O’Rourke stood in front of the sensor panel, waiting to give her report to Watt.
“They’ve arrived, Captain.” she reported. “They are thirty metres away from the main bridge area.”
On board the alien vessel Blake, Avon and Jenna looked around at the unfamiliar alien surroundings. Blake took out the tri-corder he had been given and began to scan the area.
“The bridge is thirty metres in front of us.” he said. “The life signs of the away team are getting weaker and weaker.”
“Then let’s get this over with.” said Avon. “I have no desire to remain Watt’s pawn for long.”
Avon pushed past Blake and took the lead. With Jenna in the middle Blake brought up the rear.
They soon found the entrance to the Bridge. Wanting to get it over with as soon as possible Avon marched onto the Bridge. He was closely followed by Jenna.
“Wait!” Blake called. “The energy reading is coming from in there! It may be…”
Before he finished speaking Blake could hear Avon and Jenna cry out in pain. Rushing in Blake saw what was causing the energy reading. There was a massive energy cloud hovering some ten feet above the floor, and it seemed to have some sort of mental grip on Avon and Jenna, causing them great pain. Then Blake dropped his tri-corder as he grabbed his head in pain. Before his eyes he could see images, images of his past, images he did not want to remember. But then he started to talk to himself.
“It’s not real!” he said. “The image is not real! It was planted into my mind!”
Over and over he said the same words. The horrific images he was seeing were not from his life. They had been planted into his mind by Servalan years before. Then Blake watched as the energy cloud seemed to buckle somehow. It seemed to fade slightly. It was not able to cope with Blake’s resistance. Then there was the sound of an explosion as the energy cloud disappeared before his eyes. Shaking his head Blake helped Jenna and Avon to their feet.
“What was that?” asked Jenna. “I kept seeing images, things from my past I didn’t want to remember!”
“I did also.” said Avon. “But how where you able to beat that thing?”
“Because the images I saw where not real.” Blake replied. “Some of my memories were programmed into my mind.”
Blake then saw Sutek, Amarus and the rest of the away team lying on the deck nearby. Blake rushed over to them and kneeled down, checking their pulses.
“They’re alive, but only just.”
A signal then came in from the Valkyrie.
“Watt to Blake. Have you located Commander Sutek and his team yet?”
Blake was about to reply when Avon stopped him.
“We have a chance here.” he said. “Look at this ship. It’s far more powerful than any Federation starship. With this we would be free. I could gain control of this thing’s computer, and Jenna could fly it.”
“Can you?” Blake asked.
Jenna walked over to the flight control panel.
“The controls are different to those I’m use to, but I think I could.”
Blake paused for a moment.
“Don’t be a fool.” Avon urged. “We have a chance for freedom here. We must take it!”
Blake looked down at the fallen Valkyrie crew members.
“What about them?”
“We kill them and then get rid of them.” Avon replied.
“No.” said Blake. “And we won’t use them as hostages.”
Blake turned to Jenna.
“Have you worked out how to fly it yet?”
“Just about.”
Avon then pressed Sutek’s communicator.
“Valkyrie, lock on to this signal and beam the away team aboard.”
Seconds later Sutek and his team were back on the Valkyrie.
“Watt to Transporter Room Three. Are they back yet?”
“Commander Sutek and the away team are, but the prisoners are not.”
Suddenly the sensor panel came to life.
“Some sort of shield has risen around the alien ship.” reported O’Rourke. “I can’t get a lock on any of the prisoners!”
“Watt to Blake. You’re making a big mistake Commander. Return now and no further charges will be pressed!”
“Do not respond.” said Avon. “It doesn’t matter if any further charges are brought against us. On Cygnus Alpha we’d have been dead in six weeks. Now we have a chance!”
“Find a way to operate this ship’s weapons.” said Blake. “I want a shot that will disable them long enough for us to make our escape. Jenna, I then want you to get us out of here as fast as you can.”
On the Valkyrie Watt watched the view screen as the alien vessel moved to face them.
“What the hell is going on here?”
“The weapons systems have just been activated.” said O’Rourke. “They’re firing!”
“Raise shields!”
It was took late. An energy blast hit the Valkyrie, just enough to disable her. Watt could only watch as the alien vessel flew off at an incredible speed, far faster than Watt had seen any ship travel before.
“We are unable to pursue.” said O’Rourke. “Warp and impulse engines offline.”
“Blast it!”
The alien ship flew through space at an incredible speed. They had never been on a ship travelling that fast before. As Jenna watched the controls Blake approached Avon at the station he had taken.
“With a full crew we could fight back.”
“Fight the Federation? What with? Within forty-eight hours half of Starfleet will be looking for us!”
“With this ship, and the information I have, we can fight back! And we will!”
Servalan stood in her office directing the efforts of the removal men, making sure that old pieces of furniture belonging to James Watt were gone. Pictures of old friends were taken down from the walls and old-style novels were packed away into boxes. As all of this went on Commander Sleer entered.
“Madame President, a long-range signal is coming in on a coded channel.”
“Thank you Commander. Now I want everyone out of here!”
Not wishing to anger the President the removal men put down their packing cases and quickly removed themselves from the office. Servalan then sat down at her new desk and switched on her computer terminal.
“Computer, decode message, authorisation Servalan alpha-omega-one.”
The fizzy image on the screen soon became clear, and Servalan smiled when the image of Phineas Magus appeared before her.
“Well, well, well! Ambassador Magus! Or should I say the renegade Magus?”
“Now is not the time for games, Servalan. I have the information. You knew that James could have been killed by a Frankenstein-type creature, that’s why you authorised that madman’s experiments! You probably planned the destruction of Starfleet One as well. I find it interesting that you were suddenly taken ill moments before it exploded!”
“Why Ambassador, you credit me with much, but you are hardly in a position to accuse me of anything! By my calculations, your useless ship should be surrounded just about…..now!”
On board the Scotsman Winthorn’s sensor panel came to life.
“Doctor, three Pursuit-class ships are suddenly surrounding us, and they are being joined by a starship!”
Winthorn could not believe his eyes.
“Doctor! It’s the Enterprise, and they’re hailing us!”
“I told you!” said Servalan. “I would like to have a chat with you, but I can see that you’re tied up right now. Still, once you’re in prison there will be plenty of time for us to talk!”
The image of Servalan was replaced on the Scotsman’s view screen by that of the Enterprise.
“On screen!” Magus ordered.
The wizard was surprised by the image on the screen. It was not Picard calling but Travis.
“This is Commander Travis. You have been declared enemies of the Federation. Lower your shields and prepare to be boarded!”
“So, I’ve spoke to the organ grinder, so now I must deal with the monkey!” said Magus. “Your request is denied Commander!”
Magus gave the order for the signal to be stopped. On the Enterprise Travis was not happy.
“Lieutenant Worf, arm phasers and photon torpedoes and target that ship! Send a signal to the pursuit ships to do the same!”
“You will do no such thing!” said Picard.
“May I remind you I am in command of this mission!” said Travis.
“And I’m in command of this ship, Commander Travis! Mister Worf, do not carry out this man’s orders!”
“Very well.” said Travis. “Have it your own way! But you will regret this Picard! You must certainly will!”
Travis then activated his own personal communicator.
“Travis to pursuit ships! Arm all weapons! Fire on the Scotsman!”
On board the Scotsman Winthorn raced over to the tactical station.
“The pursuit ships are arming all of their weapons. The Enterprise is not!”
“Magus to Engineering. Scotty, is the cavourite drive fully operational?”
“She’s as ready as she’ll ever be!”
“Then Mister Drathro, activate the cavourite drive!”
At the same time Travis gave his order.
“Pursuit ships! Fire!”
The pursuit ships did not fire because of what they saw. Picard, Travis and everyone else looked on in amazement as the Flying Scotsman began to slowly vanish before their eyes.
“Mister Worf, scan the area.” Picard ordered.
The Klingon carried out the scan. He looked surprised at his findings.
“I can find no trace of them!” he reported. “He’s vanished!”
“Well Commander Travis, it appears you have failed in your mission!” said Picard. “I would like to say it’s been good working with you, but then again I’m not a liar!”
“Everything you did will be put in my report!” Travis sneered. “If I had my way you would never command a starship again!”
On board the Scotsman Winthorn and Drathro were both surprised. Winthorn had no idea what was going on. Drathro however did.
“How long have you had time travel technology?” he asked Magus. “It is forbidden for any non-Time Lord to have such technology!”
“But my dear boy, I am an honorary Time Lord! Now, I take it you know how to work this contraption! If you do set a course for the Time of Legends! With any luck we should be there in a few minutes!”
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