SEASON 2: EPISODE 08

SEMPER FIDELIS: Part Six

  Later on Colonel Tiki asked for a status report from Lieutenant Stark.

  “This ship is in good shape,” said Stark.  “We are still trying to figure out a number of systems such as the faster then light drive but we managed to find several dead languages that have some similarities to the language used on the ship, so we can now understand certain things.  The Guardian has not been of much help.”

  “Yes, the Guardian.  Did you perform the tasks I set for you?”

  “Yes and I have to say we still don’t understand it,” sighed Stark.  “The Guardian is able to appear simultaneously in different areas, but still be one entity.  He isn’t software only, but appears to be a mix of software and hardware.  It is an independent system from any other on the ship but so tightly tied to every system that I doubt it could be removed from the ship.”

  “Did you try disrupting it?”

  “Yes, the Guardian was present in engineering the entire time watching us and asking questions.  I tried various things.  I cut power to a section where an instance of the guardian was interacting with Marines but the Guardian there did not disappear, meaning it has its own independent power source…I couldn’t detect it and as far as I could tell there was no power flowing into the area.  I then tried to shut down the computer cores.  I informed the Guardian in engineering that I was going to do it, just to see its reaction, it was fine with it.  So I shut off the entire computer core as I understand it and the Guardian didn’t even flicker.  I know it said it would not let us interfere with its running, but so far I don’t see how it is possible for us to do that.  I’ve tried everything I know and the Guardian just keeps running.  If I didn’t know any better I’d say it was a ghost.”

  Tiki mulled this information over.  “Maybe the Guardian isn’t an AI, but is in fact an energy being, like the Q.”

  “It is possible, why a being like that would pretend to be a hologram I don’t know.  Plus if it is pretending it is going to a lot of effort.  This ship is covered with holoemitters, very small and very advanced emitters so it appears to have been designed to allow holographic beings to move about the ship.”

  “Maybe this ship’s crew was all holographic.  That would explain why their systems are so independent of all the other systems, to stop a main power problem from adversely affecting them.”

  “From the layout I have, this ship was meant to carry biological beings.  We have crew quarters, meeting areas, dinning areas, the works, just like a normal vessel.”

  “If they are sentient holograms maybe they live like biological beings they replicate.”

  “Sentience and intelligence in non-biological entities is not in my area of expertise, sir.  I just think the Guardian is an incredible advanced AI system.  The most advanced systems we have are the EMH and the android on the Enterprise, Data.  Compared to the Guardian these systems are cavemen.  R&D will love to have a look at this, though I think it would take decades for them to get anything useful out of this given how much more advanced it is compared to what we are use to.  You compared it to energy beings before, that might be a good comparison.  My theory is that the Guardian is an artificial energy being.  Its hardware and software is basically built into a type of energy that can roam the ship, interact with its systems and other systems.”

  “So we’re stuck with the Guardian.  How about getting this ship off the ground?”

  “The good news is I think we can.  The engines all…”

  “Colonel, this is Yel’tar.  We’ve spotted the Jem’Hadar that were following you.  A number just unshrouded near our position.  By the looks of it they’ve figured out that we didn’t keep going towards the waiting Jem’Hadar at the bottom.  They are…shit!”

  The sound of weapons’ fire rang through Tiki’s ears.

  “Yel’tar report!”

  “They spotted us!  They have really good eyes!  Taking fire from the path!”

  The thump, thump of a Type-3 phaser rifle joined the noise.

  “Pull back to the cave you two.  The Jem’Hadar will try to outflank you.”

  “Retreating in a hurry, sir!”

  “Tiki to Pythina,” radioed Tiki.  Captain Pythina had remained in the control centre with a squad just in case of this eventuality.

  “Pythina here.  I think I can hear weapons’ fire from outside.”

  “The Jem’Hadar have found us.  You should have two snipers returning very soon.  Expect Jem’Hadar followers.”

  “Taking position, sir.”

  “Stark, can you fly this thing?”

  Stark looked unsure.  “The ship is all powered.  I think we have enough understanding of the language to figure out the helm console.”

  “That’s good enough.  Let’s get to the bridge!”

  Captain Pythina arrayed his forward squad half way up the first section of the long corridor.  Pythina was a male Acamarian, the major feature of his species was a formed indention on their foreheads.  Pythina also had facial tattoos, which were once very popular on this homeworld.  The tattoos were the primarily related to clan identification but once the clans had united it started to lose favour.  The last people to really practice it were the Gatherers, an offshoot that had left the homeworld over a century ago to live a nomadic live in space and had only rejoined the mainstream less then a decade ago.  When Pythina had left his homeworld he had got the tattoos to remind him of where he came from.

  There were few Acamarians in Starfleet but the bulk of them joined the Marines or Ground forces.  It was because of the clan like mentality of these organisations, it appealed to the Acamarians.  The unit was their new clan and they would fight and die for it.

  Though the entrance came a sprinting Yel’tar.  The Andorian only had his type-2 phaser in hand.  The sniper rifle was not a fantastic close range weapon and the sniper had gone to his sidearm and put the other weapon in his transporter buffer.  They could hear the thump of weapons fire much closer now as Private Spearitt came into view.  The smaller human female had her rifle to her shoulder and she fired two quick burst before running after Yel’tar.

  “They are right behind us!” yelled Spearitt.

  Given the length of the corridor there was little chance of the two snipers getting to cover before the Jem’Hadar entered.  This meant Pythina had to deploy Marines further up behind some makeshift cover.  These Marines would cover the two snipers as they retreated.  The Jem’Hadar did not disappoint they entered the corridor with no fear, firing as they came.

  The Marines fired back and thanks to the long straight corridor the Jem’Hadar fell.  The Jem’Hadar continued to pour through, using the bodies of the fallen for cover.

  “Fall back beyond the door,” ordered Pythina.

  The corridor was broken into four sections by three doors, unfortunately the doors just opened when you approached and they could not figure out how to keep them open or closed.  So once they were through the door it would close if there was nobody close by and then open again once the Jem’Hadar were close enough to make it open.  Between the doors was one makeshift defensive position for a few Marines to hold and at the Marines side of the doors was some cover so that the Marines could fall back to these position and not have to travel so far without cover.  The corridor was starting to fill with smoke from energy weapon impacts.  The forward three Marines retreated under the cover of three Marines at the first door.  Despite the losses the Jem’Hadar were advancing.

  Once the front Marines had fallen back the Marines at the door started their quick retreat.  The door between the sections closed and the firing stopped.  This gave the Marines a small amount of time to prepare.  The front Marines moved to the back as the Marines who were at the door prepared for the Jem’Hadar to open it again.

  Captain Pythina helped carry a wounded Marine into the control room.  The squad had taken casualties in its defence of the corridor, but had slowed the Jem’Hadar down.  Now the last of his Marines were about to retreat to the hanger.  As the last Marine entered the control room Pythina hurled a grenade down the corridor.  The last four Marines got into the lift as the grenade exploded.  The lift took them to the ground level of the hanger and they joined the rest of his waiting squad.

  “Get to the ship!” he ordered.  “I have one last present for the Jem’Hadar.”

  Pythina grabbed three grenades and threw them into the lift as the door shut.  There was a muffled explosion in the lift, which he hoped would mean that the Jem’Hadar could not follow them down.

  There was a loud crash as the Jem’Hadar shattered the windows in the above control centre.  The Marines hurried towards the ship as the Jem’Hadar fired at them from above.  Marines at the ship’s entrance fired back at the Jem’Hadar, but the Jem’Hadar had the superior position.  The path to the ship was now cut off for Pythina and the last of his men.

  “Sir, the captain and the last of the Marines are cut off from reaching the ship!”

  Colonel Tiki could see the battle from the bridge viewports.  “Stark, can you use the ship’s guns to clear that control centre out for the Marines?”

  Stark was at the helm control still grappling with figuring out how to fly the ship.  He moved to another console and ran his tricorder over it.

  “I can fire the main weapon on the top of the hull,” said Stark.

  The Guardian, who had been quietly observing spoke up.  “That would not be a good idea.  The blast would most likely result in the death of those you are trying to save.”

  “Okay, not going to fire that then,” said Stark.  He continued scanning.  “I think this should control the smaller turret in front of the main cannon.  Now this should be its targeting.”

  Tiki watched out the viewport at the smaller turret at the front of the vessel, which was nearly eclipsed by the larger weapon at the centre of the ship.  The turret started to swivel around in circles.  The turret then adjusted itself until it was pointed at the control centre.

  “This should fire it.”

  The weapon fired.  Its twin barrels that fired out a number of red bolts in quick succession that slammed into the control centre.  The weapon fired for only two seconds but when it finished it had obliterated the control centre.  Shrapnel from the explosion rained down in the hanger.  Tiki was impressed by the destructive power of the weapons

  “You should be clear now, captain.”

  “Thank you, colonel.  That was a hell of a light show.”

  “You’re welcome, captain.  Now get those men onboard.”

  As the last of the Marines boarded there was a shudder through the ship.

  “What was that, Lieutenant?”

  “Nothing that I did!” assured Stark.  “The engines are still on standby.”

  “I believe that the vibration we felt was the facility shaking,” stated the Guardian.

  Tiki didn’t understand what could make the entire facility shake, and then it dawned on him as he felt a second shudder.  “Stark, we need to get out of here soon.  The Jem’Hadar are shelling the mountain.  If they breach the roof we could have millions of tonnes of rock fall on us!”

  “I’m working as fast as I can, sir!  If this was in space I’d be okay, but I have to try to figure out how to defeat gravity here.”

  Tiki turned to the Guardian.  “You have to help us!”

  “Colonel Tiki, I have already stated that I am here to ob…”

  “I’m sick of that crap!” yelled Tiki angrily.  He had seen his troops, his friends die and being injured today and he was not going to let a heartless machine kill the rest of them.  “How about self preservation?  If you don’t help us you could be destroyed and how will you “observe” if you’re destroyed?  What about the invaders and the crusade?  Your function is to protect this ship from the invaders so it can be used to fight them…you would be failing to protect the ship if you let it get destroyed now!”

  The Guardian’s expression showed that it did not like been talked to in this manner or having its duty and function questioned by Tiki. 

  “Is it really my self preservation that concerns you?” asked the Guardian.

  “NO!  It’s the self preservation of me and my Marines that really concerns me.  But I need you to help me, to help us!  Our lives are in your hands!”

  It looked away as if to assess its position and Tiki feared that he had failed and the Guardian would let them all die.  The ship shuddered again, but this time it did not subside.

  Tiki turned to Stark but before he could ask Stark was answering, “The engines are powering up.  I think the anti-gravity system is what is causing the shaking.  I’m not doing any of this.”

  Tiki turned back to the Guardian.  “Thank you.”

  The Guardian was slow to face Tiki.  “The self preservation of an entity does not need gratitude from another.  Now, I must concentrate.  I have not done this in a long time.”

  The ship started to visibly lift.

  “What about getting out of here?” asked Stark.

  The Guardian was again slow to reply.  “The process will cause a significant shift in the mountain, causing what you would call a landslide.  It will be devastating to the surrounding area below the mountain face.  It will also be necessary to use one of the heavy turrets to blast a part of the mountain away.”

  After a few minutes of silent hovering Tiki noticed that the roof was starting to open.  Dust rained from above.  Small then larger rocks also fell from above.  The main turret on the upper hull had its guns traverse until they were pointing up.  More and more rocks fell onto the ship as the doors opened wider.  On the bridge some of the impacts of the larger boulders could easily be heard and some were even large enough to leave dents in the hull.  Finally the guns fired.  The triple gun turret fired a pair of yellow energy blasts that streaked upwards into the rock above.  Another shot followed and outside the ship was blackened as smoke and dust thickened the air.

  To the Jem’Hadar who were shelling the mountain it was as if the mountain just fell apart.  An entire face just started to collapse; luckily for them it would not send any significant debris their way.  Once this had happened a small section then seemed to fall inside itself as if the mountain was hollow.  Then it spectacularly exploded outwards.  This series of events made no sense to the Jem’Hadar.

  They had only just come into contact with another unit, who were meant to be on the other side of the mountain hunting allied units.  This unit had been hunting after Federation soldiers in the hills and had found them close by.  They then attacked the Federation soldiers but after a while they had requested that the Jem’Hadar shell the position they were fighting.  The only reason was that the Federation soldiers must have retreated into a cave complex and the Jem’Hadar were not having any success in assaulting the cave, so they wanted the artillery to cause it to collapse on the Federation soldiers.

  The entire situation was still not very clear.  To avoid been found the Jem’Hadar communicated sparsely and when they did it was always very short.  Not that it really mattered.  All they needed to know was that the enemy was close and that they could assist in destroying them.

  A cloud of dust sat off the mountain and out of the cloud appeared a strange looking ship.  The Jem’Hadar First did not recognise it, but it was not a Dominion or Cardassian vessel so there was only one option.  The artillery fired on the ship.  The vessel was moving slowly, ascending away from the mountain, making it an easy target.

  The First used a pair of binoculars to get a closer look at the ship.  He saw as the artillery fire impacted against the ship.  The ship did not appear to have deployed its shields, but it didn’t seem to matter as the artillery rounds did not appear to make any significant penetration of the ship’s hull.  On the bottom of the ship he saw a large  turreted weapon.  It was moving.  The First had never seen a ship like it before nor had he been briefed on any power in the Alpha Quadrant using such vessels with these armaments.  The turret appeared to aim at him.  He saw a short flash from the turrets.  He lowered his binoculars and watched the lights race towards them.

  The forest exploded into fire when the blast hit.  There was little chance that any of the Jem’Hadar would survive.  The ship continued to ascend.

  “I believe that the orbiting vessels are trying to contact us,” said the Guardian.  “I can state that they are definitely targeting this ship.”

  “Can you open a channel to the ships?”

  “Of course.  You may speak.”

  “This is Colonel Tiki to orbiting ships.  DO NOT FIRE!  I repeat, DO NOT FIRE!  We are Federation Marines and are attempting to reach orbit.”

  “This is the USS Galaxy to unidentified vessel.  You will power down your shields and weapons immediately, if you do not you will be fired upon.  You are to follow the course that is been transmitted.  If you deviate from this course, you will be fired upon.  This is your only warning.”

  “Can you do what they ask?” asked Tiki.

  “I have powered down all offensive and defensive systems.  I will follow the course they have laid out to me.”

  The ship silently entered orbit of the planet.  No one spoke as it did.  The Marines were all nervous of been killed by their own side and had to rely on the Guardian to keep them alive.  As they entered the darkness of space they can see the friendly sight of allied starships.

  “Unidentified vessel.  You will come to a stop and you will power down your engines.  You will be boarded, if you resist you will be fired upon.  You do not need to reply to this hail.  Your next actions will speak for you.”

  Tiki looked out to see five ships arrayed before him.  Two Vor’cha class attack cruisers, an Excelsior, two Steamrunners and a Sabre all with weapons aimed at the ship.  Then there would be the vessels to the side and behind that he could not see.  The allied space forces were not taking any chances.

  “All Marines place your weapons on the ground, we don’t want any misunderstanding,” ordered Tiki over the Marines communication channel.

  A minute later there was the familiar whirring sound of teleporters as the boarding party arrived.  A dozen Security personnel materialised on the bridge, all with weapons raised.

  “Who is in command?” asked the ranking officer.

  “I am.  Colonel David Tiki of the Starfleet Marine Corps.”

  “Check them,” ordered the Security officer.

  Three Security personnel cautiously approached the Marines and checked them to see if they were changelings.

  “What is that?” asked one of the Security officers.

  “It’s the Guardian.  The ship’s AI, it controls the vessel.”

  “Turn it off.”

  Tiki laughed.  “We can’t, we don’t know how.  Plus its part of the entire system so if it did disappear it would still be in control of the ship, it would just mean we couldn’t see him.”

  The security personnel did not know how to deal with this.  “You Marines will be transported to secure facilities on the surrounding ships.  I’ll let someone from engineering deal with the AI.”

  “Good luck,” said Tiki.  “I guess this is goodbye, Guardian.”

  “It appears so.  What will happen to me?”

  Tiki shrugged.  “Best guess would be that once they realise you aren’t a threat and that they can’t get rid of you, you and this ship will be moved to a secure Federation facility for study by people a lot smarter then I.  So while you are free from that mountain you’ll probably be stuck inside a Federation facility with just as much freedom.”

  “At least I will have the chance to interact with more biological beings.”

  “I’m sure you’ll enjoy that.  Thank you for saving our lives, self preservation or not.”

  “From what I have gleamed from your files I think I would have preferred been in Federation hands then Jem’Hadar hands,” said the Guardian.  It gave Tiki a slight smile that suggested playfulness.  Tiki wondered if the Guardian had planned to help them all along, it had just wanted to observe while it had the chance.  Before Tiki could ask the soothing tingle of been transporting washed over him and he left the strange hologram behind.