Star Trek: Blade of Fear
Part I
Kurin slammed a fighting stick onto his opponent's in combat. The impact met unto accuracy. Both combatents had been battling for at least two hours on the Holodeck, until Morkren leaped up over Kurin and whacked his weapon accross Kurin's face and chest.
The younger opponent was sent back and the computer had called a victory for the fighting master.
"Ugh!" Kurin hit the ground hard, letting go of his weapon.
Morken, an older man with a lifetime full of experience, walked over and offered his hand, "You need some work, Kurin."
"It hasn't been easy," Kurin said as he was helped to his feet. "The Captain has got us researching the Na'khul as much as possible lately. But there's practically nothing in the database on them."
The old man nodded, "Do not say I didn't warn you."
"Yeah, yeah," Kurin replied, "I know, you came highly recommended by Lieutenant Commander Rune. His training methods may be unorthidox, but they are interesting. It's just starting to seem like he's expecting to bring us on a dangerous mission or something."
Both men stood within an ancient room setting, built out of wood and paper doors - a simulation created by the Holodeck computers. "That's enough," Morken interrupted. "Irritation clouds the mind."
Kurin nodded and they both left the Holodeck. For the past month or so, a group of chosen Officer's on the refitted U.S.S. Bozeman had been training in combat skills. Security Officer Rune was a student of martial arts, and since being chosen to create his own Away Team, he had decided to involve officer's with the slightest hint of identical interest. Ensign Kurin was one of these people.
"How are they coming along?" Rune asked, in the Briefing Room.
Morken leaned against his cane as he stared out the window in awe of the stars, "Everyone's progress has been exemplary."
"Good," Rune nodded as he walked over next to the old man. "Because I'm afriad we've run out of time."
Just then, the alert lights on the walls of the Briefing Room began flashing red. Out the window the two of them could see an appearing Alien Ship. It seemed to arrive in a hazy confusion of corrupted space.
"Hail them!" Captain Bateson yelled all but too late.
The distorted area of space had been tearing apart for the last two months. They knew the visitors would be coming in the next few days. It was just unfortunate that back-up wasn't scheduled to arrive until tomorrow, too late.
"There's no response!" Rune called back as a large torpedo had impacted the ship. Rune wasn't as familliar with the vessel, since he was merely a temporary replacement for the other Tactical Officer who was on another assignment. But there was nothing that could defend futuristic weaponry such as this.
The Bozeman returned fire, without wait. Torpedo after torpedo slammed against the Na'khul shields, causing minimal damage. Fortunately, such a defense had been anticipated, and one of the torpedo's had been modified. When the Bozeman fired it, an opening was torn in the shielding for just a moment.
"Rune, gather the Away Team and beam over immediately," the Captain ordered. "It looks like our theories were right."
The months-long distortion had left enough clues for any intelligent Federation Starship to figure out what was coming. Although nothing could have readied them for what was onboard.
The Away Team re-materialized onto the Na'Khul Starship Gohent. The Humans were ready and fully equipped. One Officer had begun scanning the ship with a tricorder and leading the Team down the hallway. They were in search of a way to destroy the ship.
Na'Khul, Ensign Kurin thought, According to the database, they were a time-travelling species with a possible vendetta against the Federation. Nothing more was mentioned. How they knew about them, or what other encounters there had been in the past. Nothing. More research into the Na'khul is underway. That's all else the database had said.
"So a species with from the future, who hate us, are attacking in the past," Kurin said to himself as he ran down the corridor. "How we even stand a chance, I don't know."