From: brownpm@mentor.cc.purdue.edu (Peter Brown)
Newsgroups: alt.startrek.creative
Subject: "For the Honor of the Empire"
Date: 8 Apr 92 00:20:51 GMT
Article-I.D.: mentor.44328
Organization: Purdue University Computing Center


CHAPTER THREE: "For the Honor of the Empire"

[Fade back to the _Enterprise_ Bridge.]

Worf:         "Captain, alien vessel at 122 mark 159 is increasing speed
               on an intercept course.  I read increasing power emmissions
               in their foreward weapons arrays."

Riker:        "How are they armed, lieutenant?"

Worf:         "They appear to a have many small amplified laser weapons,
              and two main particle emmitters."

Picard:       "What kind of damage are they capable of?"

Worf:         "Sensors are inconclusive, but the power ratings are immense.
              I recommend extreme caution."

Picard:       "I agree lieutenant.  Open hailing frequencies."

Holiday:      "All channels open sir."

Picard:[sternly] "Greetings.  I am Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the Federation
              starship, _Enterprise_.  We received transmissions that you
              have entered this system and attacked a Federation Outpost.
              We require an accounting of your actions."

[Pause.]

Holiday:     "There is no response, Captain."

Data:        "Sensors report zero power emmissions and no life forms on
             the Chelea Four Outpost."

Worf:        "Intruder is moving at .52 of light, and closing.  Distance,
             500,000 kilometers."

Picard:      "Counselor?"

Troi:        "I sense that they are ignoring us, Captain, as if they do
             not believe us."

[Picard frowns.  Another beep-beep sound.]

McMurhpy:    "Sir, sensors report over one hundred small vessels in several
             vee-formations approaching at .73 of light speed.  I am reading
             power ratings higher than that of our shuttlecraft.  They will
             intercept in 12 seconds."

Riker:       "It appears as if their minds are made up..."

Picard:      "I'm afraid I must concur, Number One."

[beep,beep]

Worf:        "Alien fighters are entering classic attack dives, multiple
             approach vectors.  Shall I open fire?"

Picard:      "No!  Wait lieutenant, let's see if they are still willing to-"

[Explosion sound, Bridge is rocked, lights flicker, etc.]

Riker:       "Damage Report!"

Holiday:     "Shields completely unaffected by alien fighter's energy weapons.
             However, several of the fighters launched what appears to be
             missiles employing a large mass of protons.  A few pierced the
             shields and impacted on the Secondary Hull."

Intercom:[Crusher] "Bridge, this is Dr. Crusher.  Radiation Protocols on
             Decks Sixteen through Twenty-one are being implemented.  Minor
             casulties are being reported."

Picard:      "Keep me posted, Doctor.  Picard out. [To Data]  Data, can we
             track the fighters and grab their pilots with a transporter
             beam?"

Data:        "The computer is capable of tracking up to four hundred 
             independent targets at any one time.  It should be possible
             to cycle the transporters at each target every fifth of a
             second.  It would, of course, require us to drop our 
             shields."

Picard:      "Time to intercept with larger vessel?"

[Bridge shakes again, lights flicker.]

McMurhpy:    "Sixteen seconds, Captain."

Data:        "Captain, the enemy fighters are keeping very close to the
             hull, making it difficult to lock a phaser onto them.  We
             could, however, extend our warp envelope around the fighter
             swarm, then extend our distance from the mother vessel."

Worf:        "Alien vessel is locking their primary weapons onto us, sir."

[Picard glances up to activate the Bridge Communications Computer.]

Picard:      "Geordi, extend warp envelope to 10,000 meters around the hull."

Intercom:[Geordi] "Aye sir, you'll have it in three seconds."

Picard:      "Helm --"

Worf:        "Alien vessel is firing."

Riker:       "Evasive manuever Delta!"

[Switch to Exterior shot:
     Two red columns of energy streak away from the wedge-shaped _Phalanx_,
headed for the _Enterprise_.  The _Enterprise_ turns hard to port.  TIE
fighters swarm the _Enterprise_ like flies on roadkill.  The red beams
strike the shields, which glow bright green for an instant before they
collapse.  The beams hit the _Enterprise_ Saucer Section, rupturing the hull
and the bridge sensor dome.  We see neat-o explosions shudder the
_Enterprise_.
     Cut to the Bridge:  Lights go dim for battle, klaxons wailing.  Several
of the stations spark, and even burst into flames as they go blank.  The 
Helm explodes in McMurphy's face, and he screams as he thrusts his arms up to
protect himself.  He seems to be alright though, and continues to attempt
to work his station, dodging sparks and flames.  Fires break out all over the
Bridge.  Riker is knocked off his feet, but gets up, and returns to his
station immediately.]

Picard:       "Helm, get us out of here, any heading, warp one!"

[Exterior shot:  The _Enterprise_, its wounds still burning and arcing, 
veers off to port, and then enlongates like a rubber band as if jumps to
warp speed.  Switch to _Devastator_ Command Center.]

Ensign:       "My Lord, Commander Mellis of the _Phalanx_ is hailing us."

Valasian:     "On Screen.[Pause] Mellis, what is the status of the battle."

Mellis:[on Main Viewer] "My Lord, we engaged the Rebel Cruiser at maximum
              weapons range.  Our fighters dealt it little damage, however
              our Ion Cannons stung them badly.  The Rebel scum broke off
              and must have engaged their invisibility device, for we lost
              sensor contact.  One more thing, my Lord."

Valasian:[with arched eyebrow] "Yes, Commander?"

Mellis:       "When the cowards engaged their device, several of our fighters
              diasappeared with them.  We have lost all contact with them."

Valasian:     "I have never known the Emperor to be pleased with 
              incompetence, Commander.  I suggest you find them, and
              quickly.  Close Channel.  Lieutenant, increase sensor sweep
              to four light years.  I grow weary of these childish
              'cat-n-mouse' games.  I want those Rebels found!"

[Switch back to the _Enterprise_ Bridge, still on fire, Damage control
teams are spraying the consoles with fire-retardents.  Data is attending to
McMurphy.]

Riker:        "Damage Report."

Holiday:      "My console is not responding sir."

Picard:[glances up] "Geordi.  Geo- [Presses his communicator] Geordi, can 
              you give us a damage report from Engineering?"

Intercom:[Geordi] "Yes sir.  We have sustained massive damage to the power
              arrays in the saucer section.  Primary power couplings are
              complelety fused.  Sensors are currently inoperable, but should
              be back on line any time now.  Apparently we were hit by highly 
              energized ion particles which overpowered our shields.  I
              wouldn't suggest trying whatever you did again."

Picard:[nervous chuckle] "Agreed Commander.  Can you restore power to the 
              Bridge?"

Intercom:[Geordi] "Not for a while, Captain.  The power couplings are 
              completely unusable, they are going to need replacing.  I
              can give you power in *maybe* six hours, but I can't give
              you any guarantees."

Picard:[frowns] "Understood.  Picard out."

Riker:       "Shall we assemble on the Battle Bridge, Captain?"

Picard:      "At once.  McMurphy, report to sickbay."

McMurphy:[holding his burned hand.] "Yes sir.  Thank you sir."

[Picard walks over to Turbolift One, which does nothing.  He looks around
and see that the others are in a similar predicament.  He gives Riker a
smirk, and they open the access panels in the floor, and disappear down 
the emergency exit shafts. 
      Cut to Exterior shot: _Enterprise_ is still in warp, and the confused
TIE fighters, which are no longer firing their weapons, assemble in the 
safe zone around the _Enterprise_.  Periodically, an outer fighter strays
too far, and tumbles out of warp into open space.
      Cut to TIE Fighter Cockpit.  We hear the radio transmissions.]

Skull Seven: "Skull Leader!  What is going on!  I just lost contact with 
             my wingman!"

Skull Leader: "I have no idea.  One minute we were in sight of the _Phalanx_,
              the next we were not.  Skull Three, can you get a sensor
              reading from your location?"

Skull Three: "Negative, Skull Leader, I can only read us and the Rebel
             Cruiser.  I can sense nothing outside of ten thousand meters
             from the Cruiser."

Skull Leader: "Acknowledged, Skull Three.  All fighters, form on the
              Cruiser, drop velocity to zero.  Skull Three, I want you to 
              keep your channel open and attempt to cross the edge of 
              your sensors range."

Skull Three:[Pause] "I- I copy, Skull Leader.  Moving to edge of the 
             sensor anomoly, five thousand meters from cruiser, eight
             thousand, nine thousand, ten - AAAAGGGH/*static*/"

[Cut to the exterior shot.  About thirty fighters in a rhomboid formation
 are spaced unevenly between the Warp Nacelles of the _Enterprise_.  You
can just barely see a stray TIE fighter disappear out of the Warp
Envelope.]

Skull Leader: "Skull Three, acknowledge.  Skull Three!  [sighes]  All
              fighters, concentrate fire on the large glowing red areas
              in front of us!"

[Cut to Battle Bridge.  Everyone in their normal places.]

Picard:      "Data, give me a damage report."

Data:         "Aye sir.  Dr. Crusher reports that we have sustained one
              hundred and twenty five casulties, and thirty seven 
              confirmed deaths.  Roughly one third of those figures were
              civilians, Captain.  Sensors have been restored."

Picard:      "That is unacceptable. [His face is white]  Lieutenant Worf,
             what happened, exactly."

Worf:        "We were struck with high energy ion beams at a range of only
             two hundred thousand kilometers."

Riker:       "That might mean they were waiting to fire, or that their range
             is limited.  It is obvious they meant to attack."

Worf:        "I agree.  Their weapons must be short-ranged, our phasers can
             hit a target at four hundred thousand kilometers -- [beep.beep]
             Sir, sensors report thirty enemy fighters attempting to damage
             our impulse engines.  Shields holding at 96.4 percent."

Data:        "Captain, we are now capable of exercising the transporter
             option we were discussing before the attack.  The _Enterprise_
             should be far enough away to drop out of warp and grab the
             pilots one by one before any of their large Cruisers can
             intercept us."

Riker:       "Yes, Data, but won't they detect us when we drop out of Warp?"

Data:[ponder-face] "Unlikely, Commander.  The sheer distacne we have
             traveled should be far greater than their primitive 
             electromagnetic sensor ranges."

Picard:      "Agreed, Data.  Helm slow to one-third impulse power."

Ensign:      "Aye sir."

Picard:      "Worf, assemble a security team in Transporter Room Four."

Worf:        "Aye sir."

Picard:      "Number One, won't you go greet our guests."

Riker:       "Gladly, sir.  Worf, Holiday, Deanna, come with me."

[Worf, Deanna, Holiday, and Riker leave through the turbolift.]

[Cut to Commercial:

[Picture of almost-sexy, oily woman in a string bikini, holding a Keystone
Light beer in one hand, and a bag of Cheet-Os in the other.  Pinched 
between her neck and shoulder is a cordless phone.]

Girl:[silky voice with just a touch of ephasema] "*Hi*  I'm Misty.  I am all
             *alone*, and *very* bored.  Call me, at 1-900-U-SUCKER.  I 
             have *lots* of time (and money), cellulite, and hair in 
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[Male voice whispered very quickly]:"$5.00 per minute, seventy minute
             minimum."
 



Well, that is chapter three, stay tuned for even more developments in the
Epic Story: For the Honor of the Empire.

>>>>>> Coming soon in Dolby SurrealSound to a Taco Hell near you! <<<<<<

Again, please mail all flames, comments, suggestions, and stock tips to:

Peter, 
c/o brownpm@mentor.cc.purdue.edu

Disclaimer:  What the hell, I'm only a Liberal Arts Major!

                                             Copyright 1992 by me.
                                             Plagarize me and if you actually
                                             make a profit, I'll be quite
                                             impressed! ;)