Starship Armstrong - Season 2

Part 51 - Imperator Galactica (XIII)

McAfree didn't harbor any illusions that she would be able to free herself from the powerful grip of the two guards, but she intended to make carrying her as difficult as possible. She yelled, screamed, kicked, made herself limp, trying everything she could think of to hinder her captors. She didn't know where they were taking her but she was absolutely certain she didn't want to go there.

"You have meddled in something beyond your ken, provoked powers that you cannot possibly understand little girl," ranted the Emperor.

He had been ranting and raving the entire time. McAfree had tuned him out. She focused on making herself limp.

"I. AM. THE. EMPEROR!" the Emperor screamed "I. AM. THE. GALAXY!"

* * *

Takahashi scanned for Foundation insignias. Dr. Kang and Mitzner were nowhere to be found but McAfree was coming in loud and clear. She was probably outside with reception that good. Takahashi flipped the scanner to autovisual, trying to get a look at what was going on.

The habitable area of the moon wasn't very big so it wouldn't take long to track down the source of the signal and get a look.

* * *

McAfree could see the building the guards must be taking her to. She knew that nothing good could be waiting for her in that building. Even though intellectually she knew it was useless she began to really struggle in earnest, full of animal desperation to escape the trap.

While she was struggling she looked up and saw a familiar shape in the sky.

"There's one last thing I need to tell you really quick," said McAfree, only a few meters from being dragged inside.

"Oh yes? What is that?" asked the Emperor, his voice full of condescension "Did you want to beg for your life?"

"You're not the Emperor of the Milky Way. You're not even Emperor of this whole barren solar system. You're the tinpot despot of a glorified asteroid. And you're not even going to be that for much longer."

"How dare you!" shouted the Emperor who slapped her hard in the face.

That's when a wave of concussive force knocked him ten feet into the air. He flailed wildly, like a child being thrown into a pool. The Emperor fell onto the ground hard, and didn't get up.

The air being displaced by the Vostok's pulsor engine hit everyone, as the ship hovered over the scene.

"Surrender or don't," came the voice of Takahashi, amplified by the Vostok "This thing is really fun to use so if you want me to shoot you with it I will be happy to oblige. I can also take out some of your infrastructure with particle beams if you feel that's the only way honor can be satisfied. Just let me know how much of your ass I have to kick before you throw down your- what even are those? I'm trying to zoom in enough to see. Do you have spears? Are you kidding me?"

The guards threw down their halberds.

The Vostok landed with a hum, and the door opened with a hiss. A strike team led by Ensign Gul and armed with ion rifles filed out.

"We'll be taking our people back now," said Ensign Gul. His tone did not imply that this was a request.

McAfree hiked up her skirt like Mitzner had taught her and ran over to the Vostok. She jumped inside and tried to catch her breath. None of the guards dared try to stop her.

The asteroid had been liberated within a standard day. The operation was virtually bloodless.