Another Dominion War story...

[admiralelm11]

I seemed to be stuck on this time in Starfleet history. What is wrong with me?
Anyways, I hope you enjoy what I've written so far.



Star Trek: Voyages of the Geronimo
‘Battle of Tellar’

By Jack Elmlinger



“With Betazed in the hands of the Jem’hadar, the Dominion is in a position to threaten Vulcan, Andor, Tellar, Alpha Centauri…” - Major Kira Nerys

Historian’s Note: This story takes place between the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episodes of ‘His Way’ and ‘The Reckoning’.



Fear is where the mind goes to die. It consumes, and it takes, and it controls. Only by overcoming fear, can I truly be free.

Captain Serru kev Alloni knelt down on the floor of her cabin, her face lit up by candlelight, mouthing the Vulcan mantra to herself as she meditated. She felt the gentle thrum of the Geronimo’s engines through the deck and she tried to match her breathing with the rhythms of the ship. Looking out, past the candles and through the window into the blackness of space, she let herself fall deeper and deeper into the calming trance.

The ship’s computer interrupted her. “The time is 0750.”

Sighing, Alloni stood up, pulling herself out of her reverie. “Thank you,” she said as she extinguished the candles, plunging the room into darkness. “Lights, fifty-percent illumination.”

Her quarters lit up and she checked her uniform in the mirror before she stepped out into the corridor. She walked through the ship at a measured pace, believing that it was important for the crew to see the Captain projecting calm and assurance as much as possible, even going so far as to factor in longer transit times between her quarters and the Bridge to do so. Two crewmen - a Bolian and a Caitian - nodded respectfully as they exited the turbolift that she was waiting for, which was empty except for a Human Ensign, standing rigidly at attention upon seeing her.

“Bridge,” she said, and the turbolift whisked the two of them away.

Usually, she would have immediately told a member of her crew to stand at ease when confined inside of such a small space with her, even if it was only for a few seconds. However, the Human, Ensign Raine, had been in her Ready Room for a reprimand, only days earlier. He had been heard using the term ‘pigs’ to jokingly refer to her and the other Tellarite officer aboard. It had been a misstep that he had been severely dressed down for.

She personally doubted that he would last much longer aboard the Geronimo. It was her experience that unless they were particularly exceptional, Humans didn’t typically do well on ships where they were a minority, and she allowed herself to enjoy the Ensign’s discomfort for the few seconds that it took to arrive on the Bridge.

The Geronimo’s Bridge was a fluster of activity as the watches changed from Night to Day. Lieutenant Commander Rel-Taveii, the Efrosian Delta Shift commander stood and smiled at Alloni.

“Report, Lieutenant Commander.”

“Our patrol of the Tellar system is on schedule. The USS Oakland is still running a parallel course with us. Throughout the night, Engineering completed a diagnostic of the aft sensor grid, and Sickbay reported that Ensign Beck broke his wrist while he was rock-climbing on the holodeck. The USS Lakota’s repair schedule remains to be on track, and you received a message, marked personal from the Oakland.”

“Thank you, Lieutenant Commander. I relieve you of the watch.”

Rel-Tavei nodded and headed towards the turbolift on the heels of Delta Shift while Commander Kamoria, Alloni’s Denobulan First Officer, handed her a mug of Klingon raktajino as she took her own system. Alloni sipped the coffee appreciatively as she settled down into the Captain’s chair, picking up a PADD to review the ship’s systems.”

“A message from the Oakland?,” Kamoria asked her, teasingly.

“Another one from Hhasav,” she replied, smiling. “No doubt, filled with new details on his latest experiment that I won’t understand. Captain Mathias set him and his team to the task of trying to unravel some of the secrets of the Dominion’s technology.”

“Lieutenant Alloni is well, otherwise?”

Alloni leveled a sarconic look at her First Officer. “You can call him my husband. There’s nothing inappropriate in it.”

“I don’t know. I’ve been trying for years to get you to step over ‘inappropriate’.”

“Are there any indications of Dominion activity in the sector, Commander?,” Alloni asked her, resting her raktajino on the arm of her chair.

“Nothing aside from the continual reports from Betazoid. Starfleet Intelligence has observed mass incarcerations of Betazoid citizens as well as evidence of strip mining by the Cardassians.”

Alloni shook her head grimly. It had been months since Betazoid had fallen to the Dominion, necessitating the Geronimo and the Oakland’s continued presence in the Tellar system, one of several key Federation worlds that were now under the threat of a potential imminent attack. There had been some mention of the Enterprise spearheading efforts to liberate the planet in her last briefing with Starfleet Command. The details were obviously shrouded with secrecy and there was no way for her ship or the Oakland to help without leaving Tellar, even more critically undefended than it was now. No ships could be spared from the frontlines, either to relieve them or reinforce them. In the meantime, all that they could do was stand as witnesses to the suffering of Betazoid, all at once, lightyears away, yet still alarmingly close to home.

Taping some keys on her PADD, she pulled up a tactical display of the Tellar system and considered it thoroughly. The section of the Geronimo’s patrol route currently had the ship near Tellamarkus, one of the outlying colonies of the system while the Oakland was holding course on the other side of the system.

The Tellar Prime Shipyards jutted out from the rocky surface of Katoris, one of the rocky and lifeless planetoids between Tellar Prime and its star. The USS Lakota’s emblem glowed yellow on his display, signifying the state of their repairs, along with the incomplete hulls of nearly a dozen new starships. All of them would hopefully be fully prepared for the frontlines within a few months.

Orbiting Tellar was Starbase 223, Starfleet’s primary base of operations for the sector. Aside from the fact that they could have done with a few more squadrons of starships, everything was normal, exactly the same as it had been for the last several weeks.

Alloni sighed, draining the final dregs of her raktajino and rubbing her temples. No matter how much she meditated, she couldn’t get rid of the residual headaches that seemed to plague her, or her anxiety and worry behind them. She placed her empty mug to the side, which was swiftly collected by a Vulcan crewman. Looking around the Bridge, giving each of her Alpha shift officers a quick visual appraisal before she nodded in approval to herself before settling back into her chair, thinking about the message from her husband that she’d get to see when her shift ended.

* * * *

Admiral Beywhen glasch Gazek slammed his closed fist down into the table, wincing in pain despite himself. His First Officer, Captain Moex, a Benzite, glowered at him, though he ignored her. The table was undamaged. Admiral Gazek had long suspected that the various engineers and technicians of Starbase 223 had secretly reinforced all tables and other glass surfaces with the specific knowledge with the Admiral’s penchant for physical displays of anger in mind. The only other person in the room, a civilian woman named Hrral glov Marsch, was also glowering at him.

“Miss Marsch,” he growled out from behind his tusks,” I assure you that I have only the utmost respect for any organization’s right to the freedom of speech, regardless of my personal views on your organization’s… recommendations.”

“I didn’t realize that Starfleet had taught our people to be such good liars.”

The room stood still for a long moment before Gazek stood up, placing his hands gently on the table, this time, and leaning forward. “Think very hard before calling me a liar again when you’re sitting on my space station.”

“But it’s not your space station, is it, Admiral? No, Starfleet has you firmly on your leash. So, I say again: Liar.”

“Very well, then. You’re right. I have no respect for your organization. As far as I’m concerned, you’re all deities-damned traitors to the Federation, and you should all be thrown against a wall and shot!”

“Admiral!,” Captain Moex exclaimed, looking mortified.

“Shut it, Captain! I’m tired of pretending that these… collaborators are anything but!”

He sat down again and the Tellarite woman appraised him carefully. “I asked for this meeting as a courtesy, Admiral,” she said. “The Dominion Appeasement Society represents a growing portion of Tellar’s population. Betazed has fallen, and Starfleet is losing ground on all fronts, even with the aid of the Romulans. The Dominion will win this war. How is there, in any sense, in prolonging this conflict, wasting more lives because you and the rest of the Admiralty can’t accept the inevitable?”

“‘Inevitable’ is a very cowardly word to use,” Gazek growled.

“I think that it’s accurate. Are you aware of a study recently conducted by a group of genetically-engineered Humans on Deep Space Nine who posited that nine-hundred billion Federation citizens would be lost if we didn’t surrender?”

“That’s classified information,” Moex said. “You shouldn’t have access to it.”

“And yet, the Federation will lose this war, no matter what. So, why drag it out needlessly? All we’re asking for is a show of support, Admiral.”

Gazek made a disgusted noise and leaned back in his chair. “A show of support?! While people from every race in the Federation are bleeding and dying on the frontlines to protect the freedoms that you’re so willing to give up? Have you seen any of the images that have come of the Occupation of Betazed? You wouldn’t have us just surrender to the Dominion, but also to the Cardassians. Hundreds of thousands of Betazoids butchered, mutilated, and used as slave labor. That’s the future that you want for Tellar?”

“They treat Betazed like that because they must. Because we continue to resist them. I am under no illusions as to the sins of the Dominion, but the Federation cannot claim to be any better! Not while it throws away lives on such a futile show of defiance! Surely, Admiral, you can see that living under an occupation isn’t ideal, but it’s better than no life at all.”

“That sounds very easy for someone to say since they haven’t lived underneath an Occupation.”

“If you’re suggesting that-”

“Suggesting what? That the Cardassians might be as brutal a pack of occupiers as they have been in the past? In fact, Miss Marsch, you’re in luck. I believe we have a Bajoran serving aboard the station who has some experience with occupations and Cardassians. We do have a Bajoran serving aboard the space station, don’t we, Captain Moex?”

“Indeed, we do, Admiral. Lieutenant Sinto Nalas in Security. Shall I send for him?”

“I think that would be a good idea, Captain, to help enlighten our guest.”

“Admiral, that’s enough!,” Marsch shouted at him. “You are deliberately misconstruing my words!”

“And you, along with all of your pathetic little friends, are trying to convince me to sell Tellar to an occupying force. I will not abide by it.”

The civilian sighed, rubbing her hands together. “I knew that this wouldn’t work,” she said, almost apologetically. “I knew that you wouldn’t listen to reason.”

“Pardon my asking, Miss Marsch,” Moex injected,” but why did you come to Starbase 223?”

“I had to give you a chance,” she said as she started to pace. Absentmindedly, she pulled a small object out of her pocket and started fidgeting with it. It was, no doubt, some sort of keepsake or talisman.

Gazek dismissed it out of hand. “Give us a chance?,” he asked her.

“The Dominion is far more advanced than us, you realize,” she said, ignoring his question. “For example, they can make an explosive that can fit into a pocket. Don’t ask me to explain the science behind it. It’s all but undetectable to sensors and it can take out most of a Starbase.”

“Miss Marsch,” Moex asked her, tension creeping into her voice,” who exactly is that in your hand?”

“The Vorta that I got it from said that it would be instant and painless. Don’t worry. I did ask about that.”

Moex leaped forward but halted after a second when the Tellarite woman held up the device in her hand.

“One move from either of you and I’ll detonate it. We’ll all go up.”

Gazek slowly rose to his feet. “It sounds like you were already planning on detonating it, one way or the other.”

“Think of it as a bit of a lose-lose scenario for you then,” she retorted at him. “Don’t they make you take a test for that at Starfleet Academy?”

“You don’t have to do this,” the Admiral said, adopting a conciliatory tone and cursing himself for his earlier aggression.

“I’m afraid I really do, Admiral. I believe everything that I’ve said, you see. I’ve seen their shipyards, and the Jem’hadar hatcheries. The Dominion will defeat us and if I can do anything to bring this war to a closer end, then I’ll have to, here and now.”

“Here and now? What does that… That’s a Dominion attack coming, isn’t there? Right now.”

Her silence spoke volumes.

“Captain Moex, alert the Geronimo and -”

“Don’t move, Captain, or like I said, I’ll blow us all away.”

“Damnit, there are Tellarites on those ships,” Gazek roared at her. “Your own people! You’re signing the order for their execution!”

“There’s only Starfleet on those ships, and on this station. The Dominion promised me that they’d only kill Starfleet personnel and that Tellar would be safe.”

“As safe as Betazed?”

“I don’t have a choice, Admiral, and there’s no sense in delaying it. I want you to know that this device isn’t going to take out the entire station. I had one of our engineers see to that. Just the command modules. Your crew should be able to make it to the escape pods and wait out the rest of the war as prisoners of war.”

“You fucking traitor!,” Gazek snarled as the world turned searing white.

* * * *

 

[admiralelm11]

“Ensign Kithara, what are we seeing?,” Captain Alloni asked her operations officer.

“Sir, Captain, it looks like…,” sputtered the Kelpien officer. “That is, to say…”

Inwardly reminding herself to move her to the Beta shift, the Captain realized that Starfleet Academy was really rushing cadets through to meet the shortage in manpower. She spoke calmly and authoritatively because of this fact.

“Slow down, Ensign. Take the information as it comes in. What are we seeing?”

“My apologies, Captain. It seems that there has been a sudden decompression on Starbase 223. These readings are consistent with a massive explosion.”

“Are there any distress signals?”

Commander Ewan Howlett, Alloni’s Tactical Officer, answered immediately. “Nothing yet, Captain. If it was an explosion, it took out all primary communications.”

“On screen.”

The main viewscreen changed views and filled with images that chilled every officer to the bone. The bones of the Starbase, fiery and dying and the entire command module was gone. Admiral Gazek and his command staff were almost certainly dead. The lower sections of the station looked to be relatively undamaged and escape pods were already jettisoning from it.

“Ensign Kithara, contact those escape pods. I need to know if the Admiral is alive, and I need to know now. Failing that, put me in contact with whatever surviving senior officer that you can find. Helm, take us about and lay in a course for the Starbase, maximum warp. Does anyone have a status report on the Oakland?”

Her First Officer was already tapping away at her command console. “Captain Mathias is responding and they’re also heading towards the… wreckage. At maximum warp, we’ll be there in under two minutes.”

“Helm, engage--”

“New readings, Captain!,” called out Commander Howlett. “Three Jem’hadar fighters coming out of warp.”

“Red alert! Helm, lay in evasive maneuvers.”

Lieutenant Yulana, the Rigelian helmswoman, was already taking the ship through a complex pattern of evasive maneuvers before Alloni had finished speaking. Commander Howlett was preparing a spread of photon torpedoes while the ship shook as it was struck multiple times.

“Full torpedo spread, Commander,” the Captain told him while turning towards the ops position. “Ensign, I need a status update on the Oakland.”

“Oakland reports that they’re engaging two Jem’hadar fighters and that they already have sustained significant damage,” Kithara reported as Madded fired the torpedoes.

“It’s nice to know that we warranted an extra fighter,” Commander Kamoria quipped as she took in status reports from throughout the ship.

“Torpedoes are away, Captain,” Howlett called out,” and shields are down to forty percent. Significant damage to one of the Jem’hadar fighters.”

“Lieutenant Yulana, engage evasive pattern Omega Proxima. Ensign Kithara, send out a distress signal on all frequencies. The Dominion has invaded Tellar, and we’re requesting any and all reinforcements.”

The ship shook again as lights dimmed and consoles sparked with energy.

“Report!”

“Shields are down to thirty percent,” Howlett reported. “We can’t take much more of this, Captain.”

“Helm, lay in the original course for Starbase 223 and engage at maximum warp. Ensign Kithara, send a message to the Oakland, instructing them to break off their attack and to rendezvous with us. We’ll stand a far better chance, fighting together.”

“Aye, Captain,” both Kithara and Yulana said in unison.

Seconds passed by and the viewscreen was engulfed with the passing lights of warp space. At least, for a few seconds, they were safe.

“Report,” Alloni said, sinking down into her chair and rubbing her temples.

“Hull breaches on Decks Four, Six, and Eighteen. Emergency force fields are in place. Shields are holding at thirty-three percent,” Kamoria told her.

“Any casualties?”

“The injured are still pouring into Sickbay.” The Denobulan paused for a moment before adding,” We’ve lost two people.”

Alloni nodded, calmly filing the information away for later. “Kithara, hail the Oakland and the Lakota. Patch in the commanding officers of the Tellar Prime Shipyards and the Tellar Planetary Defense Network.”

A few moments later, the main viewscreen was luminated with the faces of four officers; Captain Jean-Charles Mathias on the damaged Bridge of the Oakland, Captain Erika Benteen aboard the Lakota, Commander Sanjan Zot standing in the command center of the Tellar Shipyards, and Colonel Lokk vrel Hgarr of Tellar Defense.

“Captains, Commander, Colonel,” Alloni began, standing and holding her hands behind her back,” given the attack on Starbase 223, we must consider Admiral Beywhen glasch Gazek as Missing in Action. As the officer with the longest service record, I am assuming command of all Starfleet and Tellar Defense Forces in this system.”

She paused for a moment to see if any of the other officers would contradict her but they were all silent.

“We’ll marshal our defense around the wreckage of Starbase 223, keeping the Jem’hadar as far away from you as possible, Commander Zot. The shipyards represent a significant portion of Starfleet’s resources in this system and all of you are to consider their defense a priority here.”

The young Bolian officer nodded nervously and Colonel Hgarr cleared his throat. “With all due respect, Captain…”

“With all due respect, Colonel, I included you in this conversation as a courtesy. You’re not Starfleet, and I’m well aware that you’re under no obligation to follow my orders but you’re going to. Because I, along with every Starfleet officer in this system, will die before we let a single damned Jem’hadar set foot on Tellar Prime.”

The Colonel had enough self-awareness to look ashamed when he closed his mouth.

“What about the Lakota?,” Captain Benteen asked smoothly.

“Are your engines functional?”

“Our engines are operating at seventy-eight percent efficiency.”

“A ‘yes’ will suffice from this point on, Captain. I’m aware that the Lakota still has some serious repairs to make but that’s not a luxury that we have, right now. Evacuate all non-essential personnel to the Shipyards and rendezvous with us and the Oakland at your best possible speed.”

The brown-haired woman looked off-screen, motioning to her officers.

“Tellar is counting on us, and I know that we won’t let them down. The Jem’hadar, the Vorta, the Cardassians -- they’re not fighting to defend their homes. We are, and we will win the day.”

Benteen, Zot, and Hgarr all nodded or saluted respectfully before they signed off. Only Mathias was left, remaining on the main viewer.

“I’m glad that you’re in command, Captain Alloni. I know that we’ll give the Dominion a run for their money,” the Frenchman said.

“I’m grateful for your confidence, Captain Mathias, and I have no doubt that the Oakland will fight valiantly.”

“I just wanted to let you know that Lieutenant Alloni is uninjured…”

“Captain,” Alloni said, raising her hand,” I appreciate what you’re doing, but right now, I have every member of Starfleet in this system, to say nothing of my entire civilization, to worry about. When all of this is over, and the Dominion has been driven from this system, I will afford myself the luxury of worrying about my husband.”

“Of course, Captain,” Mathias said, looking slightly abashed. “Good hunting.” He signed off and the Geronimo’s captain looked around at her Bridge crew.

“Thirty seconds until we come out of warp,” Yulana announced.

“With the Jem’hadar right behind us,” Alloni said, grimly. “Excellent work, Lieutenant. Keep flying like that and I believe we’ll all make it through this.”

“Thank you, Captain,” the Rigelian said, smiling absentmindedly as she checked her console.

“Ensign Kithara, have there been any answers to our distress call?”

“Aye, Captain. The USS Lexington has been rerouted to Tellar, along with the USS Yorkshire, the USS Soval, and the USS Hernandez. They are still several hours away.”

“Very good, Ensign. For future reference, that’s the sort of information that you want to be giving me as soon as you get it, instead of waiting for me to ask for it.”

“My apologies, Captain,” said the Kelpien officer. “Should I allow myself to be relieved by a more experienced officer?”

“I have the fullest confidence in your abilities, Ensign. Just keep giving me information.”

“Coming out of warp,” Yulana announced.

The warpfield on the viewscreen disappeared, only to be replaced by the wreckage of Starbase 223.

“With all due respect, Captain,” Commander Kamoria said to her, quietly,” why aren’t we trying to meet the Jem’hadar further out into the system?”

“We need to look like we’re defending something important and to keep their attention away from the Shipyards and Tellar’s Planetary Defense Grid. And Starbase 223 might still prove to be useful to the fight.”

“Captain,” Commander Howlett reported from Tactical,” sensors indicate that the main Jem’hadar attack force is less than two minutes behind us. They’ve also swept past the outer colonies, ignoring them completely.”

“That’s consistent,” Commander Kamoria said,” with their invasion of Betazed. They’ll ignore everything but us and Tellar. They’ll try and overpower us.”

“Captain,” Ensign Kithara spoke up,” I’ve made contact with the senior-most surviving officer from Starbase 223.”

“Very good, Ensign. On screen.”

The viewscreen showed the tight confines of an escape pod’s interior. There were several Starfleet officers and civilians who were sporting minor injuries. A haggard-looking Human stood at attention as best as he could inside of the pod’s confined space.

“Lieutenant Commander Nancy Garrovick, reporting, sir.”

“At ease, Lieutenant Commander. Do you have any idea whether or not Admiral Gazek made it off alive?”

“I’m afraid not, sir. The explosion originated on or near the command deck. The Admiral and the entire command staff were killed instantly.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. Admiral Gazek was a fine officer. You’ve gone well to make it off the Starbase, Lieutenant Commander. For now, your standing orders are to coordinate the escape pods and make for the surface of Tellar at best possible speed. If you have anyone who is in need of immediate medical attention, we’ll transport them to our Sickbay.”

“Aye, Captain,” she said before the transmission ended.

“The Oakland has just dropped out of warp, Captain, and the Lakota is three minutes away,” Howlett reported. “The Jem’hadar are dropping out of warp in ten seconds.”

“Very well,” Alloni said, sitting back down in her chair and leaning back, trying to project calm and confidence,” then let’s make sure that they never forget the names Geronimo, Oakland, or Lakota. All hands, make ready for battle.”

 

[admiralelm11]

The mood aboard the Cardassian Defense Ship Laketh was both celebratory and hostile at the same time. Gul Palar watched with some annoyance as Jem’hadar officers went about their duties, more often than not, pushing their Cardassian counterparts out of the way or ignoring them completely. Jem’hadar crawled across the entire ship, across her ship. Outside, it was no better.

A fully-fledged invasion of one of the United Federation of Planets’ core systems was taking place and the Laketh, with her sister ship, the CDS Rintak, were the only representations of the Cardassian military present. The Vorta who was nominally in command of her ship, Deguan, didn’t seem to notice the tension between the Jem’hadar and the Cardassians. Palar could only hope that it wouldn’t work against them at a critical moment.

“We are coming out of warp in thirty seconds,” the Jem’hadar First said, bowing obsequiously to the Vorta.

“Very well. Signal the attack wing to engage all Starfleet vessels on sight. They won’t escape us again.”

“We are already dead. We go into battle to reclaim our lives. Victory is life.”

“I don’t need to hear that,” the Vorta woman said in annoyance. “Your men do.”

Palar moved forward to stand beside the Vorta. “The Starfleet vessel that we engaged, I’m familiar with it - the Geronimo. It fought in the retaking of Terok Nor, as well at Tyra, and half a dozen other engagements. They’re battle-hardened. This might be as easy as we thought.”

“Tellar will be ours in a matter of hours,” Deguan told her. “The Founders have predicted it.”

“The Founders have been known to get it wrong, Deguan. We should be careful and request more ships.”

“The Founders are Gods. You’ll do better to remember that as a loyal subject of the Dominion. The Founders have said that the number of ships that we have is enough. So this is how many ships we have. You’re certainly not suggesting that three ships aren’t enough to stop us?”

Palar crossed her arms over her chest, defiantly. “I’ve been fighting the Federation a lot longer than you have, and I’ve learned to never underestimate them.”

“Coming out of warp,” a member of the Cardassian crew announced.

The viewscreen of the Laketh came on, showing an Akira-class starship and a California-class starship, as well as the wreckage of Starbase 223. Three Jem’hadar attack ships broke off immediately and started attacking the two ships.

“What are those?,” Deguan asked, pointing to a corner of the viewscreen and squinting her eyes. The Vorta were known to have poor eyesight.

“Glinn Marbek, enhance Grid Four,” Gul Palar ordered.

The viewscreen shimmered, focusing on a large group of escape pods.

“Survivors from the destruction of the Starbase,” she said. “Your explosive must have not been as powerful as you thought.”

“Or that Tellarite woman was even more stupid than I imagined,” the Vorta growled back. “The Starbase’s destruction was supposed to be total. Detach a fight to target those escape pods!”

Palar frowned in confusion. “The only place that they can go to is the surface of Tellar. We’ll be able to gather them up later.”

“I have no intention of gathering them up, Palar. Right now, they’re easy targets. If we let them get to the surface of Tellar, they could form the foundation of an organized resistance movement like on Betazed.”

“You can’t attack escape pods. They’re defenseless!”

“Which means that it will be much easier. Second Talata’kalan, have a ship detach from the formation and destroy those pods.”

“It will be done,” responded the Jem’hadar Second.

“You can't do this,” Palar continued with her argument. “In every engagement that we’ve fought with the Federation, whenever we’ve had to eject escape pods, they’ve treated them in accordance with the rules of war. If you destroy those escape pods now, Starfleet might destroy our escape pods next time!”

“Jem’hadar ships don’t have escape pods.”

“Our ships do.”

Deguan whirled around on her, snarling. “You do not have ships. The Dominion does.”

A long tense moment engulfed the bridge as the battle raged on outside the ship. Jem’hadar and Cardassians looked at their commanding officers in expectation. Palar thought about her options carefully, weighing everything in her mind.

“And I serve the Dominion,” she finally said.

 

[admiralelm11]

“Primary systems are failing all across the board, Captain,” Commander Howlett called out from Tactical.

The Bridge shook violently and Alloni had to tighten the grip on her chair for a fear of falling out of it. A Tellarite science officer lost her footing and Commander Kamoria rushed over to help her back up.

“As long as we have weapons, shields, and life-support, Commander, we’re doing fine,” she said as the ship shook again and the lights dimmed. “Of course, life-support is becoming increasingly optional!”

Lieutenant Yulana was almost sweating with concentration as she took the ship through more increasingly complex evasive patterns. Ensign Kithara beside her was frantically trying to maintain some semblance of communications with the other Starfleet forces in play.

“We can’t take much more of this,” Kamoria said, returning to her seat.

“I’m well aware of that, Commander. I have a plan.”

“A plan?”

“Part of a plan. Well, the start of a plan. I’ve got the start of a part of a plan.”

“You’re filling me with confidence, Captain.”

“Ensign Nasch,” Alloni said to the Tellarite science officer that Kamoria had been helping, “run a scan of the Starbase 223 wreckage. Tell me if any of the primary power generators survived.”

“Captain,” Howlett interrupted her, “two Jem’Hadar attack ships are breaking off. They’re heading for the escape pods.”

“The Lakota is dropping out of warp!” Kithara called out, a second later.

Using what very well could be a vital second, Alloni took a deep breath and forced herself to remain calm. Dozens of elements were in play all at once. Three ships, dozens of escape pods, and thousands of lives were all resting on the decisions that she had to make in the next few seconds.

Fear is where the mind goes to die.

“Commander Howlett, instruct the Oakland to break off her attack and to defend those escape pods. Ensign Kithara, instruct the Lakota to fill in for the Oakland, but they need to take their lead from us. Ensign Nasch, I need that information on Starbase 223, like five seconds ago.”

Howlett and Kithara transmitted their messages. On the main viewscreen, the Oakland could be seen, turning away from the battle and tailing the two Jem’Hadar ships towards the escape trajectory of the Starbase survivors.

“Two of the station’s power generators are still intact, though I can’t determine if they’re operational or not. They’re just physically intact,” Nasch reported, transmitting the data to Alloni’s command console.

“That’s probably the best that we can hope for,” Alloni said, quickly poring over the data. “Set us a passive link from the deflector dish to whatever is left of the station’s power distribution network. Make sure that the Dominion can’t detect it until we activate it.”

“Aye, Captain,” the younger Tellarite woman said before she set to work.

The ship shook violently again and the power suddenly went down all across the Bridge. It returned, a few seconds later, when auxiliary power kicked in.

“Shields are gone!” This outburst came from Howlett. “Their next shot is probably going to be our last.”

“There won’t be a next shot,” Yulana muttered underneath her breath, her hands almost becoming a blur as she tried to keep up with the ship.

“I’m detecting transporter signals!” Kithara cried out.

“Boarding parties are materializing on Decks Twelve and Seventeen,” Kamoria said, looking up from his console. “I’ll take a squad and-”

“No, you won’t, Commander,” Captain Alloni said, waving her hand at the Denobulan. “Commander Howlett, organize a team to repel boarders. Kamora, take over at Tactical and have those decks evacuated.”

“Aye, Captain,” both officers said in unison as Howlett ran off of the Bridge.

On the main viewscreen, two Jem’Hadar fighters were coming around for another pass at them while a Cardassian warship was doing its best to pin the Lakota down. Quickly checking her tactical display, Alloni saw that the Oakland wasn’t faring much better. One of the two Jem’Hadar ships had been crippled but the Oakland herself had all but lost their shields and weapons.

What if Hhasav … Fear is where the mind goes to die. You’re not dead yet, and neither is he.

“Ensign Nasch, what’s the status of our link with the Starbase?,” she asked her.

“One minute, Captain.”

“Full spread of torpedoes is away,” Kamora stated from Tactical. Arcs of blue energy launched themselves from the Geronimo, scoring several hits on the Jem’Hadar ships.

“Excellent work, Commander! Hit them again!”

“We’re running low on munitions.”

“That’s fine. As long as we keep three torpedoes in reserve.”

“Will that be enough?,” Kamora asked.

“It should be,” Nasch said from across the Bridge.

Alloni smiled despite everything. She was pleased that her officers had been able to pick up on her plan without having to have to be told it. “Helm, lay in a course for the wreckage of Starbase 223. Make it look like we’re using the wreckage as a shield. Kithara, signal the Lakota to follow us.”

“Should I tell them why, Captain?”

“Not over the comms. I’m sure that Captain Benteen will figure out what we’re doing. All she needs to do is follow our lead.”

“What are we doing, Captain?,” the Kelpien asked her nervously. She was young and the threat ganglia in the back of her head were visible to everyone on the Bridge.

“Boom,” the captain said, glancing over at Yulana as she laid in the new course.

“Captain,” Kamoria began,” the evacuation of Starbase 223 was haphazard at best. Multiple areas are still showing life-support. There could be survivors.”

“I’m aware of that, Commander. Can our scans detect any life-signs?”

“Negative. The destruction of the other power generators and reactors irradiated the entire station. Our bio-scanners are useless.”

“If that’s the case, then the survivors are probably already dead from radiation poisoning.”

“Captain…”

“Commander, we don’t have the time. If those attack ships break through our defense, thousands, if not millions, will die on the planet’s surface when the Jem’Hadar engage in a planetary bombardment.”

Kamora nodded. “Aye, Captain.”

“Coming up on target!,” Yulana called out from the helm.

“Ensign Nasch, are we ready?”

“Whenever you are, Captain. We just need to get the Jem’Hadar and the Cardassians into position.”

“Lieutenant Yulana--”

“On it, Captain!”

* * * *

 

[admiralelm11]

Commander Ewan Howlett led his security team into position on Deck Twelve. He ducked into a shallow recess along the corridor, holding his phaser rifle closely, and holding up a fist to halt the rest of his squad. Across from him, Ensign Tor Daeshar, a Kobliad, backed into another nook behind a bulkhead with her own phaser rifle clutched tightly to her chest.

A few meters behind them, past a curse in the corridor, four more security officers crouched down, waiting for the signal to advance. Ensign Shyla Barker and Ensign Garv jav Borrek were securing stun grenades to their armored vests while Ensign Arleta, a Deltan, fidgeted with a long-bladed Deltan stun-knife on his belt. Bringing up the rear was Lieutenant Roci S’Rel, a Caitian and the squad’s sharpshooter, who was checking the sights on her own modified equipment. The corridor ahead of them was hazy with smoke that was probably caused by the Jem’Hadar’s breaching action.

Howlett motioned for the squad to prepare. Barker and Borrek knelt with their rifles propped up on their knees, ready to lay down as much cover fire as needed. Arleta used his tricorder to silently scan the misty corridor ahead.

‘Jem’Hadar,’ he mouthed and held up four fingers in a row.

Howlett nodded and gestured to Barker, who leaned forward, slightly past the curve of the corridor. She rolled two stun grenades across the floor into the hazy smoke. The security team shielded their eyes and, seconds later, the corridor ahead of them was engulfed with blinding light.

“Move!,” the Security Chief yelled as he lunged forward to meet their momentarily disoriented enemy.

Shooting for the chest, he advanced along with Arleta and Barker while Borrek and S’Rel provided cover fire. Two Jem’Hadar immediately fell, even though two more of them moved forward, blanketing the corridor with disruptor fire. Daeshar was killed instantly and Barker was hit, falling to the floor. Arleta was forced to parry a Jem’Hadar’s thrust with his stun-knife.

Howlett found himself wrestling with the enemy in front of him, trying to maneuver him into a position where he could draw the smaller phaser-pistol strapped to his belt. Seconds later, a shot from S’Rel felled the enemy soldier and Howlett was able to move over to Barker’s side while Borrek and Arleta held the advance.

The Human ensign had already gone deathly pale and she was clutching her side. The disruptor blast hadn’t killed her instantly, but the anticoagulants that the Jem’Hadar laced their weapons with would. “I’ll be fine, Commander,” she gasped.

“Of course, you will, Ensign. No one dies on my team without my permission and at least, three days' notice.”

“I have… grenades. Leave me here. Make a retreat and I’ll handle the fucking Jem’Hadar.”

“That’s not how we do things aboard the Geronimo, Ensign.”

S’Rel dropped two more enemy soldiers, just as Arleta was able to drive his stun-knife into the flank of his opponent. Borrek took a hit to the shoulder, but it wasn’t as bad as Barker’s and he was able to keep his stance.

Howlett stood, leveling his weapon and blanketing the corridor ahead with phaser fire. The three remaining Jem’Hadar lunged forward, firing their disruptors wildly, but they were taken down within seconds by the combined weapons fire of the security team. Borrek took another hit and he sagged back against the wall, barely able to stay upright.

“That was… too easy… against Jem’Hadar,” he managed to mutter.

“Look at their ridges,” Howlett said, wiping sweat from his forehead. “They’re only a couple of weeks old, and probably bred specifically for this invasion. No experience.”

Arleta sheathed his stun-knife and held up his tricorder. “At least, a dozen more Jem’Hadar and just as many Cardassians are in the corridors ahead. I think they may have put up a dampening field. There’s no way to get an accurate count.”

“Understood,” Howlett said, tapping his combadge to communicate with his second-in-command who was leading the other defense team. “Lieutenant Eitry, report.”

“Deck Seventeen is secure. I think we were just dealing with the rear-guard though. Our scans show, at least, a dozen Jem’Hadar and Cardassians heading for Engineering.”

“That’s consistent with what we have. We’ll try to outflank them. Take your team through the Jefferies tubes and try to cut them off. We’ll try to take them from behind.”

“Aye, sir,” the other officer said.

Howlett glanced over at S’Rel who was administering First Aid to Ensign Barker. Grimly, the Caitian shook her head and he nodded.

“Medics to Deck Twelve, Section Four. Borrek, are you any good?”

“I’m good. I’m good. If I have a giant hole in my shoulder, then there’s just less of me for the Jem’Hadar to hit.”

“I’d send you to Sickbay if I could spare you. You’re lucky that you have that thick hide to protect you. However, there’s no shame in falling back if you have to.”

“I’m good, Commander.”

“Good. Everyone else, move out.”

Minus Daeshar and Barker, the squad advanced through the corridors. They were grimly aware that if they failed to stop the Jem’Hadar attack force, then the ship would fail. After a few minutes, they could hear sounds of Cardassians and Jem’Hadar trying to force-open a hatch. Signaling squad movement, the commander organized his officers into the most efficient form before opening fire on the backs of the enemy soldiers. Several of them were killed instantly, though weapons fire was returned, only a second later.

Commander Howlett grunted as he took a hit to the leg, almost stumbling. Borrek took another hit and he was dead before his body hit the deck. S’Rel and Arleta pressed their attack forward, pushing the Jem’Hadar and the Cardassians back. Grimacing with pain, the security chief raised his weapon to fire from the hip. He was thinking that they stood a decent chance of winning when his world erupted into fire and darkness.

* * * *

“Direct hit on Deck Twelve,” Commander Kamoria reported from Tactical. Emergency force fields are down.”

“The boarding party?,” Alloni asked, keeping her voice level.

“Unclear, Captain. Internal sensors are down, but it’s unlikely that they survived.”

“Which means that the enemy boarding party probably didn’t survive either. Have Engineering prioritize restoring the emergency force fields on Deck Twelve and have Lieutenant Eitry sweep all of the affected decks for any more intruders.”

“Aye, Captain.”

Alloni tapped a command into her command console, bringing up a two-dimensional representation of the battlefield. Three Jem’Hadar attack ships were left, including one surviving Galor class Cardassian warship, chasing after the Geronimo and the Lakota which were getting closer to the wreckage of the Starbase while a single Jem’Hadar fighter was still harrying the Oakland.

“Ensign Kithara, get the Oakland on the main viewer”

“Aye, Captain,” the Kelpien said, frantically inputting commands. On the viewscreen, the Oakland was barely outpacing the fighter -- which was looking to be in a much better condition.

“Status report.”

“The Oakland has completely lost their shields and their structural integrity field is on the verge of collapsing. They’ve lost primary weapons and only their phasers are left.”

“And the escape pods?”

“Half of them have made it to the surface of Tellar, and the others are only a few minutes away. The Oakland has taken several hits that would have destroyed them.”

“Commander Kamoria, how long do you estimate that the Oakland has?”

Kamora looked at her, pain and sympathy obvious in her eyes as she saw through Alloni’s calm demeanor and into the pit of desperation and hopelessness that was churning underneath it all. “Unless they break off their defense or receive reinforcements, they won’t last any more than a couple of minutes.”

“And they can’t break off their defense. Not while the Starbase survivors are still vulnerable.”

“No, Captain.”

“Captain,” Ensign Nasch said from across the Bridge,” we’re coming within firing range of the Starbase generators.”

“The Lakota?”

“Only a few seconds behind us,” reported Kithara.

“Commander, are all Dominion ships within range?”

“They will be in a few moments, Captain.”

“Lieutenant Yulana, plot a course that takes us behind the Starbase wreckage. Make it look like we’re using it as a shield. Ensign Nasch, can you make it look like we’ve lost main power, or life-support? Something to make it look like that one more shot would finish us?”

“I really don’t have to make it ‘look’ like anything, Captain,” Nasch said, smiling.

“Kithara,” the Captain continued,” patch the Lakota’s computer with ours and have them follow our course.”

“Orders received by the Lakota, Captain,” Kithara said after a few seconds,” and their targeting computers are patched into Tactical.”

“Captain, the Oakland has lost primary propulsion systems,” said Kamora. “They’re on maneuvering thrusters.”

“Acknowledged, Commander, but keep your mind on the task at hand. Captain Mathias will keep his ship safe. I have no doubt.”

“Coming into position.” This report came from Yulana.

“Lieutenant Yulana, be ready to jump for the Oakland, momentarily. Kithara, please relay that information to the Lakota as well.”

“All Dominion ships are in range, Captain,” said Ensign Nasch.

“Commander… fire.”

From the Geronimo and the Lakota, six torpedoes soared through space and towards the wreckage of Starbase 223, finding the surviving power generators deep within the remains of its superstructure. Seconds later, the wreckage exploded into a series of flames and light.

“Warp!,” Alloni yelled.

The viewscreen changed its view to show the shimmering stars of warp space flashing past the ship once more. Captain Alloni let out a deep sigh of relief. “Report.”

“Sensors show that all of the Dominion ships are either destroyed or crippled to a state beyond repair,” said Kamora, her hands moving over the Tactical display.

“Excellent work, please. Though it’s not over yet.”

“Coming out of warp in ten seconds,” the Rigelian helmswoman spoke.

“Commander Kamoria, unload everything that we have on that Jem’Hadar ship, the second that we drop out of warp. Ensign Kithara, be ready to beam the crew of the Oakland over as soon as necessary.”

The Geronimo dropped out of warp and they were almost on top of the Jem’Hadar ship. Under the barrage of the Akira-class and Excelsior-class starships, and with its attention still focused upon the Oakland, it was overwhelmed. Its shields collapsed and its weapons died as sections of its hull began to buckle.

Seconds later, the viewscreen was blinded by a bright light.

“Report!,” shorted Alloni.

“The enemy ship is still intact, Captain,” her First Officer reported. “It was… it was the Oakland.”

Alloni’s heart stopped and terror threatened to overwhelm her. “The Oakland?,” she managed to ask.

“Just before the Jem’Hadar ship was overwhelmed, it unloaded all of its remaining munitions onto the Oakland. They didn’t stand a chance.”

“Survivors?” Alloni was forcing herself to remain calm.

“I’m… I’m sorry, Captain. The Oakland was overwhelmed in a second. They didn’t have time to respond. She was lost with all hands.”

Hhasav lav Alloni, her beautiful, proud husband… vaporized or floating unmoving and still amongst the wreckage. Her entire life, her entire world, ended with a single barrage of weapons fire. Dimly, the Tellarite woman was aware of Kamoria issuing orders and taking over so she could grieve, if only for a moment. She didn’t have a moment.

You are stronger than this, she told herself. You will grieve, but not now. Your ship, your crew, and your people need you. Overcome the grief and the fear and be free.

“Belay that,” Alloni said as Kamoria was issuing orders for contacting the few escape pods that hadn’t made it to the surface yet. “Commander, what’s the status of the remaining enemy ship?”

“Crippled, Captain.”

“Very good. Ensign Kithara, hail the enemy ship.”

The viewscreen changed to show an angry-looking Jem’Hadar.

Captain Alloni stood, unconsciously, straightening out her uniform. “Your ship is damaged and beyond repair. The rest of your invasion forces have been destroyed. Surrender now, and I promise you that you and your men will be treated fairly in accordance with the Federation rules of war.”

“We do not recognize your rules,” the Jem’Hadar snarled at her,” and I am not authorized to offer you our surrender. Our Vorta, our First, Second, Third, and Fourth are dead. I am the leader of these men now and we are already dead.” The signal cut out and soon after, the Jem’Hadar ship exploded into nothingness.

“They… they self-destructed,” Kithara said, blankly,” rather than face capture.”

Alloni sagged down in her command chair, giving herself a second before facing her Bridge crew again. “Kithara, start scanning for any survivors. Kamora, organize the repair schedule and check-in with the Lakota, in terms of any materials or manpower that they might need. Yulana, after Ensign Kithara has confirmed that there are no survivors from the Oakland or the Jem’Hadar ship, lay in a course for the Shipyards.”

With her crew immediately setting about their task, Alloni began going over the casualty lists and the damage reports. Her ship would be in drydock for months following this operation. At least, twenty members of her crew were dead, including her Chief of Security. The Lakota had suffered just as much damage and both Starbase 223 and the Oakland were destroyed. Along with her husband. But Tellar was safe.

The following blurred past her as she oversaw the emergency repairs and liaised with Captain Benteen, Commander Zot, and representatives of the Tellairte government, until Commander Kamoria, on the threat of mutiny, ordered her to her quarters to rest.

* * * *

Many hours had passed by and both the Geronimo and the Lakota were docked at the shipyards. Critically injured patients had been evacuated to medical facilities on Tellar. The survivors from Starbase 223 had been accounted for, and the engineers were crawling over the worst of the battle damage.

Captain Serru kev Alloni sat cross-legged on the floor of her quarters, meditating. There was no Vulcan mantra this time, just steady breathing. Rhythm, routine, and patterns; exercises designed to control and scrub the well of anguish within her. Eventually, she knew that she would have to surrender to it. To let herself feel it. That was the healthy thing and it was inevitable. But right now, for this moment, she wanted peace and control.

She sat surrounded by several candles arranged in a circle. Just beyond the small circle of light lay a pile of PADDs, silently accusing her and demanding her attention.

Thirty-seven PADDs.

One of them for every member of her crew who had died. Each one of them had names and dates. Service records. Next of kin details. Everything that she might need to start writing letters to their families. Commander Kamoria had already offered to take over the bulk of her work but she had refused. This needed to be her job and hers alone. She absentmindedly wondered if she’d get a letter, even though she had been the commander of the fleet action that had killed her husband. She wondered who it would come from.

More than a dozen crewmen from Engineering had been killed when battle damage had overloaded their power systems. Three science officers had been killed as they evacuated Deck Seventeen, gunned down by Jem’Hadar boarding parties. Commander Howlett, and his entire security detail, killed by an errant torpedo. Ensign Raine, the Human officer that she had reprimanded for inappropriate language, had been killed while helping a fellow Tellarite officer out from under a fallen beam. And that list would probably grow - Sickbay was still dealing with some of the more critical cases.

The doors to her quarters rang their chimes.

“Come in,” she said without moving from her pose.

The door opened and Commander Kamoria walked in. “I’m sorry, Captain. I didn’t realize that I’d be interrupting something. I can come back later.”

“Please come in, Commander. What do you need?,” Alloni asked her, making no move to stand.

“I just wanted to give you a status update. All repairs are proceeding, according to the schedule and the Lakota is coming along as well, with some help from our Engineering department and the shipyards. The USS Lexington, and her task forces have also arrived in the system.”

“They’re a bit late, aren’t they?”

“There was a second force, Captain, heading to reinforce the first one. It sounds like it was a fairly one-sided battle as the Lexington, Yorkshire, Soval, and Hernandez were able to be reinforced from fleet elements from Vulcan and Andoria.”

“Then Tellar is safe.”

“Yes, Captain, Tellar is safe. Because you were able to hold the line until our people got here.”

“Was there anything else?”

“We’ve finished scanning the debris of the destroyed Dominion ships. One escape pod was recovered from a Cardassian warship, the Laketh, with a single Vorta lifeform aboard.”

“See that they’re taken into custody and reprimanded into the custody of the Starfleet forces on Tellar.”

“Of course. Can I ask how you’re doing, Captain?”

“I’m fine, Commander. Thank you for your concern.”

“Captain.”

That wasn’t a question from her First Officer, but a statement. A statement that was pregnant with years of friendship and understanding.

“My husband is dead, Kamora. My husband. We’ve been together for nearly twenty years. We’d decided to start talking about children before the war started. He was going to resign his commission and take a scientific posting on Tellar so we could get started on a family. And now he’s gone, and the most awful thing about it is that he is so small and insignificant, the second that you step out of this room. How much can the Federation afford to lose in this war? The Odyssey, the Honshu, the Cortez, the Cairo, New Bajor, Betazed, Benzar… and not the Oakland. And Starbase 223. And every nearly Tellar.

“This war is so big and so beyond any of us. How can the death of a single person, even if he is my husband, compare with anything? What terrifies me more than anything is that. To me, the Federation has always been the safest, the most stable, and the noblest thing in the Galaxy, and now I honestly don’t know if it’s going to survive this war. And what’s worse? I don’t even know if I want it to, because the cost will be so high and what we’ll be left with, will be so broken and it will never be the same again.”

Kamora was silent for a long time before she spoke. “You saved Tellar today, Captain. You did. You made a difference to billions of lives. There are people, alive, happy, and free, right now, because of you. I know that nothing can bring Hhasav back or fill this gaping hole that he’s left. I just think about how many other people get to hold their husbands, wives, and children close right now because of you. That’s what we’re fighting for and it will not be worth it. There is no price too high for the protection of those people.”

Silence stretched between the two women again as Alloni sat with her thoughts. Finally, she stood up, looking at her First Officer in the eye while trying to project confidence and hope. “Thank you, Commander. That’ll be all.”

“Of course, Captain,” she said, turning and walking out of the Captain’s quarters.

Alloni took a deep breath and steadied herself. She walked over to the viewscreen above her desk, past the pile of PADDs, and opened her message bank. One message, unopened. She sat down at her desk and pressed play. Her husband’s face came up on the screen and held her breath for a long time before she finally allowed herself to feel what she knew that she had to.

She cried and her body became wracked with heavy sobs as Hhasav began to speak.

“My beautiful Serru, I don't have long between shifts…”

 

[admiralelm11]

It is done! Let me know if I oopsited, please. I had to get this done quickly, this evening.

 

[CeJay]

Another Dominion War story. Well, why not, if those are the stories you want to tell? Besides you are pretty good at it.

After reading all the depressing loses the Federation took during the war, it's nice to read a story where Starfleet actually managed to prevail and save one of the founding member worlds in a close call, all-out battle. Albeit at a heavy cost.

The destruction of the starbase by Dominion sympathizers was particularly jarring to read and a reminder that people will do stupid things even in the distant future.

I also enjoyed reading a story with Tellarite protagonists who are just as capable and heroic as other races and not just interested in cursing and arguing.

Great stuff.