“On Screen,” Callum said as the hailing frequency reported a hail from the Cardassian ship. It had dropped from warp speed only a few moments ago, and had taken a position between the Anaheim and any approach to the platform. 

“Starfleet vessel. You will cease all activity in this area at once. This is Union territory and you have no authority here!,” the stern voice of an older Cardassian filled the bridge as he came onto the view screen. The uniform he wore was older fashioned, and Callum noticed the scar on his face.

“This is Captain Forsythe, of the USS Anaheim. We mean no harm by our presence, we were inside a tunnel, similar to the one by the Borias Cluster. Our ship was flung from the tunnel, and we found ourselves here. Your navigational officer should be able to tell you we are on a course for the DMZ,” Callum said, measuring his voice to try and sound as reasonable as he could. The ship was still being repaired, there was no reason to risk further damage. 

“I am Gul Rekaon, we will scan your ship. Do not interfere,” came the curt reply, and a nod from Beron at the tactical station let Callum know the ship was doing just that. Callum waited for the invisible scan to wash over the Anaheim, standing on the bridge with forced disinterest on his face.

“The tunnels caused this damage? You were fortunate that you did not exit from one of the openings on the other end, the entrances are proving to be quite rough. And you appear to be telling the truth For skyth,” [/b] Rekaon said with no apparent softening, the Cardassian stumbling over his unfamiliar name. 

Moving forward towards the screen, Callum nodded, “We have no orders from Starfleet to be here, and from the moment we were thrust into your space we have been completing repairs. I ask that you provide us an escort out of the area, if that would please you Gul Rekaon. Our engines are almost fully operational, in a few hours we can be making full warp out of the Cardassian Union. Until then, we can maintain our current course and may I invite you aboard as my guest,” Callum ventured an invitation as a last moment hunch. Surely if he had something to hide, he wouldn’t be bringing them aboard.

“I must decline your offer. There are important.. maintenance of our own we must attend to. We have sent your engine signature to the other patrol vessels, and my helm is sending over a course. Do not deviate from it. I have no issue spilling Federation blood,” Rekaon ended his orders with a sneer, one that had a couple of his bridge officers muttering. Callum knew they were trying to get a reaction from him, enjoying the chance to play the bigger fish to his vessel. But pride would not help them, nor would a fire fight, alone and unsupported provide any positive outcome. 

Swallowing his own frustration, Callum kept his own face neutral and waited for confirmation of the course. When the helmsman nodded, he looked over at the console and noticed the course was not much different from their own already plotted. It would veer them farther away from a small asteroid belt, but he wasn’t surveying anyways. 

“We will proceed on the course as provided. And maybe another time you can enjoy the offered hospitality,” Callum stopped when the screen went black. Rekaon had closed the hail as soon as he’d agreed. 

“Maintain course, we will proceed as before. Beron, if the position of the ship changes, inform me immediately,” Callum ordered, as he made his way to the turbolift to see if Fylar or Jenifer had been successful yet. 

Callum entered the science lab, not at all surprised to see Kylar working hard. Multiple screens were running a variety of models, and after taking the measure of the room, he stood where he was least likely to get in the way of the crew members. 

Shortly after, the screens all seemed to pause and a groan went through several of the science officers. “I take it that is not good news then?” he asked, and waved off a couple of them stiffening to attention.

“No Captain. It’s even worse, its no news. There are too many variables, too many things that could happen. We just don’t know enough about Underspace,” Fylar said, her words clipped with anger. 

“I know you have all been working hard on this. But Fylar, we must remember there are other vessels doing the same. You do not have to single handedly solve this puzzle. Nebulas, quasars, they all can take multiple ships to study properly. We were not going to solve Underspace from a single ship,” Callum said, putting his hand on her shoulder to stop her from turning to the consoles and beginning again. “Save your data, and we will continue to watch what the platform is doing. For now, you are all exhausted. Record, make scans, but you need to rest. All of you, it’s an order” Callum said, noticing some of the officers visibly wilt. 

Before Fylar could respond, alert tones began chiming from her console. He let go of her shoulder as she turned and began to mutter, her fingers dancing on the screen. “No, No, why are you doing this, don’t you know the cascade effect could be catastrophic,” she was cursing the screen, and from context Callum assumed the Cardassian platform was being put to use. 

“Captain to the bridge” came the call over the intercom, and Callum choked a sigh. 

“Keep me informed as soo as you can Kylar. Good work all of you,” Callum complimented the science lab as he departed once more.

“Captain, we have orders from command. The Cardassian Union is detonating streams of energy throughout Underspace. Tunnels all over the quadrants are collapsing, they are worred about trapped ships if anyone remains. Ships have been ordered to flee, and return to charted space,” Moira said as Callum walked onto the bridge. 

“Captain, the Cardassian vessel has raised it’s shields and is powering up weapons,” the report came from Beron at tactical, and Callum thanked him while he took the chair. 

“Hail the vessel,” lets see if we can’t at least solve that problem, he said, straightening his uniform quickly and standing tall.

The viewscreen remained blank, but the confirmation they were listening came through so he began. “This is Captain Forsythe of the USS Anaheim. Stand down your shield and weapons. We will have no choice but to defend ourselves if provoked, but I do not want to see this escalate. We are not deviating our course. I will say again stand down,” Callum paused when he heard Moira trying to get his attention. Turning to see her, he looked over at the PADD she presented. The readings were off the chart, the platform was clearly about to lance into the tunnel.

Callum nodded for the image to go on the screen, and he saw flashes of reactions coming from the area of the cluster. It looked like spectral fog, warring with tides of energy and then finally there was a flash as the aperture collapsed violently. “Sir, the ship is pulling away, they have closed the hailing frequency and are making full speed to the platform. There appears to be damage to the facility,” Beron stated from the tactical controls, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Captain’s Log 2401

The Anaheim will arrive in Federation space shortly, repairs have been completed and we are able to proceed at full warp. Reports continue to come in from other ships, collapsing tunnels and apertures being forced closed with the Cardassian technology.

The crew is frustrated and the mission can not help but feel like ideally we should have been able to do more. I remind them of the simple facts, there are task groups that could not prevent the calamity now ensuing. Why the Union decided to do as they did, is beyond me. Surely they should have seen the benefits a new frontier afforded us, but it appears fear won once more. 

We will report to the nearest station, and receive new orders. Being thrust across the quadrant has placed us far from our planned schedule, and I am sure we are not the only vessel to face that. For now, I keep the crew on a lighter schedule to make up for the strain they endured with hurried field repairs.