The Battle of Kannok, Part 1: How it Starts; How it Escalates

Posted on Mon Jun 29th, 2026 @ 3:09pm by Captain T’Kal & Ensign Emmanuelle Larose & Lieutenant Commander David Erickson & Lieutenant Commander Valerie Novis & Lieutenant Commander Clay McEntyre & Lieutenant Karane Inda & Lieutenant CASTIEL 'Cas' Johnson MD & Lieutenant Megosho Gehente & Lieutenant JG Annika Johnson & Lieutenant JG Renata Novotná & Ensign Blaine McCray & Alaric Fenner & Petty Officer, 1st Class Emilie Dovria

1,846 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: ARYL 1X04: All the Friends We Can Get
Location: Kannok
Timeline: SD 8965.7 (28 August 2290, 15:00)

BRIDGE

Having beamed back aboard, Ensign Emmanuelle Larose quickly pulled on a uniform and rushed to the main bridge, figuring she’d be needed somewhere. She was finishing the last fastener when the turbolift door opened.

“Commander,” she said to the First Officer. “Where do you need me?”

"Glad you made it back in one piece, Ensign." Renata raised an eyebrow when she saw Emmanuelle entering the bridge. "According to my sensors, there's quite a party down there." Maybe they're giving away free beer, she quipped in herself, not saying that out loud. The situation didn't exactly seem to be pleasant.

"Welcome back Ensign Larose, take Comms for now. I have this feeling in my gut that we're going to need better coordination than we've have for now." Valerie flashed a smile from where she sat back in the Captain's Chair, observing everything. "Lieutenant Novotna, what's the weather like down there where our people are at?"

Renata took a quick look at her console. "18 degrees Celsius, sir." she reported. "Not exactly summer olympics weather, but clean and sunny."

"Good, means that there won't be anything to spook someone into starting to shoot." Valerie fidgeted in the chair, "I still don't like it.

"Lots of chatter between security forces and the command centre," Emmanuelle reported. "They're preparing for the worst."

Blaine listened to the conversation from his place at the helm. His left eyebrow rose for his hairline. He was still getting used to being properly in the fleet and actually being allowed to fly a Constitution-Class starship. He had loved the class since childhood and had always dreamed of flying one, and he was actually here now. Of course, maintaining the geosynchronous orbit was the easy part at this point. So, he had set a panel on his console to monitor shipping traffic throughout the system. He knew Lieutenant Navotna had a keen eye on that as well, but every bit helped. “Preparin’ for the worst may get ‘em exactly that. Look for somethin’ an’ you’ll find it.”


KANNOK GOVERNMENT PLAZA

A comm line had been opened for constant flow of information between the forward security command post and the negotiation room in the government building. No further negotiations were taking place. Per the Chief Negotiator — who by virtue of her being dispatched from the homeworld had nominal command of the entire situation — it was time for Starfleet to use its actions, not its words, to prove its commitment to the security of the Drenkul Republic.

T’Kal stared through one of the forcefield-protected windows at the growing crowd. The plaza was getting busier. More and more people were marching or beaming into the mass demonstration. The Starfleet Captain estimated that a solid fifteen to twenty percent of the colony’s population was down there. So far there had been no fighting, only a peaceful gathering to show that they did not accept the current status quo.

“T’Kal to McEntyre,” she said into the open comm line. “How are your deployments going?”

"My security forces are distributed throughout the perimeter. I've ordered them not to fire unless directly engaged upon by the crowd or on my explicit orders. They will not fire on orders from the Drenkuli Security Forces." Clay replied as he continued to monitor the protest, his phaser still in it's holster on his hip, a riot shield in his hand.

"Good, keep me informed." The Captain closed the comm channel and opened another. “T’Kal to Johnson. Any casualties to report?” There had been no reports of clashing, but these crowds could get rough.

"As of right now, none to report." Cas replied as he walked to the door, watching the growing crowd. "That can change however."

Emilie had helped the Doctor to set everything up at the casualty tent, ready for just about anything that could come up. Whether bumps or bruises, cuts or even gunshots, there was something available for just about any possibility.

Stood just away from one of the windows, Meg watched the assembling crowds through the shimmer of the forcefield. The size of the press of people, the swirl of colours and the sounds of - what, hundreds? thousands? - pressed against her senses, an adrenaline-surged tremor throughout her body. This could get out of control, and fast, she thought, scanning the crowd for knots of provocateurs.

Annika was doing her best not to let the emotions of those bearing down on them overwhelm her. “There’s a lot of emotion building out there, and its not in a good way.”

Fenner kept his gaze on the crowd beyond the forcefield, his expression unreadable. “If the mood shifts from demonstration to panic, it will do so quickly,” he said, voice low and even. “The Drenkul authorities will need to be seen responding with restraint, or they risk giving this gathering exactly the spark it is looking for.”

'They're chanting something,' Meg said, looking at the crowd. Placards were being waved, and fists were pumping in the air. Some of them at the head of the crowd were pumping them energetically in time with each other. 'Look there's a rhythm.' Frustrated, she leaned closer to the forcefield-covered window. 'Do we have an external feed?'' she asked suddenly.

One of the aides, having received a nod from the Chief Negotiator, activated the internal comm system speakers and played a feed from the crowd.

Closing her eyes as she listened to it, Meg tried to translate it in her mind before deciding that the sentiments expressed were too sophisticated for her rudimentary grasp of Drenkul. She turned the dial on her communicator, activating the Universal Translator, allowing it to accurately, but flatly translate the chants of the crowd.

From the children of the nation bursts a cry of indignation!

Breathes a sigh of consecration in a sacred cause.

They who share their country’s burden, win no rights, receive no guerdon,

Only bear the heavy burden, of unrighteous laws.

As she listened to the mechanical translation counterpunching the passion of the original Drenkul, Meg looked out of the window again, throat tightening with emotion. 'This is ... bad right?' she asked rhetorically.

“I believe, Ms. Gehente,” T’Kal said quietly to her, “that that is an understatement.”

ELSEWHERE

There has indeed been no violence — yet. The plan had been for the crowd to get bigger before simultaneous attacks in some of the more remote areas of the city drew security away, permitting a larger force to breach the government building’s walls once the engineer shut the shield down.

The resistance’s unlikely Starfleet allies had offered an alternative, one presently underway.

The compromise had been fair. Planned attacks elsewhere in the city meant to distract the security services would be cancelled in favour of a subtler approach. Sripat's team would get the Starfleeters close enough to one of the external shield emitters and have them do their thing. The shield might only go down for a few moments but it will be enough.

"Just past here," Sripat said, gesturing to a door in the tunnel ahead of them. "It will be guarded. Ready team?" A few other Drenkul nodded, their weapons raised.

Karane wasn't too happy at what she was being forced to do, and she had made that very clear to their captures.

David kept his expression neutral. He tucked his weapon into the back of his clothing and turned to Sripat. "Let me go first," he said.

"What? Why?" she demanded.

"If we go charging in, there's a chance a guard sounds an alarm," he said. "I'll approach and tell them our captain sent me. Their guard will be down, and I can stun them both. Clean, efficient, murderless."

"And what's to stop you from alerting them about us?" Sripat asked, skeptically.

"You have my girlfriend as a hostage," he said. "I'm still on board here. We agreed to minimalize casualties. This is the most efficient way to do it."

The Drenkul revolutionary sighed. "Fine. You have a minute. Then I come in hot. Don't try anything funny."

Karane scowled, she didn't like this idea at all. But she kept quiet for once and followed suit.

David stood up and walked quickly down the tunnel, doing his best to muffle his footsteps. They could hear the guard call out to halt, and heard David's voice, but he spoke quietly enough that the words didn't carry.

“Hurry up,” Sripat muttered to herself.

A moment later there was the sound of weapons fire and a body hitting the floor. "Clear," David's voice came back.

Sripat and her group led Karane into the control room. Seeing all the stunned guards drew a smirk from her lips.

David was grabbing the guard by the wrist and hauling his hand onto a scanner, gaining them entry to the shield generator room as the others approached. "You're up," he said to Karane.

Karane looked at the guard on the floor. "Not bad," she smirked. She made her way over to the shield emitter. "So, do you want it disabled? Or want me to really break it?" She asked simply.

“Whichever is fastest,” Sripat answered. “Quickly now.”

Karane smirked. "Well then. Pass me your phaser..."

She narrowed her eyes but handed over a sidearm. “No funny business now.” She cocked her head to another revolutionary, who responded by training his weapon on Karane.

Once she had secured the phaser Karane fiddled with its settings. Then she popped open the hatch and pushed it into the machinery. "I would advise a hasty retreat. When that overloads, its going to make quite a mess..."

"You heard her! Back up!" David said, grabbing Sripat and pulling her back as he and Karane headed back for the door. The others got the hint and rushed back into the corridor. David waited until everyone was out then grabbed the door, slamming it shut and moving to the side just before a deafening explosion happened, making everyone's ears ring. The door shuddered and clanged, the sound echoing down the corridor, as debris hit it. When the noise died down and the silence followed, David pulled Sripat close. "You can still stand down," he whispered. "There's still time to avoid the fighting, and just show them you've made your point."

“These types will only understand our resolve when we deliver it by phaser,” Sripat told him. “We continue on.”

David looked her in the eye and sighed. "Good luck," he said, simply.

“Forward!” Sripat ordered, the group moved along, into the unshielded portion of the complex.

As she gave the call and her people started charging through the wreckage and towards the rear exit and into the government building, David started to follow them, but held Karane's hand and slowed their pace until the group had almost passed them. Unfortunately, Sripat's Lieutenant realized what he was attempting and pointed his weapon at the pair, marching them along to their doom.


To Be Continued…

 

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