The Chase

[Innkeeper]

The Chase

The pirate's corvette swerved around the asteroid. The Kongo's helmsman started to follow.
"Belay that" Barked Kirk. "Heading 035 mark 0."
"Aye, Aye. 035 mark 0."
"Ready phasers."
Miritath's claws tapped on a tactical panel. "Ready."
Kirk carefully eased back into his chair. "He should come around oblique to us. Fire when you have a target."
The Kongo plowed on past the massive body. Suddenly the little ship whipped around the asteroid directly at the Kongo. Alarms sounded.
"EVASIVE, EVASIVE!" Yelled Kirk. Even as he spoke Lt. Horum was trying to lift the massive starship with his bare hands. The little ship ducked under the Kongo and into free space.
"Come around, get on his tail." Kirk slammed his fist into the command chair arm.
The Kongo swung her massive bulk exhibiting a grace no one was in the mood to appreciate at the moment.
Half way through her evolution Miritath reported. "The target has gone to warp."
Kirk flopped back in the chair again. "Get after him." He sighed. "Unless than little pest has something very special, that is the first mistake he has made today, and his last."
The Kongo completed her turn and jumped to warp.

Kirk checked the tactical plot for the fifth time in as many minutes. The corvette was still there pinned in Kongo's sights, loosing ground, slowly. Kirk turned back to the work on his desk. It wasn't any closer to finished than when he had started forty minutes ago.
**You could always go back it and fidget on the bridge.**
**Well yes, there is that.**
**But....**
**Then I would be fidgeting in front of everyone. Captain's dignity and all.**
**That isn't what's eating you.**
**These, people.**
**They are people.**
**I have never understood pirates. Billions of people lead productive and peaceful lives, happy lives even, and never lift a hand against their fellow sophants. Then we have pirates. It doesn't pay well, few if any get rich, as if that was worth anything. Most die violent deaths. Why do they do it?**
**You are asking the wrong person for answers Tim.**
**just venting I guess.**
The intercom chirped. "Kirk Here."
"Long weapons range in five minutes Captain."
"I'll be out."

Kirk sat in the command chair. The Kongo still closing with the pirate corvette.
Miritath reported. "Long torpedo range, we have a lock."
"Target and hold. Open hailing frequencies."
"Hail open Captain."
"Captain Masters, we have a target lock on you, and the range is closing. I am accepting surrenders today."
The screen flickered to show the cramped bridge of the corvette. Captain Masters and is crew lolled around. Several were openly drinking at their duty stations. It looked more like a party than a bridge.
"Well and good oh Captain Kirk. I do not think we are in the offering mood today." Several crew shouted their encouragement. "Try your wares elsewhere."
"You do not have to die Captain Masters."
"No, I don't, you could end your pursuit, let us live free men."
"You could have lived free men, and not done violence on others."
Masters got into the pickup. "Save your sermons for your sheep Captain. Free men take what they need."
"I cannot agree with that, not when it is easy to be free, and allow others to be free as well."
"Aye, and you will shove your peace and plenty down our throats, like it or not."
"My only demand is that you let others live in peace as they see fit, you have failed to do that."
"And that is my choice. The wolves have always fed off the sheep."
"And that is your choice?"
"It is."
"And you accept the consequences."
Masters bowed low. "I always have."
"Medium range Captain." Reported Miritath.
"Two torpedoes, take him down, we will close and board."
The view screen shifted back to the frontal view as the turrets spat a torpedo each. The Nightwolf's warp bubble flared and died. The Kongo rapidly closed the distance.
Miritath said. "Life boats way Captain."
Lt Solin reported. "They have secondary containment failure, the whole ship has been flooded with plasma and hard radiation."
"Medical to alert. Close and get any survivors off."

Kirk tapped his stylus on the table as his officers reported. Hanson was just finishing up.
"All the hostages and slaves they jettisoned in the life pods were fine Captain. We didn't find enough of the crew to identify who was who."
"What condition is the Nightwolf in Felialan?"
**Junk. They toasted the entire interior.**
"We'll get the survivors back to Starbase 424. We'll destroy the hull of the Nightwolf. Dismissed."

Tathilan slipped in beside him on the big recliner. Kirk continued to watch out the windows.
**Seeking answers.**
**Yes.**
**Finding any?**
**No.**


The Chase -- Garry Stahl, February 2005


Captain Masters and his ship are named in tribute to David Masters from the Terok Nor List. David bears the credit, or blame, for getting me my first web page up and running. While he hasn't done any maintenance on my pages since he did the first coding. He did give me the push into making my own pages. Thank you David.

[jayphailey]

Is he around, still?

[jayphailey]

I enjoy your take on the Pirate's head here.

[Innkeeper]

Is he around, still?

It's been a while since I heard from him.

[Innkeeper]

I enjoy your take on the Pirate's head here.

Pirates in general. They come in two models. Forced into it, crazy. It is the profession of desperation.