2013 Starfleet Starburst Need for Speed: Cartel Edition

[Nijil tr'Korjata 0]

 

Need for Speed: Cartel Edition

(Joint Effort of Jylliene and Nijil)

 

Jylliene performed the evasive maneuver just in time. The shuttle fired its thrusters on the port side and underneath, causing the shuttle to bank in a counterclockwise motion. The cartel ship did not alter its course, plowing right through where they would have been. Nijil looked out the starboard viewport to catch the Cartel ship zooming into the distance.

 

“That was very close, only 245 meters. At quarter impulse speed the results would have been...” he stopped talking to bend forward for a view of the ship altering its course. Then he looked at short-range sensors. “That maneuver put us between them and the other cartel ships. Funny, they had a clear shot, but did not take it.” Nijil thought for a moment. “Lieutenant, increase speed and get right behind the ship which passed us.”

 

Before she could hit the throttle, phaser fire from the lead ship hit the aft quarter of the Nei’rrh. The Centurion and Lieutenant leapt forward in their seats as the impact of the blast dispersed against the shielding. The green lighting of the interior flickered. Now Nijil looked concerned. “Shields are holding, minimal damage. I am increasing aft shield strength. Punch it Lieutenant!” he commanded.

 

She upped their speed and drew closer to the fleeing ship, but its pilot flew erratically. “A case of the navigation system damage,” Nijil thought. The Nei’rrh throttled up to less than 500 meters, but the alternate banking left and right made closing the gap near impossible.

 

No matter how close Jylliene got the Cartel ship swerved to keep the Nei’rrh between the three pursuing ships. Phaser fire erupted all around. The Cartel ship darted aimlessly with no destination. Most of the shots missed, but a few hit. Shields held on the Romulan shuttle, but the ship ahead of it began to run into trouble.

 

“That’s one slippery pilot, but they’ve not been able to avoid all of the phaser fire,” Nijil commented, shifting a quick gaze to Jylliene.

 

“I can’t get any closer. Once I do, they veer off. How many are on board?”

 

“Hold on. Their shields are down by roughly half. I can confirm the earlier reading of one occupant: Romulan.” Puzzlement and worry filled his eyes. “I will hail again.” A series of chirps indicated a hailing signal started. “This is the Romulan shuttlecraft Nei’rrh directly at your aft quarter. We mean you no harm, but those behind us do.” Another phaser blast hit, interrupting his transmission. “Your shields and life support are failing. Allow us to beam you aboard, but to do so you need to follow my instructions.” He waited.

 

The ship ahead responded, “HE P! Bad e pl r aft r m !” The audio cut out intermittently, and then just stopped. Nijil looked at Jylliene. “Sounded like a distress call to me.” Despite some tight turns to follow the fleeing Cartel shuttle another volley hit the Nei’rrh. “This Romulan is giving the Cartel a run for their latinum.” A blast hits the shuttle in front of them. The shields flickered for some seconds. “They are closing to one thousand meters. I need to back them off. Arming aft torpedoes.” He switched over to an aft view. The three Cartel vessels were continuing to shoot. Their profiles were slowly closing in as they speed across the screen. “Can you keep us steady so I have a clean shot?”

 

“Trying - it’s hard to keep us between them and hold steady. It’s as if that pilot were panicking,” Jylliene responded. Hard to believe of a Romulan, she thought, but who knows what they’re fleeing.

 

Nijil pressed the comm button once more. “We need you to drop your shields. We will stay as close behind you as possible.” He closed the channel and waited for a response. His attention turned to the rear view. The three ships, clearly in a triangle formation were closing fast. “I can’t wait any longer. Firing…”

 

Two bright flashes lit the rear view display. The torpedoes flew away towards the three ships. Seconds later two explosions lit up the star field. One torpedo scored a hit. The lead ship started to veer off course. The two wingmen emerged from the explosions, guns ablaze. Both ships took direct hits, and rocked the Nei’rrh hard. The lights flickered.

 

“We need to get that pilot off the ship, but they won’t drop their shields. Let me take the helm and weapons. I need you back at the transporter control.” He looked her in the eye to indicate he was ready to take the helm. Jylliene handed over the console and moved to the transporter control.

 

Nijil opened up the shuttle wide comm. “Now, I need to bring that Cartel’s shields down so we can beam, so you need to get the best lock you can on the pilot’s life signs. There may only be a window of a second to beam them out. With their shields out a phaser can take out the ship in one or two hits. We may only get one shot with this. Jylliene, do you understand?”

 

“I copy. I’m trying to get a lock.” She cursed under her breath as the ship veered again. “I think...that’s as good as it gets. Waiting for your signal,” she said. Elements, don’t let me screw this up, she thought.

 

Nijil attempted to move the shuttle even closer to deflect any phaser fire. He also turned down the inertial dampeners to faster course changes could be made. With one hand, he armed the disruptors. This dangerous part of getting the shields down by firing upon them himself he did not explain to Lieutenant Kital. Loud and more destructive hits crashed into the rear of the Romulan shuttle. Nijil struggled to maintain his seat. He fired the disruptors, but missed as the pilot veered off to port. “Come back here,” he mumbled to no one. Another hit to aft. He fired again and hit the shuttle with a lower power beam. The darting shuttle’s shields remained. He doubled the power and tried again.

 

The disruptor beam met the shield with an inverse frequency, a hit. The fleeing shuttle’s shields buckled and flickered. “Jylliene,” he yelled. “Now!”

 

Jylliene hit the lock and pushed the controls, but nothing happened; she quickly tried locking on again, and then made another attempt at the transporter.

 

“Firing again.” Nijil fired, scoring a hit directly in the engine quarter of the fleeing craft. The shield blinked out. “Now,” he exclaimed, but at that moment, a phaser beam hit the craft in the same location. It ripped through the engines, engulfing the entire ship in a fiery ball of plasma. His heart dropped, his plan failed.

 

Jylliene rushed to the crumpled form lying on the pad, and rolled her over. “NIJIL! We have her, get us out of here!” The lieutenant’s heart nearly stopped as she saw whom it was they had transported; she picked her up and carried her to a bunk. “Elements, you’ve taken a beating, little one. Can you wake up for me, please?” she pleaded, stroking the hair back from the girl’s face. The young Romulan girl remained motionless. Jylliene grabbed a medkit and took a rudimentary scan.

 

The two Cartel ships and another two on long-range sensors kept the Centurion’s attention. “Her? All right, Engaging cloak and warping out of here.” The shuttle disappeared from the Cartel’s sensors and sped off at the quickest vector possible. Once he was satisfied they were not being followed he left to join Jylliene at the transporter pad. Turning a corner, he started to ask, “So the pilot is a female...” He dropped to the floor at the sight of whom they had saved. Nijil touched Annisha’s head. He still could not speak.

 

Jylliene looked up at him. “We’re going to need to get somewhere with better medical care as quickly as we can. I’ll get on the comm to Aegis and tell them we have her back.” The Trill kissed Nijil softly on the forehead, then dashed up to the cockpit and got on the comm. She frowned as she attempted to send word; something was malfunctioning.

 

Nijil yelled toward the cockpit, “Set a course for the Trill homeworld. Maximum warp.”