Title: For the Empire!

Rating: PG

Genre: Tag Scene to the end of the first part of 'In a Mirror, Darkly'.

Summary: What happened immediately after the Enterprise was destroyed by the Tholians?

Author's Note: I'm pretty sure this will be much different than tonight's second half, but I had this bumping around in my head all week.

This piece has not been beta'd so please forgive any grammatical errors.

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Commander Archer watched in annoyed dismay as the Enterprise, the pride and flagship of the Empire, blow up in front of his eyes. He sneered and shook his head. You couldn't keep you head down, could you, Forrest? Well, with the captain out of the way, he could proceed with his original plan.

"Commander!" Archer barked. "Where are those engines?"

His Chief Engineer grimaced. "I can give you impulse power for now, but warp drive will take some time." Tucker's eyes slid towards the science station. "The drive's colder than a Vulcan's heart." T'Pol raised an eyebrow at the comment but said nothing.

"That's enough for now," Archer said as he went back to the helm. "Grab on to something," he warned as he nudged the engines to life. A shudder ran through the bridge as the massive starship strained slightly against the moorings holding it inside the asteroid base. Something, somewhere groaned and metal started to screech in protest. The Tholian fighters, now aware of what was transpiring, turned to face the ship. Gritting his teeth, Archer nudged the engines a bit more and, with a massive lurch, they shot out of the base towards the waiting fighters.

The Tholians, already prepared, encircled the ship and began spinning their deadly web. Either they would have the starship, or no one would. Before Archer could even pour more power to the engines, the web was quickly finished and began to constrict around them. He looked at the Engineering station with a question in his eyes.

"If I'm reading this right, you've got phase cannons!" Tucker announced.

Archer looked to Major Reed in the seat next to his. "Target the web. Fire when ready."

Smirking, the Security officer slammed his fist down on the firing stud. Two massive, scintillating beams lanced out and struck the enveloping web. The energy filaments, designed to capture and disperse any weapons fire and energy used against it, proved unable to handle the firepower from a ship 100 years in the future. The entire structure glowed, crackled and finally exploded outwards, taking out several Tholian ships and sending the rest into disarray.

"God-DAMN!" Commander Tucker exclaimed from his station. Archer could only grin at the enthusiasm as he punched up full impulse.

"Commander," T'Pol spoke up from the Science Station. "I'm picking up several escape pod beacons and the Tholians are beginning to regroup."

"We're going to need every able body just to fly this ship," Archer said then looked again at Tucker. "Can you beam them up?"

The Chief Engineers hands flew across the console. "Already done." He shook his head. "Damn, this thing is fast."

"Get down to Engineering and give me warp drive ASAP," Archer ordered and nodded to Travis. "Go with him. There're still those aliens in the lower decks. Stop by and gather some men from the survivors we picked up, then round them up."

Commander Reed brightened. "Commander, I'd like to go along – "

"Negative, Major," Archer cut in. "I need my weapons officer here." Where I can keep an eye on you. He'd seen the way Reed had looked at that sleek phase pistol. Who knew what else he might find if let loose on this ship? The Major's lips pressed a bit but he said kept his mouth shut.

"What's the status of the Tholians?"

T'Pol checked her scanner. "They remain in pursuit. Given the demonstration this ship's weapons gave them, they are keeping a safe distance away, presumably waiting for reinforcements."

Archer nodded. So, they had a little time, hopefully enough for Tucker to get warp drive going. If this ship could indeed do warp 7 then they could be in Imperial space in no time flat. The commander could just imagine the faces at Starfleet when he finally showed up with this prize of a ship. He especially wanted to savor the looks of all those admirals who conspired to keep him from getting his command of Enterprise. Now, he had his own command, and he'd be damned if he'd just hand it over to those same fools.

First things first: ending the war as quickly as possible. Then, a little 'house-cleaning' would be in order. The Emperor had too many shortsighted idiots like Forrest in his inner circle. But why stop there? Archer walked around and ran a hand over the back of the command chair. If this ship was even half as advanced as what Tucker surmised, then nothing even in Starfleet could stand up to him.

'Captain' Archer smiled as he settled down in the center seat, and his mind raced with all possibilities he now had at his fingertips.

For the Empire!

FIN-