Khu (Protected)

The beginning of Taskforce Enterprise

WARNING: CHARACTER DEATH

Disclaimer. Enterprise characters belong to the creators of the show. Only the OC’s and the story are mine. Any similarity to another show is the fault of the muses. I make no income from this story. Everyone knows they do not have money on Starships

The Thebians are loosely based on the old Battlestar Galactica which was a 1979 TV series created by Glenn A. Larson.

The 1/7th Rangers were never called Rangers in episode, The Expanse. They came into being in my story "Into the Valley of Death". So far my OC’s are: Sergeant Major Benjamin Snowden, Sergeant Joe Layne, Sergeant Tina Alvarado, and Sergeant Manda Alvarado. Dana Heard belongs to Dee

It had been a week since the Enterprise had been towed out of a dangerous situation by two shuttles and the space funeral of Sim. Morale was low as everyone had liked Sim even though he had been born in order to die to save Trip.

Archer brooded on the bridge as he remembered how he actually considered forcing Sim to unwillingly contribute his body parts to the Chief Engineer. Archer had insinuated that if Sim didn’t volunteer, he would have killed him. \The Expanse is turning me into a killer. I almost spaced that man in the space lock and then was willing to kill Sim. We have got to finish our mission and get out of here.\

Ensign Sato was monitoring her station when a beep was heard. "Captain, I am picking up four ships." She looked at Archer. "They are Xindi."

Archer stood up and looked at Reed. "Polarize hull and charge weapons. Red alert."

Enterprise went into full alert as the claxons sounded. Crewmembers raced to their positions as they grabbed their weapons. Rangers took up their prearranged positions as they pulled on their body armour. Enterprise rocked from several direct hits.

Reed watched his scanner. "Hull plating down to ninety per cent."

Down in Engineering, circuits blew and plasma vented into the room. An explosion blew out a bulkhead, knocking the engineering staff to the floor. Trip climbed the stairs to the control panels and then down to the area that had blown not two weeks ago. Steam poured through out Engineering as he hit the comm button.

"Tucker to bridge. We are taking damage to the warp engine. I have to shut her down or we may have a reactor breach."

Archer hit the comm. "Trip, we have four ships attacking. We need those engines."

"I will keep them on line as long as I can." He turned as a bolt was blown out of a plasma relay unit and embedded into a crewman’s chest. A series of relays began shorting out, and more plasma started to vent. Trip looked around as he saw three crewmen trying to extinguish another crewman who was engulfed in flame.

Another explosion from the top level of engineering caused him to turn his head as a crewman was thrown from the top of level and landed on the engine. Trip scrambled to the top of the engine as the Enterprise was rocked with yet another explosion. He had ten crewmen on duty and half were down. He saw a crewman running with a fire extinguisher along the lower level. "Carter call in all available engineering staff and then Doctor Phlox." He pulled the injured crewman along the engine until he could dismount. Trip saw Carter hit the comm button and watched as a steam pipe blew next to Carter. Carter screamed as the steam scalded her face. Every time a vent blew, Trip lost another crewman. He jumped to the lower level and looked around, no one was on their feet. Looking up to the upper level, he found the same. Trip ran up the steps and hit the button that would take Enterprise out of warp. He ran up the stairs to the top level as two more explosions rocked the ship and he was hurled off the deck. His head struck the engine as he landed.

Reed looked at Archer. "We just dropped out of warp and hull plating is now at forty percent. We are taking casualties." Enterprise rocked again from multiple hits. "Captain, I think they are preparing to board."

Archer hit the comm. "All personnel, prepare to repulse boarders."

T’Pol looked up. "Captain there are fifteen more ships approaching, charging weapons."

Archer glanced over at his First Officer. "Things are going to get a little hot."

On the view screen, one of the Xindi ships exploded. Archer looked at Reed. "Good shooting."

Reed shook his head. "Wasn’t me Captain."

"Captain." Hoshi looked at Archer. "Incoming message. It’s the Thebians."

"Captain Archer, this is Commander Manethô. It seems you can use some assistance."

"Welcome to the party, Commander. Feel free to pick your dance partner." Archer stared at the screen as four cobras launched an attack on the nearest Xindi ship as two enemy ship attempted to flee. The two destroyers fired their turbo laser canons and destroyed the Xindi. The remaining ship tried to ram the Enterprise but blew up within three thousand meters. The flash was blinding.

"Archer to Engineering. What’s going on down there?"

Reed looked around. "Captain, we have casualties in Engineering."

"Sergeant Layne to Captain Archer. I think you should get down to sickbay, if you can."

"What are you doing there, Sergeant?"

"Sir we have eight Engineering people down as well as five Rangers."

T’Pol looked at Archer. "Sir, we have twenty crewmen and ten Rangers dead and many more wounded."

"Malcolm, you have the bridge. T’Pol you are with me."

Archer and T’Pol walked into a hell that was sickbay. Phlox was racing from biobed to biobed instructing his Starfleet medics in treating the wounded. Several Rangers were also helping the wounded. They stepped out of the way as two Rangers brought in a wounded woman. Phlox walked over to Archer.

"I am sorry Captain, but I could not save him this time."

"Phlox?"

"Commander Tucker, Sir, he is dead. He apparently was thrown from the upper deck and hit the engine with his head. If the shattered skull hadn’t killed him, the broken neck would have. He died instantly."

Archer’s face grew grimmer as he felt a hand on him arm. He looked at T’Pol.

"I am sorry Jon. I know he was your friend."

Archer nodded. "Phlox, what about the rest of the crew? How many?"

"Twenty crewman and ten Rangers dead. Fifteen are injured but will survive." He turned away then looked back. "Captain, most of the dead were in Engineering although some where killed in a turbo lift that failed and dropped three decks."

Archer nodded and turned to T’Pol. "We have to see to the damage in Engineering and get the engines back on line."

Archer and T’Pol entered Engineering which could only be described as Dante’s Inferno after the fire was out. The Captain hit the comm button. "Reed what is our status?"

"We are dead in the water, weapons off line and half of our crew are dead or wounded. There is some good news, however. Two Thebian Battlestars and fifteen destroyers now surround us. Commander Manethô has offered his assistance and is sending over some engineers and medics."

"Thank him for me. We will need all the help we can get."

"I already have, Captain. Commander Manethô and the Commander of the Thebes are also coming over. They should dock in five minutes."

"I will meet them at the airlock. Thanks Malcolm." He turned to T’Pol. "T’Pol, I noticed four Rangers looking over the Engine. What are they doing?"

"Sir, those Rangers are all Engineers Lieutenant Lee has a Masters degree from Stanford University in warp engines."

"What the hell is she doing as a Ranger?"

"Her family has a military tradition and it was the military who sent her to school. The others also have Bachelor degrees in the same field."

Archer shook his head. "Will wonders never cease? You take over Engineering while I meet our guests."

Archer arrived at the airlock as Commander Manethô and a woman came through the hatch. Six Rangers stood at attention; their faces covered in soot and in two cases, blood. Three had bandages around their heads and Sergeant Herd had a sling on her arm. He looked into Sergeant Major Snowden’s grimy face and took note of Sergeant Herd’s injury. "Sergeant, I would like you and Major Hayes to join the Senior Staff in a half hour."

"Sir, Major Hayes is on the critical list."

Archer grimly nodded. He turned to his guests. "Commander Manethô, I don’t know how to thank you for your rescue. I thought you were heading for Earth."

"Captain, it was my pleasure. My commanders and I discussed the situation. Our home world is gone and our people scattered. Here we have found that one human ship with one hundred and two people have set out to travel into hostile space, alone with no friends to stop the annihilation of the human race. Such bravery and dedication can not go unnoticed. We are here to ask you for your permission to join you. By the time we got to Earth, it might not be there. What better way to serve both of our needs?"

"Commander, I am grateful. We have thirty dead, including our Chief Engineer and many more injured."

Manethô looked at his companion. "Captain, may I present Commander Miw-sher of the Thebes. You will remember that we set out to wake up three hundred of our people. Well, we found the three hundred that went into hibernation. We also learned that when the Battlestar Galactica led the survivors of our world towards Earth, they knew that they soon would not be able to all live on the ships. A small out of the way uninhabited planet was found and many decided to settle there, along with the Destroyer crews."

Manethô walked to the portholes and looked out. "Eventually two Battlestars which we previously thought had been destroyed found the planet. They were damaged and had lost over half of their crews. We now have two Battlestars, fifteen destroyers, four hundred and fifty six cobras, eighty-four transports, eighty-four Raptor shuttles and over nine thousand and five hundred personnel. There are also thirty thousand people on the planet. Fifteen hundred yahrns is a long time. Captain, may I offer you replacement crews?"

"We could use Engineers and Security personnel as we have lost twenty Engineers and ten Rangers."

Manethô nodded. "Commander Miw-sher will you have Lieutenant Hathor report. Tell him to bring twenty Engineers and thirty Colonial Warriors with him. They are being transferred to the Enterprise under Captain Archer."

"Yes Commander. Captain Archer, you have my deepest sympathies for your losses. I know our people are ready and willing to help."

Archer smiled. Thank you both. He motioned to Snowden. Sergeant Major Snowden is in charge of the Rangers. Ben would you please see to the replacements?"

"Aye Sir.

Miw-sher looked at Dana. "Captain, may I offer you our medical staff to help? Sergeant, I presume your arm is broken but yet you are still on duty. Why?"

"I am a Ranger, Ma’am."

Miw-sher nodded and smiled. "I imagine our Colonial Warriors are going to fight to meet you."

Dana’s face showed no emotion. "I hope not Commander. Sergeant Major Snowden is my man."

The Thebian Commander glanced at Snowden to see a slight smile on his face. She nodded.

Snowden moved out of line as Archer led the Thebian party towards Engineering and followed them. He saw T’Pol and Lieutenant Lee working on the plasma injectors while three other Rangers worked on various parts of Engineering.

Archer turned to Snowden. "Sergeant Major, I didn’t’ know you had warp Engineers with you. Do you have any other surprises you would like to tell me about?"

"Do you mean do we have a Starship Captain secretly in our ranks? No Sir. No one wanted to take a demotion from being a Ranger." He cracked a smile. "I need to get back to the airlock, Sir, to meet the replacements."

Thirty Colonial Warriors and twenty Thebian men and women docked in three shuttles and Sergeant Major Snowden met them all. He detailed Dana, Tina Alvarado and Manda Alvarado to help the Warriors settle in as he and Joe Layne led the Engineers to their new work area.

T’Pol met the new Engineers. "I am Sub-Commander T’Pol and this is Lieutenant Lee." She motioned to the young woman on the Engine platform.

A tall dark haired man approached. "Sub-Commander, I an Lieutenant Senbi Hathor. I am an Engineer. How may I be of assistance?"

"Greetings, Lieutenant. Lieutenant Lee will divide your people among the staff available where they will explain what is needed."

Hathor went up to the Engine platform and offered his hand. "Lieutenant, I am Lieutenant Hathor."

Lee looked at the handsome stranger. "Kathryn, my name is Kathryn and I don’t stand on military formality."

"A woman after my own heart. Kathryn Lee, my name is Senbi. In English it means Healthy." He laughed. "Leaves a lot in translation."

In the Ready Room, Captain Archer looked at those gathered. Malcolm, T’Pol, Travis, Hoshi, Ben, Commander Manethô and Commander Miw-sher. "Thank you all for coming. As you know we have taken a great number of casualties. Two of those were Commander Tucker and Major Hayes. We are now without thirty crewmembers, friends and comrades. With only sixty-two Starfleet and ten Rangers, we will be hard pressed to continue our mission, but I intend to do so, even if we only had ten people on board. Commander Manethô has offered a suggestion. Commander Manethô, would you please elaborate."

Manethô stood up. "Thank you, Captain. On behalf of the Thebians, please accept our condolences for your losses. I have already spoken to Captain Archer about our offer and some of that has already taken place. We have transferred enough personnel to bring your crew complement up to eighty-two and your Rangers up to forty. They will be a permanent part of your crew and subject to Captain Archer’s orders."

Malcolm stood up. "Sir, as much as we can use them, how are they going to fit in?"

Manethô looked at Malcolm. "That is a good question, Lieutenant. I have proposed that the Captain allow us to join him in this mission. We had hoped to go to Earth for a new life, but we find that Earth has been attacked. You send one lone ship here to stop a further attack. That takes courage. How could we hope to live on Earth if we let Enterprise defend her alone? We will form a taskforce of nineteen ships with Enterprise as the flagship and Captain Archer as Supreme Commander."

Archer looked at his people. "What do you think?"

Hoshi looked at Archer. "Captain, we started into the Expanse with one hundred and two people and one ship. Now there will be nineteen ships and close to ten thousand people. I think Taskforce Enterprise would be a fitting name."

Archer looked as Malcolm, Travis, T’Pol and Ben all nodded.

"Taskforce Enterprise it is then. As soon as repairs are made to the engines, we will move out. In the meantime, the Cobras will act as scouts, in six craft patrols. With four hundred and fifty six Cobras. . ."

"Four hundred and fifty eight."

Archer looked at Sergeant Layne. He paused as he came to understand. "With four hundred and fifty eight Cobras, we can cover a lot of space. The Thebes and the Isris will flank us with some of the Cobras acting as out riders."

Malcolm coughed. "Sir, we took some damage to the weapons also."

Archer grinned. "Oh did I forget to mention that the Thebians are installing two turbo laser canons and a blaster turret. They are also sending over some laser torpedoes." He saw the joyful look in the Armory Officer’s face. "Just be sure you know who you are aiming at when you fire. Now is there anything else?"

T’Pol stood up. "I am waiting for a report from Lieutenant Lee on the condition of the engines. I should have a report within the hour."

"Very good, Sub-Commander."

The room to the Ready Room opened and Lieutenant Lee entered with her Thebian counterpart. "Sir, may I give you my report on the engines?"

"Please do, Lieutenant, after you introduce us to your companion."

"This is Lieutenant Senbi Hathor formerly of the Battlestar Isris. The engines are undamaged, but several plasma injectors ruptured as well as some pipes. They are being repaired and the Thebians have replaced all of the injectors with ones that are far superior to what we previously had. In addition, Senbi, I mean Lieutenant Hathor thinks that we may be able to obtain warp six with a little tweaking. We have added a few minor things that should help in stopping the injectors from blowing out every time he hit a bump in the road."

Archer smiled. "Lieutenant, we are in need of a Chief Engineer. How would you like to transfer to Starfleet as Chief Engineer?"

Lee looked puzzled. "Did I do something wrong Sir, that you would want to demote me?"

"Demote you, of course not. I would think Chief Engineer would be a promotion."

"Only if I remained a Ranger, Sir."

"You can remain a Ranger as long as you are the Chief Engineer, Lieutenant. Sergeant Major Snowden will discuss your rank later." Archer looked at Ben. "You Rangers are something else, Ben. They all think leaving the Rangers to join Starfleet is a bad thing."

Ben laughed. "For a Ranger it is. Commander Manethô, how good are those Colonial Warriors of your? Once we put things back together, would they be willing to undergo Ranger training?"

Manethô nodded. "They belong to you know, Sergeant Major. However, I have a thought. Once they are trained, maybe they could rotate throughout the rest of the fleet. Captain Archer speaks very highly of your abilities. If you are half as good as he says you are, I want my people to be just as good."

In the Xindi command office, an argument had broken out. An Insectoid slammed his claw on the table. "I told you that we should attacked them earlier. Now they have more ships. I knew it was an invasion."

A Reptilian stood up. "Where did these ships come from? They don’t look the same and their firepower is different."

A Sloth Xindi paced the chamber. "There is a legend that about 1500 years ago an alien species fled when their world was attacked. The survivors came through this region of space and disappeared through the clouds. I guess not all of them left the Expanse."

The Reptilian sat down. "Can we defeat them?"

The Aquatic Xindi swam close to the clear window of his chamber. "No we cannot. We must either launch the weapon or flee."

The Insectoid looked at the others. "Where will we go? We thought we were safe being hidden here but now with their armada, they are sure to find us."

The Sloth Xindi nodded. "Wherever we go, it had better be away from them."