Timely Arrivals (Part III)

Posted on Sun May 12th, 2024 @ 5:06am by Commander Grace Vetur & Lieutenant Commander Yivliph Ra-Gruvloveii & Lieutenant Commander Anahera Chernova & Lieutenant Zero
Edited on on Sun May 12th, 2024 @ 5:32am

1,407 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Standing By
Location: Ontario Bridge
Timeline: MD01

[PREVIOUSLY]

"You're right, Commander. You've fulfilled your part." Kilgore replied as a fiendish smile formed on his face. "However, since the Admiral of the Fleet has decided to invite herself onto your ship... I find myself in a position I can't allow to slip." He raised his hands as the crew around him began to move frantically, tapping away at consoles and rush from one side to the other, as two D7-Class Klingon Cruisers decloaked on either side of Kilgore's ship. "You should have stayed home, Kathryn. Or... you should have come here in a bigger ship."

[CONTINUED]

As alarms began to go off on the bridge, another ship began to decloak. This time behind the Ontario. It was a modified Galaxy Class Starship with three nacelles and added parts to the saucer section. The ships computer immediately identified it as the Cerberus, a Starship assigned to Starfleet Intelligence and under the command of Admiral Maximillian Hunter. Two more Starfleet ships warped in, an Intrepid and Defiant Class, taking positions by the Ontario.

Zero tapped on the console as another alarm started and was immediately stopped. "Captain... Admiral Hunter is requesting to transport aboard. He is requesting the Ontario retract her shields." He tapped on the console and soon had an odd look on his face. "He is adding that his ship will expand its shield bubble to include the Ontario."

Grace nodded. "Yes. For as short a time as possible."

A smile crossed Anahera's lips as the Starfleet vessels appeared. The Ontario's weapons were now focused on the portside of the D7-Class Klingon Cruiser. The former smuggler was aware of a design flaw in the Klingon ship, that she was ready to capitalize on.

As soon as the shields were dropped Admiral Hunter materialized on the bridge. He was dressed in his Admiral's Uniform, which was an unusual sight for those who were familiar with his tendency to wear suits. He appeared with a firm look as his eyes were focused on the main view screen where Kilgore was.

"Thayne..." Max said as he took a step towards the screen, his hands firmly behind his back. "Been a while."

"Max Hunter." Kilgore replied as he stood up from his Captain's chair and stepped closer to his own screen, his image growing slightly. "You're grey hairs are starting to show, Old friend."

"I've been told it suits me." He said firmly, a smile on his face, before adding quickly. "The same can't be said for you. You're letting the stress get to you. It's started to show... all over your face." Max paused slightly until concluding with. "Old... Friend."

Kilgore began to grind his teeth slightly as he looked around his bridge. "You're starting to use the same old friends, Max. I knew you were in the shadows somewhere. Hiding until just the right moment to make your entrance. You do love to make an entrance."

Max shrugged his shoulders slightly, keeping to his smile, as he turned to look at Burke. The look on his face said it all and she recognized it. As he turned back to face the main view screen, locking his eyes back with Kilgore, before he replied in a firm tone. "Not as much as you enjoy putting on a show and then just relying on pointing your weapons at a ship in the hopes of intimidating them into doing what you want. This time... you pointed your weapons at the wrong ship... because that ship has friends. And their friends have friends. And so on and so forth." He removed his hands from behind his back and placed them in front of him. "Check your sensors, Thayne. You think I would show up with just two ships?"

Kilgore looked off the screen to an officer. Immediately, he walked over to his Captain's chair and tapped on the small console beside it. He looked at the image that was sent to him, before turning back to face Max.

"You pointed your weapons at-" Max began to speak, but quickly stopped himself from saying what he wanted to say. "At the Commander of the Fleet." He said calmly before throwing his hand forward at him, pointing to the screen. Pointing to Kilgore. "This is a consequence you cannot avoid!" He shouted. It was odd, seeing Max this angry. Hearing him screen. Max was normally calm and relaxed. He never let himself show anger, but this time it was different. This time he couldn't help it. "I know what you want. I know what you've been searching for and I know what you're willing to give up for it. We both know the lengths you will go in order to find, but I am telling you, there is no way in hell you are going to get it. Not now. Not ever!"

"Max... you think-"

"Do I sound like I am finished?!!" Max quickly interrupted. He lowered his hand and stared intently at Kilgore, before letting out a deep breath and continuing. "Now...pay attention because the next move you make will essentially determine your survival." He took another step towards the view screen as he continued in a much calmer tone. "The way I see it, you have three options. You can stay here and surrender. In which case you will be thrown into the deepest and darkest hole that I can find where I will personally make it a point to destroy the controls to the door so that it will never open again. You can stay here and fight. In which you will most certainly lose. Make no mistake, Kilgore. You may have a big bad looking Romulan ship, but my ship is bigger and meaner. And if those readings you saw are to be believed... I am about to have more guns than you. Your last option... is to run. Don't say another word and just go. Slither back into whatever hive of scum and villainy that you came out of and forget all about what you want because, Old friend, you are not going to get it."

Kilgore sat there quietly. He only seen Max react like this on several occasions and, on those occasions, he had to be pulled back. Kilgore must have done something to set him off. Something he had never done before that he did now. What was different? What did he do that... He stopped in mid thought. His eye brow raised slightly as his focus quickly shifted from Max to Kathryn, then back to Max.

Kathryn remained outwardly calm and kept her eyes firmly on the viewscreen so she wouldn't look at Admiral Hunter. She'd never met Kilgore in person, but she'd read far too many reports about him and knew more than most--except for Max. She wasn't going to give him anything he could use later. "And if Admiral Hunter's friends don't persuade you, mine are not far behind." They would likely not arrive before the pirate was gone, but he didn't need to know that.

Sitting in his Executive Officer's chair Yiv watched the interaction between the three antagonists, wondering at the dynamics between them.

The main screen went off abruptly and then there was silence.

Max tapped his combadge. "Max to Cerberus. Rollins, what are Kilgore and his friends doing?"

=A="Standby, Admiral."=A= Rollins replied from the combadge. =A="Accord to Lieutenant Kross, Shields are still up and weapons are still- wait... something's happening. Shields are down... their cloaking, Admiral."

The main view screen came back on, showing an image of the three pirate ships in front of them. Each ship slowly cloaked until finally they were gone from sight. Max crossed his arms and let out a sigh as he kept his eyes locked on the main view screen. He was prepared for an attack, but part of him hoped Kilgore had left.

Grace looked from one admiral to the other. "I think we should return to my ready room. I have some questions."

She turned to Yiv. "You have the bridge. Again."

OFF

Captain Thayne Kilgore
Captain
Blackheart

Admiral Maximilian Hunter
Covert Operations
Theta Fleet

Lieutenant Zero
Chief Operations Officer
USS Ontario

Commander Grace Vetur
Commander
USS Ontario

Lieutenant Anahera Chernova
CHief Security/Tactical officer
USS Ontario

Admiral Kathryn Burke
Fleet Commander
Theta Fleet

Lieutenant Commander Yivliph Ra-Gruvloveii
Executive Officer
USS Ontario

RSS Feed