A Gathering Storm

[Chirakis 1]

A Gathering Storm
Captain Chirakis
Captain d’Ka
Aboard USS Missouri
1600 hours Aegis Local

Captains d’Ka and Chirakis stood in the third level hangar deck of USS Missouri watching engineers in protective gear pick through pieces of what looked like a jigsaw puzzle. Chunks and fragments of the massive, black, delta-winged alien ship that had been slipping silently through the nebular string filled the deck from one end of the bay to the other.  Exterior and interior sections of the hull, shattered propulsion systems, twisted decking, and various other parts bore the stench of dead bodies.  The captains maintained a considerable distance from the wreckage to ensure their own health.

The alien ship had been in USS Missouri's crosshairs for several weeks.  As expected, the aliens' wide broadcast of "join us or die" eventually stopped, the ship turned sharply, and shot directly toward Aegis.  USS Missouri and RSE Praetor were waiting.  The alien ship was decimated in less than an hour. 

"Composition of the hull?" Kirel continued their conversation as her eyes swept over the equipment that was strewn across the deck.

"That has yet to be determined," d'Ka replied thoughtfully. "It gives credence to the word alien" He paused, then turned to face her and whispered in exasperation.  "Kh’éile, even I have not seen a ship the likes of this, with such size and indeterminable composition. Not even on Sindar."

"Three times the size of our Akiras, I understand," she mused as she pushed past his thoughts to focus on her own concerns.  "Its complement?"  

"A mere twenty seven, species unknown.  Doctor Azar's medical team is examining the few remains we found floating among the debris. So far the doctor does not believe that they are humanoid.  We have determined is that their technology is well beyond ours.  And before you ask, we have no idea why or how they succumbed to our trap."

“Purposeful, perhaps?”

“Or ignorant of our abilities, which I doubt.  I understand that you first encountered that ship on An-Ward. Commander Cayne used his expertise to get aboard, and he planted a tracking device, but the device did not work.  And they were able to transport through cloaks?”

“Indeed they did,” Kirel replied, still watching the engineers and wondering what they would find.

D’Ka pondered that for a few minutes, then his brow furrowed.  “Kh’éile, were the aliens on the An-Ward ship strangely configured?”

“No. They were humanoids.  Highly advanced and intelligent.”