WHEELS WITHIN WHEELS
Chapter 27 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.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Dantes Manor
Federation Earth
Sandy Hook
Creighton read
carefully all the data that the
As he read deeper
into the data he came across a transmission from who he determined was the
Captain of the Argo with another Captain of another ship during a
standoff. The entire conversation was unclear due to UV radiation interruption of
the subspace buoys the
“So that’s why the
Argo left Earth.” Creighton thought “The appearance of the
Comet, their power disruptions and a strange message warning them of some kind
of danger…..but why would Vaught be involved?...it’s their problem…He wouldn’t
be involved unless it was a direct threat to the Federation.”
Creighton looked up
at the ocean for a moment as he decided the next step…He knew what the next
step was; however it would be a tricky one ….This step was to hack into the
Earth Defense Command Computers and see all the information first hand.
Positioning the buoys
took several minutes because he was giving commands through a wormhole but when
they were aligned with the EDF’s Earth, Creighton went to work
Creighton did not
like talking to a computer, So for the next few
moments Creighton tapped the computer keys rapidly….This was old school to him,
within seconds the Earth Defense Database was on line and Creighton was well on
his way.
The first thing
Creighton did was to check the EDF personnel files and of course, he looked up
Vaught’s name in them.
To his surprise
Vaught had a file in the EDF database but there wasn’t much to it except where
he saw his current assignment as First Officer of the Argo. There was
also a file on the Inferno. She
was listed as a fighter support craft assigned to the Argo’s Black Tiger
squadron. He also was surprised to see
that the Argo was currently on an authorized mission and there was no
record of the ship being stolen. It didn’t add up but that didn’t interest
Creighton.
Creighton read
heavily for the next few hours the events leading up to the Argo’s departure
including the strange transmission Vaught listened to, when all of a sudden he
got a sick feeling in his stomach…..He knew that voice but it could be none
other but that of a ghost…
He continued
downloading information then cut the link before someone however unlikely might
detect him. He then got up and paced the wooden deck around the large mansion
as the sun started to rise over the horizon. He didn’t want to know what was
coming next but he needed to know. As Creighton sat down at the computer
console again and brought up the transmission
and had the computer analyze it …When it was complete Creighton was
stunned at the results that the computer read back positively identifying the
mysterious voice as her image came up on the screen.
Creighton closed his
eyes, not daring to look at her as he cleared the image that haunted him so
many times during his life so that his wife Melisande would not know, left the
deck back into the house.
Rather then working
in her office, Destine found the peaceful warm sunny afternoon at Sisco’s in
“Mother?” A voice interrupted her daydream as she opened her eyes to
see Creighton standing in front of the table.
She smiled slightly
at him as he reminded her so much of Thomas…and yes even saw herself in him at
times. A moment later, she straightened in her chair and beckoned for Creighton
to sit.
“Sorry.” Creighton
said “It slipped out.”
She had to think for
a second what Creighton was referring to as it dawned on her that he referred
to her as “Mother.” She hadn’t given it a second thought, although it was not
the Gargoyle way….However it was what Thomas wanted so that Creighton could
have a sense of stability in his life.
She knew he was right
as she chuckled slightly. Destine got right to the point, saying, “Melisande
says you’ve been keeping a lot to yourself lately.” Destine said gesturing for
Creighton to sit “You’ve been keeping late hours……I was wondering if you had
forgotten our discussion about your continuing projects.”
“I’ve been doing some
research is all...” Creighton said
“Project KOBOL?”
Destine said as Creighton not even having a chance to get comfortable in the
chair shot her a look of astonishment.
“Where did you hear
that name?” Creighton asked.
“I need to know what
it is,” Destine asserted.
“There aren’t more
than five people who know that name between here and the president’s office.”
Creighton said.
“Well make it six or
seven now.” Destine said bluntly.
Creighton stiffened
in his chair “That’s top secret stuff….Admiral…..I can’t tell you about it.”
She looked at him
thoughtfully for a moment and could tell that he was distraught. She felt as if
she had just kicked him in the stomach. Clone or not, Creighton was her son as Thomas
pointed out, and she had no desire to hurt his feelings although she needed the
information.
“I never have forgotten that you and I are
more than Clansman Creighton,” she said. “Things have just gotten so complicated
that I think that we have all forgotten the values of the close Knit Family
that your father created. Sometimes I think I have failed him in that aspect.”
“Times have changed.”
Creighton said “Pop would have understood.”
“Understanding…..yes…you
shared that well with your father….you understood each other …yet I never fully
understood you “
“Meaning?” Creighton said.
“What drives you
mostly; and what you choose to care about,” Destine said.
“I can’t tell you about KOBOL.” Creighton
said with some agitation.
“I understand that.”
Destine said looking at a data pad “But perhaps you can enlighten me about your
latest activity. Regarding your hacking into the EDF database, personnel files
regarding one of their ships….The Argo I believe it’s called, transmission logs
of a message of an unknown origin. Where you had the computer
identify the voice.”
At that, she tossed
him the data pad with the image that he saw during his own research.
He
glared at the young woman’s image again and touched the screen to the data pad
as he closed his eyes and sighed heavily.
“I
had almost forgotten what she looked like,” Creighton said in almost a
quivering voice. “Dear God…forgive me.”
Destine
shook her head “You have to snap out of it.” Destine said “You know how
Melisande feels about this!”
“That’s
between me and my wife!” Creighton said
“She’s
dead.” Destine said pointing to the image of the young woman displayed on the
data pad “Telezart
was destroyed by a subspace weapon thirty five years ago what’s wrong with
you?”
“She’s
alive,” Creighton said
“She also has a name.”
“All
right….. Destine said….. …..“So then after discovering all of this, you take it
upon yourself to
reinstate ex Starfleet personnel to be transferred to a Starship
called
“That must have been
a lot of trouble to go through having your own son monitored.” Creighton said
“Some times it pays
to go through all that trouble.” Destine said “Now I have a problem with transferring
people to an unknown starship that I have never even hered of before.”
“I can’t transfer
crews from other starships because of the war effort.” Creighton said
“So who do you
get? Simon Tarsus, a Romulan-”
“One quarter.” Protested
Creighton
“And
Nicholas Locarno!” Destine shouted “Arrogant washout! Hell, why don’t we just get out
Tom Paris and Ro Laren?”
“I would in
a minute.” Creighton said “But Kate beat me to Tom Paris, and Ro Laren….well
Darth Hawk took care of that. Okay. Now
where did you hear about KOBOL?”
“Riker,” Destine said.
“Star reported in saying that Queen Starsha broke down over dinner because
Necheav threatened Iscandar with general order 24 because she thinks Queen
Starsha has it.”
“Necheav’s
showboating.” Creighton said “She needs a zipper in her face, besides I don’t
think Iscandar has KOBOL.”
“A wise man once said
no matter how exalted the throne we’re all seated on out own arse…..and with
Necheav I’m on mine…I can’t fire her and I can’t scramble her whole command
overnight, But what I am going to do is put you in tactical operational command
of the mission. She’ll report directly to you.”
“Nothing doing,”
Creighton said. “I have my own mission objectives.”
“Are you out of your
mind?!” Destine said. “Absolutely
not!”
“I’m not asking you.”
Creighton said
Destine gave him a
deadpan look “You’ll do what I Goddamn tell you to do.”
“Bullshit!” Creighton
snapped.
“Look!” Destine shouted “If Trelaina is still
alive and she sent that message then one could argue that it was meant for the
Star Force and not for Starfleet! Besides, Vaught will be there and if it is
her Vaught will be better to handle the situation.”
“Don’t be so sure. Trelania
was like her mother, when Melisande and I were guests of the Cardassians for
four years….He was very devoted to her.”
“When he was what all
of ten?” Destine said “He’s what forty five now! And if she had lived she would
be well over 65!….You go in there Jonathan Archer
style for one woman and really &^%4$! something up
when were already at war…well, Mister, Starfleet is going to have you by the
Balls….That means ME! Now shall we dispense with the Bull?!”
“Alright; I’ll
listen.” Creighton snarled “What are you telling me?”
“With both the
Creighton handed her
another data pad as Destine
looking at the data pad
her eyes went wide.
“Holy Shit.!” Destine said “You designed this from the keel up?”
“Let’s just say it’s
an improved design and leave it at that,” Creighton said “I point out that if
somebody has their hands on KOBOL the
“God damn, that thing is huge.” Destine shook her head
at what she was seeing. “You know, Creighton, at some point you’re going to
have to answer to the Federation Council for all these of secret projects you
are working on…. especially something like this.”
Creighton sighed
heavily “No… I won’t.”
Destine looked deep
into his eyes and understood what he was saying and nodded slowly
“All right, Creighton. Here’s the deal! I’m
putting put you in tactical command of the Necheav operation. I want Jean-Luc
Picard to go with you as an emissary. You take the
Creighton nodded
“There is one more
thing.” Destine said “Section 31 is rumored to have their own battle group….I want
those ships.”
Creighton handed
Destine an old fashioned manila folder. Destine opened the folder and read down the
list of twenty seven starships comprising of Galaxy, Sovereign, Defiant, and Prometheus
classes.
“I already persuaded
the President to authorize these ships as part of the Arizona Battle
Group Task Force one.” Creighton said.
“It so happens that you now command the Arizona Battle group.”
“Admiral!” Creighton said as he turned and walked away leaving a
stunned Destine . as she
called after him
Creighton turned to
her.
“If Melisande finds
out….there will be hell to pay,” Destine said. Creighton didn’t respond,
however; he just turned and walked away.
Hours later Creighton
hastily walked into Dantes Manor where a sudden sound stopped him in his
tracks.
The sound was coming
from Melisande’s Studio which was upstairs. She was singing. He always enjoyed
her singing more that he let on. Melisande of course knew that. The music that
she was singing was a romantic piece from a musical over four hundred years old.
Creighton quickly but quietly ran up the stars and started to take what started
to be a very quick shower but as he left the door to the bathroom slightly
opened the music filled the large bathroom.
His thoughts were
that of the young girl’s image. They were ones of guilt and remorse. She was a
subject that was never breached in the household after her death. Could they
have been mistaken?
If she was alive she
would be around 60, Creighton
thought. Even if I could make contact
with the EDF, how can I contact her…..Do I contact her?…..I
have to… I have to know what the hell happened to her…I have to know how she
ended up there…
He was interrupted by
the closing of the door. Creighton stuck his head out of the shower to see
Melisande standing there holding a towel .
Creighton immediately
looked at her face and saw that she was quite concerned for him. “Captain
Picard called for you; he will be on board the
“I was waiting for
you to finish before I talked to you,” Creighton replied. “I have an assignment.
I’m leaving as soon as Captain Picard checks in.”
Creighton took the
towel from her as she leaned up against the wall with her arms folded and her
wings closed around her…she sighed heavily.
“The
“I’m being placed in
command of Necheav’s Operation before she starts a second front in this war.
The
“Except that no one
has even hered of this new Starship until just now,” Melisande said. “This sounds
suspicious.”
He wrapped the towel
around him as he walked out of the Bathroom while Melisande followed.
“Suspicious?” he said.
“Yes. It is interesting
how the Federation Chooses a naval architect to represent them in a high-pressure,
possibly volatile diplomatic situation that is far, far out of his area of
expertise.”
“Don’t start with me,
Millie,” Creighton said angrily as he began getting dressed.
Melisande shot him an
angry glare as Creighton sighed. “That’s why I’m taking Captain Picard with me,”
continued Creighton. “He’s a very good diplomat when he has to be,” Creighton
said as he finished drying
“I disagree, I think
that you need a real ambassador to go along with you,” Melisande said
“There are none
available,” Creighton said…he was now fully dried as he put on his shoes.
“Oh but there is, my
Dear Admiral,” Melisande said, mimicking his southern accent. Creighton,
who was now fully dressed stood up and turned to walk out of the bedroom.
“Fuggetaboutit,”
Creighton mimicked in her
“You don’t have a
choice, Craig!” Melisande snapped. “I called Demona after your meeting. Since I
was once the Federation ambassador to the Telezar Union of
Interplanetary Councils, my services have been employed for this
mission.”
“Yeah, how did
that turn out for you!?” Creighton
snapped.
Melisande growled
showing her fangs “If I wasn’t waltzing around the galaxy to rescue your stupid
ass, I might have been where I should have been and prevented that war in the
first place!”
“Bullshit.” Creighton
said “You’re staying here! I have enough to worry about with what Vaught and
Starsha have themselves into and Selar not far behind.”
“Oh come on Craig! Who
are you trying to kid!?”
“Millie!”
“I read your files!…I know what you’re up to!…This isn’t about Federation
security… It’s about Trelaina, Damn YOU!” Melisande screeched as a tear rolled
down her face. “It was always about her….You never could let her go….”
She quickly collapsed
onto a step where tears were flowing.
“Let her Go?”
Creighton said. “Letting her go is one thing,” Creighton snapped. “But acting
like she never existed is criminal!”
“Even though
the very mention of her breaks my heart?”
Melisande sobbed
The comment enraged Creighton
said as he grabbed Melisande and lifted her off the ground, shaking her
slightly.
“I loved her!”
Creighton screamed “Trelaina was my entire world! What the Hell is the
matter with you!? She was your entire world! For God sakes That wasn’t a kidney stone you passed 60 years Ago,
Melisande! That was our Daughter! I held her when she was born….I changed
her diaper…..I taught her how to ride a bike…..I was in the tree with a phaser
rifle set for stun the night of her prom….She protected her brother like a
son….That’s probably why Vaught was so damn protective of Selar when she was
growing up…..Those are my memories of her Millie…..and I refuse to act like
they didn’t happen!”
With his tirade
finished at last, Creighton gently put Melisande to the floor, as he looked out
the window at the ocean.
“Did I hurt you?”
Creighton asked not realizing the extent of her anger. She gently shook her
head and wiped the tears from her eyes. She sighed heavily and stood up straightening
her shirt. They stood silent for a moment as the ticking of the grandfather
clock downstairs was the only thing making noise.
“You and Vaught always
blamed yourselves for Trelaina’s death,” Melisande said. “You, because you
couldn’t be there and Vaught because he felt he wasn’t powerful enough with the
Force to save her…We were at war with Cardasia, We were taken prisoner Vaught
was all of seven years old! She sacrificed her life so that he could get
away…..I didn’t forget about her Craig… I didn’t want you two to consume
yourselves over it. Then Selar joined our family and I let Trelaina go. If I
her own mother can do that in the name of God why can’t you?”
Creighton looked at
her thoughtfully.
“I have my reasons for not letting her go,
Melisande. Why? It is because I have reason to believe that Trelaina is still
alive and I believe that she is sending that message to the EDF, I think she’s
in over her head; I’m going to get the most powerful starship that I have ever
designed for Starfleet and I’m going to do the best that I can to give Vaught
the support he needs. And if anyone messes with my kids this time I’m not going
to sit by and throw roses on an empty coffin! This time I’m going to respond
like I should have the last time…!” Then, Creighton slammed the wall with his
fist. “I will respond…with total disaster!”
Melisande stood up
and walked over to Creighton and rubbed the side of his gray hair gently.
“Telezart was
destroyed by one of their own illegal Subspace weapons,”
Melisande said.
“I don’t think so!”
Creighton said “And you can’t tell me this isn’t my field! I sleep and eat weaponry…. Subspace weapons
are unstable…no one ever built a subspace weapon that big, not even the Sona,
unless someone has really built a star fortress the size of a world and
controlled it…but, probably not, since such generators are inherently unstable.
The generators could have created a wormhole and Telezart could have slipped
through it! Seismic stress would have totally wiped out all population centers
but considering that Telezart is hollow and that most of the atmosphere’s
warmth and almost all of the cities were underground, it’s possible that there
could have been survivors.”
“Any survivors would
have to be very tough, Craig,” Melisande said.
“Millie,” Creighton
said. “Trelaina is that tough. She
could have used the Force to protect herself….Nokkar said that the Force ran
very strong in her; almost as strong as Vaught’s power….that in addition to the
house it could survive in space if it had to.”
“But she didn’t have
any training,” Melisande said almost in a hopeless voice.
Creighton wiped the
remaining tears from Melisande’s eyes.
“But she’s smart…” Creighton
said. “She has to be. She’s a Corsair…Like
her mother.”
Melisande embraced
Creighton “Don’t shut me out, Craig,” She said. “Let me be a part of this no
matter what happens…..don’t leave me here to wonder!”
“Things could get dicey,”
Creighton said.
“Let them!” Melisande
said. “You’re smart, too! Smarter than all of us!”
Their embrace was cut
short by Creighton’s communicator pin chirping.
“
“Dantes Here, Thank
you for helping us out Captain.”
“Always Admiral…..We
are…..ready,” Picard said.
Creighton smiled “You
don’t sound confident, Jean-Luc!”
“I am only terrified
if it’s one of your designs Craig,” Picard said jokingly “This is the largest
ship I have ever served on.”
“We’ll give ‘em hell J-L.” Creighton said as the transmission ended.
He looked at
Melisande offering her hand. He offered his and helped her up.
“Let’s get our kids
home,” Melisande said.
At that, Creighton
nodded and smiled.
________________________________________________________________________
Next Chapter: “PATTERNS OF THE FORCE…”
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Iconoclast, click here