Star Trek - From the Ashes.

Star date: 90777.88
Location: Sirius Block, Orion Sector Starbase 24

Vice Admiral Helix Falks sat at his desk in his day room aboard the USS Dante an experimental Andorian Escort ship. The last of the ships in his small task force had just arrived and final preparations to get under way were being made, thankfully his rank allowed him the luxury of delegating such tasks to others, his orders were to meet with the rest of the fleet at The Wolf Den, The Draconian Wolf 5th fleet's Starbase near the Klingon boarder.

Current times were hard on the Federation and the more traditional fleet assignment by the Admiralty board were all but over Admirals were almost free to choose their fleet postings as long as they could bring with them a task force to fill out the rosters. Helix was bringing 10 ships to the table which was more than the average Admiral could muster.

Helix stood and walked out onto the bridge a young Ensign announced his arrival, to which Helix shot the young man a disapproving glance.

"Are we ready to leave T'Lar?" he said to his XO
"Aye Sir the Fleet is forming on us and we will be ready to depart shortly" she replied in her flat emotionless Vulcan tone.
"Good, I think I will move my flag over to the Warrior when we get to the Den, the Andorians can build a ship but they can't build a bridge"
T' Lar raised an eyebrow unlike the Vulcans, Andorians and Humans, Helix's race were new to the federation they looked like humans but were less emotional or at least suppressed them better, however Helix was still a mystery to her after all the years they spent serving together.

T'Lar pushed her thoughts aside and focused on the display on the Captains chair, "All ships report ready, course set, your orders"
"Engage... Naturally, ETA" Helix said.
"ETA 6 hours 30 minutes"
Helix nodded slowly "I'll be in my cabin let me know when we arrive" with that Helix left the bridge.

Joker satvl in his ready room.. Staring at the wall. He had a lot to accomplish, and very little time to accomplish it in, yet there he sat. He knew that he would get it all done in time.. Just had to finish mentally telling himself to get up and go. His ship the USS Strange, a galaxy class starship, was in dry dock, undergoing repairs from damaged received in his last engagement with the borg. He had 12 hours before she was ready to sail amongst the stars and continue the ongoing mission that starfleet had given all exploration type cruisers. Seek out new life and new civilizations.. To "boldly go" and so on. Ever since he was a boy.. He had dreamed of captaining a ship into the unknown. And here he was, actually doing it. And he loved every part of it.. Except for one thing. Losing crew members. In combat, to sickness, or any other reason. He was responsible for those lives. People trusted him, as their captain, to keep them safe.
But as all commanding officers have learned.. Sometimes you have to make a call or give an order that could get your men killed. And every face of those lost haunted his dreams. He always made it a habit, to go through the lists of casualties and pull up the files of each loss.
When he was in the academy, his teachers warned against doing that. Saying itbqoupd drive you mad. But he still did none the less.

Deep in thought... He hadn't heard the door notification going off, signaling someone was requesting to enter. After the third beep, joker finally shook out of his trance and responded.
"Come." He said firmly, still shaking off the daze.
The door opened to reveal Tarah, his first officer.
"Captain, your presence is requested in station. Admiral Vala wishes to speak with you."
Joker blinked a few times, registering the relay of request.. And stood.
" Very well.. Tell her I will be there shortly." Joker then dismissed his number one and strode to the transporter room.

Stardate: 90778.99

Eta Eridani block, Aldebaren Sector The Wolf's Den Starbase

Vice Admiral Vala Cora sat in the Captain's chair of the Bridge of the Wolf's Den Starbase, hot cup of coffee in her hand. "Why did I volunteer to take the morning shift," she thinks to herself. She kept herself busy by casually scrolling through reports on the chair's display screen. Occasionally she would glance up to the main view screens as a freighter would enter the system. Life on a Starbase was quite different from life on a ship. On the starbase it didn't matter who you were, even a Vice Admiral such as Vala rolled up her sleeves and got her hands dirty. She was glad that she didn't come here very often. This visit, however, would be unique, it would be the first time in six months that those who flew with the symbol of the Draconian Wolf 5th Fleet and their respected task groups, if any.

Somehow Vala Ended up as Senior officer of the Fleet and Starbase 3 months ago. She's still not sure how it happen, but that's Starfleet Command for you, always keep you on your toes. That is just a moot point though, she still spent most of time on her ship, an Odyssey Star Cruiser. The base had a good competent set of Senior Staff that could handle just about anything. Though they still need special approval for most of the Starbase upgrades and improvements.

"Admiral Cora, Ma'am," a Lieutenant called from his station behind the captain's chair.

"Yes Lieutenant?" She replied followed by a sip of coffee.

"We're being hailed, its the Black Fang, putting on center screen."

"Captain, I have that report on the Fang you requested," it was Commander Kort, Vala's First Officer on her ship. She just nodded him to carry on.

"Maintenance is currently on schedule, it should all be completed by the end of the day. Lownna reports the the replacement of the capacitors the burned from that the extended slipspace burn we pulled are going well. We'll be able to crank the warp drive output back up in about 3 hours. Liazna has been in forward observations for the past 5 hours calibrating the new deflector array, she's giving her work crews hells to make sure all works as it should. T'Mul has the EMH working proper again, every other sentence out of that thing was in a different dialect.," Kort looked down on his p.a.d.d to make sure he covered everything that needed covering. "Oh I managed to barter a bottle of Sarun Brandy from one of the freighters that passed through. I know you wanted something special for this little reunion."

"Have I become that predictable Kort?" Vala asked smirking.

"Only your tastes Ma'am. Okay I'm going to rack a few hours of shut eye, T'Paal will have the conn, Kort out." Korts image snapped off the screen. The screens shifted and focused on the Black Fang. Vala watched for a few moments watched a couple work shuttles and EVA crew visually inspecting the hull. She scaled back the screens and got a look at the Galaxy Class Cruiser, Captain Joker's ship, the U.S.S. Strange, hard docked with the Station for repairs.

"Ma'am, just received a subspace transmission, Vice Admiral Falk's task group are en route. about 4 & 1/2 hours til arrival," the Lt announced. Vala stands up, and turns to the Lt.

"Send a message to the Strange, Have Captain Joker join me on the station, I'll be in the Ready room. Oh and launch the shuttles assigned to setting up the Nav beacons. We're going to have a lot of ships in system, lets keep it orderly. " And with the Strode of to her destination.

Star Date 90780.51

"I hope you realise," said Vice Admiral Robert M. Stryder, or Bob to his mates, "that if we do this we won't get home. Ever."
"We got picked to do a job, so we gotta do it." replied Rear Admiral Jennyfur k. Griffin, or Jen to her mates.
"No, I got picked, you disobeyed an order and tagged along."
"Hey, I got caught in the current!"
"You and your whole command crew?" Bob glanced around the room they were trapped in. Besides the two of them, there were eight other Star Fleet officers, the bridge officers of their respective ships. Fair to say they would be dead now without these outstanding officers.

They were stood in the engineering section of an unnamed base in an unknown system. They didn't know the base name or system because they were in the mirror universe. Stryder had been ordered to investigate reports of mirror universe incursions, and he had taken Griffin and her ship along. They had defeated a few Terran Empire ships in the system and then been dragged into a portal. In the mirror universe they had been attacked by more Terran Empire ships which they fought off. They scanned the area and detected strange signals on the planet.

On beaming down to investigate they had discovered a huge installation, descending many levels into the planets crust, with enough power to run a thousand star ships for decades. After the ten of them had infiltrated the base and killed many Terran Empire crew, they had finally discovered the purpose behind the base. It would be able to transfer a whole fleet to their home universe at once. Not five or ten ships, but hundreds at once. A rough estimation from the two engineers present was that they could expect to transport two hundred ships an hour. 4800 ships a day, 33600 ships a week. Stryder made the decision, and it was backed by everyone, to destroy the installation totally. The obvious way was to overload the power cores, all eight of which could be triggered from the master engineering console. The destruction would be total. Base, planet, system. All would be annihilated. The crew would not be able to get out in time. Buried too deep in the installation to be beamed out by either ship, the ships had already been ordered back to their home universe, to report on the findings and the loss of two respected officers and command crews.

Commander Nirel, the Andorian first officer for Griffin, was staring at a console in the corner of the room, waiting for confirmation that the two starships had used the portal and left. While she was waiting she fiddled with the board, looking for an escape route or anything that may help them out. She found something vaguely interesting, cross referenced with the base inventory and then checked the map.

"Sirs!" she called out. "You need to see this!"
"What've you got?" asked Griffin, as she and Stryder walked over to the Commander.
"A way out. Look. Two levels down from us is a hangar, we didn't know about it because there's no outer doors, but the place is huge."
"So what's the way out?" asked Stryder.
"There's two ships in there sir. An assault cruiser and a patrol escort. Recommend we leave two people here, and the rest of us go to those hangars and see if we can use those ships."
"That's a good plan." said Griffin, "it's close enough that we can beam out whoever is left here after they set the over ride."
"Ok. Jen, you leave me here with Six of Nine, take the rest and get to those ships. I don't know how they got in there, but they must have a way out." Stryder paused for a moment. "Yes, that's the plan. Go!"

In a matter of seconds Griffin had left the room with her crew of Commander Niral, Commander Solange, Commander Enkra and Commander Jhril, and the rest of Stryders crew Commander Shelana, Commander Abeni and Commander Xeeteabow. Leaving Stryder and Six of Nine in the engineering room to close and seal the doors, they moved to aquire a ship and a way home.

They met little resistance to start with, as they got closer to the hangar they got into some heavy fighting but the combined crews were more than up to the task. As they approached the hangar a klaxon began sounding, and a computers voice announced a emergency evacuation of the base.

"I think they know what we're up to now." commented Shelana.
"It does. And that may work in our favour. Can you hear the transporters working over time?"
"Yessir." said Solange. "That hangar's gonna be empty of personnel." We may just be able to take the ships."
"If they're still in there." said Enkra. "They had to have a plan to get them out."
"The transporters have stopped." said Griffin. "Let's go!"

They broke from cover and ran into the hangar. There in front of them were two ships, a Sovereign class Assault Cruiser and a Prometheus class Patrol Escort. Both ships powered down, dark and silent. The only other thing was a portal. As dark and powerless as the ships, the oval was big enough to allow the two ships to pass through side by side.

"We need to split up," said Griffin, "Nirel, Solange, get that portal open. The rest of you split into your crews and take a ship. Bob can have that Cruiser, I want the Escort. Signal me when you're ready. I'll update the Admiral."

The team split up three ways. Jen Griffin approached the umbilical to the Escort carefully. Still power to the doors, she tapped the button to open the doors.

"There's no security at all." said Jhril, Griffins Security Chief as they walked down the umbilical to the ships closed airlock. "They really are a different type of people over here."
"Yea. They prefer personal combat over stealing things." replied Griffin with a shrug. "Works for me though."
"I heard that." said Enkra.

They got to the air lock, punched the big red 'OPEN' button and the doors opened. A small puff of air as the pressures equalised, then silence. The ship was in low power mode, minimal lighting and life support. Enkra closed and secured the airlock then they moved towards the bridge. At the bridge, Griffin went to the command chair and tapped in a standard startup code. A few consoles lit up, and the computers voice said

"Please state ship name."

Griffin looked at her XO. Surely this couldn't be the first time the computer had been powered up? They had been lucky so far but this was far beyond luck. She thought for a second, and then said

"Portstown. This ships name is Portstown."
"Acknowledged. Ship name is ISS Portstown, registry number 92655. Please identify commanding officer."
Griffin glanced at Nirel again and said "Commanding officer is Rear Admiral Upper-Half, Jennyfur K. Griffin."
"Acknowledged. Commanding officer Admiral Griffin."
"Computer, what is the ship status?"
"Ship is on low power mode. All systems installed and ready to power up."
Griffin sighed with relief. "Computer, power up all systems. Bring ship to full readiness."
"Acknowledged. Please stand by, starting matter/antimatter power core."

The bridge filled with the sounds of a ship coming to life. After a few minutes the bridge lights came on to full power, the vents began blowing warmer air through and eventually the forward viewer flicked on. The view was of the portal, which by now was glowing around the edges, off to the right hand side was the forward third of the assault cruiser, as they watched lights flicked on and the marker lights began to flash. Griffin tapped her combadge.

"Griffin to Solange."
"Solange here."
"How are you doing out there?"
"All done sir. The portal is powering up. It just a matter of time. Permission to come aboard?"
"Granted. Well done." Griffin tapped her combadge to cut the connection and then said "Beam them straight to engineering."
"Aye sir." replied Enkra, who had sat at the operations console.

Griffin checked on the other ship, which had been named 'Monroe' by Stryders XO, and found that all was ok. She tapped her combadge again.
"Griffin to Stryder."
"Stryder here. How're you doing, Jen?"
"All good here sir, we have two ships ready to rock and a way out. Just waiting for you to set the override, we can beam you out and then leave."
"We have a way out then?"
"Yea, a portal right here waiting."
"Ok. We're setting the override now. Stand by."

After a minute or so, Stryder said "The override is set. We have two minutes."
"Beaming you to your ship, sir. See you on the other side. Griffin out." She turned to Enkra.
"Signal the Monroe, tell them to beam the Admiral and Six of Nine to their ship then move through the portal. Don't wait for his command as they don't have time. Jhril, take us through the portal."
"Aye sir," answered Jhril and began pressing buttons.

Outside the ships, in the hangar, smoke was beginning to pour from overheated power couplings, lights began exploding and showering sparks over the hulls of the two ships. The Portstown began to move towards the glowing portal and a few seconds later the Monroe started to move as well. As couplings began to melt explosions started to tear into the foundations of the installation. The two ships slid through the portal, to safety.

The explosion that followed tore the planet apart. The planets twin on the other side of the star would have shooting stars for six months of the year for decades...


****************************************************************************

The ISS Monroe and the ISS Portstown held position three kilometers from the Wolf Den. Crews had been shuffled, more had been requisitioned and both ships were now functioning units under the command of Vice Admiral Bob Stryder. The admirals met in person for the first time since the engineering room on the mirror station. They shook hands.

"It's not over, you know." said Griffin. "They'll want to retaliate for that."
"You're right." sighed Stryder. "That operation would've taken years, decades maybe, to get that far."
"Uh-huh. Oh well, never mind. Que sera and all that. How's your new ship? I take it that the powers that be are letting us keep them?" she asked, hopefully.
"Um, about that." Stryder looked uncomfortable. Griffin just stared at him. She opened her mouth to say something but Stryder carried on.
"I, uh, I get to keep mine, but they said the Portstown wasn't appropriate for your rank."
"You have GOT to KIDDING me!" Griffin flung her arms in the air and began pacing and ranting about how it was her ship, she risked her life, they saved the Federation and why shouldn't she have a reward for a job well done? Bob let her sound off for a few minutes, and during a lull when she drew breath he said
"Admiral Quinn agrees with you." Griffin stopped pacing and looked at him.
"Care to explain?"
"Admiral Quinn agrees that you should have a reward. He's acquired a ship and he's sent it here."
"What ship? I don't want another ship. If i can't have the Portstown I'll go back to the Burnside. That is appropriate to my rank."
"No, it isn't"
"Yea it is, I'm a Rear Admiral, Upper ... " her voice trailed off as comprehension dawned. "What ship did you say it was?"
"I didn't say. It's the USS Newport..."
"Never heard of it."
"You wouldn't have done. It only left Utopia Planitia two days ago and it came straight here."
"Brand new? What class is it?"
Bob Stryder smiled. "It's a Heavy Escort Carrier. Thunderchild variant. Quinn has kitted it out with mark XI phaser arrays, mark XI photon torpedos and a self leveling ultra-rare quad phaser cannon."
Jen mulled it over for a minute, then said carefully "That ship class and weaponry can only be used by a Vice Admiral."
"Correct. Congratulations on your promotion, Vice Admiral Jen K. Griffin."
Jen smiled. "Yay! Tell me more about my ship!"
"Did I mention the point defences? Phasers and photons. You'll be unstoppable. Plus you've got your Peregrine Fighters in your shiny new hangar."
She smiled again. "Can't wait to kill some Borg..." she mused.

"Lets go see what Vala wants. She hates meetings, so for her to call one must mean big business."

Together, they turned and walked towards the turbolift.

Stardate: 90782.24

Vala paced back and forth, still in the Ready Room of the station. “Where the hell are those two,” she mumbled to herself. She stops and looks out into space, eyeing the transwarp gate. “They can just be late then, waited long enough.” She strolls to the desk console and keyed up the Stations comms. “All fleet Captains and XO's Report to the Conference room. I repeat, All fleet captains and XO's report to the conference room.” She closed the channel and strode out of the ready room and glanced at the three large view screens. Most of the fleet had gathered in the past 12 hours and now there were more than two dozens vessels. There hadn't been this many ships in system since the coronation of the star base. She then noticed the Officer of the watch making his way around the various consoles and she called out. “Commander, the conn is now yours, and let me know when you have those wayward task groups on scan.” He did a quick two finger salute then went back about his duties.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Vala strode into the conference room, other were already there, small talking about some of their recent escapades.

“Hey Vala, err I mean Admiral Cora, its been a while,” Joker spoke up. She just smirked and shook her head.

“Joker how long have we known each other? Knock off that Admiral stuff, its not like your speaking to Starfleet brass here.” She looked around the room, “So how are the rest of you fairing?”

(If you all would, I can't deny you guys and take your snarky lines out of your mouths, so had then when you reply next if you would, cheers)

“Right, lets get down to business,” Vala announced and took the lead set at the table. She tapped a few keys making the room acoustically sound. “I,” but before she can even continue her comm badge chirps, “Son of a-” She tapped it, “Cora here.”

“Admiral, just picked up our lost puppies, Transwarp gate is already coming online for their arrival. Eta 90 Seconds, Bridge out.”

They all looked out the windows to the gateway and it lit was lit up like a Christmas tree.

“It like those two to arrive with a show, been like that since I can remember,” commented Vala.

“Gee, I wonder where they got that from,” Joker said chuckling. “I recall a certain Vice Admiral warping out of a dense nebula cloud, Tetryon beams and Quantum torps firing off like they were going out of style.”

“Oh shut it you,” Vala shot back. And just had the commander announced the two task forces came out of the gateway, in perfect formation no less. Vala hailed the two lead ships, the U.S.S. Alpha Wolf and the USS Midnight Sage. Their images popped up on the screen side by side. “Vice Admiral Cora, Rear Admiral Cora, you two are late.”

Admiral Patrick Cora was first to respond, “That's fashionable late, Ma'am.”
“It was Patrick’s I mean, the Vice Admirals fault!” Rear Admiral Misha Cora called out.
“Oh sure, lets blame the older sibling,” Patrick retorted, “And not a certain younger sister who couldn't figure out what boots matched her uniform.” Both of them were looking as serious as possible as they bickered back and forth for another few seconds. They silenced when Bob rose a hand.

“I'd just like to ask, who's brilliant idea it was to put three Admiral Cora's in the same damn fleet? Was the entire Admiralty board all drunk on Romulan Ale or something?” This thought took a few seconds to register with everyone, before the room, and both bridges were laughing at the idea.
“Probably,” Vala agreed, “Okay, I want both of your asses in here now, including Your XO's, beam directly to the conference room. Vala out.”

It took about a minute before that familiar sound of the transported before the four officers were in the room.

“Okay grab a seat,” Vala tapped the keys again and began to speak. “You can follow along or just listen, yesterday at oh nine hundreds I received Fleet wide orders. This comes straight from Admiral Quinn. As you all know, Federation and KDF Forces have banded together in the Gamma Orionis block to fight the Borg. Starfleet Command has deemed necessary to rotate fleets to lessen the effect prolonged combat has on the body and mind. Damn smart move if you ask me.”

“Does that mean...” Misha's XO, Danniel started to ask.
“Yes Commander Leah. Our fleet's ticket is up, in 10 days time, we are to take the Risa sector Transwarp gate to the Borg front lines to relieve current Federation forces. The forces their have already passed on two previous opportunities to come home and get some r&r. This time they don't have a choice. We are to be stationed their for no less than 3 months and no more than 6. So if you ship has a stabilizer that’s been shaking things up, now is the time to replace it. The entire fleet needs inspecting from the star cruisers down to the shuttles. Get lists of stuff you need and get it to me or my XO Kort. I'll see to it that everything arrives before we are scheduled to move out. Joker since you don't have the privilege yet to command your own task force yet, You'll be flying with the DW5-1st, with me. Once we get their I'll be coordinating with Admiral D'Vak of the KDF and the USS Victory. Remember this is not a Joint operation and are still at war with the Klingon Empire. Federation and Klingon Forces who go their have put this aside to confront the Borg, on our terms. Make sure your ships are all stocked with items that are not easily replicated. There is a nearby asteroid field for raw minerals however. The next 24 hours is going to be down time for us and our crews. You may disclose this information at your leisure with a deadline of 36 hours from here. Briefings will be sent to Senior Staff by then as well. So... that is that, Any Questions?”

(feel free to add a bit here)

“Well that wraps that up, I'd like everyone to meet up down on deck 10 at 1800, being off duty this is more of a request than an order. But its not something you're going to want to miss. Enjoy wearing off duty clothes while you can. Dismissed. We'll catch up then Patrick and Misha, especially since Misha's new pips are still so new and shiny from her recent promotion. Okay see you all then, I need to log in a few hours of sleep,” Vala gave quick hugs to the too and headed for the turbolift. When she reached her quarters she sat for a moment at her desk before pulling off her boots. “Computer.” It sounded in acknowledgement. “Unless Borg start kicking in the air locks, I am not to be disturbed for the next 5 hours.” It confirmed the command as she removed her pips and comm badge from her jacket. As Vala walked to her bed she loosened her jacket and fell face first into the bed, and was out.

Helix Stood in the conference room as it began to fill, the only persons he knew personally was Stryder and Griffin (He had crafted the Aegis Systems for them), the three exchanged curt nods as they entered and took seats next to each other, Helix watched them for a moment the two smiled at each other constantly and it was obvious to him that they were in love whether they knew or not was a different matter.

Finally T' Lar entered "Admiral" she said as he turned to face her.
"Did you requisition additional crew to fill out the rosters on the Somerville?" Helix said leading her to a seat and pulling out for her to sit down
"Yes sir, LT Commander Eerd has requested we requisition some additional weapons and armour for his security teams"
"He has been asking for those for awhile and now would be a good time to do as he requests" Helix said thoughtfully.

“So how are the rest of you fairing?” Said Admiral Vala to the room at large, there was a general positive murmur from the assembled staff.

Helix listened intently to the meeting though he forwent any input of his own. "The Borg" he thought to himself the last time he had encountered the Borg was at the battle of Sector 001 and before that at the the battle of Wolf 359 although these events took place around 45 years ago they still conjured up vivid memories, these events marked a dark chapter in his life and he did not relish the thought of reliving them, as soon as the meeting was concluded Helix went directly to his accommodation on the starbase and contacted the Federation Sciences division and requested all pertinent research on weapons and defences on combating the Borg, He spent several hours compiling lists of equipment memorizing tactical scenarios and writing a doctrine on how to best defeat the Borg.

Once he was satisfied he had completed his works he beamed over to the Warrior and went in search of his chief engineer, Commander Boskla Zegad he found the Betazoid woman in a Jefferies tube elbows deep in Bio-neural gel, she greeted him without looking up.

"I'm sensing apprehension, Helix what is the matter" She said as he stooped down next to her
"The Borg" he said "Isn't that stuff supposed to be in packs"
"yes it is, they burst, now if I can get the valve open it will drain away but its stuck"
Helix concentrated on the valve leaver and slowly pulled it with his mind the Bio-gel slowly drained away
Boskla looked at him "where were you 15 minutes ago?"
Helix smiled and handed her a towel "Come with me there is something I need you to do"

Back in Engineering Helix had gathered some of his senior officers, he handed them each a PADD.
"We will be fighting the Borg these PADDs each contain your assignments you will no doubt need to work together on these tasks" with that Helix left for his quarters.

He ate, washed and changed then climbed into bed...

"When I said Can't wait to kill some Borg I didn't really mean it." said Griffin.
"Not half, you didn't!" scoffed Stryder with a smile. "You can't wait to dish out some pain to those cyborg bastards. The next nine days literally cannot go quick enough for you."
"Well, if you're going to be like that about it."

It was the morning after the meeting, Stryder and Griffin were in Griffins ready room aboard the Newport. They had told the command crews of all eight ships about the impending front line work the previous evening, but had decided against telling their crews and had instead given most of them the night off, and sent them over to the Wolf Dens bar. They weren't the only ones, apparently the bar had been heaving busy with the crews of at least twenty starships eating, drinking, dancing and in the worse cases, singing. The action had not been restrained to the bar either, the recently installed holodeck took a thrashing as well. Needless to say, Helix had broken out his enormous stash of Romulan ale early on in the evening and now Stryder, Griffin and all the other ship and fleet commanders were nursing some spectacular hangovers.

Stryder had decided to get all his crews into one place for the announcement and as most of the revelers from last night were still in the bar sleeping, he had decided to get everybody there to address them. Some crews from other ships had been there as well, those captains decided to take the same route so Stryder ended up delivering the front line orders to the whole 5th Fleet. It went a lot better than he expected, there were a few grumbles but for the most part the reaction was positive which he felt was a credit to the fleet and their commanders. After Stryder had made the announcement, the other fleet captains addressed the crews, it total they were stood there for about forty five minutes. After that all the crews had returned to their ships and begun the preparations. Even though Griffin had a lot more work to do, as she now had to swap herself, her crew and all their belongings to the USS Newport, she had given her orders last night, commandeered transporter time and beamed eveything that wasn't bolted down from her old quarters to new (it had all landed in the wrong place and she had a huge mess to clear up) she had some free time to discuss options with Stryder. Quietly, because her head was pounding.

"How are the anti proton upgrades going?" she asked Stryder.
"Very well actually. All the weaponry was in storage in the star base. I'd planned to upgrade months ago." Stryder paused to have a mouthful of tea. "I've asked for some newer tactical consoles though. All the ones I have are phaser based, which are useless for anti proton based weaponry."
Griffin nodded.
"I'm quite pleased that Quinn decided to give me some decent guns for a change, most of the ships come supplied with rubbish. All this MkXI rare stuff he's given me is a real step up." she paused for a second, then said "Have you seen my hangar?" Stryder shook his head. "Not only is it chock full of Peregrine fighters, not only that, but there are maintenance, repair and construction facilities!" she grinned. "I can make more as I go along. If I use all mine up, I can just build more. All the raw materials will be there in asteroids and such." She slumped back in her seat with a sigh and shook her head. "I love my new ship."
Stryder shook his head with a half smile and took another mouthful of tea.

A few hours later his comm chimed. He was in the port forward weapons bay, helping to fit one of the anti proton cannons which was being troublesome. He tapped his badge.
"Stryder here." he said.
"Bob, it's Vala. Bad news. The Borg have made a massive attack on the Gamma Orionis transwarp gate. You, Griffin and Falks have been ordered to go there and support where you can."
"Ok. I'm still missing some equipment."
"I'll bring it along with me. Godspeed."
"Stryder out." Six of Nine was looking at him. "You ok, Six?" he asked.
"This won't be easy for me." she said, turning back to the connections she was testing.
"I know, Six. I know. This could get real messy real quick." He tapped his comm badge again.
"Stryder to bridge. Signal Admiral Falks and let him know that we're ready to go when he is."
"Go?" asked Shelana.
"I'll explain in a bit. Stryder out." He sighed, and went back to his connections.

Stardate 90790.99

Hromi Cluster Unknown system.

"Captain's log, Commander Vorik Ne'ell, I and a small away team consisting of myself, Lieutenant Commander Vhorn, Lieutenant Gianna and Ensign Atamanczyk have beamed down to the planet in this system to investigate the source of an unusual signal which is blocking our communications we have located a beacon of some sort and are in the process of investigating it" Said Ne'ell as he walked around the object.
"Its been here for some time" said Vhorn as Ne'ell stepped beside him
"Yes but any idea how to turn it off"
"Do you think that wise sir, what if its some kind of storage device? we may damage it if we do that" said Gianna
"Unlikely" said Vhorn dismissively
"Lieutenant I don't care what its for I want it shut down" Ne'ell said sharply

Vhorn smirked at her, he took pleasure in making Gianna look stupid she was new to the Sabre and had spurned his advances more than once, she looked over at Ensign Atamanczyk who was scanning the Horizon with her heavy Photon assault rifle

"See anything Ensign" she said
"No ma'am"

Gianna turned back to the panel on the beacon as she scanned it a small light began to flash moments later an intense photonic blast emanated from the device knocking her down before she blacked out she saw Atamanczyk go down as well.

Gianna awoke in some kind of lab she was in pain but couldn't move to assess her injuries, it was cold and she felt naked and if the barely visible reflection in the metallic walls were anything to go by she was naked. It wasn't log before someone entered the room.

"You are an interesting specimen what species are you?" the voice came from behind her it sounded odd obviously it was using a universal translator to communicate, she felt long wire like fingers run down either side of her torso and grasp her waist and then firmly push its wiry thumbs in the dimples on her back its nails were sharp and she gritted her teeth in a feeble attempt to quash her cry of pain
"What do you want with me" she gasped
"I want to know what you are, you look like those humans you were with yet your genetic make-up is completely different, what species are you?"
"What have you done with my colleagues?"
The creature did what Gianna could only describe as a sigh "I will answer your question once you have answered mine"
"I am from the forth planet of the Corali system my species is called Corali"
"Interesting, you are not as strong as the female human, when I interrogated her she did not so much as wince when I inflicted pain upon her unlike the men who cried like babies although one of them offered to mate with me if I let him go"

The creature finally let go to Gianna's relief it moved away and Gianna could hear it rummage around amongst metallic sounding objects her hearts began to pound in unison as images of scalpels and saws filled her imagination, the creature stopped and came back up to behind her this time it grasped her thigh and drove something sharp into her leg, she screamed in agony and tried to beg the thing to stop.

The pain was intense and it seemed like the creature had been torturing her for ages when she heard a thud the pressure on the instrument lessened then it was pulled from her flesh and her screams died down to a whimper. Someone wrapped a warm strong arm around her and whatever it was holding her in place stopped and she allowed herself to fall into the arms of her saviour.

Atamanczyk knelt holding Gianna one hand supporting her head so she could talk to her.
"ma'am are you okay?" she knew it was a stupid question but she asked it anyway.
"No" Gianna whimpered
"can you move? we need to get out of here"
Gianna seemed to gather her wits about her and looked to be trying to stop herself from crying, a single tyre ran down her cheek which Atamanczyk wiped off with her thumb
"I can try" Gianna said at last and with the Ensigns help she struggled to her feet and then lent on the table, Gianna took a moment to examine her surroundings then the Alien creature that had tortured her, it was some kind of reptile like a Gorn though its scales were silver and reflective it was a beautiful thing to look at, she then looked up at Atamanczyk who like her was naked with a fair share of cuts and bruises the ensign however stood at over 6 feet tall and was well toned with a clearly defined 6 pack under her pale pink skin her hair was still neatly tied in a pony tail which swished about when she turned her head.
"I remember reading about a group of people from ancient earth called the Amazons are you a descendant from their tribe" Gianna asked finally breaking the other woman's concentration as she tried to leaver open the draw on the table.
"The Amazons are a Legend there is no refutable proof that they ever existed nor am I Valkyrie before your mind leads you down that path"she answered as the draw finally opened she looked back at Gianna who was watching her closely "ma'am"
Gianna looked down quickly "You found my clothing" she reached into the draw and piked up her things "we should divide this between us"
"I will return to my cell none of your things will fit me my things are likely in there" Atamanczyk said as she turned to leave the room.

Gianna tore bits off her vest to use as bandages and went about dressing any wounds that were still bleeding she was growing accustomed to the pain but it still hurt when she pulled on her uniform, unfortunately her phaser and equipment weren't in the draw, moments later Atamanczyk returned fully clothed.
"ma'am its time we went"
"What about the others"
"dead! Vhorn was still alive when I found him the little weasel had the satisfaction of seeing me naked before he died"
"Nice to know he went out with a smile on his face"
"how did you know"
Gianna smiled "I knew Vhorn, what about that thing, is it dead"
Atamanczyk gave the creature a hard boot to the back it didn't groan or move "I think so" she said then offered her shoulder for support, Gianna put her arm over the ensigns shoulder and together they walked out into the corridor.

They spent awhile wandering the complex looking in the rooms as they went finally they found a lab which held their weapons and equipment, Atamanczyk lifted her onto a table as if lifting an injured child and picked up Commander Ne'ell's medical pack, Gianna pulled her skirt up and undressed the wound that was preventing her from walking properly.

Atamanczyk ran the dermal regenerator over Gianna's skin, Gianna reached out and grabbed her hand "slowly" she said then let go
"What's your first name Atamanczyk?"
"Crystal ma'am"
"mind if I call you that?"
"no ma'am"
"You can call me Gianna that's my name"
"I know it is ma'am, but you are now the Commanding officer of the USS Sabre it would be inappropriate for me to call you by Gianna"
Gianna's eyes widened she hadn't thought about that "Me CO of the Sabre what about Hayze?"
"Lieutenant Hayze is Chief science officer and has no experience commanding a ship"
"Nor do I"
Crystal looked up sharply Gianna looked genuinely worried "never" she said at a near whisper "I thought you were a soldier under Admiral Falks before he joined Starfleet"
"I was a ground pounder a foot soldier I commanded a squad I wasn't an officer"
Crystal shook her head "Just think of the crew of the Sabre as your squad and I'm sure you'll do fine. There all done, feel better?"
Gianna nodded and Crystal lifted her down, she experimentally lent on her injured leg "It's still sore but its much better now, thanks"
Crystal nodded and handed her a Phaser "lets go"

It wasn't long before they found their way to the surface near the beacon and started moving away from it.
"The beacon is still jamming our comms it has a radius of several kilometres"
"Do you think we can destroy it, still think its worth keeping it intact?"
"No!" Gianna said frowning and slapping her gently on the arm "Shoot it and see if that works"
Crystal took aim and let her heavy Photon assault rifle loose on the beacon after a few bursts the thing stopped transmitting

Gianna's communicator chirped to life "... to away team, come in away team repeat Sabre to away team ,come in away team"
Gianna tapped her badge "Sabre this is Gianna prepare to beam me and Ensign Atamanczyk aboard as soon as possible"
"Aye aye ma'am stand by"

After a short wait Gianna and Crystal materialized in the Sabre's transporter room.
Lieutenant Hayze was there to greet them and he wasted no time in finding out what had happened "Where is Captain Ne'ell and Lieutenant Commander Vhorn?"
Gianna told him what had happened she left out little detail, Hayze looked at them, Gianna suspected he was trying to imagine them naked then finally spoke "The ship is yours Lieutenant, would you like me to make arrangements to recover the Bodies"
Gianna nodded "Yes please, now I think the Ensign and I should report to sick bay" Hayze bowed his head slightly and then went about his task.

Several days later the Sabre had docked with Earth Space Dock and Gianna was stood nervously out side Admiral Quinn's office and it seemed like she had been there for ages when she was finally ushered inside.

"Lieutenant we are making your command of the USS Sabre official congratulations its a shame your career hasn't gotten off to a less morbid start, stepping into dead men's shoes and all that but it can't be helped Ne'ell was a... good officer" Said Quinn although that last part took him awhile to say "You are being assigned to the Draconian Wolf 5th fleet under Vice Admiral Falks" he added looking up form his computer, Gianna didn't look happy "Is there a problem Lieutenant"
Gianna shook her head and forced a blank expression "No sir" she replied
Quinn smiled "Good, good off you pop then good luck" Gianna bowed her head then turned and left.

Back on the Sabre in her ready room Gianna was sat with her head in her hands she dreaded meeting Helix after all this time, the door chimed.
"Enter" she said pulling her chair in and making it look like she was busy doing anything but being apathetic.
Crystal entered she had just been promoted to Lieutenant and was now the first officer of the Sabre "ma'am" she said
"What can I do for you Crystal"
"We haven't talked much since our away mission"
"we have both been busy with our work, but if you want to talk we can"
Crystal walked across to the desk lent over it and kissed Gianna...

Stardate: 90782.89

Vala stepped of the turbo lift to Deck 10 and could already hear the music. During construction Vala had actually convinced the construction crews to make the entire deck a big lounge. It gave it a large enough capacity to service the entire fleet.

She met up with Joker and the other Cora's who had already selected a table. “Hey guys, have a look what I brought,” and set down the bottle she was carrying, “a bottle of Sarun Brandy, aged to perfection, compliments to my Xo Kort.” They was a sound of approval from them.

“We haven’t drank that since our last night on Earth,” commented Joker.
“Yep, figured this night was as good as any,” Vala said and opened the bottle pouring a round. Once that was done, Vala raised her glass, and they followed suite, but before she could say a word otherwise, Joker shouted, “Sláinte!” and look around the table. Vala shrugged and joined the group, “Sláinte,” and they downed their glasses. “You and your Irish hertiage,” Laughed Vala.

Joker looked her dead in the eye and said, “Diabhal díreach*!” Which brought a laugh to them all.

From there the night progessed quickly into debauchery. There was yelling, laughing, story telling, drunken dancing, jokesand even an arm wrestiling match between Patrick and Joker. The match was a draw, however, both of them lost their balance and fell on their aft sections. Osscassionnaly other ship captians would walk by and say hi, mostly from the three Admirals task forces.

By the 2200 mark, Vala and Joker were the most intoxicated out of group. Patrick said to Misha, “I think those too need to go to bed,” as Vala and Joker had arms around each others shoulders singing along to the songs that had lyrics, even some that didn't.

“I think your right,” Misha replied, the two of which did not drink as much as them. “Well lets get em to their rooms, before they try to do anything stupid, you handle Joker, I'll take sissy.”

“Right and isn't funny how drunk people always take care of the drunker ones?” Patrick asked

“Yeah it kinda is,” Misha chuckled.

Back In Vala's quarters, Misha has managed to get Vala sitting on the bed and her boots off and was in the process of getting some night wear out. Vala, hellbent on continuing her consumption, reached under her bed and pulls out a bottle and took a couple swigs out of it.

“Hey! No more of that!” Misha yelled and walked over taking it from her. Vala waited for Misha to turn her attention back to the closet and then pulled out a small flask. Misha saw it as she brought clothes to her. “Jeez, gimme that,” as took that away too. And through the course of changing her clothes, Vala had produced various bottles and flasks of liquor. “Where do you keep getting this?” Misha asked laughing. She had just finished rounding all she could find locking it in her desk drawer changing the code. When she turned around, Vala was out cold. Misha covered her up and left the room, shutting the lights off as she went.**

The Next morning
The computer panel next to Vala's bed lit and began chirping at her. After a couple minute she stirred, rolling over to smack the console. She was actually being hailed and hit the voice only comm command.
“Ma'am?” The voice cracked over the speaker. “Ma'am,” the voice spoke louder.
“Shh, not so loud. I'm hear,” a hoarse voiced Vala spoke. “Go ahead.”
“Your needed on the bridge ma'am, we've received a Situation report from the USS Victory.”
“Patch it too my console here, I'll be their soon,” and she cut the feed. A second later the report popped onto the screen. Instead of reading it, she made the computer read it to her. As it played she crawled out of bed and hobbled over to the replicator and made herself some coffee.

“Four of Ten of the USS Victory. At approximately 0735, a large build up of Borg forces have been detected on the edge of the system. They are holding there ground for now, no indication on what they are doing or going can not be determined at this time. A KDF Bird of Prey is on the field, cloaked as close to the Borg as possible, maintaining visual contact. I will inform you of any changes.”

“That the first thing I wanted to hear in the morning,” Vala said to herself setting the coffee cup down and rubbing her temples. Vala had quite the pounding hangover. She opened her a desk drawer and dug down, finder her stash of Hydrosprays she keeps handy for nights such as last nights escapades. That was a benefit of having a Science Officer for a sister, she taught her a few things about medicines. She found the right one and checked the supply on it, barely a quarter dose left. “Well better than nothing,” and she put the nozzle up to her neck and heard the hiss of injection. Her head still hurt, but it was no longer throbbing. She got her self ready and went to the tactical deck.

Once there she began going through and checking all her reports. Approving all the requisition orders after a quick glance through the contents. This continued for a few hours, going back and forth from the requisition orders to contacting each of the ships in her task force for current status, and helping coordinate the whole system as freighters had already begun arriving. The Space outside of the star base could best be described as organized chaos. Work shuttles zipping between the rows of ships, EVA crews walking the hulls of the ships, freighters ambling about to get into either transporter range or hard docking depending on the cargo size. There was a brief lull in the activity as crews began to rotate shifts. She took the moment to slip into the ready room and got herself some more coffee. She sat on the couch in there and rested her head against the cool metal wall behind her, eyes closing for a few minutes.

Before she knew her eyes shot open, Red alert lights flashing along with the klaxon alarm. She stormed out of the ready room.
“Report! And turn that damn noise off!” She commanded. The Officer of the watch called out.”

“We're receiving a Priority One alert from Battle group Omega!”

“On Screen,” Vala spoke.

Four of Ten's image flickered on to the view screen, barely. The image and sound was badly distorted as well of the sound. “Auxiliary power to the comms system, clean that up!” she Ordered.

“Ad........ora..... This is the ...tory Repeat,” the communication cleared up, “This is the USS Victory, under massive Borg attack, Immediate assistance is required, All Available ships make best speed. We're in danger of being overrun. The gate is still operation, and crews have already begun working on a temporary link to your systems Transwarp gate, I recommend you order the same.”

“Roger that Four of Ten, Cora out” the screen flashed off, “Locate Admiral Stryder and hail.”

“Stryder here,” he said.
“Bob, it's Vala. Bad news. The Borg have made a massive attack on the Gamma Orionis transwarp gate. You, Griffin and Falks have been ordered to go there and support where you can. I'm going to order the crews of our gate to get working on a temporary link to the gamma gate.”
“Okay, I'm still missing some equipment.”
“I'll bring it along with me. Godspeed.”
“Stryder out.”

Vala typed a command and hailed Transwarp Traffic Control. The commander face popped up on screen. She was obviously wasn't excepting a direct communication from an admiral. She quickly stood at attention. “Admiral, Ma'am, What can I do for you?”

“Commander consider yourself at Red alert. Order your crews to link our gate to the Gamma Orionis gate,” Vala spoke getting right to the point.

“We won't be able to make it last for more than a few minutes ma'am,” She replied already daunted by the task.

“I'm aware of that, with our current ability with the gate you should be able to make a stable portal for 5-8 minutes before the power drain causes instability,” Vala told her, putting her Warp theory knowledge to use. “You have 15 minutes, make it happen. This depends on the live of a few thousand Federation and Klingon Officers. Wake who you have to, redirect power from where ever you have to. Just get it done.”

“Yes Ma'am! Traffic Control out.”

“Commander Hics, I want this fleet combat ready in no more than 4 days from now, Priority One all req orders, I want those freighters to take direct routes here, best speed. Have all available starbase crews assist with the rest of the task groups, rotating 10 hour shifts. I'm going to my ship, Hail the fang and have my XO waiting in Transporter room. You have the Conn.”


Commander Kort was waiting for Vala when she rematerialized. “Walk with me Kort.” He nodded as she strode out of the room.

“Whats going on?” he asked, “I saw the sudden spike in power levels in half the fleet, when I was checking work done to the sensor systems.”

“Admirals, Stryder, Griffin, and Falk's task groups are mobilizing, The gamma gate has come under heavy attack. I need you to check the req orders, any equipment bound for their ship and have them loaded into the Fang, find space where ever you have too. If you run out of space, contact the Captains of the Black Wolf V and Lobo. They should have the room.” They reached the Turbo lift and stepped in. “Bridge,” to which the computer acknowledged and they began to rise.

“So... How's they head?” He asked some snarky-ness in his voice.

“Better now, but I woke up this morning feeling like a Gorn brute clothes-lined me,” she laughed a little, “That was some good stuff you picked up. So How's the Fang.”

“She's all ready to go, all green. She's running better than ever. We're waiting on a few more Tetryon beam arrays and quantum torpedo launchers for the Black Wolf, Pack Wolf III and the Lycania, Mk XII stuff,” he continued as they left the lift and walked onto the bridge. “Since we're good to go, assign work groups to any ship that needs a hand making the deadline, coordinate with the other senior staff, 10 hour shifts.”

“What is the deadline?” Kort asked.

“This fleet will mobilize in four days and no later than 1200 on the forth day,” She looked around the bridge, which was pretty scarce right now. A few secondary bridge officers running diagnostics on various systems. “I'm going down to Engineering. I want to have a chat with Lownna about optimizing the warp core power output. Put all those Warp Theory skills I have to use.”

“A thought before you go” she nodded at him, “What makes a Tactical fleet Officer, take courses in Warp Theory? Did you lose a bet or something?”

“Yeah,” She laughed, “something like that. You'll know where I will be for the next couple hours.”


*Diabhal díreach roughly translates to “Damn straight”

**Funny thing, up to this part I was actually intoxicated while writing it, had to put myself in the mind set right? Lol.

Helix slowly sat up in bed the euphoric feeling of imbibing far to much Romulan ale had faded some what and he was suffering the low which he knew would be inevitable his eyes were sensitive to the light and he found it difficult to keep them open so he ordered the computer to dim them, he took stock of the situation he was naked except for a single sock that hung from his foot as if he dad tried to remove it but failed and he was resting his head on something warm and soft, it moved.

Helix jumped up and looked at it, it was an Orion woman and she was tied face down on his bed with his other sock in her mouth and she didn't look happy about it, he quickly untied her.

"are you ok, what did I do to you?"
She got up and started looking around for her cloths "Nothing I didn't want you to, well until you tied me up to stop me from running away and telling my Klingon masters all about your plans"
"What plans?"
"I don't know, I'm a crewman from USS Dauntless"
"By Xian, look I'm sorry, if your CO gives you trouble send them my way"
"I would have thought you'd want to keep this secret you being an Admiral and all"
"Oh please my reputation for being a ladies man is well known"

They both got dressed in silence.
"Well next time perhaps we should do it without the influence of Romulan ale, bye now" she said winking at him as she left.
Helix followed her out but went in the other direction no one was around so hopefully this latest adventure would fly under T' Lar's sensors.

He stepped onto the bridge and threw up a hand to silence the young Ensign who was about to announce his presence on the bridge, T' Lar spotted him instantly.
"Admiral the Borg have attacked the Gamma Orionis transwarp gate we have orders to go at once to support the defence effort"
"right open a channel to the task force"
"aye aye" said Lea on operations
"This is Admiral Falks all ships to formation prepare to transwarp to Gamma Orionis"

Helix's task force entered the wolf den's Transwarp gate, as soon as they emerged the other side they came under heavy fire.

"concentrate fire on the Borg cubes, Cavalier, Great Briton and Somerville fly interception, Swordsman and Dante use hit and run tactics, every one else follow me in"

Helix's doctrine seemed to be holding up and he silently thanked the scientists at the FSD for compiling all that data on the Borg, Bob's task force had entered the fray now although it had seemed like an eternity, together they had managed to destroy 4 of the 8 Cubes and countless smaller craft at the cost of a few Federation defence force ships.

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Gianna lay resting her head on Crystal's shoulder her finger idly tracing the outline of her lovers muscles.

"What's the story with you and Admiral Falks?" Crystal said
"He thinks I'm a coward"
"Why?! what happened to make him think that?"
"It was a long time ago during the Corali civil war the rebels were pushing to get into the capitol and if I had stood my ground and sacrificed my squad they would never have gotten in, they did allot of damage but thankfully they were stopped by advancing loyalists and no civilians were hurt after the battle I was court marshalled the civilian authorities had demanded it"
"what did they say?"
"there were 5 Generals on the board but they couldn't reach a unanimous decision so they held a series of votes to decide my fate in the end I spent the rest of the war guarding a look out tower"
"Did you see who voted on what"
"no"
"Then how do you know Falks had voted against you"
"He was the one who stopped the Rebels, I messed up his battle plan, do you think less of me now you know?"
Crystal smiled "No, I have seen you at your weakest, I could hear you screaming in that lab. I should have gotten to you sooner, but I was trying to save Vhorn. but the bastard up and died on me, few people could have endured what that creature was doing to you for as long as you did"
"It told me that you didn't even flinch when it tortured you, your far stronger than I"
"Physically maybe but I don't feel pain like most humans, I'm technically an augment"
"I thought Humans outlawed that technology"
"We did, but that didn't stop my folks taking me out of Federation space and putting me through the surgery any way I only got into Starfleet because they need every one they can get"
"I don't care if you're a superhuman I still love you, did I thank you for saving me from the lab"
Crystal climbed on top of Gianna "No but you can spend the rest of the night thanking me" Gianna smiled, suddenly the ship shifted to yellow alert and both Women jumped out of bed and quickly dressed, moments latter they were on the bridge

"Report!" Gianna said as she stepped out of the turbo lift
"The Borg have attacked the Gate in Gamma Orionis, Admiral Falks is now there leading a support effort, we are not far from the Sirius gate we could divert and report to him directly" explained Hayze
"An excellent idea Hayze I'll be sure to make a note of that in the log"

Hayze beamed, Gianna had learned how to gain the crews trust with Hayze it was his ego sing his praise and he would fall at your feet.

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A volley of torpedoes struck the shields of the Warrior which shorted some minor power junctions on the bridge and several stations flickered on and off as the computer shifted power around the circuits.

"Shields down to 40%* called out Commander Sharn on tactical.
"Sir another ship is coming through the gate"
"Is it VA Vala and our reinforcements?"
"Negative sir, Its the USS Sabre under Lieutenant Gianna"
"What's she doing here?"
"Following orders sir no doubt just like that Orion last night" said T' Lar
Helix threw her a sharp look "how!? If I didn't know better Commander I'd say that was sarcasm"
T' Lar raised a single brow "They are hailing us putting them on screen"

"USS Sabre reporting, Admiral what can we do?" said Gianna her hearts were pounding and she wanted a reassuring hug from Crystal.
"take up point defence around the warrior shoot down any thing that comes at us and for the love of Xian keep your ship behind us she wont last five seconds if the Borg hit her"
"aye aye sir"

The screen switched back to the battle abruptly and the Sabre moved in to support the warrior and the battle raged on...

Vice Admiral Bob Stryder sat in the captains chair on the bridge of the ISS Monroe, a vessel stolen from the mirror universe. His task force was moving toward the transwarp gate. Just ahead of his flotilla, which consisted of six vessels, was Vice Admiral Jen Griffins task force consisting of four escort class vessels. They were moving toward the gate at half impulse, the gate itself was recharging after sending Admiral Falks task force through. Recharge time was fifteen minutes. If they timed their trip right the gate should open just as they arrived. Stryder addressed Commander Xeeteabow.

"Hail the Newport, I want a last minute check with Griffin."
"Aye sir, opening a channel."
Griffins head appeared on the screen.
"Griffin here. You ok, Bob?" Griffin had taken a great delight in calling Stryder by his first name now that they were the same rank.
"Yea. You ok with going first? Falks is already there, so we don't need to send another tactical force. We could send an engineering force instead."
"It'll be fine. We're practically there anyway. We'll be fine for fifteen minutes. Helix will've cleared a hole, we'll widen the hole and drop some turrets by the gate." she paused. "I'll leave a squadron of fighters there as well." She tapped a few commands into the arm of her chair. She looked back at the screen. There was a look in her eyes that Stryder had only seen once before, on the day they met.
"Seriously, you gonna be ok? This is the first fleet action you've been in."
"I'll be fine. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous, but then I'd be worried if I wasn't nervous." she replied. She looked away from the screen, and Stryder heard someone say "Thirty seconds until transwarp. All systems ready." Griffin looked at the screen again.
"I've gotta go. See you on the other side."
"See you in sixteen minutes. Good luck." said Stryder. Griffin gave a mock salute and the screen flicked back to the transwarp gate. As the four starships approached the gate flamed to life and the ships were sucked into the transwarp vortex. The vortex swirled for a few more seconds then died away.
"Anyone else have a weird feeling about this?" he asked no one in particular.


Griffin had given her orders. As soon as they were clear of the gate each of the ships under her command were to drop a heavy turret of some description. One of each weapon type would be nice but the turrets hadn't arrived in time. They had two heavy phaser, one heavy disruptor and one heavy tetryon. Griffin would also launch a squadron of fighters and leave them at the gate. That would leave her short in the fighting, but they couldn't run the risk of loosing the gate.

The viewscreen cleared. There were Borg everywhere! Cubes, Spheres, Probes of every description. Falks' task force was fighting close to the gate, only five or so kilometers away.

"Drop the turrets!" ordered Griffin, "and launch as many fighters as we can. Three on the gate, the rest cover us. Set course to assist Falks. Engage."

As the ships dropped the devices and launched the fighters, Griffin took stock. There was wreckage every where. Borg, Klingon and Federation. What was worrying was that there were still Klingon and Federation ships intact, floating in space, lights out, engines off, but still intact.

"Look at those ships." said Niral.
"I'm looking." replied Griffin. "Solange, how long d'you think it'd take for the Borg to assume control of those ships?"
"Maybe six hours?" answered Solange, frowning. "Depends how many Borg are on the ships, but I'd say about six hours."
"Well, that's something we'll deal with in a few hours then." Griffin sat back in her chair.
"Admiral, turrets deployed and fighters clear." reported Niral.
"Very good." Griffin turned to her Catian navigator. "Notify the task force to follow our lead." She tapped a button on the arm of her chair and the comm system chirped for attention.

"All hands to battle stations. Prepare to engage the Borg."


The transwarp gate faded to nothing behind Stryders task force. He grasped the situation immediately.

"Take us into the battle, best possible speed." he ordered.
"Aye sir." replied the ensign at the Conn.

As soon as the six ships were in range Stryder ordered them all to fire a salvo of torpedoes to take the heat off the other ships. The captains complied and forty five torpedoes, some photon, some quantum and some Tholian were fired into the enemies ranks.

"Message all ships. Ask if they need assistance, engineering, shields, that sort of thing." said Stryder, who was aware that Falks task force had been in the fray for thirty minutes, and may need a few more engineers or energy.
"Response from four ships requesting additional engineers, sir." said Shelana.
"Form up teams of four and send them." replied Bob.
"Sir! Cube bearing down on our position. It's now within firing range." said Xeeteabow.
"Open fire, all weapons." ordered Stryder. "Alert our task force to defend this position." The ship rocked as it took a hit from the cube.
"No damage. Returning fire." reported Xeeteabow.
"Fly us in lazy eights, Ensign. I want us to expose one shield after another to minimise damage, and I want our torpedo bays pointing in the right direction as soon as they're ready to fire."
"Aye sir", replied the Ensign who had a sheen of sweat on his brow.

The cube concentrated it's fire on the USS Sandhurst, which could take the pain for a while, so the other ships battered the cube until it exploded in a cloud of expanding plasma.

"See how the Sandhurst is." ordered Stryder.
"Sir. The transwarp gate is opening!" said Six of Nine. "It's only been eleven minutes sir. We shouldn't be expecting anyone."
"Shit!" exclaimed Bob. "Bring us about. All ships face the gate."

The darkened gate flared into life and Task Force 58, six ships, prepared to receive the unknown.

Vala was standing at one of the engineering consoles fine tuning the warp drive. She was also monitoring the transwarp gate way as Helix, Bob, and Jen's tasks forces moved through. The gateway didn't have the needed tech yet to keep connecting to the Gammis Gate. With as many fleets and wide spread engagement of the Federation, the tech took time to create and only the best performing fleets were granted it. So it was just a matter of time before components of the gate started failing. With current readings as they were, one more link with Gammis was all it could handle. Anything more and they would have to totally replace all the Warp Plasma and EPS conduits. Vala became side tracked in thought, hoping the eighteen vessels that passed through the gate, would be enough to stave of the Borg, and for them to come out intact. It was then she caught eye of her Che if of Engineering.

“ Lownna, come finish running these numbers, if the computer accepts them, go ahead and confirm. They should increase our subsystems efficiency by,” she looked back down at her figures, “between 4.2 and 7.66%. I'm returning to the bridge.”

“Aye, aye ma'am,” Lownna said as she walked over to the console.

When she arrived on the bridge most of the Senior staff were now on duty, with the exception of Lownna who was still down in Engineering. “Captain, we're receiving a hail from the Alpha Wolf,” Liaznia said has Vala walked past.

“Patch it to my ready room, Commander,” she ordered.

“Hey sis,” it was Patrick.

“What's up,” Vala asked.

“I've been contacted by several Ship Captains that are ready to go and want to assist the other Admirals, including me and our baby sister. I told them it was your call, you have the eye for the bigger picture here.”

“Who's ready to go, how many ships?” She questioned.

“Eight, uss alpha wolf, uss hardened wolf, uss Hammer's Fist, USS midnight sage, USS Wandering Wolf, USS Event Horizon, USS Horizon, and USS Black wolf” Patrick stated. Vala mulled it over in her head for a couple minutes.

“Okay, Contact those ships, I'm assigning you a temporary task force, the DW5-2nd, You take command, Misha will be your XO, mobilize and stand By at the gate. The gate can only take one more activation before suffering massive damage. I'm going to try and get a sit rep from Helix, Vala out,” She closed the link and strode back onto the bridge. “Liazna, contact Admiral Falks' flag, try and get a sit rep, If they require additional assistance, tell them we have another task force ready.”

“Yes ma'am, message sent, waiting for reply,” she said.

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

“Munif, hail the Hardened Wolf, Hammer's Fist, Midnight Sage, Wandering Wolf, Event Horizon, the Horizon, and the Black Wolf,” Patrick ordered.

“Aye Sir,” Munif punched in the commands. “On screen now.”

“We are now on standby. We are temporally designated at task force DW52, I'm taking Point, Rear Admiral Cora, you're XO. As soon as Admiral Vala give the signal we'll be on our way, form up on my ship. Get ready to give 'em hell. Cora Out,” the view screen returned to normal. “Bring the Task Force up to Red alert, prime shields and weapons. Shris, Full impulse, I want us on top of that gate ready to go,” Patrick commanded as he sat down into his chair.

“Aye Sir, engines answering full impulse, We'll be in position in 60 seconds,” Shris said.

Life sprang to life from the engines of the eight ships, as the maneuvered to get into position, which was a tight 'V' formation.

“All ships report green sir,” Takerra called out after a couple minutes.

“Good,” Patrick leaned back into his chair, “Now we wait.”

A String of Klingon ships spewed forth from the gate streaming under and over Bobs ships narrowly missing them and joined the fray moments later Patrick and his task force arrived and the battle pitched squarely in the defenders favour, the remaining embattled Borg ships attempted to make a fighting retreat but found every avenue of escape blocked and their destruction was assured.

Helix sat at the table in the conference room, the lights were damaged and he was using the light given off by a nearby burning Borg cube to illuminate the room which gave everything a green hue, he was reading the damage reports from the ships in his task force, none of which could have boasted better than 40% hull integrity and the death toll was rising every hour.

T' Lar entered carrying a cup of tea and set it on the table next to him, he tutted lifted the cup and wiped away the ring of tea and moved his federation coaster over and set the cup atop it. T' Lar looked at the table with an eye brow raised.

"Its oak" Helix said flatly "very hard to come by" T' Lar said nothing and left the room.
The chime at the other door sounded.

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Gianna was a wreck. She and Crystal were alone in the transporter room of the Sabre waiting for engineering to restore power after she had ordered them to reroute power from subsystems to the shields, she held in her hand the damage report that Helix had asked her to present to him personally.

"Will you come with me" she said at last
"I don't think it will look good if you need your first officer to hold your hand" Crystal said
Gianna smiled "true but I'm not sure I can face him on my own"
"You'll be fine" Crystal kissed her on the forehead as power came back online then slapped her on the bum which propelled her toward the pad a step
"ready? because I'm sending you anyway" Crystal set the destination and energized

Gianna was now stood in transporter room 2 on board the Warrior a Vulcan woman was looking at her.
"Do you require an escort to the bridge" said Lieutenant Commander T' Paano
"No thank you ma'am I have been aboard an Excelsior class before"
"The Admiral is waiting in the conference room please be aware that the ship has taken some structural damage and some corridors may not be safe, please follow the directions of any repair teams you may encounter"
"Thank you, I will ma'am" she said as she left the room.

Gianna took the most direct root she knew fortunately she only had to divert her path once by means of a Jefferies tube to deck 1.

Deck 1 on most Excelsior class ships consists of a few rooms and connecting corridors and the bridge on the Warrior however many of these rooms had been omitted to accommodate her extensive bridge lay out and stepping onto it was a surreal experience she felt as if she had stepped 200 years through time from the antiquated corridor of a 23rd century ship onto the state-of-the-art bridge of the 25th century one, It was the largest bridge she had ever seen.

"Lieutenant?" came a voice from beside her "I am Commander T' Lar the Admiral is in the conference room, through that door"
"Thank you ma'am" she said as she stepped toward the door, from across the bridge she sensed another Corali she looked over at the same time a young woman manning the Tactical station did, the two locked eyes briefly before the other woman gave a curt nod and turned back to her tasks, Gianna pressed the chimer.

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"Enter" Helix said, Gianna stepped through the door she looked nervous.
"Sir my damage report as requested"
"Sir? come now Alex we are kin there is no need for ceremony"
"I thought after past events it would be best that I remain distant from that particular family tie wouldn't you agree, sir?"
"nonsense that whole affair was a farce they used you to satisfy the bloody politicians"
"So, you don't blame me for ruining your plan of battle?"
"No, If anything it helped, thanks to you I was able to corner the rebels"
"Then why the court martial why did they call me a coward?"
Helix sighed and stood up "Politics" he said "allot of stuff was damaged and civilians wanted some one to blame, brass chose you over me stating that I was to important, Its one of the reasons that I left and joined Starfleet, that and the planet shattering row I had with your mother the day you left"
"She was very mean to me"
"Yes well I hope she feels guilty now that the reports from the war have gone public"
"What do you mean"
"I filed a report as did several other officers on how we thought your court marshal was a farce I made sure she'd get a copy we wanted to exonerate you, anyway we have dwelt in the past far too long my girl and I fear my tea grows cold" he said picking up the cup and downing the brew "Stryder got me onto this stuff you know, took me a decade to teach T' Lar how to make it the way I like it too, now where was I oh yes the damage report"

They sat in silence for a moment while Helix read the report and Gianna looked around the room then fixed her gaze on the Sabre as it flew by in the far distance, she could imagine Crystal sitting in the captains chair like a female captain Kirk then her imaginings took her down a more sexual path and she started to smile "Good" Helix said jolting her back into reality

"I did as you asked and kept my ship out of the line of fire, well as best I could all things considered"
"Well you have the least damaged ship in my TF right now although this report arrived to late I have already sent my report to Quinn I also recommended you be promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Commander after all it won't do to have a mere Lieutenant in command of the experimental Exeter Class ship now would it"
Gianna sat there speechless so Helix continued "I have an officer in mind for the Sabre unless you think, ur... Lieutenant Atamanczyk is ready for command"
"She's mine" Gianna blurted out "I mean she is my first officer and I like to keep it that way"
"I see" Helix said with a knowing smile "I had a feeling you'd turn out that way after camp Slashroot"
Gianna scowled at him "It's none of your business"
"Not strictly true, regulations and all, but I'm willing to over look it"

In her normal fashion T' Lar walked in "Admiral Stryder has invited us to board the stricken ships to search for survivors and eliminate any Borg that may be attempt to assimilate them" she said
"Excellent plan" Helix said as he slid Gianna's pip across the table to her "I'm sure Quinn will be contacting you to make it official soon".
Gianna picked it up and fixed it in place.

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Stryder, Falks, Patrick, Misha, Griffin, Gianna and Crystal stood in the cargo bay of the USS Otterman a Galaxy class starship that had gone silent early on in the battle, the atmosphere was tense and the only sounds that could be heard were the ships bulk heads groaning under the damage she had sustained.

Helix moved slowly, sword in hand into one of the corridors when an explosion from a power conduit went off next to him, bringing down the ceiling and support beams in a cloud of dust.
"Father!" Gianna screamed running toward the wreckage...

“Captain, Got a Sit rep back from Admiral Falks task force, Current Status is all ships structural integrity is at 50% and falling,” reported T'Lul.

That was all Vala needed to hear and she signaled Patrick, “Green Light, Go get 'em.”

“Yes ma'am,” Patrick replied and keyed up the task force. “All ships make for the gate, Red Alert, ready a spread of torpedoes. Misha ready to make a gravity well fire, in the thickest of the Borg, as soon as you have a targeting solution. Everyone else that'll be your signal to fire,” the task force lurched forward, impulse engines flaring to life.

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!!~!~!~!~

“Looks like the klinks finally got reinforcements here,” Patrick commented to himself, “Right, Engage!” A purple color blast of energy sky rocked from the Deflector of the Midnight Sage, trapping a handful of Borg spheres and probes in a gravity well. Meir seconds later roughly 30 Quantum Torpedoes launched out into space, and moments later hit home, causing explosions through the cluster of Borg. “Send a message to Falks, we're going to flank behind that Borg battle group. All Ships, ahead full!”

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

Stryder, Falks, Patrick, Misha, Griffin, Gianna and Crystal stood in the cargo bay of the USS Otterman a Galaxy class star ship that had gone silent early on in the battle, the atmosphere was tense and the only sounds that could be heard were the ships bulk heads groaning under the damage she had sustained.

Helix moved slowly, sword in hand into one of the corridors when an explosion from a power conduit went off next to him, bringing down the ceiling and support beams in a cloud of dust.
"Father!" Gianna screamed running toward the wreckage...

Everyone else stood in shock for a moment, Patrick was the first to snap out of it and ran after Gianna. “Bob, Lieutenant Atamanczyk give me a hand with this!” The three got handhold on the beam and lifted with all their might. Gianna and Misha waited until there was enough space and pulled Helix from on the debris. The beam clanged to the floor, Helix now clear. They propped him up against the wall as Misha pulled out her tricorder and began scanning Helix for any internal injuries....

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Back at the Starbase, three hours later.

“Vala was back on the starbase's bridge reading over the battle report. They had managed to completely route the Borg but most ships sustained heavy damage from the sheer number of Borg vessels. They had also reclaimed several vessels from Borg indoctrination, found the crews still on board too. Well... most of the crews. The door of her office chimed. “Enter,” she said without glancing up. Joker slipped from the hallway.

“So this is where you've been hiding,” he said sitting down.
“Yeah, needed some quiet, I've been going over the reports from the battle. We won, but most of Falks's task force is badly damaged, But they're still alive. Speaking of which, how's the strange – B?”

“Just about ready, had a lil mishap though. A Lieutenant made a Ensign mistake and fried out part of the communication system while repairing the main deflector. Other than that, she's good to go,” Joker answered.

“If your comms are down, then I guess you haven't gotten this yet,” she tapped her screen a couple times and turned it around. Admiral Quinn appeared on the screen.

“Captain, in light of recent actions against the Tal'Shier commander Hakieve. I hearby grant you of the rank of Rear Admiral, Lower Half. Congratulations. Vice-Admiral Cora will have further details.” At this point Vala set a black box down on her desk. Joker didn't hesitate and grabbed the box prying it open. Inside laid a brand new pip, designating that of a Rear Admiral, Lower Half.

“So this means...” Joker started to say.

“That's right, you've been given a new ship commission, as well as authority to have a task force, which will be given the call sign DW55. All those ships you left behind in dry dock are now yours to command. In fact, why don't you take a gander out the window there.” Joker quickly stood up and rushed over. A group of ships were floating in a loose formation around a large Cruiser. Vala walked up behind him, “She's a Sovereign, Completely kitted out with Mark X Very rare equipment, as well as mark X Tetryon weaponry for your away teams. Fully stocked, so all you need to do is transfer personal belongings. And give her a name.” She handed him a padd, listing all of the ships name's, CO and XO names and serial numbers. “If you want to alter any ships names, now is the time to do it. I can tell you from experience, people and starships with the same name can get pretty confusing, and fast,” she lauged. “All rest of the ships are crewed and have competent Senior Staff, they'll serve you well.”

“Well then, I think I'm going to go and get settled then,” he said, “Thanks for letting me know.” He tapped his combadge, “Strange-B one to beam up,” only to be met with silence. He smacked his forehead, “Right comms are out.” Vala smirked and tapped her computer screen again. “Transporter Room, Lock onto Rear Admiral Joker's signal and beam him to the USS Strange-B.”

“Yes ma'am,” responded the voice, “Standby.”

“Thanks again,” Joker managed to say before de-materializing.

The Admirals, ship commanders and their executive officers sat around the conference table in the meeting room on the Wolf Den. They sat in the same places they had sat less than three days before, when they had been told about the front line orders. There was idle chatter while they waited for the last few captains to arrive. Everyone looked tired, no one had slept much. The battered fleet had returned from Gamma Orionis victorious but in a terrible condition. All hands had been busy repairing, replacing, cleaning. There had been a somber ceremony in remembrance of the lives lost, both in the original attack and in the Wolves counter-attack.

Stryder had commed Vala a few hours earlier, he'd informed her that he'd just got a communique from Admiral Quinn giving him authority to release sealed mission files to whoever he felt it appropriate. Quinn had also given the merest bare-bones single sentence of a plan to Bob before signing off. He asked Vala to arrange a meeting and she had. The last of the attendees arrived and took their seats. Stryder stood up, walked to the front of the room, turned and began talking.

"What you're about to learn has been classified by Starfleet as class one top secret. In front of each of you is a PADD coded to you, it contains the exact details, everything we know, about an incident that occured nine years ago." People picked up their PADDs and muttered their own passcodes and voice prints, then began reading the summary. Bob moved to the replicator and said "Three cups of tea, english breakfast, Twinings, milk no sugar." and the replicator obliged. He took two cups, gave one to Falks, one to Griffin and took the other cup for himself.

"Thanks." said Falks, as he took the tea. "It says here that you wrote this report."
"Yes. I was a captain at the time, commanding the USS Dauntless."
"Why don't you tell us what happened in your own words?" said Misha Cora. Stryder looked at the faces looking back at him.
"Ok." he said. He cleared his throat.

"I was a newly promoted captain, just been given a new ship and I was eager to gallop off and start saving planets. I received orders to go to Deep Space 9 and meet up with a Klingon Admiral named D'Vak. D'Vak told me that the Borg had been causing problems in Gamma Orionis and that he needed a ship to investigate. I got my promotion to captain after leading the battle against one of the Borgs Unimatrix 0047 command ships, D'Vak had heard about this and decided that I was the man and the Dauntless was the ship to send." He paused and took a mouthful of tea.
"Why didn't they send someone from the Omega Force?" asked one of the XO's. "They've got all the kit and the M.A.C.O.s specifically to combat the Borg."
"Back then there was no Omega Force. It was set up in response to the events described here." replied Stryder.
"So you went to Gamma Orionis on your own? One ship?" asked Vala. "Oh my."
"The Borg had bought the fight against the Undine to our quadrant. They'd found that the solar activity, gravitational fluxes and other anomalies in and around Gamma Orionis made it much easier to cross over into Fluidic space. By the time we got there the Borg were there in sufficient numbers to get the Undines attention. They'd captured some Undine ships, a couple of cruisers and a dreadnought. They'd just bought one back through a tear in space. We took the Dauntless in, destroyed the cruiser and managed to disable the cube." He took another mouthful of tea.
"We took detailed scans of the cube and found Undine life signs, all clustered together and not moving. We thought that maybe the Borg had finally found a way to assimilate the Undine and decided that we should investigate, find the facts and the act accordingly. The Undine are extremely difficult to kill normally, a fully assimilated Borg Undine would be a massive threat. Imagine an army of them? Or if the whole race were assimilated? Jesus Christ, the thought of it still makes me queasy."
"So what did you find?" asked Griffin.
"We beamed over, my command crew and I, and we found the assimilation chamber. It was full of half assimilated Undine, all types of breeds. To start with the Borg ignored us. We examined what we could, took readings. Investigated. The pictures we took and all the details of the readings are on the PADDs." he indicated a couple of the PADDs on the desk.
"I take it that the Borg didn't ingore you forever?" asked Vala. Stryder sat down, with his elbows on the desk and his head in his hands.
"It was a bloodbath. We killed scores of Borg. We took swords with us as well as assault weapons and personal shields. We killed Borg of all species and all sexes. Human, Vulcan, Cardassian, Bajoran, Klingon, Undine, races we've never encountered. One by one my crew were dropping as well. We beamed in extra crew to help. We fought for what seemed like hours." Bob lifted his head and sat back. "Eventually we cleared a path to the Vinculum which we set to overload. My XO decided to put a Chroniton charge on it as well, to 'help it along' he said. He kept hold of the detonator. We needed to leave the chamber and get to the corridor to beam out because there was to much interference from the overloading Vinculum. We were ambushed by more Borg beaming in, literally hundreds of them. There were only three of us left. My XO, a security lieutenant and myself. His name was Clarke. The security guy, Clarke."

Stryder paused for a minute, arms and hands on the desk. Head down. No one spoke, they waited for him to gather himself. Griffin put her hand on Bobs shoulder, he looked up with reddened eyes, smiled weakly and carried on.

"Clarke threw himself in between me and a drone. Took a hit right in his face. Ripped his head off. This was his first mission with me, he'd been posted to me when I got promoted. And he sacrificed himself for me. It felt like I stared for ages but I heard screaming. I turned around and saw a heavy tactical unit with it's arm around my XO's neck. Balob was his name. He was screaming for me to get out and waving the detonator around so the Borg couldn't get it. It knew what it was and what it would do. There were already Borg moving toward the Vinculum which by now was glowing bright and smoking. Balob was screaming at me to get out, his face was going blue. I was yelling into my com, trying to get the Dauntless to beam us out but they couldn't get a lock." Stryder was talking quickly now, reliving the terrible memory.

"There were more Borg coming toward me, blocking off my view of Balob. I turned and ran from the chamber into the corridor. I stopped to look back into the room, it must've been just as Balob triggered the chroniton charge and the Vinculum finally finished it's overload because I was thrown against the wall by the explosion. I woke up on the floor of sickbay on the ship. There was a red alert, the ship was shaking. I could hear the hiss of phaser fire and the regular thrumm of a torpedo being launched. It wasn't for long, after a few minutes I heard us go to warp. I saw my doctors feet running toward me then it all faded to black. The next thing I remember is the medical centre at Earth Space Dock."
"What kept you out so long?" asked Falks.
"Chroniton poisoning." answered Bob with a faint smile. "The chroniton particles released by Balobs charge were forced through my body by the additional pressure of the Vinculum exploding."
"I've heard of that." said T'Lar. "Chroniton poisoning stops a person from aging."
"Apart from hair and nails my appearance hasn't changed in nearly ten years. I probably won't die. Accidents, diseases and wars notwithstanding, of course."
"That explains a lot." said Griffin.
"How so?" asked Stryder.
"Bob, I've know you for eight years. You haven't changed a bit. Now I know why." she smiled.
"So what was the aftermath of that adventure?" asked Vala. Bob sighed. He went to take another sip of tea but it was cold now.
"I fully expected a court marshal. Not only was my ship so badly damaged they almost wrote it off, I'd lost my entire command crew and two thirds of my tactical officers." He looked at Falks because he knew he'd had a similar experience during a civil war on his own homeworld.
"But I didn't get a court marshal. Starfleet rebuilt and refit my ship, left me to cherry pick my own command crew, and then slapped a commendation on me. I'd like to state here and now that I have never and I will never believe that I deserve that commendation. Too many people died. Good people. And people sacrificing themselves for me. I don't deserve it."
"And then they set up the Omega Force." said Falks.
"They did. And a bloody fine job they do as well. I've done the odd thing for them here and there, and been rewarded for my own sacrifices as well. Interestingly, Admiral D'Vak has never been commended. That's a shocking oversight in my opinion."

Falks had got up and got three more teas from the replicator. He handed one to Stryder and said,
"So why are you telling us all this? It's interesting history, but it was a decade ago. It doesn't have any real relevance now."
"That's why Admiral Quinn contacted me. His grand plan is that we, The Draconian Wolf 5th Fleet, go to the Delta quadrant. We find the Borg homeworld, or their central node, or whatever is the centre of Borg civilization, and create a permanent tear between our space and Fluidic space and invite the Undine through. Command think that the Undine will jump at the chance to attack the Borg homeworld and the Borg will retreat all their vessels back to defend it. Maybe they'll destroy each other."
"Okaaaaay." said Vala. "That's going to be fun."
"That's not the word I'd use." said Bob, "In fact I'd say that most of us will die doing this. But do it we must." He took a sip of his tea.
"Unless anyone has a better idea?"

T'Lar watched Helix carefully as Stryder spoke of their orders to assault the Borg, the two had shared many an evening talking about their pasts and when he spoke of the Borg and his encounters with them he always became distant and she had never pushed him to reveal more than he wanted too, normally Helix kept his emotions in check and she had never seen him angry until now.

It was as if a dark cloud had descended upon him and his grip on the ceramic starfleet mug tightened to a point where the mug audibly groaned under the pressure the few decorations that adorned the walls started to shake and Helix's vibrant green eyes became dark, T'Lar reached out indistinctly and put her hand on his forearm, Helix relaxed his grip on both the mug and the world around him everyone's ears popped.

Helix stood and moved over to the window and looked out, much of the base was still being built and Ships of varying classes were lined up waiting their turn in the only repair cradle the fleet had, most of Helix's ships had been sent to DS K7 for repairs and only the Warrior was here and she had seen better days.

Helix became aware that everyone was staring at him.
"Quinn is an idiot" he said, Vala almost snorted her coffee across the table and Stryder looked as if he was pretending he hadn't heard it "We almost didn't survive that last battle and he wants us to go and fight the Borg where they are strongest and what's more he wants us to open a rift into Undine space and invite them over, how do we know once they are finished with the Borg they wont turn their attention on us? they have been doing a fine job of turning the Federation and the Klingon Empire against each other and shaking things up in the Romulan Star Empire, Its obvious to me that they intend to invade and they are a damn sight harder to kill than nearly anything else I have ever fought before, The Undine are an unknown factor we have no means of gauging their numbers"

Helix turned back to the window and waited for a response.

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Gianna strolled onto the bridge of her new ship most of the consoles and seats still had cellophane on them and the air was heavy with that new ship smell. This Bridge she had been informed was the Utopia layout of the Defiant bridge model it was fairly small unlike the colossal CIC of the Warrior, It felt strange the bridge was empty and quiet so she went and sat in the captains chair, it had way more buttons on it than the one on the Sabre, The door to the corridor opened and Crystal stepped onto the bridge.

"Where is my station" Crystal said looking around.
"Pick one, they are multifunctional if you wanted too you could use a different one each day"
Crystal smiled "Let me see" she said sitting at one of the stations and then turning to face Gianna "I think this one offers the best view"
"How so?"
"I can see up your skirt from here"
Gianna laughed "I'll have to remember to cross my legs in future I wouldn't want anyone else seeing my pants"
"Have you had a look at your quarters yet? They are opposite mine this ship was made for us don't you think"
"I think you should know my father knows about us"
Crystal's expression changed instantly to one of slight panic "you told him?"
"No, my father can read me like a book he figured it out strait away, But its okay he said he didn't care about the regs"
"Its not the regs, this is the first time Iv had a relationship with a woman I know I shouldn't be but I'm kind of embarrassed about it"
Gianna nodded slowly "I see, In my society same sex relationships are common of course not all Corali are attracted to members of the same sex but we do tend to be open about things like that"
"Lets put it this way if MY father were to find out about it he would disown me and if he knew that I was sleeping with my CO he'd court martial me on the spot"
Gianna frowned "Then we shall endeavour to keep it secret, I know my Dad wont say anything to anyone about it"
Crystal smiled "not to long ago you were terrified of seeing Admiral Falks and now you can't stop talking about him and by the way I am a bit disappointed that you never mentioned he was your father before I met him, wait now I know why he smiled knowingly at me when we were on the Otterman"
"Well I'm just going to have to make it up to you the aren't I, Lets go and see what my quarters are like I will need your opinion on the quality of my mattress" Gianna said standing up and winking at Crysatal...

The room had been silent for a few minutes. Nobody wanted to speak for fear of upsetting Falks again and having him blow out a porthole because he was getting testy. Stryder sat back in his chair and swiveled to look at Falks.

"I'm not going to argue with you that Quinn is an arse." He pronounced the last word with as much Englishness as he could muster. "All those bullshit missions he gave us all when we got our first commissions, piecemeal crap that was better suited to the talentless academy dropouts and ne'er do wells that never leave the Sirius sector and probably won't advance beyond Commander before they give up and 'retire' to Risa for the easy life. There's more talent in the dump I did this morning than in Quinns entire career, and yet he outranks us and has a lot of theoretical research behind him. More than we have here at the moment." He glanced at Vala. "No offence. We'll get there as well." Vala nodded.

Falks looked like he was about to say something but Stryder cut across him, causing others in the room to raise eyebrows. Nobody cuts across Falks. Stryder thought he had a good reason.

"Look at it this way. The rate things are going the Federation is going to be in for a very bad time. We've got issues with the Klingons, Orions, Gorn and all the other races in that empire, we've got problems with the Tal 'Shiar and the fact that the Federation has promised a, frankly unreasonable in my view, amount of resources in helping the Romulans rebuild. The Dominion are admittedly quiet at the moment, they are predators however and will strike if they see weakness, as will the Cardassians."

Now take a look at the Borg movements. Are they getting ready to mount an invasion? Looks like it to me. Gamma Orionis is our staging point to fight the Borg but they don't need to come at us from that direction." Bob looked at Helix and continued. "You know how close the Borg can get to Federation territory without us seeing them, they can strike fast and deep and you know how fast we can respond."
Falks nodded. "Not fast enough." he said.
"Right." agreed Stryder. "Now we come to the thorny issue of the Undine. They can pop up literally anywhere. They could open a rift and come through at Earth, Andoria, Vulcan, DS9, here, any of the other fleet bases. Anywhere. And like you say, they're a bitch to kill especially in ground action. And now, thanks to the Borg, the Undine have taken an interest in us. They want to exterminate us, not because they want to expand their empire, just because they don't want us to exist. The Borg and Undine are eventually going to have a full incursion war, and at the moment that's going to be so close to our space that we'll certainly get pulled into it, and we can't afford it. If that happens then we'll be attacked by the Cardies and the Dominion as well. The Federation won't survive. Humanity probably will, but not in a way any of us would be happy with."

"So, why not make sure that the war between the Borg and Undine happen in a place more convenient for us? Make the war happen in Borg space. Hopefully one race will destroy the other and then when the fight comes back to us we'll only have one hardcore race to fight, not two."

"Sooo." started Griffin. "How do we create a permanent tear into fluidic space?"
"I've got no idea." answered Bob. "But I know a lass who does."
"Who's that?" asked Vala.
"One Lieutenant Commander Milly Kaziroe from the Federation Special Sciences Division. I called her last night and she's on her way here. Should be here in a few days. She know how to do what we need to do."

He got up to get some more tea...

Helix stood transfixed on the Warrior when the USS Portsmouth exited warp and took up position next to her, he had listened to Bob and had even let it slid that Bob had cut across him as he was about to say something, Bob was right of course, about everything even Quinn.

Helix could remember a young Trill called Quinn serving under him on the Archimedes 20 or so years ago he hadn't noted anything special about him then either but the man was now fleet Admiral and Chief of Military Operations for Strafleet a role Kirk had once served in before V'Ger had returned, Quinn was not Kirk though.

He pulled his thoughts back to the here and now and turned neatly around "Lieutenant Commander Milly Kaziroe, I believe she and I have met a promising young officer if I am not mistaken" he said

Stryder nodded "She is at that" he said with a hint of pride

=====================================================================================================

Gianna stood her Phaser rifle raised pointing at the Nausicaan's head "Let her go" she said firmly
"and lose my bargaining chip? Unlikely! The Federation have gone to far this time If you want her back you will need to give me something of equal or better value"
"What do you want?"
"First you will answer my questions then I will tell you what I want as trade"
"Fine but know this every question I answer reduces the value of your trade and of course so does the fact that I could end your life right now the only reason you're still breathing is because of your guards" Gianna said nodding at the men behind him.
"Clever Girl, fair enough of course I value my life very highly and that you value the life of your first officer also, I am after all a trader let us negotiate, you can have your officer back in exchange for my life and I want you so that I may question you on my terms"
"How do I know you will release me when you are finished?"
"Captain, no!" said Hayze from behind his crate
"Shut up Hayze" she snapped, she heard grumbling from behind her, it was R'Shee her head of Security cursing herself that she didn't have her sniper rifle.
The Nausicaan chuckled and tightened his grip on Crystal's neck.
"You have my word as a trader"
"Okay okay How are we going to do this?" Said Gianna
The Nausicaan pulled Crystal back so he could take cover behind a crate then let her go "Now you put you rifle down and start walking towards me when you get halfway I send her towards you once you are here she will be there, you will then order your crew to leave and then you will be my prisoner until you have answered my questions then I will let you go"
Gianna started walking as he had said he released Crystal half way and as the two women passed Crystal said "I'll be back for you, I promise" Gianna nodded with a smile.
Once Crystal had reached the rifle she picked it up, she took a look back at Gianna and ordered the crew to withdraw.

Once Gianna's crew were out of site the guards grabbed her roughly and at the order of the Nausicaan dragged her inside and forced her down into a seat and bound her too it then left the room.

Gianna looked around there where some instruments on a near by table and she got a sense of Déjà vu "Well at least I'm not naked this time" she said aloud
"That can be arranged" Said the Nausicaan "However I shouldn't think it necessary I doubt I will need those tools either"
"Well you got me ask your questions"
"First Who are you, second why have you come here, third what do you want"
Gianna smiled "I am Gianna Falks daughter of Vice Admiral Helix Falks, I came her because my father sent me and I want what he gave you, So, Ja'zarr you give it to me and I'll be on my way"
The Nausicaan's smug expression changed instantly and he struck Gianna so hard across the face she and the chair went over backwards he then rushed forward and pulled her back upright by her hair.
"Your Father was a fool to send you here, he must have known what I will do to you"
Gianna spat blood onto the table "he did pre warn me yes, but however you and I made a deal did we not and If I'm not mistaken you and my father made a deal also are you going to renege on both?"
Ja'zarr smiled "hmm an interesting question, revenge in exchange for my reputation? however I see a way of getting both" he said his smile turning cruel.
Gianna rolled her eyes "Do tell"
"Well I could beat you to a bloody pulp and send you back to Daddy in a body bag"
Gianna looked him in the eye "Go ahead if you harm me any more than you have my father will drop what ever he is doing and come here. Once he is finished tearing you apart with his mind he'll bomb this place into dust then he will most likely hunt down your family and do the same to them, You remember your Wife on Nausicaa, what was her name Ne'shme, or your son Ra'zarr currently serving on your brother Ja'barr's freighter the Krezen? I doubt the shields would hold out long against an advanced Federation ship such as the Warrior, would they? Or do you think he would start with them first? the Krezen is currently near Klingon space and Nausicaa is just a short detour on his way here you know my father right? probably better than I do what do you think he would do?"
"Enough" Ja'zarr shouted angrily "You have made your point"
"Good, now be a good boy untie me and fetch the artefact for me" Ja'zarr hit the desk, cut her lose and then stormed out.

Gianna sighed heavily and fought the urge to cry but a single tear escaped and rolled down her cheek, she quickly wiped it away and composed herself she would have to learn how to control her emotions better although unlike her father she had never needed the training that he had received she remembered back to her childhood when Helix was around he was always distant and rarely smiled her mother had blamed it on his psyonic powers and his need to constantly keep them in check she had seen him lose control a few times and only once because of her.

Ja'zarr stormed back into the room "here take it" he said slamming a case down on the table then opening it.

Inside was a small orb about 6 inches in diameter, she picked it up and smiled "Right if I hurry my crew won't beam down and start killing all your people, I would say its been a pleasure but you did hit me and pull my hair and trust me one day I will be back to avenge that indignity but until then give my regards to your family" she said as she walked out of the room, she was surprised none of the guards tried to stop her as she left the building and as soon as she was out side and well clear of the building she hailed the Blade and called off the rescue party.

Gianna sat on a bed in sick bay as Dr Zala checked her over.
"Thanks Amarai" she said when the doctor had finished
"Your welcome"

Gianna went strait to her quarters with the orb and sat down on the end of her bed to examine it more closely, she turned it this way and that and ran her fingers over its surface it felt like there were ridges forming intricate patterns on its surface yet she could not see them after a few minutes the orb began to glow she stood up as it began to pulsate suddenly there was a bright flash, she closed her eyes and suddenly her room was filled with the sounds of battle, she slowly opened them and found herself on a strange looking bridge a man stood in front of her issuing orders.

"SHIELDS HOLDING SIR!" shouted a man at one of the many consoles
"Focus on the closest Levi and give her a volley of the green stuff" ordered the man as he steadied himself using a hand rail.

The man was dressed in the black long coat of a Marine Captain with the UFP Ambassadors badge instead of the usual communicator

"send the pulse" the man ordered and a strange sound emanated from far beneath her at that moment the man looked strait at her, he looked just like her father only older and some how bedraggled as if he had spent a life time in hardship he was about to say something but the orb flashed again and she found herself back in her room. She put the orb on the cradle she had replicated earlier and stepped away from it slowly.

That night while she and Crystal lay in bed, she told Crystal all about it.
"Are you sure it wasn't something to do with the blow to your head?"
"No Amarai gave me the all clear it definitely happened"
"I'm no egghead but maybe what you saw was a glimpse at the future or perhaps an alternate reality either way you should tell your father about it."
"agreed"

She snuggled up with Crystal and fell to sleep...

After Vala wiped the coffee off her face and table, she continued to listen to Helix. When the room fell silent again, Misha spoke up, “Lt Commander Kaziroe eh, I've read most of her theoretical reports. They are incredible, most if it is beyond my grasp right now, but from what I could understand, creating a stable tear in space will be difficult, but hey, it wouldn't be a quinn mission without a few unknowns.”

“Good,” Vala said, “Brush up on those reports, I want you to work with her when she arrives. I also have a few side note to share as well. As of this time, Empress Sela has vanished, reports are sketchy at best right now but what we know is an unknown vessel emerged from an Iconian gate during a battle between Remen and Tai'Shiar forces and captured or rescued Sela's dreadnaught moments before its destruction. This has thrown the Romulian Empire into disarry as various parties now are vying after the empty throne. I guess thats about good as news gets coming from the Empire.

This also leaves a large opportunity for D'tan's Romulan Republic, recently at a Conference RRF forces now have begun aligning with Federation and KDF Fleets. We've aquired three such Capitans, one that already has a task force. Which is good since 70% of our fleet is in dry dock or otherwise incapacitated right now. The RRF officers are Centurion Kelta, Subcommander Terona, and Subadmiral I Bakara Koren. Koren task force is made of 5 various warbirds and a couple small craft. She will be the first to arrive in the next day or so, the other have missions to wrap up before they can disembark. And unless anyone has more to add, this meeting will be dismished, We all have a lot of repairs to make.”

Helix walked the decks of the Warrior, repair crews rushed about performing last minute repairs and maintenance, all seemed oblivious of his passage he understood why he himself was no lover of protocol and all that pomp would only slow them down, no work had to be done and rank and title be damned.

"Bridge to Falks" chirped his comm
"Falks here, report?"
"Sir the USS Blade has entered Fleet space and is coming alongside now"
"Understood tell Captain Falks to meet me in my quarters and send T'Lar too"

Minutes later Helix, T'Lar, Gianna and Crystal were stood in Helix's quarters and Gianna had explained what had happened.

"Ja'zarr is a snake I'm surprised he gave it up so willingly" Helix said taking the orb from Gianna
"I'm fortunate your have a reputation any idea what it does?"
"Yes, well kind of, from what I could learn, it shows one different time lines perhaps even alternate universes. however I do know destroying one of these will tear a hole in space time, enythieng with in a few thousand kilometres will be sucked into the tear"
"Its a weapon?"
"I don't think its builders intended it to be. But if needs must I will use it as such, anyway thank you for getting it for me" Helix reached out and turned Giannas head in order to get a better look at the bruise "I'll make him pay for that"
Gianna smiled "You will have to get in line behind Crystal and me"
Helix looked up at Crystal who blushed and looked away "Right, well you two should get back to your ship I have another task for you and I have to go and meet my Romulan contingent"
Crystal straitened up and Gianna nodded, after they had left T'Lar stepped forward "are you aware that those two are pursuing a relationship"
"I am and I intend not to do anything about it" T'Lar began to protest but Helix raised his hand to silence her "and neither will you, they are in love let them have that at least" T'Lar raised a brow then gave a small bow "As you wish sir"

====================================================================================================

Subcommander Terona sat in her ready room, brooding over her current orders, first Starfleet insist on placing two Officers on her ship now they want her to be part of some Fleet and what's more they are sending one of their Admirals to come get her.

She had protested, stating her work against the Tal Shiar was at a critical juncture for her to abandon it but Admiral Karerek had simply waved his had dismissively. She was about to throw her data PADD across the room when the door chimed, "Come" she said and Centurion Mavek her first officer and childhood friend entered "I hate this why us there are plenty of other officers they could send"

"Well Teri it serves you right for climbing the ladder of command so swiftly barely 3 years have passed and you are already a Subcommander and word is you will be getting a promotion and a new ship very soon"
"Yes the Vilus"
"So you are getting a promotion?"
"Yes as are you and Vila, hmm what do we know about this Starfleet Admiral?"
"Not much, why don't you look through the Tal Shiar files maybe there will be something on him in there?"

Terona spun her chair to access the console to her right and typed in the Admiral's name...

"Interesting it says here he was involved in the battle of Wolf 359, the Battle of Torros III, Operation Return, Second Battle of Chin'toka it states he was lucky to escape there with his life and The Battle of Cardassia that was 35 years ago, more recently he has been involved in several battles, he has only lost 3 battles out 19 that he has commanded personally and get this he has been serving in starfleet for over 50 years"
"He must be ancient"
"What's more the Tal Shiar has him listed has capture at all cost"
"As old as he is I doubt he would survive their torture methods how long do humans live for anyway?"
"I don't know a hundred or so years I think, oh it says one of his knows Admiral Stryder!"
"That's the fed that showed up on Nimbus 3 and helped us fight the Gorn now why couldn't we have been assigned to his Task force?"
"I don't know but we'll be in the same fleet at least"
"Bridge to Subcommander Terona"
"Terona, go ahead"
"Sir Admiral Karerek as asked for you to beam down to Command"
"acknowledged on my way"

Moments later Terona was stood before the Admiral listening to him drone on about responsibility until finally he issued her with her shoulder pads congratulated her and sent her off to get her new command, The week went on and she was becoming restless, she wanted to be out there looking for Tal Shiar ships to destroy in her new D'ridthau Warbird instead she was stuck plant side pushing PADDs and flying a desk, in the evenings she spent her time exploring new Romulus, The Colony had come along way in the last three years and she had discovered a nice café close to the old staging ground.

She sat sipping Romulan ale when a Starfleet Vice Admiral entered, he looked strait at her and then approached her table.
"Commander Terona?" he said
"Yes?" she replied
"Ah good they said I would find you here, to be honest I don't think Admiral Karerek wanted me to come down here seemed terribly put out" he said as he sat down opposite her "oh sorry I'm not interrupting am I"
"No, I'm sorry but who are you?"
"Ah forgive me, I am Vice Admiral Helix Falks CO of the Draconian 54"
"That's impossible you not nearly old enough to be him you should be all wrinkly I though Humans only lived for about a hundred years"
Helix laughed "Appearances can be deceiving, I am not human"

Terona and Helix talked at length as they enjoyed glass after glass of Romulan ale perhaps joining this fleet wasn't such a bad thing after all?

The problem wasn't that she and her crew couldn't do it. She was sure they could. The problem also wasn't that she would have the support of a fine group of admirals and their task forces whilst she was doing what needed to be done. The problem wasn't even how they would get there, though that was going to be a challenge. No, the problem was much more immediate. The USS Hampshire was being chased.

Following orders, Commander Milly Kaziroe had taken her ship into the Tau Dewa sector to take certain measurements from a collapsing star in an out of the way backwater system. The star would die, there was not doubt. It had been on it's last legs when it had been discovered three hundred years ago, its twelve planets and 800 moons doomed to a violent, fiery death. It was just a matter of time, and Kaziroe had been told it's time had come and to haul ass out there and scan for a particular event, a moment in the sudden end to the stars life.

The Rhode Island class science vessel had entered the system 13.5 hours before the main event and had patiently began scanning. After a few hours she had been joined by a fleet of Romulan vessels. Repeated hails had gone unanswered, passive scans of the fleet had shown that they were Tal 'Shiar. It wasn't a coincidence that they were here. The natural death of a star was a rarity, even in a galaxy of millions of stars, so they were probably here to monitor, take scans and observe. The same as Milly. She had her ship hold position, until the other fleet began moving, slowly, towards her position. She backed of slowly, well aware that her ship would not last long in a fight here and support was a long way away.

As the star had begun collapsing in on itself the fleet had actively moved to surround the Hampshire, presumably to prevent the ship from getting the readings it needed. Milly had ordered the ship engage impulse and told the navigator to plot a parabolic course over the star and away from the Romulans, and be ready to run when the star finally exploded. Inevitably, the Tal 'Shiar had opened fire. Just as the star exploded the Hampshire had been rocked by disruptor fire. Milly had pointed at the tactical officer and ordered a salvo of torpedos fired and then looked at her science officer.
"We need those readings. Keep scanning that thing no matter what happens."

The star had exploded. A few lucky torpedos had disabled a Tal 'Shiar warbird, now helpless in the path of an oncoming supernova. The Hampshire had carried on firing it's phasers at the pursuing ships, firing torpedos whenever it could. She was taking damage though, it would be a close run thing.

"Sir, the star is gone!" shouted the science officer. "The energies have gone. It's over." Kaziroe had turned to the navigator.
"Plot a course to the nearest starbase. Maximum warp. Punch it!"

The Hampshire had banked steeply allowing two plasma torpedos and a lance of disruptor fire to miss, and the gone to warp. Milly had sat back in her chair and tried to blow the hair from her face.

"Damn, that was close." she said.
"Uh ... Captain?" said the tactical officer. "They're following us."
"What?"
"They jumped into warp just after we did."
"Why? What do they want?"
"Perhaps our data?" suggested the science officer. "That ship that got caught in the nova may have been their science ship."
"If that's the case we're in for a hard time." Milly turned to the comms officer. "I want you to package the data up in as much encryption as you can, and send it off as soon as we're in range." She turned back to the viewscreen. "We need to make sure our deaths mean something."
"Aye sir."

The USS Hampshire continued to power through space as fast as she could, her engineers teasing every last joule from non-essential systems. It wasn't fast enough. The Tal 'Shiar fleet gained on them with every hour that passed eventually the tac officer worked out that they wouldn't get back in range of Federation Space before they got caught. Milly was just considering dropping out of warp, and channeling all available power to the comms system and sending the data in a hugely powerful burst transmission, when the red alert klaxxon blared.

"Report!" she shouted.
"Another Romulan flotilla decloaking dead ahead. Too close to go around at this speed, recommend we drop from warp, cha..."
"Incoming message" reported the comms officer, "from the new fleet."
"Onscreen."

The image on the viewscreen changed from the warping starscape to that of a Romulan commander.
"My name is Sub-Commander Kelata of the Romulan Republic. I can see that you are being pursued by the Tal Shiar and have already suffered damage. May we be of assistance?"
"Sub-Commander Kelata," said Milly, "please, yes. Your help would be greatly appreciated."
"Very well." And the screen went blank.

The fight that followed was short and sweet. The Republic vessels were not running with standard equipment and were more than a match for the Tal 'Shiar. Milly had the Hampshire stand off from the fight and had her crew working on repairs. Eventually the Tal 'Shiar decided that they'd had enough and warped away. After they left sensor range, Commander Kelatas small flotilla approached the Hampshire and the largest vessel, a Mogai Warbird, came along side.

"Commander, we're being hailed." said the tac officer.
"Onscreen." The starscape on the viewer was replaced by the young Sub-Commander Kelata of the Warbird. "Thank you for your assistance Sub-Commander. We wouldn't be here now without you. I am in your debt."
"You're wecome, Commander." replied Kelata. "The enemy of my enemy is my friend. To whom do I have the honour of talking?"
"Oh, I'm sorry. My name is Commander Milly Kaziroe of the USS Hampshire."
"Kaziroe? Good. I've been looking for you. A mutual friend said you'd be here."
"Friend?"
"Yes, Admiral Stryder asked me to come and find you, assist you if necessary and escort you back to the Wolf Den."
"That's great. I didn't like being so far from friendlies out here. I thank you."
"Again, you're welcome. Shall we set course for the Wolf Den? Warp 6?"
"Sounds good to me." Milly nodded at her helmsman. "Tell me Kelata, have you eaten yet?"

The four ships flashed into warp.

====================================================================================================

Six days later, Admiral Stryder was sat in his office in the Wolf Den when his comm chimed.

"Admiral Stryder, Commander Kaziroe has arrived."
"Excellent. Please ask the Commander to come to my office when she's got herself sorted out. No rush."
"Aye sir."
This was good news. Kaziroe had already transmitted the data from the super nova to the fleet and multiple departments in multiple locations were working with it. Admiral Falks had notified Stryder that he had the 'last ditch' method of opening the rift, but it would kill a lot of innocents as well. Still, a lot of people would prefer death to being a Borg. Either way, things were coming together. As long as the repairs and refits kept up the pace they should be ready to move out in a month, maybe six weeks. Stryder sighed and picked up the PADD hew looking at. It was a ship requisition for Milly. Recently promoted to Commander she needed a ship that befitted her position. The Nebula class USS Stone fit the bill nicely, and she was only local and recently decommissioned so Bob snapped it up quick, and 150 extra crew as well. She would be very surprised...

“Kort Ready the Fang for departure, we're making a quick trip,” Vala spoke over comms in her office.

“Aye aye, Ma'am,” he curly reposnded. Vala then checked for Stryder's location, the computer showed him as logged in his office. She strode out and down the hall to the other offices. She chimed the door and waited for an acknowledgement. When Vala entered there was a young woman sitting in the chair on the other side of his desk.

“Pardon me Bob, didn't realize you had company,” Vala said.
“It quite alright, it was just a matter of time before you two met. This is Commander Milley Kaziroe, Lt this is Vice Admiral Vala Cora, CO of this fleet.” She stood up and shook Vala's hand.
“Nice to meet you Admiral Cora,” the Commander spoke.
“Like wise Commander, I've heard promising things about you, Glad to have you in the fleet. My younger Sister Rear Admiral Cora would like to make your acquaintance as well. She's be studying your Theories on subspace tears, I hope between the two of our best and brightest we can uncover the safest way to pull of this miracle.”
“Yes, Ma'am.”

“Bob Can we speak in private for a moment?” She asked turning her attention back to him.

“Sure, the Commander hear was about to go and settle in. You're dismissed commander,” he replied. She gave a quick salute and walked out the door slid shut.

“So you think we can pull of this insanity?” Vala casually asked.

“I don't know, we've done some crazy things to get this far, but this is a whole other level. So I imagine you didn't come here to just chit chat about our impending doom,” he said with a smirk.

“Heh, no fooling you. I'm going to speak to Quuin personally. I have a condition for him if we pull this off and since I one of our best with diplomacy, it'll be a piece of cake. Since you have the most experience with the Borg, I'm leaving you with fleet command. I shouldn't be long, no more than 36 hours. If you would also do me a favor,” she said.

“Sure, shoot.”

“I need you to greet Vice Admiral Koren when she arrives. She'll be arriving in about 8 hours from the last communique.”

“Aye, that I can do,” he said.

“Thanks, I'm off then.” Vala tapped her comm badge. “Black Fang, one to beam up.”

Vala stepped onto the bridge of the Black wolf, “Helm full impulse, approach the transwarp gate,” The ship gracefully increased speed and manoeuvred about the plain of parked vessels. “Destination to the Vulcan sector.”

“Aye ma'am, course laid in, Traffic control reports green, gateway coming online.” The large cruiser slipped through the gate and was instantly sent light years away.

“Sensor's reading normal space ma'am, Orders?” T'lu asked.

“Sol System, Earth Space dock, best speed,” Vala commanded.

“Course laid in, approximately 2.5 hours,” the helm answered.

“Engage warp.” And the Ship accelerated from sight.

Bob drummed his fingers on the desk for a few moments, looked out of the window at the fleet for a few moments more, then turned to the screen on his desk and called up a report on the fleet movements around the base, who was going where and which ships were doing what. He found no reason to make any changes - Vala and her staff had done a good job of arranging things so that every body was happy and had access to what they needed. He drained the tea from his mug (a large ceramic number with a picture of the USS Swordsman on one side and Admiral Falks' face on the other), stood up and was about to go for a mooch about the station when the everything went red and the alert klaxon blared. He thumped back into his seat and batted his com badge.

"Stryder to Ops." he demanded.
"Ops. Commander Grey here." came the answer.
"What's going on Grey?" asked Bob.
"Sir, a Jem'Hadar carrier, escort class, has just exited the transwarp gate. We are trying to make contact."
"A Jem'Hadar carrier? Ok, when you get an answer please tell Sub-Admiral Kelata that she's welcome to come and see me at any time."
"Sir? You were expecting her?" Bob thought he heard a tone of 'you could have bloody well told us' in his voice but he decided to ignore it.
"Not for another 3 days, she's early."
"Yes sir. Will there be anything else?"
"Yes, shut of the red alert will you?"
"Aye sir. Ops out."

It was only twenty minutes later that Bobs next cuppa was interrupted by the sound of a Romulan transporter, sort of like two bits of glass being scraped together, and Sub Admiral Kelata appeared before Bobs desk. Bob stood and extended his hand.

"Sub Admiral. I'm pleased to finally meet you." Kelata took Bobs outstretched hand and shook.
"Likewise Admiral."
"I'd like to thank you for helping Commander Kaziroe last week. Without you she'd be dead now."
"I was following orders, Admiral. Doing what was required of me, that is all." She sat in the seat offered by Stryder. "However, I discovered on our six day trip here that Milly, Commander Kaziroe, is ... unique."
"That's putting it mildly." laughed Bob. "Damn good officer though."
"Indeed. She will go far. Plus, I like her."
"Good. I think that the two of you will be working closely together in the immediate future."
"Oh?"
"I spoke to D'Tan yesterday and I asked him if I could keep you for a while longer."
"How long?"
"Indefinitely." said Bob. Kelata raised her eyebrows, but her silvery reflective eyes gave nothing away. "I'm sure you're aware of our problems with the Borg?"
"I have had no dealings with the Borg, but I have a peripheral awareness of what's happening."

So Bob and Kelata spent a day talking about all things Borg, from history, through recent events and modern tactics, ending up with Quinns seemingly insane plan to eliminate them altogether.

"I think your Admiral Quinn may need to visit a psychiatric practitioner." said Kelata around a mouthful of food.
"Our very own Admiral Cora has gone to have a few words with him, face to face. Maybe we'll see some changes, but I don't know." replied Bob after a mouthful of wine. "Either way, we come now to your new orders."
"Ok."
"You are to shadow Commander Kaziroe. Wherever she goes, you go. You command a group of powerful ships, and I'm making you responsible for making sure she completes her part of the mission." Bob put his fork down and lent across the table. "What Milly has to do is probably the most important part of the whole mission. She has to complete it. You will protect her from this moment until she has completed her task."

Kelata held his gaze for a moment, then said,

"So be it."

Sol System, Earth Space Dock.


“T'lul signal port control, request docking clearance. I'm heading down to the airlock,” Vala spoke, “Kort accompany me. Oh and Tell Rowina to make sure to see that our ship is fully stocked while we're here as well as any crew that wants a little R&r get it while they can. Three hours of free roam granted.”


“Vice Admiral Cora, the Admiral is ready for you,” said the receptionist. Vala just nodded and walked through the door.

“Admiral Quinn, sir,” Vala saluted which he returned promptly.


“Welcome Vice Admiral, what can I do for you today,” He spoke flatly.
“I've come to discuss these orders you've assigned my fleet. My fleet which is only at 45% capacity until repairs are completed after the fiasco at the Omega gate. Permission to speak freely sir?” Vala started getting right to the point. Quinn gave a shallow nod and slightly waved his hand.


“This mission as it is now, is in every aspect as suicide run. I've run the numbers and with current theories available to me, I've calculated only a 30% chance of success with high casualty rates. But I know you won't rescind the orders or give them to a less experienced and outfitted fleet.”


“Your assume correct Cora. So what is it that you want?”


“I want every theoretical report that could assist us made available, every scrap that has ever been scribbled down on a bar napkin, every piece of technology, If helps to increase our odds I want it. Also we need more ships, heavy hitters. Our fleet barely returned from the Omega gate, some which were only being held together with force fields and luck. That was this the Borg, adding the Undine into the mix, I don't want to even think of the repercussions should things head south. So Admiral, what do you say....”



Vala emerged from Quinn's office nearly nearly an hour later. She had sparked more of a debate than she has wanted. She had won out the debate and got what she asked for. He had actually surprised her by one of his offers, which she snatched up like a starved Targ. Kort was no longer in sight, and with two hours to kill, wandered around the circling deck until she came around to club 47.

“A drink sounds good right now,” she said to herself and strolled up to the bar ordered a stiff drink and found an empty table in the corner. She shut off her comm badge, not wanting to be bothered. Some time later Kort came and joined her.


“I thought I would find you here Captain,” he sat down and waived to a waitress for a drink. “So are we drinking in the sorrow of defeat or joyous victory?”


“Bit of both Tamon, bit of both,” she replied knocking back the rest of her drink. “We got the theories and fleet support I asked for, even a nice little surprise that I'll announce when We're back to base. But the Admiral and I didn't quite see eye to eye, got into a heated debate about the pros and cons of this mission.” She continued venting a bit more when a voice close interrupted her.


“Excuse me, Vice Admiral ma'am?” Vala looked up. It was a young Ensign, barely out of the Academy.


“Yes Ensign?”


“Ma'am I have a Priority One transmission from Vice Admiral Stryder,” and She handed Vala a PAAD, which already had her attention, Bob didn't invoke Priority One anything.


“Thank You Ensign,” She took the paad and the Ensign exucsed her self and left.
Vala Accessed the file:


“Vala,


Vice Admiral Bakura's arrived absent her and her vessel the RRW Ulrica and in Charge of her XO. Its not looking good, we picked up a distorted subspace transmission, From what we can make out of it, They have been shot down over Khitomer, all current attempts at contact has failed and assume the worse. I figured you would want to take care of this your self.”


Vala dropped the paad and scrambled for her badge, and tapped it once it was fixated back on her uniform. “Black Fang, recall all crew, prepare for immediate departure, Priory One.”


“Aye aye Ma'am!”


“Kort lets get to the transporters.” They both stood and rushed out of the club.


The Black Fang exited warp at the edge of the system, “Liazana Long Range Scan,” Vala ordered.


“I'm picking a Lone T'Liss light warbird in orbit. No other vessels nearby,” Liazana reported.


“Good, go to Red Alert, Man your stations” the alarm sounded and the room darkened as this ship came up to battle stations. “Helm, plot an intercept course, Warp us right on top that bird. Liazana, prepare to jam their communications, T'Lul Fire at will.” A series of “aye aye's” echoed as the officers went to work.


The ship winked from sight for just a moment and came back with the T'liss dead ahead.


“Locking Tetryons and firing, Launching full torpedo Spread,” T'lul stated.
“Transmissions jammed, They won't be sending any signals out,” Reported Liazana.

“Coming hard to port, bringing all beam arrays to bear,” T'lul spoke up again. The Light Warbird stood no Chance against the Fang's superior firepower and promptly succumbed to the heavy fire.

“Confirmed, no other ships on scanners ma'am. Scanning the planet for our wayward Romulans,” Liazana stated. Vala eased back into her chair slightly. She loved her bridge crew, they knew what to do without Vala ever having to issue a command. “Picking faint techyon reading ma'am, the T'liss most likely missed it, I almost did... it gone... something it interfering with the scanners.”


“That'll be them, location?” Vala asked.


“I only have an approximation, I couldn't lock down the source,” Liazana said.


“Very Well, Prepare my Runabout and two Delta Flyers, full crew. Send those coordinates to the shuttles. Have Liawana meet me in the shuttle bay. Kort you have the Conn, once we've departed, move the ship into the dark side of the planet, I want you running dark.”


“Aye Ma'am.”


A few moments later the shields lowered and the shuttle bay silently slid open, and the three craft rocket out towards the surface.


“Helm ahead full Impulse, take us into the shadows. Make for silent running,” Kort commanded. The ship quickly entered the dark side of the planet. “Use maneuvering thrusters only to maintain orbit, lower the warp core power output.” Several systems began to enter standby, the lights and panels of the bridge darkened All external windows went black, navigation lights stopped flashing, even the warp nacelles went out.


“Now running dark Sir,” T'lul said. “
------------------------------------_


Bakara still sat her her office when one of her bridge officers entered, “Ma'am, I've detected a fight in orbit, Can't make out much from our limited sensor power. But I've lost the signal from the T'liss warbird and detected an explosion. I'm now picking up a Federation signal, a Large one. If I had to assume its a cruiser, possibly an Odysseus.”


“Anything else commander?” the Vice Admiral asked.


“Yes, I've picked up three smaller signals approaching. Shuttle craft of some sort.”


Bakara went over to her Emergency locker and pulled out a flare gun, when the commander looked at her raising an eyebrow she answered, “Well comms are still out, have to signal them somehow, have a few officers meet me at the jeffery tubes leading to the dorsal hull. And lower the cloak.”


-_


“Alright we're approaching the location, Delta flyers split up and circle the area, I'm going head straight across,” Vala announced. For the next hour they searched every inch of the jungle for the air. Vala began to question the coordinates and at that moment, she picked up something rising up into the air behind the runabout. “Hang on, Coming about,” Vala warned as the runabout banked hard as they did, a single green flare was descending from the sky. “All ships converge on my location.” As the runabout apportioned the flare, Vala spotted the oddly placed clearing. Shortly Vala spotted the down warbird with a handful of Romulans standing on the hull waving. Vala inputted the landing sequence for the shuttle and then stood and walked to the side hatch. As soon as the runabout set down she opened the hatch and jumped out and approached the Romulan that had the largest shoulder guards.


“Vice Admiral Bakara Koren?” Vala asked.
“It seems my reputation precedes me, and you are?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Vice Admiral Vala Cora, DW51st, I'm your new Commanding officer, Pleasure to meet you,” Vala extended her hand, Bakara shook it. “So what's your situation here Vice Admiral?”


“Could be worse, Singularity Drive is damaged and offline, Primary weapon's coil is melted, shields barely operable, no warp drive, comms are fried, Life Support is non-functional, and the port Impulse engine in damaged,” Bakara ceased talking for a moment went the two delta flyers swooped in and set down on the hull.


“Well lucky for you I brought components and a few friends to get your ship flight worthy at least, the system is secured for now, but that can change at a moments notice. Lucky for us, night fall is soon. So what is wrong with your core?”


“Well if you know anything about Singularity cores, they don't shut down once activated. Our is online but barely, a couple of the nullifer cores are damaged and few plasma conduits need replacing, mainly the ones the junction to the warp core, estimated nine hours of work without proper facilities,” Bakara explained.


“How about your transwarp systems, are those functional?,” Vala queried.


“Surprisingly yes, if we can restore full system power, trasnwarp is possible,” she answered.


“Let's get started then, we have a long night ahead of us, Rowina, update the fang on our status then get those parts offloaded and down to engineering.”


“Aye Aye Ma'am,” she started and headed back into the runabout to signal the Fang.”


“After you Admiral,” Vala gesturing towards her.

Bob Stryder had a bad night. All the talking about the Borg had given him nightmares and he woke up five or six times with cold sweats and shouting. He sat now at his desk, in his quarters on board the USS Thames. He was thinking, remembering. Almost reminiscing but these were not all good memories. He was drinking too. A shot glass sat on the desk next to his padd.

Every time he'd encountered the Borg he lost friends. He'd lost colleagues, crew. He'd lost too many good people to the Borg. He'd received promotions and commendations after his actions against the Borg. He'd received them but he felt he didn't deserve them. The only reason he'd accepted the promotions was because it would give him bigger, more powerful ships. Ships with bigger, better and more weapons. Better defensive capabilities and planet cracking offensive capabilities. What he didn't realise until he was an Admiral, the thing that he didn't see in his all-consuming quest for vengeance on the Borg was that bigger ships needed bigger crews. Even though he had won each engagement, won each ground action against the Borg, more people kept dying. Each time the body count had been higher than the last. It was now the point where Admiral Robert M. Stryder no longer socialised with anyone one board his ships. Business was business. If he was on duty he was on the bridge or in his ready room and when he was off duty he was by himself in his quarters or joined by photonic images on the holodeck. His reputation as an aloof member of the crew was becoming legendary throughout Starfleet, and although people still requested stations on his ships, it was because of the reputations of the ships and Stryders reputation as a commanding officer. He was becoming a loner.

It was the Borgs fault. And Admiral Quinn.

Rear Admirals Helix Falks and Bob Stryder proved so adept at facing the Borg, obtaining the objective and surviving that they became the de-facto go-to guys for all matters Borg. The only thing that decided who got each mission was whichever Admiral was available, and who was the closest. On occasion they had collaborated and they both knew that the collective body count was lower when they teamed up. Quinn knew this as well, and the last mission that admiral Falks was sent on, Quinn decided to give Stryder some trade negotiation mission in another sector which could've been given to anyone. Quite what Quinn was up to neither Bob nor Helix could fathom. Needless to say, Quinn managed to keep their missions so far from Earth and Earth Space Dock that they were never able to confront him about anything. In both the Admirals eyes Quinn was a coward. Sat on his throne over Earth dishing out orders with no real thought or understanding of the cost, no fleet, task force or ship to call his own. If Quinn were to retire tomorrow, Helix and Bob would celebrate in a spectacular style.

Jen was helping. Rear Admiral Jennyfur K. Griffin had come up through the ranks of Bobs Task Force like an out of control warp drive, seemingly unable to do wrong. She'd come to Bobs attention during the Borg attack on the Vega colony when, as a lieutenant she'd wound up on the USS Aquarius as the highest ranking officer able to function and used that old, battered, underpowered ship to turn the tide of the engagement. It caused issues though. Quinn instructed Griffin to attend a meeting with the commanding officer of the fleet which operated the Aquarius, a man named Rear Admiral Gundreth of the 122nd Defensive Fleet. Gundreth (or BumBreath - so called because of his chronic halitosis) had complained about the loss of the ship and demanded compensation from Griffin. Quite how he wanted this compensation was not discussed, because Stryder walked into the room and told BumBreath that not only was he going to promote Jen to commander, he was going to give her a ship as well. BumBreath complained, loudly, and Bob eventually convinced him to stop shouting by punching him in the kidneys and bashing his head on his desk. Being a desk admiral, fat, out of condition and ill-equipped to fight back, Admiral BumBreath lay on the floor panting as Stryder and Griffin left his office. Naturally BumBreath wanted to take the matter further, but a few strongly worded messages from some of Stryders highly placed friends made everything ok.

Now Jen was a rear admiral and had her own task force, all of them escorts and all of them tooled up for action. Not much experience with the Borg yet, though that would change.

His thoughts had bought him in a circle back to the Borg, as they had done all night. What was to be done? The plan they were working on was good, but it wasn't fool-proof. Things could go wrong. Commander Kaziroe had already briefed Stryder on the potential problems of a permanent rift into fluidic space. A permanent tear is just that. Permanent. It would never shrink but it would expand. How quickly and how far was only theoretical but some of the computer models had shown the tear to merge the whole galaxy into fluidic space within 10,000 years. In the grand scheme of things that's not a long time. And the amount of people that would perish would be uncountable.

Maybe the better idea was to take an armada to the Borg home system. Obliterate everything and not involve the Undine at all. Of course that brings with it a whole new set of problems. There are those who believe that Borg society, if you want to call it that, is similar in nature to religion. The Borg firmly believe that the way to the perfect society - the perfect way of being - is for everything living to be part of the collective. There is some truth to the matter, if everything that exists is part of a single consciousness there would be no wars. Peace would finally be galaxy wide. The flip side is that there would be no individualism. Part of what drives advancement is the ability to be different. Eventually the Borg would stop expanding out of necessity and then where do you go? At least if everybody is their own person there are still personal goals to achieve. Otherwise things stagnate and after stagnation comes extinction. Religions of old would try to force you to believe what they believe, force a person to convert and it doesn't matter what planet you come from, most beings like to make their own minds up.

That raised another question in Bobs slightly drunken musings. Are the Borg all the same? Or are there different castes or classes? Starfleet has had dealings with the warrior classes - maybe there are Borg farmers ... or Borg metal smiths ... engineers. Maybe by destroying the Borg homeworld Starfleet would be destroying a civilisation - rather than just a central node for the nomadic warriors. That'd muddy the moral waters. There would be plenty of people who would argue that the Borg as a species had as much right to exist as anyone else, regardless of their beliefs.

Maybe Starfleet should send an advance scout to check out what things are like? Nobodies even sure if the coodinates are correct. Then again, maybe Bob was drunk.

He got his training gear on and staggered down to the holodeck. Maybe a jog through the New Forest would help to clear his mind...