Chapter Fourteen – Why You Don't Mess With a Fury
Former Borg Space, Deep in the Delta Quadrant, Stalker Class SSS Moloch
Frank and Victoria were deep in the link with their ship. The bond between Fury and their Stalker was far deeper than any normal starship and crew, for Furies possessed the ability to give commands by mere thought alone. The link was more like that between the Borg and their vessels than anything else yet encountered. When the link was active, the ship became an extension of them selves, responding to their will with the speed of thought. The sleek stiletto shaped ship dropped out of slipstream under phase cloak. The blue white supergiant star of the system they had slowed to survey hung brightly directly ahead of them. The two M Class worlds in the system were highlighted in the holo display. Both were already covered with vibrant ecosystems that were virtually identical to that of Terra's. Minor variations were included to promote genetic diversity, but the Genesis Effect was designed to not only remove all hostile opposition on a world but to terraform it so that it was easily colonizeable by follow on Imperial missions.
Yet these reformatted, formerly Borg infested worlds had not been settled by follow on Imperial colonization expeditions. Borg space had been vast, removing Drone infestations had depleted the considerable stockpile of Genesis torpedoes the Empire had accumulated, creating a mind boggling number of virgin worlds ripe for colonization. While nearly every star that had a rocky world in the Alpha and Beta Quadrants had already been settled, many for centuries, there was always a demand for new worlds. The Empire had always pushed for large families to support the personnel demands of Starfleet, the Imperial Marine Corps and the Terran Empire Army, for there was always a fresh enemy to subdue before they could harm the Empire. That, combined with Genesis devices and the ability to alter the orbit of any solid planet around its parent star gave a plethora of inhabitable systems to work with. The Empires population base expanded rapidly, soon making humans the most populous race in the galaxy.
But with the serious losses in both materiel, and more importantly, personnel during the Borg/Imperial war, all colonization plans were on indefinite hold while the Empire repopulated core systems and its depleted military. As a result, the multitudinous worlds that were once under Borg control had been left largely alone by the Empire. But while the Terrans and their allies were away, the minor powers of the Delta Quadrant were left free to exploit the new worlds left unoccupied. The Kazon Sects, the Krenim Imperium, the Ocampan Commonwealth, even the Talaxian Confederacy had begun to encroach on what was, by right of conquest, Terran Empire space.
Frank supposed that since the Empire was not settling the area immediately, the local powers felt that they could trespass freely. And given the current situation with the Grand Alliance powers and Starfleet fleet strengths following the Borg/Imperial war, they would be free to do so for a while yet. There just weren't enough hulls to properly patrol all the territory that was rightly the Terran Empire's while still providing effective sector and border defense fleets. That would change soon because shipyards across the Empire had stepped up new hull production in the wake of the new GA threat. While most of the new construction was yet to become operational, many soon would.
But all of that was secondary to the Fury Pair's assigned mission. The Emperor himself had ordered them to search for proof of trespass and already they had found a lot. The previous seven systems they had surveyed all were in the process of being settled by various Delta Quad powers. Emperor Chambers would not be pleased by what was going on out here, but that wasn't Frank and Victoria's concern. They would survey five more worlds, then turn back towards the distant star of Sol to deliver their report.
Hirogen Hunting Party 2499
Hirogen usually didn't take on contracts from others, preferring to choose their own prey. Yet the game offered to the party's Alpha Hunt Leader had been too tempting to walk away from. The being, claiming to be operating under the auspices of something called the Galactic Unity, had offered a true prize. Everyone in the Delta Quadrant knew of the great Terran Empire, slayers of the hated Borg. The being had offered a way to track the most elusive and deadly of their craft in exchange for all information on its tactics and all data that could be gleaned from its computers once the hunt was complete. What true hunter could give up the chance to bring down a near mythical Terran Empire Fury.
The alien device that had been installed on the Alpha's bridge seemed to be working perfectly, for there was a faint blip on the panel while there was nothing at all on any of the other sensitive scanners his ship possessed. Now to test the other new system the GU operative had installed. With a few commands entered into the control panel, a quartet of small missiles spat from the box launcher mounted on his ships dorsal side. Seconds after they left their launch rails, they began to home in on the blip on the alien sensor system. The other five ships in his party launched their own quartets of tiny missiles. All that remained was to see if they did indeed scare their quarry from its hiding place in the thicket.
Moloch
The Fury Pair sensed the peculiarity at the same time. The six Hirogen vessels that had been flying a roughly parallel track to their own had launched four small missiles that had promptly swung to their general bearing. Despite their initial spike of emotion, they remained calm, for nothing could harm them while they were under phase cloak. Just the same, they began to execute an evasion routine that would bring them closer to the Hirogen vessels. Even though sensors were degraded while under phase cloak, a detailed scan could still be achieved on the Hunting Party once the range was low enough.
The small missiles homed in on the general location of the Moloch as the lithe ship swung about to pass close to the Hirogen vessels. It was evident that all of the missiles would pass by them. Victoria ran through a level four diagnostic on the Phase Cloak subsystem in order to ensure that it was operating as it should. There had to be some explanation as to why the Hunting Party had apparently caught a sniff of them despite being under Phase Cloak. Four, eight, twelve of the small missiles passed by aimlessly. The final quartet was on course to pass nearby, but well outside all known effective warhead damage radii. The missiles were slipping by to starboard when the closest one's sensors caught the trail of the Moloch. Its miniaturized multiphaseic sensors had a hideously short range and weren't 100% reliable to maintain target lock even when provided with updates by similar shipboard systems. Yet all it took was one to maintain lock to execute their designed purpose. ISC scientists had not as yet been able to crack the ability to reliably and safely phase cloak their own warships, they had managed to come up with a weapons system that would negate the Terran Empire's advantage in this area.
A proximity fused warhead detonated inside the missile, but it wasn't a normal destructive yield weapon. In fact, much of the miniscule force of the detonation disappeared into the multitiered chaos of Phase Cloak. The warhead had but one purpose, to overload an operating Phase Cloak and drag the vessel kicking and screaming back to normal space.
A sound like arching electricity filled the Moloch and the ships computer instantly transmitted to its living crew that the Phase Cloak was no longer operational and that the ship was phasing back into normal space.
Well, it looks like our routine patrol has just gotten considerably more interesting. Frank thought.
It's your fault. You were the one who wanted some more action, well now you have it. Victoria thought back.
Initiate combat mode. You got to be offense last time, it's my turn now. Frank's thoughts took on an eager overtone.
Fine, go play with your guns, I'll keep us alive with the defensive systems.
Both Furies slipped into combat mode, time seeming to slow as their internal pharmacopoeia pumped a plethora of drugs into their systems. Reaction times were accelerated, brain functions as well. Scarcely a second had passed since the ship began to reemerge into normal space, yet they had the armor, shields, weapons systems and electronic warfare systems fully online. On the holodisplay, the Hirogen vessels opened fire on the still nebulous Moloch as she began her evasion routine. Some people say that dog's can't smile, but there most certainly was a smile on Victoria's face as she deftly avoided all of the incoming fire, spinning and weaving between the onrushing beams and warheads. Although the energy weapons were traveling at C and the torpedoes near so, they appeared to move in slow motion from the Furies perspective. What should have been a crippling strike was totally ineffective.
Hirogen Hunting Party 2499
"You are indeed worthy prey!" The power armor clad Hirogen hunter smiled behind his helmet as the fleet prey craft in front of his ship nimbly spun through his flurry of phaser beams and torpedoes. Not a single one scored a hit, some beams passing within meters of the prey's hull, but never landing a hit. The ship was fully back in normal space now, bringing its weapons and shields online. It was easily the most maneuverable starship the Hirogen Alpha had ever encountered, and his sensors showed the reason. There were full impulse engines in place of a normal starships RCS. The stresses placed on the prey's hull must be enormous, but since it was rumored to be nearly solid, that would account for its staying together. "Order the rest of the party to decloak and launch the attack."
The second jaw of the hunt decloaked from their concealed position on the far side of the nearest gas giant planet. Bringing their warp drives online as soon as they had a clear approach vector, they screamed foreword to join in the stalking of their prey.
Moloch
I grow tired of this senseless waste of time, initiate tactical attack mode. Frank thought. Victoria complied, deploying the Stalker class' primary armament from their concealed, armored positions. Six Phaser Lance Mk II's shot out from positions along the charcoal gray dabbled black knife like hull. It looked like the stiletto silhouette of the Moloch sprouted fangs. One of the newcomers scored a torpedo hit on them, causing a barely felt shudder to run through the ship.
Shields holding. Victoria thought needlessly, for Frank knew instantly through his connection with the ship how much the shields went down.
I'm taking him out first. Frank thought as he brought the fire control sensors to target the Hirogen vessel that had scored the lucky hit. With weapons fire streaming in from eight ships now, there was just to much to avoid it all, yet only the odd hit made it past Victoria's maneuvers. When you could damn near shift direction 90 degrees in a second, had the EW capability of a Battlecruiser and were the size of a Frigate, you were a damned small target.
Hirogen Hunting Party 2499
The prey seemed to be toying with them, sending only the odd burst of phaser fire and Quantum torpedo out from its powerful weapons arrays. Hirogen vessels were well armed and defended for their size, and were highly maneuverable for their mass class, but they had nothing on the Fury vessel. She threaded the needle with inhuman skill, allowing only ineffectual fire to hit her. It did nothing to bring down her powerful shields much. Then extra weapons emerged from their armored sheaths. Seconds after they were deployed, six amber red lances of energy erupted from them. Each hit a Hunter and with each hit, a Hunter died. Pieces of the formerly powerful craft pinwheeled away from each other as the insanely strong lances of energy stabbed through their shields and armored carapaces to cut them in half. Molten splinters of what had been armor and bulkhead along with the normal debris jettisoned by explosive decompression filled space.
The prey had turned and shown that it was a hunter all along. The Hirogen Alpha had barely opened his mouth to order the retreat when the Moloch spun around and fired again, vaporizing the remaining Hunters in brilliant, star bright funeral pyres. Hirogen Hunting Party 2499 was no more than a debris field.
Moloch
Like a cat toying with a mouse, the Furies savored their prey's rapidly growing terror, drinking their emotions like a fine wine. But to long a pause, even in combat mode, would give an advantage to the enemy. With something akin to regret, the second wave of Phaser Lance fire spat out, cutting deep into the remaining Hirogen vessels. The terror was cut off as the Hirogen hunters were vaporized along with large portions of their ships.
Secure from tactical attack and combat modes.
Sensors show a Talaxian patrol is leaving station in the inner system to investigate. We should leave before they get here. Victoria's placated, bliss filled after battle thoughts filled Franks head through their telepathic bond. The holodisplay showed the still splintering Hirogen vessels breaking apart with exquisite slowness.
First grab one of those missiles they used to bring us out of phase cloak. The Emperor will want to look at them for sure. Then engage standard cloak and bring the slipstream core online, set a course for Sector One.
The Moloch slipped behind one of the still cruising missiles, scanning it with her powerful sensor array. She was nearly in range for transport when all remaining missiles self destructed.
ISCV Warrior's Bane
"It is a good thing you put self destruct mechanisms onto the new warheads." The captain told his chief engineer. "We now have proof that they will work against Imperial vessels, which was the entire point of this exercise. We also have the added benefit of seeing a Stalker in action. It is good that the Imperials don't have very many of them, for they will prove difficult when encountered in combat."
"The Stalker has engaged her cloak and is leaving sensor range Sir."
"Understood, lay in a course for ISC space. I have an after action report to prepare for Command. If you need me, I will be in my ready room."
The cloaked Interstellar Concordium Battlecruiser swung about and engaged her warp drive. It was a short hop to the nearest subspace corridor, and from there it would be only a week long trip to friendly borders.
Former Borg Space, Deep in the Delta Quadrant, Stalker Class SSS Moloch
Frank and Victoria were deep in the link with their ship. The bond between Fury and their Stalker was far deeper than any normal starship and crew, for Furies possessed the ability to give commands by mere thought alone. The link was more like that between the Borg and their vessels than anything else yet encountered. When the link was active, the ship became an extension of them selves, responding to their will with the speed of thought. The sleek stiletto shaped ship dropped out of slipstream under phase cloak. The blue white supergiant star of the system they had slowed to survey hung brightly directly ahead of them. The two M Class worlds in the system were highlighted in the holo display. Both were already covered with vibrant ecosystems that were virtually identical to that of Terra's. Minor variations were included to promote genetic diversity, but the Genesis Effect was designed to not only remove all hostile opposition on a world but to terraform it so that it was easily colonizeable by follow on Imperial missions.
Yet these reformatted, formerly Borg infested worlds had not been settled by follow on Imperial colonization expeditions. Borg space had been vast, removing Drone infestations had depleted the considerable stockpile of Genesis torpedoes the Empire had accumulated, creating a mind boggling number of virgin worlds ripe for colonization. While nearly every star that had a rocky world in the Alpha and Beta Quadrants had already been settled, many for centuries, there was always a demand for new worlds. The Empire had always pushed for large families to support the personnel demands of Starfleet, the Imperial Marine Corps and the Terran Empire Army, for there was always a fresh enemy to subdue before they could harm the Empire. That, combined with Genesis devices and the ability to alter the orbit of any solid planet around its parent star gave a plethora of inhabitable systems to work with. The Empires population base expanded rapidly, soon making humans the most populous race in the galaxy.
But with the serious losses in both materiel, and more importantly, personnel during the Borg/Imperial war, all colonization plans were on indefinite hold while the Empire repopulated core systems and its depleted military. As a result, the multitudinous worlds that were once under Borg control had been left largely alone by the Empire. But while the Terrans and their allies were away, the minor powers of the Delta Quadrant were left free to exploit the new worlds left unoccupied. The Kazon Sects, the Krenim Imperium, the Ocampan Commonwealth, even the Talaxian Confederacy had begun to encroach on what was, by right of conquest, Terran Empire space.
Frank supposed that since the Empire was not settling the area immediately, the local powers felt that they could trespass freely. And given the current situation with the Grand Alliance powers and Starfleet fleet strengths following the Borg/Imperial war, they would be free to do so for a while yet. There just weren't enough hulls to properly patrol all the territory that was rightly the Terran Empire's while still providing effective sector and border defense fleets. That would change soon because shipyards across the Empire had stepped up new hull production in the wake of the new GA threat. While most of the new construction was yet to become operational, many soon would.
But all of that was secondary to the Fury Pair's assigned mission. The Emperor himself had ordered them to search for proof of trespass and already they had found a lot. The previous seven systems they had surveyed all were in the process of being settled by various Delta Quad powers. Emperor Chambers would not be pleased by what was going on out here, but that wasn't Frank and Victoria's concern. They would survey five more worlds, then turn back towards the distant star of Sol to deliver their report.
Hirogen Hunting Party 2499
Hirogen usually didn't take on contracts from others, preferring to choose their own prey. Yet the game offered to the party's Alpha Hunt Leader had been too tempting to walk away from. The being, claiming to be operating under the auspices of something called the Galactic Unity, had offered a true prize. Everyone in the Delta Quadrant knew of the great Terran Empire, slayers of the hated Borg. The being had offered a way to track the most elusive and deadly of their craft in exchange for all information on its tactics and all data that could be gleaned from its computers once the hunt was complete. What true hunter could give up the chance to bring down a near mythical Terran Empire Fury.
The alien device that had been installed on the Alpha's bridge seemed to be working perfectly, for there was a faint blip on the panel while there was nothing at all on any of the other sensitive scanners his ship possessed. Now to test the other new system the GU operative had installed. With a few commands entered into the control panel, a quartet of small missiles spat from the box launcher mounted on his ships dorsal side. Seconds after they left their launch rails, they began to home in on the blip on the alien sensor system. The other five ships in his party launched their own quartets of tiny missiles. All that remained was to see if they did indeed scare their quarry from its hiding place in the thicket.
Moloch
The Fury Pair sensed the peculiarity at the same time. The six Hirogen vessels that had been flying a roughly parallel track to their own had launched four small missiles that had promptly swung to their general bearing. Despite their initial spike of emotion, they remained calm, for nothing could harm them while they were under phase cloak. Just the same, they began to execute an evasion routine that would bring them closer to the Hirogen vessels. Even though sensors were degraded while under phase cloak, a detailed scan could still be achieved on the Hunting Party once the range was low enough.
The small missiles homed in on the general location of the Moloch as the lithe ship swung about to pass close to the Hirogen vessels. It was evident that all of the missiles would pass by them. Victoria ran through a level four diagnostic on the Phase Cloak subsystem in order to ensure that it was operating as it should. There had to be some explanation as to why the Hunting Party had apparently caught a sniff of them despite being under Phase Cloak. Four, eight, twelve of the small missiles passed by aimlessly. The final quartet was on course to pass nearby, but well outside all known effective warhead damage radii. The missiles were slipping by to starboard when the closest one's sensors caught the trail of the Moloch. Its miniaturized multiphaseic sensors had a hideously short range and weren't 100% reliable to maintain target lock even when provided with updates by similar shipboard systems. Yet all it took was one to maintain lock to execute their designed purpose. ISC scientists had not as yet been able to crack the ability to reliably and safely phase cloak their own warships, they had managed to come up with a weapons system that would negate the Terran Empire's advantage in this area.
A proximity fused warhead detonated inside the missile, but it wasn't a normal destructive yield weapon. In fact, much of the miniscule force of the detonation disappeared into the multitiered chaos of Phase Cloak. The warhead had but one purpose, to overload an operating Phase Cloak and drag the vessel kicking and screaming back to normal space.
A sound like arching electricity filled the Moloch and the ships computer instantly transmitted to its living crew that the Phase Cloak was no longer operational and that the ship was phasing back into normal space.
Well, it looks like our routine patrol has just gotten considerably more interesting. Frank thought.
It's your fault. You were the one who wanted some more action, well now you have it. Victoria thought back.
Initiate combat mode. You got to be offense last time, it's my turn now. Frank's thoughts took on an eager overtone.
Fine, go play with your guns, I'll keep us alive with the defensive systems.
Both Furies slipped into combat mode, time seeming to slow as their internal pharmacopoeia pumped a plethora of drugs into their systems. Reaction times were accelerated, brain functions as well. Scarcely a second had passed since the ship began to reemerge into normal space, yet they had the armor, shields, weapons systems and electronic warfare systems fully online. On the holodisplay, the Hirogen vessels opened fire on the still nebulous Moloch as she began her evasion routine. Some people say that dog's can't smile, but there most certainly was a smile on Victoria's face as she deftly avoided all of the incoming fire, spinning and weaving between the onrushing beams and warheads. Although the energy weapons were traveling at C and the torpedoes near so, they appeared to move in slow motion from the Furies perspective. What should have been a crippling strike was totally ineffective.
Hirogen Hunting Party 2499
"You are indeed worthy prey!" The power armor clad Hirogen hunter smiled behind his helmet as the fleet prey craft in front of his ship nimbly spun through his flurry of phaser beams and torpedoes. Not a single one scored a hit, some beams passing within meters of the prey's hull, but never landing a hit. The ship was fully back in normal space now, bringing its weapons and shields online. It was easily the most maneuverable starship the Hirogen Alpha had ever encountered, and his sensors showed the reason. There were full impulse engines in place of a normal starships RCS. The stresses placed on the prey's hull must be enormous, but since it was rumored to be nearly solid, that would account for its staying together. "Order the rest of the party to decloak and launch the attack."
The second jaw of the hunt decloaked from their concealed position on the far side of the nearest gas giant planet. Bringing their warp drives online as soon as they had a clear approach vector, they screamed foreword to join in the stalking of their prey.
Moloch
I grow tired of this senseless waste of time, initiate tactical attack mode. Frank thought. Victoria complied, deploying the Stalker class' primary armament from their concealed, armored positions. Six Phaser Lance Mk II's shot out from positions along the charcoal gray dabbled black knife like hull. It looked like the stiletto silhouette of the Moloch sprouted fangs. One of the newcomers scored a torpedo hit on them, causing a barely felt shudder to run through the ship.
Shields holding. Victoria thought needlessly, for Frank knew instantly through his connection with the ship how much the shields went down.
I'm taking him out first. Frank thought as he brought the fire control sensors to target the Hirogen vessel that had scored the lucky hit. With weapons fire streaming in from eight ships now, there was just to much to avoid it all, yet only the odd hit made it past Victoria's maneuvers. When you could damn near shift direction 90 degrees in a second, had the EW capability of a Battlecruiser and were the size of a Frigate, you were a damned small target.
Hirogen Hunting Party 2499
The prey seemed to be toying with them, sending only the odd burst of phaser fire and Quantum torpedo out from its powerful weapons arrays. Hirogen vessels were well armed and defended for their size, and were highly maneuverable for their mass class, but they had nothing on the Fury vessel. She threaded the needle with inhuman skill, allowing only ineffectual fire to hit her. It did nothing to bring down her powerful shields much. Then extra weapons emerged from their armored sheaths. Seconds after they were deployed, six amber red lances of energy erupted from them. Each hit a Hunter and with each hit, a Hunter died. Pieces of the formerly powerful craft pinwheeled away from each other as the insanely strong lances of energy stabbed through their shields and armored carapaces to cut them in half. Molten splinters of what had been armor and bulkhead along with the normal debris jettisoned by explosive decompression filled space.
The prey had turned and shown that it was a hunter all along. The Hirogen Alpha had barely opened his mouth to order the retreat when the Moloch spun around and fired again, vaporizing the remaining Hunters in brilliant, star bright funeral pyres. Hirogen Hunting Party 2499 was no more than a debris field.
Moloch
Like a cat toying with a mouse, the Furies savored their prey's rapidly growing terror, drinking their emotions like a fine wine. But to long a pause, even in combat mode, would give an advantage to the enemy. With something akin to regret, the second wave of Phaser Lance fire spat out, cutting deep into the remaining Hirogen vessels. The terror was cut off as the Hirogen hunters were vaporized along with large portions of their ships.
Secure from tactical attack and combat modes.
Sensors show a Talaxian patrol is leaving station in the inner system to investigate. We should leave before they get here. Victoria's placated, bliss filled after battle thoughts filled Franks head through their telepathic bond. The holodisplay showed the still splintering Hirogen vessels breaking apart with exquisite slowness.
First grab one of those missiles they used to bring us out of phase cloak. The Emperor will want to look at them for sure. Then engage standard cloak and bring the slipstream core online, set a course for Sector One.
The Moloch slipped behind one of the still cruising missiles, scanning it with her powerful sensor array. She was nearly in range for transport when all remaining missiles self destructed.
ISCV Warrior's Bane
"It is a good thing you put self destruct mechanisms onto the new warheads." The captain told his chief engineer. "We now have proof that they will work against Imperial vessels, which was the entire point of this exercise. We also have the added benefit of seeing a Stalker in action. It is good that the Imperials don't have very many of them, for they will prove difficult when encountered in combat."
"The Stalker has engaged her cloak and is leaving sensor range Sir."
"Understood, lay in a course for ISC space. I have an after action report to prepare for Command. If you need me, I will be in my ready room."
The cloaked Interstellar Concordium Battlecruiser swung about and engaged her warp drive. It was a short hop to the nearest subspace corridor, and from there it would be only a week long trip to friendly borders.