Deep Shit 69 - Chapter 7-2

As the rescue team plotted, Hardassia moved from the first into the second moonrise. Krisko was hustled from his cell and taken to a courtyard within the Justice Ministry complex. A large gallows occupied the center stage. As Krisko looked up to view the scene, he spotted Gul Lattrek standing smugly beside the gallows.

KRS: Care to give it a dry run, Lattrek?
LTK: Your humor,...so pitiful. I shall see to it that you are well hung.
KRS: My wife, Marla, always thought highly of me.
LTK: Laugh while you can, Krisko. You'll make great entertainment for your audience.

As Krisko looked about, he saw a massive crowd building in the courtyard. Lattrek addressed the crowd with great fanfare, reading the charges against Krisko to the audience. When he was done, he approached Krisko.

LTK: Have you any last words, Commander Krisko?
KRS" A coward dies many times in his life, but the valiant only once tastes death!"
LTK: I think I'll add plagiarism to the list of your transgressions.
KRS: You're really enjoying this aren't you, Lattrek?

As he spoke, Lattrek pointed to a balcony overlooking the festivities. Three Hardassian females smiled and waved to the Gul.

KRS: Care to introduce me, Lattrek?
LTK: Naturally. The woman in the center is my wife, the Lady Fin'Gher. She is flanked by my daughters: the Maiden Giappan and the Maiden Tie'Whon.
KRS: How come your daughters bear a striking resemblance to Gul Droppings?

Lattrek glared at Krisko and shoved him towards the executioner, who place the noose around Krisko's neck. Before a cowl was placed over his head, Lattrek addressed him once more.

LTK: How does the noose feel, Krisko?
KRS: Too loose, Lattrek.
LTK: We shall see who has the last laugh, human!

As the festivities drew to a fever pitch, the insertion team made their way through the crowd. The members reported in.

JST: Brooke, can your team get a shot at the gallows from there?
BRK: Not yet, Lieutenant! Shiv and Bowie are slicing their way to the rear of the stage.
JST: OK, keep me posted. O'Brother, how's that locator beam going?
MOB: I can't get close enough to get a fix on the Commander, yet! These goddamned, bloodthirsty Hardies are unbelievable!
JST: Keep pushing forward, Miles! You've got to get closer to fix the transponder on him!
MOB: I'm,...ouch, watch my feet, dammit! I'm trying, Justa!

As Justa moved in closer, she felt a cold hand grasp her shoulder. As she looked around her, she found herself surrounded by Hardassian troops. As they led her away, O' Brother spotted the goings-on but couldn't break away from his duties to help her. He motioned to several members of the insertion team to follow her and report back to him.

Just found herself hustled into a bleak, dank room. She was forcibly seated into a hard chair and secured to it. The guards left her alone then and as she struggled to free herself, another Hardassian entered the room. She found herself face-to-face with Gul Droppings.

DRP: Lieutenant Broad! You're so glad to see me,...I mean, I am so glad to see you!
JST: I wish I could say the same, Droppings!
DRP: Did you drop in to see the festivities?
JST: I'm here under the authority of the Vulcan consulate! Check my credentials!
DRP: Despite their altruism, we Hardassians know the Vulcans are merely the intellectual puppets of the Federation. You immunity means nothing to us!
JST: Once again, you violate the treaty, Droppings.
DRP: Violate? I liken our actions to "regional interpretation," Lieutenant.
JST: Just like claiming the gasshole?
DRP: The gasshole was ours from the time of the Majoran Occupation!
JST: Are you going to argue semantics with me,...or did you have something more sordid in mind?
DRP: I'm sure Gul Lattrek will be glad to know his gallows won't grow cold any time soon.

As Gul Droppings let that sink in, he left Justa alone in the dark room.

Having witnessed Justa's interrogation, the Marine operatives reported the bad news back to O'Brother. He, in turn, passed word onto Colonel Moppett-DeFleur. Disgusted, the Colonel passed word onto the station, where the communications officers told two friends and they told two friends and they told two friends, and so on and so on, and,..oh, what the hell! Let's get back to the story at hand: Justa's capture was only another glitch in a long series of unanticipated mishaps.

Back at the gallows, Gul Lattrek was winding down the festivities preceding Krisko's execution. As he made ready to give the executioner the high sign, a page (more like a leaflet, as he was quite young) darted from the crowd and spoke briefly to Lattrek. Lattrek smiled, dismissed the page and turned to again addressed the square.

LTK: Fellow Hardassians! I have received shocking news! It seems we have Federation spies in our midst!

The crowd reacted with typical Hardassian fervor to this news. When the gathering quieted some, Lattrek continued.

LTK: Gul Droppings, my good friend, a hero to the Union, has captured a high-ranking officer from our former outpost of Terak Nor! It appears, ladies and gentlemen, that you shall get TWO executions fro the price of one today!

Lattrek approached Krisko on the gallows. Having been hooded for the execution, Krisko was literally left in the dark about these events.

KRS: Lattrek! What kind of sick joke is this??
LTK: Your friends back on DS 69 have made a futile attempt to usurp Hardassian justice. In a short while, we shall round up the entire squad of these human fools and send a message back to the Federation not to screw with us again! Ha-ha-ha!

Down in the square, the news filtered to O'Brother and Brooke's insertion team. Before they could make their escapes, O'Brother and Brooke found themselves set upon by a mob of angry Hardassians. In a last, desperate move, O'Brother hailed the Deflated:

MOB: O'Brother to Deflated: Send in the clones! We've got to have clones!

Immediately, the shimmer of a transporter beam filled their corner of the courtyard.

BRK: Don't bother,..they're here!

A fierce firefight ensued between the Marines and the Hardassian guards. O'Brother, using the diversion, made his way back to the gallows. Lattrek spotted him immediately and began to fire upon him. O'Brother took cover behind a sales stall and returned fire.

As all of the confusion swirled about him, Krisko attempted to wriggle free of his shackles, hoping the swirling confusion would cover his actions. Unfortunately, Lattrek spotted Krisko's escape attempt. Dodging phaser fire from O'Brother, Lattrek gave the executioner the high sign to drop the trap door from beneath Krisko's feet. As he did this, O'Brother got off several quick phaser shots at Lattrek's head and torso. Lattrek crumpled to the ground and, gasping, he screamed to Krisko as the floor gave way:

LTK: I'll,...I'll see you in hell, Krisko!
KRS: You'll have a long wait, Lattrek!

With a fierce phaser battle occupying the square, Krisko felt the floor beneath him give way. His heart sank as fast as he did. Then, even through his shroud, he saw a blinding light.

The same light similarly blinded everyone in the square. As the fighting stopped, a voice penetrated the crowd.

MLA: STOP!!!


Is this the end of our heroes? Will Krisko "follow the light?" Tune in next time to find out!



Ed. note: Majoran mammary joke courtesy of TheFed, commander, SS After You,...Federation coastal runabout.