“There’s no need to talk me through the controls, Captain,” said Beckett. “I’ve been here before, remember?”
“Your leap into Captain Watt, you mean,” said Pendragon. “Very well, Doctor. Good luck.”
Pendragon shook Beckett by the hand. He was surprised when Beckett smiled.
“You never know, Captain, I might get out of this thing alive!”
Pendragon was soon back on the Bridge.
“Mister Greenleaf, hail the Chimaera.”
Zoe was soon on the screen, a slight smile on her face.
“Have you come to a decision, Captain?”
“Our transporter system is offline, so we are unable to beam Doctor Beckett over to you. However, if you check your sensors, you will see that he is on his way over to you in a shuttle.”
Zoe looked over at Thames, and he checked the sensors.
“He’s coming, and he’s alone.”
“Thank you, Captain Pendragon. You have made the right decision.”
The screen went blank. Then, Greenleaf’s sensor panel came to life.
“Captain, they’re arming their phasers and targeting the shuttle!”
“All she wanted was revenge!” said Magus.
“Arm phasers and torpedoes, and target the Star Destroyer!” Pendragon ordered.
“The torpedoes will be useless in here,” said Greenleaf.
“I can help with that,” Magus said, closing his eyes. “I will guide them to their target.”
With their weapons armed, they began their attack. The battle began. As a phaser blast from the Imperials ripped past the shuttle, a barrage of torpedoes hit the Chimaera, sending alarms ringing out all over the ship. The Imperials fought back, but only just missed with their phaser blasts.
From inside the shuttle, Beckett watched the battle. He knew from his time on the Scotsman that their power levels were low and that they had no shields to speak of. They were nothing more than a sitting duck to the mighty Star Destroyer. Looking across the control panel, he soon found the control he was looking for. Soon, the shuttle’s phasers were armed and aimed at the Chimaera.
“Captain, the shuttle is approaching us on an attack vector,” Thames reported. “Beckett’s armed the phasers! The fool’s coming in to attack us!”
As Thames reported this, another barrage of torpedoes rammed into the ship. One of them hit the bridge, damaging several of the control systems.
“Open fire on the Scotsman!” Zoe ordered.
“Unable to return fire!” Thames reported. “Weapons power is low!”
“Try the torpedoes then!” said Zoe.
“I can’t aim them in these plasma storms!”
Then, Thames’ sensor panel came to life.
“The shuttle is coming towards us!”
“Open fire on the shuttle!”
“We only have enough power for one phaser burst!”
“Then attack the shuttle! I want Beckett dead!”
Thames did as he was ordered. The phaser blast, although powerful, was not enough to totally destroy the shuttle as it ripped into it. However, it was severely damaged, and for moments, it just hung in space.
“Is he dead?” Zoe asked. “Is Beckett dead?”
“We’ve got trouble, Captain,” Thames reported. “Another starship is approaching us!”
Zoe looked at the view-screen. It was an old Excelsior-type vessel.
“It’s the Valkyrie!” said Thames. “We’ve got to get out of here!”
“Activate the jump-point system,” said Zoe.
“Inside the Badlands?” asked Thames. “That may be dangerous!”
“Do it!”
As the Valkyrie approached, a jump-point formed before the Star Destroyer. Seconds later, they were gone. The Valkyrie was unable to follow. The Imperials had used their double jump-point technology to escape.
On the Bridge of the Scotsman, everyone was worried.
“Scan the shuttle for life-signs,” Pendragon ordered.
Greenleaf did as he was told. The news was not good.
“The signs are very faint,” he reported.
“Lock onto Doctor Beckett and beam him directly to Sickbay.”
As Pendragon and Magus arrived in Sickbay, they found Pulaski treating Beckett. Badly burned, he did not look good. Pulaski looked up as they entered, a solemn look on her face. She did not need to tell them that Beckett was dead.
As soon as he knew, Magus marched out of Sickbay as fast as he could, heading towards Engineering, intending to keep a promise he had made nearly four hundred years ago.
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