A Death Star? Hmm, yes. Is it leased or did you steal it?drphlox wrote:post more story already or prepare to be Death Stared!
drphlox
Star Trek/Star Wars: The Best of Both Worlds
Moderator: LadyTevar
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darthdavid
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Crazedwraith
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With the exception of that post, I will honor your request.Crazedwraith wrote:In other words stop giving us minutae and just post the chapter when you have it.JME2 wrote:I can promise you that this chapter will be even more of a battle royale than chapter 16 -- and hence why I'm now getting some sleep before getting back to work.
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Robert Walper
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*Vader steps down from descended shuttle craft. JME2 looks quite uncomfortable, absently rubbing his bacta healed stump of a missing arm from his previous encounter with the Sith Lord.*JME2 wrote:I'll try to have the next chapter ready this weekend.
JME2: Lord Vader! What an unexpected pleasure! I'm honored by your presence...
Vader: You may dispense with the pleasantries, writer. I'm here to put you back on schedule.
JME2: I assure you, Lord Vader, I'm typing as fast as I can. *JME2 noticeably indicating his missing arm*
Vader: Perhaps I can find new ways to motivate you.
JME2: This chapter will be completed as planned...
Vader: Your fans do not share your optimistic appraisal of the situation.
JME2: But they ask the impossible! I need more time...
Vader: Then perhaps you can tell them when they arrive.
JME2: My fans are coming here?! *looks around fithly home enviroment, embarrassed*
Vader: That is correct, JME2. And they are most displeased with your apparent lack of progress.
JME2: I shall double my efforts!
Vader: I hope so, writer, for your sake. Your fans are not as forgiving as I am. *looks pointedly at JME2's missing arm and stalks away*
*que Imperial theme*
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Robert Walper
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All our ribbing aside JME2, we know real life comes first.JME2 wrote:Don't cut of all of my limbs just yet. I confess jumped the gun on Friday; there's only about ten pages worth of stuff and other things have come up in my life that could probably delay it past this weekend. I'm sorry for the delay and will work to get it up when I can. Thanks.
Or at least, I do. I suppose I can't really speak for the gun/blade/scepter/railgun/whatever wielding fans here...
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Crazedwraith
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Crazedwraith
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Disclaimer: Star Trek created by Gene Roddenberry and owned by Paramount Pictures. Star Wars created by George Lucas and owned by Twentieth Century Fox and Lucasfilm. I own the story and any original characters/species. No copyright infringement is intended.
The Best of Both Worlds: Part XVII
“As long as war is regarded as wicked it will always have its fascinations. When it is looked upon as vulgar, it will cease to be popular.”
- Oscar Wilde-
* Musical Note # 2: Once again, for your full musical enjoyment of this chapter, I recommend the following songs and film soundtracks to help establish the perfect mood for the conclusion of the Battle Royale as you read along.
* Burly Brawl (The Matrix Reloaded)
*Neodammerung (The Matrix Revolutions)
* New Nautilus Theme (Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water - Volume III)
* Light of Babel (Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water - Volume III)
* Chorus: Worth is the Lamb... Amen (Neon Genesis Evangelion: Addition)
* Counterattack, Then... (Sakura Wars: The Movie).
Other than that, as always, enjoy!
***
Location: N.R.S. Ralroost
Sol System, Alpha Quadrant, Milky Way Galaxy
“We are losing aft shields, Admiral Kre‘Fey.”
The white-furred Bothan barred his fangs and wiped strands of sweat-soaked fur from his brow .
“Concentrate aft turbolaser firepower on the attacking Vong ships. And get us fighter cover, Republic or Federation.”
“Yes sir!”
Krey’Fey held onto his command chair once again as the Ralroost shook from the volley of the ships pursuing the Bothan Assualt Cruiser across the upper stratosphere of Earth. With the advance of Unimatrix Zero’s Fusion Cube towards the Yammosk-carrier cluster, the pressure had barely been relieved on the main front, with the Yuuzhan Vong throwing more and more ships against the Federation orbital platforms. Three of the main platforms had already been disabled and two of them destroyed, allowing more waves of Vong ships to concentrate their firepower on the reserve ships from both galaxies, as well as the massive Spacedock.
Worse still, the wave had been focusing on taking out the Federation’s planetary shields. While the shields and their projection technology were hardly on the level of their Republic counterparts on Core worlds like Coruscant, they had taken a good beating, but they were starting to fail and Krey’Fey knew that it was only a matter of time before the Warmaster began landing Yorik-vec assualt ships and their full complement of battle-ready and eager warriors on the planet’s surface.
Despite their success thus far in the engagements over the course of the last month, Admiral Krey’Fey had little hope that they would have any more luck stopping a Yuuzhan Vong ground assualt on the Federation capital than the numerous ground battles thus far through the invasion, as the taking of Gyndine had shown.
As a squadron of Nubian and Federation fighters swarmed past the ship, space in front of the Ralroost shimmered, revealing a decloaking Vor’cha-class Klingon cruiser which proceeded to target its forward disruptors on the pursuing Vong ships. While her weaponry wasn’t as heavy or destructive as those found in the newer Negh’Var warships or the slightly older Qhe’ral cruisers, she was still able to be enough of an annoyance to cause the Vong ships to break off their pursuit of the Ralroost.
Despite the intensity of the battle, Krey’Fey couldn’t help but marvel at the Klingons and the cloaking devices they wielded. The Milky Way Galaxy’s advances in cloaking technology compared to their own were incredible -- and in many ways the opposite of what the Imperials had utilized during the Thrawn campaign and shortly before the signing of the Accords. While the Imperials could fire while cloaked, their scanning abilities were practically useless and the technology was prohibitively expensive. The Klingons on the other hand, while unable to fire while cloaked, had perfected the mass-production of the technology and as the Vor‘cha had proven just moments ago, utilized the stealth and surprise capabilities to the maximum.
But such an introspective was best left to another time as Krey’Fey signaled the Ralroost’s communication’s officer.
“Any word from the Enterprise or the Fusion Cube?”
“Nothing from the Fusion Cube yet sir. The Enterprise reports it has engaged the Sunulok.”
As the Ralroost joined two Defiants and a Corellian gunship against a medium sized Vong cruiser, Krey’Fey reflected on this and strained to peer beyond the transparisteel viewpoints of the bridge and into the heart of the conflict, trying to find what could very well become the most pivotal aspect of the battle for Earth. Could Captain Picard successfully engage one of the central driving forces of the entire Yuuzhan Vong race and culture and win?
***
With the launch of all available fighter squadrons, the Ralroost’s main shuttle bay was empty and devoid of life, sentient and artificial. The repair droids were in standby mode and the repair crews had retreated behind the shuttle’s blast doors, a precaution that had been instigated aboard Rebel/Republic ships after the Battle of Endor when Wedge Antilles had forced a TIE Interceptor to crash into the shuttle bays/vital areas of a Mon Calamari
Either way, it presented a low level chance of discovery and Nom Anor wouldn’t have had it any other way.
The Yuuzhan Vong Executor sat in the forward cockpit of an exeuctive shuttle, the ooglith masquer that had disguised him as a technician was now shed and slithering to the back of the shuttle alongside a personal transporter unit, “borrowed” from the Federation technician he had killed and replaced when he had first arrived in the system.
Despite the fact that it was infidel technology, even he had to admit the strategic advantages to such a device -- not that Tsavong Lah would see eye-to-eye with him on such a fact, anyway, but it had its purposes in helping to advance him through the ranks of Yuuzhan Vong hierarchy, a goal that he was about to resume.
Reaching for the satchel at his feet, Nom Anor removed a villip and instantly began stroking the plant-like ball to life.
It was time to get to work.
***
As the first plasma balls and quantum torpedoes were exchanged between the Enterprise-E and the Sunulok, Captain Picard realized they had their work cut out for them if they hoped to take down Tsavong Lah and his flagship. Even with the Enterprise’s slice into the Sunnlok’s underbelly, little actual damage had been done to their opponent, save for a little shake-up as well some minor casualties. And the Federation flagship wasn’t exactly in the best shape thanks to the last two hours whereas Yuuzhan Vong flagship was literally rested and refreshed.
In short, it was going to be close and Picard knew that to defeat the Warmaster, he would have to push the Enterprise-E further and harder than she had ever gone before. They had to keep Sunulok off balance, which was what Luke was doing, maneuvering the Sovereign-class starship in a series of strafing runs and barrel rolls as Mara and Worf rained down omni-directional phaser fire and torpedoes on the yorrik coral hull from all remaining operational launchers and arrays.
But the Yuuzhan Vong were not ones to allow such a display to continue forever. The living vessel was easily matching every step, every twist, and every turn of the Enterprise’s cosmic dance. Its gunners were able to accurately target half of the incoming torpedoes, dovin basals absorbing portions of phaser fire. But as the Warmaster’s flagship, its heavily thick yorrik-coral hull easily absorbed much of the significant damage.
If the Yuuzhan Vong thought, however, that that was going to stop what many considered the finest crew in all of Starfleet, then they had another thing coming as far as Picard was considered.
“Mr. Worf?”!”
“Shields are at fifty-six percent, phaser charge is at thirty-one percent, and we are down to forty-five quantum torpedoes.”
“Your orders, sir?”
Picard grimaced as another panel on the bridge out, raining sparks dangerously close to the elevated command chair, singing the few hairs he had left on the back of his head.
“We have no choice. Continue to press the attack! And rally us some dammed backup”
“Aye sir!”
***
Warmaster Tsavong Lah grinned as his ship shook from the few shots that the Federation flagship was able to inflict past the dovin basals. The battle that had pitted the infidel flagship against the Matalok-class cruiser Burning Death less than half a klekket had been decidedly one-sided. But this was by far a greater, more destructive demonstration of what this infidel ship and infidel that commanded the monstrosity was capable of. In short, Tsavong Lah was going to take great pleasure in destroying the Starship Enterprise.
Or rather, he would be if the Sunulok’s villip mistress hadn’t pulled him aside.
“We are receiving a villip transmission. It is Nom Anor, Warmaster.”
Despite the seriousness of the battle, the name of his hated subordinate instantly grabbed Lah’s attention. Instructing his Supreme Commander to direct the defense of the Suunlok, Lah quickly approached the villip choir and with a sneer on his face, watched as the designated villip formed the scarred, tattooed, one-eyed visage of the Executor.
“Belek Tiu, Warmaster.”
Lah paid no attention to the customary greetings offered by the disgraced Executor.
“When this battle is over and when the infidel world of Earth is taken, I will kill you slowly and painfully, Executor. Supreme Overlord Shimmra himself has ordered your death for your premature signal that cost Nas Choka a significant portion of the battle group of Yun-Yammaka.”
“That was not my doing, Warmaster.”
Tsavong Lah simply sneered at Anor‘s defense of his failure.
“Of course it wasn’t. It was simply another attempt of yours to save your own wretched hide.”
“I speak the truth, though I have caused other damage to the infidels.”
“Viqi Shesh has done a better job of that than you have.”
“Only with my help.”
Against his better judgment and impulses, this caught the Warmaster’s ears.
“Explain.”
The villip’s facial projection grinned.
“Who do you think it was that responsible for the attempted assassination of the infidel Fey’lya and the destruction of the Federation Council? If we hadn’t caused that, then the infidel forces would have been quicker to rally. But this is but the first fruit of my labors.”
Lah sighed, his patience with the Exeuctor running out.
“I have great war to wage, Nom Anor. What are you offering?”
“Coordinates for Earth’s primary defense coordinators and the location of perhaps the most valuable of all the Jeedai.”
This certainly got Tsavong Lah’s ear, the lingering pain in his leg from the injury Jacen Solo had inflicted upon him almost a year ago on the infidel world of Duro manifesting itself once more.
“You will tell me where Jacen Solo is now, Exeuctor.”
The Executor chuckled.
“I spoke not of Jacen Solo, but offspring of the Master Jeedai himself.”
Tsavong Lah’s eyes widened, the reports from Viqi Shesh a month before echoing in his mind.
“The Son of the Jeedai Skywalker?”
“Exactly.”
Though Jacen Solo was the primary Jeedai that Tsavong Lah desired, even he saw the immense psychological and tactical victory that the Yuuzhan Vong could claim if they captured or killed the son of the Jeedai’s greatest warrior in addition to taking Earth. How demoralizing it would be to the most hated of the infidels that the Yuuzhan Vong had encountered in all of their history.
“I will accept the coordinates Nom Anor and if you are correct, then perhaps your fate will be spared by our Supreme Overlord. Now give me the coordinates.”
The Executor’s visage chuckled
“I believe I will actually join you and present them to you in person.”
Lah snarled. He should have known that Nom Anor would pull another stunt and was about to rattle off in a string of curses when the command deck of the Sunulok was filled with a humming and a sparkling column of light materialized in front of the Warmaster, revealing Nom Anor with the very villip he had just used in hand.
“You claim to still support us, yet you utilize infidel technology!”
“This was necessary for my crossing the threshold of battle and pain without harm to my person. Or perhaps you wish to lose my information to the carelessness and over zealousness of your pilots?”
Lah growled. While he wanted to do away with the Executor and had been for some time now, he needed the information that the Executor supposedly held and even he saw the logic in the Executor‘s statement, as unlikely as a zealous warrior such as himself would.
“Now, let us talk.”
***
Location: Command Node, Fusion Cube
Sol System, Alpha Quadrant, Milky Way Galaxy
As was typical of Borg engineering, the Fusion Cube lacked a proper command deck or center and so, the Unimatrix Zero engineers had been forced to cobble together a decent substitute that Axum now oversaw, amidst the shrieking of klaxons and sparking. He personally wished that he was in the confines of the primary control center for Diamond 24601TH-X85, but it was wistful thinking at a time like this.
In command of possibly the most power amalgamation of raw power and technology that the Milky Way Galaxy’s inhabitants had ever created, Axum should have felt more at ease with himself, perhaps even slightly cocky. After all, the Fusion Cube had taken everything that the invading aliens had thrown at them with minimal damage and only a slight decline in shield strength.
Perhaps it was the caution that he had known quite well during that first year when they had been on the run from the Collective and had, like the Borg themselves, forced to adapt to the circumstances. Perhaps it was simply bad memories -- not all his own, mind you -- of the damage that another race that had wielded organic technology, Species 8472, had done carrying over into the present.
Or perhaps it was simply his guilt.
Axum sighed once again. He had hated having to deceive the Federation and its allies about the rouge factions that were exacting their revenge against the Dominion, he truly had. But he hadn’t thought that the Dominion would try to contact the Federation. He had thought that Unimatrix Zero could contain the situation.
Either way, once this battle was over, there was going to be major damage-control that he would be forced to partake in if he wished to preserve a Unimatrix Zero/United Federation of Planets alliance as so many of his comrades had wanted when the Collective had collapsed thanks to the Voyager and her crew.
The sensor console suddenly began beeping at a rapid pace, pulling Axum out of his self-analysis.
“Report!”
Korok glanced at the scans and his face grimaced. Axum had a pretty good idea of what would cause as seasoned a warrior as General Korok to take on an expression of that regard.
“Earth’s planetary shield just failed, didn‘t it?”
Korok nodded. There was silence across the command chamber for a long moment. Finally Axum broke it.
“Open a channel to Bunker One.”
“Already done.”
“Thank you Korok. Bunker One, this is Axum aboard the Fusion Cube. We saw the shield go down. Do you need assistance?”
The air was filled with static emanating from the communications speaker. Finally, Janeway’s voiced came through.
“Not yet. The second it the shield went down, they began landing troops. We’re already deploying Federation Marines and other ground-based defenses in San Francisco, Paris, and other key tactical targets. We can handle it for now, just take out that damm Yammosk cruiser.”
“Consider it done, Admiral.”
The channel closed and Axum was now filled with a renewed sense of confidence and determination.
“Alright, you heard the Admiral. Let’s take out that cruiser.”
***
Location: Embassy Row
San Francisco, Earth, Alpha Quadrant, Milky Way Galaxy
With over a hundred and fifty worlds making up the United Federation of Planets, the need for housing these delegates from strange, new worlds had resulted in the creation of Embassy Row following the signing of the Federation Charter. Based not too far from the Federation Council Chamber, Embassy Row had a magnificent view of the city and the Bay.
They were also where one of the first Yuuzhan Vong detachments had landed, it’s complement of warriors now readying their weapons of war and praying for victory and worth death from Yun Yammaka the Slayer.
Their goal was one of the smaller, yet still secure Embassies that housed at this time, the elected ruler of the Naboo, an infant Jedi, several Starfleet cadets, three Noghri bodyguards, and two droids who were currently monitoring the advancement of the warriors from the Embassy’s control center just off of the lobby.
Although blast doors and other protective measures had been deployed by the automate security systems, the ominous sound of the guttural Vong language, the impacts caused by thud bugs, and sounds of the ever sharp amphistaff cutting through metal greeted the droids.
“Perhaps if we told them no one is home, they’ll go away.”
The Astromech R2 unit swiveled his dome and just starred at his gold-plated companion through his sole photoreceptor. C-3PO sighed.
“Well a droid can hope can he not?”
R2 simply garbled a reply, causing C-3PO to glare at his longtime companion and friend.
“I’m not being pessimistic, you dimwitted little collection of rusting circuit boards.”
R2 shot off his own response once more.
“Sticks and Stones -- what in the name of the Maker are you going on about, R2? Never mind. As I was explaining, I was simply examining the negative circumstances that we are now faced with. A race of intergalactic beings who hated all artificial life forms are coming to disassemble us and Queen Quital of Naboo and Master Luke’s sole child while they’re at it and we’re all that stands in their way R2!”
“That’s not entirely accurate.”
R2’s domed head swiveled a hundred and eighty degrees and C-3PO maneuvered his golden body around to see who it was that had spoken.
A Starfleet officer wearing what appeared to be a armored variant of the standard Starfleet unfirom stood in the doorway, a phaser compression rifle in his hands. Next to him stood a tall, beareded figure dressed in the homespun robes of a Jedi Knight, a lightsaber in his hands. A sense of relief surged through Threepio’s cognitive circuits.
“R2, we’re saved. It’s Master Katarn and. Lt. Munro I believe it was?”
“That’s right. Alexander Munro of Hazard Team.
“And the rest your famed Hazard Team?”
“Deployed alongside the rest of the Row or by other key buildings. Katarn and I are all that stands between the Vong attacking the Row.”
“Well, what would you suggest R2 and myself do?”
For a moment, 3-PO dreaded a repeat of the comment that Master Luke and Captain Solo had made almost a standard quarter of a century earlier when he had asked a similar question aboard the first Death Star.
“You just get back and keep an eye on the Queen and Skywalker’s son along with the Noghri bodyguards.”
“Far be it from me to argue with a military man.”
As they began moving towards the protected chambers, R2 couldn’t resist but throw in another comment.
“What do you mean I do it all the time?”
In the lobby, the sound of crunching metal came closer and closer. Munro cocked his phaser rifle as Katarn ignited his lightsaber, the green blade illuminating the expressions of determination across the face of the elite Starfleet officer and commando-turned Jedi Knight.
“So we can’t expect any backup from the rest of the Hazard Team?”
“Probably not. What about your Jedi?”
“Aside from Ben Skywalker, I’m the only one on the planet.”
“So, it’s just the two of us against an unrelenting enemy?”
“Indeed.”
There was silence for a moment before Munro grinned.
“I’m used to those odds.”
Katarn also smiled.
“You ready?”
Munro nodded, recalling Rick Biesmen‘s immortal words during their training sessions onboard Voyager shortly before they had gone up against the Forge.
“Let’s frag ‘em.”
***
Location: U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-E
Sol System, Alpha Quadrant, Milky Way Galaxy
Despite the seriousness of the situation, despite the continuing battle and the game of cat and mouse that they had played over the course of the last hour with the Warmaster and the Sunulok, Picard had ordered a Priority One communication to Bunker One when the planetary shield had gone down.
“Data?”
“Channel open, sir.”
“What’s your status, Admiral Janeway?”
“They first wave of troops landed in San Francisco. But they’re not attacking Starfleet Command or Bunker One, at least not yet.”
A look of confusion crossed Picard’s face.
“Then what are they attacking?”
“They’re focusing on Embassy Row instead.”
From the aft tactical console, Mara’s eyes widened and a sharp intake of breath came from Luke.
“Ben!”
“I wouldn’t worry too much, Mrs. Skywalker. The Hazard Team and one of your Jedi are defending the Row. We --”
The transmission ended abruptly as the bridge shook again, lights dimming.
“Data?”
“Our communications array has been hit.”
“Dammit. Continue to return fire.”
Picard turned his chair towards Mara and then look towards Luke.
“Janeway was not exaggerating. She helped to create the Hazard Team and trust me, with what they faced in the Delta Quadrant, they’ll protect your son.”
Mara smiled weakly as Luke gave her a reassuring look --
-- just as the bridge exploded around all of them once again. The bridge was plunged into near darkness. When the backup generators did not immediately go into effect, the distinctive snap-hiss of the Jedi lightsaber was heard as Luke and Mara’s weapons came to life, casting a combined green and purple light across the smoking consoles and wearied faces. Moments later, the lights finally did come back online and Picard pulled himself to his chair of command, paging Engineering.
“Geordi, report!”
Although he couldn’t’ see it, engineering sounded like it was in utter chaos, the sounds of klaxons, hissing coolant, and sparking consoles filling the background of the channel.
“We’ve lost all forward shields. Hull breaches on decks twelve, seven and nine. We have lost power to impulse engines. Tactical systems, RCS thrusters and warp engines are also offline. Captain. We are drift--”
The sudden jolt that hit the Enterprise quickly silenced Geordi as everyone on the bridge was thrown to the floor. Picard slowly raised himself, wistfully wishing for some manner of restraint to be included with the Captain’s chair once again.
“Data?”
The android scanned what remained of the Operations console.
“They are towing us with dovin basals alongside their port side.”
Worf gritted his teeth, believing that the Vong were preparing to a ship to ship salvo.
“They are…”
“They are what, Mr. Data?:
“They are now…extending what appears to be an organic umbilical towards one of the hull breaches.”
A look of shock and anger came to the master and commander of the Enterprise-E as he realized what Tsavong Lag had in mind.
“They’re not going to destroy us; they’re going to board us!”
“Your orders, Captain?”
Picard didn’t immediately reply. Instead, he lifted himself from the bridge chair and moved towards the bridge’s main weapons locker. Removing and cocking a phaser rifle, his face took on a grim expression as he turned towards Worf.
“Mr. Worf, gather a security team and get down to the hull breach. Stop that Yuuzhan Vong boarding party at all costs.”
The Klingon nodded, moving towards the turbolift and barking his own orders through his personal communicator to the Enterprise’s armory.
By the tactical console, Mara came to a decision
“I’m going with him.”
“Mara, but --”
“Luke, they need someone who’s fought the Vong to show them how to take these Sithswpan down. I’ll be fine.”
“With a Klingon warrior fighting by her side, I’d agree with her.”
Luke nodded, understanding Mara‘s point and knowing that he was needed here.
As Mara and the former Klingon ambassador headed for the turbo lift, Picard tapped the console on his chair, opening a ship-wide communication.
“All hands, prepare to rebel boarders.”
***
Location: Quintessence
Somewhere in the Universe
“How piratical of him.”
Everyone turned their heads from the glowing fires of the central pit towards the Q Continuum’s representative.
“Well, you see, I’ve always maintained that ol’ Johnny didn’t have the guts to issue an order that went along the lines of his piratical, more barbaric ancestors. Looks like I’ve been proven wrong -- for once in my life.”
The silence that followed was broken by what appeared to outside appearances a thunderclap in the quietest of areas
“Q!”
Q slowly sunk back into his post-World War III judge’s chair. The Stranger, for the first time, lifted his cloaked form from his chair and glided effortlessly over the floor until he was starring down at Q.
“Q, this is your absolute last warning. Behave yourself or I will get Trelane or someone else from the Continuum to take your place at this juncture.
“I’ll be good,” Q said quietly.
“I had no doubt of that.”
The Stranger turned once more towards Vergere, his cloaked form towering over the Fosh Jedi .
“I know this must all seem…overwhelming, for you.”
Vergere chuckled humorlessly. Despite her schooling in the ways of the Force and the years she had survived in the midst of the unrelenting and ruthless culture of the Yuuzhan Vong, she was definitely troubled and uneasy with her surroundings, something that had not happened in fifty standard years.
“Overwhelming is hardly the word.”
The Stranger nodded, his hand touching the Fosh‘s shoulder.
“I know exactly what you feel. My reaction was similar when the mantle of responsibility was thrust upon me millennia ago, the goal to prevent the Merging from occurring.”
“This Merging you speak of. What is it.”
The Stranger was silent for a moment, forming the correct words similar, yet different from what he had told Picard and Skywalker when he had summoned them here earlier.
“The beginning and the end. But I can not tell you its story, it’s history, its properties, and its solution in mere words. I will show you.”
“Show me.”
He placed his hands upon her head, as he had towards Q and the others, images and experiences flowing through her head.
“I will share with you what I have shared with others before you Your mind to my mind, Master Vergere.”
***
Location: U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-E
Sol System, Alpha Quadrant, Milky Way Galaxy
Worf’s security team moved quickly through the corridors of the Federation flagship, homing in on the point where the Sunulok’s membrane had connected to the hull. With the disruption of the SIF, the force fields that could normally contain such an intrusion were down. In addition to Worf, Mara Jade was also accompanying the team, the purple blade of light saber extended and humming, ready to defend the lives of the team and everyone else on board the Enterprise.
The Klingon officer, on the other hand, now looked liked something from out of an Ancient Earth western, a film genre that he had had the unfortunate experience of having to live with when the Rozhenko family had taken him in after the Khitomer attack and when Alexander had come aboard the Enterprise-D. He was armed to the teeth with three standards phasers, a compression phaser rifle, an isomagnetic disintegrator, and straps of photon grenades across his upper body. In his hands was the bat’leth that the clone of Emperor Kathless had given to him on the monastery world of Boreth almost a decade previously and that Worf had taken with him from one end of the quadrant to the other.
Worf did not fear death. If he fell here today, it would be with honor and the knowledge that he had brought honor to his comrades and friends.
“Tricorder scans?”
“Less than five meters!”
“Here they come!”
With a cry and a grim smile on his face, Worf leapt into the air and with clean, fluid swipe, brought his bat’leth through the neck of the foremost Yuuzhan Vong warrior that charged through the Enterprise‘s corridor. Even with the honor of being the first Klingon, indeed the first inhabitant of the Milky Way Galaxy to kill a Yuuzhan Vong in hand to hand combat, the Klingon paid no attention to the accomplishment; a helping of bloodwine --preferably of the 2309 vintage that he and Martok had enjoyed very much -- and a song worthy of memory were not the priority here.
Before the Vong warriors could recover, Worf had dropped the batleth and had brought forward the isomagnetic disintegrator. Even at that close of a range, the resulting blast did not achieve the exact desired level of destruction, no doubt thanks to the vonduun crab armor that the Skywalkers had warned them of, but it did give the Vong -- and Worf -- something to think about as they went flying back into the second wave of Vong warriors and Klingon into the bulkheads.
His back ached, memories of the cargo bay accident years earlier that had almost left him crippled for life haunting him as he pulled himself up. Stars flashed before his eyes, clouding his vision momentarily. As it cleared, he saw his team laying down suppression fire as Mara Jade deflected incoming thud and razor bugs with her purple-bladed lightsaber.
The grace, her speed, and fighting prowess displayed by the former Emperor’s Hand surprised, amazed, and intrigued Worf. If it hadn’t been for her pale skin, her smooth forehead, and flashing red hair, he might have thought she was a Klingon
He raised himself and continued the fight. But the initial surprised had worn off and now the Yuuzhan Vong warriors came forward with a ferocity that rivaled that displayed by the Jem’Hadar during the height of the Dominion War. Two of the foremost officers went down from amphistaff venom and thud bugs and the team kept getting pushed back further and further from the original hull breach that the Sunulok had docked itself towards.
“Mr. Worf?”
Reluctantly, his Starfleet command training took overt his Klingon instincts -- something that had been both a curse and a blessing for him during his career.
“There are too many. Fall back!”
***
Location: Command Node, Fusion Cube
Sol System, Alpha Quadrant, Milky Way Galaxy
Battered, but undefeated, the mighty Borg Fusion Cube engaged its combined impulse engines at top speed and pushed through the remaining waves of the Yuuzhan Vong ships that guarded the prize of the battle, the factor that could turn this siege in the Allies’ favor: the Yammosk cruiser.
Reports indicated that Starfleet was thus far containing most of the landing troops. But were being threatened to be overwhelmed with the continued landing of dropships. Destruction of the cruiser would result in mass confusion and utter pandemonium across the opponent’s board, much as had occurred to those in the presence of a Borg Queen when she had gone offline or had been killed during the history of the Collective.
“Target is in range, sir.”
“You may fire when ready, General.”
Korak grinned.
“With pleasure and extreme prejudice, Axum.”
The cruiser open fire, but the weakened Borg shields easily absorbed the steam of plasma balls and volcano missiles that the remaining Vong escorts and cruiser were throwing at the
The combined weapons array of four Borg cubes locked onto the cruiser and fired, a brilliant display of beam weapons and high yield torpedoes cutting into the hulk of yorrik coral with not effort, a major contrast to the effect of the Enteprise-E’s phaser banks on the Sunulok earlier in the engagement -- but then, again when one considered the advantages and disadvantages of Federation weaponry vs. Borg weaponry, such a difference could easily be explained..
“Direct hit!”
The cruiser collapsed upon itself, it’s innards and hunks of yorrik coral smashing into the remnants of its escorts that were too slow to maneuver themselves out of the way. There was cheering across the command center.
“Well done General, well done. What’s the status
“This can’t be right.”
“What is it Korak?”
“There is no change in the behavior of the Vong fleets. It’s as if they haven’t been affected.”
Axum contemplated this for a moment.
“Put another communication through to Bunker One.”
“Done, sir.”
“Doctor Quae, what’s going on? We have destroyed the Yammosk cruiser; the fleet should be collapsing and falling into disarray.”
“Um, well in theory yes, but…”
“But what?”
“Well, it looks like there’s more than one Yammosk present here at Earth.“
Silence filled the command deck of the Unimatrix Zero Fusion Cube.
“It‘s my fault; I should have realized that with an engagement this large, Lah would cover his --”
The transmissions abruptly ended, static filling the comm channel.
“General?”
“The problem’s not on our end. Either one of the Federation’s communications satellites was destroyed or Bunker One got hit.”
Silence once more filled the chamber as Korak’s theory sank into their heads. Axum spoke slowly and carefully.
“All right, charge our weapons and sensor array. We’ll find the remaining Yammosks even if we have to blow apart every ship in --”
Axum trailed off as an ominous sound filled the air, the sound of the liberated Borg technology shutting down. The lighting went down, leaving only the illumination of the consoles and viewing cube to grace the command center.
“Korak?!”
“I don’t know what it is. All power nodes just went down simultaneously. We’re running on emergency power. It’s almost as if…”
“Almost as if what?”
Korak trailed off as his eyes graced the viewing cube and before Axum could berate him, he saw why.
The Fusion Cube was surrounded by the remnants of the Yammosk cruiser’s escort and most of the reserve wing of ships that they hadn’t blown apart during their charge at the cruiser.
“Korak.”
“Yes?”
“Please tell me we still have shields.”
“Yes, but to a limited degree.”
“What are your orders, sir?”
“Everybody hold onto something!”
As the words exited Axum’s mouth, the Yuuzhan Vong’s ferocious barrage of the now-disabled Fusion Cube began.
***
Location: U.S.S. Enterprise-E
Alpha Quadrant,
Atop the bridge, hand-held phasers were changed as Picard paced back and forth across the wrecked expanse of his command center. Reports were coming in from all over the ship, reports that the Yuuzhan Vong warriors were overrunning all parts of the ship, smashing relevant technology and such. Much of the security force was pinned down defending engineering, for if the Yuuzhan Vong smashed the warp core or the antimatter injectors it was, as a wise Earth man had once said, ‘game over’.
This was all too reminiscent of the Borg’s occupation of the ship six years prior during the mission to prevent the Collective‘s interference in the launch of the Phoenix and First Contact.
“Number One?”
“We’ve lost contact with decks three through twelve. Switching to --”
The sound of crunching metal echoed across the bridge. And for the first time since the saucer section of the Enterprise-D had entered the atmosphere of Veridian III eight years prior, Data spoke , from the bottom of his emotion chip, a pair of words he had never thought he would use again during his operational lifetime.
“Oh shit.”
The words were barely out of the android’s mouth when the aft turbo lift doors suddenly blew apart, sending shrapnel and debris in all directions. Before the dust had cleared, the first wave of Yuuzhan Vong warriors stormed the bridge of the Enterprise, thud bugs and blorash jelly whirling in all directions.
From what little protection the consoles provided, the bridge crew immediately began firing back as Skywalker Force-leapt from the remnants of the helm and kicked the lead Vong warrior --
-- and was thrown back as he was caught straight in the chest with a thud bug, pinned to the ground as his form hit the burned carpet by blorash jelly. The momentary distraction caused by the fall of the Jedi Master was exploited as the warriors surged forward, pinning down the remaining bridge members.
“Enough!”
The deep, loud, commanding voice instantly swayed the Vong warriors as the tallest Yuuzhan Vong Picard had ever seen -- despite their files, this was the first time they had seen a Yuuzhan Vong face to face, truth be told -- and it stepped forward over the wreckage of the Enterprise-E’s bridge and stood in front of Picard’s command chair.
Aside from being the largest Yuuzhan Vong Captain Picard had laid eyes on. Colored scales were clearly visible in this warrior’s breast-bone and shoulder plates. He possessed a deep notch splits his skull in two, and the blue sacks under his eyes drooped to the corners of his mouth, which had been mutilated with countless scars, the result of ceremony and his own hand. His long black hair swept up from his sloping forehead, and tassels hung from its blunt end. His ear lobes had been pulled down to reach his shoulders.
From his sprawled position, Master Skywalker breathed sharply as he recognized the warrior standing before the Enterprise’s bridge crew.
“Tsavong Lah.”
The Warmaster starred down upon the fallen Jedi and grinned.
“Jeedai Skywalker. And the infidel Picard. Yes. A good day for the Yuuzhan Vong indeed. The destruction of your pitiful and cowardly attempt an alliance with the infidels of the Federation and the end of the lives for the most seasoned warriors of the Jeddai Your son will soon be ours to sacrifice to the gods -- as will Jacen and his sister.”
“Never!”
Lah kicked Skywalker’s face with his implanted foot and then turned towards Picard.
“Earth will be the stepping stone from which we shall vanquish the Unclean that drove us from Yuzzhan’tar!”
So, Axum had been telling the truth, Picard thought quietly. Not that it made any difference at this point.
“And your broken body and flagship will be a prize and sign from the gods that your Federation is nothing next to the Yuuzhan Vong and our gods!”
“Not everyone would agree with such a statement,” came a clear, determined voice from the back of the bridge. Tsavong Lah turned his massive form --
--and faced Data. The warriors prepared to rush the android, but Lah raised his hand, stopping them in their tracks.
“Greetings.”
Lah glared at the Enterprise’s operations officer.
“You dare to speak down to me infidel?!”
The Warmaster dropped his amphistaff and balled his fist, punching Data --
-- and pulled back his hand in limited pain as his knuckles contracted with the android’s duranium covering.
“What are you?”
His emotion chip charging and formulating the proper response for such a creature , the android starred at the Yuuzhan Vong Warmaster.
“I’m an andorid, you son of a bitch.”
And then Data slugged Tsavong Lah as hard as he could, breaking the Warmaster’s cheekbone, and following through with an uppercut that sent the Warmaster into the ceiling of the bridge and lodged him into the central lighting fixture. Lah screamed with a mixture of pain and delight as the Enterprise’s raw power cursed through his body before finally landing ungracefully upon the command chair, causing it to topple over.”
“How do you like how that shit works?!”
The warriors, taken aback but for a moment, charged at the gold-skinned android. Data met them head on, parrying blows from amphistaffs with an agility and grace that only a Soongian android such as himself could possess.
Seizing this moment, the remaining Starfleet security officers charged forward and with their phasers charged the Vong on the bridge, taking them down alongside Data. Picard took his own phaser and proceeded to cut through the blorash that pinned Master Skywalker.
“Are you all right?”
Luke gazed over at Lah’s crumpled form.
“Better than Tsavong Lah.”
Picard nodded, raised himself, and proceed to kick Tsavong Lah in his unbroken cheekbone. Skywalker just starred at him.
“He broke my chair. Among some Starfleet captains, that’s somewhat of a personal thing.
Despite the near-death they had just faced, Luke smiled.
As several of the Starfleet security officers continued to secure the bridge or drop down the now open turbo lift shaft, Picard tapped his communicator.
“Geordi, what‘s your status?”
“We’re fine. What about the bridge?“
“Data took out Tsavong Lah and we’re secure for now. Please tell me you have good news.”
“For once, I actually do. We’ve contained most of the boarding Yuuzhan Vong. Beverley flooded most of the ship with anesthizine gas; it would have kicked in sooner, but with the damaged systems we had a delay. The Vong are still coming aboard though.”
“Then we need to sever the Sunulok’s umbilical. Do we have any weapons capabilities left Mr. laForge?”
“Our torpedoes complement is exhausted, so that’s not an option.”
“What about phasers?”
“I’ve restored auxiliary power to the phaser banks, but the energizer’s pretty much bypassed like an old Earth Christmas tree, so it won’t last long.”
“How long?”
“No more than thirty sustained seconds before the entire board goes out.
“Understood. Picard out.”
The Captain faced his first officer and most trusted confident.
“Number One, will you do the honors?”
“With pleasure sir.”
The Enterprise’s Type XII, ventral saucer-mounted phaser banks came alive one last time as golden lances of energy punched through the dovin basal gravitational force and sliced through the living umbilical.
***
Location: Reman Warbird Scimitar
Sol System, Alpha Quadrant, Milky Way Galaxy.
“Well?”
“The transwarp coil is ready, Shinzon. We need only proceed from the battle to the wormhole.”
“Excellent, most excellent Vkruk.”
The Reman strike team had successfully beamed aboard, in the heat of battle, a derelict Unimatrix Zero craft and had retrieved the necessary piece of hardware that would allow him to survive. It would take time to find Kamino, to bargain with their cloners, and reach and agreement, but Shinzon was confident of the success of such an endeavor.
He gazed once more at the view screen and the continuing battle for control of Sector 001. His primary attention was centered on the Federation flagship. The Enterprise was free, but was still threatened with destruction -- which would surely result in the death of himself, so to speak. This would be acceptable to Sela and get her off of his back.
And yet…
And yet, he wanted to meet himself, to see where he had come from, and what he could become.
In the space of a moment, Shinzon came to a decision.
“Commence primary ignition for the weapon.”
Vkruk stared at him.
“What?”
“You heard me.”
A look of perplexity spread across the Viceroy’s face.
“Are you certain this is wise, Shinzon? We would need to drop our cloak to fire the weapon and once spotted --”
“In the confusion of battle, even if we are spotted, we are more than adequately prepared to defend ourselves.”
“As you wish, Shinzon.”
From the command chair, the Reman Centurion addressed his operations officer.”
“De-cloak once the weapon is ready to fire, but first hail that fleet.”
“It will be as you command, Centurion.”
***
Location: U.S.S. Enterprise-E
Sol System, Alpha Quadrant, Milky Way Galaxy.
“SIF is coming back to full strength. We are now drifting away from the Sunulok.”
“We’re still being targeted, though.”
Luke shook his head as he glanced down at the unconscious form of Warmaster Tsavong Lah, who had been rolled off to side of the bridge and sedated by one of Dr. Crusher’s medical teams until they could move him to a brig.
“They won’t fire upon us, not yet anyway. The Warmaster is still on board and they won’t risk it’s destruction.”
The remains of the operations board, began sounding. Data glanced at what remained of his console and a look of surprise came across the android’s face.
“Captain, a ship is de-cloaking just behind the main Yuuzhan Vong fleet.”
“Is it Klingon?’
“No, I don’t think so.”
“Magnify image.”
The enhanced image showed a massive vessel easily the length of the Enterprise-E, but with a far greater width. The irregular shapes dotted across its bow suggested a possible Breen or Son'a influence, yet the overall structure resembles the Jem'Hadar battleship. Together with its countless aggressive spikes, she was certainly a site to behold.
“Tactical analysis, Number One.”
Riker scanned Worf’s console, since the Klingon, along with Mara Jade, were holed up in Engineering.
“Fifty two-disruptor banks, twenty seven photon torpedoes bays, primary and secondary shielding.”
“There is a message going on, audio only.”
“Let’s hear it.”
A thin, raspy voice filled the bridge speakers.
“To all Federation and Republic ships, clear out now if you want to live!”
The channel closed and the sensor consoles at the back of the bridge suddenly exploded with activity. Data’s sudden gasp caught Picard’s attention.
“Captain, I’m reading a massive build-up of radiation coming from that ship.”
“What type of radiation, Data?”
“Captain, it’s Thalaron.”
All the color drained from Jean-Luc’s face as well as everyone else on the bridge. Only Luke Skywalker remained in the dark, though he didn‘t need to use the Force to tell him that this was serious.
“What is it?”
Picard turned towards Skywalker, his body tone and voice filled with graveness.
“Thalaron radiation is a type of electromagnetic radiation in the tertiary EM band, once considered merely theoretical by Federation scientists. Thalaron radiation is extremely destructive to organic matter, and thus it is considered to be a bioorganic weapon. A microscopic amount could kill everyone and everything on the Enterprise, human or Yuuzhasn Vong.
Without a moment’s delay, he instantly reached for his combadge and tapped it.
“Geordi, we need engines.”
“Working on it.”
***
Location: Reman Warbird Scimitar
Sol System, Alpha Quadrant, Milky Way Galaxy.
“Yuuzhan Vong ships are charging us, ETA sixty seconds,” stated the Viceroy. Shinzon maintained a sense of calmness as he glanced towards the Thalaton generator mounted at the back of the Scimitar’s bridge. He glanced once again at his operations officer.
“Weapon status?”
“The weapon is charged, Shinzon!”
“Then deploy it now. Once you have, cloak us and set a course for the wormhole. We might as well test the transwarp drive in our own backyard rather than in a strange, new galaxy.”
“Yes, sir.”
***
“Captain!”
Picard turned once more as the view screen exploded with activity. As Yuuzhan Vong ships charged it, the mystery ship vanished, cloaking once more as an expanding wave of sickly green energy expanded. Republic, Federation, Klingon, Nubian, and Unimatrix Zero ships moved hectically, pushing their impulse and sunlight engines to the maximum possible speed. The wave came closer and closer to the position of the Enterprise and Picard began to panic.
“Geordi, we need them now!”
***
Location: Command Node, Fusion Cube
Sol System, Alpha Quadrant, Milky Way Galaxy
Axum slowly raised himself to the smoking console in the ruins of the . The Yuuzhan Vong bombardment had been brutal and it was the armor plates of the Tactical Cubes that had formed the Fusion Cube in the first place which had absorbed most of the firepower. It was a testament to the resiliency of Borg technology that they were still alive.
At least until the Thalaron radiation wave hit them. What a way to go, down, after all of their time in the Collective and in Unimatrix Zero. Axum simply regretted nothing, only that they would not be able to undo the damage that the Borg had done, that they could not stop the renegade Borg forces in the Gamma Quadrant, and that despite the weeks in the Alpha Qudrant, he had still not spoken to Annika Hanson, or Seven of Nine to some.
Suddenly, the magical sound of Borg systems starting up once again filled his ears.
“Korak?”
The battered, bleeding Klingon general scanned his board, disbelief filling his eyes.
“I don’t understand it. Now all of our systems are coming back online.”
“It doesn’t matter. Get us out of here now!”
***
There was silence and Picard knew that in all likelihood, they would die within the next few seconds. Suddenly, Geordi laForge’s voice filled the comm channel once more.
“Engines are back on line!”
Picard didn’t waste a moment.
“Engage!”
The Enterprise-E’s mighty impulse engines roared back to life as the Federation Flagship swung through space and narrowly missed the expanding wave of radiation. The Sunulok took the brunt that would have claimed the Federation Flagship. It instantly began to crumble and died, as did all of the Yuuzhan Vong ships caught in the expanding wave of Thalaron radiation.
***
Still reeling from the information and images she had seen through the assistance of the Stranger, Vergere was shocked as she, alongside the other representatives, gazed into the central fire pit and saw most, if not all, of the Yuuzhan Vong invasion fleet, the very fleet she had been attached to as the Warmaster’s advisor only a short time earlier, collapse and die.
The other four representatives were totally silent. Not even Q had a quip to add to the situation. Each of them --save for Sisko since he had only been doing this for standard four years, but temporal mechanics could theoretically work in his favor -- had seen the destruction of countless life over the eons But to have such a large snuffing out of life in one, simple moment was rare for them and had ironically brought the quiet, calm order to the Quintessence that the Stranger had been seeking..
And as it was such, the Stranger was the one to break that silence.
“You’ve never seen the Yuuzhan Vong suffer a key tactical defeat on this regard, have you?
“No, I have not.”
The Stranger retuned to his chair, his gazed still centered on Vergere.
“As you can see, such is the face of the Merging, of the twists and shifts it can wreck and which we must counter, though now ”
“How?”
“Through you.”
Vergere’s surprise and shock intensified.
“Me?”
The Stranger nodded.
“Yes, Vergere, you. You are the key to delaying and/or stopping the Merging.”
***
To be continued…
***
Author’s Notes
* The Qeh’ral-class Klingon cruisers first appeared in RTS game Armada II.
* Worf’s arming to the teeth and Western-style stand was inspired by the armored Dinobot from the two-parter “Coming of the Fuzors” from Beast Wars: Transformers, my all-time favorite of the many Transformers series.
* Data’s line “How do you like how that shit works”, comes from one of my all-time favorite films, The Rock.
* Agent G -- It’s a combination of both memory and websites/books. While I have a great deal of stored memory on both Trek and Wars, it’s not always easy to keep track of it and therefore, the sites/books/online forums help to verify the facts and make this story a good one/
The Best of Both Worlds: Part XVII
“As long as war is regarded as wicked it will always have its fascinations. When it is looked upon as vulgar, it will cease to be popular.”
- Oscar Wilde-
* Musical Note # 2: Once again, for your full musical enjoyment of this chapter, I recommend the following songs and film soundtracks to help establish the perfect mood for the conclusion of the Battle Royale as you read along.
* Burly Brawl (The Matrix Reloaded)
*Neodammerung (The Matrix Revolutions)
* New Nautilus Theme (Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water - Volume III)
* Light of Babel (Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water - Volume III)
* Chorus: Worth is the Lamb... Amen (Neon Genesis Evangelion: Addition)
* Counterattack, Then... (Sakura Wars: The Movie).
Other than that, as always, enjoy!
***
Location: N.R.S. Ralroost
Sol System, Alpha Quadrant, Milky Way Galaxy
“We are losing aft shields, Admiral Kre‘Fey.”
The white-furred Bothan barred his fangs and wiped strands of sweat-soaked fur from his brow .
“Concentrate aft turbolaser firepower on the attacking Vong ships. And get us fighter cover, Republic or Federation.”
“Yes sir!”
Krey’Fey held onto his command chair once again as the Ralroost shook from the volley of the ships pursuing the Bothan Assualt Cruiser across the upper stratosphere of Earth. With the advance of Unimatrix Zero’s Fusion Cube towards the Yammosk-carrier cluster, the pressure had barely been relieved on the main front, with the Yuuzhan Vong throwing more and more ships against the Federation orbital platforms. Three of the main platforms had already been disabled and two of them destroyed, allowing more waves of Vong ships to concentrate their firepower on the reserve ships from both galaxies, as well as the massive Spacedock.
Worse still, the wave had been focusing on taking out the Federation’s planetary shields. While the shields and their projection technology were hardly on the level of their Republic counterparts on Core worlds like Coruscant, they had taken a good beating, but they were starting to fail and Krey’Fey knew that it was only a matter of time before the Warmaster began landing Yorik-vec assualt ships and their full complement of battle-ready and eager warriors on the planet’s surface.
Despite their success thus far in the engagements over the course of the last month, Admiral Krey’Fey had little hope that they would have any more luck stopping a Yuuzhan Vong ground assualt on the Federation capital than the numerous ground battles thus far through the invasion, as the taking of Gyndine had shown.
As a squadron of Nubian and Federation fighters swarmed past the ship, space in front of the Ralroost shimmered, revealing a decloaking Vor’cha-class Klingon cruiser which proceeded to target its forward disruptors on the pursuing Vong ships. While her weaponry wasn’t as heavy or destructive as those found in the newer Negh’Var warships or the slightly older Qhe’ral cruisers, she was still able to be enough of an annoyance to cause the Vong ships to break off their pursuit of the Ralroost.
Despite the intensity of the battle, Krey’Fey couldn’t help but marvel at the Klingons and the cloaking devices they wielded. The Milky Way Galaxy’s advances in cloaking technology compared to their own were incredible -- and in many ways the opposite of what the Imperials had utilized during the Thrawn campaign and shortly before the signing of the Accords. While the Imperials could fire while cloaked, their scanning abilities were practically useless and the technology was prohibitively expensive. The Klingons on the other hand, while unable to fire while cloaked, had perfected the mass-production of the technology and as the Vor‘cha had proven just moments ago, utilized the stealth and surprise capabilities to the maximum.
But such an introspective was best left to another time as Krey’Fey signaled the Ralroost’s communication’s officer.
“Any word from the Enterprise or the Fusion Cube?”
“Nothing from the Fusion Cube yet sir. The Enterprise reports it has engaged the Sunulok.”
As the Ralroost joined two Defiants and a Corellian gunship against a medium sized Vong cruiser, Krey’Fey reflected on this and strained to peer beyond the transparisteel viewpoints of the bridge and into the heart of the conflict, trying to find what could very well become the most pivotal aspect of the battle for Earth. Could Captain Picard successfully engage one of the central driving forces of the entire Yuuzhan Vong race and culture and win?
***
With the launch of all available fighter squadrons, the Ralroost’s main shuttle bay was empty and devoid of life, sentient and artificial. The repair droids were in standby mode and the repair crews had retreated behind the shuttle’s blast doors, a precaution that had been instigated aboard Rebel/Republic ships after the Battle of Endor when Wedge Antilles had forced a TIE Interceptor to crash into the shuttle bays/vital areas of a Mon Calamari
Either way, it presented a low level chance of discovery and Nom Anor wouldn’t have had it any other way.
The Yuuzhan Vong Executor sat in the forward cockpit of an exeuctive shuttle, the ooglith masquer that had disguised him as a technician was now shed and slithering to the back of the shuttle alongside a personal transporter unit, “borrowed” from the Federation technician he had killed and replaced when he had first arrived in the system.
Despite the fact that it was infidel technology, even he had to admit the strategic advantages to such a device -- not that Tsavong Lah would see eye-to-eye with him on such a fact, anyway, but it had its purposes in helping to advance him through the ranks of Yuuzhan Vong hierarchy, a goal that he was about to resume.
Reaching for the satchel at his feet, Nom Anor removed a villip and instantly began stroking the plant-like ball to life.
It was time to get to work.
***
As the first plasma balls and quantum torpedoes were exchanged between the Enterprise-E and the Sunulok, Captain Picard realized they had their work cut out for them if they hoped to take down Tsavong Lah and his flagship. Even with the Enterprise’s slice into the Sunnlok’s underbelly, little actual damage had been done to their opponent, save for a little shake-up as well some minor casualties. And the Federation flagship wasn’t exactly in the best shape thanks to the last two hours whereas Yuuzhan Vong flagship was literally rested and refreshed.
In short, it was going to be close and Picard knew that to defeat the Warmaster, he would have to push the Enterprise-E further and harder than she had ever gone before. They had to keep Sunulok off balance, which was what Luke was doing, maneuvering the Sovereign-class starship in a series of strafing runs and barrel rolls as Mara and Worf rained down omni-directional phaser fire and torpedoes on the yorrik coral hull from all remaining operational launchers and arrays.
But the Yuuzhan Vong were not ones to allow such a display to continue forever. The living vessel was easily matching every step, every twist, and every turn of the Enterprise’s cosmic dance. Its gunners were able to accurately target half of the incoming torpedoes, dovin basals absorbing portions of phaser fire. But as the Warmaster’s flagship, its heavily thick yorrik-coral hull easily absorbed much of the significant damage.
If the Yuuzhan Vong thought, however, that that was going to stop what many considered the finest crew in all of Starfleet, then they had another thing coming as far as Picard was considered.
“Mr. Worf?”!”
“Shields are at fifty-six percent, phaser charge is at thirty-one percent, and we are down to forty-five quantum torpedoes.”
“Your orders, sir?”
Picard grimaced as another panel on the bridge out, raining sparks dangerously close to the elevated command chair, singing the few hairs he had left on the back of his head.
“We have no choice. Continue to press the attack! And rally us some dammed backup”
“Aye sir!”
***
Warmaster Tsavong Lah grinned as his ship shook from the few shots that the Federation flagship was able to inflict past the dovin basals. The battle that had pitted the infidel flagship against the Matalok-class cruiser Burning Death less than half a klekket had been decidedly one-sided. But this was by far a greater, more destructive demonstration of what this infidel ship and infidel that commanded the monstrosity was capable of. In short, Tsavong Lah was going to take great pleasure in destroying the Starship Enterprise.
Or rather, he would be if the Sunulok’s villip mistress hadn’t pulled him aside.
“We are receiving a villip transmission. It is Nom Anor, Warmaster.”
Despite the seriousness of the battle, the name of his hated subordinate instantly grabbed Lah’s attention. Instructing his Supreme Commander to direct the defense of the Suunlok, Lah quickly approached the villip choir and with a sneer on his face, watched as the designated villip formed the scarred, tattooed, one-eyed visage of the Executor.
“Belek Tiu, Warmaster.”
Lah paid no attention to the customary greetings offered by the disgraced Executor.
“When this battle is over and when the infidel world of Earth is taken, I will kill you slowly and painfully, Executor. Supreme Overlord Shimmra himself has ordered your death for your premature signal that cost Nas Choka a significant portion of the battle group of Yun-Yammaka.”
“That was not my doing, Warmaster.”
Tsavong Lah simply sneered at Anor‘s defense of his failure.
“Of course it wasn’t. It was simply another attempt of yours to save your own wretched hide.”
“I speak the truth, though I have caused other damage to the infidels.”
“Viqi Shesh has done a better job of that than you have.”
“Only with my help.”
Against his better judgment and impulses, this caught the Warmaster’s ears.
“Explain.”
The villip’s facial projection grinned.
“Who do you think it was that responsible for the attempted assassination of the infidel Fey’lya and the destruction of the Federation Council? If we hadn’t caused that, then the infidel forces would have been quicker to rally. But this is but the first fruit of my labors.”
Lah sighed, his patience with the Exeuctor running out.
“I have great war to wage, Nom Anor. What are you offering?”
“Coordinates for Earth’s primary defense coordinators and the location of perhaps the most valuable of all the Jeedai.”
This certainly got Tsavong Lah’s ear, the lingering pain in his leg from the injury Jacen Solo had inflicted upon him almost a year ago on the infidel world of Duro manifesting itself once more.
“You will tell me where Jacen Solo is now, Exeuctor.”
The Executor chuckled.
“I spoke not of Jacen Solo, but offspring of the Master Jeedai himself.”
Tsavong Lah’s eyes widened, the reports from Viqi Shesh a month before echoing in his mind.
“The Son of the Jeedai Skywalker?”
“Exactly.”
Though Jacen Solo was the primary Jeedai that Tsavong Lah desired, even he saw the immense psychological and tactical victory that the Yuuzhan Vong could claim if they captured or killed the son of the Jeedai’s greatest warrior in addition to taking Earth. How demoralizing it would be to the most hated of the infidels that the Yuuzhan Vong had encountered in all of their history.
“I will accept the coordinates Nom Anor and if you are correct, then perhaps your fate will be spared by our Supreme Overlord. Now give me the coordinates.”
The Executor’s visage chuckled
“I believe I will actually join you and present them to you in person.”
Lah snarled. He should have known that Nom Anor would pull another stunt and was about to rattle off in a string of curses when the command deck of the Sunulok was filled with a humming and a sparkling column of light materialized in front of the Warmaster, revealing Nom Anor with the very villip he had just used in hand.
“You claim to still support us, yet you utilize infidel technology!”
“This was necessary for my crossing the threshold of battle and pain without harm to my person. Or perhaps you wish to lose my information to the carelessness and over zealousness of your pilots?”
Lah growled. While he wanted to do away with the Executor and had been for some time now, he needed the information that the Executor supposedly held and even he saw the logic in the Executor‘s statement, as unlikely as a zealous warrior such as himself would.
“Now, let us talk.”
***
Location: Command Node, Fusion Cube
Sol System, Alpha Quadrant, Milky Way Galaxy
As was typical of Borg engineering, the Fusion Cube lacked a proper command deck or center and so, the Unimatrix Zero engineers had been forced to cobble together a decent substitute that Axum now oversaw, amidst the shrieking of klaxons and sparking. He personally wished that he was in the confines of the primary control center for Diamond 24601TH-X85, but it was wistful thinking at a time like this.
In command of possibly the most power amalgamation of raw power and technology that the Milky Way Galaxy’s inhabitants had ever created, Axum should have felt more at ease with himself, perhaps even slightly cocky. After all, the Fusion Cube had taken everything that the invading aliens had thrown at them with minimal damage and only a slight decline in shield strength.
Perhaps it was the caution that he had known quite well during that first year when they had been on the run from the Collective and had, like the Borg themselves, forced to adapt to the circumstances. Perhaps it was simply bad memories -- not all his own, mind you -- of the damage that another race that had wielded organic technology, Species 8472, had done carrying over into the present.
Or perhaps it was simply his guilt.
Axum sighed once again. He had hated having to deceive the Federation and its allies about the rouge factions that were exacting their revenge against the Dominion, he truly had. But he hadn’t thought that the Dominion would try to contact the Federation. He had thought that Unimatrix Zero could contain the situation.
Either way, once this battle was over, there was going to be major damage-control that he would be forced to partake in if he wished to preserve a Unimatrix Zero/United Federation of Planets alliance as so many of his comrades had wanted when the Collective had collapsed thanks to the Voyager and her crew.
The sensor console suddenly began beeping at a rapid pace, pulling Axum out of his self-analysis.
“Report!”
Korok glanced at the scans and his face grimaced. Axum had a pretty good idea of what would cause as seasoned a warrior as General Korok to take on an expression of that regard.
“Earth’s planetary shield just failed, didn‘t it?”
Korok nodded. There was silence across the command chamber for a long moment. Finally Axum broke it.
“Open a channel to Bunker One.”
“Already done.”
“Thank you Korok. Bunker One, this is Axum aboard the Fusion Cube. We saw the shield go down. Do you need assistance?”
The air was filled with static emanating from the communications speaker. Finally, Janeway’s voiced came through.
“Not yet. The second it the shield went down, they began landing troops. We’re already deploying Federation Marines and other ground-based defenses in San Francisco, Paris, and other key tactical targets. We can handle it for now, just take out that damm Yammosk cruiser.”
“Consider it done, Admiral.”
The channel closed and Axum was now filled with a renewed sense of confidence and determination.
“Alright, you heard the Admiral. Let’s take out that cruiser.”
***
Location: Embassy Row
San Francisco, Earth, Alpha Quadrant, Milky Way Galaxy
With over a hundred and fifty worlds making up the United Federation of Planets, the need for housing these delegates from strange, new worlds had resulted in the creation of Embassy Row following the signing of the Federation Charter. Based not too far from the Federation Council Chamber, Embassy Row had a magnificent view of the city and the Bay.
They were also where one of the first Yuuzhan Vong detachments had landed, it’s complement of warriors now readying their weapons of war and praying for victory and worth death from Yun Yammaka the Slayer.
Their goal was one of the smaller, yet still secure Embassies that housed at this time, the elected ruler of the Naboo, an infant Jedi, several Starfleet cadets, three Noghri bodyguards, and two droids who were currently monitoring the advancement of the warriors from the Embassy’s control center just off of the lobby.
Although blast doors and other protective measures had been deployed by the automate security systems, the ominous sound of the guttural Vong language, the impacts caused by thud bugs, and sounds of the ever sharp amphistaff cutting through metal greeted the droids.
“Perhaps if we told them no one is home, they’ll go away.”
The Astromech R2 unit swiveled his dome and just starred at his gold-plated companion through his sole photoreceptor. C-3PO sighed.
“Well a droid can hope can he not?”
R2 simply garbled a reply, causing C-3PO to glare at his longtime companion and friend.
“I’m not being pessimistic, you dimwitted little collection of rusting circuit boards.”
R2 shot off his own response once more.
“Sticks and Stones -- what in the name of the Maker are you going on about, R2? Never mind. As I was explaining, I was simply examining the negative circumstances that we are now faced with. A race of intergalactic beings who hated all artificial life forms are coming to disassemble us and Queen Quital of Naboo and Master Luke’s sole child while they’re at it and we’re all that stands in their way R2!”
“That’s not entirely accurate.”
R2’s domed head swiveled a hundred and eighty degrees and C-3PO maneuvered his golden body around to see who it was that had spoken.
A Starfleet officer wearing what appeared to be a armored variant of the standard Starfleet unfirom stood in the doorway, a phaser compression rifle in his hands. Next to him stood a tall, beareded figure dressed in the homespun robes of a Jedi Knight, a lightsaber in his hands. A sense of relief surged through Threepio’s cognitive circuits.
“R2, we’re saved. It’s Master Katarn and. Lt. Munro I believe it was?”
“That’s right. Alexander Munro of Hazard Team.
“And the rest your famed Hazard Team?”
“Deployed alongside the rest of the Row or by other key buildings. Katarn and I are all that stands between the Vong attacking the Row.”
“Well, what would you suggest R2 and myself do?”
For a moment, 3-PO dreaded a repeat of the comment that Master Luke and Captain Solo had made almost a standard quarter of a century earlier when he had asked a similar question aboard the first Death Star.
“You just get back and keep an eye on the Queen and Skywalker’s son along with the Noghri bodyguards.”
“Far be it from me to argue with a military man.”
As they began moving towards the protected chambers, R2 couldn’t resist but throw in another comment.
“What do you mean I do it all the time?”
In the lobby, the sound of crunching metal came closer and closer. Munro cocked his phaser rifle as Katarn ignited his lightsaber, the green blade illuminating the expressions of determination across the face of the elite Starfleet officer and commando-turned Jedi Knight.
“So we can’t expect any backup from the rest of the Hazard Team?”
“Probably not. What about your Jedi?”
“Aside from Ben Skywalker, I’m the only one on the planet.”
“So, it’s just the two of us against an unrelenting enemy?”
“Indeed.”
There was silence for a moment before Munro grinned.
“I’m used to those odds.”
Katarn also smiled.
“You ready?”
Munro nodded, recalling Rick Biesmen‘s immortal words during their training sessions onboard Voyager shortly before they had gone up against the Forge.
“Let’s frag ‘em.”
***
Location: U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-E
Sol System, Alpha Quadrant, Milky Way Galaxy
Despite the seriousness of the situation, despite the continuing battle and the game of cat and mouse that they had played over the course of the last hour with the Warmaster and the Sunulok, Picard had ordered a Priority One communication to Bunker One when the planetary shield had gone down.
“Data?”
“Channel open, sir.”
“What’s your status, Admiral Janeway?”
“They first wave of troops landed in San Francisco. But they’re not attacking Starfleet Command or Bunker One, at least not yet.”
A look of confusion crossed Picard’s face.
“Then what are they attacking?”
“They’re focusing on Embassy Row instead.”
From the aft tactical console, Mara’s eyes widened and a sharp intake of breath came from Luke.
“Ben!”
“I wouldn’t worry too much, Mrs. Skywalker. The Hazard Team and one of your Jedi are defending the Row. We --”
The transmission ended abruptly as the bridge shook again, lights dimming.
“Data?”
“Our communications array has been hit.”
“Dammit. Continue to return fire.”
Picard turned his chair towards Mara and then look towards Luke.
“Janeway was not exaggerating. She helped to create the Hazard Team and trust me, with what they faced in the Delta Quadrant, they’ll protect your son.”
Mara smiled weakly as Luke gave her a reassuring look --
-- just as the bridge exploded around all of them once again. The bridge was plunged into near darkness. When the backup generators did not immediately go into effect, the distinctive snap-hiss of the Jedi lightsaber was heard as Luke and Mara’s weapons came to life, casting a combined green and purple light across the smoking consoles and wearied faces. Moments later, the lights finally did come back online and Picard pulled himself to his chair of command, paging Engineering.
“Geordi, report!”
Although he couldn’t’ see it, engineering sounded like it was in utter chaos, the sounds of klaxons, hissing coolant, and sparking consoles filling the background of the channel.
“We’ve lost all forward shields. Hull breaches on decks twelve, seven and nine. We have lost power to impulse engines. Tactical systems, RCS thrusters and warp engines are also offline. Captain. We are drift--”
The sudden jolt that hit the Enterprise quickly silenced Geordi as everyone on the bridge was thrown to the floor. Picard slowly raised himself, wistfully wishing for some manner of restraint to be included with the Captain’s chair once again.
“Data?”
The android scanned what remained of the Operations console.
“They are towing us with dovin basals alongside their port side.”
Worf gritted his teeth, believing that the Vong were preparing to a ship to ship salvo.
“They are…”
“They are what, Mr. Data?:
“They are now…extending what appears to be an organic umbilical towards one of the hull breaches.”
A look of shock and anger came to the master and commander of the Enterprise-E as he realized what Tsavong Lag had in mind.
“They’re not going to destroy us; they’re going to board us!”
“Your orders, Captain?”
Picard didn’t immediately reply. Instead, he lifted himself from the bridge chair and moved towards the bridge’s main weapons locker. Removing and cocking a phaser rifle, his face took on a grim expression as he turned towards Worf.
“Mr. Worf, gather a security team and get down to the hull breach. Stop that Yuuzhan Vong boarding party at all costs.”
The Klingon nodded, moving towards the turbolift and barking his own orders through his personal communicator to the Enterprise’s armory.
By the tactical console, Mara came to a decision
“I’m going with him.”
“Mara, but --”
“Luke, they need someone who’s fought the Vong to show them how to take these Sithswpan down. I’ll be fine.”
“With a Klingon warrior fighting by her side, I’d agree with her.”
Luke nodded, understanding Mara‘s point and knowing that he was needed here.
As Mara and the former Klingon ambassador headed for the turbo lift, Picard tapped the console on his chair, opening a ship-wide communication.
“All hands, prepare to rebel boarders.”
***
Location: Quintessence
Somewhere in the Universe
“How piratical of him.”
Everyone turned their heads from the glowing fires of the central pit towards the Q Continuum’s representative.
“Well, you see, I’ve always maintained that ol’ Johnny didn’t have the guts to issue an order that went along the lines of his piratical, more barbaric ancestors. Looks like I’ve been proven wrong -- for once in my life.”
The silence that followed was broken by what appeared to outside appearances a thunderclap in the quietest of areas
“Q!”
Q slowly sunk back into his post-World War III judge’s chair. The Stranger, for the first time, lifted his cloaked form from his chair and glided effortlessly over the floor until he was starring down at Q.
“Q, this is your absolute last warning. Behave yourself or I will get Trelane or someone else from the Continuum to take your place at this juncture.
“I’ll be good,” Q said quietly.
“I had no doubt of that.”
The Stranger turned once more towards Vergere, his cloaked form towering over the Fosh Jedi .
“I know this must all seem…overwhelming, for you.”
Vergere chuckled humorlessly. Despite her schooling in the ways of the Force and the years she had survived in the midst of the unrelenting and ruthless culture of the Yuuzhan Vong, she was definitely troubled and uneasy with her surroundings, something that had not happened in fifty standard years.
“Overwhelming is hardly the word.”
The Stranger nodded, his hand touching the Fosh‘s shoulder.
“I know exactly what you feel. My reaction was similar when the mantle of responsibility was thrust upon me millennia ago, the goal to prevent the Merging from occurring.”
“This Merging you speak of. What is it.”
The Stranger was silent for a moment, forming the correct words similar, yet different from what he had told Picard and Skywalker when he had summoned them here earlier.
“The beginning and the end. But I can not tell you its story, it’s history, its properties, and its solution in mere words. I will show you.”
“Show me.”
He placed his hands upon her head, as he had towards Q and the others, images and experiences flowing through her head.
“I will share with you what I have shared with others before you Your mind to my mind, Master Vergere.”
***
Location: U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-E
Sol System, Alpha Quadrant, Milky Way Galaxy
Worf’s security team moved quickly through the corridors of the Federation flagship, homing in on the point where the Sunulok’s membrane had connected to the hull. With the disruption of the SIF, the force fields that could normally contain such an intrusion were down. In addition to Worf, Mara Jade was also accompanying the team, the purple blade of light saber extended and humming, ready to defend the lives of the team and everyone else on board the Enterprise.
The Klingon officer, on the other hand, now looked liked something from out of an Ancient Earth western, a film genre that he had had the unfortunate experience of having to live with when the Rozhenko family had taken him in after the Khitomer attack and when Alexander had come aboard the Enterprise-D. He was armed to the teeth with three standards phasers, a compression phaser rifle, an isomagnetic disintegrator, and straps of photon grenades across his upper body. In his hands was the bat’leth that the clone of Emperor Kathless had given to him on the monastery world of Boreth almost a decade previously and that Worf had taken with him from one end of the quadrant to the other.
Worf did not fear death. If he fell here today, it would be with honor and the knowledge that he had brought honor to his comrades and friends.
“Tricorder scans?”
“Less than five meters!”
“Here they come!”
With a cry and a grim smile on his face, Worf leapt into the air and with clean, fluid swipe, brought his bat’leth through the neck of the foremost Yuuzhan Vong warrior that charged through the Enterprise‘s corridor. Even with the honor of being the first Klingon, indeed the first inhabitant of the Milky Way Galaxy to kill a Yuuzhan Vong in hand to hand combat, the Klingon paid no attention to the accomplishment; a helping of bloodwine --preferably of the 2309 vintage that he and Martok had enjoyed very much -- and a song worthy of memory were not the priority here.
Before the Vong warriors could recover, Worf had dropped the batleth and had brought forward the isomagnetic disintegrator. Even at that close of a range, the resulting blast did not achieve the exact desired level of destruction, no doubt thanks to the vonduun crab armor that the Skywalkers had warned them of, but it did give the Vong -- and Worf -- something to think about as they went flying back into the second wave of Vong warriors and Klingon into the bulkheads.
His back ached, memories of the cargo bay accident years earlier that had almost left him crippled for life haunting him as he pulled himself up. Stars flashed before his eyes, clouding his vision momentarily. As it cleared, he saw his team laying down suppression fire as Mara Jade deflected incoming thud and razor bugs with her purple-bladed lightsaber.
The grace, her speed, and fighting prowess displayed by the former Emperor’s Hand surprised, amazed, and intrigued Worf. If it hadn’t been for her pale skin, her smooth forehead, and flashing red hair, he might have thought she was a Klingon
He raised himself and continued the fight. But the initial surprised had worn off and now the Yuuzhan Vong warriors came forward with a ferocity that rivaled that displayed by the Jem’Hadar during the height of the Dominion War. Two of the foremost officers went down from amphistaff venom and thud bugs and the team kept getting pushed back further and further from the original hull breach that the Sunulok had docked itself towards.
“Mr. Worf?”
Reluctantly, his Starfleet command training took overt his Klingon instincts -- something that had been both a curse and a blessing for him during his career.
“There are too many. Fall back!”
***
Location: Command Node, Fusion Cube
Sol System, Alpha Quadrant, Milky Way Galaxy
Battered, but undefeated, the mighty Borg Fusion Cube engaged its combined impulse engines at top speed and pushed through the remaining waves of the Yuuzhan Vong ships that guarded the prize of the battle, the factor that could turn this siege in the Allies’ favor: the Yammosk cruiser.
Reports indicated that Starfleet was thus far containing most of the landing troops. But were being threatened to be overwhelmed with the continued landing of dropships. Destruction of the cruiser would result in mass confusion and utter pandemonium across the opponent’s board, much as had occurred to those in the presence of a Borg Queen when she had gone offline or had been killed during the history of the Collective.
“Target is in range, sir.”
“You may fire when ready, General.”
Korak grinned.
“With pleasure and extreme prejudice, Axum.”
The cruiser open fire, but the weakened Borg shields easily absorbed the steam of plasma balls and volcano missiles that the remaining Vong escorts and cruiser were throwing at the
The combined weapons array of four Borg cubes locked onto the cruiser and fired, a brilliant display of beam weapons and high yield torpedoes cutting into the hulk of yorrik coral with not effort, a major contrast to the effect of the Enteprise-E’s phaser banks on the Sunulok earlier in the engagement -- but then, again when one considered the advantages and disadvantages of Federation weaponry vs. Borg weaponry, such a difference could easily be explained..
“Direct hit!”
The cruiser collapsed upon itself, it’s innards and hunks of yorrik coral smashing into the remnants of its escorts that were too slow to maneuver themselves out of the way. There was cheering across the command center.
“Well done General, well done. What’s the status
“This can’t be right.”
“What is it Korak?”
“There is no change in the behavior of the Vong fleets. It’s as if they haven’t been affected.”
Axum contemplated this for a moment.
“Put another communication through to Bunker One.”
“Done, sir.”
“Doctor Quae, what’s going on? We have destroyed the Yammosk cruiser; the fleet should be collapsing and falling into disarray.”
“Um, well in theory yes, but…”
“But what?”
“Well, it looks like there’s more than one Yammosk present here at Earth.“
Silence filled the command deck of the Unimatrix Zero Fusion Cube.
“It‘s my fault; I should have realized that with an engagement this large, Lah would cover his --”
The transmissions abruptly ended, static filling the comm channel.
“General?”
“The problem’s not on our end. Either one of the Federation’s communications satellites was destroyed or Bunker One got hit.”
Silence once more filled the chamber as Korak’s theory sank into their heads. Axum spoke slowly and carefully.
“All right, charge our weapons and sensor array. We’ll find the remaining Yammosks even if we have to blow apart every ship in --”
Axum trailed off as an ominous sound filled the air, the sound of the liberated Borg technology shutting down. The lighting went down, leaving only the illumination of the consoles and viewing cube to grace the command center.
“Korak?!”
“I don’t know what it is. All power nodes just went down simultaneously. We’re running on emergency power. It’s almost as if…”
“Almost as if what?”
Korak trailed off as his eyes graced the viewing cube and before Axum could berate him, he saw why.
The Fusion Cube was surrounded by the remnants of the Yammosk cruiser’s escort and most of the reserve wing of ships that they hadn’t blown apart during their charge at the cruiser.
“Korak.”
“Yes?”
“Please tell me we still have shields.”
“Yes, but to a limited degree.”
“What are your orders, sir?”
“Everybody hold onto something!”
As the words exited Axum’s mouth, the Yuuzhan Vong’s ferocious barrage of the now-disabled Fusion Cube began.
***
Location: U.S.S. Enterprise-E
Alpha Quadrant,
Atop the bridge, hand-held phasers were changed as Picard paced back and forth across the wrecked expanse of his command center. Reports were coming in from all over the ship, reports that the Yuuzhan Vong warriors were overrunning all parts of the ship, smashing relevant technology and such. Much of the security force was pinned down defending engineering, for if the Yuuzhan Vong smashed the warp core or the antimatter injectors it was, as a wise Earth man had once said, ‘game over’.
This was all too reminiscent of the Borg’s occupation of the ship six years prior during the mission to prevent the Collective‘s interference in the launch of the Phoenix and First Contact.
“Number One?”
“We’ve lost contact with decks three through twelve. Switching to --”
The sound of crunching metal echoed across the bridge. And for the first time since the saucer section of the Enterprise-D had entered the atmosphere of Veridian III eight years prior, Data spoke , from the bottom of his emotion chip, a pair of words he had never thought he would use again during his operational lifetime.
“Oh shit.”
The words were barely out of the android’s mouth when the aft turbo lift doors suddenly blew apart, sending shrapnel and debris in all directions. Before the dust had cleared, the first wave of Yuuzhan Vong warriors stormed the bridge of the Enterprise, thud bugs and blorash jelly whirling in all directions.
From what little protection the consoles provided, the bridge crew immediately began firing back as Skywalker Force-leapt from the remnants of the helm and kicked the lead Vong warrior --
-- and was thrown back as he was caught straight in the chest with a thud bug, pinned to the ground as his form hit the burned carpet by blorash jelly. The momentary distraction caused by the fall of the Jedi Master was exploited as the warriors surged forward, pinning down the remaining bridge members.
“Enough!”
The deep, loud, commanding voice instantly swayed the Vong warriors as the tallest Yuuzhan Vong Picard had ever seen -- despite their files, this was the first time they had seen a Yuuzhan Vong face to face, truth be told -- and it stepped forward over the wreckage of the Enterprise-E’s bridge and stood in front of Picard’s command chair.
Aside from being the largest Yuuzhan Vong Captain Picard had laid eyes on. Colored scales were clearly visible in this warrior’s breast-bone and shoulder plates. He possessed a deep notch splits his skull in two, and the blue sacks under his eyes drooped to the corners of his mouth, which had been mutilated with countless scars, the result of ceremony and his own hand. His long black hair swept up from his sloping forehead, and tassels hung from its blunt end. His ear lobes had been pulled down to reach his shoulders.
From his sprawled position, Master Skywalker breathed sharply as he recognized the warrior standing before the Enterprise’s bridge crew.
“Tsavong Lah.”
The Warmaster starred down upon the fallen Jedi and grinned.
“Jeedai Skywalker. And the infidel Picard. Yes. A good day for the Yuuzhan Vong indeed. The destruction of your pitiful and cowardly attempt an alliance with the infidels of the Federation and the end of the lives for the most seasoned warriors of the Jeddai Your son will soon be ours to sacrifice to the gods -- as will Jacen and his sister.”
“Never!”
Lah kicked Skywalker’s face with his implanted foot and then turned towards Picard.
“Earth will be the stepping stone from which we shall vanquish the Unclean that drove us from Yuzzhan’tar!”
So, Axum had been telling the truth, Picard thought quietly. Not that it made any difference at this point.
“And your broken body and flagship will be a prize and sign from the gods that your Federation is nothing next to the Yuuzhan Vong and our gods!”
“Not everyone would agree with such a statement,” came a clear, determined voice from the back of the bridge. Tsavong Lah turned his massive form --
--and faced Data. The warriors prepared to rush the android, but Lah raised his hand, stopping them in their tracks.
“Greetings.”
Lah glared at the Enterprise’s operations officer.
“You dare to speak down to me infidel?!”
The Warmaster dropped his amphistaff and balled his fist, punching Data --
-- and pulled back his hand in limited pain as his knuckles contracted with the android’s duranium covering.
“What are you?”
His emotion chip charging and formulating the proper response for such a creature , the android starred at the Yuuzhan Vong Warmaster.
“I’m an andorid, you son of a bitch.”
And then Data slugged Tsavong Lah as hard as he could, breaking the Warmaster’s cheekbone, and following through with an uppercut that sent the Warmaster into the ceiling of the bridge and lodged him into the central lighting fixture. Lah screamed with a mixture of pain and delight as the Enterprise’s raw power cursed through his body before finally landing ungracefully upon the command chair, causing it to topple over.”
“How do you like how that shit works?!”
The warriors, taken aback but for a moment, charged at the gold-skinned android. Data met them head on, parrying blows from amphistaffs with an agility and grace that only a Soongian android such as himself could possess.
Seizing this moment, the remaining Starfleet security officers charged forward and with their phasers charged the Vong on the bridge, taking them down alongside Data. Picard took his own phaser and proceeded to cut through the blorash that pinned Master Skywalker.
“Are you all right?”
Luke gazed over at Lah’s crumpled form.
“Better than Tsavong Lah.”
Picard nodded, raised himself, and proceed to kick Tsavong Lah in his unbroken cheekbone. Skywalker just starred at him.
“He broke my chair. Among some Starfleet captains, that’s somewhat of a personal thing.
Despite the near-death they had just faced, Luke smiled.
As several of the Starfleet security officers continued to secure the bridge or drop down the now open turbo lift shaft, Picard tapped his communicator.
“Geordi, what‘s your status?”
“We’re fine. What about the bridge?“
“Data took out Tsavong Lah and we’re secure for now. Please tell me you have good news.”
“For once, I actually do. We’ve contained most of the boarding Yuuzhan Vong. Beverley flooded most of the ship with anesthizine gas; it would have kicked in sooner, but with the damaged systems we had a delay. The Vong are still coming aboard though.”
“Then we need to sever the Sunulok’s umbilical. Do we have any weapons capabilities left Mr. laForge?”
“Our torpedoes complement is exhausted, so that’s not an option.”
“What about phasers?”
“I’ve restored auxiliary power to the phaser banks, but the energizer’s pretty much bypassed like an old Earth Christmas tree, so it won’t last long.”
“How long?”
“No more than thirty sustained seconds before the entire board goes out.
“Understood. Picard out.”
The Captain faced his first officer and most trusted confident.
“Number One, will you do the honors?”
“With pleasure sir.”
The Enterprise’s Type XII, ventral saucer-mounted phaser banks came alive one last time as golden lances of energy punched through the dovin basal gravitational force and sliced through the living umbilical.
***
Location: Reman Warbird Scimitar
Sol System, Alpha Quadrant, Milky Way Galaxy.
“Well?”
“The transwarp coil is ready, Shinzon. We need only proceed from the battle to the wormhole.”
“Excellent, most excellent Vkruk.”
The Reman strike team had successfully beamed aboard, in the heat of battle, a derelict Unimatrix Zero craft and had retrieved the necessary piece of hardware that would allow him to survive. It would take time to find Kamino, to bargain with their cloners, and reach and agreement, but Shinzon was confident of the success of such an endeavor.
He gazed once more at the view screen and the continuing battle for control of Sector 001. His primary attention was centered on the Federation flagship. The Enterprise was free, but was still threatened with destruction -- which would surely result in the death of himself, so to speak. This would be acceptable to Sela and get her off of his back.
And yet…
And yet, he wanted to meet himself, to see where he had come from, and what he could become.
In the space of a moment, Shinzon came to a decision.
“Commence primary ignition for the weapon.”
Vkruk stared at him.
“What?”
“You heard me.”
A look of perplexity spread across the Viceroy’s face.
“Are you certain this is wise, Shinzon? We would need to drop our cloak to fire the weapon and once spotted --”
“In the confusion of battle, even if we are spotted, we are more than adequately prepared to defend ourselves.”
“As you wish, Shinzon.”
From the command chair, the Reman Centurion addressed his operations officer.”
“De-cloak once the weapon is ready to fire, but first hail that fleet.”
“It will be as you command, Centurion.”
***
Location: U.S.S. Enterprise-E
Sol System, Alpha Quadrant, Milky Way Galaxy.
“SIF is coming back to full strength. We are now drifting away from the Sunulok.”
“We’re still being targeted, though.”
Luke shook his head as he glanced down at the unconscious form of Warmaster Tsavong Lah, who had been rolled off to side of the bridge and sedated by one of Dr. Crusher’s medical teams until they could move him to a brig.
“They won’t fire upon us, not yet anyway. The Warmaster is still on board and they won’t risk it’s destruction.”
The remains of the operations board, began sounding. Data glanced at what remained of his console and a look of surprise came across the android’s face.
“Captain, a ship is de-cloaking just behind the main Yuuzhan Vong fleet.”
“Is it Klingon?’
“No, I don’t think so.”
“Magnify image.”
The enhanced image showed a massive vessel easily the length of the Enterprise-E, but with a far greater width. The irregular shapes dotted across its bow suggested a possible Breen or Son'a influence, yet the overall structure resembles the Jem'Hadar battleship. Together with its countless aggressive spikes, she was certainly a site to behold.
“Tactical analysis, Number One.”
Riker scanned Worf’s console, since the Klingon, along with Mara Jade, were holed up in Engineering.
“Fifty two-disruptor banks, twenty seven photon torpedoes bays, primary and secondary shielding.”
“There is a message going on, audio only.”
“Let’s hear it.”
A thin, raspy voice filled the bridge speakers.
“To all Federation and Republic ships, clear out now if you want to live!”
The channel closed and the sensor consoles at the back of the bridge suddenly exploded with activity. Data’s sudden gasp caught Picard’s attention.
“Captain, I’m reading a massive build-up of radiation coming from that ship.”
“What type of radiation, Data?”
“Captain, it’s Thalaron.”
All the color drained from Jean-Luc’s face as well as everyone else on the bridge. Only Luke Skywalker remained in the dark, though he didn‘t need to use the Force to tell him that this was serious.
“What is it?”
Picard turned towards Skywalker, his body tone and voice filled with graveness.
“Thalaron radiation is a type of electromagnetic radiation in the tertiary EM band, once considered merely theoretical by Federation scientists. Thalaron radiation is extremely destructive to organic matter, and thus it is considered to be a bioorganic weapon. A microscopic amount could kill everyone and everything on the Enterprise, human or Yuuzhasn Vong.
Without a moment’s delay, he instantly reached for his combadge and tapped it.
“Geordi, we need engines.”
“Working on it.”
***
Location: Reman Warbird Scimitar
Sol System, Alpha Quadrant, Milky Way Galaxy.
“Yuuzhan Vong ships are charging us, ETA sixty seconds,” stated the Viceroy. Shinzon maintained a sense of calmness as he glanced towards the Thalaton generator mounted at the back of the Scimitar’s bridge. He glanced once again at his operations officer.
“Weapon status?”
“The weapon is charged, Shinzon!”
“Then deploy it now. Once you have, cloak us and set a course for the wormhole. We might as well test the transwarp drive in our own backyard rather than in a strange, new galaxy.”
“Yes, sir.”
***
“Captain!”
Picard turned once more as the view screen exploded with activity. As Yuuzhan Vong ships charged it, the mystery ship vanished, cloaking once more as an expanding wave of sickly green energy expanded. Republic, Federation, Klingon, Nubian, and Unimatrix Zero ships moved hectically, pushing their impulse and sunlight engines to the maximum possible speed. The wave came closer and closer to the position of the Enterprise and Picard began to panic.
“Geordi, we need them now!”
***
Location: Command Node, Fusion Cube
Sol System, Alpha Quadrant, Milky Way Galaxy
Axum slowly raised himself to the smoking console in the ruins of the . The Yuuzhan Vong bombardment had been brutal and it was the armor plates of the Tactical Cubes that had formed the Fusion Cube in the first place which had absorbed most of the firepower. It was a testament to the resiliency of Borg technology that they were still alive.
At least until the Thalaron radiation wave hit them. What a way to go, down, after all of their time in the Collective and in Unimatrix Zero. Axum simply regretted nothing, only that they would not be able to undo the damage that the Borg had done, that they could not stop the renegade Borg forces in the Gamma Quadrant, and that despite the weeks in the Alpha Qudrant, he had still not spoken to Annika Hanson, or Seven of Nine to some.
Suddenly, the magical sound of Borg systems starting up once again filled his ears.
“Korak?”
The battered, bleeding Klingon general scanned his board, disbelief filling his eyes.
“I don’t understand it. Now all of our systems are coming back online.”
“It doesn’t matter. Get us out of here now!”
***
There was silence and Picard knew that in all likelihood, they would die within the next few seconds. Suddenly, Geordi laForge’s voice filled the comm channel once more.
“Engines are back on line!”
Picard didn’t waste a moment.
“Engage!”
The Enterprise-E’s mighty impulse engines roared back to life as the Federation Flagship swung through space and narrowly missed the expanding wave of radiation. The Sunulok took the brunt that would have claimed the Federation Flagship. It instantly began to crumble and died, as did all of the Yuuzhan Vong ships caught in the expanding wave of Thalaron radiation.
***
Still reeling from the information and images she had seen through the assistance of the Stranger, Vergere was shocked as she, alongside the other representatives, gazed into the central fire pit and saw most, if not all, of the Yuuzhan Vong invasion fleet, the very fleet she had been attached to as the Warmaster’s advisor only a short time earlier, collapse and die.
The other four representatives were totally silent. Not even Q had a quip to add to the situation. Each of them --save for Sisko since he had only been doing this for standard four years, but temporal mechanics could theoretically work in his favor -- had seen the destruction of countless life over the eons But to have such a large snuffing out of life in one, simple moment was rare for them and had ironically brought the quiet, calm order to the Quintessence that the Stranger had been seeking..
And as it was such, the Stranger was the one to break that silence.
“You’ve never seen the Yuuzhan Vong suffer a key tactical defeat on this regard, have you?
“No, I have not.”
The Stranger retuned to his chair, his gazed still centered on Vergere.
“As you can see, such is the face of the Merging, of the twists and shifts it can wreck and which we must counter, though now ”
“How?”
“Through you.”
Vergere’s surprise and shock intensified.
“Me?”
The Stranger nodded.
“Yes, Vergere, you. You are the key to delaying and/or stopping the Merging.”
***
To be continued…
***
Author’s Notes
* The Qeh’ral-class Klingon cruisers first appeared in RTS game Armada II.
* Worf’s arming to the teeth and Western-style stand was inspired by the armored Dinobot from the two-parter “Coming of the Fuzors” from Beast Wars: Transformers, my all-time favorite of the many Transformers series.
* Data’s line “How do you like how that shit works”, comes from one of my all-time favorite films, The Rock.
* Agent G -- It’s a combination of both memory and websites/books. While I have a great deal of stored memory on both Trek and Wars, it’s not always easy to keep track of it and therefore, the sites/books/online forums help to verify the facts and make this story a good one/
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Crazedwraith
- Emperor's Hand
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- Location: Cheshire, England
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Robert Walper
- Dishonest Resident Borg Fan-Whore
- Posts: 4206
- Joined: 2002-08-08 03:56am
- Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Woot! Great chapter, JME2!
Data's little emotional display and physical combat came across as both in character and impressive. His comments where classic IMO.
Shinzon's ship displaying the full might of it's bio weapon is also impressive.
The tactical cube is a image I love conjuring up...a vessel pretty much dwarfing everything around it. Mawhaha!
Data's little emotional display and physical combat came across as both in character and impressive. His comments where classic IMO.
Shinzon's ship displaying the full might of it's bio weapon is also impressive.
The tactical cube is a image I love conjuring up...a vessel pretty much dwarfing everything around it. Mawhaha!
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darthdavid
- Pathetic Attention Whore
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- Joined: 2003-02-17 12:04pm
- Location: Bat Country!
Heh, yes, the android strikes back. That was probably my favorite part to write for this chapter. Glad you also enjoyed the Borg segments as well.Robert Walper wrote:Woot! Great chapter, JME2!
Data's little emotional display and physical combat came across as both in character and impressive. His comments where classic IMO.
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paladin3030
- Redshirt
- Posts: 21
- Joined: 2004-04-28 09:54pm
- Location: Sacramento, Ca.
The ground-based battle will have wrapped up by the start of Chapter 18, but don't think it was a breeze. On the contrary, there will be casualties -- who, however, will not be revealed by me at this point in time.paladin3030 wrote:This story kicks ass
But what I want to know is what happened dirtside aka on Earth.
*signs with contentment*
....then....
Damn! You posted at 11:30 last night!?!?! If I stayed on a little while longer I would have gotten first post!
And what was up with the fusion cube's sudden power loss?
Actually, never mind, the answer's probably in an upcoming chapter....
....then....
Damn! You posted at 11:30 last night!?!?! If I stayed on a little while longer I would have gotten first post!
And what was up with the fusion cube's sudden power loss?
Actually, never mind, the answer's probably in an upcoming chapter....
No conscience. No law. No stopping them....
....well, maybe a Happy Meal would do it.
Ka Anor needs test subjects!
I still think Furlings look like tribbles
....well, maybe a Happy Meal would do it.
Ka Anor needs test subjects!
I still think Furlings look like tribbles