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The ensign at the helm slowed them down to a quarter impulse as they entered the planet’s orbit. The beautiful water sat still like Earth’s ocean before a storm. Eerie, if Steve had to name it.
The planet itself was entirely water. As far as Steve could tell from the view screen, there wasn't a single foot of dry land. Only his best swimmers could be a part of the transport team.
If it wasn't for Admiral Hopper sending him on this rescue mission, Steve would be excited to discover this planet. But, no scientific exploration could be done until he found Commander Byers and brought her aboard.
Steve shuttered when he recalled the distress signal she sent out.
SOS. This is Commander Joyce Byers of the Federation. We are being held hostage on planet L365. Please hurry, I don't know how long they'll —
Then the transmission stopped. There hadn't been another sign from Joyce; technically Federation policy dictated the ship closest to the distress call answered, then called for backup if needed. But, Joyce was the whole reason Steve wasn't serving time in prison for a stupid mistake in the academy. His crew’s full of ragtag Starfleet officers whose careers Joyce had a hand in, they weren't going to abandon her.
The direct plea from Hopper sealed the deal. They all agreed to let Steve take the court martial if there was one, he's the captain of the Loch Nora, the rest of the crew was simply following his orders. But he doubted he’d be reprimanded; not with what he saw.
The Hawkins, was in pieces.
“Scan for life forms.” He demanded of Lieutenant Sinclair. She pushed a few buttons on her console; Steve wondered if he should bench her even though Erica could swim laps around him. Her brother is one of the missing and he’s worried she won't keep a clear head.
“Captain… come take a look at this “ She called. A glance at her mini screen shocked Steve to his core; relief and confusion war in him.
“Is that right?” There are over 3000 life forms, 150 of them match the bio-metrics of the entire Hawkins crew. “They’re all alive?”
“Affirmative, I attempted to lock on to them but there’s too much interference.” Lieutenant Henderson said, the frustration evident in his tone. Steve had no doubt the vulcan re-calibrated the transporter about five different times before he admitted it didn't work.
“Commander Lox?” Steve turned to his first officer Jane. “Do you have any experience with this type of thing?”
“I encountered a planet like this a hundred years or so ago. It might have been this one actually. My host Kali, had to negotiate with the leader for some supplies. She found the people there to be kind but they're wary of strangers. I’d suggest we send down a small party but keep transporters locked on their location.” The trill said.
“Right, Sinclair, Henderson, Lox, you're with me. Wheeler you have the bridge.” He turned to the Lieutenant Commander.
“But sir, my sister's down there.” Mike argued.
“And would Nancy be happy to see you, or would she be pissed?” Steve raised an eyebrow even as he entered the turbo shaft.
“Sinclair’s going.” Mike insisted. Steve glanced to his side at the woman in question.
“Are you going to tell Erica no?” Mike slumped into the Captain's chair conceding the point.
“Your sister is a capable woman. My brother is an idiot.” Erica offered as she stepped into the lift.
“Transporter bay.” The lift lowered to the bottom level as Steve laid out the plan.
“When we get to the surface, I’ll swim down as far as I can while you tread water. Once they can't lock onto my signal, we’ll know how close to the surface we need to get the crew.” Waiting at the transporter bay was Dr. Buckley with a few respirators that she handed out quickly.
“Let me switch your translators to non-verbal mode.” She gestured to her ear and pulled out a tricorder. She ran the device over the right ear of the humans and vulcan, and the left ear of the trill.
“Thanks, Robbie.” Steve smiled and hugged his best friend. “We’ll see you in a bit.” With that, he stepped onto the transporter pad.
A quick push of a button, and they were beamed onto the planet, submerging underwater.
“Everyone okay?” Steve asked. It was weird to talk to his team without actually speaking, but he figured he’d get used to it.
The three others nodded in affirmation. Steve began his dive, but no sooner had he sank did a green old man appear. He tilted his head in confusion until he heard Erica scream.
“It's a vodnik!” Steve had no idea what that was, but given her tone of voice and the way the thing charged at him, he didn't think it was friendly.
With a kick of his legs, Steve tried to escape it, but the vodnik was fast; faster than any creature Steve had ever seen.
Suddenly, a great white shark appeared and bit into the vodnik’s leg dragging it to the depths. A second shark swam directly for them but paused in front of the group and moved almost as if it was treading water.
“Are you a native to this planet?” Steve asked. The shark gave the approximation of a nod. Upon closer inspection, Steve realized this wasn’t a normal Earth shark, it had a few extra fins and the gills were in the wrong spot. Almost as if someone explained what a shark was, and this creature became it.
“What are you?” There was a sense of dread filling his stomach, and he didn’t have time for tact.
“Come with me.” It said. “I won’t hurt you.” The shark gave a wiggle and it transformed into a half-horse, half-fish creature, long curly seaweed-like hair made up it's mane. Attached to it’s flank was an enclosed carriage.
“Answer me first. What are you?” Steve said again.
“I’m a Kelpie at the moment.” The creature nodded at its form. “We don’t have much time, if you want to save your comrades, come with me.”
There didn’t seem to be much choice. If that other creature was a shapeshifter like this one, there's be no way to tell them apart if they separated. With a sigh, Steve swam to the carriage and got in, Jane, Erica, and Dustin followed close behind.
Inside the carriage, the four discussed the situation.
“What's the likelihood these are the same species as the founders?” Jane asked, right to the point.
“If they are it doesn't seem like they're in league with them. If they were they wouldn't be helping us.” Dustin said. The discussion continued around him until the carriage came to a stop.
The carriage dissolved around them and they were once again submerged in water. The creature was still in the Kelpie form.
“Is this your true form?” Erica asked, keeping voice quiet and calm.
“I don’t know that I have a true form. Your comrades said this was a form you’d be comfortable with.” The creature said.
“Are you the one holding our comrades hostage?” Jane asked. The creature huffed in irritation.
“Not exactly. Come, I will show you.” The Kelpie galloped forward into an underwater cave. The group followed and breathed a sigh of relief when they realized it was a habitable cave for them.
They climbed out of the water onto the bank and removed their respirators. Steve kept his eyes on the shapeshifter as he turned into a human man. Long curly black hair framed his face, with dark chocolate doe eyes staring at him in return.
“I’m not with the Dominion, if that’s what you’re wondering.” The creature said.
“Then who are you?”
“Your comrades have been calling me Eddie. You may call me that as well.” He sighed and gestured to the sand. Taking a seat himself, Eddie told them all that had happened.
“The Dominion are terrible. A group of us defected a while ago, about a thousand of your years. Those of us who didn’t agree with the war on single forms settled here; but, over time, some of us have changed our minds.” Eddie gazed out over the little lake.
“So the vodnik, he’s a shapeshifter who hates solids?” Steve asked.
“Yes. Your comrades call him Jason. He’s the one who crashed their ship.”
Eddie went on to explain that Jason and a dozen others made up a group of shifters who want to rejoin the Dominion but can't access the warp technology they used to get here in the first place. Eddie was the only one who remembered where the old ships were, and he was the only one who knew how to work the tech in the first place. Even if they got their hands on the ships, they wouldn’t know how to use it.
“So, why did he destroy the Hawkins?” Jane questioned. “Wouldn’t it have made more sense to attempt to steal the tech?”
Eddie squinted at the woman for a moment, a particular look on his face.
“Have we met before?” He asked.
“I once was a woman named Kali. Maybe you met her?”
Eddie snapped his fingers in recognition.
“Yes! We gave her some Duranium.” Eddie turned back to the problem at hand. “Anyway, from what I gathered from the first group, Jason tried to board the ship but the captain Joyce, refused to let him have control. Once everyone was evacuated she set the ship to self destruct. Thankfully, the majority of us here don’t hate single forms. We managed to make Jason’s group retreat and save the crew. They’re in a nearby cave like this one. But, we couldn’t get them home without leading Jason to the warp tech.”
Steve absorbed the information as quickly as he could. There had to be a way to save the crew.
“Your Commander Joyce is a fearsome woman. She refuses to leave until she helps us stop this civil war.”
With a huff of a laugh Steve hung his head. Of course she’d say that.
“Can you take us to her?” Steve asked. With a nod, Eddie beckoned them to follow him through a series of tunnels and through a network of caves. Eventually, they stepped into a huge underground room filled with light.
“Erica?!” Lucas called as he ran to his sister and pulled her into a tight hug. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“Rescuing you, duh?” She replied even as she pretended to wiggle out of his hug.
“Steve!” A voice called. Will Byers pulled away from the crowd and hugged him around the waist. “Mom knew you’d come.”
Joyce herself was in deep discussion with Nancy and two people Steve didn’t recognize. They must be other shifters.
“The one with the red hair is being called Max and the other is called Chrissy.” Eddie pointed. “The older man in the corner is Wayne. He’s…what you would call my uncle.”
“You guys have family dynamics like that?” Dustin asked, fascinated with their new friend.
“In a way.” Eddie began. Steve left them to it and made his way to Joyce.
“Everyone okay?” He asked. Joyce met his eyes with a tired smile.
“Kind of. The shapeshifters who saved us have been friendly and hospitable. The caves are coded in kelbonite. I’m assuming that’s why you’re here and didn’t just beam us aboard the Loch Nora.”
“That would do it, yeah.” Steve laughed. “But, I hear you’re trying to prevent a civil war.”
“They have warp technology, it doesn’t violate the Prime Directive.” Joyce placatingly raised her hands. “Besides, it’s in the best interest of Starfleet. This group of defectors didn’t know about the Dominion War until we got here; but, most of them don’t seem to agree with the founders and didn’t really care too much about the outcome. The ones that do agree with the founders want to avenge them.”
“So we have to stop them here.” Steve concluded. Steve looked at the small group of officers here, and the shifters in the room.
“So, what’s the plan?”
It’s Eddie who answered.
“Evacuate our allies. Any warp tech we have, take with us or destroy. Once we’re a safe distance away, we’ll blow up the planet.” The calm indifference in Eddie’s voice would scare Steve if he was on the enemy side.
“Blow it up?” Erica asked in confusion.
“If he was smart, Jason would realize he can shift into a warp capable ship. But, he’s an idiot so it hasn’t occurred to him; but the second it does…” Eddie didn’t finish, but the meaning was clear.
“We already set a bunch of bombs throughout the planet. Shoot one, and it will cascade to the next.” Nancy chimed in.
“How many of you are on the planet?” Steve asked.
“In total? 20ish. We’re usually a conglomerate.” Wayne spoke up. “But, those of us who don’t mind your type are few now. Jason convinced almost everyone to join him. The four of us you see here, plus Eddie’s three friends.”
The three friends, entered from a separate cave as if summoned. They introduced themselves as Gareth, Jeff, and Bear. Gareth was the other shark they saw on the surface.
“The seven of you are willing to leave your home?” Steve asked, a little shocked.
“The thing about us Stevie, is we’re a collective. Our home isn’t a place or a planet. It’s the link we share with each other. One that’s connected us even when we were a part of the whole.” Eddie smiled.
“We need to move quickly.” Jeff mentioned. He and Max led a group of Hawkins crew down one passage, Bear and Gareth went down a second, and Wayne and Chrissy took the rest through a third.
“We have ships prepared to get us all out. I taught everyone how to fly them, at least a little.” Eddie began as he led Joyce, Will, Lucas, Nancy, and the rescue team down a different shaft.
“Why did you set out a distress signal if you guys already had a plan?” Steve asked as they shuffled down the path.
“We needed the backup. Plus, there would be no way to prove we were alive and also not shapeshifters if we appeared suddenly in an old Dominion ship.” That was a great point, Steve had to admit.
Eddie fell back in step with the two and stared calculatingly at Steve.
“What?”
“You’re pretty cute. For a single form anyway.” Eddie flirted and winked.
“Is that a compliment?” Steve asked as Joyce sped up to give them some space.
“You don’t think I’m cute?” Eddie pouted. “Do any of these speak to you?” In a blink he transformed into a female version of his human form. Then just as quickly, he morphed into an Andorian, Klingon, Tholian, and Ferangi version. Even his Ferangi self had huge doe eyes and big curly hair, which looked a bit silly with the ears.
There was something interesting about his shifting nature, Steve had to admit. He wondered just how far that extended. Could he shift parts of himself into other species or was it all or nothing? The only understanding of their abilities Starfleet had any record of was from a Bajorian scientist’s research notes; and he wasn’t very thorough with the details.
“I think you’re cute in all those forms you took. Except Ferangi, but I’ve known too many shady Ferangi.” Steve shrugged.
“Really? You’re not into the ears?” Eddie touched his lobes and gasped in shock. “Why does it feel like I’m touching my…” He waved his hand at Steve’s crotch.
“That’s a great question. You’ll have to ask one when we get back to Federation Space.”
Eddie pursed his lips in thought, shifted back to his “human” self, and turned back to the conversation at hand.
“Listen, after I blow up my planet I’ll need a new one. We all will. I’ve heard the Federation takes in strays. Will they make room for us too?”
“Of course!” Steve exclaimed.
“Even though our people tried to kill you all?” It was said like a joke, but the insecurity was clear.
“You’re not the first people to defect from their genocidal species and join the Federation. I doubt you’ll be the last.” Steve sighed and decided to take a risk. “Until then, you can stay on my ship with me. You all can, I don’t mind.”
“You have enough rooms for the seven of us?”
“Well, one of you might have to bunk with me.” Steve said with a flirty smile. He had enough rooms, it wouldn’t be a problem. Besides from what Eddie said, they’d likely all share the same space to link. But, it was the principle.
“Well if you insist.” Eddie replied and bumped shoulders with him. “I wouldn’t mind sharing your room, big boy.”
They arrived in a big cave that held a huge purple ship next to another underwater lake. Steve gulped; it was obviously an older version of the Jem’Hadar ships. Steve wasn’t in Starfleet during the war, but they learned all about it in the academy.
“Commander Byers was correct, if you showed up in Federation Space in these without an escort, you’d be stopped.” Steve mumbled.
“Right in one, pretty boy.” Eddie giggled as he jogged toward the ship. With a flourish, Eddie waved the group into the ship as he got into position. He flipped a few switches and then sent a signal to the other ships.
“Everyone’s ready. But you are going to have to convince your ship not to shoot at us.” Eddie handed Steve the headset, that doubled as a view screen. From the academy he knew he’d likely get a migraine if he wore it for a while, but a few minutes should be fine.
“Let’s do it.”
The ship exited the cave system through the lake and out to the surface, where it met up with the other three. A huge squid appeared but Eddie quickly fired a few shots into it’s stomach. It sank into the depths as they pushed through the water until the Loch Nora was in view.
“We’re hailing them.” Eddie pointed at Steve once the channel was open.
“This is Lieutenant Commander Wheeler. Who are you and what business do you have on this planet?” Mike’s face filled Steve’s vision.
“This is Captain Steve Harrington. These vessels hold the Hawkins crew and allies. We come in peace.” He said. Rightfully, Mike didn’t trust Steve at face value.
“Tell me something only Steve would know. Something a founder wouldn’t torture out of you.” Mike glared. Steve sighed and pursed his lips.
“When I was dating your sister I accidentally clogged the toilet while playing ultimate barbies with Holly. I was so embarrassed about it that I pretended I was having stomach problems.” There was a muffled snort to the side and Steve squinted his eyes at Eddie.
“How is clogging a girlfriend’s toilet with a huge dump less embarrassing than playing dolls with her sister?” Eddie giggled.
“I asked him the same question.” Nancy joined in before she snagged the headset from Steve. “Michael Wheeler, it’s me your sister Nancy. If you don’t send a message to Starfleet informing them of the Dominion Ships returning home with us, I’ll tell Jane all about your little notebook.” At that, Mike paled and nodded quickly.
“Okay, you’re who you say you are. I’ll relay the message.” He quickly ended the message as Steve turned curiously to Nancy.
“What’s in that notebook?” Steve asked curiously, but she didn’t answer, only shrugged with a secretive smile.
The ships left the atmosphere and headed toward Federation Space. All but Eddie’s ship; which turned to face the planet.
“I’m going to miss it. It was my home for so long.” He sighed.
“There could be another way, right?” Steve offered, he just met the man, but he’d do anything to make him happy.
A soft sniffle is the only sound Eddie let himself make before he pushed a button on the console. A single photon torpedo shot into the planet’s water, but whatever it hit, activated the explosions all along the surface.
As the planet broke into pieces, Eddie flipped it the bird.
“Good riddance to those fuckers.” He set the ship’s course and leaned back against a ship wall. “So, tell me about my new home?” Eddie requested.
Steve smiled. He liked the sound of that.
“The Loch Nora is what I affectionately call ‘home to the Starfleet strays’” he began.