The Battle Of New Year's Day (Columbia): Difference between revisions

The passage of a new year into 2396 on the Earth calendar would have gone unchecked except for an unprovoked attack upon the {{USS|Columbia}}. While the ship was completing a visit to [[Dehner Base]] on [[Delta Vega I]], an unknown assailant appeared near the second planet and quickly fired upon the starship. Quick responses from the crew threw the ship into a heavy space battle. The ship's impulse engines were quickly disabled. The crew implemented a plan by [[Jona ch'Ranni|Ensign ch'Ranni]] to fire an ''ionized nadion pulse'' from the main deflector at the assailant to disrupt their sensors. [[Pholin Duyzer|Lieutenant JG Duyzer]] suggested a plan to launch a probe to boost the Columbia's own sensors while providing for communication with the enemy vessel. After the failure of the ship's shields, boarding parties beamed to the Columbia. [[Graciela Solis|Lieutenant Commander Solis]] and [[Jona ch'Ranni|Ensign ch'Ranni]] encountered a group of hostiles in Deflector Control while [[Jarred Thoran|Commander Thoran]], [[Rune Jolara|Lieutenant Commander Jolara]] and [[Tommy Gottci|Ensign Gottci]] head to Main Engineering in response to reports of another boarding party.

Meanwhile, members of the crew from the attacking ship, the Eildyr, beamed to [[Dehner Base]]. They had been covertly observing the construction of the new base and were searching for mysterious artifacts recovered from a nearby archeological dig. The discovery of these artifacts by Professor Olivia Sellard's team was intentionally hidden from the Columbia's crew. The attackers retrieve the artifacts and beam away to their waiting ship.

The away team begins to uncover some strange details aboard the Eildyr. They discover a kill room with nozzles that dispense toxic substances. A creature communicates with Lieutenant Lor telepathically and warns them about the danger of the Tkon artifact. At the same time, Captain Tarius Kaironn speaks with Captain Whittaker. After a brief display of resistance the enemy captain throws himself on Whittaker's mercy and offers himself in exchange for the freedom of his ship and crew. Although not entirely happy with the arrangement, Whittaker agrees to his terms and the crew make arrangements to beam Kaironn aboard.

After Kaironn had been beamed over with his ship moving away at high warp, the Columbia picks up a warp trail of an incoming ship. They soon discover that this ship appears to be of Losarian configuration. The Columbia is brought to Yellow Alert, preparing for a possible second attack. Just as lieutenant Duyzer, temporarily left in the center seat, wanted to inform the captain, but was interrupted by an incoming hail from the Losarian ship.

Duyzer cautiously made contact, and quickly learned that Commander Ellin Marayn of the Imperial Losarian Commonwealth starship Illrith had been looking for the pirate ship Eildyr for a long time. She expressed the upmost gratitude for capturing the man. Meanwhile, Kaironn managed to override the Columbia's security and beam aboard all crewmen that had boarded the Columbia. They made arrangments for Marayn to beam aboard to the Columbia to talk with the actual captain. Who will win the fight over captivity of Kaironn?