EXT. SPACE – STARBASE 104
In the depths of deep space – floating free without a star, planet, or other large body to orbit around – is Starbase 104, a K-class space station.
INT. STARBASE 104/OPERATIONS CENTRE
Under the great big dome which tops Starbase 104 lies the station’s ops centre. Seated in the centre of ops, his thick legs propped up on his desk and large hands behind his head, is CAPT. QULOOB. While not quite asleep, the Tellarite captain keeps his eyes closed to save his eyes the strain of looking at nothing worth the effort.
Ops’ turbolift door slides open, allowing a Human woman to step out. Dressed in operations red, her long blond hair styled high atop her head and her shapely legs blatantly evident below her black skirt, is the stunningly sexy, blue-eyed YEOMAN JANICE RAND. Approaching the captain’s desk, she takes the large PADD held under her arm out and hands it out to the Tellarite.
RAND: Here are those stats you wanted, Captain.
CAPT. QULOOB: (opens his eyes) Oh, yes. (accepts the PADD) Thank you, Yeoman.
Looking the data on the PADD’s screen over, he takes a gander at the young Human woman.
CAPT. QULOOB: You look peaked, Janice. Did you sleep at all last night?
RAND: (rubs the bridge of her nose) Not really, sir.
CAPT. QULOOB: Have you been in to see Dr. Olié? Maybe he can prescribe something for your insomnia.
RAND: I have an appointment to see him Eighthday.
CAPT. QULOOB: I think you should call it a day, Janice. Retire to your quarters and try to get some rest.
RAND: Is that an order, Captain?
CAPT. QULOOB: Do I have to make it one?
RAND: (smiles thinly) No, you don’t.
CAPT. (returns his attention to the PADD) Goodnight, Yeoman.
RAND: ‘Night, Captain.
Turning on her heel, Janice prepares to leave the captain to himself.
BETAZOID SCIENCE OFFICER: Captain!
CAPT. QULOOB: (frowns) What is it?
BETAZOID SCIENCE OFFICER: Sensors detect three large vessels on approach.
CAPT. QULOOB: No one’s scheduled to arrive for another six hours. (beat) Can you identify them?
BETAZOID SCIENCE OFFICER: (shakes his head) No, sir. Their subspace markers have been disengaged.
CAPT. QULOOB: (to the comm officer) Open hailing frequencies.
COMM OFFICER: (opens hailing frequencies) They’re refusing to respond.
EXT. SPACE – STARBASE 104
With three bursts of disrupted spacetime, three starships drop out of warp into normal space right before the starbase. These three ships are long-necked K’t’inga-class battle cruisers, warships of the dread Klingon Empire.
INT. STARBASE 104/OPERATIONS CENTRE
BETAZOID SCIENCE OFFICER: (alarmed) Three D7 cruisers – dead ahead of us!
CAPT. QULOOB: Quick! Throw up deflectors before --!
The forwardmost K’t’inga powers up its disruptor banks and opens fire. Deflector shields spring up around the starbase, but a split-second too late; the sickly green energy beam manages to score a direct hit on the station’s main body.
INT. STARBASE 104/OPERATIONS CENTRE
A tremor makes its way through the length of the starbase, and then the on-board lighting begins to flicker erratically.
BETAZOID SCIENCE OFFICER: We’ve received severe damage to our reactor, Captain!
CAPT. QULOOB: Can we maintain shields?
The science officer enters a series of commands into his console. Automatically, the lights go completely out.
BETAZOID SCIENCE OFFICER: I’ve diverted all power from non-essential systems, but –
CAPT. QULOOB: (interrupting) Bring our phasers on-line.
BETAZOID SCIENCE OFFICER: I can’t do that without dropping shields first.
EXT. SPACE – STARBASE 104
All three Klingon battle cruisers power up their disruptors and open fire. Devastating green beams wash over the starbase’s weakened shields, weakening them even further.
Finally, the shields wink out altogether, leaving the station completely vulnerable to the Klingons’ onslaught.
INT. STARBASE 104/OPERATIONS CENTRE
BETAZOID SCIENCE OFFICER: Captain, our shields are down.
CAPT. QULOOB: (angry) By the goddess’ bulge, where are our phasers?!
Before the Betazoid can answer, the forwardmost K’t’inga opens fire again. With this hit, the generators are utterly destroyed; power to the starbase goes completely dead.