Reign of Terror

[Pcm979]

I'm still waiting for a certain assassin to show up...........

I thought you where the war droid.

[Rob Wilson]

I'm still waiting for a certain assassin to show up...........

I thought you where the war droid.

That's a Balmoran, IG-88 was part of a privately produced line.

[Pcm979]

I'm still waiting for a certain assassin to show up...........

I thought you where the war droid.

That's a Balmoran, IG-88 was part of a privately produced line.

I know, but Weemadando didn't turn up as a stuffed Chluthu (sp?) did he?

[Rob Wilson]

I thought you where the war droid.

That's a Balmoran, IG-88 was part of a privately produced line.

I know, but Weemadando didn't turn up as a stuffed Chluthu (sp?) did he?

How do you know? He hasn't been described yet.

[Bob McDob]

You know what i like about this palce? Something like this happens and it doesn't reach me until a month later.

[Pcm979]

That's a Balmoran, IG-88 was part of a privately produced line.

I know, but Weemadando didn't turn up as a stuffed Chluthu (sp?) did he?

How do you know? He hasn't been described yet.

Maquis are all humans- and anyway, stuffed toys can't talk.
And anyway, a fanfic in which we are all our avatars would be ridiculous, wouldn't it?

[weemadando]

I could be a Cthulhu cultist...

[Pcm979]

I could be a Cthulhu cultist...

I think we're wandering from the point here...

[Temjin]

I like the story so far.

Your use of humor adds just enough flavor

[The Enterpriser]

Great stuff, I'm drooling for the next one

A distinct flavo(u)r opposite of your other fanfic

[Ted]

DAMN YOU ENTERPRISER!!!

I THOUGHT WONG HAD UPDATED IT

[The Enterpriser]

Hehe, good one Well I wish he did

Let's not get this post forgotten (a la Manifest Destiny, almost that is)

*BUMP*

[Mark S]

Hehe, good one Well I wish he did

Let's not get this post forgotten (a la Manifest Destiny, almost that is)

*BUMP*

Sleeping now but not forgotten.

Sorry for the off topic everyone but I had to respond.

[Icehawk]

Speaking of which. Wong, how far are you on the next Chapter?

[Wicked Pilot]

Wow, 79-0 in favor. This has got to be the most lopsided poll in SD.net history.

[Kazuaki Shimazaki]

When is Wong going to post Chapter 2 up on his own webpage. He can't expect all his readers to dig into his forums to find Chapter 2, could he?

Of course, I'll be even happier if he puts up Chapter 3 soon. I know he's busy and all, but...

[Ted]

Wow, 79-0 in favor. This has got to be the most lopsided poll in SD.net history.

81-0 now.

[Singular Quartet]

Wow, 79-0 in favor. This has got to be the most lopsided poll in SD.net history.

Actually, I think the "Should Darkstar be banned" Poll was more lopsided, however this one's catching up.

[Darth Wong]

OK, here's the next part. I decided to merge the last chapter and this one together because they're both kind of short, so I'm calling this piece "Chapter 2a".

Chapter 2a

Nitram didn't move. He dropped his phaser rifle to the floor and stood frozen in place, seemingly hypnotized by the sight of the double-barreled gun pointing at him.

Ando looked to his right, and saw that if he could just get past the end of this row of droids, he'd have some cover. He knew Nitram couldn't move with that gun pointed at his head, so he made a split-second decision. He dove to his right, ducked into the next aisle, and sprinted for his life. The war droid immediately followed, roughly knocking Nitram to the ground with its dexterous arm and unleashing a hail of blaster bolts from other arm. Ando frantically ducked behind the row of quiescent droids and ran for his life. The rapid-fire concussive chud-chud-chud sound of its bolts hitting the walls was deafening, with clouds of superheated metal exploding away from each hit.

He ran past a few aisles and then dove left into one of them, listening to the heavy clank-clank of the big droid's footsteps as it followed him. He ducked out past the end and ran down a few more rows until he reached the far end of the room. He stopped, turned to the right, and could see the door.

I can make it! he thought. He started to run, but at the halfway point, a massive bipedal form lumbered into view at the end, blocking his path. It raised its arm, and Ando dove between two of the parked droids on the wall as the heavy blaster bolts blasted chunks out of the floor where he'd stood. He tried to go back the other way, but as soon as he stepped out from between the two droids, a hail of blaster bolts was unleashed in his direction, forcing him back.

Trapped! he thought to himself. The robot walked closer, its heavy feet clanking on the deck. Ando squeezed up against the wall between the two droids, frozen in terror. The clanking footsteps became louder, and had almost reached him. He closed his eyes and pressed against the wall, muscles straining as if he could push his way through it. He tensed, knowing the end was near.

"Hey, asshole!" a voice shouted out. It was Nitram, bloodied but alive, standing in the door and holding his phaser rifle. He pulled the trigger, and hit the droid square in the back of the head with a full-power shot. But the colour seemed to drain from his face when he saw that his shot left only a small scorch-mark on its armour. He backpedalled frantically away from the door, just barely avoiding the red-hued hail of return fire.

"Ando!" he screamed as he scrambled to his feet. "There's another door on the far side of the room! Get outta there!" He poked his head into the doorway and took another shot at the advancing droid, but to no avail. Again, it left only a singe-mark, and again, the war droid was completely unfazed and answered his fire with a hail of blaster bolts.

I don't believe this! he thought to himself. He fumbled with the controls until the familiar phaser overload sound started, and then he threw his rifle into the doorway and ran, back toward the first doorway and the bridge. Exploration of this ship no longer seemed like such a good idea.

He had gotten less than 30 metres away when the hulking droid stepped through the doorway. It ignored the curious noise emanating from the discarded weapon, stepping on it and raising its heavy blaster arm to take aim at the fleeing intruder. But before the first shot had left its barrel, the phaser rifle exploded beneath its foot.

The shock of the blast knocked Nitram off his feet, sending him sprawling to the deck. He twisted around to look behind him, and he could see smoke and flame shooting out the doorway.

Ando came stumbling out of the other exit and came over to help him. "Phaser ... overload?" he asked between breaths.

"Yeah." Nitram said with a hint of a smile. "I think I got him."

Ando pulled Nitram to his feet and was about to congratulate him, but his smile vanished when he saw a dark form moving through the smoke. His eyes widened in fear.

"Move!" he screamed, sprinting away. Nitram didn't need encouragement to follow.

The droid's left foot was heavily damaged, frayed wires and melted actuators turning it into a useless stump. It heavily favoured its undamaged leg, and limped forward clumsily toward the intruders. But its blaster arm was perfectly functional, and it raised that arm to fire.

The two men ducked around a corner and ran, blaster bolts exploding off the walls and showering them with debris.

"Haven't these people ever heard of a goddamned STUN SETTING?" Ando screamed. "Beam us out of here!"

"I already tried!" Nitram barked back, still running. He tapped his comm-badge again anyway, with no effect. "I don't think the signal's getting through! It's these walls! We've gotta get to the bridge!"

"With that thing chasing us?" Ando yelled back. They came to a four-way corridor intersection. "Which way?"

Nitram looked confused, but the sight of the limping war droid rounding the corner behind them forced his hand. "This way!" he shouted, throwing himself to the left. The storm of blaster bolts seemed to fill the air, and shrapnel exploded away from the walls once more. One burst was too close, and Nitram fell to the ground screaming. A glowing piece of shrapnel had passed through his leg just below the knee, tearing flesh and sinew. Flaps of crimson muscle tissue hung loosely from the wound, oozing blood.

Ando wordlessly ran back to help his friend, hoisting him to his feet over his cries of pain. "Come on!" he screamed, and tried to drag him along for the ride.

"Arrrrgghh ..." Niram gritted out between clenched teeth, his leg giving way beneath him.

The slide-clank, slide-clank limping footsteps of the war droid came closer and closer, and Nitram wordlessly removed his comm-badge, offering it up to Ando as the last gift of a dying man.

"Take it and get the fuck out of here." he gasped over his pain. "I'm done."

Ando ignored him and tried to pull him to his feet again, but Nitram would have none of it. He pushed Ando away and fell to the floor. He looked up at Ando's anguished face, and offered his comm-badge again. "Go on, dammit!"

Ando took the comm-badge, but couldn't bring himself to run. He looked frantically about for a weapon, an avenue of escape, anything to forestall the inevitable, and noticed thick, heavy metal plates protruding slightly from the walls just behind them. He looked up at the ceiling, and saw the track in which these plates were obviously designed to slide, and it immediately clicked into place. A blast door! he thought triumphantly, running toward a red wall plate and randomly punching buttons until the heavy plates began to slide shut.

Ando stared at the plates, as if he could force them to close more quickly through sheer force of will. The slide-clank, slide-clank footsteps of the war droid were very close now, and it came limping around the corner while the door was only half closed. It opened fire immediately, forcing Ando to take cover behind one of the moving plates. He took careful aim between the plates and fired a sharp-angle shot through the gap toward the wall-plate on the other side, hoping to keep the droid from re-opening the doors. The panel exploded in a shower of sparks, and the doors continued to close.

The droid continued to advance, but it was clear that it could not make up the ground quickly enough. It was less than five metres from the doors when they slid shut with a heavy thump. Ando allowed himself the luxury of a smile as the war droid fired its blaster uselessly at the blast door, producing only a muffled staccato thudding sound through the thick wall of metal.

"Thanks." Nitram said, still grimacing in pain.

"Hey, just remember," Ando grunted, tearing strips off his clothing to bind Nitram's leg, "this was all your idea!"

"Don't remind me." Nitram answered. He cried out in pain as Ando hoisted him to a standing position and began to half-drag, half-carry him toward the bridge.

It seemed an eternity. Ando's breath was ragged, and his mouth dry. Nitram was starting to see spots clouding his vision. But at the end of the long corridor was the bridge, and safety. They could see it now, tantalizingly close. Ando tapped Nitram's comm-badge, but there was still no effect.

"We're almost there, buddy. Just a bit more." he said, not sure whether he was trying to encourage Nitram or himself. The sound of his voice echoed off the reflective metal walls of the long corridor. With an extra surge of energy, they stumbled onto the bridge and collapsed. He tapped Nitram's comm-badge again, and ... nothing.

His heart began to beat faster, and he hit the comm-badge again. Again, nothing.

"That won't work, you know."

Ando froze at the sound of the smooth, calm voice coming from behind him. He began to raise his phaser rifle.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." the voice continued. "Drop your weapon."

Ando's shoulders slumped in defeat. He dropped his weapon, and slowly turned around to see a tall Cardassian flanked by two men, all armed.

"I am Gul Lucet, and I'd like to thank you for the generous gift of this scientific discovery." he said with a smile. "Imagine our surprise when we tracked you here, and discovered
this!" he said, spreading his arms to motion at the enormity of the ship.

Ando cast a glance outside the window, and saw a Cardassian attack ship holding station behind his own. Crew's about thirty men, he thought to himself. Looking around the bridge, he noticed at least 20 Cardassians, mostly working in the instrument pits. He cursed himself for not noticing them until now.

He turned back to Lucet and adopted a defiant posture. "This man needs medical attention." he said firmly, pointing at Nitram.

"All in good time, human. All in good time. First, there is the small matter of this ship, and how much you know about it."

"No." Ando said, his heart pounding. "I want a medic to work on him first."

Gul Lucet's expression was mild. "You are in no position to bargain, human. But very well. Medic!"

The Cardassian medic knelt at Nitram's side and inspected his leg. "What happened to him?"

"He had an accident." Ando replied evenly.

"Ah" the medic said, seemingly satisfied by that answer. He scanned the wound and continued speaking, as if to himself. "Accident of some kind, damage appears to have been caused by a physical object. No known weapons signatures." He began gingerly working on the flayed muscle tissue, slowly putting Nitram's leg back together.

"Now," Lucet said, "what do you know about this ship?"

"About as much as you know." Ando replied. "It's a derelict, been here for a long time. We managed to set off some kind of automated startup sequence, and that's why we have power."

"And the crew?"

"No sign of them" he lied.

"I see. Well, I'm sure-" they were both interrupted by a bright flash. To their mutual shock and horror, the Cardassian ship had just exploded. Outside the bridge windows, a coruscating green bolt seemed to come up from out of nowhere and strike the Maquis Raider, destroying it too. They stared at the glowing debris for a moment, but there was almost nothing left.

Lucet turned back to face Ando, his face mottled with rage. "What did you do?" he screamed.

"Nothing!" Ando protested in a panicked voice. "Do you think I would destroy my own ship?"

"Maybe." Lucet snarled. "Maybe you thought it would be better to trap us here than let us take this prize!"

"I didn't even know you were here!" Ando shot back.

Lucet started to speak, but stopped himself. "What's that noise?"

"What noise?" Ando asked. The Cardassian's ears were obviously better than his own, but he could soon hear a faint sound echoing down the long corridor. Drag-clank, drag-clank ...

As always, to be continued

[Cpt_Frank]

FIRST TO POST!

Excellent (I wouldn't have expected anything else)
damn those cliffhangers!

[Pcm979]

Stupid f$%#&ing thing didn't show up as a new post.






























Good chapter, too.

[Crown]

Ooooh a cliff-hanger. Very nice

[Soontir C'boath]

Man this kicks ass. I luv it.

Cyaround,
Jason

[Vympel]

I really would like a role in this kick-ass fanfic

[God Emperor]

I to would like a small part in your story if you would be so kind, but I would like you to use my name, Mlsna. That is the correct spelling. If you don't that's OK. Love the story.