Meeting the Undines

Captain's Log

Stardate: 88185.2

The Horizon has reached the edge of the Beta Quadrant, an uncharted region of space even by the Klingon Empire and the Romulan Star Empire occupying the opposite part of this sector of the galaxy. Only the Borg Collective ever came to this frontier... and those they designated as Species 8472; the Undines.

This is where the USS Voyager logs, following the Unimatrix Zero Incident, reported the only known natural connexion between our universe and the other universe known as Fluidic Space; the point of origin of the strange, powerful, dangerous and very alien people that called us to meet here and discuss Peace.

We are approaching the rendez-vous point with open hearts... and open eyes.

On the large viewscreen before their eyes, the streaking stars had reverted to dispersed pinpoints of lights, amazingly few of them to the eyes of seasoned spacefarers; unless you remembered that this was the edge of the galaxy. Barely a few parsecs away would appear the luminescent blue ribbon of the Great Galactic Barrier separating the Milky Way from the dark inergalactic void beyond it's boundary.

But this was not the sight that greeted them upon dropping out of transwarp. Before their eyes stretched a foggy green and yellow luminescence, somehow like a very thin nebula of dense gases with blurred edges. No one abaord the starship had ever seen this before; very few from this universe ever had. But they all knew what it was; a boundary... the point where a fixed singularity on both sides of two universes binded them together like an entryway to and from this universe to that other one.

Fluidic Space.

"All Stop."

"Answering all stop, Captain."

Silence followed the short exchange between the Andorian in the center seat and the copper-skinned Human at the Helm.

"Recommend Yellow Alert, Sir," then offered the red-haired Alex Somers at the right of helmsman Snow, her fingers already hovering over the security alert controls that would send the entire security, medical and damage control teams at standby status, secure key areas of the ship, raise shields, heat phasers and load a single torpedo in a forward tube.

"Standby, Lieutenant," answered Captain Kheren looking straight at the screen.

"With all due respect, Sir, we know the Undines are waiting for us nearby... a species well-known for it's power and agressiveness..."

"That we do not want to provoke needlessly with a combat readiness posturing, Lieutenant," finished Kheren with not a hint of impatience or annoyance in his soft, deep voice. "Let us play nice, people; we are here to talk Peace after all. "

"They should have detected our presence by now," Somers added, nodding curtly.

"We will give them time to compose themselves. Stations keeping; let's stay here for a while. Open hailing frequencies and send friendship messages in all languages and forms. Passive scan of the area before us then active scans but no tactical scans yet. Science; sumrize to us what we know about this other place and the people we came to meet here. Before we move forward, I also want Strategic Ops, Ship's Ops, Medical, Science and Engineering final recommendations... and yours too of course, Number One."

From his station Jureth was communicating with his developing strategic operations center. Several suggestions were passed up by his people who were occupying the partially finished space and receiving real time data from the Horizon's sensors both tactical and exploratory. There was one in particular that he noted which came from Doctor Julianne Lowe.

"Captain," Jureth "Doctor Lowe, from my staff has suggested that she would be able to reproduce the modified nanoprobes that Voyager had on board at one time, and that we may wish to modify several of our weapons in case this goes badly. She isn't sure if we could hide such an experiment from the Undine though."

S'tan had spent the better part of their voyage preparing his team for an emergency situation. He watched all of the data flow in from his crews and spun around on his chair to face the rest of the bridge.

"Commander, I might be able to modify the shields to protect the Doctor's experiment for a short time in order to keep the Undine unawares...but I have no experience with their technologies. I have no idea what they are capable of scanning for." The man sighed, shaking his head, "As much as I hate to admit it, I don't think it is the best maneuver to take so early in this game. I would suggest, however, that we start locking down all priority locations, in case they try to infiltrate and use their shape-shifting abilities."

"I'd advise against all such actions captain, primarily because of this missions diplomatic position." He looked apologetically around the room "But more realistically because they would be watching for just this sort of thing and could use it as an excuse for claiming that we breached the trust first, weakening our position at the bargaining table."

Deep down he knew an even better reason After you walk into a trap its too late to prepare for it he thought to himself.

"I've been in a few similar situations, it's too late to be careful now." 

"I concur with Commander Redding, Sir... but not for the same reason," chimed in Alex Somers, turning around to face the command dais. "On the battlefield, we Starfleet Marines know from experience that it's never too late to be careful quite the opposite; when you realize you're in a minefield, youhave to be even more careful where you put your foot next. That being said, Captain, I agree with Commander Redding that fabricating the Voyager nanoprobes is not advisable."

"What is your tactical assessment of that proposal, Lieutenant?" asked the Andorian.

"Captain, it's been decades now since they were first hit by that kind of weapon, the first one which ever harmed them... the only one since their universe was touched by ours with the invasion of the Borg Collective of their space. It is therefore highly improbable that they have not by now developped and perfected, even tested, an effective defense against such an attack."

"In other words," sumrized Counselor Lyrya, "we would fail tactically and diplomatically at the same time with one single stroke."

"Hence," concluded Kheren, "why we stay out here and think about where to put our foot next, as you said, Lieutenant Somers. So, let us put aside the nanoprobe tactic; anything else, people?"

"Whatever you have, ladies and gents, better make it fast," then said Norbert Baoule from Science Station 2. "Sensors are registering mass displacement and concentrated energy and bio signals within the border of Fluidic Space."

From behind the captain's chair, the clear voice of Yeoman Blackbird was just a whisper.

"They're coming."

Jureth informed his people via internal message that the nanoprobes were a no go, and warned them that the Undine were in bound, and to stand by. At that moment Lieutenant Commander Adira Yiral appeared on the bridge and took up station next to Oseno.

"Commander, your timing is impeccable," Jureth said in a voice just barely above a whisper.

Yiral offered the knowing smile that Oseno was becoming used to seeing from her "I am a member of the Diplomatic Corps Sir, I couldn't possibly miss this."

She remained next to him, arms clasped casually behind her back and they both waited for the beings from Fluidic Space to make their appearance.

"To go over again what we know," Snowfire spoke quietly from her station into the hush, "the Undine are a highly advanced species who have scorned the use of the physical sciences in the most part and put great focus into the sphere of biotechnology. Their ships, whilst they function in a similar way to our own in most ways that matter on a tactical and strategic level," she gave a nod to Oseno and Alex, "are entirely organic - and indeed living - constructs. We are as yet unsure of if the relationship between the Undine and their Bioships is one of complete control or some variant of symbiosis, although observed relations seem to indicate the former on the part of the Undine themselves. Bioships are capable of self-repair on a level that surpasses the Borg, are capable of produce extremely dangerous bio-electric plasma discharges, and are extremely durable. The exact nature of their sensory system is unknown however, as is the nature of their warp drive." She gestured to the portal on the viewscreen.

"Fluidic space must have seemed like a paradise to the Borg when they first discovered it, a place where everything was (as far as we know) biological in some way or another - consider also that they saw the Undine as the pinnacle of evolution. The level of biotechnological capability shown by the Undine is all but without peer however, and coming with that came an extremely powerful...for lack of a better term, immune system that could protect against assimilation. We all know how that turned out, with the Borg themselves coming to the USS Voyager to ask for help and the resulting nanoprobe modification. Fluidic space itself is very strange compared to normal space, hence the name. We're unsure as to if warp travel functions within it, although it would make sense considering that bioships are capable of warp in our dimension."

"The USS Voyager entered and navigated Fluidic Space without any problem or need for modification," Aguk Snow chimed in, keeping his eyes on his nav board so as to be able to instantly respond any order from the captain. "Maybe sensors have to be recalibrated to take into account the physical differences between both universes, but no report of that has been recorded from their journey; hence even the less performing computers of the time had apparently been able to automatically compensate."

"Thank you, Mister Snow," Kheren answered. His silver eyes went to the Illythirii woman at Science Station 1. "Your recommendations, Lieutenant-Commander?"

"As to my own recommendations," she took a breath, eyelids flickering for a moment, and smiled, "I have none that have not already been given. The Aegis is settled and at full strength and the empathic net is coming up nicely. If you need us, we'll be there. All stations are ready to respond to whatever might face us." 

The Andorian nodded as his gaze went to the other officers on the bridge.

"Anything else? Medical? Ops?"

 Before either the Orion woman at Ops or the Bynar doctors could come up with any information or advice, the forcibly frozen voice of Alex Somers broke the silence.

"Vessel coming from the Fluidic Space border now on elliptical course towards our position at full impulse... now slowing to half impulse and veering to adopt a parallel course to our own trajectory at same facing  to come alongside our starboard; distance seven point seven million kilometers. By configuration, Undine Behemoth, Tethys Dreadnought Class. Weapons systems activation, negative; defensive systems activation, negative; active scanners operation, negative."

"Somebody read Starfleet's Rules of Engagement," commented Kheren.

That was enough to ease Alex' fingers that were hovering near the red alert button. But her eyes still were unblinking and looking sharply at the image on the large viewer before them as the voice of Patricia Blakely rose from the secondary engineering station where passive sensors and technical analyzing systems and data feeds had been assigned.

"Confirmed, Sir. Passive scan reads; lenght, three point two kilometers, a third only being the main hull, the rest forming the appendages housing secondary solar collectors, secondary bussard collectors, sensor systems and warpfield producing systems of unknown power source. Main hull ninety-six meters in diameter with, according to recorded data, main solar and bussard collectors erected in a forty-eight meters radial tripod arrangement around a rift generator... what they use to breach our universe from our own then back. "

Picking up on it, Somers looked at her own tactical scanners in passive mode then at the data scrolling on her tactical monitor.

"Defense system recorded  with no conventional shielding or armor but instead as self-regenerating hull of bio matter and a nebula generator; the pores alongside the hull able to exhude fluidic matter to form a warp and sensor inhibiting nebula of corroding agent to which it is itself immune. Offensive systems registered as bio-pulse weapons acting also as a point-defense system against enemy projectile or kamikaze-run assaults, a central rear targeting main bio-pulse cannon and a nebula warhead launcher that can use their defensive fluidic nebula as a detonation matrix for large scale damage."

"Well... so much for diplomacy..." grumbled Yeoman Blackbird.

"Captain" then chimed in Aguk Snow, "I made some calculations following their approach and maneuvering under our passive scans. According to this, their maneuverability is quite poor; slow to accelerate and decelerate, no more than thirty percent of our own, overlarge turn radius four times as ours and limited facing capability, about fhree times slower than our own. However, these figures would stay constant even under atmospheric pressure which my guess is, would not affect their structural integrity."

"A Galleon... broadside heavy but flunders when the wind's abeam," grumbled the Andorian in the command seat.

"Sir?"

"Big but slow," translated Kheren from his old Earth navy talk he had caught on during his Academy days, fascinated by this adventurous and daring period of Human History.

"Captain..." then announced Lyrya, " they are healing us on standard subspace comm channels, answering our friendship messages with what ressembles our own transmission... oddly old one however, like those they used like thirty or forty years ago in Starfleet..."

"What they learned when they encountered Voyager..." understood the captain. "Ship to ship, Lieutenant."

"Channel open, Sir."

He stood up, adjusted his uniform then put his hands behind his back at attention stance.

"This is Captain Kheren of the starship USS Horizon. I offer you greetings from the United Federation of Planets. We are on a peaceful mission of exploration and we came here answering a call of friendship from the people of Fluidic Space."

On the main viewer, the image of the enormous, greenish squid-like vessel wavered to show in it's place the stern features of an old man, a Human with thin, wavy whitish hair and pale piercing eyes in leathery face. For a moment, the man on the screen peered at them, giving the impression of looking in turn at each one of them individually and resting his gaze longest on K'Leysha, Leône and finally Tyvya, Lyrya and Kheren himself. On his face, it was plain to see that he was quite surprised by the appearance of these individuals. His words next confirmed that impression.

"In your universe, I have taken the name and appearance of the one you called Boothby. I speak for my people who several of your decades ago made a truce with your Captain Janeway of Voyager... and a few months back made peace with the one you call Captain Oseno of Alsea, whom I see is with you, as requested. I see that the rumors of Federation diversity are true; you Captain, and many of your crew, I have never seen or heard of your likes before. This bodes well."

"Sir,. As a starship captain, I am empowered to act as a fully accredited ambassador on behalf of the United Federation of Planets. Note however that the Horizon is also carrying a fully staffed diplomatic corps that will be able to work with you on any agreement in a fully official manner. Lieutenant Yiral here will head this delegation. It would be our pleasure to invite you on board the Horizon to discuss all matters that we might find of mutually beneficial import."

"You speak eloquently, Captain... but I have to say I am confused that your Federation send only one vessel in answer to our summon. This does not bode well."

At this, Kheren frowned, about the only expression his rigid Andorian face could manage.

"The Horizon is much more than just one vessel, Sir; and I am not speaking only of her size. You may see it for yourself if you accept our invitation to..."

"I am afraid that I can not leave my ship unattended, Captain."

Kheren' eyes darted around to his officers and it's Robert Baoule at Science station 2  who answered the question etched in his stare.

"He's alone on board, Captain. Those bioships even as large as this one are said to work in some kind of symbosis with a single pilot... that would be him, Sir."

There was a short moment of silence as the Andorian reflected on the information and their situation before he adressed the one personifying Boothby on the screen.

"Then I suggest, Sir, to meet with you on your own vessel, if that is possible."

"Agreed, Captain Kheren of Horizon. But this ship is not designed to accomodate many lifeforms, even as small as yours. You will be able to bring no more than eight of you... among which I request Oseno Jureth of Alsea, as of he alone among you we know first hand of integrity and courage worthy of a superior being."

Kheren glanced at the Bajoran to see if he agreed with the demand of the altered Undine leader.

"As no doubt you have discovered by now," then said Boothby in his raspy voice, "your sensor systems are unable to penetrate the living hull of my companion. Your transporter technology will not allow you to come aboard. You will have to use an auxillairy craft to bring your people to me."

"Understood, Sir. We will rendez-vous with you at your convenience."

"That would be now, Captain Kheren of Horizon."

"Maintain position at your present coordinates, Sir. Our diplomatic party will reach you there in thirty minutes."

The alien nodded and the image wavered back to that of the odd-looking living starship hanging on their starboard bow.

Still standing, Kheren let out a small sigh through his small nostrils.

"Well that did not went to bad... Number One, you have the ship. If anything happens, I remind you that the safety of the crew comes first and the mission or anyone involved with it comes second. This is to be  a  mission of peace but not a suicide one. I expect you to take care of our crew, then our ship and then of our mission in that precise order."

"Begging your pardon, Sir," then said Ensign Blackbird before Redding could even respond to the order, "but since Commander Oseno is to be part of the delegation and has proven skill and experience..."

"He can certainly do the job," cut Kheren,"except that he is not the captain of this ship and therefore can not act as an official ambassador as required by this mission. That is why I have to go, Yeoman, and not him alone or even Commander Redding, as would be normal for a standard away mission."

"Sorry to insist, Captain, but if Commander Oseno would take the Polaris over there, and that huge ship can certainly accommodate it as easily as a shuttlecraft, that requirement of Federation Law would be adequately fulfilled without you having to risk yourself over there."

"That would be true, Yeoman... except that diplomatic responsibility always fall to the most senior officer present in the diplomatic talk area," then said Kheren flatly.

"Yes Sir, but the risk..."

"Oh clock clock, Yeoman..."

Several people smiled and stiffled a laugh hearing the otherwise stern Andorian suddenly speak thus. Miramanee Blackbird was one however who did not laugh but frowned in obvious confusion.

"Sir?"

"You being a mother hen."

This time she understood; but she was far from being amused. And just behind her, the towering form of Tyvya showed the same frown as hers. But she said nothing.

"Now," finally said the Andorian looking around. "Commander Oseno and I have no choice but to go and perform our duty as best we can. Lieutenant Yiral would certainly be an asset but this to be a voluntary first contact mission. Who else wants to come along for the ride?"

Somers instantly rose up before Tyvya had made a single step from her guarding post and, being senior, had the privilege to speak first.

" General Order 13, Sir; no flag officer shall go into a hazardous area without properly armed escort."

Kheren's antenae curved inward and he shot an apologetic look at his gigantic wife before looking back at the red-haired woman.

"Alright, Lieutenant; your diplomatic savvy will also be useful I am sure. Who else?"

While the rest were forming the away mission Redding prepared a Delta Flyer for use. "Lieutenant Moors up on rotation Commander, shall I get him ready sir?" The Deck Officer responded.

Redding thought about it for a second then approved the assignment."That's fine, expect the team within the next 15 minutes, Redding out" It wasn't that he questioned the mans ability, but he wasn't as sure about his tact on a diplomatic mission.

"Captain, the Dusk is being prepped for the mission and Lt. Moore has been assigned, at your discretion, Sir."

Kheren was certainly no more telepathic or even empathic as the next Andorian, which was significantly lower than the average Human, but he was a master at body language and certainly could hear the hesitation of his usually forceful XO in his choice of words.

"Problem, Number One?"

"Not really sir, I was just considering Moores, shall we say 'outgoing' personality, on a sensitive mission. But seeing as his exposure to the single member of their crew should be minimal at best, why not?" and shrugged. "He's more than qualified for the mission."

While the captain was discussing particulars with Commander Redding Oseno turned to Yiral with a grim look.

"Commander.."

"Adira" She corrected politely

"Adira, as much as I would benefit from your expertise..."

"You want me to stay here," the El-Aurian finished in a somewhat defeated tone even though she was trying to hide her disappointment behind learned professionalism.

"I need you to take command of Strategic Operations. Go to the SIC, work scenarios with Lieutenant Hunter and Major Macgregor. I will take Lieutenant T'Lana with me, she is Vulcan and logical enough to serve as my foil. If this goes bad Adira, Commander Redding will need Strategic Ops to get out of it."

"Sir," Adira responded "If you order me to stay I will, but I am a diplomat, not a command officer, and while I appreciate the insight of the Vulcans more than most Lieutenant T'Lana is a security officer and would be better suited to developing exit strategies. Commander, this is the chance of a lifetime for a diplomatic corps officer, don't order me to miss it."

Oseno considered the woman's request, but there was something else too, as she spoke he detected a certain urgency in her voice that went beyond just the desire to be a part of the mission and he lowered his voice as he addressed her again.

"Adira, is there something wrong?"

Adira Yiral had anticipated the question before Oseno asked it. It wasn't so much that she thought something was going to happen...it was just a feeling. Such things were not uncommon amongst her people and most other sentient species didn't really know how to interpret them.

"No," she said quietly "Not wrong Commander...it's...a feeling."

Oseno searched her features "What is it? Are they deceiving us?"

"I don't know Sir, as I said, it's just a feeling."

"Alright, you're with me. If you get any indication..."

"You'll be the first to know Sir."

Oseno turned to the Captain "Sir, Commander Yiral will be joining us, at her request. I will leave Lieutenant T'Lana in charge of Strategic Ops, and the Polaris should she be needed."

"Thank you, ambassador. Your presence will certainly make all the difference," thanked the Captain.

S'Tan was the next Officer to speak up.

"I think it goes without saying, Sir, an engineer is always needed. Who else will recode their replicators to give us actual food?" The Romulan joked, as he was attempting to lighten the mood. "But yes. I'd love to be there and take some scans. Might be able to leave a Trojan Horse in their computer systems, if need be, as well. Speaking frankly, Sir, an Undine ship of this magnitude should not be sent for a diplomatic rendezvous. Something's wrong here."

The man stopped speaking for a moment and his eyes squinted as he thought.

"Sir, what if this is not a representative, but a defector? His comments about not bringing more ships is very strange. Or at least, to me it is..."

Kheren nodded.

"Going in with open minds and open eyes... well said, Lieutenant. I agree with your assessment. So, you will join Commander Oseno, our resident ambassador Yiral and lieutenants Somers and Moore to accompany me over there. Mister Moore will remain in the shuttle to... ensure our prompt and safe return, so there is room left for three more. Anyone else feels up to it?"

"I am." Snowfire spoke up with her customary softness from her station, eyes alight with excitement. "If for no other reason then that I am here as more than simply myself, I would go. Yet there is also the fact that if this does indeed go sour, I will be able to better protect you all if I am there with you." She was referring here to the psionic screen she had worked with the majority of those aboard the Horizon to raise around the vessel. It would protect those aboard, but it wouldn't help those outside of it. Not unless she or another of the nexus personnel went with the team, and whilst they might be good...they weren't her. 

No one else spoke up.

"Very well," then said Kheren. "Oseno, K'Leysha, Solius, Somers and Yiral, go get your formal dress uniform and anything else you require for this... momentous occasion. Then, meet Lieutenant Moore and me in Shuttlebay 1. We embark in twelve minutes."

he then tapped his combadge.

"Commander Sisko; please report to the bridge."

Turning to Redding, the Andorian gave him a nod as he started on his way towards the turbolift.

"Your Exec should be here shortly, Number One. The ship is yours."

"It's sooner than I would have liked Captain, but never worry, I'll keep her safe for you." Redding said with his crooked smile.

And with those words, Kheren entered the lift's cabin, turned around and gave a nod to both his wives before the door slid shut on him and the rest of the bridge crew accompanying him.

Lyrya and Tyvya exchanged a glance before returning their attention to their respective console. The low angle of their antennae told well enough of their annoyance, maybe even foreboding regarding their husband. But he was also their commanding officer; they were Starfleet officers. And so, they kept silent and attentive to their work.

They didn't even have a prayer. Andorians had no superstitious beliefs to fall upon in such times.

Now and for the first time, they both wished that they had.