DECLINE AND FALL
PROLOGUE
"Big Ship, good things"
Pakleds will never be renowned for their eloquence, but the crew of the good ship Thing Finder immediately understood the significance of that phrase. They were already prepared to act upon their Captains command.
"Big ship we have"
The untidy little Garbage Scow that the Pakleds called home juddered to a halt. The huge wedge shaped ship it was tracking came to a leisurely halt
Captain Spennis Yola was unimpressed with the sight of the Pakled ship. If it were typical of the standard in this new galaxy, then occupation would pose no problem at all. Fission reactors, solar batteries and no discernable means of Interstellar travel. It would probably be a mercy to put it out of its misery. Only question, main batteries or should he give the fighters a run out. A shout from the crew pit interrupted Yola from his pleasant dream of destruction. The Comms Officer raced from his post in the pit and delivered his report in proper Imperial Navy fashion.
"Sir the Alien craft is requesting assistance, they have a major power failure." "Show me the message Broscha"
A sparkly shimmer coalesced into the image of the Pakled Captain right in front of Yola's eyes. The Captain pursed his lips in disgust. Things to make us go indeed.
"We'll make you go, oh yes indeed" for the sake of decorum, and future promotion opportunities Broscha joined in his Captains devilish laughter.
The Pakled Captain was puzzled by the lack of reaction from the huge ship. Even the Klingons had replied by now, if only to threaten them. He was certain that the target had not penetrated their guise, so why no response. He was interrupted by a report from the combo Science/tactical/Comms station.
"Big ship, no things for us"
This, such a big ship with nothing to offer, surprised the Captain. Hopefully the next stop would have something to offer. A sudden trilling from the tactical SciTacCom alerted the Captain to a sudden change in the situation.
"Big ship.....fire at us"
"Defend"
A shimmering wall of emerald energy all of a sudden joined the void between the 2 ships. The bolts intensified into a solid mass of destruction that fizzled ineffectively against Thing Finder's shields.
Captain Yola's stared agape at the vista displayed outside his view port. He had been fooled. That was no garbage scow, it was an invincible battleship. Without warning the holo of the Pakled Captain returned. He had somehow managed to override their comm. Protocols.
"We are smart, we are strong. You are dead."
A single spinning orb of light erupted from the Thing Finders prow. Space history enthusiasts would recognise it as a Proto Photon Torpedo, the type installed on the earliest of Federation Starships. However the crew of the Imperial Star Destroyer Belligerent recognised it as death.
The torpedo ploughed through the weak hull of the Destroyer and detonated next to the main reactors. The explosion that resulted was quite impressive.
The Pakled Captain viewed the floating wreckage with mixed feelings. That torp was expensive, but the holo recordings should fetch a hefty price on the Rularian black market.
PROLOGUE
"Big Ship, good things"
Pakleds will never be renowned for their eloquence, but the crew of the good ship Thing Finder immediately understood the significance of that phrase. They were already prepared to act upon their Captains command.
"Big ship we have"
The untidy little Garbage Scow that the Pakleds called home juddered to a halt. The huge wedge shaped ship it was tracking came to a leisurely halt
Captain Spennis Yola was unimpressed with the sight of the Pakled ship. If it were typical of the standard in this new galaxy, then occupation would pose no problem at all. Fission reactors, solar batteries and no discernable means of Interstellar travel. It would probably be a mercy to put it out of its misery. Only question, main batteries or should he give the fighters a run out. A shout from the crew pit interrupted Yola from his pleasant dream of destruction. The Comms Officer raced from his post in the pit and delivered his report in proper Imperial Navy fashion.
"Sir the Alien craft is requesting assistance, they have a major power failure." "Show me the message Broscha"
A sparkly shimmer coalesced into the image of the Pakled Captain right in front of Yola's eyes. The Captain pursed his lips in disgust. Things to make us go indeed.
"We'll make you go, oh yes indeed" for the sake of decorum, and future promotion opportunities Broscha joined in his Captains devilish laughter.
The Pakled Captain was puzzled by the lack of reaction from the huge ship. Even the Klingons had replied by now, if only to threaten them. He was certain that the target had not penetrated their guise, so why no response. He was interrupted by a report from the combo Science/tactical/Comms station.
"Big ship, no things for us"
This, such a big ship with nothing to offer, surprised the Captain. Hopefully the next stop would have something to offer. A sudden trilling from the tactical SciTacCom alerted the Captain to a sudden change in the situation.
"Big ship.....fire at us"
"Defend"
A shimmering wall of emerald energy all of a sudden joined the void between the 2 ships. The bolts intensified into a solid mass of destruction that fizzled ineffectively against Thing Finder's shields.
Captain Yola's stared agape at the vista displayed outside his view port. He had been fooled. That was no garbage scow, it was an invincible battleship. Without warning the holo of the Pakled Captain returned. He had somehow managed to override their comm. Protocols.
"We are smart, we are strong. You are dead."
A single spinning orb of light erupted from the Thing Finders prow. Space history enthusiasts would recognise it as a Proto Photon Torpedo, the type installed on the earliest of Federation Starships. However the crew of the Imperial Star Destroyer Belligerent recognised it as death.
The torpedo ploughed through the weak hull of the Destroyer and detonated next to the main reactors. The explosion that resulted was quite impressive.
The Pakled Captain viewed the floating wreckage with mixed feelings. That torp was expensive, but the holo recordings should fetch a hefty price on the Rularian black market.