Inauguration - Chapter Ten

Ivanova was helpless. All she could do was watch as the two strange unknown vessels neared the station. Queeg stood beside her, his phaser still aimed at her. He, too, watched for a few seconds before he activated his communicator.
    “Queeg to attack squads. Operation has begun. Proceed with stage two.”
    In the chamber Watt and Leacock were about to step down from the podium when the door suddenly burst open. Suddenly all of the officers from the Yorktown and the Aswan that were in the chamber sprang to their feet, and Captain Solkun fired his phaser into the air. No one had any idea what was going on as thirty more men from the Yorktown suddenly ran in holding phaser rifles. Magus then got to his feet. He now knew why he was feeling uneasy. He raised his hand and was about to fire a bolt of mystical energy at Solkun when a blast hit him. Magus fell to the ground and saw Alen the Seer standing over him. Then there was a loud scream as someone burst into the chamber. The screen was because the ‘man’ seemed to be some sort of zombie, and he was brandishing some sort of weapon. Panic ensued, and from his point on the podium Watt took to the air and flew towards the zombie-like creature. The creature held the weapon up, pointed it at Watt, and fired. A beam of red energy emanated from the weapon and struck Watt. He fell to the floor like a dead bird that had just been shot out of the sky. Amid all of the chaos and phaser fire Picard had managed to make his way to Captain Watt.

    “What the hell is going on here?” asked Watt.
    “I don’t know.” said Picard. “But we are weaponless and hopelessly outnumbered!”
    Picard tried to activate his communicator, but there was no response. Watt tried the same but got the same result.
    “Something’s blocking transmissions.” said Watt. “But what?”
    They then heard another phaser blast, and a diving Commander Pendragon soon joined them on the floor.
    “There’s officers firing phasers everywhere.” he said. “The only way we can tell who is who is by the dress uniforms.”
    Outside the station the two strange ships were now very close to the station. One of them went on ahead of the other, towards the other end of the station.
    Inside Watt, Picard and Pendragon were still taking cover.
    “Has anyone tried contacting the ships?” asked Pendragon.
    “Communications are being jammed.” said Watt.
    Pendragon then pressed his communicator. It was working.
    “Pendragon to Valkyrie. We are under attack from unknown forces on board this station. Red alert! Red alert!”
    Upon hearing this the Valkyrie and the Enterprise began to move closer to the station and towards the two unknown vessels. As they did this there was a blinding flash of light, and an energy field began to form around the station. It was emanating from the two ships. It resembled a Tholian web in nature. The field was designed to stop all ships from getting near the station, and anyone from leaving.
    In the chamber the battle continued. Leacock was about to attack Seer when a phaser blast struck him in the back. Alen the Seer then raised both of his hands, and a glow began to form around him. He cast a spell that rendered almost everyone in the chamber helpless, either unconscious or very stunned. The only ones that were left standing were those in normal Starfleet uniforms. Alen then looked at Solkun.
    “It is done.” he said.
    Solkun activated his communicator.
    “Solkun to Queeg. The debating chamber is secure.”
    “Excellent!”
    Queeg then activated his communicator.
    “This is Queeg. The station is secure. You may beam over.”
    For a split second the energy field that was covering the station dropped. This allowed a transporter beam to be activated. After the transporter activity was completed the energy field was re-established. It was then that Queeg made his way to the corridor. A broad smile appeared on his face when he saw twenty strange creatures marching down the corridor. Each of them were carrying weapons. The creature in front was dressed differently to the others. As they approached Queeg he saluted. The creature in front stopped and returned the salute.
    “The station is secure Warchief Boglob.”
    “Excellent work Captain Queeg. You will be rewarded for your work here today. You will receive out planet’s highest honour.”
    The party then continued on their way to the debating chamber. On their way they were joined by Lanriel Nightland and Tyrell of Arden. A few minutes later they entered the chamber. Those who were awake seemed somewhat horrified by their strange appearance. One who was just coming to did not seem so. Magus was just about getting to his feet when he recognised the creatures.
    “Orks!”
    Babylon 5 was now fully secure. Where once Starfleet officers walked now Orks did. There must have been over a hundred Orks beamed onto the station from their two ships. A few minutes after the station was secure the Yorktown and the Aswan moved closer and soon became part of the energy field that covered the station, giving the field more power with their warp engines, making it impossible for anyone to beam onto the station.
    The V.I.P.’s were taken away from the debating chamber and put into the many detention cells on the station. Captain Watt and Captain Picard were virtually dragged along the corridor to their cell by two burly Orks. When they arrived they were thrown in and the restraining field put in place. Picard slowly got to his feet and began to dust himself off.
    “I thought you said Tarak Queeg was a good friend of yours.” he said.
    “He was.” replied Watt. “But I don’t know what the hell happened to him.”
    Before they could say anymore they heard someone walking down the corridor. The footsteps stopped at their cell. They then heard someone telling one of the Orks to power down the restraining field. This he did, and a few seconds later Tarak Queeg entered the cell. Watt leapt to his feet and was about to confront Queeg when Picard held him back.
    “I would never have thought that you were capable of such behaviour Jim.” said Queeg.
    “Why have you done this Tarak?” asked Watt. “This isn’t the Tarak Queeg I went to the academy with. What happened to him?”
    “The Tarak Queeg you knew died when he was passed over for promotion on four occasions. Four times I should have become an admiral, but instead all Starfleet Command offered me was the chance to become a commodore, little more than a captain! I wasn’t prepared to take that, I wanted more power! By now I should have been serving at Starfleet Command, and if Santiago had still been in power I would have been, but with Starfleet now being run by immortals my chances went down the drain!”
    “This sounds like the ravings of a madman!” said Picard. “Why have you come here and done this? How many of you are there?”
    “You can include the entire crews of the Yorktown and the Aswan, as well as the Eldars and the Orks.”
    “So that ship we saw you near was an Ork ship?” said Watt. “And that is why you were late?”
    “You, as always, are correct Jim.” said Queeg. “We were not giving them aid. Solkun and I were meeting with Warchief Boglob, the Ork leader. We were finalising our plans for the abduction of the new President and the capture of Babylon 5. With the help of some powerful men of the Federation this was made possible.”
    “Who?” asked Watt.
    “One of them is the third man who ran for President, Lord Hargen, the longest-serving member of the Senate. The other is an old pupil of your Ambassador Magus.”
    “Alen the Seer.” said Watt. “I should have known. There was always something different about him. It reminded me of Saruman the White and the stories Magus told me about him.”
    “Enough of this.” said Queeg. “I came here to make you two an offer, an offer you can’t refuse.”
    Watt began to laugh. Picard looked puzzled.
    “What’s so funny?” asked Picard.
    “There’s no need for you to ask us that question Tarak.” said Watt. “You disrupt the inauguration, try to kill my grandfather, and then you want to ask me to join your rebellion? Surely you can’t be serious.”
    “I am.” said Queeg. “With the power of the Enterprise and the Valkyrie at our disposal the Ork Alliance will bring the United Federation of Planets to it’s knees! We will reign supreme!”
    “I will not serve with anyone who sides with Orks.” said Picard. “You will turn out as brutal as they are.”
    “You should know my answer.” said Watt. “You are definitely not the Tarak Queeg I knew and loved like a brother. You’re not even worth spitting at now.”
    A sinister smile appeared on Queeg’s face.
    “You will both learn to regret this, Captains.” he said, moving towards the exit. “In thirty minutes we shall be transmitting our demands to Starfleet Command. They then will have seventy-two hours to reply. If they do not this station will be blown to kingdom come!”