The USS Jaxartes had barely made it away from the planet Vashran, when the ships communications officer turned her seat away from her consul. “Cha…Ensign Harris.” Cho stopped herself from just calling Chad’s name across the bridge. “Has anyone being monitoring communications whilst I’ve been off ship?”

The young New Zealander turned his head. “Just been getting the usual general stuff over subspace.” The helmsman replied. “Nothing much happening, why?”

“Captain I’m getting absolutely nothing from the forth fleet!” She announced.  “Everything but in fact!”

This time it was Jason Devron’s turn to look in the Korean woman’s direction. “Are you absolutely sure?”

“I’ve checked and double checked all the systems. Whatever is doing this must be close.”

“Ensign Harris, drop up back out of warp.  I’m not going anywhere if I don’t know what I might run into!”

“Aye captain.  Dropping out of warp maintaining current heading.”

Ensign Tholakath seated at tactical had the odd feeling that the captain was staring right at the back of his head, as the vessel slowed to impulse.  He spun his seat only to have his suspicions confirmed. “Sir?” He enquired, wondering what the problem could be.  Devron looked  at the person now in the seat he had occupied until the loss of their Vulcan commanding officer. “Something you’d like to tell me ensign?”

For a moment Tholakath was puzzled, and then it clicked in his mind.  Of cause somethings gone wrong blame the Cardassian.  He leapt up out of the chair but did not close the distance between himself and Devron. “I resent what your implying captain!” His voice loud enough to grab everyone’s attention.

“And what am I implying?” Devron’s voice had an edge to it that those on the bridge who knew him didn’t recognise.

“You’re implying that as a Cardassian I must in some ways be involved in whatever is happening!”  He looked around the bridge at the three others seated around other than the captain.  They seemed torn between backing him or their commanding officer. “I’m not the only new member of this crew!”

“He is right sir.” Maasl C’Rren the newly appointed science officer did have a point.  The Caitian had himself only just been assigned to the Jaxartes, so had two other humans.  Devron closed his eyes a moment; taking a deep breath, maybe he was letting his feelings get in the way.  As captain that wouldn’t do at all.  He had to lead this crew and they needed to have confidence in his actions. “Ensign Tholakath, I apologies.  Please take your seat.”

The Cardassian nodded and sat back in his seat. It was tough growing up in a universe where most other races hated you for the actions of your people.  True things where improving; but it was a long road and Tholakath was ready to do all he could along the way.  He only hope his people where worthy of a second chance and wouldn’t prove all the sceptics right.  What was that thing about Leopards and spots again?

“Captain I’ve been thinking.” Cho broke the silence.  “I think there’s a chance the local communications relay station is at fault.  Otherwise the Johannesburg would have been getting any message we missed.”

“Point taken.” Devron replied. “Ensign Harris lay in a cause to the nearest relay station. Warp 3.”

_____

The USS Jaxartes arrived at Com-Sat 04-100-3B less than an hour later.  Its basic function was to boost communication signals between this sector and others within the Federations boarders.  However if Ensign Cho was right this one wasn’t performing the task as intended.  The satellite was a relatively small thing, the bulk of which was the a mini warp core that meant baring anything unforeseen it could operate quite happily for several years with only minor checks and maintenance.  In fact accessing its onboard log checking the data showed the satellite had only been repaired just over a week ago.  By none other than the USS Johannesburg.

It wasn’t possible to beam the satellite on board or dock with it, due to all the antennae and dishes protruding from it. Leaving the only option as a spacewalk once it was established the satellite itself was unaware of any faults.  The Betazoid engineer Torf because of his skill and experience with an EVA suit along with crew man Lightwood prepared to exit the ship.  The two of them tethered by lines to the ship exited the port air lock and drifted the across the short distance.

Jason paced up and down the corridor, just outside the airlock.  The com-panel on the wall linked directly to their suits, so he could hear every word spoken, every breath taken.  For the first few minutes though it was mainly just heavy breathing and the odd muter, nothing really indicating what was going on outside the ship.

“Well, well, well!” Came Torf’s voice over the come. “You crafty begger!”

Devron rushed the panel. “What is it?”

“Looks to be a small Federation designed jammer.” Torf replied. “Even the satellite doesn’t know it’s here and plenty of people might miss it.”

“Can you remove it?” Jason asked the engineer.  There was a moments silence and then a yell across the Comms. “Transport shields!” Just those two words came the panicked voice of Torf.

Jason was flung away from the com panel hitting the other side of the corridor as the whole ship lurched sideways under the concussive blow of a large blast.  Alarms blared and red lights flashed.  Slightly shaken Devron got to his feet and immediately contacted the transporter room. “Did we get them?”  He was relieved to get a positive response but after checking with thing on the bridge he still went to check on the two crew in person.

When he arrived at the transporter room, both Torf and Lightwood where being helped out of their EVA suits.  Doctor Andrianakis wasn’t too far behind and began a quick scan with her medical tricorder.  Jason stayed to one side allowing her to get on with her work and for the two men to finish removing the suits.

____

An hour later Dervon, Stuart, Lyambo, C’Rren, Torf  and Cho all sat together around the large table in the aft lounge.

“So you’re saying this device was of Federation design and set to explode if tampered with?” The Caitian science officer asked. Torf Just nodded. “Your very lucky we got you out in time and the shields up.” Dinari added tapping his fellow engineer on the shoulder. “That device punched a nice neat hole right through the warp core of the satellite.  Detonated the whole thing seconds later.”

Devron clasped his hands together as he leaned forward elbow on the table. “The big question is who’s behind this and are they aboard the Johannesburg?”

“Let’s go and ask them.” Was Lyanna’s response.

“Normally I would agree with you.” Jason answered. “But for now I want to get in a position where I can contact the Fleet and find out what we’ve been missing.”

_____

When the news finally reached the crew of the Jaxartes after re-established contact it came has a huge shock to them all.  The Federation or more importantly the 4^th Fleet was at war!

It had only been two hours since Jason Devron had received the first of two messages.  The first had been simple and brief.  Himself and Lyanna Stuart where both receiving ‘Emergency Field Promotions’ as it had put it.  As a Lieutenant Junior Grade, he now possessed the authority necessary to read the second encrypted coded message.  However due to the sabotage and then destruction of Com-Sat 04-100-3B, he was already four days late in receiving this message.

Even had they got it on time, Jason couldn’t see how they could possibly reach the Deneb Sector with any remote chance of helping the fleet.  Much larger and faster vessels than this Raven class Corvette could cover the distance infinitely faster.  He paced from one side of the bridge to the other and back again, several times just muttering to himself.  He was still in his Ensigns uniform only with the addition of his new rank insignia setting him apart from everyone else on the bridge.

Salvation however came from an unlikely source and when he heard it he clutched Doctor Phoebe Andrianakis by both arms just above the elbows. “Doctor I could kiss you.” He exclaimed, grabbing the attention of everyone else. “You are the most wonderful woman I know.”

“All I said was the warp section of the Atragon was probably still in orbit and I know the recall code.” She replied looking flustered at Devron’s sudden outburst.

“Then please instruct Ensign Cho how to make contact, if you will.” Jason let go of the doctor’s arms allowing her to take a few steps closer to the young Korean communications officer.

“Open civilian com channel 28.” Phoebe told Cho. “Then send Hotel Juliet Nine Zero Nine Execute.”

_____

Time dragged once more, but due to their close proximity in was only a little over an hour before a pair of warp nacelles attached to a small pod housing the warp core dropped into view right above them.

“I never got chance to ask Hachiro how be managed to get hold of these in the first place.” Jason mused from his captain’s chair.

“Part of an experimentally project.” Phoebe answered him. “His hope was to one day having these things rescue damaged ships or move those without warp capabilities over vast distances without the need to build all new ships.”

“A remarkable man.” Devron sighed. “Now Mister Harris as much as I believe in you flying abilities I’d rather have Lieutenant Stuart deal with the docking manoeuvres.”

“Aye captain. Your probably wise there.” Replied the New Zealander.  He got out of the navigation seat as Lyanna entered the bridge wearing her newly replicated black and yellow star fleet uniform having just been summoned.  She sat down in the newly vacated seat and logged herself in.  The computer chirped accepting the code and making any adjustments to her own preferences.

With instructions from her captain and the occasional prompt from the doctor regarding final positioning Stuart used the ships RC thrusters brought the Jaxartes into position.  There was a slight shudder as the uppermost part of Jaxartes hull made contact with the flat lower section of the pod then the sound of magnets locks from the pod engaging.

Another half hour was spent liaising with Lyambo in engineering and convincing the computer on board ship to work with that of the pod.  Eventually the two systems agreed to co-operate and work as one.

“Engineering to bridge.  All systems are reading green across the board.” Came Dinari’s cheerful voice.

“Confirmed Engineering. We are good to go.” Devro had one hand on the back of Stuarts chair. “Nice and steady give me warp 3 on the pods engines.”

“Aye captain warp 3.”

____

The USS Jaxartes with her temporary new addition built up speed.  Warp 8 was soon reached and pasted; then came 9; point one, point two and three.  Down in engineering Lyambo and Turf monitored the progress of the pods core and engine along with everything on board the ship.  At 9.4 alarms started blaring registering a problem with the ships inertial dampeners which had never been designed to handle these sorts of speeds.  Between them they were able to adjust the settings, but it would mean everyone would be feeling slightly heavier for the next few days.  The final figure steadied at Warp 9.547, blinking a reassuring green on the main consul.

She’d be late for the fight that was clear, but despite being out beyond a vast majority of the 4^th fleet and further away than any other of her sister Raven’s; thanks to the brilliant engineering mind of one man, the USS Jaxartes wouldn’t be the last to join the fray.

And for one young star fleet officer this would be his chance to face the very enemy who’d help start the war that had killed his mother’s sister all those years ago.  A women like countless thousands taken before their time.  He could picture her face from the many holo-vids growing up with his mother; he’d seen them often enough.

The forces of the Dominion had better watch out; because he was coming for them, and coming fast!

Despite having the benefit of the considerably more powerful warp drive originally meant for much larger vessels and being able to reduce its overall warp bubble as a result of this size difference; the USS Jaxartes was unable to maintain the vastly improved speed all the way to the Deneb Sector.  But a journey of such a cosmic distance in nine and three quarter days was still immensely impressive at least for a Raven class Corvette.

For anyone in a position to see her on this mammoth journey they would have probably felt they were seeing things.  The nacelles on the pod being used as their main propulsion where just over half the length of the ship itself and twice the diameter of its own nacelles which for the most part had remained in standby mode.

_____

Two hours before the USS Jaxartes was due to drop out of warp one final time; Jason Devron gathered every member of the crew together in the aft-observation lounge, other than Stuart who remained on the bridge to monitor everything.  It was a slight squeeze in the lounge, but he hoped to keep things brief and allow them all to get back to their duties.

“For almost all of you, other than training ships, the Jax is your first assignment.” He used the shortened version of the ships name, something he rarely did himself, though he’d often heard other crew members say it. “A lot of you were involved in the incident with the Orions and you know those we lost in connection with it.”

He paused a moment knowing some of them still felt they should have done more to defend the ship when it was boarded.  But there was not one of them standing before him, who’d been present that day he could find any fault in.  “We are heading towards an enemy far more cunning and deadly.” He let that sink in and watched their reactions. “I’m sure none of you when you joined up expected to be flung into a war.  I know I didn’t.” Most heads nodded in agreement to that last statement. “Many of you have family member who were involved in the Dominion War or will have heard a lot about what happened. I do not believe this will be much different.”  There were a number of worried and concerned faces around the room.

He spent the next few minutes briefly outlining the plans as he knew them, which for now wasn’t all that much.  Responding to a number of questions posed to him along the way. Of cause there where some questions that couldn’t yet be answered.  Jason hoped to gain a better understanding of the current situation once they arrived at the pre-arranged co-ordinates for their rendezvous with the USS Los Angeles under the command of Captain Oteng.

Another pause, Jason had gone through what he was going to say a dozen times, altered it deleted it then started again, only to leave the Padd sitting on the table before him and just say what he felt they needed to hear.  It would never go down in history as a rousing speech, but he hoped it would help. “Part of our duty is to protect and defend the Federation and those that need our help. I have every confidence that you will carry out your duties with the utmost diligence and dedication.  Above all make yourself proud to wear those uniforms, and make me proud to have the honour of being your captain.”

“To your duties dismissed.” He added with crisp authority. Over a dozen voices came back as one. “Aye captain.”  That one gesture of unity struck him.  A small ship like a Raven needed a crew that worked well as a team; events had drawn them together, Jason hoped that would be enough to see them through the dangers to come.

Everyone exited the lounge, either in silence or talking in whispered murmurs to those next to them. Only his long term friend; if two years could be called long, Dinari remained behind after the rest had gone. “I seem to remember a certain cadet bottling it when he had to give a short talk in front of his fellow students.” The comment was made in good humour.  It had been Dinari would found Jason under a tree in one of the many open spaces around the academy buildings.

“Trust me it felt no easier this time.” Came the reply. “And jumping out the window isn’t an option open to me!  I only hope I can fake enough calmness to lead them into battle.”

“Commander Salan believed in you, so do I.”  The young Chief Engineer tapped his friend and captain on the shoulder and walked from the room.

_____

By the time they were due to reach their destination Devron was back on the bridge sitting in the captain’s chair lent forward hands clasped together.

“Approaching designated co-ordinates now.” Lieutenant Stuart announced from the helm.

“Picking up the USS Los Angeles on long range scan.” Added Tholakath.  “Signs of a recent engagement within the last 24 to 36 hours.”  As they dropped out of warp close to the other ship the young Cardasian spoke again. “She’s powering up her weapons and preparing to fire!”

“Who at?” Devron yelled

“Us!”

“Shield’s” Devron turned his head to the left. “Ensign Cho, can you raise them?”

The young Korean woman sent out a general message to establish contact with the other Federation vessel. But not before a phaser blast from the Los Angeles had struck them“I have them captain.”

“On screen.”  A head and shoulders view of Captain Oteng appeared on the main viewer at the front of the bridge. “This is the USS Jaxartes, Lieutenant Devron, commanding.”

“I am Captain Fabien Oteng, of the USS Los Angeles. What do you think you are doing, Lieutenant?” His voice was terse and under controlled anger.

“Fourth Fleet gave orders to rendezvous with you and give whatever assistance you required.” Jason replied slightly hesitantly. “We took the liberty of using an extra drive to get here as quick as possible given the current circumstances.”

“Right; makes sense. Explains the bizarre shape of your ship. Why don’t you beam over, Lieutenant. There is a lot we need to talk about. Los Angeles out.” Captain Oteng’s voice came across abrupt and the communication was ended rather swiftly.

“Bridge to Engineering. Sorry about the jolt we just took.  A slight misunderstanding.” Devron called over the comm. “Prepared to separate when you’re ready.” Jason ended the call and stood up from the captain’s chair. “Lieutenant Stuart.  The ship is yours.”

_____

Down in Engineering, Lyambo turned to his Betazoid co-worker. “A slight misunderstanding he says! He exclaimed throwing both arms up in mock disappear. “Right you set about resetting the gravity back to normal whilst I convince the computer to say bye to its new friend.”

Ensign Torf merely chuckled to himself before setting about his task, whilst the Chief Engineer began the process of disengaging the pod both electronically and physically; the latter part only requiring reversing the polarity of the magnets which currently held the separate drive unit to the upper hull of the corvette.

_____

In the transporter room Devron; Padd in hand, signalled to the crewman operating the controls that he was ready to beam over to the Los Angeles.  Every atom of his body was disassembled and sent racing across the empty void between the two vessels, only to be reformed a second or so later on the a transporter pad aboard the Los Angeles. “Lieutenant Devron reporting.” He announced once is body was completely materialised. “Permission to come aboard?”

Once back on board the USS Jaxartes Lieutenant Devron called together some of the crew for a meeting in the aft observation lounge; which in his opinion was the best place to conduct these things, despite being at the opposite end of the ship from the bridge.

Jason placed the Padd he’d took with him to the Los Angeles on the table in front of him, but remained standing whilst the other four he’d selected took their seats. They all took note that he’d collected a phaser and was now wearing it on a belt around his waist “You know they actually asked me to submit to a blood test over on the Los Angeles!” Devron began, cutting into the visible tension building in the room.

“You really should have expected that.” Declared Doctor Andrianakis. “Considering whom we’re facing out there and what they are capable of.”

“Yes, yes agreed. But you’d already conducted blood tests on the entire crew just last week.” The young lieutenant was still slightly flustered by events, and was it his imagination or could he still feel the spot Doctor Rehman had taken the sample. “Still with all this technology to hand, how come we’ve not got any better ways of being sure?”

“Numerous methods have been tried, but apparently none have proved totally fool proof.” C’Rren the Caitian science office interjected.

“Did you pass?” Lyambo, his Chief Engineer asked with a smile.

Jason looked his friend directly in the eye. “I shall completely ignore that comment.” Trying to keep any hint of a smile from his own face “Any way to business, and the reason I’ve called you together.”

With a few taps on the keyboard he brought up a display covering the area of space the USS Jaxartes and Los Angeles currently occupied. “As you can see the Los Angeles has been able to get a fairly detailed scan of almost everything in this region.” He zoomed the star map in on a section bottom left of the screen. “Apart from this planet that is, the wonderfully named Sierra Six Delta Two Zero Four Eight Dash Three.”

“Catchy” Dinari butted in.

“But that’s behind us.” Lyanna noted. “Surely if there was any threat from it, we’d know by now?”

“I don’t feel we have the luxury of not making sure.  It’s a great place to hide and these probing attacks may be a trick to bring more of our fleet here.  Then hit us from behind!” Jason answered.

C’Rren ran the fingers of his right hand through the cream and black fur on his chin. “There is the odd gap here and there in the cloud which I’m sure Lieutenant Stuart could pilot her way through.” He mused. “We can scan a fairly wide area of the planet’s surface in one pass and make a run for it if things look dangerous.”

“I’m sure the Lieutenant can manage that.  Can’t you number one?” Devron looked at his half Orion half Scottish chief helm officer and second in command of the ship.  Who merely nodded back to him. “This planet was last surveyed about 60 years ago. Large areas of rain forest, wetland and vast plains.  All the details you can read through before we arrive.” He looked around the table at the faces of the other four crew members trying to gauge how they felt. “Right I want us ready for anything, including even the possibility of landing. Got that.”

“Aye sir.”

“Dismissed then.” As the Captain stood up. “Stuart, C’Rren; I want the pair of you to come back with me to the Los Angeles, so we can go through everything with Captain Oteng and his command staff. We’ll need to agree emergency rendezvous points and passwords to confirm neither ship has been compromised. He clearly doesn’t want any more misunderstanding.”

**********

The following day they conducted two orbits of the planet, just to confirm there were no hidden planetary defences or monitoring satellites in orbit.  Then once Lieutenant Stuart had spotted a largish gap in the cloud lay she dropped the nibble corvette through it. What meet their eyes a few minutes later once below the cloud was completely unlike what they had expected.  Instead of a vast rain forest, there appeared to be just desert, if fact from horizon to horizon in every direction the cameras and scanners could pick up nothing but rolling sand dunes.

“What the heck!” Exclaimed Devron

“Registering no life forms of any description captain.”  C’Rren announced from the back of the bridge.

“Hold on.  Target baring 317.” Tholakath cut in. “Unidentified craft on the planet’s surface now 200km north west of use.”

“Take us in for a closer look Lieutenant.” Jason said calmly. “Shields up, Yellow alert.”

The Jaxartes banked sharply, heading directly for what appeared to be a lone ship in a vast empty and dead landscape. As the distance reduced more details became evident. “Ship appears to be a Jem’Hadar scout ship half buried.” The Cardassian at tactical announced. “Scans unable to penetrate the hull.”

“I’m getting no communication signals on any frequency captain.” Ensign Cho informed him.

They made one high attitude pass at a speed equivalent to Mach 3, gathering as much information as they could before coming around again at a much slower pace and low enough to kick up the sand on a couple of the higher dunes.

“I’ve got five, no sorry seven bodies in close proximity to the ship.” Tholakath voice was low, almost a whisper. “All look to be Jem’Hadar troops.

“I don’t know which worries me most.” Devron commented.  “The fact that all life looks to have vanished from this planet’s surface or that I have a crashed ship and dead bodies lying around!”

“I’m not picking up anything dangerous in the atmosphere.” Reported C’Rren. “Though oxygen levels are almost none existent.”

Devron pressed the communication button on the arm of his chair. “Bridge to Engineering.  He only had to wait a moment to get a reply, then he continued. “If we land close to the crashed vessel, can we extend the shields around it and create a breathable atmosphere inside it?”

**********

Down in Engineering, Lyambo quickly ran through a few calculations using the computer interface at the island in the centre. “I can give you 80% on the shields if I shunt some power from auxiliary and redundant systems, as for oxygen if you don’t mind being half way up Everest you should be fine for a couple of hours outside the ship.”

**********

Jason switched communications to all parts of the ship and “This is the Captain, stand by for landing.  All crews to your assigned stations.” Then he looked up at Lieutenant Stuart. “Blue alert. Take use in.”

“Aye Captain, moving into position.  Deploying landing legs.” She waiting fingers hovering just over her controls.  The Jaxartes gave a slight shudder as four lights winked green along the right side of her console. “Legs deployed and locked.” The young Orion’s fingers once more danced across the controls, as she continued her running commentary of everything she did.

Several minutes past. “Touch down in eight, seven, six…..four, three, two, one, zero.”  As Stuart said zero, the legs of the Jaxartes made contacted with the soft sand; the whole vessel squatted down on huge shock absorbers, before slowly creeping back into position. “Powering down all manoeuvring and landing thrusters.”

Overall Lieutenant Stuart was pleased with her very first landing of a Federation ship on a planets surface.   Compared with the MRT Atragon which basically fell most of the way, this was a far smoother and more pleasant landing.  Her thought’s turned for a moment to the crew of that ship, all gone save for the Greek doctor they now had on board and the crew the Jaxartes they had also lost.  A chill ran through her bones, yes the last time they’d been on an empty planet searching for a crashed space craft, everything had gone to hell.  This was another empty planet with a crashed space craft on it!

The USS Jaxartes had been sitting on the plants surface for nearly an hour and in that time absolutely nothing had moved.  There was no response of any kind to their presence barely 60 metres from the stricken Jem’Hadar scout ship.

The air came alive with a hum and columns of light danced in the sand as six figures came into existence just under half way between the two ships.  Lieutenant Devron phaser in hand scanned to the left of the group as Ensign Tholakath did the same on the right.  Ensign Cho and crewman Lightwood both kept their eyes forward watching the scout ship and the seven Jem’Hadar bodies.  Whilst crewman Tyson looked around behind them only doctor Andrianakis was unarmed, she instead carried a Medical Tricorder.

Once satisfied no one was going to leap out at them or just shimmer out of thin air, Jason signalled them to move forward.   As Andrianakis scanned the closest of the bodies she begun to notice numerous small life signs actually emanating from inside. “Oh my!”

“What is it doctor?” Devron asked moving towards her.

“It would appear this body is infested with maggots, or at least something very much similar.” She answered, before taking a further reading. “I’d estimate the body hasn’t been here more than a month or so, but at the rate these things are going there won’t be much left within a week or so.”

“Any idea what killed him?”

“No signs of wounds, trauma or disease.  This is a warrior in the peak of physical fitness just lying dead!” She took a few minutes examining the other bodies confirming her original findings.

“Let’s get a move on, the less time we’re standing around here the better.”

The group moved towards the rear hatchway of the scout ship, which was luckily up out of the sand.  Lightwood checked over the door controls to make sure they weren’t booby trapped, before stepping aside to allow Ensign Cho to put her linguistics skill to the test and get the hatch open.  Remarkably she had the door humming and opening slowly upwards on her third attempt.  Devron and Lightwood both crouched down so they could see inside the ship; which was dimly lit by what appeared to be the emergency lighting.  They could just make out the outline of yet another dead Jem’Hadar warrior face down half curled up.

“Lightwood with me.” Jason whispered. “The rest of you hang back until I give the word.”  He received either nods or thumbs up in acknowledgement.  The two men crept further inside; thought it would have to be said, with the noise of the hatch opening anyone alive inside would know they were coming. The scout ship just like their much larger fighters was very sparse to say the least, measured roughly two thirds the length of a Runabout but probably half as wide again, it lacked the majority of facilities and amenities expected as standard on almost all Federation craft regardless of size.

No other bodies came to light, but there was a smell of death all around them.  Out of the doors only the one leading to the cockpit refused to open with a simple press of the button.  So the services of Cho where called upon once more.  It took her much longer to convince this door to unlock and open.  But once it was the two men stepped inside.

What met their eyes was just as strange and mysterious as the chaos outside.  Just to the right a lone Jem’Hadar was sitting propped up against one of the ships control consuls weapon clutched tightly in both hands pointing towards his own chest or at least were his chest would have been had it not apparently been vaporised.  Across the other side, standing upright with its lights blinking green; a stasis pod. Standing inside the pod a male Vorta.

The captain called the doctor in to take a look at the Vorta and the pod he was sealed inside, whilst he got Ensign Cho to look over the controls for any useful information.

“Well this pod appears to be a completely independent system.” The Greek doctor declared after scanning the device. “The power pack is fully charged and could very well last several years, beyond say twenty at least.”

“Can we wake him?” Devron enquired.

“Here now without prior knowledge of how this thing works, chances are slim.”

“What about getting him back on board?”

“I’d give myself an 80 to 90 percent chance if you gave me a couple of days.”

The captain was about to make contact with the Jaxartes when his com-badge bleeped to indicate someone on board was contacting him. A quick tap on the badge. “Go ahead.”

It was the voice of Maasl C’Rren the ships chief science officer that replied. “Sir I’ve been analysing all the data we’ve picked up since arriving and the reading I’m getting are both bizarre and worrying.”

“In what way?” Jason and Phoebe asked simultaneously.

“That’s not simply sand out there; it’s the digested remnants of every living thing that once occupied the planet along with various ground up mineral and rock deposits.”

“What are you trying to say Ensign?” It was just the captain who spoke this time.

“I’m saying captain.” The young Caitian paused trying to figure in his own mind the right words to use. “I’m saying something devoured the entire planets life!”

Everyone seemed to stop their eyes drawn to Devron’s badge as if hoping they’d just misheard what the science office had said.  Only the young Korean appeared to have carried on with her task, either not having been paying attention or not being stunned by the news.

“Those maggots!”  Doctor Andrianakis’s voice broke the momentary silence. “But that would take millions of them hundreds of years.”  The colour seemed to drain from her face making her more closely resemble the Vorta sleeping in the stasis pod. But it hadn’t taken them hundreds of years; those things had eaten their way through an entire planet in under 60. “How much of this vessel is organic?”

“Around 30%.” It was the Cardassian who spoke from somewhere across the room.

The doctor leaned towards her captain and whispered. “Without wishing to start a panic.  Those things are probably on this ship and eating their way through it as we speak.”

Devron tapped his comm-badge as he’d originally intended to.  “Transporter room.” He pause a second as the ships computer linked him up with Ensign Torf who he knew to be standing at the controls. “Is there any chance of you getting a lock on the pod we’re standing next to?”  He waited as the Betazoid made a few calculations.

“I could probably beam it and two others across.” Came his reply a minute later.

“Good.” Jason said in response. “Doctor, Ensign Tholakath, you two take our friend here back to the Jaxartes.  The rest of us will follow shortly.”

After they moving into position either said of the stasis pod, the doctor tapped her own badge. “When you’re ready.”  The transporter beam encased the two crewmembers and the cylindrical object between them in columns of light. But as it faded the Greek doctor was still standing on the deck of the scout ship.

**********

Ensign Torf looked up to see only the young Cardassian and the stasis pod containing the Vorta on the transporters pads.  Without warning the control console before him sparked and crackled as several of its systems shorted out.  Smoke rose from the controls as the Betazoid turned to grab an extinguisher.  He heard the voice of his captain asked what had happen and simple shouted that the Transporter was damaged.

“And before you ask how long it’s going to take to repair. I’d say between three hours and never!”

**********

Devron glanced around him at the other crewmembers and the various looks of concern on their faces, though his communications officer was doing a good job of hiding her current feelings.  “Don’t worry it could be worse.”  He tried to sound as reassuring and positive as possible.  But if C’Rren was right about these creatures then the longer they stayed on this ship the more likely they’d want to try and add the five of them to the menu.

On the Jaxartes Bridge Lieutenant Stuart sat in the Captain’s chair with Harris at the helm and C’Rren behind her at his science station, the other two seats where currently unoccupied.  Technically a new day was just starting on the planet but with the barest minimum of light penetrated through the cloud, it was hard to tell what time of day or night it was.  On the ship itself it was mid-afternoon.

Torf’s original estimate on repairing the transporter had been part way between optimistic and pessimistic.  The three hours had already gone plus another two after that, but he and Lyambo had reassured everyone that it would take no more than another hour to complete the task.  The two of them along with Tholakath having basically rebuild a section of the console from scratch.

Harris was the first to react to the alert but only a fraction of a second before his colleagues. “Jem’Hadar fighter coming in fast!”  Lyanna leapt out of the captain’s chair and dove for tactical, but the fast moving enemy vessel was upon them before she had any chance of opening fire.  The fighter itself didn’t fire either, instead; unknown by them, electing to use its transporters and beam down troops.

            _____

On the scout ship three Jem’Hadar warriors appeared, the light of their transporter beams however gave them away and the Federation crew had time to react firing their phasers the moment the warriors became solid.  Two dropped where they stood, the third however had time to swing his Kar’takin.  At least that had been the original intention; though as his eyes met those of the doctors he hesitated.  That was all the time Devron needed to add this particular warrior to the dead.

“Everyone ok?” He asked; to which everyone gave an affirmative, though Phoebe was clearly shaken by her close call. Tapping his badge. “Any chance of a warning?”  His tone was understandably terse.

“Sorry sir.” Came Stuarts answer. “They were on us in seconds…Coming round again!” 

This time the Jem’Hadar Fighter opened fire on the Jaxartes, but Lieutenant Stuart was ready to return fire.  Both vessels score hits on their opponents’ shields as the one flew over the other.  Eight warriors appeared, but outside the scout rather than on it.

“How the heck are they beaming right through our shields like that?” Lyanna yelled in frustration.  External scanners picked up the movement of the Jem’Hadar, two of which leaved their rifles at the Jaxartes before firing.  A window on deck 2 disintegrated and an emergency force field sprung up a moment later. “I can’t even shoot back at them!”

One of the other Jem’Hadar squatted beside one of the dead warriors to examine the body.  He was the ‘third’ and in charge of this small squad; though in fact he’d only just attained that rank upon the death of his immediate superior who’d beamed on to the scout ship before him.  It moved, but not in the way anyone would expect a body to move, not that the dead where normal expected to move at all.

            _____ 

< They were not of this world; not strictly of any world. Genetically engineered in a laboratory, their creators had brought them here to conduct field tests.  They had no real knowledge or understanding of what it meant to be alive.  All they knew was to eat grow and reproduce; keeping the life cycle going.  Everything that was put before them they ate.  It didn’t matter what it was; animal, mineral or planet life; food was food.  But their creators had made them too good.  The teeth of their larval form could cut through anything, even the reinforced clear wall of the test tanks they were kept in.  But it was a tiny error by a tired assistant late at night that had finally set them free. A winged adult had managed to sting this particular individual on his thumb; the paralysis had set in quick and the tank dropped, setting dozens of the creatures free.  Each winged adult headed off in search of a suitable food source with which to leave the next generation.  Oh, and how wonderful everything had tasted beyond the confines of the tank, with so much available they quickly grew in both size and number. Each one of them could inject two hundred or more microscopic larvae into whatever they felt would provide the biggest benefit to their young.  Their creators had proved to be one such wonderful food source and as well as delivering the young, their hornet like stings paralysed; leaving a living body slowly eaten from the inside out.     

But this wonderful feast had run out, billions of their kind had died as the food had dwindled to nothing across the planet.  But some had slept and waited, waited so long, and once again food had come their way, at least it had for one lucky group. >

            _____

The Jem’Hadar Third looked down with a puzzled and slightly disgusted look on his face as a winged creature about the size of his thumb squeezed its way out of the dead warriors’ nose.  How dare such a disgusting thing defile the body of one of his own!  He snatched the insect up and crushed it in his powerful fist.  Even in death though the creature performed its final task and with its sting injected both poison and offspring into the hand that killed it.  The Third felt the sting and the numbness of his hand that followed moments later, a numbness that spread rapidly.  He fought it and stood once more signalling his men to advance as other insects from other bodies took to the air.  They came at the warrior’s first singularly then in groups, all with one purpose.  Not one warrior reached the rear hatch of the downed craft standing.  The Third himself crawled half way across the threshold of the hatch before his muscles totally failed him.  The Jem’Hadar had tasted and inflicted death in many forms, but this death brought no glory or honour, this was agonisingly slow, pointless.

Ensign Tyson had been the first to spot the swarm of insects around the Jem’Hadar at the hatch and realised these things must be immensely dangerous.  A phaser on stun couldn’t bring these relentless warriors to their knees, but these creatures had somehow managed it. “Run!”  Was all he had to say ushering his captain and Ensign Lightwood back through the door into the cockpit area, before closing the door; panting.

            **********

Vorta Geris watched from on board the fighter as the life signs of the eight Jem’Hadar warriors faded slowly.  Not swift and in a matter of seconds like the first three he’d ordered down to the planet.  ‘How could the Federation have done it?’  He asked himself.  ‘What had they done; was this some new secret weapon they were testing out on this barren planet?  Was that why he’d received that brief coded message from the enemy ship?’

Amat’Etat the Jem’Hadar First slammed his fist down angrily. “Why don’t we just wipe them out?” He roared.  “We have the tactile advantage and superior weaponry.”

“There is a Founder down there.  I will not take undue risks to their safety.” Geris shouted back.

The Jem’Hadar warrior turned towards his superior and glared. “You talk of safety as if they are mortal.”

“Send another squad down.  That is an order.” Was the Vorta’s reply.

“No!” Amat’Etat answered back.”  It would be a waste of time.”

“Are you disobeying my orders?” The Vorta enquired squaring up to the warrior.

The First stepped closer. “Do not mistake caution for cowardice.”

 “Are you threatening me?” Geris asked. “You serve the Founders through me, remember that.”  He felt the short dagger plunge into his chest and twist almost 90 degrees clockwise. The Vorta’s eyes wide and filled with shock looked across at other Jem’Hadar, questioning pleading even.  Amat’Etat leaned even closer and whispered in Geris’s ear.  “I am dead, only through victory may I live.  You are dead, because you are an obstacle to that victory.”

 None of the other warriors spoke or made a move as the lifeless body of their Vorta leader sank slowly to the deck.  The First looked around at them.  “Bring use around for another attack.  Weapons at full power.” He commanded.  “Let use destroyer these Federation vermin.”

 “Victory is life.”  The bridge crew shouting in unison.  Before setting about bringing the fighter around for another attack. 

 ‘May the Founders forgive me for my actions and understand I do it to show my unwavering loyalty to them;’ thought Amat’Etat to himself.  ‘I will prove myself in battle as I have always done.’

            **********

 On the bridge of the Jaxartes the crew had witnessed the Jem’Hadar warriors on the ground being attacked by the insects.  Seen them try to carry out their task and fail. Watched as the flailed, staggered, fell, crawled and stopped.  It was a horrible and surreal sight to witness; even if they were the enemy.

 “Captain are you ok?” Lyanna shouted. “Anyone respond!”

 It was a few moment before she got her reply. “You sound worried number one.” Came Devron’s voice.

“Only because of all the paper work if you went and got yourself killed sir.”

“Your concern is duly noted.”

“Brace yourself, their coming in for another attack.”

Lieutenant Stuart now wished she’d ordered Tholakath to stay on the bridge once he was back on board rather than send him off to help the engineers with rebuilding the transporter console; but she still wondered what was taking him so long to get back up to the bridge now they were under attack.  It should be him at the tactile station dealing with the enemy; it was his job after all.  She had combat training; bridge crew especially on a small ship like this had to be ready to jump in and take over another crewmembers roll in an emergency. But the Cardassian would still have been far better at it.

With the Fighters phased polaron beams now firing at 100% the shields of the small Raven were decimated at the first pass.  Warnings flashed everywhere, and the ships computer politely informed the young Orion. “Shield failure imminent.” 

“Oh shut you stupid woman!” Lyanna yelled. “Don’t you think I know that?”

 Just then Tholakath raced on to the bridge, half sliding half skidding and he reached the tactical station.

 “Were the hell have you been?” She asked the Cardassian as he pulled her out of the seat. “We’ve been under attack for the last five minutes!”

 “Securing the prisoner.” He answered, checking through the systems to see if anything had been damaged.

 “He’s asleep, where is he going to run off to?” But she did understand what he meant.  If the Jem’Hadar could beam through the shield before; with them down they may try to beam the Vorta off.

 She never got an answer to that question as Tholakath was targeting the fighter and opening fire.  Jem’Hadar vessels were tough; they could take a huge amount of punishment and still keep fighting.  At the beginning of the Dominion War they’d almost seemed indestructible.  But a lot had been learned about them since then; tactics had changed weapons improved. 

 Most people at this point would have targeted the weapons or main propulsion, but those where the areas with the strongest shields and armour and Tholakath knew very well he didn’t have the time to damage those sufficiently before the Jaxartes was wrecked.  There was one key thing that had to be remembered; these craft had never been designed for atmospheric flight and what during a space battle was a minor inconvenience to loose suddenly became a vital component. 

 The Jaxartes shock as two beams ripped through the hull, but the Jem’Hadar had lost her manoeuvring thrusts down the port side.  It no longer had the power to pull out of the dive it was in and slammed into the sand a few kilometres away. The whole vessel did a half spin half cartwheel landing on its back sending sand high up into the air to join the cloud created by the initial impact!

 The young Cardassians’ head slumped into his hands.  “I’m sorry” He murmured.    

“You did great.” Lyanna had both her hands on his shoulders.  “You did bloody great.”

 The little corvette was damaged, how badly they would soon discover. Would she fly again and could they save the Captain and the rest of the crew trapped on the scout ship from those deadly insects.  Was the Dominion behind these creatures and lost control of their creation; or had other forces been at work here.  What secrets did the sleeping Vorta hold and would they ever find out?

Time was ticking……

It had been nearly two weeks since the Raven class corvette under the command of one Jason Dervon had suddenly raced off seemingly destroying a relay satellite on the way out of the system; resulting in the Johannesburg been cut off from the rest of Starfleet.

All diplomatic relations with the Vashran had been concluded to both sides satisfaction.  Captain Vance was happy that he’d been granted full authority to conduct the talks as the Federations representative and not have to converse with the nearest Diplomate or Admiral before agreeing to anything.  Right now he didn’t have much else to be happy about.

The doctor looked at his arm and scanned it with a medical Tricorder whilst a nurse held it steady. “How exactly did you sprain your wrist playing three dimensional chess?” The female doctor enquired with a slight puzzled smile on her lips.

“Throwing my king across the room!” Replied the captain. “Vulcans are so infuriating at times.”

“When are you going to learn not to play against your Chief Science Officer?” She asked, setting about treating the injury.

“I beat him once. Besides with Takalla quarantined at the moment I’ve got no one else to play against who’s a challenge.”

Doctor Dukakis stopped what she was doing and looked at her captain. “Why is Takalla in quarantine?”

“They were your orders doc.” Vance replied. “Fritolian flu you said. Four weeks isolation in her quarters”

“I never said anything of the sort!” The doctor protested back. “And besides she was born on Cereus III making her immune to it.”

Vance was about to question her statement, but having worked together the past three years he knew how good doctor Dukakis was at her job.  Something was amiss, something was very wrong.  He tapped his com-badge. “Computer confirm location of Lieutenant Berris Takalla?”

“Unable to comply.” It replied flatly.

“What’s wrong?” Dukakis asked as the captain jumped off the bio-bed. “I’ve not finished.”

“No time doctor.  If you didn’t send me that message, then who did and what’s going on with the computer!”

Determined to figure out what was going on the captain ran to the nearest turbo-lift. “Deck 6.” He ordered.

Before tapping his badge again. “Security meet me outside Lieutenant Takalla’s quarters, now!”

**********

When he rounded the corner a security office by the name of Brent had just reached the lieutenants door from the other direction.  The captain ordered him to set his phaser on stun and get the door open.  As the both entered the room which was in total darkness, Vance ordered the light on.  The side of the room closest to the door seemed in order, it was as his eyes where draw towards the bed he noticed something wrong.  Two apparently sleeping individuals lay side by side on the bed.

The captain turned to see Brent raise his gun, confused he ducked and lunged.  On the table a lamp disintegrated as the phaser fired. Vance grabbed the guards wrist, noticing the phaser in the man’s hand was set to full power.  Somehow the man managed to twist his hand all the way around as if he had no bones, until it almost pointed back at the captains’ head. “What are you?” He shouted, realisation dawning on him as to what this man or more correctly thing was.

“I’m sorry captain, its time you were replaced.” The Brent Changeling laughed.

So this was it; he was about to die at the hands of someone he thought he trusted.  How long had he been an imposter; a month a year, when, where, how?  He closed his eyes and waited for the inevitable.

The Brent Changeling had made two vital errors.  The captain was expecting security so that’s what he needed to find waiting for him.  However Brent was not this Changelings chosen form.  The real Brent was very much alive.  Secondly the Changeling had failed to prevent the message from being received by the real security and two of them where much closer to the lieutenants’ quarters than it had gambled on. So when the doors opened at that moment the security officer had the bizarre situation of looking at himself.  The Brent Changeling rotated his body at the waist 180 degree’s holding the captain with two arms the third holding the phaser moving towards his new target.

The real Brent along with another office equally stunned by the situation both fired together, striking the Changling in the chest. It lost part of its shape becoming part way between liquid and solid its own phaser slipping from its grasp.  Able to get free the captain dropped to the floor, grabbed the fallen phaser and rolled bringing it to bare on the imposter.  Caught in the middle of the room and now with three weapons firing at it the Changeling didn’t stand a chance no matter which way it tried to dodge or how many arms and tentacles it flung out.

All that remained at the end was a weirdly deformed burnt shape on the carpeted floor.  Vance sat panting the pain in the wrist the doctor had been fixing now worse than before; a pain in his chest, possibly a broken rid from having just been hit.  Brent had a nasty gash across the left cheek and the other guard was holding his arm just above the elbow.  The captain struggled to his knees just to give himself a better view of the bed.

Laying there was Lieutenant Takalla and next to her was another female; not one of the crew but someone he recognised as being from the USS Jaxartes.  And if they were here, then who’d left on the other ship.  He heard Brent behind him call for medical assistance before he sank back down to the floor.

**********

It was unclear how much time had passed, when Vance opened his eyes after waking up on the bio-bed back in sickbay.  Standing over him; doctor Dukakis and Commander Gleway. “Good your awake.” The Bolian first officer smiled. “How do you feel?”

“Like I went three rounds with a nausicaan.” The captain winced. “What about everyone else?”

“Battered and bruised, but in general ok.” Dukakis answered him. “As for the Lieutenant and our guest, they are a live but in a deep coma like sleep.”

“Number one; get us in communication range of the nearest star base.  We have to let them know there’s a Changling aboard the Jaxartes.”  He tried to sit up but found he was being restrained. “Go man, quick.  There’s no telling if it’s already too late!”

**********

By now everyone was back aboard the USS Jaxartes and despite those who’d been on the ‘away team’ feeling tired and nauseous due to the prolonged lack of oxygen and stuck within the confines of the scout ship; they still tried their best to help with the repairs.

They’d got off lightly, or not; depending on your point of view.  One phased polaron beam and punched the hull and wreaked half the Holo-suite, the other had totally destroyed part of the aft crew quarters; leaving eight of them without a place to sleep or any of their personal belongings.  Luckily no one had been in or around those parts of the ship at the time of impact. Dinari had discovered the half flat twisted remains of his beloved trumpet amongst the shattered remains of his room.  But the priority was fixing the outer hull and that had meant cutting two undamaged inner sections of the Holo-suite and welding them into place over the holes.  The window on deck 2 also had to be covered over, but that was small enough that one of the spare sections of hull plating in the forward stores could be used.

**********

It was totally darkness on the bridge of the Jem’Hadar fighter Amat’Etat opened his eyes, taking in the few details his enhanced vision could make out.  He was on what should have been the ceiling; the controls upside down and above him, the body of Geris lay to his left, around him four other warriors but none seemed to be moving.  The First could tell his right shoulder was dislocated, so he stood moved over to the wall and slammed into it.  The roar he let out echoed around the confines of the room.  But He was satisfied his shoulder was back in place.  Gathering a section of broken support beam from the ceiling; he used the sharp point at one end to lever the doors open, before grabbing both sides and forcing the gap wide enough for him to pass through.  Here in the corridor emergency light where working which allowed him to better survey his surroundings.  He picked up a Kar’Takin and swung it around a few times, left, right and around in an arc above his head. Amat’Etat could tell from the weight and feel it was not his own weapon.  A good warrior could tell that much, but it felt good in his hand and it would suffice his needs.

As the First searched the wreckage of his vessel he only found six other Jem’Hadar still alive out of the thirty still on board; and out of those only two could walk.  With a swift swing of his Kar’Takin he’d despatched each of the other four bringing an end to their suffering.

There was only one course of action on his mind, one location he was heading for with deadly determination the accursed Federation vessel sitting the other side of the ridge.  He would kill everyone on board that ship, even if he had to do it with his bare hands.  The final victory would be his!

Jason Devron sat in the room that was both his sleeping quarters and office though for the last couple of days he’d hardly spent any time in the room.  Had he slept yesterday, come to think of it when was yesterday; how long had it been today.  The small digital read out told him it was 8am, but how many 8am had passed since they’d landed on this retched planet.

He sat on the bed in his uniform going through the updates and reports on his Padd.  It was the uniform he’d warn yesterday or was even that the day before.  He’d have to drop it in the waste unit and replicate a new one once he’d finished reading.

The ship looked a mess aft with the makeshift patches over the two large holes.  He could have walked through either of them without any risk of hitting his head or scratching an arm on any jagged edges; they were that big.  It was a good thing the emergency shields ran on a completely independent system to the rest of the shields, otherwise those killer insects would have got on board.

Technically those things where on board though; doctor Andrianakis having had the chance to scan our hibernating Vorta guest more thoroughly, had discovered several of the creatures in their larval form; sleeping inside.  Whether he knew about it at the time or not was only speculation.  But to wake him would also wake them and that could prove dangerous with still so little known about them.

They couldn’t just beam the pod back off either.  There was a device fitting that should have prevented them beaming it from the scout ship in the first place, instead it a blown the controls afterwards.  Trying anything like that again might result in something worse.

Having witnessed the devastating power of these insects’ stings and the relentless hunger of the larvae first hand; Jason was determined to make sure none of those creatures ever made it off this planet.  Just how, was one of the many questions he had on his mind.

Finally he got up, removed everything he had on and dropped in the waste unit, where it would be ripped apart at an atomic level ready to help towards the forming of a new uniform one he returned from having a sonic shower, he also felt he needed a shave he’d not had one of those in a couple of days.

**********

On the bridge of the USS Johannesburg, Captain Theodor Vance sat in his chair tapping out a tune on the right arm rest, the same tune he’d been tapping out for the past half hour, though it didn’t much sound like a Viennese Waltz.

“This is the USS Johannesburg to Star Base 86, do you read me over?” The female Tellarite communications office repeated as she had done every minute since they’d starting picking up coms traffic again.  And what a confusing mess that was; on the one side the Federation News Service was all positivity and focused on the forthcoming Frontier Day and brief mention of skirmishes involving the Breen and old Dominion technology; on the other side the 4^th Fleet was reporting a full scale war!  Whole planets captured by invading forces, several star ship either destroyed or badly damaged.  Half of Task Force 514 appeared to have been wiped out.

“This is Star Base 86, over.”  Came a male voice across the coms.

“Do we have visual?” Vance asked.

“Negative Captain.” The Tellarite replied. “Currently audio only.”

“Very well.” He sighed and straightened up in the chair, even though there was no one on the view screen before him. “This is Captain Theodor Vance of the USS Johannesburg.”

“How can we help you captain?” Came the reply

“You can start by putting me thought to someone in authority.”

“I’m sorry the command staff aren’t available at the moment.  Can I be of service?”

“Look mister, whatever your name is. If I wanted the ‘Tea Boy’ I’ll ask for the ‘Tea Boy’ comprendre?”

There was an extra-long period of silence before the unknown voice spoke again. “I’m very sorry you feel that way sir.”

The captain by now hand stopped tapping and was now gripping the arm with frustration, behind him doctor Dukakis stood watched to make sure he didn’t do anything to strenuous or stupid especially after being injured.  She would have much rather he rested for at least 24 hours; it wasn’t like the ship would fall apart without him sitting in the big chair.

“What’s your rank and name anyway?” Vance enquired.

Another pause. “Lieutenant Max Thrust’ sir.” A couple of the younger bridge crew stifled giggles, one disguising it as a cough; knowing full well that was the name of a fictional character.  It didn’t help though that their captain didn’t have a clue about it.  As for the doctor, her closed eyes and screwed up face was a sign she knew.

“Well Mr Thrust.  You’d better damn well tell them one of their ships is in grave danger.” Vance almost bellowed. “I have reason to believe the USS Jaxartes has a Changeling aboard.”  You could almost hear the cogs whirring around in the man’s mind, trying to figure out how to answer.  “And in case you’re wondering how I know.”  The captain’s voice was much calmer at this point.  “It’s because I have the real crew member lying in our sick bay.”

“I’ll pass on the message immediately sir!”  Silence followed.  Vance turned towards the female Tellarite. “Did that idiot just cut me off?”  She just nodded in reply. “Well he’d better find himself a good hiding place for when I get there.  Helm maintain course to Starbase 86, warp 8.”

**********

Jason was feeling much better after the shower and clear uniform and now had at least the start of a plan formulated in his mind.  The creatures where running on a four day cycle, so the previous generation of insects where now all dead and it would be at least 18 hours before any more took flight.  It was with this in mind that Devron had taken the decision to have the pod holding the Vorta; carried down to deck for and pushed out the airlock prior to them taking off.  The task had required four of them to carefully carry the heavy object.  Harris and Lightwood holding one end; Torf and Tyson at the other.  Jason himself carried the breathing masks they’d require for the final stage.

As the air lock wasn’t big enough for all of them and the stasis pod; Torf and Tyson went through first and climbed down the retractable lander to the ground.  The Betazoid engineer felt as if something was off, that nagging feeling the two of them weren’t alone.  May be it was all those dead bodies; fifteen to be exact.

**********

Amat’Etat knew the Founders must be smiling upon him this day.  Firstly he’d survived the crash when many of his fellow warriors hadn’t.  Secondly his stealth armour and that of the two other Jem’Hadar with him, were all working perfectly.  Foot prints in the sand couldn’t be avoided but he was gambling on no one noticing the extra ones amongst those already present.  Thirdly those insects didn’t appear to be around at the moment.  Then came the final blessing on his actions; the opening of the hatch and two Federation crew stepping on to the sand.

**********

Torf felt the tip of a blade touch the small of his back and then breathing across the back of his neck, before three Jem’Hadar warriors made themselves visible. “Tell your friend to open the hatch again or I will take great pleasure in slicing you in half.  Length ways!” The voice was cold, dark and menacing; just what you’d expect from something so evil.  They complied with the warriors orders and re-entered the ships airlock with the three Jem’Hadar.

Inside Jason wondered about drawing his phaser, being the only one of the group currently armed.  He could send the others back to grab weapons and make a stand. But that would most likely result in the deaths of both men currently in the airlock if not other crew members to. What really swayed his decision though, was the realisation he wasn’t the only one armed and a phaser was pointing right at his back. “You!” Was the only thing he said as he realised who else was behind him and who at that very moment fired!

It had been two days since Ensign Cho; or at least something that looked like her; had shot him in the back at point-blank range and Jason Devron was still fuming.  Luckily for him she’d deciding on using the stun setting.  But how could he have not seen it?  As captain it was his job to know everything that was going on.  He hadn’t even realised the young Korean woman and his New Zealand helm officer had been seeing each other. Though the two of them had kept things completely professional during this mission; or was that more to do with her not wanting to be found out?

Jason had seen the haunted look on Chad Harris’s face, the empty eyes as if his heart and soul had been ripped out; and yet here he was sat at the controls, flying the compact Raven class corvette in pursuit of our shuttlecraft; carrying a Changeling in the form of a women he was in love with.

So, what had happened; why weren’t they all dead at the hands of the Jem’Hadar?  Basically they should have been.  Amat’Etan had set a bomb on the side of the mater-antimatter chamber; nothing fancy just crude effective and dangerous.  Then he’d sealed all the crew in the aft observation lounge.  Now that was annoying; once with the Orions’ was bad enough, but twice!  Well this time around things were different, the Jem’Hadar had not checked under the table, why would they expect a phaser to be stuck on the underside using duct tape?  A new door was a small price to pay at this point, compared to the destruction of the ship and the loss of 17 lives.

Due to some specialist training he’d been given at the Academy; Tholakath had been the one to disarm the bomb; a matter of carefully removing the outer casing, sliding something none conductive between two nodes and cutting the right three wires in the right order.  Of course unlike in the movies and books where the wires are all different colours and you just had to cut the red or the blue one, this device had eight grey wires.

They took off not long after that and started a scan for the Type 6 Shuttlecraft; as it was a rather compact vessel only capable of reaching warp 2.5 they knew it wouldn’t have gotten all that far.  And sure enough there it was.  “Ensign Harris what way is our shuttle heading?” Jason asked looking at its small image on the view screen.

“On its current course and heading.  Towards Far Point, sir” His helm office replied.

“That will take over a week from where we are, at their maximum speed!” Devron commented. “We’ll assume they either have other plans or are meeting up with a faster ship.”

“I agree with the assumption of another ship, though I’m picked nothing up on long range.” Tholakath pointed out.

Devron tapped his communication button. “Bridge to Engineering.”

“Engineering, here.” Replied Lyambo a moment or two later.

“What’s the best speed I can get out of the ship, Chief?” The captain enquired.

“Well after the structural damage we’ve suffered, don’t push it beyond warp 3, whilst I see which bits rattle and which fall off.” Lyambo answered.

Jason couldn’t be sure whether the comment was meant as a joke or things where really that bad; he didn’t know enough about structural engineering, but there was a section of deck 4 that now seemed to bow slightly and the door nearest that point had jammed half way.  So he merely thanked his Chief Engineer and ordered Ensign Tholakath to drop a warning buoy in orbit above the planet. He didn’t want anyone else landing or beaming down whilst there was any chance those creatures were still alive. Finally he ordered Ensign Harris to lay in a pursuit course at warp 3.

**********

On board the shuttle sat three Jem’Hadar warriors.  First Amat’Etan and the only other two surviving members of their fighters’ crash.  None of them had ever expected to meet a Founder, they were created to serve them with unwavering loyalty, but to actually be in the presence of one of their masters; it was almost beyond comprehension.  And what had honoured them even more was when this Founder had conducted the Ketracel-white ceremony with them.  Amat’Etan having managed to salvage one of the precious boxes containing vials of the substance; and as First had the power to hand out the white himself if no Vorta was available.  He’d neglected to mention the Vorta in charge had died at his hands.  But then the Founders knew everything any way, and this one had not punished him.

The Cho Changeling was at the controls of the shuttle, she knew much better how to handle such a craft than any Jem’Hadar.  Situations and circumstances had changed a lot.  Having originally been one of two Changlings aboard  the USS Johannesburg they’d set everything in motion.  Then reports of the missing fleet; ‘The Lost Fleet’ as everyone referred to it as.  News had to be stifled quickly and one of her companions’ tasks had been to sabotage one of the relay satellites in such a way that would delay the Romulans’ finding out and offering assistance.  Unfortunately despite this and the satellites eventual destruction the various Romulan factions had found out soon enough.

She’d taken a gamble in leaving the Johannesburg, but there was nothing more to be done there other than watch and wait.  Time, distance and the number of them had prevented infiltration of the Fourth Fleet to the same extent they’d managed to achieve elsewhere.  So the opportunity to get on board one of their vessels even if it was a small one seemed too good to miss.

‘Trust only the Fourth.’  She almost laught.  Poor Ensign Cho Hwa-yeon; only survivor of the USS Jaxartes, and look what she’d have to present them at Far Point, a sleeping Vorta.  All they need to do is wake him and unleash hell!  Goodbye Far Point, goodbye the Fourth.  Now she did laugh; which drew puzzled looks from the warriors.  This time the doctors wouldn’t be able to scan inside, she’d made sure of that.

All they need to do was rendezvous with the fleet which would get them closer to Far Point and sneck in during the confusion.

**********

The Jaxartes was closing in its wayward shuttle, very soon it would pick them up on its own limited scanners.  But at the moment it might look like things were going their way, events took another twist.

“Two Breen Warships, one Jem’Hadar Cruiser and nine Fighters on long range!” Exclaimed Tholakath. “Moving in at Warp 7.”

“That’s it we’re dead.” Devron muttered under his breath. “I’m sorry it’s come to this.” He announced a little louder.

Chad turned to him, “I’m sure the rest of the crew would agree with me when I say it’s been an honour serving with you sir.”  Both the Cardassian and Caitian nodded in agreement.

Jason was about to order Red Alert and inform the rest of the crew of the dire situation when a bright flash court his attention.  One of those ships had just destroyed the shuttle. “We’re being hailed.” Announced C’Rren covering communications along with his own scientific duties.

“Drop use out of Warp and put them on screen.”

The face or rather mask of a Breen appeared before then. “You may call me, Lon.” Came the voice. “We regret the situation that has arisen in this sector and knowing the danger of what was aboard that vessel have neutralised that threat.”

“And what are you plans for my ship? Lon.”

“You are free to carry on; the war with your Federation is over, at least from my stand point.  However not all Dominion units have stood down and a large portion of them still plan on attacking Far Point.”

“So what are your plans?”

“We will not fight our own if that’s what you’re asking, not unless ordered to do so that is.”

“You just killed one of the Founders.”

“Did I?” It was phrased as a question, but not really meant as one.  Then communication was cut and the small task force moved away.

“What now captain?” Asked his Helm officer.

“Onward too Far Point, we have a battle to win.” Replied Jason.

“Aye captain, course set.”

“Hit it!”

‘Well we hadn’t fallen apart so that was a positive sign at least.’ Thought Jason to himself as they approached the battlefield.  A few more repairs had been made and Dinari had deemed it safe to increase the ships speed to Warp 3.6. But he was still unwilling to chance anything higher.  Devron couldn’t blame his Chief Engineer for his caution; it was a miracle they hadn’t split in half.  The poor old Jaxartes was going to need a lot of work done on her, and she wouldn’t be getting anywhere near the front of the queue for repairs; that honour would fall to the bigger ships.

Devron had called a meeting, the aft lounge was off limits being the other side of the damaged section of the ship, instead they’d squeezed into the officers mess. The room was probably roughly the same size if not a little bigger, but with the replicator and food preparation area up one end, it felt a little more cramped. 

“So exactly why are we heading towards the most dangerous part of space in a ship held together with duct tape?” Stuart asked, getting straight to the point and expressing the thoughts of everyone else. “No offence Dinari.”

“Two reasons.” Devron spoke calmly. “Number one as you’ve highlighted and everyone is aware this ship can’t get far as she is.  We are in no fit state to run off anywhere.”

“And number two?” She asked looking directly at him. 

“There are going to be a lot of damaged ships out there, escape pods and stuff floating around.” He answered. “If we can do anything to help save lives, I want us to try.”

“So no plans to go in fighting?”  It was Tholakath turn to speak this time.

“I’d be a fool to even try.” Was the captains’ honest reply. “Besides the good doctor here would probably have me relieved of command, rather sharp!”

Doctor Andrianakis nodded, though she wasn’t entirely sure that as a civilian doctor merely on secondment she carried the same weight and authority that a Starfleet doctor would.  But if the worse came to the worse, she could always incapacitate him and ask questions later.

The rest of the meeting was good natured, despite all their nerves, but at least everyone was clear on what would be expected of both them and the rest of the crew.

            **********

The battle was raging and not just in one place; forces of various sizes and configurations were scattered all over the place.  Ships danced around each other in a deadly ballet.  Swapping from one target to the next as successive enemy vessels came into weapons range and then raced past again.  The chaotic swirl of battle was almost too much for the senses to handle; and even the ships computer was having difficulty tracking and identifying everything out there.

Federation, Cardassian, Klingon, Romulan and hold on, was that really a group of Tholian vessels performing manoeuvres that didn’t seem physically possible as they set upon a cruiser!  Energy beams of a half dozen different colours or shades depending on their power source and the race that had built them criss-crossed searching for their quarry.  Photon and quantum torpedoes found their mark with deadly accuracy.    

It was so easy to be distracted and just stare at the view screen, but the crew of the USS Jaxartes where there to lend a hand in whatever small way they could. “Escape pod bearing 040 mark 160.” Called out Tholakath; breaking the silence on the bridge. “Detecting four life signs.  Navigation systems and beacon are none functional; power levels fluctuating.”

“Get us in close Lieutenant!” Jason commanded.  Today was going to be a very lucky day for those four individuals on-board that escape pod.  Had the corvette not been here they would have most likely drifted off into deep space unseen amongst the mayhem and spreading debris. “Lock transport and beam them off.”

“Crewman Lightwood confirms we have them.” Announced C’Rren, covering communications.

They change course again; constantly on the lookout for anyone in trouble whilst avoiding direct confrontation with any Dominion ships.  Twenty minutes later they had another half dozen transferred from a second pod.  They didn’t ask for names or what ship they’d escaped from, that would come later, for now they’d just be checked over and any injures dealt with.  Doctor  Andrianakis had the EMH, Ensign Harris and another crewmember helping out in sickbay. But other than one person with a broken leg; injures had been minor so far.

“Bearing 163.7 mark 017.” The Cardassian called out the direction of another target requiring assistance. “Heavily damaged Valkyrie; one faint life sign.  This one would be far from easy enemy vessels where much closer and getting within transporter range would put them well within the weapons range of at least one Jem’Hadar fighter and possibly the cruiser swinging round.

“This is the USS Jaxartes requesting covering fire.” Devron broadcast across all frequencies. “Attempting pilot recovery.”

What came next was something both wonderful and remarkable and a sight he never thought he’d witness, let alone be stuck right in the middle of it.  Flanking them on either side a pair of Klingon ‘Birds of Prey’ raced ahead ripping into the Jem’Hadar fighter with everything they had corkscrewing around it in such a way that the other ship was unable to deal with them before its shields collapsed.   Above the corvette casting a huge shadow across the small craft as a Galor class warship opened fire on the cruiser.

“Message from the warship sir.” The Caitian called out. “Hope your looking after my son?”

The Cardassian Ensign sunk down in his seat slightly.  Of all the places to turn up and all the question his father could have asked. Jason noticed and turned to C’Rren. “Tell their captain he’s the finest Cardassian tactical office I’ve ever worked with.”

Tholakath sat up feeling rather proud at that moment; knowing how strained things seemed when they’d first met. “Hold on, I’m the only Cardassian you’ve ever worked with!”

“It’s a start Ensign it’s a start.” Jason said warmly. He couldn’t believe how things had changed in such a short time.  The enemy he’d hated with all his heart was not only becoming something less menacing, it was actually a person with a name sitting in front of him and a warship keeping him and his crew out of harm’s way. The universe was full of surprises.

“Match the rotation of that Valkyrie as best you can, Lieutenant.” He asked Stuart. “Hopefully that will make it easier to lock on.”

With careful skill whilst the Galor kept on a fixed vector; Lyanna slowly brought the Jaxartes into a spin matching that of the stricken Federation fighter.

“Transporter locked.” Announced  Tholakath.  “Pilot retrieved.”

“Ok get us clear.” Shouted Devron.  The Raven dove down relative to the other ships and Jason switched the main screen to an aft view watching the Cardasian warship now joined by the Birds of Prey rip into the cruiser from three sides at once.  On the scale of things that particular fight was short lived; but the battle was not yet over.  There was still more to do.  The tied had turned, but whether the Dominion that had arrived here would fight to the last, run or actually surrender was still unclear.

However for one Raven class corvette it was time to look for more people to rescue. Each life saved would mean one less family in mourning for the loss of a loved one; Jason Devron had witnessed that first hand, so he knew what was at stake.