Star Trek: From Ashes and Darkness

Chapter 13: Battle of Morals

Year 1996

Asha grit her teeth as she fired her gun in one direction while flinging a long knife she'd picked up along the way in another direction, hitting both her targets expertly.

It was utter chaos in Urmia, located near the border between Turkey and Iran, as the city became the battleground for a struggle for power. Maltuvis had finally made his move, targeting the edge of Khan's Asian territories, and the Augment himself was leading his troops in a full-fledged attack at the weakest of the border countries: Iran.

Asha had reported his movements herself after getting wind through her spy network of the militia forces Maltuvis had assembled behind his border in Turkey, and just in time: Khan's best troops, including the Augment leader himself, had barely arrived as Maltuvis launched his attack around the Iranian border.

The two forces had met in Urmia earlier that morning, and even now – several hours later – the war was still waging intensely.

The human soldiers on both sides had dwindled drastically; though Khan's army was faring slightly better, Khan's own careful coordination keeping them alive for longer than Maltuvis's men. Unfortunately, human soldiers – well-guided or not – stood little chance against the superiority genetics of Augments.

As their men were cut down, wave after wave, by Maltuvis's Augment forces, Khan had sent in his own team. Composed of his best and finest, Khan's side was doing marginally better than Maltuvis's, but the other Augment leader had an advantage in numbers.

Asha suspected, as she cut down another adversary, that Maltuvis had somehow managed to get his hands on human-turned-Augments – it was the only explanation for just how many 'Augments' Maltuvis had. She was also starting to tire, having fought others equally as strong though not quite as skilled as she was for hours now.

Asha growled as a gunshot fired in her direction from above, and she threw herself for cover, barely avoiding the bullet as it grazed her arm. Ignoring the sting the cut caused, Asha stood and fired her own gun in the direction of her new assailant. But he fired back; and Asha snarled as one of the bullets hit her hand, forcing her to drop her gun as she ducked back down for cover once more.

Biting back curses, she ran out of cover, tumbling over to catch a fallen knife and gun from the ground as she went. She fired back at her attacker as she found new cover inside an abandoned building lobby, grimly satisfied when she briefly glimpsed her shot finding its mark as the sniper fell from the roof.

But it had been a trap.

Asha whirled around as she heard the wind whooshing behind her, the only warning she had as a knife came slashing at her neck. She barely avoided it in the dark, tiny space, and she raised her gun once more, but the other Augment kicked her hand, knocking the gun aside. Asha slashed out instantly with her own knife, but the Augment was quick as he dodged the blade before grabbing Asha's wrist.

She twisted herself immediately, trying to switch his grip on her into a more advantageous position for herself, but he anticipated it and kicked her in the stomach. Asha bit back a yelp as she heard her wrist snap, before she kicked the other Augment's arm.

There was a satisfying crunch as she hit the man, but the Augment had let go of her to avoid her kick just enough that his own arm remained unbroken though likely very bruised.

Asha used the moment to spin, throwing a punch with her uninjured hand and this time she landed a solid blow. The Augment went flying back, though he recovered quickly, springing back and landing on his feet not five feet away as Asha quickly cradled her broken wrist, setting it the best she could without a wrap.