Captains Log: Stardate 51729.3. Preparations continue for the battle which should occur at dawn tomorrow. All the people needed on the surface are there, now it will depend on S'Ling to implement our part from here and make this work.
Kira was interrupted by the beep on her comm. badge.
"Yes?"
"Captain," Danielle's replied, "the away team on the surface say that something is beginning. Colonel Bara says it's time."
Kira suddenly felt a mixture of fear and excitement rush through her. I was as if her earlier experience had somehow tied her in with Megan, as if she was right there inside her head, feeling it all too, like a strange déjà vu. She quickly pushed the feeling down and adopted her captain personality.
"I'll be right there" she stated.
She rose from her chair and straightened her tunic. A new crew person, a very young Bajoran girl, probably fresh from training, bumped into her as the door to the ready room swooshed closed. She looked up sheepishly as her PADDs scattered on the floor.
"Oh, I'm sorry Captain!"
Kira gently patted her shoulder in sympathy and bent over to help retrieve the PADDs.
"That's all right. I can remember bumping into a few people while trying to do my work. Don't worry about it."
The young girl gathered her work and skittered off. Kira rubbed her shoulder and sat down in her command chair. Danielle turned in her chair to watch Kira sit.
"If you don't mind me saying so, Captain, you might be good for a game of Pareses Squares."
Kira smiled.
"I've seen the game, Ensign and no thanks. I think I'll stick to springball. You said Bara thinks something's starting on the surface?"
"Yes ma'am. I have him standing by."
Kira straightened in her seat. "On screen."
Bara's weathered face, in disguise to appear el'Aenian, appeared.
"Captain, there's been some unusual weather phenomenon here surrounding the clearing. More and more natives have been gathering. I think it's time to put our plan into action."
"Just give the word, we'll be ready."
"We'll be giving that word soon, Bara out."
Bara's face disappeared, leaving Kira and the Tsalagi to ponder the next move.
Surface of el'Aenia
The wind picked up, blowing up into a gale within mere moments. Kostemojen straightened his clothing and the wind seemed to concentrate around him with a wave of his hand. The sun dimmed as if some great hand had covered it and blotted out the light. Though it was shortly before high noon, it appeared to be midnight. Only the pale glow of the Orb illuminated the clearing like a lantern. Hundreds of el'Aenians stood at the ready behind him, prepared for battle without any personal choice given to them.
"Come now, Prophet Queen, the time is at hand."
His voice boomed out like thunder. It shook the ground like some ancient giant beast walking. Adoyi Nvda stepped out slowly, surrounded by an entourage of loyal, unblemished natives and Scott standing defensively at her side. Adoyi turned to him and spoke as Megan.
"Scott, this is my fight, you cannot help so stay back. You'll have your hands full keeping the natives from turning this into some type of war. I'll handle Kostemojen, just trust me."
With that, she stepped forward and walked through the village to meet Kostemojen in the clearing. The Pah Wraith leader sneered at her.
"You know my time is at hand. See behind me. Already, my loyal subjects await my rule. They have already embraced the love of the Pah Wraiths. You are pathetic!"
Adoyi Nvda smiled. Her very presence seemed to calm the whirling gales.
"They are not willing, you have forced them. Keep the innocents out of this and let us settle the ancient battle once and for all."
Kostemojen's eyes flashed and darkness fell over his face like death.
"Very well fool, feel my wrath!"
From his hands shot a foul blood-red streak straight at Adoyi. She easily caught the energy and held it there, suspended. The force seemed for a moment to energize her, yet waves of nausea flashed across her face. This energy was pure evil, pure decay. The air around Scott and rest of the village took on an odor of sulfur and death. Scott gagged, but wouldn't stop watching Megan. She shot out her own attack of blue-green energy. Kostemojen easily swatted it away and redirected it to one of the natives that stood enthralled by the event. Instantly, a green wave of death washed over the poor soul and his skin transformed into living plants. Within moments, he was nothing more than a living statue of his former self. Adoyi Nvda knew that her own special abilities could not be used again, not as long as innocent people could suffer. She had to find another mode of attack.
"Now then, Prophet," Kostemojen spat out, "watch as my loyal subjects make their true feelings known."
With that, the red-eyed zombie natives, the slaves of the Pah Wraiths, raced forward with bloody fury. Bara was ready.
"Bara to Tsalagi, now!"
Kira was waiting for that.
"Now Danielle, energize!"
The powerful deflector shield of the Tsalagi flashed to life, sending down a ray of energy that crashed just in front of the rushing horde and formed an impenetrable force field. Many of the struck the force field and fell to the ground, stunned by uninjured. Just a quickly, another force field formed behind the horde and trapped them in between. They were now in an invisible cage, unharmed. Kostemojen roared.
"That will accomplish nothing. If they cannot assist me, then I have no further need of them."
With a wave, the entire group, three hundred strong, exploded in flames and disappeared. They were forever erased from el'Aenia. That was more than half of the population of the village; a severe blow had been dealt to the people of el'Aenia as punishment for their love of Adoyi Nvda. Scott stood in disbelief, then found that he was staring, but not at Megan or the battle, but at the silent Orb. How could the Prophets just watch as so many innocent lives were just snuffed out? Then he saw Megan, fury roiling through her eyes.
"You will pay for that Kostemojen! You have broken the agreement! No innocents were to be harmed and for that, you will pay!"
"Perhaps, in the fullness of time" the red-eyed demon sneered, "but not today. I weary of this game. In three days time, it will be just you and me, in a place of my choosing. Then we will see who will truly prevail."
In a black flash of light, he was gone. Scott ran to his wife as the light of the el'Aenian sun returned and held her tight as Adoyi Nvda cried for her slain children.
