The Race

Previously......

"The command ship is still relatively unaffected but the other capital ship has been taken out. But it cost the Nuans most of their fighters. However there are a small amount of the Barien fighters in the air," Lieutenant MacLeod said.

"Good job !" Devore yelled out loud. He knew the tide was turning. "Mac open channel to the Barien ship."

"Open sir."

"This Is Captain Devore of the United Federation of Planets. As you know the battle has turned in our favour. Do you really want to continue this bloodshed ? I am giving your people a chance to surrender."

Now....

A few minutes passed and Devore tapped impatiently on his arm chair. Whilst he waited he had sent out a general command to the entire fleet to cease fire and take up a command position just off the command bow. However the Nuan ships that were left were to fly sorties amidst the battle and finish off the enemy fire. The unique design of the Nuan fighters also allowed them to detect smaller cloaked ships, so anyone that tried to escape the impromptu blockade would fail. The Nuans would efficiently pick them off.

"Captain. There is a message coming in for you from the Knight. It's Captain Osagawa." Grafton said.

"Good good. On screen."

[Captain Devore. I see that you have this battle in order.] Osagawa said with a smile.

"Yes I do. What kept you ?"

[Well, we ran in to some malignant sorties on the flight path you gave us. We took care of them.]

"Any casualties ?"

[Nothing that we couldn't handle.]

"Good."

"Captain. There is a message from Barien Flagship." Grafton said.

"Sir, we are detecting something disturbing here. I am not sure what it is but I am not picking up lifesigns from the command ship."

Devore turned his head to Mac who just shrugged his shoulders.

"Okay Captain...." Devore said. "....quickly take up a position to our rear. Devore out."

[Understood.]

"Commander Barker ? Do you confirm this ?"

"Captain. I am not detecting anything out there but our ships. I did detect something earlier... a nuetronic pulse or something just before the fleet engaged the flagship but I shook it off as a glitch."

Devore now was nervous, victory was in his grasp but now it seemed to slip away.. away in a blink of an eye. "Grafton.. on screen."

[Captain Devore.] It was his arch enemy. The man who for the past year has done everything to kill him. Assassination, sabotage, even a pure all-out attack on the Leviathan, but Devore was still there as was the former Admiral Beard. He may have gotten the first Leviathan, but her successor has proven herself in battle and has shown that she could hold it with the best of them. Beard sat in a chair donning an unusual outfit, his hands were steepled (well at least one of them). The other hand looked like a metal hand. [It is nice to see you. I have to give you a great deal of credit. I never would have thought that you could come up with such a plan to beat me.]

"Beard. You are such a ....."

[Now now Captain. It is unlike a Starfleet officer to use such vulgarities.]

"It is also unlike an officer to commit treason."

[......or commit murder.]

"Beard. I didn't murder anyone. You are telling me that all this is about your son."

[Well. It may have started that way, but now I have beaten you. You have killed a part of me when you killed Mattie and now I will find it filling to kill your crew.]

"What !"

[Yes. I may not have gotten you directly, but by killing the crew that is on the planet's surface may be good enough. You need to live in the torment of knowing that you didn't do enough to save your crew.]

"How are you going to do that ? I have your ship surrounded."

[I don't think so. For as we speak me and my comrades-at-arm are on our way to Limerus IX to take care of your crew. Oh by the way, how would you like them to die, slowly. These Barien phasers tend to destroy living beings from inside out. So know this. Your friends will die slowly and painfully.]

"How are you going to do that when ?" Devore reached under his chair and pulled out a hand cut off from the elbow down. "I have the rest of you manhood here in my hand."

[You bastard. I will kill you yet. Then I fe...........]

Devore motioned to Grafton to kill the com. "Scan the area for a ship not matching known configurations." A few minutes passed and finally Grafton informed that there were two ship at high warp heading out of the area. "Fine." Devore reached up and tapped his combadge. "Lieutenant Tyra."

There was no answer.

"Devore to Lieutenant Tyra."

Still no answer.

"Computer. Locate Lieutenant Tyra."

<Lieutenant Tyra is in Ensign Tyrek's quarters.>

*What is she doing ?* Devore thought.

"Lieutenant Shaka. Is the slipstream drive online."

She turned to face the Captain. "Captain. The slipstream drive has been operational since we left DS9."

"Good get ready to engage it. Grafton signal the fleet we are going to rescue the crew. Destroy that thing."

"Aye sir."

"There is a signal coming in from the Jeorri."

"On screen."

[Captain, we are going to come with you.]

"Well if you can keep up with us. We are going into the slipstream."

[As you say it, 'No Problem." We can achieve the same speeds.]

"It will be nice to have you along. Devore out." Devore looked at Mac. "Mac you have the Bridge. As soon as the drive is ready do it."

"Aye sir." Mac said.

Teryek's own eyes closed and gave in to what Trya was doing. It wouldn't take long, only a couple of minutes, but to him it felt like an eternity. An eternity that he enjoyed. Several minutes later, Tyra left Teryek's quarters feeling both sated and refreshed. She smiled as she walked back to Engineering. Inside, Teryek was asleep and probably would be late to his duty.

Tyra waited at the turbolift doors to open as she still experienced the euphoric high of her bonding with Teryek. The door finally opened to a stern looking Captain. He looked at Trya, a look that immediately diffused her elated high.

"Lieutenant! Get in here." Devore said sternly.

She entered the turbolift and as the doors closed he laid in to her.

"Lieutenant. You told me that this was not going to be a problem."

"There wasn't going to be a problem."

"So you left you post to 'eat'."

"Sir, It's not like that, but in basic terms... yes." She said trying to defend her actions.

"I needed my Slipstream drive online and you needed to take care of that. Fortunately Mister Taline knew how to do it. Listen. If you are going to be my Chief Engineer then I need you to be at your post. DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR ?"

"Aye sir."

"Good."

The turbolift doors opened to Engineering. Tyra immediately left.

*Damn. I hate doing that, but what can you say what can you do ?*

"Bridge."