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6
What
resistance there was didn't last too long.
The Rapid
Response Team was the Maximillian's
equivalent to any other ship's Starfleet Marines. They were tough,
strong, and pound for pound more efficient and effective than any
group of marines known to the fleet. For this reason, they were
often sent on dangerous missions into uncharted territories. During
the Dominion Wars, they fought many ground battles across the many
planets that were involved, and more often than not came out with a
tremendous victory, not even losing a single crewman, which had
impressed Captain Kelvok incredibly. For that reason, he refused
marine assignment on his vessel, instead expanding the Response team
program, started by Admirals Lyon and T'Kill in the early days of
their involvement with the Maximillian,
to a full fledged department on board the ship. So it was not really
a wonder that the defenses of the base did not hold, especially when
the might of the team was combined with the powerful Quantum torpedo
blasts from the mighty Max.
After the last torpedo had
exploded, throwing rubble and armed Bajorans into the air, the team
stormed in, trailed by Captain Kelvok and Lieutenant Commander Critch
Starblade. There was a brief firefight, and the defenders were all
stunned within a moment. Kelvok rushed forward, shouting loudly
enough to be heard over the roaring flames caused by the destruction.
"SEARCH FOR SURVIVORS! KEEP ONE CONSCIOUS!" With silent
motions by Commander Korjac, the team leader, the team fanned out
over the blown apart base, searching inside buildings, inside every
nook and cranny for someone that had not only survived the initial
attack, but also looked likely to have information that they could
use.
Critch and Kelvok had broken off to the remains of the
five floor building that had fallen, and were slowly, cautiously
looking through the rubble. They kept fairly close to each other,
each ready to back the other up if the battle was rejoined. Neither
of them had to wait long as a small group of scared men burst from
the remaining floor. They were dust covered, armed with… Kelvok
narrowed his eyes… Were they…Romulan?
Romulans? Here?
This was the last place in the galaxy he expected to discover them.
Since the incident with the Reman outcasts and the Scimitar, Romulans
were not known to be outside their home system, preferring to attempt
to rebuild their homeworld by themselves. Starfleet was, at this
point, not getting closely entangled with the new governments that
were springing up all over Romulus after the murder of the Senate,
but they were keeping an eye on things, lest this one chance for
peace be lost under a new oppressive group. As Kelvok was
half-Romulan himself, he was especially interested in their presence,
and was also interested in where they had obtained their weaponry, as
he realized with a start exactly what they were clutching, and
beginning to aim, a bit shakily, in his direction.
As the
bolts sailed over his head, Kelvok dived and hit the ground, rolling
and firing his own phaser rifle. He missed, but Critch didn't
hesitate as he fired into the crowd. The first shots hit their mark,
with such precision only the android could do, and the Romulans hit
the ground, leaving only a cowering man in the background. As the
Rapid Response Team rushed up to their Captain, ready to protect him,
Critch brought his weapon to bear on the shaking, weaponless man,
realizing he wasn't a Romulan. He stopped, sheathed his weapon,
and calmly walked towards the man.
"Well, well, look who it
is…" Critch called, half towards the team, half towards the man.
Kelvok started after him, realizing now that he knew this person,
this…Bajoran.
The assassin that had attempted to kill
Jaydin, and then had escaped the Maximillian
with assistance from its own crew, was now crawling on the ground
before Critch and Kelvok. Critch smirked at Kelvok, who had
retrieved a weapon from a downed Romulan. He looked it over, then
glanced at Korjac. "Your services are no longer required,
Commander. Thank you for your assistance."
Stopped in his
tracks, but not about to challenge his Captain, Korjac grunted,
tapped his commbadge, and within seconds beamed back to the
Maximillian,
along with his team, leaving Critch and Kelvok alone with their old
acquaintance.
Critch continued. "That was a wonderful
escape you had, beautiful trajectory out of the ship…nicely done.
Didn't think to check the ship for a tracking device, did you?"
He hauled off and kicked the Bajoran in the stomach, leaving him
clutching his gut and moaning. "Didn't think that your people
would rather leave you there to die rather than mount any kind of a
rescue mission, did you?" He kicked him again, this time in the
back, and Kelvok shook his head and warned Critch softly.
"Commander…"
Critch stopped, and kneeled down, looking
his adversary in the face. "I'll level with you. I don't like
you, and I don't think you like me, so I'll make you a deal."
Critch stalked around the crouching Bajoran. "Tell us where she
is. What's going to happen. Or you join your friends."
The Bajoran didn't falter, and laughed, coughing up blood as he did
so. "Heh, your precious fleet would never allow you to harm me…you
have no power."
Critch smiled. "Starfleet isn't here,
are they?"
The Bajoran stopped for a moment, and looked at
Kelvok, approaching them. The Vulcan cleared his throat as he held
out the weapon he had picked up in front of them, presenting it to
the failed assassin. "Do you know what this is?"
The
Bajoran shook his head with some difficulty.
Kelvok
continued. "It is a Romulan disruptor, mark III. Developed for
the old government, right before their murder. It has been passed
down into the black market ever since then, and has been banned by
nearly every sane authority throughout both the Alpha and Beta
Quadrants."
The Bajoran suddenly shook with a sudden
realization as he saw Kelvok point the disruptor at his head. "It
has been banned due to the weapon's propensity for a slow, painful
death. There is no stun setting. Were I to shoot you, you would die
in agony over the next several hours. There is no antidote, no cure.
It would simply annihilate you from the inside out, and the universe
would never notice your passing. So we ask you again…" Kelvok
placed a finger on the trigger of the disruptor. "…Tell us what
you know."
Knowing he should be strong, but also knowing
that they had been pushed beyond their limits, the Bajoran broke,
wishing to hang on to what life he had left. "All right…"
Kelvok did not move the weapon.
"ALL RIGHT!" He
sobbed, and Kelvok lowered it.
"Speak." The Captain
said, staring at him with a flash of hatred.
"…She is the
Kaipar.
We all know it. But the religion is splintering even as Mathias
brings her here. The Elders believe that her death will bring about
the birth of a new Kaipar,
one stronger, one who will stay with Bajor and save it from the
coming apocalypse. Your Jaydin is not believed to be able to do
it."
Kelvok said nothing, and glanced at Critch, saw the
raw emotion emanating from his officer, and wished he could show the
same, for that was what he felt inside.
"Jaydin has
forsaken Bajor for your almighty Starfleet, and she will pay for her
transgressions, as will all of the Federation."
"How so?"
Kelvok said calmly.
The Bajoran sighed. "This base is one
of several spread around the planets loyal to the religion. There
will be a war after your Jaydin dies, and we have prepared."
Kelvok nodded. "A war on Bajor could divide much of Starfleet, to
say nothing of Deep Space Nine."
"Yes…we believe that
is what the Loyalists want."
"Loyalists?"
The
Bajoran looked frightened. "I cannot say any more. I know nothing
more."
Kelvok pressed the barrel of the disruptor against
the Bajoran's forehead. "Then you are of no more use to us."
"NO! PLEASE! I know nothing more about the Loyalists! But I
know what is planned for the lady!"
Critch grabbed his hair
and pulled him up, dangling him over the ground. "WHAT?"
"It is too late for her. The Kaipar
is about to make her appearance before the tribes. An agent of the
Elders is in place there…he will remove her from her position."
Critch looked at Kelvok helplessly as the Bajoran continued.
"He will kill the lady Jaydin."
It took every ounce of
restraint that Kelvok had to keep from firing the disruptor. Critch
threw the traitorous assassin back several yards, against a sharp
piece of rubble. His bleeding body fell to the side, rasping.
Kelvok approached him, kneeled, and said simply, "Where?"
Barely any breath left in his body, the Bajoran gasped. "City…city
of Gnoshan."
Kelvok looked at Critch, who nodded. "I'm
going." The android tapped his commbadge, and beamed back to the
Maximillian,
leaving Kelvok alone with the broken Bajoran. Kelvok began to tap
his commbadge, then stopped, realizing he still had the disruptor in
his hand. Realizing he was alone with his captive. He looked the
Bajoran in his eye, and fired the disruptor, catching him in the
stomach. He then tapped the badge, and disappeared in blue haze,
hearing the screams of the Bajoran as the unending pain began.
"How many, Mathias?"
Jaydin stared down the leader of the Kaipar religion, far more nervous than she could ever remember being. She had seen the multitudes of people, Bajorans, and quite a few races she couldn't identify. Seen them waiting for their savior, ready to worship her. The reality of the situation had come crashing down upon her, and she now found it difficult to breathe. She turned her focus off of the crowds and onto Mathias, who was backing away, nervously, having returned her to the waiting room.
"My...my lady?"
"How many are out there? This isn't what I would call 'Comparatively small'!"
"On the scale of the planets..."
"HOW MANY?"
Mathias sighed, and regained his composure. He could certainly understand and her ambivalence, and her anger. "Almost a million, Jaydin. Possibly above a million."
Jaydin looked him, angry but lost, and sank into a nearby chair, and almost whispered. "I can't do this."
"I know what is going through your mind..."
"YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS! A million people, waiting for me to say, what? What can I say that will please all of them?"
Mathias shook his head. "Nothing." He crossed the room, and sat next to her. "There is nothing you can say that will fulfill all of their hopes and dreams, all of their ideas of what you should be, and what they want. Instead, you should look to please only one person. Yourself.
"Whether you choose to believe it or not, Jaydin, you are destined to be here. You are destined to go out there, say what you will say, and then do what you will do. Today is a very small step compared to the ordeals you will undergo. So it is best to stay true to what you are, my lady. To stay true to yourself."
Jaydin stood up, breathing heavily. "Not much of a pep talk, Mathias."
"I'm all out of pep, my lady." He stood as well. "It is nearly time." Indeed, the crowds had grown silent, and they seemed to be listening to a charismatic speaker, building to the introduction of Jaydin herself. She looked at him, the panic still in her stomach, but she put on a brave face. She had stood up to hardships, embarrassment, and struggles before, and had come through it, if not with shining colors, then at least with some kind of knowledge.
He stood, ready to lead her out, and she waited a moment before falling into step behind him. She was ready to do her duty, and also, to get this over with.
As the two slowly made their way out of the waiting room, and around the arena to a smaller room behind the main stage, another figure took his seat, far up in the stadium itself. He removed many small tools and instruments from a duffel bag he had brought in, and began assembling them. After a few moments, the device began resembling something quite near to a weapon, a large rifle. And the grey haired Bajoran never took his eyes off the stage, off of the podium where the Kaipar would soon emerge.
As it happened, as the Bajoran was assembling the rifle, directly below him, at the nearest entrance to the arena, Critch, Skrit, Overload and Databit, along with a squad of the Rapid Response group, entered. Skrit ordered the group to fan out, keeping a low profile, trying to ascertain where the assassin was located. As they began to look around, they realized the futility of their actions.
"There's over a million people in here!" Critch muttered, shaking his head.
"Actually, there is closer to nine hundred, seventy two thousand, four hundred and fifty four..." Databit spoke up, but was silenced by a stern look from Critch.
"Don't worry. We'll find them. We know they're here, and that gives us the advantage." Skrit tried to put an optimistic face on the situation, but he felt as hopeless about it as any of them. And they were running out of time. He motioned upward into the packed stands. "Critch, move around the crowd. I'm going to get closer to the stage, and Overload will assist me."
They nodded, and Critch grabbed Databit from Overload's clutches. "Can I borrow him?"
"Why?"
Critch placed Databit on his shoulder. "He's going to be useful, for once." Critch looked at him. "Your eyesight isn't as good as mine, but it'll be a big help. Always look in the opposite direction as me, got it?" The miniature android, looking quite pleased with himself, nodded, and began to scan. Skrit and Overload headed down to the stage, as Critch and Databit climbed the stairs.
"What do you need help with?" Overload asked, inquisitively.
"Not sure yet, but I think I saw something..." He was cut off as the speaker asked for complete silence.
The hopeful voice from the stage rang out into the night. "Please, my people...please quiet..." He paused as the chanting and yelling and calling ended, then continued. "It is my great honor, no, my privilege! To introduce to you who we've been waiting for...for so long." He stopped, lest he be overcome with the emotions of the moment. He looked offstage, then turned back to the audience. "I...I bring you....The LADY JAYDIN! THE KAIPAR!"
The members of the Maximillian froze in their tracks and their scans, and faced the stage, where Jaydin appeared. She walked cautiously, slowly, carefully to the center, stealing a look back at Mathias, who was looking at her with pride. She stopped at the podium, and was silent for a moment, looking out at the stunned crowds. She was overcome by the moment, and for a second was afraid that she wouldn't be able to speak at all. She cleared her throat, and as she was about to utter a greeting, not that she had any idea what to say, a bright display began to take place over the back walls. Fireworks of every size and color began to explode, a celebration of their savior, Jaydin supposed.
Overload smiled. "Fireworks!" Skrit nodded. "I've never seen fireworks inside before." She added happily.
"They're not real fireworks..." Skrit suddenly sprung to life. "Holograms." He scanned the stage quickly, searching, searching there! He pointed. "Projectors. Can you do any programming?"
"I think so..." He grabbed her arm and pulled her in the direction of one. Thankfully, they seemed to be unmanned, running automatically. When they reached it, Skrit began hitting buttons on his armband projector.
"Put me into this projector. When the fireworks stop, and everyone's watching Jaydin, put me on the back wall. Use your best judgment, but she needs to see me, got it?"
"Got it!" Skrit crossed his fingers, and then removed his projector, instantly disappearing in a haze of static. Overload grabbed the armband as it fell, and began rapidly hitting buttons on the main projector array, hoping that she could master it's architecture in enough time.
The fireworks went on for another few moments, enough time for a grand finale of sparks and explosions, and then disappeared. Every head turned, and every eye in the arena returned to Jaydin, standing quietly on the stage, as impressed as any of them with the spectacle that had just occurred. She cleared her throat again, trying to silence the butterflies within her, and then she began.
"Thank…Thank you all for coming…" She was interrupted by a great cheer, from the rafters throughout the stands back to her, and she was taken aback by the sound of the celebration that had ensued. She thought a moment, and then raised her hands, trying to get them back to their state of revered silence. She started again. "This was…quite a surprise for me. For us all…But I…" She stopped, looking up at the stands, at the people, at a strange sight. As all eyes were on her, nobody noticed the strange man, twice the size of any of them, bowing, getting on his knees, really getting into the act.. Nobody knew who it was, or why he was doing it. The crowd murmured for a moment, as Jaydin squinted, and then she knew.
"We must all thank the Elders!" She blurted out without thinking. "We must bow, and give thanks to those that have presented me with the opportunity to be here! Bow to them, show your gratitude!"
As commanded, the audience began to sink to their knees without complaint. The mass sea of people followed the request of them to the letter, worshipping the leaders of their religion, they who had brought their Kaipar to them, after so much time.
Critch was caught in his tracks, and was not sure what this was all about. So it was Databit, obediently scanning, who saw the Bajoran, one of the very few who had not followed the lead of his Kaipar. Saw his rifle aiming at Jaydin. Realized what was happening, and stood up on Critch's shoulder.
"Huh?" Critch was still very confused, as Databit grabbed his friend's head, and twisted it, so he saw the assassin. Critch muttered an obscenity, and tapped his badge. "Rapid Response Team! Shooter! Section 17!"
They would be too late. As fast as Critch could move, as any of them could move, they could not outrun the laser that would shoot as soon as the Bajoran realized they were coming for him. Skrit knew this, saw the steadying of the rifle, had only one chance, one thought. He grabbed for his Klingon emblem he wore around his neck, and hoped that the holographic emitter would allow the object to fly towards its destination. He pressed the center, and three blades snapped out from it, sharpened just for an occasion like this one. He reared back, and with a yell, let it fly. The dagger flew through the air, its aim sharp and true. It struck the rifle where the barrel and the energy generator met. The energy of the hologram mixed with the generator, just as the Bajoran fired. The result was nothing like he intended. The influx of energy caused the rifle's power to turn back, and quite simply, the rifle imploded. All the energy that was contained was released in a terrific explosion, consuming the Bajoran that had foolishly picked that moment to fire. The threat was over.
The panic, however, was about to begin.
It began near the explosion, from those nearby that had witnessed the blast out of the corner of their eyes, and spread outward like a wave of fear, moving over the crowd like a shockwave from a bomb. After their initial stunned shock, there were loud screams, and they began running for the exits, trampling anyone in their way, moving as fast as they could go.
Critch, Overload, and the Rapid Response team tried to calm the crowd, but they were like ants swept up in a tidal wave. They were swept away in the group, Databit clutching tightly to Critch's head as they were thrown about by the mass of Bajorans and other aliens alike, who were rapidly approaching riotous levels. A faint cry was heard over the yells.
"Databit! Droid!"
Critch looked in the direction of the sound, saw Overload trying to climb on top of the rushing crowd. He tried to maneuver closer to her, tried to reach out and grab her hand, to be able to stay together. As he did so, he was pushed roughly, and lost his balance, falling to the ground roughly. He lost track of Databit, and all he could see was the movement and the panic and the noise. He covered his face, felt feet moving over him, stepping on him.
Databit was panicked, climbing up a leg of a rushing Bajoran, who was too concerned with his own safety to care. He made it to his shoulder, and leapt to another, and another, trying to get back to safety, to Overload, the person in this world he trusted more than any other. The crowd was moving too fast however, and he could see her getting farther and farther in the distance, as he was carried away...
Skrit had never felt more powerless. He could only watch as the crowd moved, as one by one he lost track of his friends in the crazed riot that was beginning. He was sorry for causing this, but what choice did he have?
The crowd neared the exits, and if they made it outside, it was quite probable that they would have taken their anger and frustration and fear out on their surroundings, tearing the arena down, burning their city. The mob mentality had taken hold now, fear at being the next target of whatever had caused the explosion in the stands. As they moved, they heard a shrill cry call out into the night, over the loudspeakers and throughout the arena.
"SILENCE!"
The crowd slowed, and turned to see Jaydin, standing tall and unafraid at the podium. She knew what she must do now. She was the only one that they would listen to.
"RETURN TO YOUR SEATS!" She commanded, thinking that her power as their spiritual leader would suffice to make them do whatever she asked. They held still for a moment, as though considering her idea, and then they slowly began moving.
"I understand you may not want to be here now, but none of you want to be here less than ME!" She spoke heavily as they regained their seats. Critch stood up wearily, and Databit ran across the emptying floor to a very relieved Overload. All eyes were now on Jaydin, and this time, there was no interruption.
"This is not the Bajor I know, where people will run away from a challenge, where we have fear. There is no more time for fear. Something is coming. You all believe it, and it no longer matters what I believe. You must be strong! We must all now be strong.
"Let me tell you about me. I was born on Bajor, grown up here, lived my life here, through the occupation. The same occupation that took my mother, my father, my family away from me, and I was afraid. And I left Bajor, left it far behind, joined the Federation, and learned about the universe.
"You don't know me. My name is not Kaipar. I may be who you believe me to be. But more than that, I am Jaydin. And I know that it isn't time for me to stay here, at least not yet."
She paused for a moment as the groans and cries for her to stay rang out, then continued.
"It is clear that there is still much work to be done, unifying the different cultures here. We must be one Bajor if we are to stand against the coming storm." She spoke as though possessed. Even the cynical Critch had to admit there was something more at work here. "I must leave you, to learn more about the danger we face. In my stead, I leave someone far, far more deserving of the honor and power you have given to me." She pointed off stage, at the man who had tried to mentor her for this short time. She gestured, and he, reluctantly, began to walk on stage.
"This is Mathias. You know him as the man that brought me here. Now follow him. He has given up family, love, and his future for you. He will lead you towards the coming fight!" He whispered, panic-stricken, in her ear.
"My lady..."
She continued. "You will follow his orders, and never doubt his convictions." She stopped, and looked, truly looked, at the expectant faces that looked at her. Some were crying. Now that their Kaipar had come home, she was to leave again?
Jaydin raised her head. "And when, not if, WHEN, I return, we shall rage against our fears and nightmares until they are utterly destroyed, and Bajor shall be victorious!" She raised a fist in triumph, and victorious, hopeful cries sprung out from all over the arena as the crowd came to their feet.
"Hail Jaydin! Hail the Kaipar! Hail Bajor!"
Satisfied, and nodding to her awed friends, she began to walk off stage, whispering to Mathias as she passed, "It's your turn."
"But...Lady Jaydin...I don't know what to do..."
She smiled. "You will." She walked off, eager to see her friends again...eager to return home.
The Maximillian hung against the brightened surface of Bajor, the sun reflecting off its hull. The last repairs had been completed, the hull had been patched, and they were ready to embark on their next adventure. Inside the bridge, things were finally back to normal. Jaydin, out of sickbay, had gotten apologies from several members of the crew for the way they had treated her, though there were still some strange looks towards her sometimes. She was learning to accept them, though it was coming with the territory apparently.
She looked over the bridge, at Critch and Overload snipping at each other at the Ops center, as they always did when Overload arrived early to relieve him at the station. She looked at Kelvok, stoic as usual, and at the rest of the bridge crew, doing their jobs as efficiently as always. She smiled. There was no place like home.
Kelvok turned to her. "Commander Jaydin, if you could do the honors?"
She smiled, and looked at Bajor. She would come back here, maybe not soon, but she would return. Then she spoke. "Take us out, Commander Starblade."
The Maximillian moved through space effortlessly, and jumped to warp, disappearing amongst the stars...
"How could this have happened?"
The meeting room was dark, fitting the mood of the occupants. Their plans had not come to fruition. The Kaipar had left Bajor, for who knows how long. The question hung in the air, before the graying man spoke.
"This was unfortunate, indeed, but not completely without hope. She will return, and then we will continue our plans."
"How many years must we wait? How much time... The Loyalists will not stand for..." The cloaked individual was cut off by a sudden ring over the room. The graying man looked up, as a view screen emerged from behind the curtains. A shadowed figure appeared, and spoke. It appeared that it was a recording, but that didn't seem to make the fear of the men lessen.
"We are...displeased that the destabilization did not go as planned."
"The plan is still ongoing! Your sleeper is still on board the Maximillian! They will..."
"That is known and acceptable. But the price for your failure must be paid." The view screen went dark, and disappeared, as the group stared at each other, waiting for something to happen.
They heard a hissing, saw a strange gold dust fall from a vent overhead, and then disappear. They saw green lights from the vent, and then all was silent. The graying man stood, and began to walk away quickly, but did not get far. Every man in the room began to slow, and stop, groaning as their skin turned ashen grey. They froze in place, and then each member of the Elders fell to the ground and to the table, their remains disintegrating into ash and dust, spreading throughout the now empty room...
