The Rihan Shadow: Destruction of the T'Kel

[NDak 0]

The T’Kel, part of E’Shok’s fleet dispatched to the Sol system, took up position on her patrol route, just beyond Neptune. Unbeknownst to her crew a small Rihan shuttle disguised as an Andorian shuttle latched onto the T’Kel’s hull.

 

On the bridge the docking went unnoticed. Everything seemed just fine. Captain Saevel looked over to his XO and nodded. “All is going according to plan.”

 

At that moment an engineer walked onto the bridge carrying an engineering kit. Anik nodded to Saevel and the XO as he passed them on his way to the engineering “Begin long range scans,” Saevel said to the Sub-Commander seated to his right.

 

“Understood,” Tenok said motioning to the tactical officer. “Begin scans.”

 

Meanwhile, Anik began tapping on his console.

 

“This morning has indeed been quite and uneventful, all is going according to plan,” Saevel affirmed to his bridge crew.

 

“Everything seems quite and orderly,” Tenok said to Anik. “Wouldn’t you agree?”

 

“Yes, it is. For the time being,” Anik said as he finished what he was doing. “If you will excuse me, I am finished here.”

 

Tenok nodded to Anik. Anik nodded back and headed towards the TL. “Engineering.”

 

A few minutes later an Evacuation Klaxon began blaring in Main Engineering. Likewise alarms began going off in the bridge.

 

“What is it?” Saevel said, alarmed but not emotive.

 

“An Evacuation alarm in Main Engineering,” Tenok answered. “it appears to be a plasma leak.”

 

Anik stepped off onto the now chaotic Engineering deck. With all the rush of Engineers trying to get out he slipped unnoticed into Main Engineering. “Right on time.” Anik chuckled to himself.

 

On the bridge Saevel remained unstirred. “Operations try and seal the leak and contact Captain E’Shok.”

The operations officer’s hands were flying all over the console. “Unable to seal leak, or contact the flagship, all command functions had been locked out.”

 

“Sub-Commander Tenok, take a security team down there and ascertain our situation.”

 

Tenok nodded and contacted Security and was in the TL. “Engineering”

 

In Engineering there was no plasma leak. Anik had managed to make it into Main Engineering just as the Emergency Bulkhead slid into place. He opened his kit and took out a medium sized device.

He placed it onto the warp core and began connecting a few wires and a few smaller devices to it. By now Tenok and the Security team had arrived at the Emergency Bulkhead right out side of Main Engineering. Tenok banged on the bulkhead.

 

“Its futile sub commander,” one of the security officers said,

“Evacuation protocols prohibit entry.”

 

“I know that Lieutenant, please get this door open.”

 

The Security officers began working to move the bulkhead. As they did, a smiling Anik finished placing the device on the warp core and attached the receiver for the remote detonator. As he finished, the door slid open.

 

“Good work,” Tenok said as he walked in and saw beeping things on the work core.

 

“That looks like… ” A stunned security officer said.

 

Anik was now standing grinning widely. “Jolan tru from the Rihannsu Empire.”

He did a bad version of the Vulcan hand greeting as he shimmered away.

 

“Romulan…” Tenok said. But his voice was lost in the explosion.

 

As the small shuttle on the underbelly of the T’Kel flew off into the darkness of space the T’Kel erupted into a violent explosion send pieces flying everywhere. The ring of the Sh’Ran class vessel went flying and the hull collapsing in on its self. The bright fireball expanded and was seen, if lightly, on the distant horizon.

 

Few minutes later …

 

On the bridge of the T’Pa, the explosion of the T’Kel blipped on the view screen.

 

“Captain, an explosion is registering on sensors,” the tactical officer alerted.

 

“Confirm that, it was one of ours,” Sub-Commander Khevio said. “The T’Kel.”

 

E’Shok lifted his brows at the officers on the bridge. “How.”

 

A few minutes later, Ambassador Tovek walked onto the bridge, his brow lifted. “Was that an explosion?”

 

“Sensors detected a build up in energy around the T’Kel’s warp core just before the explosion, possible warp core breach,” the chief science officer said to E’Shok.

 

E'Shok nodded to the Ambassador. “The T'Kel is no more. Helm, set course to intercept course. I want all the debris beamed to the Cargo bays”

 

Tovek nodded in condolence.

 

“Yes captain,” the helm officer said as he set course and engaged.

E'Shok's flagship cruised into the debris field and began beaming the debris aboard. The process was slow and time consuming, but then again Vulcans aren’t known for their haste.

 

“Permission to begin investigating the wreckage,” Khevio said.

 

“Granted,” E’Shok said turning to Tovek, “Ambassador, please Accompany the Sub commander.”

“At once, Captain.”

 

The two arrived with the assembled engineering crews and began going through the wreckage. An hour or two into the search, the Ambassador stumbled over a small piece that didn't look Vulcan in origin.

 

Tovek made a slight grunting noise as he regained his balance. “Sub commander?”

 

“That isn't Vulcan...”

 

Tovek picked up the debris and studied it for a few minutes. “It is most certainly not…”

 

The looked at each and said at the same time. “Sabotage?”

 

Khevio motioned to one of the Engineers to come to him. The engineer walked over and looked at the piece of metal.

 

“Please analyze this and tell me what it is…”

 

The Engineer nodded and took the piece over to the scanners they had set-up. 15 minutes later he came walking back with a perplexed look on his face. “It is Dexterite, an Andorian Alloy.”

 

Khevio was shocked, even for a Vulcan. “Andorian?”

 

“Yes much of its molecular structure has been damaged and rendered unrecognizable,” the engineer affirmed, “But it is Dexterite.”

 

“How did it get there,” Khevio still shocked questioned.

 

“It had to be planted aboard the T'Kel,” the engineer said unwavering. “The ship sensors detected no such Andorian material aboard the T’Kel, or around their occupied space until this moment.”

 

“Is it possible that it could have found its way onto the T'Kel any other way?”

 

“Highly unlikely sir,” the engineer was certain.

 

“Is it part of an explosive?”

 

“It is too early to tell Sub-Commander, I would like to take it to main engineering and run a more detailed analysis upon it,” the Vulcan engineer said, “but yes that is my hypothesis.”

 

“Very will make it so, I will brief the Captain on your findings, inform me as soon as your final analysis is finished.”

 

“Understood sir,” the engineer said as he walked out of the cargo bay and to a TL.

 

“Unbelievable, Andorians?” a shocked Ambassador Tovek said.

 

“It would appear so Ambassador,” Khevio said gravely. “I suggest you come with me, you may be needed soon.”

 

“Agreed…”

Edited June 6, 2004 by NDak

[Tovan 0]

The destruction of the T'Kel, screenshot style: