CHAPTER SEVEN – THE FIRST BATTLE

FEDERATION FLEET, YEAR 2383, DELTA QUADRANT

Back on the ship The Admiral, Captain Picard, Captain Riker, Captain Sisko and I sat in the wardroom discussing what we were going to do. Chakotay had called us back because a huge fleet of alien ships was detected nearby. It could be the fleet the Utopians spoke of. The atmosphere was tense. The Admiral made her point very clear, “We are not going to engage that fleet. We still don’t know if the Utopians are misleading us. Right now the only reason we have to trust them is Spock and frankly that isn’t good enough. He hasn’t even told us what happened between his dissapearance a year ago and him being the leader of these people.

I made my point clear. Janeway was Starfleet. She seemed to be an honourable woman. She did not however have any loyalty from me, “They are telling the truth. I don’t know how I know, but I know. We have to stop that fleet!”

The Admiral replied, calmer this time, “I understand Captain. I really do. I’ve acted on my gut more times than I can count, but I can’t condone this. It has been 200 years since you’ve fought a battle Captain. The universe is a very different place. It’s a lot more dangerous now. Let us take care of this.”

I got angry, “Respectfully Admiral.The universe was just as dangerous back then. The only difference is that we were less prepared. I bought about the creation of The United Federation of Planets. I fought the Romulan War. I fought the Temporal Cold War. I fought the Xindi. I am a Captain. A Starfleet Captain. I took the same oaths as you. I’ve been through hell and back. So you better start listening to me.

“That was a moving speech Captain. You’re right. You’re Starfleet.You’re a Captain and I’m an Admiral. We are not going after that fleet. That’s my final decision.”

I sighed and stood up, “Then to save humanity I may just have to stop being a part of it. It looks like I’m going alone.”

The Admiral got up too, “I’m sorry Captain but we I can’t allow that. If you leave I will have to relieve you of your command.”

I stood up and grabbed my communicator, “Enterprise, beam me back.” There was a brief flash and I was on the Transporter pad. I ran straight to the bridge and to the helm. I powered up the warp engines and the new shields and set course for the enemy fleet.

Voyager hailed me, “Power down your engines! That’s an order!”

I ignored her and went to warp 5. Straight for the alien fleet. Voyager didn’t pursue. I followed my heart and took Enterprise into the unknown. Little did I know it would be the end of things as I knew them

ENTEPRISE NX-01, DELTA QUADRANT

I arrived at the coordinates and dropped out of warp. The floor rumbled beneath me and I was thrown to the floor. I ran to the tactical console. The reading said what I had just felt. The warp drive was burnt out. I was stuck there. There was no going back. It’s funny – the feeling it gave me. I felt different knowing I couldn’t return. There was no choice anymore. I was there to fight.

I was ready and I had a feeling this wouldn’t be the end of the adventure. I activated the new shields, polarised the hull and powered the new weapons. I rerouted power away from all unnecessary systems; I even cut life support from all decks except the bridge. I waited. It felt like an eternity.

It happened. A thousand lights appeared. It was the fleet. It was huge – like a swarm of wasps. There was no way I could defeat them. The fleet stretched as far as I could see. They could wipe out the entire Alpha Quadrant. My choice was made though. I would fight here and now. I would take out as many as I could. Still the first thing I would do would be the most important. I ejected the black box. Communications were jammed. I couldn’t contact Voyager to warn them. I could only hope they would try and find out what happened.

This was it. I loaded the torpedo tubes and headed straight into the fleet. I set the weapons on automatic in all directions. I didn’t have a crew to man the ship stations anyway. The fleet was in close formation, I didn’t have to target the ships. They weren’t even expecting me. Not that it would have mattered. It would be like an ant trying to destroy an army. Space lit up like a fireworks display. They took a hell of a beating. Over a dozen ships were destroyed. I destroyed a dozen ships. It should have meant something. It didn’t.

They fired back. They all fired back. I was hit with at least fifty torpedos. The shields went red. It was like I was in the heart of a sun. Then the sun went dark. Sparks flew everywhere and the floor buckled underneath me. The hull ripped apart . The weapons never stopped firing. The aliens were relentless. They were going to obliterate Enterprise.

The firing eased slightly. Four Starfleet ships had joined the fight, but it was too late. I felt the bridge crack underneath me, “Thanks, old girl.” I said. As I got pulled into space, the last thing I saw was a huge field of debris and light. The last thing I felt was evil. I knew there and then that that fleet was the army of darkness. They were pure evil.