While the rest of the ship had been horrific, none of it compared to the bridge. The blast that had destroyed CIC had sent splinters racing through the bridge. Human bodies didn’t stand a chance against flying projectiles like that, and the splinters had killed everyone on the bridge. Fighting the urge to retch, Kate found herself looking away from the floating blood and bodily matter that was in the air. Necko wasn’t even as bad as this, she told herself as she swallowed hard to keep the bile at bay. Spotting the main computer, she floated across the shattered bridge. While everything else had been destroyed, by some shear stroke of luck, the computer hadn’t been. How that had happened, Kate reflected, was a mystery she would never untangle-even if she had felt motivated to do so. A sigh escaped her lips as she used a hand to pulled herself down before the computer. With her free hand, Kate typed in her command authorization code. Several long second passed as the damaged computer worked on her request. Without a sound, the computer recognized her codes and opened up to her. Moving with haste due to her timetable on air, Kate struggled to patch the damaged computer in the Roanoke’s. A surge of pride raced up her spine as she finished the network patch. Now, she mused, they would be able to draw everything they need from the main computer, provided its separate power source didn’t die. “Bridge,” she said. “You’re linked in.” “Roger, Skipper,” Malone said. “Downloading now.” Kate felt a body bump into hers, which made her start to turn to push it away. However, her jaw dropped when she saw Janice Longs’ body before her. A horrified, agonized expression was on Long’s face as she floated before her. Sobbing uncontrollably, Kate reached up gingerly and took one of Long’s hands in her suited one’s. Pulling her body down to hers, Kate hugged Long tight to her. Unable to wipe her face clean, she just let the tears run as she held her dead friend. Floating free in the bridge, the two of them pirouetted for several minutes amongst the dead. Kate closed her eyes to the sights around her and let her mind drift back in time. Memories of shared time together flooded her mind as she floated there. Laughter they had shared brought a weak smile to Kate’s face. The bouquet of flowers and bottle of champagne that Long had sent her in congratulation of getting the Roanoke had been one of her most memorable moments. Kate pulled the shattered body tight to her flight suit as she cried, cried and cried. Never again will I let someone kill another friend of mine, Kate thought as she finally let go of Long’s body. A sudden convulsion struck Kate’s body as she began to thrash. Crying out in agony, visions and memories flooded through her head in a rush. A meeting with Reyes replayed in her mind, and not the way she remembered it. She could see him taunting her, telling her how he knew she wouldn’t remember what he had done… Screaming in deep, soul-rending anguish, Kate opened her eyes, and realized that she remember everything. There was nothing in her life that she didn’t remember anymore, and an intense hatred started to flare deep in her soul. How dare this be done to her, she raged! Who did Reyes think he was taking her memories? “Kate!” Loving’s voice was frantic in her ears. “Kate! Can you hear me?” “I can hear you,” Kate said as she opened her eyes again to true reality. “Are you okay?” “I remember,” she said. “I remember it all…”
Jennifer took a deep breath before she reached out to the door controls. No matter how comfortable they were now, no one was entering the command center until she had examined it first. Part of the joys of being Security Chief, she mused as the door slid aside with a swoosh, is to be willing to take the bullet meant for someone else. Stepping inside, Jennifer noted how much brighter the lighting was inside then in the corridor she had left. With her rifle glued to her eye, she slowly moved across the room. The computers and machinery surrounding her made loud clicks and hums as they busily worked. Nothing like the noise of machines to make one’s nerves get on edge, she mused as she sweat ran down her cheek. Jennifer let out a breath she had been holding as she made her way down the right side of the room. The command center for the base was laid out similar to the Roanoke’s bridge, but it was larger. A massive view screen filled the far end of the room, with computers and operator’s desk filling the entire square-shaped room. Stopping before the view screen, Jennifer scanned the room with a nervous eye. While this location allowed her to see the entire room, it also allowed someone to see her as well. They wouldn’t have a hard time hitting their target, she reminded herself as she noted the three offices to her right. “Main room is clear,” she said as she made her was towards the first office’s door. The door slid aside for her, revealing a darkened room beyond. Carefully reaching out, she ran her hand over where the sensor for the lights would be located. With a sudden brilliance the nearly made her jump, the lights came on to reveal and empty office. Paperwork and computer chips were strewn all over the desk before her; reminding her how quickly the occupants had fled. Hopefully they left some information behind we can use, she thought to herself as she backed out of the office. Moving down to the second and third offices, everything was repeated. While the computer had killed the lights to conserve power, nothing had been hidden. It was obvious that when the order to leave had come in, no one had taken anything with him or her. While that could be good thing, she reminded herself, it could also be a bad thing. Stepping back from the open doorway she bumped into something behind her. Jumping with her nerves, her head depressed the trigger on the rifle again. Another load roar filled the room as it discharged the remains of the clip she had in it. “Hold you fire, damn it!” Paul yelled into her ear. “Damn it, sir!” Jennifer exclaimed as she changed out the clip on her rifle. “You need to tell me when you’re behind me!”
“What is it, tactical?” Kate asked, the hairs on the back of her neck rising. “All weapons prepare to fire!” “I don’t know, sir,” Malone was saying. “CIC isn’t sure either, we don’t have enough data.” “How far out is it?” “It should be coming around the planet right…now!” “Visual!” Kate snapped. The view screen wavered for a second as it switched into the feed from tactical. Kate felt her jaw drop in shock and she stepped forwards out of her command chair. That couldn’t possibly be what she thought it was, could it? Taking a deep breath, she felt her eyes boring into the image on the screen before her. Oh My God, she thought, her stunned brain trying to get back in gear. The image on their screen was one of a Fleet ship, or was one at one point. Destroyer class, Kate guessed, her white hull had been ripped open to space in more places then she could count. Huge black scorch marks marred the weaponry bays as she hove into view. Plasma trailed behind her in space as the damage crackled in the vacuum of space. If there were any survivors, Kate told herself. They’ve been long dead…all the oxygen has leaked out and power to damage control shielding is gone. “Identify that ship,” Kate spoke, her voice harder then flint. “CIC says it will take a few minutes to identify,” Malone said. Kate came to stop behind Williams at the helm, and she crossed her arms. What was a Fleet ship doing this far out, she wondered. They had been covering the entire sector that lead into this one, and no ship had been detected by them, so how had they gotten out here? Who destroyed her? Kate asked herself, clicking her tongue in thought. And why? “Skipper,” Malone said. “CIC has positively identified her as the Benham, sir.” The information CIC provided made Kate feel like she had been punched in the gut. Stumbling back in shock, she fell back into command chair, tear flowing freely before she could stop them. For long moments she stared off into space as numbness overtook her body, the eyes of the bridge crew on her. With a weak motion of her hands, she wiped the tears from her face and recomposed herself. “The Benham is destroyer hull number three-five-one-eight, and is class number DD-5351,” Malone said after a long, uncomfortable pause. “She has a crew of one hundred fifty and is commander by Commander-“ “I know who commanded her, tactical,” Kate said, her pain making her voice much harder then she wanted it to be. Kate found her mind wandering back in time, to more pleasant memories; ones that she knew were true. When the Hood had rescued her from Selvior, her Executive Officer had been Commander Janice Long. Long had personally lead the marines down to retrieve her from Bart Jones’ house, giving them the time to get to know each other that her whirlwind transfer hadn’t allowed for. The two women had hit it off, forging a friendship that had done nothing but grow over the years. When Kate had been awarded the Roanoke for her first independent command, Long had been the first to congratulate her. Now she was dead, Kate fumed, and she didn’t have a damned clue as to how or why. “Helm,” Kate spoke, the bitterness showing in her voice. “Match our orbit with the Benham’s, please.” “Aye, Skipper,”
A pall of silence fell over the landing party like a cloak of darkness. Every one of them could hear the pain in the Captain’s voice, and it shook them to the core. Just what the hell had they gotten themselves into, they wondered? Why were Fleet personnel killing other Fleet personnel? Was the sick secret important enough to kill each other over? Motioning with her hand, Jennifer lead the way in the direction Kate had given them. An automatic rifle in her hand, her every move was calculated and cautious. Even though it appeared abandoned, she reminded herself, anything was possible at anytime! And she for one didn’t want to get killed to add to Kate’s load! Jennifer stopped beside a doorway, her back against the wall. Peering around the corner quickly, she saw no one and stepped through. If there was one thing she had always hated were base infiltrations; there were just too many ways for someone to ambush you. Hopefully everything would go well, she reminded herself, and no one was left on the base. Otherwise, things might get a bit hectic at any moment. “Clear,” she murmured through her com unit to the party behind her. Jennifer stayed on point as she slipped down the corridor with the silence of a cat. While she knew she couldn’t move with the silence and dangerousness of Kate, she came pretty damned closed. If there were anyone waiting for them further inside, she mused; they weren’t going to want to run into her! Especially with the fifteen-millimeter combat rifle in her hand! Reaching the far end of the corridor, Jennifer peeped around to check both directions. She felt the breath she had been holding in come out as she relaxed. If Kate had been correct, she thought, then they had to be getting close to the command center. “How is it looking up there, Lieutenant,” Paul’s voice came through her headset. “Clear, sir,” She said as she started down the corridor to her left. Jennifer felt her heartbeat start to rise from its controlled pace the further she went down the corridor. Judging from the amount of ships that had left, she guessed that several hundred personnel had manned the station. If just a fraction of that had stayed behind to guard the fort, then her little party of ten were going to be in serious trouble. That was a possibility that she didn’t even want to consider coming true. I think it would’ve been better for us to be at the Alamo then here if that’s true, she told herself with a soft snort. Taking a deep breath, Jennifer came to a stop before a door that was marked command. That was incredible nice of them, she thought, to tell everyone what it was! She let her breath out, feeling her muscles relax- Something darted across the corridor before her, and she yanked the rifle to her shoulder on instinct. She pulled the trigger without thinking, the rifle tracking the motion before her. The sound of the rifle was deafening in the corridor as it kicked back against her shoulder. Just as quickly as the movement appeared, it disappeared, with Jennifer releasing the trigger on the rifle. “Lieutenant! What are you firing at, God**** it!” Paul shouted over the com system. “Movement, sir!” she said, her breath racing in her ears. “What kind of movement?” “I’m investigating now, sir!” Stepping forward lightly, Jennifer advanced down the floor, sweeping it with her rifle. Whatever had moved, she reminded herself, didn’t stay still for long! So there was no telling where it had gone now! However, she needed to know where it had gone, and what it was before she was going to clear the rest of the party to advance. Jennifer felt her ears perk up as she heard a sound coming from the where the floor and the wall met. Looking down, with her rifle leading, she spotted the source of the movement. She found herself shaking her head and chuckling with relief as she saw the rat before her. All that shooting, she chided herself, for a damned lab rat that escaped! “Clear,” she said after the chuckling has passed. “Just a lab rat that got loose.” “Way to give us a heart attack, Lieutenant!” Paul replied. “Hey,” Jennifer let her shrug show up in her voice. “You pay me to keep you safe, not be loose with the security.” “We’ll be there in a second,” he said. “Just sit tight.” “Sir,” Jennifer said with all earnestness. “If I was sitting any tighter I think I’d be boxed up and shipped out.”
“So I should just trust you,” Kate said. “Hop right over to your planet and let you screw with my mind again?” “Eloquently put as usual,” “I tell you what, Doctor,” Kate said. “Why don’t you give me the code for entering the block, and I’ll have my ship’s doctors take care of it.” Kate fought to keep from smiling, but lost, as she saw the anger rise in Matthews face. For all of his cultured sophistication, she noted, he certainly wasn’t a good poker player. No, it was obvious he was talking for someone else, with Reyes being the one he was talking for. After all they have been through, Matthews of all people should have known she wasn’t going to just walk into whatever lair Reyes had waiting for her! “You don’t know what you’re up against, Almir!” Matthews hissed, the culture gone from his voice. “Don’t be so god****** stupid!” “I don’t know ‘what I’m up against?’” Kate asked. “That’s funny, because I’m trying to learn why Albright’s work is in the hands of Intelligence right now.” “You have no idea what is really happening, do you?” “No I don’t,” Kate admitted, licking her lips. “But I’m going to find out what it is.” “Stubborn bitch,” “That I am,” Kate said. “But tell Reyes that if he wants to talk, he needs to do it himself. Good day, Doctor!” “Kate, wait!” There was something in the tone that Matthews used that made her stop. In all the time she had spent with the Doctor, he had never sounded so desperate as he did then. What was it that they didn’t want her to remember, Kate mused. Or was it fear that she would come after them with a murderous vengeance for what they did. “Speak fast, Doctor,” Kate’s tone was ice-cold. “I don’t have time for bull****.” “Okay,” he said. “You win, Kate.” “I’m waiting…” “When I got clearance to rebuild you our cybernetics, Reyes wanted something to keep you under his control,” Matthews said. “He envisioned you as a super warrior for him.” “And that’s why he blocked my memories?” “Along with add-“ Matthews never finished his statement, as Kate heard the deafening sound of a pistol firing. In a single, horrifying second, she watched a bullet strike Matthews. His chest exploded in a starburst of crimson as he went flying back out of sight of the holovid camera. The sound of his body striking the floor reverberated throughout Kate’s compartment. “He never did know how to keep a secret to himself,” “Reyes,” Kate breathed, the rage building in her chest. “Unfortunately,” Reyes said as he entered the screen, his pistol still smoking. “Since you know the truth about my memory blocking, I’m afraid that you’re of no use to me now.” “You b******,” Kate said. “You didn’t have to kill him!” “Oh but I did,” he said with smile. “I can’t afford to have you know everything I had done.” “So you betray my trust,” Kate said. “And then kill the man who did it for you. How ingenious of you to do so, have you realized that you’ve been on the com long enough for me to track your position?” “Oh I expected you to, Almir,” Reyes said, sitting down in the seat Matthews had been in. “And I’ll be waiting for you.” “What makes you think I won’t turn you into Fleet Command for murder?” “Because they want you dead worse then I do now,” Reyes said. “Who do you think has been trying to kill you?” Those words hit Kate like a ton of bricks dropped off a tall building. She leaned back in her chair, flabbergasted at the very thought. While it had been something she had suspected, never did she expect it to be true. If they wanted her dead too, she mused, just what did she have to lose in her life anymore? “Come now, Almir,” Reyes said as he lit a cigar. “As big as your mouth always has been, you don’t have something to say? The cat got your tongue?” “Why should I believe you?” “You don’t have to,” he admitted. “But look at what is going on and tell me if it isn’t the truth.” “Goddamn you,” “Oh he will do that,” Reyes said, blowing out smoke. “But I really need to be going…when you have the guts to see me, you’ll know where to find me.” The image went blank, leaving everyone in the room in stunned silence. Kate rubbed the end of her nose in thought over what had happened. People had manipulated everything in her life, on opposite sides of a power struggle! Color rose to her cheeks as the rage built inside, tears threatening to spill. Just how did you win a game where both sides are against you, she wondered to herself. “Kate,” Loving said, her voice showing the concern she felt. “I’m so sorry,” “Captain,” Paul said, his voice no longer showing any lack of courage. “I think I speak for all of us when I say we’re in with you until the bitter end.” “Thank you,” Kate said, her voice soft, almost defeated. “It means a lot to me.” “Kate,” Reynolds said. “I’m going to work as long as it takes to try to crack the code on your processor. I’ve always known there were sections that were blocked off, but I never…” “Thank you, Lisa,” Kate said as she leaned back to stare at the ceiling. “You all are dismissed.” “Kate,” Loving said. “Do you need anything?” “I’ll be better off alone,” Kate said. “How long before we arrive at Beta Scorpii?” “At our current speed,” Paul said. “Six hours.” “Keep sensors tuned for any unknown vessels,” She said. “I’ll be on the bridge before we arrive.” Closing her eyes to the world, Kate listened to everyone file out. She had always known that Reyes wasn’t on her side, but to kill Matthews! Jesus Christ, she fumed, was there anything the bastard wouldn’t do? And now he tells her that Fleet Command was behind the attempts on her life? Just what the hell did he put me in the middle of? She thought.
“We have a problem,” Rear Admiral (retired) Claudio Reyes looked up as Doctor Louis Matthews entered his office. The look on the doctor’s face was enough to tell him that the quit day he had been enjoying was not at an end. He wondered why he had a sinking feeling it was involved Kate Almir. That’s because it generally does, he reminded himself with a snort of contempt. Sometimes I wish we had never put the damned cybernetics in her, he reminded himself as he watched Matthews plant himself in a chair across from him. “What kind of problem would that be, Doctor?” “It appears my fears are turning into reality,” “About the memory cap you programmed into Almir’s cybernetics?” “Yes,” Matthews rubbed his forehead in thought. “Her nightmares were the first sign, unfortunately.” “I thought you said she couldn’t break through the programming, Doctor,” Reyes growled, his forehead wrinkling. “She shouldn’t have,” Matthews agreed. “However, as I told you three years ago, the nightmares were her mind trying to rebel against it. We both knew that, which was why we removed her from Intelligence to try to take the strain off the programming.” “Well it obviously didn’t do enough then,” Reyes muttered. “Because you’re telling me this. So, what is your telemetry saying?” “She’s unconscious right now,” Matthews said. “However, for how long I can’t tell you; what I can tell you is that the memory block is failing.” “Doctor, Doctor,” Reyes leaned back in his chair, his head in his hands. “That’s bad news for both of us.” “I understand,” “I don’t think you do,” Reyes said, his voice gone cold. “She’ll come after us both if she remembers.” “I would think Carver and his cadre would be at risk too,” “Oh, they are,” Reyes said. “However, the fact that I ordered the programming into her cybernetics will have her coming after me specifically. God, what a mess!” “We shouldn’t have placed it there in the first place,” “I couldn’t disagree more,” Reyes sighed. “I needed the control over her if she as to accomplish her task.” “That’s understandable, sir,” Matthews said. “However, we violated the right of a individual to be able to have control over her own mind. Don’t you think she has a right to be angry at us?” “I don’t give a damn if she’s angry with us or not,” Reyes said. “The entire galaxy is about to plunge into a nightmare of darkness, and she is the only person who can stop it.” “But at what cost to her?” Matthews countered. “In all the plans you have made, sir, honestly you have never taken that into consideration.” “She’s expendable,” Reyes said. Letting the last comment soak in, the room fell silent for long moments. Reyes felt his eyes harden as he watched Matthews fidget in his chair. The doctor always did have a soft spot for Almir, he mused, and it was damned inconvenient! He, Reyes, knew how much was truly at stake now, and the life of one woman who was a former gladiator slave was worth trillions in trade. Just why couldn’t the doctor see that for himself? “How long do we have before the block fails completely, doctor?” “I’d say days,” Matthews sighed. “Maybe hours, I can’t predict it fully. It wasn’t supposed to fail anyway.” “You’d better hope that it doesn’t fail, Doctor,” Reyes said with an ice-cold tone. “Or you might be the next one terminated.” ### Bernard Johansson cursed under his breath as he read the communications squirt he had received. He cursed his shortsightedness in not changing the codes when both Almir and Reyes had left Intelligence. That was incredibly stupid of him, he chided himself, and it was going to cost him! While Almir had been able to enter the computer of the Toronto, there was no way she was able to intercept the squirt that the computer had sent him. So they’ve access the main computer and logs, he thought with a snort. That was going to tell them where the ship had come from and where it was going. Damn that woman, couldn’t she just stay out of their hair for once? “Yes, sir,” he said to the com unit on his desk. “I can confirm they have accessed the computer.” “That’s unfortunate,” Beatty said. “Because it means President Carver wants her dead.” A snort of contempt escaped his lips as Johansson thought about that prospect. Just how many times had they tried to kill Almir in the past, only to fail? The damned woman seemed to have a sixth sense about staying alive, he reminded himself. He was willing to bet there wasn’t another person like her in the entire galaxy when it came to staying alive! “Let’s hope this time we’re more successful,” He said as he sipped at a glass of bourbon on his desk. “Who gets the joy of the attempt this time?” “Commodore Anderson with the prototype,” Beatty said. Johansson felt his eyebrows rise involuntarily at the news he was receiving. There was no doubt that Almir would be overmatched in that battle, but it hadn’t stopped her from winning before! No, he mused, she would die this time! There just wasn’t a chance she could survive this time, was there? “If she pulls off an escape this time,” Johansson muttered, his mind racing in thought. “Then she’s either an angel or a demon in disguise.” “I’ll go with the latter,” “So would I, sir,” Johansson said. “I will, of course, keep you advised about any further information squirts we get from the main computer.” “That would be most appreciated, Bernard,” Johansson reached across and killed the com unit. With a sigh, he leaned back in his chair, a thoughtful expression on his face.
The is the start of Chapter 2 when the fleet Admiral realizes Kate is about to stumble upon their well-hidden secret, starting the ball rolling on "the Betrayal" that is to come.... Beatty sighed as he blew cigarette smoke out of his mouth, while he stared at his holographic plot. A single hand reached up and rubbed his forehead while the lit cigarette hung from his lips. He stifled a curse as he looked at two images on his plot with ever increasing worry. A snort of contempt escaped his lips as he glared at the closer transponder. While the vessel itself was just a heavy cruiser, the Fleet had hundreds of them, the woman commanding it was who worried him. He shook his head as he contemplated how she had ruined many carefully thought out plans over the years. Working alone, and not knowing whom she was up against, Kate Almir had found ways to cause major setbacks to President Carver and their cadre. That alone was enough to make Beatty burn with a hatred for her that would never be abated. The damning thing about it all, he mused to himself, was that is he had his druthers, she would never have made it command! However, there were limits that even he, as Fleet Commander, could do to control BuPers’ decisions. While he could’ve overruled them, he would have had to have a good reason to do so. And telling them that the woman in question had interfered with illegal plans just wasn’t a good enough reason, he reminded himself as he took a deep drag on his cigarette. You’ve lived one damned charmed life, Almir, his hatred nearing the surface as he glared at the Roanoke’s transponder. As much as Almir’s ship worried him, it was the second, solitary icon that caused the hairs on the back of his neck to stand on end. There had been no contact with the Toronto for over a day, and that wasn’t part of standard operating procedure for the type of operation involved. Having been stationary for the entire day, Beatty was worried that the worst had happened. While that ship is registered as a civilian craft, he fumed; it was far from it! If Almir stumbled upon that ship, it would be the end of everything they were finally in position to achieve! Don’t let her learn about that ship, he found himself praying to a God he didn’t believe existed. “Sir,” An ensign said as he entered Beatty’s office. In his hands he held a transmission copy for the Fleet Admiral. “We have received a message for Captain Almir.” Beatty felt his stomach drop to the floor as the words sunk in. His breath started to race as he felt the walls of his office start to close in on him. Jesus, this couldn’t be happening, could it? Almir was at the wrong place and the wrong time-again! Leaving the Fleet Admiral alone to his thoughts, the ensign left as quickly as he arrived. Beatty looked at the flimsy in his hand, fearful of what it would contain. Oh my God, he mused, how could this be happening again? How could Almir be where she wasn’t supposed to be every time something terrible happened? “‘Have received distress call from civilian science vessel. Proceeding at top speed to render assistance, out.’” Beatty read the message aloud, his anger reaching the flash point. Crumpling the flimsy up he threw it at his plot with a roar of rage. “God**** it!” Beatty kicked the side of his desk with a roar that shook the walls of his office. Looking at the dent he put in his dark, cherry desk, he felt a sense of regret from what he just did. Sitting down heavily in his chair, he leaned back with his eyes locked on the ceiling. Just once, wouldn’t it be nice if the person finding the **** weren’t one Katherine Almir? Trying to kill her didn’t seem to work, he cursed, since she wouldn’t take the hint and keep her damned nose out of where it didn’t belong! “Almir,” Rubbing his eyes he sighed. “Why does it always have to be you?” The bile rose in his throat as Beatty looked at the manifest of the Toronto. She was carrying a full load of their best material on her, and Almir was going to find it! For the twentieth time he shook his head, cursing fate for its handling of the situation. To think, he told himself, we thought we had done everything to have “The Banshee” bottled up where she couldn’t do us any harm! Now she was going to be in a position to ruin everything again! Just what was it going to take to get the damned woman out of their hair once and for all? Beatty leaned back in his chair, his eyes closed as he fought to regain control of himself. There was nothing about one Katherine Almir he took lightly anymore. After watching her single-handedly survive a squad of marines hunting her on Selvior, there was nothing she did that surprised him. Thus, in reaction to her ability to overcome anything thrown at her, he had taken a different tack with her: he had taken to assigning her duties that kept her as far away from the action as possible. Which obviously didn’t work this time, he thought as he rubbed her forehead. Two days…that’s all it would have taken for her to be at the far end of her patrol and well away from anything we were doing! With a sigh, he opened his eyes and focused on a third plot image. Ten light years from Almir’s position, it was the wild card he had to play. If she managed to track the operations to that location, he could be rest assured that she wouldn’t survive that encounter. Which wouldn’t be a day too soon, he mused, if you ask me. A wicked smile crossed his face as he contemplated life without Kate Almir. Chuckling with vicious glee, Beatty felt his blood pressure start to drop. Once she was gone, he reminded himself, everything would move forwards without anyone to stop it! Beatty reached across his desk, his thumb hitting the switch the activate his com system. He surprised himself with how calm and measured his voice had become. With a shake of his head, he took a deep breath before speaking. “Captain,” he said to his adjunct. “Will you please call Rear Admiral Johansson’s office and have he report to me, please.” “Yes, sir,” Beatty stared at the pack of cigarettes on his desk, and he felt the bile rise back up in his throat. This was supposed to be the week he quit the damned things, but with the way events were transpiring that was going to be a fantasy. It was all Almir’s fault, he contemplated as he reached for the pack, and if she wasn’t in the picture he could’ve quit! Why wouldn’t the damned woman take a hint and keep her nose out of where it didn’t belong? This time, my dear Captain Almir, he thought with an evil chuckle. If you misstep I’m going to definitely see that you die!
from "night fire" this scene the police sergeant intentionally sticks Kate into a cell with the worst of the worst and all men at that! She proceeds to take out the ring-leader so she would be left alone. “It’s okay, boys,” Kate said with her most charming smile. “I’m not going to have any problems with these guys.” “A bit confident aren’t you?” “I’m speaking fact,” Rolling her eyes, Kate stepped through the door, the sound of the force field snapping back on. She heard the sound of the officer’s footfalls heading away as she looked the men over. They outnumbered her twelve to one, she realized, but it wouldn’t matter. There was a method to dealing with people like this, and it always worked. Just take out the leader and everyone else is afraid to act, she told herself with a tight smile. “Well, boys,” one large man said, his breath reeking of alcohol. “What do we have here?” Snorting with contempt, she shook her head at his comment. While he was well over twenty-five centimeters taller then her 167.6 centimeters, it didn’t matter. Looking him over, Kate’s bionic eyes fed her information on his estimated weight and strength levels. While he would have been a danger to her if he got his hands on her, being drunken he was going to have a more difficult time then he was expecting. And if you’re speaking first, she thought, keeping the words to herself. Then you must be the leader. “So, honey,” he said. “Why don’t you make our time her easier on us all.” Kate sighed as she shook her head. “Why don’t you go f*** yourself instead?” ### Sergeant James Polk looked at the holovid image from cell nine with an anxious eye. Looking up at the two arresting officer, his eyes trailed back to the identification card in his hand. Lacy Daniels, he mused, from the planet Jefferson. There was no way she was from Jefferson if she had a Neckoen accent! The only people who ever left there were the relatives of the Game Masters, so something was definitely fishy. However, if someone paid her bail, then legally he couldn’t hold her by planetary law either. Just who are you? He wondered as they watched a interesting interplay going on between her and some of the toughest cases in her cell. There’s something about her that is just flat-out dangerous, and he couldn't place it either! “Sir,” Officer Ted Briggs, the arresting officer said. “I think things are going to pop.” “Shouldn’t we get down there and get her out?” Chimed in Neil Allen, his partner, as he fidgeted nervously. “Let’s wait and see what happens,” Polk murmured. ### “What did you say?” the man billowed. “Do I need to spell it out for you?” Kate said. “As drunk as your fat ass is, maybe I need to!” “You’ve got a big f****** mouth on your for someone as small as you are,” he said as he started to close in on her. Ripping her hooded coat off, Kate threw it into the corner as she took a fighting position. Several of the men’s eyes grew wide as they saw the black and silver skintight jumpsuit she wore underneath. Moving with the gracefulness of a cat ready to strike, they watched the muscles on her torso rippling as she moved. Someone was going to get hurt, their eyes said, and they were starting to think it might be the man and not her. “I recommend you back off,” Kate said with an ice-cold look in her eyes. “You’ll have a lot less pain that way.” ### “Who the hell is she?” Polk breathed as he watched “Lacy Daniels” tear her coat off and toss it away. His blood went cold as he watched her move with the dangerous grace that made him fear for his life. ### “I’m going to have me a bitch for dinner,” he announced to the cellblock. “Hey man,” one of the men tried to step between him and Kate, knowing what was coming. “Let it be man, she’s going to **** you up.” With a roar the man swiped a massive arm out, striking the other man in the chest. The force of the blow sent the well-meaner flying across the room to strike the force field. His body made contact with the energy field, the power coursing over him in streams as he screamed in agony. Finally, the field released him and he dropped to the floor, drained, panting for breath. Kate felt her eyes harder even more with pure hatred for the large man before her. This had gone on entirely long enough, she told herself, and he needed to pay for that! Once he had been beaten down, then the others wouldn’t be a problem for her to deal with. However, as long as he was left to his own devices, she was going to have to look over her shoulder for as long as she was here. “Well if it’s dinner you want,” Kate said, circling him with her hands in a combination defensive/offensive position. “Then come get some, asshole!” With a roar the man launched himself as Kate, who sidestepped him with great ease. She reached out as he passed, her hands latching onto the belt of his pants. With a loud grunt, she spun around on her feet, her bionic strength sending him flying across the cell. Men scattered everywhere as he flew past them and into the wall head first with a loud thud. Stepping back, the man turned to face her, a cut on his forehead opened up, blood pouring down his face. He bared his teeth like a tiger after an antelope and started to come back towards Kate, with both fists raised. “I’m going to kill you for that,” he said. “Promises, promises,” Kate said. “All I ever seem to get from you men is empty promises!” A swinging blow aimed at her head made Kate duck as she turned her shoulder into the blow. It landed hard into her cybernetics, the impact making her teeth vibrate in her mouth while she heard his hand crack. Stumbling off to her right, Kate heard the man scream in agony while he held his injured hand in his healthy one. “You broke my f****** hand!” He bellowed. “Just what the hell are you?” ### “My God!” Polk gasped as a man and woman entered the front door of the precinct. He knew how dangerous the man fighting her was, and she was systematically demolishing him! Just who the hell was she? ### “Your worst nightmare,” Kate muttered as she regained her balance. Cradling his broken hand while he was still stunned provided Kate all the time she needed. She grabbed him with both hands and jerked him over to her. Looking up into his pain-filled eyes, she could see nothing but fear there. He was just a overgrown bully, she mused, but after wanting to kill her, he wasn’t going to get a break from her. No, he deserved everything he got! “Say goodnight, Gracie,” she said as she slammed both hands into the side of his head behind his ears. His eyes rolled back into his head as he lost consciousness and slumped to the floor with a thud. “Anyone else want some?” she asked breathlessly as she wiped her bangs from her face. No one dared speak up, everyone looking at her with shocked expressions on their faces. While they had expected her to beat her opponent, no one had expected her to destroy him like she did. Once again, she reminded herself, someone didn’t know whom he or she was messing with. One of these days they would learn, it was just going to be a matter of when.