U.S.S. Corsair - NX-011979
Nebula II Prototype
“Sic Parvis Magna”
(Greatness From Small Beginnings)
“Teeth of the Chimera – Part IV”
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“What the hell is that”, Commander Novada exclaimed as a frightful black hulled starship waivered into view behind the Corsair.
“Captain, the ship is hailing us and has locked its weapons onto the bridge. Given the state of our shields and this ship’s obvious offensive capabilities I do not believe we can survive a full assault in our present condition.”
Ramius and Novada stared in quiet awe at the sleek NeoDyne warship which they had successfully coaxed out from behind its invisibility screens.
“Commander”, Ramius quickly said. Novada turned as Ramius pulled her close and issued instructions into her ear.
“Sir?”
“Commander, no time to argue. Just follow the orders.”
Novada nodded and quickly left the bridge.
Ramius winced as he willed his broken body to stand. The doctor, sensing the captain’s pain, quickly moved to assist Ramius in standing.
“Computer”, Ramius stated his voice lacking its usual firm luster, “Initiate self-destruct sequence. Authorization Ramius Alpha Zero Zero Zero Delta Seven. Replay audible warning every thirty seconds with a thirty second audible countdown to zero. Set timer for five minutes. Execute countdown now.”
“Captain”, Doctor Durandal whispered questioning whether the captain was indeed in any shape to command. A flash of Ramius’s blue eyes made the captain’s state of mind and lucidity perfectly clear to the doctor.
“Authorization accepted. Self destruct system activated and engaged. Beginning five minute countdown.”
“Hail the NeoDyne ship”, Ramius ordered as the doctor moved off at Ramius’s non-verbal insistence.
“Channel open.”
The bridge of the opposing NeoDyne warship blinked into existence upon the Corsair’s viewing screen. Before him, clad in a finely tailored suit, stood his arch-nemesis, Alistair Merikai, President of the notorious NeoDyne Defense Corporation. Ramius’s eyes grew as wide as saucers as he stood face to face with the one man in the universe who embodied the blackest currents of hatred and anger that flowed deep within Ramius’s soul.
“Merikai”, Ramius muttered as his counterpart uttered Ramius’s own name in much the same fashion at exactly the same time. Neither man said anything for a time as they both glared at one another with the hungry look of two boxers in a high stakes prize fight. Ramius fought the compelling urge to ram the Corsair straight into the hull of the NeoDyne ship in an act that would cost his ship and crew, yet rid the universe of a man whose actions had ruined the lives of countless humanoids.
“Well, well, we meet at last Captain Ramius. I must say this certainly is a surprise. An unexpected pleasure.”
“The pleasure is all yours Merikai. It seems at last I have the opportunity to speak with the expert puppet master who has for so long been behind the strings of so many different puppets. I find it most gratifying to know that the master himself has appeared to collect Dr. Ballentine and his troupe of hellish minions. However I am proud to inform you that your tour schedule has been cut short. Dr. Ballentine and his supporting cast have met an untimely end.” Ramius lied about Ballentine’s demise, but it was possible Merikai hadn’t had any contact from the wily doctor. The chance to infuriate the President was too tantalizing to resist. “The late doctor’s attempt to reproduce the genuine article using only half a recipe was half-baked. He managed to get the look right, but well the flavor was lacking. In any event I now know about your plans. The good doctor was only too happy to spill his guts at the end. I’ve already sent his final confessions and a full report to Starfleet command. I am sure the Federation council will find the NeoDyne’s clandestine activities quite fascinating to read. I know I did.”
Ramius lied again. He had only scraps of information, pieces of a giant puzzle whose image he was yet to fully identify. However this encounter was the epitome of brinksmanship. He had to show a strong hand and wear an unflinching poker face as anything less would lead to the Corsair’s demise. Merikai laughed although the man’s cold hazel eyes showed no traces of amusement. “Indeed Captain. So did you kill Merikai with your bare hands? Did you wring the information you sought from his neck? I think not captain. Your attempts to rile me are quite amusing if not predictable. We both know that had you captured Ballentine he is worth far, far more to you alive than dead. Besides, your shields are compromised and we have already run a full scan of your ship. The doctor is not aboard that unusual and intriguing starship of yours.”
Ramius was sure of one thing, Merikai was no fool. His bluff had been called, but he still had one or two cards yet to play.
[ MAIN ENGINEERING ]
Commander Novada tightly gripped a long cylindrical, silver case as she rounded the corner into Engineering. Setting the sealed case on the engineering deck’s “pool table” as it was affectionately called she caught the attention of Chief Engineer Sai Kusinagi. The engineer, covered in grime and dirt, looked frazzled given the damage the Corsair had sustained, but despite his apparent fatigue she had direct orders from the captain.
“Commander”, Sai said almost as a question spying the silver case sitting next to Novada on the table.
“Sai, I don’t have time to explain”, she said popping open the seals of the case. As she lifted the lid she noticed the engineer’s eyes grow wide as he looked at its internal contents.
“Where the hell did you get that?”
“Captain’s cabin. He said you would know what to do with it.”
Sai dropped the tool in his hand and moved to the case for a better look. “Commander, do you have any idea…”
“No”, she said. “I do not. I only know that the captain wants you to make use of this and quickly.”
“Commander, I have a ship falling apart! I don’t have time or the expertise to deal with that…”
“Ramius told me to ask you to do this as a personal favor. He isn’t making this an order Sai, but told me to tell you he would be forever in your debt if you were to help. I don’t have any idea what this is about and quite frankly its pissing me off, but the captain is a unique individual who I’ve learned with great difficulty to simply trust. He told me you would refuse. He also indicated this had to be a choice, your choice. If you refuse, he will accept your decision and not hold it against you.”
Kusinagi rubbed his sticky, sweat lined brow. “He’s unique alright.” Pulling the case toward him, Sai inspected its contents. “How long do I have?”
“Self destruct system activated and engaged. Beginning five minute countdown.”
Kusinagi quickly met Commander Novada’s eyes as the self destruct warning caught them both off guard.
“Five minutes it would seem Chief Engineer.”
“Grab that case and follow me”, Sai shouted at the commander. “I need help.” Pointing to nearly everyone in his path as he turned toward the warp core he motioned for them to follow. “We have five minutes to do the impossible”, he shouted at his crew. “If we don’t pull this off I will be responsible for letting down the captain and I DO NOT let captains down, especially not our captain. Get a tool kit over here now! Let’s MOVE people!”
[ MAIN BRIDGE – USS Corsair]
“Why don’t we speak together in private captain? There are many things each of us wants to say to the other. I hardly believe the bridges of our ships are the proper venues for such discussions.”
“Merikai, you are a murderous bastard with an ego matched only in size by the total sum of the universe itself. I have nothing to say to you with the exception of a few choice words after I am finished breaking every bone in your body, slowly..ever so slowly.”
“Hmm. Disappointing”, the president replied. “You are indeed clever so well I know, Taverain Ramius, however you lack sophistication not to mention tact. You are a brutish tool and nothing more. I had hoped your wondrous gifts might have imparted some level of refinement, but I can see that even the most brilliant of diamonds have their flaws.”
“Flawed or not, this diamond is all too eager to demonstrate how resilient and sharp it is.”
Merikai cracked the tiniest of smiles before continuing the verbal sparring. “How well I know”, he replied. “This time captain it is I who hold the advantage. Despite the experimental prototype hull you managed to steal off the shelf no doubt from some obtuse and witless Starfleet admiral, you are outclassed and outmatched this time. Your ship is damaged, your shields are near collapse, and I hold the advantage in firepower and defense. Your feeble attempts at intimidation are as ridiculous as they are unbecoming.
I grow weary of this conversation. You will lower your shields and allow yourself to be transported. I will spare your crew if you have the intelligence to comply. If you refuse I will take you by force and reduce your starship and its crew to atoms. You are in no position to refuse.”
Ramius took his turn at laughing before composing himself. “I assume I have your word my crew will be spared? Save it Merikai. We both know you will kill everyone aboard at the first opportunity and claim my ship as a prize whose technologies and information you will no doubt be eager to exploit.” Ramius spit on the floor in a final show of defiance. “I’d rather attempt negotiations with the Borg. If you want this ship or me, you are going to have to fight for it. I will not surrender.”
Merikai’s patience was running thin with the captain. He wanted Ramius. He had invested millions of credits and over twenty years pursuing him across the galaxy. The man was the key to his plans and the final puzzle piece in Dr. Ballnetine’s research. A bloody nose was worth the risk and Ramius posed little threat given the current damage to his ship.
“You fool! You are beaten Ramius. You have no chance of escape and no chance to win this match. A few well placed shots to your ship and your shields will fail and you will be mine! What do you hope to accomplish? A last stand buys you nothing! In the end, I still win.”
“Do you”, Ramius asked with a smile. “If you had bothered to look, of course I am sure that is difficult with a non-military crew comprised of high dollar, talentless mercenaries and undisciplined morons; you would have noticed my starship is currently set to self-destruct in…” Ramius turned and glanced at a nearby computer terminal. “One minute, nineteen seconds. Now you can attempt to fire upon us and you might be able to cut through our shields in that time, and you might even be able to secure me, however you cannot stop the computer from executing its orders and with all of the rocky debris in the area you cannot go to warp which means your ship will either be destroyed by my ship or suffer grievous if not fatal damage. You cannot escape in time nor can you stop the countdown Merikai. I believe the term for this arrangement is stalemate. So you see, once again I have out maneuvered you and your witless NeoDyne puppets and will continue to do so until my dying breath. Any way you slice this Merikai, you lose!”
Ramius grinned in satisfaction as he noticed the subtle quivering of the infuriated President’s upper lip as his officers confirmed what Ramius had said to be true.
Merikai’s smug superiority faded as the man’s icy, hazel eyes sought to tear a hole through Ramius’s torso. “So what do you propose captain? Are we just supposed to stare at each other indefinitely or are you indeed committed to suicide along with the wasteful destruction of your ship and crew? I find it hard to believe you are driven with such pettiness as simplistic revenge. I would think such a thing would run far, far deeper. Indeed I hope it does.”
“If you only knew Merikai”, Ramius replied barely able to contain the sheer malevolence dripping from every syllable that left his lips. “However, knowing that you failed in your mad quest and that I was responsible for stranding or better destroying your impressive looking toy ship as well as your aspirations is well worth my life and the lives of my crew. With the thousands who have suffered, died, or been murdered as a result of you and your corporation’s inhuman and vile acts a few hundred more lives is a small sacrifice.”
Laughing, Ramius simply smiled at the fuming executive before him. “I have no intention of stopping the destruct sequence Merikai. I’m going to enjoy watching your face as I claim victory yet again.”
“President Merikai we must retreat”, his first officer shouted from behind.
“SHUTUP YOU FOOL”, Merikai shouted back with a razor tongue. “If we leave the Corsair will be out of our weapons range and will escape!”
“If we do not, we will be severely damaged or even destroyed by that madman’s automatic destruct sequence!”
“We are not leaving”, Merikai shouted turning around. “If you continue to object commander I will relieve you of your duty in addition to your life.”
“Warning, self-destruct sequence has been activated. Thirty Seconds remaining..”
Ramius continued to smile much to Merikai’s consternation as the computer continued to count off the inevitable. Ramius shot a glance at the communications officer who rightly interpreted the ‘look’ and muted the open channel.
“Ramius to Engineering. Commander Novada, what is our status?”
Ramius glanced at the countdown timer. He couldn’t stop it. Doing so would invite an immediate attack from Merikai. This would be close.
“We’re almost ready”, came the reply.
“Speed would be most appreciated”, Ramius followed turning his head so as not to allow Merikai or others to read his lips. “Helm, set course 213 mark 76. Prepare to engage at full impulse on my command. Mr. Redstone, steal power from wherever you can find it, but our shields must remain up.”
As the computer rattled off the fifteen second mark, Lt. Redstone was unable to contain his youthful anxiety. “Captain, do you plan on destroying the ship? What is going on?”
Ramius was annoyed with his tactical officer’s forwardness at times, especially in difficult situations, but the officer was young and headstrong. Redstone in many ways reminded Ramius of himself.
“Lieutenant, assuming this works, ask me about playing poker sometime”, was Ramius’s short and cryptic answer to the tactical officer’s question. “Man your station and stand ready. That applies to everyone. We aren’t dead yet.”
(To Be Continued)…
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Captain Taverain Ramius
Commanding Officer, USS Corsair
Commander Alanis Novada
Executive Officer, USS Corsair
Commander Sai Kusinagi
Chief Engineer
President Alistair Merikai
NeoDyne Defense Corporation
