Infinite Sigma

Discussion in 'Fan Fiction' started by Hawku, Dec 31, 2021.

  1. Hawku

    Hawku Transwarp Specialist Premium Member

    Joined:
    Nov 7, 2005
    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    Hey! Just wanted to do a thread that captures my short one-off fiction, some spun off from my Phoenix-X series, and also any on-going posts from other RPs. Will also add any new stuff that either carries on characters from here, or are completely new, or continue any unfinished side-series. The dates will be all over the place, and many spin-offs are unfinished, so this first post will try to sort them in some way.

    Navigation:

    Index:
     
    Last edited: Feb 23, 2024
  2. Hawku

    Hawku Transwarp Specialist Premium Member

    Joined:
    Nov 7, 2005
    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    Author's notes: In the second season of my fanfic (previously written in chatfic), a bunch of powerful Q-beings started giving power away, so this was my first try at writing prose to explore that. This takes place in 2377. Estimating this one-off was written around 2001. Kuru later comes back in "Celestial Dynamics, Part I".​

    Uprising


    Kuru clenched his fist, aimed at his opponent and decided this time to bring his leg for an attack. He kicked his teacher, a Captain Tekoren, in the side and then with leg still lifted, kicked again for the head.

    But Tekoren predicted this move and blocked easily with a forearm. He then force-palmed Kuru in the chest and knocked him into the air and back.

    Kuru's feet lifted off the matted flooring and he fell onto his back, hard! When the rest of his body followed, the old Captain dropped his palm and looked down upon his opponent.

    "You're quite good... but with a hint of naivete," Tekoren said.

    Kuru collected his inner strength and pulled himself to a sit up. The calm air of the Tactical Training Arena at Starfleet Academy had relaxed his senses. It felt good to be back here.

    "Um, thanks, Captain," he replied, only picturing himself rolling his eyes. The young Ensign had quite a large amount of respect for this man, as Tekoren had been his teacher inside the Academy and even before the Academy.

    But Kuru wasn't here for the Academy. The Ensign was getting promoted finally. A well deserved promotion in Tekoren's eyes, yet he would never openly say so that easily.

    "Mheh, heh, heh," the old man chuckled for what seemed like the first time ever in Kuru's eyes. "You've surpassed my expectations, Kuru. An old man like myself could have no better a pupil than what you have been.... Thank you," he smiled warmly.

    What the Hell is wrong with the master? Kuru asked in his head in complete shock. He never talks like this! "Is everything alright?" Kuru allowed the Captain to grab his hand and pull him to his feet.

    "Fine, fine," came the reply before a pause. He was caught looking away in sentiment, "Just... getting old," the Captain admitted - this time being a sure first.

    Kuru sighed. He then patted him in the arm, and smiled in response. "Don't you have a meeting to get to?"

    "Ah," the old man's eyes lit up. "Thanks for reminding me."

    Tekoren turned and left the Arena - knowing full well the meeting was involving the promotion of a few Ensigns, that of including Kuru.

    The young Ensign stood alone in the Arena for a few seconds, thinking back to all that had happened with him recently. The Captain he had come to catch up with had been changing, and it seemed it was for the better. Was he preparing for death? It was then Kuru was disturbed by another man standing in the Arena on the other side... staring at him.

    Kuru turned and gazed at the man. "Who are you?" His instincts were flying through the roof.

    The tall man, appearing to be human, slowly walked over. He wore a Starfleet uniform with the Command rank of Captain. Kuru hadn't noticed this part until suddenly.

    "...Uhh, sir." Kuru added to his previous question.

    The Captain failed to respond, choosing only to continue walking and staring at Kuru. If Kuru didn't know any better, he could have sworn there was an inching smile of evil across the man's lips.

    "I'm not in Starfleet," the man said. "I'm not even normally part of this plain of existence."

    Kuru was getting a bad vibe from all this and decided it would be worth calling in security. He tried lifting his arm to tap his commbadge, but found the weight of the limb was too much to move. A force of some kind was holding it down.

    "Ensign Kuru to Security," he then said, hoping the computer would pick it up anyway. But there was no response.

    The man shook his head slightly. "Don't concern yourself with them." He held out his hand and opened it. The force that was keeping his arms down was now being endowed upon him from the man's palms. Kuru was then forced to his knees, struggling to accept the pressure and deal with it.

    "Arrrgggghh!!!" He gritted his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut! The force was too much to bear. "What— are— you—??"

    But in an instant later the man released his hand and all the pressure on Kuru. The young Ensign was too weak and exhausted to look up. He only fell forward, holding his body off the floor by his already weak arms.

    "Many of us have left our incredibly boring existence and decided to make our own. We've gone around and given mortals like yourself what we have so that one day you would join us," he then leaned in. "You are a chosen one... one of many."

    Kuru could feel the man's scentless breath pat his skin upon every horrible word just said. After it had been spoken, Kuru snapped his head up for a menacing glare - but the presence of the being had alleviated. The fake Captain... fake human... was gone.

    THE END
     
    Last edited: Feb 16, 2024
    Robert Bruce Scott likes this.
  3. Robert Bruce Scott

    Robert Bruce Scott Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    Jun 18, 2021
    Big fan of moment sketches such as this one. The entire scene takes place over the space of no more than 5 minutes and provides just a glimpse - cool.

    Thanks! rbs
     
    Hawku likes this.
  4. Hawku

    Hawku Transwarp Specialist Premium Member

    Joined:
    Nov 7, 2005
    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    Thanks! Definitely wanted to try the simplified approach. Always interesting to see one's own past writing too.
     
    Robert Bruce Scott likes this.
  5. Hawku

    Hawku Transwarp Specialist Premium Member

    Joined:
    Nov 7, 2005
    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    Author's notes: Wrote this in 2002 as my first spin-off from my Phoenix-X series during its Season 3, but only ever completed five parts of it. It was originally written in chatfic, so I wanted to put it through the same re-write process as my Double Phoenix thread, only not as eccentric. Hopefully I can hit passed five parts and aim to complete it one day. I'd like to wrap it up neatly. This rewrite was done in January 2022 and takes place in the 36th century.​

    Vitality, Part I

    In the vast, interstellar vacuum of the cold, hard emptiness, a lone, run-down space station drifted through the void before incoming company. A desperate Emergency Medical Hologram, a man of stylized brown hair and a half-chiseled jaw, stepped into the medical center to check on the end-progress of his five large bio-reconstruction alcoves.

    "Regeneration cycle complete," came the computer's voice after an alert klaxon.

    Taking a deep, simulated breath the EMH walked over to a console in front of the chambers. Inside each one was an unconscious, peaceful person, frozen in-place, all of whom wore varying uniforms.

    "Thanks, Computer," the simulated man anticipated. "Here goes nothing."

    His last hope. The hologram began moving several hovering shapes above his console, prompting each alcove door to slowly dematerialize and disperse the cold, preservation gas out onto the floor. Each person then began waking up.

    "Ugh," grogged Jean-Luc Picard as he slowly opened his eyes and took in the medical bay before him. "What? Where am I?"

    The EMH held up a palm. "Greetings. It's going to take a moment or so before your cognizance focuses."

    "What the hell is going on?" O'Brien furrowed while stepping out of his chamber as the others had begun, as well.

    Picard took notice of Miles O'Brien, an officer he had worked with in the past. "Chief." Then, he saw Tuvok, Ensign Hoshi Sato and Doctor Leonard H. McCoy. Everyone took everyone else in.

    "Now, just be calm, everyone. I know you have questions," the EMH staggard.

    McCoy's eyes widened at the sight of the flickering hologram. "Questions. You're damn right we have questions!"

    "This is going to be somewhat of a shock to all of you," the EMH continued. "But you're all clones."

    At that moment, the space station was suddenly hit and wracked by enemy projectile fire. A beam fell in the background of the already distressed facility as everyone held their footing.

    "Clones?" Hoshi repeated in continued shock, glancing at Tuvok and then back at the EMH. "That's impossible. I feel exactly like me?"

    The EMH then moved to begin unlocking a highly sophisticated matter-reshaping lock for a storage container. "I cultivated all of you from gene programming in the Federation database. Unfortunately, the choosing process as well as the age targetting was somewhat arbitrary, as I was short on time."

    "You may forgive my skepticism," Tuvok added, with a raised eyebrow as the station was hit again. "As Starfleet officers, it is not out of the realm of possibility to be what humans call duped."

    Nodding as he opened the compartment and took out a glowing white ball of energy, contained inside the claws of wrapping-technology, the EMH replied, "Duping is not in my programming."

    "What year is this?" Picard demanded, beginning to get a feel for the situation while the EMH engaged with a few control shapes on the tech surrounding the energy ball.

    The EMH stabilized the object everyone's eyes were now confusingly-locked onto. "I'm not sure," he conceded as he went to another console and worked to unlink the wireless security lock to the device. "Likely, no one knows. All I can tell you is that we're sometime way passed the 35th century."

    "That's a load of bull!" McCoy snapped.

    The holo-man then gave the sphere to Picard. "Trust me. It's not. There hasn't been anyone on Deep Space Graeca for months. In fact, this is probably the last place in the galaxy I know of that has anything to do with humans."

    "Now, hold on just a minute. Humanity does not just die out without a fight," Picard started.

    The opponent shook his head. "Who's to say they didn't? Either way, I created you because I need you to deliver that sphere to the High Command." Another hit and the station shook even more. "There's a starship prepped that I've manned with a holographic crew."

    "You can't just expect us to believe all this?" McCoy substantiated. "Why us?"

    Leading over to a holo-table with projections of star systems and ship locations, the EMH replied, "Because you're some of the best the Federation had to offer. Whatever it is you did, you made a difference. And that's what I need you to do now."

    He then panned over to another set of star systems and interstellar matter as the group exchanged awkward glances.

    "High Command is here," he continued, pointing to a section on the map. "They'll only let people with bio signatures through the intense gravitic force fields."

    Hoshi smirked. "Now it all makes sense. We can get in, but you can't."

    "Yeah," the EMH confirmed as he led them to a hallway with a window showing the Steamrunner-class starship hovering inside the large starbay. Another hit from outside. "The U.S.S. Vitality. I'm no engineer, so I sort of went through several replicated versions while the others on the station found this the easiest to refit with updated tech and bio-grids."

    O'Brien was too lost, staring away in reactive thought. "The last thing I remember, I was taking up a teaching job at Starfleet Academy."

    Then, a large part of the other side of Deep Space Graeca exploded after a barrage of projectile hits burned through the shields.

    "The memories will get you. Sorry. But you guys have to get going," the EMH hasted while pushing Picard. "Just follow your command structure, and if you have any questions just ask the crew!"

    Another hard hit, and the lights and systems blinked defectively. The EMH snapped offline, forever.

    "I, for one, don't believe him," the Doctor defied.

    Picard glanced down at the sphere in his hands and then at the crumbling station all around them. "Believe him or not, but he's right. We all know who we are, and what we're capable of. Perhaps in some ways that stands on its own, and perhaps, for now, that will have to be enough. We have to get out of here."

    "Agreed," Tuvok corroborated as another blast shook Graeca violently. From through the windows, two alien attack vessels could be seen coming about, firing disrupter gels at them.

    TO BE CONTINUED
     
    Last edited: Mar 23, 2022
    Robert Bruce Scott likes this.
  6. Robert Bruce Scott

    Robert Bruce Scott Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    Jun 18, 2021
    Brilliant format - if a little depressing... You definitely have the makings of a fan favorite here. Special nod for including Hoshi.

    Thanks!! rbs
     
    Hawku likes this.
  7. Hawku

    Hawku Transwarp Specialist Premium Member

    Joined:
    Nov 7, 2005
    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    Appreciate it! Will need to rediscover/refine whatever point I was trying to make with this fic. lol -- Hoshi was a left-field choice. I like her. But I don't think she has the same legacy as the others do, so maybe she'll have to deal with that.
     
  8. Robert Bruce Scott

    Robert Bruce Scott Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    Jun 18, 2021
    I named one of my admirals after both the actor who played her and the new McCoy - Admiral Urban Yasutake, Star Fleet Judge Advocate General (the U.S.S. Hunter and all the other Prowler class ships are in his chain of command.)
     
    Hawku likes this.
  9. Hawku

    Hawku Transwarp Specialist Premium Member

    Joined:
    Nov 7, 2005
    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    Nice!
     
  10. Hawku

    Hawku Transwarp Specialist Premium Member

    Joined:
    Nov 7, 2005
    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    Author's notes: Wrote this in 2002, originally in chatfic format. This rewrite was done in March 2022 and takes place in the 36th century.​

    Vitality, Part II

    Deep Space Gracea, stuck out in the far reaches of interstellar space, had been hit from disrupter gel after disrupter gel by two attacking alien vessels. The clone crew, led by clone Captain Picard, took the Bridge of the Steamrunner-class U.S.S. Vitality, inside the station, observing the advanced hover screens and programmable matter consoles.

    "Well, does anybody know how to work this damn thing?" McCoy started, catching Hoshi's movement to a side-workstation.

    Hoshi activated it. "This looks like communications," she observed as Tuvok took tactical and Picard took the command chair. Holographic human crew worked all over the ship, preparing it.

    "Greetings," one of the holograms approached. "My name is Amp." They watched as he took the helm. "I'm a pilot and can help. Unless one of you want to fly it? Wouldn't be too hard to make me the Chef."

    McCoy shared hesitant glances with the others. "Well, don't look at me!"

    "I'm sorry to say, we're not completely sure of the details of the situation," Picard answered.

    Amp nodded from his station as the ship shook at reverberated-hit from the station. "Let me fill you in." The ship shook again. "We're under attack!"

    Out, at the side of the crumbling Deep Space Gracea, its shipyard door slowly opened, prompting the Vitality to speed out and return fire of green torpedo blobs upon the enemy ships.

    "I am unfamiliar with these weapons systems," Tuvok observed, trying to handle the moving console. He then raised a brow. "Nor the enemy."

    Amp continued maneuvering the Vitality, flying straight for the two ships. "They're called the Klokian. A poisonous-skinned, multi-dimensional reptilian-like species with a very limited vocabulary."

    "Do you know what you're doing?" Picard turned to Tuvok, as the Vulcan dropped two gel mines between the enemy ships.

    The Vulcan traded brow raises, starting to get a hang of it. "Possibly."

    "Here we go!" Amp next pulled the Vitality up and out of the way as two rows of gel mines flowed into and against two oncoming Klokian battle cruisers. "Well, looks like this upgraded, ancient ship is better than I thought."

    Meanwhile, O'Brien and Hoshi were at the side of the Bridge, assessing the partially encased glowing ball of energy. "What are you so jolly about?" O'Brien countered Amp. "We have absolutely no idea about this century!"

    Hoshi shook her head in agreement. "We don't belong here," she added before the first Klokian battle cruiser broke formation and flew overhead the Vitality while pumping gels into its ventral hull. The momentum pushed the Vitality down.

    "You belong in so much that you were created for a task. That task being we have to get that ball of energy to the High Command," Amp re-established as he rotated the ship around to point it upwards in space.

    Tuvok then launched their own gels at the Klokian cruiser, knocking its engines offline and bursting it into flaming plasma.

    "Why?" Picard asked Amp, stepping over to the helm. "Why is that so important?"

    Amp continued working the helm. "Because the Klokians want it, and the omni'X want it. They've plunged the entire galaxy into war because of these things."

    The second Klokian cruiser then nose-dived, grabbing the Vitality with a pulsating tractor beam, pulling them along. O'Brien checked internal systems. "They've got us, but I think I may have an idea."

    As he worked the panels, a feedback pulse was transferred along the tractor beam, exploding the Klokian cruiser's emitter. The cruiser then went spinning away, firing one last disrupter gel at the Vitality.

    BLAM! The Vitality was hit hard and shook violently. Warning sirens started going off and conduits exploded around them. "They're coming back!" Hoshi added from her console.

    The crew looked at the screen as the first Klokian cruiser regenerated its engines and met formation with the second cruiser, both then heading for the Vitality.

    "Don't you see? Your people created the wrong era of officer," argued McCoy as he also approached Amp. "We're not cut out for this century."

    In response, Amp turned the Vitality toward the near-destroyed Deep Space Gracea, with Tuvok following his lead by firing torpedoes. The starbase then exploded with the Vitality passing the destructive radius, and the Klokian cruisers unwittingly flying right into it.

    The enemy vessels were annihilated in the chaos, sending large pieces trucking through space.

    "I beg to differ," Amp breathed a holographic sigh of relief. "You guys were the golden age of space crossing, exploration and peace. If anyone is made for this, it's you people. Also, we just blew up the last known piece of the Federation."

    Everyone exchanged hesitant looks as he then ducked the Vitality beyond one of the large pieces of flaming enemy debris, and jumped the ship out of normal space.

    TO BE CONTINUED
     
    Last edited: Apr 6, 2022
    Robert Bruce Scott likes this.
  11. Robert Bruce Scott

    Robert Bruce Scott Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    Jun 18, 2021
    Talk about a story being amped up by an NPC... (couldn't resist.)

    Big fan of the bite-sized segment. Very quick, entertaining read. No eye strain.

    Thanks!! rbs
     
    Hawku likes this.
  12. Hawku

    Hawku Transwarp Specialist Premium Member

    Joined:
    Nov 7, 2005
    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    lol Anything can be a name!
     
    Robert Bruce Scott likes this.
  13. Hawku

    Hawku Transwarp Specialist Premium Member

    Joined:
    Nov 7, 2005
    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    Author's notes: This was an unfinished short series in my early writing days, starting from the Phoenix-X and spreading out. Was writing mainly chatfic at the time, so this diviation was a learning experience for me. It takes place in 2379, coincidentally, though unrelated, after "Celestial Dynamics, Part II". It was started in August 2003.​

    Resurrections, Part I

    Stardate 56993.1. The Prometheus-class U.S.S. Phoenix-X trekked through space. Captain Cell made his way through the ship to the Battle Arena on a lower deck. The arena was circular, cold and metallic and many alien blades were hung as decorations around the walls.

    Inside was a crowd of Klingon's and Starfleet officers, cheering. Part of the crew were just Klingon exchange officers. They cheered on two combatants in the centre of the arena who were battling it out. A purple laser boundaried them. Cell entered to watch the fight.

    "Argh!!" Brent clashed his bat'leth against his Klingon opponents' bat'leth.

    "Grgh!!" They clashed again and Grath leaned in close. "It is fortunate for you that these blades are not sharp."

    Brent spun his bat'leth around and extended it towards Grath's face. He slapped the flat side of the bat'leth across Grath's face, knocking Grath's stance to the side.

    Grath arched his body back up and felt the blood dripping from his nose. "Yeah, but I can still do some damage," Brent replied.

    "Rrrggh!!!" Grath charged in anger, hacking his bat'leth left and right, up and down and sideways. Brent backed away from each move, dodging right and left, side to side. He blocked the last attack with his bat'leth and kicked Grath in the waist.

    Brent spun both bat'leth's around, confusing Grath's grip and twirling Grath's bat'leth away. Brent held his bat'leth up close to Grath's neck to show that he'd won. But Grath immediately kicked Brent in the chest, sending Brent back a distance. "Watch it, human!" Grath declared as he stepped towards Brent, more focused than ever. "You do not win so easily against me..."

    Brent leaned towards Grath hacking his bat'leth from left to right, up and down and sideways. Grath dodged each move, falling back and leaning side to side. "Why, because you're Klingon?" Brent bantered.

    Grath grabbed the handle of the bat'leth as it was passing by. He spun around into Brent and elbowed him in the face. Brent let go of the bat'leth in pain. He fell back, holding his hand in between his eyes. "No. Because I am good..." Grath finally answered.

    Grath jumped up, kicking both feet against Brent's chest, pushing him back, and force-kicking around his left leg into Brent's chest one more time. Brent is sent past the purple laser, prompting the computer's clicking sound.

    The match was then over and everyone started leaving the arena to get back to work.

    "Maybe he's right." Brent went over to the side and picked up a towel. "I was fighting him because he was Klingon. I should've just fought him; who he was."

    Captain Cell walked over. "Pretty great we're the only Federation starship with a custom-made battle arena, huh?" Cell slapped his hand on Brent's shoulder.

    "Uugh!" Brent's shoulder hurt.

    "Oh, sorry." Cell took his hand away.

    ---

    Later, the Phoenix-X approached a green and blue planet. Commander Seifer stood at the centre of the Bridge, viewing it on screen. "What does Starfleet say about this place?"

    "They don't know how it got here. It wasn't here last month," RaeLuna replied from tactical. She scanned it. "It's an M-class planet. I'm detecting insect and fish life only."

    Captian Cell entered the Bridge in time to see it. He and Seifer glanced at each other, thinking the same thing. They both wondered how it got there.

    TO BE CONTINUED
     
    Last edited: Feb 16, 2024
    Robert Bruce Scott likes this.
  14. Robert Bruce Scott

    Robert Bruce Scott Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    Jun 18, 2021
    Always a fan of the ultra-short story - getting it told in 1,500 words or less. Thanks!! rbs
     
    Hawku likes this.
  15. Hawku

    Hawku Transwarp Specialist Premium Member

    Joined:
    Nov 7, 2005
    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    Yeah, definitely. Shorter entries are more digestible!
     
    Robert Bruce Scott likes this.
  16. Hawku

    Hawku Transwarp Specialist Premium Member

    Joined:
    Nov 7, 2005
    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    Author's notes: Tried to fix this up a bit, but this continues some early writing from August 2003.​

    Resurrections,
    Part II


    Scans. The Phoenix-X beamed aboard rock and plant samples and then turned around, warping to Starbase 78. Docking Port 3A, 0200 Hours, Stardate 56993.2.

    "Man, this is such an exhausting investigation," Brent complained, entering the starbase's Infirmary with a deep cut in his arm from a work incident.

    Doctor Melzine, an old science veteran, approached to help. He suddenly dropped the dermal regeneration tool, startled by a loud bang at the doors. Melzine walked over to the doors to investigate. The doors didn't open. Confused, he tried accessing the controls beside it. "What is this? It's not opening."

    Brent courteously picked up the doctor's fallen dermal regeneration laser and then ran over.

    "What the—!?" Melzine turned around and saw three out-of-uniform men standing near the medical beds.

    "Hello, Doctor Melzine," the main guy, Golex, greeted. Golex nodded to his two men. They went over and grabbed Melzine abruptly.

    Brent immediately grabbed one of the guys' arms. "Hey, what do you think you're doing—" But the guy suddenly flung his other arm around, trying to hit Brent. Brent immediately caught it.

    "Argh!" The guy complained as he pulled both his arms away.

    The other man punched Melzine in the stomach. "Ugh!" Melzine fell to his knees in pain, as the guy grabbed his shirt collar. Golex walked over to Melzine casually and smiled, now the one in power.

    Brent swung a punch and blocked a jab from his opponent, who then hopped and kicked Brent in the side. Brent backed up and tapped his commbadge. "Lieutenant Brent to security—" He dodged an incoming punch. "Security, come to Infirmary!" But there was a dampening field.

    "Plasmatic Gel Experiment 67," Golex held out a test tube with a gel-like substance inside. "This is a great thing you've created, Doctor. We found that it can be used for Romulan dischargers. It can enhance their firepower." He smirked.

    Golex got up and started pacing, playfully tossing the test tube up and down, as Brent and Golex's lackey continued fighting in the background.

    "I think it's time you came with us."

    "I'm not going anywhere you sick—" Melzine countered before he was punched in the stomach again. "Ergh!!"

    Brent spun his dermal regeneration tool around with his fingers and flung his arm around his opponent's face. Then he lasered him in the eye.

    "Augh!!" The man immediately covered his eyes in pain, as Brent tactfully kicked him in the stomach and sent the guy into the other guy, who was holding the Doctor. They crashed over onto the floor and Melzine was free.

    "You idiots!" Golex yelled at his men. He put the test tube in a side pocket and then approached Brent. "Who do you think you are?"

    The other two lackeys got up and surrounded him.

    Brent right-hand punched at Golex, but Golex dodged and returned a punch. Brent rotated left, flinging his left arm, backhanding one of the other guys across the face and, while still rotating, arched his right hand over the falling guy to use it to punch the other waiting lackey in the face. "Ugh!!"

    "Ooof!!!" After a full rotation, he was facing Golex again.

    The other two guys were on the ground, hurt.

    Golex punched Brent in the waist and then again in the stomach. Brent flung out both fists as jabs, but Golex tactfully grabbed them and used them to spin Brent around and into a nearby medical bed.

    Brent fell back onto it as Golex came over and punched Brent across the face. "Ugg!!!" Blood spilled.

    "That'll teach you to mess with me." Golex cracked his knuckles, but Brent, lying on the bed, immediately brought both feet up and slammed them into Golex's knuckles. He then kicked his left foot and then right foot into Golex's stomach.

    Golex was punched back as Brent got to his feet and faced Golex again. They exchanged jabs and blocks and redirections until Brent spun Golex to around and kicked him over the med table. Golex tripped right over it and onto the other side, knocked out. "Uuff!!"

    Brent looked over at Golex on the floor as Melzine walked over in pain. "Got 'em."

    The other guys got up, tapped their control units and all three were beamed out.

    "Who were those guys?" Brent asked.

    Melzine leaned against a bed for support as his stomach ached. "A group of people who seem to know everything that goes on, especially my experiments. Err, listen, you must go. I have to— clean up." He walked around the Infirmary, going through things, preoccupied.

    "I'm going to send Security down to protect you." Brent jogged for the back door, still a little weak.

    ---

    Brent accessed the main sensor control deck in Operations. He scanned for ion traces or any sub-molecular sign of another ship in the vicinity. Admiral Parsons walked over. "I had the Phoenix-X scan the area too. There's nothing."

    Brent looked to the side annoyed that he wasn't getting anywhere. How could anyone cover their tracks so well?

    "Why don't you get some rest for now, Lieutenant." Parsons requested.

    Brent nodded and left.

    ---

    Brent walked around the hall to the back way into the Infirmary. He made his way inside where everything was trashed. Spilled and destroyed test tubes were all over the floor, including four unconscious security officers. "Doctor?" Brent looked around. Melzine was nowhere to be found.

    "Lieutenant!" Melzine's voice was heard in the other room.

    Brent ran around to see the same guys from before. They were dragging the old man over to Golex. Melzine's blood trailed along the floor.

    "Don't let them get th—" Before the old man could finish, the whole group was beamed out.

    Brent stopped in mid-run, astonished to have seen them all again. Doctor Melzine was gone.

    TO BE CONTINUED
     
    Robert Bruce Scott likes this.