You know, I'm wondering now... If charlie tries to repeat that trick with the exploding generators, and Vader detects it... what will happen
Mostly the equivlant of what would happen say in 40k Verse if you where 2 miles from the Golden Thrown and said "That Damn emperor of mankind is a lazy ass"
"A cult is a religion with no political power." -Tom Wolfe Pardon me for sounding like a dick, but I'm playing the tiniest violin in the world right now-Dalton
You know, I'm wondering now... If charlie tries to repeat that trick with the exploding generators, and Vader detects it... what will happen
Mostly the equivlant of what would happen say in 40k Verse if you where 2 miles from the Golden Thrown and said "That Damn emperor of mankind is a lazy ass"
lol
Ph34r teh eyebrow!!11!Writers GuildSluggitePawn of ChaosWYGIWYGAINGW so now i have to put ACPATHNTDWATGODW in my sigEBC-Honorary Geordie Hammerman! Hammer!
Thrawn
Vader
Gary Morley
Klingons
Shadow Fleet
Scimitars
Nemesis and co.
Emperor + DS2
I'm adding one more to the list that i thought some people would have got:
WHAT ABOUT BOBA FETT!!!!!
Ph34r teh eyebrow!!11!Writers GuildSluggitePawn of ChaosWYGIWYGAINGW so now i have to put ACPATHNTDWATGODW in my sigEBC-Honorary Geordie Hammerman! Hammer!
2000AD wrote:The current list of "What about ..." stands at:
Thrawn
Vader
Thrawn just hyperspaced in, in the latest chapter. And presumable Vader is still on his flag ship(with Thrawn).
"Okay, I'll have the truth with a side order of clarity." ~ Dr. Daniel Jackson.
"Reality has a well-known liberal bias." ~ Stephen Colbert
"One Drive, One Partition, the One True Path" ~ ars technica forums - warrens - on hhd partitioning schemes.
"A cult is a religion with no political power." -Tom Wolfe Pardon me for sounding like a dick, but I'm playing the tiniest violin in the world right now-Dalton
He'll probably show up in the next few chapters to collect his bounty.
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
Star Crossed Doesn't need the bump fool! Read Planet of Dyig Dreams!
"If it's true that our species is alone in the universe, then I'd have to say that the universe aimed rather low and settled for very little." -George Carlin (1937-2008)
"Have some of you Americans actually seen Football? Of course there are 0-0 draws but that doesn't make them any less exciting." -Dr Roberts, with quite possibly the dumbest thing ever said in 10 years of SDNet.
Darth Garden Gnome wrote:*shoots lightening bolt at Starcrossed*
LIVE! LIIIVVVVVEEEEEE!
Thought it could use a bump...
*Shoots the Gnome with a Hadoken* Damn you for getting my hopes up, DAMN YOU!
Justice League, Super-Villain Carnage "Carnage Rules!" Cult of the Kitten Mew...The Black Mage with The KnifeSD.Net Chronicler of the PastBun Bun is my hero.The Official Verilonitis Vaccinator
Sorry for the delay, but I'm sure you don't want to hear excuses....on with the story folks.
Chapter 40: Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea Part 1
“This is the rebel fleet that has dogged our Imperial forces?” Piett asked in shock as he watched the small ships flitting about beneath the windows of the Executor as they emerged from hyperspace and took up combat positions.
“The same could have been said of 30 rebel starfighters three years ago over a certain battle station.” Jerjerrod added neutrally as he handed Thrawn a datapad with the latest status reports.
Vader stood stoically watching the scene unfold before him, feeling the presence of his son out in the void drawing nearer. There was something different in him, something not the same since last he saw him on Coruscant. The raging fury within him from the betrayal by the pitiful slaves of the light side. There was something else in him that Vader did not expect. Resolve. A deep seated resolve now to impose order. He could feel his son’s concern as he drew closer and felt his own presence.
What have you done here? Vader wondered.
“Never underestimate a foe, Admiral Piett. The first rule of engagement.” Thrawn said coolly and nodded to the tactical officer.
“All weapons systems fully charged. Tracking computers are selecting targets.”
“Do we even know which side is ours?” Jerjerrod asked.
“Imperial energy signatures are on the planet below. We have picked up numerous hyperspace emergence and transit signatures all throughout this system. There is no doubt that this is a major base for the Imperial fleet here.”
“The question is, where are they?” Thrawn asked no one in particular and scanned the deployment of the rebel ships. His eyes narrowed on a quadrant of the scanning report.
“That is their flagship.” He said stabbing his finger down at the representation of a Sovereign class vessel.
“She is not in a standard flagship deployment. It seems as if she has pulled away from the rest of the fleet.” Piett noted.
“On the surface it certainly seems that way, but note the radial pattern of the fleet. Note the way the battle front seems to wheel around this single vessel. No, that is the flagship, Admiral. We have merely arrived at a point in time when they are trying to desperately avoid a direct assault on their center.” Thrawn replied, hands steepled beneath his chin as he watched the Federation fleet responding to his order.
Of course they were not standing down.
“Federation fleet is starting to form a phalanx, the flagship, tentatively identified as Enterprise is slipping back behind the wall.” Jerjerrod noted.
Thrawn nodded barely perceptively.
“We are receiving frantic hails from the opposing fleet. They identify themselves as provincial allies.”
“Indeed?” Thrawn replied eyes shifting slightly to look at the reports scrolling on his personal computer display.
“And yet none of you have told me anything concerning the vessel on an intercept course to the planet below and by all our readings seems to have devoured another planet nearby.” Thrawn noted quietly.
Jerjerrod frowned.
“Sir, there is precious little information at this point other than this vessel is composed of a solid neutronium hull with power generation in ranges of our technology.”
“Considering that all the other vessels we have run across have used primitive matter antimatter conversion drives, does this vessel’s power generation ability not give you pause?” Thrawn asked. “Or the fact that there is an energy spike building within the vessel of titanic proportions about to be unleashed on the planet?”
Jerjerrod and Piett exchanged troubled glances.
‘Gentlemen, I may rely upon you to give me pertinent information, but I have found it wise to have my own sources of information in battle. That vessel is the true threat. It is the only ship on this field of battle that can conceivably stand up to one of our stardestroyers. The assembled fleets around us cannot hurt us. This vessel must be dealt with now. Have the Reaver and the Nemesis move in on a flanking maneuver, I want them to hem in the rebel fleet. Move the bulk of the fleet into a blocking pattern around the target world of that vessel.”
“Aye sir.”
“Piett, have the Executor move into a support position for the Dominance. The Dominance will directly engage the alien vessel.”
“We as a support ship, sir?” Piett asked slightly confused. It had been drilled into him since the academy that command ships did not engage in combat unless the circumstances were dire. He would hardly call this dire.
“Yes, Admiral. You heard me. Deploy the fleet quickly and have the Grapple begin immediate gravity well generation. Let us see if we cannot hold them in place here.” Thrawn replied and clasped his hands together as he watched the fleet deployment.
The Imperial fleet quickly deployed as told, and the mighty Executor was thundering forward, moving in support of the Dominance as it took up position directly in the path of the strange blue conical vessel.
“Admiral, if you would have called me sooner, I could have told you more about that vessel and told you that the true threat is not the so called Doomsday Machine, but James Tiberius Kirk.” A cold arrogant voice broke the stillness of the command deck.
“Ah, I see that you are not one to ignore a call to battle.” Thrawn said without turning his attention from the tactical display on his computer. Kahn Noonian Singh smiled coldly as he stepped onto the deck flanked by his aide Joachim. Both men looked dangerous and out of place. Kahn’s hair had grown long in his time on Seti Alpha Six. Long thick black tresses with streaks of iron gray were draped over his shoulders, broad muscular chest exposed in a form fitting suit. He stalked the bridge like a caged panther.
Joachim was a tall young slim man, his golden hair kept shorter than his master, despite his slim build opposite Kahn’s powerful form he was still an exquisite specimen of human beauty and power. Thrawn had been told that they were the product of genetic engineering, the perfection of the human form. He smirked at such boasts. To Thrawn’s mind, these so called supermen were nothing more than stormtroopers. Perfect physical specimens bred to lead and fight.
However, there was no denying Kahn’s intelligence and charisma. He was a natural leader among men bred to be leaders. However there was a titanic ego coupled with that intelligence that would prove relatively easy to manipulate.
“Kahn, were you not told that only you and you alone were allowed to come on to my bridge?” Thrawn asked softly as he finally looked up at Kahn.
“I do not find the restriction necessary. Joachim has been my trusted aide since I escaped the mobs of Earth.”
“And this means nothing to me, Kahn. This is not a Federation starship that allows anyone to stroll on to the control center. I have allowed you out of a reluctant acknowledgment of the benefits you bring.”
“It will take more than your words to make me give up a right to have my aide by my side.” Kahn replied grimly.
Thrawn stared at Kahn and both men remained impassive for a long moment. Suddenly a shadow fell over Kahn and Joachim. Khan slowly turned his head as the heavy mechanical breathing became loud and clear.
“Perhaps you think you’re being treated unfairly?” Vader asked with an edge to his voice. Thrawn nearly smiled. There were some uses for the Sith Lord after all.
Kahn glanced back at Vader and turned his attention back to Thrawn.
“One day, Grand Admiral, you and I will face each other as leaders of men, and you will not have this cybernetic monstrosity as your guard dog.” Kahn said coolly and nodded to Joachim who reluctantly left the bridge.
“Lord Vader acts in the interests of the Emperor as do I Kahn. And as for being a leader of men, we shall see.”
“This bickering is pointless. We have a battle to win.” Vader snapped.
“Then I suggest you find the Enterprise and destroy it immediately if you want this war to end.” Kahn stressed.
Thrawn did not react at first, watching the genetically enhanced human intently for a moment.
“Grand Admiral, the Dominance has engaged the alien vessel.” Piett reported.
“What in the hell are they?” Kirk asked.
“Scans indicate that these are Imperial vessels. This is not a trick, Captain.”
“Well how did they get here?” Kirk snapped and stalked over to Spock’s station.
“I have no data to make an assumption, but they must have used the same worm hole that brought Lord nemesis’ fleet here.”
“Then why haven’t they come before? I was under the impression that it was a one way trip.”
“It could be that the Empire may have found a way to freely traverse the wormhole. The point is Jim that we are now facing a new and fresh Imperial fleet.”
Kirk stared down at the tactical display for a moment, unwilling to believe that his luck had unraveled in such a disastrous way.
“Alright, have the fleet begin to form up and retreat.”
“Sir?” Uhura asked hesitantly.
“You heard me Uhura. We don’t stand a chance out here.” Kirk replied and walked back to his command chair.
“Sulu, we need to get out of here right now.”
“Understood sir.” Sulu replied grimly and turned his attention on getting the warp engines online.
“Sir, we have received confirmations from the fleet, except for the Excalibur. It is still on an intercept course with Romulus.” Uhura reported.
Kirk slammed his fist down on the command chair’s armrest.
“I really don’t need this right now.” He rubbed his chin and watched the Excalibur continue on, heedless of the Imperial fleet that was now spreading out in front of the Romulan home world directly in its path. He should abandon the ship. His fleet was in an extremely exposed position and badly outgunned. But the Excalibur was the linchpin of his future war plans. It was the only vessel that could conceivably go toe to toe with one of the Imperial stardestroyers. They had invested time and precious resources to bringing the vessel back to operational status. It was simply too valuable an asset to just walk away from. There was no choice.
And it tore him apart.
“Have the fleet form a wedge around the Enterprise. We need to blast our way over to the Excalibur.”
The bridge grew silent for a moment.
“Yes sir.” Uhura replied softly.
“Is everything alright?” Charlie asked as he noted Kirk’s troubled expression. Kirk looked at Charlie and smiled weakly.
“No Charlie, I’ve just asked my people to go into the teeth of the lion."
“Did you really think that you had any chance?” Dairoga Kallast asked in an awful whispery voice. His eyes were totally black and the white hair was billowing around him as if he were in an invisible tempest.
Leia gasped as she landed on the floor with a hard thud. She shook her head, trying to clear it. Dairoga was smiling viciously as he extended his hand and Kelly gave a shriek of pain. Her right arm snapped back as if struck by a freight train. It gave a sickening wet snap and she stared at her arm, hanging at an odd, unnatural angle.
Dairoga slowly walked…no, he was actually floating now, several inches off the ground as he cruised over to them. The most jarring aspect of the mad Sith Lord’s visage was not the all black eyes, the ivory white hair, and the taut skin that seemed drawn tightly over his body. It was the fact that he was in the body of the young Wesley Crusher. His face was a twisted mask of rage and evil, his body moving in such a way as to suggest a puppet moving by strings. It was as if Wesley Crusher was no longer himself, as if someone or something far away were seizing control of the body and moving it in accordance with its own will.
“Is that the arm that dared raise a hand against my young apprentice?” Dairoga asked as he held Kelly up against the reactor casing. Leia was struggling to get to her feet but the combination of Wesley’s force lightning attacks and Dairoga’s torture had drained her of much of her strength.
Dairoga looked up and down the shattered arm as Kelly tried to overcome the pain.
“Yes, yes it is.” He held out his hand and Kelly screamed as the ruined arm was savagely thrust forward, hand splayed out with fingers open.
“And this is the hand that harmed him, is it not?” He asked in a whisper. Kelly’s eyes widened as suddenly she felt the very air collapse around her hand and there was a deep cracking sound. Kelly threw back her head and screamed, tears of pain running down her cheeks as her hand was crushed as if under a great weight. The fingers were now all crooked in various awful positions that could not be reached if not for the fact that nearly every bone in her hand was shattered. Several fingers had shiny white bone poking thought the flesh and blood of her hand.
“Oh, do not cry. We have hardly begun, my dear. You have raised your hand against a Sith and you must pay the ultimate price for this sacrilege.”
“You’re not harming anyone!” Leia hissed and slammed into Dairoga/Wesley from behind, sending him tumbling to the ground. She put a knee into the small of his back and desperately reached for the saber he had clipped to his belt.
“How dare you touch my personage!” Dairoga howled and Leia was flung backwards off of Dairoga and sent hurtling away into the floor. Dairoga got up on one knee and wiped the corner of his mouth.
“Young Jedi, you have touched one greater than yourself and you will pay. I was thinking of keeping you alive.” He slowly rose to his feet as Leia was ripped off the floor, hung suspended several meters above it then sent slamming down into the floor. “But I have decided that it is not worth the effort. You would make a horrible apprentice.” Leia was lifted off the floor and slammed back down again. “You would prove willful.” She was raised again, a full meter higher than last time and before she could catch her breath she was slammed back into the ground like a hammer. “Spiteful.” She was raised again and slammed into the floor. Leia’s vision started blurring and she could not think straight, blood was pouring out of her mouth. Suddenly she was lifted again off the ground, higher still than before, “Recalcitrant.” The floor loomed up again and she struck it hard. She tried to breath but was pulled off the ground in a tight grip. “Obstinate.” She struck the floor even harder and her consciousness started to slip away. She tried to hold on. She tried desperately to bring herself back but the next blow sent her into a dark gray tunnel and everything seemed so far away.
“And now young Jedi,” Dairoga said softly, eyes alight with rage and joy. Leia hung suspended off the ground, arms and legs dangling uselessly. Her body was jerked into an upright position and slowly rotated to face Dairoga Kallast. She could still not separate him from Wesley Crusher. Her eyes were unfocussed and she tried to blink and clear her vision. She thought she saw something else, hanging off Crusher/Dairoga’s body. It was light misty form, like a shadow of smoke. She peered more closely.
“Wesley?” She spoke through cracked lips.
“No, dear. He is long gone. You will now join him.” He said and Leia suddenly saw his intent.
She was floating in front of him and behind him were several jagged edges from a damaged control console. Sharp jagged edges like swords. And she was floating right in front of them.
“Wesley.”
Dairoga paused and slowly turned his head to see Dr. Crusher helping Kelly up to her feet and resting her against the reactor core.
“What is this? Are you truly this foolish?” Dairoga mocked.
“No, I’m not speaking to you.” Beverly snapped and took a step towards him. “I’m speaking to my son. Wesley Crusher whom I love more than my own life.”
“Pathetic woman, your son is dead. But I can help you join him.”
“I don’t think he’s dead. I think he’s lost and I’m going to bring him back to where he belongs. Wesley, its your mother. Please, son, come back to me.”
“Wesley is dead!” Dairoga shouted. The entire ship suddenly rocked. Systems dimmed and there were shouts of surprise throughout the vessel.
“We just took a hit. Enemy fleet moving to engage.”
“Do we have weapons control?” Riker asked tersely as he watched the now all too familiar triangular shaped warship standing in their way.
Paris was about to reply in the negative for the fourth time, all the systems had been unresponsive since they began their attack. All calls to engineering had gone unanswered and security teams dispatched there reported that all access was blocked.
“I should have listened to Wess and joined the rebel pilot corps.” He muttered to himself when suddenly his board lit up again.
“Sir! We got control back!” Tom exclaimed.
“Alright, let’s show these Imperials what we’re made of. Prepare to fire the main weapon. Shields status?”
“Shields are holding sir.” Data replied as he checked the systems status. He was troubled by the steady power loss in the reactor core.
“Alright, now let’s see how their shields do. Mr. Paris, engage the Imperial warship.”
“Yes sir.” Tom replied with a cold smile. Finally, he could strike back. His thoughts were not of Earth or the Federation. They did not dwell on the thousands dead or the great change that the Empire brought. His thoughts were of his wife and child. He would avenge them today.
Tom pressed the fire controls with satisfaction and grim determination.
The Excalibur’s glowing maw glowed and a pulsing beam of brilliant white light lanced out and struck the Dominance. Light flared up along the stardestroyer’s shields.
“Their shields are holding but I detect a significant power loss on their forward quarter.” Data reported.
Riker grinned and tightened his fist triumphantly.
“Hit them again and bring us about to 57.27 mark 10. I want to flank them, try to get a shot at their engines.”
“Aye sir.” Tom replied and began carrying out the orders, uncertain if the Excalibur had the requisite agility and speed to actually outmaneuver the Imperial ship. This was not the type of maneuvering he was used to. This was not a battle between two agile starships but more like tow lumbering cities pounding on each other mercilessly.
“Return fire inbound.” Data warned.
The Excalibur shook violently. Small tendrils of electricity began dancing along the consoles behind them.
“Data, what’s happening?”
“The Imperial stardestroyer has begun opening up with all weapons including their ion cannons. They seem to be having a deleterious effect on our systems. As warned by the rebels, the ion cannons are partially ignoring our shields.”
“Continuous fire on the stardestroyer and I want to see those engines lining up on our sights.”
“Trying sir, but its not like they’re standing still. The Stardestroyer is trying to keep us from flanking her.”
“Incoming.”
The Excalibur shook again.
“Shields are showing heavy strain on the starboard quarter. I am rerouting additional reserve power to compensate.” Data spared a glance up at Riker. “Sir, we have a steady power drain from the reactors. It will soon become a problem if we remain under heavy attack.”
“How is that possible, Data? We just fed on Remus.”
“I am still uncertain how this power system works. I am hazarding a guess that someone or something else is tapping the power from our core for other purposes.”
Riker frowned. He did not need mysteries at this point in the game.
The Excalibur closed on the Dominance. The stardestroyer was laying down a steady flow of fire on the Excalibur, when another pulsing beam struck the Dominance. There was a brief flare up on the starboard shields and there was clearly a scorched impact mark on her starboard armor.
“We got through!” Riker exclaimed.
“Sir, we briefly overwhelmed their shields with that last blast. But they have reestablished. Most of that damage seems superficial.” Tom reported.
“Incoming!”
The Excalibur shook more violently than before.
“They were holding back until we were closer. They are now bringing heavy turbolaser batteries to bear.” Riker noted with some alarm. He had been eager to wade in and engage them.
“Shields are buckling sir. We cannot withstand a sustained bombardment from their heavy batteries.” Data reported as he drew more power from the rapidly dwindling power reserve.
“This is certainly not going as planned.” Riker muttered.
“We have discovered one factor, sir. Our main weapon is more powerful than any weapon the stardestroyers currently field but we lack the rate of fire that their weapons have.”
“I think I noticed that myself Data.” Riker replied as the ship shook again.
“Sir, I’m going to concentrate fire on their bridge tower, see if we can’t knock it out with a lucky shot.” Tom said as he lines up the shot.
“That’s as good a plan as any.” Riker paused as the starboard display lit up with a wall of massed turbolaser fire, not directed at them but at a threat off screen.
“What is that?”
“The rest of the Imperial fleet is engaging our fleet sir. The federation fleet is on an intercept course with us.”
“Why are they doing that? Kirk should be trying to disengage and get out of here.”
“Sir, we still have no communications with the Enterprise. They seem to be trying to hail us.”
“Damn, Kirk thinks we’re in trouble.”
“We ARE in trouble.” Tom interjected.
“Belay that Mister.” Riker snapped. He looked back at the screen. The Excalibur and the Dominance were trading shots at nearly point blank range and unfortunately the Excalibur was simply not maneuverable or fast enough to outflank the Dominance. They were slowly turning against each other, blasting away like tanks at twenty paces.
“Impressive. Most impressive.” Vader commented as he watched the alien vessel exchanging fire with the Dominance.
“So far it has proven to be as durable as a rebel capital ship and has greater firepower than any other rebel capital ship we have encountered.” Thrawn noted with respect. He decided that the testing was done.
“Now, begin firing on her. I will not allow this demonstration to continue. It may give hope to the rebel elements if they think that their vessel can actually win against one of our stardestroyers.”
“At once Grand Admiral.”
“Excellent strategy, Grand Admiral. But I must stress that you are allowing the key to victory to slip out of your grasp.”
“Kirk again.”
“Perhaps you should do as he says and finish this rebel leader off now.” Vader added.
Thrawn smiled coldly.
“No.”
There was a moment of silence amongst the assembled leaders, broken by Vader’s mechanical rhythmic breathing.
“You can crush him now, Grand Admiral. His fleet is trying to run your lines. This Excalibur is nothing more than a strategic and tactical gimmick. In the end it cannot turn the balance of power against us, it can only prolong the inevitable.” Kahn urged. He could taste it. Vengeance was nearly at hand.
“I am well aware of that Kahn, but there is more to winning this war than simply killing a rebel leader. We are in a galaxy that cannot defeat us, militarily, scientifically, or economically. But they can make this war a hell for our forces. By my calculations, if these rebels hold out and continue to make war on us they can drag this conflict out for at least a decade. I will not be a war lord of cut off Imperial forces fighting continuously for a decade to put down a rabble of savages. I mean to end this decisively.”
“And how do you intend to do that?” Vader asked pointedly, hands resting on his hips.
“Watch and learn. I fully intend to destroy James T. Kirk.” Thrawn stated with finality as he rose from his seat, hands clasped behind his back. He paused and looked back, his glowing red eyes boring into Kahn’s. “But in my own way.”
Kahn smirked and shook his head, however internally he was happy. If Thrawn would not act now, it gave him time to plan his own demise for Kirk.
“Grand Admiral. We’re picking up hyperspace turbulence to the extreme Port side.” Jerjerrod reported.
Vader stiffened.
He was here.
“You’re father is dead.”
It was really the first true memory he had. The first solid memory that stayed with him through the years and always came unbidden during dark times. A memory that shaped who he was, drove him and made him dream.
His mother looked so sad when she told him that. He could see the grief etched on her face. Her eyes still reddened with tears and sorrow. He did not want to cry for her. He did not want her to see his own grief.
But the damned tears came anyway.
“What is this child doing on my bridge?”
Stern father like voice. He always wondered as he grew older. He had seen the looks between mother and the Captain. Was there something there he had never known before. He wondered why life was like this.
His father’s face, young brash, looked so much like he did now. God how he missed him, just once to sit and talk with him. To tell him how he felt.
Father I have accomplished nothing and everything I touch turns to shit. I was supposed to be the most brilliant child of this generation. I was smarter than anyone else, I understood things that other people took years to master with but a glance. I have walked on alien worlds and deciphered codes. I’ve saved starships and millions of lives.
But I am here alone in the dark.
I chose this prison didn’t I?
No.
Yes.
I am confused.
That’s the story of our lives. Given the ability but not the drive. I am a child prodigy, more child than prodigy. Why does it feel like I never grew up?
He distantly heard other voices, dark voices and he felt red hot rage.
NO.
I don’t EVER want to be angry again. I have done things that I don’t ever want to thin about again. I want to drift here in the darkness and think things over. Examine my life and see why I am such a failure.
“Wesley, I love you.”
Red hot tears in eyes that should not exist. He wanted what Hamlet wanted. Oblivion. Why was there not sweet darkness. Why could he not simply cease to be and let this entire wasted life pass him by like discarded trash.
“Rule 212. Never give up when there’s something worth fighting for.”
He briefly smiled at the young Ensign’s words. Her and her rules.
She stopped speaking to him when she accused him of being a brooding young man. NO. She said brooding young directionless man.
She still cared but I was left alone.
“What is there worth fighting for!” he shouted into the void.
“Wesley, I love you!”
He shook his head.
How could you love me? I have killed. I have betrayed. I have been a bad son.
“Hold on!” Kirk exclaimed. The bridge shook violently, a console exploded to his left that sent a crewmen screaming over a railing. Were there any consoles left that had not exploded? Kirk wondered as he held on to his command seat. Charlie stood by his side, none of the chaos seemed to touch him, no matter how much the ship pitched and shook he stood firmly rooted in place by him.
“The Excalibur is locked in combat with a Stardestroyer, her shields are buckling but she has inflicted heavy damage on the stardestroyer.” Spock reported.
“Damnit why won’t Riker respond?” Kirk shouted.
“Sir, it’s not from our end and jamming isn’t doing it either. The problem is most likely on their end.” Uhura responded as she tried yet another frequency.
“Either they are unable to respond or unwilling to.” Spock added.
“Sickbay to Bridge.”
“Go Bones.”
“Casualties are mounting captain. Every available bed is taken and I’m lining them up out side in the corridors. You need to seriously start thinking about pulling out of this fight.”
“Bones, that’s easier said than done at this point.”
“Captain, the amount of heavy flak out there is not allowing us to generate a subspace field. We will not be able to engage Warp drive.” Sulu reported as he watched the warning lights tripped on his display.
“What about hyperspace? If we can get the Excalibur to generate their hyperspace field we can escape with her.”
“Unfortunately I am picking up a powerful graviton field being generated in the vicinity. Hyperspace jumps cannot occur in the presence of such gravity wells.” Spock reported.
Kirk frowned as he saw the great emerald bolts slipping by on the screen. The Imperial fleet was looming ahead and right behind them the Excalibur was lumbering in a circle, trying to flank its attacker with no success. The mighty command ship was slowly coming in close and suddenly unleashed a horrible barrage of fire.
“It looks like the Excalibur is some serious trouble now. Spock can you identify the source of the gravity well?”
“Scanning….it is being generated by a starship at 591mark20.”
Kirk took a deep breath.
“If we don’t break the gravity well, we’re as good as dead. Prepare to shift the fleet and directly engage the gravity well generators.”
“The vessel is deep in Imperial lines.”
“Its either that or we sit here and get picked off one by one.”
“Aye sir.”
Kirk sat back in the command chair, feeling the full weight of command on his shoulders as another starship suddenly exploded off to the right of the view screen and tumbled away into the void.
“Sir! Hyperspace emergence to Port.” Sulu reported.
An Imperial fleet suddenly flashed into view. The familiar battered shape of the Relentless among them.
“No.” Kirk whispered.
“This is Lord Darth Nemesis. All rebel ships are to stand down or be destroyed by order of the New Empire.”
Kirk shook his head as his fleet plunged on to confront the gravity well generator and their only lane of retreat was now cut off by Nemesis’ fleet.
“Captain.” Charlie warned and gripped the edge of Kirk’s command chair in alarm.
“Talk about a rock and a hard place.” Sulu spat.
“More like the devil and the deep blue sea.” Kirk whispered.
Wherever you go, there you are.
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Wow, Nemesis to the right of him, Vader and Thrawn to the left. It doesn't get anymore one-sided than that. Kirk's gonna have to pull the most brilliant fucking rabbit out of the hat to not die here.
Darth Garden Gnome wrote:Wow, Nemesis to the right of him, Vader and Thrawn to the left. It doesn't get anymore one-sided than that. Kirk's gonna have to pull the most brilliant fucking rabbit out of the hat to not die here.
I love it I love it I love it.
you know, in a post a few months ago stravo hinted at the fact that Kirk is the good guy and the good guy has to win, not neccicarily live, but win. i can't wait to see the 'brillian fucking rabbit' from the hat.
"This business will get out of control. It will get out of control and we’ll be lucky to live through it.” -Tom Clancy
