The morning of the day was a moment of astonishment for Lataro. The Trelanians, in a matter of a day, had become a fighting force ready to withstand a fight and protect themselves. Lataro had been particularly impressed by L'Kar, agile and brilliant. He had shown remarkable prowess as he copied the demonstration that Lataro put on. L'kar fended off attacks and even phaser blasts that he wanted to be included. With the blessings of the elders of the Trelanei village, they "commissioned" L'Kar, an 18-year-old boy, as general of their defense force. A familiar phrase from Earth's ancient history was adopted by L'Kar to describe the advent and birth of their army: "Never again!" Lataro stepped back and folded his arms at the mock formation of the 49 men who stood in front of him and General L'kar. Amazing, Lataro thought.
The smoke in the cabin of the Flier was beginning to make K'Lara sick. The baby was was telling her to stop breathing. The smell of electrical fires and sparks were effecting her. She didn't listen. In her mind she told the baby that today is going to be the day they find his/her father.
"Commander, the second ship is coming around again! They are at our six!" Lt. Garek yelled.
"Okay. Mr. M'Terrn! Put out these fires, but hold on!" K'Lara yelled as she pulled back on the stick. The enemy ship fired its photon burst that hit the aft quarter of the Flier, as she went vertical. "Lt. Garek. Keep an eye on the second ship will you?"
"Yes, Ma'am."
The Lambda Flier executed a rolling reversal and came right over the top of the alien ship who tried to duplicate the maneuver, but the ship couldn't handle the forces of their own planet and began breaking apart as it tried. "That ship under us has lost all power and shields. It is not a threat now!" Garek yelled. At M'Terrn's unoccupied station, a faint contact was picked up. It was the signal emanating from Lataro's com badge. They were in range, but because of the fires which M'Terrn was working frantically to put it out, it was being missed.
The Flier came around and was positioned just behind the flailing ship. The pilot was trying hard to keep her together, but K'Lara quickly put him and his sorry ship out of their pitiful existence. A phaser blast from the forward phaser array ignited the ship and it went down in a blaze of glory. "Oh I love that sight," K'Lara said with a devilish smile.
"Commander, that ship is trying to send out a com signal," Garek yelled.
"Well block it. Create a dampening field within a radius of 100 meters. That should take care of that."
"Yes, Ma'am."
"Commander," M'Terrn said as he sat back down at his station to a quiet sensor panel. "Fire's out."
"Good. Vent the smoke. I am really going to be sick."
The remaining ship began to roll and bank trying to get the Flier off its tail but K'Lara was an excellent pilot and anticipated where the ship was going to be and was there first. The ship began to go vertical but K'Lara followed.
"Ma'am, shouldn't you go ahead and destroy it?" Garek said puzzled at the fact she hadn't fired on phaser burst.
"Nah. Not right now. I am toying with him."
"Oh," he said as the other ship did a rolling scissors maneuver.
"Ooooh. You are good," K'Lara said as she flipped the Flier and headed for the hard deck of 2000 feet. She leveled off and sat there as the enemy ship came down and leveled out to try to go vertical again. She mocked a yawn." I am bored. Garek get a torpedo lock and fire!"
"Yes, Ma'am," Garek said as the computer locked on and the quantum signature of a torpedo went right up the tail pipe of the enemy ship. It exploded thousands of little alien scattered the sky.
"Nice shot," K'Lara said looking over to Garek.
"Nice flying," Garek said.
"So what happened, how did they see us?" K'Lara asked.
"I don't know. Let me check the sensor logs," M'Terrn said. "Um, Commander K'Lara. Did you at anytime see another sensor contact?"
"No. I was too busy trying to evade these ships."
"Well, I had a faint contact about five minutes ago of a Federation com badge. Very faint, but I have a bearing on it."
K'Lara's stomach went into her throat. It was Jon. They had finally found him. "Well, Lieutenant, where is it?" she yelled excitedly.
"090 mark 9."
K'Lara banked the Flier hard and they flew fast and furious.
The Tralenians were going about their duties when Marsung and platoon of his soldiers came into the village. Fortunately, Lataro was inside adjusting the spectrum to the phaser rifle when they did come in, but the rest of the villagers were around.
Janti approached the overlords and greeted them. "My lords. What can I do for you?"
"Don't be coy, old man. We know you have the creature here. I want it now. If I don't get it I will execute everyone beginning with you," Marsung said forcefully.
"We don't know what you are talking about."
"Tear this place apart, starting with that one," Marsung said pointing to a dwelling across from Nalia's. "Bring all the villagers to the center courtyard!"
"Yes, Sir," the soldiers said as they dispersed. They entered the dwellings breaking and destroying everything. Then, finally, came Nalia's dwelling. But as the soldiers approached a phaser burst shone through the doorway, and the soldier flew back crashing on the ground disintegrating.
"I believe you were looking for me," Lataro said coming out of the dwelling with the rifle poised and aimed at Marsung.
"So you were here all along."
"Yes. And I am here to stay for a while." Nalia smiled when she heard that. "But first, before I can live somewhere I have to clean it up."
"How is that?" Marsung said indignantly.
"Well, I have to take out the trash."
"Oh I see. So one man against a platoon of my finest troops."
"Well, Mr. Overlord. One man can make a difference."
Suddenly four of the men from the village came running from the crowd and execute flying dragons. Each caught the overlords off guard, making them fly some four to five meters out of formation. "Shoot. Kill them all!" Marsung yelled trying to regain control of a chaotic situation. Phaser blasts began ringing through the air, but instead of connecting with living beings, they connected to the buildings behind. Soldiers who were thought to be frightening, were being laid out on the ground, some even disintegrating. Within a few minutes, the entire platoon lay decimated on the ground and Lataro stood about 10 meters off watching. Marsung himself lay on the ground, his helmet off showing a grotesque creature. Everyone started to cheer, even Nalia as she came walking through crowd heading for Lataro. But the path took her by the assumed corpse of Marsung, and, as she passed, Marsung suddenly materialized upright and grabbed her. He used her as a human shield pressed tightly to his slimy, scaly body. "Ha! You think you can defeat me?! Marsung?! The Overlord?!" he yelled.
Lataro aimed the rifle at Marsung. "Let her go now."
"Or what? You will shoot me? I don't think so. You see creature, I am the ruler of this planet, and these are my servants. I protect them, and they service me. Now, with you here, you have brought corruption and fear into their lives, of which I plan to eradicate."
"You have only brought them servitude and misery. I offered them what you took from them: their freedom."
"But they are happy..."
"No, they are not! They just wiped out your troops. You exploited their ability to learn to your advantage and left them as slaves. You even put creatures in the swamp to keep them here. They are not happy because they are not free to choose. You took that away, and I am going to give it back to them."
"You know something, you are right. I may not be able to give them all freedom, but I can give this one hers." With a sudden thrust, Marsung slimy hand pushed through Nalia's body and came out her front. "NO!" Both Janti and Lataro yelled as blood oozed out of Nalia's mouth. Marsung retracted his hand and Nalia fell to the ground. From the rear, L'Kar attacked. He kicked as hard as he could the knees of Marsung which seemed to have no affect. The gelatinous material that made up Marsung absorbed the entire blow. L'Kar was frightened now as he was now face-to-face with Marsung. He hadn't turned around just his face turned. Suddenly, Lataro fired his rifle and hit Marsung in the back. He fired again, and again, and again till finally the form called Marsung laid now on the ground. No sound. Nothing but Marsung on the ground. He didn't disintegrate like his troops, giving the villagers an opportunity to one by one approach the corpse and kick it, some even twice. The army, speared it where a black ooze began to ooze from the wounds.
Then, finally Janti approached him with a torch. "Everyone stand back." He set Marsung's body ablaze. The methane gas that was contained therein, began to burn blue. The slimy flesh sizzled and melted into the ground as the fire burned. However as the body disappeared it didn't burn out. It continued to blaze.
"Janti. This is memorial for you, that you are never to let this happen again," Lataro said, putting his arm around Janti. Then, Lataro walked over to the lifeless body of Nalia. She was the only causality of this skirmish. "L'Kar. Please bury her properly."
"Yes, Sir."
[Commander Lataro!]
"Yes, Lieutenant M'Terrn," Lataro said tapping his com badge.
[Am I glad we found you. You ready to come home?]
"In a moment," Lataro said looking up. He saw the Lambda Flier, a sight that he was happy to see. "Janti. You stay safe and continue your passion. Don't ever let this happen again. Mr. L'Kar. You lead the army and protect your way of life. Never sacrifice that and never forget," Lataro said, pointing to the eternal flame burning in the middle of the village.
"Yes, Sir. Thank you, Sir. You have been an inspiration for us all," L'Kar said smiling.
"We would have never been able to do this without you," Janti said.
"Well, the fight is not over. But remember, defend your rights."
"We will. Thank you." Janti extended his hand. "For everything."
"No. Thank you," Lataro said. He tapped his com badge. "Lambda Flier, one to beam up." Lataro dematerialized.
The Lambda Flier headed back to the Virgo.