"A Galactic Game of Dodge-Ball"
[Previous post: "Hanging On For Dear Life"]
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Setting: USS HATHOR, Bridge
The Imperian sphere, which had yet to show up on any instruments, had
been kept on the main view screen which had been set to a reverse angel
while the HATHOR went through its fancy evasive routine. So far all
that had been discovered about the largest Imperian ship to have been
encountered had been that they could not cross over the warp threshold,
that or those in command of the ship had decided not to show just how
fast they could really go.
"I am still not picking up any weapon's lock on us," Uxtar said as the
FCO made the ship do another fancy turn.
"Well I'm not taking any chances," Ens. Stormwind said in all
seriousness not wanting their CO to know that he was enjoying this
maybe a little more than he should have. "For all we know they could be
waiting for the right moment to unleash some *death ray* on us," the
FCO added as he sent the HATHOR into a neck breaking spin. "Logic dictates
that we stay alert and make it as difficult for them to get any sort of
lock on us," the half Vulcan man finished with as if flipping a switch
that turned his human half off.
"At least we know that all of this is not for nothing," the ExO/CEO
said through a half smile. "The *void* is following us and is not showing
any interest in SURIAL III or ant ANUBIS.
"My concern is how long can we keep this up?" the CO asked while
hanging on to her chair with both hands. The FCO had proven on more than one
occasion that he could make the HATHOR perform tricks that the
Romulan/Terran hybrid had never thought possible.
"I have pushed the structural integrity field to max," Lt. Dawson said
as he returned his attention to the engineering panel. "Still I
estimate that we will start suffering from structural weakening in less
than ten minutes if we keep this up like this. The HATHOR was never
meant to be flown like a VIPER, and I will admit that I am impressed
that it had managed to stay in one piece for this long."
"Time may no longer be an issue," Uxtar said as he pointed to the main
view screen to show that something had changed with the Imperian sphere.
An eerie hush grabbed the command staff of the HATHOR as they watched with unhinged horror several dozen *holes* open all over the sphere. Not knowing very much about the Imperians or the extent of their technology, the senior staff waited with baited breath to see what those opening would lead to. Had they been some type of weapon being aimed at the ship as their FCO had joked?
All of the questions and speculations remained unspoken as everyone
watched and waited. Even the FCO had found himself at a lost for words
and actions, actually letting the HATHOR fly a straight line for more
than a few seconds at a time. It didn't take long though for all of
their concerns to be transformed into fear as multiple IMPs were
launched from each of the openings.
"Ens. Stormwind," the CO said with a gasp. Normally the hybrid did not
display any emotions, but she had made an exception for this one
occasion, a fault that no one on the bridge would ever hold against her
should they make it through this in one piece.
"Evasive maneuvers," Derek said before the CO had completed her
sentence. "Way ahead of you. Lt. Dawson, I could use a little more
speed if you don't mind."
The ExO/CEO quickly went to work to provide the FCO with whatever
additional speed they could muster out of the engines. Jumping to warp
would have been an easy way to escape the Imperians but that carried a
risk of them resuming their course for SURIAL III and the ANUBIS, and
that had been an option that could not be permitted to happen.
"Arming aft pulse cannons,' the Hirogen hunter announced. Although
Uxtar knew that the weapon itself would have no effect on the quickly
approaching pods, the Sec/Tac officer knew that the force of the impact
would push them away and give the HATHOR those few extra seconds they
might require to avoid being boarded by more Imperians than they could
have ever expected to see in a single fight.
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[Earth is the insane asylum for the universe.] 2006 post #116
Stardate: 60342.1010
Mark Hutchings {h172mark16@fastmail.us}
Ensign Uxtar
Chief Security Officer
USS HATHOR
