SIRIUS ASCENDANT - THE END
"Steady helm, keep her off our starboard quarter." Vaughn said in reference to the Klingon warship circling 15 kilometers away. "Tactical, weapons status?"
"My boards are green, sir. Locked and loaded. Missiles are spun up and have a firing solution. Photons torpedoes are hot, 150 percent" the Tactical Officer replied.
"Shields and damage control?" Vaughn asked.
"Bow and port shield emitters have taken some damage. Forward shields are at 50 percent. Port shields are at 40 percent. Moderate hull damage on decks seven, eight and twelve port quarter. Warp engines are at 80 percent." The Lt. Commander responded.
"Sir, grab and smash?" Commander Collins, Vaughn's First Officer, asked. The "Grab and Smash" a reference to holding an enemy ship in a tractor beam and pounding it to death with overloaded photon torpedoes.
"Tactical, hull integrity status on that ship." Vaughn ordered thoughtfully.
"Sir, they have sustained minor damage to their port and starboard flanks. Their aft decks have sustained moderate damage. I am reading several areas depressurized. Nothing critical but their hull integrity has been compromised." The Officer reported.
"Those things are built for two things only." Vaughn said with a smile. "Killing or being killed in. Yes Number One. I concur." Turning back to the main viewer he looked again at his foe.
"Tactical, energize tractor beam. Level three. Helm bring us to 230 mark . . . ."
"Aspect change on the Stormbringer." the Tactical Officer reported. "She is coming about. Intercept course! Flank speed."
Vaughn jumped to his feet and walked to the helmsman's station as he saw the warship bank hard to port and begin to swing around like a hawk.
"Steady." Vaughn said to his helmsman. "Bring us 15 degrees to starboard I want him just on the lip of our photon arc. Steady. Keep our starboard shields to him."
The Klingon warship grew larger and larger on the screen as it beared down on the Crazy Horse.
"Sir, the target just shut down her disruptor banks and is fully charging their Electronic Counter Measures suite and its aft phaser banks!" The Tactical Officer yelled.
Vaughn looked back up at the ship on the screen. He realized the Klingon's maneuver. The Klingon was going to pass over the Crazy Horse and pound it's weakened port shields with it's mighty aft phaser array. At close range it would be deadly.
"She's going for our port flank! Helm hard to port! Emergency power! Tractor beam now!" Vaughn yelled as the Crazy Horse's deck lurched due to the sudden maneuver.
The Stormbringer crossed over the Crazy Horse and then fired into her damaged port flank The shield failed almost immediately. Her hull, now unprotected suffered the full wrath of the Klingon Empire. Multiple systems were destroyed and many officers and crewmen lost their lives.
At that point the Crazy Horse's tractor beam latched onto the Stormbringer's hull. Both ships suffered additional hull damage due to the sudden strain. Fortunately, for the Crazy Horse the tractor beam's graviton emissions made it impossible for the Stormbringer to launch the final scatterpack shuttle that had on the pad.
ABOARD THE I.K.V. STORMBRINGER
"Engage tractor beam!" Dogmatix ordered through the smoke wafting across the bridge.
"Graviton emitter charging. Polarity set to repulse." The Operations Officer acknowledged.
"Set polarity to attract!" Dogmatix snarled. "We cannot afford an enemy scatter pack launch at this range."
"Sir, yes sir!" The Officer responded as he worked his control station.
"Helm. Do whatever it takes to keep us outside of their photon firing arc." Dogmatix ordered.
"I am trying sir but our engines have suffered heavy damage." The Helmsman stated as he visibly fought with the helm.
The Stormbringer's bridge was rocked again under the force of another phaser barrage by the Crazy Horse as its tractor beam latched onto the Crazy Horse's hull. Both ships then began to spin about each other in a slow dance of death. Although they would never know it, at that point in time, both Federation Caption John Vaughn and Chancellor Dogmatix of the Imperial Klingon Empire said the same thing.
ABOARD THE U.S.S. CRAZY HORSE
"Fire at will!"
"Sir, senor contact." The Science Officer stated. He had taken over sensor monitoring from the Tactical Officer whose full attention was now spent on the battle with the Stormbringer. "Bearing 130 mark 45. Range 10,000 kilometers and closing. It's the other Klingon Battlecruiser." he said. The tone of utter defeat clear in his voice.
If he dropped his tractor lock, the Stormbringer would surely launch a scatterpack shuttle. That would be death. Vaughn's mind raced. The Planet. The ships. The tractor lock. There had to be something. Anything.
ABOARD THE I.K.V. WENDOL
"I.K.V. Stormbringer acknowledge." Captain Sok'Fot said for the tenth time.
"It's no use sir, they have closed their comms channels." the Communications Officer said.
"Nevertheless," Sok'Fot said looking at the battle before him. "Within moments we will blast that pathetic ship into fine dust."
Sok'Fot marveled at the sight before him. Both ships were unyielding and beginning to spin about each other faster and faster. Both trying to gain the upper hand. Both firing mercilessly into the other's hull.
"Sir, sensor's are picking up a disturbance in the radiation belt off our starboard beam." The Tactical Officer reported.
"Deep scan." Sok'Fot ordered.
"Scanning." the officer said almost to himself.
"Sir!" It's a ship! Federation hull. They are firing!"
"Go to full impulse now!" Sok'Fot roared.
ABOARD THE U.S.S. ENTERPRISE
"Torpedoes away!" Chekov stated. "Proximity firing solution active."
Kirk, his shoulder on fire, gazed at the red pinpoints of light that streaked towards the Wendol. Were they in time? It didn't look good.
"A hit!" Checkov said as he pounded his fist on his counsel. "Three torpedoes have detonated within effective range."
"Sir, I read heavy damage to the warship. Her shield were already compromised." Spock stated.
"Did we draw her off, Spock?" Kirk asked hoping that the Wendol would now attack the Enterprise in order to at least give Vaughn a fighting chance.
"Negative sir, the ship is increasing speed towards the Crazy Horse and the Stormbringer. Interesting. It seems that she is taking no action whatsoever with respect to us. The only weapons systems armed are her forward batteries and she is trying to target the Crazy Horse. It would appear sir that her intent is to protect the Stormbringer."
"What!" Kirk exclaimed. "Avoiding battle to aid the wounded? That is most un-Klingon Spock."
"Indeed, sir. I had estimated a 95.567 percent probability that our strike would have resulted in a direct attack upon the Enterprise. Therefore, there must be an unknown factor at play here. Something very important to the Commander of that ship." Spock concluded while nodding slightly toward the Wendol on the main viewer.
"Mr. Sulu get us to the Crazy Horse smartly!" Kirk ordered. "Put it to the wall."
"Aye sir. However, our impulse engines are only at 25 percent." Lt. Sulu stated as he swung the bow of the Enterprise 20 degrees to port.
Kirk opened a comms channel by depressing a stud on the arm of his Command Chair.
"Enterprise to Crazy Horse. John, we are on an intercept course. Hang in there." Kirk stated.
"You had better hurry it up Jimbo." Vaughn's voice responded. "We almost have a sold out crowd here."
"We'll try to head off that second ship." Kirk said.
"If you don't I'm afraid we'll never get that poker game in we were talking about." Vaughn replied.
"You're not getting out of my taking your money that easily Mister." Kirk said, trying to ease the tension.
"Tell that to these maniacs!" Vaughn said in reference to the Klingons. "Jim, try to maneuver the Enterprise into <scrrreeechhh>" the voice turned to static.
"Sir, the Crazy Horse's comms systems have been damaged." Spock responded almost instantly. "Ship to ship is offline."
"Range to target?" Kirk ordered in reference to the Wendol.
"20,000 kilometers, sir" Chekov stated. "Photon's are charged and we have a solution, sir!"
"Fire!" Kirk ordered.
"Photon torpedoes away. Proximity fuse firing solution downloaded and active." Chekov said.
ABOARD THE I.K.V. WENDOL
"The Enterprise is firing. Long Range. Four photon torpedoes. Proximity fuse." the Tactical Officer advised.
"Brace for impact!" Sok'Fot shouted.
The Enterprise's photon torpedoes streaked through space toward their target. Their guidance systems had been ordered not to home in on the ship itself but on a specific area of space. Once they arrived, they detonated.
One of the torpedoes exploded too far away from the Wendol to cause any damage. The other three, however, came very close. The impact was less than a direct hit from a standard yield torpedo, but it was still devastating. For the second time the Battlecruiser's shield were buffeted by the assault. A few of them failed and the ship suffered additional structural damage.
"Hull breach on deck seven." the Operations Officer announced.
"Cowards!" Sok'Fot roared. "Fight like warriors. Face to face!"
"Sir, shall we move to intercept the Enterprise? Sensor's reveal that she has sustained heavy damage and her warp core is offline." the Tactical Officer inquired.
"Negative!" Sok'Fot responded angrily. Not at his officer but at his situation. "Our orders are to protect Chancellor Dogmatix and return him to Qo'Nos immediately.
"CHANCELLOR Dogmatix?" the Wendol's First Officer said in shock.
"That is correct, Jatar." Sok'Fot responded.
Silence swept over the bridge as the shock of the revelation sunk in. Each officer immediately understood the importance of their mission. The Helmsman spoke first.
"Sir, by bringing the auxiliary power reactors to sub-super-critical we can reach the Stormbringer faster," he said thoughtfully.
"Do it!" Sok'Fot ordered "and advise all personnel in the secondary hull to begin radiation exposure protocols."
"Continue to hail the Stormbringer!" he ordered
ABOARD THE U.S.S. ENTERPRISE
"Captain, the Battlecruiser s accelerating. Sensors indicate that she has brought her auxiliary power reactor to 150 percent. She is emitting dangerous levels of ionizing radiation." Spock stated.
"Why don't they turn to attack us?" Chekov asked without turning from his station.
"I don't know." Kirk responded. "This goes against everything in the Klingon play book. Time to Crazy Horse?"
"Five minutes sir" Chekov responded.
In frustration Kirk opened the intra ship comms system. "Kirk to Engineering."
"Scot here." Came the reply.
"Scotty I need more power." Kirk pleaded.
"I'm working on it sir. We almost have the intermix systems online. You may have limited warp power soon." The Engineer responded.
"Can you give me more power from the other systems?" Kirk asked.
"You've shut down power to all non-essential systems already Capt'n." Scotty replied. "The impulse engines are at 50 percent and they will nae be goin' higher without a stay at a starbase. The only other option is to release the safeties from the nuclear power reactors and go above the thresholds."
Kirk looked at the Crazy Horse on the viewer just as the Stormbringer fired another volley of phasers into it. Plasma was venting from both ships as they continued to pinwheel about each other. Each holding onto the other for dear life with their tractor beams. Each knowing that a release would mean a sure death by scatterpack.
He then looked at the Wendol. It would reach the combatants one minute before the Enterprise at current speeds. To do as Scotty suggested would risk exposing her crew to lethal levels of radiation.
Space was immense. Beyond human comprehension. But so many times, Kirk thought, had it come down to this. A matter of inches. A matter of seconds.
"Make it so." Kirk ordered. He then changed the channel before receiving Mr. Scott's confirmation.
"Attention all hands. This is the Captain. Initiate radiation exposure protocols immediately. The nuclear reactors are being brought to output levels beyond the threshold."
Almost immediately he received an incoming signal in the form of a very angry voice.
"Dammit Jim I have a sick bay packed with wounded!" his Chief Medical Officer hissed. "I have men with severe blunt trauma lying on the floors. How the hell to you expect me to address ship wide radiation exposure?"
"Bones, the situation is serious." Kirk said tersely.
"Serious! Serious is what happens to an irradiated human body if the ship's medical staff is unable to administer the proper dose of thorium iodine within four minutes of exposure!" Dr. McCoy shot back.
"Doctor. If I don't do this the U.S.S. Crazy Horse is going to be destroyed with all hands on board!" Kirk said sympathetically.
A brief moment of silence ensued and then a response.
"I'll handle the situation, Jim. Just shut down those reactors as soon as you can." McCoy said softly.
"I intend to. Kirk out."
ABOARD THE I.K.V. STORMBRINGER
Smoke filled the bridge and several officers lay on the deck. Dead or dying. Open flames erupted from several stations and damage control teams found bravely to put out the fires.
"General, we need to break free soon. Hull integrity is dropping fast!" The Tactical officer yelled over the noise.
"If we break our tractor look they'll launch a scatterpack shuttle. With our anti-missile systems down we could not repel such an assault." The First Officer shot back.
"Assuming that they can launch a shuttle." Dogmatix stated. "Gunner!, target their shuttle bay."
ABOARD THE U.S.S. CRAZY HORSE
Except for the personnel, the scene looked much like that on the bridge of the Stormbringer. Controlled chaos.
"Keep up weapons fire!" Vaughn ordered.
"Sir, their anti-missile systems are down." the Science Officer advised.
The ship rocked with another blast. This one, oddly seemed to come from another area of the ship.
Vaughn spun around in his chair to face the Science Officer.
"Sir, they have hit our shuttle bay. It is non-operational. Reading heavy damage."
"What is the status of our anti-missile systems?" Vaughn asked as yet another volley rocked the bridge.
"They are at 50 percent, sir." came the reply.
"Inbound status?" he asked.
Sir, the second Klingon Battlecruiser will reach optimal firing range in one minute. The Enterprise is now accelerating faster than the inbound Klingon, nevertheless, it will not arrive for another 90 seconds."
"We need to open the range." Vaughn said aloud. "Switch polarity on the tractor emitters and break the lock! Helm, bring us to 25 mark 130 smartly. Watch for missile launch."
ABOARD THE I.K.V. STORMBRINGER
"General! They have cut their tractor beam and broken our tractor lock. The Earther is moving away from us. Their shuttle bay has been destroyed" the Tactical Officer advised.
"What is the maximum range of their anti-missile systems?" Dogmatix asked.
"Fifty kelikams, sir" came the response.
"Helm, pursuit course but let him open the range to 55 kelicams. Transfer all counter measures power to the ECCM systems. Take the aft phaser emitters offline. Bring all disruptor banks to 150 percent! Prepare scatter pack." Dogmatix ordered.
"Range flow report!" Dogmatix barked finally.
"Forty kelicam, Forty Five, Fifty, Fifty Two . . . ." came the report.
"Launch scatter pack shuttle." Dogmatix roared. "Helm increase speed. Put us on top of that ship!"
The shuttle craft launched safely, just outside the Crazy Horse's anti-missile range. The drive system's of the six missiles that had been contained within, each powered up to maximum thrust. They broke free in all directions. Their ion trails creating a flower in space. Then they all turned towards the fleeing Crazy Horse and began to hunt down their prey.
Moving significantly faster than either ship they quickly rocketed past the Stormbringer and homed in on the aft hull of the Crazy Horse like a pack of hounds chasing a wounded fox.
At that point the Crazy Horse's anti-missile systems went active. Packets of atomic particles shot forth from the Crazy Horse at the incoming missiles. Several were destroyed. However, the Terran ship had suffered much damage, and she was only able to fend off five of them with her defensive systems.
The six missile impacted the port nacelle strut, obliterating it. The nacelle, sheered off and spun down towards the planet below. The Crazy Horse, miraculously survived. Barely. But started to lose attitude control as she began to yaw counterclockwise. The stress on her hull increasing proportionally.
ABOARD THE U.S.S. CRAZY HORSE
"Transfer all power to the thrusters and the structural integrity fields." Vaughn yelled above the klaxons that were shrieking.
The helmsman worked furiously as he slowly brought the Crazy Horse under control. However the ship was now starting to enter into an orbital path. An orbit that was sure to degrade.
"Sir, we are too close to the planet. Should I attempt to break orbit." the Helmsman yelled.
"No!" Vaughn ordered. "Plot the maximum planetary entry course that we can recover from and dial it in!"
Vaughn's plan was to use the gravity well of the planet to increase the ship's speed away from the Stormbringer. For the Crazy Horse, the battle was over. It was now just a matter of survival. Or could there be both?
"Mike," Vaughn called to his First Officer who was supervising the damage control efforts.
"Sir!" the Commander responded as he athletically leap over the banister between the damage control station and the command area.
Vaughn stood and came close to the Commander's ear.
"Mike, I want you to take the crew to the planet." Vaughn whispered.
"Sir?" Commander Collins replied in shock.
"I am going to abandon ship." Vaughn said.
"Well, I can understand that, sir." Collins said looking around at what was left of the bridge. "But what about you?"
"I'm remaining with the ship." Vaughn said.
"The hell you are sir!" Collins said a little too loudly and a few officers glanced back at their commanding officers. "You and I will be the last to leave but do not give me that ?going down with the ship' bullcrap!"
"I don't intend to go down with the ship, Commander." Vaughn said tersely. "I intend to take it into battle. But I will NOT endanger this crew any further!"
"How the hell to you plan on taking what is left of this ship into battle alone, sir!" Collins asked angrily.
"Well . . . " Vaughn started with a smile. "I'll need you to help me rig a little surprise."
ABOARD THE I.K.V. STORMBRINGER
"The Earther is falling into T'Chack Prime's gravity well. She is doomed," the Tactical Officer said as he watched the Crazy Horse disappear under the planet's horizon.
"Shall we pursue?" The Helmsman asked
"No, all stop!" Dogmatix stated. "Let the Wendol join up with us. It is time to complete our mission. The destruction of the Enterprise. Transfer power to the ECM systems and re-enforce the forward shields."
ABOARD THE U.S.S. ENTERPRISE
"Captain, the Crazy Horse has sustain critical damage as well as the loss of her port nacelle. She is using the planet's gravity well to aide her escape velocity. I estimate a 75.367 percent chance that she will survive the maneuver." Spock advised.
"Thank you Spock." Kirk replied.
"Sir," Spock stated "the Crazy Horse's escape pods are launching. She is abandoning ship. I also read multiple transports to the surface."
"Will they make it Spock?" Kirk asked urgently.
"The planet is Class M and the transports and lifepods are targeting a temperate zone near the planet's equator. Assuming the Klingons do not attack them, they should survive." Spock responded.
"The Crazy Horse has passed the relative horizon. I no longer have a sensor lock on her." Spock added.
"Status of the Klingon ships?" Kirk asked.
"Both ships have sustained significant damage. The Stormbringer in particular has sustained critical hull integrity loss. However, the Enterprise is also heavily damaged. I predict a 60.457 percent chance of survival if we do not disengage immediately." Spock said gravely
"We are at war, Mr. Spock. I'll take those odds. They're better than what Hubbard had." Kirk responded.
"Mr. Checkov, target the Stormbringer and fire at will. Mr. Sulu, initiate attack maneuver Theta Seven." Kirk ordered.
"Vampire, vampire, vampire." Chekov shouted. "Missile launch from both ships."
Kirk, silently cursed the fact that the Enterprise had yet to be fitted with the advanced anti-missile systems that the Crazy Horse carried. He would now have to hold his phasers in reserve to combat the inbound missile waves. That, of course, was the very purpose for which the Klingons had fired.
"Set phasers to defensive mode, Mr. Chekov." Kirk ordered. "Use the transporter bombs if you get a chance but do not drop a facing shield unless I so order."
"Acknowledged, sir" the young Russian responded.
"Sir, the Klingons are firing." Spock advised.
"Brace for impact!" Kirk yelled as the disruptor bolts slammed into the Enterprise's front screens.
The flagship of the Federation rocked under the assault. It's systems straining beyond their design limits.
"Return fire!" Kirk ordered.
"Photon torpedoes away!" Checkov stated and a moment later shouted in glee as two of the torpedoes struck the bow of the Stormbringer squarely.
"Sir, the Stormbringer's weapons systems have been destroyed. She is starting to list." Spock stated cooly. Then with just a hint of urgency, "Power build up on the second ship. She is firing!"
The Wendol's disruptors and forward phaser banks blasted the front shield of the Enterprise causing it to fail completely. The remaining power surged into the primary hull. Several forward decks exploded outward into space."
For the second time today Kirk was thrown to the deck of his bridge. His dislocated shoulder erupted in fire, sending waves of pain down his arm. By force of will alone he did not pass out.
ABOARD THE I.K.V. STORMBRINGER
"Hard to port!" Dogmatix ordered in an attempt to maneuver his warship so as to protect it's now vulnerable bow.
"Sir, the Wendol is maneuvering between us and the Enterprise." The Tactical Officer said.
"Damage Control, get our weapons systems back on line now!" Dogmatix yelled.
"Sir, the Wendol has lock her tractor beam on us, we are being pushed away from the Enterprise." the Tactical Officer said in shock.
"What in the name of Kahless is that fool Sok'Fot doing! He should be firing on the Earther scum!" Dogmatix shouted. "Communications Officer, open the channels!"
"Yes, General!" the Comms Officer said. "Channels open."
"Stormbringer to Wendol!" Dogmatix shouted. "Release this ship immediately and attack the Earther!"
Captain Sok'Fot visage appeared on the Comms viewer. Behind him Dogmatix could see heavy damage to many of the command systems.
"I will not comply!" Sok'Fot said tersely.
Dogmatix was enraged. "Have you gone mad!"
"I am under the direct order of the High Counsel." Sok'Fot said. "We are leaving."
"Our mission was to destroy the Enterprise. That mission is incomplete and we are in battle. Not even the High Counsel can interrupt that." Dogmatix stated in anger.
"There are larger issues her, Sir." Sok'Fot said in what Dogmatix took to be an odd manner. "Issues, that I do not dare discuss over an open channel."
"You speak like a Romulan!" Dogmatix bellowed. "Destroy the Enterprise or I will relieve you of your command. Permanently."
"I may die, but it will be in the service of The Empire." Sok'Fot said. "We are leaving. Now."
And with that Sok'Fot cut the channel.
ABOARD THE U.S.S. ENTERPRISE
"Sir, the Stormbringer's escort has achieved a tractor lock on her. The escort is attempting to disengage with the Strombringer. Thruster fire on the Strombringer indicates that the General, is not in agreement with this course of action." Spock stated.
"Fascinating." Kirk gasped in pain as he stumbled back to his Command chair.
Spock turned to look at his Captain with an arched brow.
"The escorting Battlecruiser is powering up her port phaser banks. We are being targeted." Spock stated.
"Sir, it's the Crazy Horse!" Sulu shouted. "She's coming around from the far side of the planet."
"What the hell is Vaughn doing!" Kirk yelled.
"Sir, I read only one life sign aboard the Crazy Horse." Spock reported. "Human, on the bridge. At the helm specifically."
"It has to be that crazy bastard Vaughn." Kirk said with a mix of pride and anger.
"Aspect change on the Crazy Horse , Sir." Checkov announced. "She's vectoring towards the Klingons. Approaching on their six."
ABOARD THE U.S.S. CRAZY HORSE
"Computer." Vaughn said and received a confirming chirp. "Bring the warp reactor to 100 percent."
"Acknowledged," a metallic female voice stated.
"Initiate Self-Destruct. Authorization, Vaughn, Epsilon Seven Omega, zero, zero, zero, destruct." Vaughn said.
"Self-Destruct order confirmed. Authorization, confirmed. Input time index." the computer asked.
Vaughn consulted his counsel and responded. "Thirty seconds, engage."
"Confirmed, Self destruct in 30 seconds, 29, 28 . . . .
ABOARD THE I.K.V. STORMBRINGER
"Sir, the Crazy Horse is approaching from our aft. Her weapons are offline. Her warp reactor is at maximum output but she is simply venting excess plasma. I read only one life form on board." The Tactical Officer reported with a note of urgency.
Dogmatix shot up from his command chair. He could not believe a human would do such a thing. They were not warriors! He had learned much about the humans today, however. Kirk had not run when he had the chance. He had turned and fought with honor. For decades the Klingons had failed in their assaults on the Earthers. Perhaps because they had always assumed that they were cowards. They were not.
On this day, Dogmatix reached a conclusion that would shift the balance of power in the quadrant. The Klingon battle plans were based on false assumptions.
"Target that ship!" he yelled.
"All weapons systems are offline!" the Gunner shouted.
"Raise the Wendol!" Dogmatix said.
"The Wendol has closed her Comms channels."
Dogmatix swore a Klingon oath. He then turned back to the main viewer.
"Helm, fire all propulsion systems in parallel with the Wendol. We need to increase our speed."
ABOARD THE U.S.S. ENTERPRISE
"Scott to Bridge." the voice chimed.
"Kirk here."
"Capt'n, I can give you warp power. Enough for warp one." the Engineer reported.
"Thank you Scotty" Kirk said and then looked up at Mr. Sulu's back. "Transfer warp power to all non-drive systems. Full impulse power to propulsion."
With her damaged impulse engines now free to invest all of their power into acceleration the Enterprise began to pick up speed at a geometric rate."
"Sir, the Crazy Horse has turned off all systems except her drive systems and her sensors." Spock advised.
"He's going to ram them." Kirk gasped.
"Negative sir, his angle indicates that he is trying to face their downed shields. If her warp reactor were to suffer a catastrophic failure in such a position and at its current output level . . . ." Spock stated.
"Damn, John, don't." Kirk whispered.
"Sir," Spock said "we are being scanned."
"By which ship?" Kirk asked.
"The Crazy Horse," Spock answered as his voice took on a hint of bewilderment. "Odd, he scaned our transporter systems only."
Kirk did not respond. He simply turned to look at the battered Crazy Horse as it continued to accelerate toward the Klingon ships. The Battlecruisers were also accelerating away at an angle.
"Sir, we have been scanned again, same systems." Spock said.
ABOARD THE U.S.S. CRAZY HORSE
Come on Jim, figure it out!" Vaughn pleaded.
In the background the computer continued to report. "10, 9, 8, 7 . . . ."
ABOARD THE U.S.S. ENTERPRISE
"He wants us to transport him!" Kirk yelled. "Drop shields and transport now!"
"Bridge, Transporter Room." the Transporter Chief voice rang through the comms system. "Crazy Horse arriving!"
That told Kirk that not only had the man aboard the Crazy Horse been transported safely aboard but it was indeed Captain John Vaughn.
"Shields to maximum. Get us out of here Mr. Sulu!" Kirk ordered just as the Crazy Horse's magnetic containment field in her matter/anti-matter intermix chamber shut off.
T'CHACK PRIME
Commander Collins stared into the night sky at the bright new star that flared over head. "Goodbye John. God's speed." He whispered.
THE T'CHACK SYSTEM
The Crazy Horse vaporized immediately in a brilliant flash of white hot light. A fraction of a second later the blast wave expanded outwards. With her warp reactor running at 100 percent at the time of containment failure the blast wave was impressive. It expanded like a fiery sphere, growing ever larger at near relativistic speed.
The Klingon Battlecruisers were caught by the blast wave. At first they rode the wave and then were pummeled by it. As the wave past, it left two floating metallic hulls without any source of power whatsoever. The surviving crew, to either suffocate or freeze to death in space within the hour.
The Enterprise, being somewhat farther away faired better, but not by much. She too was left dead in space but at least with life support and a few systems operating at a minimum.
Thankfully, the combatants had been significantly separated by the blast and were continuing to drift apart at a high rate of speed.
ABOARD THE U.S.S. ENTERPRISE
Only the red emergency lighting remained on the bridge. In the red glow Spock's face took on a demonic visage. The cut that had been closed on his forehead had been re-opened and green blood flowed onto the right shoulder of his tunic. The pain was intense and the look on his face betrayed anger just beneath the surface.
"Captain." he said slowly. "The Crazy Horse had been destroyed. The Klingon Battlecruisers are adrift and without power."
"Thank you, Mr. Spock" Kirk replied, thankful that he had been able to remain in his chair during the blast.
"Captain," Spock voice said tersely. "I am reading a minimum of nine Klingon warships entering the system. They will be within weapons range within ten minutes."
The bridge became dead quiet. The Damage Control teams stopped working and all eyes focused on the viewer waiting to catch first glimpse of the death that was surely arriving. Minutes past in silence.
"The inbound ships are vectoring toward the damaged Klingon warships, sir." Spock reported breaking the quiet.
"This mystery just gets deeper and deeper. I suppose the Klingons now tend to their wounded before killing the enemy." Kirk said fatalistically.
"Fascinating." Spock exclaimed, a note of relief in his voice. "The warships are tractoring the disabled ships out of the system. They are going to warp."
"Well I'll be damned." Kirk muttered. "Fate does indeed watch over children, the foolish, and ships named Enterprise."
"Additional contacts sir. Inbound." Spock stated.
"Captain we are receiving a transmission. It is Hydran, sir!" Uhuru stated.
"Put it through." Kirk ordered.
"This is Captain Hobbes of His Majesties' Royal Carrier Battle Group Baleck Twelve." The oddly mechanical voice of the Hydran stated. His voice made to sound mechanical by the translation systems. "The Royal Star Force is at your service. Do you require assistance?"
Kirk simply smiled at his First Officer. "Hydran's have a nack for understatement, don't they Spock?"
"Excessive emotionalism regarding our condition would not be necessary, Sir. It is apparent that we need assistance. I do not understand why humans expect an emotional response to all things," the Vulcan said flatly.
Kirk sighed slightly and spoke into the Comms channel. "Your assistance is most welcome Captain. Enterprise out."
"Get yourself to sick bay Spock." Kirk ordered.
"Sir, may I point out that you are in obvious need of medical attention." Spock replied.
"Yes, you may." Kirk stated. "I'll meet you there shortly. But first I have a Star Fleet Captain whose hand I have to shake. Right after I chew him out for being a cowboy that is."
EPILOGUE
Dogmatix's ascension to the Chancellorship resulted in victory for the Klingon Empire. The Catmandu forces were stopped at Mer'Nok and the Empire, along with their allies, were able to conquer several Federation systems including T'Chack. The resources gained from these systems, as well as the Dilithium rich planetoids within the neutral zone, saved the Empire.
After the war, however, Dogmatix did something no other Klingon Chancellor had ever done. He resigned. Holding the rank of General once again, he went back to the field of combat among the stars.
James T. Kirk rose through the ranks to the post of Chief of Star Fleet Operations. Eventually, however, he followed Dogmatix' lead and went back into space in command of a star ship.
John Vaughn was placed in command of U.S.S. Van Buren, the first of the Van Buren class Heavy Assault Carriers. Eventually he rose to the rank of Fleet Admiral and in his twilight years taught at Star Fleet Academy.
- The End
Topic: SIRIUS ASCENDANT (an AoTK Story) (Read 11428 times)