Episode Thirty-Nine - "Unleashed, Part One"

Star Trek: Fortitude

Season Three, Episode Thirteen - “Unleashed, Part One”

By Jack D. Elmlinger

PROLOGUE

This was it… the final assignment.

Slowly, he leaned back in his chair and watched the telemetry come in. it swamped his tiny viewport, overlaid by the sophisticated computer system humming beneath the deck plating of his cramped cockpit. He saw that there was danger on the horizon. Well, technically, he didn’t. All that his beady eyes could see were numbers and star charts with positions of vessels and planets. To his calculating mind, he could see the danger and the threats to his existence.

The first set of numbers was labeled Fortitude.

They showed the Intrepid-class starship holding position alongside another set of numbers, Starbase 499, which in turn rested over a third numeric table representing the Class-M world of Santrag II. Buzzing around them, a tiny cluster of digits pointed out the locations of numerous shuttlecraft and the Oberth-class science vessel Katherine Johnson.

That ship was of little tactical concern, he mused. It would fall easily in the coming battle. For the battle was now, hanging over this corner of space like a shadow, gathering pace like a violent storm. The beauty of the situation, he grinned, was that nobody could see this particular storm coming. Nobody… of course, except for him… and his paymaster.

The Tah’Heen recorded all of the tactical data that he could.

An alert sounded, drawing a frown from the nefarious spy. “Incoming vessel,” he observed aloud to himself. “The Shurvun… back again?”

How these Federation people valued their friends. How pathetic and naive they were.

Soon all of that would change.

Checking over his shoulder, the Tah’Heen took one final reassuring look at the large pile of crates stored behind him. They were filled with his payment of gold-pressed latinum and various currencies of friendly neighborhood star systems that would hide his guilty form during the aftermath of his actions. Tapping a small control on his console, he watched them beam to the safety of his surface hideout. He would be back for them soon… very soon.

“Computer,” he hissed with glee,” set course for Santrag II and engage.”

ACT ONE

Captain’s Log, Stardate 51424.7;

After a long tiring week of searching for the Tah’Heen, my crew and I have returned to Starbase 499 for an exciting occasion. Today, Rear Admiral Blackmore is going to send a subspace transmission to Earth, requisition formal documents to be drawn up, preparing to over Federation membership to the Shurvun. The party is already in full swing with Tano Jmara having already arrived aboard the Vunara. If only we had a success of our own to toast… although I suppose this qualifies…

Music echoed in between the gaps in conversation. Drinks were grasped in every hand, Human or otherwise.

Club 499 had never been busier.

Stepping through the chattering cross with a boyish grin transfixed to his handsome visage, Ewan Llewellyn made a beeline for the guest of honor. Tano Jmara, the Shurvun national who had made all of this possible with his charm and grace was the center of attention. Despite the lack of Starfleet uniforms on display, everybody noticed the presence of the Captain and moved aside, allowing the two friends to embrace warmly.

Tano kept his silvery hands clasped on Ewan’s shoulders as they parted. “I’m glad that you could make this!”

“I wouldn’t miss this,” Ewan said, beaming. “This is a great day, my friend. How long…”

“Not long, I’m afraid,” Tano replied to his question. “Tonight, we have to leave. My ship is charting a nearby protostar. Our official ambassadors will remain aboard the two other exploratory cruisers. The signing will go ahead without me. After all, I am merely a starship captain.”

“You’re more than that,” protested the Welshman. “You should be there!”

“Duty calls. I’m sure that you understand. “Please don’t be offended.”

“Of course, I do,” Ewan smiled,” and, of course, I’m not!”

“Good. Now let’s see about getting you a drink.”

They moved towards the bar, brushing past congratulatory Humans, Shurvuns, and even the odd handful of Santragans. It was great to have them back, adding to the communal atmosphere of the place.

With each passing smile, handshake or pat on the back, the Captain felt his mood lighten. No new Tah’Heen leads… That was annoying, to say the least, but this made it all seem like a minor problem. It was moments like these that made Ewan get up in the morning and put on his Starfleet uniform, not the battles or investigations into mysterious figures lurking in the shadows.

Besides, with such a strengthened camaraderie, the Tah’Heen could do their worst.

Today, the Santrag system and all within it were truly invincible.

“Ewan!”

Turning around, the Captain responded to the familiar voice shouting his name. “Erica,” he replied, watching a rather distressed and exhausted Station Master Martinez dash up to his side with a PADD in her hand. “What’s the matter? Why are you still wearing your uniform? It’s a party!”

“No time for that now,” objected the Latina woman. “Here, take a look at this.”

Llewellyn took the PADD and gave it a quick scan. His eyes widened. There was just a single message, typed to avoid disturbing the rest of the people in Club 499.

Tah’Heen ship spotted nearby. You are needed.

* * * *

“Report!”

Nobody stopped to point out the Captain’s lack of Starfleet uniform. His combadge was still there, attached to the brightly-colored shirt that was loosely covering his athletic frame. That was all that Starfleet regulations demanded in an emergency situation and that was all that mattered.

The Bridge was on Red Alert, along with the other fourteen decks of Fortitude, and the senior officers were all at their stations, ready to go.

With her own uniform securely in place, Valerie Archer joined her commanding officer. “Ensign Armstrong picked up the Tah’Heen vessel closing in on the Santrag system at low warp,” she quickly told Ewan. “Thanks to the shield harmonics that we still have, the identification was earlier than normal. Their estimated time of arrival is just over two hours from now.”

“Why come here?”

“No theories yet.”

“Well, we’ll just have to ask them, won’t we? Arden, plot an intercept course.”

“Already done, Captain,” acknowledged the Bolian at the helm.

“Good man. Maximum warp, engage!”

The journey was short. With Fortitude bolting along at Warp Nine-point-Nine and reaching the limits of her propulsion, despite the concerned brow of Lieutenant Commander Sollik at the engineering console, they were soon within visual range of the Tah’Heen. It was a hideous thing to behold. It was small, compact, and almost buried underneath various sensor-jamming equipment and weapons. Almost immediately, those weapons opened fire. Three bolts of pure plasma energy slammed into the shields of the Intrepid-class starship as their quarry reversed course, running from the larger and more powerful vessel.

“Stay with them, Arden,” Ewan demanded, tensely leaning forward in his command chair. “Mister Brodie, return fire!”

“Aye, sir,” Gabriel Brodie said, grinning at his place at Tactical. “Direct hit. Their shields are weakening.”

The Tah’Heen bobbed and weaved as if it was trying to avoid some invisible obstacle course laid out before it. The evasive maneuvers did nothing to shake the steady hands of Lieutenant Vuro or the pent-up aggression of Lieutenant Commander Brodie. Once more, phaser fire shot forth from the ventral saucer array of Fortitude, and it did some serious damage, lowering the Tah’Heen’s shields a significant amount.

“Punch through and finish the job,” Llewellyn snarled. “Target his engines.”

A single photon torpedo was all that it took.

“They’re slowing, Captain.”

“Tractor beam,” Archer suggested, gaining his nod of approval.

Within seconds, a blue energy beam reached out from the Federation starship and snatched the dead engine array of the Tah’Heen vessel. It found a solid hold and , in a move that every single crew member applauded, finally captured the spy.

On the Bridge, with victory replaced the tension thumping at his very soul, Ewan Llewellyn stood from his seat and stepped forward. “Ensign Armstrong,” he ordered,” open a channel.”

It was time to speak with their nemesis.

ACT TWO

Everybody on the Bridge knew what to expect. They had seen imagery and read reports detailing the appearance of the Tah’Heen. Nevertheless, when the face of the spy appeared on the main viewscreen, many of them recoiled with disgust. It wasn’t racism or xenophobia. It was just a simple fact that the Tah’Heen were an aesthetically repulsive race.

They had folds of skin overlapping one another, drooping over their facial features that were covered in sweat and ooze. It was the corrosive material that kept them from leaving any DNA trace behind on surfaces, but it was also destroying the skin that it touched. It was a wonder that evolution had created such a contradiction, but Katherine Pulaski had answered any and all questions on the matter… providing that she could find any answers. This was the first time that a real, live Tah’Heen had been viewed by anyone present.

It was of the male gender, thin, combat-green in skin tone, and deeply aggravated at being captured.

“What do you want?!,” he spat at the Starfleet officers. “Who are you?!”

“I’m Captain Ewan Llewellyn of the Federation starship Fortitude,” Ewan said asserting his will, his stance seen as deliberately aggressive,” but I would wager that you already knew that. You, sir, have been interfering with my ship, my crew, and my friends in the Santrag system for a very long time and we’ve finally had enough.”

“Lies,” the Tah’Heen objected. “I won’t capitulate.”

“The hell you won’t!”

This conversation wasn’t going anywhere fast. After a moment of silence, Commander Archer stepped forward and placed a gentle hand on her Captain’s shoulder. It calmed him down, instantly, and he allowed his First Officer to take over control of the situation.

“Jason,” she ordered,” beam him directly to the Brig.”

“I can’t get a lock, Commander,” Ensign Armstrong replied from Operations. “He’s using a transport inhibitor to prevent anyone from removing him from that ship.”

“Oh, screw this nonsense,” Llewellyn blurted out. “Listen to me, Tah’Heen. I’m giving you ten seconds to deactivate your inhibitor and hand yourself over into our custody.”

“Or you’ll do what, exactly?,” sniggered the spy on the viewscreen.

“You don’t want to play games with me,” the Welshman said, seething, as he moved down the Bridge to stand beside Vuro at the helm. “Turn yourself over or my ship’s tractor beam will hurl you into the Santragan sun.”

The Tah’Heen laughed, which made the Bridge officers gasp.

“Five seconds remaining.”

“You wouldn’t harm me, Federation,” the Tah’Heen blurted out, dropping his innocent plea in favor of a more direct approach. “Yes, I have been interfering with you… testing you, watching you, and all that means is that I know you, Captain. You would never harm life, just for the sake of doing it. It is not in your nature.”

“Thanks for your honesty,” Ewan threw back at him,” but your time is up.”

He faced Vuro and looked him directly in the eye, making sure that he was fully understood. The Bolian returned his stare, seeing the all-consuming fury and abhorrence building up within his commanding officer. It was a truly frightening thing to watch in a man who was ruled by peace and calm. This Tah’Heen had pushed him over the edge.

“Arden, set course for the Santragan sun,” came the order that nobody could believe was spoken.

“Sir?”

“You heard me, Lieutenant!”

“Captain, I don’t think I can follow that order--”

“Then you’re relieved,” Llewellyn barked at him, literally shoving Vuro away from his console as he took control of the helm and laid in the appropriate course. “I’ll do it myself. Tah’Heen spy, you have a minute before I disengage the tractor beam and throw you into the sun. I would wish you happy landings but… well, you know…”

The situation was insane.

Fortitude banked to port, dragging the ugly little Tah’Heen vessel towards the sun.

Nobody could comprehend it. Not Valerie, not Sollik, and certainly not the Tah’Heen.

Nobody could stop the Captain.

He was going to murder the Tah’Heen.

In that moment, for the first time in her career, Valerie Archer contemplated mutiny.

“The clock is ticking,” Ewan taunted.

The outer hull of the USS Fortitude was starting to glow. Ship’s personnel looking outside of windows outside the forward section were starting to panic, the brilliant orange light pouring over their stations and quarters, getting brighter with the Santragan sun blocking out more of the surrounding stars. Meanwhile, personnel stationed near windows facing aft could just make out the terrified thrashing of a Tah’Heen pilot in the cockpit of the ship trapped in the ever-present, all-powerful tractor beam.

“You’re… you’re bluffing, Captain!,” the spy shouted on the viewscreen. “You’re not a murderer! Besides, you would face a court-martial! You’re breaking your own laws!”

“It’s a small price to pay if it means capturing you,” the Welshman at the helm snarled, his body trembling with a volatile mixture of anger and fear. The anger was directed at the Tah’Heen in front of him. Oh, how he had longed for the moment when he finally uncovered all of the answers to this nearly year-long sage, and now it was here within his grasp and he feared how far he was willing to let this go.

In a strange out-of-body experience, Ewan saw himself sitting at the helm, piloting Fortitude towards the deadly swirling vortex of the sun’s energy. He was instigating a suicide run, taking the most deadly and brutal of actions.

This wasn’t him!

Still, despite that realization, he couldn’t stop himself. His heart pounded against his chest, beating out a symphony of wrath. He couldn’t even think about his crew around him.

“Hull temperature is rising!,” Jason Armstrong yelled, breaking that barrier in Ewan’s mind for a second. “Captain, radiation levels are dangerously high!”

“Thank you, Ensign,” Llewellyn snapped in reply.

“Sir, it’s it about time that we admit that this didn’t work?,” Valerie Archer whispered, trying to break through to the man that she loved, cared for… “Reverse course. We can try another method.”

“Not today, we can’t,” growled a reply.

Ewan slapped a single button that released the tractor beam. The Tah’Heen, helpless and crippled, started to fall into the Santragan sun.

“Damn it, Ewan!,” Archer cried in disbelief.

“Do you feel like disabling that inhibitor now?,” the Captain shouted at the viewscreen.

“I.. you…” the Tah’Heen stammered as he realized that this wasn’t part of the plan that was covered by his paycheck. This had gone on long enough. This part was supposed to be the simple part! With a sigh, his repugnant features collapsed in their defiance as he deactivated the transport inhibitor. “It’s offline! Fuck you, Captain!”

“Beam him out of there!,” Ewan yelled, jerking his finger towards Jason.

“I’ve got him,” the young Kentuckian reported, a second later.

It wasn’t a moment too soon.

Everyone watched on the main viewer as the Tah’Heen vessel broke apart. Flames engulfed the disparate sections of the hull, melting through the weapons and technology as the relentless heat consumed what remained.

Llewellyn collapsed with exhaustion, catching a glimpse of his command chair. He felt as though he didn’t belong in it.

ACT THREE

Captain’s Log, supplemental;

We have returned to Starbase 499, giving the Tah’Heen time to sweat in our Brig while we prepare for our interrogation. It has also given me some time to consider my recent actions. The crew seems to be afraid of me now with a thick silence descending on the Bridge. To be honest, I’m probably most afraid… of what became of me in that moment as it was something that I could ever be proud of. Despite our success in capturing the Tah’Heen, I am recording this log entry with a powerful sense of shame and an unreserved apology to my crew.

Rear Admiral Edward Blackmore couldn’t believe his ears.

As his friend finished relaying his tale, he shook his head to show his disbelief. He had known Ewan Llewellyn for almost three years now. While he was the first to recognize the young Captain’s ballsy nature and strength of character, he also respected and understood the peaceful, calm demeanor that he carried himself with… and it was the abandonment of that demeanour that worried him. Scratching his salt-and-pepper beard, he leaned forward and poured fresh coffee into two coffee cups as he tried to find the right answer. After all, Ewan had come to him as a friend and not as a Starfleet officer. While, as a Starfleet Rear Admiral and the highest ranking Starfleet officer in the sector, it was his role to discipline the Captain.

Well… that wasn’t how it was done out in this corner of the Federation. Out here, things were done differently.

“Okay,” he slowly began to say,” first things first. This is nothing new, Ewan. We’ve all seen how passionate you can be. Remember the destruction of the Pekeni? You were a little mad there too. Beat an End soldier to the floor on your own Bridge if I recall the reports correctly. I’ll be honest. It scared me then and this latest incident scares me now, but if there’s a pattern to diagnose--”

“This was different, Boxer,” Ewan said, interrupting him. “I wasn’t just prepared to kill. I wanted to kill. That Tah’Heen spy has caused us so much suffering and danger… and I wanted him gone, Boxer. I wanted him dead.”

“What makes this so terrifying is that you placed your ship and crew in danger to carry out your plan,” Blackmore pointed out, making the Welshman sigh deeply. “I’m sorry. I know that’s not what you wanted to hear but emotions are running high around here, even more now that we’ve got the bastard behind a force field. Whatever happens, Ewan, you’ve got people around you who care. Valerie was there.”

“Yeah, Valerie was there,” Llewellyn repeated with a heavy heart. “I ignored her.”

“Because you knew she could stop you, right?”

“I guess so.”

“Well, look,” Boxer offered sympathetically,” whatever happens next, whatever we get from that Tah’Heen spy, what do you say to me coming with you?”

“You mean…?”

“I mean we’re going to find out who’s behind all of this soon enough,” Blackmore pressed on, eager to have his head heard and accepted. “Fortitude will, naturally, be the ship that I send to investigate. If you’re having doubts, and one friend isn’t enough to make you feel better, then how about two?”

Llewellyn didn’t know what to say. He simply smiled at his best friend, giving him a small nod.

* * * *

Valerie Archer was pacing with her hands clasped behind her back. She was mostly pacing because of impatience. Captain Llewellyn was supposed to be here, outside the Fortitude Brig, ten minutes ago.

Beyond the door was the Tah’Heen, the spy that they had waited for months to capture and interrogate. Delays were now what the First Officer wanted to do battle with now. Still there was a degree of her pacing that was consumed by anxiety.

Ewan… what happened to him? What had he become?

The young, inexperienced pacifist, the cute look-before-you-leap innocence in his sparkling eyes… She loved that about him. Yet on the Bridge, he had transformed. He had become something more dangerous and sinister. He had practically tortured the Tah’Heen.

Not only that, but he seemed to be enjoying it.

Valerie’s worries were pushed aside when she saw the handsome features of her Captain come around the corner. She wasn’t going to mention any of it.

Ewan had other ideas.

“Valerie,” he said softly,” I’m sorry. I’m sorry that I ignored you. I’m sorry that I went a little crazy and I’m sorry for the danger that I brought upon the ship and the crew. Believe me, please, when I say that the person at the helm back there wasn’t me. I don;t know what happened but it won’t happen again. Will you accept my apology?”

“Am I responding as your First Officer or as your friend?”

“You’re both,” Llewellyn said, smiling. “Always have been and always will be.”

“In that case,” she smiled in return,” of course, I accept. There’s still the matter of this interrogation. Once more unto the breach?”

“Not for me. I don’t want to see that slimy little shit ever again if I can help it. Besides, if I’m honest, I’m afraid of what I might do to him. No, being alone in a room with him right now could be dangerous for both of us. If you don’t mind, Valerie, would you conduct the interrogation?”

“Don’t mention it. I’ll report back soon.”

“I’ll be on the Bridge. Good luck… and thank you.”

* * * *

Gabriel Brodie nearly burst several blood vessels in his neck as he snapped to attention, his dark eyes weren’t even watching as Rear Admiral Blackmore walked past the tactical console and headed for the center of Fortitude’s Bridge. With his usual military perfection, the dark-skinned tactical officer snapped his heels together and barked the usual protocol.

“Admiral on the Bridge!”

“At ease, everyone,” Boxer chuckled, waving off the show of appreciation. Arden Vuro, Jason Armstrong, Sollik, and Gabriel Brodie slowly returned to their duties.

The Ready Room doors opened, a second later, with all of the attention having been well-and-truly grabbed by Brodie’s introduction.

“Ah, there you are, Ewan!”

“It’s nice to have you aboard, Boxer,” the Captain said, welcoming him. “Valerie’s on her way up from the Brig. she says she’s finished with the Tah’Heen.”

“That’s why I’m here,” Blackmore acknowledged with a wink,” ready to go.”

The turbolift doors hissed open, letting Valerie Archer walk towards her two superior officers who were standing ahead of her. She nodded to the Rear Admiral respectfully before she delivered her report directly to Captain Llewellyn.

Her surprise and concern were obvious in every word.

“No name, and no permanent address. We destroyed his ship so there’s nothing to be gained from there,” she dealt with quickly. “All that he would give me was a route to a nearby star system and said that all of our answers would be revealed on the fifth planet. Nothing more, and no psychological read that I could get from him. Just this planet’s location. This smells like a trap to me, Captain. It’s a little too perfect for my taste.”

As usual, she was right on the money. Carefully, the Captain weighed in all of the variables in his now-calm mind. He had been taking events far too personally. Well, not any more, he had vowed. This was now a problem that needed a solution. Like it or not, the solution would be difficult to reach. The Tah’Heen was an unknown variable in the overall equation, but he was a variable nonetheless.

“Trap or no trap,” Ewan noted,” it’s all that we have right now.”

“I agree,” Blackmore chipped in.

“Have Doctor Pulaski get down to the Brig and run a few tests on the Tah’Heen,” Llewellyn ordered, his mind made up. “See if she can ascertain the validity of his statement and find out if he’s hiding anything. In the meantime, we’ll investigate this planet. Valerie, give Arden the coordinates and engage at Warp Eight.”

EPILOGUE

The fifth planet of the nearby star system turned out to be mostly covered in thick jungle vegetation. It had yet to be charted by the Federation simply for a lack of interest. Not a single lifeform reading was detected from any of the six worlds orbiting this fading star. It was odd to find a jungle that was devoid of life whatsoever. Still, Vuro had frowned, that was what the sensors said and so that was the case. End of discussion.

The Tah’Heen materialized first followed by the Starfleet away team that surrounded him. With his wrists bound in magnetic restraints, the spy had no choice in the matter of accompanying his enemy to the planet’s surface.

Behind him, Captain Llewellyn and Rear Admiral Blackmore stepped out of the transporter beam, armed with phasers. As they looked around at the alien landscape, Lieutenant Commander Brodie and Ensign Armstrong cajoled the Tah’Heen into compliance. With Ewan being careful around the spy, he had absolutely no reservations about jabbing his sidearms into his thin, wiry figure.

“There’s a structure,” Blackmore noted from his tricorder.

“What’s inside?,” Brodie asked the Tah’Heen forcefully with a scowl.

“The answers that you seek,” was his cryptic reply.

There was no choice.

The away team advanced towards the structure.

Inside, it was pitch black. The four Starfleet officers activated their palm beacons, casting powerful white beams of light across the rough stone walls. Not a single sound was made, nor was a single movement detected. It was a menacing, cold place..

Jason let his shoulders tremble slightly at the foreboding atmosphere, not afraid to admit that he was slightly afraid. No one berated him for it except for the Tah’Heen.

“Okay, there’s nothing here,” Ewan finally barked, turning on the Tah’Heen.

“On the contrary…”

The voice wasn’t the Tah’Heen’s. It wasn’t Human either. It echoed from the shadows.

“Who said that?,” Gabriel Brodie demanded, raising his phaser.

“My paymaster,” hissed the Tah’Heen with deranged glee in his high-pitched tone.

“I know that voice,” Blackmore realized in horror.

Beacons whirled towards the source of the voice. When the light struck the being, all of the Starfleet officers present felt their jaws drop in gut-wrenching shock. The Rear Admiral lunged forward, his eyes ablaze with the bitter sting of betrayal.

“Oh my God,” he gasped.

To be Continued...