SPACE: THE FINAL FRONTIER. THESE ARE THE VOYAGES OF THE WWF TITANPRIZE. IT'S MISSION: TO EXPLORE AND ENTERTAIN NEW SOCIETIES AND NEW CIVILIZATIONS.  TO BOLDLY GO WHERE NO WRESTLER HAS GONE BEFORE!

TITANPRIZE CREW:

Captain Vince McMahon
First Officer, Commander Shane McMahon
Chief Engineer, Commander Stephanie McMahon
Chief of Chiefs, Commander Linda McMahon
Chief of Security, Commander Kane
Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Taker
Diagnostics Officer, Lieutenant Commander Jericho
Tactical Officer, Lieutenant Commander Austin
Transporter Chief, Lieutenant Commander Debra
Communications Officer, Lieutenant Commander Rock
Counselor Al Snow (assisted by H.E.A.D.)

... And many more!
 

WWF TITANPRIZE - CAPTAIN'S READY ROOM

    Vince immediately brushed aside the burning hatred and envy this promotion would engender in veterans like The Game, The Rock, and Stone Cold Steve Austin. Jericho would be his new first officer!

    "Most importantly, I can stop acting like a senile old fool who's lost his marbles! Jericho can stop alienating all his friends, er, if robots have friends. Finally, the crew will once again see the powerful genius I always was! They'll worship me for saving them from Nytron enslavement!"

    Vince kicked back in his chair, a smug smile plastered across his face. He'd just admire the glimmering stream of starlight flowing at warp nine past the windows, and wait for Jericho's devious plan to unfold....

SHANE McMAHON'S OFFICE

    Jericho watched Heyman leave Shane's office as he entered the room, his eyes suspicious.  Shane noticed the look on the Y2J Unit's face, "What is it?"  he asked.

    Jericho turned to his commanding officer, "What were you two talking about?"

    "All you need to know is that things are going as planned,"

    "As planned, huh?" Jericho repeated, "Are you sure you can trust him?"

    "Who, Heyman?"

    "Yes, Heyman. I used to be under his command on-board the Extremeship. He made some questionable decisions. Had some of us wondering if he had his own agenda sometimes..." he shrugged, "Though I'm sure you have everything under control, Commander,"

     "I have him under control," Shane snapped somewhat defensively.

    "If you say so, Commander," Jericho replied.

    "What do you want, Lt. Commander?" Shane asked impatiently, "Surely you didn't just come in here to chat?"

    "Ahhh, yes... here," Jericho placed a padd on Shane's desk, "Stephanie's security codes for Engineering,"

    "I thought you said you were having difficulty getting them?" Shane replied.

    "Well... let's just say I have my ways," Jericho smirked smugly. He was rather proud of his lying talents,  "With these, you have control of the Titanprize engines any time you want!"

    "Good!" Shane replied, "I'll have Ensign Raven take a look at them,"  This brought forth another frown from Jericho, "What?" Shane asked.

    "Raven is tight with Heyman,"

    "So?" Shane asked.

    "So... wouldn't it be better to have someone else take care of those codes? Like myself? Someone you know isn't plotting behind your back?"

    "Who says Heyman is plotting behind my back?" Commander McMahon snapped angrily.

    "Well, no one... but... I HAVE seen him hanging with his Extremeship crew in the Smackdown. I've seen them conversing, then quickly clam up the moment I show up," Jericho shrugged, "Of course, it could just be an attitude problem,"

    "Most likely, yes!" the young McMahon sighed, "My sister is already suspicious of you, Lt. Commander. If you start poking around in Engineering after hours, she'll grow even more suspicious. Ensign Raven can at least hide himself by shifting into an inanimate object. I can't say the same for you,"

    "Up to you, Commander," Jericho replied, "But just keep an eye open, that's all,"

    "You're dismissed, Lt. Commander!" Shane answered.

    "Yes.... sir," Jericho replied. He then turned and left the room.

    Shane studied the padd in his hands, but his mind was elsewhere as he thought of Jericho's words. Heyman wouldn't DARE conspire against him! He didn't have the grapefruits! Besides, Heyman was getting a sweet deal with Shane! He would be Shane's second-in-command!

    "Though maybe he doesn't WANT to be second-in-command. Maybe he wants to be FIRST-in-command!" Shane thought uncomfortably. Well, if that happened, Shane was very sure he could take care of it!

    Still... it wouldn't hurt to ask Lt. Commander Jericho to keep an eye on the crew of the ECW Extremeship.

    Better safe then sorry, right? And if Heyman DARED try to take Shane's power, then Pauly WOULD be sorry! He'd be VERY sorry!

SICKBAY

    Now if there was one thing the Dead Man couldn't tolerate, it was when some little pup came into his yard and didn't show respect. Sad fact was, some guys didn't learn respect til you beat it into 'em.

    "Tick tock, tick tock." Lt. Commander Rock bellowed in Nurse Saturn's face. "Do you like pancakes, nursie? Well, pancake your ass on over to the medical cabinet and get me that antidote! The People's Officer has work to do!"

    Dr. Taker strolled into the waiting area, casually spit a wad of tobacco on the floor. Bad enough he had to straighten RVD's paralyzed thumbs out today, his last nerve was gettin' worked by these brutally inane catchphrases. "Let me explain somethin' to you, Dwayne."

    The Rock's head snapped back in alarm, as if seeing or hearing a ghost from the past. Dwayne...who...."What in the blue hell did you call me?"

    "This here's my yard." Taker said mildly. "And I'm the big dog in this yard. You're gonna wait your turn, boy, just like everyone else. And you're gonna keep your cakehole clammed up while you do it. We got ourselves an understanding?"

    Rock jumped to his feet and whipped off his sunglasses. He cocked one eyebrow and looked long and hard into the dead man's bottomless eyes. "Understand this jabroni! Get this through your twenty pound head! The People's Bridge requires the People's Champ! The People's Promos cannot be delivered when the Rock has been bitten on the leg by a damn scorpion!"

    Taker allowed himself a soft, dangerous sounding chuckle. "How in the hell did your lazy ass get bit by a scorpion?"

    Rock's eyes bulged. "Pardon your roody poo candy ass? The Rock was in HIS bar, the Smackdown! It crawled up the People's pantleg! The Rock dropped the People's Elbow on it!"

    The repetitiion started a jackhammering in the dead man's skull that fueled a hideous anger. He kept his breathing even though, and stared down the gaping maw that was the Rock's piehole. "Bugs tend to flock to their own kind, I suppose. Now sit your ass down and can it til I call for you."

    Whoa. No one had ever dare out-insult the Rock! The comm officer grabbed Taker's huge arm and spun him back around. "You got the brains of a monkey's behind? You don't approach the Rock with your little redneck bandana wrapped around your head and your mickey mouse tattoos! You don't throw attitude the Rock's way! The Rock demands medical attention and the Rock gets what he asks for."

    "You got a point there." Taker acknowledged, self-consciously running a finger over the name painted on his neck, a mark from a long time ago, when he'd made the cruel mistake of falling for a mortal. Mickey mouse huh? Oh yeah, you'll get just what you asked for....

    "Saturn, see to this officer." Taker snapped his thick fingers and it was like a thunderclap in Sickbay. He moved quietly to the corner where a civilian caretaker stocked the cabinets. The dead man prodded the young man's dark shoulder. "You."

    "Y-yes sir." Maven stammered the words out. An officer of Taker's rank had never acknowledged him before.

    "Go to the Smackdown. Find out who let that damn scorpion loose. I want the man who brought this kind of disrespect into my yard."

    "Right away, sir." Maven smartly saluted, then felt overeager and foolish. Fortunately the dark doctor had turned away to tend to Ensign Helms, who'd once again blackened an eye by walking masked and blinded into a door.

    The young earthling never thought he'd get an opportunity to prove his worth to a superior, and even though it was a small and personal errand, it was still a a glimmer of hope, a tiny chance to get noticed. Wait til he told Counselor Snow, who'd championed the mediocre academy student and gotten him on the ship, seeing his big heart instead of his average grades.

    He didn't even have a star on his collar right now, but if Maven could get on Taker's good side....if he had a good side.....

 THE SMACKDOWN

    "What's the hold-up man?" Tazz looked nervously around him and hunched forward, his massive fireplug body blocking the slender black box full of glittering gemstones. "You just tell your guy that this is the hottest ice this side of Jupiter. I ain't gonna lower my price anymore!"

    "This isn't Red Hook, ensign." Jericho said with a mocking lilt to his voice. "And money is no object to a McMahon. In fact, Shane could buy all those diamonds and your jobber ass if he wanted."

    A vein in Tazz's barrel of a neck throbbed indignantly, but there was too much cash on the line to blow things now. "Maybe we could get a ladies' opinion, you know?"

    "Or Trish's," Chris said dryly, jerking his head in her direction. "Bring you and your two friends over here, tell me which of these you'd like to see shining on your fingers."

    Miss Stratus tolerated the mouthy droid because Shane needed him, but she'd welcome the sweet moment when Y2J was melted down in a puddle of solvent after he outlived his usefulness. "Did you say Shane was interested in an engagement ring?"

    Chris rather treasured the almost desperate hope in her question. He almost pitied his fellow Kanatian, what with her being caught between sucking face with Skippy Skittles for worthless information and a weasel who blindly loved another woman. "Oh yes, I thought you knew the final act of his ruthless master plan, Trishy."

    Trish's breath came a little too quickly and her pulse fluttered like a butterfly. She'd only dreamed of this moment since realizing Shane was her salvation from the dreary life of a serving wench. "I-I really think I should stay out of this one, Chris. I should look surprised when he proposes."

    "I doubt you'll be invited when Shane goes down on bended knee before Lita." Jericho said with a frown. "I think the greenish one matches her red hair, don't you?"

    The robot tried hard not to smirk as the curvy blonde went stone-faced. "Shane shares everything with you, doesn't he? I mean, you are his chief strategist. But, but Lita is-she's Aerialian trash! She's been handled by both those disgusting Hardyz! He'd never take Jeff's sloppy seconds! For god's sake she walks around with her underwear hanging out! She has no class! You're lying, Chris Jericho!"

    "I am programmed to never lie." Y2J said innocently. "I am telling the undisputed truth." Hmm, he liked that word....undisputed. "To set an example for the rest of the WWF officers, Shane is going to execute Jeff and Matt and then force Lita to be his bride. He's always loved her, with all his heart."

    "No!" Trish came flying around the bar and grabbed the box of rings from a startled Tazz. She threw it on the floor, scattering the jewels across the black floor like stars across the night sky. "I-WILL-NOT-LET-HIM-DO-THIS-TO-ME!" She picked each ring up and hurled them at the stoic android's chest like tiny poison darts. "I AM GOING TO DESTROY HIM!"

    Jericho offered up an insufferable smirk. "Do tell."

    "I've got documents!" Her eyes were wild with rage, the heat burning off her like a scorching desert wind. "I'll send them back to Linda with Molly. He'll be the one executed on pay per view tv when we get back to earth! After I slummed with that Aerialian freak for him!" Trish suddenly froze. "Why aren't you trying to stop me, 'bot?"

    Chris shrugged, watching her tantrum with detached amusement. "Earth's a long ways away, honey. Do your worst. No one will believe a bimbo over the first officer."

    "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, slimebot!" Trish whirled on her high heel and stormed out, leaving Jericho to cringe with an awkward pain at the use of Stephanie's favorite slur against his character.

    When this is all over princess, I hope you'll forgive the things I've done....

    And then the android, with a hollow place where his emotion chip should be, wondered why he hoped for anything at all.

    Jericho's gloomy thoughts were interrupted as he saw Heyman and his fellow Extremers walk into the Smackdown. The group made themselves comfortable in a corner against a port window. Lt. Commander Jericho took a seat at a distance and turned up his auditory receptors, listening carefully to what the Extremers were saying.

    "When Shane takes over the ship, we'll have the power over these idiotic WrestleFleet officers!" Heyman spoke, "My my, it will be wonderful! Sit tight, boys. Patience is indeed a virtue. Our time will come,"

    "And how long before it comes?" Extremer Rhyno asked, "Sometimes I think you'd do better running this ship, Pauly! And from what Raven's been saying, sounds like the Captain ain't all there! How do we know the Commander is all there? What's that old saying -- the apple don't fall far from the tree? How long 'till he snaps too?"

    Jericho smiled to himself. Good Ol' Vinnie-mac. He had become quite the actor! Of course, the Captain was aware he was being spyed on by the shapeshifting Ensign, thanks to the Y2J Unit's double-agent status. Leave it to Vince to turn it up a notch when the occasion called for it.

    "The Commander may be as sneaky as I am, but I trust him, Rhyno! Little does the Captain know that his son plans to destroy everything he's worked for! You'd think WrestleFleet would have hired someone with more marbles to Captain a ship like this," Heyman replied, "But I assure you, the young Commander is in complete control of his faculties! He's our IN!"

    "You know, this whole 'taking over the ship' thing," Extremer Van Dam started, "I'm beginning to think it is just not cool!"

    "And who asked YOU, Rob?" Ensign Tommy Dreamer snapped, "Listen, it's about time some of us got ahead! You got a problem with it, get out now!"

    "Enough boys!" Heyman snapped, "McMahon has no idea his son is messing with his mind and the ship! We're in the midsts of a new era! The era when all us underdogs get our just due! We've been over looked too long! I've no patience for waiting like a good WrestleFleet officer to move up the ranks! The Commander's offering, and I'm TAKING!" Heyman finished his drink, and stood up, "I got a meeting with Shane. I'll talk to you boys later," he said, and left the Smackdown.

    Jericho turned down his auditory receptors. Conversation heard, and recorded! Now it was just a matter of creatively editing a few words here and there. The Y2J Unit smiled. Things were starting to look up! The sooner this was over, the better. He could get on with his life, his friends, his Steph---er.... SHIP'S duties.

    Yes, ship's duties. That was it.

    "Look, I know you hate me and wish the APA would hang me by my toes and slowly dip me in a boiling vat of acid so you could listen to my screams of agony, but this is a matter of life and death, and I'm really really sorry for any pain I've caused you, but you're the only person I can trust aboard this ship."

    "Hmmm..." Stephanie stood up and shaded her eyes, looking around the shadowy deck, looking everywhere but into Jeff's pleading puppy dog eyes.

    "May I help you find something, Commander?" Matt asked politely, trying to keep a straight face.

    "Yes, I thought I heard this annoying little fly squeaking about my ears, and I was wondering if you could swat it and then clean up its guts, if it has any."

    "Man, I thought we got past this after what happened on Bachiatari!" Jeff sighed, "Alright, Steph, I understand a simple apology won't win you over." Ensign Hardy sniffled and pulled a padd out. "So, on the off chance you resisted my charms, I wrote a poem to express just how sorry I am." He cleared his throat.

    "Dear god!" Stephanie snatched the padd away and sighed heavily. "I'll talk to you Jeff, just...just don't...ever. Now, go take this wrench and unscrew the malfunctioning plasma sockets under the main warp core control."

    Jeff stared at the tool dangling from her hand. "That's chromium. If I touch plasma with that, it'll stop my heart."

    "Are you refusing to obey a direct order?"

    "I see. Well, when you feel like having an adult conversation, I'll explain why I left you alone that night."

    Stephanie snickered scornfully. "I'm not an adult? This coming from a grown man with the emotional development of a twelve year old."

    "Don't flatter me Steph. Twelve year olds are getting more action than me these days."

    "I know why you ran off!" Stephanie jabbed a finger into his bony chest. "So you could score! I guess I shouldn't be shocked what little brains you have are in your pants. And I do mean LITTLE!"

    "Like you'd know."

    "Like I or any female with taste would want to know!"

    "This is too creepy." Matt said solemnly. "Even for me. You'll excuse me, Commander."

    "Oh sure, big brother!" Jeff called after him. "Run away and play kissy face with my girlfriend some more! That is if you can keep your lips off the food long enough! Don't think I didn't see you and Lita all up in each other last night! I wasn't asleep you know!"

    Stephanie rolled her eyes. "He thinks we were flirting, you moron. And what the hell were YOU thinking? That Lita would stick around and wait for you to tire of your new plaything? There's more vacant space between your ears than outside the Titanprize."

    "Flirting with you would be sickeningly incestuous." Jeff said with a shiver. Plus he didn't want Jericho kicking his ass. "Just take this and then you can decide whether to keep acting like a total bitch"

    Stephanie stared blankly at the tiny data chip resting in the palm of his hand. "What's that supposed to be?"

    "And they nickname me idiot?" Jeff pushed past her and inserted the silicin wafer into one of the comm consoles behind her. "It was planted in Trish's earring. A copy has already been sent to Wrestlefleet HQ via that Houdinian chick."

    "Molly." Stephanie corrected him. "You know she's a very nice girl, you should ask her out sometime."

    Jeff sighed. "Sure, Steph, can you see me running around in a cape and tights?"

    "Well...." Stephanie decided not to pursue that any further. "So you were spying on her the whole time." She suddenly turned on him. "Can't you just ever do something scummy for the sake of being scummy? Do you always have to be so damn noble?"

    "Yeah, but it doesn't get me any."

    Stephanie sank into a chair, her heart sinking as she listened. Granted, she wanted to see that husband stealing silicon freakshow imprisoned, but god.... "Daddy sounds like a damn fool here, Jeff. I can only imagine what Wrestlefleet will think when they hear how easily he was tricked by that bubblehead."

    "Oh come on. Maybe Linda will kick him to the curb, but he doesn't sound that stupid."

    "Oh yes he does." She sighed. "He sounds like some sugar daddy trying to recapture his last youth by chasing some twenty year old tail. He let the ship get away from him for some pitiful fling. He'll be the joke of Wrestlefleet."

    "Do you think he might blame me?"

    "I think I'd join the witness protection program as soon as I got back to the Milky Way." Stephanie said grimly. "Bad enough he looks too weak to even hold onto the precious android WrestleFleet dropped all that cash on."

    Jeff laughed. "You don't really think Shane is smart enough to reprogram Jericho, do you?"

    "Benoit is, whatever happened to him." Stephanie said miserably. "I've seen the hate in that robot's eyes, it's real."

    "Matt doesn't think it's possible. If you can't even develop a simple emotion chip for him, how could Benoit make precise enough modifications to his positronic net so that he'd obey Shane and Shane alone?"

    Stephanie considered that for a long moment. "No offense, Jeff, but Jericho wouldn't have his nose that far up my brother's backside unless he wanted it there. Besides, Matt's related to you, making his theories automatically suspect."

    Jeff shrugged. "Suit yourself. I lost something in the Smackdown. Mind if I go find it?"

    "Whatever." Stephanie pocketed the data chip as Jeff bounced away. He would be optimistic enough to defend his idol Chris Jericho to the bitter end, but she wouldn't forget the horrible names he'd been calling her or the callous way he'd commented on how it was a shame Russo's aim wasn't better.

    He'd stood over Stephanie in Sickbay, just to say that to her. There wasn't fake blood flowing through his veins; there was only ice. What she couldn't face was that his words hurt more than any blade piercing her skin ever could....

    Jericho, who had stayed at the bar as he secretly reworded Heyman's private conversation, eyed a familiar rainbow-haired Aerialian a few feet away.  Jeff seemed to be quite the spy lately, spewing theories that the Y2J Unit couldn't possibly be reprogrammed. As much as Jericho wanted Jeff to know that he was right, he couldn't let the boy find out.

    Besides, if Shane ever ever heard Jeff's theories... well so much for that. Not only would Jericho be melted down by a trigger-happy Shane, but the young McMahon boy would take pleasure in doing the same to Jeff. Jericho put down his synthehol and sighed.

    You see, Lt. Commander Jericho had a dilemma on his hands. Granted, there was only a mere few hours left until Shane was locked up in the brig, but his carefully woven web of deception was slowly unravelling. Why couldn't Matt and Jeff just keep their damn big mouths shut? All Stephanie needed was one little nagging suspicion planted in her brain and she'd go off half-cocked, unintentionally alerting Shane.

    Sorry Steph, but I know you a little better than I'm comfortable with. You'd want to help, and I can't let you do that.

    He'd promised Vince that Stephanie would be safe and secure from Nytrons, that he'd go through hell and back to keep her sheltered from this dangerous scam. The Russo incident had seriously shaken Cap, even if he was loathe to admit it.

    Taking a deep breath, Jericho crossed the bar, cutting through the dancing crowds to where the younger Hardy was on his hands and knees under a table. He grabbed him by the collar and hauled him to his feet. "Looking to get your ass kicked?"

    "Er no," Jeff replied. "I lost something. Do you mind not wrinkling the uniform?"

    "Well, I got something else for you to find." Jericho hissed, tightening his fingers around the boy's neck until Jeff started to wheeze. "Your teeth. Here's a hint. In about five seconds, they won't be in that big mouth of yours!"

    "What the hell is your problem?" Jeff gasped out.

    "Don't you think I know what you're trying to do to Stephanie?" Chris demanded, fighting the instinct to let the kid breathe. "I'm spying on everything she does, you idiot! Do you really think I'm faking? Do you?" He clamped his fingers even tighter, like a vise, until Ensign Hardy's legs started to kick and squirm in his vain efforts to inhale.

    Jeff managed a nod. He couldn't help it if he was naturally honest.

    "Shane told me that if you gave me a reason, I should just kick your scrawny ass." Chris smirked. "Do you think Steph will go running to Shane and tell her I'm some kind of double agent? Do you think Shane will believe anything that comes from you or that pig brother of yours? All you'll do is get Stephanie killed on the spot, because she meddled in her big brother's affairs!"

    "I see." Even though his lips were going numb and turning blue, Jeff managed to smile. "By kicking my ass, you spare your true love. Then by all means, let's get this party started."

    True love? What the f- Jericho had never been quite this blinded by anger before, so when he snapped out of it, he was genuinely shocked to see his friend Jeff lying in a broken heap six feet away from him, real pain twisting his features. Lita was kneeling beside him.

    Chris felt deeply ashamed of himself, suddenly realizing what human beings meant when they said the truth hurt, though Jeff hadn't really spoken the truth, it was just that......he refused to let his mind wander there.

    Jericho walked over to them, knowing he couldn't let up now, even if the guilt was almost too heavy a burden to bear. It took major damage to make a pain-resistant Aerialian wince.

    "I wouldn't pity him if I were you, Red." Jericho stared remorselessly into her blazing eyes. "Trish can kiss it and make it better. They share a special bond, since she took his innocence and all."

    And then the robot left, not bothering to look at the damage he'd left in his wake.

    They'll all forgive me, they'll all understand in the end....

    Right. And maybe if he kept repeating that to himself, he might almost believe it.....

    "Er, sir, I found part of what you were looking for." Maven said anxiously, holding the wriggling scorpion at arm's length across the bio-bed. "But I thought Rock said he dropped the People's Elbow on it."

    Taker looked up as he calibrated the diagnostic intruments that arched over the bio-bed. "You got a lot to learn, boy. Rock's got all the fighting skills of the Easter Bunny. He couldn't break an egg shell with that pathetic move."

    Maven was relieved when the dead man took the poisonous creature from his grasp and stared at it curiously. Then, without blinking, Dr. Taker dropped it on the floor, watched it get it's bearings, and dropped his big black leather boot on it. "Get rid of it."

    Maven shuddered and was about to reach for this distasteful little corpse, when Ensign Matt hurried in, supporting his kid brother, who was doubled over in agony. For just a brief sliver or a second, the civilian was certain Taker was envisioning Rock at his most flippant as he squashed that scorpion.

    "I honestly thought he was fine when Lita brought him back to our room." Matt was babbling, his words tripping clumsily over each other. "Jericho broke one of his ribs, but usually they heal in a couple hours, but then he falls on his bed and starts writhing around in pain and coughing up blood-"

    "Shut your mouth." Taker said calmly, as Jeff unceremoniously sprawled out on the bio-bed. The dead man stuck a hypospray in his skinny arm and the boy relaxed immediately, that is, until he saw what Maven was about to throw in the trash.

    "You found my pet scorpion!" Jeff said groggily. "Who murdered him! I demand an autopsy!"

    "That was yours?" Taker asked, opening a cabinet and pulling out a much longer, sharper needle. "Damn shame that was, he accidentally walked under my boot."

    "Shoot." Jeff was slurring his words badly. "I'd almost trained him to bite Matt too."

    "Here's hoping the cure hurts more than the injury." Matt said, glaring down at his goofily grinning brother.

    The Dead Man carefully selected the sharpest scalpel he could find, one that could melt mortal skin like butter. "Don't you worry about a thing, Ensign. I'll take care of your brother just fine."

CAPTAIN McMAHON'S QUARTERS

    "Come!" Captain McMahon called out as the chimes on his door rang.  He smiled when he saw who entered, "Lt Commander Jericho. Is everything ready?"

    "Yeah, Vinnie-mac," Jericho began. McMahon stared at the Y2J Unit, noticing he seemed somewhat distressed... if androids got distressed.

    "What is it, Lt. Commander?"

    "Well, by now you've heard that Ensign Hardy is in Sickbay,"  Jericho said. McMahon nodded, "I'M the one who put him there. He started spewing some lame-ass theories about me being a double-agent," Lt. Cmdr Jericho shrugged, "Ok, they weren't so lame-ass, but I had to stop him before Shane heard and grew suspicious,"

    "Understood. You will be exempt from any punishment!"

    "But that's the thing," Jericho started, "I shouldn't be--"

    "Come on now, Lt. Commander!" McMahon interrupted, "Do you think your friends will still be angry at you after they find out you SAVED the entire ship?!"

    Jericho opened his mouth to reply, then paused. Would his friends forgive him that easily? "Well..." he started hesitantly. 'Well, they WOULD understand, right?' Jericho thought.

    Of course, if the Lt. Cmdr. knew what Dr. Taker was doing to Jeff in Sickbay, he would not have been so optimistic.

    Captain McMahon continued, "They should be HONOURED that you would go to such lengths to protect them from a hostile takeover! You will be a ROLE-MODEL to WrestleFleet officers everywhere! A HERO! A PARAGON OF VIRTUE!" Captain McMahon then winked, "AND... I was keeping this a secret, but...." he smiled, "You will be promoted to COMMANDER and take Shane's place by my side as my First Officer!"

    "First Officer?" Jericho repeated, not quite believing it. Could it be? After all his hard work! After everything he had gone through, was he finally going to get that big  push? Jericho's good mood quickly faltered as a disturbing thought came to him, "But guys like Austin, Rock -- they'll question my promotion! They'll try and challenge my authority, they'll--"

    "As far as I'm concerned," McMahon interrupted, "Your promotion will be UNDISPUTED! I will ignore any questions or comments about it. If Rock and Austin don't like it, they will answer to ME! THEY are not the ones risking everything to save my ship!"  The Captain replied.

    Jericho smiled somewhat smugly, feeling a bit braver now, "Well... I guess if you put it that way--"

    "That's it!" McMahon said happily as he noticed the change in Jericho's demeanor, "THAT'S the attitude I want from my First Officer!" he pat Jericho on the shoulder, "Now contniue on with our plans. I will make preperations with security! Good luck... COMMANDER!"

    "Thanks, Junior!" Jericho replied,  and quickly headed out to finish his assignment once and for all!

    McMahon smirked. Some officers were easy to manipulate ... but others officers, like Jericho, just wanted a little respect and acknowledgement.

    Of course, the Y2J Unit need never know that Vince had NO respect for his officers  - minus a certain doctor -  no matter HOW many times they saved the ship.

    "Just try and relax, Maven." Al Snow hastily handed the trembling young man a cool glass of water and then sank into a big leather chair, looking pensive as he tried to process the jumbled story that had spilled out of his protege.

    "I-I wasn't supposed to see it!" Maven cried out. "God, why did I have to hang around like I did? I'm usually so squeamish, but I-"

    He shook his smooth shaved head as if to clear the dark cloud away, but it hung too heavily on his mind. It wasn't so much the brutality and ruthlessness of the act, although it was the worst thing Maven had ever seen one man to do to another. The dead man had been so casual in his butchering, hurting and scarring as casually as one might discuss the weather.

    "Why was he so angry at Rock? Why didn't he just take it out on him?"

    Al frowned. "Lt. Commander Rock shouldn't have gone there on the mickey mouse tattoos. As usual, his lack of professionalism causes some kind of horrible chain reaction."

    "I did notice that Dr. Taker has a name tattooed across his throat." Maven said, glad to shift to a slightly more harmless topic. "What's up with that."

    "I can't say." Snow answered, recalling the tormented tale that had been told to him in a moment of despair and weakness, a weakness the dead man would never cop to. "But I fully understand the kind of demons mocking his tattoos could unleash, even if Rock didn't mean it that way. Unfortunately, Taker found himself a victim of opportunity to vent on."

    "I should have been quicker about getting rid of that scorpion." Maven said with a haunted look in his eye. "Why can't I just follow orders?"

    Al felt a sharp pang of guilt. Being on the Titanprize was supposed to be a wonderful learning experience for Maven, an experience Al had created for him. Instead, the young man was embroiled in a moral dilemma that basically amounted to a lose-lose situation. Ratting out superior officers who even Vince deferred to was career suicide, and Snow wanted Maven to excel.

    It was awful enough Snow had dragged him aboard a ship that was stranded in the middle of nowhere; but the therapist felt he had no easy answers to offer. When someone looked up to you the way Maven looked up to him, you owed them much more.

    "The worst part is, I wouldn’t tell just to save my own skin." Maven was saying. "I don’t want Taker to catch me alone."

    "Listen." Al said philosophically, settling back in his chair. "Jeff is still alive, and it’s all the robot’s fault. Jericho is the one who sent him there. I fear the android is becoming so violent I may have to recommend him being shut off…"

    "Sell out Jericho but not the doctor?" Maven demanded. "I don’t understand, sir. Y2J is merely a machine and can’t be held responsible."

    "Merely a machine." Snow chuckled, but did not explain his mirth to the civilian. "One of the first lessons you need to learn is nothing is black and white, son. It’s easy to make a robot the scapegoat, but the Dead man is a whole other can of worms, one I recommend you don’t open."

    "He performed an unnecessary operation without sedating or numbing the patient." Maven protested. "I know Aerialians handle pain well, but he cut Ensign Hardy so he’ll be in pain for the rest of his life. He found it amusing!"

    The counselour sighed. He would be a horrible role model if he condoned Taker’s behavior, and Maven would be torn up with his little secret unless something was done. "I’ll pass this along to Lt. Commander Rock, Maven. Captain McMahon values his opinion, and then Taker will turn a hypospray sideways and shove it up his candy ass."

    "All these crazy angles…" Maven shook his head.

    "You’ll have to excuse me now, son." Snow found opened his desk and removed his padd. "I have a substance abuse session with Stone Cold coming up…er…pretend I didn’t say that, why don’t you?"

    "What?"

    Al groaned. "And PLEASE don’t do THAT again!"
 
 

    "You claim that Heyman is plotting against me, Lt. Commander? Prove it!" Shane demanded. "I want proof, and I want it now!"

    Jericho nodded, "I have the proof, Commander. I overheard Heyman and his boys speaking in the Smackdown," Jericho pulled out a small silver disc and handed it to Shane.  "Listen to it, and decide for yourself,"

    Shane frowned, but grabbed the disc from Jericho. He placed it in the console on the wall beside his desk, and played it.

Rhyno: The Commander ain't all there! How long 'till you run this ship, Pauly?
Heyman: Sit tight, boys. Patience is indeed a virtue. My time will come.
RVD: Taking over the ship is cool.
Dreamer: It's about time some of us got ahead!
Heyman: I'm messing with the Commander's mind, boys. He trusts me. Little does the young Commander know I'm taking  over the ship. I've been overlooked too long! I've no patience for waiting. We're in the midsts of a new era! The era when all us underdogs get our just due!

    Shane eyes went wide as he heard the voices of the Extremers. Jericho was right! Heyman WAS plotting against him.

    It was time Heyman learned that you DON'T cross the boss!

WWF TITANPRIZE – SICKBAY- THE MORGUE

    Shivering, Maven kept his eyes directed at the morbid chemicals lining the cold metal shelves, silently counting their numbers. He tried to keep Counselour Snow’s promises echoing in his head, but they rung hollow in this chill icebox that held only one escape: past the Dead Man. Even though the ghoulish Dr. Piro also kept the night watch, the custodian’s pulse leapt madly everytime he heard a creak or scrape.

    Why had he confessed? Taker seemed happy to wallow in his sick crimes, but surely he felt the janitor’s presence as he sliced up the Aerialian. Maven felt his blood turn slick and icy as he strained to remember whether those gray eyes had sought him out-

    Suddenly a body slumped at his feet like a limp boneless sack. Maven jumped away, revulsed, wondering stupidly why he hadn’t heard the door fly open.

    "Don’t you be worrying about zipping that one up, boy. He’ll live. He’ll just wish he hadn’t."

    Rock! The Maivian laid lifeless and twisted before him, a crimson stain on the back of his head. A steel pipe with a matching red gouge in it clattered to the glistening floor.

    Taker laughed, a rasping, joyless thing that left plumes of white smoke in the crisp air. "You ever hear of survival of the fittest, punk?"

    Maven realized he was about to learn a whole other meaning as clammy bloodless fingers clased his neck and lifted him four feet in the air.

    "This here’s my yard. I’m the big dog that runs the yard. You’re just the little rat. You see where this is headed?"

    As the first blow landed with a sickening crunch against his jaw and darkness hovered, Maven held onto one single thought like it was strand of light.

    Al Snow was going to teach him how to fight!

HEYMAN'S QUARTERS

    Paul Heyman and his fellow extremers, Dreamer, Rhyno, and RVD, were hanging out in his quarters, going over what they would do once Shane gave them high ranks on the Titanprize. Well, all except RVD, who still seemed to think this whole 'take-over' thing wasn't as cool as it once was.

    "To Shane McMahon and Titanprize Domination, my friends!" Heyman toasted as he held up a beer stolen from Lt. Commander Austin's personal stash

    "To Titanprize domination!" Rhyno and Dreamer repeated, and guzzled their Stevewisers eagerly.

    "Titanprize domination?" a voice shouted angrily.  The ECW group turned to the sound of the voice. Commander Shane McMahon had barged into Heyman's quarters, the door having been forcibly opened by Lt. Commander Jericho, who stood glowering behind his Commander. Shane held a phaser at Heyman and his fellow Extremers, "You're NOT taking this ship!  NO ONE crosses me, Pauly! You got that? NO ONE!"

    "Shane," Heyman began quietly, trying to defuse the situation as he held his hands in front of him in a gesture of peace, "Calm down, sir! We're NOT plotting against you!"

    "LIAR!" Shane snapped, his eyes wild, "I heard you! I heard your conversation! 'I'm messing with the Commander's mind, boys. He trusts me. Little does the young Commander know I'm taking  over the ship'. That's what you said in the Smackdown! I have PROOF!"

    "Proof?" Heyman asked, obviously baffled at the accusation.

    Shane nodded to Jericho, who pressed a button on his padd and played the edited recording the Y2J Unit had worked so hard to make.

    "That's NOT what we were saying, Shane-o!" Heyman started, "That recording has been ALTERED!" He looked at Lt. Commander Jericho, and narrowed his eyes, finally putting the pieces together, "You want to find a traitor? Perhaps you should look behind you!"

    "Why? The traitor is right here! It's YOU! How DARE you!  I'M the one who's been doing the planning! I'M the one who's been messing with my pop's mind! I'M the one who will take over this ship, damnit! ME! Shane McMahon! And if you think you're going to take all my planning and pull the rug out from under me, you're WRONG!"

    "Thank you for that lovely admission, Commander," Lt. Commander Jericho spoke up.

    Shane spun around to glare at the Y2J Unit, "What the hell are you talking about?" he asked.

    "Got it, Vinnie-mac?" Jericho asked the thin air.

    "Got it, Lt. Commander Jericho," Captain McMahon's voice came through Jericho's open comm,  "And I have Molly ready to transport it to WrestleFleet headquarters at this very moment!"

    "I TOLD you, damnit!" Heyman snapped at Shane, "I TOLD you it was him!"

    "What?" Shane now stared dumbfounded at Jericho, "You... and my DAD? You were... WORKING together? Impossible! I reprogramed you!"

    "Did you now?" Jericho asked, "You never quite got the job done. Probably because you SUCK when it comes to computers, Junior!" Jericho tapped his skull, "It'll take more then a little tampering to reprogram THIS beautiful brain!" he smirked, "You can't break through my new and improved Walls defenses. I remember a little group called DX trying to reprogram me about a year or so back. It didn't work then either,"

    "Damn you!" Shane snapped, "DAMN YOU!" Shane's hands shook visibly, his trigger finger twitching.

    Suddenly, the doors to Heyman's quarters burst open and Lieutenants Bradshaw and Farooq grabbed Shane, forcing the phaser out of his hand, and dragged him to the brig. The Captain would decide punishment at a later date.

WWF TITANPRIZE – THE SMACKDOWN

    "I suppose you’d like another tea, Commissioner Regal?" Terri asked with a roll of her eyes, as she brought an old fashioned kettle over to where the Brit sat, pouring over a stack of padds. These Englishmen were certainly predictable and boring.

    No wait, SHE was boring. After all, anything Jericho said was UNDISPUTED.

    Regal sniffed at it. "This is as weak as Ensign Palumbo’s wrist."

    "Perhaps I didn’t keep it over the flame long enough." she retorted. "What are you doing anyways?"

    "As if it’s some bloody tart’s business." Still, William liked the sound of his own voice. "I fear it’s that tiresome time of year again. Time to start considering applicants for a lieutenant’s star."

    "Why isn’t Ensign Tajiri helping you?"

    "Too busy with that Wilson wench." Regal said with disgust. "A true gentlemen would only worship the Queen of England, but I suppose a right good flogging will set the lad straight."

    "Who are the front runners" Terri asked. A juicy bit of gossip to spread always kept people flocking to the bar and buying that extra drink.

    "I haven’t even administered any tests or put the little ruffians through their paces." William said. "Edge and Christain’s ancestors did serve royalty nobly, so I might consider it. Rob Van Dam is a crack pilot who can thread the eye of a needle with a ship, so I musn’t weed him out."

    "He is good." Terri mused. "You’d be a dope to reject him right away."

    "Ensign Angle is a superior athlete who wears the gold." Regal went on. "But give a bloody Yank a mile, and he’ll demand a light year. Uncouth colonist ingrates!"

    "I happen to be a yank." Terri said coldly. "And why aren’t you taking part in Jericho’s promotion ceremony?"

    Strangely enough, most of Chris’s supposed friends were dutifully ignoring Captain McMahon as he pinned another star to the android’s collar. Only Christian and Lance Storm and Kurt seemed to offer half hearted applause near the stage.

    "I rubber stamped it." William said haughtily. "If you ask me, there’s something just a touch eerie about treating a machine like a human being. Besides, I find such arrogance in a bridge officer a trifle maddening."

    Terri rolled her eyes. Jericho did look mighty handome up there in his new scarlet dress uniform, his blonde hair braided in a way that seemed to highlight the flawlessly sculpted angles of his face, and unfortunately, a full-lipped smirk. She noticed, too, that a certain Chief of Engineers seemed to be struggling to avert her eyes.

    The android stepped down off the stage after accepting the warm congratulations of Vince and walked over to where his best friends sat, all brooding over synthehols.

    "Cheer up, Princess. That’s an order from your undisputedly superior officer."

    Stephanie took a deep breath and turned to face him. Good thing she was sitting, she thought, the drink made her knees a bit wobbly…and her face flushed, not to mention her stomach seemed to be a tad fluttery…"May I respectfully suggest you take an undisputed long walk off an undisputedly short pier, sir?"

    The smirk softened slightly. "Don’t be such a child, sweetie. Don’t you appreciate the heroic lengths I went to in order to protect your sizeable behind?"

    "Didn’t you tell me just yesterday all my extra weight had migrated north?" she asked with a frown. "You’re slipping, Chrissie."

    "Stephanie, please-"

    "And aren’t I a child to you and Daddy?" Steph continued. "I killed Vince Russo and still you shelter me. You lie to me. Only Shane could turn you into something so low and slimy."

    Jericho’s face hardened. She was the one person who knew him! Didn’t she know better than this? "Fine. I order you Aerialians to stand up, look your superior officer in the eye, and salute him. Now!"

    "I hope your power trip has a one way ticket." Lita said coldly, standing up and splashing her drink in his eyes. "We’ll chat later, Steph."

    "I guess those night long games of musical Hardyz makes her cranky." Jericho remarked. Sure, he was being immature, but so were they! They were the ones who believed nothing could alter his gorgeous programming!

    "Why don’t you go choke on some humble pie, sir?" Matt asked quietly, brushing past him on his way after Lita.

    "Humble," Chris repeated incredulously. "Humble? I’m an invaluable scientific miracle with the strength of 100 crewmembers and the wisdom of an entire planet. I am insufferably humble."

    "Just insufferable." Jeff waited until the ‘bot had wiped his eyes clear and then flung his stinging liquid into his, flinching slightly as he did so. Jericho flinched inside, wishing he could take the pain he’d caused for Jeff as his own.

    "Please Stephie, don’t keep me in suspense here."

    She smiled and picked up her tall frosted glass. "Engineering will feel a hell of a lot less suffocating without your ego weighing us all down, Chris." Stephanie stood, running her finger lightly over his new star. "Oh, and I’m a lot more creative than my Aerialian friends, dearest."

    Without another word, she spilled the contents of her glass down his collar, watching as the cold syntheol darkened the front of his precious uniform. "Consider our fighting lessons cancelled. I’ll find someone with honor to show me how to protect myself."

    Instinctively, the android’s hand reached up to his chest, feeling the frigid wetness. A vaguely sad thought flitted across his positronic net.

    I hope nothing’s broken….