Star Trek The Next Generation: Discovered

Chapter 11

"This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard, of the starship Enterprise. How..?"

"Captain, this is General Bek'Lax, leader of Helikinus. You will lower your shields and prepare to be boarded." The gruff-looking Helikin on the viewscreen interrupted.

"I don't think so, General." Replied Picard. "At least not until I understand why you are threatening the Flagship of the Federation."

"You are housing two traitors aboard you're ship and are helping in negotiations between them and those Betazoids!" as he said the last word, he spat in disgust. "I will not tolerate this, Picard! Now lower your shields!"

"Captain," whispered Lepec, from Picard's left, "be careful how you answer. From his body and verbal language it is obvious that he's not afraid to carry out any threats he intends to make."

Picard nodded slightly to his Counsellor, but decided to say what he wanted anyway.

"I will not surrender my vessel to you!"

"Very well, Picard, you give me no choice..."

The Helikin nodded to someone behind him and Data's console began to beep furiously.

"Captain, they are inputting our shield's harmonic frequency codes. We will loose shields in...3...2...1...shields down, Captain."

Before they could react, heavily armed Helikin soldiers surrounded them. Bek'Lax walked to Picard.

"You should have surrendered, Picard."

It had been four hours since he and the senior staff had been marched into the Cargo Bay 3 and placed under guard. Still Picard watched as his crew was herded into the room. The door opened with its usual whining sound. Bek'Lax entered, followed by a few soldiers. The soldiers led the last group into the Cargo Bay. It was the Betazoid and Helikin delegates. Andrana and Kelic were dragged in harshly away from the rest of the prisoners. Riker and Crusher walked quietly up to Picard.

"They haven't found Deanna or Ryla yet." Commented Riker.

"I noticed."

"We need to get to her soon. I don't know how long the medication will last."

"Unfortunately, Doctor that's the least of our worries at the moment."

"Its not far now, Ryla, just a little way down this Jeffrey's tube."
Commented Deanna as she led the blonde Betazoid down the darkened tunnel.

Whilst waiting in their quarters, as Picard had instructed, they both felt the turmoil take over the ship and decided to make a run for it. Deanna had no idea where they were going to run to, because the Helikins were all over the ship, but as long as they kept themselves hidden they'd be fine. Foot steps and voices coming from the end of the Jeffrey's tube, caused the two women to stop still.

"The General wants this whole ship searched. We're still missing two prisoners, both female, both Betazoids. There are only these Jeffrey's tubes to search, but they go all the way through the ship, so we've had to split into several groups. You know you're assignments. Move out!"

The hatched ahead of them began to hiss open.

"Damn it!" Swore Deanna, looking around the small tunnel. She spied an access ladder to their right. "Ryla, up this way, we've got to get off this level!"

The two women climbed for their lives. As the hatch closed behind them, the Helikin soldiers entered the Jeffrey's tube.

Deanna had to kick open the next hatch, unsure of where exactly they were and who was there to greet them. The hatch fell to the ground without a sound. Deanna immediately knew why, it had fallen onto the soft grass of the arboretum.