Gateway-Part 24

"Gateway"

By Quills

Contact: the_quill_pen@yahoo.com
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Paramount owns Star trek and I derive no financial gain from this story.
Codes: A, T/Tu, Ma, S, R, P angst, drama, romance, humor,
action/adventure
Summary: Captain Archer is relieved of command for a secret mission into the 24th Century. To find and stop the Suliban renegade Silik. While he is gone, a Vulcan Starfleet Captain from the future is given temporary command of the Enterprise NX-01 with his own orders to investigate the 'Temporal Cold War'.

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Part 24

Chapter forty eight

The ‘Enterprise-C’ was on a collision course with the NX-01. Flying blind in the M262 Nebulae, she hadn’t detected the 01 was directly in her path with no helm control to maneuver out of the way.

"Ensign Sato, open a channel to Captain Archer."

"I can't Sub-Commander," replied Sato. "Our field coil was damaged. We can receive transmission, but we can't send."

With the helm down, they wouldn't be able to move out of the ‘Enterprise-C's’ way and with communications out they couldn't warn her off. There had to be another way, but T'Pol could not see what it was. She was certain Archer could come up with a solution, as illogical as humans were he had always managed, but with their systems reduced…

“Reduced, of course,” she said thinking aloud. "Mr. Wang, adjust power yield to the starboard phase cannon...1/100th power."

Wang looked at her for a moment in confusion. Then he realized what she had in mind. If they fired on the ‘Enterprise-C’ with minimum power, they wouldn’t do any damage but would hopefully send a signal warning them that the 01 was in their path.

"Yes, Ma'am," replied Wang adjusting the strength setting on the phase cannon. "Phase cannon ready at 1/100th power."

"Fire."

The NX-01 fired her starboard phase cannon grazing the outer rim of the ‘Enterprise-C’s’ saucer section. With sensors useless, they had to rely on the limited visual information the viewer offered.

"No change in course, Sub-Commander," said Mayweather.

"Fire again, Mr. Wang," ordered T’Pol.

The NX-01 fired a second time striking the starboard nacelle of the ‘Enterprise-C’. Travis Mayweather watched the screen as he could see the mammoth size Ambassador class heavy cruiser closing in on them.

"Still no...wait, she's turning hard to port!" yelled Travis. "It worked."

The ‘Enterprise-C’ veered out of site of the NX-01’s view screen as she made a hard evasive maneuver to avoid her fellow starship. Passing within meters of the NX-01, the ‘Enterprise-C’ came around the 01, exiting directly astern and adjusted her course and speed as she came out of her evasive maneuver.

As the ‘Enterprise-C’ came about, she was met with a barrage of phaser fire from the waiting ‘Kirk’. The phaser fire struck the ‘Enterprise-C’ head on tearing into the ship’s saucer section. The three lancing beams ripped twin jagged scars across the dorsal section of the saucer stopping just short of the main bridge.

The ‘Enterprise-C’ rolled to port in an evasive maneuver as she returned fire on the ‘Kirk’ striking the enemy starship’s port warp nacelle. A bright blue ribbon of energy ran down the entire column of the nacelle before the entire main inerflux cooler exploded, ending shards of debris hurtling into the starboard nacelle.

As the ‘Enterprise-C’ maneuvered away, the ‘Kirk’ fired a parting shot of four aft torpedoes. The missiles streaked through the nebulae cloud as they homed in on the fleeing ‘Enterprise-C’. Closing the distance before the starship could maneuver; the torpedoes hit the aft section of the ship, striking the main hangar bay. The explosion rocked the starship sending violent vibrations through the adjacent decks.

“Captain, those torpedoes took out the hangar deck!” shouted Garrett as a flood of damage control readouts flooded the internal scanners. “We’ve got decompression on decks 23…24…25…26 and 27,”

“Emergency force fields in place!” ordered Archer. “Seal all bulkheads for decks 23 through 27.”

Just then a computer warning came over the speaker. “Warning, hull breach imminent on decks 25, 26 and 27.”

“Full Stop! Emergency power to the structural force fields,” ordered Archer. “Take it out of life support if you have to.”

*“Warning, hull breach imminent,”* came the computer voice again.

“Rachel?” asked Archer looking over at Garrett.

“Diverting primary power to the structural integrity fields,” said Garrett as she tapped her console and looked up awaiting the computer’s response.

“Warning, hull breach reaching criti…hull breach secure, structural integrity fields holding.”

Archer looked over at Garrett with a weak smile. “Good work Commander."

Garrett heaved a sigh of relief as she returned the smile. “We missed that hull breach by a hairs breath, sir.”

"Where's the 'Kirk'?" asked Archer.

Garrett turned back to her instruments trying to relocate the ‘Kirk’ from her last known position. "Got her Captain. She’s two thousand kilometers to port.”

“Ship’s status?”

“We’re on emergency power,” said Garrett. “It’s taking all of our main power to keep those five decks stable. If they go, the whole ship will decompress deck by deck like a stack of dominoes.”

Archer turned to the viewer for a moment as he considered his options. He knew where the ‘Kirk’ was but if he maneuvered towards her he might give away their position. With structural integrity barely holding and main systems on emergency power, the ‘Enterprise-C’ was in no condition for another fight with the damaged but heavily armed ‘Kirk’.

“Commander, what is the ‘Kirk’ doing?” asked Archer.

“Nothing, she’s just sitting out there.”

Archer smiled. “He doesn’t know where we are.’

“Great,” said Lt. Vendi. “So we play the waiting game with him.”

"Maybe not Mr. Vendi," replied Archer. “Open a channel...standard Starfleet hailing frequency."

“But Captain, that’ll give away our position,” said Vendi. “The ‘Kirk’ will be able to use our communication to triangulate our coordinates.”

“I’m counting on it Mr. Vendi,” smiled Archer. “We can’t take the fight to him. We need to bring him to us and on our terms.”

Vendi still wasn’t sure what Archer had in mind, but letting out a sigh he followed his orders. "Channel open sir."

Archer stood from the command chair walked to the front of the bridge. He needed to get Silik and the ‘Kirk’ to take the bait and the only way he could that happening was to play Silik’s weakness. "Silik, this is Captain Archer aboard the 'Enterprise-C'.” said as he paused for a moment waiting for a response. “Silik, don't tell me I followed you a hundred fifty years just so you could turn tail and run."

A sudden crackle in the audio speaker was followed by an all too familiar voice. "Jon, it's so good to see you made it," said Silik "I was wondering where you had been keeping yourself."

"Following you to the 24th century," replied Archer. "You know Silik; if you wanted me…you knew where to find me. Why the game."

"You surprise me Jon," said Silik with a hint of disappointment. "I would think it would be obvious. I'm going to finish you once and for all 'Captain', but I wanted to give you every advantage. I counted on Starfleet's 24th century counterparts sending for you. Once that was done, all I needed to do was lead you along...making sure you were always a few steps behind me. Now your here with a starship of suitable armament to make our final confrontation on equal terms."

Archer shook his head. "You have an interesting view of equal, Silik, but I should expect as much. You never were in my caliber.”

Archer waited for a response, but when none came, he decided to Turn up the ‘heat’. “Your scheme to change Earth’s history is going to fail like all your other attempts Silik. I stopped you before and I’ll stop you again.”

Archer raised his hand making a pinching motion toward Vendi. The armory officer picked up the cue and muted the sound from their end so Silik couldn’t overhear.

“What’s she doing?”

“She’s moving sir,” replied Garrett. “Coming around at wide angle. He’s trying to flank our starboard side, Captain.”

“Helm, stand bye to fire port thrusters on my command,” ordered Archer. “Mr. Vendi, we’re only going to have one shot so give him everything we’ve got.”

“Aye, sir,” replied the tactical officer. “Weapons are ready.”

“Put me back on…let’s see if we can stir him up a bit more.”

“Nothing to say Silik?” asked Archer trying to keep the Suliban antagonized. “Are you still out there Silik?”

“Oh yes, Jon. I’m still here.”

“Glad to hear it Silik,” said Archer glancing at Vendi. “I was afraid I tracked you down for nothing.”

I don’t want to destroy you just yet Captain,” replied Silik coolly. “I wish to saver this moment.”

“I’ve heard that before Silik. Face it…your nothing more than a three time loser trying to make a come back…so why don’t we finish this and my crew and I can go home.”

“Yes, Jon, I think it is time to finish this little game.”

Archer came around the bridge rail and stopped at the tactical station. Glancing over Lt. Vendi, he could see the ‘Kirk’ closing in on their position.

"By the way Captain, how did you manage to find me?" came Silik’s voice. "I was certain, I was going to have to come looking for you."

"I followed the chronometric trail of bread crumbs the 'Kirk' left behind," replied Archer. "They're rather interesting Silik, if you know to look for them they show a clear trail right to the object emitting them…even in a sensor deprived field like a nebulae…fire thrusters!!!”

The ‘Enterprise-C’s’ port thrusters fired bringing the starship’s Bow directly in line with the Kirk’s as she entered weapons range.”

“Say goodnight you arrogant ass…fire at will!”

Twin lancing beams shot out from the ‘Enterprise-C’s’ dorsal and ventral phaser arrays. As the beams sliced into the ‘Kirk’s saucer section, a volley of torpedoes left the ‘Enterprise-C’ striking the ‘Kirk’s’ main section. Impacting near the ‘Kirk’s main engineering the torpedoes ripped open the hull causing the entire section to decompress as the atmosphere raced out the hull breach.

"Sir, I can't be sure, but I think that last torpedo crippled the Kirk." Said Garrett. "I'm reading high levels of radiation spreading from one of her warp nacelles."

"Sir, look, she's listing,” called out the helmsman.

"Captain, I'm reading an energy buildup coming from the 'Kirk'." Reported Vendi.

"She took a direct hit to her engineering Sir; it could be a warp core breach in progress,” said Garrett.

"How soon?"

"Best guess…less than a minute Captain,” said Garrett.

“Can we beam aboard and stop it?”

“Negative, sir.” Said Garrett looking at her instruments. “It looks like the entire engineering deck depressurized…there’s no atmosphere.”

"Helm, get us out of here,” ordered Archer. "Rachel, open a channel to the ‘Enterprise’."

_____________________________________________

The crew of the NX-01 had just come into range of the ‘Enterprise-C’ to watch Captain Archer pull off his last ditched gambit and cripple the ‘Kirk’. However, the mood on the NX-01 was far from jubilant. Unknown to Captain Archer, Lt. Reed and Captain Soma were aboard the ‘Kirk;’ their status was unknown.

“Ensign Sato?”

“Still nothing Sub-Commander,” said Ensign Sato.

“Mr. Mayweather, set course for the ‘Kirk’,” ordered T’Pol. “Bring us to transporter range.”

"Sub Commander!" yelled Ensign Sato. "I'm getting an audio from the Captain."

"On speakers."

"Enterprise...repeat....leave the area immediately. There's a buildup in the ‘Kirk's’ warp core. She'll have a core breach in less than sixty seconds."

T'Pol looked at the static filled view screen. She could see the silhouette of the listing ‘Kirk’. Reed and Soma…there wasn't enough time to try and find them. If she was going to save 'Enterprise' and her crew she had to give the order now. "Mr. Mayweather, change heading….lay in course away from the 'Kirk'...best possible speed."

"Sub-Commander?" said Mayweather. "What about the Captain and Mr. Reed? We can't leave them..."

"We don't know where they are and we don't have the time to find them Ensign." said T'Pol cutting him off. "The crew comes first...Captain Soma and Mr. Reed would understand that."

Travis looked at the Vulcan for a moment. He knew she was right. Turning back to his station, he set course away from the 'Kirk'.

T'Pol headed back to her command chair, but stopped when she heard Ensign Sato scream. "Sub-Commander, I'm getting a communicator signal from Lt. Reed!"

T'Pol looked back at the screen as she made a mental calculation in her head.
It would be close and place the 'Enterprise' in danger to save two men on a chance.
Logic told her to continue away from the 'Kirk'.

"Mr. Mayweather, hard about, pass us within one hundred meters of the 'Kirk'." ordered T'Pol. "Ensign Sato, relay the coordinates of Mr. Reed's communicator signal to the transporter room."

"Yes, Ma'm!" replied Sato excitedly.

T'Pol tapped the comm. button for the transporter. "Mr. Carpenter, we're about pass the 'Kirk', you will have exactly 7.2 seconds to lock onto the communicator signal Ensign Sato is relaying to your board and beam Captain Soma and Lt. Reed aboard before the 'Kirk's' warp drive explodes."

"Ma'am this system is barely together," replied Carpenter. "I'm not gonna be able to get a lock on their bio signatures."

"Then beam up anything in the target area," said T'Pol.

"Yes, Ma'm...I'll try."

T'Pol turned to Delgado. "Time?"

"Twenty Five seconds to warp core breach," replied the science officer.

"We'll be in transporter range in ten seconds commander," added Mayweather.

"Transporter room, stand by," said T'Pol.

The 'Enterprise' closed in on the 'Kirk' as the seconds counted down for warp core breach. If the core went when the 'Enterprise' was to close to the 'Kirk' the starship would never survive the explosion and she and her crew would be incinerated with the 'Kirk'.

"Approaching transporter range...." said Mayweather pausing.”Now!!"

"Transporter room, energize." ordered T'Pol.

As the ‘Enterprise’ passed the ‘Kirk’, the bridge crew collectively Held there breathe as they waited for what seemed an eternity but was in fact, five seconds.

"I got them both!"

With a small sigh of relief, T’Pol turned to the science station. "Mr. Delgado?"

"Ten seconds Ma'm."

"Mr. Mayweather, distance from the 'Kirk'?" asked T'Pol.

"Four hundred kilometers." replied Mayweather.

It wasn't going to be enough T'Pol thought. They needed at least a thousand. Tapping the command chair comm. Button she issued a ship wide order. "All hands…brace for impact."

On the bridge of the ‘Kirk’, Silik sat in the command chair of his renegade starship. The last torpedo hit had taken out engineering. His weapons were offline and attitude control had given out. The crippled starship was listing at a forty five degree angle to port with no way to correct itself or maneuver.

***Warning, warp core breach in thirty seconds***

Silik stared at the view screen as he saw Archer’s ‘Enterprise’ approaching. He had originally ordered his comm. operator to jam the signal that was being detected from outside main engineering. Apparently someone from the ‘Enterprise’s’ boarding party had survived the destruction of the engine room and they were calling for help. Now, he was more than happy to let them call for help.

“Yes,” said Silik as blood trickled down the side of his mouth. ”Come rescue your shipmates…” He wretched violently as the internal wounds he received caused a spasm of pain in his chest.

Licking his lips he smiled. ”I may not have gotten you Archer…but I’ll have your ship.”

***Warning…warp core breach in fifteen seconds.***

As he heard the computer report, he clicked the view control on his armrest. The view screen crackled and the image changed to an aft view with the ‘Enterprise’ desperately racing away. “That’s it…try to run…but it's too late…it's much too late…”

Silik slumped down in the command chair as the final computer warning came over the speaker. The warp core would breach in ten seconds and true to the computer’s lack of feeling or emotion, counted down from ten to one for its inevitable destruction.

The ‘Kirk’s warp core breached causing a deadly matter/anti-matter reaction which instantly resulted in the entire ship exploding like a miniature sun. Waves of energy rippled across the nebulae as they spread out from the source. The ‘Enterprise’, now at eight hundred kilometers from the explosion was being overtaken by the faster waves of destructive energy the ‘Kirk’s’ explosion had sent out.

Within seconds the ‘Enterprise’ was struck by the destructive energy wave. The ship reacted violently, flipping aft end over at the wave tossed the helpless starship about, like a toy. Inside the ship, crewmembers were thrown as the ship’s normal attitude was suddenly removed. All around, the bridge crew heard the sound of circuits overloading and exploding, sending a rain of sparks and a cloud of acrid choking smoke throughout the bridge.

As the energy wave passed over the ‘Enterprise’, its force began to dissipate. The starship was still being buffeted but the jarring force was weakening. As the ship approached the trailing edge of the wave, the last remnants of the tidal forces dissipated and the battered starship was left floating with its bow down forty five degrees.

T'Pol steadied herself against the forward railing as she issued an order. "Ensign...*cough*..." she sputtered through the smoke filled bridge.”fire reaction control thrusters...adjust our attitude."

Mayweather pulled himself onto the front of the helm as he tried to reach for the thruster control panel. Fearing that he was about to slip of the helm, Mayweather pushed himself off the deck and over the console. This sent him sailing to the foot of the command chair where he promptly slid back down to the helm. Standing up, he leaned in the helm and placed his hand on the thruster control panel.

The bridge crew waited several seconds to see if the thrusters would still fire and right the ship. Once the familiar thrum, of the thruster assembly firing, was heard a collected sigh of relief was breathed.

Travis looked over at T'Pol and smiled weakly. "No problem Sub-Commander."

T'Pol raised her brow at him and then looked up as the ship's attitude began to adjust to normal. Once the bridge was no longer at a forty five degree angle, she let go of the hand rail and headed for the command chair.

"Mr. Wang, have all decks report in," ordered T'Pol. "Emergency teams to critical areas first."

"Yes, Ma'm."

"Transporter room," said T'Pol as she tapped the comm. button on the command chair. "Captain Soma, please report to the bridge."

"Sub-Commander..." replied the voice.”This is crewman Borke."

"Crewman, where is Captain Soma?" asked T'Pol. A sudden heightened alarm in her voice.

"Ma'm...Captain Soma...h-he was wounded on the other ship." Answered the transporter operator. "Mr. Reed and Mr. Carpenter are carrying him to sick bay right now. He didn’t look good."

Hearing these words, the color drained out of T'Pol's face and she Steadied herself as she he heard the transporter operator’s next words.

"Ma'm…I think he’s dying."

Continue to Part 25 (Chapter 49)

Return to Part 23 (Chapter 47)

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Four of you have made comments

The excitement continues to build. Is Captain Soma Trip and T'Pol's great great great grandson??? Parting will be complete sorrow.

Eh, I figure he has to die in order to preserve continuity with TNG. After all, Garrett was the Captain, not some hybrid who can't even act like a Vulcan.

Oh, the suspense! Archer's finally in the right time period, everyone's safe, but of course, now we have to kill the beloved Captain Soma.
Will he have time to tell Trip and T'Pol what he was going to, before they were so rudely interrupted?

Can't wait for the next chapter!

Oh this is excellent! All the action and I really *really* don't want Captain Soma to die, timeline or no timeline. Can't wait for the next part.. Ali D :~)