Crazedwraith wrote:Pretty nice chapter. Was that Andorian referring to the plan to blow up the sun in hois section? Or was he just being doom'n'gloomy?
The president is thinking about their plan to nuke the sun. The shadowfleet approached him with their Soren type missile as a way to destroy the Imperial fleet if it should come to Andor being conquered.
The Andorians as you'll soon learn were requesting all this assistance from kirk not because they thought they could win if he was there but because they knew by his presence it would ensure that the Imperials wold commit the bulk of their forces to destroy the Federation Remnant fleet thus when Andor died they could be certain of also having dealt a death blow to the Empire.
No one wants to pop their sun to destroy a few stardestroyers.
But essentially this means Kirk and his forces are being used as bait for the Andorians suicide plan.
Wherever you go, there you are.
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I'm quite partial to Mara, and you write her very well. Many fanfic writers mangle her character.
So it's Andor's Last Stand?
Please don't have Khan kill Thrawn in the middle of the battle. That would be even worse than The Last Command end.
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I'm quite partial to Mara, and you write her very well. Many fanfic writers mangle her character.
Very true, she almost as hard to write well for as Thrawn, and Stravo does a very good job in each case.
Forgive me for being nitpicky, but something's been bothering me about this fic since the last posting; nothing big, just me being a continuity hound. Way, way back, when Picard is still working with the Shadow Fleet, he senses the destruction of Unimatrix 001 while at that conference with the Tholians, and heads there. The trip seems to take no more than 2 days (as indicated by the Borg Bunker scene.) How is this accomplished in such a short period of time? Forgive me if there was some explanation given in the story itself or afterwards.
Another wonderfully done chapter. Kittaine reprimanding Skywalker about the Old Republic was great. But you better find a way to somehow get R2 back in Luke's X-Wing, I don't care how, but it needs to be done. There is only one astromech for Luke and it is R2.
I also thought the Klingon War song was great and did a good job of displaying that Humans and Klingons are definately similar in one way if nothing else. They will go into battle knowing they go to their deaths.
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About time we had another chapter. For me there are too many loose ends here to even try and make a guess about what is going to happen. But I can only pray that Stravo won't keep us waiting too long.
Excellent. I do hope to hear from Picard again though. Perhaps taking the newly revived Borg and attack the Imperial fleet from the rear would be nice.
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Stravo wrote:“You realize the man is a tactical and strategic genius not seen since the Jedi Masters during the Clone wars.”
Of course, I'd say he's probably better, otherwise General Grievous would be even better than Thrawn.
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Soontir C'boath wrote:Excellent. I do hope to hear from Picard again though. Perhaps taking the newly revived Borg and attack the Imperial fleet from the rear would be nice.
Isn't Picard dead? I got the impression that he'd died and that the voice of the rebooted borg was telling him that they would honour his memory before he died?
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I know its been a very long time since the last update but things got very busy in RL and now things have calmed down a bit for me so I decided what better way to thank folks for their patience but a new chapter.
Chapter 90: Battle of Andor Part II
Interludes in the Dark
“This is awful.” Orliss huffed. His partner grunted as he pried the access panel open and grimaced at the acrid smell of burnt circuitry and the sight of blackened boards and half lit panels hit him.
“It’s going to take hours to pinpoint the short.” His partner Chaltok snapped angrily.
“You’d think on a relay the size of this little baby it would be easy.”
“But it’s not.” Chaltok finished with a heavy sigh as he gingerly pried one of the boards loose from the array inside the panel. He held it up to the light and inspected the blackened veins that ran through the normally pristine circuit board.
Orliss leaned back against the bulkhead of the small relay satellite. They were floating in the middle of the great voids between worlds and star systems in this forsaken galaxy. With the need for communications and surveillance that spanned this new galaxy Lord Nemesis had secretly ordered the deployment of hyperwave relay station in key points of the galaxy.
These relay stations were responsible for the emergence of a primitive but efficient holonet network for the Imperium. Nemesis also knew that they could be a target for those like Thrawn who was intimately familiar with their technology and so a sharp eye was kept on these relay stations for signs of tampering or sabotage.
It was a vital assignment to keep the lines of communication open for the Imperium especially during these dark times. Orliss sighed deeply.
That didn’t mean that the assignment wasn’t any less boring.
“Are you just going to stand there or are you going to help me track down this short?” Chaltok asked with a frown. He gingerly pulled another board loose and saw the trail of blackened material. He was on the trail of the short that burned its way through the network. Problem was that just this access panel alone contained over 2,000 boards so it could be a long investigation.
Normally they would just run diagnostics and the like but Nemesis had been clear that he also wanted manual inspections. He was a paranoid bastard but they understood just how easy it was to hide sabotage and the like in a system this complex. It helped that Nemesis had been a rebel once long ago and he knew how easy it had been for the Alliance to hide their works from Imperial repair crews.
As sensible as the orders were it wasn’t Nemesis who would be checking a million boards by hand.
“Don’t you feel frustrated?” Orliss asked as he got down on one knee and pried open another access panel.
“Yeah, I think this level has over 100,000 boards alone.” Chaltok replied glumly.
“No,” Orliss snapped. “I mean our fleet is about to engage Thrawn’s and we’re out here in the middle of nowhere looking at circuit boards!”
“Calm down.” Chaltok replied in annoyance. “In case you didn’t know this about us – we’re technicians, low level ones at that. What good are we going to do in that battle?”
Orliss shook his head.
“We could do a lot. Damage control, who knows we could be the ones that fix the component that allows the ship to destroy an enemy vessel. Hell, we could be the very ones that turn the tide of battle.”
Chaltok glanced over at his co-worker and smirked.
“You still having those delusions of grandeur are you?”
“It’s not delusions to say that we can make a difference, even you and I.”
Chaltok chuckled softly as he pried another board loose.
“I am very accepting of my place in the universe my friend. The battles are won by the stormtroopers, soldiers and pilots out there. People like you and me will always be behind the scenes quiet and forgotten.”
“And you don’t think that can change?” Orliss pressed.
Chaltok seemed pensive for a moment and promptly shook his head.
“No. You and me, we’ll be out here fixing relay stations for the rest of our lives and patching together electronic gear while the others reap the glory and frankly that’s fine by me. Since when did you get all religious about those making a difference stuff?” Chaltok gently chided.
“Since we got here. This galaxy is different somehow, so many opportunities. Hell look at us indeed, we were 4th class techs trusted with only the most basic of hardware and now look at us – upgrading and maintaining a holonet of our own.”
“You’ll excuse me if I don’t celebrate out meteoric rise to glory.” Chaltok replied with a snort.
Orliss pursed his lips and held another board up to his light as he inspected it for tell tale markings of a short.
“I think we can make a difference. It’s all wasted out here though. The real battle is about to happen any day now.”
“If it makes you feel any better I think I may have found the source for our short.” Chaltok announced triumphantly and held up a board over his shoulder.
Before Orliss could say anything else the lights all winked out in the blink of an eye plunging the interior of the relay station into darkness.
“What the hell?!”
“Calm down, check your other work lights and if they’re not working we simply make our way back to the ship.” Chaltok said coolly as he slowly rose up off his knees and felt around for the nearest bulkhead for support.
He could hear Orliss fumbling around his utility belt for his other lights and clicking each one.
“No go on the lights. Its as if every battery lost their charge.”
“Well, we’ll solve that mystery once we get back to our shi—“
A golden light exploded in the interior of the relay station flooding over the two men and forcing each one to shield their eyes with their hands.
“What the hell is that?!” Orliss exclaimed.
The light began to die down almost as quickly as it came into being and through the harsh golden glow they could see the figure of a human being walking towards them. Both men were riveted in place as the golden light dimmed enough for them to clearly make out the figure that stood calmly before them regarding the duo with a passive gaze.
“Who are you?” Chaltok stammered wishing desperately he had his blaster with him.
The human was tall and lean, bald head and piercing eyes that regarded them with a preternatural calm.
“I am Picard of Borg. Your biological and technological distinctiveness will be honored as our own.”
“The bloody Borg.” Orliss hissed in desperate anger.
Picard was suffused by a pale golden luminescence and there were crystalline like implants along his arms and torso that pulsed in time with his heartbeat. He watched each one with a compassionate calm expression.
“Do not be alarmed. Much has changed since last you encountered the Borg. The Collective is no more. The Borg are a unity as they were always meant to be.”
“That all sounds well and good, Borg, but you’re not assimilating us without a fight!”
Picard held up his hands to show that they were empty.
“We no longer assimilate by force. We are inviting you to join the Unity.”
Chaltok and Orliss exchanged confused and uncomfortable glances. Despite Orliss’ bravado they both knew that there wasn’t much of a fight they could put up against the Borg. Chaltok glanced out one of the view ports as movement caught his eye.
A massive cube was floating into view, completely dwarfing the relay station and the Imperium shuttle. The cube was different somehow to Chaltok’s eye. It was cleaner, more ordered and instead of metallic tubing and irregular plates this cube was encased in crystalline ribs but the most striking feature was the change in color. Instead of sickly emerald glow that emanated from all things Borg, this cube was brimming in golden light identical to the halo that shimmered around Picard.
“You think we believe you when you say you won’t force us?!”
“You think we’re stupid Borg?”
Picard shook his head slowly and smiled.
“No, on the contrary you have very valuable knowledge that could help turn the tide of this conflict and bring peace to all the factions.”
Orliss’ eyes narrowed suspiciously.
“And how could that possibly be?”
Picard took a moment to regard each one before speaking.
“Your intimate knowledge of the foundations of Imperial technology will allow the Unity to better assimilate Imperial Technology and find weaknesses that will allow us to defeat Thrawn and his forces.”
“And just as easily turn on Lord Nemesis too? I don’t think so Borg scum.” Chaltok replied tightly.
“We are prepared to offer a lasting peace to the Imperium. The Borg Unity is not interested in war. However it is interested in ending a growing threat from the Imperials under Thrawn’s command. We have recently discovered a weapon of awesome power in their arsenal.”
“What are you talking about?”
Picard extended his hand palm up and a golden hologram sprang to life dancing in the middle of his hand. Both technicians saw something massive move past an unknown camera position and the view focused sharply now on the object. It was the size of a small moon and spider web like skeletal material jutted out from the unfinished framework.
“This object passed through a star system 6 hours ago and took up station keeping in the shadow of this gas giant. We only know of its existence after we reactivated our reconnaissance and surveillance network. The power readings on this vessel indicate that it has the potential to shatter worlds.”
“The deathstar…” Orliss gasped.
“That isn’t possible…is it?”
“So you are aware of this vessel’s capabilities?” Picard asked simply.
“Yeah.” Chaltok replied suspiciously.
“And you’re right about what it can do.”
“So you see the dilemma. Can your Imperium defeat this deathstar?”
Chaltok and Orliss exchanged troubled glances.
“The entire Starfleet would be hard pressed to crack that nut let alone our small fleet.” Chaltok mused grimly.
“But you think these guys can stop it?” Orliss indicated Picard with a nod of his head.
Chaltok eyed Picard up and down. He didn’t look like any Borg he had ever seen before. There was no pale greenish pallor to his skin, the implants seem to compliment him and were certainly not intrusive like the eye socket implants he knew all Borg to possess. Unlike the other Borg they had seen this one displayed emotion.
“What will happen to us if we agree?”
“I will take you to my vessel where you will be assimilated into the Unity.”
“So we’ll be zombies like the rest of your kind?” Orliss pressed fearfully.
Picard smiled softly and shook his head.
“No. You will become part of something…wonderful. You will lay your troubles down and embrace something greater than yourself and not by force as the previous Borg incarnation has done. The assimilation is a process of free will and choices and once you are joined there is no turning back but you will be part of something that will last forever. I cannot make the decision for you but you have my word on this – if you join the Borg Unity we will make war on Thrawn and drive him from this galaxy and we shall make peace with the Imperium. You see we harbor no ill will to Lord Nemesis or your Imperium. It is your coming that has allowed us to ascend to our true state. If not for your destruction of Unimatrix 001 we would still be locked in an awful stasis of Collective Will.”
“This is a bad idea.” Chaltok commented darkly to Orliss. Orliss did not seem as troubled as he continued staring at the image of the deathstar.
“We can do this.” Orliss muttered.
“What?” Chaltok exclaimed in surprise.
“We can do this, we know all the major systems on that beast, including the general theories. Hell most of her technology is merely a step up from technology that’s been around since before the Clone Wars.” Orliss explained as his voice grew more sure.
“You can’t be serious.”
Orliss looked at his partner and smiled warmly.
“I’ve never been more serious. Let’s do this old friend. You and me.”
Chaltok was aghast at the sudden change in attitude on Orliss. Fear was replaced by a great driving motivation now and the technician took a step towards Picard.
“You’re sure this will work?”
“There are no certainties in life, but at least we can say that we tried…and we made a difference.” Picard looked at Orliss meaningfully.
Orliss extended his hand to Picard and turned his head to Chaltok.
“I can’t do this alone, Chaltok. You’re better at the power technology that I am. We need you.”
“Suddenly it’s ‘we’!” Chaltok protested.
“Please. This is our chance, do you really think the Emperor is going to give a damn about two techs out in the void? But when those two techs hand the Imperium victory we will be remembered and we will have made a difference…” Orliss extended his other hand to Chaltok. “Or do you want to go on tracking down shorted panels for the rest of your life?”
Chaltok numbly looked down at the panel in his hands and then back up at Orliss. The panel slowly slipped out of his grip and clattered to the ground. He hesitantly extended his hand to take Orliss’ then looked at Picard.
“Will it hurt?” he asked softly.
“There is no pain where we are going. Only the promise of a new beginning.” Picard replied and they all vanished in a sparkling column of gold light. The relay station was left again in darkness, the only evidence that the two technicians had ever been there was a dropped circuit board and two open panels.
THE WOLF AT THE DOOR ANDOR ORBIT T MINUS 2 MINUTES.
“All wings report in.” Uhura ordered.
Kirk half listened to the chatter now as thousands of starships began reporting in. He focused on the datapad in his hand and kept one eye on the tactical display on the main viewer. On it Andor was a large bluish orb surrounded by a crown of stars. Each star indicated a wing of starships all standing by for the coming battle. A countdown was quickly – too quickly for his tastes – unwinding on the top left portion of the screen and a hyperspace disturbance was slowly forming on the lower right portion of the screen.
Thrawn’s expected exit.
Kirk however suspected otherwise. He knew that the Grand Admiral would not risk dropping out of hyperspace in the midst of a minefield even if they were no real threat to his shields. Too many things could go wrong, one errant blast, one shield malfunction and he could lose a warship without the Federation firing a shot.
No. Thrawn left nothing to chance and he certainly was no going to do so now. They both knew this was the battle that could decide the fate of the galaxy and neither Thrawn nor Kirk were going to allow that bitch Fate to take one shot at ruining the party.
This would be decided by their fleets and nothing else.
“Uhura, patch me through to the fleet wide band.”
“You’re on sir.”
Kirk took a moment to compose himself and spoke, one eye on the countdown.
“All fleet ships, this is Captain James Tiberius Kirk. This is the moment that we have been waiting for since this war began. The galaxy makes her stand and whether we be Klingon, Human, Andorian, Vulcan or any other of the myriad of species upholding our cause we will not back down, we will not break, we will not yield.”
“And if this be our hour then let it come and what ever the end result may be – if we are to come back with out shields or upon them this galaxy will know that we made our stand and we said Come and take our freedom if you are able. Let future generations say of us millennia from now, ‘they were brave, they did not yield and when our time comes may we be like them.’”
Kirk nodded to the view screen.
“The hour is at hand, the wolf is at our door stand with me now.”
“Picking up a surge in quantum particles at 16 light years out.” Spock announced coolly.
“Red Alert.” Kirk announced grimly. “Battle stations.”
“Lord Vader, this fleet is in your capable hands.” Thrawn announced calmly as he stood hands clasped behind his back and watched his fleet deployed around the Executor. His officers moved quickly between crew stations below him and the quiet murmur of orders and reports being passed between crew pits created a satisfying background hum.
“Victory is now at hand.” Vader replied.
On the bridge of the Devastator Lord Vader stood at the navigation station and the officers in the pit were stiff and slightly uncomfortable with the presence of the armored giant in their station with them but they were all ready to do their duty as they had always done under his command.
Vader placed his hands on the navigation counsel and began working the controls, the rest of the fleet’s navigation systems were slaved to the Devastator’s counsel to allow this maneuver to work. Now Vader would be in control of the fleet and where it would go.
All he needed to do now was replicate his son’s feat at the Battle of Sector 001. Simple enough really, the boy was powerful indeed but he was still woefully unprepared for the true mysteries and powers that the Dark Side granted its adepts and masters. Vader had basked in the shadows and soothing darkness of the Dark Side for decades. There was nothing the boy could do that he could not.
He held onto that ember of anger. Luke had betrayed him. Luke had walked away from all that Vader stood for and arrogantly thought that Vader would follow him. Bitterness at the thought that after years of planning that were soon coming to fruition with his son at his side he would cast down Palpatine and bring Order to this galaxy. Palpatine had failed in so many of his promises, whispered vows of powers and secrets beyond knowing and in the end they were two old men desperately clinging to what they had. No immortality, no unlimited power.
Vader would change all that.
He realized what the limitation was. It was not in him as his Master insinuated so many times during their arcane research in plumbing the depths of the darkside – it was actually in Palpatine himself. Palpatine was a shadow of what Vader could have been and that was what was holding Vader back. It was only when he was in the presence of his son that he realized the truth.
With Luke at his side he could accomplish nearly anything. The Force sung in his son like a chorus. He had never met anyone as powerful except for himself back in those dark days before Mustafar. The Force sung in him as well but now it was always muted, always distant as if the cold dark suit and machinery were cupping his ears from the song.
But Luke had no such restrictions and together they could have found the secret of Plagueis and that would be the Sith’s ultimate gift to the galaxy wouldn’t it? The gift that would seal the people to the Order far greater than the pathetic Jedi. The Jedi promised law and order, peace at the end of their lightsabers.
Darth Vader would bring them life eternal.
Who would be remembered and revered forever?
One of Vader’s black gauntleted hands gripped the edge of the navigation counsel in anger and the metal creaked and began to buckle.
But Luke had ruined that now. His betrayal assured that Palpatine would hunt the boy down and destroy him and Vader would once again be under the old man’s shadow.
Damn the boy.
Vader’s anger gave impetus to his senses as he opened them up the very foundations of the universe. He stretched out with his feelings (Luke betrayed me) and he could feel the pathways between the stars. He could sense the ebb and flow of gravitic currents and eddies (Luke will force my hand) and he anchored himself on his end and searched out for the strands that would bring him to Andor. The pale blue sun was merely a glittering jewel in the galactic firmament and he could feel it now in his hands, he cupped it close to him and (I must obey my master) felt the strands connecting Andor to his current location. He sensed the quivering links of the Force that extended outward from the life generated around the fourth world from Andor’s primary and out to his fleet – the only source of life in this system.
It did not matter that the life energy was separated by sixteen long cold light years of empty lifeless space (The Emperor will demand Luke’s Life) because with the Force time and distance (and even death) meant nothing. Sixteen light years might as well have been sixteen steps.
The path was clear. (I will have to kill my son) The course was set.
As if in a dream Vader inputted the coordinates and the fleet launched itself into light speed.
I will have to kill Luke. It is his destiny.
“Hyperspace emergence…sector 7?!” Sulu’s astonished report mirrored the shock from many as an Imperial fleet seemingly appeared out of nowhere in a flash of pseudo motion, bypassing all the mines and defensive rings that enclosed the last free system of the Federation. Grand Admiral Thrawn announced his presence with a storm of green turbo laser fire that lashed out like the rage of a god.
“All vessels, commence evasive action and group for phalanx formation on my mark.” Kirk ordered as the Enterprise pitched and yawed madly to evade the enemy fire. He watched without reaction as several starships flanking the Enterprise were peeled away in plumes of fire and plasma like fireworks in the night at the lethal touch of the emerald turbolaser bolts .
“Fleet elements moving into position.”
“Holding fire.”
Kirk leaned forward in his seat as the Super stardestroyer Executor loomed on his view screen flanked by her squadron of stardestroyers. They waded into the fleet without hesitation.
Around the Enterprise hundreds of starships in the initial attack wing quickly formed up around the Enterprise in a wedge formation, doing their best to ignore the turbolaser fire and rapidly approaching cloud of Imperial fighters.
“All ships in position.” Spock reported.
“Execute phalanx formation. Mr. Scott, this is your show.”
Scotty nodded sharply and turned his attention to the engineering station monitors. On his screen hundreds of small icons flashed and spun as the computer picked up the various shields grids from the hundreds of starships forming around the Enterprise in formation.
The icons all began to flash as one, a single pale blue color spread from each icon until the shields all morphed into one.
“Shield harmonics have been matched and overlaid. Phalanx in place.”
“Now, all fleet elements, hard to Port and concentrate all firepower on the nearest stardestroyer. Fighter wings move in to intercept TIE fighters and take some heat off our big ships.”
“Acknowledged.”
The leading elements of the fleet turned as one in a giant pinwheel like formation and unleashed a murderous fusillade of torpedo and phaser fire. The lead stardestroyer, Accuser, took the brunt of the strike on her conning tower shields. Unlike before, when dozens of starships at a time would concentrate fire on a single shield arc, here hundreds of starships were beginning to concentrate their fire and the Imperial shields were showing the strain.
However the true surprise came when the Accuser returned fire with several turbolaser volleys that seemed to splash harmlessly against the shields of her attackers. Green splotches of turbolaser fire angrily spread over the shields of incoming starships but did not touch their hulls.
“Scotty?” Kirk asked without turning his attention from the view screen.
“Phalanx is holding sair but I canna guarantee it will hold against a full broadsides from those beasts.” Scotty reported, pride shot through his voice.
“Let’s see if that gives the Grand Admiral something to think about.” Kirk mused and motioned for the next wing to add to the attack on the Accuser.
“Their shields are holding?!” Piett announced in stunned disbelief.
“They must have found some frequency that nullifies our turbolasers.” Jerjerrod suggested.
Thrawn grimaced in distaste.
“Don’t be a fool. Our weapons are not frequency based. But their defenses are…” Thrawn turned his head towards the tactical station. “I want a full spectral analysis of their shield grids before the next pass. Do not fail me.” Thrawn ordered coldly.
“Right away Grand Admiral.”
“What do you suspect?” Piett asked.
“That James Kirk will be taking full advantage of his primitive technology for this battle and we will have to adjust accordingly. Have the second wing move in to support the –”
A beam of coherent light slashed downward like a blade and cut through the forward sections of the Accuser as it prepared to unleash a broadsides at the passing Federation attack wings. An explosion of bright light was immediately dimmed by the automatic dampeners of the Executor’s armored view ports.
“Sir…we’ve lost the Accuser.” The tactical officer reported with some dismay.
“Report!” Piett snapped.
“An antiproton beam of super laser levels discharged into the Accuser’s weakened shield grid.”
“Our mystery vessel reveals herself.” Thrawn nodded knowingly as the debris field that was once the mighty and proud stardestroyer Accuser parted to allow passage of a massive kilometers long conical vessel. Its open maw glowed hungrily as she faced the rest of the Imperial armada.
“The Excalibur. I thought her lost over Romulus.” Piett snarled and nodded to his gunnery chiefs. “Lock on and prepare to engage.”
“Negative, Admiral. I have plans for that vessel. Have the forward wings split into an S Formation, completely bypass the vessel and launch tac bomber wings Theta and Zeta to commence attack runs on the Excalibur. Tell them to focus their runs on the maw structure as we planned. No other capital ship is to get within range of her. If she cannot engage us she cannot harm us. Leave her to our fighters and bombers. Her lack of point defenses will prove her undoing.”
Piett smiled triumphantly at the wicked simplicity of the Grand Admiral’s plans.
“You’ve managed to neutralize their greatest asset in one fell swoop. My congratulations Grand Admiral.” Jerjerrod pointed out with a respectful bow of his head.
“You’re all fools if you think that Kirk will simply roll over and die because you neutralized his best combatant.” Khan piped up quietly from his place behind Thrawn. He was flanked by two Noghri who watched the genetic superman with a cautious eye. Kahn was wearing a simple tunic and had his hands bound in front of him. Thrawn made it clear he did not want Kahn out of his sight again. Ever. So now he played the part of ornamental prisoner for the alien.
Kahn was a patient commander though. His time would come. Vader, the only thing he feared was not on the Executor and the chaos of battle was so enticingly ripe for gambits such as his.
“The Excalibur is and always has been the lynchpin of any offense on the Federation’s part. Make no mistake that her neutralization will have a devastating effect on Kirk’s stratagems today but you are quite right Kahn. Kirk will not simply roll over and die but consider this, I have yet to see anything that I have not formed a contingency against.”
“His trick with the shields…” Jerjerrod began.
“Grand Admiral we have a spectral analysis of the leading attack wings’ shield grids. They read as one single grid.”
Thrawn nodded and pursed his lips.
“As I thought, he has found a way to link all their shields together, instead of a single starship forming a shield grid he is using complementary harmonics to make it seem as if one shield grid is being generated utilizing the power cores of hundreds of starships.”
Piett nodded with a respectful smirk.
“Creative little gundark isn’t he?”
Thrawn nodded.
“I would expect no less.” Off to the lower right hand corner a Strike cruiser dropped out of formation as a wing of Vorcha class attack cruisers concentrated a volley on her engines. The Klingon ships were decloaking within the fleet with impunity and making haphazard attack runs on any exposed ship.
Or so it seemed haphazard for someone who had not dreamed this battle to the final detail.
Thrawn’s eyes narrowed on the Federation fleet formation as it bypassed the wreckage of the Accuser and began marching out to meet the secondary wings with impunity. The phalanx shields were holding to the barrages lancing out to meet them and the return fire was like a tempest of red phaser and cold blue quantum torpedoes.
“What’s going on here?” Thrawn wondered aloud and strode closer to the view ports.
A Klingon Bird of Prey suddenly decloaked off to the upper starboard and fell into pursuit of a passing Tie Fighter squadron, her disruptor cannons firing in a maddening fast stream of sickly green bolts that picked off the majority of the squadron before she broke off in a tight turn and cloaked again just in time to avoid an angry torrent of fire from a close by support vessel.
“I want positional reports of the Klingon fleet elements.”
“It will prove difficult sir, they keep cloaking and decloa---” the tactical officer’s voice trailed off as Thrawn turned his full attention on him.
“Did I ask you if my assignment would prove difficult?” Thrawn asked coldly.
“As you command Grand Admiral.” The tactical officer stammered and quickly turned to his scanning crews.
“You suspect the Klingons are planning something for Kirk?” Jerjerrod asked quietly as he stepped to Thrawn’s left. Thrawn watched the young officer out of the corner of his eyes. A Noghri was very subtly trailing Jerjerrod.
“Quite the contrary,” Thrawn replied as a Vorcha attack cruiser dropped past them, both nacelles blasted off by Imperial fire and a small flight of TIE fighters mercilessly pursued her freefall blasting away at the hull. “I don’t think they’re working with Kirk at all.”
Jerjerrod blinked in confusion.
“Note the Federation fleet positions. They are trying to push our fleet away from Andor and into the defensive perimeter around the planet in hopes of bogging us down in the mine field and Andor’s moon defenses. The Klingons however are doing absolutely nothing to aid in that endeavor and instead seemed to be focused on their own goals.” A pair of Bird of preys were blasted apart as their pursuit of a TIE interceptor squadron brought them right beneath the Devastator.
“I don’t understand.”
Thrawn was handed a report from the tactical officer. He glanced down at the positional report on the Klingon ships. He nodded to himself.
“So, Kirk has unleashed the Klingons on us and he has no idea what they’re doing.”
“Madness.”
“Or genius. That means I have to deduce what two fleets will do instead of just pulling apart a single plan. He is so afraid of me getting into his head he has purposefully kept himself ignorant of the Klingon battle plans.” Thrawn sighed softly. “The fool is merely delaying the inevitable.” Thrawn turned to Piett.
“Admiral, I tire of seeing the Federation fleet flaunting their new found strength. Show them what an Imperial focused barrage can do, I want all guns to track and fire, time on target, aim for the center of that fleet.”
“Understood Grand Admiral.”
“Now Kirk, you’ve shown me your opening gambits, allow me to retort.” Thrawn whispered icily at the sight of the approaching Federation fleet.
The Executor’s hundreds of turbolaser batteries tracked the approaching Federation fleet and unleashed a single voluminous barrage of green fire, all bolts computer timed and aimed to strike the federation fleet simultaneously.
The impact occurred less than a second later.
“Hold on!” Kirk shouted as the bridge pitched hard backwards and sent several crewmen sprawling off their feet and into railings of other crewmen. A counsel died in a violent blast of sparks and smoke.
Around the Enterprise starships suddenly came to a sudden stop and erupted into miniature suns as their warp cores breached in response to the violent feedback from their shields. Many more starships seemed to slow or come to a dead stop, damaging explosions rippling through their interiors.
“Scotty, I need a sitrep now. Sulu bring the fleet around for a pass at that stardestroyer and keep it between us and the Executor. And where the hell is Riker?”
“Sair! Phalanx system temporarily overloaded. We just received far more than we could possibly compensate for. Feedback destroyed some of our ships and we have damages on many more. I warned ye about this.” Scotty replied in frustration. Even with the phalanx the federation shields were hardly on a par with the destructive firepower of Imperial warships.
“Duly noted.”
“Sir, the Excalibur is trying to get back into the fight but she’s not fast enough to catch up with the Imperial ships. They’re avoiding her and she’s under heavy fighter and bomber attack.”
“Alright, let’s see if we can’t help her out. Sulu have the 2nd Defiant Wing detach and support the Excalibur.”
“Aye sir.”
“Now,” Kirk began, adjusting his gold command shirt and wiping sweat off his brow as he took his seat again. He eyed the Imperial fleet before him on the view screen “maintain attack posture keep those stardestroyers between us and the Executor and standby for Operation Round hammer. All tactical stations, prepare to swap out quantum torpedoes for proton warheads”
“Aye sir.”
Kirk flicked a private com channel on his command chair.
“Jellico?”
“Here sir.”
“It’s time for you to join our little dance as soon as the Round-hammer falls.”
“Watch us soar, sir.” Jellico replied.
The fleets continued hammering at each other, hundreds of starships swarmed around the massive Imperial warships as fighters danced between them in tight little dances of death, white, green and red bolts zipped between the combatants sometimes connecting with explosive results.
A wing of Defiant class starships raced over the conning tower of a stardestroyer and suddenly dropped straight down, spinning on their axis as they came upon the Excalibur. Her long blue cylindrical hull was lit up by the explosions as torpedoes skipped off her neutronium hull in impotent explosions. TIE fighters walked their hungry green laser bolts along the hull of the ship as they swarmed like flies around a carcass.
The Defiants broke off into two separate attack wings, one took a sharp hairpin turn and drove straight for an approaching wing of TIE Bombers intent on delivering their destructive payloads into the open maw of the Federation warship. The other wing immediately fell upon the TIE fighters like a pack of wolves.
William Riker held on to one of the makeshift command stations built into the Excalibur. He cursed softly and looked over Data’s shoulder.
“Mr. Data am I correct in assuming that if those bombers deliver their payload into our maw section that would be a bad thing?” Riker asked tightly.
Data looked back at Riker for a moment.
“It would be a very bad thing sir.”
Riker smiled and slapped Data on the shoulder. “I do believe you just made a joke Mr. data.”
“I was merely trying to emphasize the gravity of the situation utilizing the terms you used as a frame of reference.” Data explained with some confusion.
“Never mind, Data. Mr. Paris?”
“Sir?” Tom replied without looking up as he worked the helm controls frantically trying to get the ship with the responsiveness of a Denebian slug worm to out maneuver Imperial fighters for their very survival.
“Don’t give them a clear shot at us and prepare a scattershot from our main gun.”
“Aye sir.” Tom replied and fought the urge to roll his eyes. This ship was in no way shape or form going to be able to dodge torpedo fire or prevent anything else other than the broadside of a barn target that it was.
Riker hit his com badge.
“Geordie?”
“I’m working on it.” Geordie replied anticipating Riker’s next request.
“They’re not having trouble locking on to us Geordie. Our subspace scattering field is doing little good in terms of EM jamming.”
“Well sir, if I amp it up anymore we’re going to start interfering with our own fleet’s systems.” Geordie explained calmly as he diligently worked on several counsels at once in the makeshift engineering section.
“Understood, and Geordie what are the chances of getting a better rate of fire on the main gun?”
“Unless you want to start devouring Andor we have to be very careful with our capacitors, sir. I’ll try my best but frankly we’re skirting the edge of exhausting our batteries as it is.”
“Damnit, you think whomever designed this thing would have made it a little more user friendly.”
“Frankly sir, my best guess is this thing wasn’t designed to be a warship but more of a terror weapon.” Geordie replied as he smiled. A system responded to his gentle ministering and he got a desired result, not a usual event on this vessel.
“We’ll talk about this later, we’re trying to stop the Empire from ramming a few torpedoes down our throat.”
Geordie frowned and stopped working for a moment as the implications became readily apparent.
“That would be a very bad thing.”
“So I’m told.” Riker replied with a grim smile.
Wherever you go, there you are.
Ripped Shirt Monkey - BOTMWriter's GuildCybertron's FinestJustice League
This updated sig brought to you by JME2
I know its been a very long time since the last update but things got very busy in RL and now things have calmed down a bit for me so I decided what better way to thank folks for their patience but a new chapter.
Unnacceptable! Igor! Bring the testicle-clamps and the power cells!
Superior Moderator - BotB - HAB [Drill Instructor]-Writer- Stardestroyer.net's resident Star-God.
"We believe in the systematic understanding of the physical world through observation and experimentation, argument and debate and most of all freedom of will." ~ Stargate: The Ark of Truth
“Don’t be a fool. Our weapons are not frequency based.
Loooooved that jab right there I did
Lovely work as always Mr.Stravo. I should let ye know I read your newest chapter while listening to "Epistle" from Escaflowne... If you don't know what that is, I'll just say its music perfect for the grandure and awe inspireing nature of this battle...
Oh yes "I am Picard of Borg"
That was Bloody Brillant!
Praying is another way of doing nothing helpful
"Congratulations, you get a cookie. You almost got a fundamental English word correct." Pick
"Outlaw star has spaceships that punch eachother" Joviwan Read "Tales From The Crossroads"! Read "One Wrong Turn"!
"Picard of Borg" tehehehehee!
Though I suppose it'll still take him a while to get the borg back up to speed. I'm looking forward to the TNG crew's reaction when the Unity reveal themselves.
Oh, and you might want to find and replace 'counsel' with 'console.'
Superior Moderator - BotB - HAB [Drill Instructor]-Writer- Stardestroyer.net's resident Star-God.
"We believe in the systematic understanding of the physical world through observation and experimentation, argument and debate and most of all freedom of will." ~ Stargate: The Ark of Truth
NecronLord wrote:Oh, and you might want to find and replace 'counsel' with 'console.'
I thought that looked wrong and couldn't put my finger on it.
Anyone have any thoughts on Vader's realization on what he could do with Palgueis' gift of eternal life? I mean it hit me like a thunderbolt as I was writing that scene. Anakin giving the galaxy eternal life - wouldn't that make everything he did OK in everyone's book? Evil men like to justiufy what they've done.
Wherever you go, there you are.
Ripped Shirt Monkey - BOTMWriter's GuildCybertron's FinestJustice League
This updated sig brought to you by JME2
I know its been a very long time since the last update but things got very busy in RL and now things have calmed down a bit for me so I decided what better way to thank folks for their patience but a new chapter.
I can think of a better way: two new chapters!
Good chapter. It's nice to see the shit finally hitting the fan.
"I want to mow down a bunch of motherfuckers with absurdly large weapons and relative impunity - preferably in and around a skyscraper. Then I want to fight a grim battle against the unlikely duo of the Terminator and Robocop. The last level should involve (but not be limited to) multiple robo-Hitlers and a gorillasaurus rex."--Uraniun235 on his ideal FPS game
"The ability to destroy a planet is insignificant compared to the power of the Force."--Darth Vader
HOLY SHIT! New Starcrossed! *does happy dance of joy*
Now, to read.
EDIT: As always, an excellent read, and one that seems to end far too quickly. I wonder what Luke's reaction to the Unity will be.
Fragment of the Lord of Nightmares, release thy heavenly retribution. Blade of cold, black nothingness: become my power, become my body. Together, let us walk the path of destruction and smash even the souls of the Gods! RAGNA BLADE!
Lore Monkey | the Pichu-master™
Secularism—since AD 80
Av: Elika; Prince of Persia
Stravo wrote:
Anyone have any thoughts on Vader's realization on what he could do with Palgueis' gift of eternal life? I mean it hit me like a thunderbolt as I was writing that scene. Anakin giving the galaxy eternal life - wouldn't that make everything he did OK in everyone's book? Evil men like to justiufy what they've done.
I didn't think that seemed too farfetched. Afterall didn't Anakin vow to become the most powerful Jedi and stop people from dying after his mother died in AOTC.
As to the reasons, I suppose Vader still does have the need to justify his actions as Palpatine's lackey for all those years.
