Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda
Scars of War
"Anger scorches the pure heart
Hatred leaves scars that cannot heal
Love is an emotion he cannot feel,
While the Darkness inside plays its part"
Rev Grahm, a follower of the Way
"Collected Poems"
CY 10061
Chapter One
"Darkness Within"
It had been three months after the Andromeda and her crew had escaped from the Magog World Ship. Three months of repairs, retrofits and cleanup. The bodies of the dead Magog were now long gone but the stench of Magog flesh still filled the corridors.
Captian Dylan Hunt stood slumped at his station on the Command Deck of the Andromeda Ascendant. The last few months had not been very easy on his crew. In fact the last few months had not been easy on anyone. The knowledge of impending doom was enough to drag down anyone's spirit but to also know that you are the only one who has even a chance of preventing that doom was frankly overwhelming.
"Dylan," Rev Bem said as he came up behind his troubled friend, "We have received word from the Nietzschean Prides we contacted."
"And what did they have to say?" Dylan asked barely hiding a new found anger boiling in his soul. The Nietzscheans had destroyed the Commonwealth, and had stolen his life that should have been. They were responsible for all the horror and death that had occurred in the last three centuries and it was because of them that all the Known Worlds were now in such deadly peril.
"The Drago-Kazov Pride thanked us for he information but declined to offer any kind of assistance or support for our cause." The Magog... no Wayist Priest, told him. "The Sabra and Jaguar Prides have decided to tighten their own defences but have not yet decided to join in our unified front."
"I see," Dylan said but didn't truly mean it. Didn't they understand that the Magog were coming and that everyone was in deadly and uncompromising danger. "Anything else?"
"None of the other Prides have even bothered to respond," Rev told him.
"Thank you Rev," Dylan said turning back to his station as Rev left the command deck.
Dylan shook his head as he starred into his console. The Nietzscheans were the most powerful race in the known worlds, he needed them. If the Commonwealth was going to be restored it needed support from the various Nietzschaean Prides or else when the Magog came there would be no chance of defeating them.
"Uh, Dylan," Seamus Harper, the ships engineer and all around fix-it guy said with a little concern, "did you hear me."
"No, sorry Harper," Dylan replied, bringing himself back into the room, "What is it?"
"The final repair report," Harper told him handing him a flexi, "The Andromeda is back up and ready to go. You just have to give the word."
Dylan looked at his engineer. Before the encounter with the World Ship, Harper has been full of life and a sharp wit. Since coming back infected with Magog larva he seemed much quieter and more reserved, his few bursts of humour were more dark.
"Good work, Harper," Dylan congratulated him, "I didn't think we could get the ship repaired in anything less than half a year."
"What can I say? The Harper is good," Harper told him but with less feeling than was once there.
Dylan turned away from Harper and addressed the ship, "Andromeda, have Bekka report to command immediately."
"Don't bother," Bekka Valentine, the ships first officer and Captian of the Eureka Maru, told him "I'm already here."
"Good. I'd like you to pilot us to Sintii, I want to meet with the Council of Directors as soon as possible," Dylan informed her.
"Sure," Bekka said standing in the new pilots station.
"Dylan," the holographic Andromeda said as she appeared, "I'm detecting multiple slip portal events, directly in our path. They are Magog swarm ships."
"Battle Stations," Dylan ordered, "All hands report to the bridge."
Rev, Tyr Anasazi and Harper arrived on the command deck with Trance Gemini not far behind.
"What's going on?" the Nietzschean and ships tactical officer Tyr Anasazi demanded as he took up his station.
"Over seventy Magog swarm ships are blocking our path into slipstream," Andromeda's robot Avatar, Rommie, told him as she also enter command.
"What are we going to do, what are we going to do?" Harper cried out.
"Calm yourself Harper," Dylan ordered, "Now are the new defences fully online?
"Uh, yea, yea, ready to go boss," Harper told him distractedly.
"Good," Dylan said, "Bekka, I want you to drive us right through the heart of that Magog swarm, full power."
"You want me to what?" Bekka asked incredulously, "That's insane."
"Maybe but it's the only idea I've got right now so unless you've got something better," he paused expectantly," let's bring it."
Bekka starred at him a heartbeat longer then said, "All right, here we go."
The Andromeda bored down on the Magog ships as fast as it could possibly go. The distance between the them drew tighter and tighter as the Magog ships also moved to intercept.
"Tyr, prepare a full spread of defensive missiles and lock on the Anti-proton cannons," Dylan ordered, "Fire on my mark."
"Weapons ready," Tyr said sceptically.
The ship began to shake as the Magog began to fire missile barrages into the Andromeda. Bekka bobbed and weaved trying to evade the on coming fire.
"Any time now Dylan," Bekka said in hoping he would have Tyr open fire.
"Not yet," Dylan told them, "hold your fire."
The Andromeda began to sweep through the Magog formation, passing Magog craft as she manoeuvred past them at high speed.
"We're moving to fast for the first wave of ships to attach to the ship," the holographic Andromeda reported.
"We caught them flat footed," Tyr said with some amazement.
"It's not over yet," Dylan told him, "Tyr, fire."
The Andromeda let loose with everything it had at the Magog ships as they blew past. Defensive and offensive missiles tracked towards their targets, as the ships A-P cannons fired with their full fury.
But the Magog kept coming.
"Three swarm ships have attached themselves to my hull," the video screen Andromeda reported, "The Magog are digging through the hull."
"Activate the new internal defences and bring Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum online to clean the swarm ships off the hull," Dylan ordered, "Tyr keep firing."
All throughout the ship Andromeda activated her new anti-Magog defence. The new shipboard internal warfare bots began spreading through the ship preparing to fight of the oncoming Magog. While on the hull Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, the planetary warfare bots, now modified to work on the hull even in combat, moved to intercept and destroy the Magog swarm ships already attached to the hull.
"How long till slipstream?" Dylan inquired.
"Just a little further," Bekka replied anxiously.
The Andromeda continued on its suicide course through the Magog formation. The ship's missile batteries continued to fire as more swarm ships continued to approach.
"We're not going to make it," Harper exclaimed.
"Yes we are," Bekka cried out in reply, "Prepare for slipstream."
With a blinding flash the Andromeda entered slipstream as the crew let out a collective sigh of relief.
"Internal defences are activated," Rommie reported, "Three dozen Magog have made it on board. Internal warfare bots are moving to intercept."
The Magog began to move around the Andromeda searching for prey. All were armed with their own deadly gauss rifles. Their mission was not to make food of the Andromeda's crew nor was it to make them host for their progeny.
No, the Magog were here to destroy the Andromeda and her crew.
These Magog however would not complete their mission.
The Internal warfare bots were smaller more agile versions of the powerful Planetary Warfare bots that even now were combing Andromeda's hull seeking out Magog craft attached to the hull. Armed with heavy repeating gauss guns and an assortment of small explosives these twelve bots were more then up to the challenge of destroying a few armed Magog.
The Magog fought their way through the powerful robots, loosing half their number in only a few minutes. Three of the might robots were destroyed as the Magog pressed on their attack.
The last Magog died clawing at the door to the command deck.
Dylan let the silence rule for a moment as the last sounds of combat died away.
"Report," he ordered.
"The last Magog has been eliminated," Rommie reported, "And all the swarm ships have been removed from the hull."
"Bekka, take us out of slipstream," Dylan ordered, "Then set a new course for Sintii. Harper, begin a damage assessment and Rommie begin cleaning up the Magog corpses. Make sure their dead."
With that Dylan Hunt left the Command deck stepping over dead Magog as he left.