Rescue: Civil War II Chapter Fifteen

It was a cold night for Pendragon and his team as they moved towards Vargas' citadel. Even though they each wore several layers of clothing, the wind was still getting through to their skins. Her teeth almost chattering, Maris found it almost impossible to hold her tri-corder while trying to find the crew of the Valkyrie. Greenleaf soon stood beside her and held her hand steady as he studied the tri-corder readings. It appeared that elves were not as affected by the cold as humans.

"Captain, I think we've found something," he shouted. "The castle is less than a mile away, and I'm picking up several life signs."

Greenleaf showed the tri-corder to Pendragon.

"Several humans, insectoid, and a Trasphon... hello! What's this? A Bajoran? I didn't know there were any Bajorans among the Valkyrie crew!"

"Maybe they transferred aboard after we left," Greenleaf suggested.

"They would have been in the crew manifest we downloaded from the Valkyrie," said Maris. "I don't recall seeing any Bajorans."

"Let's not worry about it now," said Pendragon. "If he, or she, is being held prisoner, we'll have to get them out with the others."

 

As they moved across the main compound, Brogan was getting the same feeling at the back of his mind that Castle already had. Something was wrong. Everything had been too easy.

As he pondered these thoughts, he didn't notice that he was lagging behind Haldane and Took.

"Will you hurry up?" Haldane called as loud as he could without raising alarm. "I want to get out of here as soon as possible!"

"The cells are just around this corner," said Took. "With luck, we'll have them out in a few minutes."

As they approached the cells, Brogan took out a small torch. Checking the sign, he was sure they had the right building. He watched as Haldane crept up behind the two guards and took care of them. Then Took, using her telepathic powers, undid the lock.

"Jane, are you still there?" Brogan asked into his small headset.

"I'm still here, Brogan," came the reply. "Go ahead."

"We're in the remand wing. Have you got a lock on us yet?"

"You're coming through loud and clear."

"Tell them to hurry up!" Podley urged. "I'm responsible for putting people in here! I don't want to end up in here myself!"

"We heard you, Captain!" said Haldane. "We'll be out of here in two shakes of a lamb's tail!"

And Haldane was right. Using her third eye, Took soon found where Watt and Sutek were being held. It took much of her power to unlock the door mechanisms, and when the door flew open, Watt sat right up in his bed, surprised to see a Tarn staring down at him.

"Who are you? What's going on here?"

"Introductions later," said Brogan, entering the room. "For now we'll just say that Magus sent us to get you out of here!"

"Magus!" said Watt. "Where is he?"

"We'll talk later," said Brogan. "There's a ship waiting for us at the spaceport. I intend to be on it within the next ten minutes!"

"Ten minutes!" said Watt, getting out of his bed. "Are you mad? We'll never get to the other side in ten minutes! What about the alarms?"

"That's taken care of," said Brogan. "Haldane! You go get Commander Sutek."

Mere seconds later, Haldane and Sutek joined them in the corridor.

"Are you ready, Captain?" Brogan asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be. But tell me, where are you taking me?"

"If this goes to plan, the Time of Legends."

A call then came in on his headset.

"Brogan, this is Podley. Do you have them?"

"All present and accounted for."

"Good. Castle has set the alarms to come back on in ten minutes. We'll be waiting for you at the transport. Understood?"

"Understood, Captain. We're on our way."

 

Pendragon was the first to enter the building. It was almost as cold inside as it was outside. As he entered, he saw a sign above the door. "Place of Novices," it read. It was as if it had some sort of religious intent. Perhaps it had. For now, Pendragon didn't care.

"The life signs are coming from down the corridor," Maris reported. "They appear to be in some sort of cell."

"Just like home, huh?" said Pendragon.

"My old home, Captain. Not the station."

They continued to walk down the corridor until it happened. Suddenly, from out of nowhere, several of Vargas' followers sprang out, each armed with a crude-looking energy weapon. Half of those didn't use the weapons. They preferred to use fists and feet. Nevertheless, they blocked Pendragon's path, and they had to be dealt with.

Magus was still in the cavern with Leacock. Using his powers, he began to remove the drugs that Vargas had used to keep him under. The only thing he could do for Leacock now was to get him back aboard the Scotsman. But that would have to wait. He had other matters to attend to first. He began to look around, as if he sensed something, a presence, a power, similar to his own. Raising his arm, a blast of energy ripped away from his hand and blasted a hole in the ceiling. He then began to float upwards, into the citadel.

In his throne room, Vargas watched a bank of monitors. He was not happy. He watched as the men he had sent to deal with Pendragon and his men failed. They were obviously no match for those trained at Starfleet Academy. He watched as they continued on their way to the Place of Novices. As he watched, he failed to notice someone enter the room. He failed to notice Magus standing behind him. But although he had failed to hear him enter, something, some odd sense, told Vargas that someone was in the room with him. And he turned around to find something shocking, but not unexpected. None other than Phineas Magus standing before him.

"I knew you would come," said Vargas. "I've been waiting for you, waiting to do this!"

Vargas raised his hand, and a blast of energy erupted from it. Catching Magus off guard, it sent him flying backward and crashing into the wall. The wizard soon regained his composure. What he feared the most had happened. Somehow, Vargas had found a way of draining Leacock's power. He hoped that he had little idea of how to use his new-found power. He was banking on it as he began his attack.