Star Crossed Fanfic

[Beowulf]

Kelly's back... yay!

[Beowulf]

Edit: Whoops, double post, Stravo, could you delete this post?

[Kelly Antilles]

Wow... never realized just how popular Kelly is in this fic.

[Captain Cyran]

I almost forgot...

Kelly IS back, welcome back Kelly!

[Darth Garden Gnome]

KELLY LIVES!!!!!!!

Prediction: Leia loses duel, then Kelly shoots the asswipe in the back.

Not the most glorious way to go out, but Wes don't desevre it anyways, sick bastard.

Awesome as usual.

[Master of Ossus]

Stravo, your enthusiasm for the ending of this chapter was more than justified.

[Kelly Antilles]

KELLY LIVES!!!!!!!

Prediction: Leia loses duel, then Kelly shoots the asswipe in the back.

Not the most glorious way to go out, but Wes don't desevre it anyways, sick bastard.

Awesome as usual.

Actually, I don't think she'd be that much of a coward. She'd say something like "Needs of the many, my ass" and shoot him in the chest.

*wonders just how close she might be*

[The Silence and I]

Great work. Again!
I get to see evil Wesley fight!
What ever you're doing, keep it up!

[Typhonis 1]

*LOL* I can see it now Shadow fleet moves in to help Kirk and the Feddies are gangbneged three ways ...Death Star to one Side ,Nemesis and his fleet to another ,With Thrawn closing off the killing box

[Stravo]

KELLY LIVES!!!!!!!

Prediction: Leia loses duel, then Kelly shoots the asswipe in the back.

Not the most glorious way to go out, but Wes don't desevre it anyways, sick bastard.

Awesome as usual.

Actually, I don't think she'd be that much of a coward. She'd say something like "Needs of the many, my ass" and shoot him in the chest.

*wonders just how close she might be*

Kelly, you know your character best.

Ossus: Thanks again kind sir for your words of encouragement.

[Darth Yoshi]

Wow... never realized just how popular Kelly is in this fic.

Well, it's...it's...Kelly! Why wouldn't we love you?

[Rightous Fist Of Heaven]

An excellent chapter all around Stravo, i got chills running thru my back several times when readin that, the biggest at the 4 last lines of text.

I just wonder whats going on with the Shadow Fleet with their captured Carrack and captain Archer and the rest of the Defiant gang.

[Ghost Rider]

Coolness...and yay, Kelly didn't die

[Admiral_K]

*Taps watch*

Isn't about time for a new chapter Stravo

[Vympel]

I am suffering withdrawal symptoms. I am jonesing for a bit of the ... 'good stuff'.

[Faram]

Damnit don't post if Stravo haven't made an update.

My hopes goes up but crashed down

[Stravo]

A long wait over for some....



Chapter 39: To the Coward the Weak



“Have the second and third fleets move into position on the Federation left flank. They will blow the hole we need to get to Enterprise, then have the 5th Tactical wing go in and directly engage Enterprise.”

“Sir, Enterprise now responsible for 8 of our warbirds’ destructions.” the fleet director warned.

“And what will that matter in the end when we have the broken hull of Enterprise on display in the main mall of the capital?” T’Vor snapped.

“Yes Admiral.”

T’Vor watched the display as his fleet spun around in a swarming of the Federation lines. They were not expecting such an attack and their lines were completely saturated with warbirds by the time they tried to reorient. The Enterprise was a desperate red symbol slowly and inexorably being surrounded by a sea of bright emerald warbirds.

“You will not escape me, Kirk and once you are gone…” he whispered.

“Tell me, Admiral, once you have dealt with Kirk what do you intend to do about that.” Sela asked and pointed to another screen. The Federation weapon was slowly carving Remus into pieces, its bright pulsing white beams were tearing into the planet and effortlessly pulling enormous chunk s from the surface and dragging the mass up to its maw with pale blue tractor beams. Already nearly a quarter of the western hemisphere was gone.

“Remus is a dead world. When that thing turns its attentions to Romulus then I will concern myself with planet eating devices. But for now I have the very heart of the Federation rebellion in my grasp and I will not let it escape.” T’Vor replied coolly. He glanced at his attaché who nodded imperceptibly.

“Sir, we’re picking up an energy spike from Enterprise.” the tactical officer reported, an odd note in his voice.

“What kind of energy spike?”

“Unknown sir, but its off our scales.”

“What?”






“I want more power to the shields.” Kirk demanded as another salvo rocked the Enterprise. The bridge was full of thick smoke as the fire suppression systems kicked in again to deal with the numerous plasma backwashes that were wrecking havoc with his bridge. Who in the hell decided to run plasma conduits through the consoles was beyond Kirk. Sometimes he wondered whether in their rush to advance Starfleet had lost some of its common sense.

“If I put any more power into the shields, sair, ye will lose maneuvering power.” Scotty replied.

Kirk frowned. This was not going well at all. The ship was being battered apart by the Romulan assault and they were coming heedless of their losses for him. He knew why they were so desperate to destroy the Enterprise. They had pegged him as the true danger. They figured once he was gone the Federation resistance would evaporate. Quietly, part of him agreed with that sentiment.

“Captain, let me help.” Charlie asked softly.

“What?” Kirk shouted.

Charlie hesitated form a moment and put his hand on Kirk’s shoulder and leaned in close and yelled in his ear.

“Let me help you!”

“Charlie, I don’t know…what….you.” A slow smile spread across Kirk’s face at the sudden realization that he had been playing the whole hand with an massive ace up his sleeve and never realized it.

“Charlie, can you help me?” Kirk asked.

Charlie nodded.

“If you let me.”

Kirk nodded. Charlie glanced around the chaos of the bridge and slowly let his mind flow free, ignoring the calls of the wounded and hisses of dying circuits, the woosh of fire suppression systems kicking in, the din of battle in general and he opened himself to the space around them. He could feel the power flowing around him as he detected the numerous power sources clustered around this confined area of space. He cast his thoughts wider and slowly saw the warbirds as they came, hungrily blasting through the Federation lines and he felt each ship as if with phantom fingers running them along the hulls of each vessel and he could glean their murderous intent.

They wanted to kill Captain Kirk.

He could not allow that.

As a reckless youth on board the original Enterprise, Charlie was accustomed to simply wishing things he did not like away. The object of his fervent wishes would be simply erased from reality as if it had never existed. As time went on and his teachers showed him the true potential of his powers he began to see that wishing things away was a waste of power. there was so much more that could be accomplished that took up little time and effort.

The Romulan quantum singularity cores for instance.

They were nestled in protective equipment, they pulsed steadily providing the vessels with the power they needed, power that could be used to kill his friend. Power that could just as easily be used to kill them. It would be just so simple to destroy the delicate controls and suddenly the quantum singularities would simply rupture from their casings.

And so he did.

Suddenly a dozen warbirds erupted into balls of plasma and debris.

“What the hell?” Sulu exclaimed.

Kirk stared in amazement as the dozen warbirds closets to him evaporated before his very eyes. The young man standing next to him smiled like someone who had just learned a new card trick.

“That more like it, sir?” he asked.

Kirk beamed.

“Charlie, you’re a lifesaver!” Kirk replied and clapped the young man on the back as he returned to his command chair.

“Sulu, we have our breathing room, get us out of this trap.”

“Aye sir!” Sulu replied and quickly sent the Enterprise through the breach in the Romulan trap. The Enterprise soared through the expanding clouds of plasma and gasses as it fired her forward phaser arrays in a grand sweep to deter any Romulan ships from planting themselves in her path. A squadron of starships suddenly appeared at her side, forming up in a tight defensive wedge as the escorted the flagship out of the thick of the fight.

“Charlie, you’re amazing. Now let’s get clear of this and see what’s going.” Kirk paused a she noted a growing look of concern on Charlie’s face.

“What is it?”

“It’s Wesley.” Charlie answered slowly. “He’s falling into darkness.”





Wesley Crusher through back his head and roared with laughter as Leia stood her ground, lightsaber humming loudly, its crimson blade illuminating the darkness of the chamber.

“You pathetic little girl! Do you really think you can stand against me? He told me all about you. You are strong in the Force but untrained. Me, I’ve had time to train with one of the most powerful Sith lords of all time. The apprentice of Naga Sadow himself and you stand her and think that with half remembered stances from an ill trained boy who would barely be considered a padawan you can defeat me?” Wesley spat dangerously as he slowly circled towards Leia, his eyes completely swallowed in darkness.

Leia spun the blade slowly and watched him intently as she turned her body slightly to the left to keep facing him.

“You talk loudly Crusher, and that usually tells me that you are overcompensating for something. Maybe you’re afraid of this ‘little girl’ because I can actually oppose you. It’s one thing to torture and kill the helpless, those that have no idea what you are, but to face off against someone that can hurt you. That’s another story.”

“You think I’m afraid…of YOU!” he roared and suddenly he raised his hands and purple bolts of lightning lashed out against Leia. She barely lifted the blade in time and the lightning crashed against the blade, hungrily running up and down its length. Some of the longer tendrils managed to wrap around the blade and strike Leia. She winced in pain but held on to the saber and grunted as she fought to keep the lightning from forcing the saber form her hand.

Wesley lowered his hands and continued circling her slowly, like a predator.

“It’s still not too late, Wesley. I can sense it in you. You still have time to break away, he does not have full sway over you yet. But he will.” Leia said softly.

“Oh, so now I can’t make the right decisions is that it? Poor Wesley always needs help deciding what to do. Wesley can’t be on his own, he needs guidance,” Wesley extended his hands again and Leia could feel something pass over her like a breeze and she heard the sound of metal wrenched from a support. She ducked down without thinking and a control panel flashed by over where she had been standing an instant before. “Wesley needs support.” he made a pushing gesture and Leia felt herself pulled off the ground and thrown against a tank. She dropped to the ground and moaned in pain. “Wesley needs a mentor.” He made a gesture towards himself and Leia was yanked off the ground again and she rocketed towards Wesley. Wesley slowly sidestepped out of the way and she crashed without much grace against a bulkhead.

Leia hit the floor like a sack of potatoes and rolled onto her back.

“Well, I say that’s all over now.”

Leia was yanked off the ground again and she floated a few inches off the ground as Wesley glowered at her, a slow cold smile spreading across his face.

“I found my mentor, you see, and he’s shown me much about this universe. He’s shown me how life actually works and shown me the way to power. I’m not a child anymore.” He glanced down at her right hand. the lightsaber was still in her grip.

“I do believe that’s mine.” he said and started to reach out to take it.

“Never!” she hissed and suddenly kicked up with her left leg, catching Wesley in the jaw and sending him sprawling backwards as she back flipped away from him, landing awkwardly.

Since when could I do that? she wondered.

Trust your feelings… a hint of a whisper in her mind.

What?

“Bitch!” Wesley howled and launched another lightning attack. Leia rolled forward just ahead of the crackling lightning and rolled up to a defensive stance lightsaber up at the ready. Wesley was breathing hard and he wiped blood from the corner of his mouth.

“You have to earn this, Crusher.” she taunted him indicating the lightsaber.

“You have earned my wrath you ignorant little girl. You can feel the force but you can’t control it. I will wear you down.”

“We’ll see about that won’t we.” she snapped back.

Trust your feelings.

She thought she recognized the voice, it was an old man’s voice, like a kindly grandfather.

Suddenly she felt an impending sense of doom and she launched herself forward in time to avoid a massive console that was brought down on the spot where she had stood a moment before with a thunderous crash. She landed on her side and whipped the lightsaber up in a warding motion just in time to cut a conduit that was whipping at her head like a striking cobra. the shower of sparks blinded her for a moment and she felt invisible hands wrap around her torso and pull her off the floor sliding her violently across the floor and into the base of one of the giant reactors.

She stopped short with a loud clang and the lightsaber skidded out of her hands. She tried valiantly to get up but suddenly a conduit coiled around her neck, snapping her head back against the reactor casing. She felt her world gray out for a moment then it all snapped back to clarity.

Wesley was casually bending over and picking up the lightsaber. He hefted it several times in his hand before activating it with a snap hiss. He looked at the blade almost hypnotically before snapping out of it and standing before her, blade at the ready.

“So, it comes to this. My Master tells me that you would have made a powerful ally. I could have been your master and you would have learned the secrets that I am just beginning to tap. We would have delved the secrets of the Force together and we would have been unstoppable. The Excalibur would be ours and the galaxy would tremble.”

“And the Federation? What of that? have you forgotten that we’re in a war of survival?” she demanded.

“The Federation is gone. This little war is Kirk’s private vendetta against the Empire for conquering what he once loved. He is an ant wailing against the hurricane. He will be swept away. But we will be the mountain on which the storm breaks itself against. We will become history Leia Organna. You on the other hand, are about to become part of history.”

“You misguided little fool. You don’t see the puppet’s strings, but I do.” she replied.

Calm, at peace, a Jedi uses the Force for knowledge and defense, never for attack. the voice was far older than the other and there was a wisdom behind it she had never experienced before.

Watch him, he is like a leaf on a raging river. The river is the dark side of the Force and he can only go where it leads him now, it is consuming him. the other grandfatherly voice added.

“You love the Force so much, my dear, it is time to join it!”

He raised the lightsaber and the conduit tightened around her throat pinning her to the reactor casing. She did not flinch, she continued staring at him waiting, feeling the calm enter her and soothe her.

A huge hairy paw slammed into Wesley’s back like a jackhammer. Wesley let out a surprised whoof! and was flung forward into the floor. He rolled on his back and stabbed his lightsaber upwards but Chewbacca was no longer there. He cleared the distance between him and the reactor casing in a long stride and pulled the conduit wrapped around Leia’s neck with a rough pull and a grunt.

Leia was lifted clear away from the reactor casing and Chewie planted her behind him and stood his ground, whipping the bow caster off his back and aiming at the young man that was still on the floor.

“Chewie, be careful!”

Wesley was laughing softly on the floor, rising to a kneeling position.

“Its like we can’t get it together. I just want to bring some order to this chaos. The world I know is gone, swept away by some Empire that should never have been here and warring against a galaxy that is not ready fro them. Friends and family I cared about are gone, my home world under occupation and you idiots have to oppose me! I am bringing us victory and you stand in my way. Why can’t you see that this is the only chance we have you idiots!!” Wesley roared angrily.

Chewie roared something back and aimed at the young man’s head.

“So I guess it’s the hard away then.” Wesley replied softly.





So close. So very close. She was pulling herself up along the last coupling that led to the engineering section. The sounds of battle were growing clearer and more distinct. She could hear the distinctive sound of a lightsaber humming and cutting through the air. She could hear some of the voices raised in anger.

She pulled herself over the lip of an over hang and rested. She was lightheaded and breathing heavily. She coughed again and accompanying the pain was some blood welling inside of her mouth which she promptly spat out and groaned as her ribs flared up in pain.

She rested for a moment gathering her strength for the final ascent.






“Mr. Spock, what about that cloaked signature you picked up before?” Kirk asked, still confused by Charlie who was now quiet and withdrawn, he refused to talk more concerning his pronouncement moments ago concerning Wesley Crusher.

“I am still picking up intermittent chronaton particles and tetryon radiation. The return signal seems to indicate a massed cloaked object, perhaps a fleet but I am merely speculating at this point.”

“And they have not decloaked? The rest of the Romulan fleets have decloaked and engaged us. It makes no sense to keep a fleet cloaked.” Kirk muttered.

“There are two possibilities.” Spock suggested.

“They are Romulan and have not decloaked for a reason we are not aware of or they’re not Romulan at all.” Kirk surmised rubbing his chin and glancing back at the view screen. “If they’re not Romulan then who are they?”

“Sir, we have two more Romulan wings inbound!” the tactical officer reported.

“Sulu, go full evasive and try to link up with the Excalibur. I’m hazarding a guess that the object lesson has had no effect.” Kirk said with a frown.

“Aye sir.”

Kirk stalked over to Uhura’s station. She turned in her seat to face him, holding the transceiver to her ear as she spoke.

“Captain, I’ve been trying to raise the Excalibur and they are not responding.”

“Jamming?”

“I don’t think so, we’re close enough to get some sort of voice message despite the heavy jamming.”

“Uhura, I need you to send a tight beam transmission to the coordinates that Mr. Spock has detected those supposed cloaked vessels.”

“Sir?”

“Just send them this.” He handed her something he had quickly scrawled on a datapad. She glanced it over and looked up at him sharply.

“Send it Uhura, call it intuition.”

“We could call it crazy but I’ll take your word for it.” Uhura muttered and Kirk smiled. He turned quickly as more warbirds closed on their position. Off in the upper right corner of the screen, the Excalibur was still carving the remains of Remus up into huge chunk and tractoring them into her maw.

The Enterprise shook from another volley of fire as the Romulan lines reformed after the mysterious destruction of a dozen of their ships.

Kirk walked back to his command chair and softly placed a hand on Charlie’s shoulder.

“You want to tell me what’s going on?” he asked.

Charlie’s eyes looked haunted.

“There’s a lot of rage and anger coming from the Excalibur. Wesley seems to be in the center of it, he’s in a lot of pain, he feels lost and torn apart.”

“What’s causing it?”

“I don’t know, but I feel a dark presence hovering over him like a shadow or a cloud.”

Kirk frowned.

“What can you do?”

“Right now? Nothing.” Charlie replied with a deep scowl.

“Captain.” Spock called out. Kirk turned to face his Science Officer. “The Excalibur has completed processing of Remus and it is turning on an intercept course with Romulus.”

“What?” Kirk exclaimed and stalked over to Spock’s station. Spock showed him the readouts on his sensor monitor.,

“There can be no doubt, it looks like the Excalibur is about to devour Romulus.” Spock said quietly as Kirk watched the inexorable march of the war machine towards Romulus.’

“This wasn’t part of the plan. What the hell is Riker doing?” Kirk snapped.





“What the hell is going on?” Riker demanded to know as he went from bridge station to bridge station checking the status boards as the crewmen tried valiantly to get some response from the ship’s controls.

“I don’t know sir, but Helm is locked on automatic pilot and our current course is taking us into high orbit over Romulus.”

“Our main weapons array is building up antiproton charge.” The tactical officer looked up sharply from his station. “Now undergoing weapons firing procedure for planetary breakup.” he reported aghast.

“This ship is going to devour Romulus.” Tom Paris breathed staring up at the view screen as the planet loomed ahead.

“We can’t allow that.” Riker spat and slapped the combadge on his chest. “Riker to Engineering.” There was silence on the other end. “Riker to engineering! Geordie come in!” Silence.

“Get a security team down to engineering right away. Something’s going on and we need to find out what it is before we become the Federation’s greatest mass murderers in history.” Riker demanded.

“Aye Aye sir!”





“Foolish Wookie. You really think that weapon is a threat to a Sith lord?” Wesley spat and suddenly his eyes locked on the bow caster and Chewie heard the energy quarrel snap. He flung the weapon towards Wes as he grabbed Leia in one great fur covered arm and leapt away. The quarrel exploded in the bow caster with a deafening roar.

Wesley had a hand up, the shards of the ruined bow caster were floating in a tight ball. He smiled softly and glanced over at Chewbacca and Leia.

“You decided to interfere in the matters of the Sith, you furry fool, now pay the price.” Wesley hissed and suddenly whipped out his hand. The shattered remnants flashed outward as if fired from a gun.

“Chewie!” Leia shouted.

Chewbacca suddenly wrapped Leia in his chest and hunkered down.

“No Chewie!” Leia protested but she felt the shards impact against the Wookie’s broad back. Chewie gave a low grunt of pain but Leia could feel the pain through her intimate touch with her friend. Chewbacca was in serious pain and one of the shards may have dug itself deep into his body.

Chewbacca looked at her with his deep blue eyes and grunted something in Wookie.

“You don’t have to be sorry, Chewie. Please rest now, I’ll take care of this.”

Chewbacca growled something back as he slowly slumped to the floor, the fur on his back matted down with thick blood.

“I know, you’ll tear his arms off, but this fight is one I’m going to have to win, Chewie.” Leia gently kissed the Chewbacca on the forehead and watched as her mighty bodyguard slumped into unconsciousness into a pool of his own blood.

She looked up at Wesley who was standing quietly holding his lightsaber.

“You’re going to die today.” she whispered.

“Good, I can feel your anger.” Wesley replied, yet there was something else in his voice too, something cold and old.

Fear anger the dark side are they. Quick to join you in a fight, consume you it will. the wizened old voice suddenly whispered in her head.

A Jedi is always at calm, at peace, serenity is our power. she heard the older grandfatherly voice added.

Leia rushed him and at the last second as he readied himself for the swing of his lightsaber she slid down on the ground. The cold hum of the lightsaber passed over her head and she collided with Wesley, making sure that her right leg jammed into the side of his exposed knee.

Wesley howled as he went down hard and rolled away from her just as she picked up a spike from a damaged power converter he had flung at her earlier and tried to drive it into the spot where he had lain a moment before.

Wesley rolled up on his good knee and held a hand forward, sending a shower of razor sharp debris at her. Leia held up her hands in a warding gesture and she felt something flow through her like live electricity. The debris was batted aside as if it hit an invisible wall.

A Jedi uses the force for knowledge and defense.

Stretch out with your feelings. the grandfather urged.

She did so and felt the panel behind Wesley and she pulled as if she were physically pulling the panel. It shrieked as the panel came off its housing and batted Wesley in the back of the head. he shook his head woozily and suddenly lashed out with his free hand and a shower of blue lightning cascaded over her.

She screamed as the lightning ate at her, tearing her apart and sending her writhing to the floor. Wesley smiled triumphantly as he continued pouring the blue lightning into her body. She was illuminated by the angry force lightning and her screams were like a symphony until he finally paused and watched the smoke rising from her body.

Leia moaned and rolled onto her back, eyes were slits. She coughed and tried to get up but there was no strength left.

“Fool. You thought that your power in the force would protect you, but you are completely untrained. The dark side has given me the strength to-”

Wesley paused as he heard something and slowly turned his head. Someone was trying to quietly help Geordie down from where Wesley had pinned him and they were trying to escape.

“Who might you be, interloper?”

The figure paused and turned around slowly, easing Geordie down to the ground.

Wesley was stunned and took a step back.

“Don’t make me use this, Wesley,.” Dr. Crusher begged as she trained a phaser on him.

“Mother? you’re not supposed to be here.”

“I knew, the minute I heard something was wrong in engineering, I knew it was you. You are not my son, whatever you have become you’re not my Wesley.” she said coldly but tears were welling up in her eyes as she continued training the phaser on him.

Wesley slowly started walking towards her, hands up in the air, lightsaber deactivated.

“Mother.”

“Stop.” she warned and held the phaser straighter.

Wesley smiled softly.

“Mother you don’t want to kill me. How can you? I’m your son.” he said softly as he continued to approach. Leia groaned as she tried desperately to rise but muscles refused to work. She could hear a static crackle still in her ears.

“After dad died, I’m all you had. you tried your best to raise me alone, I can see that now.”

“Stop it!” she snapped.

“Mother, this is not the time. I could not harm you, but you have to put the phaser down. I promise w=once this is done, once I have cemented my control over this ship and this fleet we will be free of this awful situation and I will restore freedom to this galaxy.”

“At what cost Wesley? At what cost? You’ve killed people today, you’re going to kill more people or am I reading that course heading incorrectly. Damn you Wesley you cannot save us by killing others.”

“No? Mother, that’s what war’s all about, killing others to save yourself.”

“No Wesley, this is different and you know it.” she replied hotly but he had crossed 2/3 of the distance between them now and her hand was starting to shake. She could only see the little boy that looked up at her sadly when she told him that his father was dead. She could only see the little boy that smiled gleefully as he stepped on board the Enterprise’s bridge for the first time.

She refused to see this thing that now called itself her son.

“You’re not my son.” she whispered.

Wesley shook his head.

“I am your son. I am Wesley Crusher and you cannot wish that away because I’ve become something you abhor. I am your son whether I am a killer or a saint and there is no force in the world that can stop that.”

“Damn you. Your father-”

“My father is dead mother, even I have come to terms with that.” Wesley lied. “But I will not allow a ghost to dictate who and what I am and what I will become.” Wesley suddenly made a yanking motion with his hand and the phaser sailed out of his mother’s hand and clattered far away out of sight, near the lip of a great precipice below.

“Wesley…what are you going to do?” she asked, eyes overflowing now with tears as he loomed over her.

“Do?” he whispered.

There was an electrically charged moment of silence between the two.

Wesley slowly reached out and touched one of his mother’s tears.

“I could never hurt you.” he replied softly, tears brimming in his own eyes.

“Wesley.” she breathed.

Suddenly his face darkened and his eyes were black again.

“You still have feelings for the bitch that bore you?” an ancient voice hissed from Wesley’s lips. Suddenly Wesley lifted a hand and Dr. Crusher was flung backwards as if struck by a freight train. She landed in a heap far away.

“She is weak and she is infecting you with that weakness Wesley. Look with the new eyes I have given you and peer into the future, see what lies in the road she wishes us to take. Now look down the road that I have prepared for you Wesley and see the difference.”

Wesley seemed to be staring far away for a moment.

“That path lies madness and my death.” he muttered.

“Your mother was going to kill you, whether with that phaser or her own insipid weakness.” his master spat.

“Nothing can deter me from my mission, nothing must deter me.” Wesley whispered to himself. He was running down his options and they were quickly narrowing. “The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.”

“Certain sacrifices have to be made Wesley if we are to restore order.”

Wesley nodded absently.

“Of course they must be.” his eyes slowly turned to Leia who had finally struggled into a seated position on the floor and was striving to gather enough strength to stand.

Wesley smiled sadly.

“Yes, certain sacrifices have to made and Princess they start with you.” he said coldly and strode over to her, lightsaber activated with a snap hiss and he pulled it back as he closed the distance to her in several long strides. Leia did not flinch as she looked up at him.

“Hey, Wesley!”

Wesley stopped in mid-stride, looked up and saw her.

Kelly Antilles stood, more like leaned against a reactor casing for support, but in her hand she held a phaser, the very one he yanked from his mother’s hands.

“I’m not your mother asshole.” she spat and the angry crimson beam lanced into his chest. He stared down at the smoking hole in his uniform and chest dumbly then looked back at Kelly. He collapsed onto his knees and the lightsaber clattered uselessly to his side. He stared back down at his chest in absolute disbelief and fell flat on his face.

“The needs of the many my ass.” Kelly spat on the floor. She slowly limped over to Leia to help her.

“Princess, let me help you.” she said as she gave Leia a supporting hand to help her off the floor, ignoring her own weakness and pain.

“We have to find a way to stop this ship from destroying Romulus.” Leia grunted as she got up off the floor.

“Good thing I helped put this thing together, I think I know how to disable some of these automated controls.

“Then let’s hurry.” Leia urged.

The two raced up to one of the few intact consoles remaining after the battle and Kelly began typing in a string of command codes. Suddenly an arc of electricity jumped from the console to Kelly and she screamed as she was thrown to the floor by the force of the charge. her hand was burned and she clutched it staring up at the console.

“Why did it do that?”

There was a low dark chuckle from behind them and they heard a snap hiss.

“No.” Kelly whispered but Leia could already feel the pulsing malevolence behind her. Leia slowly turned to face him.

Wesley stood holding the ignited lightsaber but it was most definitely not Wesley. His hair was now a snowy white mane and his eyes were pools of black within black. He had a cold sneer on his face and his skin was taut, as if drawn too tightly across his body.

“You have my undying gratitude young would be Jedi. With the defeat of my pathetic apprentice it has cleared the final obstacle to my final full possession of his corporeal body and thus bringing lord Dairoga Kallast out from the Shadows back into the world of the living.”

His smile was ice as he raised his lightsaber up in a standard guard position.

“Now where were we…” he paused and chuckled as he saw the disbelief in the women’s eyes. “Ah, yes. You were about to beg for mercy as I strip your flesh from your bones. I assure you, you will find little compassion in this heart.” he finished with an icy grin.




“Stand by, what’s the Excalibur’s status?” Kirk asked.

“Still inbound to the planet. Their main weapon is almost fully charged for attack.” Spock answered.

“Alright, we have to do things the hard way. Is there any way we can beam over?”

“Their shields are still up.” Spock pointed out.

“Maybe a shuttle, scoot on over to its maw?” Sulu suggested.

Spock’s eyes suddenly narrowed as he caught something on his scanners.

“Captain, hyperspace emergence in sector 4. Imperial vessels.”

“The more the merrier.” Kirk grimaced as a fleet emerged from hyperspace. He saw the all too familiar shape of the super star destroyer and her attendant ships.

“Better late than never I always say.” Sulu added.

“Captain.” Spock’s voice had a hint of something to it that Kirk rarely heard. Shock.

“Spock?”

“Those vessels do not register as previously identified Imperial ships.”

“What are you talking about, Spock? That’s clearly the Emperor’s Will.” Kirk pointed to the massive command ship as it slowly allowed the rest of the fleet to flank it. Come to think of it, there were far more ships than there should be.

“The sensors indicate that it is not the Emperor’s Will or any other Imperial vessel previously identified.”

“But Spock that would mean..” Kirk’s voice drifted off as the dire implications sank in.

“Sir, we are receiving a wide band transmission from the Imperial fleet.”

“On speakers.” Kirk ordered softly.

“Repeat, this is Grand Admiral Thrawn on the Executor, In the name of the Emperor all rebel ships stand down and prepare to be boarded. You are in violation of Imperial space.”

“How is this possible?” Chekov muttered.

“Out of the frying pan…” Kirk whispered.

[Col. Crackpot]

fFIRST POST HAHAHAHAHA

[Crayz9000]

You're too quick to post, Crackpot.

All in all, it's an interesting chapter. Could use a bit of polishing, though... but a nice cliffhanger for an ending.

[Ghost Rider]

I liked what ya did with Wesley and Kelly...very nice.

And good ending, especially with Thrawn...though I wonder what Khan will do now he has Kirk within killing range.

[Mr Bean]

New stuff, time to read

[Mr Bean]

“Repeat, this is Grand Admiral Thrawn on the Executor, In the name of the Emperor all rebel ships stand down and prepare to be boarded. You are in violation of Imperial space.”

THRAAAWWWNNN!

[phongn]

w00t! Yoda and Obi-wan make their "appearence!"

[Rightous Fist Of Heaven]

“The needs of the many my ass.”

LOOOL!! A good one Stravo, a good one indeed.

All in all, once again an excellent chapter.

[Col. Crackpot]

“The needs of the many my ass.”

not only is kelly back but she kicks some major ass!

*ponders the thought of the excalibur chewing up a SSD* hell, stranger things have already happend in this fic!