From: mcmelmon@btr.btr.com
Newsgroups: alt.startrek.creative
Subject: Belly of the Whale - part 3
Date: 10 Apr 92 23:16:44 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: BTR Public Access UNIX, MtnView CA. Contact: Customer Service cs@BTR.COM

Act IV



Scene I



[Enterprise bridge. Full alert persists.]


Data:  Evacuation complete, Captain.


Picard:  And when the Klingon ships arrive, we shall begin 
rescuing the dead. A far less pleasant task.


Attendant:  From what can the dead be rescued?


Picard:  An empty grave.


Attendant:  The Highest understands. I do not. The failing is 
mine.


Riker:  Don't be too hard on yourself, kid.


Attendant:  I am forty-three years, two-hundred and seven days of 
age. I do not believe this qualifies me as a child.


Data:  The expression's intent is to provide warmth. It is not to 
be taken literally.


Picard:  Now I have truly heard everything.


Data:  Actually, Captain, such a claim is profoundly 
exaggerated...


Riker:  Data, I think the Captain finds mirth in an android 
explaining a human expression to a Vulcan priestess.


Data:  I do not see why the Captain should find mirth in that.


Attendant:  Again, the Highest understands what I do not.


Data:  I am afraid I share your confusion...

 
Riker:  Transporter room reports Captain Erin Killpatrick and 
First Officer Haifa ben Gesserat of the Nadia are now aboard. Last 
off his ship. A true captain.


Picard:  Erin Killpatrick has been called many things. I wonder, 
what would the old brigadier think of that one?



Scene II

[Enterprise transporter room. Three figures materialize on 
the platform: Worf, Killpatrick, and Haifa. They move quickly out 
of the room and into the corridor. The trio disappear into a 
lift.]


Killpatrick:  You're at alert. Trouble out there?


Worf:  We do not know.


Haifa:  But you suspect?


Worf:  We suspect Romulans.


Killpatrick:  It's good to suspect Romulans. Never met one I 
wouldn't love to suspect. Hmmn. Never met one, I suppose...


Worf:  They make formidable foes. A good test of a warrior's 
mettle.


Killpatrick:  Ah, Klingon spirit. Can always use more of that in 
this star-jockey brigade.


Haifa:  What do you suspect the Romulans of?


Worf:  Preparing an ambush. 


Haifa:  The source of this suspicion?


Worf:  We are near the Neutral Zone. Your ship was in pursuit of a 
pirate craft from a group they are known to support. The giant 
vessel hides within a cloaking sphere of great sophistication.


Haifa:  The pirate's collision with that vessel proved more 
catastrophic than our own.


Worf:  Romulans care little for pawns.



Scene III


[As we become aware of the Enterprise conference room, Data 
has been briefing those present on what the Nadia's probes have 
returned.]


Data:  For the most part, the Behemoth is hollow. Some manner of 
superstructure riddles the interior. 


Haifa:What function does it serve?


Data:  I believe it's function to be the restraint of smaller 
vessels.


Riker:  Some kind of hangar bay?


Data:  Precisely. 


Haifa:  With what capacity?


Data:  I have not calculated an exact estimate. 


Killpatrick:  Then guess, man!


Data:  Actually, I am not a 'man.' I am an android. And a 'guess,' 
should not be treated as a statement of actual fact...


Picard:  By definition, Data. How many ships?


Data:  Thirteen thousand, seven-hundred and eighty four.


Killpatrick:  That's quite a guess.


Data:  Thank you, Captain Killpatrick.


Worf:  What size ships?


Data:  The superstructure can accommodate vessels varying widely 
in size. I computed my 'guess' using the Enterprise as a base.


Haifa:  Romulans would have no need of such capacity.


Killpatrick:  Or we'd be speaking another language.


Data:  Why is that, Captain Killpatrick?


Picard:  We'd be Romulan.


Worf:  More likely, we would be dead.


Picard:  In any event, if not the Romulans, who? And where did 
they go?


Data:  I do not have enough information to answer those questions, 
Captain. We shall need to collect more.


Picard:  And to do that, we'll need more than probes.


Data:  Probes are capable of receiving only a limited information 
stream.


Haifa:  You suggest moving the Enterprise inside?


Data:  That would be the optimal solution. The Enterprise is 
designed first and foremost as an exploration vessel.


Picard:  Can we navigate the superstructure safely?


Data:  Safely. But not quickly, Captain. It appears to have been 
designed with the express purpose of being un-navigable. It does 
not follow a grid. The reason escapes me.


Haifa:  A means of defense.


Data:  I do not understand.


Haifa:  Such a structure would impede attacking craft attempting 
access to the carrier's main compartments.


Picard:  Which is exactly what we are trying to do.


Worf:  Such construction would also impede the release of carried 
vessels.


Haifa:  A standard carrier tactic is to release cargo far from an 
actual engagement. The impedance would not pose a liability unless 
other capital ships failed to protect the carrier from rapid 
assault.


Worf:  I am impressed, Commander Haifa.


Haifa:  I am flattered, Lieutenant Worf.


Killpatrick:  Well, then! Now that that's settled, what are we 
waiting for?


Picard:  The T'Kiar and R'Shal.


Killpatrick:  The who?


Riker:  Klingon cavalry.