Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - 063 - Sacraments of Fire by David R. George Iii

Author:David R. George Iii
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Alien Contact, Action & Adventure, General, Science Fiction, Military, Fiction
ISBN: 9781476756332
Publisher: Pocket Books/Star Trek
Published: 2015-06-29T07:00:00+00:00

14

“Captain, long-range sensors are detecting energy discharges.” Lieutenant Commander Uteln crewed the tactical console on the raised aft section of the Robinson bridge. The Deltan spoke with an obvious sense of urgency.

Seated in the command chair, Captain Sisko despaired of what the report could mean. The ship had just arrived at the Federation border. Per Admiral Akaar’s orders, the president pro tem wanted the Robinson crew to respond to the possibility of Tzenkethi involvement in the assassination of President Bacco by making a show of force where the Coalition would observe it. That meant a patrol route clinging to the Federation border closest to Tzenkethi space.

Beside Sisko, sitting in the first officer’s position, Commander Anxo Rogeiro asked, “Is it weapons fire?” His thoughts echoed Sisko’s own concerns.

“It’s impossible to tell at this range,” Uteln said. Sisko heard the taps of the tactical officer’s fingertips on his panel. “It could be something like a mining operation, or even something naturally occurring.”

“Where is it located?” Rogeiro asked.

“Determining now,” Uteln said. “It’s on the other side of the border.”

Sisko exchanged a look with his first officer. “In Tzenkethi space?” Rogeiro asked.

“Negative,” Uteln said. “The discharges are in an unaligned region.”

“To us, it’s unaligned,” Sisko noted. “But who knows if the Tzenkethi have arbitrarily decided to annex another volume of space without informing anybody.” The Coalition had a long history of belligerence toward the Federation, as well as a propensity for suddenly declaring unclaimed, unexplored territory as their own.

“Commander Plante, are there any other Starfleet vessels in the region?” Rogeiro asked. At the operations console, Gwendolyn Plante worked her controls. Newly promoted to the rank of commander and the position of second officer, she had first served under the captain aboard U.S.S New York during the Borg Invasion.

“There are a number of smaller patrol vessels assigned along this portion of the border,” Plante said as she studied her display. “The Endurance and the Mjolnir are due within the next three days, but we’re the first heavy to arrive.”

“Which patrol vessel is closest to the energy discharges?” Sisko asked.

“Tying the long-range sensors into the assignments database,” Plante said, her hands moving expertly across the ops controls. “It looks like it should be the Argus. It’s a Vigilant-class scout.”

“Hail them,” Sisko ordered.

Several chirps rose from the tactical console. “Channel open, sir,” said Uteln.

Sisko stood up and stepped to the center of the bridge. “Robinson to Argus,” he said. “This is Captain Benjamin Sisko. We’ve arrived at the Federation border and have detected energy surges near your position. Please provide a status.” He waited, and when he got no response, he said, “Robinson to Argus. Please reply.” Again, he heard nothing but silence.

“There’s no response, sir,” Uteln said. “I can’t tell whether or not they’re receiving our transmission, and I can’t pick up the ship on sensors. There could be interference from the energy discharges.”

“Keep trying to raise them,” Sisko told Uteln, and then he looked to his first officer. “What do you think?” he asked, though the captain knew that Rogeiro would share whatever opinion he’d formed.

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