That was a fun chapter to read.
STO Phoenix Compendium
- Thread starter Hawku
- Start date
Thanks!
Thank you. That Picard line was a reference to IDW's TNG Mirror Universe comics and the Spock one was for David Mack's "Sorrows of the Empire".
Author's notes: These are compiled posts by multiple players for the Earth Spacedock RP on the Star Trek Online forums. My character was Elric (w Zeta). This continues from the last ESD entry. Written in August 2017.
Earth Spacedock, Pages 129-130
U.S.S. Sally
Lyras emerged from a mind meld, slowly, aching all over. Opening her eyes, she frowned, looking around. "What the? This isn't Vulcan! Where am I?" she said, puzzled. She appeared to be in a turbolift. Standing up, she saw several people dressed in MACO uniforms enter the lift. One of them, actively scanning with a tricorder on what seemed to be multiple bands.
"Hey!" she called out, bringing a hand up to touch one of their shoulders and jumping back when her hand travelled through it instead.
Swearing in surprise, she raced through the closed doors to find herself in a hallway. She had a sneaking suspicion that whatever had caused her incorporeal state also led her to be undetectable.
Suddenly, she noticed a figure (the being) go through a nearby wall. "Hey, you!" she exclaimed. "Did you bring me here?"
The black, liquid-like ominous blob that was the being stopped. "Curious," it said, hovering a little closer to the non-corporeal Lyras. "This was not expected."
---
Meeting Room
11 walked off to the meeting room followed by Scott, Sek, Commodore Nat and Krystal.
Emperor Nat was already standing by the central holographic projector, evidently coming up with a plan of some kind. "We have two objectives... to capture your precious General Toros for your purposes, and the destruction of his allies. Since our scouts indicated the base was intact, it would be plausible that we will leave the base intact, but leave the Na'kuhl weakened and exposed enough for the Breen forces to locate and destroy them themselves."
"If we can somehow reveal the station to the Breen, I have no doubt they'd nuke it," Krystal added. "The problem is, they'd most likely attack anyone there, including us. Breen are territorial."
"That's part of the plan," stated the Emperor. "We go in, capture Toros, make a ruckus that'll keep the Na'kuhl from running, then leave before the Breen get us."
Emperor Nat looked back to the projector. "So, what about this Doomsday Machine you said about?"
---
Corridors
As Elric made his way through the corridors of the Sally with the dozen operatives, he found his tricorder not reading anything. He smacked it a few times, in hopes it was just malfunctioning.
"You know, I was a lot like this alien once," Elric started, as everyone continued walking. "When the Na'khul took my ship out and I was the only survivor, I was freaking out for weeks. For him, it's still fresh in his mind."
It was then the group heard a noise around the corner. The operatives took the lead, aiming their rifles, to find Klokian, stuck to the ceiling. The creature looked down, noticing their presence, and ignoring their operatives' yelling.
"What happened to taking over the Marrakesh?" Elric criticized.
The alien dropped to the floor to address him. He was holding a spherical device of unknown origin. "Klokian distracted. Purpose here, on ship."
"Is that some kind of bomb?" the Captain asked.
Holding the sphere with one of his hands, Klokian replied, "Chamber for entities. All Klokian capture."
"You're some kind of race of bounty hunters?"
Klokian attempted to test his movements. "All Klokian anti-Q in nature. Capture Q in chamber."
"How is that even poss—" Elric started but was interrupted by the Klokian disappearing in response. He had cloaked himself and ran off. "Wait! There are no Q here," the Captain said, too late. Then, turning to the others, "Unless he thinks..."
"Thinks what?" asked one of the Omega Operatives.
"Huh?" Elric was caught off his train-of-thought. "Oh, sorry. I was trailing there. Completely unprofessional. Unless he thinks that entity is what his people normally go after. He may be mistaken. But, on the plus side, this reaction could confirm the existence of said entity. He must be able to detect or sense it somehow."
The Captain motioned to continue on, as he tried his tricorder again. Unfortunately, it appeared Klokian was successful in masking his lifesigns again. Elric reported his findings to Jim over comms.
"Of course," replied Jim. "At least this shows this... being... might be real, which is a good sign for the lieutenant's sake, not so much for us."
Elric, followed by a dozen Omega Operatives, continued their careful pace throughout the hallways of the U.S.S. Sally. The Captain's modified tricorder showed nothing but the occasional blip, indicating that Klokian was possibly covering his own lifesigns actively.
"I wouldn't be surprised if he was working hard to block out our scans," Elric surmised. It was then the blips turned into full on signals. Klokian had given himself up, completely. "I've got something. This way!"
In a matter of time, Elric and the Operatives had converged upon Klokian, who was standing before the doors to a turbolift. The creature held his white spherical, tech-covered device and peered into the turbolift as the doors opened. There was Sarah and no one else.
"Klokian not understand," the short, rag-dressed man said, betraying his confusion. "Two beings?"
Elric and the Operatives trained their weapons on him. "Klokian, stop! I know things are moving pretty fast for you now, but it's only because you lost your ship, just like I did. There are other ways to deal with it."
"Not make sense," Klokian just continued. He tapped at his sphere, which emitted a shade of grey particles into the turbolift, revealing two shadowed, hazy, indistinct figures; one humanoid, one blob. "Take the being."
He then fired a white beam into the blob one, in an attempt at capturing it. Elric and anyone else nearby was wide-eyed in shock at what the Klokian had revealed.
The being fired a blast of energy in retaliation, slicing through the floor and releasing a plasma vent explosion that not only made Sarah scream, but additionally sent Klokian hurling backwards towards Elric, and his sphere device went flying another way, bonking Jim in the head as he scrambled to catch it before it hit the floor. The energy beam simply continued towards Klokian, viciously tearing up the floor without remorse. "Stop now," said the being to Klokian, appearing into normal space. "Captains, this creature must not be allowed to disrupt the river of time. Capture him. Now."
Sarah, backed into the corner of the turbolift, watched the being slowly drift out of the turbolift with fear and anticipation. The large, black orb simply continued firing, as its beam of energy continued towards Klokian without mercy.
A defense mechanism in Klokian activated without his own forethought and, while crouching into a ball, an anti-phase, energized bio-electric bubble emitted out from his reverse-Q skin, passing through Elric and dissipating the being's incoming energy beam. Klokian opened his eyes to refocus and he realized he was trying to capture something he didn't understand.
"And we're taking orders from you because...?" Elric said in response to the being.
Klokian gritted his teeth. "Klokian is river time," he countered the being, before turning to Elric. "And so is Elric. You known time traveller to Klokian. You are enemy of Grevkas. Klokian must do what you do and get timeship back."
"Hold on. You know about that android-on-steroids??" Elric turned to the creature in even more shock, but Klokian tapped a control bangle on his forearm and took control of the Marrakesh.
Then, Gibbs came over the air to report the situation. "Marrakesh to Captain Elric. The ship appears to be opening some kind of spatial flexure? Should we... shoot it? Poke it with a stick?"
"Klokian ship now," said the creature before he transported himself through the Sally's shields again, weakening a section of the shields for a few minutes, and back to the Marrakesh.
Elric got to his feet as fast as he could, but with the gravity plating on the deck destroyed, he and everyone began to float. "Jim! I've got to stop him, wherever he's trying to go," Elric said, hoping he'd understand. "And not because the being said so. My reasoning's separate. Yeah." The Captain triple-tapped his commbadge, activating an auto-beam out, through the weak part of the shields, back to the Marrakesh before the Noble-class starship moved in through the spatial flexure to cross a vast interstellar distance. The flexure closed up behind them.
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I enjoyed this one a lot
Klokians = 4th Dimensional Pakleds = sweet critter design.
Thanks!! rbs
Thanks!! rbs
Thanks! I created him a long time ago. Will eventually appear in my Double Phoenix thread. One of my favourites.
Now that's thinking 4th dimensionally
lol Doc Brown taught me that.
Author's notes: This was written in August 2017 as part of the Star Trek Online forums Unofficial Literary Challenge #38. It's a short mash-up of my most recent KDF Captains: Sigon, Deloss and Kronen. Sigon and Deloss were last seen tangling with Dividiians in ULC 33 and Kronen was contending with his mirror self and getting a taste of god-hood with the mirror Prophets in ULC 37. Sigon quit alcoholism in ULC 28 after saving Menchez from dishonourable death. Note, in STO, Gorn and Nausicaans are absorbed into the Klingon Empire and the Jenolan Dyson Sphere is how players access the Delta Quadrant. Also, I previously mashed the Arin'Sen on Raatooras (from ENT) in ULC 17 with the Great Sages on Takar (from VOY, and who were previously missing in ULC 11).
Unofficial Literary Challenge #38: Prompt #1: Your ship receives a distress call from a distant colony that is under attack, but for reasons arrives hours or even days late. They called for you, they trusted you to come, and you got there too late. Everyone is dead. How does this affect your crew, your Captain? what will you do now, what will your report say, and how will this impact your captain's relationship with their respective high command?
Unofficial Literary Challenge #38
"Only Ashes Remain"
The Bortasqu'-class I.K.S. Masamune rotated around in space, to take aim at its vicious opponent: a Kolasi-class destroyer commanded by a Nausicaan named Tog.
"Your reign of terror ends here, Tog," declared Captain Deloss, the Gorn and Klingon Defense Force commander of the Masamune.
Tog appeared on-screen in response. "The only terror I wish to convey is to the likes of you, Gorn! The Klingon Empire will see that we Nausicaans are the superior race, and will award us thusly!"
"Like, what do you even think they'd do for you? Trophies? Table seating preferences at the fleet parties?" Deloss interjected, genuinely perplexed.
Captain Tog sputtered, unsure himself. "Shut up! The point is, Gorn are weak! Except for that rock-throwing thing! That is actually quite impressive." He disconnected and continued firing upon the Masamune.
"Sir, we're also getting a priority distress call from the planet Raatooras," reported Liss from operations. "Apparently it's under a global threat and risks destruction."
Deloss was taken aback. "That conquered monstrosity? I'm pretty sure Captain Sigon maintains them under his jurisdiction. Forward him the signal and we'll follow up as soon as we can." He watched as Liss nodded. "We, on the other hand, have to make a stand for humanoid-reptile-kind! Not the other kinds, though."
---
Meanwhile, the Kurak-class I.K.S. Baetal sat in orbit of Earth while Captain Sigon and his crew celebrated as guests within 602 Club at Starfleet Academy.
"You, you are the Klingon!" shouted a very drunk Lieutenant Commander Gozer as he put his arm around a deadpanning Sigon. "Am I right? Your wrinkled forehead isss like no other!"
Sigon released himself to visit more of his wasted crew. He was the only one sober. "Why did I quit drinking?" he questioned himself before recalling the reason. "Oh, right. All the dishonor I wrought."
"Don't forget," came Chief Engineer Poroka, who also put her arm around him. "You are the designated driver to get us all home! Also, you have such an attractive nose. There, I said it! Ha! Being on this weakling planet brings out the strangest parts of us!"
He released himself from her, as well, as a communiqué over-air rung through. "Battlecruiser Baetal to Captain Sigon. This is Tenogh. We're getting a distress signal being relayed about Raatooras under threat. I believe a malevolent entity is attempting to annihilate its occupants."
"Ugh! You know, you couldn't have picked a worse time," Sigon flung his arms. "The crew is completely tossed. How are you?"
Tenogh replied, "I had a glass of Blood Merlot before my shift. It was paired with Cheese Targ."
"How is everyone on my crew alcoholics? Is it the constant wars we have with pretty much everyone?? Never mind. Send it to Captain Kronen, and we will catch up. He's been all over recent events anyway, almost like it was his turn or something."
---
The Birok-class I.K.S. Dragunov sat, landed, on the planet Takar in the Delta Quadrant, where Captain Kronen, a Klingon Defense Force officer and Ferasan, stood before a crowd of Takarians at the ramp to his ship.
"Fellow humanoids," opened Kronen, "I am neither your Holy Sage, nor your Holy Dissident. Perhaps I'm a third thing, though? A Holy Master or Prophet of some kind? Don't hold back your suggestions."
Commander Red gave him a disapproving look. "You know, we could just go?"
"And leave these poor, helpless worshippers to no priest or cleric of some kind? We have a responsibility!" he declared, seconds before his first officer's PADD rang off a notification beep.
Red checked his device. "Captain, it appears the Jenolan Dyson Sphere has relayed a distress transmission from a planet back home. Apparently, a real Great Sage has taken possession."
"Like, the real gods from this world?? Whoa! We have to check it out— I mean, help its inhabitants and what not. Unfortunately, getting there will take some time, considering how far out we actually are."
The Klingon looked at him again. "I told you this Quadrant was a Quadrant of misfortune and complete absurdity."
"You said it passively, so it doesn't count!" countered Kronen. "Let's go. I'm just disappointed I will miss the fire-log thing they do. Oh, to be a figurehead of any kind."
The two ran back up the platform, retracted it, and lifted the Dragunov back up into the atmosphere. Several Takarians dropped their fire logs in grief and sadness of their departure.
---
Later— much, much later— the Dragunov dropped warp at the planet Raatooras where they received the deity-hail of the Sage that had taken over the planet below.
"This is the Great Sage, merged with the form of the Arin'Sen known as Hemly," came a visual on the view screen from the planet below. "This planet has been cleansed."
Kronen threw his hands up. "Damn! You couldn't have waited for us? We had to reroute through a Dyson Sphere. You know how many Ferengi salesmen are in that thing now? Those back-hunchers infect anywhere there's a connecting port."
"We're late, aren't we?" came the hail from Captain Deloss as the Masamune dropped warp. "I put Gorn pride first and you Captains couldn't follow through for me? Well, it's not surprising since I once had Kagran hold a sandwich to which he then sent off to war."
Then the Baetal arrived with Captain Sigon. "Noooooo! We had so many memories conquering this world every year!" he cried. "Like the time we did whilst dressed in Fair Haven attire."
"None of us are looking good right now," argued Kronen.
The Arin'Sen entity gaped. "Such a dysfunctional team. You must now deal with the consequences of your inaction! That is my Sage advice— a natural expository of my kind, despite all disaster being caused by a Sage— me, to be specific," it declared. "Now, I must find the rest of my Sages to brag about what I've done! Sage out!" He then disappeared in a flash of energy, leaving the three Captains to their barren world.
"Well, it's not like the Empire really cared for this place," Kronen suggested. "And I got to meet another god, so there's that."
Deloss chimed in. "How about this? We pretend this never happened."
"I like it. Subtle. Simple. Easy to not-remember," answered Sigon. "Like the time you and I forgot about our fight with the Devidians."
The Gorn erupted. "You know that's not how forgetting works! We have to purge the Klingon Empire database of this world, and possibly the Federation one too."
"Very well, gentlemen," Kronen continued. "We work to erase any notion of Raatooras, even if it means editing it out of Memory Alpha, that pretentious, well-informed databank maintained, remotely, by basement-dwelling 30-something year olds living with their mothers. That'll be Sigon's job. Good luck!"
The two other Captains agreed and disconnected. There would be much work to be done to protect each of their secret shames forever. Secrets they would take to their graves.
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I want to do one where my Captain goes to MA in person and editing it is walking into an abnormally large holodeck of tall file cabinets and floating icons.
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Author's notes: These are compiled posts by multiple players for the Earth Spacedock RP on the Star Trek Online forums. My character was Elric (w Zeta). This continues from the last ESD entry. I had stepped away from the RP for a bit and skipped ahead passed some story with the other characters/players in which they found themselves in the Na'kuhl Base. Written in August-September 2017.
Earth Spacedock, Pages 136-139
U.S.S. Marrakesh, Bridge
It had been a very long time with Klokian in command, and the creature had been staying, locked up in the Captain's Ready Room for privacy. Elric had been going along with things, with the hopes that finding this timeship would fix things and maybe somehow resolve the issues he had with himself.
"On top of that, it seems like he knows all about me," Elric said, standing outside the Ready Room door.
He was approached by the Caitian, Akzar, who deadpanned him. "Who are you talking to, Elric? You're just standing here on your own."
"Huh? Oh, I guess I was narrating my adventures in my head. Well, it appears a mutiny is impossible since Klokian somehow used his advanced technology to control the holographic crew."
Akzar held up his own device. "This is what I used to escape your Brig, by the way. I take it you're too overwhelmed by the situation to be shocked at my insubordination."
"You are correct."
He then held his thumb over a control. "I've been able to hack Klokian's controls, and I believe I can get you your crew back. Just say the word."
"But what about Seline? I can't believe you'd help us?"
The Caitain gritted his teeth. "When she needs my help, she will come for me. In the meantime, I can live whichever life I choose. And I'm sick of this hostage situation. The question is, are you willing to let go of whatever it is you are having conflict with."
"I guess the future is the future, and where I end up and what I will do is pointless to preoccupy myself with. Same goes for the past," Elric said, staring off to the side. "Do it."
---
Na'kuhl Base
Toros, a scientist, and four guards arrived at a room elsewhere deep inside their base. The large, black, mysterious figure that was the being was waiting for them. "I have returned with the entity you requested."
General Toros watched as the being released some ghostly Vulcan form that was quickly absorbed by some containment device on the floor. "The ship is being prepared now and should be ready for you in a matter of hours."
The being simply floated by and out the wall, seemingly content. Toros sighed and turned to his scientist. "Stay here and tell you-know-who that their guest is ready for them. Give them whatever they need."
The scientist nodded and Toros walked out.
---
U.S.S. Marrakesh, Bridge
With the holographic crew struggling to comprehend whose side they were supposed to be on, Klokian, now at the Operations console continued to attempt to break Akzar's hack.
"You're too late, despite this seemingly taking a very long time," bragged Elric, crossing his arms in a feeling of success. "The crew is mine."
Klokian was beginning to panic, worried something was terribly wrong. "Issue not in sides, Elric. Issue in initiated operations."
"Can someone translate?" the Captain said, confused.
Akzar turned to him. "It would appear the Klokian was initiating spatial-flexure calculations, more complex than before."
"What? My Ready Room is not for work!" argued Elric to Klokian. "It's for lazying about and possibly darts."
But the Marrakesh was suddenly engulfed in the more-complex flexure, bringing them away. When the crew's allegiance returned to Elric, the screen clicked on to a view of a Na'kuhl Base.
"Is this where you meant to go?" Elric deadpanned the creature.
Klokian stopped his work to view his results. "Klokian Timeship held here. When Klokian find, Klokian go home."
"Ugh, I'm going to regret this in the morning, but, very well. It's likely better than being in the hands of the Na'kuhl, despite they already having temporal technology," the Captain said.
The creature walked over in his crouched, hunched-back state. "Klokian technology centuries beyond Na'kuhl. Na'kuhl want to crack it."
"Can we locate and transport it?" Elric asked.
Gibbs stepped up. "Their shielding prevents detection of anything."
"Klokian sense Klokian technology, easily," the creature pointed to his head, indicating his abilities.
Elric recoiled slightly. "That's creepy. Anyway, Akzar and Klokian, report to the transporter room. Gibbs, get our guns and follow us."
---
Na'kuhl Base, Corridors
The Q-powered Captain Nat, Sarah, Krystal and others had been attempting to escape the Na'kuhl Base from a recent situation. They came to another corridor, which seemed strangely empty. The lights weren't even on. Captain Nat lifted a hand, instinctively looking for a light source. His hand started glowing, illuminating the room, which startled him briefly.
"I imagine your powers aren't being dampened out here," suggested kelvin Commodore Nat. "Can you get us out of here?"
"I wish," replied the captain. "But I don't think so. Something is preventing my powers from reaching outside..."
"Of course," said Scott. "They didn't bother dampening your powers everywhere, but preventing you from using them to leave. We'd have to escape conventionally or disable whatever is generating whatever field is blocking your powers."
"At least you can keep the Na'kuhl away from us," stated Sarah. "Mind putting up some kind of cloak or something so they don't spot us?"
"I doubt it would hold if they brought any Q power dampeners out here," answered Captain Nat. "No point, really. They'll be sweeping the whole base with the things soon enough anyway, or at least scanning for Q signatures, which I wouldn't know how to hide..."
Anna just continued walking one way, nearly out of sight. A trio of the MACOs noticed and rushed that way. Krystal followed. As did the others. They continued forward and spotted a pair of larger doors at the end of the corridor. It might have been a shuttlebay. Sasha rushed ahead.
Elric and Klokian beamed into the corridors, punching through the shields using the future-creature's confinement beam modifications.
Captain Nat slowly stopped, turning to the left, noticing a duo of transporter beams down another corridor. "Elric?"
Elric turned and noticed the group. "Oh, what are you guys doing here?" Then he looked around, before asking Klokian. "And where is Gibbs and Akzar?"
"Confinement beam too small to move others," the creature said, peering at Captain Nat. He then started hissing in hunger for Q-power. "SSSSSSsss!"
"Uh..." Krystal trailed off.
Captain Nat narrowed his eyes at the Klokian. "Why do I find you so disgusting?"
"Hssss!" the hunched-backed-Klokian began drooling from its sharp-toothed mouth.
Elric gestured. "Klokian's from a future race of time-travelling anti-Q's, with repelling-skin, who capture omnipotent entities as a way of life. I elected to help him find his timeship before the Na'khul crack its technology."
"Klokian must have—" but he was stopped in his tracks by Captain Elric, who placed a hand on his shoulder.
The Captain addressed the creature. "Remember what happened last time you deviated from your goal? That being took you to town."
"Hsssss..." the Klokian recoiled, recalling the situation. "Klokian remain focused. Klokian not reckless with timestream as Na'khul do."
Scott turned to Captain Nat. "As a temporal agent, I can confirm the nature of the Klokian's species. It's true."
Captain Nat's eyes remained locked on the Klokian. "So, I suppose Q and anyone else with their powers would be naturally repulsed by this... creature... makes sense. Keep your distance and we should all be fine."
"I think we've found a shuttlebay," said Sek, motioning to the large doors at the end of the corridor. "Could be in there."
Krystal looked around for a moment. "I'll be happy to get back to the Lexington..." she sighed before carefully heading towards the doors.
They tried to open the doors, but Na'kuhl security had the doors sealed shut. Sek pressed a button on his control panel, opening a solar gateway in front of the door. Motioning everyone back, he activated the gateway, burning a hole through the door in question with a fiery blast of solar flares.
"Wait, you can summon Iconian gateways out here?" asked Anna, confused.
"Just the solar ones," replied Sek, shrugging. "Despite everything, our personal solar gateway controllers always seem to work regardless of where or when we are. Don't ask me to explain how or why, they just do."
Captain Nat just sighed, as kelvin Commodore Nat made his way through the sizeable hole in the shuttlebay doors and did, in fact, find a shuttlebay on the other side.
---
Na'kuhl Shuttle bay
Elric followed the group into the shuttlebay. There, along with other vessels, Klokian saw his timeship, which was also the size of a shuttle. Several Na'khul were trying to hack through an open compartment in its side.
The MACOs opened fire on the Na'kuhl forces.
The engineers, unarmed, dove as some of them were hit. Na'khul security ran in and returned fire. Elric pulled out his weapon and shot two men down.
Sek motioned the others to the shuttles. "Get in the shuttles and leave! We'll be right behind you."
The others did as instructed, except Captain Nat, who reached up to use his powers as some form of a defense. Nothing happened and he looked disappointed, then ran off with the others and got in a shuttle.
Klokian leapt over two chronoplasma bolt shots and landed on a Na'kuhl Lieutenant, knocking him out. The creature then ran into his timeship and began bringing it online. Meanwhile, Elric's rifle was knocked away, forcing him into close-combat with a Na'kuhl Sapper. He pulled the Sapper in by the man's extending-firing arm and then force-palmed the Sapper in his face with his mechanical arm.
Elric turned and was then shot in the chest with the last bit of energy left in the other fallen-Lieutenant's chronoplasma rifle. The force of the shot knocked him through the air and into Klokian's timeship just before the hatch closed.
Sek and the MACOs held back, firing on the Na'kuhl forces with their MACO Phaser Battle rifles as they made their way into some of the shuttles. The exterior doors remained closed as the shuttle squadron starting powering up.
---
In the shuttles
"Oh great," remarked Kelvin Commodore Nat, sharing a shuttle with prime Commodore Nat and Captain Nat. "I ran a scan of the exterior doors. They're locked shut, and heavily armored."
"Of course they are," replied prime Commodore Nat, opening a comm channel with the other shuttles and the Klokian's timeship, "could we blast through?"
"Not easily," answered kelvin Commodore, "I believe they may have erected a forcefield outside, so any explosions from the door would likely be deflected inside..."
Elric's visual focus was blurred from the pain of the hit, but he was conscious enough to hear the discussions over-air. Still lying on the floor with a smoking chest, he tapped his commbadge to chime in. "Nats, the Marrakesh is here and outside. I can get her to open fire on the doors from the external vantage point."
"Oh," mumbled Sangok.
"Well then, have her fire a shot just powerful enough to disable the locking mechanism outside..." said kelvin Commodore Nat, "we should have enough firepower to disable the one on this side. If we can disable both, the doors should open."
"Understood," Elric said from the timeship. He sat up with better vision and tapped his commbadge. "Elric to Marrakesh, we're trapped in the shutte bay of this base. Lock onto the doors and fire a photon torpedo to disable its locking mechanism."
The voice of Jessie came through the air. "Yes, Captain."
"You're back under my command then?" Elric said, smirking and alluding to the previous control that all holograms on the ship had been under.
Jessie replied, knowingly, "For now," before the Marrakesh fired a shot down to the appointed target.
"The door's external locking mechanism has remained largely undamaged," reported Shivak, seemingly a little surprised.
"That can't be possible..." Krystal trailed off.
The Marrakesh continued firing. Meanwhile, Elric began to realize he was on the timeship. "Klokian, is there any way you can extend the temporal effects of this vessel, and remove us from this situation?"
"Klokian unable to bring temporal drive online," the creature said as he worked his controls in frustration. "No more temporal energy. Must find more power. Must convert Q into drive."
Elric gritted his teeth. "What?? Your temporal drives are powered by the Q-entities you capture??"
"I'm detecting a newly erected shield defending the doors on the outside," reported prime Commodore.
"Try a tachyon beam," suggested Captain Nat. "Then fire another torpedo."
"They really don't want us getting out..." Krystal noted.
Captain Nat said, "I just realized. Their Q dampeners seem to be pretty localized, and they didn't seem to be dampening my powers out here until a little while after we got here... whatever they're using might be on one of those Na'kuhl. Can we generate an EMP pulse their way without it hitting the shuttles?"
"Are you referring to a device that would transmit a sabotaging signal on a certain wavelength to incapacitate enemy electronics in a localized area?" asked Shivak, "I have one with me."
"Then use it on the Na'kuhl!" exclaimed Captain Nat, "sooner rather than later!"
"I would advise you disable your communications for approximately 5 seconds while I fire the pulse," said Shivak, "disable your comms in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1..."
The shuttles did as instructed. After a moment, the Na'kuhl stopped shooting and looked very unimpressed. Captain Nat seemed... empowered. Their shuttle soon emitted a massive energy beam, evidently Q powered, that obliterated the shuttlebay door locks, forcefields, and all, allowing the shuttles to escape as pieces of destroyed door flew in various directions around them.
The energy fed into Klokian's timeship, giving him the power he needed for a jump. The creature brought the next jump online and then turned to Elric.
"Klokian return to temporal-planet. Elric must remain to counter-balance the Grevkas, and much more," the creature said, cryptically. He then transported Elric to the Bridge of the Marrakesh, before jumping the timeship into the future.
"So, we gonna land these shuttles on your ship and get out of here?" asked Captain Nat, hailing the Marrakesh.
---
U.S.S. Marrakesh, Bridge
"Just waiting on you," Elric smirked jokingly, as he took the Bridge of his ship. "Please land when you're ready." Then he nodded to Gibbs. "We'll return to the fleet when they're on board."
Captain Nat's shuttle flew forward, followed by the other shuttles. They all landed, and the Nats, Sarahs, Sek, Shivak, Scott, and Sangok all made their way to the bridge.
The Marrakesh jumped to warp, on a direction toward the fleet. Elric turned to the Nats and others. "You guys okay?"
Krystal shrugged. "Starting to question if I'm even useful right now..." she replied.
"Sure," replied Captain Nat, "have we returned to the 25th century yet? Just wanted to make sure."
"According to the databanks, Klokian's return-spatial flexure calculations should take us back to where we came from," Akzar said from the Science station.
Elric nodded. "Prepare the jump. Captain Nat, please be patient, unless of course you'd like to assist with your OP abilities."
"I mean, if you don't mind the risk of being followed by the--" said Captain Nat, stopping for some reason. "Wait..."
He slowly walked closer to the viewscreen, saying, "Something isn't right."
The others... just seemed confused. "What?" asked Anna.
Captain Nat left no reply, narrowing his eyes at the stars ahead. A single torpedo flew by, followed by another.
The Marrakesh abruptly took a hit from a transphasic chroniton torpedo, which phased right through their shields and disabled the right nacelle, causing a power surge that would have likely destroyed the ship if the safeties upon safeties hadn't stopped it before it reached too far.
Yet still, they detected no other ships. Captain Nat motioned to one of the bridge officers, not even seeing whom he was motioning to as he focused on the viewscreen. "Display the space behind us."
"Damn! Na'kuhl?" Elric asked. Gibbs then switched the screen view to aft the ship.
A trio of dark, sleek warships were barely even visible, evidently trailing the old Assault Cruiser. "Breen!" exclaimed Sek, walking closer to the viewscreen as the ship was pulled out of warp and was fired on by a barrage of polarized disruptor fire.
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You have a very creative and highly convoluted mind. Very nice piece of writing.
-Will
-Will
Thank you! Chaos is fun sometimes.
That was an exciting read.
Thank you, both!
Author's notes: These are compiled posts by multiple players for the Earth Spacedock RP on the Star Trek Online forums. My character was Elric (w Zeta). Captain Samya previously got in possession of the anti-Q artifact box, hoping it would help her in her mission to find her lost niece from ULC 13, but accidentally got it exploded during her vacation in the Risa Resort (RP). This continues from the last ESD entry. Written in September 2017.
Earth Spacedock, Pages 139-141
U.S.S. Marrakesh, Bridge
The Marrakesh was pulled out of warp and fired on by a barrage of polarized disruptor fire. Sarah just facepalmed. Kelvin Commodore Nat turned to Captain Nat. "Don't you have the power to get us out of here!?"
"Yes," replied Captain Nat, closing his eyes for a moment. "Yes, I do."
After a moment, the Breen ships on the viewscreen vanished in a flash and the familiar view of the allied task force replaced it.
The U.S.S. Marrakesh was soon found back in the 25th century with the allied fleet. Elric, the Nats and other crew were on the Bridge of the ship when they returned.
"We did it. We're home," Elric said in awe and amazement, staring out into the view. "Anyway, you guys are all free to return to your ships as needed."
"Thank goodness," replied Anna, already walking to the comms console to contact her ship for retrieval.
Sarah approched a console and everyone began to be returned to their starships. Anna beamed out to her flagship. Captain Nat remained, temporarily.
Sasha Walker stood around for a minute, walked over to the captain's chair, then abruptly pushed Elric out of the chair and sat in it herself. "I dunno, I kinda like this chair..." said Sasha, almost tauntingly. "Maybe I'd rather stay here?" she asked, somewhat jokingly, looking to Captain Nat with a smile.
Captain Nat deadpanned in response. "You know. I doubt Elric would be too happy about that."
"Oh, rather go to another ship, perhaps mine?" she asked in reply, eyeing the Captain still.
Captain Nat said nothing, just giving her one of those what is wrong with you? looks, then turned to Krystal again, ignoring the chair-stealing Captain nearby.
---
U.S.S. Mephiles, Ready Room
Jim relaxed in the chair of the ship's Ready Room, looking over some reports. The comms chirped for his attention and he tapped his commbadge. "Captain Dennison. What is it?"
"We've run our tests of the orb," replied 7 of 14's voice over the comms. "We believe it's some kind of device for absorbing and storing Q power."
"What, like that device the Alliance added to the Firestorm?" asked Jim.
"Yes," replied 7. "But this one is much more futuristic. We haven't been able to activate it, although we think it's operated by using some kind of biologically generated energies to give the device commands... nothing we can generate artificially."
"The Klokian," muttered Jim. "Of course. Let me know if you figure out anything else. Consider contacting the Marrakesh, which has just returned from who knows where. I imagine their crew may be able to help."
7 of 14 was given access to the comms and hailed the Marrakesh.
---
U.S.S. Marrakesh, Bridge
Elric squinted at Sasha. "Who are you anyway? There are so many people in your group to keep track of." Just then he received the hail from 7 of 14. "Elric here. Go ahead."
"We have been analyzing the strange spherical device left behind by the Klokian," stated 7 of 14. "We believe we have uncovered its purpose and how it might be activated, but are unable to do so as we do not possess an actual Klokian. Would you or your crew have any information that could be of assistance?"
"Oh, I'm the so-called Sarah from my dear emperor's universe," replied Sasha, getting up after Nat left. "Bye."
Elric watched Sasha leave through the turbolift as he processed what 7 of 14 was saying. "Whatever you do, do not attempt to open that device. It is very dangerous and its effects on normal matter likely pale in comparison to what it was made for: To capture omnipotent beings. Please finish your reports and have it secured and sent to the Marrakesh as soon as possible."
"Understood," replied 7 of 14, already sending the completed reports. "We have already found out everything else we can."
---
Ready Room
As soon as the Klokian spherical chamber device was aboard the Marrakesh, Elric made haste back towards Earth Spacedock. Having such a machine in a combat situation could have proven to be fatal. While the Captain stood before his window, watching the stars pass by at warp, his expected meeting with the Caitian had finally come to pass.
"You wanted to see me?" Akzar asked as he entered the Ready Room.
Turning, the Captain motioned for the other man to have a seat. "According to our records, you were in Starfleet before you left to join Seline in her ragtag group of miscreants."
"It's true. It was fulfilling for some time, but eventually, I fell into a crowd of my own kind who made me realize we could be more," he replied. "Like the Ferasans."
Elric wondered. "But the Caitians were an offshoot from the Ferasans when an Augmentation program divided you in the 17th century?"
"Correct, and we were the failed branch, as it were. Despite that, there were some of us, descendants, who had felt like we were missing what the Ferasans received: Aggressiveness, extra strength and unmatched confidence. Seline used mind control techniques to get us back there, or close to it."
Shrugging, Elric asked, "So, how do you feel about it now?"
"Though I did take part in some of the rehabilitation program your Spacedock counsellors prescribed, I still do feel as if I'm missing something. But, I have no desire, like LuKet did, to achieve that through being a hired bully anymore."
The Captain leaned forward. "Speaking of working, it's clear from your ability to hack that Klokian algorithm that you've got talent. Why not join my crew? The correlation being I should probably staff some real people instead of just holograms."
"I've spent so long in Seline's xenophobic mindset, I had forgotten the ambition of your kind," he replied. "Very well."
---
Earth Spacedock - Deck 58, Storage Section Sigma 5
After the Marrakesh entered Spacedock, Elric sent his reports in for review and then made his way to the lower levels of the station. There, he made an appointment with Starfleet Intelligence to gain access to the lockers beyond the clearance for Captains. Commander Bradden let him inside.
"So, you're actually going to let me in here?" Elric said with astonishment, carrying the Klokian omnisphere device.
Bradden nodded as the doors shut behind them, and they were met with narrow passageways of highly secured drawers. "I trust this area of Spacedock more than any in terms of security and private conversations."
"Well, either way, my recommendation is to dismantle or destroy this thing," the Captain said, handing it over.
The Intelligence officer placed it into a storage shelf and locked it. Internal mechanisms sounded off, indicating that it was being taken elsewhere. "The team will be reviewing all the data you have provided. Oh, and there's one more thing. These artifacts you have been collecting need to be secured as well."
"Artifacts?" Elric said, feigning ignorance. When he realized Bradden wasn't falling for it, his shoulders slouched. "Oh, fine. Our most recent one probably does need to be put somewhere."
The other man nodded. "In fact, I must inform you, due to your poor containment procedures, the El Aurian box and medallion went missing some time ago. It would seem that a Captain Samya saw fit to use it for her own needs."
"Damn. She doesn't realize there are dangerous people going after it," Elric said. "If these objects are unsecured, they could be dangerous. It's my responsibility, so I'll make sure they're collected."
Bradden nodded. "Can you tell me anything about who these people are?"
"A group of Caitians led by Seline, and someone above her named Fury, according to Claire. I have no idea who he is, but I believe there's a threat if our officers are carrying them around. With the Nats dealing with the Na'khul, I'm going to hold the fort here at Earth."
Opening the door for Elric's exit, Bradden said, "Just don't get us all killed."
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Author's notes: This was written in September 2017 as part of the Star Trek Online forums Unofficial Literary Challenge #39.
Unofficial Literary Challenge #39: Prompt #2: A shipboard romance goes wrong. Seriously wrong, and now you have two important, even critical, members of your staff ready to kill each other, even to the point of risking the ship. You can't get back to starbase, and you can't let this nonsense continue. How do you deal with it when Love turns to Hate?
Unofficial Literary Challenge #39
"Even Roses Smell Like..."
The Birok-class I.K.S. Dragunov blew two orbital defense satellites to pieces over the small colony city of Hokan which was domed on a rogue asteroid in space.
"Ha! We have effectively forced our hand upon these weaklings," celebrated Captain Kronen, a Ferasan and the Klingon Defense Force commanding officer of the ship, on the Bridge. "As is the way of our kind."
Linng, the Tactical Officer and a female Ferasan, nodded. "Conquering people is much easier than negotiating peace. I simply do not understand what the Federation's obsession is with first contact dinner parties?"
"They get to make Data-like small talk," offered Norren, the Chief Engineer and another male Ferasan. "It was cute at first, but now it's borderline Android-appropriation."
Kronen immediately took notice of the two and sat up at them. "Whoa, whoa! You know we don't have very many of our kind in this Klingon/Gorn-infested fleet, let alone this ship, so why don't the two of you go out on a date together? Huh?"
"Captain," interrupted Red, a Klingon and the First Officer. "You can't influence the personal lives of your subordinates? It's unprofessional."
Waving it away, Kronen replied, "Oh, please. Just by being on a ship that could be infested with slime-quenching Bluegill at any moment is a secession of life-based personal legacy to begin with."
"We don't mind, Captain," said Linng, in support.
Norren agreed. "Anything to give the continuation of our species a chance, as well as maintaining a well-oiled command-obey structure on the ship feeds into our obsessive compulsive disorders."
"You could also click a pen a hundred times!" Red called out to them by way of suggestion as the two Ferasans were already walking off the Bridge together.
Kronen looked at Red. "Hope you like loud cat noises above your quarters."
---
The next day, Kronen and Red were aboard the domed colony of Hokan, shooting down stray Kentari rebels with disruptor rifles.
"Ah, just took out two civilians with one blow," Kronen said. "Curious. Are we having too much fun? Is that a thing?"
Red rolled his eyes. "The only 'too much' of anything we've got going on here is your forced-influence on your crew."
"You mean Linng and Norren? Oh, they're having the time of their lives, at the expense of my match-making abilities, which akins one to a god if you think about it."
Just then, both officers in question beamed in, right as expected for the mission, and began assisting in taking over the dome. Only, this time, they appeared to be vexed with each other. "Hope you like your blood all over the carpets, Captain," Linng said, aggressively channelling a separate discourse with Norren, as she began shooting her pistol at Kentari.
"Whoa, whoa? I thought you two were a couple now? I even had the wedding cake toppers dipped in Armus oil and Tribble fur?" Kronen asked, visibly saddened.
Norren engineered an explosive device and set it to go off upon enemy triggering. "That was before I learned Linng hates water. I mean, water? Aquatic-Xindi used to mate in that."
"Well, at least I don't get confused about my own tail!" countered Linng, holding her aim at the sudden appearance of a Lukari. Turning back to Norren, she continued, "It's a part of your body and not a Caitian plotting its revenge against our race for that time we kicked them off our homeworld."
The Engineer pointed at her. "You don't know that!"
"Wait. Were Lukari and Kentari living together in peace here?" Red asked, confused.
Kronen pushed him aside. "No time for irrelevant non-canon, Commander. It's clear these two Ferasans require more intervention from their aggressive-feline Captain: me." He then addressed the star-crossed-haters. "When Bashir and Ezri were trapped on that archaic Deep Space 9 lift, they realized they loved each other and were trading Human saliva with Trill Symbiont protoplasm upon immediate reach of main floor Operations-place. Hense, if we leave you two here, on this random hijacked asteroid, in isolation, you'll attain similarly liquid-trading reciprocation for the benefit of all! Whichever liquids you choose."
"Are you equating them to the romantic-Typhoid-Mary of T'Pol and Charles Tucker the Third?" Red asked, reclaiming a new standing location. "And, should we not cease the conquering of this rock considering the implications of these two races being here at once?"
The Captain clenched his cat-like claws. "They're more than the forced-failure of those pre-Federation Human/Vulcan gawkers! I'd equate them to closer to the likes of Kirk and Edith Keeler, but without the Human traffic faux pas."
"We get it, sir," offered Norren as he retracted his pointing finger, redirecting it to his remote control device after a Lukari tampered with his explosive. "You're saying that our plight supersedes the threat of an uncompleted predestination paradox."
Linng shot a Kentari attempting to save the Lukari about to be blown up. "Yeah, if conforming to your orders will make me forget this hairball-a-thon Engineer, then I do so willingly and with related hacking coughs."
"Then it is settled!" declared Kronen. "Captain to Dragunov, two to beam up, and don't spare the weird molecule phasing effect or any Klingon versions of those quasi-energy microbes."
---
Later, Linng and Norren beamed back to the ship, each side accompanied by a group of Hokan rebels: Linng with the Lukari and Norren with Kentari, both entering the Bridge from opposite sides.
"Sir, we've reignited the old division between these two peoples, as well as devoted our Ferasan lives to killing the other lover," Linng said, pointing a disruptor at Norren, with a renewed sense of discourse. "I refuse to put up with an apologist."
The Chief Engineer nodded, reciprocating and holding up his control device, ready to execute it. "Same. I do not like how she looks like a female version of me."
"Sorry, Captain," Linng shrugged. "But I guess any high-road Chakotay/Seven-of-Nine-level romance isn't enough to mask the festering, putrid wreckage that is Ferasan. Maybe our species doesn't deserve procreation?"
Norren snarled. "You literally just apologized!"
"What??" replied Kronen. "But I commanded you, twice? Well, this certainly cannot be a result of my tampering as a way to feed my ego. Perhaps, from now on, there should be only no-same-species match-ups on this ship? It's 'alien' or you spend the night alone!"
Red did a double-take. "Sir, that's an even worse form of meddling. We might as well tell the crew what to think and say from now on?"
"I like your initiative!" Kronen said, impressed as he stood up. "I want some kind of 'how to live' bible on my desk in four hours." He then addressed the rest of his Bridge crew in reference to the two warring groups. "Oh, and everyone, please commence your battle at any time. Far be it from me to stand in the way of indiscriminate combat!" And then he left the room.
Both previously fierce alien groups now looked at each other, confused and indifferent.