STARFIGHTER! The Iconoclasts
Chapter 3
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.
After earning the rank of Lieutenant
through a field promotion, Starsha T. Corsair jogged across the Nancy Hedford bridge crossing the Horatio River. Starsha loved planet
Deneva in the fall ever since she had been a little girl. It was good to be
home again.
Since she was between assignments
and since her last combat engagement against the Jem Haddar was so heavy, she
needed time to clear her mind. Then, of
course, there was the transmission from her “Aunt.” So much controversy
diminished her capacity to use the Force, so three days at her father’s house
in the mountains was just the thing for her.
The house was spacious yet quaint; it had been designed and built by her
father Vaught Corsair
Her father was foremost on her mind
as she entered the house and petted Belinda. Belinda was a timber wolf rescued
by her father while he was on Earth one day visiting family. She stopped to
realize that she never knew any of her mother's family; it was as if she was
hiding something. She resented her for that, among other things, but felt bad
that their last words had been an argument over her decision to enlist in the
Star Fleet Marines. She closed her eyes and thought deeply about that last argument
between her and her mother. They were always angry with each other, with her
father always trying to be the peace maker. Feeling troubled, she walked into
her father's bedroom. It was a unique room with a bowed out window and an
electron telescope permanently mounted on the floor. After looking at the
scientific equipment, she walked out onto the balcony and gazed into the great
sea of Deneva at the base of the mountain.
She went back inside and flopped
down on the bed looking at all of the old-style framed pictures on the wall.
They were mostly of the Dantes family with a few pictures of Astra. The Dantes
family was large indeed; it included some notorious figures in history as well
as others who were more reserved but just as important. She embraced both her
human and Gargoyle heritages, even though they have been at war through most of
History.
Thomas Dantes, who was the first
picture on the wall, was human. Really, he was a nobody.
He was also the first of the Force-sensitive empaths in the family…gaining his
power from an accident when he came into contact with a
unknown chemical. Thomas, who was only human, was diagnosed with cancer in his
nineties. Not wanting to die a prolonged, lingering death in weakness and pain,
he took his private jet and headed out over the ocean just days before Zefram
Cochran’s very first warp flight…which he helped finance. Then, first contact
was made with the Vulcans. His mate Destine aka Demona, always remarked how he
helped with the birth of the Federation and how she wished that he could have
seen the great human adventure begin…but she helped silently with the
architecture of the Federation. However, only in the last forty years did she
become involved with Starfleet along with her grandparents…who at the same time
decided to start their own family
The alien-looking man
who was standing next to Thomas in the picture, although not part of the family
but still just as important to them, was Nokkar. Nokkar was a Jedi Knight sent
thousands of years ago to Earth from another galaxy to defend the Earth from an
invasion by the evil Galactic Empire. He was a mentor and teacher who taught
Thomas the discipline of the Force; and Vaught and Starsha. It was through
Nokkar’s discipline that Thomas became one of the most powerful business men of
the twenty-first century. It was then that the Gargoyle in the second picture
came into play. Today she is known as Admiral Destine, the chief of operations
of Starfleet Command; recently appointed as Starfleet Commander. Then, she was
known as Demona, a vicious human-hating Gargoyle bent on destroying the human
race, which she now protected. It was Thomas’s patience and belief in her that
calmed her as well as the person in the next picture which Starsha smiled at
with affection.
He had an interesting story. A
corrupt self-seeking colonel by the name of Green attempted to create a
Force-sensitive being whom Thomas Dantes called
Starfighter by cloning Dantes. Green used one Doctor Anton Severious, who was
successful in the art of cloning. Severious took DNA samples from Thomas Dantes
and mated them in a controlled environment with DNA taken from Demona. The
result would become Starsha's grandfather Creighton. Thomas decided to consider
him as his son, and so did Demona.
Then, Starsha looked at a picture of
Creighton’s wife Melisande Corsair…who was also
a Gargoyle clone. Melisande was unique as well. She was a gifted singer and
musician, and she made sure that musical talents were taught to her three
children and to Starsha.
She never knew why they waited
almost 400 years to begin a family. Nor were Destine or Thomas Dantes
married….but Starsha considered the look in her eyes. She knew she loved him
and not a day had gone by in 400 years that Destine didn’t think of Thomas. How
utterly tragic…how utterly romantic. There weren’t many Gargoyles left now.
Most had died during the nuclear war of World War III. Some were believed to have left for a place
called Avalon…Starsha never understood what is was…perhaps it was their version
of heaven or something?
Starsha glanced at the next picture,
a picture of the eldest daughter of Melisande and Creighton. She was very
beautiful with long golden hair and seemed very gentle. She was hugging a small
boy no more than eight years old. The boy was her younger brother,
Vaught…Starsha's father… who was laughing and seemed to be happy. That picture
was the only time that Starsha ever saw her father looking so happy. Her father
never spoke of his sister that often, and neither did the rest of the family.
All Starsha knew is that her father's elder sister took care of her father when
he was a child during the first Cardassian war over thirty years ago when the
Cardassians took Creighton and Melisande
hostage. The rest was hazy to Starsha…All that she knew is what Destine told
her…that she gave her life for Vaught when her planet…called Telezart…was
devastated in an interstellar war.
The next picture…Starsha remembered
giving to her father in person. It was of both of them, father and daughter, in
their dress Starfleet Marine Uniforms. Starsha sighed as she gently touched the
photo of the handsome decorated solider whom she admired and wanted to be like
in every way possible. Her father Vaught Rockwell Corsair was a prodigy…a
complete genius like his own father in engineering, and a brilliant pianist and
musician like his mother. He spoke over 70 languages, and was a brilliant
warrior and Starfighter, a great adept, commanding the power of the Force as if
it was his own hand. He was extremely patient and calm. The only time Starsha
ever heard him raise his voice was when he was in the company of the person in
the next picture; a person she detested. Her mother…Astra.
The very few visits from her mother
(just once or twice a year) always ended in a bitter argument. The last few
years, though, the arguments were not between Vaught and her, but rather
between her and her daughter Starsha. When it came to her career, Starsha
always felt that her mother was jealous and that she did not want her to follow
in her father's footsteps. Vaught took a different approach, for he listened to
Starsha and Astra both but he would not interfere with Starsha’s enlisting in
the Starfleet Marines. His only request was that she continue
to train in the ways of the Force with Nokkar on Easter Island, which she did
and promised that she would continue to do. The last picture on the wall before
the countless other pictures of the same people (Mostly of Starsha) was that of
a Vulcan….Selar.
Creighton and Melisande adopted
Selar after her parents were killed when the Enterprise C was destroyed. She was adopted but still considered a
part of the family especially by Vaught who watched over her like a brother and
helped her learn the Vulcan Way, which he was familiar with. She served in
Starfleet as a doctor as her natural parents did aboard the Enterprise
E. She was a most disciplined Vulcan following all the teachings of the Vulcan
Way, and she was quite literal. For instance, if you asked her where she was
from…she would reply, “Sandy Hook, New Jersey.”
This was young Starsha's complex
family. Right or wrong, she embraced them all, for she knew that the family was
so intertwined that it would always be there for her if she fell. For some
reason, she looked back at the picture of Vaught’s older sister. Starsha
thought she was quite beautiful. She had always wished that she knew more about
her, and felt she had more in common with her besides having her aunt's
charming, mellifluous, and mysterious first name as her very own middle name.
It was a name that was as strange as it was beautiful…
Oh, if only I knew what she was like, thought Starsha.
Then, Starsha was startled out of
her reverie by the sound of an opening door. Her pet Belinda walked into the
room, jumping up on the bed as Starsha laid back down on it. Starsha cooed,
"Hi, Belinda," hugging the gorgeous gray and white timber wolf who
simply put her head on her knee in a gesture of affection.
The wolf nuzzled her knee and then
curled up at her feet. She growled at something that wasn't there. "What's
wrong, girl?" asked Starsha. The young Marine knew that Belinda acted like
that only when she was trying to protect her from something…or someone. Starsha's heart pounded for a
moment. A tremor in the Force? she thought. Strange.
Starsha closed her eyes to
concentrate on the odd sense that she felt when the ghost of a vision came to
her mind. Starsha knew not where this vision was taking place, nor did she know
when it was taking place. Such was the way of the Force, as Nokkar had told
her. "Many things one can see, one can feel, the past, the future, maybe
even other planes, other dimensions. Who knows what you may see? Or be able to
learn?" In the vision, two women were facing each other with a deep enmity
in their eyes in a room that looked like a clean, modern kitchen of some kind.
One was very young, maybe nineteen, maybe twenty-one or twenty-two? The woman
had honey-blonde hair that just barely reached her shoulders; a woman's
military cut with a twinge of femininity to it. She wore clothing in yellow and
black that may have been leisure clothing, may have been athletic wear, maybe
even a uniform of some kind? Starsha didn't know for sure.
The most startling thing about the
woman was the resemblance she bore to herself; the fine features of the face,
the dark eyes, luxuriant lashes…Starsha may well have been looking at a
slightly younger version of herself…or of her father's older sister. The
younger woman was facing down…a crone. The older woman was perhaps seventy,
maybe eighty, and had a fat, wasted face that had once probably been beautiful
but had turned ugly, but she had the same eyes, almost, as her younger
counterpart. Perhaps they were relatives? Starsha couldn't tell. The old hag
was in a dirty brown blouse of some kind, holding a bottle of liquor in one
hand and a stick in the other. Starsha could tell the younger woman and the
older one were probably related…but she guessed it was not a happy
relationship. She could see the lips moving as they argued, but no words came
to her in the vision. Starsha got a definite sense of deep, deep enmity between the two of them,
enmity verging upon hatred.
The old crone said three words, in
silence, her mouth snapping each syllable. Starsha blanched…she was able to
read lips well enough to know that the crone had just called the young woman a
very obscene name.
Starsha's eyes widened as the
younger woman raised her hand…and a cylindrical object flew to it. It was a
light saber, and a very unusual one. Starsha got the odd sense that both the
younger woman and her significant other had built the weapon together as a
joint project. She had never heard of such a thing happening before, since
Nokkar had told her the Jedi usually frowned on such personal attachments.
Whoever had built the saber…it was deadly, coming to life at once in the
woman's hands like a blue fire. In response, the old crone raised her hand, and
a saber came to it from a dirty, battered macramé purse that looked
homemade…like a craft project done by an alcoholic. The saber almost looked the
same as the filthy bag; it was dirty and seemed to be made from junk, while the
young woman's saber was silvery, clean, and immaculate like a weapon made to
military specs. It was a fine weapon not unlike her weapon. Except that Starsha
knew that she would never make such an exercise as light saber construction a
joint project with her fiancée' or husband.
The crone lit her saber; it
glowed red. Jedi and Sith? Starsha
thought. Civilians, maybe…in a food
preparing area? What place…what time? This makes no sense…although I sure have
some relationships that are like that…is this a warning? I don't know.
The strange vision faded like
a fever dream. Maybe it well never come
to pass, Starsha mused. Maybe it
already has, and they're dead. So many possibilities in the Force…and I thought
I knew something. Looks like I have a long way to go in my studies…a long way
to go to make sense of this…
Starsha fell into an uneasy sleep
while concentrating upon the strange vision, wondering who the younger woman
was, and why the image of a snowy forest with a blazing star above it was
coming to her mind. Don't feel like
riddles…she thought as she fell into some strange dream. She must have
fallen asleep for a while for she was startled when the vid-panel beeped as she
rolled over to the night stand to answer. An image of her Great-Grandmother
appeared.
Great, thought
Starsha. Maybe that's what the Force was
telling me? Trouble with relatives? This is not going to be pleasant, or happy.
She looks pissed. Indeed, Destine seemed very angry, and her reddish-white
hair seemed to be on fire.
“What are you doing?!” she snapped
at Starsha. This was Destine’s usual modus
operandi. At most times she was ill tempered, and very, very ill-mannered.
Overall, she was a most unpleasant person.
“I'm on leave right now.” Starsha
said "You just woke me up."
“What the Hell is going on?!”
Destine snarled. Starsha Corsair knew what she was referring to.
“Did Creighton come see you yet?”
“He’s in my office now!” Destine
said
“He probably knows more than I do
now.” Starsha Corsair said
“What about your father?”
“I know he’s on assignment.” Starsha said “I don’t think he knows.”
“When he finds out all hell is going
to break loose.” Destine said
Destine sighed and rubbed her
eyes. Starsha could tell that she was not being her usual coarse self, but was
deeply worried.
"Excuse me? Admiral?” she asked.
“There is a lot that has transpired
since your Grandfather arrived here.” Destine said and I’m afraid you might be
in the thick of it.”
“I can look after myself, Admiral.”
Starsha Corsair said
Destine narrowed her eyes.
“And that is exactly what I’m afraid
of!” Destine said “Since you have family
on Iscandar maybe you can reason with them.”
“I have
no interest in meeting anyone on Iscandar,” Starsha Corsair said
“I’m not
giving you a choice, Starsha, Destine said I’m
reassigning you to the Enterprise.”
Starsha sighed, “Starship Duty!? I’m
a Marine not a cruise director!”
Destine again narrowed her eyes
turning red “Either you learn to be a cruise director or you learn to be my
secretary…NOW, WHAT'S IT GOING TO DAMN
WELL BE!!!!??” she roared.
Starsha shrugged, thinking, You win…as usual…“Where and when should I
meet the Enterprise?”
“She’s still three days out from
Earth…but I’m sending a shuttle for you right now to take you to the Sandy Hook
house; I have Okuan to look after the stable.
“I’m bringing Belinda with me.”
Starsha Corsair said
“Fine bring her……This isn’t personal
Star, believe me." Destine said. “It’s family.” A bunch of Creighton’s top
secret designs are being passed around all over the place…Starfleet’s got your
father involved in God knows what, and he's in possession of something that’s
not supposed to exist!"
"What is it?"
"You’ll have a full
briefing on the flight to Earth. I just need you where I can find you.”
"Why?"
“With your father away, you
are a close second to do someone’s dirty work because you know how to handle
one of those damned light sabers."
"I see. You want me for this?"
"Yes. The only people you
take orders from are Commander Will Riker, Captain Jean-Luc Picard or myself! That’s not
negotiable.”
“Yes, Admiral. May I stop at
Easter Island first?”
“Nokkar?” Destine said
Starsha nodded. "I need
to talk with him."
"About what?"
Starsha remembered her weird
vision, and other things that were bothering her.
“What would you think?” Starsha
Corsair said
“I’ll meet you Half way; I’ll get
him to Sandy Hook now get packed!”
Starsha nodded. Destine didn't
nod back. As her face quickly disappeared from the viewer, Starsha immediately
undressed and walked into the shower.
I have a lot to do, and I have to hurry, she thought as Belinda
waited outside. Gasping as the stream of hot water hit her body, she slid the glass
door emphatically shut.
At Starfleet Headquarters, the
junior officers cringed outside the Office of the Starfleet Commander as
Admiral Destine roared at the top of her lungs to the unfortunate attendees of
the meeting; namely, Ambassador Spock, and Nechayev.
“You have got to be kidding me
with this report!” Destine screamed, her fangs in full view as she threw the
data pad against the wall. When it hit, it shattered into pieces. “Son of a
bitch!" raged the Admiral.
“Fascinating. Two in less than
twenty-four hours.” Spock said
“You’re already on my shit-list,
Ambassador!” roared Destine. “And where
the Hell is Vaught!?”
“I know that is a dangerous
consequence.” Spock said evenly. “I do
not hide my involvement with the Iscandarians…"
Destine interrupted him, “I don’t
care about that, Mister Spock! I want
to know where my Grandson is!”
“I do not have that information at
this time.” Spock said
Destine then turned to Admiral
Nechayev,
“So you’re going in under the guise
that Federation Technology was stolen but we’re really using it to flush this
guy Lysis out into the open.”
“Yes, Admiral.”
“I don’t like it,” Destine said.
“I know, Admiral.”
“What else can you tell me about
him?”
“We think he was a general in
Desslok’s Fleet,” Nechayev said and he might have reversed-Engineered Defiant for weapons upgrades on their own
ships…..That’s how he came to know about us.’
“I want it back,” Destine said.
“That may not be possible.”
“Hey!” She yelled “You want my
help!? Or do you want to take your chances with the oversight committee? I want
that ship!”
“Yes, Admiral.”
“And why can’t Creighton know about
this?”
“He can after I leave.” Nechayev
said “I can’t have him coming with us.”
“Why?” Destine said “He has a right
to go; it’s his technology.”
“I know but if in fact the Defiant is there and if Vaught never got
to that Database and Creighton is there, Lysis could conceivably use Gamilon
agents and abduct Creighton; It’s happened before.”
“And he said nothing.” Destine said
“Then Lysis will kill him, now do
you want to explain that to Vaught after you tell him about his Wife.”
“Creighton is my son.” Destine said
“You think I want him in harm’s way?”
“I know that you don’t.”
“Once you get Lysis out in the open
how do you go about eliminating him?” Destine asked
Destine was met with Silence
“Come again?” she said sarcastically
“I can’t quite hear you!”
“I don’t have all the wrinkles
ironed out yet.” Nechayev Said
Mimicking an early 21st century
television celebrity’s trademark, Destine sat back in her chair, pointed once
at Nechayev, and snapped, “you’re fired!’ in a harsh voice while Spock
raised an eyebrow.
“I’m afraid that can’t be yet,
Admiral,” Nechayev said
“I know,” Destine said. “Get out
anyway.”
Nechayev simply stood up and walked
out of the office. As Creighton Walked in, who sat down next to Spock, Destine
got up, grabbed a glass of water and drank. As the cold water soothed her
burning throat, she took a deep sigh and walked over to the window looking at
the illuminated shape of the Golden Gate Bridge.
“Okay, what’s next?” Destine said.
“Are you going out there?” Creighton
asked
“I’m Sending the Enterprise.” Destine said “Jul –Luc will
know how to Deal with this.”
“Can’t send the Enterprise.”
“Why?”
“I just Spoke with Commander Riker
Captain Picard is having issues with his mechanical Heart. The Ships’ Chief
Surgeon says it has to be resolved at Starfleet Medical and It’s
going to be at least three weeks.
“Then Riker will be in command.”
Destine said “He’s going to be a Captain one of these years; this will be good
practice for him.”
“It’s still a bad idea.” Creighton
said
“Now what’s the matter!?”
“The Crew of the Enterprise and Admiral Nechayev have a very …Turbulent relationship.” Creighton said
Destine leaned across her Desk for a
moment.
“I really don’t Care.” Destine
said
“I recommend that we watch the
situation carefully,” Spock said.
“Agreed. I want to place some ships
around this gate or doorway…or whatever it is. Is there any way to prevent the
conditions that happened a hundred years ago with the Enterprise and Defiant?”
Creighton shook his head,
“Admiral, starship shields are far more advanced today. That shouldn't happen
now. There shouldn’t be any power drain or loss on the shields, but that would
only be in the event if a ship was dragged through the corridor and another was
dragged in close. But I have two ships coming off the Rhoads within the next
few weeks that I’d like to bring up to the Line.”
“I liked how you worked that in
there because you know I’m not letting you go to Iscandar.” Destine asked
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Top secret, no doubt,” Destine said
“Well they both are a separate and
new class of ship,” Creighton said “Radical technology and reverse engineering
went into them.”
Spock raised an eyebrow.
“You’re still tinkering with that
ship you found crashed on Mercury…what was it called?”
“Galactica also
known as a Battlestar….one of the ships, the Missouri is a direct reverse eingineer of that Battlestar. It uses
a Wave Motion Generator as well as a Starfleet Dilithum Matrix.”
“And the other ship?”
“Swayback… a Destroyer type.”
“What do we know about this Comet
that entered the interspace door?”
“Nothing," said Creighton said.
"Nothing…except that the Montana’s scanners detected an Orion warp
signature.”
“A Comet with an Orion Warp
Signature can only mean one thing; Nevar Zordar,” Spock said.
“Comet
Empire?” Destine asked.
“I wouldn’t put it past him,”
Destine said. “I want to send some Intel to Sulu. He’s our resident expert with
the Zordar Family, He’ll he’s fought most of them three times around.”
“Logical.” Spock said
“If I promised to make you an
Admiral would you come back to work for us, Spock?” Destine said.
Creighton chuckled.
Spock cleared his throat. “I
can best serve you with diplomatic issues, Admiral, not military issues.”
“I agree.” Destine said “I think it
would be a good idea to send you to Iscandar,” Destine said. “Let's find out
how deep the contamination goes with this Lysis guy.”
“Very well, Admiral.” Spock said.
"I'll go."
“In the meantime, I’ll send him a transfer
of orders to meet up with the Enterprise.
Just all of you make damn well sure that Starsha doesn’t come within 500 feet
of any trouble.”
“What if Starsha is the only person capable of
taking out Lysis?” Spock asked
“You know what let’s not even go
there.” Destine said then turned to Creighton.
“All right bring your ships on line,
and when they are we’ll revisit the Iscandar situation.”
“Good deal,” Creighton said, getting up.
“I have a flight to catch.”
“Now where are you off too?”
“Sandy Hook.” Creighton said
“Melisande and I want to meet Starsha when she lands.”
“Fine,” Destine said, “I'll be there
when I can…I have to go to the President and somehow explain all of this
crap….this isn’t what we should be doing anymore…Damnit… lunacy like this should
be read in a Frederick P. Kopetz
science-fiction novel…not a Starfleet Field Report.”
They both
nodded.
“Go away.”
Destine said
After they
left, Destine walked over to her personal bar and poured something stronger
than water. After doing so, she picked up a picture of Thomas Dantes. Then, she
walked outside onto a very small balcony. She stood in silence looking at the
Golden Gate Bridge for a long while. Finally, she sighed heavily as a single
tear rolled down her face.
I'm
so old, I’ve stopped counting the years, Thomas, thought the Admiral. Then,
she turned and touched her communicator pin.
“Y-Yes
Admiral?” an ensign said
“Get
Nechayev back in here. NOW!!!”
She took a gulp of the
straight Aldeberan whisky and closed her eyes. I never asked anything of you
before, Thomas….she thought But wherever he is…could you please see that
he gets safely back…for his daughter's sake?
She looked up into the clear dark sky
“Talk to me, Thomas. Please talk to me!” said
Destine while gazing at the sky. As Nechayev walked back into
the office, Destine walked back inside and sat behind her desk.
“I think we should bring in Alsarida
Neri,” Nechayev said
Destine looked at her.
“She knows more about the Iscandar
situation than anybody; plus she was also a Marine. That might
keep Vaught’s daughter under tighter control,” Nechayev said
“You took Astra’s death pretty
personally…for a competitor.” Destine said
“Is that how you see it?” Nechayev
asked.
“This relationship with Vaught…It’s
more than what’s on the surface, isn’t it? You really
care for him….otherwise, why would you be doing this?”
She did not answer her.
“All right, Allayana…walk me through
this goofy plan of yours one more time.”
End Chapter Three
Next Chapter: "The
Adventure Begins"
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to the Introduction to Starfighter: The
Iconoclasts, click here