Gideon
Chapter 22 of Starfighter! The
Iconoclast
By: Tom Sczepkowski
With editing and clean-up
by: Frederick P. Kopetz
Copyrights:
STAR TREK is © 2004 by Paramount Pictures, Inc. STAR BLAZERS is © 2004 by Voyager
International, and, STAR WARS is © 2004 by Lucasfilm, Ltd. GARGOYLES is © 2004
by Disney Entertainment. The Technomugar Empire is © 2004 by Frederick P.
Kopetz and is mentioned here by the author's permission. All original elements
of this tale are © 2004 by Tom Sczepkowski. All rights reserved, not to be
copied without the author's permission.
Vaught made his entrance onto the bridge as quietly as
possible, and did his best to stay out of the way. He leaned against Captain Avatar’s Command console
and watched everyone on the bridge closely. Like a Federation vessel, the crew
came from all the corners of the world. He was impressed with how they worked
fluidly as one. Despite this however the crew seemed very perplexed with
something that was happening. They knew the Andromeda
was behind them; however they couldn’t seem to confirm the Andromeda’s position with their equipment.
“Negative, flight.”
Nova said “All I am getting is our own reflection.”
“Nav 2 confirms that flight,” Eager “Just a radar
reflection.”
It was that conversation that caused Vaught to make a few
steps forward to Nova’s radar station where where he was looking at the display
over her shoulder. He looked at where the reflection return was and immediately
knew the cause.
“That’s it,” Vaught said with authority. “The Andromeda is there.”
He hadn’t realized that all eyes were on him and all that
could be heard was the bridge equipment.
Wildstar looked at Sandor, “Radar Blind spot?” Sandor
guessed.
“No.” Vaught said “These are his tactics. Kirk is one to
observe for weakness than attack.”
Wildstar looked at Nova who shrugged.
“That’s the second time you referred to Captain Gideon by
that name.” Sandor said
Vaught pushed a button on his watch as an image appeared on the
Video panel.
Everyone’s eyes went wide and gasps went all around the
bridge.
“It’s Captain Gideon, but maybe a few years younger…so
what?” Venture said
“Try again,” Sandor said. “Look at the uniform….look at the
insignias; they’re similar to the ones on Vaught’s uniform.”
“The person you know as Draco Gideon is known by my people
as James Tiberius Kirk.” Vaught said. “He is possibly the greatest and most
formidable Starship commander of my universe from 100 years ago. If they are
indeed the same person, escaping him will be all the more difficult.”
“It’s confirmed.” Eager said “The false radar return is the Andromeda….Col. Corsair called it right
to the meter.”
Wildstar got up out of his seat and walked over to Vaught.
“I’m not buying this,” Wildstar said. “It’s just too damn
weird. But forget what you can prove…Talk to me….You’re Gideon, so what’s
next?”
“He’s got a stronger ship and a faster ship but not an
experienced crew,” Vaught said, while looking down at a computer map. “He knows that if you enter this asteroid
field he can’t follow you…..You have to make it to that field.”
Wildstar scoffed “If I go in that Asteroid field there’s not
going to be a ship left to follow.”
“You don’t have a choice,” Vaught said “Toe to toe in open
space…you don’t have a chance.”
Wildstar looked at him dejectedly “Thanks for all your
confidence.”
“I may not be right but if I am you’re picking a fight with
someone who knows how to beat you,” Vaught said. “He’s been doing it for a hundred
years.”
“What was the fate of Captain Gideon….I mean Kirk?” Nova
said.
“According to two different reports he was reported killed
in action,” said Vaught. “The second report was made by a Starfleet Captain
named Picard. He reported burying him in a makeshift rock tomb; however the
body had disappeared,” Vaught said.
“Is there any way your ship can track Andromeda?” Wildstar said.
Vaught nodded. “Yes.
I can link all sensor data from the Inferno
to the unoccupied station next to Lieutenant
“Hook it up,” Wildstar said. “And that will be your station
for the time being…assisting us in combat analysis. No offense, Vaught, but I
don’t buy what you’re saying…..I think you’re wrong. I know Gideon….he was my
teacher….His wife Donna was almost like a mother to me growing up….I know his
mind better than you do.”
“Derek!” Nova
blurted out about to argue as Derek shot her a look of anger, a look that was
not like a boyfriend, but that of an angered superior officer, as Vaught raised
his hand slightly for her to stop. Wildstar saw this and Vaught could tell he
was further angered.
“Sandor will assist you with the modifications to the
Analysis station. Please limit your business to that station alone….My people
know their jobs, and they know them well. Do I make myself clear?”
There were many ways Vaught could have answered that
question. For the sake of Wildstar and
the crew of the Argo he simply said
“Yes sir.” Then, he walked over to the tactical analysis station. Without being
asked, Sandor was already walking over to Vaught while shooting a “What’s wrong with you!?” look as
Wildstar glanced over at Nova. She was shooting daggers at him with an angry
gaze. He sighed and walked over to Orion’s station.
“I’ve engineered on one of Gideon’s ships during a skirmish
with a Gamilon Cruiser,” said Orion. “What Corsair is describing sounds like
something Gideon would do.”
“You’re both giving him too much credit!” Wildstar said.
“Admiral Avatar always gave you a lot of leeway,” Orion said.
“You were the only one he trusted in a tactical situation….Not even your
brother had that privilege……eventually you are going to need to trust in
someone as he did.”
“I’m not sure about him.” Wildstar said.
“Now where have I heard that before?” Orion said while
looking back at his panel.
Wildstar looked over to Vaught and Sandor who were working
at the tactical station then, he walked over to them slowly.
“Colonel, can I see more info on this Kirk guy?” Wildstar
said.
“Yes sir.” as Vaught handed him a Starfleet data pad.
Wildstar looked at the data pad quizzically for a second, then he started reading from it as he walked back to his
station. There were several images that he had started to look through until he
saw one that sent a chill down his spine. It was one of Kirk or Gideon or
whoever he was in his thirties. It was the person standing next to him that had
caught Wildstar’s attention. His eyes grew wide as he slowly turned to look at
Captain Avatar’s portrait on the wall then back at the data pad….Then out of
the bridge windows where he gazed several moments. He sighed heavily and cursed
under his breath then he looked at Vaught for a moment, then, finally, Derek
turned his eyes towards Venture.
“Nav One alter course for the Asteroid field,” Wildstar
said. “And do me a favor: don’t argue
with me just now,” as he got up and walked to the back of Avatar’s command
console.
“Orion, give me all the power you’ve got,” Wildstar said as
he passed him.
Wildstar looked up at the picture of Avatar as Sandor walked
up behind him. Wildstar chuckled and handed him the data pad.
“The guy on the left looks like Gideon when he was younger,”
Sandor said.
“Take a look at the guy on the right, next to Gideon” Derek
muttered.
Sandor studied the picture. “He does look familiar.”
“Oh you think?” Wildstar said pointing to the portrait of
their beloved Captain Avatar, as Sandor suddenly looked up at the portrait.
“I’m convinced.” Wildstar said.
“Me too,” added Sandor.
Captain Gideon sat on his command platform intently watching
the Argo.
“Change in velocity recorded,” The helmsman said “The Argo is accelerating and has changed
course for the Asteroid field!”
“Same as before helm.”
Gideon said “Keep with them.”
“It is obvious that they won’t come back willingly.” The
first officer said.
“I had wanted them to overtake them before we reach the
asteroid belt; otherwise this turns into a chase,” Gideon said.
“Pardon my saying so, sir, but you sound like it already
has,” The first officer said.
Gideon ignored the first officer and continued to watch the
image of the Argo on the video panel.
“Open a channel to Argo.”
“Channel open,” said Gideon’s Communications Officer.
“Argo,” said
Gideon. ”Surrender your vessel at once and prepare to be boarded.”
“Two thousand meters, Flight,” Eager said.
“That’s way too close.” Wildstar said.
“We should make the asteroid field before they can catch up
with us Flight,” Vaught said.
They all turned when Homer’s radio console started chiming.
“That’s your warning to surrender Argo and prepare to
be boarded,” Vaught said.
Homer read the message and shot Vaught a quizzical look.
“That’s exactly what it says, Flight,” Homer said “How should
I respond?”
Wildstar straightened in his chair. “No reply, Comm One.”
Vaught was busy at the console still calibrating it to read Inferno’s sensor data; but he hadn’t
noticed Nova standing next to him.
“How are you making out?” Nova said.
“Intense.” Vaught said smiling.
“I’m right behind you if you need anything.” Nova said.
“Can you call me a cab?” Vaught asked.
She laughed as she returned to her station as Venture
grunted heavily.
“I cant do this, Wildstar…Andromeda’s the fastest ship in the
fleet,” Mark said.
Vaught nodded. Then, he said, “Perhaps, but is she more
agile? Or does she have a Navigator with the mettle and skills as you do?”
“What does that have to do with anything?” Venture said.
“Everything,” Vaught replied “You fear the equipment without
knowing the opponent.”
“Damn Straight.” Venture said “She can outrun us and outgun
us!”
“Yeah but can they find the “on.”
switch?” Wildstar said.
“Exactly Sir.”
Vaught said “You know Jack Klonegger, the Andromeda’s
helmsman. Get inside his mind; what will he do…what are his abilities and
weaknesses?”
Venture started at Vaught for a moment as Vaught stood up
and walked over to him.
“Venture, Gideon knows that you have more flight time than any
navigators currently in the Fleet. Plus, you are piloting a ship that you have
total confidence in. He knows that Klonegger can’t compete with that, and
that’s how you get past him. You get past Gideon by playing the game that his
crew can’t play. Gideon will order Andromeda in, but he will eventually have no choice but to break off the
pursuit.”
“Well, we’ll give it a try,” Venture said.
“There is no try,” Vaught said. “Either you do it or you
don’t!”
Venture and Wildstar looked at each other then back at
Vaught
“What did you get that
from; a fortune cookie?” Venture
said.
“Something that my Mast-,” (At that, Vaught cleared his
throat) “….Teacher said to me when I was a Child.”
“I knew I should have
went to that truck drivers school,” Venture said as
the asteroid field loomed large on the bridge windows.
“Hey Confucius, you
wanna help out with looking for rocks?” Venture said.
Vaught gave him a
hard look, then he looked at his watch, then, finally, he looked out the bridge
windows.
“Right turn course
heading 340 degrees,” Vaught said.
“What
the hell do you call that!?” Venture
snapped.
“You asked for my
assistance.” Vaught said.
“Yeah, but how the
hell do you know where to turn!?”
“Ventch….” Wildstar
said.
“I scanned the area
and this is the best possible route,” Vaught said
“Ventch…, cool it!”
Wildstar said again.
“You glanced at your
watch, Dick Tracy!” You’re going to tell me you studied the whole thing in a
matter of seconds? That’s Bullshit!”
“VENTURE!”
Wildstar shouted.
“Look, do you want me
to Navigate?” Vaught said sharply.
“NO!” Venture said.
“Then would you!?” Vaught snapped as he pointed to
the windows, without breaking his glare at Venture while a large moon-sized
asteroid seemed ready to collide with the Argo.
“Whoa!” Venture
shouted as he brought the Argo hard a’ starboard. Then
came looming in the windows an even bigger sized asteroid that was split almost
in half.
“Radar
one!?” Vaught called out to Nova.
Nova’s
fingers quickly danced across a keyboard.
“Clear and 5 by 5,
Flight Two,” Nova said.
Wildstar and Vaught
turned momentarily to Nova who just shrugged
“Can we get
confirmation on that, Eager?” Venture said.
“Trust your
shipmates, Venture, after all they got you to Iscandar and back. Why should
that change?”
“I just don’t trust
you.” Venture said. “And no one else on this bridge should, either,” added
Venture, as he gave Nova a very black look.
“Venture, just stop
arguing and do what the hell he says!”
Wildstar snapped.
Venture grumbled
under his breath and aligned the Argo with the open space of the
asteroid.
“Oh they wouldn’t.” the Andromeda’s
first officer said. “They absolutely wouldn’t!”
On the Andromeda
Gideon paced the bridge as he saw the Argo
go through the space in the large asteroid.
“Yes they would….Full speed…keep with them.” Gideon said.
The Navigator gulped nervously as Gideon stared at him for a
few moments. Then, he turned his attention to the Argo which was flying through the narrow space in the asteroid.
“Such agility,” Gideon said. His words were followed a loud
shudder and a shower of sparks as the anti collision alarms wailed all over the
bridge. Gideon chuckled to himself and shook his head at the first officer
started yelling about the bridge as he fell to the floor.
Gideon walked over to the Navigator’s station where
Klonegger looked at him briefly, then turned back to his controls.
“She’s going through there at her top speed with the EDF’s best navigator at the helm, sir,” snapped Klonegger.
“I should have known that,” Gideon said. “Maintain your
heading.”
Klonegger grimaced as he looked at the large asteroid that
the Argo had just narrowly passed
through bearing down on them. Gideon rested against his chair and watched
Klonneger nervously wiping his forehead.
“Can you do this?” Gideon said.
“I’ll make it happen, Captain,” Klonegger said. “I just hope
you took the collision damage waiver.”
Gideon chuckled at the remark, “Let’s try a different
approach, Mr. Klonegger,” Gideon said.
“Yes, sir.”
“The Andromeda is
off the radar!” Nova said. “No reading whatsoever on her.”
Wildstar and Vaught looked at each other, as cheers
resounded throughout the bridge.
Vaught looked at his watch and shook his head.
“Not good,” Vaught said. “We should have some reading on Andromeda.”
“He must know how to evade Inferno’s sensors.” Wildstar said.
“Coming out of the asteroid field,” Venture said.
“You see?” Vaught said “You did do it.”
“We just got lucky,” Venture said.
“In my experience there is no such thing as luck,” Vaught
said.
“Well, anyway, that was our toughest hurdle; it should be
smooth sailing from here on in,” Venture said to Wildstar.
Wildstar said nothing as he continued to stare out the
bridge windows.
Venture frowned “This is where you say, that’s right Ventch.”
Wildstar sighed, “No. This guy is going to keep chasing us
until he gets his way. Captain Gideon doesn’t like to lose…..especially to me.”
“I say we have about thirty minutes,” Vaught said “It will
take Andromeda that long to
circumvent the asteroid field at full speed.”
“Leaving her where?”
Wildstar asked.
“My guess will be right in front of us,” Vaught said. “He’s
going to provoke a face to face confrontation.”
Vaught returned to his station and sat down. He rubbed his
eyes gently and tried to meditate for a time, searching the Force for insight
of what Gideon might do next, and for patience and for guidance. It calmed him
a great deal as he continued to stare out the window. Vaught felt a deeper
disturbance in the Force than just the mystery of Captain Gideon. As he
searched deeper in the Force, images began to appear in his mind. Images strangely enough…of
Planet Vulcan. Vaught knew better than to question what he was seeing
rather than to just experience it. He felt the hot thin breeze on his face as
he looked up on a mountainside….a very familiar mountainside.
Then in an instant he was back on the bridge of the Argo,
with klaxons sounding and
people running all over. Vaught didn’t need to check his instruments. He looked
out the bridge window exactly where he knew he was supposed to look, and right
as he knew it would be, he knew he would find the Andromeda.
And it was there, indeed….right in front of them.
“Andromeda,
confirmed,” said Nova from her post. “Ten kilometers, dead
ahead.”
“Now what do we do?” Venture asked
Wildstar looked at Sandor for advice.
“Try talking with Gideon,” Sandor said.
Vaught turned and gave Sandor a quizzical look as Wildstar
looked at Venture.
“Do you think he would be interested in what we have to
say?” Wildstar said
“Right now, nobody
is interested in what we have to say.” Vaught said while standing up.
“Well what do you suggest!?” Venture shouted.
“Hold our course,” Vaught said. “And don’t flinch.”
“That’s risky,” Nova said. “What if he opens fire?”
“He won’t,” Vaught said, while pointing at Venture, “And
before you get that look on your face, I know I’m right, because if he was
going to fire, he would have done it by now.”
“Open a channel, Homer,” Wildstar said.
Vaught was too professional to argue the point once it
appeared that Wildstar made up his mind. Of course all of his concerns became
moot when Gideon appeared on the screen.
Wildstar, who was still showing proper military decorum,
quickly saluted. Vaught took note that Gideon did not return the salute….Vaught
realized that Gideon did not respect Wildstar. He saw that this irritated him
and quickly Vaught felt that he was losing his temper.
Vaught walked over quickly and silently to Wildstar.
“Captain?”
Vaught asked.
Wildstar glanced at him for a second; took a deep breath,
and looked back at the screen.
“What are your intentions, Mister?” Gideon said dryly.
“We are not leaving Earth in an act of rebellion.” Wildstar
said. “The strange message that we received warned Earth of a great danger.”
“The Earth Defense Counsel is considering the matter,”
Gideon said. “The Star Force has no authority to investigate….reverse your
course and you will be allowed to remain on the bridge with your ship under its
own power….unless you wish to be disgraced by being arrested by our boarding
party, followed by your ship being towed home.”
Wildstar shuddered from anger and gritted his teeth; then it
all came out.
“I’ll tell you what,” Wildstar snapped. “Why don’t you come
on over here and see if you can take me off this bridge yourself with your bare hands!” Wildstar shouted.
“Wildstar!”
everybody shouted at once.
“No! No!!”
Wildstar shouted as he paced the bridge. “Mr. Big Man and the Flying Computer thinks he can kill the Eager Young Space Cadet and his
flying garbage scow…Well to you, Captain Gideon. …or Kirk or whoever the hell
you are! I’ll make a deal with you! You come on over here….and if you can kick
my ass we’ll turn around…..But I hope that X-O of yours can pilot a starship
back because you aren’t going to be
around anymore!”
Vaught leaned against Nova’s radar console as Wildstar
glanced again.
“As compared to your X-O?”
Gideon said Pointing at Vaught.
Vaught slowly grabbed his light saber and walked over to
Wildstar
“As you said; an interesting test
of power,” Vaught said.
“Oy,” Venture muttered.
“And by what authority and by what right do you have interfering here, Corsair!?”
Gideon shouted.
Vaught simply smirked and looked at his light saber for a
moment and rubbed out a slight blemish.
“Article 14, Section 31 gives me all of the right and the
authority that I need, sir,” Vaught
said smugly.
Gideon nodded as if he understood every word he had just
said and leaned forward.
“’Ill say it again…. reverse your course or…I….Will….Open fire!”
“Then I’ll see you in hell,” Wildstar said with a dangerous
grin.
Gideon again nodded and simply said “I’m sorry,” as his face
disappeared from the video panel.
There was a long silence. When the panel on Vaught’s station
started beeping, he walked over to the station and nodded to himself, then he chuckled.
“Andromeda’s
weapons have locked on us Captain,” Vaught said.
“Nice Job,” Nova said to Vaught. “I’d like a mahogany
casket, please.”
“Don’t give up yet,” snapped Wildstar. “Well,” he added. ”I
couldn’t convince him; now we have to get past him.”
Venture turned around. “Are you crazy, Wildstar?” Mark said
while getting out of his chair. “You call that performance of yours and his trying to convince him?”
Vaught, who had just had enough of Venture and his
outbursts, roared, in full Gargoyle voice, “BE QUIET!!!!!”
The bridge fell silent as Venture slipped quietly in his
chair. Everyone looked at Vaught in stunned silence, save for Wildstar, who
merely smiled.
“My apologies, Captain,” Vaught said.
“No, no,” Wildstar said. “I was on the receiving end of one
of those not too long ago…” as he looked at Avatar’s portrait and remembered
their launch in 2199, “though it feels like a
lifetime….Battle Stations, please, Mr. Corsair,”
“Yes sir,” Vaught said as he paused for a moment. Then, he
barked, “General Quarters all hands to
The klaxons on the Argo
blared as crew members rushed to their battle stations.
“They cleared for action in less than thirty seconds,”
Wildstar said with disbelief in his voice. “We’re in their range right now. Why
is he waiting?”
“It’s possible he’s going to wait for you to make the first
move,” Vaught said. “If you lose your temper and fire first, he’ll be justified
to return fire and will destroy you with a full justification of self-defense.”
“So by shooting off my big mouth I just played right into
his hands,” Wildstar said.
“Are you asking me, or telling me, sir?” Vaught said.
Wildstar muttered under his breath as he turned towards
Dash.
“Open gun turrets number one and two. Target: Andromeda.”
On the Andromeda,
Gideon stood up from his command chair as the computer recited in a mechanical
voice the exact speed, distance, and bearing of the Argo as its weapon control systems adjusted her main guns to track
the Argo’s position.
“He’s not going to back down,” the first officer said. “He’s
readying for a full barrage.”
Gideon said nothing. He continued to look out the bridge
windows at the rapidly oncoming Argo as he sat there as if he was made out of stone.
“What about Inferno’s computer?” Sandor asked.
“What about it?” Vaught said.
“Is it possible we could hack into the Andromeda’s computer and shut her weapons systems down?”
“We’re going to be on top of the Andromeda in about two minutes, Sandor. There simply isn’t enough
time.”
“If we keep on this course, we’ll collide with the Andromeda.”
Venture said.
“And if that happens, we’ll be too damaged to continue on
with our mission; that will be the end of it.” Sandor said.
“If Andromeda
fires her guns at this point-blank range, we’re finished anyway,” Wildstar
said.
Vaught thought for a second as he looked towards Homer’s
radio console.
“Mt Seleya,” Vaught muttered. “There may be another alternative to this,”
Vaught said as he walked over to Homer’s station. Once there, he grabbed a
clipboard and a pencil and wrote something.
“Mr. Glitchman, would you send this to Captain Gideon?”
Homer looked back at Wildstar who simply nodded “yes.” while
Homer read what Vaught wrote and gave him a quizzical look.
“Speed is of the essence,” Vaught said. “Do it now.”
Homer shrugged and began typing the message.
“Tac 2,” Wildstar said, “Give me Go/no go on Turret number
one”
“Go Flight,” Dash said.
“Turret Number 2?”
“Go flight.”
“Bow missiles?”
“Go Flight.”
“Tac two, remove safeties on all
active weapons.”
Dash flipped some switches “All Hot,” Dash said. “Power to
weapons up.”
“Corsair, I need a firing solution ASAP,” Wildstar said.
“No problem.” Vaught said.
“Bearing?”
“035 degrees,” Vaught said.
“Speed?”
“Stationary,” Vaught said. “He’s keeping station across our
path.”
“Locking weapons on target,” said Dash.
On the Andromeda,
the Argo was getting closer as it
seemed that, once again in just so many weeks that they were about to collide
again. Gideon stood motionless.
“Collision in twenty seconds,” the first officer said.
“Eighteen seconds…”
Gideon’s concentration was broken when the communications
officer walked up to him and handed him a piece of paper.
“From the Argo,
sir.” he said nervously.
“Collision in fifteen seconds,” said the First Officer.
Gideon opened the paper and read the brief message and with
an astonished look, he looked out the bridge windows.
“Captain, seek permission to fire!” shouted the First
Officer.
“Wildstar, you really mean it,” Gideon said in
a low voice as the Argo passed directly above the Andromeda’s main deck, again with centimeters to spare. Then, the Argo’s
“Full speed; ninety degree turn,” The first officer snapped.
“Calculate a new firing solution; after the Argo!”
“Belay that order,” Gideon said, as he looked down at the
message just given to him.
“Captain?”
The first officer asked.
“Let them go.” Gideon said looking at the Argo in the bridge windows, “I hope
Captain Avatar taught you well.”
Everyone on both ships was left speechless taking in for a
moment all that had just happened…and more importantly what didn’t happen, as
Sandor was beaming from ear to ear.
“You did it; you faced him down!” he said with disbelief
grasping Wildstar’s hand.
“Guess I did.” Wildstar said making direct eye contact with
Vaught who simply nodded. At her post, Nova wiped some sweat of her brow and
smiled at Wildstar, who smiled back.
Wildstar walked over to Vaught and shook his hand. “What did
you say to him?”
“I merely reminded Captain Gideon why we we’re all out
here.”
“Hey, Colonel, now that it’s all over can you tell me what
it meant? The message, I mean?” Homer asked as he picked up the pad and paper
that Vaught wrote on.
“What did he write?” asked Dash.
“’The good of the one
outweighs the good of the many?’” Homer read
“Wait a minute,” Nova said “Shouldn’t that be ‘The needs of the many outweigh the needs of
the few?’”
Vaught smiled for a moment and raised his hand in a split
finger gesture. “Or the one,” Vaught said as he turned towards Wildstar and
snapped at attention.
“Will you need me for anything else, sir?” Vaught said.
“No, I guess not.” Wildstar replied.
Vaught turned and walked along the bridge with his long
almost sinister stride and exited the bridge. As he did Homer’s radio started
beeping. Homer immediately sat down and viewed the transmission
.
“Two messages,” Homer said “The first one is to Earth
Headquarters. It reads: ‘Expected
encounter with Argo not accomplished could not locate.’”
“He said that?” Wildstar said
Sandor smiled “He’s a stand up guy, I’ve told you that.”
“What’s the second message, Homer?” Wildstar asked.
“It’s a personnel message from Captain Gideon to us,” Homer
said. “It reads, ‘To Captain Wildstar and
the Star Force, Admire your courage and your dedication…Good Hunting, signed,
Captain Gideon.’”
The message was broadcast around the ship. Then, the crew
erupted in cheers as crew persons raced past Vaught to get to the closest
window to applaud Andromeda. Vaught
simply smiled and walked into the hangar deck where Inferno was. He looked up at her and smiled.
On the bridge of the Andromeda
Gideon crumpled up the message, and walked over to the navigator’s station,
where Klonegger looked up at him.
“He’s going to make a great Captain,” Gideon said.
“That’s good, sir,” Klonegger said. “I think I’m going to be
a hair dresser.”
Gideon chuckled, “You did good today, son.”
“Pardon my saying so, sir…but I still have a long way to
go.”
Gideon Nodded. “We all do. That’s all of us.”
Later, Derek and Nova were walking the decks of the Argo together, looking for Vaught. They
found him when they came across a large storeroom with the sounds of a piano
playing Beethoven’s Fur Eloise…from
inside.
“He’s a concert pianist too,” Wildstar said. “Nova, is there
anything this guy can’t do?”
Nova didn’t hear him as she sagged against the hatch. Her
face was drained, and she was breathing heavily as if she couldn’t catch her
breath. At the same moment the music stopped, and there was a rush of footsteps
to the hatch.
Wildstar caught Nova just as Vaught opened the hatch. Nova
she shook her head and blinked her eyes rapidly in Derek’s arms as he loosened
her collar.
“I got dizzy all of a sudden,” she said, looking at Vaught.
She didn’t want to explain her past with Yvona and her dislike of this
Beethoven piece to either Derek or Vaught; at least, not at the moment.
“Perhaps,” Vaught said “I did not realize …..” He looked at
her thoughtfully for a moment as he read her feelings and briefly saw the old
woman with the light saber again.
“That’s it, Nova!” Wildstar said. “I can’t have you passing
out on me on duty! From now on you’re gonna eat more than just that new age
rabbit food crap that you eat!”
Nova was about to retort when Vaught cleared his throat.
“Were you looking for me?” Vaught asked.
“Yeah,” Wildstar said as he and Nova glared at each other
for a moment; Nova was insulted by Derek‘s comment on her diet, even as he
helped her to her feet. “We’re overdue for our talk.”
“I guess it seems inevitable.” Vaught said as they walked
into the storeroom where a grand piano stood.
“I remember that piano from our Iscandar mission,” Nova said
as she ran her hands across the keys.
“Do you play?” Vaught asked.
“I play a little violin at times,” Nova said. “Not very
well…”
Wildstar chuckled slightly, “Don’t let Nova fool you…she was
so good that she graduated high school early and was in a full scholarship at
Julliard before she decided to enter the Academy and enlist in the Fleet…”
“Thanks a lot,” muttered Nova, who wasn’t quite happy at the
moment.
“Vaught,” continued Wildstar. “You went to Julliard too, if
I understand correctly?”
“Yes I did.” Vaught
said.
“Mind if I play?” Nova asked as she sat down at the small
stool behind the piano.
“Go ahead,” said Derek. “Keep it soft.” Nova nodded as she
began a selection from the works of Rimsky-Korsakov while Wildstar and Corsair
sat cross-legged on the bare deck near the ebony Steinway piano.
“So how does someone from Julliard have the colorful
background that you do?” Wildstar said.
“That’s the way things are,” Vaught said in a low tone, “The
way of the Force.”
“You hold a lot of faith in your religion.” Wildstar said.
“The Force to me isn’t a religion…..It’s a curse,” Vaught
said. “A curse that I use to kill people.”
“I don’t believe that, Vaught,” Nova said. “I’ve seen you use your power with a
gentleness that I have never experienced before. There is great good in you.”
“Do not be fooled. There is another side to that power,”
Vaught said “A dark side…..that is more seductive and quicker to join in a
fight.”
“I can’t guarantee you an end to your confusion, Colonel,”
Wildstar said as Nova softly played on in a minor key. “All I can do is offer you more confusion and chaos than what is running
through you now.”
“I don’t follow you.” Vaught said.
“You’re ruthless; you have no compassion, and no mercy,”
Wildstar said. “You’re cold and calculating…you can profile an enemy…you can
get inside their head…that’s what I need on the bridge as an X-O.”
Vaught looked at him dreadfully. “What?”
“My crew is too fond of each other…and too casual….I need a real son of a bitch here to shake things up….and to
Keep the Star Force the elite group that it is. For that I need Darth Hawk of
Section 31.” Wildstar said shaking the printout of Vaught’s Starfleet Personnel
file.
Vaught scoffed and shook his head.
“Have I got the right guy?” Wildstar asked as Nova finished
playing with a chord she sustained with her foot pedal.
“I don’t know,” Vaught said. “It’s been a while but I’m
willing to find out…….Flight.”
They both stood up and shook Hands as Wildstar smiled.
“Thank you……Number One.”
At that, Nova just quietly shut her eyes as her mind passed
into a territory that she wanted neither Derek nor Vaught to enter; at least,
not for the moment.
Next Chapter: “InterSECTION POINT”
To Return
to the Introduction to Starfighter: The
Iconoclasts, click here