A Brightly Flickering Flame (Confederation Reborn Book 5) Page 4
An arc of energized pistol fire arced through the air and she winced, wondering if it would hurt when it hit her. After a moment, she hesitantly opened her eyes to find the Korgon no longer there. He was sprawled out on the floor, a gaping hole of sizzling flesh in its chest. She spun about and had to duck out of the way. Captain Kirn was already racing forward, firing shots at a particularly massive Korgon, most of them striking the aft wall as the alien dodged left and right.
"You okay Ensign?" he yelled.
"I . . . I think so, sir," Peters said.
"Get on the teleporter controls. Ready for my signal."
Sara didn't hesitate this time. She ran around to the controls, trying to recall her basic training using the equipment. She had to step over the motionless form of another officer sprawled there, his lifeless eyes staring up at her. Her hands found the right levers as she located the right buttons. Kirn edged the two remaining Korgons back, forcing them onto the teleporter pad. They raised their weapons to fire, and Kirn shouted, "Now!"
A high-pitched whine filled the room as Peters worked the controls, whisking the remaining Korgons off the Endeavor and leaving traces of sparkle in the air where they'd stood a second before.
"It worked," Peters said, almost in disbelief.
"Of course it did," Kirn said, holstering his gun and helping the rest of his men off the floor. "Where did you send them?"
Ensign Peters swallowed. She looked at the console and said, "… Space?"
Captain Kirn broke into a laugh. He shook his head in disbelief. "I was thinking more of sending them to the brig, myself."
Peters felt the blood rush to her cheeks. "Well, I . . . sir."
Kirn put an arm around her shoulder and led her out of the teleporter room. As they stepped out into the hall, Dr. Kelley came running toward them followed by two nurses.
"There's some men needing treatment in there, Jax," Kirn said.
Kelley grimaced at the Captain, standing there with a pretty young woman at his side, and pushed past him to get into the room.
"It was just the first thing that sprang to mind," Ensign Peters whispered, utterly guilty that she'd sent the two Korgons to a most unpleasant death in the vacuum of space.
"Listen, you thought on your feet. Put your ship and your crew first. That's what matters in the end. When you're dealing with a hostile enemy intent on killing you, that's what it boils down to. I've learned something about you, Sara," Kirn said. He stopped walking and faced her. "You've got the spark in you. That bit of fire we all need to fight through the darkest times. I've seen promise in you today, Ensign, and maybe in the near future we can discuss it in greater detail."
"That … that would be wonderful, sir," Peters said, breaking into a smile.
"But right now, if you don't mind, I'm going to check in with Mister Cho to make sure he didn't break my ship. Then I'm going to grab a sonic shower. If there's anything I don't like, it's the stench of Korgons."
"Yes Captain," Peters said. "Thank you."
She watched her Captain walk away before leaning against the wall to take deep breaths.
The Endeavor limped away from the battlefield. Captain Rahn tried to watch, despite the medic slapping one treatment pad after another on his wounds. There were fewer patches than there were places where his skin had broken and peeled apart. The vacuum he'd found himself walking through had caused his eyeballs to bleed, his eardrums to burst.
All of which could be easily fixed with the proper care. Though the cuts would form scars, it was not a concern to a Korgon. Scars were mementos. Nature's own tattoos.
"Captain, we really must get you to the medical bay."
He shook his head. His voice was gone. All that came out from behind his snarl was a deep growl, oozing with hatred.
"Unh . . . unh . . . unh . . ."
"Captain, please."
He shook the doctor off, but reluctantly started to make his way off the Bridge of the Mensk. Rahn spared one more look at the Endeavor, letting it burn into his memory for the time they would meet again.
8.
Mission Log, Captain William Kirn – ICSS Endeavor
1820 hrs
The Endeavor is now en route to Farstation Clarke for repairs and debrief. The last time we checked our long range sensors, the Mensk was still where we'd left it, crippled. However, the Korgons are resourceful and I wouldn't be surprised to learn that it is gone by the time a Confederation task force arrives. Captain Rahn, for all his ferocity and blind rage, proved a formidable opponent and I am sure we will have occasion to test one another again . . .
"Ah, two visitors at once," Captain Kirn said, answering the call at the door to his quarters.
Chief Doone was still covered in sweat, and soot, and grime, and all manner of unthinkable filth from his toils of the past hours. Saris, in striking disproportion, appeared relatively untouched.
The pointy eared devil could walk through a burning building and still come out looking ready for uniform inspection, Kirn thought with amusement. "How stands the ship, Chief?"
"Doing better, sir," Doone said. "Still in rough shape, but she's getting there."
"Listen, I want you to get some rest. At the very least, a shower and a drink. I'm sure your men can handle the necessary repairs," Kirn said, giving him a firm squeeze of the shoulder.
"Aye, perhaps you're right," Doone sighed, looking exhausted. "A drink would do us well. Maybe after we finish this last bit a tune up ... "
"That was an order, Chief. Now get going."
"Aye. Goodnight, sir."
"Goodnight," Kirn said and watched him go. "So, Commander. Did you come back for a rematch so soon?"
"That was not my first thought," the Valkar said.
Kirn stepped aside for him anyway. "Well, come in. You might as well set the board up in either case, eh?"
"As you wish."
The Valkar immediately set about getting the chess board on Kirn's desk into place, every piece turned the right way around, exactly at the center of each square–the man's fastidiousness and attention to detail in such matters was second to none.
"The crew performed well today," Kirn said. "I was especially impressed with our younger officers. They'll make fine additions to the ship." He was thinking of Sara Peters, but also of the young Russian, Kuryakin. He hoped the young man had taken satisfaction in the defeat of their enemy, and felt the importance of his contribution.
"Agreed, Captain. Perhaps that will lessen the impact of those who perished during the battle," Saris said evenly.
Kirn looked away. "Yes, of course. I wasn't trying to minimize that." His eyes fell on the print of Turner's famous The Fighting Temeraire. In it, he saw the colorful image of an old warship that had distinguished herself in the Battle of Trafalgar, won public adoration and been the subject of poems and songs. But now, despite all her years of noble service, she was being towed back to harbor to be torn apart for scrap.
"Of course not," Saris said, interrupting his thoughts. "I will collate the names for you and have them on your desk by zero-six-hundred hours."
Kirn nodded. The thought of all the letters he would have to write to their families. Some Captains sent out form letter condolences. Simple affairs that name, rank, and manner of death. Not Kirn. He wrote each letter himself, one at a time. It was only right.
I am a Father to these men and women, he thought, not for the first time. They fall under my care. Their lives . . . in my hands.
He looked at the colors on The Fighting Temeraire and, as he did in such moments, felt his heart break. "What of the wounded?"
"Worse for wear, but on the mend," Saris said. "Surprising, given the Doctor's … unique bedside manner."
Kirn chuckled, "I thought Valkars were above sarcasm?"
He cocked an eyebrow. "I have no idea what you are referring to. I was merely stating a fact."
"Of course, of course."
Saris held both his hands out over the chess pieces and said, "The board i
s ready."
The Captain took a deep breath and sat down. As he reached for his first piece he said, "I will now demonstrate to you the power of optimism, Mr. Saris."
Saris steepled his fingers. "Naturally."
ERAS of CONFEDERATION
Age of Exploration
The earliest period of the Intergalactic Confederation. The power of Lucasian Crystals had been harnessed to produce untold power in newly-constructed starships and the creation of the hyperdrive engine. Confederation's first flagship, the ICSS Endeavor, led by Captain Scott Archway, went forth to make first contact with many of the alien races that would eventually become Confederation's greatest allies, and foes.
Age of Renaissance
Approximately one hundred and fifty years after the Age of Exploration, Confederation had established itself as a functional government around the cosmos, taking in a wide variety of alien cultures and civilizations. During this time, they were primarily concerned with incorporating as many unaligned races into their fold, in an ongoing quest for resources.
This era was dominated by Captain William Kirn, and a new iteration of the ICSS Endeavor. During this time, Confederation faced two main rivals in the Korgon and Felidaen Empires, who made constant incursions into the Demilitarized Zone. Neither the Korgons nor Felidaens were able to maintain the arms and technology race against Confederation. Both of those empires would ultimately give up their pursuit of intergalactic domination in the face of Confederation superiority.
Golden Era
Approximately one hundred years after the Age of Renaissance, this period ushered in a time of great peace and advancement for Confederation. During this era, they were the only remaining superpower in the galaxy, equipped with the most advanced technology and largest fleet. Starships roamed the cosmos securing governmental interests and dispersing beneficence on the poor, unfortunate cultures that had yet to incorporate themselves into the union.
The only possible threat to peace was encountered at Halley Farstation, when Lt. Raoul “Gustaf” Wallenberg discovered the presence of the Ovan. Due to the heroics of Captain Patric Auguste and the crew of the Confederation flagship, ICSS Endeavor, the Swarm were defeated and thought never to return.
They were wrong.
Reconstruction Era
It has been twenty years since the Great Invasion, when the Ovan conducted a mass strike on Confederation systems and eliminated mass amounts of the female population. Since that time, Confederation has existed on the brink of collapse. The infrastructure is failing and they now lack the manpower and resources to support all of the territories under their protection.
The threat of the Ovan lingers over all races and species within the union, and newer, smaller governments and ruthless trade organizations are attempting to assert control throughout the galaxy. Confidence in Confederation, both as government and peacekeeper, is falling.
This era lives in the shadow of men such as Captain Kirn and Captain Auguste, and desperately cries out for new heroes and adventurers. A call to the valiant and noble who would strive to see Confederation Reborn.
Author's Note from Tony Healey
Why the dedication to Vic Mignogna you might ask? Well, I urge you to watch an independent production called Star Trek Continues. Shot in the same way as The Original Series, respectful to the set design, costumes, lighting and special effects of that groundbreaking series from the sixties, Star Trek Continues imagines a fourth season of the show and Endeavors to tell the same kind of classic stories. Whilst writing this story, I tried to imagine what Captain William Kirn might look like. For me, I couldn't help but think of him as Vic. The same hair, the same expressions, the same delivery of his lines. So whilst William Kirn was not written with Vic in mind, it was written with him on my mind as I went.
You know what it comes down to? That flame inside of him that makes him so passionate about what he does. That makes him put his heart and soul into something that others might consider a passion project. It's so much more than that.
Star Trek Continues and Confederation Reborn both come from that same place. A burning desire to tell those kind of stories, to feel the familiarity of that crew. To boldly go . . .
– Tony, Brighton UK, October 2014
Author's Note from Bernard Schaffer
When I first established the Confederation Reborn storyline, I knew two things. One, I wanted to pay homage to the greatest science fiction franchise of all time. Two, I wanted to involve the most talented, passionate people in independent publishing. Getting Tony Healey on board was at the top of my list.
I've had the incredible privilege of watching Tony's career grow, until he now mops the floor with me in sales from his Far From Home series. I'm constantly impressed with his talent and passion for science fiction. I know he considers me a mentor, but in reality, he doesn't need one. I'm just glad to be his friend. LLAP.
− Bernard, Philadelphia USA, October 2014
TONY HEALEY is a best-selling independent author based in the city of Brighton & Hove in the UK. His writing has been published alongside science-fiction legends Harlan Ellison and Alan Dean Foster.
Most of his works are bestsellers, including his smash-hit science-fiction series Far From Home and his gritty fantasy series The Fallen Crown.
Tony is married and has three daughters. For the latest on his various projects, visit www.tonyhealey.com
BERNARD SCAHFFER is the author of multiple books that span a wide variety of genres, including modern American literature, police procedurals, and science fiction westerns. He has worked on several projects with famous authors such as Harlan Ellison, Alan Dean Foster, and Bill Thompson (the editor who discovered Stephen King and John Grisham). In 2011, Schaffer founded KAS, a select group of independent authors that donates proceeds to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Recently, he collaborated with J.A. Konrath on two books that feature Konrath's best-selling Lt. Jack Daniels characters, and ones from Schaffer's own Superbia series.
Aside from writing, Schaffer is a lifelong resident of the Philadelphia area and the proud father of two children. He is a decorated police detective and expert in narcotics distribution.
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