Startrek: Keash and Derf

Chapter 5

Chapter 5: The family history.

Then, with a whist full glance out the cockpit window, he asked almost as an afterthought. "Just one question before you have me vaporized though?", Derf said and then turned to regard Keash with an incredulous expression before asking "Why are we still alive?"

Keash looked at him oddly before realizing what the Alien was referring to.

Before their conversation had begun the IMS Breda had traversed a length of space that was filled with what remained of two planets which had mutually annihilated each other in a cataclysmic collision.

Gravitational anomaly not yet understood by science worked to keep the derbies field not only contained into a specific area but also afforded a path clear of derbies to the planet where they'd met directly above the poles. The derbies field itself was a chaotic mess of asteroids ranging in size from a human fist to chunks of planet surface 100 kilometers across.

None of the asteroids were in the nice elliptical orbit around a single point as everybody imagined all asteroids to be though, each one on a different trajectory than any other, at speeds that were equally different though never slow or leisurely.

Asteroids were colliding with one another everywhere and all the time which made calculating a clear path through them was to complicated, even for 24th century computer technology. Preventing collision with asteroids the size of Elephants were inevitable for any object traversing the debris field which was about twice a large as even the most powerful deflector shields cold deflect successfully.

Larger asteroids could either be shot to little chunks by energy weapons or evaded completely, and relatively slower moving asteroids would mostly be deflected. The majority of the asteroids in the debrief field were anything but slow moving and even an immobile object would be subjected to high speed impacts getting through the deflector shields.

"Look around you Mr...." Keash began. "Derf, my name's Derf" the alien filled in. Keash gestured with his arms to include everything around them, continuing "everything that you see is something i have personally put there, after personally putting the hull of this spaceship together out of pieces i took from derelicts or wreckage."

Standing from his seat and moving over to his son he collected the disruptor and thumbed it down to standby before unlocking and catching his son in his arms. He turned to Derf who'd visibly relaxed and wore a great full expression at the removal of the disruptor threat. "The primary hull of this ship was constructed from the hull of a blockade runner drone transport and the secondary hull was taken from an ancient asteroid field miner, built in the days before deflector shields and energy barriers to reinforce structural integrity." Keash revealed.

Derf's expression displayed some recognition but Keash knew he'd need to elaborate before complete comprehension dawned for the alien guest. "During the Dominion war Starfleet found itself being beaten on all fronts. The war went so bad that some outposts or even sectors of space containing colony or member worlds got isolated from Federation controlled space, unreachable for supplies and reinforcements.

Starfleet designed and built a number of drone transport ships that were designed to ignore everything that came into their path and keep going full speed towards their objective destination and capable of resisting massive amounts of firepower without critical failures for extended periods of time.

Only three were ever used in the field of which 2 actually did the job they were designed to do. They broke through the enemy lines despite taking considerable fire head on and reached the colonies they were sent to reach." Keash explained.

While he was talking he had moved to the replicator, gotten himself and his son who was as captivated by Keash's words as Derf was, a cup of chocolate milk and thrown Derf a quizzically look asking if he wanted anything. "Coffee please, black" Derf nodded while his expression asked Keash to continue.

"Unfortunately the transports moved the reached colonies up on the Dominion's to do lists and were conquered within days after that, and Starfleet decided the drones would not be used in that manner again. As the war's tide shifted and eventually ended with the Federation on the winning side the remaining 3 ships that had been constructed were left at a salvage shipyard judged to costly to disassemble for recycling or resources.

One of them became part of this ship." Keash told his audience as he moved to his seat and sat down, his kid held against his chest and the mug with chocolate milk in his hand moving so he could take a sip now and then.

"The miner ship, which forms most of the other parts of the hull, was constructed in the early days of Klingon expansion into the galaxy and before their wide spread implementation of warp drives, to be used for mining asteroid fields for raw materials. Klingons being what they are would not accept the existence of Asteroid fields to perilous for them to mine and constructed their mining ships with such structural strength and heavy armored hulls they could withstand almost any direct impact with solid objects traveling at sub-light velocities." Keash explained and then told his son "Ahrund, its bedtime now. Daddy loves you and daddy is proud of you.

Good night and sleep well honey". He then gave his son a kiss and put him on his feet. "Good night daddy, love you too" said Ahrund lovingly and waved as he turned and walked out of the bridge, off to bed. Derf was amazed as he watched the kid go by on his way out of the bridge. He'd never seen such an obedient kid, especially after such a terrifying trip like the Breda had been through not long before.

"The thruster assemblies, impulse engines, warp nacelles and the power distribution systems on this ship were cannibalized from a star ship tug, giving the ship it's exceptional maneuverability. The rest of the ship is an evolving collection from various other sources which i upgrade whenever the opportunity presents itself. Most important of which might be considered to be our private quarters, directly aft of this bridge.

If you'd examine it you'd find it is outfitted like a family home. It's furniture comfortable and antique, its walls adorned with memorabilia, images of family friends or events and even an artificial fireplace to complete a homely atmosphere." Keash went on telling his remaining companion on the small ship's bridge. Derf's expression must betrayed his confusion as Keash leaned forward and looked the alien in the eye, his expression somehow intimidating and dangerous to Derf.

"I am telling you all this, and specifically the last part, because this ship IS a family home Mr. Derf. This ship is the culmination of decades of work, of a life 's dreams. It's the result of my past, the center point of our present and i hope it will build the beginnings of a fabulous future for my son. It is our home and i will kill if i have to, to defend it."

Derf nodded to express his comprehension of the implied threat in Keash's words and expression, and was about to launch into an explanation of how it was not his doing that got the illegal arms parts into Keash's cargo hold and how he was a victim of deceit just like Keash was when Keash leaned back and started to talk again.

"This ship is a home, first and foremost, not the one time use, throwaway valued barely operable cobbled together heap of metal that is used by a band of swashbuckling adventurous wannabe smuggler types for an illegal smuggling run. Nevertheless my son and me have experienced an anomalous amount of incidents in which ill intent was displayed towards us and or this ship.