Re: Part Four: Day of Reckoning ***** USS Gibraltar (Transporter Room) As soon as the Meharry officers were beamed off the pad, Donald dismissed the Transporter Officer. After the man had left, the captain said to Pell Ojana. “Was it just me, or was there something off about the Meharry’s XO?” The Bajoran’s nose ridges crinkled in thought. “I agree with you. She did seem…I don’t know…detached.” “Yeah,” Sandhurst replied. He wasn’t sure if he should say anything to Captain M’Bira about it or not. Perhaps it was no big deal, or the Caitian was on top of it. He was certainly impressed by her capture of a whole crew of Alshain, even though Command had now charged him with bringing the prisoners to Starbase 116 for extradition. “Donald, the Meharry’s just been through an ordeal,” Pell offered after a few minutes of pondering. “Everyone has different ways of coping with their burdens.” “Yeah,” Donald said again, still troubled by the slightly vacant look in Commander Sidhani’s eyes. “I suppose so.” “Captain M’Bira is more than capable of managing her officers,” Pell said. “How about you let her deal with it?” “You’re right,” he said, laughing slightly. “Perhaps I was letting the senior officer thing go to my head.” Donald had beat M’Bira to the chair by several months which technically made him the senior flag officer. It wasn’t a position Sandhurst was used to, another captain deferring to him. “You should be doubly glad I decided to stay onboard then,” Pell said, “Every balloon needs a needle sometimes.” “Says the needle,” Sandhurst joked. Switching tracks, he asked. “So, where’s Lt. Glover?” “Jasmine should still be in Engineering. She and Lt. Ashok are replicating materials to rebuild Meharry’s dilithium chamber. It was fused together during the Alshain ambush.” “But she did agree to have dinner with us?” Sandhurst asked. “Of course,” Pell said. “I can’t believe I’m actually looking forward to having dinner with a person named Glover,” Donald remarked dryly. “It’s a start,” the Bajoran replied. “Perhaps one day we can double date.” “That would be the day,” Sandhurst laughed. Captain Terrence Glover, Jasmine’s husband wasn’t on Donald’s holiday card list, and the feeling was mutual. “What do I have to do to change your mind?” Pell asked, a naughty tone in her voice. “Oh, a few things come to mind,” Sandhurst grinned as he locked the woman in an embrace. Before he could kiss her, a red alert sounded. **** USS Valour Sector 443 “The Prowlers will overtake us in less than ten minutes,” the officer at the helm said, coughing seconds later after a tendril of smoke slithered into her lungs. Captain Kojo’s eyes stung, but she forced them to stay open. She glared at the viewscreen. Its sensors were directed aft, at the ten Alshain Prowler interceptors behind them. Though the Prowlers had lighter armament than Howler interceptors, they were faster. And the shield nullifier the ships possessed more than made up for their lack of firepower. They had more than enough to carve up the Valour like lingta roast. The captain tapped her combadge. “Westin,” she rasped. Before the Alshain set upon them like a rout of avenging Jat’lyn, Kojo had found time to put on one of her old uniforms. Neither the Alshain nor the Phalkerians had jettisoned their clothing or personal effects. It had disgusted the Kriosian to think the Phalkerians might make some use of them. “On my way,” the man said, perfectly nonplussed as the ship was falling apart around them. Kojo restrained herself from laughing. The rest of the bridge crew wouldn’t understand the source of her amusement. “Get here now!” Kojo commanded. “Aye sir.” Westin answered. The ship trembled again. “Another hit to our port side,” Lt. Meleek-Zar replied. “Our ablative armor has been boiled off that side. The portside of the ship is defenseless.” “Damn,” Kojo said softly. She sent an evacuation command through her armrest terminal. Once the left side of the ship was vacant, she planned to seal it off just in case the Alshain managed to puncture the weakened hull there. “Tactical, I want you to smear the blood of that petaQ all over the stars,” Kojo yelled. “I love Klingon curses,” one of the bridge crew said, but she couldn’t see them through the billows of smoke. The fire suppressant system had malfunctioned an eternity ago. But even through the smoke, Kojo could see the shafts of energy lancing from the ship, and piercing the Alshain ship that had just struck Valour’s portside. Kojo crowed as the ship’s volley engulfed the smaller ship. Almost a minute later Westin finally arrived. He roughly held the Phalkerian that had had been sitting in Kojo’s seat when she had retaken the Valour. Westin pushed the man forward. The Phalkerian stumbled slightly before regaining his balance. He seemed unperturbed by the smoke or the heat from a couple new fires yet to be put out. “I am Nardin sin Phalzan,” the Phalkerian said with an ample amount of haughtiness. “I demand you release me and my colleagues to Phalkerian authorities immediately.” Kojo laughed so loudly her stomach hurt. “The Federation doesn’t have normalized relations with the Phalkerian Domain. There are no treaties, or extradition laws. Your people saw to that when you sat out the Dominion War.” “We weren’t going to be used as fodder for more advanced nations,” sin Phalzan retorted. “So, that’s what it’s all about, your part in all this,” Kojo said, absently rubbing her chin. “You want to be one of the big targs.” Nardin smoothed his blue-black tunic. “Yes, we do.” “Well, you’ll never live to see that day unless you help us now,” the Kriosian warned. “Starfleet officers don’t murder prisoners,” sin Phalzan sneered. “I’m not your typical Starfleet officer,” Kojo said with as much malice as she could muster. The confident smirk on the Phalkerian’s face slowly faded. He looked nervously at Westin. The young man nodded. “What exactly do you wish Captain?” “Do you know anything about the weapon the Alshain are using to nullify our shields? Their ships didn’t possess this technology in the Briar Patch, so I’m wondering if you had something to do with it. Perhaps the Phalkerians are more than what they claim to be.” Before Westin could react, the Phalkerian pushed him. The human flew against a bulkhead, slamming into it with a sickening thud. Sin Phalzan moved quickly, pinning Kojo’s arms as he leaned close to her ear. “By the time you figure that out, it’ll be too late for you.” He laughed, opening his mouth wide so that the captain could watch as his thick, purplish tongue dislodged an artificial tooth. He swallowed the tooth and whatever was inside it. Kojo turned her head as the Phalkerian’s now fetid breath gushed out of him. He pitched forward, falling on the woman. She threw the heavy corpse off her. “Security,” she quickly tapped her combadge, “Secure all of the Phalkerian prisoners. Scan them, particularly their mouths for artificial teeth and suicide capsules.” Waiting on a response, Kojo rushed to check on Westin. The man was stirring, mumbling nonsense. It looked like he might live, though he would need medical attention. “Captain,” the voice squeaked. “All of the Phalkerians are dead.” ****
Re: Part Four: Day of Reckoning **** USS Gibraltar (Main Bridge) “That does seem like quite a stretch Mr. Shanthi,” Captain Sandhurst said as he leaned over the man’s terminal. On the screen was the outlined section of space filled with tetryon particles. Juxtaposed was an image of a Vor’cha-class ship. Donald rubbed his chin. “It’s obvious you agree with him Lt. Juneau; otherwise you wouldn’t have issued a red alert, without consulting me.” “I’m sorry sir, but I thought the situation necessitated quick action,” the junior lieutenant replied. “Which was a wise decision,” Pell came to the younger woman’s defense. “The crew’s safety should’ve been your number one concern.” “The lady’s got a point,” Lt. Lar’ragos added. Donald pursed his lips, but didn’t reply to Pell’s assertion. Instead he asked, “Pava what do you think? If it is the Klingons, the Romulans, or someone else, why haven’t they attacked? They are well within range.” “Perhaps they are just spying on us,” the El Aurian offered. “That’s possible,” Sandhurst conceded. “If a ship is out there,” he added, not unwilling to let go completely of his skepticism, or foolish hope that more bloodshed could be avoided.” “There’s only one way to find out,” Lar’ragos said. “We’ve got to flush them out.” **** IKS Kajh (Main Bridge) “We’ve been sitting here too long,” Jedalla complained. “They were bound to discover us sooner or later. We should’ve destroyed them all hours earlier.” Brigadier Qorb didn’t want to admit that the lupanoid might’ve been right. Instead he focused his efforts on trying to negate the antiproton beam the Constitution class starship was aiming at them. Eventually, they would run out of resonance frequency adjustments for their cloak. “We must strike while we have the advantage,” Polemarch Zef A’Zel naturally joined Jedalla’s chorus. “Surely you aren’t afraid that your attack cruiser can’t handle three inferior vessels,” the Exarch pointed at the two Starfleet vessels and the lone Yashk’ani warship above Yashk’lin IV. “Or perhaps it’s not the ship you doubt, but yourself.” Qorb rose slowly from his seat, seething with anger. “Challenge my authority one more time, and my oath to General Lorath be damned, I will paint the walls with your blood!” The Exarch stood his ground, his lips pulling back to reveal a glittering row of teeth. “I haven’t tasted Klingon flesh in ages, the last I remember it was quite stringy,” He grinned. Qorb cursed long dead gods for making him an honorable Klingon, before retaking his seat. He wanted to get this over with as quickly as possible so he could rid himself of Jedalla and his entourage. “Sowee TAH!” Qorb bellowed. ****
Re: Part Four: Day of Reckoning Things are looking grim for Kojo and Co. and it's looking like Gibraltar is again about to find itself over its head in trouble--going up against a Vor'cha--not the most pleasant way to spend the day. Some very good character work here--you've got a good feel for the Gibraltar characters as well as your own and you pretty much tagged Dr. Murakawa right too. Very nicely done.
Re: Part Four: Day of Reckoning Interesting thing about the Gibralter, it seems like its 'normal' state is in over its head. Not sure Sandhurst would know what to do with a low key assignment. I'm starting to really dislike the Alshain, at least the bad ones. I'd like to second David Falkayn's comment on the Gibralter characters, you do seem to write them effectively. I was also taken by surprise by the mass suicide of the Phalkerians. Well done.
Re: Part Four: Day of Reckoning Yeah, last time the Gibraltar went up against a Vor’cha-class warship, Sandhurst was forced to skulk away with his tail between his legs. I can only help this encounter ends that well. Terrific stuff, DarKush. You keep upping the tension quotient, and your antagonists have taken on a life of their own, with goals highly divergent from those of our ‘heroes.’ Methinks bad things are afoot at the Circl— er… at the Yash’klin system.
Re: Part Four: Day of Reckoning **** USS Meharry (Main Bridge) “Captain!” Commander Anchal Sidhani yelled. “Klingon warship decloaking off port bow.” “I can see it Commander,” Captain M’Bira said charitably. Space wavered before them as the large ship slowly revealed itself. “Shall I raise shields?” Sidhani asked. “Not yet, the Klingons are our allies,” the Caitian replied. “We should at least give them a chance to explain why they are here.” “I think the cloak explains it all,” Sidhani challenged. “Damn right,” M’Bira’s sensitive hearing picked up Ensign Kaneq’s muttering. She had already reprimanded the young man for his inflammatory comments to the Alshain. The captain realized that she would have to speak with him again. “Hail them,” M’Bira said. There was no response. Seconds later, Lt. T’Lok replied. “Sir, we’re getting a hail from the Gibraltar.” “Onscreen.” M’Bira could feel Sandhurst’s tension across the stars. “Captain M’Bira I want you to get the Meharry out of here now,” the man said, his jaw setting firmly. ***** USS Gibraltar (Main Bridge) “Captain Sandhurst,” M’Bira replied, “I can’t do that. I have crewmembers both on the planet below and on your ship. I won’t abandon them.” “This isn’t a request,” Captain Donald Sandhurst didn’t want to be cruel, but he felt he had little choice. “You are to leave this system immediately, and you won’t stop until you reach Starbase 116 or encounter another Starfleet vessel.” “The Klingons haven’t made any hostile move towards us.” At any other time Donald would’ve been heartened by M’Bira’s naiveté, but not now. Not with lives on the line. “And we’ve got to move before they do,” Donald replied. “This is a highly unusual situation. The Yashk’ani captain has already informed me that the ship has no business in their space. The Yashk’ani don’t have formal relations with the Empire. It’s a good bet with all of the Alshain activity lately in this sector that this ship belongs to one of the Klingon Houses that were supporting them.” “Even if that ship has ill intent, Captain, three ships are better than one,” M’Bira protested. “We can handle this,” Sandhurst lied. “Two ships against one is more than enough.” The third ship hanging above the planet belonged to the Yashk’ani Civil Protection Force. “Not against a Vor’cha class battle cruiser,” the Caitian said, “Not in your condition.” “Meharry’s not ship shape either,” Donald said. “Listen Captain, we don’t have a lot of time to sit here and argue.” M’Bira swallowed loudly. “But about Commander Ramirez? She is still in our decon chamber.” Sandhurst grimaced. He didn’t like going into battle without his capable XO by his side. However, he was glad she might escape the bloodbath that was likely to occur in the next hour. Donald briefly glanced at Pell. The Bajoran was filling in for the absent Ramirez. He wished he could send her to the Meharry too. He could sometimes see himself living with Pell, but he never wanted to die with her. Though they had been estranged for quite some time, Donald had always been comforted by the idea that if his time came up, Pell would still be alive and that his life had meant something to at least one person, not obligated to like him because of blood, or now, position. “Listen Captain M’Bira,” Donald winced. “Commander Ramirez probably won’t be the happiest camper when she learns about my decision. Tell her…” he paused, searching for poignant, perhaps final words. “Tell her…to deal with it.” A flicker of a smile lightened the gloom on M’Bira’s face. “Good luck Captain Sandhurst.” He nodded. “Thank you. But I don’t need luck to carry the day.” Just two or three Sovereigns or Akiras, the captain thought. But he kept the thought to himself. M’Bira signed off. Half a minute later he was gratified to see the Meharry turn around and head off into the space, in the opposite direction of the incoming Klingon attack cruiser. Donald then contacted the Yashk’ani to run through an ad hoc battle plan. The Gibraltar would attempt to take the brunt of the assault, allowing the Yashk’ani to attack from the side. Hopefully their efforts would shield the planet from attack as well. “I feel like Sulu,” Ensign Lightner said unbidden. “Facing down the Klingons just like in the old days.” “Don’t be so quick to assume who’s in that ship Ensign,” Sandhurst warned. “I have a very thin hope that we can avoid a slug fest today.” “Not likely,” Lt. Lar’ragos remarked. There was already a hard glaze in the man’s eyes. He was primed. Ready. I wish I was, Donald thought, hating the swarm of butterflies in his stomach. “Hail them,” he ordered Lt. Juneau. She nodded her head before replying. “No answer sir,” the woman said. “Try again,” Sandhurst urged. She shook her head again. He sighed. “Raise shields, plot in a course for evasive maneuvers,” he said. The respective officers immediately translated his commands to action. “Here we go again,” he muttered, wishing he could be anywhere else but there. ***** USS Gibraltar (Main Engineering) Engineering was usually the first or second target in any engagement. That didn’t change with this battle. Despite the central, heavily fortified location of the engine room, the Klingon ship’s disruptors punctured the hull, striking deep into the ship. Jasmine had been sitting in the Chief Engineer’s office, swapping tales with the quiet, though amiable Lt. Ashok while his team gathered the needed materials to rebuild Meharry’s dilithium chamber. Both had quickly gone into action when the red alert sounded. Ashok had checked with the bridge and found out the situation. Jasmine had contacted Captain M’Bira. With a good number of Ashok’s staff onboard the Meharry, she didn’t feel right leaving the man in a bind. M’Bira agreed. “So, where do you want me?” “For the moment, you’re my assistant chief,” the large Bolian said. “Fine,” Jasmine replied, her anxiousness starting to rise to the fore. “What do we do now?” “I generally intend to wait, we’ll have enough work soon enough,” Ashok glumly replied. ***** IKS Kajh (Main Bridge) “What are you doing?” Jedalla bellowed. “You’re letting one of them get away!” “Precisely,” Brigadier Qorb watched the globular-hulled starship trek away on impulse power. “There goes your general’s anonymity,” the Exarch remarked, his voice nearly choked with exasperation. “I don’t understand you Klingons!” Qorb smiled. “That’s obvious. Whoever the medical ship contacts, we’ll be gone when they arrive. Plus, the identification of additional Klingon involvement in Alshain-Federation affairs will ultimately drive more wedges between the infernal Klingon-Federation alliance, and that suits General Lorath’s long-range plans anyway.” “Impressive,” Polemarch A’Zel responded. Queen Symea nodded appreciatively as well. The Exarch remained unimpressed. “Fine,” he eventually snorted. “But you destroy something all ready.” “Brigadier,” the communications officer said. “The Federation starship is hailing us.” “Let’s answer them then,” Qorb replied, with a fiendish grin. ****
Re: Part Four: Day of Reckoning **** USS Gibraltar (Main Bridge) “The Klingon ship is powering forward disruptors,” Lt. Lar’ragos said, just a hint of tension in his voice. “Evasive maneuvers,” Sandhurst commanded Ensign Lightner. “We’re not the target Captain,” Pell said, pointing at the screen. The bow of the large battle cruiser glowed a hellish red as a powerful discharge engulfed the Yashk’ani ship. The smaller warship’s shields caved instantly as the barrage drove through the ship, demolishing it. “My gods,” Donald heard Ensign Hanoj, now at an aft Missions Ops console, whisper. Sandhurst had served with the woman’s older sister Hanul on the Starship Cuffe. She had been lost on a mission in the Tong Beak Nebula. He didn’t intend to lose Hanoj or anyone else today. But at the moment Donald didn’t know how to prevent it. “It looks like it’s our turn,” Ensign Lightner said ominously as the Klingon ship turned to face them, its forward disruptor array looking like the maw of a hellhound. ***** USS Meharry (Captain’s Ready Room) Sector 443 “Turn this damn ship around right now!” Commander Liana Ramirez, dressed only in her skivvies, her skin slick with decontaminant gel, stood over Captain M’Bira’s desk, her knuckles planted into the smooth wooden finish. “You’re forgetting your place Commander,” her counterpart, Anchal Sidhani said, rising from her seat. Liana turned around to face her. Commander Marc Bolden stepped in between the fuming women. “I think everyone needs to calm down here,” he said, before wiping a glob of gel away from his eyelid. “I’m not calming down until we return to Yashk’lin IV,” Ramirez huffed. “That’s my ship taking on the Klingons. We can’t leave them alone!” “Don’t you think I voiced the same concerns to your captain?” M’Bira asked. “But he was adamant that we leave the sector. I protested, but he’s the senior officer.” “And he was right,” Sidhani added. “This is a medical ship. We got lucky against the Alshain period. But we’d fold like a bad hand of Rolandan Wild Draw if we tried to take on a Klingon attack cruiser. Captain Sandhurst’s sacrifice will be remembered.” Liana’s nostrils flared. She had never wanted to hit someone so badly in her life. “It’s not over yet.” “It soon will be,” Sidhani said. “Commander Sidhani,” M’Bira admonished. “No, it’s not what you think,” the commander said. “I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just…I fought the Klingons in the Archanis Sector during in the last war. I know how thoroughly ruthless the ridge heads can be.” “Well, we’ve had dealings with the Klingons too,” Ramirez offered, though with less certainty. “At Lakesh.” “I know,” Sidhani said, an arrogant gleam in her eye. Seconds later said eye had already begun to puff up, courtesy of Ramirez’s fist. Sidhani touched her eye, her face contorting in rage. “You witch!” She screamed, before jumping Ramirez. The women fell on M’Bira’s desk, grappling, yanking, cursing, and each trying to gain advantage. Bolden tried to break them apart, receiving several punches, kicks, and scratches for his futile efforts. The three of them rolled off the desk, and thudded onto the carpeted floor. “That’s enough,” M’Bira said, calmly rising from her seat. The felinoid then roared, the raging sound reverberating off the walls. The frightening sound stilled the three grappling commanders. M’Bira came to stand over them. Liana’s heart actually thumped faster now at the sight of the furious woman. Her fur stood on end, and sharp claws jutted from her paws. Her lips were pulled back to reveal long, sharp fangs. “I won’t tolerate this kind of behavior on my ship!” The captain’s voice was lower, rougher, and more dangerous. “Commander Bolden, escort both Commanders Sidhani and Ramirez to the bridge. If you want to finish your squabble there so be it.” “Yes sir,” Bolden said. He helped both women to their feet. The fight had seemed to sap the anger out of both of them. Ramirez felt ashamed, embarrassed about her loss of control, but mostly she felt frightened for her crewmates on the Gibraltar. She knew she would never forgive herself when Meharry eventually got the news of the ship’s destruction. ***** USS Valour (Main Bridge) Sector 443 Captain Kojo knew outrunning the faster Prowlers wasn’t possible, so she had ordered Stell to reverse course. The Valour had shot backwards, into the midst of the pack, knocking them out of formation. Before they could recover, the Valour picked off four of them, leaving only four left. After another half-hour of chasing, evading, maneuvering, and occasional fighting, the Alshain squadron had been reduced to two. Though Valour had again paid a heavy price. Lt. Chang was the most prominent on the casualty list. Shields were down to ten percent and weapons were even less than that. It would take hours for the backup generators to recharge the weapons banks. However, Kojo was still in a slightly superior position. “Offer them terms of surrender,” she informed Lt. Meleek-Zar. He transmitted her command. “I’ll never surrender,” Sutahr Visla R’Vott snarled. On the split screen, Nadfar Rog roared. “I made a promise to great Garrm himself, and I intend to keep it!” “One of the ships is making a run at us,” Meleek-Zar said. “Damn, they’re going to spear us!” Kojo said. “Everyone to the escape pods.” Several of the escape pods had been ejected during Valour’s first tussle with the Alshain. Only a handful remained. It would be a tight spacing, but everyone would have to endure. “Captain,” Meleek-Zar placed his feathered hand on her shoulder. “Come on.” She looked up absently at him, “I won’t leave my post.” He regarded her for a few seconds. “Something told me you would say that,” he said, his hands running along her neck. The last image Kojo saw was the needle-like bow of the Prowler racing toward her. ***** SFS Blood Shadow Prowler-class Interceptor “Rog, you wonderful idiot,” Sutahr R’Vott crowed. She watched Rog’s Prowler lance the Federation ship as if it were a boil. A majestic fire erupted from the bowels of the wedge-shaped and it erupted seconds later, the shockwave smacking into her small vessel. She held fast as it rode out the wave. “Sutahr,” Kveld Tiung looked up from the navigating/sensor terminal. The interceptors only held three persons. Gmoro, the Weapons Officer, sat behind them. “Three escape pods ejected from the Valour before it was destroyed. Two survived the blast.” “Scan them for Kriosian life signs,” R’Vott reported. She cared little about the other Starfleet officers, but if Rog hadn’t finished the job, she wanted to mount Captain Kojo in her vacation villa. “There is one Kriosian bio-signature,” Tiung said. R’Vott licked her lips. “Time to collect my trophy.” *****
Re: Part Four: Day of Reckoning ***** USS Meharry Sector 443 “Captain, medium-range sensors are picking up a massive warp discharge ahead,” T’Lok looked away from her terminal. The Tiburonian’s face was a web of dread. “Readings indicate a warp core explosion.” Commander Bolden, sitting in Commander Sidhani’s seat, sat up. He glanced at the captain, his eyes brimming with expectation. M’Bira ordered the ship to alter course. ***** USS Gibraltar (Detention Center) Lt. Ra-Goran felt useless. Stuck on the Gibraltar, away from his own station and his security team while his ship was facing gods knew what frustrated him to no end. It didn’t help that Lt. Lar’ragos had sent him to watch over the Alshain prisoners. With each strike inflicted upon the Gibraltar, the lupanoids’ laughter and goading increased. He also the taunting was getting to some of the other security guards, the younger ones Ra-Goran noticed. His hand grasping the butt of his phaser, the Efrosian approached the forcefield. “I’m not going to tell you to be silent again.” “Oh,” Syot Graf D’Grekker laughed. “And what are you going to do to silence us?” “You wouldn’t dare drop that forcefield,” Kveld Jast replied. “You aren’t brave enough.” This statement evoked another rabid howl of laughter. Ra-Goran’s temperature rose. He wanted to wipe the smug smiles off the lupines’ faces, but he knew if he lowered the field, the Alshain would rip him and everyone else in the room to shreds. Ra-Goran wasn’t a coward, but he wasn’t a fool either. “I’m sure there are ways I can assure your compliance,” he said with a wicked smirk of his own. Walking over to the cell’s control panel, Ra-Goran began manipulating its controls. The energy field began inside the cell began to expand, pushing itself deeper into the cell. The Alshain moved away from it. “What are you doing?” D’Grekker asked, after the crackling field singed one of his men. “Yes, what are you doing sir?” Junior Lieutenant Tela asked. “That’s not a regulated use of the forcefield.” “I’m aware of that,” Ra-Goran smiled at the Elasian. “In the heat of battle you learn a few things. This is just one of the tricks I picked up during the war.” “Sir, what you are doing constitutes torture,” Tela said, as more Alshain howled in pain as they came into contact with the field. “I’m just trying to get them to be quiet,” Ra-Goran said. “I think they know I mean business now.” He detracted the field. “I’m going to bathe in your blood!” D’Grekker roared. “Why don’t you come out here and do it then,” Ra-Goran challenged just before the field deactivated and the lights went out. *****
Re: Part Four: Day of Reckoning A wonderful, action-filled installment. Explosions, girl-fights, Klingons… who could ask for anything more? Oh, and I think Ra-Goran is going to taste some Instant Karma ™ in the form of some very big, very angry Alshain.
Re: Part Four: Day of Reckoning A taut, tense, and dangerous set of situations here. Gibraltar is definitely outmatched and it's looking like it's curtains for the old girl here, while Valor has gone down fighting, and it's looking like Meharry is coming to the rescue of the escape pods just in time. And a cat fight in front of a Caitan--choice.
Re: Part Four: Day of Reckoning ...I've run several simulations on Bridge Commander. ...the odds are not good for the old Connie. But what's new?
Re: Part Four: Day of Reckoning ^Heh, with this particular old Connie, the odds are never good! Run, Sandy, run like... like... a really lethargic low-warp wind!
Re: Part Four: Day of Reckoning The Cat(ian)-fight was by far my favorite part of the new installments. Very funny but somehow also quite palpable. Ramirez is a hothead and if you know her buttons ... A lot of tension building up but I was a bit worried that perhaps you were rushing this a little bit too much (sorry if I sound repetitve) But there a lot of signs here that you wrote this in a hurry and not just the extremly short segments. But I really thought some of them could have used just a tad more words. I would have liked to read a bit more about Koto for example. Overall this is building up to a great, tense show-off and I'm lookingn forward to see how Sandy and old-Gibraltar are going to pull out of this one.
Re: Part Four: Day of Reckoning Um, one question. How did you get Gibralter to agree to this kind of abuse. Oh wait, just another day at the office. Seriously. Good tension, good pucker factor...but sometimes the transitions were abrupt. I almost got lost trying to keep track of the Alshain ships. Could be me tired. Waiting for next segment eagerly.
Re: Part Four: Day of Reckoning ***** USS Gibraltar (Main Bridge) Pell helped Captain Sandhurst off the floor. The familiar taste of blood filled his mouth. He spit it out, along with a tooth or two, before speaking. “Damn, how bad was it?” He said around a swollen, nearly bitten off tongue. “Bad,” Pell said, a vicious gash across her forehead. She kept wiping the blood pouring from it away from her eyes. Donald immediately forgot about his own pain. He rushed to apply pressure to the Bajoran’s wound but she batted his hand away. “Worry about me later. Find a way to save us again now Donald.” He shook his head, ordering his jumbled thoughts. Donald quickly assessed the bridge. Iron will kept Pava at his post. Juneau was draped over her console, and Lightner was battling a fire that had erupted on his part of their shared station. “Pava, what’s the situation?” Sandhurst asked. “That last shot took everything out,” he said calmly. “We’ve got nothing. The weapons systems are offline, the engines. Everything.” “Damn,” Sandhurst whispered. “This can’t be too bad right,” Lightner asked hopefully, turning around in his seat, his console a charred ruin. “You faced something like this on that Kobayahsi Test right?” “Yeah,” Sandhurst glumly recalled, “I did.” **** SFS Blood Shadow Prowler-class Interceptor Sutahr R’Vott had changed her mind. Instead of letting the other Starfleeters go she had decided to compound Kojo’s failure by killing them as well. Unfortunately, the escape pods were equipped with impulse propulsion, and some maneuverability. The Blood Shadow had had to chase them, but the sutahr had actually found that enjoyable. She was an Alshain after all and the hunt was in her blood. Rounding finally on Kojo’s pod, R’Vott toggled the comline. “I hope you can hear me Captain Kojo. I’ve destroyed the other pods and now I wanted you to know that I-Visla of Sept R’Vott will send you back to whatever hell sired you!” She ordered the Weapons Officer to activate the firing control. The disruptors punched through empty space. “What happened?” She said, still not quite comprehending how the escape pod had vanished before her eyes. She glared at Gmoro. “What did you do?” She demanded. “It’s another Federation vessel,” Kveld Tiung said, pointing out the forward port. It was only a speck, but enough for R’Vott to make out a globe-shaped primary hull. “No, I won’t let them deny my vengeance!” She roared, pounding the viewport. “Tiung, set a course for that Starfleet ship.” “No,” the young officer said. “What?” R’Vott was floored. “You disobeyed one of my orders! Do you know what that means?” “That we won’t fruitlessly expend our lives like Nadfar Rog did,” Tiung held the woman’s gaze. She hadn’t such fortitude from the subordinate. “Your cowardice will be a black mark for your Sept, Hells, your entire Clan,” R’Vott warned. “Our compound failures have done that already,” Tiung said. “As they have for your Clan and Gmoro’s. The only way to remedy that is to live. Our time of reckoning is not today, but it will come.” “Tiung is right,” Gmoro replied. “Sutahr, please see reason.” R’Vott knew that both of her subordinates spoke truth, but the anger for Kojo coiled in her heart like a deathworm. For what seemed an eternity, she struggled with her decision. Finally she said, “Get us out of here.” She kept her eyes on the speck of starship for as long as possible, promising the gods and all of her ancestors that she earns their respect again with Kojo’s blood. *****
Re: Part Four: Day of Reckoning ***** USS Meharry (Sickbay) “Oh my God!” Commander Marc Bolden shouted. “I can’t believe it.” “Me either sir!” Lt. Commander Kirce Carrick was grinning ear-to-ear. “The captain’s alive.” “What am I…chopped liver as you humans say,” Lt. Meleek-Zar wryly replied. Kojo said nothing. She sat up on her biobed, refusing Dr. Paskor’s entreaties to treat her more serious injuries. She wanted to make sure the Alshain had been handled first. “Take me to the bridge,” she commanded Bolden. “You’re not going anywhere,” Dr. Paskor replied, a touch of duranium in his voice. “And I’m not going to argue with you about this captain.” “Fine,” Kojo huffed. “That makes it less stressful.” She slid off the biobed. “I’ve had far worse scrapes than these. Take care of Mr. Westin instead. Humans are far more fragile.” She glanced at the injured security guard on the biobed beside hers. A ring of small devices-cortical stimulators Bolden believed-were attached to the man’s forehead. Carrick had already taken station by her subordinate’s side. “See that he doesn’t die, I have plans for him.” The Kriosian commanded. With that she headed toward the door, grabbing Bolden’s arm and dragging him along. Once they were outside Sickbay, Kojo leaned against the man. He helped her to the nearest turbolift. “If you tell anyone about this, I’ll use your head as the dish for my next batch of skull stew,” the captain warned. “It’s really good to see you again sir,” Bolden replied. ***** USS Gibraltar (Main Bridge) “Damn,” Pava Lar’ragos muttered as Ensign Tela’s last breath issued from the restored comline. He repressed a shudder. “Go,” Sandhurst said, his expression as hard as concrete. “Pava, do whatever you have to stop the Alshain from frinxing up this situation even worse than it is now…and bring back Lt. Ra-Goran in one piece.” “You got it,” he said. “I’ll bring back Ra-Goran in one piece. As for the Alshain…” “Go,” Donald repeated. ***** USS Gibraltar (Deck 10, Corridor H) Pava had picked up Master Chief Tark and fellow noncom Sahira Dunleavy along the way. He had shed enough blood with both of them during their time on the Gibraltar to feel confident that they could handle whatever the Alshain had in store for them. Tark was so fired up Lar’ragos thought about just sitting back and letting the fearsome Tellarite have at the lupines. But he had never been much of a spectator. The trio caught up with the Alshain on Deck 10, Corridor H. Pava’s finely honed listening abilities had detected the click of the phaser, and he had pushed Dunleavy across the corridor seconds before she would’ve been vaporized. The three took up firing positions and returned fire. They traded fire with the Alshain for several minutes, the ship rattling around them as the Klingon warship continued to pound Gibraltar. Frustrated with the stalemate, Pava decided on another tactic. After the latest volleys had been exchanged, he called out, “If you release Lt. Ra-Goran we’ll allow you to leave the ship unharmed.” “You’re in no position to bargain,” the El Aurian recognized the arrogant voice of Syot D’Grekker. “From the looks of it, my people are here.” “The Klingons you mean?” Pava didn’t know what to make of the canid’s silence so he pressed on. “From the looks of things that’s not a rescue party out there. They’re taking us apart.” Tark snorted, opening his mouth as if to say something, but Pava silenced the testy Tellarite with a sharp air slice across his throat. “I’m sure you don’t want to die with us. I’ll give you access to a shuttle right now. You can make your own stand against the Klingons if you like.” The ship trembled again, and the lights in the corridor briefly winked out, punctuating Lar’ragos’s offer. “Fine,” D’Grekker said after a few anxious minutes of heated debate among the Alshain. “But the Efrosian goes with us. He’s our insurance policy that you won’t negate the deal.” “No dice,” Lar’ragos said, though he had already anticipated D’Grekker making this demand. He argued with the man for several more minutes, eventually relenting. He also was certain that D’Grekker would demand more assurances, so he handed his sidearm to Tark, and ordered both noncoms to vacate the corridor. He personally escorted the Alshain to the nearest shuttle bay. The going was at times slow as they navigated through the debris strewn corridors. Lar’ragos feigned surprise, sprinkled with a dash of fear when D’Grekker forced him to accompany them. He glanced at the mortified Ra-Goran and winked. This was going better than expected. ***** IKS Kajh (Main Bridge) “Brigadier we’re getting a hail from one of the Gibraltar shuttles,” the communication officer said. “They are using one of the approved codes.” “Some of my warriors were onboard?” Jedalla asked, “Stop the attack at once!” So near victory, Brigadier Qorb didn’t want to call off the attack. But he was curious about this new wrinkle, and he also knew the Gibraltar wasn’t going anywhere. Allowing them to stew for a little while as they came to accept their fate wouldn’t bother him one bit. “Cease,” he commanded the Weapons Officer. **** USS Gibraltar (Main Bridge) “He did what?” Sandhurst asked, his stomach knotting with fear and concern. “Of all the crazy stunts Pava’s pulled over the years…” “Well sir,” Tark said, “He seemed like he knew what he was doing.” Dunleavy nodded in agreement. “Most of the times he does,” Sandhurst replied, “but times when he doesn’t can get very bloody.” “Let’s just pray that this isn’t one of those times,” Pell offered. *****
Re: Part Four: Day of Reckoning ***** Shuttle Peary While the Alshain were transfixed as the shuttle bay on the Klingon warship opened up like the mouth of a large beast, Pava pulled the small non-Starfleet issue disruptor from the small of his back. The small vessel’s cabin was soon alight as he began firing. He felled three Alshain before D’Grekker leapt from the shuttle’s pilot’s seat. The lupanoid clamped steel-like jaws on Pava’s shoulder. The gun fell to the floor. Lar’ragos tried to head butt the large man, and then gouged out one of his eyes. D’Grekker wouldn’t let go. He began to pull at the arm in his mouth, and Pava screamed as he felt his muscles, flesh, and bone were being torn from his body. Behind him stood the remaining Alshain, each slavering for whatever D’Grekker decided would be leftovers. Just beyond them, he saw Ra-Goran struggling with the Kveld named Jast over the shuttle’s controls. “Pava,” Donald’s voice issued from his blood-soaked compin. “Pava come in.” Pava voice-activated the combadge. “Are you all right?” The captain asked. “What’s happening?” “I’m doing fine,” he said through clenched teeth. “Beam the kid out of here now…I’ll be along.” He cursed when he felt the transporter effect tingle over his body. ***** USS Gibraltar (Main Bridge) “Damn it Donald,” Pava raged, holding his nearly severed arm as he sat in the middle of the bridge, right in front of the captain’s chair. “You didn’t give me enough time to sabotage the shuttle’s warp engine. I could’ve blown them all hellward!” He swatted away Pell as she rushed to attend to him. The El Aurian tried to stand but thought better of it. Despite his concern, Sandhurst chuckled. He couldn’t help but be impressed by Pava’s ingenuity and tenacity. “Actually that’s a good idea,” he said, directing Ensign Lightner, who had moved over into Lt. Juneau’s seat to initiate a self-destruction on the shuttle. “But you forgot old-timer that we can do that from the bridge these days.” “Why didn’t you tell me that before?” Pava asked. “You didn’t ask,” Sandhurst replied. Lar’ragos rolled his eyes. “I thought all captains were mind readers,” the El Aurian retorted. Sandhurst’s combadge chirped. He tapped it. “Captain,” Lt. Ashok began, but Sandhurst cut him off. “Wrong again Pava,” he said. “It’s not captains that are mind readers, but engineers. I was just thinking about you Mr. Ashok.” “Oh…uh…mmm…captain, I don’t know what to say,” the Bolian replied. “About the engines,” Donald emphasized, eliciting a pained laugh from Pava. By then, the El Aurian had allowed Pell to use the bridge’s medkit to tend to his injuries until they got him to Sickbay. “We’re going to need them back on line, ASAP.” “We’re doing our best here,” Ashok answered. Your best isn’t good enough, Sandhurst thought. But he said, “Well I’ve got a free pair of hands and nothing or no one to use them on. I’ll see you shortly.” *****
Re: Part Four: Day of Reckoning ***** IKS Kajh (Shuttle Bay) Syot Graf D’Grekker kneeled. He had never imagined that one day the Exarch would stand in front of him. Jedalla lightly touched the man’s shoulder. “Arise,” he said, his voice as lofty and majestic as Alshain Proper’s highest peaks. He and the remaining warriors rose in unison. “We are yours to command.” The Exarch smiled. “Of course you are,” he brushed past D’Grekker to gaze at the shuttle, “and I see that you’ve brought me a prize. You and your Sept shall be handsomely rewarded.” “Thank you Exarch,” he bowed, keeping his head lowered. The regal Queen Symea also breezed past him to join her mate on the shuttle’s boarding ramp. They climbed into it together. Their three children rushed in behind them. D’Grekker wanted to accompany them, to be in their presence again, but he maintained his position. He occupied his thoughts with the memory of Lt. Lar’ragos flesh in his teeth, the sweet saline taste of El Aurian blood in his mouth. “What is this flashing light my husband?” The Queen’s question brought D’Grekker out of his reverie. He frowned. “What kind of bauble is this?” He looked at Jast and then the other men. When they had piloted the shuttle into the hold, all of the systems had been deactivated. D’Grekker then glanced at the Polemarch that had accompanied the Exalted Pair. Something passed between them, and without having to be told, D’Grekker sprang into action. “Get out of there, get out of the shuttle!” He screamed. He bounded into the hold, grabbing the startled Queen and throwing her out of the open hatch. He was thankful that Jast stood ready to catch the shrieking woman. He yanked the startled pups next. Jedalla rounded on him, swiping him with a razored claw. The blow knocked D’Grekker against the wall of the small shuttle. “No Excellency, you don’t understand. I think there’s a bomb!” The Exarch froze, tensing immediately as his eyes swept over the blinking red light in the aft portion of the shuttle. “Is that not where they place their warp core?” “Yes,” D’Grekker said. “Those rakuun will suffer for this,” Jedalla seethed. “I’ll pilot the shuttle out of the hold,” Jast offered before D’Grekker could. He regarded the man with a slit-eyed gaze. “No, I am the senior officer.” “If that’s so, then you will be needed in the war to come,” Jedalla replied. “You Kveld, get this shuttle away from us now!” “At once Excellency,” Jast jumped into the cabin. “But…” D’Grekker began, but a frigid look from the Exarch froze the protest on his tongue. “Come with me Syot,” he commanded. “The longer you dally, the more you put us all in danger.” “Yes, Milord,” D’Grekker gave Jast a withering gaze before he left the shuttle. Rushing with the others out of the hold, he thought too late that activating even the ship’s impulse engines might detonate the warp core. But he kept the thought to himself. By doing so, it wouldn’t be his failure if that was the case. It would be Jast’s. **** USS Gibraltar (Starboard Nacelle) Despite Donald’s growing attachment to Gibraltar’s center seat, he still considered himself an engineer at heart. It had been difficult for him at first to give Ashok dominion over Engineering, but over the months Sandhurst’s confidence in the Bolian had grown slowly but steadily, and Donald’s own insecurities about the command path he had chosen had lessened. Now he easily worked under Ashok’s direction, helping the harried crew replace and install the remaining damaged warp coils preventing the warp engine from generating a warp field that would allow them to escape the explosion he knew was imminent. Jasmine Glover worked silently beside him. Every few seconds she wiped sweat from her eyes as she placed a new coil into position, sealing it with a stabilizer. Donald never thought he would be working with a Glover again, actually he had hoped he never would be. But he had to admit, if their lives weren’t on the line at the moment, he would’ve found it to be a pleasurable experience. Jasmine was the consummate professional. After handing her the final piece, Jasmine worked it into place. She climbed out of the nacelle, and closed the hatch. “It should be good to go sir,” she informed him. “Good work,” he smiled. “All of you,” he turned to Ashok and the mixed Gibraltar and Meharry crew. “Care to do the honors sir,” Ashok said, gesturing toward the warp core initiator. Sandhurst took a step forward, then stopped himself. “Actually, Mr. Ashok, I’ll pass. Lt. Glover, please…” “Oh, no I can’t,” the woman protested. “I insist,” Donald said. “Or more importantly Pell probably would.” “Okay,” Glover laughed softly before she walked over to the terminal attached to the softly pulsing warp core. She pressed the button. Mere seconds later Donald heard the first boom. *****
Re: Part Four: Day of Reckoning ***** IKS Kajh (Main Bridge) “Sir, the Gibraltar has restored warp power,” Lt. Kosta, his sensor officer replied. “Impossible,” Brigadier Qorb said. But the sight on the main viewer was miraculously real. “How did they do that?” He asked the sensor officer. A second before the starship was lifeless, waiting for the killing blow. Even though they still had no chance, Qorb had to applaud them for their efforts. After the warrior couldn’t provide an answer, the brigadier dismissed the man’s piqued expression with a wave. “The only difference it makes is that we can honestly say that the starship did provide some resistance, if not a worthy challenge, a challenge nonetheless. Target their engines. Bring the full complement of our arms to bear.” Before Qorb gave the final command, the explosion knocked him from his seat. The burly Klingon sprang quickly to his feet, but had to grab onto to his chair to stay upright. The attack cruiser was now quaking madly. He watched helplessly as a serpentine power surge coursed through the bridge, electrocuting several of his officers. He backed away from his seat right before its armrest consoles exploded, driving bits of metal and sharpened plastic into his flesh. “There’s been a warp core explosion, right outside the shuttle bay!” Kosta had impressively maintained his post. “Damn those Alshain!” Qorb spat. “Those beasts can’t even pull off a simple extraction. I told Lorath it would be madness to ally ourselves with them, but now his stubbornness may doom us all.” “Brigadier,” Kosta called again. “A massive plasma fire has swept from the shuttle bay into the bowels of the ship! The explosion also ruptured the hull near engineering. Chief Kreb is reporting that the reactor core has been destabilized. Kajh’s destruction can’t be prevented!” Qorb cursed. “Sir,” Kosta said, “Shall we abandon ship?” Several of the surviving bridge officers looked at Qorb, their expressions a range of resolve and fear. “No!” Qorb shook his head. “You may go, and take as many with you as you can find. I can’t live with such shame. But you must go bear witness to the general, be the living proof of his shortsightedness.” Kosta began to protest, but Qorb drew his dk’tahg. “Go!” he bellowed, waving the tri-blade dagger at the man. “What about the Alshain?” Kosta asked, wisely keeping his distance. “Any Alshain you find alive, kill them!” He roared, before he sat back down on his ruined throne. “Tell Lorath that my eternity in Gre’thor will pay the price for disobeying him!” **** IKS Kajh (Emergency Evacuation Area) “What of Qorb?” Jedalla asked, perturbed that the low born D’Grekker deigned to touch him, even gingerly as he steered the Exarch into one of the escape vehicles. The Queen was already inside, majestic even in the sparse, cramped space, huddling with her three youngest pups. They were keening with barely restrained terror. “We should check on him. He is Lorath’s envoy after all.” “And the general should have someone to blame for this debacle,” Queen Symea replied, with righteous venom. “Klingons are a resourceful race,” Polemarch A’Zel yelled over the thundering klaxon. “I’m sure he’ll escape.” D’Grekker entered the vehicle last. He shut the hatch the behind him. The Exarch quickly staked out the pilot’s seat. He tried several controls, whipping his head around. “A’Zel, or Syot, get up here! Why are you sitting around with this damnable ship coming apart around us?” “At once,” both men rushed to take the controls. Jedalla sidled out of the seat, and D’Grekker pushed the older A’Zel to the side. Jedalla growled with approval before going back to comfort his wife and children. D’Grekker couldn’t believe how the gods had chosen to smile on him. He felt like one of the ancient Dynastic chariot drivers, as he released the clamps holding the vehicle inside the Kajh. Once free of the imploding ship, he activated the pod’s small impulse engine, hoping he could create enough distance to avoid the worst of the Kajh’s destruction. ***** USS Gibraltar (Main Bridge) Captain Donald Sandhurst was again on edge, but what else was new? “Are you sure we’re out of the blast radius?” He asked Ensign Hanoj again. “Yes sir,” the Bolian cheerfully replied. “Thanks to you, we’ll only feel a slight bit of the shockwave.” “What about Yashk’lin IV?” Pell asked, anxiety carved into her face. “A reactor core breach so close might irradiate their entire planet.” Sandhurst’s mouth drew into a tight line. There was nothing he could say to mollify Pell, or himself. Though he was overjoyed that he and his crew had pulled together to someone escape the Reaper once again, his self-satisfaction was tempered by the realization of how many lives they were not able to save today. Damning decorum, he left his seat and stepped up onto the command deck. He pulled Pell close to him, turning her away from the viewscreen as the Klingon attack cruiser exploded, the edge of the wave washing over Yashk’lin IV. *****