(( Saloon - Reverie Rock ))
:: The parasite’s avatar, Scorpion
walked into the saloon with a face of sheer triumph. Nugra knew the
thing realized he found the source of the dreamworld and the moment of
truth had arrived.
Scorpion: After all these eons, I have finally found you. Hiding as a simple drunk. How ingenious.
Lucky: We all knew this day was coming.
::
Nugra glared from the dirty drunk to the bandit who stood in the
doorway of the saloon. The energy in the room had intensified and an
imaginary heat could be felt basking on his face. It was clear now that
Scorpion was the embodiment of the parasite while this entity that the
parasites were attacking had Lucky as the host whose immune system was
fighting them. ::
Nugra: If I take him out, we can go home, yes?
Lucky: Yes.
::
Was it instinct? Was it irritation? Was it even heroic and selfless?
All Nugra knew was that Lucky had told him that Scorpion was the man
standing in the way of Talia and her son. There was only one thing he
could do. Nugra turned and began to walk determined towards Scorpion.
The man raised an eyebrow in surprise. ::
Scorpion: And what do you think you're doing?
Nugra: Removing you.
::
Nugra looked at his captain. The woman he had known for so many years
as Sundassa Faranster, who had become the haunted Selene Faranfey. They
had been through a lot together and the understanding that what had to be
done would protect her and the crew she loved so much. There was also
Kaji who stared at him with her large, beautiful eyes. ::
Nugra: ::smiling:: Go find Ben. I'll be fine.
:: It was a lie. He knew that and Talia would know that. It didn't matter as her life was now more important than anything. ::
Nugra: Alright you bastard. Time for you to die.
:: Scorpion laughed as Nugra picked up his pace striding across the floor. ::
Scorpion: I can't die you fool.
::
From a walk to a charge, Nugra caught Scorpion by surprise in the chest
and carried him through the door and on to the ground in front of
saloon. Scorpion swung and connected to the lizard's face. To the Gorn's
surprise, it took him off the man and across the street. Scorpion
hopped up with irritated sigh and brushed himself off. ::
Scorpion: There is no way you can defeat me.
::
He was right. The parasite was an energy creature that was feeding off
of another. The only reason the lizard could even see him was because
they were trapped in the REM world created by the Dream Master. They
were feeding off his memories. ::
oO Memories. Oo
:: That
was it. The parasites were focusing their energy on consuming the Dream
Master and it was what was keeping the entity from shaking off and
getting away. Nugra knew what he had to do. ::
Nugra: I don't need to defeat you. I just need to distract you.
::
Focusing the will of his entire species on the thought of Scorpion, he
summoned the memories of those who inhabited him. He thought deep of the
alternate Nugra whose memories were imprinted on him when the USS
Thunder broke through a singularity, he focused on the nightmares of
Krr'Sakk the Admiral of Skulls, a horrible split personality he
developed while trapped in the singularity. He touched the memories of
the being that lived inside of him since 2381. The Gorn took it all and
mentally threw it at Scorpion. ::
:: At first, the Gorn did not
know if anything was happening, but then he saw the shock and stumble of
the parasite's avatar. The memories had hit hard. ::
oO Come on. Take a nibble! O
Scorpion: Fine! If you're going to waste your life, then so be it. Your memories are going to be mine!
::
The world around Nugra changed as Scorpion changed into a nightmarish
creature of phantom shadows and teeth. The Gorn felt the terror of the
entity as it lunged at him and he felt the cold, icy, fangs sink into
his mind. It was done. Now it was time to allow the rest of his body to
do its job. What Scorpion did not know was that when Nugra first joined
the Gorn Space Navy in 2369, he had been attacked by a mind sucking
probe and the doctor figure a way to freeze his engrams in place.
Scorpion realized this as Nugra felt the being impact on unmovable
memories. Nugra felt the creature shatter into a million pieces while
his own thoughts and consciousness broke along with it. It was like two
pieces of crystal being collided together. ::
:: Falling to his
knees and looking up towards the sky, the Gorn saw a figure beckoning
him forward. He recognized her from the writings of his religion, the
Pale Goddess that defended the gates of oblivion from being opened.
Nugra knew that death had finally found him and that she saw him worthy
to join the ranks of those who fought by her side. Peace filling his
mind, he saw his friends of old Korvek, Merida, Tallis Rhul, and even
his young brother Morg waiting for him along the alabaster roads. For a
second, he thought about the beautiful woman he left behind, but he was
happy she was now safe. He had achieved what he wanted. To keep her safe
and now he was home. ::
:: For the first time in 364 years, Nugra was at peace. ::
~The End~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Colonel Nugra
Marine Commanding Officer
USS Doyle-A, NCC-80221-B
Podcast Team Facilitator
Deputy Commandant
Captain's Council Magistrate
Provisional Fleet JAG Officer
V238008N10
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
&
MSNPC Lucky
Dream Master
Reverie Rock
as simmed by
---------------------
LtCmdr Talia Kaji
First Officer
USS Doyle-A, NCC-80221-A
E239008TK0
---------------------