By Richard Woodcock
Last time on Star Trek: Fortitude
Scene: Communications Array – USS Fortitude, Lower Decks
Dan Dare steps into the comms station escorted by Velra and Reeve. A lone technician glances at the admiral’s override code, then nods silently.
“You’re authorized, Colonel. You sure they’ll hear it?” Velra asks.
“If there’s one thing Digby can’t ignore, it’s me calling in a debt. Or a war.” Dan answered is a faint smile.
Dan Dare leans over the console, entering a secured frequency with quantum variance. The screen pulses blue—Spacefleet encryption recognized. He begins his message.
“To Spacefleet Command, marked for immediate receipt by Major Digby, commanding officer of the Spacefleet Fortitude.”
He speaks clearly, formally—like a commander calling the banners.
“This is Colonel Dan Dare, stranded but alive in a universe not our own. Starfleet—a parallel organization from this multiverse—has given me shelter and command access. I’ve seen their principles. Their courage. They are… family, in a different light.”
Dan learns forward.
“But the Mekon is here too. Different tactics. Same mind. He’s harnessing Lazarus—yes, that Lazarus—as an anchor to breach the walls between realities. It’s working.”
“We need reinforcement. The rift is unstable, the enemy growing. I’m invoking Omega Accord protocol—joint intervention. Request immediate cross-dimensional fleet presence.”
Dan pauses, the final appeal personal:
“Digby, I know you’re out there. Bring the Fortitude. Bring the fleet. Bring the fight.”
The Transmission ends. A moment of silence follows.
“Let’s hope the universe listens.” Velra spoke quietly.
And now the continuation…..
Scene: Spacefleet Command Ship – Fortitude (Spacefleet Universe)
Location: Outside the Rim of a Parallel Star Cluster
The light from the rift gleams onto the retro-futuristic hull of the Spacefleet Fortitude, her chromed surface catching the ambient light of nearby stars. Inside, Major Digby leans forward in his command chair, monocle gleaming faintly as an cadet hands him a data pad.
“Sir, priority communique. Encrypted… from Colonel Dan Dare.” The cadet reports.
“Well I’ll be… He’s alive.” Digby surprised, blinked at the data pad.
Digby listens intently as Dan Dare’s voice plays over the holotable, the room around him quieting. Tactical officers and Spacefleet commanders gather silently as the message concludes.
“Digby, I know you’re out there. Bring the Fortitude. Bring the fleet. Bring the fight.”
Digby sets the pad down slowly. A long pause. He turns to his command staff and speaks firmly.
“Signal the fleet. We’re mobilizing under Omega Accord protocol. Alert Commander Langridge to prep the Ajax and the Hammerstrike.”
“Sir? We’re breaching into another dimension?” Digby’s XO asked.
“No. We’re breaching home. Wherever Dare is… that’s where the line is drawn.” Digby answered smiling grimly.
Digby straightens his coat and steps onto the command platform.
“Ready the Fortitude for rift traversal. Colonel Dare’s called for us. We’ll answer.” He ordered.
Scene: Briefing Room – USS Fortitude (Starfleet Universe)
Location: Mekon Rift System
The briefing room is filled with tension. The crew of the USS Fortitude—Commander Teshla, Reeve, Velra, Neku, Akadia, Twimek, and Admiral Llewellyn—gather around the central holotable. Dan Dare stands nearby, arms folded, studying the projection of the rift system.
“We’ve confirmed Lazarus is the anchor. His remaining essence stabilizes the rift, drawing energy from the anti-matter universe through Iconian substructures.” Miles reported.
“And the Mekon is using that system to feed reinforcements, likely through dimensional back-channels.” Neku confirmed grimly.
“And we can’t shut the rift without destabilizing Lazarus or letting the Mekon escape.” Reeve postured.
“Unless we sever the Mekon’s control while using Lazarus to safely collapse the anchor array.” Velra confirmed.
“In my universe, Lazarus was a myth—two men, one shadow. When I was taken, I saw one of them—torn apart by the Mekon’s dimensional crucible. The other survived… changed.” Dan Dare spoke up.
“That may explain his return to sanity. Trauma has a way of resetting neural pathways—especially when amplified by interdimensional resonance.” Twimek assessed.
“Then the plan is this: insert a tactical team through the breach, destroy or disable the Mekon’s control node, extract Lazarus’s consciousness, and detonate the anchor array.” Teshla confirmed to everyone.
“And we’ll need to do it before the Mekon finishes whatever weapon he’s building in that citadel.” Miles followed up with.
Miles tapped a few controls on the holomap shifts to show the rift widening.
“Enemy activity along the rift’s edge has increased. They’re fortifying.” Akadia reported.
“Which means he’s scared. And close.” Velra postulated.
Dare gives a nod.
“Then let’s be scary right back.”
The team locks eyes. The clock is ticking. And the multiverse is on the line.
Location: Aboard Shuttle Anastasia, En Route to the Rift Citadel
Time: Coordinated with USS Fortitude’s engagement against the Treen fleet
Inside the darkened hold of the Anastasia, the Hazard Team is silent. Light flickers from console panels, illuminating armoured plating and focused eyes. The stars streak by briefly before they plunge into the eerie glow of the dimensional rift.
“Final checks. Gear green. No delays once we breach the perimeter.” Reeve confirmed checking his HUD.
“Nothing like an impossible mission to start the day.” CH’Korrak snorts softly.
“Dimensional compression ahead. Iconian energy signatures are rising—shield integrity may destabilize if we get too close.” Velra reported anxiously scanning scans from her console.
“Then we do not get close. We go through.” SSA’Kith spoke.
“Tactical cloaks engaged. Stealth active. But it won’t hold once we open fire.” Nalora retorted gritting her teeth.
Miles, seated behind Reeve, leans forward, voice measured and low, “Then we land hard, hit fast, and finish the job before anyone notices we were ever there.”
A low chime echoed
“Rift citadel in visual range.” Velra confirmed.
A vast lattice of floating Iconian obelisks and energy pylons orbits a mountainous core—a sphere of flickering antimatter energy suspended in spacetime distortion. Green Treen ships patrol the area, forming a loose screen. The citadel pulses—unnatural, shimmering with stolen dimensional energy.
USS Fortitude – Bridge
Red alert strobes pulse overhead as the main viewscreen shows the swirling Treen blockade.
Teshla Stands at the centre of the bridge, antennae angled forward, “Status report. All stations.”
“Treen fleet has formed a net pattern. Grid formation extending along all exit vectors. Their lead ships are powering up weapons.” Akadia reported, fingers dancing across the LCARS.
“Incoming signals—sensor pings match war-era Iconian phase cannons. Heavily modified for subspace disruption. Recommend we maintain at least thirty percent shield rotation or risk bleed-through.” Neku spoke from the science station
“Understood. Lieutenant Rose, threat assessment?” Teshla calm and resolved requested.
“Three primary cruisers, fifteen escorts, and something big lurking behind their lines—possibly a command ship. All weapons tracking us. I’d say we’re popular today, Commander.” Rose responded from Operations scanning her displays.
“Not the kind of admirers I prefer. All power to forward shields. Route warp plasma to lateral phaser arrays. Let’s give Zulu Team their window.” Teshla answered dryly.
“Targets locked. Shall I start with the ugly ones?” Rose asked?
“Start with the ones closest. Then the ugly ones.” Teshla smiled arching her eybrow.
“Main power holding at ninety-two percent. Auxiliary reactors spun up. If you need to push the grid harder, say the word—just don’t ask me to keep the hull pretty.” Penny confirmed over the comm in engineering.
“I’ll trade aesthetics for structural integrity any day. Acknowledged, Penny.” Teshla answered back.
“Commander, external hails coming in. Treen channels are jamming standard subspace, but I’m pushing updates through a low-band carrier. Star Fleet Command acknowledges our last signal. Reinforcements en route—estimated arrival: too damn long.” Rose gave a knowing smile.
Laughter bubbles up from one of the junior officers before quickly fading as the deck shudders.
“Noted, Ms Harrington. Helm?”
Fox White at the Conn, tapping controls as he steadies the inertial dampeners:
“All vectors plotted for evasive sequence theta. Thrusters standing by. Just say the word, Commander—though we may lose some paint.”
“I’ll authorize a fresh coat when this is over. Engage evasive pattern at my mark.” Teshla gave a grim smile and wink.
Teshla’s gaze sweeps the bridge, meeting every pair of eyes.
“This crew has stood every watch, every shift. Today will be no different. Our duty is clear—protect the team, hold the line. And if the Treens think they can break the Fortitude…”
Teshla steps closer to the viewscreen, voice lowering to an iron calm.
“…then they haven’t read our service record.”
A tense silence settles. Stations flicker with readiness lights, phaser banks armed, shield modulation cycles cycling.
“Well, if they did read it, they must be very brave… or very stupid.” Fox white says dryly without looking up from his Helm Station fingers flying over the controls with seasoned grace.
There’s a faint ripple of wry smiles among the bridge officers.
“Security teams to all critical compartments. Prepare to repel boarders. Mr. White, keep them guessing.” Teshla ordered.
“With pleasure, Commander. Let’s make sure their report cards end here.” Fox answered nodding.
The lights dim as the Fortitude shifts power to internal forcefields and weapons, bracing for impact or incursion.
The USS Fortitude blazes across the rift’s edge, unloading phaser bursts, quantum torpedoes, and sensor jammers. The Treen fleet responds instantly—dozens of sleek green vessels swarm forward, returning fire with rapid pulses of weapon fire.
The Fortitude’s engines roar, diving and twisting between waves of energy fire, slicing through enemy formation with explosive precision.
“Push them! We only need twelve minutes!” Teshla shouted over the alarms
Scene: Anastasia Descends
The shuttle Anastasia dives through the chaos above—a swirling maelstrom of ruptured subspace and shattered hulls drifting past her viewport. Plasma discharges strobe across the rift’s lip, silhouetting the sleek craft as it tilts nose-down and pierces the boundary.
INT. SHUTTLE – COCKPIT
Visual distortion flickers across the canopy. The citadel isn’t just a structure—it’s alive. Veins of violet energy pulse in the walls. Tessellations of crystal bloom and recede in impossible geometries.
“Everyone out. Go silent—go lethal.” Reeve orders his voice tight and clipped.
Zulu Team unstraps in a choreographed motion, visors sliding down with a soft hiss. Weapons are slung into ready position.
The Anastasia’s landing thrusters flare as she skims low over a causeway littered with half-buried obelisks, each etched with alien runes. Ash—crystallized into glassy fragments—rises in tiny clouds beneath her hull.
The shuttle dips into a narrow crevasse, hull plating scraping across jagged facets of protruding crystal. A burst of static rattles the comms.
INT. SHUTTLE – REAR BAY
Zulu Team assembles at the hatch. The lighting dims, replaced by pulsing readouts casting their Armor in cold glimmers.
“Interference is worse down here. Target signatures shifting—could be decoys.” Valra speaks up checking her tricorder scans.
“Then we clear everything that moves.” Reeve responded.
The hatch hisses open. A blast of stagnant, metallic-smelling air sweeps over them.
One by one, Zulu Team steps out. Boots crunch over the crystallized ash. The environment warps subtly around them—like reality itself is folding in and out of phase.
Pale arcs of energy dance across the obelisks, illuminating twisted reflections in every shard.
Reeve raises a gloved hand—signals.
Zulu Team fans out—pulse rifles raised, visors glowing faintly in the dark. Their silhouettes blend into the angular shadows.
Overhead, the shuttle retracts landing gear and silently lifts, vanishing into the maelstrom beyond.
For a moment, the only sound is the low hum of the citadel, like the heartbeat of something vast and ancient.
Scene: Inside the Citadel Ruins
Twisting halls of metallic glass, carved with shifting Iconian glyphs, stretch into echoing silence. Dimensional echoes murmur in the distance—shadowy impressions of figures moving a second out of phase.
“Structural integrity is fractal—no straight lines. Everything’s held in stable decay.” Velra confirmed scanning.
“I feel watched.” SSA’Kith spoke aloud.
A rumble sounds. A squad of Treen guards—cloaked in adaptive Armor—burst from the shadows, weapons raised.
“Ambush! Scatter!” Reeve Commanded.
A firefight erupts. Pulse rifles trade fire with Treen disruptors. Reeve takes down two in a diving slide. Nalora spins mid-air, firing a precision shot that collapses a walkway. Ch’Korrak lobs a plasma charge—sending debris and limbs flying.
As the smoke clears, the team finds an ancient Iconian control hub—its core is tethered to an active multiversal anchor node. Inside: the unmistakable image of Lazarus his quantum echo projected like a ghost across fractured light.
“This is it. This is the machine. He’s tied to it.” Miles spoke aloud looking at the machine.
“You’ve come… to end it?” Lazarus spoke calm the voice echoing.
“He’s aware. He’s not resisting.” Reeve commented staring at the projection.
“He wants our help.” Dan Dare answered with a low voice.
“I can’t shut it down from here… But I can trigger a destabilization. We’ll have 90 seconds to get out.” Velra commented analysing the console.
“Set your charges. Let’s collapse the Mekon’s hold and pull Lazarus from this damn machine.” Miles gave the order to Reeve.
Zulu Team moves into position as the citadel hums louder stirring awake. Overhead, the rift pulses violently, and from above… something vast begins to stir in orbit.
As Reeve prepares charges and Velra begins interfacing with the control core, the chamber’s temperature drops. The lighting shifts. Shadows elongate unnaturally.
A voice hisses from all directions at once.
“You disappoint me, Lazarus. After all our work… all that pain. And now? You side with them?” A Voice booms out loud and clear dripping with contempt.
From the far side of the chamber, a massive holographic projection of the Mekon materializes—green-skinned, enlarged cranium pulsing with psychic light, mechanical limbs folded with smug precision. Iconian emitters behind him pulse, illuminating his ghastly silhouette.
“You gave me clarity… only because you removed my tormentor. That clarity brought guilt… and guilt brought purpose.” Lazarus answered Calmly.
“You were to be a key… an anchor. But anchors can be replaced. I no longer require your consent.” The Mekon retorted his massive head tilting.
“You’re using Lazarus to tear open the multiverse.” Miles spoke up raising his rifle to the hologram.
“Not tear. Merge. My kind will rise on every Earth… every timeline. The Treens will inherit infinity.” The Mekon answered with a satisfied evil smile.
USS Fortitude – Bridge Under Siege
Teshla clutched the railing as the Fortitude rocked. rocks:
“Shields down to 14%! Hull breaches on decks 4 and 7!”
“Three Treen cruisers on our tail. We can’t hold this line much longer!” Akadia reported waving smoke away from her console.
“On the upside… I think we scratched their paint.” Rose reported grinning under pressure.
“Helm—evasive pattern Theta-Eight. Divert warp power to phasers. We hold this sky or we burn in it!” Teshla dead serious ordered.
“Multiple warp signatures inbound Starfleet transponders!” Rose practically cheered from her console.
On the viewscreen, the tactical display changed to display the names of the ships in the relief force under the command of Admiral Vossan, shields blazing, immediately laying suppressing fire into the Treen lines:
============================================
Name: USS Ryujo
Class: Excelsior II
Registry: NCC-42189
============================================
Name: USS Kongo
Class: Excelsior II
Registry: NCC-42104
============================================
Name: USS Helios
Class: Inquiry-class
Registry: NCC-89436
============================================
Name: USS Valkyrie
Class: Ark Royal-class Carrier
Registry: NCC-97821
============================================
Name: USS Resolute
Class: Ark Royal-class Carrier
Registry: NCC-97904
============================================
Name: USS Pioneer
Class: Galaxy-class Explorer
Registry: NCC-71012
============================================
Name: USS Warchild
Class: Akira-class Heavy Escort
Registry: NCC-63549
============================================
Name: USS Kral
Class: Sovereign-class Heavy Cruiser
Registry: NCC-77414
============================================
Name: USS Pathfinder
Class: Intrepid-class Long-Range Science Vessel
Registry: NCC-74975
============================================
Name: USS Vanguard
Class: Defiant-class Tactical Escort
Registry: NCC-76833
============================================
Name: USS Horizon
Class: Odyssey-class Command Cruiser
Registry: NCC-98000
============================================
Name: USS Endeavour
Class: Nebula-class Multi-Mission Cruiser
Registry: NCC-71805
============================================
Admiral Vossan voice came over the Comm:
[Fortitude, you are on point, the Fleet is Yours Commander Phyhr]
“About time. Let’s rally the line.” Teshla relieved but composed voice respond to the Admiral.
“Still outnumbered two to one. We’ll only buy time.” Neku spoke up grimly.
Suddenly another tear opens near the rift. However this one is clean and controlled, Stylized.
Teshla looks in shock as the viewscreen shows the Spacefleet Fortitude appearing, glistening with retro-futurist chrome, flanked by blue-and-white painted Spacefleet vessels.
At its helm stands Major Digby, resolute, pipe in hand, issuing crisp commands.
Starfleet and Spacefleet vessels unite, phaser arrays and gravity-pulse cannons coordinated with mathematical precision. The Treen ships scatter under the unexpected crossfire.
[Fortitude, this is the real Fortitude. Requesting battle integration.] Came the voice of Digby with a clipped British tone over the bridge speakers of the Fortitude.
“Your timing’s as dramatic as your name.” Teshla answered over the channel smiling wryly
[Don’t flatter me, I’m not a flag officer.] Digby dryly answered.
Scene: Ground Deployment – Reinforcements Arrive
Back in the Citadel, Treen reinforcements teleport in but new Hazard Team’s from the Star Fleet relief fleet beam in, along with Spacefleet Marines in heavy ceramic armor, storm the flanks through beam-in corridors. Plasma grenades and chronometric shields flash in the narrow halls.
“Guess command got our postcard.” Reeve quipped as a Treen shot past him.
“Finally—someone else to shoot at these Treens.”CH’Korrak half joked as he slammed a rifle but into another Treen.
“Hold position! The anchor’s not done yet!” Miles ordered
“You are children. Ants. You’ve delayed inevitability—not prevented it.” The Mekon holographic display screamed furious.
“Trigger the feedback loop. Collapse the chamber. I’ll sever the link from within.” Lazarus spoke to Miles and Dan his voice shaking.
“No. You don’t die fixing his mistake.” Dan Dare spoke locking eyes.
“It’s not about dying. It’s about choosing… who I am.” Lazarus resolutely answered.
He smiles faintly. Then vanishes into the light.
As the last of the Treen defenders fall and the Mekon’s projection fades into static, Lazarus steps into the pulse field at the heart of the anchor array. Streams of multiversal energy writhe around him too much for one man to contain.
“Feedback loop charging—multiversal tension is critical!” Verla came over the teams comm badges having to scream to be heard.
“I have one chance. One truth. Let me make it count.” Lazarus said calmly.
Lazarus presses both palms to the Iconian crystal core. Light erupts. The anchor fragments implode in slow-motion across planes of existence. A deafening roar echoes across sensors as the rift begins to tear inward.
“Lazarus—!” Dan Dare shouts.
To be Continued……
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NRPG:
One final part to come, I wonder what will happen next?