Chapter 01

A lone, small starship was travelling toward a large nebula. Its dark grey hull was covered in scorch marks and blast holes from recent battle. Some of the once bright blue field coils that run the length of the large nacelles now flicker or are dark entirely from combat. The words Enterprise NX-01 are barely perceptible above the damaged deflector array.

Onboard the small vessel, there was a general sense of hopelessness. The recent loss of thirteen fellow crewmen filled many faces of the small crew with loss and depression. Even among the senior staff, people who were looked up to and must set an example, showed deep loss, especially on the supposedly emotionless Vulcan.

They were on course to a subspace anomaly that would act as a shortcut for the ship to reach the Xindi Council, a council of the five different races of Xindi, to plead the case of Earth and to save the entire planet from the Xindi Planet Killer. The vessel dropped out of warp speed and approached the nebula at impulse speed. The blue impulse engines brightened as they pushed the vessel forward through space. Small corrections and maneuvers being made by the ship's brilliant pilot, Travis Mayweather.

"We have dropped out of warp 10,000 kilometers away from the nebula, Sir," Mayweather announced to the captain of the Enterprise, Captain Jonathan Archer.

"Scans," Archer asked of his Vulcan science officer and second in command, T'pol.

"The effects of the nebula are blocking any sort of internal scans," she replied in her common monotone. Archer turned toward his tactical officer, Malcolm Reed.

"Any vessels on scanners?" he asked the European.

"None that I can detect, however I can't tell if there are any in hiding within the nebula," Reed stated as fast as his console could tell him. Tension on the bridge grew even further as there were a lot of unknowns, but the anomaly was the only way to get to the Xindi council on time.

"Slow and steady Mr. Mayweather," Archer ordered.

"Aye sir," the pilot responded while simultaneously tapping commands into his console. The impulse engines pushed the vessel forward and as they entered he nebula, it's strange effects began to affect specific ship systems. The view screen gained a new sort of static that blurred the image and the sensor quality, already fairly low from combat damage, fell even further. Everyone on the bridge was watching their console diligently to find anything that can be a danger for the ship and its crew either unintentionally or not. Then, for less than a second, there were several Unknowns spotted before the nebula's effects blocked out the signals. Mr. Reed began to sweat when he read the number of unknown signals.

"Captain, I had several unknown signals on sensors for a moment but they've vanished. Most likely it is the nebula interfering with our scanners," he stated. Archer turned to T'pol.

"Is our impulse signature still masked?" he asked her.

"Yes however their sensors may be stronger than we gave them credit for," she stated with slight worry.

"Can we increase speed?"

"I wouldn't recommend it as our signature would only increase and, therefore, be easier to detect." Weighing the options Archer ordered Maywhether to keep the same speed. The Enterprise continued forward as silently as she could with the power she had. Unfortunately, it seems as though Lady Luck had abandoned the damaged starship as multiple vessels popped up on Lt. Reed's sensors well within their respective weapon ranges.

"Multiple vessels on an intercept course! They're targeting us," Reed yelled. Sparks flew as circuits overloaded from more damage than they were ever designed to take. Archer, as the only person standing on the bridge, was thrown to the floor as the ship shook from the damage. Maywhether extended his arm to his captain to help Archer off of the floor. He took the arm gratefully.

"Polarize the hull plating and return fire," Archer ordered Reed before turning to Maywhether. "Travis increase speed. Get us to that anomaly." As the engines of the Enterprise flared to push the ship faster to its target, small ports opened up on the dorsal and ventral sides of the hull with small turrets extending from them. The primary weapons of the starship opened fire with crimson streaks of phased energy colliding with the green energy barriers of the attacking vessels.

"Minimal damage to their shields," Reed stated. The ship shook violently from another blow. "Hull plating is down to twenty-three percent!"

"Travis we need you to get us there a bit faster," Archer ordered. Maywhether didn't even respond as he was diverting as much energy as he could directly into the impulse engines. The Enterprise shot forward as a sudden burst of speed started to put some distance between it and its attackers and moved toward the glowing spacial anomaly. One lucky blow managed to blow a hole in the port nacelle releasing the warp plasma that was normally running through the cylinder.

The warp plasma had an effect on the nebula that neither of the parties knew about. The plasma mixed with the odd gases of the nebula and caused the anomaly to destabilize again without the notice of the Enterprise crew or the crews of the alien vessels.

"Thirty seconds until we reach the rift!" T'pol exclaimed. Another round of shaking and sparks signified the alien vessels still hadn't given up the chase.

"Hull plating is gone as well as the aft launchers!" yelled Lt. Reed.

"Twenty seconds!" T'pol counted down. "Ten, nine, eight, seven, six…." Archer pressed a button on his command chair that opened up the speakers to all decks.

"All hands brace!" he yelled.

"Five, four, three, two, one. Entering the anomaly now!" T'pol stated. The ship began to shake uncontrollably with a bright light shining so much that those on the bridge had to cover their eyes from the viewscreen alone. A large jolt sent everyone on the starship flying as the ship suddenly came to a halt signifying that they had exited the rift.

My first story ever so any reviews are welcome. Beside flames of course. Thank you.