Tales of the Lone Wolves – Book 2
Forward:-
This is the follow on book from the first book which was called Wolf Pack. As such it would be wise to read before reading this one.
Once again many thanks go to Albert G, who has been my beta reader for the last book and is for this one. Without his help it would be true to say that neither of these stories would have made it onto the fan fiction site.
Lone Wolves is set straight after the events of Wolf Pack, I hope you enjoy the story as much as I have putting pen to paper.
Thanks for you feedback.
Solair
Tales of the Lone Wolves
Chapter One
"The End of the Beginning"
Scorpius slammed his fist hard upon the desk growling furiously; he had just witnessed the destruction of Commandant Mele-on Gravyza's Carrier. To make matters worse, if indeed they could be any worse it had been destroyed by what appeared to be a small shuttle craft of some design. The techs had been going over the data that had been recovered from what had remained from the carrier and her escorts, as well as the lone Marauder that had been keeping a visual lock on the carrier. Now, with nothing but dead, floating debris remaining in space, the techs worked feverously trying to pull together information that would help High Command formulate a response to this 'USS Albion'. Scorpius had made it quite clear that failure to gather the required information was not an option. He'd already sent two Command Carriers to patrol the sector. This would make sure the Albion could be spotted and relevant action could be brought to bear upon her
Worf's face appeared upon the view screen of the techs as he reviewed the transmission from the small vessel to that of the Command Carrier. The information from the salvage mission was going well; there was residue of anti matter discovered. However this relevance of this information at this point in their investigation had not yet been discovered.
"Well," snapped Scorpius, "What, if anything, have you to report!"
The chief technical officer looked uncomfortable to say the least as he shifted from one foot to the other, trying not to make eye contact with Scorpius.
"Well how long do I have to wait? May I point out that I am getting a little annoyed with your efforts or lack of them. And if this report does not reveal some useful information, then it will be rather unfortunate for you. Do you understand?"
The tech officer simply nodded then took a deep breath before he started his report.
As the officer draw himself to full height ready to speak to Scorpius, a com channel bleeped into life. A second later, the Com officer stood and called over to Scorpius. He turned and strode purposefully over to the officer.
"Well, what have you found for me, and it had better be of some importance!" snarled Scorpius.
"Sir, we have found the Scarran task force. It's dead in space, Sir."
A slowly evil smirk started to stretch across Scorpius' face, that then grow into a large smile as he read the remained of the report him self.
"Well at least today isn't a total loss." Scorpius mussed to himself. "Helm set in an intercept course maximum speed. However inform the interceptor to stay on station and continue scanning the area and to direct there findings directly to me."
"Aye, Sir," came the reply from the officer at tactical as the remaining Command Carriers swung about and headed off at high speed to the crippled Scarran fleet.
The Scarran fleet floated in space, their vessels critically damaged. Form some of those ships, debris continually vented from within them. Others floated and crashed into one another. The lucky ones of the fleet still had manoeuvring thrusters and used them to keep at a station keeping position.
Around the outside of what remained of the fleet and debris, the fighters that remained intact continued their patrols. A rescue beacon had been fired off into space and with a little luck, re-enforcements would be sent and the once powerful dreadnaught could be towed back to base. A rather indignant end to the fleet, and something that the commander of the fleet knew would cost him his life.
A proximity alarm sounded within the lead dreadnaught as its sensors had picked up a large fleet of vessels heading in their direction. Immediately the fighters formed a tight formation around the dreadnaughts ready to defend them at all coasts.
Scorpius strode upon the command deck watching the scene before him unfold something that was better then anything he could have hoped for. These once powerful and feared Scarran dreadnaughts, were now motionless, drifting, and ripe for the picking. A sheer carnivorous smile crept across Scorpius' face, as he looked towards the screen at the fast approaching fighters. "Dispatch the Prowlers to deal with capital ship escorts. And bring us into range of the dreadnaught, fire when ready," Scorpius ordered in a quite monotone voice.
This almost felt like being cheated, but at least he knew he would win this battle, and that could be used as a bargaining chip at a later time, But, for now, he needed to win.
The prowlers sleek and powerful bodies sliced through space heading towards there prey, they let lose with the weapons arrays, as did the approaching Scarran fighter. As the ordnance flew across space, ships caught within its deadly grip exploded in a hail of flames and debris. Only the best pilots made it through the maelstrom and started there deadly dog fights. Around the stricken dreadnaughts the fighters danced there deadly dance. The unlucky pilots who misjudged the fine manoeuvring needed for this death defying fight, slammed into the superstructure of the dreadnaught announcing their death in a hail of flames.
One dreadnaught was impacted by half a dozen fighters, both Scarran and Peacekeepers. The already badly damaged dreadnaught creaked groaned, and then its body ruptured, with small explosions, as it started to break up. Then with one huge detonation, debris was thrown across the killing field that surrounded the once powerful fleet.
"Sir, we are within range of the Dreadnaughts."
"Very good," replied Scorpius with a look of sheer bloodlust within his eyes He slammed him fist upon the table and screamed, "FIRE!"
All Prowlers immediately broke from the fight, as the frag cannons let fly their ordnance with devastating results. With no way to defend themselves, the dreadnaught stood little chance of survival. After all but a short while of the outright pummelling, the vessels broken up leaving naught but debris, floating bodies, and spent ordnance floating within open space.
Scorpius's manic eyes started upon the screen, the Scarran fleet now lay before him, defeated. "Victory", he whispered to himself, then turned to the Captain Braca; "Braca have all Prowlers be brought back onboard. Dispatch a salvage team see if we can located any data rods. I want to see what and how these dreadnaughts were so easily crippled."
"Sir," came the quick response. As Braca commenced with the tasks at hand, thinking to himself, he'd not seen Scorpius this focused before.
Scorpius walked into his own private chambers, and activated the com to send a detailed report to High Command. A short time later, Scorpius was looking into the Monitor and three High command Admirals were staring back at him.
"….It is with some great regret that I must inform you of the loss of Commandant Mele-on Grayzaand her full carrier escort. While scouting ahead of the fleet, the Commandant located the Scarran fleet. Instead of waiting for reinforcements, she courageously charged the fleet, while sending word back to us of their location, and in doing so, sealing her own fate
While the Scarren task force was focused upon Mele-on Grayza carrier. Her courageous scarifies gave us the element of surprise. To which we exploited to our full advantage, and completely decimating the Scarrens.
As the last part of the sentence passed his lips, his Scarran side briefly showed its self within a large and manic growl.
"Forgive me," cooed Scorpius. "It was indeed a great loss, to which I my self am trying to come to terms with."
"Very Well Scorpius we will, study your reports and will contact you shortly, high command out!" As the Admirals looked at each other there disbelief was clear upon their faces. Commandant Mele-on Grayza's death was indeed a great loss, fair better it had been the half bread's death and not hers.
"Well, your thoughts on her 'courageous selfless act?' " One of the Admirals said as he looked at the other two sitting either side of him.
"I find it hard to believe Scorpius's report, once the task force returns, we shall have all the time to question our operative we placed on Scorpius's Carrier and see what really transpired."
To which all three Admirals nodded in agreement.
With that the screen went blank, and Scorpius allowed a smile play across his face.
Walking back onto the command deck, Scorpius called Braca, to which Braca, made his way to Scorpius.
"Sir," Braca said as he looked towards Scorpius.
"Has the report from the Command Carrier studying the wreckage of the Commandant's ship thrown anything interesting into focus?"
"Indeed it has Sir. From the data crystals that we have managed to recover, and from that, the data that is salvageable. It provides us with evidence that the weapons used were of incredible yield."
Braca handed Scorpius his hardcopy of the report. It was fixed on the explosive read outs, this seemed to capture Scorpius eye. Meanwhile Scorpius' Command Carrier was in the midst of recalling their prowlers.
The command deck was a hive of activity, as they were dealing with the aftermath of the one sided battle with the remains of the Scarran armada.
Captain Braca turned once again to look at Scorpius who was still reading the data report. As he did one of the technicians that had been instrumental with Scorpius wormhole research, appeared by his side saluted and waited nervously.
"Yes?" Braca spat, his temper just bubbling under control.
"Sir, I think you'd better have a look at these reading, I believe they're important…" As his attention was focused on this young female, she handed him a pad, to which Braca's face turn a pale shade of red.
"Dismissed" Braca replied his hand waved her off, as he slowly turned to Scorpius who was still studying the report Braca had given him earlier. "Sir, we are detecting a strange energy reading off the starboard quarter, Sir."
Hoping it was something that he could use, he raised his eyes towards the captain and enquired, "And pray tell Braca what is this strange energy reading that you've found? Can it be of use to us in our current predicament?"
"Sir, I think it can, the readings we're detecting are those of when a wormhole forms." Braca continued, smug. "And I would predict at anytime now we should witness the birth of a wormhole."
This seized the half-Scarran's train of thought. A micro second later; all hell broke loose on the Command Carrier as the wormhole erupted into life. As it did so a subspace surge was flung out hitting the Carrier, crippling it, and drawing it closer to the waiting mouth of the wormhole. The other Carriers of the task force were forced to jump to full hatch speed and in any direction, leaving Scorpius Command Carrier to the mercy of the wormhole and its own fate.
"Report!" Screamed Scorpius as the listing ship's power flickered before failing leaving only emergency power. As slowly the mighty Peace Keeper vessel was being drawn ever closer towards the jaws of the await wormhole.
"Power down all over the ship, Sir. We are reading no hull breathers, but we are listing to port," Braca frantically relayed.
Checking the readings himself Scorpius gasped in horror; the Command Carrier was being dragged into the awaiting wormhole. There had only ever been one known craft that had navigated a wormhole, and that was Crichton's pod.
The bridge crew were starting to panic, they'd all known what had happened when a Command Carrier had been caught by a wormhole, it was simple, and the carrier was destroyed. There were no known reports of any Carriers surviving. Their fate was sealed as far as they were concerned, though to their credit they stayed at their posts, trying in vain to save the doomed vessel. All around them, the vessel started to creak and moan as if she were in pain, complaining about it unfair fate. Shuddering violently, most of the crew were thrown to the floor as they tried to pick themselves up a lone cry echoed around the bridge.
"It's got us, we're being enveloped!"
As the Command Carrier was drawn within the wormhole its fate seeming sealed, the vessel violently shuddered and creaked before slipping inside the funnel of the wormhole. With a flash, the wormhole vanished from view, leaving peaceful space as if nothing had ever happened here save for some floating debris.
The vessel was being tossed this way and that, as it fell helplessly through the gravitational eddies that formed inside the wormhole. The crew held onto what ever they could, waiting for death. Sheering noises echoed through the vessel and Scorpius held hold of the command console for all it was worth. Around the command deck most of the crew were doing the same, save for the few poor souls that had lost there struggle with life and now bounced around the command decks as if they were nothing more then rag dolls.
The ship shook violently as a breach in the hull vented air into space, alarms echoed through out the command deck. A hushed whisper of, "this is it," could be heard. The vessel again tumbled out of control through the wormhole, and as it did so, something large smashed into Scorpius' head, as he fell to the floor.
And everything went dark for Scorpius, whom for one moment had been thrown about on his command deck, and then the next moment found himself upon a green hill, inside a stone circle.
"Where the frell am I?" snarled a stunned Scorpius as he span round to take in his new surroundings.
A startling thought raced through his head, was he dead?
"No you're not dead, yet" A female voice echoed out from all around him. "very much alive, and if you want to keep it that way, well then let's just say that we might want to help each other."
"Is that so" mussed Scorpius, as he looked around for the owner of the voice.
"It is indeed, I want you to help catch my prey. You help me and I, will give you in what you seek." As her voice trailed off a picture of Moya appeared before him.
Scorpius smiled showing off his yellowed and stained teeth, "what choice do I have?"
"None." She replied sharply.
The single word answer floated around before a humanoid winged female appeared before him. Her wings were wrapped around her shoulders and hung like a cloak, as she walked towards him. Her long Black hair, hung simply over her shoulders, and her eyes, sparkled green in colour.
"You see my dear Scorpius, I have the power to keep your Carrier safe, or cast it to oblivion. The choice is yours."
He had her in the palm of her hand and this was something that Scorpius was not use to, nor did he like. He lunged at her with as much speed as he could muster; she seemed to recoil in terror. Growling his hand darted towards her throat, ready to rip it out, he would show her just who he was.
As his hand was within an inch of her throat, her look of terror, melted into that of a smile as she waved her, instantly he was thrown against one of the stone pillars of the circle.
With a sickening crack his back smashed the pillar which cracked at the impact as chucks of debris fell to the ground, along with Scorpius' prone body.
His body broken, pain flowing throughout his whole being, he forced himself to stand, growling loudly as he did so. This forced a bemused expression upon the female's face. She could feel his whole life energy ebbing away.
" I ……will nnnn.not beeee…" He spat his words out upon harsh breaths as blood seeped through his teeth and trickled down his chin.
He slumped upon the ground once again, and gasped as pain enveloped his whole body. Coughing up blood, a steeled expression fixed itself upon his face, commanding his very body to ignore the pain and obey his commands. He forced himself once more to rise.
Scorpious staggered to his unsteady feet, anger and bitterness fuelled his need to stand. Taking hold of the stone behind him, he struggled to his feet. A manic look passed across his face and sheer rage lying just beneath his very word.
"I am not that easy to kill," he stated in a slow measured voice.
"Indeed", his tormenter said before with a flick of her wrist, she sent Scorpius body into another pillar. With a sickening thwack his body fell broken to the floor; the once mighty Scorpius lay dead, and lifeless upon the floor.
With a sudden jolt of electric that ran through his entire body, Sorpius screamed in rage then struggled to stand. He push down with his hand, the floor was cold, looking down to see what his hand was upon, he noticed it was different. He looked at the other hand, again different, something amiss, but what. Then he noticed he was not wearing his heat dissipating clothing, his hands searched his body, Different. His head was uncovered, and his hair felt, normal. Looking again at his hands, he saw the greyish skin had been replaced with the normal pinkish colour of other Sebaceans
With a flash, a mirror hovered before him, looking back from the mirror at him was Scorpius hardly reconsider himself, he was whole. Looking back was a full Sebacean. Dropping to his knees, he finally looked around at his surroundings. He was in a white, void, nothing save for whiteness all around him. Was he dead? Had that bitch killed him? were his thoughts that perforated through his mind.
"As I said before, you help me and I will help you. This is your reward. You help me Scorpius, and you will be normal for the rest of your life." The female's voice echoed round him from everywhere. As a wave of dizziness encompassed him, and darkness took Scorpius.
A moment later Scorpius moved his aching body from the rock he lay by. Everything hurt, which proved one thing, he was alive and not dead. Kneeling beside him was the winged female; once again she had a bemused expression on her face.
"You have seen what I have to offer," she cooed. "Do you wish to take it, or do you wish to be left like this for all time?"
Quickly looking at his body, he could see it was nothing like what he had just seen in his 'dream'.
He snarled, "and how do I know this is not some kind of trick on your part?"
Slowly the female stood up, and tapped her fore head. "Because my dear boy, you no longer have a need for rods in your head." As the words were said, Scorpius' hand shot to his head, to which he found nothing, no hood, nor no cooling rod hatch.
His mouth fell open as if he was trying to say something, and a look of sheer disbelief played across his face.
"This is but a taste of what I can do for you. The more you help me the more I will give you, until you are whole again."
"Find me the Albion, then contact me, once you have done so, I will contact you again"
With that she stretched her wings, and beat them once, the down draft knocked Scorpius to his feet. He struggled to get back up, as his surroundings grew darker. A few seconds later, he was standing one the command deck, all around him the bridge crew were sprawled not dead, and just coming round.
"REPORT" snapped Scorpius, to anyone that could hear him, as one of the helm officers managed to get himself to his feet.
"We've made it through the wormhole Sir, but we've taken damage."
Scorpiusreplied calmly. "Then dispatch repair crews and inform me when we are battle ready."
"Aye, Sir."
"Dispatch a squadron of Prowlers to fly patrol around the carrier. I want to know precisely where we are in space," Scorpius continued before he returned to his private chambers.
Once inside his chamber, he looked deeply into the mirror that he barely even acknowledged existed before. Now a face he had not seen for quite some time stared back at him. His once bedraggled hair gone, now it was neatly combed back. Gingerly, he touched the side of his head where once his implant hatch could be found, but no there was nothing. How could a being do this, how much power did she have, and how could he turn it to his own advantages he mused.