Bridge – USS Gemini

The dimly lit bridge hummed with tension, yellow alert flashing across every console. Officers moved with urgency, eyes fixed on tactical readouts. The Gemini orbited above Dhaillak, the battered colony below a stark contrast to the calm void of space. Smoke drifted from damaged Romulan structures, defensive shields flickering after earlier bombardments. The viewscreen was split, one side tracking incoming Klingon ships, the other displaying the weakened IRW Valorex, its hull visibly scarred from battle. Silina gripped her armrest, knowing the next move could determine the colony’s fate.

“The sensors have detected KRG1 decloaking. They’re on an intercept course toward Dhaillak,” Cho said, looking up from her console. The exhaustion in her voice was evident, she needed rest, had been ordered to take it, but with Miki on the surface, there was no one else capable of handling this.

Taking a deep breath, Silina steeled herself. “Prepare for battle. Get us to red alert. Shields and weapons up. Commander Yoon-Jung, coordinate with ground forces, they need to brace for an incoming raid.” Though she remained calm, tension gripped her, pressing against her like a growing weight. The lighting on the Gemini dimmed to the flickering red of battle stations as the crew readied themselves for combat.

Cho turned toward Drata. “Scans indicate the Klingons are adjusting their attack pattern,” she said, swiping the data to his console.

Drata frowned as he analyzed the information. “They’re adapting, getting crafty. We need to adjust quickly to stay ahead of them, Captain,” he said, keeping one eye on ship-wide operations.

Romulan Defensive Perimeter – Dhaillak

Thick smoke hung over the ruined outskirts of the colony, buildings scorched, streets littered with debris from previous attacks. The militia, a mix of trained soldiers and desperate civilians, scrambled to fortify what little remained of their defenses. Romulan disruptor turrets, some barely functioning, were hastily realigned. The sharp scent of burning infrastructure filled the air, and the distant echoes of disruptor fire signaled ongoing skirmishes at the colony’s edges.

A chilling silence lingered, punctuated only by the distant howl of the wind, an eerie calm before the storm. The clanking of metal under stress echoed through the generator facility. Cezs wiped sweat from her face, her focus entirely on the fragile power grid. She was filthy, covered in soot and grime, but none of it mattered. The colony’s defenses were hanging by a thread, and she had no time to waste.

Nearby, the makeshift hospital overflowed with wounded. The wails of pain echoed across the streets as Viamame and L’iera worked relentlessly to stabilize patients. The heavy scent of iron filled the air, it was becoming harder and harder to work under these conditions.

Miki turned to a group of militia. “Get to the east side, fortify the northern flank! Adjust the turret angles, don’t let them cross over!”

A distant roar of Klingon battle cries sent a chill through the defenders. Miki’s grip tightened around his weapon. “Man your positions! Incoming!” Near the power relays, Klingon infiltrators emerged from the darkness, making their way toward them.

Bridge – USS Gemini

The moment the Klingon fleet decloaked, the bridge was flooded with red warning lights. Tactical alarms screamed as Cho shouted out targeting solutions. The Gemini tilted under the force of incoming disruptor fire, shields flaring under the onslaught. The viewscreen flashed between damage reports and enemy maneuvers as Qevla opened fire. At the helm, Padgok executed evasive maneuvers, the engines straining against the intense pressure.

Silina barked out orders while Drata and Cho scrambled to coordinate defensive patterns. Every console flickered with strain, smoke hissing from an overloaded EPS conduit. The battle was no longer a possibility, it was happening.

“Lieutenant Padgok, keep us between the planet and the raid group! Ensign Keeyiro, fire at their leading ship in a defensive measure!” Silina shouted, gripping her chair as the ship rocked from another impact.

“Shit, shit, shit,” Cho muttered under her breath. “The Qevla is launching boarding pods toward Valorex! I intercepted their comms, they’re putting everything into this! This is their final push!”

Drata looked up sharply. “Captain, Qevla is hailing us!”

Silina gave a nod. “Put them on-screen.”

The viewscreen flickered, revealing HoD Dorvath, seated confidently in his command chair, arms crossed over his chest. His smirk was sharp, his eyes coldly calculating.

“Still hiding behind your shields, Starfleet? It suits you. I imagine your Romulan ‘friends’ appreciate your sacrifice while they wait for you to take the first blow.”

Silina kept her expression neutral. “We don’t fight for gratitude, HoD. We fight because it’s right.”

A deep, guttural laugh rumbled from Dorvath. “Right? And who decides what that is? You?” He leaned forward, voice lowering. “You waste your strength here, Captain. Dhaillak is a lost cause. Why throw your crew into the fire for those who would never do the same for you?”

Silina’s gaze didn’t waver. “Because we’re Starfleet. And unlike you, we don’t abandon those who can’t fight for themselves.”

For a fraction of a second, Dorvath’s smirk flickered, a trace of frustration crossing his face before he masked it with a grin.

He let the silence hang before exhaling through his nose. “Your principles will be your undoing, Captain. But since you seem determined to play hero, we’ll indulge you a little longer. Consider this… an evaluation.” The screen cut to black.

Ko checked the sensors. “They’re repositioning… but not leaving. He’s toying with us.”

Silina nodded. “And when he’s done testing our limits, he’ll strike. Stay vigilant!” The crew acknowledged the warning.

Romulan Defensive Perimeter – Dhaillak

A ground-shaking explosion sent a plume of fire and debris into the air as disruptor rounds pounded the colony’s shields. The makeshift hospital, already overwhelmed, saw another wave of wounded militia dragged inside. Armor was scorched, flesh seared. Viamame and L’iera raced between patients, shouting over the chaos.

“Get a blood pack for this patient!” L’iera, usually calm, had turned sharp and commanding, snapping orders.

Viamame worked quickly, inserting a needle into the crispy skin of a soldier. “Hold on,” she murmured, her voice steady despite the chaos. “I need to get plasma into your system, or you’ll have bigger problems.”

Outside, Miki and Midux pushed militia forces into formation as Klingon raiders breached the outer streets. Phaser and disruptor fire crisscrossed in the haze of battle. Buildings crumbled under the relentless assault. “Hold your position!” Miki barked, seeing some militia waver. “Stay down if you can’t fight!”

A turret exploded, sending debris scattering. Midux fought hand-to-hand with a Klingon infiltrator near the shield generator. “For crying out loud, stay down!” he grunted, flipping the Klingon over his shoulder.

Cezs cursed loudly as she clung to a flickering control panel. “Take a job in exploration, they said. It’s easy going, they said!” She barely held the power grid together as disruptor fire rattled the facility.

Bridge – USS Gemini

The Gemini reeled from another hit. Shields flickered at 30%. Cho’s voice was sharp with urgency. “They’re boxing us in, Captain! KRG1 is forcing us back while they target the colony’s generators!”

Ko’s eyes locked onto the screen. “The Valorex is barely holding but pushing forward to assist. They won’t last much longer!”

Silina clenched her jaw. It was now or never.

Cho turned. “Captain, if we execute a high-speed pass between their lead ships and deploy a graviton pulse, we can knock out their targeting sensors just long enough to throw them into disarray.”

Ko frowned. “That’s reckless. If we miscalculate, we’ll be right in their crosshairs.”

Drata nodded. “If we time it right, it might break their formation. But we only get one shot.”

Silina made her decision. “If we don’t act now, they’ll crush us. We go in fast, hit them hard, and pull out before they recover. Execute the maneuver!”

On her console, several beeps went off. “Captain, Klingon vessels are reorienting. They’re stacking formation, preparing for a full-scale bombardment!” Cho’s voice was sharp as she watched Qevla, Grevok, and Trel’koth tighten their attack formation, advancing once more toward Gemini and Dhaillak’s defense lines. She had managed to recover their sensors from the graviton pulse disruption, and now, the Klingons were on the move.

Studying the tactical display, Silina saw a pattern in the Klingon maneuvers. They relied on coordinated firepower, meaning if she could break their synchronization, they would lose their attack cohesion. “If they want a formation, let’s break it apart. Target torpedoes at their forward elements. We’ll cut straight through their attack vector.”

Ko hesitated at that command, her expression wary. “If we hit too hard, this becomes an open war, Captain.”

“Controlled targeting. We aim to disrupt, not destroy. Fire only at key points to force them to scatter,” Silina clarified.

Engaging full impulse, Padgok brought the Gemini into a tight lateral strafe, positioning the ship for an optimal firing arc.

Loading the torpedoes, Cho glanced at her console. “Coordinates set. Two spread patterns aimed at the lead vessel to force it to veer off-course. A delayed salvo aimed between Grevok and Trel’koth.” She applied what she had learned from her time on Mariner and now on Gemini to anticipate the Klingons’ reaction.

“Fire,” Silina ordered.

The torpedoes launched in rapid succession, controlled bursts designed to disrupt, not provoke escalation. The first salvo struck Qevla, forcing the lead ship to adjust its vector, breaking formation. Grevok attempted to evade but moved straight into the delayed torpedo spread, its shields flared as it was pushed off course. Trel’koth overcorrected, veering dangerously close to debris, losing momentum and leaving itself exposed. The disruption in House T’Vagh’s coordinated assault was successfully ripped away from them.

Seizing the opportunity, Valorex struck hard, disabling Trel’koth, while Qevla suffered critical damage. Suddenly, a hail came through from the Klingon flagship.

“Cowards! You dare strike at warriors and think yourselves superior?!” Dorvath’s fury was palpable. He slammed his chair’s armrest, his face streaked with blood from the impact of the battle.

Silina remained calm but firm. “You were moving to attack civilians. We’ve merely ensured that won’t happen.”

The Klingon was visibly fuming, but his raider fleet was now scattered. They had lost their first-strike advantage. Then, new beeping filled the bridge, Romulan reinforcements had arrived.

Dhaillak – Medical Center & Streets

Varek stood amidst the ruins of his command post, blood staining his uniform. He watched as Klingon forces began to fall back. Romulan survivors cheered as their enemies retreated, but he remained motionless. His militia was shattered, his people barely clinging to survival.

He turned his gaze toward Miki, nodding once in reluctant respect. Starfleet’s presence here had made a difference, whether he liked it or not. Behind them, the Romulan Republic flag, half-burned and torn, still stood against the ruined skyline. Dhaillak had survived. But at what cost?

Bridge – USS Gemini

Back on the Gemini, the crew watched the furious Klingon commander on the viewscreen.

“Now, let’s make this very simple, HoD,” Silina stated, her voice level but firm. “Your ships are damaged or crippled. The Romulan reinforcements have arrived, and if you fire upon this colony, you will not only feel the wrath of the Romulans, but Starfleet will defend it with everything we have. How many of your warriors from House T’Vagh will fall? How much will your house respect a vassal house that wastes its warriors on a slaughter rather than a true battle?”

Dorvath tensed. His warriors were listening. Klingons respected strength, but they also recognized when a battle was no longer worth the cost. His position was compromised, withdraw and be seen as weak, or press forward and risk heavy casualties.

A moment of silence passed. Then…

“I will not waste my warriors on unworthy prey,” he exhaled sharply, straightening. His voice carried grudging acceptance. “Enjoy your high ground while you can, Captain. House T’Vagh does not forget insults or interference.”

The screen cut to black. Moments later, three of the four Klingon ships began their retreat.

“Captain, the raiders are pulling back, disengaging from attack formation,” Cho confirmed. A collective breath was held across the bridge.

Ko exhaled slowly, turning to Silina. “That was risky,” she muttered before leaning in slightly. “That sounded personal.”

Silina gave a firm nod. “It always is. But for now, the Klingons will think twice about entering this region.” She looked back at Ko, her expression unreadable. “It was personal. He’s rattled, but not retreating. This storm isn’t over yet.”