Sandcastle (A Star Trek: The Next Generation Fan Fiction)

Chapter Five

I was still debating what to do when Armstrong grabbed the phase pistol out of Jenson's hand and shot both guards. I stared, open mouthed, as they crumpled to the ground. Armstrong started into the turbolift and I followed, still staring at the bodies. Armstrong had moved faster than anyone I'd ever seen.

"What?" Armstrong snorted. "You think I got to my position by pushing pencils? I was in the field for years. And I've kept myself sharp."

We rode the turbolift down, with my newfound respect for Armstrong growing.

On the bottom floor, we encountered a few workers but none of them paid us any more attention than a nod. We were almost at the door when a voice behind us cried, "Halt!"

I slowly turned around. A guard was walking from behind a desk and up to us.

"Sergeant Armstrong, you are under arrest for conspiracy to assassinate the Prime Minister."

Armstrong glared at him.

"Think about what you're doing, son," he growled as the guard drew his pistol and pointed it at us. I glanced between him and Armstrong.

"I'm sorry, sir, but I have to take you in." The guard said. He adjusted his grip on the pistol.

Movement caught the corner of my eye and I saw Armstrong's fingers inching toward his own phase pistol.

"Don't do it," the guard said. He raised the pistol higher, pointed straight at Armstrong's chest.

Before either could move, I shifted into a tiger. I lunched at the guard, feeling something electric splash against my side as I drove him to the ground. I heard frightened gasps and screams around me as I hopped off him. I shook my coat, rippling off the last of the energy from the glancing phase pistol shot. Then I resumed my form.

The room had cleared, with the last of the frightened onlookers running down the hall. Armstrong was staring at me but I ignored him as I collected the guard's phase pistol and stuck it in my belt after checking the safety.

"What?" I asked as I rejoined Armstrong.

"I had it under control."

"Like hell you did. Come on!" I heard the stamp of running feet down the hall and I had a feeling it wasn't going to be anyone friendly. Armstrong and I ran out the front door and back to Sector C.

"We need to get out of here!" Armstrong yelled at me as we sprinted.

"We have to get my friend," I yelled back, trying to keep up with him.

Armstrong gave a groan but kept running. I looked around and saw five guards exiting the building we have just come from. Ahead of us, three more were running out of a Sector C building, effectively cornering of. Armstrong sprinted off to the right across the grass and I followed. The buildings loomed over us on either side as we ran. From behind us I heard shouting.

"Stop where you are or we will fire!"

We didn't stop. We kept running across the grass. I wasn't sure anymore where we were even going, just trying to get away. I heard a roar above and saw a shuttlecraft coming down in front of us. I skidded to a halt as it landed. This was it. We were trapped. Armstrong turned and drew his phase pistol, ready for a last stand. I watched the side of the shuttle craft open.

Riker waved at me.

"Get inside!" he shoulder. I tugged on Armstrong's arm and half drug him into the shuttle. Riker lifted off as the doors closed and I slipped into the copilot seat ahead of Armstrong's objections. It was an old shuttle, one I hadn't seen before. Riker piloted it up into the air as the guards below us drew closer. I watched as they leveled their phase pistols and fired. The shuttle rocked as the shots made contact and I whirled on Riker.