Star Trek Discovery: WIng and Talon

Trigger Break

N'Vel felt her pulse quicken in her breast as inhaled sharply through her nose and tried to make sense of what she saw on the viewscreen.

"That is not a Klingon vessel," S'Tonn observed, voicing the bridge crew's thoughts. "Andorian, perhaps?"

N'Vel shook her head. "Federation," she said quietly. "Multiple hulls of differing designs...offset nacelles...yes, Federation. Pity K'prek isn't here, or he could tell us what type of ship."

"Indeed," S'Tonn said, "But that ship is a scale larger than anything we've ever encountered from the Federation before."

"And when was the last time we encountered a Federation vessel?" N'Vel crossed her arms and watched the ship gracefully navigate the path they'd planned for it. "So powerful," she said, shaking her head. "We are surrounded on all sides by enemies with more advanced fleets than ours."

"Admiral," the lanky centurion at the comms console called out as he saluted crisply. "The weapon crew on the moon's surface reports the vessel in firing range."

"Tell them to fire. And be quick about it." N'Vel forced herself to keep calm as she watched the screen. A moment later she saw the flash and the orange bolt of plasma energy burned through space to meet its target.

The Federation ship spun on its central axis as plasma energy burned along its shields, never touching the hull. Its running lights flickered randomly. The ship's momentum took carried it on an upward trajectory out of the canyon and high over the moon's rough surface.

"I can't believe they're still intact," she spat through clenched teeth. "Centurion, tell the gun crew to hit them again."

"Admiral," The centurion saluted again, much to N'Vel's annoyance. "Weapons crew reports that the firing systems have overloaded. They are attempting to repair the problem, however..."

"It would seem the plasma weapon needs more field-testing," S'Tonn said with his characteristic aridity. "But I would point out that they seem to have lost propulsion and guidance controls. Possibly more."

"For all our sakes, I hope you're right." N'Vel said, then ordered "Full impulse! Lock disruptors on target!"

"Full impulse, Admiral," the helmsman reported.

"Time to deliver the killing blow."