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A New Adventure
Part XIV: Voulez-Vous Me Aime Toujours Jusqu'à La Fin?
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*Do you recall the sun,*
*As it tenderly kissed our skin?*
*We just sat on the rooftop,*
*Telling each other our dreams…*
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- Stonewall Fleet Starbase. Immediate Vicinity - “What is this?”
“What’s happening?”
“There’s a transmission coming through, it’s somewhat distorted.”
“Well, put them through.”
“I think it’s just an automated message.”
“Fascinating! …just play the transmission.”
“This is a- -mergen—transmit----n. Stonewall F---- Sta-ba-e is under ----ck by the --F. Repeat: Th-- is an emergency tra—missi--. Stonewall Fleet ----base is un-er ----ck by the K--. All civilian vess--s --d freig----s are to ev---ate S----wall ---ce”
“I… I can’t understand it.”
“Damn it man, try and clear it up.”
“It’s just an automated message, we-“
“It’s on emergency frequencies. We can’t ignore it.”
“I’ve done what I can; I don’t think the interference’s anything natural.”
“It’s probably being distorted from the source.”
“What makes you say that Maknae?”
“It just had that tone to it.”
“Do we turn around or keep going?”
“Full stop.”
“Aye love. Dropping anchor.”
“Maknae, can you come to the bridge?”
“Yeah, I’ll be right up.”
“Hey, Capt, do ya’ think it’a great idea to jus’ stop like this?”
“I genuinely have no opinion on that.”
“Capt…”
“There’s really nothing for us to use to form an opinion.” The bridge doors opened to reveal a slender and pale young man with double lidded, almond shaped, emerald eyes, which hid under his long and shaggy coal-black hair. He walked slowly towards the communications console, where Hank sat. “Have you been able to compile a full message?”
“Uhh… no?” Hank responded looking at the slim boy’s face with a dumbfounded one of his own. “How the Hell can an’one clean this garb’ge up?”
“Well… It’s like a puzzle. Take the clear words and put them into place, use the computer to extrapolate them and compile them into proper format. The breaks within the transmissions aren’t a perfectly repeating pattern, so we should be able to get all the words.”
“Oh I wish I had thought of that!” An older woman called out from the navigators console with a crackling laughter. “Leave it to my lil’ Maknae to be so cleaver.”
“Noona, please stop embarrassing me…”
“…Never.”
“Please?”
“Sonja…”
“…”
“…Never.” She suddenly broke out laughing hysterically again. The Slim boy could only laugh along.
“There. Right darn there! I Got’cha! HAHA!!”
“I take it you succeeded Hank?”
“Hell yeah Capt!”
“…Then would you kindly replay the damn message!?”
“Oh-AH-Dur… YEAH!” Hank confusingly tapped on the console until his dimwitted self finally found a way to replay the completed message.
“This is an emergency transmission. Stonewall Fleet Starbase is under attack by the KDF. Repeat: This is an emergency transmission. Stonewall Fleet Starbase is under attack by the KDF. All civilian vessels and freighters are to evacuate Stonewall Space…” The transmission continued to play on a loop.
“Well… Shit.”
“Geneviève, don’t swear on my bridge.”
“Sorry Capt.” Vive spoke as she lowered her head and tucked her frizzy red hair behind her ears before returning to the piloting controls.
“This ain’t good Capt.”
“No Shit.”
“Tai’Luc!” Vive called out with a pout.
“Sorry love.” The Captain hung his head low as he got scolded by his wife.
“Uh… Weren’t we deliverin’ cargo to that there Stonewall?” Hank asked.
“Yes, Medical supplies mostly.” The Old woman spoke with a silent undertone that everyone had gotten accustomed to picking up on.
“Noona…”
“They’ll be needing it now.”
“Grandma…”
“I’ve been dying to use the phasers again.”
“Jeong Eun!”
“Oh you punks never let me have fun. You’re supposed to respect your elders!”
“Noona… We can’t just go rushing into a warzone.” The young boy spoke softly, only to have Jeong Eun turn her head slowly and stare at him with her piercing deep hazel eyes.
“Says who?” She asked in a frighteningly calm tone of voice.
“Every piece o’ common sense an’ not ta mention the offici’l transmission f’om a Starfleet command center.” Hank responded while everyone else slowly sunk behind a console for shelter. Out of nowhere a boot flew across the bridge and bashed Hank on the right side of his head. He didn’t even react, but as the slim boy reached out to make sure he was alright, Hank just hunched forward and fell upon his console, his face breaking the impact.
“Tai’Luc! Take us into warp and let’s go help Stonewall!”
“The old lady has a Death wish.” The Captain spoke to the side to his wife.
“What did you say!?”
“Nothing Grandma!”
“Tai’Luc, you know she’ll outlive us all.” Vive laughed to herself.
“The spiteful ones always do. Fine… Besides, I don’t have much love for the Klingons myself. Vive, max warp to Stonewall.”
“I told you before, max warp will tear our freighter apart.”
“Vive… My love, my life, my stars… you’re killing me.”
“Captain, We can do warp 6. We’ll reach Stonewall Space within two hours.”
“Good Maknae. Take over Navigation. Jeong Eun, go ahead and take tactical.”
“HAAAHAAAAAA I’ve already loaded the torpedoes!!”
“Noona… you’re quite frightening sometimes…”
“Sonja… When you reach my age you’ll see that you must do whatever makes you happy. You get to cut through all the other crap.”
“The old lady loves blowing things up.” A second boot suddenly flew from the front of the bridge and smashed into the forehead of the captain, causing him to lurch backwards and grasp his face. Hank burst out laughing and because of that, a third boot was flung through the air and hit him in the same exact spot once more.
“The Hell!? How many boots does the old woman have!?” Hank cried out as he cringed in annoyance.
“…Sorry, that one was mine.”
“Maknae!?!?”
“Aaaahahaha, I’ve taught my sonja well. Warp 6 Geneviève! We need to get my old heart pumping, Haaahahahaha!!!!”
“Maybe we should have had Jun-Cho Eun take tactical my love.”
“Vive… We both know that Grandma would pick that boy up from tactical and toss him across the bridge like a ragdoll.”
“True… that reminds me, Jun-Cho, did you like the one I gave you?”
“The antique? Yes, I placed it on my bed as you recommended.”
“Humans and bed decor… I’ll never understand it.” Tai’Luc spoke as he massaged his nose to sooth away the pain from the boot which had hit him.
“Capt… You married a human.” Hank spoke with a pseudo-stuck-up attitude.
“If you are having second taughts my love, I have a phaser right here.” Vive said as she gently tapped on her hip holster, which housed her old type II phaser.
“Of course not Vive, my love, my life… But you’re humor still escapes me.” The Captain’s glance swapped back and forth from his wife’s face to her phaser.
“Jeong Eun gets me.” His wife spoke as she tossed more of her hair behind her ears.
“You might want to reassess that Vive.”
“Ya’ll talk too much.” Hank finally cut in just before an alarm began to blare.
“Captain, there’s ship coming up to our starboard. They’re matching our speed!”
“Maknae, what kind of ship?”
“It’s a… It’s gone!”
“They cloaked?”
“I believe so.”
“I can find them! Hehehe!”
“Grandma! Do. Not. Touch. Your. Console.”
“…Fine.”
“I think we were just scanned Tai’Luc.”
“They likely got a full registry of our cargo.”
“Oh, it’s not weaponry, so they shouldn’t be interested.”
“We might be in trouble.”
“I don’t think they’re pirates.”
“No, but they got our trajectory.” Jun-Cho spoke, and then turned his head slightly to look at his crewmates, all of whom gave off a hushed ‘shit’ under their breaths. A low boom echoed throughout the freighter, which concurrently shook violently, causing everyone to grip tightly to their consoles to prevent being strewn across the bridge.
“Luc, We’ve fallen out of warp!”
“Damn it! Whoever they are fire at them!”
“They are still cloaked Vive!”
“Haaahahaha, that’s hasn’t stopped me before!”
“Noonaaaa…”
“Haahahaha firing at will!” Jeong Eun smiled as she played on the tactical console gleefully. The freighter suddenly began to fire phasers in arcing succession of degrees. One beam found the hidden hull of the bird of prey. As though having foretold this, Jeong Eun let loose a volley of torpedoes which sprayed the Klingon ship, making it dead in the water.
“Noona…”
“Hush up sonja! One more volley and they’re finished!”
“Noona!”
“Grandma!”
“Unni!”
“Hag!” Hank was suddenly struck by another work boot which caused him to topple over and fall from his console.
“You kids always spoil my fun.”
“Deities woman! You’re supposed to be our resident doctor! Not our gunwoman!”
“Ack, that’s no fun. I’m old enough to branch off into other fields.”
“Unni, I don’t think…”
“Hush child! And shouldn’t you be getting us back into warp? Where’s my boot!?”
“Prophets, she’s more frightening than the Klingons!”
“She keeps us on our toes.”
“She keeps us close to Death.”
“SHE can hear every word you’re saying. 아이고… 이러한 젊은 사람들이 더 많은 존경을 표시 하는 법을 배워야 더 때려서 얻을 필요로 하고 있습니다!”
^(UGH, these young people need to get smacked so as to learn to show some more respect!”)
“Look, we didn’t take any damage. We got lucky. It’s not too late to turn around Luc.”
“No Vive, I think it might be. We’ve got a tail.”
“He’s right; scans are picking up three ships.”
“Oh… ahh… Noona here might have made a little mistake.”
“What happened Grandma?”
“We might already be out of torpedoes…”
“Noona!!”
“Hahaha, I thought I had gotten past the spray and pray tactic a long time ago.”
“Unni…”
“It’s okay phasers are still working.”
“We have them cannons-“
“SHUDDAP!”
“Ho… hohohoho… HOHOHOHOHO… We finally got the cannons…?”
“Noona…”
“I am so sorry ya’ll. I guess aft’r that last ‘counter wit’ Orions, Capt finally ponied up and got mo’ weaponry.”
“I would have gone for better engines.” Vive cut in.
“I would have gone for shields.” Jun-Cho responded.
“I would have gone for earplugs.” Jeong Eun retorted.
“Noona!” Jun-Cho Eun spoke loudly.
“Sonja, you don’t get to scold your elders.”
“Noona…” The slim boy could only shake his head softly in response to her wild nature.
“Aren’t we still being chased?” Tai’Luc asked.
“Yes.” Vive responded.
“How much longer until we reach Stonewall.”
“About an hour.” Jun-Cho calculated from his console.
“Hahaha we might not make it!” Jeong Eun continued to laugh in the face of danger.
“Noona… Honestly, You’re enjoying this far too much.”
“Sorry sonja, it takes me back to my military days.”
“We’ve heard the stories.”
“Noona, that’s still no excuse…”
The freighter continued to push forward, being followed by three birds of prey that, for some reason or another, followed closely and yet did not even attempt to attack the outdated cargo vessel. The distance to their destination was not long, but knowing what was waiting for them and purposely choosing to go there was giving the feeling that time had come to a halt. The crewmembers of the old federation freighter, the ‘Maiden Sari’, were a strange group. A Bajoran Captain, Tai’Luc, along with his human wife, Geneviève. Hank, who has vowed to stay with them after they had saved his life. Old Mangjeol Jeong Eun and her adopted grandson, Mangjeol Jun-Cho Eun whom have, for untold reasons, come to be on the rickety cargo ship. Though with their medical and scientific abilities, they were a very welcome addition to the crew.
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-Stonewall Fleet Starbase Space; Aboard the Pallas Helena. -“Mon Dieu! STOP FIRING AT OUR HULL YOU DAMNED RIDGEHEADS! FIRE BACK RIC!” Marietta was going insane jumping left and right across the bridge’s viewscreen, cursing and throwing her arms up and flailing them about in anger as she witnessed each hit to the drydocks.
“I can’t! We’re still within drydock! The phasers could hit the walls!” Ric responded while trying to aim, target and retarget the Odyssey’s phasers.
“DIEUS, JUST DO SOMETHING! WE’RE EXPOSED!” Marietta retorted in a completely upset-rage-fueled tantrum. She somehow got her hands on a giant wrench used on hull bolts.
“Marietta, just control the defensive turrets remotely!” Cherrosk spoke before the woman could assault her tactical console with said wrench.
“…” Marietta suddenly froze in mid-swing.
“Oh Deities…” Ric whispered as he starred at Marietta wide-eyed.
“COME ON YOU KLINGON BASTARDS!!” She suddenly screamed a warcry as her fingers blurred across the consoles. Instantly the attack pattern of half of the defensive turrets around their drydock intensified.
“She got remote control quick!” Cherrosk spoke, somehow astonished.
“She basically has it on speed dial. Cherrosk, send out the worker bees. Patch up what you can, then we launch!” Talons spoke through the com from the starbase as he walked through the halls hastily.
“Roger that, Talons!” The Chief Engineer sent out the order and within moments the mustard colored worker bees launched from various small hanger doors on both the port and starboard sides. They quickly began to work on the damages to the primary and secondary hulls as Marietta did an amazing job at delivering an adamant offensive-style defensive shielding of them.
“Captain, we just need you on the bridge!”
“I’ll be beaming onboard shortly. Prepare the ship as best as possible, whatever condition she’s in we’ll be launching.”
“Copy that Captain, We’ve got the Pallas Helena prepping as we speak.” Hal spoke as he configured the piloting console in anticipation.
“And Marietta has taken over some of the defense turrets.” Jacob cut in while never ceasing to be amazed by the woman’s aptitude for weaponry.
“That explains the increase in their effectiveness. Ric, take from Marietta’s lead and tap into some of the defensive turrets too. Focus on defending the remaining ships in dry dock. Give them cover until they launch.”
“Understood Captain. Marietta, let’s see who can take out the most birds of prey!” Ric shouted across the bridge.
“You’ll have to catch up mon amour! I’ve already disabled four of them. And three more just blew up!”
“Deities, woman! You also got control of the torpedo platforms!?”
“…Is that a serious question Ric?” Marietta paused for a moment and cocked her head backwards towards her right side to stare at him blankly. Her fingers continued to glide across the console however, never ceasing to move.
An alarm began to sound on the bridge; Cherrosk brought it up on his screen and was entirely confused. Emergency forcefields had suddenly activated in a hull breach on the midlevel decks. They followed a straightforward pattern, not one caused by weapon fire. Confused he tried to bring up the security-view cameras for that specific hallway. Stunned by the sight of imploded bulkheads, Cherrosk was speechless and bewildered. He jumped views from camera to camera, following the path from the start. However the feed cut from the cameras closest to the anomaly. Unable to do anything else, he attempted to quarantine whatever it was, sealing the doors and emergency shutters, even initiating the containment forcefields. It seemed to work, as the implosions ceased to continue. With that problem solved, at least temporarily, he placed a mental bookmark into it and returned to overseeing the workbees repair efforts.
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-Odyssey’s Lower Decks, Near Hanger Bay 3.-As the containment shutters came slamming down and forcefields went up, a mechanical wing did a sharp thrust in towards the bulkhead itself. The sheer force echoed throughout the enclosed space, as the wing was unable to penetrate the alloy composition. It retracted back behind the shoulder blade of its’ owner, who’s hazy purple eyes narrowed in thought. A pale hand reached to the side and griped the soft green shoulder of the weakened Orion, who was practically limping at this point, and looked ready to slip into a coma: ready to collapse hours ago.
The pale hand griped harshly and with unsubtle force threw the Orion against the bulkhead. The wing once again had thrust as a fencing saber, stabbing the wall directly next to the Orion’s head, a mere two inches away. “We… are far too close.” Those hazel eyes darkened and pierced into the Orion’s own, which then dropped glance and stared at the floor. “I…”
“You’re a horrible Borg.” The Orion coughed out, some blood escaping with his jagged breath. “Just assimilate it…”
In response the wing flicked to the side and slapped the Orion on his already bruised cheek. “Do not speak.”
“…”
“Better. Stare all you like. Once my drones come for me, Stonewall will be assimilated. Drawn into the collective. Perfected.” The pale hand gripped the Orion’s chin, gently for the first time, and lifted it so that their eyes met. “So will the KDF foolish enough to attack now. They’ve only made my plan easier.”
“You now have two enemies to fight.” The Orion spit blood onto the beautiful face of the Borg Prince.
Unflinching, and not bothering to wipe the Orion’s blood away from his cheek, Da’Lexian gently patted the Orion’s face, soothingly, intimidatingly. “My drones were already prepared to wipe out Stonewall and take all it has to offer. We were then going to take Sarleena’s fleet… You’ve done me a big favor, bringing your half-sister here. I can kill two birds with one stone.”
“You…”
“Know everything? Yes Valla. I probed your mind remember? You collapsed so meekly onto the lab floor.”
“So intelligent, yet you’re trapped here like a targ.”
“This location shall accommodate my needs.”
“Stuck up Borg-“
“You, however, have served your purpose.” Da’Lexian suddenly gripped Valla Arin’s throat and lifted him with just the strength of his one arm. Valla gripped it in response and began to fight back, however futile it was. “Haha… Resistance is truly futile. Embrace Death, It’s a Beautiful Truth. Life is such a Hideous Lie… Just… let… go…”
Valla stared fearfully into Da’Lexian’s eyes as they suddenly shifted color from that ghastly purple to a soft hued blue. The grip around his neck was suddenly unleashed and he was dropped onto the hard flooring of the hall. As he fell down, so did Da’Lexian who gripped his own head and screamed vehemently. He trashed on the floor, causing dents on the alloy as Valla backed away as much as possible against the wall. The screams continued for a mere moment until Da’Lexian sat up on his knees, the mechanical wings outspread as far as possible, his head tilted back and his mouth gapped open and he shouted a named so loudly that the alloy screeched in resonance, Valla was forced to cover his ears. The name, was ‘Kenneth’…
The battle continued to rage on, however in the distance a soft-glowing yet sickeningly green light could be seen coming closer…
~To be Continued~
