KINDLING
STARDATE 08.19.24
OMEGA REGENESIS
Flames engulfed the Kindling, threatening to end her existence, as she plowed through two incoming Fire Torpedoes. Every member of the Bridge Crew held onto their station tightly to brace for the impact. But to their astonishment, there was no impact. The fire which burnt so brightly on the View Screen was only an illusion, and now that the truth was revealed, it began to fade away like a parting fog. The Bridge Crew cheered, but Captain Hafnyr couldn’t bring himself to smile. He knew what lay ahead.
The cheering quickly ceased as a Wall of Fire began to form directly in front of the Kindling. The Ramoreen Battlecruiser knew that the Kindling was closing fast and that its Pseudo Fire Torpedoes had failed to deter her. Now out of options, the Ramoreen had but one card left to play, and Captain Hafnyr was well aware of it. Generate a Wall of Fire between the Ramoreen Battlecruiser and the approaching Kindling, and force her to go through it. Captain Hafnyr had already accepted that he had to go through the Wall of Fire to reach his objective.
At the very moment the Kindling smashed into the newly formed Wall of Fire, the Ramoreen Battlecruiser fired what remaining Fire Phasers it had left. The intent was to collapse the Kindling’s Forward Shield, causing Internals before she could reach the Ramoreen Battlecruiser. The tactic worked. The Kindling’s Forward Shield, which had already suffered damage earlier in the battle, crumpled like paper. Even the additional Reserve Power ordered by Captain Hafnyr to reinforce the Forward Shield was not enough to sustain it.
The lights on the Kindling flickered on and off. Screams filled the hallways. Its very Hull shook from the assault. Captain Hafnyr could feel his ship’s intense pain and he suffered right along with her. But he knew this sacrifice was necessary. A Knight for a Queen.
Finally, the Kindling found herself directly in front of the Ramoreen Battlecruiser. The Ramoreen was in the process of turning, a vain attempt to escape, and by doing so exposed one of her Weaker Shields to the Kindling. Reality Disruption Waves combined with Wide Phasers tore through the Weak Shield, scoring minor Internal Damage. But the final gambit was yet to be played.
“Pandora, attach a Tractor Beam!” Captain Hafnyr instructed his Navigator in a loud voice. The eyes on the four foot plant being were bulging large. “Give it all the power we’ve got left!”
“Husk, launch our ‘Special Package!!'” said Captain Hafnyr in a booming voice without looking at his Tactical Officer. His enlarged eyes were glued to Ramoreen Battlecruiser on the View Screen.
A light green beam of light held the Ramoreen Battlecruiser in place, even as she struggled to get away. Her Shield facing the Kindling was down, leaving her extremely vulnerable. A small, unassuming Shuttle snuck out of the Kindling’s Shuttle Bay and began making its way toward the Ramoreen Battlecruiser. With no remaining weapons available on that side of the ship, the Ramoreen could not shoot down the Shuttle before it hit the mark. In this case, that mark was the Ramoreen Battlecruiser’s Warp Engines. As the Shuttle impacted, a Subspace Bomb went off. For a moment, it seemed as all sound was extinguished from the combat zone. Then the Ramoreen’s lights went out and the warship who was so menacing floated in space like a dead hulking monstrosity.
For a second time, the Bridge Crew aboard the Kindling cheered. Although Captain Hafnyr allowed himself to let out a sigh of relief, he still would not allow a smile to form on his face.
“Vesper, I want a thorough Damage Report immediately. I need to know how badly the Kindling has been hurt. Zep, begin Damage Control Procedures. Send a team right away to the Subspace Regenerator and have them carefully examine it for any structural damage.”
Captain Hafnyr opened an Intercom link to Sickbay. His Chief Medical Officer answered with a feminine voice.
“Lassa, keep me informed about our casualties. I want to know how many crew members perished, how many crew members have suffered injuries, and how many crew members are in critical condition.”
“Aye, Captain,” the floating Macrovirus replied. “I will let you know as soon as I have the figures. Got to go, Sickbay is filled with wounded with more pouring in.”
The Intercom shut off.
AND SO THE REAL PRICE FOR VICTORY IS REVEALED, CAPTAIN HAFNYR THOUGHT TO HIMSELF. THE CURRENCY FOR THAT PAYMENT IS ALWAYS BLOOD AND LIFE.
