Notes & Disclaimers: Finally, three years later, the trilogy is done. This
will teach me to never call anything a trilogy ever again! I'm really quite
fond of this one, so I hope you enjoy it. That being said, hopefully, it
stands by itself enough that you can read this and understand what's going
on even if you've never read the preceding two stories.
I've desperately wanted to write a story with Jack in it since PotC came
out, so this is it. But definitely expect the good Captain to make future
appearances! There are adventures afoot. My launching point was a short
story my co-writer in this universe wrote, titled 'Drink Up'. You can find
it here: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/1445146/1/
The title is from a favourite traditional Scots song of mine, 'Laddie Lie
Near Me', specifically the Connie Dover version on the album, "Wishing
Well". You can see the lyrics here: http://ithidrial.livejournal.com/29981.html
I don't own anyone but Triona, Stephanie, and varied ship's crew -- like
that's a surprise. Methos, LaCroix, Jack Sparrow; none of them are mine.
Too darn bad too!
A sequel to "When Did Forever Die?" which can be found on my archive:
http://www.ondragonswing.com/tales/whendie.html
This is rated around a PG13.
A story in the Bloodties Series.
@__________________@
'Now We Are Met Again'
c. 2006
Part One
"I don't care, Captain! Do what you have to, and get my damn ship back! Is
that clear?" Triona MacAlpine, Defense Minister of the Imladrin Planetary
Union, commanded, glaring at the captain of the Sparta through the view
screen from the command chair of her flagship, the Scotia.
"We're doing our best, ma'am. But the Alqualondë is one of the fastest
ships..." Captain Montrose began to explain, fiddling distractedly at one
of the small silver buttons that ran up his green uniform jacket in a
triple row.
She cut him off. "I know how fast she is, Captain! I designed it!" Taking a
deep calming breath, she paused. She knew Montrose was doing his best, but
damn it all, the man just couldn't seem to think outside the box. Sometimes
it was hard to believe he'd captained a ship in the Royal Navy in the days
of sail -- Jack Aubrey, he was not. But the Immortal was a solid and
reliable commander, even if he seemed to find the actions of his much
younger superior baffling at times. "Whoever took it hasn't had time to
familiarize themselves with the ship's operating system. That means we have
an edge - for now. Speed isn't the only way to take down your prey."
"Ma'am?"
Triona brought up a holographic display of the space the Sparta - and her
stolen ship - were currently in. "There's a small debris field just inside
the edge of this nebula." She toggled the controls, highlighting the area
for Captain Montrose. "See? Right there."
"You think that's where he'll take her?" He peered at the display as if he
were looking through spectacles. Triona had always thought he looked a
little like a middle-aged Benjamin Franklin, so his expression completed
the mental image.
"I would." Triona nodded, snapping off the holodisplay. She tugged at the
banded collar of her jacket in irritation. She'd forgotten it was slightly
too tight, and it was driving her crazy. "You only have to get close enough
to transmit the override signal. Once you've done that, we've got them.
They won't have time to figure out a way around the systems to get her
started again." She straightened. "We'll be at your coordinates in one
hour. You have your orders, Captain."
"Aye, ma'am!"
Dismissing the Captain, she ordered the communications officer to end
transmission. Methos, who until now, had been standing behind the command
area, moved forward. He was the only one on the command deck not in the
dark opal green Imladrin Spacefleet uniform jacket and forest green pants.
He was however dressed slightly more formally than was his usual habit, in
an unadorned dark blue long sleeved tunic, black pants and boots.
Putting a light hand on her shoulder, he asked quietly, "Why are you taking
this so personally? We've had ships pirated before. It's not the first
time, and it won't be the last."
"Because it is personal this time," she said through clenched teeth. "I've
had enough! The Orion Syndicate has tried to have me killed, attacked our
trade routes and outer colonies, and I'm sick of it!"
"But you have good commanders whose job it is to deal with situations like
this," he countered.
She shook her head. Methos had never really understood her emotional
connection to her ships. Considering she didn't really understand herself
sometimes, that wasn't too surprising, she guessed. "This isn't just any
ship," she said quietly, glaring at him when he rolled his eyes. "Damn it,
I mean it! I'm not talking about the years my team and I have put into
designing it. I'm talking about the technology on her. There are
innovations in the engine design alone that makes it more valuable than
this cruiser!"
"You're telling me that your oversized pleasure yacht is more important
than the flagship of the Imladrin fleet?" Triona bristled at 'oversized
pleasure yacht', and would have erupted if not for being on the bridge. At
her look of complete indignation, Methos couldn't restrain the laughter
he'd been trying very hard to hold in.
"Oh, very funny." Triona turned away, pointedly ignoring her still laughing
husband as she stood. "Commodore Arnisen, you have the bridge. Keep me
informed of our status."
"Yes, ma'am," the tall, willowy redhead said smartly as she took the
command chair vacated by Triona. Arianna Arnisen, one of Triona's most
trusted and accomplished officers, was amongst a number of vampires that
served in the Imladrin fleet. Margaretta Stamford, a vampire family member
of Triona's - a 'granddaughter' of her own Master, Lucien LaCroix -- had
brought her across just prior to WWIII. Arianna's husband, an Immortal,
commanded a regiment of IPU marines on Imladris's Artatama colony.
Still chuckling quietly to himself, Methos followed Triona off the bridge,
leaving the pursuit in the Commodore's very capable hands.
@______________@
Triona gazed fondly at the holopic of her daughter Lucia that sat on the
desk of her office on the Scotia. It had been taken just a few weeks before
on the beach of their island home. The baby's intensely blue eyes, framed
by red curls, looked up at her. It had been nearly a year since her birth,
and this had been the first time Triona had been off planet since then.
Methos pulled her back against him, saying softly into her ear, "She's
fine." The oldest Immortal had far more experience with babies than his
wife did, having been married dozens of times over the millennia to widows
with children. He was much more carefree than his wife was when it came to
child rearing.
"I know she is, but I still miss her." She turned in his arms, looking up
at him. "I'm sure Lucien is spoiling her rotten with me not there to curb
his enthusiasm."
"Not to mention her aunts and the entire household staff."
"Look who's talking!"
"Me? Are you implying I spoil the child?"
"No, not implying." Triona leaned up, kissing him. "You're just an old
softie," she whispered. It was true. Lucia had Methos wrapped around her
little finger, and she didn't even know it yet.
Before Methos could respond, the comm whistled for attention. Commodore
Arnisen's disembodied voice issued from hidden speakers, "Minister, we've
reached the Sparta's coordinates, and Captain Montrose reports he has
picked up the Alqualondë on sensors."
"Excellent, Commodore!" Triona replied with a hint of predatory
anticipation in her voice, smoothing her long jacket. 'I'll come to the
bridge shortly." She looked at Methos with a glint in her eye. "Whoever it
is that took my ship is going to *very* sorry."
@_______________@
A few minutes later, Triona was once again in the command chair of the
Scotia, Methos leaning negligently against the back, propped up with one
elbow. She sat quietly as she digested Captain Montrose's report, tapping
one booted foot against the base of her chair. When he was done, she said,
"Very good, Captain. You have the situation under control. I leave the
capture of the Alqualondë in your very capable hands."
Captain Montrose snapped to attention. "I am honoured by your trust in me,
ma'am."
Triona firmly pushed away all mental images of Benjamin Franklin,
suppressing a smile. "Not at all, Captain. It's why I have good people
under my command after all." She knew Methos was smirking behind her.
"MacAlpine out."
One hour passed, and then another, as the Sparta played cat-and-mouse with
the unknown captor of the Alqualondë. Finally Triona's patience was
rewarded as she listened to the audio coming from the Sparta. "To those on
board the Alqualondë, this is ISV Sparta, your engines are nonfunctional,
and your shields are down. Prepare to be boarded."
There was no response from the Alqualondë.
"Life signs?" Triona asked.
"Ten in total, ma'am. Seven humanoid, one Andorian, two Romulan," replied
the security officer.
The Sparta hailed the Alqualondë once more with similar result.
"Open a channel to Captain Montrose," Triona ordered. "Captain, prepare a
boarding party and await my signal." She turned to Commodore Arnisen.
"They're armed and cornered, and I'd prefer them unable to fight back
before we send our people in there."
"Agreed, Minister." Arnisen nodded. "What do you have in mind?"
Going to the science station, she pondered a moment before entering a
series of commands into the terminal. "I've rerouted the energy conduit to
the Alqualondë's shielding, and reversed the polarity. When I initiate, the
shielding will act like a stun blast from a phaser, rendering the pirates
unconscious." She paused a moment, before adding, "I think."
"You think?" Methos asked.
Triona galloped her fingers across the surface of the science station
terminal. "It might kill them." Then she looked up. "But either way, it'll
solve the immediate problem," she declared coolly.
Arnisen nodded, accepting her superior's statement without blinking an eye.
"And once we have the ship secured?"
"Beam them to the brig on the Sparta - and secure them in separate cells.
Secure the Alqualondë and bring it into our docking bay."
Arnisen nodded her understanding and proceeded to convey Triona's orders to
the crew. "We're all ready here," she told the Imladrin Defense Minister.
"And the Sparta awaits your signal."
"In five... four... three... two... one. Initiating sequence." Triona
pressed the touchpad. "Report," she snapped out.
"Life signs are now dormant," the Scotia's science officer replied.
"Captain Montrose, board the Alqualondë," Commodore Arnisen ordered.
@______________@
Ith *Ithildin@OnDragonsWing.com* Denise
* Make Tea, Not Love ~Monty Python *
* Vermilion Sea: http://ithidrial.livejournal.com/ *
* HOUSE M.D. http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/DrHouse/ *
* The Darkwood http://ondragonswing.com/tales/ *
Ith *Ithildin@OnDragonsWing.com* Denise
* Make Tea, Not Love ~Monty Python *
* Vermilion Sea: http://ithidrial.livejournal.com/ *
* HOUSE M.D. http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/DrHouse/ *
* The Darkwood http://ondragonswing.com/tales/ *
