Princes of the Universe - Chapter Five

Watt, Pendragon, Amarus and Admiral McCloud had gone on ahead of the security team. They were the first to arrive at the entrance to the caverns. The door was in a mess. Amarus walked up to the entrance and examined the black scorch marks on the door.
    “This definitely looks like Cardassian phaser fire.” he said. “And from the looks of this it didn’t take a lot to get through.”
    “Just like the time we were here.” said Pendragon.
    McCloud joined Amarus at the entrance.
    “The elevator is up.” he said. “Pendragon, Amarus, you’re with me.”
    “As am I.” said Watt.
    “This is a dangerous situation we’re going into Captain.” said McCloud.
    “I am quite capable of looking after myself Admiral.” Watt replied.
    The four of them stepped into the elevator. Without any of them doing anything the elevator started to move, going down into the caverns.
    A minute passed before they were in the caverns far beneath the planet’s surface. Amarus was the first to get out. He started to scan the area with his tri-corder.
    “There are twenty-two life forms in the next cavern down that passage way.” he indicated. “Twenty-one Cardassians, and one…well, with readings similar to those of a human.”
    “Then Connor is still alive.” said McCloud.
    McCloud paused as he stood, as if he was trying to listen to something.
    “What’s wrong?” asked Watt.
    “I can’t hear anything.” said McCloud. “That’s what’s wrong. We must hurry.”

    McCloud ran off down the passage way, his sword in his right hand. He was soon followed by the others. McCloud stopped as he was about to enter the next cavern. He suddenly heard many voices. He peered round the corner to see the Cardassian security team gathering around something. Then two of them bent over as if they were about to pick something off the floor. They did. McCloud seemed slightly pleased  as he saw the Cardassians pull his clansman, Connor McCloud, from the ground. It looked as if McCloud had been beaten. His face was swollen and bruised. He was dragged to the wall and then put in chains that were connected to the walls. The Cardassians then moved away as they heard footsteps in the distance. Admiral McCloud watched as Gul Damec walked into the cavern.
    “He is all yours Gul Damec.” said one.
    Damec look at Captain McCloud, chained to the wall and badly beaten. Ht then gave an icy stare to the security team. He walked over to the one who had spoken and struck him. He fell to the ground and wiped the blood from his lips.
    “You fool!” Damec boomed. “I wanted Captain McCloud alive and in perfect health, so it would have made our duel more pleasing for me, more pleasing for when I killed him. You are…”
    Damec stopped in mid-sentence as he suddenly looked into open space.
    “Someone else is here.” he said.
    Damec paused again. A rye smile then appeared on his face.
    “It can’t be!” he smiled. “The other one is here! Both Highlanders are here! What a wonderful chance!”
    McCloud knew he could hide no longer. He was about to move out of the shadows when Damec activated his communicator.
    “This is Damec. Lock into the rest of the security team and beam them aboard.”
    There was no time for the security team to protest. They were beamed up instantly. As soon as they were gone Damec took out his sword and placed it against Captain McCloud’s neck.”
    “Duncan McCloud!” he boomed. “I know you are here! Make yourself visible or I will kill your clansman where he hangs!”
    As Damec spoke these words Admiral McCloud was joined by the others.
    “You three will stay here.” said Admiral McCloud. “Damec wants me.”
    Before walking away Admiral McCloud turned to Pendragon.
    “I’m going to give you an order you may not want to carry out Commander. If Connor and I should fall to Damec I want you to kill him by cutting off his head.”
    Before Pendragon could answer Admiral McCloud approached the caverns. As soon as he was visible another smiled appeared on Damec’s face.
    “You are a fool Highlander!” he said. “A fool to come after your fellow clansman!”
    “You killed my friend Damec!” said Admiral McCloud. “And now you threaten the life of my clansman. For that you will pay!”
    Damec raised his sword and tried to bring it down on Admiral McCloud’s skull, but the Admiral was too fast for him. Then battle then started for proper. The clang of Cardassian metal upon Japanese metal could be heard throughout the cavern. Thrust and parry was met with thrust and parry. The two swordsmen seemed to be a perfect match for each other. For a while Damec seemed to get the upper hand over McCloud, but the Admiral soon fought back to take an advantage of his own. McCloud seemed to go after Damec with reckless abandon. It seemed that he was forgetting all that Connor McCloud had taught him. He seemed to be fighting with his emotions and not his sword. This allowed Damec to gain the advantage again. Damec seemed to be ruthless in his attack. He attacked so hard that McCloud was forced to his knees. A swipe from Damec’s sword knocked McCloud’s sword out of his hand. As this happened a shocked Pendragon, Watt and Amarus looked on.
    “We’ve got to help!” said Pendragon.
    Pendragon was about to go to McCloud’s aid when Watt took his phaser in his hand and fired at Damec. Damec was about to bring his sword down across McCloud’s neck when the phaser blast hit, sending Damec flying against the wall. The phaser had been set to kill, but the blast did not vaporize him. As Damec lay injured on the floor Admiral McCloud looked back at Watt.
    “You blasted fool!” he shouted. “I told you not to get involved!”
    “If it wasn’t for me you’d be killed by now!” said Watt.
    As they argued they did not notice Damec trying to get to his feet, his sword in his hand. Admiral McCloud did not notice Damec coming up behind him, his sword raised. Damec was about to chop McCloud’s head off when a huge metal blade was rammed into the small of Damec’s back. Damec looked around to see Pendragon standing behind him. Damec was not pleased, and neither was Admiral McCloud, even though Pendragon had saved his life, just as Watt had done seconds earlier. Damec was stunned once again. This gave Admiral McCloud the chance he was looking for. A blow to Damec’s jaw knocked him to the ground once again. This gave McCloud a chance to pick up his sword. He then approached Damec and raised his sword high above his head.
    “There can be only one!” he shouted.
    After shouting these words McCloud brought the sword down across the back of Damec’s head, severing the head from the torso. McCloud now appeared weary. He look at Watt for a few seconds. He then began to flinch, each flinch getting bigger and bigger. As this happened a strange form of lighting began to form around him. It soon covered him and took him a few inches off the ground. He let out a huge cry of pain as he swirled around. The whole thing last for about a minute. McCloud slumped to the ground totally exhausted. He looked up at Watt. He barely had enough energy to speak. He then looked around and saw Amarus helping Connor McCloud out of the chains. It now looked as if Connor McCloud was in better condition than his young clansman. He looked down and smiled.
    “I taught you to fight with your sword, and not your feelings!”

    Connor McCloud sat on the examination table in sickbay, being examined by Doctor Singh. The swellings and cuts he had sustained in the beating earlier had all but gone. As he was being examined Watt and Admiral McCloud entered.
    “How’s the patient?” asked the Admiral.
    “Immortal again!” Connor replied. “Look Duncan, I want to thank you for what you did down there. I knew there were other Immortals somewhere in this universe, but I never thought I’d meet one so soon.”
    McCloud then turned to Watt.
    “What about the Cardassians?” he asked.
    “Their first officer took command as soon as the security team beamed back aboard.” Watt replied. “Not long after that they fled with their tails between their legs.”
    “Something should be done about them.” said Connor. “They shouldn’t get away with killing a whole race.”
    “They won’t if I have anything to do with it.” said the Admiral. “By the way, Captain, it seems I owe you an apology, and a word of thanks. You and Commander Pendragon saved my life down there, I owe you a lot. As soon as I take up my new post as C-in-C I’ll see that you go top of the promotions list.”
    “Promotion is the last thing on my mind at the moment Admiral.” said Watt. “But there is one favour you can do for me. Perhaps you have an opening for a vastly experienced starship captain.”
    “If you’re talking about me then hold on a minute.” said Connor. “I haven’t had the chance to consider my future yet. A captaincy may provide extra dangers for a crew, what with all these Immortals all over the place.”
    “But I need you Connor.” said the Admiral. “If not as a starship captain then at Starfleet Command!”
    “I’ll need some time to think about this.” said Connor.
    “Time, my friend, you have in spades.” said the Admiral. “You have all the time in the universe!”