Surefoot 74: Compilation

Then the Invincible emerged, looking around slowly, deliberately, his wolf mask somehow displaying suspicion. "Madame... I expect my subjects to assemble when I arrive, as a gesture of respect for all that we do for them. Where are they?"

Sternhagen swallowed. "There's a bout of Rigellian Kasaba Fever running through the colony since you were last here; everyone who hasn't had it before is in quarantine for the next 72 hours, and since we don't have any medical records on you and your comrades here, we thought we would err on the side of caution."

The Invincible's Wolf Pack had begun drawing closer, though their leader raised a cautious hand to them, his eyes fixed on the elderly woman. "When last we met, I was clear that we would take fresh meat for the Orion markets away with us. This deception will not save them."

"It's no deception," she insisted. "But I've developed something else for you: new weapons for your ships."

"Weapons?"

She nodded. "Magnetised, self-guided tactical microtorpedoes, that can be mounted on the outside of your hulls without any modifications, and controlled and fired with hardly any additional software to your systems."

The Invincible studied her. "Indeed? And why would you be so helpful now, when just two weeks ago, you had tried to summon help?"

She looked up at him. "The colony doesn't want to turn their young people over to you, and they asked me to come up with something. It cost a few parts from some of the mine diggers, probes and scrubbers, but hopefully you'll find the offer acceptable." She motioned to him and the Ferengi to draw closer to the stack of crates, even as she tightened her hold on the detonator in her pocket. "Come closer, let me show you-"

"HALT!"

All turned to see Thom appearing from nowhere, dressed in his Starfleet uniform, holding a toy phaser at the Wolf Pack... and standing in the path of death between the charges and their intended targets.

Sternhagen's heart stopped. "Thom! Get out of here!"

But the boy ignored her, looking around, suddenly appearing fearful for what he had just done, but prepared to stand his ground, tapping his combadge repeatedly. "All Starfleet forces! I have them covered! Come and get them!"

"What is this?" the Invincible asked, more amused than alarmed.

"He's just a boy," Sternhagen assured him. "He doesn't mean any harm!"

"He also appears free of fever." He nodded to the Ferengi.

The Ferengi drew up to the boy, who aimed his phaser at him, until the Toady knocked it from his grip, and then reached out and ripped off the combadge. "Give me that, you little wretch!"

"That's mine!"

The Ferengi smacked him across the face, sending him sprawling into the grass. "Be silent!" He examined the combadge, holding it up and declaring loudly, "A toy! A useless toy!" As the Wolf Pack laughed, the Ferengi was bolstered to continue to taunt Thom. "Were you really trying to call for help, you pathetic tadpole? Here, let me try for you!"

Then he moved around the field, bringing the combadge to his mouth as he called out, in a mocking, sing-song voice, "STAR-FLEET! THE BAD MEN ARE HURTING YOUR CHIL-DREN!"

That produced guffaws among the Wolf Pack, though the Invincible remained stoic and suspicious, looking to Sternhagen. She fixed on the boy, wondering how she could complete her mission and ensure he survived. Maybe she couldn't. Oh, Thom, what the Hell...

The Ferengi, meanwhile, was practically dancing around as he continued. "STAR-FLEET! COME TEACH THE BAD MEN A LES-SON!"

A single transporter beam formed behind him.

He turned around in time to see the large-framed, brown-furred Caitian male in a Starfleet uniform swing out with a huge fist, catching him across the jaw and sending him sprawling to the ground.

The world seemed to stop and stare, as the Caitian noticed the dropped combadge, picked it up, looked at it, and then at Thom. "Yours, I believe." Without waiting for an answer, he tossed it to the boy, who caught it instinctively, and stared at it in utter disbelief.

As did Sternhagen, who recognised the Caitian. Oh, no...

The new arrival looked around, noting Sternhagen, the Invincible, the Wolf Pack... and the colonists, who had obviously left their hiding place and ventured down. But the Caitian focused on the Invincible and the Wolf Pack, announcing loudly. "I'm Commodore Esek Hrelle, Starfleet's new Commanding Officer here.

Around here, they used to call me The Lion of Salem Sector."

He paused, and then added, "That's the cue for the smarter among you to wet yourselves."

Sternhagen let go of her detonator and moved to Thom, retrieving him and pulling him off and back with the rest of the colonists. Hrelle... my God, it is him. He was back!

Please don't recognise me...

The Wolf Pack began making uneasy noises, led by the Ferengi, who was crawling away backwards to get behind his leader, who was now stepping forward, raising a muscular arm and pointing at Hrelle. "Starfleet has no business here any longer! This world, and all upon it, belong to me!"

"Oh?" Hrelle asked, drawing casually up to him. "And who are you, Bubulah?"

The leader beat a fist onto his chest, letting Hrelle approach unchallenged. "I AM THE INVINCIBLE! THE INVINCIBLE-"

He never finished his response; Hrelle had shot his left paw upward, fingers extended, expertly striking a single strategic blow into the Invincible's unprotected throat beneath his mask.

The huge human staggered back a step, clutching his shattered windpipe as he wheezed, trying to catch his breath, before Hrelle drove a boot up hard into his groin, sending him doubled over onto the ground, desperately fighting to breathe.

"I don't know," Hrelle mused. "You seem pretty Vincible to me." Hrelle's attention turned to the rest of the Wolf Pack, raising his voice. "By the power invested in me by Starfleet and the United Federation of Planets, you are all under arrest for murder, theft, piracy, assault, probably a dozen other crimes as we gather statements and evidence from the Federation citizens you have been terrorising here. I advise you to drop your weapons and surrender."

But the Ferengi kept backing away as he returned to his feet. "I'm- I'm in charge of the Pack now! And you're alone! Just some fat lunatic!"

Hrelle folded his arms. "Starfleet's never alone. And I'm no lunatic... I'm a distraction."

Suddenly from multiple points behind the Wolf Pack's ships, more Starfleet personnel appeared, armed with phaser pistols and rifles, barking at the marauders to drop their weapons and lie on the ground, or physically subduing the ones who hesitated or resisted.

Hrelle nodded with satisfaction, motioning to one of his people and pointing to the still-fallen Pack leader. "Lt Cmdr Salvo, Vincible here needs medical attention before he gets locked up with his people."

Then he looked to Sternahgen, Thom and the colonists, rubbing his paws together. "Cold today, isn't it? Sorry we're late. How can we help?"

THE ADVENTURES OF THE SUREFOOT WILL CONTINUE IN...

THE LION OF SALEM SECTOR