BEHOLDER
STARDATE 08.01.26
OLDE KINGDOM
INVERSE SPACE
“Always wear this, my son….it will protect you from evil things.”
Captain Vishanarayama incinerated Crewman Tilly as she chased him down the corridor. Crewman Fuller leapt forward, taking her place, and he was burnt to cinders as well. Crewman Portman followed, only to be met with the same fate.
Captain Vishanarayama ran around the corner holding his Phaser upright. He was breathing hard. The fight to get this far had been difficult. He lost everyone accompanying him. Now he was the only one left. if ony he could get to Security Chief Dolmen and his team…
Nearly the entire crew of the Beholder had gone insane, attacking and killing each other without cause. But Captain Vishanarayama could see the truth. His unique third eye allowed him to see the demonic spirits that were possesing everyone. They could jump from person to person and seemed to be without form. Luckily, Captain Vishanarayama wss protected from possession because of the beaded necklace his mother gave him when he was a child.
Before she was possessed and incinerated, Crewman Torres told Captain Vishanarayama about the crystal skull they took from the surface of Planet Grave. That must be the source of these spirits. Right now, the priority was to get to Auxiliary Control, to prevent the warp core destruction of the Beholder. Even now, the demons were breaking into Engineering. Stun settings don’t work on possessed individuals, only Kill settings.
Two red beams struck Crewman Marquez and Crewman Janson from behind. Their possessed colleagues, Crewman Dante and Crewman O’Brien, turned and rushed at Captain Vishanarayama as fast as they could. Captain Vishanarayama only had time to shoot Crewman O’Brien before they were upon him. Captain Vishanarayama ducked underneath Crewman Dante’s swinging claw and swept his feet out from under him with a leg sweep. The second that Crewman Dante required to get up again was all the time Captain Vishanarayama needed. He pointed his Phaser at him and fired.
The internal agony of a Captain having to kill the members of his own crewv was indescribable.
Captain Vishanarayama raced down the corridor where he was finally reunited with Security Chief Dolmen. A large humanoid tiger, Dolmen was tough enough to fend off physical attacks from possessed individuals. His whole body wsa covered with bruises, cuts, and stabs.
“Where is the rest of your team?” Captain Vishanarayama asked Secuirty Chief Dolmen through heavy breaths.
“Dead,” the broad shouldered Tigerman replied in a deep voice. “It’s just us, Captain.”
“Then we’re going to have make a final run for Auxiliary Control. It’s the only way to stop them from triggering a warp core breach. Are you ready?”
A demonic spirit silently took hold of Security Chief Dolmen. Captain Vishanarayama was momentarily looking the other direction with all three of his eyes, so he didn’t see it happen.
Captain Vishanarayama felt a blade slide into his back and through his heart. He let out one final gasp before all three of his eyes closed forever.
“I am ready,Captain,” Security Chief Dolmen said in a wicked voice. “But not in the manner in which you meant….”
Soon after, the Beholder exploded as bright as a miniature star. Its brilliance slowly faded away until finally, there was nothing left but the complete darkness of the Well of Souls.
On Planet Grave, a new set of tombstones appeared. They read: Captain Vishanarayama, Science officer/First Officer Teko, Communications Officer Mabel, Helmsman Robba, Navigator Eyug, Security Chief Dolmen, and others. The entire crew of the Beholder…who would be declared lost exactly as the Keeper Deep Space Scout, Yurei, had been before her.
SOMETIMES…WHEN YOU STARE INTO THE ABYSS, THE ABYSS STARES BACK AT YOU.
