by Peter David
He would show them. He would show them all.
In the name of eternal peace on Zondar, in the name of the Savior, who had to become a martyr if there was going to be an end to warfare, Ramed would find the inner strength. He would cling to the right-ness of his actions. He would do the job that needed doing.
And gripping the spearthe spear of justicehe charged forward, driving the point straight toward Burgoyne's breast.
XIX.
THE Excalibur barreled toward the Redeemer vessel, shields on maximum, all weapons fully targeting the ship.
Si Cwan had just finished, in as expeditious a manner as he could, describing for Shelby exactly who the Redeemers were and what their problem was with the Excalibur. Shelby nodded repeatedly, seeming to take it all in, and then she ordered, "Lay down a phaser barrage. Let's see what their shields have."
The phasers of the Excalibur lashed out, pounding the Redeemer ship. The opposing vessel twisted away, backing off as the starship drove toward it, firing relentlessly.
Shelby pounded the arm of her chair. "Yes! Yes!" she crowed, drawing looks from everyone on the bridge. "Damage report! Did we hurt them?"
"Not to any measurable degree," reported Boya-jian. "Their shields seem unimpaired. Commander, they're firing."
The Redeemers' phaser weapons blasted at the
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Excalibur, targeting the engineering and saucer sections. The ship trembled under the pounding as, throughout the vessel, crewmen who weren't belted in to their stations tumbled to the floor.
"Shields at seventy percent and holding!" said Boyajian. "Whatever they've got, it packs more wallop than our phasers do! They're not as maneuverable as we are, but with that kind of shielding and weaponry, they don't have to be."
"Damage reports coming in from all over the ship," Lefler informed her. "Life support Systems out on Deck fourteen. Rerouting power now to restore systems."
"Fire photon torpedo spread and phaser barrage. Double-barrel," Shelby said grimly.
The Redeemer ship didn't budge, didn't even engage in any sort of evasive action, as the starship fired upon them. Their shields sparked under the assault, but otherwise held firm.
"We're not getting through their shields, Commander," Boyajian said. "Still no appreciable damage."
"They're firing again!"
"Evasive maneuvers!"
McHenry tried his best, but the Excalibur was slowed by the damage she'd sustained. He avoided two blasts, but a third struck at the upper right nacelle.
"Shields at forty percent and falling!" Boyajian warned. "We cannot sustain another direct hit!"
"Mister McHenry, bring us around at one-four-two mark three. Concentrate all remaining shield power to the rear deflectors. Get us out of here. Full impulse."
"We're running, sir?" McHenry asked.
"Simply changing strategy." She rose and said, "Engineering. I want a full-power magnetic burst
channeled through the deflector array, on my order. Then prepare to give me warp power, and we're going to need it fast."
"Acknowledged," came Torelli's voice from engineering, although clearly he didn't understand the reason for the order.
Nor did McHenry. However, he was aware of another situation, which he felt was necessary to bring to Shelby's immediate attention. "Commander," he said. "The course you've ordered . . . it has us on a collision course with the Zondarian sun in just under two minutes."
"I'm fully aware of that."
This pronouncement brought concerned looks from everyone on the bridge, and someone would have said something to Shelby had they not received an incoming hail from the Redeemer ship. "Federation vessel," came the voice of Prime One. "Stand down and surrender. Throwing your vessel into a star will accomplish nothing."
. "We'll be just fine, thanks," Shelby shot back, her voice rising, "because the great god Calhoun will protect us! And Calhoun can wipe up the floor with your god any day of the week! Catch us if you can, you posturing fool! Excalibur out!"
A stunned Boyajian cut off the signal as Soleta and Si Cwan stepped forward. "Commander," Soleta said slowly, "is it possible that you released yourself from sickbay too early?"
"This is erratic behavior, at best" began Si Cwan.
"I didn't ask for your opinion, Ambassador. If you've nothing to contribute of substance, then get the hell off my bridge. Lieutenant, are you challenging my authority?"
Soleta looked long and hard into Shelby's eyes. She felt as if the entire crew were looking to her, waiting
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Excalibur, targeting the engineering and saucer sections. The ship trembled under the pounding as, throughout the vessel, crewmen who weren't belted in to their stations tumbled to the floor.
"Shields at seventy percent and holding!" said Boyajian. "Whatever they've got, it packs more wallop than our phasers do! They're not as maneuverable as we are, but with that kind of shielding and weaponry, they don't have to be."
"Damage reports coming in from all over the ship," Lefler informed her. "Life support Systems out on Deck fourteen. Rerouting power now to restore systems."
"Fire photon torpedo spread and phaser barrage. Double-barrel," Shelby said grimly.
The Redeemer ship didn't budge, didn't even engage in any sort of evasive action, as the starship fired upon them. Their shields sparked under the assault, but otherwise held firm.
"We're not getting through their shields, Commander," Boyajian said. "Still no appreciable damage."
"They're firing again!"
"Evasive maneuvers!"
McHenry tried his best, but the Excalibur was slowed by the damage she'd sustained. He avoided two blasts, but a third struck at the upper right nacelle.
"Shields at forty percent and falling!" Boyajian warned. "We cannot sustain another direct hit!"
"Mister McHenry, bring us around at one-four-two mark three. Concentrate all remaining shield power to the rear deflectors. Get us out of here. Full impulse."
"We're running, sir?" McHenry asked.
"Simply changing strategy." She rose and said, "Engineering. I want a full-power magnetic burst
channeled through the deflector array, on my order. Then prepare to give me warp power, and we're going to need it fast."
"Acknowledged," came Torelli's voice from engineering, although clearly he didn't understand the reason for the order.
Nor did McHenry. However, he was aware of another situation, which he felt was necessary to bring to Shelby's immediate attention. "Commander," he said. "The course you've ordered . . . it has us on a collision course with the Zondarian sun in just under two minutes."
"I'm fully aware of that."
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This pronouncement brought concerned looks from everyone on the bridge, and someone would have said something to Shelby had they not received an incoming hail from the Redeemer ship. "Federation vessel," came the voice of Prime One. "Stand down and surrender. Throwing your vessel into a star will accomplish nothing."
. "We'll be just fine, thanks," Shelby shot back, her voice rising, "because the great god Calhoun will protect us! And Calhoun can wipe up the floor with your god any day of the week! Catch us if you can, you posturing fool! Excalibur out!"
A stunned Boyajian cut off the signal as Soleta and Si Cwan stepped forward. "Commander," Soleta said slowly, "is it possible that you released yourself from sickbay too early?"
"This is erratic behavior, at best" began Si Cwan.
"I didn't ask for your opinion, Ambassador. If you've nothing to contribute of substance, then get the hell off my bridge. Lieutenant, are you challenging my authority?"
Soleta looked long and hard into Shelby's eyes. She felt as if the entire crew were looking to her, waiting
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on her judgment. She tried to see some indication of whether Shelby was operating in some sort of diminished capacity, or whether she truly had a plan.
She saw craft and cunning and even a sort of demented anticipation in Shelby's eyes. And there seemed to be nothing of unsteadiness about her.
"No, sir," said Soleta.
"One minute, thirty seconds to Zondarian sun, commander," McHenry said. He was trying to put his worries aside as he saw the star dead ahead, apparently waiting for them.
The ship trembled once more under a blast from the Redeemer ship, but it was a glancing blow, and with all power to their rear shields, they were able to sustain it with minimum problems. The Excalibur did not slow down as it tore through space, heading straight on what appeared to be a suicidal course.
"One minute to sun," McHenry told her. The ship, shields down in the front, was beginning to feel the heat. "The Redeemer vessel is still in pursuit."
"Of course they are. It's a matter of pride now. They have to show that their god will protect them as well as ours will. When dealing with fanatics, count on their fanaticism," Shelby said.
"Fifty seconds to sun . . . forty, Commander." Mo Henry, to his credit, didn't sound nervous. He seemed resigned, even interested in what it would feel like to plunge into a star.
"Give me a countdown, McHenry. Bridge to engineering, ready on deflector dish."
Sweat was pouring down the faces of everyone on the bridge, except for Soleta, who handled the heat better than most. The sun was now completely filling the screen, which had automatically dimmed to spare viewers the intensity of the light.
"Thirty . .. twenty-nine . . . twenty-eight . . . twenty-seven . . ."
Shelby seemed to be counting down with him, making rapid-fire calculations in her head, her lips-moving soundlessly as if she were talking to herself. The bridge crew gripped their seats, bracing themselves, wondering what in the world they were about to die for.
"Redeemer ship?"
"Two hundred thousand kilometers and closing."
"Maybe they want to be able to kiss us good-bye," Lefler guessed.
"Twenty-one . . . twenty . . . nineteen . . . eighteen . . ."
The star was everywhere. The heat was overwhelming.
And as if shot from a cannon, Shelby leaped to her feet and shouted, "Engineering! Full magnetic burst, on my mark, five seconds' duration! McHenry, same mark minus five, forty five degree down angle, full reverse thrust! Marknow!"
The deflector dish flared to life, driving a full bore magnetic burst straight into the corona of the Zondarian sun. It struck the corona, disrupting the magnetic lines of the star's turbulent surface. Like a vast giant being stung by a hornet, the star slapped back at the irritation . . .
In the form of a gigantic solar flare.
The Excalibur screamed into reverse, the ship's structure howling in protest over the abrupt change in direction, pulling against the gravity of the sun that was already starting to take hold of them. For a moment that stretched into infinity, it looked as if they would not be able to break free, and then the starship tore loose of the star's magnetic field and slammed backward and down, away from the sun. The Redeemer ship was not quite as fortunate. Unable to turn or handle as deftly as the Excalibur, the Redeemers couldn't get out of the way in time.
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on her judgment. She tried to see some indication of whether Shelby was operating in some sort of diminished capacity, or whether she truly had a plan.
She saw craft and cunning and even a sort of demented anticipation in Shelby's eyes. And there seemed to be nothing of unsteadiness about her.
"No, sir," said Soleta.
"One minute, thirty seconds to Zondarian sun, commander," McHenry said. He was trying to put his worries aside as he saw the star dead ahead, apparently waiting for them.
The ship trembled once more under a blast from the Redeemer ship, but it was a glancing blow, and with all power to their rear shields, they were able to sustain it with minimum problems. The Excalibur did not slow down as it tore through space, heading straight on what appeared to be a suicidal course.
"One minute to sun," McHenry told her. The ship, shields down in the front, was beginning to feel the heat. "The Redeemer vessel is still in pursuit."
"Of course they are. It's a matter of pride now. They have to show that their god will protect them as well as ours will. When dealing with fanatics, count on their fanaticism," Shelby said.
"Fifty seconds to sun . . . forty, Commander." Mo Henry, to his credit, didn't sound nervous. He seemed resigned, even interested in what it would feel like to plunge into a star.
"Give me a countdown, McHenry. Bridge to engineering, ready on deflector dish."
Sweat was pouring down the faces of everyone on the bridge, except for Soleta, who handled the heat better than most. The sun was now completely filling the screen, which had automatically dimmed to spare viewers the intensity of the light.
"Thirty . .. twenty-nine . . . twenty-eight . . . twenty-seven . . ."
Shelby seemed to be counting down with him, making rapid-fire calculations in her head, her lips-moving soundlessly as if she were talking to herself. The bridge crew gripped their seats, bracing themselves, wondering what in the world they were about to die for.
"Redeemer ship?"
"Two hundred thousand kilometers and closing."
"Maybe they want to be able to kiss us good-bye," Lefler guessed.
"Twenty-one . . . twenty . . . nineteen . . . eighteen . . ."
The star was everywhere. The heat was overwhelming.
And as if shot from a cannon, Shelby leaped to her feet and shouted, "Engineering! Full magnetic burst, on my mark, five secon
ds' duration! McHenry, same mark minus five, forty five degree down angle, full reverse thrust! Marknow!"
The deflector dish flared to life, driving a full bore magnetic burst straight into the corona of the Zondarian sun. It struck the corona, disrupting the magnetic lines of the star's turbulent surface. Like a vast giant being stung by a hornet, the star slapped back at the irritation . . .
In the form of a gigantic solar flare.
The Excalibur screamed into reverse, the ship's structure howling in protest over the abrupt change in direction, pulling against the gravity of the sun that was already starting to take hold of them. For a moment that stretched into infinity, it looked as if they would not be able to break free, and then the starship tore loose of the star's magnetic field and slammed backward and down, away from the sun. The Redeemer ship was not quite as fortunate. Unable to turn or handle as deftly as the Excalibur, the Redeemers couldn't get out of the way in time.
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The last thing they saw was the solar flare belching up at them from the sun's surface, and then the spectacularly erupting discharge, leaping five hundred thousand kilometers from the star and pumping heat approximately twice as hot as the surface of the sun, enveloped the Redeemer vessel. Even the formidable shielding of the Redeemer vessel was unable to stand up to an all-encompassing flare in excess of twenty thousand degrees Fahrenheit. The Redeemer ship was immediately obliterated as the Excalibur frantically put as much distance between herself and the momentarily angered star as it could. The flare continued, as if pursuing them, as the starship hurtled backward, but the flare topped out at sixty hundred and fifty thousand kilometers. It continued to erupt for another fifteen minutes, but by that point the starship was safely out of range.
Shelby was on her feet, her fists above her head in triumph. "Hah!" she crowed. "Spectacular! Engineering, great job! You too, McHenry! Excellent all around! Oh! Look!" She pointed to midair.
"Look at what, sir?"
"The colors!" Shelby called out excitedlyand then she pitched forward, Si Cwan just barely catching her before she hit the floor.
XX.
BURGOYNE STOOD THERE, chest bared, eyes closed, a look of serene peace on hir face, as Ramed lunged forward with his spear at hir unprotected breast.
The point slammed toward hirand stopped two inches from impact.