Captains Log:

Having retrieved the log entries of Commander Reklak, Captain of the missing Rahhae-class ship we’ve been searching for; it has become clear, after hearing the desperation in his voice; how close we came to meeting the same fate as his crew clearly have.

We now know that the buoy we recovered; had not been launched but manual pushed out of an airlock to avoid it being detected by those being controlled.  This was at a time when over a third of the estimated 150 crew and 50 scientists, had been affected in the same way as members of my crew had.

Members of Commander Reklak’s crew under hostile influence seized control of the vessel and set it on a course, we believe, directly for Harha’kuva the mysterious planet they and ourselves had been searching for.

We are currently in pursuit at our best possible speed; we know we’re behind them, just not exactly how far.

<End Log>

Commander Mary Anacostia-Bolling, let out a long slow sigh; the USS da Vinci hadn’t long dropped down from their Emergency Warp Speed of 9.703; which they’d managed to maintain for a staggering 14 hours.  Thanks in no small part to the wonderful designs and workmanship of the Corps of Engineers who previously operated this vessel and the skills of Ensign Green and her team of engineers.

That extra boost in speed; would hopefully mean they’d caught up slightly with Reklak’s ship and not lost more ground on it.  After listening to the messages herself, the Commander knew that every second they saved, would be vital if they were to stand any chance of saving any lives.

She was just about to reach over for her drink, when the door chimed. “Enter”

Lieutenant Beriev, still looking a little indignant at having to wear a sweatband in order to hold his monitor in place, entered the Ready Room first; though in truth it was extremely difficult to judge the mood of a Saurian solely based on faecal expression, she had worked with him long enough to pick up on some clues.  Behind him was Doctor Sunny, wearing a knee length while lab coat which currently only had one button fastened.

“Ah.” She acknowledged their arrival informally and motioned them toward the two empty seats opposite her. “You said you had important information.”

“That is correct Captain.” Beriev confirmed, taking one of the seats.

“We’ve been correlating and comparing our data with that of the Romulan’s.” Sunny added, as he to, sat down.

“And what conclusions have you managed to draw from this information?”  Anacostia-Bolling asked them.

“Both Commander Reklak’s ship and our own passed through the same energy field only moments before anyone started suffering from ill effects.” Beriev stated.  “We believe it was being used to influence any sentient life form that crossed its path.”

“And Miss Trazan, being a Betazoid, was greatly affected by the hypnotic power it possessed.” Doctor Sunny continued the tread.  “The hostile forces involved, saw her as being the swiftest and most effective way of taking over the entire crew.”

Commander Anacostia-Bolling, sat back, clasping her hands together.  “Are we safe from any future attempts?”

“With the modifications to sensors and wave harmonics we’ve set up, the danger is minimal.” The Saurian science officer replied. “It would be unwise for me to insist that no danger existed at all.”

“So where does this energy field originate, and why didn’t we or the Romulans detect it beforehand?” The Captain asked.

“It’s more of a line, than a field to describe it correctly.” Beriev corrected his original statement. “Lieutenant Agusta is currently verifying the point of origin, but we are on a direct course towards it,”

Anacostia-Bolling moved a hand towards her cup, with the intention of picking it up and taking a sip of coffee; then thought better of it, as she mentally calculated how long the beverage had probably been sitting there.  “I’m going to stick my neck out and make a wild guess.  This wouldn’t happen to be one of those Ley Lines connected with the Vezda?”

The Saurian merely nodded.  It was the first time the name of this mysterious race had been brought up in conversation.  May be it had just been wishful thinking to believe that they weren’t in some way involved or the notion of mentioning the ‘bogeyman’ bringing them somehow to life; otherwise why else had the limited details available on them, been included in their mission briefing?  Someone had believed there was enough evidence to suggest Harha’kuva was connected to them.

“That is still Miss Trazan you have in sickbay?” The Commander felt a chill through her bones at the thought they might have a highly intelligent and extremely hostile entity in their midst.

“I can confirm that the person lying in sickbay right now; is 100% Miss Tranzan.” Sunny reassured her.  “It was only the influence of one of these creatures and not the thing itself, being transmitted down the line.”

Mary felt a sense of relief; the Betazed Recreational Manager was well liked amongst the offices and crew of the da Vinci, and the thought that her body could have been possessed by one of these Vezda, along with having to inform the girls’ mother of what had happened; were two things she was now glad to be avoiding.

**********

An hour later Lieutenant Giovanni Agusta; Head of the Astrometric Department was standing next to his favourite piece of equipment, procured by the ever resourceful, Ensign Dravid, prior to the da Vinci taking up her patrolling duties and before this mission.

It was a large transparent holographic sphere, at the centre of which sat a red Starfleet Delta, representing the ship itself.  Positioned around the delta, sat various dots, blobs and swirls of colour; denoting, stars, planets and other phenomenon.

A few days ago these star had been laughing at him; they weren’t any more; if fact they were behaving very much as you would expect stars to behave.  Assuming you just ignored SE 23-096, which appeared to be oval in shape. Someone was definitely going to have fun explained that bizarre anomaly; that someone, wasn’t going to be Lieutenant Agusta though.

“Correct me if I’m wrong?”  The Commander asked looking at the thin purple line that represented the ley line they were following.  “But isn’t this taking use right towards where I sent the Grus?”

“No, you’re absolutely correct.” Agusta confirmed.

Mary closed her eyes a moment; contemplating the possibility that she’s already sent the 72 officers and crew of the USS Grus to their deaths at the hands of the Vezda.  She opened them again looking carefully at the point where the line terminated at the edge of the holographic sphere.  The moment the ship detected any stars, planets or other bodies on the long range scanners, a representation of the object would appear here; and if it intersected the line, then that was their destination.

**********

That moment came nine hours later; whilst Lieutenant-Commander Alara Ley occupied the centre chair.  From behind at the science station, Lieutenant Beriev calmly informed her that an M class planet had just entered the range of the ships scanner.

“Bridge to Captain.” The First Officer, call over the internal coms. “We’re approaching the planet now.”

The Captain acknowledged and was walking onto the Bridge only moments later. “Ok, what have we got?”

“We have one G-type star, with five planets in orbit.” The XO informed her. “Including one M-class planet from which the line appears to originate.”

“Anything else?” Anacostia-Bolling enquired as the distance between themselves and what they had to assume was Harha’kuva, closed.

“I’m detecting two ships in orbit of the planet.” Lieutenant Brevier called out. “One Rahhae-class and one Saber-class.”

“Transponder codes confirm them to be Commander Reklak’s ship and the USS Grus.” Lieutenant Grav gruff added.

“Life signs?” The Commander had now taken her set; eyes fixed on the view screen.

“I’m detecting one life sign only, and that’s aboard the Grus.” The Saurian science officer announced.

“Go to Yellow alert.” Anacostia-Bolling ordered. “And helm, get us in there,.”