Back in Time: Civil War II Chapter Thirty

As Magus and Beckett entered the Bridge, they were greeted by a tense and unwanted scene. Chaos loomed all around them as the Scotsman came under the attack of an Imperial Star Destroyer.

“Shields are down to seventy percent,” Greenleaf reported above the din. “We're losing power to the phasers.”

“Engineering!” Pendragon screamed. “I need the cavourite drive activated! We have to get out of here!”

“I canna do that,” Scotty reported. “The cavourite drive was damaged during the last attack near the wormhole. We've only got normal warp drive!”

“My readings show we only have fifty percent power to those,” said Winthorn.

“Up the creek without a paddle,” said Pendragon.

Then, to the surprise of just about everyone, the attack from the Star Destroyer stopped. What happened next, no one was expecting.

“Captain,” said Greenleaf. “We're being hailed.”

Pendragon looked at Magus. The wizard had no idea what was happening.

“Perhaps they want us to surrender,” he suggested.

Pendragon took a deep breath, and turned to the viewer.

“Very well. On screen.”

The image of a woman in a Starfleet uniform was soon before them. No one on the Bridge recognized her—except Beckett.

“Zoe!”

“You know this woman?” asked Pendragon.

“You've read the reports on the project, Doctor Magus,” said Beckett. “You've seen the report on the Evil Leaper.”

“But they never found any such project,” Magus replied. “There was even some talk that it could have been aliens.”

“I tell you, that's her!” Beckett insisted, pointing to the screen. “That's the Evil Leaper.”

Pendragon turned his attention away from Beckett and returned it to the screen.

“This is Captain Zoe Evella, of the Imperial Star Destroyer Chimaera. I order you to surrender at once. Failure to do so will result in your destruction.”

“So what's a Starfleet officer doing with those idiots?” Pendragon asked. “I would have thought you'd have more sense than that!”

“Not all of us tucked our tails between our legs and ran, Pendragon. Now surrender and prepare to be boarded!”

“Not in a million years!”

Pendragon ordered the transmission cut, and then called down to Engineering.

“Scotty, I need all the power from the cavourite drive you can muster!”

“I'll do what I can, but I have to warn you, it'll be tricky!”

“You're a miracle worker, Mister Scott! Do what you can.”

In her command chair, Zoe punched the arm of the chair.

“Curse them!”

“You didn't think it would be that easy, did you?” asked Palleon. “Nothing is ever that easy.”

“He's right,” said Thames. “You know the Pendragon family. Fighters, all of them.”

“Well, so am I,” said Zoe. “Thames, check the sensors. I want to know that ship's weak spots.”

“It's an old Oberth-class ship,” said Thames, walking over to the sensor station. “It should have plenty!”

“It's an old ship with a new kind of engine, Commander,” Zoe reminded him. “It may not have one.”

As Thames looked down at the display, a broad smile appeared on his face.

“Hello! Looks like their new engine isn't up to spec! It's suffering from a massive power loss, and their warp drive isn't up to par either!”

“Then we may have an advantage!” said Zoe. “Launch a fighter squadron!”

“Imperial fighters approaching on an attack vector,” Winthorn reported.

“With all of those ships moving around there will be too many targets,” said Greenleaf.

“And only one target for them,” Pendragon added. “We have three shuttles. We may be able to combat the threat.”

“A Federation shuttle is no match for a TIE fighter,” said Winthorn. “Still, it hasn't really been tried!”

“Just what I was thinking,” said Pendragon. “Commander, Colonel Greenleaf, I believe you know what to do.”

Leaving their stations, Winthorn and Greenleaf soon made it to the shuttle bay, and they were soon away from the Scotsman. In a way, it was odd for the Bridge crew to see this dogfight between Federation shuttles and Imperial fighters. However, to Magus, something was not quite right.

“Why isn't the Star Destroyer attacking us?” he asked. “They more than outmatch us in weapons power.”

“We've got more visitors!” Drathro reported, his panel suddenly coming alive with information. “Another Star Destroyer is coming out of warp.”

“Now we are definitely outmatched!” said Pendragon. “Scotsman to shuttles. Return to ship at once. We're getting the hell out of here!”

It wasn't long before Winthorn and Greenleaf were back aboard with their shuttles, and the Scotsman headed off at warp five, setting a course for the Time of Legends. However, just when they thought they were safe and dry, they were given bad news from Engineering.

“Captain, we canna keep up this speed much longer. We're losing power from the warp core.”

“Can anything be done?” asked Pendragon.

“No. We didn't have enough time to repair her after the last attack near the wormhole. We're going to have to drop out of warp.”

Pendragon punched the arm of his chair in anger. Nodding to Winthorn, he took the ship out of warp.

“We'll be sitting ducks now,” said Calevicchi.

“Tell me something I don't know, Admiral,” said Pendragon.

Winthorn's panel suddenly came to life again.

“I'm picking up the Chimaera, Captain. She's coming out of warp!”

“How the hell could they track us so fast?” asked Pendragon.

“I have my suspicions,” said Magus.

“They're powering up weapons,” Greenleaf reported.

“Evasive manoeuvres!” Pendragon shouted.

But it was too late. A phaser blast ripped into the shields, reducing their power greatly. Another blast almost destroyed what was left of them, rocking the ship violently. One more blast like that and they would be destroyed.