09-14-2026, 01:50 AM
Jez had been watching the tactical display when the *Aquila* dropped from warp.
The system was already alive with weapons fire.
Cardassian ships were scattered across the battlespace, their formation unexpectedly spread out. The *Yeager* was in the middle of it, firing photon torpedoes in rapid succession while throwing herself through evasive maneuvers at flank speed.
Jez's eyes moved across the display, tracking the various vessels and their movements.
As Chief of Security, her attention went beyond the weapons fire. She checked the internal security network, bringing up transporter activity, hull integrity reports, and the status of the security teams throughout the ship.
All section teams were reporting in.
No transporter activity.
No hull breaches.
For the moment.
Then the Aquila banked hard.
"RED ALERT!" roared Captain Brooks.
A disruptor beam flashed across the viewscreen, narrowly missing the ship.
Jez caught herself against her console and immediately checked the internal security display again.
"Security, confirm all section teams are in position," she ordered. "I want transporter activity monitored continuously. Report any hull breach immediately."
Acknowledgments came back from the security teams.
Jez returned her attention to the tactical display.
Three of the Cardassian escorts had broken off in pursuit of the *Yeager*. The remaining three were moving toward the Aquila and the other Federation vessel.
Jez tracked their course.
"They're screening the Dreadnought."
She marked the three vessels on her display.
"They're keeping themselves between us and the Dreadnought."
Ethan could see Cologero was considering his suggestion.
"I think you are on to something," the lieutenant told him after a brief pause. "It needs something, though. If we were going to do this, we would need to shore up the side we want them to attack, while chumming the waters with another."
Ethan nodded slowly.
"That is an option, sir, yes. But if we're quick enough, we won't be presenting a decent target to them for very long. We'll have to get clever with the automatic power adjustments, but our engines should be able to handle one or two quick cuts."
He brought up the tactical display.
"I was thinking we go wide, opposite of the Yeager, gun it to their outside flank, come around hard and go straight at their sides. That way we have a smaller target profile. If we take them by surprise, we can probably get a few bursts off from the forward phaser array before turning out. At the right speed, our side will only be exposed for a few seconds."
He indicated the shield display.
"Tactical can modulate our shield emitters to up the field volume on that side until we complete the turn. Once we find that firing lane, we'll haul out and do it again at a different spot. Keep them off-balance."
"If we were to present this to the Commander, because I think this could be the answer to the delivery system problem, how would you present it?" Cologero asked.
There wasn't time for Ethan to answer.
The Aquila was already committed to the engagement.
The Yeager, ramshackle as she might have seemed, was throwing torpedoes at the Dreadnought as fast as her launchers could fire while continuing her evasive maneuvers.
Then the Admiral's command came across the bridge.
[Concentrate fire on that Dreadnought. Their entire strategy will rest on that one ship.]
"Understood, Admiral."
The Inaieu dove straight toward the gargantuan vessel, spitting both Quantum and Photon Torpedoes from her forward launchers.
Jez watched the exchange from her station.
The Dreadnought's shields wavered.
Flickered.
Then returned to full strength.
Power was being shunted toward the incoming attack.
The Inaieu was struck almost immediately afterward.
Heavy plasma torpedoes erupted from the Dreadnought's flank weapons bays, followed by slashing beams of energy from the heavy disruptor emitters studding its hull.
Jez watched the Sovereign-class ship's shields collapse.
The hull began breaking apart.
Then the ship vanished in a blinding flash.
Jez immediately checked the security display.
No survivors were registering.
She checked the sensor returns again.
Nothing.
"Sirs, there doesn't appear to be any survivors." Announced Jez.
She switched back to the tactical display.
The Dreadnought began veering away as the three Keldons moved between it and the Aquila. The Hidekis continued pursuing the Yeager.
Jez tracked the movement of the escorts.
"Three escorts are screening the Dreadnought. The others are still pursuing the Yeager."
Cologero was already at weapons control.
The weapons systems were being brought online under his control.
As Red Alert continued sounding, the tactical display began filling with additional information as Cologero gathered readings on the Dreadnought's weapons systems.
Jez could see the energy figures scrolling across the shared tactical display.
The Dreadnought was generating enormous power to fire its weapons.
Cologero also brought up the debris field from the Inaieu and searched for life signs.
None appeared.
The tactical display remained empty.
Captain Brooks gave the next order.
"Helm, take us into attack pattern Delta 3, lock on and full spread of torpedoes and phasers."
Cologero moved immediately.
"Firing."
The Aquila unleashed a full spread of torpedoes and phaser fire.
Jez watched the weapons impacts register across the Dreadnought's hull.
Cologero had concentrated the fire around the areas previously struck by the Inaieu.
The weapons continued hammering the same sections.
Jez monitored the internal security network while the engagement continued.
"Security teams are standing by. No transporter activity detected aboard the ship."
"Commander Talion, shall we attempt your way of disabling the Dreadnought?" Brooks asked, holding onto the command chair's armrests.
Talion responded.
"There are stealth probes designated as Class A in the inventory specifically for this purpose, sir. They are prepped and ready for firing. All Tactical has to do is load them, designate the specific target area and fire. The probe and its contents will do the rest."
Talion continued.
"If they target the shielding, it will attempt to cause a short in that area. If they target a component behind the shields, it will move through the shields and begin affecting that target. I might suggest their sensors, since they can't shoot what they can't see."
He paused.
"On the other hand, without shields, they become a pretty easy target. I'm Science, so I helped make the weapon. I leave it to Tactical to decide how to use it in battle."
Cologero accessed the inventory and began loading the Class A probes.
Three probes appeared on the tactical display.
Their target assignments were entered.
Bow.
Stern.
Aft.
Jez watched the probe indicators move away from the Aquila.
"Security teams, stay alert. If the Dreadnought loses shields, be prepared for transporter activity or a boarding attempt."
She returned her attention to the tactical display.
The probes continued toward their targets.
Jez kept the internal security network open beside the tactical display.
No transporter activity.
No hull breaches.
No boarding attempts.
For now, that was enough.
Her attention remained divided between the battle outside the ship and everything that could come through the hull from inside it.
The Aquila was still in the fight.
So was her crew.
And Jez had a job to do, but she could feel her anger building. She had just witnessed an entire Federation starship crew get destroyed. She wanted Talion's plan to work; she wanted the Cardassians to pay.
== Tag All. ==
The system was already alive with weapons fire.
Cardassian ships were scattered across the battlespace, their formation unexpectedly spread out. The *Yeager* was in the middle of it, firing photon torpedoes in rapid succession while throwing herself through evasive maneuvers at flank speed.
Jez's eyes moved across the display, tracking the various vessels and their movements.
As Chief of Security, her attention went beyond the weapons fire. She checked the internal security network, bringing up transporter activity, hull integrity reports, and the status of the security teams throughout the ship.
All section teams were reporting in.
No transporter activity.
No hull breaches.
For the moment.
Then the Aquila banked hard.
"RED ALERT!" roared Captain Brooks.
A disruptor beam flashed across the viewscreen, narrowly missing the ship.
Jez caught herself against her console and immediately checked the internal security display again.
"Security, confirm all section teams are in position," she ordered. "I want transporter activity monitored continuously. Report any hull breach immediately."
Acknowledgments came back from the security teams.
Jez returned her attention to the tactical display.
Three of the Cardassian escorts had broken off in pursuit of the *Yeager*. The remaining three were moving toward the Aquila and the other Federation vessel.
Jez tracked their course.
"They're screening the Dreadnought."
She marked the three vessels on her display.
"They're keeping themselves between us and the Dreadnought."
Ethan could see Cologero was considering his suggestion.
"I think you are on to something," the lieutenant told him after a brief pause. "It needs something, though. If we were going to do this, we would need to shore up the side we want them to attack, while chumming the waters with another."
Ethan nodded slowly.
"That is an option, sir, yes. But if we're quick enough, we won't be presenting a decent target to them for very long. We'll have to get clever with the automatic power adjustments, but our engines should be able to handle one or two quick cuts."
He brought up the tactical display.
"I was thinking we go wide, opposite of the Yeager, gun it to their outside flank, come around hard and go straight at their sides. That way we have a smaller target profile. If we take them by surprise, we can probably get a few bursts off from the forward phaser array before turning out. At the right speed, our side will only be exposed for a few seconds."
He indicated the shield display.
"Tactical can modulate our shield emitters to up the field volume on that side until we complete the turn. Once we find that firing lane, we'll haul out and do it again at a different spot. Keep them off-balance."
"If we were to present this to the Commander, because I think this could be the answer to the delivery system problem, how would you present it?" Cologero asked.
There wasn't time for Ethan to answer.
The Aquila was already committed to the engagement.
The Yeager, ramshackle as she might have seemed, was throwing torpedoes at the Dreadnought as fast as her launchers could fire while continuing her evasive maneuvers.
Then the Admiral's command came across the bridge.
[Concentrate fire on that Dreadnought. Their entire strategy will rest on that one ship.]
"Understood, Admiral."
The Inaieu dove straight toward the gargantuan vessel, spitting both Quantum and Photon Torpedoes from her forward launchers.
Jez watched the exchange from her station.
The Dreadnought's shields wavered.
Flickered.
Then returned to full strength.
Power was being shunted toward the incoming attack.
The Inaieu was struck almost immediately afterward.
Heavy plasma torpedoes erupted from the Dreadnought's flank weapons bays, followed by slashing beams of energy from the heavy disruptor emitters studding its hull.
Jez watched the Sovereign-class ship's shields collapse.
The hull began breaking apart.
Then the ship vanished in a blinding flash.
Jez immediately checked the security display.
No survivors were registering.
She checked the sensor returns again.
Nothing.
"Sirs, there doesn't appear to be any survivors." Announced Jez.
She switched back to the tactical display.
The Dreadnought began veering away as the three Keldons moved between it and the Aquila. The Hidekis continued pursuing the Yeager.
Jez tracked the movement of the escorts.
"Three escorts are screening the Dreadnought. The others are still pursuing the Yeager."
Cologero was already at weapons control.
The weapons systems were being brought online under his control.
As Red Alert continued sounding, the tactical display began filling with additional information as Cologero gathered readings on the Dreadnought's weapons systems.
Jez could see the energy figures scrolling across the shared tactical display.
The Dreadnought was generating enormous power to fire its weapons.
Cologero also brought up the debris field from the Inaieu and searched for life signs.
None appeared.
The tactical display remained empty.
Captain Brooks gave the next order.
"Helm, take us into attack pattern Delta 3, lock on and full spread of torpedoes and phasers."
Cologero moved immediately.
"Firing."
The Aquila unleashed a full spread of torpedoes and phaser fire.
Jez watched the weapons impacts register across the Dreadnought's hull.
Cologero had concentrated the fire around the areas previously struck by the Inaieu.
The weapons continued hammering the same sections.
Jez monitored the internal security network while the engagement continued.
"Security teams are standing by. No transporter activity detected aboard the ship."
"Commander Talion, shall we attempt your way of disabling the Dreadnought?" Brooks asked, holding onto the command chair's armrests.
Talion responded.
"There are stealth probes designated as Class A in the inventory specifically for this purpose, sir. They are prepped and ready for firing. All Tactical has to do is load them, designate the specific target area and fire. The probe and its contents will do the rest."
Talion continued.
"If they target the shielding, it will attempt to cause a short in that area. If they target a component behind the shields, it will move through the shields and begin affecting that target. I might suggest their sensors, since they can't shoot what they can't see."
He paused.
"On the other hand, without shields, they become a pretty easy target. I'm Science, so I helped make the weapon. I leave it to Tactical to decide how to use it in battle."
Cologero accessed the inventory and began loading the Class A probes.
Three probes appeared on the tactical display.
Their target assignments were entered.
Bow.
Stern.
Aft.
Jez watched the probe indicators move away from the Aquila.
"Security teams, stay alert. If the Dreadnought loses shields, be prepared for transporter activity or a boarding attempt."
She returned her attention to the tactical display.
The probes continued toward their targets.
Jez kept the internal security network open beside the tactical display.
No transporter activity.
No hull breaches.
No boarding attempts.
For now, that was enough.
Her attention remained divided between the battle outside the ship and everything that could come through the hull from inside it.
The Aquila was still in the fight.
So was her crew.
And Jez had a job to do, but she could feel her anger building. She had just witnessed an entire Federation starship crew get destroyed. She wanted Talion's plan to work; she wanted the Cardassians to pay.
== Tag All. ==