Cold Steel: Chapter 9

[Astrid Vogler]

Major Peter Vogler of the Prophet's 8th Battalion stood with his hands behind his back on the bridge of the HES Constantine. The Cardassian cruiser they followed lashed out desperately with it's phasers, but did little damage to the heavily armored Earth ship.

Major Vogler turned and bent down to snatch his steel kettle helm from on an empty seat and rested it on his head. Fastened the chin strap, he pressed the comm button on his wrist strap. "Honored men of the one true god. The infidels flaunt their resistance to Biblical law. They fornicate, and commit the unforgivable sins of adultly and homosexuality. These Cardassians and their Federation whores must be culled from nature or their abominations will spread like wildlife across the galaxy. They must feel the kiss of cold hard steel. We must cut them! Deus vult!"

With a nod of his head Peter was beamed aboard the Cardassian ship's bridge. He drew his sword and ran it through a Bajoran woman reaching for her phaser. The Cardassian commander a tall slender male andva short dumpy Bolian female threw down their weapons and surrendered.

Vogler ran his steel through the Cardassian's heart. The other man stared back a Peter with a wide eyed expression of disbelief. ~Well you better believe it,~ Peter thought to himself. Aloud he shouted, "Sergeant Macklin would you take this lady into your custody," he said of the Bolian. "She would make a decent cook, and house maid when you break her spirit."

Peter pinched his chin between thumb and forefinger. There was defiance in her eyes, and Peter backhanded her. Sex with aliens didn't could as fornication. "Boys she's all yours. I expect you to break her spirit."

The soldiers grinned excitedly and drug the woman away screaming in terror. Peter was about to settle himself into the captain's chair when the lift doors parted.

Lieutenant Sam McPherson approached and saluted. "We control the ship sir. All them men have met the blade. Thirty good female slaves, though I think the human bitchs will be harder. We can't rape them."

"There's more than one way to skin a cat Mr. McPherson," Peter said dispassionately. "Kill the human females. They will be more trouble than they are work."

The Lieutenant grinned widely and saluted, "Yes sir!"

[Peter Vogler]

Peter's expression fell when a thin wiry man entered the bridge. He was wearing simple brown robes tied with a simple rope that hung to his knees. His close cropped grey hair had a perfect tonsure. "Bishop Sadik. What can I do for you?"

"The Infidels are banding together." He said in an odd hiss that Peter thought would be how a snake would sound if they spoke. "They cannot come to the dictations if you kill them."

"No they won't, but the men are useless to our cause. They will not convert and there is only so many slaves we can take on."

"You don't know that," Sadik hissed logically. He stood in silence for several moments before continuing, "The Messenger is in contact with granddaughter of the angel and the rose."

Peter stiffened, "What does that mean?"

"It means that the events of the prophecy are coming true. It means we have failed to stop the contact. That means we cannot allow the Granddaughter to have the sword."

"Okay..." Peter said unsure where this was going.

"The Prophet has chosen you Major... Chosen us to stop them."

Peter frowned, "Us?"

The bishop nodded, "I shall be your seeker. I will lead, and it will be your sword to mete out the justice in the name of our lord."

Peter sighed.