Free Enterprise - Another One Bites The Dust #128

The usually impeccably dressed Nietzschean Queen Mother was dressed down in jeans, trainers, t-shirt, and large hooded sweatshirt, and she had the deep hood over her head. Victoria's Ceremonial Guard surrounded her and escorted her to an undisclosed merchant vessel.

Before the hatch closed, Victoria's stood in the doorway and cast a longing gaze at Pinnacles countryside.

“Lady. We must leave now or will lose the window of opportunity.” the vessel's captain said respectfully.

“So be it, then.” Victoria replied. She was led away by her Ladies In Waiting to her accommodations, as the crew closed the hatch and prepared to lift off.

Minutes later, twenty ships left orbit and immediately went into warp. According to Space Central's records, all of the vessels were merchant ships heading for various destinations and trade routes. So, no one was the wiser that The Queen Mother and her entourage had left the planet.


* * * * * * * * * * *

From quite some distance away, the Q silently watched. Earlier they had discovered Q's hiding place. Most were dismayed to find he had set up his own private box seat, with refreshments close at hand in case he needed a snack.
He also had New Year's type noise makers, foam fingers, confetti and. . . .

“What is this substance?” the Vulcan Q asked, as he held up a half eaten bucket of the stuff.

“It's Crunch and Munch. A popular peanut and popcorn Earth snack food. It's usually eaten during sporting events or during movies.” Janeway Q explained.

Herein was the difference between those Q who were just WERE, and those who were accepted into their ranks after death. Katheryn Janeway had already experienced life, therefore KNEW the intricacies of life whereas the others only KNEW ABOUT life.

“It was a personal childhood favorite of mine.” she added as she sat in one of the cushy stadium seats which resembled an armchair. She waved a hand and the multi-verse focused on one scene. A young Nietzschean male was hiding somewhere on Deep Space Ten and whispering into a hand held communications devise.

“My, what have we here?” Janeway asked no one in particular as they watched.

“ . . . . . . .it took some doing but I finally got some answers. It appears that Rear Admiral Tyr Anasazi's ship is missing.” The young man said.

“Missing? How?” a female voice inquired.

“The 10th Fleet was set to go on a charity and rescue mission to Avon Six however, at the last minute the station received a distress call. All of the ships went to render assistance. All have returned and since gone on to Avon Six except The Insurrection.” The young man reported. “They have been searching for his ship and have not found it yet. Of course they've been keeping this hush-hush. . . .” he continued.

“Excellent. This is just the thing Agamemnon needs to hear. Now get your butt off that station and back here ASAP! We've got serious work to do back on Pinnacle.” she ordered.

“Yes, Lady!” the young man said. He immediately closed his devise and hurried to the nearest DS10 public transporter. Ten minutes later, he was back on the undisclosed vessel and it flashed out of sight as it went into warp.


* * * * * * * * * * *

In the multi-verse theater the Q watched as the female captain of the ship had a conference call with Agamemnon. They watched as he heard the news about his youngest brother being missing without batting an eyelash.

“You'd think he would show some kind of distress.” one female Q stated.
“After all, it is his brother.” a male Q stated.

“. . . . . And the Nietzschean Viceroy.” still another female stated.

“There lies the problem. Agamemnon wants his brother to be either permanently missing or dead, so he can take the throne, which he believes is rightfully his.” Janeway stated.

“Then we will release Tyr and let him return to Pinnacle. . . .” yet another Q piped up.

“No, even though that seems like the most expedient thing to do, we cannot do it. We must consider every alternate timeline.” Janeway explained. “Currently there are two. If we set Tyr free and he returns, Agamemnon will not reveal his rebellion until three years from now. By then his so called fledgling movement will have become a cult following. There will be a horrendous civil war and millions of lives will be lost, including Tyr, Victoria, and most of Pride Kodiak. The other option is to allow The Insurrection stay right where she is and allow the events to play themselves out.”

“What about that vessel?” the Vulcan Q inquired as he gazed the so-called merchant vessel that streaked along at warp ten. This fact had given the Vulcan Q reason to wonder. After all, no mere merchant vessel had the capability to travel at such speeds. And if the vessel itself was suspect, so were those on board her.

“That ship? Oh, it's about to suffer a very nasty accident.” Janeway replied, as the ship exploded.

“As an old Earth song succinctly said: Another One Bites The Dust.” she stated.





* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


On Pinnacle, Agamemnon was having a private meeting with five men who he considered to be his most trusted lieutenants. These five men were not part of his family, nor members of Pride Kodiak. They were outsiders who he had gathered together as comrades in his struggle to return the throne to the rightful heir. Himself.

They were currently dinning in an exclusive restaurant named River City. They had reserved a private room, which included their table being waited upon by a private waiters. Food served, the wait staff retreated leaving them to eat in peace.

The purpose of said meeting was to discuss the future of the Nietzschean Ruling Class. Agamemnon opened the meeting by telling them the news he had just received from a spy he'd sent to Deep Space Ten by way of a troop carrier. Which by the way was disguised as a merchant vessel. The so-called merchants on board were renegade members of the Nietzschean military. . . . . . .

Agamemnon was starving and had nearly finished his meal before noticing that his compatriots had barely touched theirs.

“Agamemnon. Look at me.” the leader named Casius stated. Agamemnon did.

“There are not many things that can poison a Nietzschean, but there is a secret formula that only the Enforcers use.” he continued. Agamemnon's eyes widened as the word “Enforcers“ hit him like a brick upside the head.

“You should be feeling strange right about now, as your autonomic systems start to shut down one by one. . . . . .”

“A genetically modified Neuro-toxin. . . . . .” Agamemnon thought helplessly to himself.   He would'e said the words, but his mouth no longer worked. . . . . . . .

“ . . . . . . . . . You should have known that we could not allow you to execute what you've planned. Barbarossa had his suspicions about you and that is the reason you were not chosen to inherit the crown and throne. This is also the very reason Barbarossa set 'the hounds' upon your heels. Victoria is safely in exile, and every one of your so-called compatriots are being hunted down and dealt with as we speak. Your plan has failed, Agamemnon.” Casious stated.

With that, Agamemnon breathed his last and died.