The Return : Gremlin Rescued

*Now where is that Barien ?* Toran thought as the Hellcat rocked from a phaser burst. *Ah there you are.* The Barien Cruiser had slipped around behind as the Hellcat was busy taking care of the decrum torpedoes. The Hellcat was taking quite a beating. Different evasive manoeuvres that Ensign Ambrose performed proved that the Hellcat* was his true baby. He knew the ship inside and out and the way the two of them performed flawlessly proved one thing- they were meant for each other.

"Commander Toran. I have a weak transporter signal from Captain Devore !" Lieutenant Rashad yelled over the Red alert klaxons.

"Can you boost the locking mechanism to get a definite lock ?" Toran asked holding on tightly to the arms of the command chair as the little ship was tossed.

"I think so !"

"Do it ! Meanwhile I hate this running ! Mr. Ambrose lets show this Barien what we can do."

"Aye sir."

"Lieutenant Shaka, prepare warp drive to take us up and over."

"I am sorry sir ?" Shaka asked.

"This is a tricky manoeuvre. I did it once in a simulator with a class 2 shuttle. Mr. Ambrose, are you confident that this ship can handle the forces of a warp turn ?"

"I don't know sir ?"

"Lieutenant Shaka, Re-route emergency power to structural integrity and compensate initial dampeners with power from life support," Toran ordered as he punched in the manoeuvre into the computer. "Everybody hold on. Mr. Ambrose execute manoeuvre Toran Theta one."

"Aye."

The Hellcat quickly accelerated to warp one, but instead of going forward, spun starboard once to cause phaser bursts from the chasing Barien cruiser to overshoot, and yawed up and over the top of the cruiser. The entire manoeuvre took four seconds but now the two ships were tail end to tail end.

Ambrose ! All stop, full impulse 000 mark 34." Toran ordered.

The Hellcat turned on its Y axis and now the Barien Cruiser sat dead centre. It was trying to turn aft but the size of it inhibited from turning quickly. The Hellcat was in perfect firing position.

[Great move Hellcat] Charlie said from the Sniper.

"Haven't seen anything yet !" Toran said. "Fire all weapons disable that ship !"

The Hellcat lit up like a Christmas tree as pulsating photonic bursts emanated from the phaser array along with eight quantum micro-torpedoes. The volley of weapons struck the cruiser.

"Their shields are down," Rashad yelled.

"Ambrose F......," Toran began but a pulsating light from the Sniper robbed the Hellcat and her crew of the kill. Just as the Hellcat's weapons reached its target, the target was not there. Charlie hadn't beaten Toran to the punch and now all that remained of Cruiser Three was debris. "Charlie, I had..............."

"Commander. I have a lock on Captain Devore." Rashad yelled interrupting Toran.

"Energise. What is the status of Cruiser one ?"

"Pulling away with the Lynx." Rashad said.

"What ?" Everyone said in unison.

USS Lynx : Bridge

"....... the second cruiser has been destroyed Admiral." Lewis said from tactical. "We won't reach our rendezvous."

"Re-route all power to the impulse engines. I want all power to the engines and shields." Beard said.

"We have no shields, Admiral. The emitters have been destroyed."

"Damn ! Doesn't anything on this ship work !"

Devore was peering around a corner. He saw the real traitor sitting in the Captain's chair. Obviously Beard had taken command. That wasn't hard to realise. In the mess, Devore had stumbled across the pile of ash that was Captain Lighter. Devore didn't know who this was until he noticed the combadge. Captain's combadge as similar as they might appear usually had date put on the back to commemorate the day they first took command. This particular badge had Lighter's day. *I wanted to kill him !*

The Bridge had three officers assigned, Lewis, Beard, and the science officer. The rest were incapacitated at the moment compliments of Devore. The rage began to swell and he figured this was the time to exact revenge to Beard. Funny how the tables had turned. Beard was to kill Devore, but it was now Devore who was to take out Beard.

Again, Devore came from around the corner and fired at the science officer and at Lewis. One shot one kill. The two officer were hit by the maximum stun of the phaser rifle and now lay slumped over their consoles. Beard seeing the phaser burst come from behind quickly jumped out of his chair and down on his knees. The back of the chair now was his shield. Devore shot again. Missed Beard.

"Come out." Devore yelled.

"Yeah right." Beard yelled back.

Devore had no sense now. Vengeance was the only thing on his mind. He rushed the command chair and very forcefully twisted it. The seat caught Beard off guard and he flew back. Instantly Devore had launched himself into the air and landed on him. They wrestled and grappled on the floor for a few minutes until Beard managed to put his foot and leg between the two of them and pushed Devore off. Devore flew back and hit the far console. Now they squared off after Devore regain composure.

"You should have killed me when you had the chance." Devore yelled.

"You escaped." Beard said as he slowly moved closer.

Devore took two step forward then side-stepped. His rear leg came around with lightening speed that allowed his heal to connect with the side of Beard's head. The force and the momentum of the kick threw Beard down, blood now pouring from a split lip.

"Not bad !" Beard said. He got up and with a certain devilish smile squared himself up with Devore. Devore lurched forward this time with a snapping front kick which Beard saw coming. He quickly caught it with his arm then elbowed the knee joint with the other elbow. That caused Devore to bend his knee back that allowed Beard to over step the leg. As Beard did, the heel caught Devore in the head that drove him down to the ground. With the leg caught, Beard stepped to Devore's side and quickly squatted applying pressure on the caught leg. Devore yelled in pain. "But I am better !"

Devore now in excruciating pain, turned and hit Beard squarely in the groin. Beard let out a throaty grunt, letting go of the leg. Beard staggered back. Then as Devore got back up, Beard rushed him. With one hand grabbed Devore neck and squeezed. His other hand was reaching for the rifle just two feet from the fighting officers.

Suddenly the familiar tingling sensation formed in Devore. He began to dematerialise. Beard screamed.

USS Hellcat : Bridge

On board the Hellcat, Rashad was trying to make sure that the pattern would not be lost. The transport was taking a lot of energy and a lot of time, but to get the Captain, she figured that it was worth it. On the emergency transporter pad in the back of the Bridge, Devore was beginning to materialise. It seemed to be taking more time then it usually did. They didn't understand why. Finally the procedure was complete and Captain Devore was standing there in his torn uniform and bleeding wounds. Suddenly a thud sound was heard and on the pad was Beard's hand. It had dematerialised and rematerialised on the Hellcat.

"Whoops." Devore said as the head rolled off the pad.

It is good to have you back, Captain!" Toran said relinquishing the command chair.

"No, old man. Continue on !"

"Aye sir."

Sierra came rushing up to Marc and hugged him and began kissing him.

"Sierra, Please."

"Don't 'please' me, Marc," Sierra said between kisses.

"Commander !" Ambrose said. "The cruiser is coming in between us and the Lynx."

"Sniper, give us a hand will you." Toran said.

[No can do Hellcat, we are completely out of shields and our weapons are off-line. It is all on you!] Charlie said.

"Commander. A torpedo has been launched." Ambrose said.

"Shield strength ?"

"20%"

"Evasive manoeuvres Toran Two." The Hellcat banked to port but not fast enough. The decrum torpedo hit the shields and now was sucking the power from it. "Um, Sniper... assistance now would be nice ?"

[Sorry.]

"Shields failed !" Rashad yelled frantically.

"Brace for impact !" Toran yelled.

The torpedo sped to the hull and hit the Hellcat. It detonated sending numerous explosions throughout the ship. The helm control station exploded sending Ensign Ambrose up and over his chair. He fell on the step that led up to the command chair and a large snap was heard. Devore ran to his side and noticed immediately his head was at an unnatural angle. Ambrose's neck had been broken in the fall. Solemnly Devore closed Ambrose's eyes forever. Numerous other areas reported in following a damage report from Toran, serious damage, minimal casualties, but helm and weapons are destroyed.

Shaking it off, Rashad looked at the barely operating viewscreen. She noticed the Barien cruiser towing away the Lynx. "Captain ! Look !"

Devore and Toran both looked at the viewscreen and saw the strange site. The Barien Cruiser and the Lynx were heading away from the Hellcat and the Sniper. Within seconds there was bright light and the two ship were gone.

*I don't get it, why ?* Rashad thought.

"Hellcat to Sniper." Toran said.

[Go ahead Hellcat.]

"How about that help now.. Like getting us back to the Leviathan " " Toran asked sarcastically.