detectableemission from the base station.Picard: Very well. Lock photon torpedoes, closest surface point.Worf: Aye sir. Torpedoes ready.Picard: Fire photon torpedoes.Worf: Firing.<The Enterprise is quickly approaching three Star Destroyers, but is totallyignoring them. The photon torpedoes are launched, speeding towards the DeathStar. They impact with the surface and disintegrate huge chunks of the station,leaving deep gouges in the surface.>Data: Direct hits, but there is no appreciable decrease in the base's poweroutput levels. Analysis indicates the surface is mostly armor, with smallweapon systems scattered across.Picard: Armor only? Worf, continue firing. Phasers and photon torpedoes,narrow salvo.Worf: Aye sir, firing phasers and photon torpedoes.<The Enterprise is now past the Star Destroyers, and an intense phaser beam isfired at the Death Star, boring a large hole into the surface. This is followedby another stream of photon torpedoes, and more explosions in those craters.>Picard: Enemy status, Mr. Data?Data: 2% energy drop detected, sir. Possibly a secondary reactor powering theweapon systems in that area of the base.Picard: This is ridiculous. We could attack all day and still not make anysignificant difference.Riker: Suggest another torpedo salvo, sir. We may be able to trigger a chainreaction in their power systems.Picard: Mr. Data, when will they be in range of the Starbase weapon batteries?Data: At their current velocity, it will take 28 minutes, sir.Riker: Captain, we could disable the rest of these vessels first and still havetime to deal with the base.Picard: Yes, Number One, assuming they don't get lucky and cripple us first.Besides, those other vessels are inconsequential. Only the base station hasenough firepower to present a threat. (sigh.) Mr. Worf, prepare another roundof photon torpedoes.Worf: Aye sir. (pause) Torpedoes ready, sir.Data: Captain, sensors indicate additional fighter launches from the basestation. Also, we're picking up more fighters from the Star Destroyers behindus.Picard: Acknowledged, Mr. Data. How long before they intercept?Data: Given past performance, sir, I estimate a 97.4% probability that theywill begin their attack at approximately 400 megameters. At their currentvelocity that will be in 52 seconds, sir.Riker: They should be well within phaser range already.Picard: We need to concentrate our attention and our firepower on that basestation for the moment. Data, how long can we sustain their attack?Data: The aliens are using small particle beam weapons, which are easilydeflected by our shields. With the shield upgrade, I estimate their weaponseffectiveness at .04 percent, Sir.Picard: Fine, then we ignore those fighters for now. That ought to have asufficiently demoralizing effect, maybe they'll realize the futility of theircontinued assault. Mr. Worf, maintain torpedo lock on the base station.Worf: Aye sir, torpedoes locked on target.Picard: Fire.<View from behind the Enterprise. The Death Star looms in front of the ship,while squadrons of TIE fighters approach from the rear. The view rotates asthe Enterprise fires its forward torpedoes. The squadrons of fighters leavingthe Death Star are also in view, speeding towards the Enterprise. Three of thetorpedoes hit TIE fighters, vaporizing them. The fourth slams into the DeathStar, forming a new crater.>Worf: Sir, the enemy fighters are intercepting our photon torpedoes.Picard: Intercepting .. ?  Riker: That's suicide! What are they up to?Data: It does appear to be an effective means of shielding the main base fromour torpedoes, Sir.Riker: Strangest idea of shields I ever saw.Picard: Indeed. Very well then, Mr. Worf, lock phasers on the torpedo impactcrater. Narrow beam.Worf: Aye sir. (pause) Sir, the base station is locking on with a tractor beam!Riker: Use reverse tractor beams, try to break their lock!Worf: Trying, sir. (pause) No effect. Their beam is too powerful.Picard: Commander, can you divert more power to the tractor beam generators?LaForge: They just went to the limit, Sir. No one's ever expected to need alarger generator on a starship.<Exterior - the Enterprise is surrounded by the Death Star's pulsating tractorbeam. The fleet of Star Destroyers is arrayed around the ship, all are nowquiescent. The TIE fighters have veered away, breaking off their attack.>Commander: We have them now, Lord Vader.Vader: Good. Bring them to the main hangar bay. Inform the fleet captains toresume course for the base station. We can study the ship systems later.Commander: Yes, Lord Vader.<Pause, again.> ==============================================================================End of part 6 and beginning various alternate continuances.....Newsgroups: alt.startrek.creativeSubject: Repost of Alternate "The Return" part 1From: ehohnbau@Bonnie.ICS.UCI.EDUDate: 2 Apr 92 08:14:28 GMTFollow on to The Return:(based on parts 1-6)Picking up at the moment the original script left off, the big Eis currently being held by the Death Star's tractor beam and isbeing drawn inside it's main hangar bay.Picard:  Mr. Worf, re target phasers on the source of the tractorbeam.  Fire when ready.  Mr. Data, is that hangar the launchingpoint for the small attack craft that have been engaging us?Mr. Data:  I would surmise a large portion of them sir.Picard:  Mr. Worf, as soon as we're free put some torpedoes intothat hangar.  It will prevent the launch of more fighters and maydeter them from attempting to use their tractor beam again.Worf:  With pleasure, sir.<Worf has already re adjusted the firing controls and ispreparing to open fire when the Enterprise rocks and suddenlysurges backward, now free from the tractor beam.>Worf:  Another ship has appeared and has destroyed the tractorbeam emitters!  As the ship swings around, I will use the reartorpedo launcher to destroy the hangar.Riker:  Helm, bring us about to 268 mk 19 and give us somedistance.  Mr. Data, what is the ship that joined the attack, andwhy didn't we detect it earlier.Data:  Sensors no longer detect the other vessel.  It appearedmomentarily and destroyed the tractor beam, and then re engagedwhat must be a cloaking device of some type.  However, theconfiguration of the ship is not Klingon or Romulan.  Perliminaryanalysis of the sensor log shows the ship to be of an unknownconfiguration, not matching anything in our records.  The generaldesign methods appear to resemble Federation methods but thedesign of the ship is radically different from any current knownFederation design.  I am placing an image of the ship on secondaryviewer number 1.Picard:  Mr. Data, what..<Picard is interrupted by a thunderous detonation as Mr. Worf'storpedoes slam into the main hangar of the Death Star:  Two slaminto the roof and back wall, wrecking three quarters of the maincavern, but the third, skillfully aimed by Worf, managed to travela couple hundred meters down the main ferry way between the hangarand the maintenance/storage facilities.  The torpedoes detonationsets off several secondary explosions among fuel and weaponsstorage stations, disrupting power throughoutthat sector of the Death Star.>Data:  The main hangar appears to be totally wrecked, Captain.Numerous secondary explosions are occurring, and power distributionhas been halted in a 400 meter radius from the hanger.Picard: Well done, Mr. Worf!  That should hamper their offensivecapabilities for a considerable length of time.<Worf is clearly pleased at how his honor has been increased>Helm, how long till we are clear of the Imperial forces?Helmsman:  14 seconds sir.Picard: very well.  Now, Mr. Data, what can you tell us about thatmystery ship before we reposition to attack.Data: On secondary viewer, sir.<the small screen comes up with an image of a sleek ship with onlyone hull, elongated and with a prominent phaser emitter in thenose.  Small delta wings gracefully emerge from the sides of theship, also with phaser fairings.  Two warp engines are slungunderneath the hull like on Nebula class starships.  A weapons podthat appears to be identical to the Nebulas also is mounted on topof the hull, though not raised on stilts.  A series of smallblisters appears in a line encircling the broadest part of theship.>Picard:  You're right Mr. Data, it is similar to Federationbuilding style.  It appears to be a Nebula class starship with adifferent body.  What are those blisters along the hull, Mr.Data.Data: Unknown sir.Worf: <interrupting> Sir we are now clear of the Imperial forces.Their Star Destroyers were moving to engage Starbase 42 when weescaped.Picard:  Number One, recommendations.<Riker is about to answer when there is a flash on the viewer andData interrupts.>Data:  Sir, one of the larger Star Destroyers has suffered amassive explosion in its engine area.  The ship appears to becrippled.  Power emanations are falling rapidly and structuralintegrity is significantly compromised.Worf: Sir, the unidentified ship appeared for a few seconds andfired a volley of torpedoes into the engines of the Imperial ship.It is now cloaked again.  The torpedoes appear to be likeFederation torpedoes, but from this distance scanners cannot tell.<Another flash, and another Super Star Destroyer goes up inflames.>Data:  Sir, the attacking ship appears to be taking advantage ofthe fact that Imperial ships cannot maintain effective shielding oftheir rear areas when using their ion engines.  The exhaust ofsuch engines precludes shields as we know them.  The volatility ofthe fuel and the ease of access place the Star Destroyers at asevere disadvantage.Riker:  If they shield, their own engines cook them, if not, thatship does.Worf:  Captain, we have received a brief text only transmission.The transponder coding says it is from the USS Nirmod.  I am notfamiliar with that ship sir.Picard:  Nor am I, Lt.  What does it say?Worf:  It says, "Enterprise, please rejoin the battle.  I can holdoff the ships, you find a way to stop that base station. Mitzgarout."Riker:  Since when do any Federation ships employ cloakingdevices?Picard:  I think that this may be a special case, number one.  Ifthis is the same Capt. Mitzgar I know, then I can well believethat his ship would employ a cloaking device in battle.     In any case, enough talk.  I am satisfied that the new shipis not hostile and may indeed be a new Federation design.  We willheed his advice for now.  Mr. Worf, Mr. Data, we need to find aweak point in that Battle STation's defenses.  What can you tellus?Worf: Their defenses are formidable if only because of sheerquantity.  The entire surface of the station is armored, and allvital systems are buried so deep in the interior that we cannotpractically reach them.Data:  They present no known single source of propulsion that wecould destroy to render the station immobile.Worf:  We should concentrate on their primary armament.  That iswhat poses a threat to us and to Starbase 42.  That is why we areconcerned about it at all.Riker:  Good point. Mr. Data, access computer logs to identifytheir primary weapon.  Mr. Worf, scan the battle station tocomplement Mr. Data's research.<Another flash, and Mr. Data reports: >Data:  Sir, a third Star Destroyer has been disabled.  Theremaining ships are now redeploying in a Katella formation in anattempt to protect the rear areas of each other.  However, thereare not enough ships to complete the formation and fully protecteach other.  Three of the ships are still exposed and..<sensorbleeps> One of the exposed ships has been destroyed.Worf:  Captain, I have located what can only be an enormousweapons emitter on the surface of the battle station.  If wedamaged the emitter, it might render the weapon unusable longenough for us to find a more..permanent solution.Picard:  Excellent, Mr. Worf, prepare to attack the emitter.Number One, bring us in at a high deflection angle.  Keep us outof the path of that weapon.Riker:  Helm, come about, prepare to go to warp 2 and bring us onan elliptical course to the weapon emitter on the battle station.Mr. Worf,as soon as we're out of warp, hit the weakest part of theemitter with everything we've got.Worf: Ready, sir.Riker:  Helm, engage when ready.  Computer, compute plausiblefiring arc of the largest weapon on the enemy space station andproject on main viewer.   Helm, under no circumstances will youallow the Enterprise to come close to that firing arc.Helm: Understood, sir.Riker: lets do it.Picard:  Agreed.<the Enterprise leaps forward, passing close to the surface of theDeath star, dropping out of warp right next to the Death Star'smain weapons cone. As soon as possible Worf fires torpedoes andPhasers, but only the first torpedo hits, blowing a large hole inone of the focussing clusters.  The other torpedoes and the Phaserbeam are intercepted by the hastily raised shields around theweapon.Data:  One hit achieved, Captain.  Moderate damage to what appearsto be a secondary component of the weapon.  Strong shielding isnow in place around the weapon.  Power emanations from severalreactors in the vicinity are increasing.  We are not likely to beable to break through.Picard:  Continue firing, Worf.  Number One, if we are forced towithdraw, we must find an undefended portion of the station,destroy all weapons and tractor beams and then try to brute forceour way close enough to some vital system.Data:  Captain, attacks on the Imperial fleet have stopped.  Isurmise that the Nimrod is now en route to assist us.Picard: Good.  Broadcast in her general direction that we cannotdefeat the local defensive systems alone.  Mr. Worf, status?Worf:  We are having a marginal effect on their shields, sir, butthey appear to be diverting power to make up for that.<The Enterprise is felt to move down and to the right>Helm: Sorry sir, but I am compensating to the rotation of thebattle station. I am preventing them from bringing that weapon tobear on us.Riker:  Well done.Picard:  Continue to do so, Ensign.Worf: Captain, we received a brief reply from the Nimrod.  Itsaid: "message understood".Riker: what do you think they'll do?Picard:  Hopefully they will attempt to divert power away from thedefense of this area.  Even with another ship I doubt we couldblast through this shield. Their power availablity is simply toomuch.<External:  The Enterprise is still plugging away at the DeathStar's main weapon when the Nimrod un cloaks on a high angle passto the side of the Enterprise.  Torpedo launchers in each wingroot fire a stream of torpedoes which detonate off to the side ofthe Enterprise.  This area was not shielded and the torpedoesrepeatedly slam into the same are of the Death Star, boring adeep hole into its side.  At the same time the nose and both wingphasers open up on another area, also concentrated on boring intothe interior of the station.>Data: Sir, the Nimrod has appeared and is attacking the nearestundefended energy sources. Sensors report 2 secondary explosionsand the energy output of the shielding facing us is down 12.396%.Riker: Mr...Worf:  Responding, sir.<Worf redoubles his assault on the shielding of the main weapon.The shielding begins to glow a sickly red as the Enterprisesphasers repeatedly pound it.>Data: Sir, shield energy is down 17.3% now.  The Nimrod hasdestroyed a third reactor and is in the process of engaging afourth.  The Imperial fleet is attempting to move into position todefend the battle station.Picard:  Status of shields, Mr. Worf?Worf:  Holding, sir.  The only weapons other than the primary oneon this section of the battle station appear to be merely smallanti fighter emplacements and are having a negligible effect on ourshields.  Their rate of fire has been decreasing, presumably astheir power is siphoned off to defend the main armament.Data: Concur, captain.  Enemy shielding now down 29.92%.  Ourphasers are beginning to have some break through effect.  Sir,theNimrod has cloaked and ceased firing.  All imperial ships nowtaking sustained evasive maneuvers.Riker:  At least the Star Destroyers won't be bothering us.  Didthe Nimrod damage the defenses enough to allow us to finish alone?data:  Possibly sir.  I cannot tell at this point.  Sir the Nirmodhas re-appeared and has resumed attacking the battle station'sdefenses.Picard: That cloaking maneuver was probably just a ruse todisperse the Imperial fleet.  How clever!Riker:  I can just imagine those Star Destroyer's captains as theythought they were about to come under attack again.<Both chuckle, Worf shakes his head in contempt.>Worf:  No warrior would ever panic like that.Worf:  Captain! Enemy shields now down 52%  We are breakingthrough.  Firing torpedoes. <console bleeps> Their shields arebuckling, captain.Data:  The Nimrod has succeeded in severing power couplings toseveral of the shield emitter dishes and we are now breakingthrough.Picard:  The Status of the Imperial Fleet?Data: They have formed a formation Similar to a Tyrosian Wedge,captain and are closing in on us. estimated interception time, 1minute, 42 seconds.Picard: Just enough time.  Number One, prepare to get us out ofhere.Riker:  Helm, on my signal come to 147 mark 214 and bring us closeto Starbase 42.<As preparations are being made, the Enterprise is joined by theNimrod in assaulting the shielding.  With 4 bright orange beams ofenergy pounding on the same spot on the now badly weakenedshields, they collapse, and the phasers now bite into the immenseemitter cone of the Death Star's main planet killing weapon.  Nowthat the shields are down, torpedoes are added, quicklydemolishing the cone.>Data:  Star Destroyer formation now 37 seconds from weapons range,with fighter squadrons now coming within range.<The Enterprise begins to shudder ever so slightly as the TIEfighters try to mount a concerted attack on the two Federationships.>Worf:  Sir, another Text -only message:  "Enterprise, withdraw andreposition on left flank of enemy fleet.  We can finish up here."Picard:  Agreed, Helm take us out of here.<The Enterprise turns and moves off, while the Nimrod firesanother spread of torpedoes into the dish, then turns to leave.It's shields shimmer for a fraction of second when no TIE fightersare in a position to fire at it at the moment, and then the shipbanks down and moves to a position under the Imperial fleet atfull impulse.>Data:  Sir, recording a series of 4 explosions inside the battlestation.  It appears that the Nimrod took advantage of a momentarylull in the fighter attack to use its transporter to transportexplosive devices into the interior of the battle station.  Theexplotions are in a linear path inward from the weapon emitter so Isurmise that the explosions were in some kind of energy conduit orchanneling tube.Picard: Did we manage to damage their primary weapon enough sothat it is inoperable?Data:  Insufficient information sir.  The ports on the perimeterof the dish appear to have been primarily for focussing, with onlya secondary function of delivering energy.  All of them have beendestroyed.  However, the main power source was not damaged and itis possible that the weapon could be fired at a decreasedeffectiveness, and that would still put Starbase 42 in jeopardy.Helm:  we are now clear of the Imperial fleet sir, they areholding position between us and the battle station and aredeploying only one third of their fleet against us.  The other twothirds are deployed to face the Nimrod.Worf:  Sir, I am picking up heavy communications activity betweenthe battle station and the fleet ships.  They are probablyattempting secure communications to plan out their next attack.Riker:  Either that or deciding whether or not to withdraw.  Theyhave already suffered heavy losses and if that super weapon isout of commission they don't have a chance against us and Starbase42.Picard: Agreed.  Mr. Worf, keep an eye on the Imperial forces.Also, open a channel to the Nimrod.  It is time we had adiscussion with her captain.Worf: They are responding, sir.Picard: On screen.<The screen changes to reveal a short but stocky human male in his40's.  His hair is short and black and his face is in a satisfiedgrin.  He is sitting in the captain's chair of a bridge that ismuch like the Enterprise's battle bridge.>Mitzgar:  Hello, Enterprise, we can save the greetings andexplanations for later.  If that super battle station's mainweapon is out of operation for a while, they will probablywithdraw.  They can't protect themselves from behind and theydon't have the numbers or the maneuverability to keep either orour ships out of position.     However, if we still have to fight more, then you concentrateon the battle station.  I can keep the warships off of your back.This cloaking device that I had to work so hard to get authorizedis proving to be quite useful.  The result is that they are verywary of me and I can have a disruptive effect on theirdeployments.  I'm running low on torpedoes though, and phaserstake longer against those enormous things.  Do you agree with mysuggestions?Picard:  I agree that the battle station is the highest priority.However, I believe that if we work together to destroy the fleet,then we will save time in the long run.  It took both of us todamage the battle station as much as we did.  You must not makethe assumption that the damage we have caused will prevent themfrom re establishing their local defenses.  We should both attacksimultaneously.  If we both penetrate through the formationsfacing us, we can attack the rear areas of the formations on theother side.  They do not appear to have developed a way ofcountering a high warp speed pass to flank them followed by anattack on their rear.Mitzgar:  Sounds good.  At least for this battle, it should work.But afterwards we will have much to talk about.  I'll see youafterwards at Starbase 42.Picard:  I'm certain that we will have a great deal to discuss.Good luck.  Picard out.<Worf closes the channel.>Riker:  Is that the same man who requested to be stationed atevery trouble spot in the Federation for the last 10 years?Picard: The same.  He is a fine asset in combat, but hisdiplomatic skills are poor.  But at least he knows it, and that iswhy he requested postings to spots where his military skill wouldbe useful but he would not be called upon to exercise the finerpoints of diplomacy.<Cut to the bridge of the Death Star:  It is still during thebattle and The Enterprise has just broken free and destroyed muchof the main hangar bay.><Alarms sound from a number of consoles and the bridge crewstruggles to gain control of the situation>Vader:  Report, captain.Captain:  My Lord, another ship that has an invisibility devicehas appeared and has damaged the tractor beam.  When the cruiserwas released it fired its weapons into the main hangar bay as itmade its escape.  The attack causes a tremendous ammount of damageand several of the secondary hangars were destroyed.  Fuel depotswere also ignited, rendering the hangar unusable.  Both thecruiser and the new arrival have escaped.  I suspect that anotherof those bird like vessels has arrived.  We do not detect it onour scanners, though the cruiser is there.  We still cannot detectthem when they are using that strange propusion of theirs, butthat cannot account for the added ability of these ships to remainundetectable.Vader:  That is not acceptable, captain.  I want the technicaldivisions to find an answer to both their invsible propulsionsystem and their invisible camaflouge.  Tell them that I take apersonal interest in it.  It makes it all the more imperative thatwe capture one of their ships.. or perhaps that starbase wouldprovide the information we need.  <pause as Vader turns to theview screen, watching the Fleet maneuvering francitally in itsattempt to counter the Nimrod's attacks.>  Captain, imform thefleet that the enemy ships are now to be destroyed if they cannotbe captured easily.  However, the Death Star will capture theirstarbase.  Adjust the anti-proton weapon to a minimum poweroutput.  We will disable their defensive systems and take what wewant from their base.  See to it captain.Captain:  Yes, My Lord.<The Death Star begins the labourious adjustment of its mainarmament:  an enormous anti proton emitter capable of desroyingentire planets using the very natural workings of the universe.It would take time, but no one on that death Star had even theslightest inclination to question one of Lord Vader's orders.Meanwhile the Imperial fleet is being whittled down by theNirmod's relentless exploitation of their defensive gap, and theEnterprise has resumed its attack on the Death Star.>Captain:  My Lord, the cruiser has resumed its attack on us.  Itis concentrating its attack on the anti proton emitter mechanism.If they succeed in damaging it we will be unable to use ourweapon.  Our defensive shields are holding, but I am divertingextra power to them just in case.Vader:  Use the beam against them, captain.  <To the command crew>Adjust our orientation and prepare to fire as soon as we have thecruiser targeted.Captain: We've already tried that, Lord Vader.  They keepadjusting to remain out of our firing arc.  We have only a fewweapons within range of them and they are small anti-fighteremplacements that are having no effect on their shielding.Vader:  Recall the fleet and launch all availble fighter craft foran attack on the cruiser.Captain:  I'm sorry my Lord, but the main hangar is totallyunusable.  Most of the fighters destroyed in the earlier combatwere launched from the secondary hangars, an the rest were sent tothe fleet by the Fighter command because it was felt that theywould be more useful there. We currently cannot launch anyfighters.  However,the fleet is being recalled, but that is beingslowed by the attacks of the other vessel.  Our Star Destroyersare unable to use much of their engine power without makingthemselves extremely vulnerable to attack.  The new warship isconcentrating its attacks on the rear areas of our ships.  If weuse our engines, we cannot maintain strong shields to our rear andtheir weapons easily penetrate the defenses and explode theirengines.  We've already lost 6 ships, My Lord, including 2 SuperStar Destroyers.  At present, it will take them almost 20 minutesto come to our aid.     However, our shields are holding up against the weapons ofthe cruiser.  We can easily maintain shields in the local area oftheir attack long enough for the fleet to arrive.  If they moveaway from the emitter cone, they will be able to penetrate theshields, but the damage will be inconsequential.  It would takethem weeks of continuous fire without any resistence on our partto seriously damage the death star.Vader: I hope so, for your sake, captain.  Has the anti-protonweapon sustained any damage?Captain: None, my Lord.  Shall we continue to recalibrate it todisable the starbase?Vader:  Yes.  I still want a prize to take back to the emperor.Some of their new technology would prove very useful in crushingthe rebels.  We must also be able to counter it should the rebelsobtain posession of it.  I particularly want that drive system.It seems to allow them to accelerate far more quickly than ourships. <Vader turns to stare at the view screen showing theEnterprise valiantly attempting to weaken the shielding around theemitter cone on the surface of the Death Star.  The emitter conehad a diameter at least twice that of the Enterprise, remindingVader of how a lone Sarthian tunnel-rat would, when cornered, makea ferocious stand against even an Imperial Storm Trooper.  The ratlost, just as the Enterprise would.  He studies the lines of theEnterprise.  It definitely was not built as a warship:  It wasmuch too spread out.  Also, it had dozens of windows dotting itssurface, which made effective armor plating impossible.  Still, itdid posess impressive weapons and other defensive systems, and hadproven to be able to withstand even a Star Destroyer in singlecombat.     A bright flash distracted his attention.  He shifted hisattention to another set of  monitors, one of which showed atactical layout of the star system.  The icon for the Super StarDestroyer Malice was flashing and then disappeared.  There werenow 7 fewer icons representing Imperial Star ships than had beenthere when they entered the system.  This was intolerble.  TheImperial Star Fleet had not suffered such losses in all of itshistory.>Vader:  <going over to the main command area>  Captain, I find thelosses we are sustaining in this battle unacceptable.  I also growtired of allowing that cruiser to continue to fire at us withimpunity, even if it cannot damage us appreciably.  Tell the Fleetcommanders to do what is necessary to expidite their arrival.Tell them to destroy that other warship and proceed with allpossible speed to cure my annoyance.Captain:  My Lord, the warship continues to elude us.  It is farmore maneuverable than our fleet and is using its undetectabledrive system to prevent us from mounting an effectve attack.  Itis only on our scanners long enough to open fire and then itescapes before we can mass an attack against it.  Their shieldingis better than ours and we must attack it with several ships atonce if we are to be able to damage it.  The fleet was attemptingto deploy in a Zirthian Star formation to guard against itsattacks, but there are now too few ships to do this.  My Lord, Iurgently recommend that we install rearward firing weapons on allour ships in the future.Vader:  This is proving to be a serious annoyance to me.  I willhave my revenge on this Federation for the trouble they havecaused me.  Increase our speed to intercept their starbase.  Iwill conduct the capture and the prisoner interrogationpersonally.<At that moment the Nimrod, which had just broken off and executeda high warp jump to join the Enterprise, arrived and opened fireon the weakly protected secondary power reactors that weresupplying the shields guarding the emitter cone.Alarms sound on consoles all over the bridge as Vader and thecaptain turn to see.>Technician:  Captain!  The new ship has arrived and has destroyedreactor A421.  Power levels to the deflectors are now down 8%.The ship is now attacking recactor A47 and it appears it will besuccessful.Captain:  Divert power from level B reactors to compensate for theloss. How did it manage to penetrate deep enough to damage thosereactors?  They are deep inside the station.  Also,how many morereactors are within its range.Techinician:  One, Captain:  A419.  We have diverted power fromB517, 18 and 27.  That will compensate even if A419 is lost.  Sir,the warship is using a sustained energy beam in conjunction withsome type of torpedo all aimed at the same spot to bore a smallhole deep enough to damage the reactors.  Their torpedoes appearto be very effetive against our armor.  When the first one struck,I lost contact with monitor stations in a 200 meter ratius fromthe blast.Vader:  Is this the ship that was attacking the fleet?Technician:  Yes, Lord Vader.  The fleet is now accelerating underfull engine power and will arrive in 3 minutes.Vader:  In the future I will see to it that there are betterdefenses against large ships on this station.Captain:  Thank you, My Lord.Vader:  Don't thank me yet, captain.  I still hold you responsiblefor the outcome of this battle.<Vader ignores the suddenly pale captain and strides to the mainviewing window.  He observes the Nimrod attacking one of the mainpower couplings supplying the sector 6 deflector shields.>Vader: Captain, that is not one of the ships that opposed uspreviously.  It is not one of the bird like vessels nor is it likethe vessels we defeated 3 days ago.Captain:  My Lord, it appears similar to the cruiser, but designedmor for combat than the larger vessel.  Its weapons are the sameand the long extensions on both ships appear to be the same aswell.  I would guess that it is one of their smaller warships.  Itis smaller than the cruiser.<Just then the main power coupling under attack explodes, rippinga long hole in the Death Star and smashing the shields in theupper section of the emitter cone.>Technician:  Captain, the shields are partially down and the enemyships are damaging the upper half of the emitter cone!  Focussingelements 23-34 have been damaged and are now inoperable!<The captain frantically orders the fleet to make all possiblespeed when there is another explosion and another technicianreports that the primary emission conduit in the center of theemtter has been damaged.  Alarms are sounding throughout theentire bridge, and the captain orders them all shut off, which isimpossible to do: The programmers of the sytem never envsioned theneed to silence these alarms in the midst of battle so they neverincluded the feature.     Vader can see the fleet now, bright halos of engine exhaustilluminate them as they rush to intercept the Enterprise and theNirmod.  Vader can sense the apprehension in the minds of theircaptains.  They know who will be held responsible if they fail toprotect the Death Star.  Vader also senses something from each ofthe two ships attacking the Death Star:  From the cruiser, hesenses relief, but from the warship, he senses amusement.  Someoneon that ship was quite pleased with themself.  How dare someonemock the Empire, and Him that way!  If he could focus in on thatimpression, he would teach that person the price of defying DarthVader.  Even as he settled down into himself to better sense theimpressions of the one he wanted to crush to dust, the Enterpriseturned and vanished, escaping the battle.  The warship, however,remained behind a few moments longer, firing twice more with eachof its 3 main weapons before also turning on its heels.  It didnot leave immediately, as for  brief moment the image of itshimmered and then it shot away, quickly followed by a largeseries of explosions within the Death Star that caused the deckingbelow Vader's feet to tremble shightly.  Vader did not notice.  Inthe moment that the ship's image had shimmred, he had caught asomewhat clearer sense of the minds on board, but that lasted onlya moment before he lost the newfound clarity.  Now the ship wasgone an the impressions were as well.><Vader turned back to the bridge, his anger deferred somewhat bythe puzzling thing he had witnessed.     The bridge crew was frantically trying to gain control of thesituation.  Vader could both sense and see the desperation of theDeath Star's captain.  That told him clearly that the Death Star'smain weapon was now inoperable and that this battle, for allintents and purposes, was lost.>Vader:  Captain, tell the fleet to deploy itself to protect thisstation while we asses the damage caused.  If the damage can bereapired soon, we will continue the attack.Captain:  <Obviously greatly relieved at the unexpected chance tosave his skin>  Yes, my Lord.  I will personally see to the damagerepairs.Vader:  You had better be more successful in this endeavor,captain. <The captain leaves and Vader returns to the window.><The fleet quickly deploys to guard against further attack fromthe Federation shis, currently to the left of and under thatbattle station's front. He tried to sift through all theimpressions he was receiving, but could not isolate the mind hewas interested in. He turned and strode to the command station.>Vader:  Technician, how long before the anti-proton beam isoperable again?Technician:  My Lord, it appears that it will be a number of days.Both the emitter cone and the primary accelerator conduit havebeen damged.  If only the cone had been damaged we could still havefired, but with less effectiveness.  But the last attack wasdirected against the main accelerator and it is severely damagedat several places in the last kilometer to the surface of thestation.  We are now unable to contain the anti-proton beam as ittravels from its source.  If we fired now we would damage thisstation severely due to anti-proton leakage.  We still don' knowhow they managed to get the explosives they used into the interiorof the conduit, but however they did it, it effectivelyincapacitated the weapon for this battle.Vader:  <Turning to the Captain> Withdraw the fleet and the DeathStar captain.  We will remove to a safer place and adjust ourdefenses so that any weaknesses have been corrected.Captain:  Yes, My Lord.  At once.<Vader watches him scurry back to issue the proper orders, andsurveys the bridge crew.  None of them were known to be as capableas their superior, and Vader wanted someone with experience incommand just now.  He decided to give the Captain a reprieve anddecide his fate after the battle was rejoined and decided a fewdays from now.><The Fleet and Death Star halt their forward motion and reversetheir course, with the Star Destroyers being compelled to executea complicated position sitching maneuver to avoid leaving theirforces exposed when the retreat began.  The Enterprise and theNimrod hovered in position watching them but not attacking>Picard:  They appear to finally be retreating.  Let us hope thatthey will not be back to fight anytime soon.Riker: I'm temporarily satisfied that they've had enough for now.Troi:  They'll be back, Captain.  I know that much from myimpressions of them.Worf:  This is a true victory for us.  We faced superior numbersand drove them back decisively!Picard:  A victory, Mr. Worf, but will it be a lasting one?Worf:  I will be ready for them, should they ever wish tochallenge us again.Picard:  <Sigh> I appreciate your dedication, and your skill, Mr.Worf, but I hope that they will not be necessary again in thismanner.<A comm panel beeps>Worf:  Sir, the Nimrod is hailing us.Pircard:  Onscreen.<The bridge of the Nimrod appears>Picard:  It appears that we have enticed them to withdraw, Capt.Mitzgar.  Thank you for your assistance.  When this Empire'sforces are sufficiently out of range, I suggest that you transportover to Starbase 42 while the Nimrod remains undocked to guardagainst another attack.  Until such a time as we learn to detecttheir ships in their hyperspace transportation mode we arevulnerable.Mitzgar:  That sounds workable, except I need more torpedoes.  Ican dock and have them loaded in 20 minutes.  Then Nimrod candisengage and patrol while I field the ten thousand questions I'msure you have.  Commander Stone I'm sure is just as curious as youare.Picard:  Agreed.  We have much to discuss.  When the Imperialfleet is gone, Enterprise will allow you to dock and reload.When that is accomplished, we can begin discussions.  I lookforward to that meeting, Captain.Mitzgar:  You know how I love question and answer sessions. <hegrins>  Hopefully this one wont be too long on questions and wecan plan for when these aliens return as I'm sure they will.I shall see you soon Captain Picard,  Mitzgar out.<The screen returns to the scene of the Imperial fleet, nowcompleted their about face and accelerating away.  In seconds,they jump into hyperspace and are gone.>Data:  Sir, the Nimrod is executing a fast docking approach andwill engage the moorings in 2 minutes.Riker:  Same old Mitzgar, always wants things done yesterday.Data:  From the brief time I have spoken with Captain Mitzgar, heappears to be capable but single minded.Worf:  When talking about a warrior, single mindedness isadmirable.  One cannot fight honorably without focussing on thebattle at hand.Picard: We can discuss Captain Mitzar's personalitycharacteristics later, gentlemen.  Number One, deploy us so thatif the Imperial forces return from any direction we will be ableto engage them as far away as possible from the Starbase.  Payparticular attention to maintaining warp speed, as the appear tohave difficulty tracking us while we are using it.Riker:  Helm, bring us to 270 Mk 19 and place us at 120 Megameterfrom Starbase 42.  Then execute a Terellian patrol pattern at Warp1.6.  Be prepared to compute interception vectors at any timeshould the Imperial forces reappear.<20 Munutes later Picard and Commander Stone are seated ata conference table inside Starbase 42 with Captain Mitzgar withthe Enterprise docked and the Nimrod on patrol.>Picard:  Captain Mitzgar, I believe that it would be best if yousimply told us what your general situation is first.  That mayanswer many of our questions before we ask them.Mitzgar:  All right, here it goes.  Starting right after themassacre at Wolf 359 I began lobbying Starfleet Command and keymembers of the Federation council to allow construction of shipsfor Starfleet designed solely for militry purposes.  The shipswould be built with the best conventional technology availiablebut be designed to be able to easily incorporate new systems asthey emerged.  While I was lobbying on Earth, I sent my fristofficer with the Nebula on a gathering expedition.  Our first stopwas Minos, where the Drake and almost you were destroyed by thatautomated defense system.  The time spent there was mostbeneficial and much of the High Definition phaser array ideas comefrom what we found there.  We also garnered some nice shieldimprovements but the biggest prize, in my opinion, was a cloakingdevice that not only works with our ship design and shieldmethodologies, but draws about 20% less power than we estimateKlingon cloaks to require.  Our next stop was the planet XXXXX.You remember that planet dont you, Picard?Picard:  Of course, that is where Cmdr. Riker was wrongly accusedof murder and we had to go to some very elaborate measures toprove his innocence.Mitzgar:  Correct, but that is beside my point.  What was sospecial about Dr. Apgar's work?Picard: He was attempting to harness Krieger waves for energypurposes, but he covertly changed his research to develop...<Recognition dawns on Picard's face>Mitzgar:  Exactly.  I took the plans for the Krieger wave beamweapons that he was working on and had them finished into a usableweapon.  Each one is only 1/4 as powerful as a standard Galaxyclass phaser blast but the firing can be mantained as long as thefocussing elements are within the Alpha wave field.  Furthermore,the number of weapons is limited only by the ability to place themon a ship.  Nirmod has 27 of them.  We didn't get to use them thistime, but next time we'll be ready.  Enterprise or the Starbasecould maintain the required 1000 Km distance and generate theAlpha wave field for us, and we could blaze away on them forever.This is particularly important when dealing with the Borg, whereyou have to incapacitate them with the first thing you have thatcan penetrate their shields, or now with this moving piece ofarmor that these aliens have.  Collectively, we can generatetremendous firepower and maintain it far longer than any otherknown ship.The techinical stuff was the easy part.  The primary difficultywas political.  The idea of building warships again, especiallywith cloaking devices was repugnant to many influential peoplewhose approval I needed.  It was only the disaster at Wolf 359that tippe the balance in my favor.  Even though gettingauthorization for the cloaking device was very diffcult.Picard:  I can imagine.  However, it seems to have been notdifficult enough. Have we been pressed so hard as to adopt thetactics of our enemies?  One thing that has separated us fromother societies is that we back up our declarations of peacefulintent by not gearing up for war.  Don't protest, Captain, I knowthat you do not agree, but I had to say it.  I mean no disrespectto you, but I for one believe that if we allow our principles andway of life and methods to be altered by the actions of anaversary then the adversary has already gained some measure ofvictory over us.Stone:  Jean-Luc, I feel as you do, but when faced with dedicatedenemies as powerful as the Borg, I see no loss in doing what everis necessary to stop them.  True military vessels might have faredbetter against the Borg.  They..Picard:  Not so, Robert.  You saw the re-enactments, we wereslaughtered!  Our current means, even employed to the extreme,will not be enough to stop the Borg.Mitzgar: Quite true, Captain.  That is one reason that the Nimrodclass was designed to be eaily modifiable.  The intermim solutionis to push conventional military technology to the limit and waitfor other methods.  The Nimrod can also, for instance, firedisruptors.  They aren't as powerful as our Phasers, but they wereincluded in case the Borg adapted to the Phasers.  We estimatethat they would give us at least some extra time against them.Stone:  Gentlemen, we can talk about this topic later.  CaptainMitzgar, please inform us of the Nirmod's capablities.Mitzgar:  All right, we carry the prototype High Definition Phaserarray, and 3 arrays on the Nimrod.  Each array giving us 27% morephaser output than Enterprise's main array..Picard:  We have upgraded to the Improved Definition standard.Mitzgar:  Ok, then that reduces Nimrod's advantage to to 15%.  Wealso have disruptors comparable to an old K'Tinga class bird ofprey.  Not impressive, I admit, but the best we could do with whatwas on hand.  We'll improve that at the first opportunity.  Wealso Have 3 forward and one rear torpedo laucher, and 27 Kriegerwave blasters, all independently targetable, with at least 12 ofthem able to be brought to bear on any point on the horizon. Ourlast offensive surprise is the first fruit from the Borg Defenseprojects, and is a shield draining weapon.  It is a highly energyabsorbant plasma/proton combination that remains on the shield ofthe target and leaves a residue inhibiting the reformation of theshield in the affected area.  It doesn't drain a shield like theBorg weapon does, but it's still useful.  It would take standardFederation shields about 12 seconds to recover from the effectsof a hit.The cloaking device, as I already described, is both effective andenergy-efficient, as cloaks go.  With the right equipment, wecould outfit Enterprise in about 2 days, though I doubt you wouldlike that. Our shields also benefitted from our trip to Minos, butyou probably have those improvements by now if you have the phaserupgrade.  Anyway, we power all of this stuff with TWO Mk 87reactors like Enterprise has, except we incorporated all of thefield tested improvements invented since Enterprise was built.  Inspite of that we managed to save space by not including a civiliancrew and maximum possible automation.  We've only got about 10%space for extra systems, but all follow on Nimrod class vesselswil be larger.  You may  have noticed, but Nimrod is not evencomissioned yet.  We were undergoing weapons trials when we wereordered here.  Initially we were to use our cloak and scoutaround, but our sensors picked up the battle and we diverted overto here.Picard:  You arrived here from Earth that soon?  How fast were youtraveling?Mitzgar:  Not from Earth, from Chalandy VI.  We implemented anenergy conservation protocol and cruised at Warp 9.62 to get here.Another design feature of the Nimrod is that most every system onthe ship is designed to handle huge amounts of power.  Our warpdrive can sustain long periods of near peak output and with bothreactors we were able to do it without too much sacrifice.Picard:  Well, it seems that you finally have the type of shipthat you wanted, don't you?Mitzar:  Yes, I do.  If you give me a chance to prove how usefulthis ship can be I think your attitude will change.Stone:  I hope that that will not be necessary.Mitzgar:  Sooner or later that ship will be needed.Picard:  So far we have almost avoided that need and I will doeverything in my power to see that you are NOT needed.Mitzgar:  Captain Picard, I do not relish combat, but that iswhere my abilities lie and I believe that at our current level ofcapabilities we cannot afford to sit back without giving properthought to defense.  With our current fleet with its secondarymilitary mission we have been faring successively worse in eachmiltary encounter in the last half decade.  The Romulans have someadvantage, so do the Borg, and even the Children of Tamar nearlydefeated the Enterprise.  If trends continue, we won't be able toadequately defend ourselves.Picard:  But do we have to transform Starfleet from a peaceful toa miltary fleet?  Must we change ourselves so?Mitzgar:  Captain, Starfleet has been primarily non-military foronly half a century.  And in any case, we are simply augmentingthe exploration arm of Starfleet with some purely militarydefensive forces for contingency purposes.  Current plans call forthem to be kept in reserve at strategic places within the interiorof the Federation and only called on when truly needed.Picard:  Changes of this nature seldom take place all at once.  Wemust constantly be on our guard or we will all wake up one day ina Federation that we don't recognize.  I see this as a step thatcould possibly used to fundamentally alter the structure ofStarfleet to something I profoundly disagree with.  I shall notagrue our intentions or justifications, Captain Mitzgar, but I seea Pandora's box standing before us.  Have we yet opened it or isthere still time to shut it tight.Mitzgar:  If that is the case, then I'm glad that you are stillaround, Capt. Picard.  You can help keep us all honest.<He passed over flat screen computers to each of them>Mitzgar:  Here is a full report on Nimrod's capailities,classified level 8 clearance or above only.  We don't want word toget too far as to our capabilities.  What I've said is essentiallythat, minus the philosophy.  May I suggest that we turn to morepressing matters, such as what to do about the "Empire"?              ===================================Newsgroups: alt.startrek.creativeSubject: The Return follow on (part 2)From: ehohnbau@Bonnie.ICS.UCI.EDUDate: 30 Mar 92 00:16:55 GMTStone:  Yes, we know enough about Nimrod for now, but we stilldon't know when they will be back and we need to make plans.Picard:  Agreed.  My chief engineer is working on a way to detectthe Imperial ships when using their hyperspace propulsion.  Itshould be ready fairly soon..<Mitzgar interrupts>Mitzgar:  How difficult will it be for us to duplicate it when youhave it finished?  Maybe my people could help, or at least get ahead start on fabricating the necessary equipment.  I suggest thatour first officers and engineers get together as well to discussboth technology and to get to know each other.  It looks likewe'll have to fight together and we should know something aboutthe crews we'll be working with.  I suggest that we contact ourships and arrange for some meetings.Picard:  That sounds workable.  Shall we?<Picard and Mitzgar both patch in to their ships:>Picard:  Picard to Enterprise, Number One, make contact with thefirst officer on board the Nimrod and establish a liaison withhim..<at a motion from Mitzgar he corrects himself>, correction,her.  Commander Reynolds.  Their chief engineer will want to bebriefed on the hyperspace detection project.  Arrange for Cmdr.LaForge to make contact with <he looks at Mitzgar first> him.Riker:  Captain, permission to deviate from the patrol pattern toinvestigate the wreckage of the Imperial ships.  Cmdr. LaForgethinks that it may prove useful.Mitzgar:  Nimrod can cover for Enterprise.Picard:  Number One, permission granted.Mitzgar:  Mitzgar to Nimrod.Reynolds:  Reynolds here, captain.Mitzgar:  Enterprise will be contacting you to establish a liaison.They're also working on a detection device to spot the Imperialships when they're using that hyper spatial propulsion.  Get Cmdr.Bui in contact with their engineers and learn to work with Cmdr.Riker, the Enterprise's first officer.  Beyond that, use yourjudgement.  Enterprise will be inspecting the imperial wreckage soyou'll have to adjust the patrol to compensate.  Go to Alphapattern, Rules of Engagement Delta.  Understood?Reynolds:  Understood, captain.  When will you be returning?Mitzgar:  Unknown, Commander.  We've got a lot of things to workout here.  Enjoy the big chair for a while longer.  Mitzgar out.Picard:  Still making heavy use of pre-arranged battle plans,Robert?<Mitzgar smiles, taking his cue from Picard's move to make theatmosphere more relaxed>Mitzgar:  Not as much, Jean-Luc.  Now it's mostly for initialaction.  I've learned to keep them general enough to allow foradaptation as appropriate.  I still think the advantages in speedof response outweigh the potential for miscalculation.  In touchyor unknown situations where battle isn't certain or wanted, Icouldn't use that, of course.  That's why I'm not out exploringlike you are.  My talents are in a field of fairly narrowapplication and I've never claimed otherwise.Picard:  I know some other officers who could learn something fromyou when it comes to when it comes to staying within properapplication of one's talents, but I still hope that we can avoid afull scale confrontation.  Starfleet cannot afford another majorwar and an Empire that can build a battle station of that size andpower must have enormous resources at their disposal.  We would becommitting ourselves to a long, terribly costly and possiblyavoidable war.Mitzgar:  I don't think I need tell you of what I think ourchances of avoiding war are, do I?Picard:  No, probably not.  I feel that you are too unwilling torisk military disadvantage for the hope, slim though it might be,that violence can be avoided.  I feel that one more try must bemade at least.  If we can show ourselves to be reasonable, thenthere is a chance that we might persuade them to ceasehostilities.Mitzgar:  Jean-Luc, your patience amazes me.  I intercepted thetransmission between you and the Battle Station.  Their leaderwanted you dead just because you had defended yourself against hisships!  If he is any indication of their leadership, then anydefinition of reasonableness that you could provide would be mostun-applicable to them.Picard:  We once felt the same way about the Klingons.  They toowere predatory and hostile.  Over time we finally learned to livewith them and they with us.  Granted, we had a long period ofhostilities, but we eventually managed to prove to them that peacewas preferable.Mitzgar:  The price of that lesson will be very high to both sidesif we aren't strong enough to resist them easily.  I think that wecan beat them in battle, but I don't think we can keep them atarms length and wait for them to come to their senses to ourliking.Stone:  Jean-Luc, holding actions are dangerous if the holdingparty is not certain that they can compensate if the actiondoesn't work or deteriorates.  I too think that we can't assumethat we can hold them off with defensive measures only.  Theydefeated the Romulans, remember?  That was no mean feat.Mitzgar:  I exploited a defensive weakness that we can't expect tolast very much longer.  I burned them enough that they'll soonadapt.  Most of Starfleet would have trouble going toe to toe withone of their smaller ships, let alone the big ones or that battlestations.  If we soundly defeat them when they return, they maythink twice about continuing the hostilities.  We can spare a fewships and tell them that we want to negotiate a cessation ofhostilities and begin from there.<Picard's communicator beeps before anyone can say anythingfurther>Riker: Riker to Captain Picard.Picard:  Go ahead Number One.Riker:  We've begun working with the Nimrod and have established abasic framework for coordinating our activities.  Cmdr. LaForgeand Cmdr. Data are nearing completion on the hyperspace detectorprototype but testing it will be difficult except under actualconditions.  The Nimrod and Starbase 42 have already begunconstruction on parts of a detector for their own ships.  We wereable to gain some information from the Imperial ships, but notabout their engines.  Nimrod's method of attack nearly alwayswiped out the entire engine compartments. <Mitzgar shrugs>Their weapons are almost all low power lasers and particle beamweapons.  We can adjust our shields to compensate for them and infuture encounters our shields should stand up well against themexcept under very high rates of fire.  If we get caught by acouple hundred of those fighters, we could be in trouble if themanage to synchronize their firing to hit us nearlysimultaneously.  Otherwise there shouldn't be much of a problem.With the new enhancements, those fighters would do less damage byramming our shields than their weapons would.Mitzgar:  Cmdr. Riker, Captain Mitzgar here.  Thank you for thatinformation.  I have a question.  What kind of shielding did theImperial ships employ?Riker:  Funny you should ask that, Captain.  Cmdr. Reynolds wasalso very curious about that.  They're using something verysimilar to the old Polarized Wave-Reversion shields used yearsago.  If you're thinking what Cmdr. Reynolds is thinking, no theywon't stop transporter beams, which gives us, particularly youwith your cloaking device, a big advantage.Mitzgar:  <He smiles>  Thank you Cmdr. Riker.Picard:  Were there any survivors, Number One?Riker:  Minimal, Captain, and they were all very injured. We'rekeeping them in cargo bay 4 where we can guard them and treat themat the same time.  Most are humanoid.  Dr. Crusher still has herhands full, though.Mitzgar:  <To Picard> How soon can they be interrogated?Picard: <To Riker> Make sure that they are treated with everyrespect.  We want them to know for certain that we do not intendto mistreat them or hold them for longer than is necessary.  Theywill be returned as a sign of good will at the soonest possibleopportunity.<He looks at Mitzgar who is scowling>Robert, I know that interrogating them would be useful, but hereis a fine opportunity, probably our best opportunity to show tothis Empire that we have no hostile intentions towards them andthat we wish for peaceful coexistence.  You must be willing totake the risk that peace can be maintained.  I grant you that thechances are not promising, but I will not give up on whatpossibility still exists.  Besides, you spoke of having theability to compensate if this fails.  Cmdr. Riker just gave it toyou.  If the Empire proves to be un-changeably belligerent in ournext encounter, we can use our advantages to neutralize them andthen send the survivors back with another offer of peace.Mitzgar:  You're going to use your seniority and pull rank on thisone aren't you?Picard:  I'd rather not, but if I have to I will.Stone: What about that Battle Station, Jean-Luc?Picard:  That does indeed present a problem.  It is most difficultto negotiate for peace both when the other side possesses a weaponthat it believes indestructible and when our side must neutralizethat weapon before our claim of peaceful intent is to be tendered.<He sighs and leans back.>Robert, let us discuss the actual fighting tactics we might employfor now.  Keep the negotiations in the back of your mind and maybesomething will come up.Mitzgar:  It appears that when we maintain warp speed, theirsensors can't detect us.  You can use that as a poor-man'scloaking device to slip inside on them and attack.  They'll likelyknow you're out there somewhere and it won't be as good as a truecloak which will allow me greater flexibility when attacking.  Imay be able to get to them before they are close to you and havetheir screens up.  It would be riskier for Enterprise to lower hershields and use her transporters if they know she's in the generalarea.  We could use Enterprise as Bait and I could swing aroundand pound them.Picard:  Nimrod could remain cloaked and move into attack positionand Enterprise could attempt negotiations first.  If that failsthen we could attack as you suggested.  The only problem remainswhat to do about that battle-station.Stone:  Captain, we cannot allow that station to come within rangeof this starbase.  Losing this Starbase and the services itprovides in guarding the Neutral Zone would be intolerable in andof itself, let alone the THOUSANDS of lives that would be lost!They could pretend to negotiate long enough to come within firingrange and then destroy this starbase before you could incapacitatetheir weapon again.Picard:  I agree.  Robert, can you disable their primary weaponagain?Mitzgar:  I can try.  I expect them to have taken somecountermeasures since their last attack, however, and theireffectiveness will depend on whether or not they have anyunderstanding of our transporter technology.  You can bet that theentire area will be shielded, the power conduits will be inprotected areas and that they will have plenty of resources nearbyto prevent us from loitering about there like we did last time.  Afrontal assault will be very tough to pull off.  We might be ableto sneak in and beam in some torpedoes but that too will be risky.Have you identified their propulsion systems?Picard:  Not as yet.  If we attacked their propulsion units, thenit is absolutely imperative that we stop them well short of firingrange.  If we slow them down too much they won't be able toretreat and we will have a huge battle on our hands.  In that casewe would be forced to attempt to destroy the battle station.Could we do that?  It has a radius of almost 650 Km!  Even withtransporters, could we penetrate the interference that a stationof that nature would generate deeply enough to destroy theirprimary power generators?Mitzgar:  There's one way to find out.<Picard to Cmdr. Stone>How long before reinforcements arrive?Stone:  At last word, the Nebula will be here within 6 hours.  TheReliant-C and the Hermes will arrive a day later.  All otherreinforcements are at least 3 days away.  The Klingons are makingpreparations of their own, but they're not talking about them.Picard:  Then we must plan for battles with only limitedresources.  If we are forced to act before reinforcements arrivethen Enterprise will attempt negotiations while Nimrod disablesthe main weapon on that battle station.  The main weapon ONLYRobert!  You are not to attack at all unless they continue to moveinto attack position.  I will attempt to halt them well short oftheir estimated firing range and begin negotiations.  If theyrefuse to cease forward motion and close to within 30,000 Km thengo ahead and disable the weapon.  We will then continue to attemptto negotiate with them.  If that still does not stop them then onmy "Finish" signal you may begin to attack the Imperial forces asyou see fit.  If the Imperial forces retreat, you will maintainattack position but cease firing and allow them to retreat.  Wewill make one last negotiation attempt then.  Under nocircumstances are you to destroy every Imperial ship.  Leave atleast 2 ships to carry the message of our desire to endhostilities.Mitzgar:  After the "final" signal am I cleared to destroy thebattle station if I can find a way?Picard: <reluctantly> Yes.  I don't see any alternative.  If youdo manage to find a weakness and use it to destroy the battlestation, spare the Imperial fleet and allow them to escape.  Thatshould be a sharp enough lesson for them to convince them to ceasehostilities.Mitzgar:  Understood.  If Nebula arrives before the Empirereturns, I recommend that she stand with Enterprise.  They mightmistake her for Nimrod and not be expecting me to also be there.If Reliant and Hermes arrive, I'll take Hermes and have her patrolon warp power so she won't be detectable and Reliant can stay withyou and Nebula.  If they're using Polarized Wave-Reversionshielding, then there must be field boundaries that are nice andvulnerable, especially to phasers.   I suggest a pair-wise attack.One ship attacks from the front and the other hammers theirengines.  That seems to take maximum advantage of their knownweaknesses.  Whenever you get a chance, use your transporters.Picard:  Agreed.  I believe it best that we now adjurn to ourships where the details can better be worked out.Stone:  Let us hope that we can convince them to stop thissenseless fighting.Mitzgar:  And that the price of that convincing is not more thanwe can bear.Picard:  Robert, if we succeed, then the price will be lower onboth sides than if we merely attack them and then try to stoplater.  How many crew did they lose in the first attack?  Giventhe size of those ships it must be many thousands.  They havealready paid a heavy price.  I am attempting to minimize coststo them as well as to us.  If we must take some casualties to savemore lives in the long run on both sides, then we are honor boundto do so.Mitzgar:  I question that argument given that they have proven tobe virulently belligerent.  I also differ on how far we shouldstick our own necks out to save theirs.Picard:  Nevertheless, we must try.  I order you not to initiatehostilities unless the guidelines we have worked out aresatisfied.  Let us return to our ships and prepare for our nextencounter with the Empire.<The two captains file out behind starbase commander Stone andhead for the nearest transporter room.>                         TO BE CONTINUED.--- Internet Message Header Follows ---Path: news.clark.net!news2.sprintlink.net!news.sprintlink.net!hookup!ukma!newsfeed.gsfc.nasa.gov!paf.gsfc.nasa.gov!laiFrom: lai@paf.gsfc.nasa.gov ()Newsgroups: rec.arts.startrek.currentSubject: Re: Star Trek vs. Star WarsDate: 25 Jun 1994 17:59:33 GMTOrganization: Goddard, NASALines: 2912Distribution: sqntMessage-ID: <2uhra6$6sp@paperboy.gsfc.nasa.gov>References: <alisterCroJMz.92M@netcom.com> <Crs7sB.A7C@genesis.nred.ma.us> <2uago7$95v@news.u.washington.edu> <Crv0t7.L95@zimmer.CSUFresno.EDU> <1994Jun24.073033.2557@sequent.com> <2uf7an$i5m@paperboy.gsfc.nasa.gov>NNTP-Posting-Host: paf.gsfc.nasa.govMime-Version: 1.0Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCIIContent-Transfer-Encoding: 7bitX-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.2 PL2]