The Alita’s bridge was filled with smoke and sparks as they came around again trying to find the firing pattern of the Jem’hadar fighter they were chasing. Terani was at the top of her game, solely focused on her mark. The other ships in orbit with them were doing their part, and it seemed like they’d take this soon. It was just a matter of allowing the ground team time to do their tasks. 

Tiffany regained her seat after a relatively close blast from a Jem’hadar torpedo. Even with all of the advances Starfleet had made in the last couple decades, these Jem’hadar fighters packed a punch. Tiffany had lost some of her shine that she’d started her bridge shift with, the hair wrapped up in the bun had pulled free in places and more of it was loose around her face that was now thoroughly soot covered. 

“We’ve got a torpedo lock!” Terani called out. 

“Fire!” Tiffany barked without hesitation. 

The familiar pulses of the photon torpedo launcher filled the air and a grin curled Tiffany’s lips as she saw it find her mark. Sure enough, the torpedo sparked a chain reaction in their engines and the Jem’hadar fighter went down in a blaze of fire and shrapnel. 

Tiffany pounded her fist into the arm rest happily, “Nice shooting! Target the one on the Wasp,” She called, standing up and walking toward the view screen. 

“Alita to Wasp, we’re targeting the fighter on your six, blow the one in front of you as soon as you can, Commander Burgess,” He called. 

“Yes, ma’am!” The older man called back. 

Tiffany watched as the Wasp adjusted it’s heading to get a better firing solution on the Jem’hadar fighter they were chasing. Tiffany shored her footing on the deck plating and narrowed her eyes at the viewscreen, the Jem’hadar fighter catching on and starting to take some evasive maneuvers while it continued to chase the Wasp.

“Captain,” Sureth called from the science station, “One of the other Jem’hadar fighters is breaking off and heading straight for us,” He called. 

“Fire a cover pattern to cut it off,” Tiffany called to the helm. “And lock torpedoes on the ship that’s trailing the Wasp,” She called. 

Her crew operated perfectly, like a well oiled machine. She heard the dull hum of the phasers going off, and the positive chime of the torpedo lock. Terani didn’t wait for the order this time, letting the torpedoes fly as soon as the lock was strong. Tiffany smirked as the torpedo volley slammed into the Jem’hadar ship and ended its existence. 

“Wasp, you’re all clear to–” Tiffany was cut off as more Jem’hadar fighters emerged from warp unexpectedly just beyond the Wasp.

The lead of the fighters fired a volley at the Wasp, and though the ship didn’t explode, a wide swath was gouged out of the back end of the ship and the nacelles went dark. Tiffany scowled as she watched the Wasp start a lazy roll, before barking “Evasive maneuvers! Tac, gimme a sit rep now!”

The young woman at the Tactical console was frantically scanning the data in front of her, “Four new ships, two to Starboard and two to Port. The remaining fighters we’ve been engaged with are falling back and regrouping with the new ones,” she explained. “Wasp and Zhukov are dead in the water, but the Cobourg and Missouri are still with us.”

The Alita shuddered and Tiffany reached back to steady herself on the center chair, “What’s the status on our friends?” She called to Kint.

“They blew out the majority of the Wasp‘s EPS conduits, but they’re structurally sound. Life support is online. Zhukov was hit in the nacelles and it looks like they’ve had a cascading power failure. They’re adrift, but they firing as they can. Life support is down, but they should have several hours before we run out of oxygen,” he said quickly, looking over the remote readouts. “Cobourg and Missouri are generally fine, but Missouri took a rough hit and her shields are down to thirty-six percent.”

Tiffany had been watching the view screen as Terani took them through a series of mind numbing dives and loops to avoid the fire of the Jem’hadar ships. She was always amazed at the way these massive hunks of metal could maneuver in a vacuum. Even as she marveled at that, she took in the details that her officers were feeding her.

“Thatcher to bridge!”

“Go ahead, doctor!” Tiffany replied.

“We’re getting more wounded every minute, lots of broken bones and crush injuries. We’re going to be out of crew if we keep this up much longer,” the woman said, fear tangible in her voice.

“Copy that, doc. I’ll put an end to this as soon as I can,” Tiffany replied. 

Straightening her back, she nodded, open a channel. Encrypted to all Starfleet vessels here with us,” she said, her voice unwavering.

“Channel open, ma’am!”

“Cobourg, Missouri, group up on me, and let’s keep the Wasp and Zhukov in one piece. No one is getting taken out today,” She said, firmly. Over the open channel she got a couple of affirmatives and a couple thank yous, then nodded to shut the channel again as she made her way back to the center chair. 

“Helm,” she said, bracing herself against another jarring shudder, “Weapons free, evasive maneuvers. Let’s hope our people on the surface get their job done ASAP,” she said.

“It’s getting a little hot up here.”