Legends of Darkover | By : SWOTBWOT Category: Star Wars (All) > Crossovers Views: 3427 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0 |
Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars, Star Trek, or Darkover. I am not making any money off this story. |
Chapter 8
-oOo- “Captain,” said Regis. “Can't you just beam them over?” Painfully, Kirk was forced to explain. “I'm sorry, Dom Regis, but we can't. We need either their exact location traced via a standard communications signal—this is how we beamed you out of the Legate's office—or their pattern, which can only be obtained by a previous transporter beaming, and neither your paxman or Domna Catriona have ever been on the Enterprise. We can make an estimate about where they are from the ship's schema, but an estimate isn't good enough for the transporter.” Qui-gon spoke. “One of my spybugs has already been inside the Interrogation Center and should be able to confirm the presence of the captives. I can move one into position through a vent, if you give me a few minutes.” Kirk's head came up, his eyes sharp. “Spock. Could it be possible to get a communicator lock on the spybug?” He glanced at Qui-gon. “It produces an electronic signal, right? If our transporter could recognize the signal, we could fly a bug right down on top of the captives and beam them over. Do you have a spare spybug whose signal we could code into our transporter?” Qui-gon made a slight grimace and Obi-wan's gaze dropped to the floor, unwilling to meet the wild hope in Regis' eyes. “I'm sorry,” said the Jedi master. “All the spybugs I have were sent to the Raptor. Even worse, the signals produced by the spybugs are all individualized. It is as if one makes a signal like a cricket, another like a bee's humming, and a third like the cry of a cicada. This was done to ensure that if one spybug were caught, the Sith would not be able to use its signal to trace the others.” “Do you have any computer records of these signals?” asked Spock. “I'm afraid not. The technology behind the spybug is a heavily guarded Jedi secret, and we were not allowed to bring along any data about their specifications.” “Okay,” Kirk conceded. “But the spybugs can probably pin down their locations. We'll beam over rescue teams, then take the Raptor apart.” He gave a hard smile. “Master Jinn, can your spybugs add programs to the Raptor's computers as well as read them?” Qui-gon fixed him with a keen eye. “I think it's possible. Darth Tyranus always inserts his own set of overrides into any bit of programming he can get his hands on, and I know his passkeys. What do you have in mind?” “First, take down their shields,” said Kirk, “second, lock up their guns, third, lock the controls of their starfighters, fourth, disable every droid on the ship, fifth, drop their cloak, and sixth, disrupt their communications.” “A long list,” replied Qui-gon. “It may not be possible to do all. Undoubtedly Lord Plagueis has a master override of his own, and once the Sith realize there is any interference, Lord Plagueis will take over. My old master was talented, but I doubt his programming has outwitted Plagueis'. Nevertheless, I shall start.” He began to work furiously on his wristcom. “Dom Regis,” said the Captain. “Are there any photos or pictures of the prisoners? I'd like a visual ID of them for the boarding parties so we know who to look for.” Regis winced. “It isn't customary among our people to have such things made, except in rare cases.” “Have you met Catriona?” “Only in the Overworld,” admitted Regis, “and my visual memory there is impaired. I know what she feels like, but not what she looks like. I'd recognize her matrix instantly, though.” “What about your paxman? You ought to be able to describe him.” “He's--” Regis broke off. His distress was pathetic to witness. Kirk waited politely. “I'm sorry.” Regis swallowed. “It's just occurred to me that I might never see him again, and I won't even have a picture to remember him by.” “Don't despair yet,” replied the Captain firmly. Qui-gon interrupted. “I believe I have them here. The visual sensor on the spybug is not the best, but they're both in the Interrogation Center. I am not sure this image should be shown to everyone.” Kirk glanced at Regis, who was tightening his jaw. “Show it,” Regis insisted. With Spock's help, the wristcom signal was connected to the Enterprise's computers. The viewscreen lit up with the sight of Inculcare leading Danilo over to where Catriona lay. “Blur her figure,” said the Captain immediately when he realized what he was seeing. “Show only her face.” An angry mutter came from Chekov. Uhura cursed softly. Kirk felt a growing wrath as his eyes moved back and forth between the two captives. He noted Danilo's tear-streaked face, the humiliating sprawl of Catriona's unconscious body. Regis was biting his lips. “We WILL rescue them,” Obi-wan assured Regis. “Cut the visual,” ordered the Captain. “We've got the IDs. Mr. Spock, you and Master Jinn will be heading to the Interrogation Center with a security team. I assume that if we accidently beam you too far off, we can just beam you back to the Enterprise and out again. Don't try to fight your way through the entire ship trying to find their location. “Mr. Sulu, you are leading a team of saboteurs to their engineering section. I'm going to lead a team to their bridge. The goal is to do as much damage as possible as fast as possible, and be a distraction. Everyone's wearing life support belts. They may not last long against blaster shots, but they'll help. Lieutenant Uhura, you'll have the con during the assault. Mr. Scott is going to be busy working the transporter.” “Captain?” said Qui-gon. “Don't try to fight either the Sith lords or apprentices directly, unless Obi-wan and myself are there to do it. You do not have the defenses to battle against the Dark Side of the Force. Flee them immediately, though it may seem humiliating.” “Advice noted, and we intend to follow it,” agreed Kirk. “I don't intend to lose any of my crew to Darths Crunchy, Punchy and Plonk if I can help it.” “Master, I have a suggestion,” said Obi-wan eagerly. “I'd like to take the Wizard and strafe the hanger bays. I can Fold Space and drop down right on their nose.” “A clever notion, Padawan. However, you have not yet performed a Fold Space manuver unassisted.” “I've helped you countless times, Master. I know the technique quite well.” “It's risky. I give no command, Padawan. It is your choice.” “Master, we need someone to hit the starfighters directly. If there is a delay in your assault, it does little good to rescue the captives if we have a hundred starfighters pounding the Enterprise in the meantime. We must stop as many of them as possible in their hangers. After I strafe them, I can help by boarding the Raptor if I have the opportunity.” “I'm inclined to agree,” said Kirk. “I've assault plans for the hanger bays, but this will help as well.” “Captain?” said Uhura. “We're being hailed by the Legate. He says his message is urgent.” “Put him on, I was just about to order you to raise him.” -oOo- Inculcare pushed Danilo close to Catriona's examination table so the boy would have a good view. Catriona's crimson robe was open all the way, hanging down over the sides of the table. Her legs were spread apart, and her skin was mottled with bruises. Danilo was appalled. He was trying not to cry, but his tears refused to stop flowing. “Don't worry,” said Inculcare mockingly. “She will have a strong Sith child. Several of them, in fact. Pregnancies can be accelerated if you remove the fertilized eggs for gestation in an incubator. Did you know that?” “No,” said Danilo in a faint voice. He felt Inculcare's mind withdraw from his own, and for a moment was incredulous. Then he detected the mental clamp the torturer had left behind. Inculcare had not relinquished his grip entirely. However, this did not explain why the torturer had retreated. -He has withdrawn because he is a coward, and cannot endure the fear he has injected into you. He suffers from the drug as well. Stay silent. Communicate only when necessary. I am destroying the drug in your veins, but you need to make yourself afraid whenever he tries to read you.- -Not a difficulty. I AM afraid, even without the drug.- Nonetheless, he felt the choking fear wane as Catriona worked. -I have you blocked,- came Catriona's mental whisper. -I have placed a filter around your mind so that if he tries to invade you again, you can pretend to obey and he won't know the difference.- “Danilo, make yourself useful. Button her up,” Inculcare said. Danilo began to fit the bone buttons of Catriona's robe back inside their loops. It was difficult work with bound hands, and he struggled over the buttons for several minutes. -Thank you. I cannot bear the eyes of that cagavrezu.- The cagavrezu in question was holding some sort of device over Catriona. “Danilo, my boy, how would you like to be my apprentice?” Even though the question was jocular, Danilo was appalled. /I already have Dyan Ardais as a stepfather, and now this hideous madman wants to train me?/ “NO!” he cried. Inculcare laughed. “You do not have the temperament to be a Sith, obviously. Now, where was I?” He retrieved his datapad and began to review Catriona's testimony. -I do not know how much longer I can last, Catriona. I am sick of this madman.- -You're suffering from laran exhaustion. Try to find some food. You will need strength for our escape. Keep your spirits up and remember Regis and his friends.- “Do you have anything to eat?” Danilo asked timidly. Inculcare paused. “What did you say?” “Do you have anything to eat? Something sweet would be best, candy or something like it.” Inculcare put down his datapad and faced Danilo directly. “You interrupt me in the middle of an interrogation session to ask me for candy? By the Immortal Gods of the Sith! No wonder Darth Tyranus thought you were hopeless.” Inculcare stared at him for a long moment while Danilo tried not to tremble too obviously. He had his pride. Inculcare picked up a medical scanner and waved it across the boy, muttering something about Oliver Twist as he read the results. With a snort, he reached across Catriona and unreeled a flexible tube out of a wall socket. The tube had a needle-like tip, and he stabbed it into the back of Danilo's hand. The boy yelped. “Leave it in,” said Inculcare. “It's a nutrient drip.” He slapped a piece of tape across the tubing to hold it in place and returned to his datapad. Danilo stared at him. “What? You didn't think I was going to hand you a piece of steak on a plate, did you? I'm a torturer. If I feed you dinner, it's going to hurt. Oh, for Force's sake.” Inculcare punched an invisible button and a drawer slid out of a wall. He tossed aside an assortment of shock probes and came up with a foil-covered roll which he handed to Danilo. “Force knows how this got here. Darth Tyranus must like to suck on the things. They're fruit disks. You open it by peeling the foil. It can't be over a year old so it shouldn't poison you.” Danilo managed to tear down the side of the roll with his teeth, and three soft colored disks dropped into his mouth. Together, they combined to make one horrible and alien flavor, but at least they were sweet. Inculcare retrieved his datapad, then paused to look at Danilo. “You know what? You're a bad influence. I swear you soften the Dark Side. I think I'd better hand you over to Xiphos before you turn me back into a Jedi. Now, where were we? The Temple of Zandru in the Forbidden City. Where is it, Catriona?” Danilo tensed. Catriona did not answer. “Catriona?” Inculcare picked up a scanner and the readings made him scowl. “It looks like you must detox from all the drugs, my girl. Blast! You don't happen to know where the Temple of Zandru is, do you?” Inculcare said to Danilo. “No. I've never heard of it,” replied Danilo truthfully.While AFF and its agents attempt to remove all illegal works from the site as quickly and thoroughly as possible, there is always the possibility that some submissions may be overlooked or dismissed in error. The AFF system includes a rigorous and complex abuse control system in order to prevent improper use of the AFF service, and we hope that its deployment indicates a good-faith effort to eliminate any illegal material on the site in a fair and unbiased manner. This abuse control system is run in accordance with the strict guidelines specified above.
All works displayed here, whether pictorial or literary, are the property of their owners and not Adult-FanFiction.org. Opinions stated in profiles of users may not reflect the opinions or views of Adult-FanFiction.org or any of its owners, agents, or related entities.
Website Domain ©2002-2017 by Apollo. PHP scripting, CSS style sheets, Database layout & Original artwork ©2005-2017 C. Kennington. Restructured Database & Forum skins ©2007-2017 J. Salva. Images, coding, and any other potentially liftable content may not be used without express written permission from their respective creator(s). Thank you for visiting!
Powered by Fiction Portal 2.0
Modifications © Manta2g, DemonGoddess
Site Owner - Apollo