General Thrakos stood on the command deck of his flagship, the K’rhyn’s Fury, a Gaul-class Juggernaut Vaadwaur ship. Escorting the K’rhyn’s Fury, there were two Astika-class Heavy Battlecruisers, and four Manasa-class Assault Escort ships, and a total of 30 Pythus-class Fighters. The Vaadwaur assault group was sitting nearby a small Vaadwaur outpost that was sitting in one of the many Underspace tunnels the Vaadwaur have been using to invade the Alpha and Beta Quadrants. The Vaadwaur Supreme Chancellor ordered General Thrakos to secure the region of space that included most of the Cardassian Union and the region of Federation space bordering Cardassian space, and the neutral space there, including where the USS Carlsbad would end up at when the Vaadwaur Blackout went into full effect.

General Thrakos stood gazing at the holographic display projected before him. The stars of the Alpha Quadrant twinkled like icy jewels against the blackness of space, and his eyes narrowed as he contemplated the impending invasion. The holographic display flickered with tactical data, highlighting vulnerable Federation outposts and strategic choke points.

Thrakos’s gaze lingered on the demilitarized zone, where the Maquis were born and has died during the Dominion War. The Federation’s reluctance to engage had created a power vacuum. His thoughts turned to the Maquis, those insolent rebels who dared to defy Cardassian authority. The general’s expression darkened, his eyes burning with a cold intensity.

“Raise Captain N’Ter,” Thrakos ordered, his voice low and even. “I want to confirm the assault group’s readiness for deployment.”

As he waited for the captain’s response, Thrakos’s thoughts turned to the Federation’s likely response to the invasion. He anticipated their weakness, their hesitation to engage in conflict. The Cardassian Union would exploit these vulnerabilities, moving to assert its dominance over the Alpha Quadrant. The viewscreen flickered to life, displaying Captain N’Ter’s image.

“General Thrakos, the assault group is ready for deployment. Our warriors are battle-ready, and our weapons systems are functioning within optimal parameters.”

Thrakos nodded, a calculating glint in his eye.

“Very well, Captain. We will proceed with the invasion as planned. Prepare the assault group for departure.”

With a curt nod, Thrakos terminated the transmission. His eyes returned to the holographic display, his mind racing with strategic possibilities. The invasion has begun, and the Vaadwaur Supremacy

would assert its dominance over the Alpha Quadrant.

“My lord,” his aide, Commander Vexar, approached him, “the assault group is in position. We await your order to initiate the assault.”

Thrakos’s gaze didn’t waver from the display.

“Not yet, Vexar. We must ensure the Federation is caught off guard. Their Starfleet is formidable, but with the element of surprise, we can crush them beneath our heel.”

Vexar nodded, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.

“The Federation’s defenses are weakest in the region we have been ordered to attack. A swift strike there will give us the advantage we need.”

Thrakos’s smile was cold and calculating.

“Yes, and once we’ve secured the region, we’ll be able to establish our supply lines and cripple their ability to respond. The Federation will be ours to claim.”

As he spoke, the holographic display flickered, highlighting the strategic Vaadwaur locations of their Blackout stations located in the maze of Underspace, and Vaadwaur fleet movements. Thrakos’s confidence grew with each passing moment. The Vaadwaur would prevail, and the Alpha Quadrant would soon be under his command. With calculated precision, General Thrakos outlined the final stages of the invasion plan.

“Prepare the assault groups,” he ordered, his voice low and deadly. “We will strike at ship’s dawn. The Alpha Quadrant’s destruction will begin, and nothing will stand in our way,” ordered General Thrakos, a wicked, evil smile growing on his face. “Our forces will target key positions. We will employ a multi-pronged strategy. Fast attack squads will target Federation supply chains and disrupt main communication networks. Battle groups will strike at major population centers, causing as much destruction as possible. Starfleet will be forced to respond in a piecemeal manner, allowing us to exploit their weaknesses. Battle group Vashok, under my direct command, is responsible for the region centered around Starbase 72.

Commander Vexar nodded, his fingers dancing across the console as he input the final commands from General Thrakos. He informed the General of the latest intelligence report he received.

“My lord, our intelligence suggests the Federation has no presence in the sector around the planet the Vaadwaur Supreme Council has designated as ‘Emberia’. That shall be our new base of operations. Shall we prioritize that target?”

Thrakos’s eyes locked onto the holographic display, his mind racing with strategic possibilities.

“‘Emberia’ is crucial. If we can capture the planet, it will give us a tactical advantage in this Quadrant. If we can establish a forward base, it will severely hamper their ability to coordinate a response. Assign Task Force Vashok to Emberia to scout the planet and the system out in preparation for the full Battle group.”

Commander Vexar nodded to the General as he input the new orders into his command station.

As the crew of General Thrakos’s flagship, K’rhyn’s Fury, was preparing for the assault, General Thrakos looked around his command center, listening to his mighty battleship’s systems humming around him. Thrakos felt a sense of satisfaction. The Vaadwaur Empire would soon expand its dominion, and the Federation would be forced to bow to their might. Vaadwaur Intelligence spies had learned a lot in the previous years, gathering tons of Intel on the various Alpha and Beta Quadrant powers and recent history, especially the files and reports from the Dominion War.

“The Founders of the Dominion were close to victory. Studying their tactics will be beneficial to our victory,” Thrakos softly said to himself, as he continued to study the holographic display.

“Commander Vexar, send a coded transmission to the other task force commanders. Confirm their readiness and remind them of the importance of stealth. We will not alert the Federation until it’s too late.”

“Yes General,” Vexar replied, tapping more keys on his command console.

Thrakos watched as the fleet’s vessels began to move into position, their movements precise and coordinated. The invasion of the Alpha Quadrant was about to begin, and nothing would stand in the way of Vaadwaur victory. Two Manasa-class Assault Escort ships started moving away from the General’s Battle group, moving off to start their scouting mission they were just given. They headed down certain maze pathways towards the nearest Underspace aperture of the planet they were going to scout. The General figured it would take about an hour for them to emerge at their mission.

The silence on the command deck was palpable as the crew worked with focused intensity on their stations. The General’s eyes were fixed on the holographic display as the scout vessels moved into position. General Thrakos stood tall and started walking around his command center. His gaze returned to the holographic display when it started beeping. He walked back to it, then studied the display for a few seconds.

The two scout ships had emerged from Underspace. He zoomed in closer. His tactical display indicated the scouts were in combat with an unknown ship. The General tapped several keys on his holographic display and a full sensor scan of the alien ship appeared.

The alien ship’s hull appears as a dense network of interlocking, crystalline structures that shimmer with a dark, metallic sheen. The surface is pockmarked with glowing green optical nodes, pulsing with energy as they monitor and control the ship’s systems. Towering, cylindrical turrets rise from the hull, their exteriors etched with intricate, circuit-like patterns that pulse with power. The ship’s exterior is scarred and pitted, bearing the marks of countless battles and assimilations. Thick, armored plating covers the hull, reinforced with a latticework of gleaming silver-gray metal that seems almost…organic. The plating is etched with a complex pattern of micro-circuits, giving the ship a strange, biomechanical appearance. As the ship moves, its hull seems to shift and flex, as if it is alive. The cruiser’s sheer size and imposing presence evoke a sense of unstoppable force, as if it is a harbinger of assimilation and destruction.

“My lord,” Commander Vexar interrupted, his voice low and urgent, “we’re receiving a transmission from our scout vessel, the Vashin.”

Thrakos turned, his interest piqued. “Put it through.”

The viewscreen flickered to life, displaying the image of the scout vessel’s commander.

“General Thrakos, we’ve detected an alien ship here. We have engaged them. I will send another report once we have won.”

“Details, Commander,” Thrakos demanded, his voice firm.

The scout commander hesitated before responding, “It seems the alien ship is able to resist our weapons. They look like half machine and half living being. Their ship has taken some damage. Our other ship is leading the attack. They have taken heavy damage.”

Thrakos glared at the Commander. “Do you need reinforcement?”

“No General. The alien ship is appearing to run away. Wait…our sensors have just detected another ship that has emerged from an Underspace tunnel. It is a Federation starship, its name is the USS Thunderdragon. It looks damaged. Should we attack it before it can alert other Starfleet ships?”

General Thrakos looked at the Commander. “Absolutely Commander. With extreme prejudice!”

The Commander nodded and before he could say anything more, Thrakos cut him off, his mind racing with the implications.

“Prepare our reserve forces. We may need to adjust our strategy to account for this unexpected development. Vexar, recalculate our assault vectors and prioritize targets based on this new information.”

Thrakos watched, his eyes narrowing as he calculated the risks and opportunities presented by this new development. The Federation starship’s unexpected appearance would not deter his plans. He viewed that the Vaadwaur invasion would prevail. Thrakos nodded, a cold smile spreading across his face.

“Let us show the Federation the true meaning of Vaadwaur resolve. Begin the assault.”