My Captain, My Heart

Relief flooded Enterprise when she learned that both Picard and Riker were safe. The only problem was the ship that was carrying them. She knew she would have to destroy that ship. But attempting to do so put both her captain and her first officer's lives at risk. She would have to count on their inside help.

The foreign mercenary faced her. Enterprise hated mercenary ships. The idea of fighting for money abhorred her and made her hull shudder in revoltion. What's more, this ship was near the heart of the Federation. In  her  territory! It had to be dealt with.

"Take me on then, if you dare?" The ship taunted.

Despite her desire to destroy her then and there, Enterprise hesitated. Her captain, the man who held her heart in his hands and didn't even know it, was on board that ship. Attacking it now could kill him.

"What's the matter? Is the great Enterprise D afraid of getting her paint scratched?" The ship continued to taunt. "Or is she afraid she will harm her dear captain."

That set Enterprise off. "You dare even touch him and I'll blow you to atoms!" Enterprise snarled.

"Ooh, I have hit a nerve then. You're fond of him." The ship chuckled.

"Shut up!" Enterprise growled.

"Ah, and he doesn't know it does he. He doesn't know you love him enough to let me go rather than risk hurting him. How intriguing."

Enterprise hissed through her teeth. "You're right. Hurting you could risk hurting him."

"Of course I'm right." The mercenary laughed.

"But it's a risk I must take. Because if there's one thing I believe in, it's him!" She fired and the mercenary screamed in pain as her warp nacelles were hit. With her shields dropping, Enterprise locked on and beamed her captain and first officer safely aboard.

"Now to finish you off!" She snarled. Thus the battle began.

It was brutal and significantly one sided. Enterprise made the mercenary into her own personal punching bag. No need for phasers or torpedoes here. She used her own brute strength to get her point across. Blue blood scattered across space as numerous wounds were inflicted on the mercenary ship. She screamed, reduced to a crying, sobbing mess.

Enterprise bowled her over, pinning her between her bulk and Vulcan. Just as she was about to move in for the kill, a voice stopped her.

"No Enterprise!"

It was Picard. "Let her go, Enterprise. She's no longer a threat."

Enterprise hissed through her teeth as she got her anger under control. Reluctantly, she stepped back. "You get one warning. If I ever see you in my territory again, I will kill you. Now get out of my sight!"

The mercenary had no trouble complying.

"Commander Data tells me you sustained damage on decks 17-20." Picard said.

"Minor scratch, I'm fine captain." She panted. "I-I thought you were dead. I thought I'd lost you..."

"That didn't stop you from running across half the Federation to find me." He said.

"Captain, not even the full force of the Borg could stop me from reaching you." She replied.

He stroked her console and she purred, eyes closing.

"Come on, let's go home."