Chapter 11: Silent Intruder
The USS Enterprise glided through space, still carrying its hidden hitchhiker. After their eventful shore leave on Risa, the crew had returned refreshed and unaware of The Riptide, still magnetically latched to the ship’s hull. As the Enterprise prepared to set course for its next mission, Robert worked meticulously from his cloaked perch.
Inside his ship, Robert leaned over a console covered in blinking alien technology and crude modifications. His fingers danced across the controls as he monitored the Enterprise’s logs, communications, and sensor data—everything he could access through his covert hacking system.
“They’re not even looking for me,” Robert muttered, shaking his head. “Why would they? Starfleet can’t imagine someone being bold enough to hitch a ride on their precious flagship.”
He sat back in his chair, glancing around the cluttered interior of his ship. Crates of stolen goods and discarded tools were piled high, but now there was a new addition: a collection of detailed schematics of the Enterprise’s systems. Each document had been painstakingly pieced together over months of observation and covert data siphoning.
“This isn’t just a hiding spot,” Robert said to himself, a predatory grin spreading across his face. “It’s the best seat in the house.”
A New Mission
The Enterprise had set course for a Class M planet known as Kaldara III, a remote colony on the outskirts of Federation space. The planet was home to a struggling Federation outpost that had gone silent weeks earlier. Initial reports suggested an environmental disaster, but the lack of further communication had raised suspicions.
“Captain,” Spock reported from his station on the bridge, “we are approaching Kaldara III. Long-range scans indicate severe atmospheric instability. Localized storms have disrupted communications, making it difficult to determine the colony’s status.”
Kirk leaned forward in his chair. “All right, people. Let’s do this by the book. Mr. Sulu, bring us into orbit. Mr. Chekov, prepare a report on the planet’s weather patterns. Spock, McCoy, and I will lead the away team.”
“Aye, Captain,” came the chorus of responses.
Robert’s Opportunity
From his hidden vantage point aboard The Riptide, Robert listened in on the Enterprise’s plans, his makeshift system flawlessly intercepting their communications.
“Kaldara III,” he mused, leaning back in his seat. “Another noble Starfleet rescue mission. Let’s see how noble they feel when things don’t go according to plan.”
Robert had spent months studying Starfleet’s tactics, rules, and patterns. He knew they operated with precision, but also with an unwavering confidence in their own righteousness. It made them predictable—and vulnerable.
He began tapping commands into his console, preparing to infiltrate the mission.
Beaming Down
Kirk, Spock, McCoy, and a security detail materialized on Kaldara III amid swirling winds and thick clouds of ash. The colony was in ruins, its buildings battered by storms and coated in dust. A few survivors wandered the wreckage, their faces gaunt and weary.
“Looks like hell down here,” McCoy muttered, scanning a nearby colonist with his tricorder. “Radiation levels are higher than normal, but not lethal. What the devil happened to this place?”
Kirk gestured to Spock, who was examining a damaged weather control station. “Spock, what’s your assessment?”
“The atmospheric instability appears to be the result of a malfunction in the colony’s weather grid,” Spock replied. “The storms are self-sustaining and increasing in intensity. Repairs will require immediate action.”
“Let’s get to work,” Kirk said, motioning to the team.
The Silent Saboteur
Unbeknownst to the crew, Robert had landed his ship on the far side of the colony, cloaked and hidden from view. Dressed in rugged, nondescript clothing that blended in with the colonists, he moved through the wreckage like a shadow.
He didn’t approach the Starfleet team directly. Instead, he observed from a distance, carefully sabotaging their efforts without drawing attention.
Near the weather control station, Robert rigged a hidden device that disrupted the equipment’s diagnostics, creating false readings that led Spock to believe the storms were worsening faster than they actually were.
In the medical tent where McCoy worked, Robert tampered with a supply crate, spilling its contents and delaying the distribution of aid.
As Kirk and the others scrambled to deal with the chaos, Robert grinned to himself, satisfied with the seeds of doubt he had sown.
The Fallout
Back on the Enterprise, Kirk paced the bridge, frustration etched across his face. The mission had been a disaster. The colony’s weather grid had been beyond repair, and several critical pieces of equipment had failed at key moments. Though the crew had done their best, the storms continued to rage, forcing the survivors to evacuate.
“This doesn’t add up,” Kirk said, turning to Spock. “We followed protocol. We did everything right. So why did everything go so wrong?”
Spock’s brow furrowed. “Captain, there are anomalies in the data we collected. Several malfunctions were highly irregular, suggesting external interference.”
Kirk frowned. “Interference? You’re saying someone sabotaged us?”
“Precisely,” Spock replied. “Though I cannot determine the source.”
Kirk slammed a fist on the armrest of his chair. “Whoever’s behind this… they’re going to pay.”
The Hitchhiker Smiles
Back aboard The Riptide, Robert watched the Enterprise retreat from Kaldara III, his grin widening.
“Poor Kirk,” he muttered, pouring himself a drink. “Always so sure of himself, so certain of Starfleet’s moral high ground. How’s that working out for you now?”
He leaned back, his feet propped on a crate. Around him, the cluttered interior of his ship hummed with activity. The stolen goods, the alien tech, the discarded clothes—they were all trophies of a life lived outside the rules.
“This is just the beginning,” Robert said, raising his glass to the monitor showing the Enterprise. “You took my life from me. Now I’m going to make you question everything you stand for.”
The Enterprise disappeared into the distance, but Robert remained close, hidden and waiting for his next move.
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