Two Hours to Detonation

[Joe Manning 0]

"SELF-DESTRUCT"

 

"01:56:13"

 

Every computer panel inside the GC-13 displayed the same message in white letters on a red screen. All of the sensor imagery and equipment status readouts and touch-controls had been wiped out by this signal of the armored car's impending destruction. Its engine had completely powered down and there was no discernible way to power it back up. Presumably, that same engine would explode in two hours, and the blast would be sufficient to bring a good portion of the mines down on the heads of anyone unfortunate enough to be inside.

 

The tritanium shipment that QoB's crew was sent to steal was nowhere to be seen in the storage cave that their map of the mine revealed. The reaction of the local marines to this fact suggested that it was supposed to be there -- was there just the previous night, in fact -- and that someone had beaten QoB's crew to it. If this was not indication enough that Commander Mench's mission was not going to end as well as he'd been imagining, the terminals inside the armored car got the point across.

 

Someone had instructed the vehicle to power down and initiate a self-destruct as soon as it reached the storage cave. Or it had been programmed to do so ... possibly even before the QoB crew picked it up. Another surprise. Just like the appearance of the scout Bird of Prey in the Cepheus Gamma system and the destruction of Starbase 215. The first surprise had put it in the heads of Mench's crew that there were vital facets to this mission that he had not been briefed on. The second surprise put Starfleet hot on QoB's trail, making it appear as if her crew had been responsible for massacring Starfleet officers and destroying Starfleet property. This surprise could kill Mench and the other officers assembled in the mines.

 

The Commander could only wonder what sorts of surprises were being sprung on the ship at the very moment.

 

There was one silver lining to be pulled out of this cloud. The vehicle hadn't simply detonated at once. The assembled crew had two hours to get far enough away for safety. It was hard to believe that whoever was responsible for the self-destruct had not intended for the crew to enjoy that window. Mench was tired of being manipulated by whatever agency had orchestrated this entire ordeal, but he'd be a lot more tired of dying. He looked at the five packs of climbing gear tied to the floor of the cargo hold and realized why they'd really been provided ...

 

* * * * *

 

Security Chief Petrov gripped the handlebars of his hoverbike tightly as he looked down over the hill crest into the small valley. What he and the rest of his patrol had first only glimpsed as spots of green among the hills was not in full view -- a Klingon Bird of Prey with its wings upraised and its cargo hatch lowered. The patrolmen watched as a heavily-armed vehicle rolled over the hills on the other side of the ship and steered its way up the cargo ramp into the ship.

 

"W-what is that thing?" Private Dillon asked as he watched the vehicle.

 

Petrov turned his head slightly but continued peering at the Klingon ship. "It looks like a tank, comrade. It looks like, whoever they are, they have come prepared for a war." His hands tightened around the handlebars a bit harder. "These Klingons have come a long way from home, but they have come to the wrong planet. I have fought their kind before and I am eager for another opportunity."

 

"Sergeant, look!" Private Michaels yelled, pointing at the sky. An object was descending to the planet, and as it approached the appearance of a Starfleet shuttle was made clearer. "Did we send for reinforcements?"

 

"We cannot," Petrov replied with a scowl, watching the shuttle. "They are jamming our communications. Someone must be looking for these Klingons."

 

"Should we meet up with them, sir?" Dillon asked.

 

Petrov hesitated, giving the question deep consideration. " ... no. I am not going to let my staff fall under the command of soft Fleet officers. We never saw a shuttle, understood? This is our operation. Michaels, go back and inform headquarters of the location of this Klingon vessel. All our forces that can be reached are to meet here within twenty minutes."