[MTG] Dark: Fool's End

[richyulin]

((Bridge, Mas-to-Gal))

Jilor: Dark, are you ready to transmit that code?

Dark: Yes. Waiting for your signal.

Jilor: Dociuba, do you have your targets?

Dociuba: ::nods:: Yes.  Targeting their impulse and warp engines.  Ready to fire.

Jilor: Good work. Helm, move us into position, bearing 315.5. Make it quick.

Ekruss: Yes, my Lord. We’ll be in position in 17 seconds.

::Dark wasn’t paying too much attention to the viewscreen, instead focused on Jilor for whenever he planned to use the damn prefix code, but out of the corner of her eye, she did see a volley of disrupter fire shoot out and then seemingly pass right through the Starfleet vessel.::

Jilor: What was that?

Dociuba: I have no idea, but the Veritas is in point blank weapons range!

::The Cardassian quickly checked the sensors on the old Klingon vessel.::

Dark: She engaged her warp drive briefly! Sneaky trick.

Jilor: Send the code.

::He didn’t have to tell her twice. She quickly punched the transmit button, and grinned slightly when the ship’s computer received confirmation.::

Dark: Done. We have access.

Jilor: Time for a test then. Dark, lower their shields. Dociuba, wait long enough to confirm their shields are down, then decloak and begin the assault. :: Back to the communications officer. :: Tell the other ships to standby.

Dark: And with that… their shields are gone!

::It was a quick succession of actions next, like a well-rehearsed dance routine. Anjar decloaked the ship, Dociuba fired the weapons, the Starfleet ship took the hits, and Jilor’s prized daughter kept a steady hand at the helm. After a few more shots, Veritas was beginning to drag in its feet, a sickly green plume of plasma now leaking from one of the ship’s warp nacelles, leaving a trail like the bleeding prey she had become.::

Dociuba: Their impulse drives are at half effectiveness, and I’ve disabled their warp drive!  Their armor is thick, though - it’s going to take time to break through to their engine core.

Jilor: Target their bridge with your next attack run. We’ll cut the head off of the snake if we can’t have its guts.

Dociuba: Right.

::Dark for her part did her best to light the target up. It was actually unnecessary though as most Federation ships including Veritas placed the bridge of their ships at the top for odd reasons—perhaps based on human sentimentality again for the days of old when an actual window in a cockpit was necessary. Either way, they’d pay for their ignorance.::

::Unfortunately, Dociuba’s shots missed their mark, the Starfleet cruiser managing to dodge out of the way at the last moment. A nasty gash though was left on the deck just below, furniture and other pieces of equipment now spilling out into space.::

::As Ekluss turned the ship around for another pass, the behemoth that was the Astraeus reared its unsightly head before launching a volley of phaser fire at the Mas-To-Gal, rattling the bridge.::

Anjar: Shields at forty percent!

Dark: Dociuba, maybe now would be a good time to return fire!

Jilor: Don’t be distracted. Ekruss, get us around that cow. Dociuba, keep focusing fire on the Veritas.

::This fool couldn’t be serious. But when Dark turned to look at the old Klingon, she could see that the only ship that mattered to him was the wounded cruiser. His obsession with destroying that one ship would be the death of them all.::

::Ekruss did manage to get them around the Galaxy class ship, and soon, Dociuba launched another wave of shots, each one hitting with a satisfying explosion.::

Dociuba: I’ve got them….

::But then two gnats joined the fight, launched from the Astraeus. Dark almost wanted to applaud their courageous—if stupid—last stand, but that was before they managed to deliver their own blows.::

Dark: You have got to be kidding me…

Jilor: Toh-pah…

::The Cardassian’s eyes darted towards Dociuba and Jilor, and she could see the Romulan was looking over at the Klingon with doubt in her eyes as well. When the two exchanged glances, the mutual understanding went unsaid.::

Jilor: Cloak. Get us around, decloak again, and fire everything we have into the Veritas’ warp core. Full power to weapons. We need to finish this.

Ekruss: I’ll try, My Lord.

::The ship recloaked again before the Starfleet forces could do further damage.::

Dociuba: Make it fast, Ekluss, they might be able to detect us….

Ekluss: Understood.

::On the screen, the other ships and shuttles in the battle spun around as the Mas-To-Gal adjusted its flight path to launch its final attack on the Veritas engineering section again.::

Ekluss: :: Excitement bleeding into her voice. :: We’re clear. Ready to decloak.

Dociuba: And I’m ready to fire.

Jilor: Fire!

::A last barrage of disruptors and torpedoes erupted from all of the Mas-To-Gal’s cannons and launchers, and though it was an impressive death blow, it was blunted by the reenergized shields of the Starfleet cruiser.::

Dark: oO Damn it. Oo

::Jilor himself seemed in shock at how close he had been and to see now the moment lost.::

Jilor: No….

Ekruss: Their shields are up…

::Dark’s eyes nearly rolled out of their sockets from that brilliant piece of analysis from His Majesty’s heir.::

Dark: Oh, is that your expert opinion, Princess?

Jilor: How!

::Jilor slammed a frustrated fist into the console as another Kos’karii ship exploded in a bright ball of flames.::

Ekruss: The ships are focusing fire on us. Trying to evade.

::The combined firepower of the remaining Starfleet ships all converged on the Mas-To-Gal, drilling into the old Raptor and knocking Dociuba and Anjar literally on their backs as the bridge consoles exploded. Dark turned to see who was left alive—Dociuba—not out of compassion but more so curiosity. She needed *someone* alive to pay her at least.::

::The tenacious little Romulan managed to grab onto her console and pull herself up to read the damage report.::

Dociuba: It’s over.  All weapons systems have failed.

Ekluss: We’ve lost warp drive, Father...

Dark: Then we have no choice. You have to signal the Starfleet vessel for terms.

Jilor: No! I will not surrender. Ekruss, turn us around!

Ekluss: Yes, father.

Jilor: Ramming speed.

::As soon as the Klingon had said it, he was cut off by a phaser blast to the chest, knocking him out of the chair. Dark looked over to see Dociuba now standing there, a new fire lit in her. It seemed the real possibility of death had awakened something in her as she stood now as a true warrior, more than Jilor could have ever hoped to be. Dark was impressed, and she wasn’t one to impress easily.::

::The Cardassian nodded approvingly. Jilor's daughter meanwhile had stood up but was quickly seized by the Romulan who placed the phaser against Ekluss’s head.::

Dociuba: No.  We’re not ramming anyone today!  Everyone, stand down.  I’m taking over this ship.  And I’m going to vaporize this girl and her father if anyone tries to stop me.

Jilor: RESPONSE

Dark: What are your orders… Captain?

Dociuba: This battle’s lost.  Dark, hail the Veritas.  Signal our surrender.

::The Cardassian nodded before heading to the communications console.::

Dark: =/\= USS Veritas, this is the Mas-To-Gal. We surrender. Repeat. USS Veritas, this is the Mas-To-Gal. We surrender. =/\=

::Dark looked back at Dociuba.::

Dark: They’re signaling back. I’m opening a channel.

Mei’konda: =/\= RESPONSE =/\=

Dociuba: =/\= RESPONSE =/\=

Veritas: =/\= RESPONSE =/\=

Jilor: RESPONSE

TAG! TBC...

Dark

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