Gloaming of Light

Unofficial Literary Challenge 13 - The Arrival

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“Stop!”  Kathryn skidded to a halt.  The sand at her feet coughed up a cloud as she raised pistols pulled from holsters on her hips.  Wearing a brown cloak, it wrapped around her legs and brushed away any sand that would have risen further.   A high collar protected her head up to her ears from local weather and under the cloak she wore civilian pants and shirt that was a collection from different sources, yet still within the local style. 

She noticed another turn ahead of her mark only a few meters away.  Getting tired and impatient, Kathryn decided more force was needed in order to subdue the Orion.  For his part, the large male kept running and twisted at the waist to blindly shoot at Kathryn.  The pursuit had taken them from the open streets of Paradise City on Nimbus III to the closed and claustrophobic back alleyways used by darker elements of scum and villainy.   

As the green disruptor beam raced above her head, Kathryn ducked instinctively, and then squeezed the trigger to both pistols.  Orange beams lanced to either side of the Orion, blasting holes in the walls flanking the lawbreaker and creating a ferrocrete shower.   Covering his head slowed his run, even stumbling on the blocks that fell from the walls Kathryn shot.   

This was her chance.  Kathryn sprinted into the alleyway.  With only a few steps between them, she launched into a high kick that caught the Orion in shoulder.  Bone cracked and both fell to the ground.  Kathryn recovered and pointed a phaser to the Orion’s head as he groaned from pain.  Holding his left arm, he rolled onto his back.  His grungy brown vest was tattered at the sleeves, exposing a long scar that ran down his right arm. 

Kathryn bristled at the sight of the scar and willed herself to stay calm.  “You are under arrest by the authority of the United Federation of Planets.” 

“Hmph.  Bested by the Scarlet Scorpion,” the Orion growled. 

Kathryn grinned, took a step back and raised her other pistol.  “This is your chance to talk.”

“Or what, you’ll kill me?”

Lowering the power setting on one pistol, Kathryn fired a beam onto the Orion’s left leg.  He yelped from the attack and the alley quickly filled with the acrid smell of burnt clothing and flesh.

“Seriously, now is not the time to be tough with me.  Tell me where the shipment is.”

Breathing in through clenched teeth, the Orion was defiant.  “If you plan on rescuing them, then you’re too late.”  He put his good arm down and started to push himself up.

Kathryn stomped onto his hand, shattering bones.  She quickly raised the other leg and placed a knee to his head which snapped back.  He fell flat to the ground.  Kneeling, she kept her foot on his hand, grinding more bones.  Seeing the Orion groan, revealed she was running out of time: he was on the edge of either unconsciousness from shock or staying awake from pain.

She placed one phaser emitter to his head, the other to his groin.  “Listen, Rastu.  Disintegration is only a trigger-pull away.  Just tell me where the girls are and I’ll be happy to turn a cheek to your … indiscretions.”

Rastu rolled his eyes and coughed as he spoke.  “Ten <kaff> kilometers east, Highhold Pass, shuttles <kaff> expected to pick up <kaff, kaff> the shipment.”

She pressed the phaser to his groin deeper.  “When?”

The Orion opened his mouth and then passed out.

“Damn”.  She stood and looked around the alley.  Not spotting anyone.  She holstered her pistols and reached for her communicator tucked to the inside of the cloak’s collar.  “Solaris, this is the Captain.  Have a medical team available in the transporter room.  Two to beam up.”

“Acknowledged.”

+++

On the transporter pad, Kathryn stepped over the body of the battered Orion as two nurses entered the room.  First Officer Anythi Ythysi arrived as Kathryn pulled off her cloak.

The Andorian’s words were terse.  “Welcome Captain.  Word of Iconian invasion has reached us.”

Everyone in the room looked to Kathryn.  After a few seconds, she looked to the crew in the room and responded, “as you were.”  She looked sternly to Anthi and nodded toward the door.  Once in the hallway, she turned to head to the main shuttle bay.  Anthi anticipated her Captain’s action and didn’t miss a step to walk alongside Kathryn.

“Commander, unless Admiral Quinn himself has ordered me to deal with this, then we are going back down to Nimbus to get those slaves.”

“I understand, Captain.  I think it’s best if you review the message.”

Cast:

Kathryn Beringer - Rachel Nichols
Anthi Ythysi - Katheryn Winnick
Rastu - Jacob Novak