Star Trek vs. Star Wars Vignette

Way the heck back in 1997, when I was 19 years old and didn't know any better I wrote this. It was meant to be a piece of a larger story where the Empire from Star Wars invaded the Federation not long after the events of Star Trek:First Contact. Yeah, I know. But cut me some slack, I was less than a year out of high school. Anyway, if you've ever wanted to see Captain Picard in a battle with AT-AT walkers, then here you are:

STARDATE 49603.1  LOCATION: EL ADREL IV

Picard heard it first. The distant scream of ion engines.

He looked up from the phaser cannon he was constructing. "Beverly, I think we'd-"

His combadge chirped. "Data to Captain Picard"

"Picard here."

"Captain, we are tracking a squadron of TIE bombers heading for this location. Since the outpost's defenses are not yet functional, I recommend we evacuate into the forest."

"Good idea." Picard said. "We'll disperse, then meet at the bend in the river. Notify all personnel; Picard out."

The TIEs were almost on top of them now.

Picard collected his phaser rifle and climbed out of the trench he was in.

"Beverly!" He called to the Doctor, who was about twenty meters away putting a shield generator together, "Run!"

Crusher was already on the move, bolting into the woods just as the lead bomber began a strafing run.

Picard followed her, running with all his might. There was an explosion behind him.

The scream of the TIE's engines was deafening.

It dropped another charge.

The world dissolved into a storm of white heat, and Picard was suddenly aware that there was no ground under his feet. He was careening through the air much too fast, almost flying . . .

Wham!

He hit something solid and rough. A tree trunk, he realized, as he fell to the ground. Amazingly, he didn't seem to be seriously hurt. About four meters behind him was a smoking crater. The charge had detonated no more than two meters behind him. He should have been killed.

Another TIE roared overhead, barely above the treetops. Suddenly, a blast of phaser fire streaked up and speared its underside. The unshielded fighter spun crazily out of control, then crashed into the forest canopy and exploded.

Picard craned his neck to see where the shot had come from and saw Worf perched in a tree. "Good shot, Mr. Worf!"

"Thank you, sir!"

"Come on, we'd better get to get to the river!" The entire left side of Picard's body had started to throb painfully where it had hit the tree, and it got no better as he jogged through the woods toward the river's bend.

The TIE's, he noticed, had ceased their attack, at least for the moment.  The only reason he could think of was that the Imperials had met their objective.

The river was about six and a half meters wide and only half a meter deep. It flowed swiftly over the rounded, smooth rocks that littered the bank and the riverbed. As Picard reached the river's bend he saw that most of the fifty or so Starfleet personnel who had been assigned with him to set up the outpost had made it safely. Beverly was treating a few wounded, and Data was giving orders to two security men. When he noticed the Captain walking toward him, he dismissed the guards.

"Report, Mr. Data." Picard said.

"The outpost has been destroyed, sir." Data said. "We have six confirmed dead, four unaccounted for, and seven wounded."

"Have you been able to communicate with any of our ships in the area?" Picard asked.

"The USS Voyager is the only ship in range," Data replied. "However, I have been unable to establish communication. It is possible that the energy fallout from the TIE bombers' weapons is causing the interference."

"If that's true, then it will be at least an hour before it dissipates," Picard said. "See if you can find out what happened to-"

"Sir!" squawked one of the security men.

Just as Picard turned to see what had startled the young men, a sizzling red blaster bolt streaked over his head and crashed into the trees behind him.

Two Imperial scout walkers were coming out of the forest across the river, followed by hordes of stormtroopers.

Aboard the Death Star the door chime to Grand Admiral Hord's office sounded.

Hord looked up from his computer screen. "Enter."

The doors parted and Commander Zahn stepped in and saluted.

"Report, Commander."

"The bomber squadron reports that it has destroyed the Federation outpost on El Adrel, sir. We're entering orbit now."

"Excellent; and our ground force?" Hord asked.

"They have landed and are moving to engage the enemy troops, sir."

"What of the, ah, piece of technology I want captured?"

"No word yet, Admiral."

On the opposite side of the planet, and in a lower orbit than the Death Star, the USS Voyager circled anxiously.

"Captain, the TIE bombers have detonated a series of concussion charges in the lower atmosphere directly above the remains of the outpost." Lt. Tuvok was saying. "The resulting energy fallout makes it impossible for us to establish transporter locks on the survivors."

"That's why they did it," Janeway said. "They're doing quite a job adapting to our technology."

"Sensors show an Imperial ground force headed toward what's left of the outpost," Ensign Kim reported.

"Probably to pick off the survivors," Chakotay observed.

"I'm not about to sit around and let them," Janeway said. "Mr. Paris, can you take us into the atmosphere, low enough so we can punch through that interference and beam up our people?"

"Yes ma'am, absolutely," Paris replied.

"Captain," Tuvok said. "I must point out that when we descend into the atmosphere, the Death Star will likely discern what we are about to do and send several squadrons of TIEs to stop us. We will not be able to lower our shields to beam Captain Picard's party on board without risking serious damage. If Voyager were to be shot down, we would most likely crash onto the people we are attempting to rescue, which would be most . . . counterproductive."

"You're right," Janeway said. "If only we had another starship or two to keep the Death Star's attention-"

Harry Kim interrupted. "Captain, message from the Enterprise! They're warping to rendezvous with us and should be here any minute!"

Janeway smiled broadly. "There's our diversion."

The USS Enterprise streaked toward El Adrel at high warp.

“”In range?” Riker asked urgently.

“Not yet, sir.” Lieutenant Hawk replied. “Five more minutes.”

“Geordi, we need more.” Riker urged.

“We’re doin’ all we can, Commander,” Geordi replied over the intercom. “Push the engines any more, and I guarantee a meltdown.”

“Will, he’s doing his best.” Deanna said softly.

“If the Captain gets killed, that won’t make one bit of difference.” Riker shot back.

Picard fired his rifle at the leftmost scout walker and watched for a second-no longer-as its cockpit exploded noisily, then set his weapon to wide beam and began laying out field bursts to slow the approaching troops. Everyone with a phaser quickly followed suit.

One advantage Starfleet had was that their personal armaments were far more powerful than those of their Imperial counterparts. An Imperial blaster rifle could barely shoot a dent in the heavily armored walkers; with Starfleet phasers, the walkers might as well be made of cardboard.

The second walker exploded, courtesy of Data, and the remaining stormtroopers began fleeing into the woods.

Just then, there was a roar from the sky, and Picard looked up to see a tri-winged Imperial shuttle descending on them, raining blaster fire. Picard glanced back at the place where Beverly and her small medical team had been treating the injured, and was relieved to see that they were gone-no doubt into the woods, away from the fighting. He joined his officers in shooting up at the shuttle, which was about to land in the middle of the river.

The Starfleeters were trying to stand their ground, but the fire from the shuttle coupled with that of the Stormtroopers reemerging from the forest was driving them back.

The shuttle touched down in the riverbed.

Picard, Worf, Data, and a handful of others were at the very edge of the woods, still taking shots at the Imperials. Suddenly, a brazen plan popped into the Captain’s mind. “The shuttle’s communications system may be powerful enough to get through the interference,” he said to his officers. “As soon as it drops it shields we’ll storm the hatch, force our way in, and take control of the ship before they have time to react.”

There were nods of comprehension.

“Let’s go.”

The raised their rifles and charged out into the open just as the shuttle’s shields went down.

Data raced ahead of the group at android speed, and the stormtroopers from the original ground force that had fallen back earlier ran out behind Data, cutting him off from the others.

Data continued to advance toward the shuttle’s hatch, holding his fire to avoid destroying a vital system.

The hatch swung open and a team of stormtroopers jumped out shouldering huge black guns with narrow barrels and wide circular emitters.

Ion cannons, Picard realized in a flash. The Imperials had come to get Data. “They’re after Data!” he said to his team. “We’ve got to get to him!”

The Starfleeters opened fire on the line of troops between them and the shuttle.

The Imperials held position and returned fire with wide-field bursts.

Picard saw Data fall to an ion blast. The stormtroopers picked him up and rushed him up the ramp and into the shuttle. Then, one by one, the perimeter troops broke off and bolted into the ship.

Picard, Worf, and the remainder of their team started to move forward, but the shuttle’s blaster cannons suddenly came to life, providing cover for the stormtroopers as they got onboard.

The last stormtrooper turned and ran for the ramp.

Picard and his men charged after him.

A shot from Worf destroyed the shuttle’s starboard blaster.

A shot from Picard speared the stormtrooper in the back just as he scurried up the ramp.

The ramp began to retract as the shuttle began to lift off.

Picard’s team instantly swung their rifles up to fire on the shuttle, but their shots splashed harmlessly against its newly-raised shields.

Captain Picard, Lt. Commander Worf, and the two remaining Security ensigns stood in the middle of the swirling river, surrounded by the bodies of fallen Imperials and Starfleet officers, and watched the Imperial shuttle disappear into the sky’s sea of blue.

“Commander, we’re coming up on El Adrel IV.” Lt. Hawk reported.

“Drop out of warp,” Riker ordered. “Hail the Voyager.”

A second later, the image of Captain Janeway was onscreen. “Glad you could make it, Commander.”

“So am I,” Riker said. “What’s going on down there?”

“The Imperials have just dropped another ground force. We think it’s because the first one must have failed to kill Captain Picard’s team.”

“I see.”

“Our transporters still can’t punch through the interference at this range, so I’m prepared to take Voyager into the atmosphere if you’ll keep the Death Star distracted.”

“You’ve got it, Captain.” Riker replied. “Mr. Hawk, take us after the Death Star, Mr. Johnston, ready phasers and quantum torpedoes. Let’s go!”

“Retreat!” Picard yelled at the top of his lungs. “All hands retreat! Carerra, Porter, help Dr. Crusher move her patients! Worf, Armstrong, Gleason, with me! We’ve got to hold those Imperial walkers back as long as possible!”

In the distance, four-legged Imperial AT-AT walkers plowed through the forest firing their blasters, knocking down trees, and causing general havoc.

“They’re almost here . . .” Porter said.

A scout trooper on a speeder bike came zipping through the trees. In a flash, Picard raised his rifle and fired. His shot blew the steering vanes off the speeder, and it spun wildly off, then crashed into a tree and exploded.

The first AT-AT came into view, plowing trees under and firing its head-cannons at anything that moved.

Worf aimed his rifle and fired. He prepared himself for the sight of his shot knocking the metal beast’s front-left leg out from under it. Instead, it left only a black streak.

“It appears the Empire uses materials other than cardboard to build its walkers.” Picard murmured.

Gleason’s voice was hushed with dread. “We’re in trouble.”

The Enterprise streaked along the inside of the Death Star’s equatorial trench straying phaser and torpedo fire in every direction.

“Closer, Mr. Hawk, we’ve gotta get closer!” Riker urged.

The ship rocked hard from a turbolaser blast.

“Shields holding at ninety-two percent!” Johnston reported from the Tactical station.

A brief flurry of motion at the edge of the viewer’s range caught Riker’s eye.

“What was that?”

“Imperial Lambda-class shuttle entering one of their hangar bays, sir.” Lt. Perim replied from the Ops position. She squinted at her readouts. “Sir, there’s a Starfleet comm signal emanating from that shuttle.”

“They must have captured one of Captain Picard’s team.” Deanna said.

Riker frowned. “I wonder who . . .”

The ground exploded a scant three meters from Picard, incinerating two security men and sending a third flying through the air like a rag doll. The Captain nodded swiftly at Worf and Carerra, and the three of them aimed and fired at the nearest AT-AT. Their shots hit one of its legs, just above the knee and a small shower of sparks erupted from the blast point. Yet the walker marched on.

“Those things have got to have a weak point.” Carerra said, frustrated.

“There appears to be a lot of machinery on the underside of the walker.” Worf observed. “But there is no way to get beneath the walker except to run directly at it.”

“Unfortunately, we’ve no other choice.” Picard said. “What is it you always say, Mr. Worf? ‘Today is a good day to die’?”

“It is an honor to serve with you, sir.” Worf said. “You have the heart of a true Klingon.”

“Really,” Picard said with a glint of humor in his eye. “I’ll have to get Beverly to take a look at that. Let’s go.”

The three men stood up and broke for the nearest walker, running in a zigzag pattern to make it more difficult for the AT-AT’s gunner to target them.

The walker turned its head and started to fire at them. A blaster bolt whizzed over Picard’s head, then he heard an explosion behind him followed by Carerra crying out.

The walker fired again, and Worf went flying.

Picard was almost underneath the walker. Just a few more steps . . .

His foot snagged a tree root that protruded from the ground, and he fell. The AT-AT aimed its head directly at him, like a predator studying its prey.

The Captain fearlessly swung his rifle up and fired at the face of the walker. No effect.

The tips of its head cannons began to glow, and Picard was acutely aware that there was no way to run, no way to dodge, nothing to do but brace himself for death’s white-hot onslaught, when suddenly a dark shape passed overhead. Phaser fire rained down, and the last thing Picard saw before the transporter beam took him was the AT-AT going up in flames.

“All Starfleet personnel have been retrieved, Captain,” Ensign Kim reported.

“Imperial walkers have been destroyed,” Commander Tuvok added.

“Good work,” Janeway said. “Mr. Paris, take us out of the atmosphere and set a course to rendezvous with the Enterprise.

An alarm went off on Tuvok’s panel. “Captain, three Star Destroyers have just dropped out of warp at the edge of the system. They will intercept us in six minutes.”

“Even with the Enterprise we can’t stand up to three Star Destroyers.” Chakotay said.

“Agreed, Commander.” Janeway replied. “Mr. Paris, prepare to take us out of here. Mr. Kim, notify the Enterprise that-“

“Wait!” Captain Picard emerged from the turbolift, his uniform torn and bloodied and a nasty-looking bruise on the left side of his face. The Doctor was right on his heels.

Janeway turned to Picard. “Yes, Captain?”

“About ten minutes ago an Imperial shuttle landed and took off again from El Adrel. Where did it go?”

“Back to the Death Star.” Janeway replied. “Why?”

“They captured Commander Data,” Picard replied. “I hate to think-“

“Excuse me, Captain Janeway,” the Doctor interrupted. “But I’ve been trying to treat this man ever since he was first beamed in, but he won’t cooperate! He has a-“

“Doctor, this is Captain Picard, the commander of the fleet.” Janeway said.

“I don’t care who he is,” the Doctor snapped. “I’m a doctor, not a zookeeper, and when I’m trying to treat patients in my sickbay, I expect them to stay put!”

“Doctor, I think you should go back to Sickbay and attend to your other patients,” Chakotay said. “That’s an order.”

The Doctor rolled his eyes. “The Klingon was more cooperative than this!” he said as he walked away. “After I sedated him, anyway.”

“Your EMH has quite a personality,” Picard remarked.

“He takes some getting used to,” Janeway replied. “Now, what about Commander Data?”

“He was captured by the Imperials,” Picard said, “and they specifically came after him. They might try to access the classified Starfleet information in his memory banks.”

“What are we going to do?” Chakotay asked.

“My officers and I will beam back to the Enterprise,” Picard said. “We’ll stay in the area while you take the Voyager to  rendezvous with the rest of the Sixth Fleet. We’ll get him back.”

Janeway nodded. “Good luck, Captain Picard.”