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Unofficial Literary Challenge #43: "Deadly Alliance"

starswordcstarswordc Member Posts: 10,963 Arc User
Welcome to Unofficial Literary Challenge #43: "Deadly Alliance". Just doing one prompt this month because it's already more than half over.

Prompt: "Deadly Alliance" by @moonshadowdark

Some cultures bond over shared interests like entertainment or technology. Others join forces to help one another through difficult trials. But the most common bonding, if not the most dangerous, is the bonding over a common enemy. From the Cardassian-Dominion alliance against the Federation to the infamous Voyager-Borg pairing against the Undine, history has shown that even the bitterest of enemies can sometimes unite for a greater cause. Write a log about an alliance your captain has made once to ensure their survival. Perhaps you've sought assistance from the Hirogen with a promise of a grand hunt across time with the Devidians. Maybe you've convinced the Kazon to help you fight against a revitalized Dominion sect. But remember, these alliances will not truly forge a lifelong friendship. There may be a moment in these alliances where even your captain must keep a phaser or disruptor pointed firmly to their left. How far can you trust your enemy?

As usual, no NSFW content.

The discussion thread is here.

The LC Submission thread is here

Index of previous ULCs (click ULC 31 for earlier entries):
Index of previous ULC Annuals:
"Great War! / And I cannot take more! / Great tour! / I keep on marching on / I play the great score / There will be no encore / Great War! / The War to End All Wars"
— Sabaton, "Great War"
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Check out https://unitedfederationofpla.net/s/

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  • xungnguyenxungnguyen Member Posts: 233 Arc User

    "Deadly Alliance" (STO/Pokemon)
    Sapphire Ketchum-Chew and Starsword-C

    Set in the Delta Quadrant on Jan 10,2410

    I'm on the Lost Lapras' bridge when a mysterious hail comes through. It says, "This is Overseer Eldex of the Vaadwaur Remnant Warship Retribution. I want to discuss an alliance to fight our common enemy the Kobali Cabal. Meet my task force in the Entaba system. " I order my helmsman to set a course for the system at maximum warp.

    We arrive at the system under cloak due to the Kobali presence. Luckily the zombies' ships don't detect us. We meet with the Vaadwaur remnant fleet in an asteroid field. The Retribution's escorts form a perimeter around my ship as Eldex beams into my vessel. I order my Pokemon crew to activate their holoemitters to disguise themselves as humans. Eldex and the Vaad delegation walk to my throne room. My mother and I greet them and we get to business.

    Eldex starts, "Your Highness, my people will help your Federation get revenge on the Kobali."
    "Thank you Overseer. I've authorization from the Delta Alliance. Good luck Eldex."
    "Same to you Your Highness." Eldex says before beaming to the Retribution. The Vaadwaur officers and my crew modify the torpedoes in a matter of minutes. A Federation fleet of 200 warships arrives and the XO (anthro fox) swears loyalty to me in exchange for a chance to get revenge. Our fleet arrives in the Kobali home system.

    The combined Vaad-Federation fleet opens fire on the Kobali fleet and disables the Samsar. The other Kobali vessels are destroyed and their crews spaced. Kobali Prime's anti space defenses open fire, but they're useless against my ships. The anthro fox sends her troops to the surface. My MACOs, Eldex, and I beam down afterwards.

    The anthro fox and her troops mow down thousands of Kobali infantry. Some of the Kobali civilians are beamed to the nearest Romulan Republic ship in the system. My forces kill the Kobali commanders with magic. We reach the Kobali HQ and catch the general and his senior staff by surprise. General Q'Nel pleads, "Please show us mercy! I was-"
    The anthro fox snarls, "SILENCE! You ordered the massacre and conversion of the Daise V colonists including my family! I will have my revenge!"
    Q'Nel weakly begs, "Commander, I-" but he's cuffed to a post by the commander's guards. The anthro fox assembles a firing squad and they shoot him simultaneously along with his staff. The commander declares herself ruler of Kobali Prime and imposes martial law on the population. My troops, Eldex and I pack up and leave the system.
    A while later
    "Congratulations on a job well done. The Kobali population will never release their zombie plague on innocent worlds." says Admiral Quinn.
    "Thank you Jorel. The Iconians have lost their necromancers." I respond. I teleport back to my ship and spend the rest of the day with my family.
    temporal_lapras__royal_flagship__by_lapry101-dbutq96.png


    "Simba, you have forgotten me. You have forgotten who you are … you are my son and the one true king." (Mufasa)
  • hawku001xhawku001x Member Posts: 10,758 Arc User
    edited February 2018
    The Ty'Gokor-class I.K.S. Valentine perched, berthed upon the solar orbital space station in the Galorda system. The Orion and Klingon Defense Force officer known as Captain Elektra entered the station's dank and sordid conference room where she was met with a Betazoid whom was also a Starfleet Commanding officer.

    "So, the indomitable Captain Reynolds, huh? Rumor has it you've slept your way from Orias to Laurentia. I'm impressed," said Elektra.

    Reynolds smirked. "I hear-tell you've gone from Sanek to Archanis: two rows of the galactic map."

    "It was a slow month for Kirk-ing alien babes." Elektra shrugged. "Anyway, is that your Akira-class ship hanging in space at the edge of system? It looks awfully broken."

    The Betazoid nodded, disparagingly. "The U.S.S. Hijinx— yes. It's crippled near-beyond repair thanks to an ambush from these guys." She turned to watch as Lane, one of her subordinates, pulled a wrist and ankle chained Fek'lhri Cheiftain out from the shadows.

    "Kksssskkkk! I am Rukkh and I claim the Klingon Empire will fall to the might of the death-defying, high-flying, all-knowing, super-jacked Molorrr!" the 3-metre-tall creature announced whilst lifting his chin in prideful altruism.

    The Betazoid walked over to Elektra with a PADD. "We and three of your ships were thrown into some unidentified realm full of red skies and non-ending Demon-class-planet-like biomimetic liquid. It was a Flat World Conspiracist's dream." She sighed. "Unfortunately, only my ship escaped."

    "And what, pray-tell, is it you expect in return for this if-worthwhile information?" Elektra asked as she strolled around Reynolds and seductively dragged her finger along her shoulder. "I have some ideas if you're stuck."

    Reynolds arched an eyebrow. "If I wasn't pressed for time, I'd take you up on that, but just some help getting my ship back to Drozana Station will have to suffice. There's an undercover intelligence operative there that I think is playing both sides." She handed the PADD to the Orion. "As for your teammates, the ships still trapped there are: the I.K.S. Baetal, Masamune and Dragunov."

    "Those fools," Elektra said to herself, studying the data. "It's no wonder I have orders to crush them." She then turned to Rukkh and stroked his over-sized hands. "And speaking of crushes, well, since our goodie-two-shoes Captain is out, perhaps you'd like to be in? The price being some directions, of course."

    Reynolds scoffed as Elektra's pheromones began their infiltration into the over-sized Cheiftain's nostrils. "You have a directive to destroy your own fleetmates?" the Betazoid criticized. "And isn't this beast largely out of your weight class?"

    "I never did make it this far by second guessing myself," Elektra replied. "You see, Orions, though powerful, are still second-class citizens who have to move fast in the Empire and capitalize their impulsiveness. Isn't that right, my over-grown, Klingon-out-group-darling?" She reached up as high as she could and placed her hand on Rukkh's chest.

    The giant Fek'Ihri, now responding to her amorous aromas, smirked mischievously with a foul, repulsive demeanor. "We Fek'Ihri do what it takes to succeed, even if it means coming back as disfigured abominations. It's just one of the many adorably unique qualities that horribly mutates us into who we may or may not are supposed to be!"

    ---

    Later, the I.K.S. Valentine was hovering a few meters off the surface of Archanis IV, floating behind Captain Elektra, a few of her subordinates, and the very tall Rukkh. The Orion stopped her scanning process and turned to her diluted enemy.

    "Is all this really necessary to open a portal to Gre'thor?" Elektra asked.

    Rukkh closed his device as well. "A specifically modified, short-range, concentrated stream of antiprotons from a starship-grade amplitude deflector dish will grant one access to the realm of the dishonored. Though, you must accept the presence of such debase souls."

    "I'm surrounded by cranky, old prune juice loving Klingons on my Bridge every day; I think I can handle it," Elektra reassured. "As for you, I am impressed with your intelligence. Your class of Fek'Ihri are not like the others."

    The over-bearing man smirked. "I will take that as a compliment. Now, initiate the Sequence of Dooooomm!" And then, "Oh, just ignore that title."

    "Elektra to Valentine. Begin pressing your various touch screen buttons and virtual panels!" ordered the Orion as she activated her wrist communicator that prompted the starship to initiate its beam into a spot several meters in front of everyone.

    Just then, a portal opened up which shot a feedback pulse into the Valentine, disabling it whilst releasing a shockwave that threw Elektra and her away team to the ground.

    "Thank you, my dear! Now my double-cross is complete!" Rukkh announced, quite pleased with his ability to tweak his technical directions. "Oh, and I disabled your failsafe Kataan probe necklace where you intended for me to live out an entire lifetime in Ressik under terrible living conditions," he said, throwing down the necklace. "Fek'Ihri do not play the flute."

    Elektra pushed herself off the ground and looked up to him. "My pheromones weren't enough?"

    "My size, Captain. You would need about seven or eight Orions to have any real effect on me. A spectacle-wearing basement-dweller's fantasy, no doubt," claimed the giant Fek'Ihri. "Perhaps there is deficiency in your philosophy of acting too quickly. As for my intentions, I plan to use your ship to fulfill my plans of Empire domination! Ha! And maybe some cross species relations as you have intrigued me with as of late. Are there any female Gorn? Curious. Perhaps there is more to this existence of die-hard, constant-yellable revenge."

    And then, a hard bat'leth blade pierced through Rukkh's chest from his back. He then fell forward to the ground as three men stepped through the portal.

    "No! I never completed relations with him! He was a timely work in progress, in bed!" Elektra called out at the sight of Rukkh's slaying. Then, sad, "He said there were achievement unlocks for every ten square centimeters."

    Her 'rescuers' revealed themselves as the three Captains she had come for in the first place: Sigon, Deloss and Kronen.

    "That's an underworld bat'leth, so it'll probably dissolve or something," the Klingon, Sigon stated, assuming. "What is going on here?"

    The Gorn, Deloss looked around. "Yeah, the three of us were just discussing our plans for escape when this portal opened up. Coincidence or a plot thing? We simply must know."

    "It doesn't matter," the Ferasan, Kronen stated. "Our ships are still on the other side. We must open this portal larger to let them through."

    Elektra stood up and gritted her teeth. These men, her allies, who she had orders to eliminate, had truly become her enemy now. Only, their crews still remained as of yet to be in her line of sight; crews that would easily realize something was up if their Captains did not respond. Get them first, and then complete the mission.

    "I will help you, Captains," Elektra said, quite deviously, an Orion now becoming wise to the Klingon and Fek'Ihri taste for blood. "We will work together."
    Post edited by hawku001x on
  • cmdrscarletcmdrscarlet Member Posts: 5,137 Arc User
    An Interesting Alliance

    Drozana. The name sounded like the place smelled: filthy, grimy and stale. The station was almost one-hundred-fifty years old and had been battered over the years from its time within the neutral zone of Federation and Klingon space. Decaying sections received minimal repair or inconsistent parts from various sources. It was once a thriving center of diplomacy and legal commerce, now home to the dregs of the Beta Quadrant. Smugglers, criminals, mercenaries and the desperate roamed the dark and dingy halls. Famously, or infamously, Devidian ghosts were rumored to haunt several sections of the station and the unfortunate or lost were likely never seen again.

    Kathryn pulled the hood of her brown cloak over her face further. She felt confident the shades from dim lighting would conceal her face completely. Entering a more populous section within the central habitat, she looked around the open bar to see a few others in similar attire. A pair of Klingons in warrior armor on the other side of the room clinked thick metal canteens as they roared with laughter. She found the designated table, slid into an empty chair and waited.

    Within moments the table was covered in shadow and Kathryn looked up, but the hood prevented her from seeing the giant man’s face. Seemingly made of pure muscle, he eschewed a shirt or tunic, leaving his green-skinned torso bare, showing off several tattoos. He placed a massive flagon on the table and sat opposite Kathryn.

    Kathryn sat back into her chair and looked around to see if anyone was within earshot before speaking. “Bohtal Riztan?”

    The Orion smiled as he lifted the drink and took a gulp. “You have my attention.” He smacked his lips. “Only because my contact told me it would be worth the trouble.”

    “Fair enough, I appreciate your contact communicating that fact.”

    “She’s very handy … in many ways.” Bohtal grinned.

    Kathryn’s heart skipped a beat. Orions had a reputation for their intimate handling of themselves. The females were renowned for their more seductive persuasions. Male Orions had a reputation for being brutal … no matter how one could look at it. She forced herself to the business-at-hand. “Did she convey the purpose of this meeting?”

    Bohtal rested his enormous arms on the table and it creaked under the weight. “You want my services to handle a problem and that is what we do best.”

    Kathryn leaned forward. “I have to say, the problem will not be easy to handle; Terrans have conducted raids within the Alpha Quadrant that resulted in hundreds of civilian deaths. The Federation’s resources are stretched thin and she needs to be stopped.”

    The Orion raised an eyebrow, and the then sat back while taking another swig. “The fact you can pay the price means you want the impossible to be possible. But there is the issue of probability. We don’t just fly into Terran space like we can the Tholians. It’ll be cheaper if you know where and when … she will appear.”

    Kathryn recognized she gave away a detail not meant to be exposed and decided to risk an opportunity while trying to stay in control. The mercenary could simply walk away if he wanted and since he had not left yet, suggested interest in the initial arrangement. Still, strength embraces power, but honor rejects insults. Kathryn opted to boost his ego.

    “And that’s precisely why your services are needed, because you’re reputation puts you in the top of the class, so to speak. I’m sure you can find them.” She relaxed and opened her hands palm-up. “To be honest, I’m grateful you showed up.”

    The Orion grinned and he raised a finger to pause the discussion as he took another massive gulp. “Honesty is important in my business, from a certain point of view.” He licked his lips slowly. “Tell me, why does the Scarlet Scorpion need a band of merry mercenaries to do her dirty work?”

    Kathryn was hoping Bohtal would not know the nickname given to her by the Orion Syndicate. It suggested her vetting did not reveal possible ties to the group. With Bohtal Riztan being Orion himself, it was a risk she hedged on. She started having misgivings to the meeting and felt on the defensive. Gauging whether to try playing innocent and question his comment as if it was an assumption, or to reveal herself to achieve her goal to recruit a third-party clandestinely to track down a criminal to the Federation, Kathryn opted for the latter. She pulled back the hood and tugged on pins to let burgundy hair fall over her shoulders.

    “You’re right, honesty is important.” She wore a stern countenance. “My Terran counterpart is more dangerous than my superiors believe and personally she is also a nuisance. The other facts are coincidental.”

    Bohtal nodded. “I appreciate you didn’t wax poetic about honor, duty and other boring words.” He crossed his arms and looked around as if he were checking to see if anyone else were near. “You’re not kind to the Syndicate, to say the least. There’s a bounty for you, and I could easily earn that reward.”

    Kathryn smirked. “I appreciate your telling me there is a mark, although I shouldn’t be too surprised, and that you have not tried to collect.”

    “Your proposal is more interesting, no offense.”

    “None taken.” She glanced around almost reflexively. “So, how is this done?”

    Bohtal raised a finger. “This is more complicated than you could comprehend. Once you agree to this, it cannot be withdrawn.”

    Kathryn was surprised by the sudden seriousness. “I … I understand.”

    “No, I don’t think you do, Feddie.”

    The slang was obviously intentional and Kathryn started to feel tense. She moved a hand slowly to the Phaser pistol attached to her waist.

    The Orion continued, “This is not simple at all because someone will die by your command. You have done so out of duty, self-preservation and revenge, I’m sure. But this time –“ he thrust his finger to the table. “You are asking someone else to do it against the principles you rest your life upon. You will change after this day: the way you breathe, the way you smell, how you feel when someone calls your name … your own reflection. You will have eyes of a stranger and nothing will make you whole again.”

    Kathryn was mesmerized and didn’t respond as she remembered every step that lead her to this moment. Under the cloak, her fingers touched the grip of the pistol.

    Bohtal relaxed and grabbed his drink, but did not lift it. “This will be an interesting alliance, I think.”
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