Hacker Chronicles 2/HACKER2.BIN/543.CHAP#12.TXT

Text File | 1993-03-01 | 14KB | 326 lines

                              ***    TWELVE    ***



            Kang left the war room behind him and walked the corridors of
       the Throneship alone.  'Alone', he thought to himself, he had never
       been so alone before.  He had faced the terror and the glory of the
       void beyond.  He had braved the vast expanses of space and seen the
       wonders that they held, but always with his wife and crew beside him.
       Now he would return to his ship, outcast in his heart, alienated from
       his wife and ship because of the knowledge that he now carried with
       him, the knowledge that he dared not share.

            He prepared himself for the dishonor of the 'lie' that he
       would have to tell his crew, for he was not returning to Klinzhai
       as ordered.  He was unsure of where he was going, but certain it
       would be on the heels of the 'false' Emperor.  There were several
       plans of attack that had crossed his mind, one of which was
       gaining access to the ship labelled 'Fringe Ranger', but even if he
       could get himself aboard the intruder's vessel, he was unsure that
       he would find his deposed Ruler.  If he yet lived, he would be hidden
       and well guarded.  If dead, he would be dust.  Without the body, he
       would have no evidence which would unmask the face of the villain,
       and he was certain that the way to the enemy ship was blocked at
       all avenues.

            Kang rounded the corner of the long hall, and strode towards
       the transporter room.  He looked down at the floor in shame for
       what he was about to involve his crew in, when his eye was caught
       by the gleaming symbol of his new commission.  He pulled it from
       his chest and held it in his hand, examining it while he walked.
       It was a false commission.  Another lie, but one that he would not
       bear. He closed his fist around the small ornament, squeezing it in
       his anger.

            Commander Kang, 'Captain' to all but himself, entered the
       transporter room of the Throneship.  He was saluted by the
       transporter officer on duty.

            "What is your destination, Sir?" he asked as Kang stepped up
       to the platform.

            Kang looked at the officer before him.  "Do you have any
       children?" he asked him.

            The lieutenant glanced up in surprise of the question.  Then
       with the pride of a father said, "Yes, Sir, a strong son."

            Kang stepped from the transporter platform to the controls of
       the machine the lieutenant stood behind. He placed the symbol of
       Captaincy that he held, on the hood of the machine.  "Give this to
       your son as a present from me, who has none."

            "Thank you, my lord. It will be my honor," he said, grateful
       to the man, though slightly bewildered.


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            Kang again stepped up to the platform and faced the operator.
       "To the battle cruiser Fury, Lieutenant," he said mildly, bearing
       the heaviness of his solitude.

            "Yes, sir," responded the officer.  The coordinates were laid
       in quickly and efficiently.  "Energizing," he said and the
       Commander began to fade from view.  Kang never knew that the
       ornament he had just given away contained a small crystal of the
       Garth explosive, rendered safe from impact but not from
       transportation, and was meant to be the death of him.



                                 *         *         *



            Kang stepped onto his own bridge that had once felt like home
       to him.  The bridge crew rose from their stations and saluted
       proudly, the 'Captain' of the Fury.  Kang nodded in recognition of
       their gesture.  "Ship's status?" he directed toward his own Mara.

            "Full power is restored, computer and scanning apparatus have
       also been repaired.  All is well, my lord," she said.

            Kang wished it were true.  "I will be in my quarters, briefly,
       to review our new orders. What is the status of our Romulan-made,
       cloaking device?"

            "It is functioning and can be operational upon your command,"
       she said unquestioningly.  Several of the Klingon warships had
       received the cloaking devices some time ago.  None had yet used the
       camouflaging device.  It was a cultural point that had hindered
       use of the equipment.  Klingons believed that when engaging an
       enemy, the enemy must see whom it is that has brought death to their
       door.  It was considered cowardice to hide from an enemy. Better to
       do battle in full view, for the glory of the Empire.

            "See that it is tested in simulation before I return to the
       bridge," he ordered.  His confidence in his wife was unwavering.
       She would obey his every command even unto death, without doubt.
       His confidence in himself was the sore point.  He did not want to
       dishonor her this way, any way.  Kang turned and walked off the
       bridge, heading for his private chamber.

            The door to his cabin opened to his voice command, and closed
       and locked itself when he was inside.  He sighed heavily as he sat
       behind his desk.  He pressed several buttons on the computer
       console before him, issued a command and two passwords, and was
       allowed access to the 'Captain's' log records.

            Kang played the voice log transmission that he sent to his
       recorder, while aboard the Thunder.  He sat back and listened.

                 "Now, it is time that I shared with you the keys to the
            galaxy!" the voice of the Emperor came over the speaker.  "The

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            treaty, as written, is between two opposing governments, two
            'Galactic Powers', is it not?  The solution to our plight is
            not to clash with the enemy, until we first join with our
            enemy!"

            With that announcement, there was no small sound of
       turmoil coming from all in attendance.  Kang himself was astonished
       anew with the boldness of this imposter.

                 The Emperor obviously gestured that the company be silent
            so that he may continue and clarify his meaning.  "We must
            first sue for peace! Officially become part of the United
            Federation of Planets, then do what is completely within the
            rights of all Federation members.  Revolt!  There is no
            provision, no condition, forbidding revolution within either
            governing power." With that there was silence. A few moments
            for contemplation of what their Emperor proposed, was allowed.
            Then he spoke again.  "I, and I alone, offer you the keys to
            deliver me the galaxy!  Now what hinders you?  Ignorance has
            now been defeated before your eyes! The only thing blocking
            your path is what has always been in your way!" he paused for
            them to realize this. "Who will stand with me and conquer the
            fear that holds back the might of my Realm?  Who will follow
            me as I claim my galaxy?"

            Cheers burst forth from the congregation. A clamor of such
       tumultuous noise that Kang turned the volume switch down, for fear
       of it penetrating the doors of his cabin.  He sat back, shocked to
       hear the depth of this imposter's deceit. This man who had single-
       handedly captured the throne of Klinzhai was about to start the
       most dreaded war in the galaxy. He now wondered if it was too late
       to stop it.  Kang did know that he was in no position to halt this
       madman alone.

                 "Are there any questions that I may address
            concerning our next course of action?" Garth asked.

                 "When do we begin, my lord?" spoke Admiral Sorr,
            in admiration of his master. He did not know the Emperor could
            be so inspiring.

                 "Very soon. We will move closer to the Neutral Zone and
            make our peaceful intentions known to the shining Federation.
            I will take this ship, alone, to the Federation's seat of
            power and proclaim a new era of peace. We will become,
            temporarily, a part of the Union, which will immediately erase
            any Neutral Zone boundary and nullify the hated Organian Peace
            Treaty. All of you will smile at our enemy, until I have
            commanded you otherwise." Enthusiastic noise was again heard
            in the background.

                 "My lord," spoke a captain in the back, "What if
            they do not believe us, and do not allow us to join?"

                 The sounds of the encouraged, went silent.  "First, my
            astute Captain, they have Federation directives mandating that

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            any planet or government that desires to petition the Council
            for peace may freely come and present their case. By their
            own laws, they can not refuse us.  Second, we will convince
            them of our good will towards them by demonstration.  We will
            break all ties with the Romulans, severing our alliance."

                 This announcement caused some division in the fleet
            commanders. Some looked at the Romulans as much needed allies,
            while others looked upon them as a necessary evil, that had
            brought shame to the Empire by the mere admission of needing
            allies.

                 "SILENCE!" commanded the Emperor. "This is not a debate!
            This is the WAY! He who does not have the belly for victory,
            you who can not stomach the glory of our ultimate battle, step
            before me and I will put you out of the misery of my service!"
            There was no sound to be heard among them. They were in awe;
            some, of his majesty, others, of his fierce wrath, but all, of
            his command of the Klingon Empire.

                 "WARRIORS!" he shouted as a battle cry, "LET THIS BE THE
            FINAL EMPIRE!" The roar of cheers he received this day were
            the likes of which no Emperor in the Realm had ever received
            before.

            Kang stopped the recording.  The Emperor, the 'real' Emperor,
       was right, when Kang saw him in the last moments of their
       communication.  Before Tromok had boarded the enemy's vessel, he
       had said to him with his eyes, 'what evil have you loosed in the
       galaxy?'  It was Kang the Destructor who had allowed the Empire to
       fall into the flames. It was Kang who now had to find a way to stop
       the fire from spreading. He thought long and hard about his next
       move. He would have to do what neither he nor anyone else was
       permitted to even attempt. He arose from his seat and departed his
       cabin for the bridge.

            As Kang seated himself in his command chair, and opened intra-
       ship communications.  "This is Kang.  We have received our new
       orders and will be maintaining a communications blackout for the
       duration of our mission.  We will be testing the cloaking device
       in the Neutral Zone. I am under orders to reveal our ultimate
       destination to no one.  I am not, however, restricted from telling
       you that we may see several close-up views of the Federation
       Fleet," he said, knowing that they would be encouraged by it.  To
       come face to face with a Federation vessel, knowing that they held
       the power in their hands to destroy it before it was aware of the
       peril, then doing nothing, would give them a sense of power.

            He depressed a button on his command chair which changed the
       security code of the navigational station's coordinates.  This
       allowed him the ability to tell his navigator/helmsman speed,
       distance and bearing but would prohibit the navigator from being
       able to read the destination code. He would, in essence, be flying
       the ship blindly.

            "Torvak, set course 8-3-12 mark 4, parabolic, 32 degrees Y
       axis!  Warp 7", Kang commanded.

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            "Yes sir, laying course in."

            "Engage," he ordered.

            The Battlecruiser Fury turned about and headed away from the
       rest of the Imperial fleet.  It proceeded on a wide arc that would
       make it appear, at first, to be heading for Klinzhai.  It was, in
       fact, on course for the forbidden planet Organia. Once out of
       sensor range from the fleet, the interstellar craft began to
       shimmer. Light reflecting from the vessel began to distort, and in a
       matter of moments the ship vanished. The Romulan 'Cloaking Device'
       engaged and enveloped the Klingon cruiser, making it undetectable by
       sight or sensors.  The ship stealthily approached the Neutral Zone
       and increased speed, dangerously, to warp 9.











































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