Discornia was in the Virginia’s transporter room, ready to beam over to the Enterprise replica. Her hand hovered over the controls when she heard someone clear their throat. She turned to see Sh’Kar standing in the doorway. “You are going, then?” she asked.
“Yes,” replied Discornia. “My child is now an adult and he is currently in a stable job on his own. He no longer needs me.”
“Then I look forward to meeting you in the afterlife,” bid Sh’Kar.
“Perhaps we shall meet in Sto-vo-kor,” mused Discornia as she set a time-delay on the transporter so she could beam over automatically.
“I would like that,” chuckled Sh’Kar. Discornia then moved to the transporter pad. Sh’Kar looked to see that it was a one-minute delay and decided it was more than enough time. “Tell me,” she called before Discornia stepped onto the pad, “is there anything you wish me to convey to Turretorg?” Confusion struck Discornia and she turned only to feel a hypospray inject something into her neck. Paralysis took hold and she crumpled to the floor. “When I reach the Halls of the Hallowed Dead,” declared Sh’Kar, “I shall find your beloved and remind him that his wife is a noble warrior and that she loves no other. Good bye, my friend. Live well in Turretorg’s name.” Sh’Kar then stepped onto the transporter pad. “Long live the Federation and the Klingon Empire!” Discornia was trying to make her limbs move before Sh’Kar could go. It was too late. Sh’Kar vanished into the transporter beam and she was carried over to the Enterprise replica. She made her way to the bridge and took Sulu’s place at the helm.
“The Enterprise is moving off,” Optimus reported to Richard over the main viewer.
“Then she’s not coming back,” sighed Richard. Mikhail then produced a bottle of Vodka. “…On the bridge?”
“If she succeeds, then you can drink to her courage,” replied Mikhail. “If she fails, you can still drink to her courage.”
“The Enterprise is engaging the enemy pursuers,” called Arsha. “She’s fired a torpedo into their center. They’re scattering…no, now they’re regrouping. Both sides are firing on each other.”
“A Constitution-class starship against us,” laughed Hiro. “How desperate are they?”
“The Enterprise is suffering a warp core breach,” reported Megatron. “I detect only one life-sign.”
“Beam it over,” ordered Hiro. As the Enterprise exploded, the life-sign was beamed over.
“…We’ve lost contact with the Enterprise,” sighed Optimus.
“As did we,” mumbled Arsha. Richard closed his eyes.
“May you find your husband and seek eternal bliss together,” Richard wished Discornia.
“I’m afraid I was prevented from making that journey,” replied Discornia’s voice. Everyone turned to see her step onto the bridge.
“Discornia?!” spluttered Richard. “But…then, who…Sh’Kar?!”
“She surprised me in the transporter room with a hypospray,” explained Discornia. “She believed I would honor Turretorg better by living a full life in his name.”
“Her sacrifice was NOT in vain,” declared Optimus. “The enemy fleet is still distracted, searching the wreckage for survivors! We’re too far ahead of them!”
“…The Leonidas maneuver,” sighed Richard.
“The what?” asked Arsha.
“A hero of our universe,” explained Mikhail. “He was the ruler of the Ancient Greek state of Sparta. He and 300 other Spartans covered their allies’ retreat as they held off their common enemy, the Persians.”
“Giving his life to protect his people,” realized Arsha.
“You’re the Klingon that was part of the fake foreign dignitaries that invaded this ship,” muttered Megatron. “Well, your sacrifice was made in vain. Order all ships to pursue and fire on the other ships.” Unfortunately, as the order was relayed, the rest of the fleet turned on each other and destroyed one another.
“…WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED?!” shouted Hiro.
“ropwI’qoq lo’taHvIS, qar’a’?” (My sacrifice was in vain, you say?) asked Sh’Kar. “sulughbe’; reH vIjaH vIbejDI’-batlh-qor!” (You are wrong; I still go to Sto-Vo-Kor!) At that moment, Dr. Borg came in with her cybernetics fully repaired.
“Sorry it took so long,” she remarked. “The damage was extensive. Oh, by the way, DID WE JUST BLOW UP OUR OWN FLEET?!”
“The computer virus Batman programmed was given enough time!” laughed Sh’Kar. “My sacrifice was so that I could get it the few precious minutes it needed! Now, your fleet cannot pursue my friends or be enough of a match to them! Heghlu’DI’ mobbe’lu’chugh QaQpu’ Hegh wanI’!” (Death is an experience best shared!)
“Kill her and pursue the enemy!” shouted Hiro.
“Yes to killing her, no to pursuit,” declared Megatron as his holo-form ran her through with his sword.
“I give the orders around here!” shouted Hiro.
“Do you, now?” asked Megatron. Hiro then pulled out his termination implant device and pressed the button…but nothing happened. He tried again…and again and again and again, but still nothing.
“Get your implant tuned!” ordered Hiro.
“I’d love to,” snarked Megatron as his holo-form took the implant out of his vehicle mode’s front, “but there’s a tiny problem with it,” he then crushed the implant. “It’s broken!”
“As is mine, unfortunately,” mused Dr. Borg as she pulled the remains of her implant out of her pocket.
“What I say now,” declared Megatron, “I say as a member of the alliance! Hiro, your obsession with Megumi has cost us an easy victory over Caan, as per our original arrangement! You are no longer worthy of leading this alliance! I am taking over!”
“HANRAN!” (MUTINY!) roared Hiro as he keyed in the transformation code on his phone. “HENSHIN!” He became Kamen Rider Rogue and changed his guns into shōtō mode, slashing at Megatron when he got close enough. Dr. Borg then made a magic dome form around the two combatants.
“None will interfere until a victor is decided,” she declared. Megatron blocked Rogue’s swords and shoved him back.
“I WILL TEAR YOU APART!” roared Rogue. “DAI SUPER CHARGE!” His armor bulked up, then flew off to reveal Kamen Rider Rift. He brought the Rift Breaker out and swung wildly. Megatron let himself get hit a few times and was knocked to the floor, panting, yet grinning.
“That’s the spirit!” he praised. “But, I was made a champion of the Pits of Kaon not only due to my savage might,” he then pulled out a red i.d. tag, “but also my CUNNING!” He then made Rift drop the Rift Breaker and inserted the i.d. tag into it before converting it to ranged mode.
“Final Attack!” it called.
“Megatron Rift Shot,” snarked Megatron as he pulled the trigger. A large energy blast hit Rift square in the chest and he landed on the floor, his transformation cancelling automatically and revealing how bloodied he was. Megatron tossed the weapon aside as it faded and grabbed Hiro’s face, hoisting him into the air and grinning. The Combatmen and Daleks stared, hoping Hiro would still defy Megatron.
“…All…hail…Megatron, leader of the alliance,” gasped Hiro.
“That’s what I thought you would say,” smirked Megatron. As Dr. Borg lowered the dome, Megatron released Hiro and let him tumble to the floor. “Get him healed up,” he barked at one of the Combatmen. “Helm, get us out of here. We’re going to my moon base.”
“I obey!” replied the Helmsman Dalek. Megatron then knelt by Sh’Kar’s body as Hiro was taken to Sick Bay. He opened her eyes, then unleashed a roar.
“…What was that about?” asked Dr. Borg.
“I warned the afterlife that a warrior was coming,” explained Megatron. “She fought us and still achieved her goal, even if she died in the process. She deserves to be honored.” He then got up. “Put the body in a torpedo and fire it out into the rift,” he ordered a Combatman.
“So THAT’S the answer!” declared Megumi as she finished the math problem she had trouble with before she was relieved of command. “Both sides are zero, meaning all real numbers are solutions!” She took a picture of her work, attached it to the assignment’s answer on the computer, and submitted it on the After Academy website. She felt a lot more at ease. “…I guess I DID need this,” she muttered to herself. Her door chimed. “Come in,” she bid. Liam came in.
“I just wanted to tell you that the Ark, Virginia, and Endeavor are coming back,” he explained.
“All right!” cheered Megumi.
“You seem happier,” observed Liam.
“I needed a break from all this for a bit,” she replied. She headed to the Docking Ring door and greeted everyone. “How did it go?”
“Mission accomplished,” replied Richard. “The Master Builders are freed.”
“Thank goodness,” sighed Wyldstyle. “I was having flashbacks from Lord Business.”
“Did you guys use a different plan than the suicide run?” asked Megumi.
“A little stealth was needed,” reported Richard.
“Thank goodness,” sighed Megumi. “So everyone’s all right?” Richard, Optimus, and Arsha winced. “…What happened?” asked Megumi. Everyone searched for a way to explain it. “…Somebody say something!”
“Sh’Kar…didn’t make it back,” sighed Optimus.
“…What?” breathed Megumi.
“Originally,” explained Discornia, “I was going to use a ship the Master Builders would make to cover the retreat and buy everyone time to return to Vorton. It was certain death and I was prepared to give my life for my friends. Sh’Kar surprised me with a hypospray and took my place aboard a working replica of Kirk’s Enterprise. Through her sacrifice, we made it back.” Megumi was speechless.
“Sweetie?” asked Richard.
“Get me Starfleet and the Klingon High Council,” directed Megumi.
Megumi, Optimus, Richard, Discornia, Blackarachnia, Jazz, and Lukas explained the whole situation to the Federation’s President and the Chancellor of the Klingon High Council. “I’m sorry to report Sh’Kar’s passing,” sighed Megumi. “She was an excellent warrior and a good friend.”
“How?” asked the Federation President, an Andorian, as her antennae twitched in confusion. “How could one woman hold off an entire fleet with only a retired type of Starfleet vessel?”
“Does it matter?” asked the Klingon Chancellor. “She was a Dahar Master. She gave her life for a glorious and victorious cause. All other matters are irrelevant.”
“Chancellor, I trust you brought a bottle of bloodwine for this occasion?” asked Richard.
“A bottle?!” scoffed the Chancellor. “I’ve brought a barrel! 2207, her favorite vintage! I will not disgrace her name by using anything less!”
“Then I have only one thing to say,” declared the Federation President. “To Sh’Kar! A Starfleet Admiral and a Dahar Master! A noble warrior of both organizations!”
“To Sh’Kar!” replied the Chancellor.
“Sh’Kar!” everyone else cheered. Optimus then started singing.
“Mi’ qul qar’a’ (See the number of fires burning clearly,)
‘ej Do’ QI’ la’” (Good fortune for the mighty Commander!)
“QI’ DO’ Sum, qarI’ Do’ QI’la’” (Great luck, I discipline my hails of fortune to you, Commander!) sang the Federation President. At that moment, everyone was singing.
“Sutem pa’ rI’ tlho’ (Hail appreciation through your silence,)
mara’ ‘e’ Sh’Kar (Our Commander Sh’Kar!)
rI’qa’ (Hail again!)
rI’qa’ (Hail again!)
rI’qa’ (Hail again!)
DaSo’ pa qareH (You always cloak it thereabouts,)
QI’ ro’qa’ (The Fist of the Commander’s hits!)
ro’ qa’ (The Fist of the Commander!)
ro’ qa’ (The Fist of the Commander!)
ro’ qa’” (The Fist of the Commander!)
The ceremony had been over for a day when Optimus sat in his temporary quarters on Vorton. He had a bag of Energon munchies in his hand and was slowly eating the contents when someone cleared their throat. Optimus turned and looked around the room. “Down here,” directed a young voice. Optimus cast his optics down to see a boy, roughly nine years old, in a yellow jumpsuit with a cape and a mask. The suit had a white circle with a lightning bolt symbol on it.
“Bolt Boy, right?” asked Optimus. The boy nodded. “…Wait, you’re not…?”
“I’m supposed to fight you in the next round,” replied Bolt Boy.
“…Me?” quizzed Optimus. “I’m supposed to fight a human child?! I mean, I get that you have powers, but I’m a little iffy in fighting a child of my own species, much less a human!”
“I don’t wanna fight you either,” mumbled Bolt Boy, a little scared to admit why.
“Oh?” inquired Optimus. Bolt Boy nodded.
“If I zap you, you might fall on me and…well…squish me,” explained Bolt Boy.
“We’ve got to talk to the Chizarans,” declared Optimus.
“What can I say to make them change their minds?” asked Bolt Boy.
“I think, for this problem,” mused Optimus, “I should do the talking. Not that I doubt that your words won’t have weight, but they might consider my words a little more.” Bolt Boy scowled at hearing this. “I know, you want to say what you want, but, sadly, adults respect only an adult’s word at this moment.”
“Okay,” muttered Bolt Boy.
“Maybe you can tell me what your issues with this fight are, and I can tell them?” suggested Optimus.
“Okay,” replied Bolt Boy, feeling a little better that his feelings were being addressed.
Richard held Megumi in his arms as he usually did. She had gotten a better psych eval and had assumed command again. “This feels nice,” sighed Megumi.
“No arguments here,” replied Richard. “…Not that I wish to bring down the mood, but, how do you want to proceed with getting an explanation out of Mickey?”
“I don’t know,” answered Megumi. “I don’t feel like thinking about War, or Caan, or even Hiro right now. …Why don’t we take it one day at a time and see what happens?”
“I’m not so sure as I like the uncertainty of that arrangement,” muttered Richard.
“One thing IS certain,” purred Megumi. “Last night was a lot more fun now that I feel less stressed.”
“Anything for my Queen,” replied Richard.
“Pardon,” called a voice. The two yelped and saw a brunette woman in a maid outfit. “I apologize,” bid the maid. “I was sent here to inform you that I will be your opponent in this round. Megumi Hishikawa, correct?”
“That’s me,” replied Megumi. “And you’re Elizabeth, the Maid of Justice. Do you have fight terms in mind, or shall I lay them down?”
“You lay them down, Madame,” replied Elizabeth.
“Your mistake,” chuckled Megumi. “We’re going to play the Oldest Game. One of us will set the meter and make the first move. We will then offer ourselves as various things, the first being capable being killed by the other, and we continue until one of us loses their nerve, lacks imagination, being unable to shift into a defensive shape, or hesitates.”
“And our battlefield?” asked Elizabeth.
“You pick,” declared Megumi.
“My Master’s auditorium,” declared Elizabeth.
“Perfect,” praised Megumi. “Tell me, what do you plan to do with the Master Wand?”
“Oh, use it to help me clean the mansion, be there for my Master for eternity, get out of jams, the small stuff,” explained Elizabeth.
“The challenge has been set, the terms have been agreed upon, and the chance of victory is agreeable for both sides,” declared Rosadera’s voice. “Greterey, the toner-grey princess of Chizara and the family leader, will be judging. Tomorrow afternoon, your fight begins! Prepare and make ready! Good luck!”
“Farewell, Megumi!” called Elizabeth as she faded away.
“See you tomorrow!” replied Megumi.
“A pirate raid?!” yelped Arsha as she got the news on why Oak’s replacement never arrived in Glasna. “Why would pirates want to raid a shuttle?!”
“They believed,” explained Rokalla, “that the shuttle was carrying something of great value. When they discovered it was only carrying Denstra and her spouses, they simply held them as their hostages until we paid them 3,000 golds.”
“Did you?” asked Arsha.
“We were going to,” replied Rokalla, “but Denstra and her family had managed to join in on the pirate’s party and only suffered a hangover while the pirates are in cells on top of having a hangover.”
“They escaped by getting the pirates drunk?” quizzed Arsha.
“And they’re not going to attempt the journey to Glasna again,” continued Rokalla, “until your extradimensional affairs are completed.”
“I appreciate that,” replied Arsha.
“Well, all I can say now is Good Luck!” cheered Rokalla.
“Thank you, Admiral,” bid Arsha. “I’ll try to come home victorious. Arsha out.” As the call ended, a bunch of fruit then appeared. “Ah, Buncho, I presume,” greeted Arsha.
And You Must Be Arsha Royana. Arsha felt like she heard the words, but her ears somehow didn’t register that information. It was as if Buncho’s reply just teleported into her brain.
“Tell me, what do you intend to do with the Master Wand?” quizzed Arsha.
I Intend To Finally Bring My World To Order. The Veggie Army Is Too Strong And It Is Causing Chaos In The Salad Wars.
“Sorry to say, Ma’am, that I can’t let that happen,” declared Arsha. “That wand is too powerful for anyone to use. I know how to take care of you. I challenge you to a memory game. We will have to find thirty pairs of pictures hidden under cards. Whoever makes the least amount of mistakes is the winner.”
You Have Put Yourself At A Major Disadvantage. My Memory Surpasses Even The Chizarans. Where Will This Memory Game Be Held?
“My ship’s bridge,” replied Arsha.
Very Well, Arsha Royana.
“The challenge has been set, the terms have been agreed upon, and the chance of victory is agreeable for both sides,” declared Moradelia’s voice. “Graneutall, the neutral-grey princess of Chizara and the time leader, will be judging. Tomorrow afternoon, your fight begins! Prepare and make ready! Good luck!”
You Had Best Be Prepared To Lose. Buncho then vanished from Arsha’s room.
“I hope YOU’RE prepared as well,” Arsha warned.