Boss Fight

Flying photons and laser fire filled the throne room.

One, two, three phaser blasts struck the oversized, 6-limbed lizard man square in the forehead. It shook its head, and the cybernetic armor absorbed the hits as intended.

Genuinely shocked, Neil, Veirik, and T looked at each other stunned. All three ran and took cover behind the late Ferengi's large throne. "T," Neil commanded, "Get Praxas back to the ship! We'll handle Lizardman here."

Two of Three tapped his combadge, "Two of Three to Nexus, two to beam directly to Sickbay."

Nothing.

Trying again, "Two of Three to Nexus, two to beam directly to Sickbay."

----

"I am currently unable to comply with that request, Two of Three!" Nolan yelled over the comms.

The Nexus held its position, sturdy as a fortress, but was pestered and annoyed by a dozen smaller ships that flew out of the Cruiser not a moment earlier. A light show of multi-colored beams fired and shot out at the fighters swarming the massive ship.

"Both ships' shields are up, and we have unwelcome guests making a mess of things out here!" Nolan honked with his dinosaur voice, "I will try to beam you aboard as soon as I am able. Nolan out!"

---

"It seems the Nexus has its own set of problems at the moment, sir," Two of Three said, cradling the jar.

"Stay here and take cover," Neil commanded, "We'll take care of this guy and disable the shields."

T nodded in agreement. Neil looked Veirik holding his phaser rifle, "Ready?"

"Always," Veirik smirked.

From behind the throne, a man stepped out with phasers blazing, determination in his eyes, and steady steps.

Then, their eyes widened, and both instantly retreated, diving back behind the throne as a cascade of photon bullets from the Tzenkethi filled the throne room. The sounds of pain and agony echoed, sparing only the three behind the throne.

Jem'Hadar warriors winced, Zide'Mok held his side, amber blood oozing under his hands. The female slave crew, wearing minimal attire, bore the worst of it.

The Tzenkethi held all four hands at equal distance, creating four quadrants to blast with its massive rail guns. It laughed triumphantly, "Puny warm-blooded filth!" scanning the room, reveling in the desolation it wrought.

"We don't have time for this!" Neil cursed, "The Jem'Hadar now need sick bay as much as Praxas now."

"We need a single overwhelming shot," Veirik said, peeking over the side of the throne, "I say we all aim for his head, and if it doesn't explode, the heat from the metal will surely do the trick. He's big and lumbering, won't be able to dodge."

"Sounds like a plan to me!" Neil agreed, "You Jem'Hadar hear that?!" Neil yelled over the combadge.

"One shot…" Zide'mok winced in pain, "aim for the head…," standing up with all his strength, he aimed his rifle, "Victory is Life!" 

"Victory is Life!" the rest of his squadron resounded.

"Ha! Pathetic warm bloods! I can taste your fear!" The Tzenkethi charged his 4 rail guns. 

Neil, Veirik, and Two of Three all stepped from behind the throne, phaser pistols aimed at the giant's head. 

Then, like dozen hands on a clock, phaser beams from all over the throne room converged at the Tzenkethi head. Meeting in the center like a small radiant and pulsating star. 

"Nooo! Stop!! It burns!!!" The Tzenkethi roared and flailed its arms. Then in a superheated explosion, the armor buckled, and in a flash of red light, the giant beast disintegrated into dust.

Exhaling a loud sigh of relief, Neil lowered his phaser. "Veirik, get the shields down and message the Nexus." He looked around the room, wounded and bleeding slaves everywhere.

Veirik nodded and pressed a button on a console, a woman holding a gash in her shoulder beside him. "Veirik to Nexus, Cruiser shields are down!"

Neil turned to Two of Three. "T, prep sickbay for a large influx of injured and wounded. We can't leave these women here like this."

Nodding, Two of Three activated his combadge. "Chief medical officer to Nexus, beam all lifesigns in the throne room directly to sickbay. CMO to all medical staff, incoming large numbers of wounded, and prep surgery 1 for an immediate Trill Symbiote transfer."

"Acknowledged," the combadge rang back.

"Energize," Two of Three stated, and everyone in the room— the crew of the Nexus, the Jem'Hadar warriors, and every member of the enslaved crew—flashed white and disappeared, leaving behind the empty, war-torn cruise liner.