* * * * *

 "Lieutenant," the young female ensign at Operations said, "I've picked up a ship dropping out of warp."
 "Distance?" Tuvok asked.
 "Two hundred thousand kilometers and closing, sir."
 "Tuvok to Captain Janeway," he said, pressing his commbadge.
 "Janeway here."
 "You must come to the Bridge, Captain," he replied, "we have picked up a ship."
 "On my way.  Have all senior officers report to the bridge.  Janeway out."
    Minutes later, Janeway and Chakotay arrived on the bridge.  Tom and Harry arrived shortly after.
 "Report," she said.
 "We picked up the ship as it dropped out of warp," Tuvok stated.
 "Can you identify the vessel?" Janeway asked.
 "No," Tuvok replied.  "The vessel is of unkown origin, but it is 1.6 kilometers in length, and looks to be very well armed."
 "On screen," Janeway ordered.
    Tuvok tapped his console, and the ship appeared on the viewscreen.  It was, as Tuvok reported, huge, easily three to four times the size of 'Voyager'.  Even at this magnification, Janeway and Chakotay could see the numerous weapons emplacements on the wedge-shaped hull.  A huge tower was mounted at the stern (obviously the bridge) topped by ominous-looking domes.  The ship was moving towards 'Voyager', like a hungry wolf on the hunt.
   The Northwest Passage had only been free of Borg activity because the more powerful Species 8-4-7-2, inhabited the region.  The thought of a race more powerful than either species made Janeway cringe.  Sweat ran in rivulets down Janeway's face and back.  Her hands shook.  She new exactly what she was feeling.  Fear.  The alien ship had obviously been designed to instill that very emotion into any beholder.
 "What is their present postion?" Chakotay asked, his face paling slightly.
 "One hundred thousand kilometers and closing," answered the ensign.
 "Yellow alert," Janeway said anxiously.
 "Captain," Paris said with growing anxiety, "they're increasing speed.  They are taking on an offensive posture."
 "Hail them!" Janeway ordered.
    Harry worked his console.  He tapped the sequence of commands in a few times, then looked up in frustration.
 "They're not responding." Harry said darkly.
    The sky exploded in green fire as energy beams suddenly lanced toward 'Voyager' from the warship.  The beams exploded on 'Voyager''s hull, sending the little ship reeling.  Janeway was knocked to the floor, and Chakotay tumbled also.  Tom struggled to remain stationary at the helm.
 "Damage report!" Janeway shouted over the din.
 "Captain!" B'Elanna replied over the comm with curiosity.  "This is amazing!  We've suffered no physical damage at all, but we're having power failures all over the ship!"
 "How is that possible if they never hit us!" Chakotay asked with frustration.
 "My theory," B'Elanna hypothesized, "is that those energy beams are ionized particle waves.  Their purpose must be to disable electronic systems without physically damaging the target, so it can be captured intact."
 "This is all very nice, B'Elanna, " Chakotay snapped, "but the question is, what can you do about it?"
 "I can have power restored in a few minutes. Stand by."  She signed off.
 "If they are using that type of weaponry," Tuvok said to Janeway, "it is likely that they will try to beam aboard."
 "Understood," she replied.  "Have security teams standing by on all decks."
    Suddenly, the ship shook gently.  Warning alarms went off all over the bridge.  Tom had the problem diagnosed immediately.
 "We're caught in some kind of tractor beam!" he said.  "It's pulling us into a docking bay of some sort on the ventral side."
 "Captain," Harry said, "we're being hailed."
 "On screen!" Janeway ordered.
    Harry complied and entered a few commands.  The image of a young, beautiful woman in an olive-green uniform appeared on the viewscreen.  Her copper hair fell down her back in cascades, framing the finely carved features of her face.  Her green eyes shone like Romulan disruptor beams.  Her lips barely moved as she spoke.
 "I am Admiral Daala," the woman said, "of the Imperial Star Destroyer 'Kraken'.  You are trespassing in Imperial space.  Surrender and prepare to be boarded."
 "I am Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation Starship 'Voyager'-"
 "I did not ask who you are or where you came from, *Captain*," Daala retorted haughtily.  "That information makes no difference to me.  Surrender and prepare to be boarded.  Now!  You should be thankful that I did not destroy your ship on sight."  The image faded.
 "Cheerful people, aren't they?" Tom cracked.
 "Captain," B'Elanna said over the comm, "I have power restored to weapons sysytems, the shields will take a little more work."
 "Thank you, B'Elanna," Janeway said.  "Now can you tell us how to get out of this tractor beam!"
 "It seems to be a very primitive beam, by Federation standards.  The targeting system is simply indiscriminate; it will lock onto the first thing in its path."
 "Captain," Harry said, "if we could put another object in the path of the beam, we might be able to get it to release its lock on us."
    Janeway picked up on it in an instant.  "Mr. Tuvok, fire three photon torpedoes into the path of the beam.  Mr. Paris, I want you to break away at full impulse on my mark."
 "Torpedoes ready, Captain," Tuvok said.
 "Do it!" Janeway said with a low, dark tone in her voice.
  The torpedoes flashed from the aft launchers and shot into space.  They changed direction and headed straight for the path of the invisible tractor beam.  As the torpedoes entered the beam's path, they suddenly increased speed, heading straight for the docking bay.
 "Mark!" Janeway shouted.  Tom punched it.  The ship sped away from the 'Kraken' at incredible speed.  The torpedoes continued their path and landed solidly on the Star Destroyer's tractor beam projectors.  Several projectors exploded on impact with the photons, their explosions destroying more projectors.  In a few seconds, the 'Kraken's' tractoring ability had been neutralized.                                                             Harry glanced at his console, then looked up.  "Captain," he said, "the Star Destroyer is hailing us again."
 "On screen," Janeway said calmly.
    The image of Admiral Daala appeared on the viewscreen once again.  Her hair was slightly disheveled and her eyes burned with malice.
 "Captain," she said, "you've just made a bad mistake.  The Empire will not stand for this.  You will pay for the attack on my ship with your lives.  This is *war*, Janeway!  You *will* suffer!  I can promise you that."  The image faded, once again showing the giant Star Destroyer.
 "Captain," Tuvok said, "I am detecting thirty-or-so small starships being launched from the 'Kraken'.  They are converging on our position."
 "B'Elanna," Chakotay said over the comm, "how soon can you have those shields up?  We've got more company!"
 "It's still going to be a while, yet," the engineer answered.  "I'll have damage control teams standing by."
    The starships dove and swerved through the vacuum of space toward 'Voyager', their engines roaring.  They were essentially two hexagonal wings, covered with solar arrays, attached to a circular command pod.  Bright green beams flashed from two weapons emplacements beneath the cockpit.  Without its shields, 'Voyager' was completely vulnerable against the attacking swarm.
 "Lasers," Harry said.
 "What?" Janeway asked.
 "They're using laser weapons," Harry clarified.  "They're extremely primitive, and not very accurate, but without our shields, it doesn't matter much."
 "Given the primitive nature," Tuvok added, "of their tractor beam system, the severe damage caused by only three torpedoes, and the fact that they preferred to tractor us in rather than beam over boarding parties, it may be possible that this 'Empire' is not as advanced as we first believed."
    The ship rocked and shook as the lasers impacted with the hull.  The swooping fighters pulled up and came around for another pass.
 "Nice information, Tuvok," Chakotay said with vexation, "but how do we stop them?"
 "My readings indicate," Tuvok said, "that these fighters are powered by a twin-ion-engine drive and have no shielding whatsoever.  One hit should be enough to destroy them, but they are extremely maneuverable, enough so to make a target lock impossible."
 "Very well, Mr. Tuvok," Janeway said.  "Fire all phasers!"
    Tuvok complied.  Bright-orange energy lanced out from 'Voyager''s twelve phaser banks.  The phaser beams raked the surrounding area of space, catching the swarming fighters in their path.  The tiny ships exploded in a flaming sphere, scattering the debris everywhere.  But the rest of the fighters were still on their toes, evading the deadly light.  'Voyager' shifted its position and moved to attack the 'Kraken'.  The phasers slammed solidly into the ship's hull, causing significant damage.  The 'Kraken' fired its immense turbolasers.  The green energy found 'Voyager''s hull and sent the little ship reeling.
 "We have damage in the Engineering Section!" Harry said.  "We've lost plasma conduits all over the ship!"
 "B'Elanna!" Janeway shouted, fighting to remain stable.  "Damage Report!"
 "That was definitely *not* an ionized particle wave!" B'Elanna said.  "Those blasts are roasting us!  Without our shields, the hull can't take this type of damage!"
 "Understood, "Janeway said.  "How long till we have our shields again?"
 "I was almost done fixing it!" B'Elanna said with clearly Klingon fury.  "Admiral Daala just set me back thirty minutes!  Six plasma conduits blew out in Engineering, so I'll have to do this on reduced staff!"
 "Have all injured personnel report to Sick Bay.  Janeway out!  Mr. Paris, you'll have to do some fancy flying if we're going to get out of this one!"
    Tom already knew that.  He was building up a sweat as it was.
 "Aye, Captain," he acknowledged.
    'Voyager' evaded as many blasts as it could.  The little ship dodged and danced like a frenzied animal fleeing a predator.
 *Well,* Janeway thought, *this is going to be a *long* day.*
 

    * * * * *

 "Samantha, what can we do for you?" Kes asked as she entered Sick Bay.
 "I cut my hand," Samantha replied.
 "Let me take care of it for you," Kes said as she gave her a hypo of antibiotic and ran a dermal regenerator over her hand.  "There.  Good as new."
 "Thanks, Kes."
    The doors to Sick Bay opened and twenty wounded crew members came in.
 "Ensign," said the Doctor, "we need a few extra hands.  You've been drafted."
     The Doctor and Kes rushed forward to take an injured Peter Hawkes from Joe Carey.
 "What happened?" Kes asked.
 "A console exploded.  He pushed me out of the way."
 "You're hurt, too," Kes said.
 "It's nothing," Carey replied.
    Sam came up next to Kes.  "What do you want me to do?" she asked.
 "Handle the minor injuries," Kes said.  "Take care of Lieutenant Carey first, I'm sure B'Elanna probably needs him for repairs in Engineering."  Kes hurried off to help the Doctor with Hawkes.
 "Come on, Lieutenant," Sam said picking up a tricorder and a PADD and heading over to a biobed.  Carey reluctantly followed her.
    Samantha studied him as she waited for the reading from the tricorder.  His handsome face was sad and his hazel eyes were troubled.  He kept looking across the room to where Kes and the Doctor were working on Hawkes.  The tricorder beeped, and Samantha searched for the correct hypospray.  She pressed it into his neck and picked up the dermal regenerator.
 "I'm sure he'll be okay," she said running it over his hand.  "He's a tough guy."
 "I should have monitored the readings more closely."
 "Blaming yourself won't help him," Samantha said quietly.
     "You're right," he said, sighing in frustration.
    She snapped off the dermal regenerator.  "Better?"
 "Much.  Thanks," he said with a weak smile.
 "You're welcome," she said, returning his smile.  As he got off the biobed and turned to leave, she touched his arm.  "Don't worry," she said, looking into his eyes.  He nodded, then turned and left with a wave.  Samantha got to work on the next person.
 

    * * * * *

    Aves pushed forward on the control levers just as the counter reached zero.  The starlines faded back into stars as the 'Yavaris II' emerged from hyperspace.  The huge vessel slowed and finally stopped.
 "Now entering Bvengi Sector," Conkling said.
 "General," Clayton said from the sensor station, "I'm picking up two ships in our immediate vicinity.  One is a light cruiser of unkown origin, and the other is..."  He tapped a few keys to identify the other ship's transponder signal.  "It's the 'Kraken'," he said darkly.
 "Let's see it," Wedge said.  A three-dimensional representation of the two ships appeared on the holotable.  The smaller ship was of a class Wedge had never seen before.  It wasn't Imperial or Republic, or any model of independent starships around the galaxy.  Whatever it was, the 'Kraken's' well-known form was unmistakable, and it was pounding the poor ship.
 "Status of the other ship," Mara ordered.
 "Its shields are off-line, as are a number of other power systems," Clayton said.  "Its hull can't take much more punishment."
    Wedge thought for a minute.  If he followed his first impulse and helped the unknown ship, he might spark an all-out assault from Daala or Pellaeon, but if he didn't, hundreds of people would be killed, and the little ship would be destroyed.  Wedge mentally wrestled with his emotions and his reasoning.  He came to a decision...
 "Helm, bring us in on full power.  Set an intercept course for the 'Kraken' and prepare to take evasive action.  Captain, go to battle stations and deploy all fighers.  Ensign Schwarte, fire at will."
    His commands sent the bridge into a bustle of activity as all went to their assigned duties.  The holotable showed ship status at full Red Alert.  Displays showed the deflectors angling.  Fighter squadrons were being scrambled, and pilots hurried to get to the hangar bay.  Schwarte began to take shots at the 'Kraken' with turbolasers and ion cannons.
 Wedge looked around, satisfied.  *Well, here we go again!*

On to Part 4

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