Part 85: Holiday Update: Let's Read: Planet X - Part 10
STAR TREK The Next Generation / X-MEN: PLANET X - part 10Last Time: King Cold fired his Deathball at planet
Chapter 29
We immediately join Riker, who's kneeling beside a dead Draa'kon who's half-buried. Gee, I wonder who could be responsible (it's Rahatan). Riker asks who could've done it, and Storm helpfully points out that it was probably one of the super-powered transformed. Riker is incredulous. Then he takes a moment of our precious time to remember what it was like when he had Q powers and decides that Storm's idea is plausible after all.
They then hear a distant rumbling, so Storm grabs Riker and they fly towards it. Riker again contemplates his lost Q powers.
Planet X posted:
When he had had the powers of a Q at his disposal, Riker had never thought of using them to fly. Now, as he and the mutant rose higher than the highest building in Verdeen, he regretted the oversight.
Q: Long on power, short on having anything good to do with it.
Anyway, they stumble upon Rahatan who announces that he's in charge and suggests that Starfleet should leave. Then two redshirts show up and demand that Rahatan come down-so he
Planet X posted:
"You've made a mistake."
"Have I?" Storm asked.
"A big mistake," Rahatan told her, reeking of confidence. "You don't know what you're dealing with here."
"I see," she said. "I am overmatched?"
"That's one way to put it."
"I am taking my life in my hands?"
"That would be another way."
Storm's eyes narrowed. "Under the circumstances, what do you propose I do? Give up?"
He shrugged, his expression becoming almost playful. "You're a handsome woman. I think I could find a place for you. Next to me, maybe."
Storm tells Rahatan he can go fuck himself, in no uncertain terms-so he drops her in a hole (good thing the author forgot about Storm's claustrophobia). She flies out, because Rahatan couldn't read her power level properly, and starts to kick Rahatan's ass.
Rahatan's friends try to shoot her, but Riker shoots all of them but Leyden, who bitch-slaps Riker's gun away. So Riker falls on an old Kirk standby and hits Leyden in the face with a rock.
This works, and Leyden is knocked out. Storm then kicks Rahatan's ass with a 'swirling twist of wind', by picking him up off the ground and spinning him around until he gets dizzy, throws up, and passes out. Seriously.
Planet X posted:
It was over. And, beyond a shadow of a doubt, the mutant had won.
Chapter 30
We then rejoin Picard and Archangel, who are trying to disarm the Draa'kon's slow-ass missile. Archangel phasers his way into the missile and starts to disarm it. Picard complains about the heat, but this whole chapter is only four pages long. Guess what? Archangel successfully disarms the missile, then passes out, so Picard transports him back to the shuttle. Then, rather than destroying the disarmed missile, he drags it off to a distant mountain range and dumps it.
… Why not dump it into the sun, Captain? You just need to get it moving in that general direction and let the sun's gravity do the rest.
Picard then comments to himself that he now admires Archangel, even though he still thinks the guy is a bit of a douche, and then the chapter ends.
Chapter 31
We then return to Picard on the bridge of the Enterprise. The shuttles (Onizuka, Pike, and Voltaire) are on their way back to the ship, and the Enterprise now has shields and phasers again. Then the Draa'kon attack.
Planet X posted:
Before his eyes, the Connharakt had begun to stalk the shuttles like a mammoth predator, its propulsion systems at least minimally functional again, and its weapons ports ablaze with destructive energy beams.
Somehow, the Draa'kon ship had powered up its engines without Picard's knowing about it. And if he didn't react quickly, his away teams would be blown out of space.
Picard opts to try to beam his people off the shuttles, but the Enterprise's transporters are down (because how would we have any tension if they weren't? Also, the ship's shields are still up, so no beaming). The Connecticut focuses fire on the Pike and manages to disable it while the other two shuttles make their escape. Troi has an idea and… the Pike gets blown up by the Connecticut before we learn what the plan is. Ooh, mid-chapter cliffhanger, that's
We then cut back to Picard. The away team beamed over to the bridge of the Connecticut even though its shields are up. Picard orders the Enterprise to hold fire to not kill them (even though the Enterprise's phasers proved remarkably ineffective before).
Planet X posted:
Scowling, Isadjo turned in his command pod-and took in a sight he had never imagined he would see, even is his wildest lodge visions. As difficult as it was to believe, his bridge was peppered with Enterprise intruders.
As the Implementor watched, spellbound, the enemy aimed their weapons and fired. His own people did the same. There were shouts of pain and surprise and a series of thuds as Draa'kon bodies hit the deck.
Someone
Planet X posted:
As if in response to Isadjo's order, a trio emerged from the fog. One was Ettojh, his second-in-command, who was staggering backward under the influence of a powerful blow. Another was Cyggelh, his helmsman.
And the third…
The third was a figure clad in yellow and blue, with a mask covering his face. The invader was grinning, as if he liked nothing better than fighting for his life in close and dangerous quarters.
[…]
Before the implementor's eyes, the yellow-and-blue one slashed Ettojh's disruptor from his grasp and delivered a savage kick to his midsection.
[…]
Then the invader turned to Isadjo himself. "Hey," he said. "I'll bet you're the creepy crawler in charge. I mean, you are the biggest, fattest guy around."
[…]
Suddenly, the invader came flying out of the cloud at him, all feet and claws and savage grin. There was no time to run, no time to fire again. There wasn't even time for Isadjo to brace himself as the enemy's boot heel smashed him right between the eyes.
Aaaand once again, King Cold goes down under attack by some spiky-haired guy with a blade.
We then cut back to Picard, the other shuttles are onboard, then Troi hails and says they've taken control of the Connecticut. Everyone cheers,
Next Time: The dénouement. Also, shenanigans.