Story Star Trek: Bable Maze (collaborative short story)

By: earlybird-obi-wan & WarmNyota

Characters: Established & Original Characters

Summary: A mission to Babel goes awry.

---

Prologue

Stardate 2269.04.30 Captains log.
Lieutenant Uhura is fully recovered from her injury. Trugo will be joining the Federation.
Boris Taville has ended the negotiations and has given his report. During the briefing we got a message to take Taville to Babel.

~

"Of all the assignments," McCoy commented when he heard. "Can Taville even be up to the negotiating tangle over mining and sector boundaries?"

Uhura, newly returned to her station, grinned. "At least we don't have unpredictable and oddball fanatics to deal with this go-round."


~

“We are moving again,” Nick swept into the Doctor's office with a mug of coffee. “I saw Trugo getting smaller and disappearing when we went into warp when I was ordering my lunch.”

“We are,” McCoy grumped. “And will I enjoy our destination this time? I doubt it.”

“What’s so horrible about the destination?”

“It’s Babel. No negotiations ever come to success on that world. It's legendary for dead ends."

“I know a bit about Babel,” Nick began to sip from his coffee. “I heard all kinds of things from Jacob Numa in the rec lounge. He told me Tellarites and Andorians and even Ferengi join in! It's little wonder things go nowhere in no time!"

"Numa had all of you totally engrossed. A thermal detonator could've gone off and you wouldn't have blinked," McCoy said with a laugh.

“He was beginning with Spock getting injured on a primitive planet with advanced weaponry when you came.”

“We were lucky to have M’Benga on our team,” Christine mused. “Uhura was quite upset when Spock was here. And now Babel again, I hope nothing goes wrong.”

“Many things could go wrong,” McCoy muttered. “The landing party will go to Babel in support of diplomat Taville.”

“Mister Yellow guinea pig hair,” Nick placed his mug on the desk. “He is a clone of a famous figure from earth’s past. I have heard all about him from Jacob.”

“You and your history fascination,” McCoy stood up. “We have patients to visit. Come along and no…”

“Scrub-room mayhem,” Christine followed the men.

+++

tbc

 

fun beginning

 

One

Kirk briefed them on the mission parameters, a mining dispute.

"Disputed is a boundary between the Ferengi, Federation and Skaaran territory and mining of the asteroid belt around a class F-star with no inhabitable planets." The communique read.

"Do you feel up to this, Lieutenant?" He asked Uhura.

She smiled and answered, "I'm positive. This seems more straightforward than Trugo turned out to be, even factoring in the Ferengi."

"Very good, then. Any opinions on the host?"

"We've never dealt with this Dlumin Aryroda before, but ostensibly he has no reason to sabotage the proceedings," Spock commented.

"Inform Mr. Taville that we have arrived, then, please?" Jim directed Nyota.

She complied.

The Captain contacted Crisson about the security detail needed and receives an acknowledgement.

~

“Aye, sir,” Kyle Crisson activated his communicator “a full security-detail in formal gear. I will come after briefing to the transporter room.” With that order confirmed he walked into the ready-room of the ‘red-shirts’ as they were called by most of the crew. No one was present but pressing a few indicators on the duty-board had five red-shirts coming in.

Jerry Mackis was sweating. He had just completed the obstacle run with James Alberts, sporting even more sweat.

“What’s up?” Barry Carole, chicken-breast sub in his hands, came in.

“Stan and Dwayn,” Kyle turned to see two more coming in “now we are complete. Guys we have a ‘diplomatic’ mission. Full ceremonial gear and hand-phasers and…”

“Diplomatic gives me the creeps,” Jerry whispered in James’s ear.

Kyle continued. “We are currently in orbit around Babel and some of you know what happened last time we were on our way towards that planetoid.”

“We all know,” Dwayn saw confirming nods. “Who are in the ‘diplomatic’ party this time?”

“Boris Taville,” Kyle answered. “And…”

“Ah, that guy,” James began to smile. “Mister Yellow guinea pig hair will give us all the heebie-jeebies.”

“The captain, Spock and Uhura,” Kyle continued “and Dwayn, you will lead the team. Get ready and report to me in the transporter-room in one hour.”

~

In the Transporter Room, the Security Team were readying for departure.

“At ease, guys,” Kyle ordered in a formal tone and continued with a smile and speaking softly “you know the captain. Take care of him. He is known for rushing head-first into any situation.”

“Sure, but we have Spock and Uhura,” Dwayn said.

“And Taville,” James Alberts whispered. “He is outranking our captain in every way. He uses warpspeed to get what he wants.”

“That’s scary,” Stan Frain remarked.

Dwayn and his four redshirts were in full ceremonial dress waiting for the captain.

He and his party arrived with some discussions between Spock and Uhura about the different coordinates received from the Babel host, Dlumin Aryroda.

"What reason would he have to give conflicting coordinates? Was it a mistake?" She was saying.

"What motive would he have to give two different coordinates? If it delays the process, it is to no one's advantage."

She sighed. "Was it too much to expect or think things would remain uncomplicated?"

They had, naturally, picked the mostly likely of the two, figuring the other spurious.

“Did you receive the coordinates, Ensign Rand?”

“I did, sir, and you can go any time you like,” Ensign Rand answered.

“Let’s hurry,” Taville stepped upon one of the disks.

“Get ready,” Dwayn followed with his red-shirts.

~


The landing party materialized in a cave.

“Five exits,” Spock observed.

“Now, which one to choose?” Taville walked, impatiently waving with his hands. “I have a schedule to meet.”

The Captain decided with his usual alacrity: "Let's go for the second one."

Four shimmering columns materialize into Ferengi
“Hummans, I smell humans,” Qeexer, one of the Ferengi, turns his head swiftly this and that way.

His companions give chortles of malicious mirth and they selected the 3rd exit.

“We take this Qeexer,” Cruxai ruan to one of the exits. “No human smell but something real nice.”

“And no male Vulcans either,” Jillintor grumbled with disgust when he passed Spock.

“But the female Vulcans can give you,” Cruxai turned before being pushed by Qeexer and Jillintor into the tunnel.

“I know what T’Pol did to one Ferengi,” Stan snickered.

“You sure know your history,” James nodded. “Lieutenant Numa and his entertaining tales are the cause?”

“Yesterday, he was telling about the Enterprise being invaded by Ferengi and…”

“Attention detail.” Dwayn heard the Ferengi’s fading footsteps and saw Taville giving Kirk a push towards one of the tunnels.

“Ah, your choice,” Kirk said. “We take this tunnel.”

“I have a bad feeling about this,” Dwayn is the last to enter the tunnel.


++

tbc

 

Two

Jim and his group suddenly emerged in a verdant area, with trees leading down to a sunken garden with fountains and a building with fluted columns.

"How gorgeous!" Uhura exclaimed. "If this was where we were supposed to meet, why didn't they give us these coordinates to begin with?"

Taville pondered, "The entire experience with the maze ... was it a test of some kind?"

"There seems little point, if any, in subjecting us to a test the goal of which is undisclosed," Spock rejoined, and the Captain nodded with a scowl.

"I don't like being trifled with," he said, "Now that we're where we need to be, I plan to tell this Aryroda gentleman so."

"And I don't like the idea of even an unintentional miscommunication," Uhura added.

~

Zzzzinggg!

About to enter the tunnel after his detail and the captain, Spock, Uhura and Taville, Dwayn turned his head.

Flashes of green light gave the tunnel an eery feeling.

Zzzingg, ziing!

Dwayn whispered in his mouthpiece “ambush” and dropped down on one knee.

“We are with you, sir,” Barry slid next to him on the rocky ground. "Looks like your bad feeling was justified."

“Such things usually are, unfortunately."

Dwayn had his detail with him, phasers out and holding.

Flashes of red light now filled the confined space.

Fsssing. Dwayn fired his phaser, followed by four more.

A fireshow of red, green and blue set the tunnel alight.

“Ootnumm. Berggger.”

“That’s Skaaran,” Jerry said with a loud voice.

Dwayn continued even more loudly, “we are Feds. We are going to see Dlumin Aryroda.”

[“Aia ia Oui OOAA”.] “Want to see you! Coming.” The last words came from nearby.

“Love that universal translator,” Stan grinned. “They are not the hostiles I think.”

“No, they are not,” Dwayn said. “There were three different weapons. I am glad that these uniforms have a bodycam.”

“Lieutenant Crisson's idea when he ordered ceremonial uniforms,” James said. "There, that must be a Skaaran.”

A green-skinned humanoid with ridges on his head came into the tunnel. “Ahihoo pinkskin, I am sub-commander Aiaanan.” The man – dressed in a militairy looking outfit – saluted and was followed by three of his companions.

“Ensign Dwayn Bradley and my detail,” Dwayn said. “I suppose you are not the ones beginning this fight.”

“Ensssig Dwaaaayn Bwaadeeey, we didn’t begin,” Aiaanan said. “We have been searching for our leaders for the past four hours when we saw that red flash. We took cover and began to fire in that direction.”

“Ours, and we replied,” Dwayn nodded. “There must be a third party using red crystals in their phasers. I can show you.” He took the bodycam from his uniform and pushed play.

“Definitely,” Aiaanan said. “Ferengi use yellow phasers. I have heard of pirates using red ones.”

“The Ferengi arrived at the same time as we,” Dwayn said. “And now we have some searching to continue. We have lost our leaders too after they entered that tunnel.”

“That’s the only tunnel we haven’t been in,” Aiaanan said. “Lead the way Ensssig Dwaaaayn Bwaadeeey.”

“Just call me Dwayn,” Dwayn began to walk into the tunnel indicated by Aiaanan.

“Ah, that’s the way they disappeared,” Stan indicated a different coloured patch on the ground and stepped on it after testing it with his left foot. He began to slide down.

“Let’s follow, Stan,” Dwayn pointed to the patch. “This must be their front-door. The first set of coordinates must have landed us smack in the middle of where we were supposed to be in the first place. But we took the entertaining way. Let’s go.” He stepped on the patch and was followed by his detail and the Skaaran party.

~

The Captain's party had made their way to one of the ornate buildings, lavishly decorated and elegant.

"It was interesting that we had to wander through that complicated maze. Then we found that access slideway," the Captain observed. "We wound up where we needed to go."

"Coincidentally, where the first coordinates indicated," Spock added.

"Makes me wish we'd taken those first, although that just means we would've run into those pirates all the sooner."

Their hosts were there, but before they could offer so much as a question or a civil greeting, chaos broke out. A whole barrage of multi-colored phaser-fire erupted.

"Who are these goons?" Taville asked.

Ferengi, Skaarans, (this latter Uhura recognized from their physiogomy) and another group were skipping the ask-questions stage.

"Hey!" the Captain exclaimed. "This is no way to negotiate!"

Uhura swiftly spoke to the Skaarans in their language, and the firing stopped from that quarter.

The Ferengi realized who had initiated the fire-fight and focused all their attention on the pirates, whoever they were. Uhura didn't recognize their species.

All that was fortuitous except that a particle-slug from one of the pirates managed to injure the Captain who uttered a muffled yelp.

Spock and Taville were at his side immediately.

"Ouch!" Taville said. "That looks serious!"

"I believe your leg is broken," Spock said. "Don't try to stand."

Jim scowled in intense discomfort. "Don't worry."

~

“This was great, and now we are in need of a shower,” Dwayn stood up and began to dust his uniform. It was covered in sand and small leaves and branches.

“That must be where our leaders went,” Aiaanan indicated a building. “We might need the camouflage Dwaaayn.”

SSSiiing!

“That’s coming from that building,” Dwayn stopped his dusting immediately and dove into the high grass. More leaves and dust on his uniform was the result but he didn’t mind when he began to crawl towards the building. He didn’t have to look back because he knew that his detail was following in the same way. Reaching the terrace of the building he used chairs and tables and various arangements with potted plants to get near his goal, an open window. And looking over his shoulder he saw the Skaarans copying them, keeping low and headed towards another open window. No more phaser-firing was heard.

Only some soft moaning.

“Surrender.”

Protected by one of the fluted columns and the verdant foliage, Dwayn peeked over the windowsill. There they were, his party, Spock and Uhura close together and in front of diplomat Taville who was holding his hands in the air and the captain crumbled on the carpet. Four Skaarans were standing hands in the air and four Ferengi were loudly talking in their language and moving feet and hands this and that way.

The Babel-hosts were sitting undisturbed at a big round table. And presiding this were four Nausicaan men pointing phaser-guns at the parties.

“Only four pirates,” Dwayn slid down and indicated where the pirates were standing. “Stan four, Jerry three, Aiaanan two and one. Phasers on stun. Wait for my signal.”

“OK, Dwaaayn,” Aiaanan gave whispered instructions to his three guards.

Dwayn rose. “NOW!” and began to fire his phaser and saw – jumping over the windowsill – that the four pirates went down like four logs. He sprinted towards the captain and saw immediately the left leg bent in an unnatural angle with trousers colouring red. “Sir, you need some help, I presume?”

“I do,” Kirk muttered. “McCoy and his cronies will have a party with that.”

“I offer my help captain,” Spock bent down.

“Detail, stay with Uhura and Taville,” Dwayn ordered. “I will go back with the captain and Spock.”

“You only need to go to the dining-hall to contact your ship,” a green skinned host pointed into a direction.

“Let’s go,” Dwayn supported his captain.


++

 

Note: Posting these next together because 4 follows on the heels of 3.
Three

“Spock here. Transport immediately. Kirk, Bradley and me. Emergency.”

“Aye, sir,” Rand began to move the levers.

Kirk, Dwayn, and Spock were soon onboard.

“Dwayn,” Kyle saw immediately that his assistance was very welcome and jumped onto the transporter pad. “Let me take him. You can follow us and tell me what has happened.”

“Aye, sir,” Dwayn waited for Kyle to take the captain’s left arm and followed the three-some towards the turbolift.

McCoy saw the doors of medbay sliding open. He took two steps and was in front of his office. “And who is there in need of his gentle country doctor?” he drawled in his most southern accent. “Nick, get scrubbing on the double. You have a patient needing your sleeping medicines and Christine, get a stretcher. Jim has done it again, getting into his usual trouble.”

“Bones, I am--” Kirk began when he saw more medics coming to him.

“You are here to stay,” McCoy pointed at the stretcher.

~

Spock, Dwayn, and Kyle discussed the ramifications of the pirate attack on the continued negotiations as well as the final outcome.

"The pirates apparently were mercs hired by a third party to sabotage the negotiations so that all parties would either be eliminated or pull out, leaving the field wide open." Kyle said.

"Well, thanks to our superb Security team, their plan was foiled!" Dwayn said with understandable professional pride.

"Any tangible proof we can present to the Babel hosts will ensure that they maintain a high level of vigilance." Spock put in.

~

Nick – behind his green sheet – saw McCoy dropping the extracted particle-slug on a tray.

“I will have Kyle take a look at that.”

“Sure, Nick,” McCoy reached for the auto-suture. “Spock will need a detailed report to give to our diplomat about the shooting. You can take it to him as soon as you have our patient in the IC. And no scrubroom mayhem, Nick. You will have to hurry. Spock doesn’t like to wait seperated from Uhura as he is now.”

“He is waiting outside?” Nick inquired.

“Yes,” Christine replied “I have seen Spock, Kyle and Dwayn taking a seat in the office.”

“Three men eager to know what has happened to our medical disaster,” McCoy grinned. “Splint and he is ready for a nice stay.”

Nick had – with Christine and Tinco helping him – guided the captain towards the IC where two nurses took over. He walked back through the OT and took the tray with the particle-slug, and exiting the OT he saw the threesome. He headed to them and presented it to Crisson. “Kyle, this was a nasty piece.”

“Certainly is,” Kyle began and began to report in great detail to Dwayn and Spock. The latter was using a tricorder.

Nick was adding his comments about the nature of the projectile and what it implied about the level of technical sophistication of the pirate civilization.

“I will send it to Uhura,” Spock left the medbay.

“And now some relaxing fun,” Nick headed towards the changing-room.

++

Four

Spock contacted Taville and Uhura, concisely told them of the successful surgery and had the slug sent to the Babel-host.

"Aryroda will want to have this analyzed and presented at the judicial hearing for the pirates." Uhura said with satisfaction.

Uhura and Taville resumed the negotiations, which went a lot smoother now that the pirates were out of the way.

A 3-way split was finally agreed upon.

Taville and Uhura then relaxed in the dining hall with Dlumin's party enjoying a pink fizzy drink and crispy, lightly salted appetizers.

"I am pleased everything smoothed out after such a rough beginning," Taville observed, "Especially with the Captain's injury. Your medical staff is quite laudable."

Uhura smirked with a wry wink. "Dr. McCoy is the best of the best, and he's had a lot of ... shall I call it practice patching the Captain up after a landing party fiasco."

~

"Still here?” Nick was using a towel to dry his still damp hair when he entered the office.

“We are,” Dwayn replied. “McCoy saw us and asked if we were in for some lunch. He left with Christine to get those nice pancakes. They are even better than what those Babel-hosts are offering.”

“Ah... pancakes; that’s why Christine and Len left the scrubroom in a hurry.”

“And you had no one to play with,” Kyle grinned.

“No,” Nick grumped, “but...” and he began to smile “I had a most relaxing shower. And you can use one too.”

“As captain-disaster-carriers yes,” Dwayn had his hands touching his dirty trousers and saw the patches of dried blood on Kyle’s uniform.

The doors to the medbay slid open to reveal McCoy and Christine with a covered cart.

Christine was smiling broadly when she swept into the office “hey Nick, I am going to miss your scrubroom disasters.”

“What?”

“We were at Florian’s waiting for the pancakes when I got a message to join the staff of a prestigious medical facility on Earth as Chief of Nursing,” Christine continued. “I had some discussion with Len afterwards but he agrees with me that accepting it is the best way to advance my carreer.”

“Congratulations, Chris,” Nick stood up and shook her hand. “When are you leaving?”

“A shuttle will arrive to take Taville back to Earth after the negotiations. I have to beam down to Babel to wait with him.”

“That soon?” Kyle shook his head.

“Yes,” McCoy grumbled, happy for Christine but not for the rest of them. “This lunch is your goodbye party, Christine.”

~

Also in attendance were the rest of the nursing staff and Chris's particularly close friends, Nyota Uhura and Janice Rand.

Hugs and promises to comm often were made.

Uhura was an avid and faithful keeper-in-touch, as her family described it.

"It has been my privilege and pleasure to be part of this most interesting and unique crew!" Christine said. "Where brilliance and compassion unfailingly merged."

"And tons of mischief, don't forget." Jana John added.

"How could I ever do?" Christine laughed.

++

end

 

A great ending