Flight of the Pegasus

[Atragon9 0]

Margaux saw the lights go off on the tactical console indicating the auto preflight on the Pegasus had been initiated, and frowned.  Only one person had access to those controls, and with the Manticore on the brink of entering the Neutral Zone, she could come to only on conclusion.  Atragon was up to something.  With quick strides she entered the turbolift intent on catching up with him.

 

The doors swooshed shut and then open again as Atragon stormed in and barked out the destination for what only could be the "Captain's Yacht" - the Pegasus.  "Deck 16, Ventral Terminus."

 

Margaux quirked an eyebrow at the realization that he had not even noticed her.  At least, she thought, she didn't have to go hunt him down.  She watched him for a moment as the turbolift carried them down to the bottom of the ship.  He was talking to himself, she noted.  Funny how some behaviors never change, no matter how hard a person tries.  It was incredibly tempting to scare him outright, but the thought of him using his TK on her tempered her actions.  "Ahem."

 

Atragon spun around, coming face to face with his Security Chief, "Ahh, hello Commander Roget."

 

"Admiral," she nodded in reply, "Do I even need to ask where the hell you think you are going?"

 

Atragon let out a sigh, "Margaux, I need to launch in the Pegasus before we cross into the Romulan Neutral Zone."

 

Margaux remained silent for a moment,  weighing both the idea of the Admiral leaving the ship on his own in the Pegasus and that both craft are actually crossing into the NZ.  "I can't possibly begin to list all of the things wrong with these plans of yours ... Sir."

 

"Lieutenant Commander, " his voice hardening, "I do not have the time to explain my mission to you as I must launch immediately.  If you would like the details of the ship's direction and target, I suggest you take it up with Captain Sovak, who is currently in the Bridge - the opposite direction we are traveling now."

 

Margaux squared off to face him, her voice matching his tone exactly, "Don't pull the "Rank" garbage on me, SIR.  As your Security Chief, I have every right and privilege to know the details of your personal mission as the health of this crew and ship also depend on the health and safety of it's commanding officer."

 

He stared back into her hard green eyes, "Fine, you can come with me and help me prepare for launch.  I can answer some of your questions and you can help me get ready to fly."

 

The turbolift continued its decent, as Margaux waits with increasing impatience for her boss to being outlining his plan.  They exit into the bottom of the saucer section and quickly Atragon begins removing safety bolts.  "Okay, so TALK!" her anger surpassing her worry about yelling at the Flag.

 

Atragon continuing to move around the Pegasus, paused and looked at Margaux.  "Melville.  I can't tell you a lot, but he's alive - in a sense.  He is deep in Romulan territory, he is.. not in his original body... he is selling Black Ops secrets to the Romulans for services rendered.  He must be stopped at all costs.  He must be killed.  I must do this to keep that stain from the crew, but the crew must hunt down resources he has put in place and destroy them.  Weapons factories, shield generation facilities, most of the cute toys we have just had installed.  That's why we were given these new technologies before they were ready.  You need to analyze our new 'features' and find out their weaknesses, their telltale signatures.  That way, you can find them in Romulan space and destroy them, utterly."

 

"I thought Melville was still alive, you proposed such an idea when we were quarantined in sickbay.  Is this what it's all about?  You finally have proof?

 

Atragon nodded, recalling their discussion about the cortical stack.  "He is very much alive - well, his twisted mind and soul, anyway."

 

Margaux's skin paled.  She knew how ruthless Melville could be, how ruthless he was.  "Then ... then I'm coming with you."

 

"No Margaux, the Consul General won't allow it.  Captain Sovak won't allow it,"  he looked down at her, "I won't allow it.  This is my fate, my doom - I must face it alone.  It's not out of some sense of heroics, it may possibly end badly and I might give my life and fail - but it must be started this way.  In a way, I created this creature so I must face it... (w) Monsters from the Id...  Time for me to launch!"

 

Margaux watched him enter the yacht, her inner demons waging their own war with her, suddenly she followed him inside.  "Margaux, you cannot come with me!"  Atragon's voice was strained.  "Don't make me order you to leave."

 

"You won't have to, Admiral.  I ... I wanted to give you something."  She pressed two objects into the palm of his hand.  Atragon looked down.  The larger was a personal cloaking device.  "If I can't use it on this mission," she gave him a wry smile, "at least you might find a way to make use of it."  She turned and stepped out of the shuttle.

 

Atragon picked up the second object, a small silver puzzle piece and his brows furrowed in confusion and then surprise. "Where ... where did you get this?"  he asked in strangled whisper.  

 

"I've carried it with me since the day you gave it to me.  Before you kill Melville, be sure to tell him I'm still alive."  She gave him a sad smile.  "As long as your purging monsters from the Id, I thought it was time to lay this last one to rest as well.  God speed, Admiral."  She slapped the hatch close mechanism hard and fast before he could call her Megan, before she rushed back to him.  The Pegasus was on auto-launch now and she stepped behind the containment field marker before it snapped into place, but she never took her eyes off his as he stared hard at her through the ship's hatch window.  Then, he was gone.