This story takes place between Star Trek: The Motion Picture and Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn.
"Put the shuttle on screen," Kirk replied. The craft appeared on the viewer with no apparent damage or any indication of a problem. It was still holding a steady course toward Minyon's largest moon. The planet Minyon, the largest gas giant Kirk had seen in years, rested in the background. "Try to reestablish contact. If that doesn't work..."
Sulu interrupted. "Look at the planet, Captain. Something's happening!"
--Argus Skyhawk
As Kirk looks at the gas giant. it develops a large blue area which shimmers and then quickly pulls Spock's shuttle down to the planet's surface. looking for all purposes like a gigantic planetary size transporter.
--Alex Fleak
Kirk looked at the viewscreen, speechless. The planet shimmered further, until it was clear to everyone on the bridge that this was definitely not a planet. ''Sulu,'' said Kirk. ''Decrease viewscreen magnification. Let's get a look at the whole thing.''
Sulu pressed a switch, and the image on the screen moved out until they could see exactly what it was that had been masquerading as the planet Minyon. It was a ship, or at least that's what it seemed to be. It was vaguely spherical in shape, but had numerous protrusions at apparently random points on its surface.
Uhura broke the awe-inspired silence. ''Captain,'' she said ''I think we're recieving a hail from... whatever it is. The Universal Translator is having a hard time deciphering it.'' She worked at her controls for a few seconds, and then spoke again. ''I'm getting a translation now.''
''Let's hear it!'' said Kirk, with a touch of impatience in his voice.
An ominous, slightly garbled voice vame over the speakers. ''THIS IS OVERLORD TAR'CHAK OF THE MINYON ORDER. THE ALIEN VESSEL WILL CEASE ITS INTERFERENCE OF OUR DOMAIN, OR BE DESTROYED.''
Kirk turned Around. ''Lieutenant, open a channel!''
Uhura complied and Kirk spoke quickly and determindely.
''This is Captain James T. Kirk of the Federation Starship Enterprise to the Minyon Order. We would be happy to cease our interference, but you have captured one of our people. Return him, and we will depart from your 'domain'.''
Silence.
Then, the voice spoke again. ''UNACCEPTABLE. THE ALIEN LIFE-FORM WILL BE ANALYZED TO ASCERTAIN THE THREAT POSED BY IT AND OTHERS OF ITS KIND. YOU WILL DEPART OUR DOMAIN IMMEDIATLEY OR BE DESTROYED.''
The communication ended abruptly. Scotty spoke from the Engineering station. ''Captain, I can't be sure, but according to my readings, that thing is about to fire on us!''
Kirk pressed a button on the arm of his command chair. ''All decks, brace for impact!'' he shouted.
But it never came. The Enterprise was instead bathed in a blue glow for several seconds. The lights and computer panels flickered and dimmed.
When it was over, Scotty turned to Kirk with a worried look on his face. ''Captain, I don't know how, but that beam has severely drained our energy reserves. We'll be lucky to get Warp 2!''
Chekov spoke from his position at the navigation station. ''Keptin, ze shields are down, and I've lost power to the weapons!''
Kirk swore under his breath. ''Mr. Sulu, get us out of here, Warp 2!''
Sulu hesitated. ''But sir, what about Mr. Spock?''
''You have your orders Lieutenant. Get us out of here.''
''Aye, sir.'' Sulu replied reluctantly.
The Enterprise moved slowly away from the gigantic Minyonian vessel, and left the system.
Falling.
Spock was falling.
He could see only a thick blue gas all around him, but he felt the sensation that he was falling.
Then it suddenly stopped. He could still only see blue around him, but he began to make out shapes, angles and shadows. He heard a loud hissing noise, but he could not identify where it had come from. He could sense that someone or something was near him, but he was still confused and disorientated, and couldn't localize it.
Then, he felt a strange sensation in his feet. The feeling moved up his body,
relaxing every muscle.
He felt it moving up his neck, and seconds later he blacked out.
--Stephen Errity
A Romulan bird of prey intercepted the Enterprise and fired a crippling photon torpedo at the ship. The Enterprise fell out of warp.
"Prepare to be boarded!" yelled Kirk into the comm system. A transporter beam appeared on the bridge and revealed three people- a captain and two centurions.
The Romulan captain said, "James Kirk, I am Tomalak of the Romulan Star Empire."
"I've heard of your exploits Tomalak. Why have you fired on my vessel? We were already crippled! Is there any honor in that?"
"You speak like a Klingon, Kirk. Honor?"
Kirk noticed that Tomalak nearly spat at the word honor.
"Our ship is as crippled as yours. We had no communications, so we decided to get your attention by any means necessary. We lost a scout ship to an alien race in the star system you just left."
"We lost a shuttlecraft with my first officer in the same system,"
Kirk decided to use the truth with this matter.
Tomalak spoke again, "My ship, until becoming severely damaged, was retrofitted to be twice as advanced as one of your Excelsior class starships."
Kirk said, "It sounds like we have the same problem, captain."
Tomalak said quietly, "That is why I am here. I propose we work together."
A disturbing grin spread out across the face of Tomalak.
--Lee Jamilkowski
Captain's Log, Stardate 5020.4
After much deliberation, Starfleet Command has decided to approve Tomalak's plan
to work together. I can't help but consider the possibility that this is another
elaborate Romulan plot, but Tomalak seems sincere, and we do have a common
enemy. Starfleet has sent along the starships Constitution and Potemkin, and the
Romulans have sent a D-7 battlecruiser to join Tomalak's upgraded Bird-of-Prey.
Our
little fleet, the first joint Federation/Romulan operation in history, will be
departing
shortly for the Minyon system.
--Stephen Errity
Kirk was in the ship's monastary and temple, considering that the crew needed all the luck that could be mustered. Then, he heard it...
"Jim..." said a vocie, that sounded like the first officer. "Spock," Kirk said.
"You need to know what I have learned about the enemy.
Use it to prepare. The Enterprise will be destroyed if you come to
the Minyon system. Here is what I know... Jim. I am dying. The
rescue is not worth the cost. The Minyon aliens..."
--Lee Jamilkowski
Kirk walked out of the ship's chapel, unsure of what to do. He walked to a turbolift and took it to his quarters. He sat on the bed, thinking. There were so many reasons for them to enter the system. Spock came immediately to mind. Once again, his Vulcan first officer had decided to place the safety of others over his own. And what about the Minyonians? Was there any chance of establishing peaceful relations with them? These questions could only be answered by another journey into the system. But if what Spock told him was true, that would almost certaintly lead to the disaster.
He was no closer to answering these questions fifteen minutes later when Chekov called from the bridge. ''Keptin, you must come up here. Vun of the Womulan ships is heading for ze Minyon system.''
Kirk was on the bridge in seconds. ''Open a channel to Tomalak's ship!'' he ordered. Uhura complied. Kirk spoke instantly. ''Tomalak, why is that battlecruiser heaed into the system? We're not scheduled to leave for another hour!''
Tomalak, who was obviously having bad day, said. ''I don't know any more than you Kirk.'' He turned away from the screen and pressed a control on the Bird-of-Prey's bridge. ''Movorak, we are not yet scheduled to enter the system. Commander Takel, please respond!'' No response came. The Romulan battlecruiser entered the Minyonian system at full impulse.
Almost immediately, the massive Minyonian ship began to turn slowly. Like a planet rotating on its axis, the huge spherical vessel slowly rotated and started moving toward the Romulan ship. Several of the needle-like protrusions on its surface began to glow fiercely. Kirk stared at the viewsceen. It wouldn't take a genius to work out what's going to happen next, he thought.
From the Minyonan ship emerged four arcing blue bolts of what looked like electricity, but almost certaintly were something else. They struck the battlecruiser simulteaneously, and it was vaporized instantly. Kirk was about to say something, when the ominous Minyonian voice once again came over the comm system.
''THE INFERIOR LIFE-FORMS WILL BE PUNISHED FOR THEIR CONTINUED INTERFERENCE OF OUR DOMAIN. THE MINYON ORDER WILL NOT BE CHALLENGED.''
The voice broke off as suddenly as it had started. On the bridges of the three Federation and one remaining Romulan ships, they watched in silence as the Minyon vessel began moving in the opposite direction, towards the Minyonian sun. The ship once again projected a blue beam, but this one was brighter, and more focused.
On the bridge of the Enterprise, Lieutenant Kyle spoke from the science station. ''Captain, they're firing it directly at the Minyon star. It's about to go nova!'' There was fear in the young officer's voice.
Kirk opened a comm channel to the other ships. ''Get the hell out of here!'' he shouted. ''NOW!''
The Enterprise, the Potemkin and Tomalak's Bird-of-Prey entered warp and just managed to escape the shockwave. The Constitution was not so lucky, however. The shockwave hit the vessel full on, sending it spiralling to its destruction.
On the Enterprise, Kirk turned to Lt. Kyle again. ''Report, Mr. Kyle!''
''The Constitution was destroyed, sir. They were caught in the shockwave form the supernova.''
''Damn!'' said Kirk. ''Where's the Minyon ship?''
''It's heading away at high warp, captain.''
''Follow it!'' ordered Kirk. ''Maximum warp!''
--Stephen Errity
A transporter beam appeared on the bridge, which faded to reveal an 8 foot tall robot of some sort.
"Who are you?" asked Kirk.
"We are the Minyon," responded the robot. "We explore different dimensions of time and space, to collect organsims for exhibits to show our children different species. What you would call a..." The robot stopped, obviously thinking. Suddenly a bright light appeared between the robot's "head" and Kirk's head. The light snapped off. "A zoo," said the Minyon. "And what better place to collect so many species from this part of the galaxy than the center of government with representatives from hundreds of species, on Earth."
A swirling light enveloped Kirk and he found himself standing in a cage in a Minyon zoo. He looked around and saw organisms he had never seen before.... obviously none from this area of space.
"Hello?" yelled the captain.
A part mechanical, part organic creature from the next cage said, "Resistance is futile... you will be assimilated."
Then Kirk saw two small purplish-pinkish humanoids with mechanical
implants in the side of their heads standing next to each othwr in the cage
across from him. They chattered away at high speeds incomprehensibly.
--Lee Jamilkowski
As soon as Kirk disappeared, Scotty ran towards the robot. ''Bring him back, you useless bucket o' bolts!'' he shouted.
The robot did not appear to take this remark kindly. It stunned Scotty with a smaller version of the weapon that the Minyonian vessel had used to destroy the Romulan battlecruiser. Sulu reacted immediately. He pulled a phaser from his belt and fired on the robot. Sparks erupted from its body, and it collapsed on the floor with a loud crash. Scotty had just come around. Looking at the fallen robot, he said, ''Take that thing to a science lab and find out what the hell it is!''
Acting Captain's Log, Supplemental
The Enterprise, the Potemkin and Tomalak's ship continue to pursue the Minyonian
ship. We can keep
up with it, but we can't gain on the damned thing. Dr. McCoy is still examining
the blasted robot that
took the captain.
Scotty had just finished making the log entry when McCoy entered the bridge. ''Scotty,'' he said, ''I've finished my examination of that thing. It's a robot.''
''Are you trying to be funny, Doctor?'' asked Scotty.
''No, sir. What I'm saying is that it's probably not a Minyonian. It's a probe or scout of some kind.''
''I thought as much,'' said Scotty. ''Continue examining it. Keep me informed.''
''Aye, sir,'' McCoy said, and left the bridge.
Sulu turned around. ''Sir, the Minyonian vessel! It's changing course!''
''Where?'' asked Scotty.
Sulu checked his readings. He checked them again. He hesitated before saying.
''Vulcan, sir.''
--Stephen Errity
Scotty jogged off the turbolift and sat in the captain's chair. That was when the ship was rocked by two torpedos. The first one blew out the front half of the saucer section, and the second disintegrated the port engine nacelle. The Enterprise dropped out of warp. "S'nd an emergency signal ta' Starfleet, las," said the captain to Uhura.
"Aye, sir," she responded. "Wait, we are being jammed. It is a highly advanced jamming system, at least 450 years ahead of our current technology."
"Lock on an' fire at the M'nyons wit' two torpedo spreads." He watched the torpedos hit the Minyon ship as it became a dot on the viewer.
"They have been brought down to half speed," said Sulu.
"Can we get the c'ptin back?" asked Scotty.
"No, sir," said Chekov.
"Sir, it is changing course towards sector 001."
Scotty was unsure what to do next, when a giant shockwave overtook the Enterprise. As soon as he regained
conciousness, he checked the helm control. They were on the far side of the Klingon empire in the Beta Quadrant. It would
take 3 years to get to the nearest starbase.
--Lee Jamilkowski
USS Potemkin ship's log, Stardate 2021.6
It is my sad duty to report that the Enterprise has been destroyed by the
Minyonians.
Tomalak's Bird-of-Prey continues to pursue them with us. The Minyonians have
destroyed
three ships with impunity already, and I dread the consequences of them reaching
Earth.
''Bridge to sickbay. Report!
''Scotty, we got twelve dead crewman and at least two dozen seriously wounded.'' McCoy's grim voice came over the speakers.
''Do the best ya can, Doctor, tha's all I ask,'' said Scotty solemnly. He got up
from the command
chair and walked about the shattered bridge. Scotty's head was spinning, and not just because of
the bump he got when the Enterprise was hit by the shockwave. He was in command of a damaged
starship manned by an injured crew, in unfamiliar territory, and he hadn't the
faintest idea what to do next. He hadn't felt this
unsure of himself since, as a young man, he had gotten lost in a thick fog while
climbing Ben Nevis. He was lucky to be rescued
then. He wondered if he would be so lucky this time.
The first priority must be engines, he thought. The port nacelle was gone, so he
would have a hard time
keeping the warp field stable with only one set of warp coils. He walked to the
enginnering station and
checked the damage reports. The list was painfully long. Hull breaches on decks three through six on the saucer. Main power
disrupted shipwide. Auxilliary power fluctuating badly. He and the crew had a
lot of work to do before they would get this ship
moving again. As he read through the list, Scotty made a promise to himself that
he would get the ship moving again. Moving all the
way back to Federation space
and give those blasted Minyonians what they deserved.
Either that, or he would die trying.
--Stephen Errity
The picture above was obtained with permission from The USS Enterprise BBS Internet Site.
