[Scene:  aboard Pegasus.  Now only a couple dozen light-years from the homeworld of the Shelliak Corporate, four Shelliak warships face off against our intrepid heroes.
The bridge turbolift doors slide apart, and out walks a hooded figure that one can only presume is His Rudeness™, since the cloak is the same one that was worn during the first encounter.  Underneath the hood, the eyes are once again glowing purple.
[Gee, I wonder if I could get him to teach me  that trick.]
KORRIOTH:  No.  It’s unnerving enough when he  does it.
[Damn.  I never get to have any fun.]
KORRIOTH:  What do you do with that outrageous salary he pays you?
[Salary?  Please to explain this concept.]
T-BONE MCMANX:  Conscript, Captain.
KORRIOTH:  Oh.
HOODED FIGURE:  Ssssh!  (to Korrioth) Report, Captain.
[The voice is once again a foreboding baritone.  Korrioth resists the urge to jump…but it’s close.]
KORRIOTH:  Four Shelliak warships blocking our path, sir.  They have powered up their batteries and achieved weapons lock.  I have raised our sheilds and ordered them reinfor—
K’HADIBAK’H:  Incoming!!!
[On the screen, disruptor fire lashes out and hits Pegasus.  The ship bucks; bodies go flying.  But not the hooded figure – with one hand on the deck railing, he may as well have been a statue.  He walks over to offer Korrioth a hand.]
HOODED FIGURE:  You’re bleeding, Captain.
KORRIOTH:  I…(shakes head, as if to clear cobwebs)…will be alright, sir.  (to K’hadibak’h) Report!
K’HADIBAK’H (climbing back into seat):  Sheilds down three percent, Captain.  No appreciable damage to the ship…but I don’t recommend sitting here and taking much more of that.
HOODED FIGURE:  Agreed, Lieutenant.
[The cloaked figure raises one outstreched hand.  Korrioth grabs the arm.]
K’HADIBAK’H:  M’liege, taking one of those ships out nearly killed you.  You don’t have the strength for four so soon…!
HOODED FIGURE:  That’s not what I had in mind, Captain.  Watch and learn.
[The hooded figure again stretches out his hand as if searching.  After a few seconds, he moves his hand over slightly and repeats the procedure – then again, and again.
The Shelliak contingent breaks formation and moves to surround Pegasus, though not quite directly in line with her anymore.]
HOODED FIGURE:  Report, tactical.
K’HADIBAK’H (gaping at his readouts):  They’ve…they’ve dissolved their target lock, sir!  This is impossible…they…they seem to be targeting each other!!!
HOODED FIGURE:  Z minus 5,000 meters until we’re clear of them, Lieutenant, then ahead on our original course to the Shelliak homeworld.  Keep the Shelliak vessels on screen throughout.
[K’hadibak’h is quick to comply, moving Pegasus  down and around the Shelliak.  As Pegasus  clears, the Shelliak vessels begin firing on each other.  One is immediately vaporized; the remaining three batter each other mercilessly.
All except the hooded figure gape with widened eyes at the screen.  Korrioth is first to find his voice.]
KORRIOTH:  My lord…how…?
HOODED FIGURE:  It’s nothing you couldn’t have done yourself, Captain, although you would need more Vulcan blood in you to affect all four minds simultaneously.
[The figure’s voice no longer resonates as it did.  Korrioth merely stares at the figure in wonder.  He notices the eyes no longer glow purple.]
HOODED FIGURE:  I merely planted the idea in all four ship commanders’ minds to forget about us and shoot at other targets.
[A look of understanding crosses Korrioth’s face.  The hooded one goes and eases himself into the command chair.]
HOODED FIGURE:  It requires a lot less power than, say, overloading an entire ship’s operational systems.  (to K’hadibak’h) Standard orbit above the planet, K’hadibak’h.  Locate the planetary government headquarters and lock quantum torpedoes thereupon.  Mr. McManx, raise the High Command of the Shelliak Corporate.
K’HADIBAK’H, MCMANX:  Yes, m’lord.
(To be continued…)
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