"STAR AND CIRCLE: "THE SEEKER'S FIRE"
EPISODE THIRTEEN: "THE FLAME IN THE CRYSTAL"
(disclaimers and associated descriptions in overture)
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<<Envoi>>
Hyperspace -- 21:31 hrs, EST, Aug 6th, 2267.
For once, everything appeared to be going according to plan. Aazhvar bared his teeth in a death's-head grin as his hand-of-daggers emerged from hyperspace to find, as he had hoped they would, the Ranger warship they had come here to destroy -- waiting for them, standing in between them and the daggership beyond. It had been a worthwhile chase since this ship had intercepted them in hyperspace some time before... but now it was time for battle to begin. This would be the moment when everything changed - when the balance of power would begin to swing in their favor. He whirled towards his First, and gave the order that one had been waiting for.
"Advance our lighter units, then, my Favored Claw! - we engage the foe... here, and now!"
* * *
The jump points reared open, and Anderson said the only thing that seemed to matter. "Here they come."
"How many ships are they throwing against us?" Gardinier asked, his face grim, as the crew of 'The Night's Dagger' prepared themselves for the battle ahead -- and the death that might follow soon thereafter.
"The larger Z'shailyl warships are holding back for now." Anderson reported -- "Nine of their smaller units, however, are approaching on attack vectors."
Her captain nodded, and rose to his feet. "Stand by to..."
Gardinier never got a chance to finish his sentence, however. Because that was when the night around them spoke.
Literally.
* * *
One word it took -- but as always with Julia, one word was often *more* than enough.
"FIRE."
Sheynell's hands moved upon the controls -- and a moment later, five sets of pulse cannon and two neutron batteries spoke across the emptiness of space, followed quickly thereafter by the battlecruiser's rear batteries as Dasouri swept the *Shard* past the suddenly outgunned Z'shailyl line-of-battle -- and two of the smaller enemy vessels quickly expanded into balls of flame. "All right -- bring us about to face their battleline - and stand by on the main gun."
"Stand by?" Klairika inquired.
Julia nodded. "Let's see what they do first."
* * *
"A trap!" Viknahz wailed, while in the command chair, Aazhvar grimaced, as he heard the panicked cries and damage reports coming from his lesser captains... even as the black ship that had attacked them whirled back towards his commands, greenish-white fire beginning to gather at its prow. "The Adversary has come!"
As much as he hated to admit it, Aazhvar realized that his First was correct -- the rumours... had apparently been wrong. And he had brought a valuable group of his race's ships... straight into a trap. It was a failure of the worst possible kind -- Palakz... would not be pleased. But for now... "Jump!" he cried out, as the ships of his squadron began to scatter. "We jump at once!"
* * *
Could it be? Gardinier, more at peace in this moment then he had been in days -- watched and waited as a barely-seen dark form moved against the stars -- and then Anderson began to grin, as that form shimmered from darkness into light and a multitude of running lights sprang into existence -- as the captain of the *Shard of Night* ordered her officers to disengage the warship's stealth mode and move them into plain view. Gardinier turned towards Veyshahk, and smiled as well to see the expression on the doctor's face. "You never gave up hope, did you?"
"Never." Veyshahk replied, his voice full of pride as the great prow of the... just returned?... battlecruiser came to rest facing Gardinier's command. "She found a way to return, as I told you she would."
"From the start." Gardinier laughed. "Yeah, I guess you did at that."
"Signal coming in from the *Shard of Night* on primary comm, sir." Anderson reported, somewhat unnecessarily. "Val'na Tikopai -- would like to have a word with you."
"On screen!" And then it was that the familiar face of a friend he had thought lost forever appeared on the screen, and Gardinier's smile widened, at the first words she said.
"Hi, Nathan." the captain of the *Shard of Night* began.
"We're baaack!"
* * *
Captain's Log - supplemental.
And so the word went out, as it usually does... that a miracle had occurred, as Rebecca Anderson had put it. In their greatest time of need, the Rangers of the 'Night's Dagger' had found themselves an ally when least expected - and in due course, old friends came together, and two of the more... unique ships in our arsenal flew together for a time. It was the first time, but it probably won't be the last... if I know Nathan, he'll find a way for us to go on a mission together, eventually.
For now, however - the High Councillor and the President have summoned us to Minbar to be debriefed on our experiences beyond the Rim - and perhaps there will be time for us to partake in a little bit of shore leave, as well. In addition, of course, to seeing some old friends without having to worry about our mission for a time...
* * *
Near Tuzanor, Minbar - August 7th, 2267.
In a windswept clearing some miles to the west of the City of Sorrows, two humans came together to discuss recent events, and also a few revelations. "You've heard the news, I suppose?" the man asked.
His younger, dark clad female partner nodded her head, as a faint and decidedly vicious smile began to appear on her face. "Yes - as a matter of fact, I have. Looks like you were right, after all - Tikopai actually found a way to return from beyond the Rim. Is there anything the woman can't do?"
"Hmm - they've made quite a few enemies in the past few months, you know. Eventually, you just might get an answer to that question."
"Perhaps. In any case, they're coming here to be debriefed - and her entire command crew will be coming down to the surface, won't they?"
"Yes." Including, of course, the target the man and woman had come here to find. "That's what I've heard. You're ready to do what you have to, of course?"
The smile on the face of Viyana Metois, telepath rating P12, and agent of the Bureau of Telepathic Integration, that organization that now governed the telepaths of the Earth Alliance, began to blossom... but grew no more pleasant. "As a matter of fact," she allowed, "I am, actually. This is a reunion I've been looking forward to...
For a very, *very* long time."
Sheynell Keynes had a lot to answer for from Viyana's point of view - and in her opinion, the sooner Keynes' atonement started...
The better.
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