All characters TM & copyright 1998 by ZEBEC/TV Tokyo
The Wrath of Nadesico
by
W*ING Higley
Yurika whooped with joy as the Nadesico^�s Anti-Grav cannon ripped a huge, 10 meter long hole in the side of the Jovian Super Carrier.
Looking at Ruri, Yurika asked, ^�What^�s their status?^�
Ruri Hoshino squinted as she studied the read-outs on her display screen. ^�They^�re dead in the water, Captain. Engines are off-line and life-support is nominal.
Yurika nodded and turned to Megumi, the ship^�s communications officer. ^�Megumi, is their communications grid working?^�
^�I believe so, Captain. I^�m getting faint intra-ship signals.^�
^�Very good, Megumi. Patch me through.^�
Turning to the main viewscreen, Yurika waited until Megumi gave her the signal to begin speaking. ^�Jovian carrier, this is the High Mobile Battleship Nadesico. Prepare to lower your shields and take on boarding parties. If you surrender peacefully, I guarantee that you will be treated fairly.^�
They waited quietly for any sign of response from the Jovian ship. Ruri grew wide-eyed, however, as she read the latest reports from ship^�s sensors.
^�Captain! I^�m getting huge energy spikes from the Jovian carrier.^�
Yurika rushed to Ruri^�s side. ^�What is it?^�
Ruri studied the read-outs for a moment before saying, ^�It^�s a matter/anti-matter self-destruct device.^�
^�WHAT?!!?^� Yurika said in shock.
^�Yes,^� Ruri said, ^�the Jovians have matter/anti-matter technology on this ship.^�
Megumi became puzzled. ^�What^�s that mean, exactly.^�
Ruri rolled her eyes. ^�When matter/anti-matter intermix, it can create an explosion with the force level of a supernova.^�
^�Meaning....^�
^�Meaning we have to get out of here, now!^� Yurika screamed. ^�Minato, full speed.^�
The helmswoman looked panic. ^�I can^�t, Captain. The engines have suffered too much damage.
^�Megumi! Get me engineering!^�
*****
^�I repeat, we need maximun power. Mr. Uribatake, do you copy?^�
^�I can^�t do it, Captain.^� Uribatake^�s voice sounded weak and haggard to Yurika. ^�There^�s a breach in the intermix chamber, it^�s...radia-...radiation....^�
He collapsed to the ground.
*****
^�Megumi, get Dr. Versange down there.^�
As Megumi radioed sickbay, Ruri paused to consider things. Nodding silently to herself, she got up from her post and headed towards the elevators.
*****
^�How is he?^� Inez Versange looked up in surprise to see Ruri standing over her and Uribatake.
^�He^�ll live, but he won^�t do us any good right now.^�
^�What^�s wrong with the engines?^� Ruri asked.
>From where he lay, Uribatake gasped, ^�The intermix chamber is jammed and we don^�t have any contamination suits on board. We need to de-pressurize the chamber, and then go in and manually unclog the system.^�
Ruri frowned slightly. ^�We do not have time to de-pressurize the chamber. The Jovian ship will self-destruct in less than a minute.^�
^�Then we^�re doomed,^� Inez said morosely.
^�No, we^�re not.^� With that, Ruri punched the button to open the intermix chamber, then stepped inside and locked the hatch before a stunned Inez or Uribatake could stop her.
Horrified, the two watched as Ruri Hoshino opened the intermix hatch and began to pull gobs of the fuel-solid out of the jammed tube.
^�NO!^� Versange rushed to the Plexiglas shield that separated engineering and the chamber, banging desperately on the shield to try and get Ruri to stop.
*****
^�10 seconds to detonation,^� Megumi reported sadly.
Suddenly, Minato shouted, ^�Captain, we have full power!^�
^�Bless you, Uribatake. Full-speed out of here, then.^� Yurika collapsed into her chair in relief. On the screen, she watched as the Jovian Super Carrier shrank away, then exploded in an amazing display of pyrotechnics.
^�Bridge to Engineering, good work Mr. Uribatake.^� Yurika frowned at the silence that followed on the Comm-channel.
Finally, ^�Captain, I think you should get down here.^� Yurika became worried when she realized that it was Ms. Versange speaking, then she panicked when she noticed that Ruri was not at her station.
*****
Engineering was packed with crewpeople, Yurika noted. Among them Akito and Ryoko. They were all staring at the intermix chamber, where Ruri Hoshino lay slumped against the ground.
^�NO!^� Yurika rushed towards the chamber, only to be held back by Akito and Ryoko.
^�Don^�t! You^�ll flood the whole compartment!^� Akito shouted.
^�She^�ll die!^�
^�Captain, she^�s dead already.^� Yurika looked in horror at Ryoko^�s pronouncement.
She relaxed and the two let go of her. Slowly, sadly, she walked up to the chamber wall and knelt downwards. Ruri stirred and crawled towards Yurika.
Activating the intercom, Yurika said, ^�Ruri!^�
Her face was a mass of welts and boils, radiation burns covering her hands.
^�The ship....out of danger?^� Ruri had a hard time speaking.
^�Yes.^�
^�Don^�t grieve...Captain. It was only....logical. The needs....of the many....outweigh....^�
^�The needs of the few.^� Yurika finished.
^�Or...the one...^� Ruri collapsed against the bulkhead.
^�I...never took...the Kobayashi Maru test...^�till now. What did you think...of my solution?^� The ghost of a smile crossed Ruri^�s disfigured face.
Yurika was close to tears. ^�Ruri....^�
^�I have been...and always shall be...your friend.^� She placed her hand on the glass. ^�Even if...you are...an idiot.^� With that, the light left Ruri Hoshino^�s eyes and she slid downwards, dead.
^�No....^� Yurika collapsed, next to her friend.
*****
The entire crew turned out for the funeral.
Speaking solemnly, Yurika said, ^�We are assembled here today, to pay our final respects to our honored dead. But let it be said, that in giving her life for us, Ruri Hoshino ensured that life shall continue for the rest of us.^�
She choked.
^�Of my friend, I can only say this. Out of all the souls I have known....hers was the most...human.^�
Yurika finally broke down, and began weeping uncontrollably into Akito^�s arms as Ruri^�s coffin was loaded into the Anti-Grav cannon and fired off into deep space, where it became another shining star in the night.
Author's Notes: WAAYY back in July, I tried to write a fic fusing "Nadesico" and "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan." That attempt fizzled, but the sole reason for the fic was to get to the punchline you see above. Thank you for reading.
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