Chapter Six - "Winds of Destruction"
"Prepare to beam Captain Kirk's party back to the Enterprise."
Harry entered the proper coordinates and waited. Kirk and Janeway stood apart from everyone. The two leaders granted themselves a brief moment of relative privacy.
"Captain are you sure you should leave? We currently have no idea exactly what this life form intends toward us. Its my opinion that we should remain together to discover what this is all about." Janeway had been deeply affected by what they had all just witnessed and her doubt was evident in her tone.
"I belong on my ship, Captain. We will stay in contact and coordinate a plan of action with you, but I have my doubts. This whole scenario is mystery. I honestly don't have any idea what this being has against me. We've encountered some amazing things exploring the galaxy, but I think I would remember meeting him. In any case were all in a lot of trouble and my gut tells me its going to get ugly before we're ready to put up a fight."
Janeway shook Kirk's hand and stepped backward. "Energize."
"Captain, the anomaly has reappeared two thousand kilometers dead ahead."
Janeway turned on her heel and headed for her seat. "Shields up. Red alert. Open a channel to the Enterprise." A moment later Captain Kirk appeared on the viewer. "Captain I'd like you to take up station a few hundred kilometers behind us. Our advanced shielding should provide the Enterprise with a measure of protection should you need it."
Kirk turned and spoke to Spock then pondered for a moment. "I agree. We'll move in, but not so close we can't maneuver. I don't like needing a mother hen, but we'll take all the help we."
The viewer suddenly switched to the image of the anomaly. It filled the screen as it erupted and spouted dark columns of energy from the center of its roiling gray turbulence.
"Captain, we've lost contact with the Enterprise. Our signal is being interfered with somehow." Harry continued trying to re establish the transmission. The anomaly began to cycle like a hurricane and slowly took on a blood red hue that seemed to occasionally spark with bright orange flames. Both ships were rocked by waves of turbulence that crashed against the forward shields and strained the inertial dampers to their limits. The entity spoke to each crewmember. It forced its message directly into their minds like a malevolent whisper of disaster.
"Prepare to die."
Captain Janeway threw her hands to the sides of her head and tried to concentrate. "Tom, try to get us out of here."
Paris settled into his seat and tapped in the commands. "My pleasure." As the warp engines engaged the ship shuddered and lurched but remained stationary. "I'm sorry Captain. We're stuck tight. He's not going to let us just run away."
Janeway ordered Paris to hold their position. The bridge fell silent until Harry shouted a warning.
"Captain, sensors are reading a build up of energy. It looks as if it's going to detonate!"
Gouts of power began to radiate outward from the hub of the monstrous cyclone. Wild bursts of blinding force snaked out from the pulsing core in all directions like the bony fingers of death itself.
"All hands, brace for impact!"
Everyone gasped as the anomaly finally released its pent up fury. It erupted with the dazzling power of a hundred exploding stars. In the midst of the cataclysm, Voyager and the Enterprise survived. Unimaginable power rushed passed the ships in a steady flow. Voyager continued to shudder and tremble as the crew realized they hadn't yet been destroyed.
"Captain, there's something blocking the shockwave, its redirecting the energy around us like shielding."
Janeway spun toward Harry. "Can you get a visual?"
Mr. Kim clung to his bouncing console and carefully entered commands. "Yes." He paused in amazement. "Captain, its Q."
The main viewer clearly showed the familiar image of Q with his arms outstretched, repulsing the blast. Without moving his arms he turned and smiled. "Ah, my dear Kate, I should think you would be glad to see me."
Captain Janeway stumbled to her feet. "Oh my God."
A smirk danced across Q's face. "My God indeed. Leave it to my sweet Katie to pick on the biggest bully in the bar. Never the less, I shall show you chivalry like you have never known."
"Prepare to beam Captain Kirk's party back to the Enterprise."
Harry entered the proper coordinates and waited. Kirk and Janeway stood apart from everyone. The two leaders granted themselves a brief moment of relative privacy.
"Captain are you sure you should leave? We currently have no idea exactly what this life form intends toward us. Its my opinion that we should remain together to discover what this is all about." Janeway had been deeply affected by what they had all just witnessed and her doubt was evident in her tone.
"I belong on my ship, Captain. We will stay in contact and coordinate a plan of action with you, but I have my doubts. This whole scenario is mystery. I honestly don't have any idea what this being has against me. We've encountered some amazing things exploring the galaxy, but I think I would remember meeting him. In any case were all in a lot of trouble and my gut tells me its going to get ugly before we're ready to put up a fight."
Janeway shook Kirk's hand and stepped backward. "Energize."
"Captain, the anomaly has reappeared two thousand kilometers dead ahead."
Janeway turned on her heel and headed for her seat. "Shields up. Red alert. Open a channel to the Enterprise." A moment later Captain Kirk appeared on the viewer. "Captain I'd like you to take up station a few hundred kilometers behind us. Our advanced shielding should provide the Enterprise with a measure of protection should you need it."
Kirk turned and spoke to Spock then pondered for a moment. "I agree. We'll move in, but not so close we can't maneuver. I don't like needing a mother hen, but we'll take all the help we."
The viewer suddenly switched to the image of the anomaly. It filled the screen as it erupted and spouted dark columns of energy from the center of its roiling gray turbulence.
"Captain, we've lost contact with the Enterprise. Our signal is being interfered with somehow." Harry continued trying to re establish the transmission. The anomaly began to cycle like a hurricane and slowly took on a blood red hue that seemed to occasionally spark with bright orange flames. Both ships were rocked by waves of turbulence that crashed against the forward shields and strained the inertial dampers to their limits. The entity spoke to each crewmember. It forced its message directly into their minds like a malevolent whisper of disaster.
"Prepare to die."
Captain Janeway threw her hands to the sides of her head and tried to concentrate. "Tom, try to get us out of here."
Paris settled into his seat and tapped in the commands. "My pleasure." As the warp engines engaged the ship shuddered and lurched but remained stationary. "I'm sorry Captain. We're stuck tight. He's not going to let us just run away."
Janeway ordered Paris to hold their position. The bridge fell silent until Harry shouted a warning.
"Captain, sensors are reading a build up of energy. It looks as if it's going to detonate!"
Gouts of power began to radiate outward from the hub of the monstrous cyclone. Wild bursts of blinding force snaked out from the pulsing core in all directions like the bony fingers of death itself.
"All hands, brace for impact!"
Everyone gasped as the anomaly finally released its pent up fury. It erupted with the dazzling power of a hundred exploding stars. In the midst of the cataclysm, Voyager and the Enterprise survived. Unimaginable power rushed passed the ships in a steady flow. Voyager continued to shudder and tremble as the crew realized they hadn't yet been destroyed.
"Captain, there's something blocking the shockwave, its redirecting the energy around us like shielding."
Janeway spun toward Harry. "Can you get a visual?"
Mr. Kim clung to his bouncing console and carefully entered commands. "Yes." He paused in amazement. "Captain, its Q."
The main viewer clearly showed the familiar image of Q with his arms outstretched, repulsing the blast. Without moving his arms he turned and smiled. "Ah, my dear Kate, I should think you would be glad to see me."
Captain Janeway stumbled to her feet. "Oh my God."
A smirk danced across Q's face. "My God indeed. Leave it to my sweet Katie to pick on the biggest bully in the bar. Never the less, I shall show you chivalry like you have never known."