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Star Trek Mirror Wars Episode 109 "Alternate Invasion, Part 3" By James Earl Part 1 October 16, 2602 1310 hours In a remote part of space, a small ship holds open an impossible portal to a seemingly impossible reality. A reality of infinite possibilities, just as our own. Far away, a few hundred ships, traveling one billion kilometers per second, at what the people inhabiting the ships called warp 15, are preparing for battle. Some people on these ships know that they will probably die. Others just prepare, and don’t think of what could happen. While others think of family, friends, and everyone back on their home planets. But each and every one of them knew that they were heading into a battle that would save all of those people, or would be one of the reasons that they might die. Part 2 October 16, 2602 1315 hours Captain James Obeska looked out the front viewscreen. Even as he watched the stars fly past, he felt the tension all over the ship. It was his… connection, to the crew. Even at warp 15, the fleet wouldn’t reach the mirror Earth until 0200 hours the next day. Until then, all ships were to get into battle readiness. During that time, all ships were cloaked. Up until recently, Starfleet’s treaty with the Romulan Empire prevented them from using cloaks. But ever since The Romulan Crisis three years ago, Starfleet was at war with the Romulan Empire. No real battles ever took place in the war, but even so, the Romulan Empire started to crumble. Now all that was left of the Empire was a few planets barely under the control of their capital planet, Romulus. James Obeska chuckled a little bit. He really didn’t know why. He guessed it was because of how he had let his mind wander to one of the first battles he had ever been in. The day of The Romulan Crisis was one of the worst days of his life. He remembered all the people who had died that day. "And how many more on this ship will die tomorrow? And how many in the entire fleet?" He looked around the bridge. Looked closely at the faces, as if he might never see them again. Jake Demari at the science station looking over the ship specs. Henry Tellar, at the helm, plotting a course toward the mirror Earth. Ferby Ter’Cal at the tactical station, looking over all the weapons systems. Helfner Berinski at the engineering console, looking over the impulse engines, making sure they had maximum maneuverability. Finally, he looked at Sarah sitting next to him. She didn’t notice that he was looking at her. He thought of how they met, on the first day of the Academy. He was lost, looking for the Astronomy classroom, trying to find his PADD that contained a map, but had been misplaced. He was turning a corridor when he ran into someone. They had both fallen to the ground, and after a few seconds, they stood up and looked at each other. "Sorry about that, I should have been paying more attention," said James. "That’s ok. Don’t sweat it," said the other student, who turned out to be a girl. "Did you drop anything?" "No." "O… Good. My names James by the way," said James, as he stuck out his hand in greeting. She grabbed it and shook. "Mine is Sarah." James smiled at Sarah as he remembered that day. He knew that whatever unknown lay ahead for him, he would face it with Sarah. He would always face it with Sarah. She looked at him, saw him smiling, and smiled back. Part 3 October 16, 2602 ???? hours Blake Terval was blindfolded, but for the past day, he had heard the familiar hum of a shuttle craft. He had been locked in a small room, devoid of any technology, save for a food replicator, which automatically sent him food three times a day. There was a small bed, which his hands were tied to, and he had been laying on it for the past day. After he had been taken from the room he had been in for so long, he was blindfolded and transported to this room on the shuttle craft. Since then, he had felt the ship enter warp. Suddenly, he heard the familiar hiss of a door opening. The voice of The Man accompanied it. "I have deactivated the restraints tying you to your bed. Come with me." He stood up off the bed. He judged where the voice had come from. Then, with all of his strength, he lunged at the area, and hit… nothing. He fell to the ground. "You didn’t expect me to actually be there, did you? I am talking to you through a speaker." "Coward," said Blake. "Now, now Blake. You can remove your blindfold. Continue down the corridor, and enter the first door on your right. Be warned. Do not do exactly as I have just said, and you will die." "Where am I going?" "Why Blake, you are going home. But you have something to do for us first." Part 4 October 17, 2602 0130 hours "Half an hour until we reach the other Earth," thought James. As he sat on the bridge, he took on last look at everyone, just as he had done the day before, making sure that he remembered every face, every feature of that person. Finally, the time was near. He stood up from his chair. He heard Sarah tense behind him. He knew that all over the fleet, all of the Captains and Admirals were giving a speech to their crew, inspiring them, readying them for the upcoming battle. Now it was his turn. He waved towards Ferby to open a shipwide channel. "This is the Captain speaking. It has been an honor to work with each and everyone of you. For the past day, you have worked non-stop to get ready for a battle that you know is one of the most important challenge you will face in your lives. For the past day, I have found myself looking at the faces of everyone, seeing all of the men and women I stand by. Look around you. Look at the person standing next to you. All of you fight to save your mothers, your fathers, your brothers and sisters. You all fight for your families and friends. And today, each one of you is ready to give your life for your friends, families, and the person standing next to you. To give them a better life. We all stand here together. And I say this. It is you who are the heroes, the ones who stand up and say no. There is nowhere I would rather be then right here, standing with each of you, heading into the unknown, and ready to face it. Remember everyone who is here today. Remember the sacrifices you all made, and remember the sacrifices that you are about to make." He paused for a moment, to let it sink in, then began to speak again. "All of you were brought here to save freedom. No let us stand together and fight for that freedom… Captain out." As he finished his speech. A tear fell from his cheek. Part 5 October 17, 2602 0145 hours The Emperor stood on the bridge of his new ship, the I.S.S. Fierce. He had been waiting for the past few days on the Fierce, impatient for his waiting to end. "What time is it," he asked. "0145 hours Emperor," said the tactical officer, a tall, strong man in his forties. "They will be here soon." He began to wait again. But he didn’t have to wait long. "Emperor, the Starfleet ships are exiting warp in front of Earth," said the tactical officer. "Right on time," said The Emperor. "Bring all weapons to bear on the lead ship." The waiting was finished. The battle had begun. Part 6 October 17, 2602 0200 hours The bridge was on fire, literally and figuratively. Only a few minutes ago, the fleet, still with all ships with cloaks on, had prepared to exit warp at Earth. Starfleet’s plan was to keep the fleet under cloaks while they attack, so that even though the ships would be detected, as the Mirror Universe ships had proven they could, it would be harder for them to be hit. But somehow, the Mirror Universe knew they were coming. The moment the fleet exited warp, they were fired upon by sixty or so ships, a fleet that rivaled their own. "How did they know," thought James, as he stood up and gave orders to the crew. He stood behind Henry’s, who’s console was only a few meters in front of James’s chair. "Henry, give us a clear shot at that ship at coordinates 56.43 mark 32. Ferby, fire illium torpedoes, full spread," said James. James heart skipped a beat as he realized what ship he was firing on. As he looked on the viewscreen, he saw the ship registry. NCC-5603, I.S.S. Majestic. "For all I know, I am firing at my mirror image…" James sat back down in his chair, knowing he was in for the long haul. Part 7 October 17, 2602 0300 hours One hour later, the U.S.S. Majestic was losing and rest of the fleet was losing the battle. James was sweating from the tension and the heat in the room, caused by the sparks that the computer’s repair program had yet to repair. It’s power was needed elsewhere. "How are the shields Ferby?" "At twen… no eighteen percent sir." Dried blood littered Ferby’s forehead, but he worked though it. "Henry, bring us to bear on the lead ship. Ferby, more torpedoes." Just as the torpedoes were about to fire, a phaser, coming out of the lead ship hit the torpedo bay, stopping the attack. "What happened," asked James. "The torpedo bay was hit. We can’t fire." "Why didn’t the computer fix it?" "The damage is to big," said Ferby. "Then send an engineering team, or a repair droid." "I can’t sir. Engineering is working hard just to keep life-support up, and the droid bay was destroyed thirty minutes ago." "Someone needs to go down there. I will go," said James. "No. I will," said a voice behind James. James looked behind him, but already knew who it was. Sarah. "You can’t." She stared at him with he blue eyes. "Yes I can, and I can do a better job then you James. Let me go." He stood reluctantly for a few seconds, but as the ship shook from another attack, he knew he had no time to argue. "Go, and be quick." She was already on the turbolift. Part 8 October 17, 2602 0315 hours Sarah ran down the corridor towards the torpedo bay. Before she got there, she felt the heat from the fires. Grabbing here phaser from her belt, she reprogrammed it as a fire extinguisher. She aimed at the fires, and they disappeared. She jumped over the fallen support beam and ran into the huge torpedo bay room. She ran to the consoles and worked as hard as she could. A few minutes later, she laughed as she saw that the weapons were back online. She sat down against the wall, only for a few seconds, as she was needed on the bridge. And then she saw it. A torpedo, fallen out of the launch tube, with a support beam inside of it. She knew that since it hadn’t already gone of, it would go off soon. She had to get it out of the torpedo bay, or else it might set off the other torpedoes, and their might not be any ship left after that. She raced over to it, and pulled to support beam out of the torpedo. How it had happened, she didn’t know. "Torpedoes have shields on them. How did this happen," she said, as she pulled on the torpedo, towards the door. Soon, she had it in the corridor. Only a few feet, until she reached a safe distance from the bay. She finally reached the section. She stood over the torpedo, and tried to deactivate the torpedo. She realized that all she could do was lower how much illium would be used to explode the torpedo. "At least that is something. Only this corridor will be destroyed," she thought. Then she ran and as she ran she talked to the computer. "Computer, raise shields 54, 55, 56, and …" But she never finished her sentence. Part 9 October 17, 2602 0330 hours Back on the bridge, Henry was working double time, as he maneuvered the ship so to bring it out of the main line of fire. Ferby shouted, "The weapons are back online, sir… we are also getting a message from the U.S.S. Unlimited…. It… it’s a retreat order." James hated what he needed to do. "Bring us out of the battle, and head back to the Thorn, warp 15. Go Henry." A few minutes later, as the ship was hurtling away from the mirror Earth, James was worried. "Sarah should be back on the bridge by now." He was about to get on the turbolift himself, when a signal from Chief Medical Officer Sally Xerne’s voice came over his combadge. "Captain, I think you need to get down here. Sarah’s been hurt. We have to but her into stasis. Captain, she may not survive." Part 10 October 17, 2602 0400 hours The Emperor watched as the few remained Starfleet ships fled from Earth. He knew that most left at Warp 15, and even if he sent ships after them, they would never be able to catch up with them. "Send five warships after them, and tell them to report when they reenter their own universe." "Yes Emperor," said Commander Verher. Verher had been one the soldiers that had failed on Vulcan’s surface one month ago. The Emperor was so angry about that failure that their tortures were server, but they had not been punished in rank or stature. No, that punishment lied with Commander Blake Terval. "My liege, we are receiving a hail from… well, no where." "Put it through to my room. I have been expecting it." A few minutes later, The Emperor was at the screen in his room. On the screen appeared the face of a man with an ‘X’ shaped scar on his cheek. "The plan worked Emperor," asked The Man. "It did, old friend," said the Emperor. The Emperor had know The Man for many years. Up until recently, he had been a spy on the mirror counterpart of the very ship that The Emperor was know aboard. The U.S.S. Majestic. "I assume then, that my information was useful." "It was very. Is this line secure?" "Naturally. No one can detect this message, nor be able to hear what we are saying." "Good. I have a… plan for your to start. It will involve another… infiltration." "Will it have any… rewards?" "If you succeed, it may mean the end to the war, with us as the victors, and all else who appose us will be dead." The Man smiled. "Tell me more." To Be Continued… |