The ship shuddered, as it had done several times since the giant green hand had clamped its fingers around the hull of the USS Jaxartes.   This one felt more severe than those that had preceded it.

“Our shields are down to 43%.” Ensign Tholakath called out.  “I estimate that even with the addition power the Chief managed to give us, we have less than twenty minutes.”

“Thankyou Ensign.” Commander Salan projected his usual calmness.  Though inside; he was just as worried as those seated around him.  He turned towards the two scientists feverishly working away behind him. “Gentlemen, how are you progressing?”

“Well we’ve ruled several ideas out so far.” The older one of the two replied, without looking up.

“I have every faith you your abilities.” The Vulcan replied back.  The corvette shuck again.

“Come on, come on, come on.”  Lieutenant Stuart whispered under her breath.  She’d given up on attempting to force the ship free of the giant hand using engine power alone, a few minutes ago.  Now she just felt like a spare part, just waiting for death.  If the Orion had been asked to list the ways she could die; being crushed by a large disembodied hand floating in space, probably wouldn’t have made it into the top 10.  In fact Lyanna, wasn’t sure if it would have appeared anywhere on the list.

“Shields now at 40%.” The Cardassian next to her announced.

She looked at him; recalling that one moment the pair of them had got totally drunk and ended up in the same bed.  It was shortly after Frontier Day.  Nothing had happened; they’d both passed out fully dressed, waking up the following morning.  Lyanna wasn’t sure if she regretted the whole episode or not, she knew Tholakath was embarrassed about it, and had avoided being alone in the same room as her for over a week afterwards.  For a Cardassian he wasn’t bad looking, but she couldn’t see him as more than a good friend, and he did snore; so that was one thing that went against him.

Stuart wondered if Tholakath would help end her life, rather than let her suffer when the time came.  As if sensing what was on her mind, the young Cardassian looked down at the phaser in its holster, attached to the underside of his console.  He’d already had to use it once today, in order to prevent Helgeshran taking control of the crew.  It had meant destroying the communications system, but that was a small price to pay.

“Oh, you clever man!” Shouted Kent the elder of the two scientists; causing the four crewmembers to turn in his general direction.

“Do I detect a note of triumph?” The Commander enquired.

“You do indeed Commander.” The elder man spoke again, tapping his companion lightly on the shoulder. “Thomas, if you’d like to explain.”

Thomas, a man in his mid-forties was just a fraction shorter than the other scientist and much broader, both in the body and face.  His hair was cropped and a mottled blend of black and white, which was a rather striking, feature.  He coughed politely, giving himself those few extra vital seconds to gather his thoughts.   “Well you know how we believe this Helgeshran is drawing power from each mind he controls. “ Thomas received a nod from the Vulcan. “Well like these Inhibitors your doctor created to protect us, we use the ships main deflector to broadcast the blocking signal across the planet.”

Commander Salan looked across to his Communications Officer.  “Do you believe that to be feasible, Ensign?

“It sounds like a workable idea, Captain.” Ensign Cho replied.  “It could potentially free dozens if not hundreds of people from his influence all in one go, even if only briefly.”

“And the sudden unexpected drop in power; could weaken the hand enough for us to break free!” Lieutenant Stuart sounded more enthusiastic about their chances than she had about anything else since they’d become trapped,

“Gentlemen, my crew and everything aboard this ship are at your disposal.”  Command Salan announced to the two scientists. “I’m must stress, time is off the essence.”

**********

The next few minutes were desperately manic; with both crew and scientist racing around the Jaxartes, reconfiguring systems, pulling out circuitry to rewire them, redirected any power that wasn’t already being used to maintain the shields or wouldn’t be needed for the impulse engines if this worked.  Even life support was down to the barest minimum.

There was no chance to test the deflector; this was a one-time only operation.  It either worked or it didn’t, and if it didn’t they’d be dead within three minutes.

Lieutenant Stuart felt a chill as her fingers hovered, poised above the controls; was it the fact the heating on the Bridge had been reduced to save power, or the feeling of trepidation.

“Shields at 12%!” The Cardasssian’s voice was shaky; was that the cold to, or a sense of impending doom?

“Engineering and Defector Control both report ready.” Ensign Cho informed the Vulcan Commander.

“Activate.”

For the crew of the USS Jaxartes and the scientists they’d rescued; there was no indication of anything happening.  The Shields were seconds away from collapsing, and once that happened; the hull would start to be crushed by the giant hand.  Then on the main view screen the image of the green hand shimmered and waivered.

“I’m detecting fluctuations in external energy readings.” One of the scientists called out.

“Lieutenant full impulse, now.” Salan barked, probably louder than he’d intended.

The Orion Helm-Officer needed no second orders, her hands dancing across the control surface.  The whole ship shuddered violently; alarms sounded warning of impending danger to both equipment and the ship itself.  But it managed to force its way free of the hand and into clear empty space.

“The shields are at 2%.” Ensign Tholakath announced.  “Detecting hull breaches, aft section of decks 2 and 3.  Emergency doors are sealed, but unable to raise force-fields due to power issues.”

A collective sigh of relief travelled around the Bridge.  They were free, but the danger was far from over.

**********

The hybrid Federation and Klingon vessel was closer to the corvette than the planet, and therefore experienced the effects of the Inhibitor Beam, long before anyone on the surface.  Lei Rahs, sensed the change; she wasn’t under the influence of Helgeshran, but she could still feel his presents and hear that commanding voice in her mind.

Several of the Pelcaza crew stopped whatever tasks they’d been performing.  Those that had been standing; disorientated, staggered seeking out the support of walls or consoles.  For some came an empty void, they had known nothing but Helgeshran since birth, he had controlled their every thought, every action.  Others recalled the horrors of their actions in his name.  Kidnapping, slavery, torture and murder; they’d been responsible for it all.  A number recalled far too vividly the blood that was on their hands.

The Trill looked around, her commands going unheeded;  For the first time in her memory the Kenós revealed its true form to all those around it.  Without the guidance and power of its master, the creature was nothing more than a faceless empty shell.

One of the Pelcaza looked at the strange creature, its features blank and smooth, where eyes, nose, ears and mouth should be; and with anger and revulsion he lashed out.  The blows were repeated and heavy, even as the thing fell to the deck; the assailant followed it down and carried on hitting, eyes filled with tears as he sobbed.

Lei Rahs drew her weapon with the full intention of killing the Pelcaza doing the attacking, only to be confronted by three weapons trained on her.  “What is the meaning of this outrage?”  Even now she hoped her commanding presence and authority would bring the crew into line.

“This ends now!”  A tall elder Pelcaza shouted, who was not one of those pointing a gun at the Trill.

“You pitiful excuse for a man.” Lei Rahs mocked. “You are nothing without his power and wisdom.”

“May be. But I will…we will not allow him to enslave this Universe in the same way he has done to our own.”

Those around him nodded in agreement, but the Trill only laughed dismissively.  There had been time were individuals had managed to gain control of their own feeling and think independently of Helgeshran power, but all attempts at free will, had been crushed.  She saw no reason why this situation would end any differently.

“There is a huge bolt of energy heading towards the Federation vessel.”  One of the crew called out still seated at the controls.

“Can we warn them?” The man who’d been talking to the Trill asked.

“It’s impossible.” The reply came. “And without shields they will be destroyed!”