How about another fanfic (Manifest Destiny)

[Master of Ossus]

Not bad at all. I am anxious to see where you are going with this.

[Mark S]

Not bad at all. I am anxious to see where you are going with this.

I hope everyone is patient. It takes a little while to build. Laying foundation and all...

[Mark S]

"Now, my dear," the shop clerk grinned. "You're speaking my language."

An hour later the two women left the Ferengi, that being what they learned he was, their pockets heavy with data crystals, a small device to read them and other various pieces of portable technology. Not surprising, the shop owner had been quite happy with the luminous coruscant stone they had given him as payment. They did, however, leave wondering if their attempt to make him forget them had been successful. All he had done was stare at the gem and repeat, ‘of course, of course'.


Bala stared out the cabin window watched the mottled background of hyperspace twist past. From the rim to the core making five stops for who knows how many days and it was only going to take a week and a half. His mind reeled. The title ‘Galactic Republic' was obviously not just ego stroking. And that was just the tip of the iceberg. Since programming the tricorder with a written language translator, the team had been learning about this galaxy with leaps and bounds. Such simple things as children's files and models had taught them volumes. So much so, that the staff of the ship's gift shop knew all of their faces.

They had a file detailing every type of military vessel in the Republic's fleet, one cataloging many of the sentient species of the galaxy (there were apparently millions), and one talking about the role of some group called the Jedi to name only a few. And every one of them was laid out so a ten year old could understand it. They could almost go home now, except for the fact that the Shinobi wouldn't be able to reach them, or even hear from them, for years.

"All this stuff is very interesting," Jonesy looked up at his C.O. from a file he had just finished. "I'd still like to get my hands on something more technical though. If this technology is thousands of years old to these people I doubt it's classified."

"Yeah," Pellax said from the couch where he was reading. "I'd like to take a look at some news reports too. You know, something to tell us the weather around here. Something that maybe the boys back home can exploit."

"Computer," Bala tore his gaze from the window to look at the terminal. "Access news program."

The disembodied voice of the beautiful holographic woman spoke. "Galactic news can be accessed via the holonet. Please be advised that holonet access at this terminal will cost five credits an hour. Do you wish to proceed?"

"Now we're getting somewhere." All three men in the team spoke as one and congregated around the terminal.

"Yes Computer, access holonet galactic news."

The three poured through the net for hours, soaking up all that they could. Papers on a brief Imperial takeover in the past, technical commentaries of every kind, stories about recent hostilities between the Jedi they had read about and another religious faction known as the Sith, stories about pirates and illegal drug activity were all downloaded into their tricorders. Everything they wanted to know was there for the taking, a lot of which was apparently old news to the people of the Republic. Any piece of technology they were interested in, from androids to hyperspace, had been invented millennia ago. It was very humbling.

The most disturbing piece of information for the Federation operatives, however, was the fact that the wormhole, and the aliens on the other side of it, were a topic of much debate. There wasn't a lot of news on the situation, but they were only concerned about one part of the report. The part that said the Navy was now in charge and that no civilian ships would be allowed to entire the area. Once they got back to the Shinobi it was still going to be tough running that blockade.

"Don't worry," Pellax reassured. "In one of my other lives we had the same situation, only it was a group of Klingon battlecruisers. We almost made it too."

"Almost?" Jonesy asked.

"Well, yeah," Pellex looked from one human to the other. "They destroyed the ship, but they didn't get all of the escape pods. Sure, I died on the operating table, but I made it through the blockade. Besides, I know what went wrong then, and this time we have a cloaking device!"


After having to scan the star charts, one by one, visually into the navicomputer, the two Jedi could now travel anywhere in ‘known space' in a matter of hours at the longest. They had learned more than just locations from the charts, however. They now knew that there were a number of major factions vying for control of this quadrant. The names of these organizations were a mystery, however, since neither Jedi nor computer could translate the alien script. It was decided though, that they should travel to the governing planet of the organization holding the territory of the wormhole at the very least. Whoever that may be.

But not before making a few more stopovers in the stations and outposts like Tak Mana. They had need for more information than simply star charts, but it was imprudent to ask for too much in one place or from one person. Better to take ones time than cause too much of a stir.

Landing on the Ruper's End outpost, the Jedi set out from their ship in the rain and sleet to learn all that they could about weaponry on this end of the wormhole. This place was little better than the last, except here the humans were in uniform and the lawlessness seemed to be kept under the table, though it was still there. Here, men and women in black suits with grey shoulders and yellow collars could be seen patrolling the streets. The Jedi could sense the constant fear in these officers as they passed. The Dark Side had a firm hold on this colony, it was only a matter of time before chaos came down like the biting rain.

Before long the Force had led the two black clad women to a dark and seedy bar in a run down part of the outpost. If the whole place couldn't be called run down. They walked in, shaking the rain from there cloaks, to meet the accusing eyes of every patron in the room. Seeing they were not security officers, most gazes returned to their respective tables, some did not.

The establishment was quite literally a dive in every sense of the word. The two strangers had walked down a long, thin flight of stairs and a dingy hallway before entering the main drinking room. The bar itself was dimly lit by faltering units on the walls and smelled of alcohol and cooking grease. The floor was dominated by a half-dozen tables, all filled with humanoids of varying species keeping eyes on the strangers as casually as they could. Booths lined three of the walls and the fourth was taken up by a long counter. Music could be heard faintly over the din of the boozing mob.

Jenna walked over to lean on the bar and wait for the tender to come for their orders, behind her, Mai-Men calmly stretched out her feelings to fill the room. Apparently women rarely came down here. Not clean ones anyway.

"What can I get you two," the small pendants they had bought from the ferengi translated the burly bartender's cigar muffled question while he scratching himself in four different places with four different sets of fingers.

"We need you to help us find someone," Jenna asked the humanoid cordially.

"Well, that's going to be a problem," the beefy man replied dryly. "Most people in these parts don't much like being found. I suggest you two order ourselves up something or head for the door. These fingers aren't pointing you to no one."

"But Sir," Jenna casually waved her hand in front of the bartenders face, "we need your help."

"You need my help," he replied gruffly. "Who do you ladies need to find?"

"We are looking for an arms dealer," Jenna smiled into the man's eyes. "You know of people like that don't you?"

"I know those type of people. Anyone in particular?"

"Whoever you know will be fine," Jenna gave the bartender a motherly tap on the hand and he pointed to a booth on the opposite wall. The light above that booth had been knocked out some time in the past, leaving it in shadows.

The Jedi Knight turned to her apprentice with a wry smile. "All too easy," she whispered and the two set out from the counter and it's burly inhabitant, who was now shaking a strangely fuzzy feeling head.

After making their way across the room, Jenna and Mai-Men were greeted at their destination by overwhelming feelings of anger and aggression and the wrong ends of four strange weapons. In the dimness of the booth the beings sporting those emotions and weapons could have been easily mistaken for human from a distance. The keen eyes of the Jedi saw the truth, however, taking in the larger frames, hawkish noses, and prominent forehead ridges.

"We were listening to your conversation female," One of the creatures growled. "We will deal with that pa'tak later for his flapping mouth. As for the two of you, our weapons are for warriors, not mothers bent on avenging defiled daughters. Leave us and take your business elsewhere!"

The table erupted in uproarious laughter.

"You would send us away and deprive your ship and house of the honor of a shipment as large as the one we are looking for?" Mai read the aliens thoughts and used his ambitions against him.

"How Large?" this time it was the single female at the table that spoke. "Speak up Human, before I tire of holding this disruptor."

"Your bluster is far from necessary." Jenna pulled a vacant chair to the table and sat down. "We are looking for more than merely single weapons and are willing to pay handsomely for your goods." The Jedi pulled a few perfectly cut gems from a pouch and let them do the talking.

"Perhaps we should not be so hasty, Kellor." The statement came from the oldest looking of the four. Unlike the rest, this one did not have a flowing mane of hair cresting his head. In fact, he was completely bald.

"You have succeeded in turning my companion into a Ferengi, Human," the one who had originally spoke, Kellor, confessed. "But I am not so easily convinced. It would be great dishonor on me if I were to sell to pirates and inadvertently make them into the scourge of the Klingon Empire."

"Let me assure you," Jenna once again nonchalantly motioned with her hand. "We only wish to bring greater glory and honor on both of our peoples."

"Yes," Kellor agreed. "Glory and honor for both our peoples! We shall supply you with whatever you need!" The Klingon banged his fist on the table for emphasis. No one in the room looked over.

"What!" Leekta, the female Klingon, was outraged. "Kellor you fool! What is the matter with you! I've never seen yo..."

"There is no need for this aggression," the Jedi cut in calmly.

"Aggression!" Leekta was practically exploding with rage. "I'll show you aggression!"

The Klingon woman's left hand shot out at lightening speed for Jenna's throat. Unbelievably, the human's hand was already there to grab hold of it and twist. At the same time, Leekta's other hand had abandoned her disruptor in favor of a wicked looking dagger. The blade now arced over the table in a slash meant more to back her opponent up than cause any damage. Jenna simply shifted her head out of the sweeping dagger's path, never rising from her seat or letting go of the hand in her possession. Her less experienced partner now stood ready with unlit lightsabre in hand.

Seeing the young human female brandishing an unfamiliar weapon, the three remaining Klingons at the table leveled their disruptors. In the blink of an eye the older Jedi was on her feet dragging the Klingon woman awkwardly to the floor, Leekta's broken left wrist still in hand and her right, still holding the dagger, under booted foot. Jenna's other hand was still empty, but held in a defensive position.

No one moved for what seemed like an eternity. No one in the room made a sound. Then, like he had been trying to hold it in the whole time, the old, bald Klingon let out a rough, crackling laugh and holstered his weapon. As if this were their permission, the dank room turned back to it's own business and the other Klingons at the table followed the oldsters lead.

Everyone sat back in their places and Leekta dragged herself once more into a sitting position. "Your grip is like steel, Human," she amazed, cradling her broken joint. "I've never felt anyone stronger or seen anyone move faster. You are truly a warrior to be respected. I am Leekta, that is Gortel, our captain Kellor and the laughering old fool there is Meggrel." Meggrel only laughed harder at the insult.

Jenna nodded respectfully. "I am Jenna Carrel and this is Mai-Men Tam."

"Come," Kellor laughed and stood. "We'll take you to our ship and see if we can't do business." Everyone stood and followed the towering man to the door.

"That fat, four armed bastard," he continued, pointing a thumb to the bartender, "has laced this room with kelvanite so we'll have to get outside before we can beam over."

"Beam over?" Mai-Men asked in confusion.

"Of course," the even taller Gortel replied. "We're not going to fly into orbit."

Outside, the rain had stopped but the sky was no brighter or less ominous. Across the street, two humans in uniform were questioning a rag covered, blue, vagrant. Seeing the group enter the street, the officers shifted their attention from the bum and moved to intercept.

"You there!" One called in his best authoritative voice. "Wait just a second! We need to talk to you."

"What is it, Starfleet!?" Gortel looked exasperated. As if a child had asked him for the tenth time why the world was round. "We have an injured crewman here."

"This will only take a second." This was spoken by the other officer, a man-ish woman of memorable unattractiveness. "We are looking for anyone who would know the owner of this ship." The officer held up a pad with an image of the Jedi's sleek, black vessel.

Jenna stepped to the forefront. "I must admit that that ship is ours," she indicated Mai, "We were given permission to land. What is the trouble?"

"Well Ma'am," the male officer scratched the back of his head, "it seems some of the technicians were a little curious about it. They say they've never seen anything like it." Jenna could see where this was going.

"Anyway," the man continued. "I guess they got a little too close and set off a security system because three of them are down and unconscious and no one else can get close to the ship to retrieve them."

"The remotes." the two Jedi intoned together. They both could envision the six small spheres, suspended in mid air, patrolling the perimeter of their vessel.

"They did indeed set off our security," Jenna spoke like a mother hearing the confessions of a troublesome child. "The remotes have now been recalled to the ship. It is safe to approach for the moment, but I suggest you tell your people to keep their curiosity in check after this."

The Starfleet security officers thanked them and raced away down the street. The Klingons, however, were engaged in too much laughter to notice.

Kellor, finally managing to contain himself, produced his communicator and ordered his ship, far above, to beam them all up. "Now," he said as the party re-materialized aboard the Klingon freighter, "what, exactly, did you two have in mind? Federation weapons? Klingon? Romulan? Hand held or ship emplacements?"

For the moment he would get no answer. The usually unflappable composure of the two Jedi had been shattered. They looked at themselves cautiously to ensure that everything was where it should be and then to the unthinking, unfeeling pads on the floor. This was one thing they had not seen coming.

Meggrel saw their looks and came to a different conclusion. "Yes, it's an older unit, but it still does what it's supposed to."

As they conversed, the company moved to a different room in the dimly lit craft. This room, consisting mostly of a long table flanked by benches, must have been the freighter's mess hall. Kellor took a seat on one side of the table and the humans took the other. While the towering Gortel disappeared to check on things, Leekta and Meggrel pulled some medical gear from a cupboard and began healing the warrior woman's broken joint. Apparently this was the infirmary as well.

"So what is it going to be, ladies?" Kellor asked, spreading his hands out. It was a gesture he knew humans made.

"We are looking for everything you can give us," Jenna answered and then added evenly, "And no questions."

"She looks like a human, fights like a Klingon and now talks like a Romulan," Leekta observed derisively. "Watch yourself Kellor, she may deal like a miserable Ferengi!" This incited a gravely cackle from her aged, impromptu nurse.

"Fair enough, Human," the captain agreed. "I will not dishonor that. But I can't run my ship on honor. The one question I'm going to have to ask is how will you be paying when all is complete."

In response, Mai reached into a pouch on her belt and pulled out a hand full of clear, multifaceted gems which she dropped on the table. Meggrel turned the scanning device he was using to monitor Leekta's healing process and started his crazy laugh anew.

"They'll do," the old Klingon cried, showing the results of his scan to his fellows. "They'll do!"

The Jedi next found themselves in the ship's massive hold. By far this area took up most of the space on the vessel and was now filled with crates of every size. The Klingons, assuming the two humans didn't know what they needed or even wanted, and eager to close the deal, led a tour, displaying the different weapons they came across along the way.

Reaching the final section of cargo, Kellor came to the end of his tour. "And these are the human weapons," he concluded, opening a crate. "You will probably be more familiar with them."

From the crate he produced a standard Federation hand phaser and passed it to Jenna. "Hand phasers, Rifles, the smaller, pocket sized units, grenades, launchers, mines, we can get whatever you want."

"Oh my," Mai-Men commented on the obviously phallic device in her master's hand.

"I don't think this is something you should be looking at, my young apprentice." Jenna replied, mockingly imperious.

"Please," Leekta shook her head and crossed her arms. "Those jokes are as old as this rusted tub of a ship."

"Anyway," Kellor cut in, grabbing the phaser and returning it to it's storage. "Those are all the personal weapons. We can show you programs on the ship armaments back in the mess and then work out an honorable price and a schedule for shipment."

"Actually Captain, time is of the essence with us," the older Jedi confessed. "We can ill afford to wait for any shipments. We will have to take what we need from this cargo and suffer the inconvenience."

"If you insist. But it really would be nothing for us to gather an order and bring it to where ever you needed it."

"That isn't necessary. We shall take one case of every weapon type you have here. We will, however, also buy the programs that you speak of. If you don't mind of course."

"Whatever you wish," the Klingon returned. "I just regret agreeing to ‘no questions'."

The weapons merchants were puzzled by the strange order but none suspected the cargo was being purchased for future study. Were these two collectors? Were the weapons going to be used for training? It mattered little. The sale would bring them honor...and a fair amount of latinum too.


As Gortel lifted the next crate from the stack to carry into the human's hold he sighed and shook his head. Why anyone would build a ship that you couldn't beam into was beyond him. Good defense mechanism but it made for more work. There was always more work for Gortel.

He passed the younger of the mysterious females on his way up the ramp and stole a glance at the device hanging from her belt. It had to be some sort of weapon, that much he knew. But what did it do? If it was a disruptor or a phaser the grip was far too awkward. And it must not be as powerful, he thought, or they wouldn't be buying all these other weapons. Humans, who could figure them out. One minute they're mewling like children, the next they're fighting like razor beasts for the stupidest reasons.

The big Klingon's reverie was quickly ended as he stomped heavily back down the loading ramp. Ten humans dressed in form-fitting black were leveling phasers at his fellow crew members and their two buyers. A substantial crowd was beginning to gather as well, at a safe distance. People in ports like this could smell a fight brewing. And a possible chance to loot. "Friends of yours?" he commented to the Mai-Men, who had been making her way back in when they had been surrounded. She still calmly held the box she was delivering.

One man, thin and cold-eyed, was talking to Jenna. "That was a nice move you pulled back at the wormhole but you didn't think we wouldn't leave surveillance probes did you?

"We almost lost you too, with that disappearing trick. It's lucky you've been wasting all this time here or we never would have found you. I'm going to have to ask you all to drop what you're doing and put your hands on your heads."

"<Capture is not an option on this mission, Master,>" the Jedi apprentice whispered, switching to Huttese to baffle the translators.

At the same moment Gortel was putting his hands defiantly on his hips and demanding, "And who exactly are you!"

The phaser shifted position slightly in the thin man's grasp and fired, extinguishing the life from the Klingon with one fiery thread. Before an explanation could be given for the action, Kellor and the rest of his crew threw the crates they held toward the nearest captors and dove for any cover they could find. Each rolled to a ready position with disruptor in hand. The crowd cheered in bloodlust.

As beams of destruction began to cross the area in a spiders web of light, a pair of energy blades came to life with a resounding snap-hiss. The crowd stated their awe at the strange weapons with one long syllable. The men in black stated theirs with phaser fire.

[Mr Bean]

Bravo, Your going strong.

[Singular Quartet]

I personally liked the line about how the name "Galactic Republic" isn't "Ego-stroking."

[Crown]

I want more!!! That was really well written!!

Two thumbs up!!

[Eleas]

<snip>

Looking good.

[Cpt_Frank]

Very nice one.

[Skelron]

Wow has anyone else noted how so far Mike's page has been attracting some really good fanfic writers!! Please keep up the good work, I enjoy NR works and this is really heating up, I don't care if war happens or not, it's taking shape as a really good culture clash. (Droids=Slaves in Feds eyes etc, two 'good guy' civs finding it hard to really understand the other)

[StarshipTitanic]

Just amazing! I love this!

[Crown]

Can I just say that I love it one more time?

Only one question... How much information can those tri-corders hold any way?

Please bring us your next instalment, I am breathless with anticipation!!!

[Asdeed]

So who else thinks we need to start a stardestroyer.net fan fic archive? We can't let these stories fade into obscurity, who's with me?

[Cpt_Frank]

I support the idea and so does SSD Intimidator. With you, that's already 3.

[Hendrake]

That's 4. I think we have *very* good quality writers here, and their works deserve to be kept.

[Eleas]

"That's 4. I think we have *very* good quality writers here, and their works deserve to be kept."

Nope, five. So far I think it would work best to put them on a simple two-meg free webpage. Later, as the stories grow in number, you'll need a dedicated larger page.

I offer a place on my computer, running continously under Apache. It's not hack-proof, and it probably won't be up forever, but this far it's there. That might be unsafe, however. XP isn't known for amazing uptime.

[Crazy_Vasey]

I could probably knock together a very simple archival system on the lycos free space with SQL and PHP support if people were really interested in this,

[Faram]

Why not ask Rob Dalton at http://daltonator.net/fanfics/archive.html ?

He has a bunch of fanfics from alt.startrek.vs.starwars

[Mr Bean]

Because Dalton is
Neeeeeeeeeeever there

Watch how long it takes for him to reply to this even if you emailed him

[willburns84]

This is amazing stuff. Keep it up!

[LMSx]

Bueno!

You say you have 76 more pages of this stuff?

[Crown]

There is more? Where, where? I must read more!!!!!

[Mark S]

The first of the odd, continuous beam, blasts to be directed at Jenna was turned instantly back on itself with a lightning parry of her humming, fluorescent green shaft. The next was sent harmlessly into the grey sky as the Jedi spun to catch it before it reached her back. With a thought from the Jedi, the six remotes of the ships security system rose from their small hatch and began herding the endangered crowd further away with sharp painful blasts. With another thought, the phaser flew from the thin man's hand to fall harmlessly to the ground.

The Jedi Knight's eyes were closed now. Completely oblivious to the chaos around her, she let the Force take total control. The energy of the universe flowed through her and became her. And she, it. She could see everyone's thoughts, knew everyone's actions, as if they could not think or do them without her approval. Her lightsabre was in position to block a phaser beam before it's sender had touched the firing stud. The redirected rays were always somehow precisely placed to never injure an innocent. In her, the Force gained an instinct for preservation. It used all the powers at it's disposal to keep itself safe.

Jenna's young apprentice was faring no worse. At the first sign of action the girl had vaulted from her position on the ships ramp, igniting her ‘sabre in the air, and landed between two stunned attackers. With a quick side kick to one and an open handed strike to the face of the other, Mai still had her own green blade unhindered to deflect an oncoming beam aimed at her head. The orange energy slashed away to vaporize the latinum right out of the hand of one of the betting spectators.

Mai then turned her attention to closing the distance between her and her master. Blocking away more fire from her right, the young Jedi apprentice whirled tightly to the left to let another beam pass by. Seeing her attackers fall in a flashing death at the hands of the Klingons, she focused on two men moving to flank Kellor. With an outstretched hand, both men lifted into the air and were flung far into the seething crowd like so much refuse. This was easy!

As the younger woman met with her teacher she let her excitement carry the Force through her. The two then became as one. Two fiery hands of the same creature, two extensions of the same will.

From the safety of cover behind a landing strut, Leekta grinned as she unleashed the destructive power of her weapon. "Cowards!" she screamed as her latest target ducked behind a stack of crates. Meggrel cackled wildly, firing at her side. In a hail of return fire, the old man's grating laughter was abruptly stopped. The crew was down to two.

Kellor stood in outraged disbelief. "Father! No!" the captain's disruptor fired once and he was running across the battle ground for the human who had taken his father's life. It took the efforts of both Jedi to protect the Klingon on his suicidal flight, their lightsabres moving so fast it appeared as though he had sprouted a pair of beautifully deadly insect wings.

He was robbed of his revenge however. It seemed the final blast of Kellor's disruptor had gone wide, into the crowd. The beam had landed on the first officer of a Nausican vessel who's enraged crew had immediately returned fire, killing the object of Kellor's revenge and adding a whole new dimension to the melee.

As the crowd joined the fight, the floating remotes moved to stop them, and Starfleet security finally arrived on the scene, the remaining four men in black found themselves caught in a cross fire and the battling defenders found themselves hopelessly out numbered.

"Quickly," Jenna shouted, sidestepping a beam of deadly energy. "Get to the ship!"

Seeing no alternative, the two remaining Klingons grabbed their dead companions and bolted for the open ramp of the strange human ship. The Jedi stood cover as they went. Next, Mai-Men back-stepped up the ramp, redirecting shot after shot with her lightsabre. When the girl was half way to the ships hatch the remaining crates of weaponry rose from their tumbled stacks and flew past her into the hold. When all was done, the remotes were destroyed, and the crowd began to move in on the last to escape, Jenna ran into the ship with a speed only the Force could bestow. Moments later the vessel's repulsorlifts were carrying it into the atmosphere amid a storm of energy from below.

"Their anger and aggression was almost our undoing," Jenna advised her apprentice as they piloted their sleek craft into orbit. "Remember this day and heed it's warning.

"You did not see the first strike in time to save Gortel." The last was a calm observation.

"No, Master." came the quiet reply from the copilots chair.

"Your mind was not focused on the situation at hand. Your anticipation of the battle clouded your thoughts." Another scholastic observation. "I did not catch it either, I'm afraid. Now a man is dead."

"Yes, Master."

"We must both remember this day."

"Yes, Master."

Leekta burst into the cockpit with livid excitement. "Doesn't this ship have weapons!? Why didn't we finish them off!? We could easily have defeated all of them yet you run like cowards! I saw with my own eyes what you could do. Why didn't you just pop all their heads from their shoulders!?"

"Let go of your anger Leekta," the Jedi knight instructed. "It serves only to cloud your judgement."

A strong hand came from behind the Klingon woman to rest on her shoulder. "The human is right, Woman." Kellor's voice was calm and even. "Even their miraculous abilities would not have saved us from so many..."

"But to die in battle..." Leekta interrupted angrily.

"Would be pointless," her captain finished imperiously, "if that battle had no purpose. That fight did nothing to avenge Gortel's death. And we had to sacrifice my father's life in the process."

"Paa," the Klingon woman spate as she spun to leave, "This is why you captain a freighter and not a battle ship!"

Kellor watched her go and listened to her pounding fists fade. "I can not fault her for speaking her mind. She is not very well traveled yet and doesn't understand that you humans do not always have the stomach to fight. I will deal with her once we are back on my own ship."

Jenna looked from her control panel back to Kellor. "I'm afraid that isn't going to be possible." She indicated a screen full of moving icons. "It seems as though we are not free just yet. The computer will need a few moments to calculate a jump to hyperspace but if you will please find a seat in the back we will be gone shortly."

"Hyperspace?! What are you talking about? Are you going to warp? What about my ship?! Show me your weapon system, I know how to use every one in the quadrant. A Klingon can't just sit idly by in a battle!"

"I assure you, your assistance is not needed Captain Kellor." The Jedi's voice was stern and full of polite command. "Perhaps your job can be to ensure that Leekta's fear doesn't consume us all. Mai-Men, please show the captain to a seat in the rear."

The lithe girl stood and faced the towering Klingon with a slight smile. Kellor almost started to laugh until a slender but firm hand was placed on his chest and began steadily pushing him back. It was an irresistible force. All he could do to save face was turn of his own volition and walk proudly away. The door to the cockpit slid shut behind him.

"I wonder what he thinks we're going to warp?" Mai sat back down in the copilot' s chair and checked the feedback on the shield generator.


Back in the cramped crew quarters of the Jedi vessel, Kellor found Leekta sitting, starring at the limp, lifeless bodies on the cabin floor. "These are not like any humans I have seen before." she said, shaking her head, as he sat down across from her.

"And how many humans have you met?" The question hung in the silent air for moments before Kellor continued. "True, though. I have never met anything, much less a human, that could do the things we've seen today. I have never been a very religion man, I know the Emperor is a clone, but the things I have seen today, I would have said were not possible yesterday. This whole situation has gotten far beyond our control."

Leekta nodded her head silently. "These two scare me Kellor." The confession was not an easy thing for the woman to give. The captain knew exactly what she meant. "How can a warrior fight someone fast enough to deflect a disruptor beam like it was a thrown ball? How do you fight someone who can throw you through the air with invisible hands? How many more like them are out there? And if they come, how can the Empire hope to stop them?"

"Now I know why you never made it into the fleet," Kellor gave a small, forced laugh, "you're too smart. It makes little difference. When these two demon-women drop us off where ever they do, we'll make our way back to Rupert's End and see if there's anything left of the ship. Until then, all we can do is wait. And try not to get ourselves killed."

After the death ritual had been performed on their fallen comrades, the silence between the two survivors lasted for what must have been half an hour before being broken by the appearance of Mai-Men. The young human strolled into the main crew area, black cloak no longer adorning her slim, athletic figure. The chrome handle to her lightsabre hung freely from a many pocketed belt making stark contrast with her priestly black uniform. The Klingons eyed her cautiously as she passed them to begin rooting through a compartment, eventually re-emerging with a round biscuit in her mouth.

"Feel free to help yourselves to anything in storage," the girl announced after a series of crunches. "And don't worry about your ship. We have foreseen that it will not be harmed in your absence." Not waiting for a response, Mai continued. "Now that you've said your farewells to Gortel and Meggrel, what do you want to do with the bodies?"

"How did you know we were performing a death ritual?" Leekta didn't think anyone other than a klingon had ever witnessed it before.

The Jedi apprentice shrugged. "Your feelings are easily conveyed."

"Then you are telepaths as well?" Kellor was aghast. Was there no end to these humans?

"The Force is apart of everyone. You can tell the thoughts and feelings of others if you are calm enough to listen to It." Mai sat down and finished her snack.

"The Force?" It was obvious Leekta had been lost. "What does force have to do with telepathy?"

The human smiled. "Not force, The Force. There's no mention of the Force in this galaxy? An energy field created by life? Surrounds us? Binds the universe together? How can you not know of the Force?"

"I have no idea what your talking about ,Girl," Kellor shook his head incredulously, "but if it's what lets you do the things you do, I what to know as much as I can."

Mai looked to the ceiling as if it was going to help her. It had no suggestions. "I think that's going to have to happen another time. Besides, you still haven't told me what you want done with these bodi..."

The statement was abruptly cut off as the boom of an energy weapon striking shields rocked the ship. The young Jedi jumped to her feet and charged for the cockpit. "Is there no peace in this galaxy?!" The two Klingons were not far behind.

As Kellor entered the small room and looked out the front window, whatever was left of his optimism fell quickly dead. "The Borg." It was a gasp of defeat.

"Yes," Jenna replied offhandedly, "I just got the speech. They don't seem to be taking no for an answer."

"They never do. At least we'll all get to die in battle." The Klingon captain gave his last remaining crew member a pat on the back.

"You speak as if they've already won." Jenna' s hands flew over the controls though her eyes never left the sight of the massive cube throwing another stream of green energy upon them. The Jedi vessel was jostled again as it's shields countered the punishment. "Mai, set 6-8-1 while the navicomputer finds somewhere else for us to be."

"Shields are down forty percent, Master." The apprentice's fingers rivalled those of her master as they sped on their task.

"We'll have to buy more time. Hold on." The sleek black dagger with the arching heat sinks swung around and headed straight for the center of the cube. With the push of a button streaks of red energy were spat into the Borg ship, explosions playing evilly across it's surface.

"Yes!" Leekta shouted. "We fight! Kill as many as we can!"

"Few have stood against the Borg alone and lived to tell about it," Kellor cautioned. "They learn and adapt with each attack you make. Their shields and weapons will be stronger with their next attack." The smaller ship narrowly evaded another gout of Borg death.

"It's strange, Master," Mai said calmly as she fired another volley into the giant cube. It's shields took some of the destructive energy this time. "I sense many lives but few thoughts and no feelings at all."

"Yes," Jenna still concentrated on the acrobatics she was putting their ship through to evade the weapons of the enemy. "I feel it too. Many voices in one mind." The image of whole worlds being assimilated flashed into the Jedi's mind. "No respect for life, no connection with the Force."

The two Klingons stole a quick glance at each other. The humans were talking strangely again but at least they seemed to be holding their own.

"The Borg care about assimilation and nothing else," Kellor advised. "They are a collective entity who's goal is to convert the galaxy to it's own image. We Klingons would rather die then be assimilated. To us it is a fate worse then imprisonment."

"Something tells me you won't let that happen my friend." Another shock rumbled the ebony craft as if in response to the older woman's words.

"Shields down to fifteen percent, Master. Aft deflector array is down and we've got damage to the starboard heat sink. It's minor but it'll probably blow if we try to make a jump." As if in response, the navicomputer abruptly stopped calculations and displayed a flashing warning.

Jenna's orders came with a calm only the Force could provide. "Activate the D9 units and try to find a place where we can land. Kellor, you know this area don't you. Help her. Leekta, take over at weapons control while Mai-Men is busy. It's not a hard system, just point and shoot."

Mai pushed the button to activate the ships damage control team and traded her seat with Leekta for the navigational computer system. Kellor watched the star charts from over the girls shoulder. It had been a long time since he had had to read human script but at least he recognized what was on the screen as human, unlike anything else in this ship.

Back in the cargo hold there lived a configuration of twelve rectangular boxes, each one half meter by one meter in area and a quarter of a meter in height. These twelve lived in two neat rows of six, attached inauspiciously to the ceiling. Upon activation, three insect-like legs unfolded from each of the long sides of these boxes and two much smaller appendages appeared from one end. The twelve, now very insectoid, droids proceeded to exit the ship one by one via a small airlock in the holds roof. In moments they were swarming over the smooth outer hull of the vessel, racing for the damaged areas like ants to sugar.

The scuttling droids were soon separated again into two groups of six. One heading for the damaged heat sink, the other toward the deflector. Upon reaching their targets, all manor of tool and welding arms were extended from the undersides of the intrepid robots, tearing away unuseable hull sections and rerouting power supplies.

In the cockpit, the Klingon warrior-woman was laughing at the destructive power at her finger tips. The Jedi's vessel darted back and forth in it's efforts to dodge the Borg attacks but the huge cube was hardly ever out of the gunners firing field. As a result, the hale of red streaks was seemingly continuous at the hands of the Klingon, scarring massive fissures into the side of the larger ship. The sheer joy in aggression that Leekta displayed was almost too much for the two Jedi to handle. How this race had not destroyed itself long ago was a mystery to them.

The Borg rallied for another strike. This time the green beam scored a raking hit across the hull of the more agile defender. Five of the spidery D9 units were vaporized under the onslaught, leaving only one to finish it's hopeless work on the deflector array. The remaining six continued their repairs on the damaged heat sink with only a mental recalculation to mark the passing of their counterparts. With a second's worth of debate, two D9's broke off from the main pack to help their lone comrade with the new damage to their baby.

The Borg were not finished though, not by far. Sensing that their pray was now sufficiently weakened, the cube shot out a tractor beam and began to reel it's newest acquisition closer. Those inside the hapless craft lurched at the sudden change in motion and fought all the harder for their survival. With a crispness that can only be executed in space, the prey spun on it's axis to face it's captor and launched a series of lethal warheads.

As the six proton torpedoes detonated, one after the other, a ripple of devastation coursed through the Borg vessel. A reaction had been set in motion, but the four desperate onlookers in the little scout ship had no intention of waiting to see what was about to happen. With another axial spin, the craft darted away from the dying collection of assimilated life at maximum sublight.

"How did you know they had a weak spot there?" Leekta pressed her face against the view port, trying to watch the Cubes destruction. She was not answered.

Conspicuous on their scanners was a sphere shooting out from the collapsing cube after them. They couldn't worry about it however, they had more imminent dangers at hand. They were now venting air in a number of locations and had lost the keel turbolaser turret. To make matters worse, the sublight engines were damaged and running hotter than advisable. With one heat sink in a state of less than operation this could quickly turn into an inertia only situation.

"This is the Travis system," Kellor stated in wonder. "It's over twenty-three light-years way from Rupert's End. How did you get us here in half an hour?"

"Never mind that right now, Captain. I need to know which planet is the inhabitable one." Jenna's words were curt. Time was not a commodity of which they were in large supply.

"Forth planet." Returned Mai quickly.

"Yes. It's a Federation settlement." Kellor informed. "Though I don't think you'll need to look that hard. Just follow the Borg. They're heading straight for it." The statement had the finality of an epitaph.

Jenna followed the Borg through the system as swiftly as she could without endangering her ship. Upon reaching the planet the Borg sphere was greeted with a useless smattering of defensive fire. It rocketed past this as if flying through nothing more dangerous than rain. Unstoppable, the massive ball began it's haphazard decent to the surface of the planet, on it's tail, the tiny Jedi ship shifted course to fall toward the opposite side of the orb.

The damaged, ebony vessel touched ground amid the chaos of a mass evacuation. Three more of the D9 units had been caught on the unshielded area of the hull during entry, leaving only four remaining to complete their ever-increasing task. Now, to add to the matter, the group was confronted by a contingent of those ever-present, yellow collared Starfleet peacekeepers. Someone new was with them though, with a uniform the two Jedi had not yet seen. This one had a red collar.

"We were watching the whole fight," the red collared officer announced, out of breath, as he rushed to the black, dagger-like ship. "I don't know how you did it! We thought we were goners."

"You still are." Kellor spoke down to the Red Collar as only a Klingon can.

"You're probably right about that," Red Collar conceded. "But we're a hell of a lot better off against the remaining Borg on that sphere then we were against the whole cube. At least now we have a chance to evacuate as much of the population as we can without having them shot down."

"Never have I encountered a species that instills as much fear as these Borg." Jenna spoke to Red Collar with concern. "They landed in an escape craft. Surely the population on this side of the planet has little to worry about. Shouldn't your troops be able to mop up the crash site easily?" If they had been in her native galaxy, Jenna would have assumed this world was peaceful, with little or no military. But this galaxy was so chaotic, the idea of a weaponless planet seemed absurd.

Red Collar looked to Kellor in confusion. "They've never seen the Borg before," was the Klingon's only reply.

"You live in a far better part of space then we do, Ma'am. Anyway, I'm going to have to ask you get back in your ship and get off the planet. We have a starship on the way to take care of this problem but we have to evacuate and quarantine the whole world until it gets here. Everybody off while you still can." Red Collar didn't think the demands were all that unreasonable and so was visibly surprised when the eerie woman in black rejected them.

"I'm afraid that's out of the question, Sir," the Jedi Knight told the gapping mouthed young man. "Our ship is in no condition to leave this planet. We'll conduct our repairs and leave once we're finished. I'm sure we can take care of ourselves."

"Are you kidding?!" The Starfleet officer couldn't help but look back to his ten guards in wonder. "You obviously don't understand this situation. The Borg can't be stopped. Not with the amount of people we have, anyway. We're leaving! No one is going to be around to protect you when they reach this continent."

"We understand the risk perfectly, Human!" Leekta was disgusted by the Federation's lack of courage and bolstered by the abilities of her new companions. "Run like dogs if you must. Like the woman said, we are capable of protecting ourselves."

"Never the less, I can't allow you to stay here in harms way. If your ship is damaged you'll have to leave it here until the planet is re-secured. I don't want to arrest you but you have to get on a transport."

Mai-Men's eyes shifted to her masters. They couldn't afford to leave the ship and risk having it's origins discovered. To her side the two Klingons were taking offence to the notion of being arrested and quietly gearing up for a fight.

"This discussion is pointless," Jenna argued. "We could have had the ship repaired by now if it wasn't for all of this. We thank you for your offer, but we have no wish for a transport. We will leave on this ship as soon as it's ready. If the Borg overrun the planet while we are still here we will deal with them then."

Something told the Red Collar not to push this issue any further. He had enough to worry about now without having to drag this lot to a transport. Besides, wasn't there something in the Prime Directive that said you had to let people be suicidal if they wanted to. "Fine," he finally gave up. "Feel free to take anything you need, I doubt anyone else is going to be around to stop you." The Red Collar turned his men around and started to walk away but stopped short. "Good luck," he called back, "I'll do what I can to hold them up for you ‘til you make it off. It's the least I can do for people who took on a whole cube." The officer turned and was quickly running off to his world's defense.

"I sense a disturbance moving in the Force, Master." Mai-Men stated as they watched the Starfleet team disappear into a building.

"Yes, I sense it too," came the masters reply. "It's rippling out across the planet. Come we must start the repairs. We may have little time."


The hours ticked by at a painfully slow pace as the Klingons hunted for an industrial replicator to supply the needed raw materials and the Jedi joined their four remaining droids in any repairs that were not too complex. Luckily, no major or intricate parts were damaged, so it would not be totally impossible to get the ship flying again.

Once the replicator was actually found, the next problem was finding a material that would be suitable for patching the ship's durasteel hull. This was doubly troublesome since neither of the Jedi were particularly versed in the material science of durasteel nor eager to reveal the composition even if they had been. Instead, they pleaded ignorance and allowed the Klingons to assume the hull was a tritanium alloy like what they were used to. It was good enough for a patch job provided that they could keep the shields up during any further take-offs or landings.

The starboard heat sink was another matter all together. The droids had managed to salvaged as much as half of it before the damage became so extensive that the remaining pieces were useless. With only three quarters of the ships total heat dissipation capacity they would have to constantly monitor the engines and juggle between which systems were to be on and off line. In the end the Jedi had had to agree to scanning the heat sink material with their new tricorder and program the matrix into the industrial replicator. To insure this matrix was never seen again, Mai-Men used the Force to scramble the devices innards after they no longer had use for it.

Unseen by the group, a small flying mammal had perched itself in a near by tree and had been watching them for some time. Outwardly, the little creature didn't look any different from the rest of it's brethren; large eyes, plump, fuzzy body. Inside, it was teeming with nano-probes, the Borg devices of assimilation. These microscopic robots had not begun their normal job of enhancing and replacing natural tissue, however, but merely linked the hapless thing to the collective to work as it's remote eyes and ears.

[Mr Bean]

Intresting

Now get back to the main fleet actions!

Good stuff keep it up

[Cpt_Frank]

aah, finally more stuff excellent.

[Crown]

Don't stop this is too good!!!!