Hostile Encounters

She settled back into the captain's chair on the bridge of the DeSoto.  They were on a routine patrol.  Ironic, considering they were patrolling the space that bordered her former home.

Tensions between the Bartokians and Khalindarians had been on the rise in the last couple of years.  Incidences had occurred on several occasions, but it had been just a year ago when things deteriorated seriously.  A Bartokian freighter had been destroyed, and scans showed the culprit to be a Khalindarian vessel.  While the Khalindarians denied any involvement and the Federation said that it would launch an immediate investigation, the Bartokians had not been mollified.  The Supreme Council had voted unanimously to dissolve the Venedies Treaty.  Starfleet warned that dissolving the treaty would cause their membership in the Federation to be revoked.  They did it anyway.

Eve wasn't the only Bartokian in Starfleet.  But she was one of the few who actually stayed.  Most had returned home.  The few who remained with their Starfleet posts were branded as traitors.  It pained Eve to know that her own home was no longer accessible to her.  Things for her family weren't too bad.  While her husband wasn't a true Bartokian (an incident involving the Q had made him one), he was well-known for his animosity towards Starfleet.  The most painful rejection had been between Eve and her daughter, Cerina.  Cerina had just graduated from Loczni... and had actually been considering following in her mother's footsteps and entering Starfleet Academy.  Seceding from the Federation caused her to change her mind, and instead join the Bartokian Fleet.  The last conversation between mother and daughter had been tense to say the least.

Her train of thought was interrupted by Lt. J.G. Mark Ryder.  "Ma'am, we have an incoming Bartokian vessel.  Bearing 007 mark 5.  Time to intercept, thirty seconds."

Eve stood.  "Yellow alert.  Shields up, stand by on weapons."  The yellow lights began to flash as the Bartokian vessel drew closer.  Without turning, Eve spoke to her tactical officer.  "Evaluation, Lieutenant Chan."

Chan's fingers danced over her console.  "Molyar -class Bartokian cruiser.  Shields are raised... and their weapons systems are armed."  Bartokian vessels were well-equipped for battle... containing five forward phase plasma banks, three aft banks, three forward torpedo bays and one aft.  They also utilized a cloaking device and multiphasic shielding.  While the DeSoto could hold its own in a battle with the Bartokian ship, it was by no means a one-sided fight.

Eve's face tightened.  "Hail them."

"Hailing frequencies open, Ma'am."

"Bartokian vessel... this is Captain Eve Ordalani-Ringo of the USS DeSoto.  We are on a routine patrol assignment.  Please state your intentions."

The screen flashed on.  Standing on the Bartokian bridge, bathed in red light, was a young woman.  Her long brown hair was tied back, and draped over her right shoulder.  Something flickered behind her eyes before she responded.

"Ti Klec Cerina Ringo of the Bartokian cruiser Dinaqa, Lake Milazzo, Davari, Bartok VII."

The crew on the bridge of the DeSoto glanced back to their captain.  No one expected to encounter a vessel captained by Eve's daughter.

"You look well, Cerina."

"You're trespassing... Mother."  The word dripped with contempt, almost spat from the mouth of the younger Ordalani.

"Check your charts.  We are still within Federation space."  The conn officer glanced back at Eve, and silently mouthed, she's right.  Eve glared at the ensign, but said nothing.

Lieutenant Chan was next to speak.  "Captain... they have a targeting lock on us."

Eve looked back at the screen.  "This is what it comes to, Cerina?  Firing on your own mother?"

"My mother died the day she turned her back on her people... on her own family."  Cerina stepped back to the captain's chair aboard the Dinaqa, sitting down as she straightened her black-trimmed uniform.  "Don't force me to make the transition from figurative to literal."

While there were still negotiations between the Federation and the Bartokians, they were strained to say the very least.  And little progress had been made.  There had been no open hostilities yet, although a few close calls had been reported by both sides.  It seemed like a boxing match, with neither side ready or willing to throw the first punch.

Eve smirked at her daughter.  "Don't start what you can't finish, little girl."

Cerina's eyes flashed.  "You have thirty seconds to return to Federation space... or I promise we will open fire."  The screen went blank.

"Analysis, all stations."  Eve glanced around her bridge.

"Ma'am... the Bartokians already have a target lock.  If we arm weapons... odds are, they will fire."  First officer Rebecca Ramsey joined the captain near the conn station.  "I hate to be the one who says it... but it looks like turning tail and returning to Federation space is our only option."

Eve nodded.  "Conn, set a course.  Bearing 180, mark one.  Maximum impulse.  We turn back... but don't make it look like we're running.  Engage."

Aboard the Dinaqa, Cerina's XO looked over.  "Ti Klec, they are returning to Federation space.  If I may suggest... we still have a target lock.  We could send them a message."