The Kragoth pushed forward into the scattering of Klingon and exo-faction ships. A Ferengi Nandi-class warship fired phasers and photon torpedoes into Menchez's battlecruiser, to which the Kragoth countered with disruptor beams, taking out the Ferengi's forward shields. Two photon torpedoes shot into its hull then exploded its forward section.
"That's one down," reported Vato. "How many more are there? Too many?"
Menchez waved him off. "There is never too many! Continue!"
"It was just an observation," Vato replied, as the Kragoth passed over a Kamarag-class battlecruiser and fired disruptor beams and photon torpedoes into its shields.
Kinna activated weapon system efficiency, reducing power drain. The Kragoth took several more disruptor beam hits, bringing its ventral shielding down a few percentages. Vato fired again, burning through the Kamarag-class battlecruiser's dorsal protection and straight into its hull. Several more torpedoes exploded the Bridge and tore through the neck of the Kamarag-class battlecruiser, sending its own starship debris and spaceborne crew off into the vacuum.
The Hav'ok continued, as the gravity well crushed at trio of Klingon Birds of Prey, as the Hav'ok fired a spread of antiproton arrays at a pair of Vor'cha class battlecruisers, draining their shields and then destroying them with tricobalt devices.
As the Kragoth moved through the space battle field, two Peghqu'-class heavy destroyers flanked from behind and began pumping disruptor cannons and beams into its aft shields. Kinna modulated the Kragoth's shields and Vato fired a full spread of gravimetric photon torpedoes into the forward shields of each ship.
"Turn us about and finish them with the beams," ordered Menchez, as the Kragoth rotated to face them and fire powered-up disruptor beams through their shields and into their hulls.
The two vessels blew up, with their explosions rocking the Negh'Tev-class battlecruiser and lighting up its shields. From the fading debris, a Kurak-class battlecruiser, the Sevak, decloaked and began firing disruptor beams into the Kragoth. Its Captain hailed Menchez.
"Do you really think two ships against all of us is really a match?" smirked Tavar, a man and what appeared to be a Human in torn clothes. "Just because you discovered us, doesn't mean you have to attack us."
Menchez gritted his teeth. It sounded like they didn't know they were here for the Chancellor, whoever they were. "What are a bunch of Humans doing siding with the a house that was thought long dead?"
"You think I'm some pathetic Human?" laughed Tavar. "Would a Human be capable of this?"
The Captain watched as Tavar tapped commands into his communications console, diverting the rest of the waiting ships to open fire at both the Kragoth and the Hav'ok.
"The answer is No," the man replied. "If you think you can take all of us on, you are as deluded as the rest of your Empire. You're all just a bunch of one-track-minded war beasts with no brains whatsoever. My people have made your lost House much better, and we will fix your weak Empire. If you get tired of being beaten, you may ask to join us. That is, if you're not dead by then."
Another Negh'Var class battleship warped in and opened fire on the attacking ships, as the Hav'ok launched more fighters and started generating an Anti-Time singularity in the middle of the enemy forces.
Five Klingon ships became caught in the singularity, stopping them in place and knocking their shields offline. Their hulls began to buckle.
Meanwhile, the Kragoth activated its molecular cohesion nullifier field, protecting Menchez and his crew from the increase in fire. The Negh'Tev-class vessel held in place as it took out three more swarming Birds of Prey. The Sevak quickly cloaked out of sight.
The Kragoth rocked under the explosion of the five Klingon ships buckling and exploding from the singularity, and rocked again from the incoming fire. Menchez turned to his tactical officer. "Report on scans for the Chancellor?"
"Captain," Vato began as he turned to his other console. "I'm reading a Klingon life sign on the orbital station. The rest appear to be non-Klingons."
Menchez turned to the view screen to take in the sight of the battle before them. "Augments," he corrected. "They're augments."
"How do you know?" Kinna asked.
The Captain nodded. "Their demeanour and over-confidence say it all. In addition, there have been reports of augment encounters in this sector. Hail the Hav'ok on a secure channel."
"Channel open," Vato reported.
Menchez sat in his chair. "General, if our intel is right about us being here, I suspect the Chancellor is on the Klingon orbital space station. There are more vessels between us and it. If we can defeat them, and then either beam him out or us in, we could be on our way to completing this mission. One more thing, if this space contingency is not Humans, judging by their behaviour, it is likely they be augments."
The Kragoth tore through several more vessels until it neared the orbital space station. Vato fired upon its forward shielding, attempting to get a lock on the Klingon aboard it.
"No luck, Captain," the tactical officer reported. "He's behind some heavy materials that is blocking our transporter."
Menchez stood. "I will take an Away Team aboard. Hold us off here with the General if you can."
"Understood, sir," he answered, leaving his position for the centre of the Bridge. He could see several Klingon ships attempt to transport augment soldiers onto the Hav'ok.
The Hav'ok returned into the normal phase, but the vessel's shields were holding, preventing the boarders from boarding. Additional Klingon Defense Force reinforcements arrived and continued holding off the attacking forces, while the Hav'ok stood their ground.
Menchez beamed onto the station, labelled as Moartor Outpost. His away team of Klingons began firing into approaching Augment after Augment. Until one of the Augments ran up the wall and landed a downward kick into his lead away team member, killing him.
"The name's Hokke," he introduced as he grabbed the nearby weapon of another Klingon and force-palmed the warrior up his chin so fast, the whiplash broke his neck. "I never thought anyone would find this place."
Menchez fired his disruptor into Hokke, sending the Augment flying back into a wall. He fired again and again. "Perfect for hiding the Chancellor, then."
"Captain?" came the entrance of Gaurantan, an old Klingon and Dahar Master.
The Captain's eyes widened in shock. "Gaurantan? What are you doing here? It was you that gave me the intel about this place."
"What are you talking about? I did no such thing. You are not supposed to be here! The House of Kovog has worked closely with Augments as we have great plans for the Empire."
Menchez shook his head. "Then who gave me the intel about this place?"
"He must be destroyed, Captain," said member of Menchez's away team Lieutenant Ceser. "He's a traitor to the Klingon Empire."
He nodded. "This is treason at the highest level!" Menchez opened fire, prompting his remaining two officers to comply and fire as well.
"Ugh!" Gaurantan was hit in the shoulder, when more Augments flooded in from behind him.
They ran for Menchez and his warriors, but Menchez signalled them to fall back and run down the other end of the corridor. They suddenly approached the Brig, where Chancellor J'mpok was being held behind a large holding cell.
Meanwhile, five more ships arrived and each fired a tricobalt torpedo into the Hav'ok.
Inside the Brig, Menchez and his two officers Ceser and Bugh began working the many control panels to release the force field around the cell. J'mpok looked on in shock. "This is foolish, warrior."
"The Empire needs you, Chancellor. It's been proven many times in the past that without stability, we would fall," Menchez said as the force field was released.
J'mpok shook his head. "That may be true, but it is useless since we are dead here. You do not know these Augments. You do not know who they are."
"So what?"
Just then the room filled with Augments aiming rifles. Three Ferengi whips were launched at Mencez, Ceser and Bugh, wrapping and shocking their weapons off and then each of them to their knees. A tall man named Ruko, stepped in. "So, you've come to meet us, have you? Greetings Captain."
"We're more resilient than you can imagine," coughed an injured Hokke, who walked in with several smoking disruptor blasts in his chest. "We may not have been the ones to put that changeling in the Great Hall, but we and our alliance with the House of Kovog were able to get him."
Each of Menchez and his officers were force-kicked into J'mpok's cell before the force field was brought up again. Ruko walked over. "We are known as the Children of Kahn."
The Captain slapped his wrist communicator, but all he could hear was static. "General, can you read me? General?" But there was nothing. "If you can get this, then get out of here. Our deaths will be all for this day."
Hokke smirked from the other side of the cell as his dampening field blanketed communications. Ruko nodded to the augment and left the Brig to get back to his business.
"This is Jengo, of the Children of Kahn. We've taken over your precious Kragoth with the utmost of ease. Now it is you who must surrender, Klingon." The Augment spat at that last word. He'd almost grown sick of them at this point.
"We will never surrender to a peta'Q such as yourself!"
The Ha'vok responded with a spread of chroniton torpedoes, and generated numerous gravity wells around the enemy. They were definitely planning on fighting to the death.
More ships decloaked, outside the parameter of the wells, and fired heavily of beams and torpedoes upon the Ha'vok. As soon as shields were burned through, the General was transported away and into the cell with Menchez and J'mpok, within the station. There was then a massive disruption of the gravity plating as a ship exploding rocked Moartor Outpost.
"Oh, General. I see you were able to make it. Welcome," Menchez said, trying to ignore his reaction to the dishonour of being captured. Then he turned to Hokke who was working at a console. "You may have captured us, but we discovered your shapeshifter! If you think you can fool our kind, you have another thing coming to you."
Hokke suddenly stopped working and looked up. "What? The changeling was discovered?"
"Exactly. I threw a knife into his head, much to the chagrin of others, I assume. It just seems like something that would elicit a disputatious gripe."
The augment cringed. "That was too early! You don't have to immediately save the universe right away you know! Learn some patience and style! Are you that quick in the bedroom as well?"
"Klingons destroy the bedroom! And what are you talking about?! You said it yourself, that you didn't even put the changeling there; that someone else did. What control do you possess?"
Hokke walked over with his disruptor, aiming it at Menchez and Kro'nok as he lowered the forcefield for a moment to pull J'mpok out. "I'm at least able to go with the flow. We augments are superior to everyone, especially you, but even more especially, the Humans."
"At least we have honour. In that, we are superior," the Klingon argued.
He chuckled as he put the forcefield back and retrained his weapon on the Chancellor. "Do you? My intel on you suggests you sent your crew to their demise on Hanon IV. That is the highest form of dishonour! Never mind. We're bringing the Chancellor back to the Empire."
"You're what??" J'mpok blurted in confusion.
Hokke shoved him out the door. "You think we care about what power you think you have? We were just maintaining the status quo until the House of Kovok was able to complete their remuneration with us. They are not there yet. So, until they are, you go back to continue the status quo. Also, feeding two prisoners is one thing, but three? We have our limits, and it is certainly of that in patience with you."
"So, do you know any Klingon games to pass the time?" Menchez said, turning to General Kro'nok as the others left.
Kro'nok growled. "My ship was just destroyed, and my crew killed with the ship. Do you think I'll want to play a game?"
He sat back in the cell, sighing. "They were a good crew, too. They died an honorable death, at the very least, and they all served honorably until the end. Especially T'Kek. He may have been "only a Reman", but he served in many battles..."
Unknown Facility
The Reman awoke in a freshly emptied and opened tube of sorts, like the kind you might store a clone in before awakening. He gasped for air, confused. Didn't I just die on the Hav'ok?A familiar face, a Romulan, walked over. "I am Tovan Khev of the Soldiers of Tovan. It's time you were briefed on your real origin..."
"You'll have to forgive my rhetoric, General," Menchez replied. "It is a remnant come from a previous life."
He watched as another Human Augment, Lobo, entered the brig to take the previous one's place. Glancing back at his away team members Ceser and Bugh, Menchez turned to Kro'nok.
"What do you think our odds are against this one Augment? Do you think we can take him?"
Menchez turned and glared at his two warriors. They got the hint and began shoving each other.
"You call yourself a Klingon? You are pathetic!" Cesar said.
Bugh head-butted the other man in anger. "I am at the correct amount of adequacy as per my personnel file! You will pay!"
"Hey, stop that!" Lobo said as he noticed the two Klingons. "I will kill you if I have to!" He took out his disruptor and walked over to the force field. When the two didn't stop, Lobo dropped the field and aimed for them. Instead, Menchez grabbed the out-stretched arm, redirected it and back-handed Lobo with the other fist. The disruptor fell and Lobo regained his balance to move into Menchez and grab him with both hands.
Menchez struggled and threw Lobo into a stumble toward General Kro'nok.
Menchez noticed Lobo pull himself out, albeit bewildered, and ready himself for another go at the General. A group of three Augment security personnel suddenly entered the Brig and before they could react, Menchez ran toward them and launched a momentum-driven fist at the front guy.
"Ugh!!" the lead guy, Pren, was punched to the side wall, while Bugh and Cesar leapt into attacking the other two.
The Captain followed his victim and fired a succession of fists at the Augment, each one swiftly deflected and redirected by Pren who was quick to regain focus. Pren appeared to be more agile than some of the other Augments. He then lofted a kick into Menchez, sending the Klingon back and into a console.
"I believe it was merely a communications dampener," Menchez said, checking to make sure. He fired the disruptor at Pren, who got up and attempted to approach. Pren was hit, but not out. Menchez fired, now twice, and sent Pren back into the other augments, with smoking craters in his chest and shoulder.
Kro'nok reached back and pulled out his Honor Guard disruptor rifle, and blasted the rest of the augments with a pulsewave shot.
"Guess my plan won't be necessary, then."
"That's one down," reported Vato. "How many more are there? Too many?"
Menchez waved him off. "There is never too many! Continue!"
"It was just an observation," Vato replied, as the Kragoth passed over a Kamarag-class battlecruiser and fired disruptor beams and photon torpedoes into its shields.
Kinna activated weapon system efficiency, reducing power drain. The Kragoth took several more disruptor beam hits, bringing its ventral shielding down a few percentages. Vato fired again, burning through the Kamarag-class battlecruiser's dorsal protection and straight into its hull. Several more torpedoes exploded the Bridge and tore through the neck of the Kamarag-class battlecruiser, sending its own starship debris and spaceborne crew off into the vacuum.
Winning.
"Turn us about and finish them with the beams," ordered Menchez, as the Kragoth rotated to face them and fire powered-up disruptor beams through their shields and into their hulls.
The two vessels blew up, with their explosions rocking the Negh'Tev-class battlecruiser and lighting up its shields. From the fading debris, a Kurak-class battlecruiser, the Sevak, decloaked and began firing disruptor beams into the Kragoth. Its Captain hailed Menchez.
"Do you really think two ships against all of us is really a match?" smirked Tavar, a man and what appeared to be a Human in torn clothes. "Just because you discovered us, doesn't mean you have to attack us."
Menchez gritted his teeth. It sounded like they didn't know they were here for the Chancellor, whoever they were. "What are a bunch of Humans doing siding with the a house that was thought long dead?"
"You think I'm some pathetic Human?" laughed Tavar. "Would a Human be capable of this?"
The Captain watched as Tavar tapped commands into his communications console, diverting the rest of the waiting ships to open fire at both the Kragoth and the Hav'ok.
"The answer is No," the man replied. "If you think you can take all of us on, you are as deluded as the rest of your Empire. You're all just a bunch of one-track-minded war beasts with no brains whatsoever. My people have made your lost House much better, and we will fix your weak Empire. If you get tired of being beaten, you may ask to join us. That is, if you're not dead by then."
Winning.
Meanwhile, the Kragoth activated its molecular cohesion nullifier field, protecting Menchez and his crew from the increase in fire. The Negh'Tev-class vessel held in place as it took out three more swarming Birds of Prey. The Sevak quickly cloaked out of sight.
Winning.
"Captain," Vato began as he turned to his other console. "I'm reading a Klingon life sign on the orbital station. The rest appear to be non-Klingons."
Menchez turned to the view screen to take in the sight of the battle before them. "Augments," he corrected. "They're augments."
"How do you know?" Kinna asked.
The Captain nodded. "Their demeanour and over-confidence say it all. In addition, there have been reports of augment encounters in this sector. Hail the Hav'ok on a secure channel."
"Channel open," Vato reported.
Menchez sat in his chair. "General, if our intel is right about us being here, I suspect the Chancellor is on the Klingon orbital space station. There are more vessels between us and it. If we can defeat them, and then either beam him out or us in, we could be on our way to completing this mission. One more thing, if this space contingency is not Humans, judging by their behaviour, it is likely they be augments."
Winning.
"No luck, Captain," the tactical officer reported. "He's behind some heavy materials that is blocking our transporter."
Menchez stood. "I will take an Away Team aboard. Hold us off here with the General if you can."
"Understood, sir," he answered, leaving his position for the centre of the Bridge. He could see several Klingon ships attempt to transport augment soldiers onto the Hav'ok.
Winning.
"The name's Hokke," he introduced as he grabbed the nearby weapon of another Klingon and force-palmed the warrior up his chin so fast, the whiplash broke his neck. "I never thought anyone would find this place."
Menchez fired his disruptor into Hokke, sending the Augment flying back into a wall. He fired again and again. "Perfect for hiding the Chancellor, then."
"Captain?" came the entrance of Gaurantan, an old Klingon and Dahar Master.
The Captain's eyes widened in shock. "Gaurantan? What are you doing here? It was you that gave me the intel about this place."
"What are you talking about? I did no such thing. You are not supposed to be here! The House of Kovog has worked closely with Augments as we have great plans for the Empire."
Menchez shook his head. "Then who gave me the intel about this place?"
"He must be destroyed, Captain," said member of Menchez's away team Lieutenant Ceser. "He's a traitor to the Klingon Empire."
He nodded. "This is treason at the highest level!" Menchez opened fire, prompting his remaining two officers to comply and fire as well.
"Ugh!" Gaurantan was hit in the shoulder, when more Augments flooded in from behind him.
They ran for Menchez and his warriors, but Menchez signalled them to fall back and run down the other end of the corridor. They suddenly approached the Brig, where Chancellor J'mpok was being held behind a large holding cell.
Meanwhile, five more ships arrived and each fired a tricobalt torpedo into the Hav'ok.
Winning.
"The Empire needs you, Chancellor. It's been proven many times in the past that without stability, we would fall," Menchez said as the force field was released.
J'mpok shook his head. "That may be true, but it is useless since we are dead here. You do not know these Augments. You do not know who they are."
"So what?"
Just then the room filled with Augments aiming rifles. Three Ferengi whips were launched at Mencez, Ceser and Bugh, wrapping and shocking their weapons off and then each of them to their knees. A tall man named Ruko, stepped in. "So, you've come to meet us, have you? Greetings Captain."
"We're more resilient than you can imagine," coughed an injured Hokke, who walked in with several smoking disruptor blasts in his chest. "We may not have been the ones to put that changeling in the Great Hall, but we and our alliance with the House of Kovog were able to get him."
Each of Menchez and his officers were force-kicked into J'mpok's cell before the force field was brought up again. Ruko walked over. "We are known as the Children of Kahn."
Winning.
Hokke smirked from the other side of the cell as his dampening field blanketed communications. Ruko nodded to the augment and left the Brig to get back to his business.
Winning.
The Ha'vok responded with a spread of chroniton torpedoes, and generated numerous gravity wells around the enemy. They were definitely planning on fighting to the death.
Winning.
"Oh, General. I see you were able to make it. Welcome," Menchez said, trying to ignore his reaction to the dishonour of being captured. Then he turned to Hokke who was working at a console. "You may have captured us, but we discovered your shapeshifter! If you think you can fool our kind, you have another thing coming to you."
Hokke suddenly stopped working and looked up. "What? The changeling was discovered?"
"Exactly. I threw a knife into his head, much to the chagrin of others, I assume. It just seems like something that would elicit a disputatious gripe."
The augment cringed. "That was too early! You don't have to immediately save the universe right away you know! Learn some patience and style! Are you that quick in the bedroom as well?"
"Klingons destroy the bedroom! And what are you talking about?! You said it yourself, that you didn't even put the changeling there; that someone else did. What control do you possess?"
Hokke walked over with his disruptor, aiming it at Menchez and Kro'nok as he lowered the forcefield for a moment to pull J'mpok out. "I'm at least able to go with the flow. We augments are superior to everyone, especially you, but even more especially, the Humans."
"At least we have honour. In that, we are superior," the Klingon argued.
He chuckled as he put the forcefield back and retrained his weapon on the Chancellor. "Do you? My intel on you suggests you sent your crew to their demise on Hanon IV. That is the highest form of dishonour! Never mind. We're bringing the Chancellor back to the Empire."
"You're what??" J'mpok blurted in confusion.
Hokke shoved him out the door. "You think we care about what power you think you have? We were just maintaining the status quo until the House of Kovok was able to complete their remuneration with us. They are not there yet. So, until they are, you go back to continue the status quo. Also, feeding two prisoners is one thing, but three? We have our limits, and it is certainly of that in patience with you."
"So, do you know any Klingon games to pass the time?" Menchez said, turning to General Kro'nok as the others left.
He sat back in the cell, sighing. "They were a good crew, too. They died an honorable death, at the very least, and they all served honorably until the end. Especially T'Kek. He may have been "only a Reman", but he served in many battles..."
Unknown Facility
The Reman awoke in a freshly emptied and opened tube of sorts, like the kind you might store a clone in before awakening. He gasped for air, confused. Didn't I just die on the Hav'ok? A familiar face, a Romulan, walked over. "I am Tovan Khev of the Soldiers of Tovan. It's time you were briefed on your real origin..."
Winning.
He watched as another Human Augment, Lobo, entered the brig to take the previous one's place. Glancing back at his away team members Ceser and Bugh, Menchez turned to Kro'nok.
"What do you think our odds are against this one Augment? Do you think we can take him?"
Winning.
"You call yourself a Klingon? You are pathetic!" Cesar said.
Bugh head-butted the other man in anger. "I am at the correct amount of adequacy as per my personnel file! You will pay!"
"Hey, stop that!" Lobo said as he noticed the two Klingons. "I will kill you if I have to!" He took out his disruptor and walked over to the force field. When the two didn't stop, Lobo dropped the field and aimed for them. Instead, Menchez grabbed the out-stretched arm, redirected it and back-handed Lobo with the other fist. The disruptor fell and Lobo regained his balance to move into Menchez and grab him with both hands.
Menchez struggled and threw Lobo into a stumble toward General Kro'nok.
Winning.
"Ugh!!" the lead guy, Pren, was punched to the side wall, while Bugh and Cesar leapt into attacking the other two.
The Captain followed his victim and fired a succession of fists at the Augment, each one swiftly deflected and redirected by Pren who was quick to regain focus. Pren appeared to be more agile than some of the other Augments. He then lofted a kick into Menchez, sending the Klingon back and into a console.
Winning.
Winning.
"Guess my plan won't be necessary, then."
Winning.