The Mariner had arrived at Mogotis, and the command team was already in contact with the independent colony. Task Force 86 had given them a rather mundane task: They had to go over the borders and get the supplies to the colony. They also had to fend off any daring Klingons that tried to raid the colony, which was still in its early development. In Domam, this was going to be a boring mission.

“What is with that look?” Aakif spoke up; the ship’s Master-at-Arms was walking beside his friend and boss. They were doing the routine armory checks. The people had no love when it came to weapons, peace talks only brings you so far as Aakif thought. 

The black pupils looked at his side to Aakif as he had his hands on his back while walking. “Well, everything is going to check out in the armory. I go back to the department office, do my routine reports, and then give them to Miki to check on. Then I take over Miki’s shift, and so the day passes by.” Domam shrugged, feeling disappointed by hearing his own schedule. 

“Don’t tell me that you are bored. The Mariner had its fair deal lately, we deserve to get a break” Aakif pointed out while shaking his head. The memory of the Lost Fleet was still digging in the back of his mind. While the ship never shot once, it had to deal with a mutiny while transporting the Dominion representatives to stop the insane war. 

He shrugs for a second. “Well, we had a fair share of adventures in Delta Quadrant; that ghost station with that weird creature took us by surprise,” Domam pointed out. “But the recall back to Federation space seems….off. I mean, I would not guess the Klingons daring into Federation space.” Domam didn’t reply to Aakif’s accusation of boredom but danced around it. “Now I do admit that the idea of a civil war that will unleash all targs of hell in the empire would get us busy and be a welcoming gift,” he smiled a bit in Aakif’s direction.

Shaking his head as they turned the corner, “They got names for people like you, war junkies” Aakif looked at his PADD. “Again, if the empire would go into a civil war, the chances would increase that we got minor house trying to…” He makes quotes in the air, “Proof themselves.”

Smirking the accusation of being a war junky, “Aakif, my boy, you got some sense of humor.” Domam nods to some security officers who pass them. “Then again, the empire or minor houses are not that stupid to cross that red line. If they do, the great houses will be put back in place. While they would never apologize, they know the price of interfering with the Federation.”

Aakif sighs. “Well, think about it this way: if there is a perfect moment to attack us, it would be now. We have suffered greatly during the Lost Fleet event, the Frontier Day crisis, and even at the return from the Borg that still confuses the hell out of me.” Aakif makes some gestures with his hand. “One moment they are here, another they are gone…” He blinks a few times.

Domam knew that what Aakif was saying was very close to the truth. They were dealing with a fragile moment in time. The Federation was on high alert after everything that happened. While he didn’t agree with Task Force 86’s pullback of Mariner, he could understand the given situation. As he wanted to speak, a loud bang and heavy pull to the right as Domam and Aakif smashed against the right wall. “What the…” 

“What is going on? Did we hit something?” Aakif tries to get back on his feet as another slam to the front comes, and some officers fall backward. The lights turn red. “What are they doing up there?” Aakif grabs himself from the floor.

The voice of their Miko is heard over the ship-wide communication: “Red Alert, Red Alert, everyone to battle stations….” The communication cut off.

Looking at each other, Domam nodded as they sprinted through the hallways with Aakif on his heels, “GET TO YOUR STATIONS NOW!” He yelled as he ran. He saw crew members confused and wounded already. Whatever this was, what was going on….he was needed in his department. Another hit slammed him to the side, and another followed as he got roughed up to swing to the other side. “What the hell is going on?” 

“I don’t know, but whatever it is, it’s freaking big!” Aakif knew K’Nala longer than today and knew her flying skills were the best he had ever seen. It would indicate a significant event if she could not evade these fire impacts.

The two saw the turbo-lift as a few more hits pushed them from side to side until they heard the familiar voice of their Captain: “BRACE, BRACE, BRACE! HOLD ON!” Domam pulled an Ensign to him and pushed her against the wall as Aakif grabbed another officer and held the side. Waiting and looking around slowly as the red lights blinked in the hallway, silent as if it took forever what would happen. 

Then, out of nowhere, a slam rocked and cracked the whole ship from above. Domam and the Ensign flew off the ground as they hit the ceiling. Then slammed onto the ground. Domam could hear some bones crack from the heavy impact that his body had to endure. “Arggg” He managed to get out of himself. He gasped for air as he felt something piercing his lungs. Not knowing that the cracked bone pierced his lung. 

Another slam followed quickly after. Sparks were seen all through the hallways. As Aakif looked into the hallway, he saw the deck in front of him collapse. “What the…” He pulled the officer back as the shockwave of the impact pushed him back onto the floor.

Then there was silence…..sparks of broken consoles, growling pains, pleads for help from under the collapsed ceiling. Aakif gasped for air and tasted the familiar metal taste of his blood. He taps with his finger on his mouth, a bleeding lip, nothing severe. He looked around. “Domam? DOMAM,” he raised his voice as he saw his friend on the ground gasping for air and rushed for him. “Shit…we need to get you to sickbay and fast” 

Whatever happened to Mariner, it happened very quickly.