Chapter 1
The turbo lift doors opened and Michael stepped out to see everyone already manning their stations with Joachim manning the weapons console and Michael said, “Where’s Julius?”, Gross said, “He’s been reassigned to the USS Reliant because their helmsman is suffering from the Ractillian Flu. Welcome back captain.”, Michael replied, “No better place to be, except on leave where I was.”, Gross said, “This mission is short captain. I’m sure once this is over you will get an extension.”, Michael replied as he sat in his chair, “I sure hope so.”, Michael looked concerned as he squirmed in his chair making it squeak as it moved in its place and Gross said, “Is something wrong?”, Michael looks up and said, “No, no, everything is fine. It’s just been awhile.”, Petra says, “Sir all systems report ready sir!”, Jen says, “Spacedock reports we are cleared to proceed out of Spacedock.”, Michael said, “Retract all moorings.”, Petra pressed a few buttons and said, “All moorings retracted.”, Michael said, “Excellent Lt., proceed ahead at 1/4 impulse power.”, the Challenger moves out of Spacedock passing by an Oberth and a Excelsior class starship in Spacedock before the Challenger cleared and suddenly the Challenger flew into warp leaving a blue streak behind it.
The Challenger came out of warp and arrived at Regula 1 with the Reliant, and a Kelvin and Federation class starships holding position around the space station. Michael said, “Well I see they don’t want to waste time.”, Jen said, “Sir I have an incoming message from Reliant.”, Michael said, “Put it on main viewer.”, a face of an older African American filled the screen with the bridge around him and Michael said, “This is Captain Valkyrie of the starship Challenger.”, the captain of the Reliant said, “This is Grissom, we have been waiting for you captain. Is your ship ready?”, Michael said, “Yes it is, if you would follow us and have the other two starships follow behind we should proceed at warp 2.”, Grissom said, “Excellent captain, we can proceed when you are ready.”, Michael said, “That’s good to hear.”, the view screen then changed back and Michael orders Petra to come about and proceed to Earth at warp 2. When he said, “Engage.”, the Challenger and the ships surrounding her went to warp leaving blue trails behind them.
After a few minutes of looking over the captain’s log and signing it he stood up and said, “Time to take one last nap before...”, there was a beeping noise coming from Petra’s console and she looked at the source and said, “Sir there is a ship that is on our path and it’s not moving!”, Michael looked at her puzzled and said, “Is it in distress?”, Jen said, “I don’t detect any emergency signals sir.”, Gross exclaims, “Sir it’s a Dreadnought class!”, Michael said, “What’s it doing?”, Petra replied, “Sir it’s just sitting there blocking us!”, Michael said, “Plot a course around it.”, Petra replied, “Aye sir.”, she pressed a few buttons and a few seconds later she said with alertness, “Sir it moved again to block us!”, the rest of the crew looked nervous as Michael said, “Try again, Law hail them!”, Petra operated on her controls and said, “Sir it’s still blocking us!”, Law replied, “Sir I only get static!”, Michael said, “Warn the rest of the fleet and tell them we are dropping out of warp.”, the Challenger and the rest of the small fleet dropped out of warp with the Dreadnought class starship facing them as they held their position. Michael said, “Hail the...”, Jen said, “Sir we are being hailed.”, Michael looked at her with concern then back at the view screen and said, “Put it on main viewer. Have it ship wide broadcast for the record.”, Jen replied, “Aye sir.”, the view screen then changed to show Khan’s face and Michael said (with concern), “Khan?”, Khan replied, “Yes Valkyrie, it is I.”, Michael said, “What’s going on? Why...”, Khan interrupted, “I’m here because it is time. Time for the evolution of man to reign supreme and the old to either die or serve under us.”, Michael said, “Khan, you have a world of your own! What more could you possibly...”, Gross intervened, “Sir phaser discharges inside the Reliant!”, Michael called out, “Jen hail...!”, Khan intervened, “I heard about Project Genesis, captain Valkyrie.”, Jen looked at Michael with shock and said, “Sir, it’s Julius Delphiki.”, Michael said, “What about...”, Julius’s voice came over the intercom and said, “Captain Valkyrie, I now have the possession over the Genesis Device.”, Petra called out with sorrow in her voice, “Julius, why?”, Julius said, “We are the superior intellect Petra. You, me, Ender, Joachim, we deserve to rule.”, Petra said, “Julius...”, Michael whispered over his shoulder at Jen, “Tell Ender to board the VerKa now!”, all of sudden the bridge shook as the Reliant fired its phasers and the starboard phasers hit beneath and along the port side torpedo bay from behind the Challenger to the front causing the lights in engineering to turn red as some of the crewmen yelled and screamed barely hanging on as the ship shook and threw people from starboard to port including Michael and crewmen on the bridge. Michael gets up grabbing his seat and yelled, “PETRA GET THOSE SHIELDS UP!”, Petra yelled back, “I’M TRYING SIR!”, in the hanger bay Ender was thrown from side to side on the catwalk as he made his way to his gundam and climbed on board as Gabriel got behind the controls overlooking the hanger right facing Ender as he boarded the VerKa and Gabriel said into the mic, “Ender, get out there and cover...!”, the VerKa moved to face the hanger doors as the hatch closed on the VerKa when all of a sudden the hanger doors exploded inwards and the VerKa fell back smashing its dock and slammed into the wall causing the windows of the control room to explode and Gabriel and other personnel were thrown back.
The Kelvin class starship launched all its shuttles and three Federation M.S.’s stood on the saucer section and fired their rifles as the ship and shuttles flew forward and fired on the Dreadnought starship while the Verdun (Federation class starship) flew forward and past the left side of the Challenger as it fired both phasers and torpedoes when the Dreadnought class starship began firing all its weapons. The Reliant fired a torpedo and it hit the left middle side of the neck of the Challenger as wounded were beginning to arrive at sickbay till suddenly the back wall exploded and about half the ceiling caved in with one of the support beams along the ceiling falling in sideways blocking half the room as the main power went out and the red lights came on while people screamed in agony. The Reliant then turned to starboard facing the exposed hanger bay and fired two torpedoes causing multiple shuttles within the hanger bay to explode as well as repairing and emergency equipment while the damage control teams either tried to take cover from the attacks or tried to put the fires out. The Reliant then fired phasers on both banks and struck along the top of the Challenger’s main body and along the back bottom, starboard side of the saucer section. On the Challenger’s bridge the main lights went out causing the emergency and red alert lights to come on when suddenly the station behind Michael’s command chair exploded sending the crewman that was working flying over the railing behind him and landing on the floor behind Michael. Michael yelled over the alarm noises, “WHERE’S MY SHIELDS AND WEAPONS?”, Petra yelled back, “SIR WE HAVE NO POWER!”, Michael pressed a button on his console and said, “Arsenal what the hell is going on down there?!”, Arsenal stumbled to his station as the ship shook violently and slammed on the reply button and roared, “MAIN ENERGIZER OUT!”, and Michael and the nearby bridge crew cringed at the sound of his voice and Michael yelled back, “Stop roaring and try auxiliary power!”, the Reliant fired another torpedo and it exploded right behind the bridge obliterating the shuttle dock area and the bridge shook violently as more sparks issued forth from various control panels and the center console and plot between Petra and Joachim exploded as they both were just able to cover their heads and Michael raised his hand to his face to block a piece of debris from hitting his face. The Reliant ceased firing and moved behind the Challenger, facing the hanger bay. As the fire extinguishers were going off putting out the fires Michael yelled back at Jen, “Ms. Law get me Starfleet Command and sent out a distress signal to any nearby starships to come to our aid!”, Petra looked over her console and said, “Sir I have no communications with Wiggin or anyone in the hanger bay!”, Gross said, “Sir the Reliant blasted the hanger doors and fired inside the hanger bay! It’s a mess down there!”, Michael said, “What about the...”, Joachim cut in and said, “Sir the Iron suits are destroyed or severely damaged including the VerKa!”, in what’s left of the hanger bay control room Gabriel was able to get up, with his left temple bleeding, and he looked out into the upturned hanger bay with Iron suits scattered all over the place or large pieces still hung in their docking clamps and a force field was already in place covering where the hanger doors had been. Gabriel then looked down and saw the VerKa slumped down against the wall in front of him with its head downed he searched for the comms button on the littered console till he found it, pressed it and said, “Mr. Wiggin are you all right?”, there was a coughing sound and said, “Yea. I have no power and there is a lot of smoke.”, Gabriel heard more coughing and he said, “I’ll be right down!”, and he jumped out of the window, landed on the gundam’s left shoulder and hopped down till he was next to the hatch. He began prying the hatch open with his bare hands and there is a groaning sound as the hatch struggled to open as Gabriel grunted in his throat and the hatch began to open till he realized this is not the best time and he found a small panel that said, “Emergency open lever” next to him and he stopped and thrusted his right fist smashing through the metal panel and the pilot hatch blew open.
