-Chapter Eight - Justice-
-Night Demon-
"There, you see?!" The Lt. said irritatedly to the still unconvinced crewman. Detaching the clasps that held the internal dampener to the deck, the Lt. continued to speak. "Grab the other end and lets get this device to the middle of the room for transport. There is too much interference here from all these power leads and plasma conduits to ensure precise transporter locks. If this is what I think it is, the Captain wants it in mint condition. A miniscule error in the transport might render this so much useless junk." The crewman approached the alien internal damper with a wary dread, yet nothing had happened when it was detached from its place on the deck so he seemed to have no choice.
They were about half way across the room to their destination, carrying the bulky yet not terribly heavy for its size internal dampener before it began to whine softly. The crewman cast an scared 'I told you so' glare at the Lt. The Lt. frowned as he whipped out his tricorder and began to scan the internal damper. After a few seconds of scanning in which the whine rose in pitch and volume the Lieutenant's face went white.
"Aww hell." He cursed under his breath, then slapped his communicator. "Lt. Ypres to the -Valley Forge-. I have an internal dampener that is set to overload. I request that it be immediately beamed out to deep space."
"Affirmative Lt. Beaming the internal dampener to space now." The com officer said. Seconds later, just as the machine was reaching its highest pitch and volume yet the transporter beam caught it. It rematerialized outside the pirate ship only to explode within moments. It was a mere fire cracker when compared to even a hand phaser blast, but it was more than sufficient to vaporize the internal components of the damper, leaving only the scorched external shell relatively intact. With it's self immolation went any chance of discovering the secrets the new compensators held. The one in the other surviving Pirate ship had been thoroughly melted by a power surge caused when the warp core was 'removed', while the rest were reduced to their component atoms and energy when their ships were cut down by the -Forge's- weapons fire.
-Valley Forge, Main Bridge-
Ulysses winced as the internal dampener flared on the holo display, its secondary energy plant overloading and ruining its internal components. That would have been a useful bit of tech to recover, no doubt about it. But the main thing was that a pack of highly organized pirates had been wiped out. Now it was just time to remove the rest of them.
"Helm, plot an intercept course to the merchies. Guns, Have assault teams standing by in case the remaining pirates prove uncooperative. And you might as well drop the deception while you are at it."
"Aye Sir." Sulu and Davenport chorused from their stations beyond the holographic veil of space that surrounded Ulysses command station. The 360 degree, three dimensional representation of the surrounding space swung wildly as the -Valley Forge- swept gracefully up and around to line up on a course back to the merchant ships.
"Open a channel to the cargo ships."
"Channel open Captain."
"This is Captain Ulysses Vanguard of the Imperial Star Ship -Valley Forge-. As you have already no doubt seen we have eliminated your fellows. Surrender now ad we shall be as lenient as possible with you. Resist and you shall be dispatched like your fellows. The choice is yours but I suggest that you don't delay long. You have 30 seconds to comply or I shall burn you from space."
"Incoming signal from the merchies Sir."
"Put it up." A small window blossomed on the holo display next to the surviving merchant ships. Ulysses rotated his chair to view the incoming com head on. A heavily tattooed and scarred face appeared in the window.
"I have a counter proposal. Let us go or we will kill every man woman and child on these vessels." The middle aged pirate said with a sneer, but Ulysses could see the fear in his eyes. The civilians operating the cargo ships were Imperial citizens. All Starfleet officers swore to defend both the Terran Empire and its citizens from every enemy. Time to put on your poker face Ulysses old boy he thought to himself.
"You misunderstand. You either surrender now, or I vaporize the cargo ships in which you now sit. The civilians on those ships matter nothing to me. You have five seconds." Most Starfleet officers didn't give two hoots about alien species, but citizens of the Empire were a different matter entirely. Nearly every officer in service would move heaven and earth to keep them safe. It had been their charge since Starfleet's inception, and it was something most officers took very seriously. Ulysses himself felt that it was his duty to protect those unable to protect themselves, but he needed to convince the Pirate otherwise. On the com screen, the framed 3-D bust of the pirate shifted expression. His eyes bulged a little and his tattoos stood out as his skin took on a grayish hue. He had counted on Ulysses being willing to bargain for the merchant crew's lives.
"Wait, we surrender! WE SURRENDER!" the Pirate wailed. Like most of his kind, he was a bully at heart. When faced with continuing being a bully and death or giving up and living, they usually chose life.
"Very good." Ulysses said as he closed the channel. "Guns, beam over the assault teams and secure the pirates. I'm paying a visit to the brig. Com me once the cargo ships are under our control. Cmdr P'tel, you have the con."
"Aye Sir."
-Valley Forge, Brig-
The triple, individually locked blast doors that barred the lone passage way into the brig slid apart as Ulysses entered his access code three times. The burly security officer in charge of the brig greeted him once he passed the final door.
"Lt. Cmdr., where is the leader of this rabble?"
"Cell 32 Sir."
"Bring him here."
"Aye Sir." The Lt. Cmdr. Pointed to two guards in power armor. They saluted sharply then trotted to the appropriate cell. After punching in the appropriate code, the force field dropped and the transparent, nearly indestructible door rolled into its recess in the floor and ceiling. The guards entered the cell and dragged out an imposing man dressed in ancient Earth medieval court style clothing. He sported an impressive beard that nearly hid a cocky smile behind its solid mass of hair. Like all of the prisoners, he was shackled wrist and ankle with braided monofilament cables. They were near impossible to cut unless one had a very high powered phaser or a military grade molecular edged blade and time. As the guards dragged him towards the Captain, Ulysses com badge chirped.
"Ulysses here." He said after he activated it.
"The Pirates on the Cargo Ships have been subdued Captain. All weapons have been confiscated and the remaining pirates are awaiting transport back to the brig."
"Very good. Keep them there for now, I shall transport over shortly."
"Understood Sir."
"Bring him." Ulysses said, then turned around and walked through the triple doors.
-Imperial Cargo Ship Manifest Destiny, Main Bridge-
Ulysses, Gomorra and the two power armored security guards materialized on the bridge of the lead cargo ship. The -Valley Forge's- medical personnel were going over the lightly wounded of merchant crew. Those more seriously injured had already been transported to sickbay onboard the ship. Nearly all of the young and middle aged men had been shot dead, their bodies now arrayed in a neat row along one bulkhead. Ulysses surveyed the survivors. Nearly all were in shock, that much was evident from their faces. Others were silently weeping, either from the joy of being rescued or from the horrors they had been forced to endure. Ulysses looked over the rooms, noting that teams were recording in one of them. A young girl, now dead, had been cut with a revolting morbid artistry. The bloody knife lay at her side, along with a shackled and manacled pirate who's arms were drenched in blood up to the wrists.. Ulysses stomach did a flip-flop, yet his steel like expression never wavered.
In the next room was a young woman clothed in a Starfleet utility jumpsuit. Her original clothing lay in cut tatters on the floor. Upon seeing Gomorra behind Ulysses, the young woman fairly leapt towards him with a feral snarl. The marine and medic tending to her managed to grab her as she tried to run past them. They held her back as gently as they could till the medic could administer a sedative. The girl crumpled to the floor, still staring a glare that could have melted the bulkheads at Gomorra.
"That is the beast that raped me! I demand that you give me." The girl's eyes blinked shut, then snapped open again. ".give me justice." Then the sedative took hold and the girl went under.
"I feel a very strong urge to kill you where you stand." Ulysses said, swinging around to pin his venom filled glare on Gomorra. How any species could spawn such creatures as these pirates was beyond Ulysses. They killed, raped and pillaged the spacelanes without regard for anything.
The Pirate commander didn't flinch under Ulysses withering stare, in fact his smirk became a tooth filled grin. "But you can't do that now can you. Under Imperial Law my crews and I must be returned to the nearest starbase so that we can stand trial. Most unfortunate that you can't act on your desires isn't it Captain?" Gomorra said with a snicker, then he spit into Ulysses face and laughed out loud. Many of his captive pirate underlings laughed along with him. "You can't touch me, and trust me on this, we can drag out the proceedings for a long, long time."
Ulysses reached up and slowly wiped the spittle from his cheek with his exoskeleton-encased hand. Then he grinned back at the smug pirate faintly. The dark part of him snarled gleefully as its cage door opened. It was still chained, but it was being given freedom it seldom enjoyed. "You are right. I can't do a blasted thing to you." Ulysses paused and the Pirate's grin got even bigger. Then Ulysses continued. "Or rather I should say I COULDN'T do a blasted thing to you under the OLD laws." Gomorra's happy, satisfied grin disappeared with stunning rapidity.
"Old laws?!" Gomorra said through narrowed eyes
"Yes. Quite recently changed by the Emperor himself. You have apparently not yet heard of them so I shall enlighten you. As per His Imperial Majesties General Edict 12, Section A, all individuals found supporting the actions of, benefiting from or engaging in organized criminal activity are to be executed at the earliest possible opportunity." Ulysses mild grin erupted into a predatory smile. "To bad we caught you both benefiting and engaging in organized criminal activity. Either one is a death sentence. So you see, I can indeed kill you where you stand, and I can do so quite legally. But even if it was still illegal for execution without trial, I am not certain I would not have done so. Removing an animal like you from the galaxy would be well worth the ensuing court-martial." And with that Ulysses pulled his phaser from its holster. A look of stark fear mingled with shock crossed Gomorra's face. The demon in Ulysses soul reveled in the fear and terror, urging Ulysses farther. Ulysses pressed the activation button and an orange beam spat out from the emitter housing. Gomorra dissolved into nothingness with a hideous scream as the beam's effect consumed him. An Imperial Type 2 Hand Phaser could be set to administer a slow, painful disintegration, and that was exactly what Ulysses had set his to accomplish before he had even left the -Forge-. Ulysses cold, wolfish eyes flared brightly as his dark half reveled in the killing, and for once Ulysses didn't care. Gomorra and his ilk were worse than animals, and they deserved the fate they brought upon themselves.
The Pirates clumped along one wall, bound and under guard, stared in disbelief. "Bu.But you said that you would spare us!" the one who had conversed on the com screen with Ulysses stammered.
"No I didn't." Ulysses snarled at him. "I said I would be as lenient as possible, which fortunately for the galaxy means that I can kill you after I have gathered evidence that you are actually pirates." Ulysses smacked his com badge. "Ulysses to transporter room. You may execute General Edict 12 at your leisure."
"Aye Sir!" came the eager response from the other end of the com. The Pirate's screams of fear and protest died away as the transporter grabbed them. Both they and their brethren being held in the -Valley Forge's- brig rematerialized in space to die slowly and painfully in frozen vacuum of deep space.
The fierce growl of approval that emanated from the surviving merchie crewmembers. 'Thank you sir!' and 'Thank you!' sprang from the crowd as they lurched foreword to embrace their savior and the one who had dispensed justice on their behalf. Ulysses gaze fell upon them, causing many to come up short. Many shrank back in newfound fear from what they saw in Ulysses eyes. Far to many of them had seen similar looks in the Pirates. They could see that part of him relished the killing, much like some of the pirates had. It frightened them almost more than seeing it in the Pirates, for this was a Starfleet officer, sworn to defend them.
Like a dog shaking water off of its fur, Ulysses brought his dark side back under firm control, reeling it back into its cage and locking it there.
"Any further assistance you require shall be given, merely ask the medics and marines. We are going to proceed back to Sector One and will bring you and your disabled ships along with us. You can find replacement crew and repair your ships there. On behalf of Starfleet and the Empire, I apologize for allowing what you have endured to happen." Ulysses tapped his com badge. "Vanguard to -Valley Forge-, one to beam up."
-Night Demon-
"There, you see?!" The Lt. said irritatedly to the still unconvinced crewman. Detaching the clasps that held the internal dampener to the deck, the Lt. continued to speak. "Grab the other end and lets get this device to the middle of the room for transport. There is too much interference here from all these power leads and plasma conduits to ensure precise transporter locks. If this is what I think it is, the Captain wants it in mint condition. A miniscule error in the transport might render this so much useless junk." The crewman approached the alien internal damper with a wary dread, yet nothing had happened when it was detached from its place on the deck so he seemed to have no choice.
They were about half way across the room to their destination, carrying the bulky yet not terribly heavy for its size internal dampener before it began to whine softly. The crewman cast an scared 'I told you so' glare at the Lt. The Lt. frowned as he whipped out his tricorder and began to scan the internal damper. After a few seconds of scanning in which the whine rose in pitch and volume the Lieutenant's face went white.
"Aww hell." He cursed under his breath, then slapped his communicator. "Lt. Ypres to the -Valley Forge-. I have an internal dampener that is set to overload. I request that it be immediately beamed out to deep space."
"Affirmative Lt. Beaming the internal dampener to space now." The com officer said. Seconds later, just as the machine was reaching its highest pitch and volume yet the transporter beam caught it. It rematerialized outside the pirate ship only to explode within moments. It was a mere fire cracker when compared to even a hand phaser blast, but it was more than sufficient to vaporize the internal components of the damper, leaving only the scorched external shell relatively intact. With it's self immolation went any chance of discovering the secrets the new compensators held. The one in the other surviving Pirate ship had been thoroughly melted by a power surge caused when the warp core was 'removed', while the rest were reduced to their component atoms and energy when their ships were cut down by the -Forge's- weapons fire.
-Valley Forge, Main Bridge-
Ulysses winced as the internal dampener flared on the holo display, its secondary energy plant overloading and ruining its internal components. That would have been a useful bit of tech to recover, no doubt about it. But the main thing was that a pack of highly organized pirates had been wiped out. Now it was just time to remove the rest of them.
"Helm, plot an intercept course to the merchies. Guns, Have assault teams standing by in case the remaining pirates prove uncooperative. And you might as well drop the deception while you are at it."
"Aye Sir." Sulu and Davenport chorused from their stations beyond the holographic veil of space that surrounded Ulysses command station. The 360 degree, three dimensional representation of the surrounding space swung wildly as the -Valley Forge- swept gracefully up and around to line up on a course back to the merchant ships.
"Open a channel to the cargo ships."
"Channel open Captain."
"This is Captain Ulysses Vanguard of the Imperial Star Ship -Valley Forge-. As you have already no doubt seen we have eliminated your fellows. Surrender now ad we shall be as lenient as possible with you. Resist and you shall be dispatched like your fellows. The choice is yours but I suggest that you don't delay long. You have 30 seconds to comply or I shall burn you from space."
"Incoming signal from the merchies Sir."
"Put it up." A small window blossomed on the holo display next to the surviving merchant ships. Ulysses rotated his chair to view the incoming com head on. A heavily tattooed and scarred face appeared in the window.
"I have a counter proposal. Let us go or we will kill every man woman and child on these vessels." The middle aged pirate said with a sneer, but Ulysses could see the fear in his eyes. The civilians operating the cargo ships were Imperial citizens. All Starfleet officers swore to defend both the Terran Empire and its citizens from every enemy. Time to put on your poker face Ulysses old boy he thought to himself.
"You misunderstand. You either surrender now, or I vaporize the cargo ships in which you now sit. The civilians on those ships matter nothing to me. You have five seconds." Most Starfleet officers didn't give two hoots about alien species, but citizens of the Empire were a different matter entirely. Nearly every officer in service would move heaven and earth to keep them safe. It had been their charge since Starfleet's inception, and it was something most officers took very seriously. Ulysses himself felt that it was his duty to protect those unable to protect themselves, but he needed to convince the Pirate otherwise. On the com screen, the framed 3-D bust of the pirate shifted expression. His eyes bulged a little and his tattoos stood out as his skin took on a grayish hue. He had counted on Ulysses being willing to bargain for the merchant crew's lives.
"Wait, we surrender! WE SURRENDER!" the Pirate wailed. Like most of his kind, he was a bully at heart. When faced with continuing being a bully and death or giving up and living, they usually chose life.
"Very good." Ulysses said as he closed the channel. "Guns, beam over the assault teams and secure the pirates. I'm paying a visit to the brig. Com me once the cargo ships are under our control. Cmdr P'tel, you have the con."
"Aye Sir."
-Valley Forge, Brig-
The triple, individually locked blast doors that barred the lone passage way into the brig slid apart as Ulysses entered his access code three times. The burly security officer in charge of the brig greeted him once he passed the final door.
"Lt. Cmdr., where is the leader of this rabble?"
"Cell 32 Sir."
"Bring him here."
"Aye Sir." The Lt. Cmdr. Pointed to two guards in power armor. They saluted sharply then trotted to the appropriate cell. After punching in the appropriate code, the force field dropped and the transparent, nearly indestructible door rolled into its recess in the floor and ceiling. The guards entered the cell and dragged out an imposing man dressed in ancient Earth medieval court style clothing. He sported an impressive beard that nearly hid a cocky smile behind its solid mass of hair. Like all of the prisoners, he was shackled wrist and ankle with braided monofilament cables. They were near impossible to cut unless one had a very high powered phaser or a military grade molecular edged blade and time. As the guards dragged him towards the Captain, Ulysses com badge chirped.
"Ulysses here." He said after he activated it.
"The Pirates on the Cargo Ships have been subdued Captain. All weapons have been confiscated and the remaining pirates are awaiting transport back to the brig."
"Very good. Keep them there for now, I shall transport over shortly."
"Understood Sir."
"Bring him." Ulysses said, then turned around and walked through the triple doors.
-Imperial Cargo Ship Manifest Destiny, Main Bridge-
Ulysses, Gomorra and the two power armored security guards materialized on the bridge of the lead cargo ship. The -Valley Forge's- medical personnel were going over the lightly wounded of merchant crew. Those more seriously injured had already been transported to sickbay onboard the ship. Nearly all of the young and middle aged men had been shot dead, their bodies now arrayed in a neat row along one bulkhead. Ulysses surveyed the survivors. Nearly all were in shock, that much was evident from their faces. Others were silently weeping, either from the joy of being rescued or from the horrors they had been forced to endure. Ulysses looked over the rooms, noting that teams were recording in one of them. A young girl, now dead, had been cut with a revolting morbid artistry. The bloody knife lay at her side, along with a shackled and manacled pirate who's arms were drenched in blood up to the wrists.. Ulysses stomach did a flip-flop, yet his steel like expression never wavered.
In the next room was a young woman clothed in a Starfleet utility jumpsuit. Her original clothing lay in cut tatters on the floor. Upon seeing Gomorra behind Ulysses, the young woman fairly leapt towards him with a feral snarl. The marine and medic tending to her managed to grab her as she tried to run past them. They held her back as gently as they could till the medic could administer a sedative. The girl crumpled to the floor, still staring a glare that could have melted the bulkheads at Gomorra.
"That is the beast that raped me! I demand that you give me." The girl's eyes blinked shut, then snapped open again. ".give me justice." Then the sedative took hold and the girl went under.
"I feel a very strong urge to kill you where you stand." Ulysses said, swinging around to pin his venom filled glare on Gomorra. How any species could spawn such creatures as these pirates was beyond Ulysses. They killed, raped and pillaged the spacelanes without regard for anything.
The Pirate commander didn't flinch under Ulysses withering stare, in fact his smirk became a tooth filled grin. "But you can't do that now can you. Under Imperial Law my crews and I must be returned to the nearest starbase so that we can stand trial. Most unfortunate that you can't act on your desires isn't it Captain?" Gomorra said with a snicker, then he spit into Ulysses face and laughed out loud. Many of his captive pirate underlings laughed along with him. "You can't touch me, and trust me on this, we can drag out the proceedings for a long, long time."
Ulysses reached up and slowly wiped the spittle from his cheek with his exoskeleton-encased hand. Then he grinned back at the smug pirate faintly. The dark part of him snarled gleefully as its cage door opened. It was still chained, but it was being given freedom it seldom enjoyed. "You are right. I can't do a blasted thing to you." Ulysses paused and the Pirate's grin got even bigger. Then Ulysses continued. "Or rather I should say I COULDN'T do a blasted thing to you under the OLD laws." Gomorra's happy, satisfied grin disappeared with stunning rapidity.
"Old laws?!" Gomorra said through narrowed eyes
"Yes. Quite recently changed by the Emperor himself. You have apparently not yet heard of them so I shall enlighten you. As per His Imperial Majesties General Edict 12, Section A, all individuals found supporting the actions of, benefiting from or engaging in organized criminal activity are to be executed at the earliest possible opportunity." Ulysses mild grin erupted into a predatory smile. "To bad we caught you both benefiting and engaging in organized criminal activity. Either one is a death sentence. So you see, I can indeed kill you where you stand, and I can do so quite legally. But even if it was still illegal for execution without trial, I am not certain I would not have done so. Removing an animal like you from the galaxy would be well worth the ensuing court-martial." And with that Ulysses pulled his phaser from its holster. A look of stark fear mingled with shock crossed Gomorra's face. The demon in Ulysses soul reveled in the fear and terror, urging Ulysses farther. Ulysses pressed the activation button and an orange beam spat out from the emitter housing. Gomorra dissolved into nothingness with a hideous scream as the beam's effect consumed him. An Imperial Type 2 Hand Phaser could be set to administer a slow, painful disintegration, and that was exactly what Ulysses had set his to accomplish before he had even left the -Forge-. Ulysses cold, wolfish eyes flared brightly as his dark half reveled in the killing, and for once Ulysses didn't care. Gomorra and his ilk were worse than animals, and they deserved the fate they brought upon themselves.
The Pirates clumped along one wall, bound and under guard, stared in disbelief. "Bu.But you said that you would spare us!" the one who had conversed on the com screen with Ulysses stammered.
"No I didn't." Ulysses snarled at him. "I said I would be as lenient as possible, which fortunately for the galaxy means that I can kill you after I have gathered evidence that you are actually pirates." Ulysses smacked his com badge. "Ulysses to transporter room. You may execute General Edict 12 at your leisure."
"Aye Sir!" came the eager response from the other end of the com. The Pirate's screams of fear and protest died away as the transporter grabbed them. Both they and their brethren being held in the -Valley Forge's- brig rematerialized in space to die slowly and painfully in frozen vacuum of deep space.
The fierce growl of approval that emanated from the surviving merchie crewmembers. 'Thank you sir!' and 'Thank you!' sprang from the crowd as they lurched foreword to embrace their savior and the one who had dispensed justice on their behalf. Ulysses gaze fell upon them, causing many to come up short. Many shrank back in newfound fear from what they saw in Ulysses eyes. Far to many of them had seen similar looks in the Pirates. They could see that part of him relished the killing, much like some of the pirates had. It frightened them almost more than seeing it in the Pirates, for this was a Starfleet officer, sworn to defend them.
Like a dog shaking water off of its fur, Ulysses brought his dark side back under firm control, reeling it back into its cage and locking it there.
"Any further assistance you require shall be given, merely ask the medics and marines. We are going to proceed back to Sector One and will bring you and your disabled ships along with us. You can find replacement crew and repair your ships there. On behalf of Starfleet and the Empire, I apologize for allowing what you have endured to happen." Ulysses tapped his com badge. "Vanguard to -Valley Forge-, one to beam up."