Star Trek X:
Traitor Hunt
By: Michael Mulhollon
The Yorktown is orbiting around a K-7 type space station at Starbase 24 and a voice said, "Captain Valkyrie, this message is top secret and is not to be shared with the rest of your crew. Recently we obtained intelligence that Starfleet maybe compromised by HYDRA. Very few know this information as we do not know who to trust. You may choose who you want to be part of your team to find out who in Starfleet is compromised but keep it very small and choose wisely, because they maybe on your ship too. From now on until otherwise you are not to make official log entries concerning this for risk of a security breach. We have the location of one of the HYDRA agents on Starbase 24 and he is part of a delegation that is supposed to sign a peace treaty and he and other delegate members will be celebrating at the club that is part of the hotel they are staying called "Rosquite" and here is his description. Good luck captain." Gabriel looked at the image and saw an Asian like male with a rigged nose on his computer monitor on his desk in his quarters and Gabriel smirked and said, "I know who's up for this mission." Gabriel pressed a button next to his monitor and said, "Commander Darkholme please report to my quarters." After a few minutes Raven came inside and said, "What is it Gabriel?" Gabriel said, "We have a special assignment, and I know you will particularly like this." Raven sighed and said, "Oh boy."
Inside the club in "Rosquite" people were either dancing and drinking while at the far end there is a group of people in military uniforms celebrating with girls around them. Gabriel sat at the bar in a tuxedo next to Raven in her non-mutant form with short blonde hair and a fur coat over her dress. Gabriel leaned over to her and said, "You look lovely." Raven pretended he was not there and said, "You look revolting." Gabriel stifled a laugh as he looked at the mirror behind the bartender and said, "Looks like they are running out of alcohol, and it seems are friend is more than obliged to get more." Raven said, "He should be easy." Gabriel said, "For you I wouldn't doubt it." He got up with his drink and left as Raven looked over her shoulder and the person they are after moved towards her. Just as he approached she looked away and Gabriel sat at a table at the far end and looked away and the military man came up to the bar and bumped Raven lightly on the right shoulder and Raven intentionally spilt her drink before she turned to the military man and spoke in his native language. Gabriel looked out the corner of his eye as he listened to their conversation in his ear piece till the military man grabbed the bottle of wine and they both stood up from the bar with the military man wrapping his left arm around Raven's waist and entered the nearest elevator and just as a couple were about to enter as well he turned at them and yelled what Gabriel believed to be a curse word in his native language and the couple backed away with disgusted looks as Raven smiled innocently. Gabriel continued watching using his x-ray vision till they got off the elevator on the 12th floor and reached the military officer's quarters, where two guards stood outside, and patted Raven down as the military officer complained and allowed her to enter the military officer's quarters. Gabriel said, "Room 1216, two guards guarding the front door." He was about to get up till he heard two taps in his ear piece and he stopped and looked again and as he looked at the front door again he looked past the guards and door and saw two more guards in another, separate room and Gabriel said, "Two guards inside as well but separated from you. I'm on my way." He got up from the table and moved towards the stairs.
Gabriel reached the top of the stairs and looked around the corner to see the guards outside the room and he said, "Now to take care of the guards outside." In a flash he flew and tackled both the guards at the same time as he stopped at the far end of the hallway and set the unconscious guards down before flying straight back to the door to room 1216 and straightened his tuxedo. Gabriel said, "Whenever your ready." Through his ear piece he heard the military officer say, "Clothes off?" Gabriel used his x-ray vision and witnessed Raven opening her fur coat only at that moment she changed into her natural blue form and the officer's expression changed from smiling to shear horror and Gabriel heard Raven say, "What's the matter..." Then Gabriel saw the two guards just beyond the door look at their wrists and then hurriedly moved towards the doors in front of them (where Raven and the officer are) and at that moment Gabriel charged and smashed the door in front of him to pieces as the guards just reached the doors only to turn back and look shocked when Gabriel immediately grabbed both of their heads and slammed them together, knocking them both unconscious. Gabriel then opened the doors and saw Raven with her fur coat wrapped around the military officer's throat and had him kneeling in front of her, facing the doors as he is choking and Raven glared down at him intently and Gabriel said, "Raven we need him alive." Raven continued to choke the officer as he tried to pull her hands and the fur coat away but without success and Raven continued to glare down at him as if ignoring Gabriel and with growing anger he said, "Raven!" The officer passed out and Raven loosened her grip as the officer crumpled to the floor. Raven looked up at Gabriel as he looked at her grimly and she said, "I got this." In a blink of an eye Gabriel disappeared and reappeared with all four of the guards in the room and he closed the doors behind him before zip tying their hands as Raven looked at the letter on the table and an invitation notice and she said, "It looks like our friend is not only going to a peace summit but possibly meet more of his friends." Gabriel went around the table and looked at the same documents Raven is looking at and he said, "You're right. Then that means in the morning you have to assume his identity and go with his colleagues to the peace summit and see who else is conspiring against Starfleet and what is so important in this meeting." Raven said, "Then how will I explain the smashed front door?" Gabriel pulled out his communicator and said, "Captain to Saji." Saji replied, "Yes captain?" Gabriel said, "Can you replicate a door to a hotel room?" Raven looked at him puzzled and Saji replied (questionably), "Yes sir, that shouldn't be too hard. Why?" Gabriel replied, "It's a little complicated. I'm sending you the image of the door now." He pressed a button and then he said, "Transporter chief, I have five people that are under arrest and awaiting to be beamed up and take them to the brig after they are medically cleared." The transporter chief replied with puzzlement, "Yes sir. I'll notify security." Gabriel then turned to Raven, smirked and said, "I think we'll stay here for tonight." Raven looked at him like he is crazy as the guards and military officer dematerialized and a replacement front door materialized exactly where the previous one was and Raven said, "What? Are you crazy?" There is a hard knock on the front door and a voice said, "Colonel Min are you all right?" Gabriel said, "That's your cue." Raven made a disgusting look and transformed into the military officer before she walked past Gabriel and closed the doors behind her before opening the front door.
There are murmuring voices on the other side of the doors as Raven (disguised as the colonel) talked to someone, Gabriel picked up a bottle of champagne and looked at the label before pulling out two glasses and then he heard the front door close and one of the two doors opened to reveal Raven and she said, "It was the manager. Complaint about the noises we made but I told him one of the guards was drunk and made a fool of himself and had the others take him away." Gabriel replied, "Good." He popped the cork with his thumb with ease and began pouring the clear champagne as he continued, "As I was saying, you have to be here disguised as him when you go to the meeting and keep your cover. Besides, when was the last time we ever took a vacation?" Raven looked away with a disgusted look, but then her expression changed as she said to herself, "He's got a point." And she turned and walked over towards him and transformed to her previous self, without the fur coat, and Gabriel looked at her with a disappointed look and said, "Aww, why did you change from your beautiful form?" Raven smiled and said, "I figured I should try something different tonight." Gabriel raised both glasses and Raven picked hers and she said, "What do we toast to?" Gabriel smirked and said, "To us." He tapped his glass to hers as she smirked and they both drank. Gabriel set his glass down and said, "Now your turn." She set her glass down and she said, "Someone said he wanted me to show him more." She undid the brown belt around her waist and said, "Only it was the wrong person." Gabriel stood close to her and put his hands around her waist while she wrapped her arms around his back and caressed his head as they both kissed. Gabriel said, "Can you say that line you told him that it is only us?" She leaned close to his right ear and said the line in French as Gabriel smirked and breathed deeply and said, "You have one talented tongue." Raven looked at him passionately and said, "You should see what else I can do with my tongue." Gabriel smirked and said, "Yes, but first, lets take this uncomfortable thing off." And he put his hands behind her neck and began to undo the dress band holding her dress and top up.
Gabriel wakes up as the alarm goes off and when he reaches over Raven to turn the alarm off he notices Raven is in her blue form lying on top of him and looks like she is still asleep. He runs his hand over her red hair and said, "Come on Raven, time to get up." Raven moans in protest and Gabriel said, "Do you want me to throw you off?" Raven moans, "I dare you." Gabriel smirks at her in reply and after a few moments Raven sighs and says, "Fine." Raven gets up, grudgingly, and goes into the bathroom as Gabriel gets dressed back into his suit and when Raven comes out, she is already transformed into Colonel Min. Gabriel reaches into his pocket and says, "Here's your ear piece." He then hands her a small ear piece and she puts it in her left ear and said, "Where will you be?" Gabriel replied, "On a rooftop with a sniper rifle, in case we have to go to plan B. In case our comms is compromised we will use code names just to be safe." Raven said, "What should I call you?" Gabriel smirked and replied, "Gabriel is good enough." Gabriel then pulls out Min's briefcase from under the nearby table and the invitation note and gave them to Raven when there is a knock on the front door. Raven spoke in Min's language that he is coming and the person outside said something in Min's language and Raven replied in kind and Gabriel looked concerned and said, "Is there a problem?" Raven replied, "They're wondering where the guards are and I told him they're in here helping me gather my things." Gabriel patted her on the shoulder and said, "Good Luck Raven. I'll be watching you from a distance and listening to what's happening." Raven replied, "Got it." As she headed towards the doors and opened one of them, but before she left she looked back at Gabriel and he raised his left hand and gave her a thumbs up as he smirked and Raven smirked and shook her head before she left and closed the door behind her.
Raven (disguised as Colonel Min) followed the rest of other high ranking military officials and dignitaries to a motorcade and they drove off. As they were driven to their destination, Gabriel flew to the rooftop of a building that is five blocks away from the building where the peace summit is held and he pulled out his communicator and said, "Mr. Crossroad, do you have the package?" Saji replied, "Yes sir, beaming to your coordinates." To Gabriel's left a large black case materialized and Gabriel opened it to reveal a bolt action sniper's rifle with a silencer and he removed the rifle and the parts to reveal another compartment underneath it and Gabriel smirked and said, "I like the suit. Hopefully I won't need it." He assembled the rifle and set the ammo to his left and right as he took position behind the ledge in the prone position. He looked through the scope and saw the motorcade arrive and Gabriel said, "In position, still a green light." He watched through the scope as a number of dignitaries and military officials walking past the cheering crowd and into the building and Gabriel saw Raven as Colonel Min and he said, "Have you in my sights, 16 blocks behind you. You are good to go." As they all went inside, Gabriel waited till he saw them again as they went inside a large room and sat around a large table with Raven sitting at the very end with her back to him. Gabriel said, "Clear line of sight, except the entrance and the top half of the table. At least I know I can't use my x-ray vision past 16 blocks." Raven watched as two people entered the room, a Tellarite in a military uniform, and one of them set up a briefcase portable projector as the other, an Orion in a suit, spoke for a while as the projector flipped slides and handouts were given of various blueprints and diagrams of weapons in Starfleet's arsenal.
The Orion pulled out a hand held device during the briefing and looked at it oddly and moved it around the room till it pointed directly at Raven. Gabriel looked concerned and said, "Mystique, what's going on?" Raven said, "This has to be a mistake." The Orion spoke and two guards (the same species as Colonel Min) stood at the ready and Raven stood up and said, "I assure you, I am not a Federation spy." Then the two men moved towards her as the other people stood up from their seats and Gabriel said (with worry), "Mystique?" The guards grabbed hold of both of Raven's arms and the military officials and dignitaries near her spoke angrily at each other and at the guards. Gabriel said, "Permission to fire." Raven then said (with a hint of satisfaction), "I got this." He then saw her hands transform to herself and Gabriel smirked and said, "Affirmative." She then kicked the guards and grabbed one of them as she transformed to her blue self and Gabriel watched as she knocked the guard out and kicked two more guards as she stood on her hands on the table as everyone else ran away except the Tellarite and the Orion. She took cover behind a guard as the Tellarite drew a phaser and six more guards entered and ran towards Raven. As they approached her they yelped in pain as they were all shot in the legs as Gabriel looked down his scope and fired a single shot each time as he quickly reloaded the action bolt rifle making precision shots each time he fired till all six guards are down and he said, "Got them." She then flipped and kicked the guard (she was hiding behind) across the table, blocking the Tellarite's view as she slid beneath the table towards the Tellarite and kicked the Tellarite off his feet and grabbed his phaser as she flipped over and on top of the table and pointed it directly at the Orion.
Gabriel looked down his scope and there is silence in his ear piece and he looked concerned and said, "Mystique report, what's going on?" He then heard her say, "Erik?" Gabriel was surprised but did not show it and he said (with tension in his voice), "Agent Mystique what the hell is happening?"
In the room, Erik Lensherr "Magneto" appeared before Raven's eyes and she looked up in shock and said, "Erik?" Suddenly he stretched out his hand and the phaser Raven was holding onto was yanked from her grasp and into Magneto's as he pointed it directly at Raven and said, "I'm sorry Raven, but as long as you serve under the Federation, no one is safe." Raven looked fearful as Magneto was about to pull the trigger when suddenly the Tellarite grumbled and stood in Magneto's way (unknowingly as he rubbed his head) and Raven kicked him with both feet as she flipped over and the Tellarite hit Magneto and they both fell to the floor as Raven began running down the full length of the table.
Gabriel waited, all the while controlling his anxiety, when suddenly he saw Raven sprinting down the length of the table, jumped and smashed through the window with her arms shielding her face and her legs and feet up and Gabriel said, "Shit!" And as soon as she smashed through the window and started to fall he saw a bolt of red light strike at Raven's right calf and she fell and hit the stone ground below with her hands and arms in front of her. Gabriel gripped the rifle so tight that the wooden stock in his grip cracked as he watched Raven lying still and Gabriel whispered to himself with growing anxiety and fear, "Come on Raven. Get up!" He starred down his scope as Raven continued to lie still when suddenly she began to move and got up on her feet, leaning her body towards her left. Gabriel said firmly, "Mystique you need to get out of there now!" Raven looked about her and saw everyone was looking at her with shock and fear and she looked at a woman, close to her, with long blond hair and she transformed to her as the real woman and the people surrounding her stood back from the metal, barrier fence gasping in shock. Raven then proceeded to limp away, not seeing Magneto gliding down behind her as everyone behind the fence stepped back, gasped and pointed in shock while others yelled out incoherent languages that Raven did not pay attention to translate when suddenly she was pulled and fell to the ground as she yelped in pain. Raven tried to claw her way forward only to be dragged back as she yelled in pain and she turned and saw it was Magneto as she continued to cry out in pain while holding onto her wounded calf that is pulled up towards Magneto's raised right hand. Raven accidentally transformed back to herself and when she stopped in front of Magneto she grasped her leg and screamed as a small pellet was pulled out where she was shot on her calf and hovered in front of her and Magneto. Magneto said, "Sorry Mystique." Raven looked at him with a pleading expression and said, "Erik."
Suddenly something struck Magneto and he smashed into the right entrance of the building the peace summit was held. Raven stood up and she and everyone else around the barrier fence looked on in shock as they saw Gabriel (wearing a blue body suit with a gold diamond border crest on his chest with the gold letter "G" in the middle with a blue background that matches his suit, black jack boots and a gold cape) standing before them looking in Magneto's direction with shear determination. Gabriel said, "Are you all right?" Silence and he glanced back and said, "Mystique?" Raven nodded her head and came to her senses and said, "Ye..Yes. How..." Suddenly one of the guard rails flew and struck Gabriel across the right side of his face and he cringed but stood his ground. A metal beam then flew and smashed through the front doors and headed straight at Gabriel, only for Gabriel to stop it with his hands as the head of the beam bent in his grasp and he threw it to the side as Magneto flew out of the building and when Gabriel threw the beam to the side Magneto screamed and punched Gabriel across the face knocking him to the ground. Gabriel then punched/grasped Magneto as he flew forwards and into the building, smashing through the interior and threw/slammed Magneto against the wall so hard that part of the wall collapsed around him. A metal bench next to Magneto flew and struck Gabriel and it bent to form a semi-cage around his and arms as Magneto charged/flew at Gabriel and smashed through more of the interior furniture and walls till he slammed Gabriel's back against the far left wall of the building, breaking parts of the plaster about him. Magneto cringed in anger and said, "You think you can stop me?" Gabriel cringed in anger as well and he yelled in anger as the semi-cage about him blew apart from his arms and he charged/punched Magneto as he flew outside and slammed his back against the fountain (smashing it apart in the process) and slammed his back at the bottom of the fountain pool creating cracks that appeared from Magneto's back as Gabriel held him under the water. Magneto thrashed beneath Gabriel's grip and tried to pull his hands away from his throat to no avail as Gabriel cringed and flexed his muscles as he held Magneto down tightly when suddenly the metal frame bars (where the fountain statue once stood) grabbed Gabriel around the shoulders and arms and pulled him back to his surprise. Once the metal bars pulled him back Magneto appeared from the pool water gasping for air at first before he cringed in anger and punched/pushed Gabriel in the chest and smashed through the guard rails before slamming Gabriel's back into the side of a black cab smashing its side doors in as the pedestrians around them ran away from them screaming in the process.
The metal frames and body of the car peeled out and held Gabriel's shoulders and arms back as Magneto began punching him in the face and ribs. Gabriel grunted from the first couple of punches when Magneto punched him again in the face, Gabriel looked unfazed by the punch and Magneto pulled his right hand back and cradled with his left as he cringed in pain and said, "Ow!" In an instant, Gabriel ripped his arms free from the car and grabbed/shoved Magneto back as he flew towards the back center of the courtyard. He then lifted Magneto in the air with his right hand and slammed his back to the stone ground making cracks appear from where Magneto impacted as Magneto gave a short yelp in pain. Gabriel screamed in anger as he brought his fist down, but Magneto flew back (between Gabriel's feet) and Gabriel smashed his fist into the stoney ground. Gabriel stood up and turned in Magneto's direction and Magneto said, "If you think your brute strength and speed are a match against me, think again." He raised both his hands and the vehicles surrounding the courtyard rose into the air and in one thrust of Magneto's right hand (as if punching Gabriel) as he yelled in anger the cars flew straight at Gabriel (as he stood his ground) and smashed into him forming a metal scrap ball around where he stood. Raven screamed, "GABRIEL!" Magneto looked disappointed before looking at Raven and said, "You have poor choice of new friends Raven." Raven looked at him full of fear as she took a few steps back as Magneto turned towards her and stepped forward when all of a sudden there was a loud angry cry and the metal junk ball exploded apart as Gabriel flexed his arms out as he screamed in anger. Magneto looked in shock (as well as Raven) when suddenly Gabriel charged/flew at him and grabbed hold of Magneto in the chest as he flew high up in the air towards the clouds (creating a sonic boom as he broke the sound barrier) as the people surrounding the courtyard, buildings and Raven looked up in shock. As they flew up in the air Magneto tried to break from Gabriel's grasp as he cringed and grunted in anger while trying to contain his shock as he saw the ground below grew farther and farther away and Gabriel said, "Let's see how you fare against my slam dunk." Magneto looked at him stunned when suddenly he was thrusted down and he and Gabriel began hurtling/flying straight down to the ground below them.
Raven raised her hand to cover her eyes from the sun as Gabriel and Magneto continued to fly higher and higher when all of a sudden she saw them coming straight down, making another sonic boom in the process, with Gabriel still holding onto Magneto's chest with Magneto's back facing down and his cape pinned to his back or whipping towards Gabriel. As they got closer and closer to the ground Gabriel and Magneto screamed in anger when suddenly Magneto's back slammed into the center of the fountain, blowing the water over the edges of the fountain and sending tiled and stone pieces of the bottom of the fountain flying out as the people around screamed in fright. Raven and the people around stood in shock as some of the pedestrians began to whisper when Gabriel stood up in the center of the fountain and Raven took a step back with a look of bewilderment. Gabriel took a heavy breath as he looked at Raven and said, "It's okay." Then multiple police officers appeared from the crowd and stood in front of them as they surrounded the circle where Raven and Gabriel stood with their guns drawn and pointed at them. Gabriel put his hand out in a stopping motion and said (with a calm look), "Wait." One of the policemen behind Raven stepped on a piece of glass and it made a loud snap noise that caused Raven to suddenly turn in his direction and kick a piece of rubble that flew and struck the policeman's face causing the others around him to open fire on Raven. In a blink of an eye Gabriel flew at Raven's direction and embraced her as he protected Raven and the phaser blasts either struck Gabriel's back with no effect or harmlessly bounced off him as Raven cringed in Gabriel's embracement. Some of the policemen ceased firing as they looked in shock and awe as the rest continued firing when the guardrails and vehicles surrounding them began to shake and moved/leaned towards the water fountain and everyone around the vicinity started screaming and running away as the policemen ceased firing and looked about them with bewilderment. Gabriel let go of Raven as she looked up to him in shock as she saw his back and body were not bruised and Gabriel yelled, "Time to go!" He grabbed her and pulled her up against his side as she said (with a hint of satisfaction), "Ohh!" And Gabriel raised his right fist and looked up at the sky when he flew straight up into the air and flew away at high speed as some of the policemen and pedestrians around them gasped and looked up in shock just as Magneto rose from the waterless water fountain with his hands raised out to his sides. As the police and other various vehicles reached the circle, including the guard rails, Magneto glided out of the fountain and landed on the ground in front of it. He then looked about him as he searched for Raven and Gabriel as he walked and when the police approached him with their phasers raised, Magneto waved his right hand at a group of them and they were thrown off their feet and landed on the grass outside the circle as Magneto continued to walk slowly and looked about him till he stopped and sighed in disappointment.
Outside the same apartment they left earlier, Gabriel landed on the balcony and let Raven go as she stood back to catch her breath as Gabriel stood close by. Gabriel said calmly but firmly, "What happened? Why was Magneto there?" Raven transformed to her non-mutant form wearing street clothes as she looked up at Gabriel and said, "I don't know, but at least he is not in league with Goron." Gabriel looked puzzled and said, "Who is Goron?" Raven replied, "The Orion. He and Golov, the Telluride, are selling cloaked, stealth UAV's that would make them impossible to detect either from the sky or merely just above you." Gabriel said, "Do you have the location of where they are holding those drones?" Raven replied, "No, but I got the location of Goron Industries Headquarters." Gabriel sighed and said, "Well that's a start." He went inside and picked up the phone and said, "Room Service?" Raven looked at him shocked and said, "Wait! We are..." Gabriel held a finger up to silence her and said, "Yes a Dio Quiote, the best you got. This is Captain Trill, Colonel Min's chief security detail, I am waiting in case he shows up to apprehend him. Thank You." He hung up and said (as Raven looked at him impressed), "I need a drink, especially what we went through today." He went to the bathroom and closed the door as Raven sat at the edge of a soft chair till she heard the sound of a transporter and Raven looked alert and was about to stand up till Gabriel came back out wearing a dress uniform that is equivalent to what the real Captain Trill wore as he stood earlier. Raven ignored his new look and said, "How were able to fly like that when you fought against Erik?" Gabriel sat in the soft chair as he placed his right hand at the small of Raven's back and said, "As the crew of the Yorktown was looking for you at Terminar, I had some training with someone who has a lot of experience with flying and other abilities that I possess." Raven said, "May I ask who taught you?" There is a knock on the door outside and Gabriel got up and answered it while Raven stayed away from view till Gabriel came back and closed the doors behind him as he held a bottle of wine and two glasses. He popped the wine bottle with ease and poured himself and Raven a glass before handing it to her and she said (with a hint of frustration), "Now what should we drink to?" Gabriel said, "How about still being alive?" Raven smirked and made a short laugh and said, "I'll drink to that." They toasted and drank while Raven drank quickly and sat the glass down and said, "I'm taking a shower." She walked away and transformed into her blue form as Gabriel watched with a smirk on his face as he continued to drink the wine from his glass, savoring each drink, as he stood relaxed when he heard the shower starting. After a few moments Raven yelled out, "Are you going to join me or sit there sipping on your wine?" Gabriel smirked and set his glass down before heading towards the bathroom and removing his top before he opened and the closed the door.
At Goron Industries Headquarters, Goron walked inside and past the reception desk as a guard looked up, noticed Goron and said, "Evening sir." Goron nodded grimly and gave a grunt as he continued till he reached one of the elevators, pressed the up button and when the doors opened he boarded. The elevator went up till it reached the 15th floor and stopped and a female voice said, "Retinal scan to proceed." A small glass appeared on the elevator number panel and Goron bend over and looked at it with his right eye as it is scanned and the same female voice said, "Thank You Mr. Goron, have a nice day." Gordon stood and continued to look grimly as the elevator continued moving up till it reached the 35th floor. The elevator doors opened and Goron stepped outing past and empty desk before going up a spiral staircase where at the top Goron transformed into Raven and Gabriel said (through Raven's earpiece), "You're all clear. Try not to make too much noise." Raven sighed and rolled her eyes before she went behind Goron's desk and began looking through all the drawers and files within. Raven said, "Nothing in the drawers." She checked the various papers on his desk and after a few moments said, "Nothing." Gabriel calmly said, "Then there has to be a hidden vault." Raven looked around and noticed a large painting on the wall behind the desk that depicted Goron standing upright with his hands on his hips and looking up to his right with a look of confidence and Gabriel said, "He definitely loves himself." Raven pulled the left corner of the painting's frame and the painting swung open to reveal a fingerprint reader behind it. Raven put her thumb on the fingerprint reader, as it transformed into Goron's thumb, and the hidden vault size door swung open.
Raven stepped inside and opened the first slide out board in the vault to reveal blueprints of the UAV. Raven pulled out an earpiece from her left ear and faced it at the blueprints before pressing a small button on the side to take pictures. Raven said, "Tell Saji if he makes any cameras any smaller I won't be able to take ANY pictures." Gabriel said, "I'll be sure to tell him that." She closed the slide and opened another slide out board to show files in see-through holders labeled Weapons Test and Experimental Research. She pulled out the Weapons Test folder and set it on the small table to the side and took pictures of each page before putting it back and she repeated to the Experimental Research folder before putting it away and closing the slide out board. She then transformed back into Goron and walked out of the vault and closed it before leaving Goron's office.
In her non-mutant form and wearing plain clothes, Raven entered a fancy hotel room as Gabriel entered from the balcony with his communicator in hand and he said, "Starfleet called and they want to congratulate us but we now have another mission they assigned us." Raven held her head back as she looked up at the ceiling and gave an irritated grunt and said, "Seriously? I need a break!" Gabriel sat in the soft chair facing the door and Raven as he smirked and said, "Then take one. After all, we have the night for ourselves." Raven looked at him with an irritated expression before she transformed her non-mutant form to have short blond hair and a black, open dress as she stared at him and said, "I'll give you a lap dance, but that's it." Gabriel looked at her innocently and said, "What? I didn't say anything!" Raven smirked as she held back her laughter before walking up to Gabriel and straddled him on the soft chair.
The Yorktown continued to orbit Yenta IV when Gabriel and Raven materialized in the transporter room wearing their Starfleet uniforms as Lt. Commander Malone waited for them. Once they stepped off the transporter pads Malone approached them and said, "Sir, Starfleet Command is on the line and waiting for you." Gabriel replied, "We'll take it here Lt. If you and the transporter chief won't mind waiting outside." The transporter chief and Malone looked at each other puzzled before she turned back to Gabriel and replied, "Yes sir." They both walked out the transporter room and once the doors closed Raven pressed the lock button and Gabriel turned on the wall monitor next to the transporter console. The screen turned on and showed a grey haired African American admiral and Gabriel said, "You wish to speak to us Admiral Luckily?" Luckley replied, "Yes captain, we have read your reports of what Commander Darkholme has seen and heard during the conference and when your commander infiltrated Goron's office and we are very disturbed by the reports." Gabriel said, "Yes sir, it looks HYDRA has infiltrated the science and weapons divisions within Starfleet and who knows what other experiments or research they have their hands on." Raven cut in and said, "They also have a facility in the southern frozen continent on Termini where they are building more of those UAV's and who knows what else." Luckley said, "Perfect place to also conduct experiments with no one asking questions, good work!" Gabriel said, "Thank You sir." Luckley said, "From now on the rest of the mission will be taken care of by SHIELD." Raven said, "But sir it..." Gabriel said, "Sir I think it would be wise if we go because Magneto appeared and we're not sure what his agenda is in this situation." Luckley said, "I'm sorry captain but your commander knows Magneto far too well and we don't want to jeopardize the mission. Instead we are giving you a new assignment where you are to head to Myzran III as one of our starships has detected an energy spike in one of the construction yards that is supposed to be inactive." Gabriel said, "We will investigate it admiral." Luckley said, "I'm sending you the coordinates, good luck captain." A small piece of paper appeared next to the monitor with numbers on it as it was printed and Gabriel tore out the sheet of paper and Raven said angrily, "I can't believe you are just going to let them pull us out from completing the mission!" Gabriel turned to her and said, "Unfortunately it is not our call. I don't know if you realized this from past experience but they don't tell us everything, even the higher ups. That's why we do what they tell us and prepare ourselves in can we're double crossed." Raven looked at him worriedly and said, "You thin we're being setup?" Gabriel looked at her grimly and said, "No, but we must be ready. After all, the relationship between the Federation and Zhargosia does not look good and Zhargosia is just finding an excuse to arrest us." He and Raven exited the transporter room and the transporter chief went back inside while Malone waited and Gabriel said, "Ms. Malone set course to the Myzran system, warp factor four." Malone replied, "Aye sir." She left and Gabriel turned to Raven as he stretched his back and said, "Now if you don't mind commander, I'm going to get some rest." Raven looked at him with a sour face and said, "What if I do mind?" Gabriel said, "Then too bad. Report to the bridge commander." Raven huffed angrily and stormed away as Gabriel smirked and made his way to his quarters.
The Yorktown streaked across space and slowed down as it approached Myzran III. Gabriel is sitting in the command chair as he watched the main viewer as they approached the planet and he said, "Standard orbit Ms. Malone." Malone pressed a few buttons on her console and said, "Standard orbit achieved sir." Gabriel turned to communications and said, "Comms, notify Myzran planetoid Control of our presence and request permission for tow of our personnel to beam to the surface on an urgent matter of Starfleet." Comms replied, "Yes sir." Gabriel turned forward and waited till comms replied, "Sir, they acknowledged and accepted your request." Gabriel stood up and said, "Excellent. Ms. Darkholme, you're coming." Raven replied, "Yes sir." And she followed him to the turbo lift and as soon as the doors closed and Malone assumed the command chair she whispered to herself, "I swear they love dumping the responsibility of this ship on me."
On the planet's surface, outside a manufacturing plant, Raven materialized and looked up at a large warehouse with the number 275 labeled on the top wall before waling over to the left side of the building plant and climbed up a set of stairs to look through one of the side windows. As Raven looked through the window she transformed into a maintenance worker and saw an assembly line of silver rifles being produced and a small group of men stood at the end waiting till a tall man in a black uniform and a face of a red skull appeared and the group of men stood at attention and one of them said, "Evening Red Skull!" Raven looked alert as she watched as Red Skull said, "Evening gentlemen. It has been a pleasure doing business with all of you!" A Tellarite said in a threatening tone, "These weapons better e reliable!" Red Skull glared at him and replied, "I assure you they are. These weapons were very useful when HYDRA rose to power during the war on Terminar!" Raven continued to listen through the open window when a voice called out, "Hey! What are you doing up here?" Raven looked to her left and saw a black clad security guard with an assault rifle and Raven stepped back with her hands raised and said, "Woo! I'm here to fix one of the overhead lights man! I can contact my supervisor for..." The security guard looked irritated and said, "Come here so I can search you!" Raven waled over with her hands raised and noticed Red Skull and the others were looking up at her and when she stood in for of the guard she smiled as he bent over to search and kneed him in the face. She then flipped him over onto his back and pulled out her phaser and shot him on stun when all of a sudden Red Skull yelled, "GET HIM!" Raven then runs down the catwalk and Red Skull pulls out one of the rifles and fires after her blowing apart the windows behind and around her as she covered her face as she transformed back into her mutant form as glass rained down on top of her when she looked ahead and suddenly stopped as she saw a soldier standing in front of her with an automatic rifle pointing directly at her.
Raven flinched as the glass exploded and the soldier in front of her screamed as he vanished in a blue light coming from the direction of Red Skull. Red Skull looked amazed and then angry and screamed, "MYSTIQUE!" Raven turned in his direction and quickly switched her phaser setting to kill and pointed her phaser directly at him and fired. A red streak emitted from the phaser and headed straight towards the Red Skull, only he ducked just in time as the shot flew over his head and hit a crate of rifles that sat between the men Red Skull was talking to and it exploded violently. The six men raised their hands before the blue and yellow light as they screamed only to vanish in the explosion as Red Skull hit the deck hard on his chest. In unison, the rifles on the assembly line behind the exploded crate started to make a buzzing noise as they glowed bright blue as Red Skull looked back with an angry expression on his face and said, "Damn." He ran towards the back as Raven chased after him along the walkway and continued to fire her phaser but either missed or Red Skull dodged her fire when suddenly she heard the sound of boot falls on the grates and she stopped firing and looked ahead to see more black clad armored soldiers, with the HYDRA logo on their body armor, blocking her way with their automatic rifles pointed at her. Red Skull yelled, "I admire your courage Mystique! You and I are more alike, except I don't try to hide my true identity!" Raven yelled back, "Better than looking like a red cancer cell!" In the facility, Red Skull looked at her with a furious rage as his red face grew redder and he screamed, "KILL HER, NOW!" Then there was a series of explosions from the front of the building and working its way back as the rifles began to explode and the walkway shook from the repeated violent explosions as the soldiers and Raven grabbed onto the railing or the building wall to keep steady. Red Skull yelled, "Don't just stand there you idiots!" There was a large explosion beneath them and part of the walkway fell apart and four soldiers fell three stories to the concrete ground below screaming all the way down as the rest of the soldiers fell against the building brick wall and Raven fell against the railing to her left and the railing broke away and she fell.
At the last moment she grabbed the edge of the walkway and dangled in the air. She struggled to pull herself up and she looked in the direction of the Red Skull and saw him exiting the back of the building hurriedly. As Raven struggled to maintain her hold she said to herself, "Damnit, Gabriel is going to be..." All of a sudden a metal pole fell on her finger tips and her hands accidentally let go and she fell gasping in shock. Suddenly something grabbed her and snatched her away from falling as she wrapped her arms around the person's shoulders holding on. When she looked at who it was she saw Gabriel in his suit he wore when he saved her from Magneto. Gabriel smiled at her and said, "Don't worry Raven, I got you." Raven looked at him first shocked and then irritated and said, "I'm getting tired of you rescuing me all the time." Gabriel laughed as he flew down while all around them workers from nearby construction yards gathered and one of the large, tall cranes, close to the burning building, broke apart and began to fall towards Raven and Gabriel as one of the support beams melted from the intense heat.
Gabriel and Raven looked up and saw the crane falling down towards them as Raven looked astonished and Gabriel changed direction and flew straight up and caught the falling crane with his right hand while holding Raven with his left around her waist. The workers below them clapped and cheered as Gabriel moved the crane away from them to them to the right effortlessly as Raven looked down then at him and smirked and said, "Show off." As Gabriel smirked. He gently lowered the crane down to the ground as he set Raven down when all of a sudden a HYDRA soldier pointed a phaser rifle at the back of his head and said, "Don't move big boy!" Five more soldiers appeared from the crowd of workers as they shouted and stood back as they were forced or moved away with Red Skull walking ahead of the soldiers and stopped as he saw Gabriel and Raven. He smirked at them as Raven glared at him with her hands raised while Gabriel stood and looked back at him expressionless and Red Skull said, "I have to say you do possess the power of the gods! Only your weakness is you care about these people that are beneath you!" Gabriel smirked and said, "Says a talking Cherry top." Red Skull cringed in anger and yelled, "Idiot! Let's see if you could withstand a full phaser blast in the face! Kill him!" Before the soldier could pull the trigger, Gabriel turned and kicked the soldier in the mid-section and he flew and smashed through a crate before his back slammed up against the metal wall of one of the buildings and bounced off unconscious as he yelped in shock. The other HYDRA soldiers started shooting at him but Gabriel dodged the incoming phaser rifle blasts in lightening speed and ran up to one soldier, knocked the rifle out of his hands and kicked him across the face knocking him out and kicked another in the mid-section sending him flying back as he screamed and bounced off the metal wall of another building before falling to the ground unconscious. Continuing to run at lightening speed he punched another in the face and knocked him out as well before kicking a phaser rifle on another soldier's hands so hard that it shattered to pieces right before their eyes and Gabriel punched the soldier in the throat making him gasp for air as he grabbed his own throat before Gabriel kicked him in the groin and flew high up in the air. The last soldier aimed at Gabriel's back but before he knew it Gabriel sped right behind him and performed a light karate chop on his neck that immediately forced the soldier to crumple onto the ground and laid unconscious. Gabriel turned to face the Red Skull when the soldier that flew into the air fell and smashed through a crate behind him and made a groaning sound as he laid motionless but as Gabriel looked towards the Red Skull he saw a Lugar with a blue energy cartridge pointed directly at his face as the Red Skull looked at him angrily and said, "You don't know when to give up do you?" Gabriel said blatantly, "No." Red Skull fired his gun but in a flash Gabriel dodged the shot and kicked the Red Skull in the chest and flew back losing the grip on his Lugar as he fell on the ground hard.
Red Skull groaned as he tried to get up and Gabriel said, "Ready for a world of pain?" Red Skull said, "Not yet." He pulled back the sleeve over his right wrist revealing a small wrist band with a single button on it and the Red Skull pressed it and before Gabriel's eyes the Red Skull dematerialized. Gabriel sighed and said, "Damn." He pulled out his communicator from his gold belt and flipped it open and said, "Captain to Yorktown, Ms. Malone do you detect a ship in orbit?" Malone replied, "Nothing on our scanners sir." Gabriel looked grim and said, "Keep an eye out, the Red Skull's ship may have a cloaking device." Malone replied, "Aye sir." The workers around Gabriel and Raven looked around in shock and awe when there was a single clap sound and Gabriel looked back to see Raven leaning against the wrecked crane to see it was Raven and she said, "Nice performance." Gabriel smirked and said, "You could have at least taken one of them out." Raven said, "True, but you can obviously take care of them yourself." Gabriel's communicator beeped and he pulled it out and said, "Did you find him?" Malone replied, "No sir, but Adm. Luckley is on the line." Gabriel said, "Put him through." After a few moments he said, "Yes admiral?" Luckley said in an upset tone, "Captain Valkyrie you and Mystique have made one hell of a mess!" Both Gabriel and Raven looked on grimly as Luckley continued, "Not only was a manufacturing plant destroyed and a building crane, but the corrupt officials we wanted you to apprehend are all but killed." Gabriel said, "Sir with all due respect, Mystique was following my orders to the letter but she, as well as I, did not know the weapons the Red Skull was suppling the corrupt officials with are highly unstable leading to the events that have unfolded." Malone cut in and said, "I'm sorry sir but we have the Red Skull's location!" Gabriel said, "Go ahead commander!" Malone said, "He seems to be trying to reach a ship that is located next to a chemical factory in sector 75. I'm sending the coordinates to Commander Darkholme now." Raven pulled out her communicator, looked at it and said, "Got it." Gabriel said, "Thank You commander. Sorry admiral, but we have the Red Skull's location and we are on our way to apprehend him." Luckley replied, "Good luck captain, but this time take him alive and don't destroy or damage anything else." Gabriel smirked and said, "Acknowledge admiral, Captain Valkyrie out." As he put his communicator away Raven said, "He's not too far from us, about five miles away behind me." Gabriel smirked and said, "Mind if I carry you again?" Raven sighed and said, "Do I have a choice?" She wrapped her arms around him as he picked her up and flew away leaving the workers and local police looking up at them in awe.
Gabriel flew low till they reached their destination and set Raven down on a catwalk over open tanks with different colored liquids bubbling beneath them. They looked ahead and saw a mobile office building with a figure rummaging through a desk and Raven and Gabriel approached the building quickly but quietly. They reached the door to the building as the figure still rummaged through the desk and Gabriel stood before the door when suddenly it flew open and a soldier in black body armor with the HYDRA logo on it appeared right in front of him with a phaser rifle drawn and on instinct Gabriel grabbed his hand and rifle with one hand and yanked the soldier out as he flew and landed hard on the catwalk behind Gabriel as he screamed and then silenced as he was knocked out. There was a smash sound and when Gabriel looked inside he saw part of the wall behind the desk smashed out and the Red Skull started running away. In a flash Gabriel flew and punched Red Skull in the back knocking him flat on the catwalk as the tied up file folder flew and landed in front of him. Red Skull cringed in anger as he looked back at Gabriel and said, "You know Gabriel I was starting to like you, ever since you invaded the Federation! You proved that this galaxy belongs to superior men like us!" Gabriel said, "You're wrong Schmidt. This galaxy belongs to everyone." Red Skull pulled out his luger hidden from sight beneath his hip as the blue bolt of energy flew at Gabriel. Gabriel immediately dodged to the right in a blink of an eye and was right on top of the Red Skull as he kicked the luger from his hand and fell into one of the open chemical tanks below. Gabriel then grabbed the Red Skull by the collar and lifted him up with only his right hand till the Red Skull brought both his fists down and broke Gabriel's grip and landed on his feet and immediately punched Gabriel directly in the throat with his fist as he yelled in anger. Gabriel stumbled to his knees and grasped his throat as he struggled to breath as the Red Skull looked down at him and smiled with satisfaction before he immediately turned around, grabbed the file and continued to run away.
Once Gabriel regained his breath he started running after the Red Skull with Raven following him and he yelled, "Give me that file!" The Red Skull pulled out a small, round, metal device from his belt and he turned and threw it straight at Gabriel (as if it were a baseball) and Gabriel saw it flying straight towards him with a red light flashing on top and he dodged to the left only for it to explode and shine a bright, white light that blinded him while Raven covered her eyes just in time before it exploded. When the light vanished, Raven opened her eyes and saw Gabriel kneeling and still covering his eyes as he moaned in pain. Red Skull smiled and said, "Looks like I..." Suddenly he was hit by a bolt of blue light and he stumbled back as he was repeatedly hit. Raven ran towards the Red Skull as she fired her phaser set to stun but is having little affect on the Red Skull as he stumbled back from the hits till after four shots Raven threw her phaser away to her right and slid on the walkway between the Red Skull's feet while grabbing onto his left leg as he tried to punch her and she spun around and pulled his leg from beneath him, forcing him to fall forward on the walkway. Red Skull then flipped over and kicked Raven across the face forcing her to fall on her back as the Red Skull quickly stood up and brought his right boot down towards Raven's face. Raven immediately rolled to her right and the Red Skull's boot slammed onto the walkway, creating a metal footprint dent where his boot struck, as Raven rolled up onto her feet as she crouched ready to fight. The Red Skull cringed in anger and said, "You think you can defeat me woman?" Raven said, "Let's find out." Red Skull smiled and said, "Unfortunately I have more important matter to attend to my lady." He crossed his hands in front of him and pressed something hidden beneath his left cufflink of his jacket and dematerialized when suddenly someone flew right past him from behind and the file that was in the Red Skull's hands disappeared and he looked shocked as he saw Gabriel standing behind Raven with the file in his left hand as he waved it at him, all the while smirking, and the Red Skull screamed, "NOOOOO!" In anger till he disappeared. Once the Red Skull disappeared Gabriel looked at the file curiously and said, "I guess something in here must be important since he is angry that I took it from him." Raven looked at him as if he was stupid and said, "No kidding sherlock." She then looked at the chemical tanks below her with disgust and said, "Let's get out of here before I end up puking in one them." Gabriel saw her disgust look and said, "Couldn't agree with you more." He pulled out his communicator and said, "Valkyrie to Yorktown, two to beam up!" He put his communicator away and they both dematerialized.
The Yorktown continued to orbit the planet as Raven and Gabriel rematerialized in the transporter room. They both stepped off the transporter pads and the transporter chief said, "Is your mission a success captain?" Gabriel looked at him with an agreeable look on his face and said, "Yes chief." He then looked puzzled and said, "Why do you ask?" The transporter chief replied, "Just wondering, cause the authorities on the planet are angry and are giving Lt. Commander Malone are hard time on the bridge wondering why we are here." Gabriel smirked and replied, "Well tell the Lt. Commander to not worry and prepare to get underway. We will join her on the bridge once we submit this file to Starfleet Command and send them our report." The transporter chief replied, "Yes sir." Gabriel and Raven exited the transporter room and Raven said, "This file better have something important cause I am not going back to that disgusting planet." Gabriel said, "I believe we are done anyway since we used up all our leads." They entered Gabriel's quarters and Gabriel pressed a button next to his desk monitor and said, "Communications hail Admiral Luckley for me please." Comms replied, "Yes sir." Gabriel then looked up from his desk to Raven and said, "You know what, go ahead and relieve Lt. Commander Malone. If what the transporter chief says its true then you should be up there to clear things up and tell the authorities we are on a classified mission by Starfleet Command." Raven replied, "I'm sure Malone will be relieved." Gabriel smirked and said, "That is why I am sending you." Raven sighed and shook her head as she turned to leave, but before she left the room as the door opened she turned back and said, "You better not take long. That last thing I want is for them to ask me a thousand questions and I might just feel like firing a single torpedo at them just to shut them up." Gabriel stifled a laugh and replied, "With that I won't be long at all." Raven left as she turned her head to prevent Gabriel from seeing her smirking to his comment.
The turbo lift doors opened and Raven stepped onto the bridge as the everyone continued their normal duties except there was a muffled yelling noise coming from the communications console as the Lt. behind it cringed and removed his ear piece while Lt. Commander Malone looked grim at the console and then at Raven and said (with a hint of relief), "Welcome back commander." Raven stood before communications and Malone and said, "Status report." Malone said, "Starfleet has been notified of what has happened and they sent their compliments with the exception of Zhargosia. There is also a personal message waiting for the captain from a David Crow, otherwise all systems are fully functional and all stations are standing by." Raven said, "Thank You, maintain standard orbit till the captain arrives." Malone replied, "Yes ma'm." She resumed her station as Raven approached the command chair but stood by hesitantly as she looked at it, debating whether she should sit in it or not.
Raven said to herself, "What the hell." And she put her hands on the arm rests and began to sit down till just as she touched the cushion the turbo lift doors opened behind her and a voice said, "Too late." Raven stood up and looked behind her, alert, and saw Gabriel in his yellow Starfleet uniform. He approached and Raven stood back as he sat and she said (with a hint of frustration), "You have one hell of a sense of timing." Gabriel smirked and said, "No, it just happens." He sat in the chair and made a comfortable sigh and said, "Maybe next time commander. What's the ship's status?" Raven said, "All stations are standing by and all systems are fully operational. Also Starfleet has congratulate us on completing the mission, but Zhargosia does not feel the same way and you have a personal message from a David Crow." Gabriel raised his right eye brow at her, curiously, and said, "David Crow? Haven't heard from him in a long time." Raven said, "Besides that why would Starfleet congratulate us if we didn't apprehend the Red Skull?" Gabriel replied, "Because the file we got contains the blue prints and details of the rifles the Red Skull and HYDRA were building to sell on the black market that were stolen and apparently the reason why they are selling them is because HYDRA is running out of funding." Raven looked confused and said, "Running out of funding? I thought HYDRA has powerful friends or their leaders have vast amounts of wealth." Gabriel said, "They still have some powerful or rich allies but not enough where HYDRA can pursue their interests outside Terminar and as a result it has driven them to the state, of what you call, bankruptcy." Raven said, "But would they be more dangerous now than what they were?" Gabriel said, "Hmm, yes and no. They will try to find another way to get more money to either expand or continue what they plan on doing in the future, but at the same time they will essentially downgrade themselves to bank robbers." Raven said, "Has Starfleet issued anymore orders?" Gabriel said, "For now they said to maintain this orbit till we are called upon shortly." Raven said, "The authorities on the planet below are not going to like this." Gabriel replied (with a sarcastic pity expression), "Aww, too bad. And tell them we are ordered to stay temporarily till ordered otherwise by Starfleet." Raven smirked with satisfaction and said, "Yes sir." And she approached communications as Gabriel sat back in his seat comfortably.
