Chapter 4 - Taking A Chance
Jack sat in a large briefing room aboard the Sovereign class starship, Venture. His own ship had spent the last week at maximum warp, arriving just two days ago in the Kel-j'na Region. Now after having met up with the Third Fleet in the Nasuv system, Jack found himself surrounded by a group of twenty fellow starship captains, waiting to hear what this mission would require of them and their crews.
Jack doubted any of his fears would be calmed by what he'd hear during this briefing, but he prayed he'd get the opportunity to create a sliver of hope on his own. It would all depend on the kind of man the Admiral who had replaced his father at the helm of the third fleet was.
Jack had only met Grant a handful of times, most of those were functions his father had been required to attend. But the man's warm brown eyes, and graying hair had for some reason always put Jack at ease.
The gray had all but won its battle against Grant's previously dark brown hair, both on top of his head and in the neatly trimmed mustache he wore. Only his bushy eyebrows seemed immune to the flow of time.
Grant's face was wrinkled in a way that reminded Jack of his friend from the nineteenth century, Jedediah. His face didn't look old as much as it did wise, a result not of the passage of years, but the mileage the body had traveled.
Much to his surprise, it took Jack several seconds to realize who accompanied Grant as he entered the room. He decided he wouldn't tell K'lremi that her entrance had been less noticeable than that of a sixty-seven year old human.
Alexander Grant sat at the head of the large round table. "As most of you have already guessed, this isn't some sort of milk run we're about to embark on." He touched a control in front of him and a holographic display came to life in the center of the table. "We have been tasked with pressing an attack against Nybiros."
Anthony Donato, a bright eyed man with short cut, light brown hair smiled. "Begging the admiral's pardon, but haven't we done this already?"
Grant let only one corner of his mouth return Donato's smile. "Yes, but last time you only took on the planetary defenses. On this mission, our target is the G'voda fleet."
Nervous murmurs filled the room.
A Vulcan captain Jack didn't recognize spoke next. "Admiral, all the evidence I have seen thus far suggests that such a course of action is not only unwise, but pointless. The power available to a single G'voda vessel is beyond our current technology."
"Just one of their ships took out several Borg cubes," Donato added. "They're likely to have hundreds of those ships around their homeworld."
Grant touched another control. Several small triangles faded into view over the representation of Nybiros. "Our current estimates are four hundred and fifty."
"Hey, I've got no love for the G'voda, considering the worlds they've attacked, but exactly what are we supposed to do against those ships?" Captain Elaine Barnett, an attractive brunette in her mid-forties asked. "Tap our heals and hope they vanish?"
Grant waited until he was certain everyone who wanted to say something had done so. He then looked Jack's direction. "That's where Captain McCall comes in."
All eyes turned his way, but Jack remained silent.
Grant continued. "A member of Captain McCall's crew has discovered an Ancient Progenitor device on Dalvanax Two which should disable all vessels in the G'voda fleet."
After several seconds of silence, Donato asked, "Should?"
"I figured you'd catch that, Tony," Grant said with a soft chuckle. "Needless to say, this weapon has never been combat tested, but all our information suggests that this is the very purpose for which it was created."
"And this thing has been buried on Dalvanax for how long?" Barnett asked.
Grant folded his hands. "Look, I know we're dealing with a lot of unknowns here. Will the weapon still function? In the time since it was built, have the G'voda developed countermeasures? Can we get it into their space undetected?"
"That's the one I'm curious about," Donato quipped.
"Our plan is to have it installed aboard the Chamberlain with the Oceana going along for protection," Grant said. "We estimate that will give us our best chance."
This was the kind of opening Jack had hoped for, but it was far from a sure thing. He just had to be careful not to overplay his hand. "Sir, there may be a better way."
Grant gave Jack his full attention. "Go ahead, Captain."
Jack touched a control in front of him. "Sending in those two ships, while seeming prudent because of their advanced shields, puts our largest military assets at risk if something were to go wrong with the device." Pausing a moment, Jack could almost see the disdain in a couple of the faces around the table. He suspected they considered his reluctance to lead the attack an indication of cowardice on his part. But Jack McCall had every intention of taking point in this battle. "I suggest we send the device aboard the Abdiel." The display changed, showing a small Defiant class starship. "It has a cloak and if the device fails, we would have the ability to withdraw our fleet before engaging an enemy with far superior firepower."
Grant stared at the display. "But the Defiant class doesn’t have the shield power to protect it against the G'voda defenses."
"Its my understanding the device can be activated far enough away from Nybiros to avoid those defenses."
Grant gave a quick nod. "If that's true, there would still be the issue of getting into the system. As it turns out, for this plan to work the G'voda have to know we're coming. I'd find it hard to believe they're just going to let the Abdiel waltz into their system."
Jack couldn't stop the smile this time. He'd brought Grant this far, the remaining distance should be easy by comparison. "The G'voda send transports to dump refuse into their sun on regular scheduled runs."
Grant leaned back with a smirk. "I see what you're getting at. A Defiant class ship with its cloak should be able to sneak into the system along the sensor blind spot caused by the solar magnetic field, come in close to the sun, and fly along with the transport as it makes its way back to Nybiros." The admiral remained silent for several seconds. "I like it. But I'll want to see a detailed analysis of the Nybiros system before approving this plan."
"I thought you might." Jack held up a PADD and passed it down the table to the admiral.
Grant smiled. He didn't even look at the PADD. "Very well, the Abdiel will be the ship to carry the device."
Captain Donato leaned forward. "Admiral, can we back up a moment. You said for this to work the G'voda will need to know we're coming."
"Yes."
"Doesn't that sort of eliminate the element of surprise?"
"It does, but in this particular case it's necessary." Grant looked around the table. "We have to do our best to insure that their entire fleet of ships is present when that device goes off. Otherwise, we'll have fully functional G'voda vessels popping out of wormholes and blasting us to pieces." The admiral shifted his gaze to Donato. "In fact, you're the one who's going to tell the G'voda we're coming, Captain."
"Me?"
"You haven't taken your suspected spy into custody yet, have you?"
Donato shook his head. "I'd received orders not to."
"Good." A grin came to Grant's face. "When you go back to your ship, make sure you brief your senior officers about our attack, but leave out the details about this device and the Abdiel. Once the spy sends his message, you are to arrest him."
Jack liked how this was coming together, but the hardest part was yet to come.
***
Twenty-five minutes later, Jack stood in the ready room of the Venture. Admiral Grant finally walked in.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Captain McCall," he said, motioning Jack to take a seat. "So tell me, what's the real reason behind you suggesting the Abdiel deliver this weapon?"
"Real reason, sir?"
"Come on, I'm no fool." Grant took the seat behind the desk. "Your father used to pull stunts like this all the time, come up with some initially outlandish sounding plan, but all the while having some method to his madness."
Jack sat across from him. "My reasons for sending the Abdiel were only partly tactical. I intend to be on that ship when it approaches Nybiros."
"What in hell for?" Grant's previous jovial attitude vanished.
"To take the one opportunity we've got to talk to the Volmvas and end this fight."
That got a raised eyebrow out of Grant. "Really? And how do you intend to pull off that minor miracle?"
Jack took a long breath. "You're aware my father was captured by the G'voda."
"Yes. His body is inhabited by one of those things that attacked Ivax."
"On Folam, my father was able to regain control."
"And from what we can tell he did so again when he warned us about the most recent attack," Grant said.
"I'd heard," Jack said. He'd gotten one foot in the door, now it was time to sell this plan of his. "I've looked over our most recent intelligence and it appears the Volmvas are not currently on Nybiros."
Grant gave a nod. "We've got twelve cloaked surveillance probes in the system. The Volmvas were detected returning to Nybiros a day after the attack on Ivax, but they left again soon afterward."
"Which leaves the being inhabiting my father the only Volmvas in the system."
Grant shook his head. "I don't follow you."
"When we attack, his first reaction will be to do something about the device on the Abdiel," Jack said, leaning forward in his seat. "He will be forced to come to me."
"What's to stop him from simply destroying the Abdiel and the weapon," Grant said with narrowed eyes.
"The same thing that stopped him from doing so on Folam: my father."
Grant turned in his chair to look out the nearby window. "And if he calls in the other Volmvas from wherever they are?"
"I'm certain he will do that," Jack said. "But it will take time for them to arrive, giving me an opportunity to find him. Since he'll be the only organic lifeform in the system, I shouldn't have too much trouble doing that."
"So while this being thinks you're there to destroy the G'voda, you're actually just getting them out of the way so you can find him." Grant turned back to Jack. "Once you've got him, then what?"
"Unlike the others of his kind, he's limited by a human body. It's my hope that my father can gain control again, giving me a chance to talk to this being and perhaps find a way to end this without any more loss of life."
"I don't know," Grant said. "If the Volmvas return prior to our attack..."
"Then every officer aboard our ships will die."
That gave Grant reason for pause.
"Admiral, the key to this are the Volmvas. Unless we somehow convince them to stop, this won't end with the deaths of those in this fleet. My guess is they will retaliate against the entire Federation."
Grant leaned forward onto his desk. "You sure this isn't driven by desperation to save your father?"
He pondered Grant's question. "A couple of years ago when I learned about the peace we'd made with the Dominion, I was angry. I wasn't through with the war. I'd just escaped with what was left of my crew from a prison camp. I wanted a chance for justice. But since then, I've seen what that lust for war does, the harm it causes. If there's even a small chance I can stop this, then I have to take it, no matter the risk. My father's situation is secondary."
Grant leaned back in his chair and stared out the window again. "You'll be risking everyone else aboard the Abdiel."
"I know," Jack said. "That's why I plan to take her out with a minimal crew."
Grant turned to Jack and smiled. "Admiral James warned me you were less than excited about this mission. I'm glad to hear this is the reason why."
"Sir?"
"Bart James is up to something. What, I'm not sure of yet," Grant said. "He's always had one foot in the political end of the Federation pool, but ever since Larissa's death, he's practically been drowning in it." Grant regarded Jack a moment. "He had suggested that I relieve you of your command once you arrived. He didn't think you'd follow orders."
"That option had crossed my mind."
"Anyone who loves war should never command a starship," Grant told him. "But anyone who's fearful of entering battle shouldn't either. Admiral James tried to tell me you were the latter. To the contrary, you're wanting to dive into the thick of it."
"I hadn't considered it that way, but I guess you're right."
"Ending this before more people die is something I'm all for. So I'm authorizing you to make the attempt to contact your father, and through him, the Volmvas."
"Thank you, sir."
"But Jack, if you can't convince the Volmvas to end this…"
"I know, Admiral." Jack knew what was at stake if he failed. "Thank you for letting me try."
Grant stood and extended his hand to Jack. "Good luck, Captain."
"To us all, sir." Jack stood and took the other man's hand. "Before I go, there was one last thing I needed to ask you about, Admiral. It involves a promise I made eight months ago."
