Delta Wave (Joint Scenes)

[Richard James Litt]

[Lt. Commander Litt • USS Horizon • Helm]
The commander's request was direct and firm — as always when it came from her — and Litt responded without hesitation. His fingers were already in motion by the time the order was given, reconfiguring the ship for the requested attack pattern. He adjusted the approach vector, calculating the entry curve for a low-altitude tactical strafe, keeping the Horizon at a 6.3-degree downward angle over the raider plane. The stabilizers compensated for the acceleration, and the impulse beams aligned like a blade ready to cut.

"Initiating attack run. Adjusting trajectory... stabilizing at 0.92 impulse."

The Horizon dove into the battlefield like an eagle descending into a valley. Targets were spread across multiple layers, but Litt chose the middle line — where the raiders were too tightly packed to maneuver easily. With each course correction, he dodged debris and weaved between enemy lines, disrupting tight formations and splitting them apart. As he flew, the lateral angle of the hull exposed the Kazon flanks to V'Larinn's fire. The Horizon's hull trembled under the pressure of a torpedo blast nearby — not a direct hit, but close enough for the vibration to travel through the structure of his seat.

"Minor damage to the lateral stabilizer... compensating with secondary vector redirect. We're still good."

The tactical display flashed with the signature of the Mjolnir. Litt recognized the frequency before the formal ID even showed — and for a brief moment, a short smile crossed his face... then quickly vanished. There wasn't much reason to smile, not with the pressure of battle and allies falling around them. When a woman's voice came through, greeting them, he waited for Said to respond first — then added his own reply over the channel.

"Mjolnir, this is Litt aboard the Horizon. We've got your back. Take good care of her." 

The next maneuver brought the Horizon into a wide curve, setting up for another strafe. Litt could feel the pressure of the fight, the rising heat in the console, the soft alarms warning of systems running at the edge. But he felt something else too: the weight of responsibility. This was the line — the one holding the station, buying time for reinforcements, protecting the Federation's legacy under fire. With a final adjustment, he angled the ship into position for a second strafe, eyes locked on the field ahead.

"Reengaging. V'Larinn, get ready to knock down a few more."

[Roswell Parry]

[Outposelt Solaere || Deck 14 || Sickbay]

Advance notice came from the Horizon. They were on their way back, luring the attackers. Wonderful. Brilliant. Fantastic.

He stood up and addressed everyone, not quite shouting but certainly speaking with authority, "Alright, everyone! Things might get a little shaky. Courtney, anyone who's not dying needs to get out of here. Move them to the auxillary ward on deck 13, anyone who doesn't need an eye kept on them needs to be discharged, send them with care instructions for home. Call security, ask for some help just getting everyone there."

Roswell sat down for a short moment of zen, things were about to get interesting.

[Kinley Garrison]

[Main Ops]

Ten days. Ten days of constantly keeping up with battle plans and preparing for the long nights.  She had barely gotten much sleep and had been running purely on fumes and energy drinks. She didn't even like energy drinks all that much.   Even on her breaks, she wasn't really on break. It was hard to truly relax when the Station occasionally shook from energy fire, reminding her of the fighting they'd been facing.  Reinforcements had supposedly been sent, but it took time to get all the way out here, even at fast warp.

So, it was kind of a surprise to her when she saw the signatures of the Challenger and Hispaniola on the radar.  So, she decided to send them a hail.

This is Captain Garrison to the Challenger and Hispaniola. Are we ever so glad to see you! Defenses have been holding for now, but any support you can offer, the more the merrier.  Let us know what you guys need and we'll try to send support where we can.  It's been... a lot, if you couldn't tell." she said, giving a tired smile. 

[Ian Galloway]

[Bridge - USS Challenger]

Ian was tired. The rapid fire decision making and the crushing responsibility of protecting 550 souls was wearing him out, but he chose to accept command and regardless of the weight, he would bear it at whatever price.

The destruction of the fighter Horde had again, given the Starfleet force a pause as the attackers regrouped for a third attack. Ian could see deck 17 aft was evacuated and knew there wasn't time for the fire suppression system to stop the plasma inferno and ordered.

"Belay extinguisher. Seal off the deck and vent it ta space. Even plasma needs air ta breath."

Ian looked at weapon status and saw they still had 85% of their Quantums, but were down to 50% photons. Not optimal, but more than enough for one very hard fight. Knowing that the shuttles were a spent force despite their heroic defense of the ship, they couldn't stand in the line of battle against an actual battleship, two of them and he spoke to Davenport.

"Order the shuttles ta head for the planet and wait it out down there. That is an order."

Ian looked at the display on the command chair and cringed. Based on information from the original Voyager, Hirogen ships were tough. However, despite being tough for their size, he wasn't that concerned about the corvettes, even if there were three of them. It was those two behemoth battleships that worried him. Challenger's modifications made her tough enough to stand up to a battleship's fire, but the problem was, she didn't have the firepower to hurt one in return. Hispaniola evened the odds a bit, but they were facing two battleships with escorts.

Ian closed his eyes and sighed as he knew, knew this was a fight that the two ships couldn't win.

"Death is lighter than a feather, but Duty is as heavy as a mountain"

He murmured and spoke to Malik.

"Looks like our only option is ta stall until the reinforcements arrive. They have more firepower, but we are far more maneuverable than those battleships. The corvettes will try ta herd us toward the heavies, but they won't survive that ploy. As I don't know that we can survive this run either. I want you to organize an evacuation of all non-essential personnel and that includes our cetaceans, they have their own launch and are more than capable of savin' themselves."

"Ops, signal Hispaniola, we're goin' in, they are ta engage those corvettes and keep them off of us. Keep Scotland the Brave blastin' on all channels. I want everyone here ta ken that Challenger is goin' ta do her duty.

"Tactical, your target is the closer battleship. Designated Target One. Your orders are ta fire fast and fire often in a close range strafin' run. Phasers as fast as they will cycle, full quantums until we're out of them. Helm, we're ta be goin' in close, 500 meters off their hull. If'n we're lucky, we'll be too close for them ta track. Take us in. Full impulse."

Decision made, Ian relaxed into the command chair and said.

"Fasten your seat belts..it's goin' ta be a bumpy night."

[Charlotte Fawkes]

| Captain D'Thea | Commanding Officer | Bridge | Command Deck | RFS Keras |

The Challenger fired at close range, bombarding the Venatic battleship with phasers and quantum torpedoes. The ship's speed and maneuverability gave it an edge for the time being while the Hispaniola engaged three hunter corvettes. However, a second Hirogen battleship swung about, intent on destroying Galloway's vessel. The enemy targeted the Challenger, firing its main turret, but missed, thanks to the Federation ship's agility. Target two, with its torpedoes at the ready, revised its attack pattern and gained a lock on the Challenger. Just before it could fire, streaks of green disruptor fire struck the Venatic ship, causing the hull to shudder as the vessel launched its torpedoes into space.

Suddenly, a squadron of twelve Romulan warbirds decloaked off the Hirogen's port bow, their sleek silhouettes streaking by the battleship. Led by the RFS Keras, the warbirds strafed the large vessle in tight formation, firing disruptors that splashed against the behemoth's shields. Each "Red Lady" then cloaked and darted off in various directions.

Commander D'Thea rose from her seat, her eyes locked on the enemy vessel displayed on the screen. A predatory smile crept onto her lips as adrenaline coursed through her veins. "Execute D'Thea Maneuver Alpha!" she commanded. Although some called the Red Ladies "glass cannons," she believed their agility was their greatest strength. As the squadron cloaked, scattered, and reformed, their ships flanked the cruiser from multiple vectors, showcasing their tactical prowess.

"This is Commander D'Thea of the RFS Keras to the Captain of the Challenger. Some of my friends may have breached protocol by crossing the zone unescorted. I hope that doesn't inconvenience you too much. I hate paperwork," she quipped, her tone light. But Galloway's response was drowned out by music blaring from the Challenger. D'Thea winced. "What is that? It sounds like a dying Mogari." With a shake of her head, she cut the comms and focused on the chaos of the battlefield.

The Keras, the Ralor, and the Gath'thong recloaked, making a run at the battleship designated Target One. They closed in, bombarding the giant vessel with disruptors, but the Hirogen struck first, a shot ripping through one of the warbird's wings. The Ralor spiraled out of control, a plume of smoke trailing in its wake.

"Ralor, report!" D'Thea shouted, her heart racing as she gripped the armrests of her chair.

But the Hirogen struck again in ruthless succession. The Ralor erupted in flames that were snuffed out almost immediately by the vacuum of space.

"Commander, we're making hits, but it's not enough," Subcommander Stahn grimaced. "The Hirogen will eventually have the upper hand if we don't increase damage output."

D'Thea nodded, a calm resolve settling over her. "I know," she replied, her voice steady. "Continue with D'Thea Maneuver Alpha." She reopened her communications, this time with a single command. "Now."

Two D'deridex-class warbirds decloaked, firing plasma torpedoes at both battleships. In a deft maneuver, a third ship, an old T'Liss-class Bird-of-Prey, swooped from below Target Two, unleashing its primary plasma torpedo into the Hirogen's main reactor. The combined force of the attack ripped through the second battleship, detonating it in a brilliant inferno that lit up the emptiness of space.

Cheers erupted across the bridge, but D'Thea remained stoic, the weight of the loss of the Ralor lingering in her mind even amidst the victory. She commed the Challenger, her voice steady. "Captain, I'll leave the Dynt and the Vriha in the area to assist while I take my old friend, the Mnhei'sahe, with me to the outpost. Good hunting." As one D'deridex-class vessel moved toward Galloway's ship, the second veered toward the Hispaniola, preparing for the next phase of the mission.

"Commander Said. Do you mind if I crash the party?" D'Thea inquired, a spark of mischief in her eyes as she led her warbirds and the Bird of Prey toward the Horizon and the Voyager.

[Ian Galloway]

[Bridge - USS Challenger] - 5 Minutes ago.

Ian was certain this would be Challenger's last battle, but if that was to be, he had an idea to make sure every Kazon and Hirogen would know her name. He quickly scanned through the ship's personnel roster and settled on six people that would normally be considered non-essential, oddly enough, it included the bulk of the sociologists that had just proved so essential on their last mission.

A quick word with Lieutenant Randall as those selected were all in the science department and the plan was underway. The six rushed to the aft shuttlebay and donned EVA suits. The critical element of the plan had already been beamed there by Lieutenant Davenport. Once he got a signal from Lieutenant Landis, Ian gave the order for Challenger to engage.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[Bridge - USS Challenger] - Now

Challenger closed on the lead battleship at full impulse and jinking as hard as Lieutenant Schultz at the helm could make a three million tonne ship do. Forward shields were as reinforced as they could be and between the jinking and the reinforcement, none of the few hits that landed did any damage.

Hispaniola was hard to Challenger's port flank and was jinking hard too. Ian's respect for the Dawson's knew no bounds knowing her captain knew what their chances were as well. Screaming in fast and low surprised the Hirogen and got them in over the battleship before it could evade. As the two Starfleet ships roared over the spine of the massive ships, they unleashed their full fury with phasers and quantum torpedoes firing as fast as they could cycle.

In addition to the obvious attack, at the rear of Challenger, two meter long objects began to drop from her aft shuttlebay, lost in the rage of fire from the two ships. The objects dropped away from the ship and engaged their guidance systems to spread out and stop while in contact with the shields of the Hirogen battleship.

The two Starfleet ships raked the battleship with all they had, but it still wasn't enough to penetrate the shields, but that wasn't the point of the attack. The two Alpha Strikes had two purposes, to weaken the Hirogen ship's shields and as a distraction for something Ian had devised. As the two ships reached the end of the battleship, Ian barked orders.

"Ops, call the break! Helm sideslip ta port! snap roll us ta starboard, come about as hard as she can!"

The Hispaniola broke formation to engage the corvettes hammering them with phasers and torpedoes as she closed, but taking a pounding as she did so. At that point, Ian lost track of the smaller ship, too focused on keeping Challenger alive.

Challenger came about in a tight turn that allowed her to evade most of the fire from the lead battleship. The unorthodox maneuvers caused most of the fire from the second battleship to either miss or they had to hold fire to not hit their sister ship. Challenger rolled level and screamed down the spine of the battleship again raking her dorsal shields with another volley of phasers and quantums. The battleship was able to shrug off the hits, but the two attacks had managed to weaken the shields by 30% which was impressive for a pair of cruisers against a battleship. However, unknown to the Hirogen another dozen more objects had fallen from Challenger's shuttlebay during this second pass.

Looking at the display on the command chair, Ian's heart sank to see the Hispaniola was a dark and drifting hulk, but she'd done her duty, the two of the corvettes were now rapidly cooling plasma and the third was a broken wreck.

"Ta the everlastin' glory of Starfleet shines the name Hispaniola."

He murmured, but was interrupted by Randall calling out that the second battleship had locked on! During her two attack runs, Challenger had taken multiple hits despite her maneuvers. Thanks to her Point of Impact shields, none had punched through but a quick glance at the command chair's display showed, even with reinforcement, Challenger's shields were only at 36%.

Ian closed his eyes and sighed, this was it, a full salvo from an undamaged battleship was going to be a death blow. For all his tricks and tactics, he'd failed. Challenger was about to meet her end, but Ian had one more surprise for the Hirogen, simply telling AJ.

"Now!"

Along the spine of the battleship, the 24 photon torpedoes that had been manually thrown from Challenger's aft shuttlebay detonated in one massive cataclysm that not even a Dominion battleship could absorb. The shields, weakened by the strafing runs buckled and photonic fury ravaged the Hirogen ship. The impact was so powerful that in addition to wrecking her warp and impulse engines, it broke the battleship's back, leaving her crippled and drifting wreck.

It was small comfort as Ian gripped the command chair waiting for the blow from the second battleship when a miracle happened.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

| Captain D'Thea | Commanding Officer | Bridge | Command Deck | RFS Keras |

The Challenger fired at close range, bombarding the Venatic battleship with phasers and quantum torpedoes. The ship's speed and maneuverability gave it an edge for the time being while the Hispaniola engaged three hunter corvettes. However, a second Hirogen battleship swung about, intent on destroying Galloway's vessel. The enemy targeted the Challenger, firing its main turret, but missed, thanks to the Federation ship's agility. Target two, with its torpedoes at the ready, revised its attack pattern and gained a lock on the Challenger. Just before it could fire, streaks of green disruptor fire struck the Venatic ship, causing the hull to shudder as the vessel launched its torpedoes into space.

Suddenly, a squadron of twelve Romulan warbirds decloaked off the Hirogen's port bow, their sleek silhouettes streaking by the battleship. Led by the RFS Keras, the warbirds strafed the large vessle in tight formation, firing disruptors that splashed against the behemoth's shields. Each "Red Lady" then cloaked and darted off in various directions.

Commander D'Thea rose from her seat, her eyes locked on the enemy vessel displayed on the screen. A predatory smile crept onto her lips as adrenaline coursed through her veins. "Execute D'Thea Maneuver Alpha!" she commanded. Although some called the Red Ladies "glass cannons," she believed their agility was their greatest strength. As the squadron cloaked, scattered, and reformed, their ships flanked the cruiser from multiple vectors, showcasing their tactical prowess.

"This is Commander D'Thea of the RFS Keras to the Captain of the Challenger. Some of my friends may have breached protocol by crossing the zone unescorted. I hope that doesn't inconvenience you too much. I hate paperwork," she quipped, her tone light. But Galloway's response was drowned out by music blaring from the Challenger. D'Thea winced. "What is that? It sounds like a dying Mogari." With a shake of her head, she cut the comms and focused on the chaos of the battlefield.

The Keras, the Ralor, and the Gath'thong recloaked, making a run at the battleship designated Target One. They closed in, bombarding the giant vessel with disruptors, but the Hirogen struck first, a shot ripping through one of the warbird's wings. The Ralor spiraled out of control, a plume of smoke trailing in its wake.

"Ralor, report!" D'Thea shouted, her heart racing as she gripped the armrests of her chair.

But the Hirogen struck again in ruthless succession. The Ralor erupted in flames that were snuffed out almost immediately by the vacuum of space.

"Commander, we're making hits, but it's not enough," Subcommander Stahn grimaced. "The Hirogen will eventually have the upper hand if we don't increase damage output."

D'Thea nodded, a calm resolve settling over her. "I know," she replied, her voice steady. "Continue with D'Thea Maneuver Alpha." She reopened her communications, this time with a single command. "Now."

Two D'deridex-class warbirds decloaked, firing plasma torpedoes at both battleships. In a deft maneuver, a third ship, an old T'Liss-class Bird-of-Prey, swooped from below Target Two, unleashing its primary plasma torpedo into the Hirogen's main reactor. The combined force of the attack ripped through the second battleship, detonating it in a brilliant inferno that lit up the emptiness of space.

Cheers erupted across the bridge, but D'Thea remained stoic, the weight of the loss of the Ralor lingering in her mind even amidst the victory. She commed the Challenger, her voice steady. "Captain, I'll leave the Dynt and the Vriha in the area to assist while I take my old friend, the Mnhei'sahe, with me to the outpost. Good hunting." As one D'deridex-class vessel moved toward Galloway's ship, the second veered toward the Hispaniola, preparing for the next phase of the mission.

"Commander Said. Do you mind if I crash the party?" D'Thea inquired, a spark of mischief in her eyes as she led her warbirds and the Bird of Prey toward the Horizon and the Voyager.

[Bridge  - USS Challenger]

When the second battleship exploded, Ian sagged in relief. He gestured to Greenway at Ops to open a channel to the Romulan ship.

"Commander, your timin' is impeccable. I nae have words ta thank you enough. I owe you a bottle of whatever you drink. Thank you again. Galloway out."

[Charlotte Fawkes]

Joint

[Therem Estraven | Deck 1, Bridge | USS Horizon NCC-75668-B]

Therem grinned at he took a seat next to Charlotte on the Horizon's bridge. He had mentioned to her before that'd he'd hop back on the Horizon if they needed help, but he didn't expect it to happen so quickly. One minute he was sipping coffee on Solaere, and the next he was on the bridge of ship (still sipping coffee, but no win a spill-proof cup).

"I'd lose my mind if I had to stay on the station. Besides, I feel much safer on the Horizon. Every time I stay on Solaere when you guys head out on a mission, it gets invaded by something."

After getting acquainted with the various sensor displays, Therem took note of all the larger ships in the area. The USS Voyager and USS Challenger and other ships were engaging with Kazon, Hirogen, and Malon forces. There were also reports of Drednok units on the ship, and who knows what else on the giant Borg conduit/unimatrix. To Therem, it seems like a giant raid more than an invasion due to the fact that no planets or bases and been taken over, as there had only been widespread combat between cruisers and battleships so far.

"Ah, so that massive borg-thing is what they were using the asteroids for, I take it? I guess our patented strategy of hurling asteroids at enemy flagships won't work this time."

Once the Horizon zigzagged around and opened fire on some ships, Thetem focused on keeping track of enemy movements. However? once things calmed down he sipped some of his coffee. He produced another cup and slid it over the Charlotte ans she worked.

"They must have some strong leadership holding all the different species and cultures together. Still having the Kazon as allies seems like a weird choice. You'd think they'd swap sides if they were promised that all that Borg tech... Or we can just keep blowing them all up."

[Commander Nira Said | Bridge | Deck One | USS Horizon NCC-75668-B]

Nira looked up at the sight of Therem stepping onto the bridge. When he gave his explanation, Nira nodded. "I understand. I can imagine some of the crew back on the station may feel the same way. Man one of the stations next to mine, Mister Therem," she said with a gesture, indicating either the empty chairs next to hers.

Hearing out Fawkes, Nira nodded. "That can be understandable," she said. "I'd imagine that them and the Relora, the other most powerful sect of the Kazon, essentially make them the Kazon's Big Three."

Therem's analytical words certainly gave Nira brief pondering. "There I can agree, Mister Estrevan," she said. "Somebody had to have brought all the Kazon together. All eighteen sects. One factor in their leadership may have to be their apparent technological prowress, the other having to mobilize against the Federation. I wouldn't be surprised if Voyager was used as a scapegoat to get them motivated..."

| Lt. Fawkes | Science Officer | Deck 1, Bridge | USS Horizon NCC-75668-B |

Charlotte reflected Therem's grin, but she also felt a little guilty for having almost left him behind on the station, especially after his confession. "You have a point, Mr. Estraven," Fawkes chuckled, her eyes involuntarily lingering on him a split second longer. She loved his odd and sometimes macabre sense of humor. "The station seems to come under threat when we're out and about." Fawkes monitored the Kazon Raiders as the Horizon cut through a small squadron of ships. She was impressed with Commander Litt's ability to maneuver the Horizon with such grace and precision, weaving through the chaotic fury of explosions. Another quick scan told her that Solaere was holding her own for the time being.

"Commander," she said, too fast, trying to be quieter and braver than she felt, "I am monitoring the transwarp rift. There are no signs of enemy reinforcements yet, but that could change. I will alert you as necessary."

There was something comforting about having Therem fighting beside her, a calming influence amid the mayhem. His play-by-play commentary was enlightening and entertaining, removing some of the bite from the fight.

"They're using the asteroids to resupply dilithium and tritanium. If we could find an asteroid that's large enough and could throw it uninterrupted, we might destabilize the transwarp rift. There are several ways we could destabilize the rift if we could get close enough."

Fawkes listened to Therem and the commander discussing the Kazon, and while she agreed, there were a few things to consider.

"Yet," she mused, "the enemy has not altered their approach. The Kazon remain scavengers, and the Hirogen continue to hunt, so they have personal motivations that could be exploited." Suddenly, Fawkes noticed a distortion off the Venatic warship's port bow. Sleek, narrow, and silent, the distinctive shape of Romulan warbirds materialized before their sensors. "Commander. It's the Romulans. They've entered the fight."

[Nira Said]

[Commander Nira Said | Bridge | Deck One | USS Horizon NCC-75668-B]

Nira chuckled at Mister Estrevan's words. "Well, we weren't goodly prepared back in the day; this ship is well and goodly prepared now." She looked at Lieutenant Fawkes with interest. "Well, it's good to know our probe is still active. If the Kazon hadn't picked it up in ten days, it's a good sign that we hid it excellently. I hate to say it, though, but we'll need an asteroid as big as a planetoid to take down something that big."

Once the Hirogen entered, things were getting worse. However, the good news was that when Voyager got in proximity to Solaere, it tore through many Raiders enough for them to pull back.

Even with Challenger's trick against the carriers, there was still enough trouble. What was more, Nira spotted some Drednoks - regular ones, not the lesser variants, about three of them - bombarding ships in addition to the weaponries of the Hirogen and Kazon. The Drednoks had that powerful weaponry, and had quite the effect against ships. The Hispanola and the Carlson were now adrift after taking such a beating, and the lesser Drednoks were began swarming while the Raiders circled in vulture behaviors...

...and then a fleet of Romulan ships deloaked and wreaked havoc. The first wave consisted of Red Ladies and Birds of Prey, and then bigger ships decloaked. First two D'Deridex Warbirds, and then seven more: two more D'Deridexes and five Mogai-class warbirds.

"Commander D'Thea!" Nira said when the very Romulan commander chimed in. "Your help is most welcome! Let's see about finishing this fight! Mister Rkeran, hail Solaere," she added, noticing escape pods were launching from the Challenger.

Once the outpost was online, Nira said, "Lieutenant Weir, coordinate with our shuttles see about looking after Challenger's escape pods. We'll help finish up."

With most of the Kazon ships taken out, the only thing left to worry about are the Drednoks. They kept on jumping from Raider to Raider, so it was tricky to get a lock...

...and then all ships began to withdraw, except for a dozen raiders, three with the Drednoks on them. And Nira could see why...the Kelly and her fellows had arrived. Nira could even see the fleet list from her holo-screen from her chair: "It's the Seventh Fleet, they're here!"

"There's one more surprise in store, Commander," V'Larinn added, and Nira could see that a handful more ships have arrived unexpectedly: A small vessel, identified as a Protostar-class starship, designated USS Prodigy. And a hail came in from it: Admiral Janeway, full in uniform, having decided to resume the uniform temporarily for the latest developments.

"Janeway to all ships, apologies for being late. But it's a surprise and delight to see Romulans helping. Admiral Gillespie is following behind with the rest of the fleet."

"We're glad you can make it, Admiral," Nira said in delight.

And the battle might as well have been finished well and truly, especially after some phaser fire accounted for the three Drednoks - Nira wasn't sure whether it came from Challenger or Solaere, although she had to admit something seemed to happen to the Drednoks before their destruction; all that Nira knew was that after the Drednoks were destroyed, the lesser units deactivated, and the Kazon found themselves without backup, and the retreat was well and truly full.

All enemy ships have been driven from the Ciden System, as Nira was glad to see. Janeway then gave the word for all ships to make repairs and for ships to dock with Outpost Solaere. Hispanola and Challenger were given orders to dock their ships at the docking rings and the Prodigy requested permission to dock in the hangar module.

"And our hangar is welcome to you, Admiral," Nira said. Nira looked up to see Voyager and Enterprise flank the Hangar Module and smiled. "Mister Litt, resume docking procedures, take us back to Horizon's new dock under the Twenty-Second Deck," she ordered.

[Richard James Litt]

[Lt. Commander Richard Litt • USS Horizon • Helm]
The battle was over — or at least, the first part of the battle. The fleet, with the aid of the Romulans under Commander D'Thea, had managed to fight off and eliminate the Hirogen and Kazon ships involved in that initial engagement. Unfortunately, there had been Federation casualties. But that was the nature of war... every victory came at such a high cost that it barely felt like a win.

The Horizon had responded well to Litt's commands at the helm. Every dive, every maneuver, every calculated move to create firing space — executed with precision. Though they had taken a few hits, it was safe to say Horizon was far from the most damaged ship after the combat.

While the fighting was ongoing, it felt like there would still be much left to do. But little by little, the fleet gained ground until, finally, the message "The Seventh Fleet has arrived" signaled the definitive end of that first confrontation. It was confirmed by the arrival of Admiral Janeway, as the last of the Kazon and Drednok units dissolved into debris or deactivated like puppets with cut strings.

Now, the commander's voice sounded different. Less tense. Less rushed. Just like Litt himself. With the tension passed, he gradually returned to his usual self — calm, steady, with a composed look and a smooth way of moving.

Said's order to begin docking procedures came and was quickly followed by an "Aye, ma'am". Litt began the Horizon's approach to Outpost Solaere, heading for Docking Port 22. Impulse power was reduced, vector alignment set, a smooth transition into the station's internal approach coordinates. He made minimal adjustments to the lateral angle, prepping the magnetic clamp. It was almost like a dance: the ship gliding between the metallic arms of the hangar, the docking bay lights activating to welcome them. A few minutes later, Horizon was back at the station.

[Therem Estraven]

[Therem Estraven | Deck 1, Bridge | USS Horizon NCC-75668-B] -> [Docking Port 22 | Hangar Module | Outpost Solaere]

The first wave was a long slog of a battle between the Federation and Delta Wave forces. Therem was compeltely occupied by flagging enemy ships and their attacks, tracking any boarding attempts, and monitoring any for anomalies. When the Horizon docked back at at Solaere, he leaned back in his chair for a nice, big stretch. After rolling his neck a few more times and twisting his torso around, he seemed completely loosened up. Still, he was worn out and was thankful that he wouldn't have to be put on watch duty like some of the Federation officers on the bridge.

He gave Charlotte a careful stare, just to make sure she wasn't working herself to exhaustion. Outwardly she seemed fine, and he knew she had a very strong mentality even before the battle. Still, sometimes people (especially military officers) could push a lot of inner turmoil down until it became too much to bear.

"How are you holding up, Charlotte? Personally, I feel like removing my eyes and taking a 13 hour nap. And even though I'm allergic I have this crazy craving for chicken parmesan."

...

Once he was off the Horizon, Therem entered the Promenade to pick up some goods. The vibe on she staiton was... stressful. It was hard not knowing when the next attack could come, or what the overall plan was to thwart the giant Borg-warping that that enabled the invasion. But it had been that way for the past week or so, and Therem was good at adapting to new situations. He picked up what he needed and headed to his suite in as good of a mood as one could be given the situation.

As he slumped into his office, Therem called up his security chief down on Ciden IV.

"I'm still alive up here, unfortunately. Rake, how are our supply stockpiles holding up?"

"We're still good for a while, sir, even after sharing with both the Romulan and Human colonies."

"Sounds good, these Delta Wave people seem more obsessed with the Federation than Ciden IV, a least. Contact me if anything happens planetside."

After the call ended, Therem did his best to rest and rejuvenate before he was called back to the Horizon for another battle.

[CJ Dawson]

[Lieutenant Calindra Hejaran | Forward Torpedo Bay Control | Deck Ten | USS Challenger NCC-40117-A]

The deck lurched violently, nearly knocking Cali off her feet as the ship took another brutal hit. She barely had time to brace before another tremor rattled through the bulkheads, the overhead lights flickering. Somewhere nearby, a conduit blew, sending a shower of sparks raining down.

"Torpedo bay, report!" the CPO barked from his perch.

Cali gritted her teeth, yanking a torpedo into position. "Man down, still loading!" she answered as she noticed someone falling near her.

A groan of pain cut through the chaos. She turned to see Sergeant O'Doyle, the NCO beside her, slumped against the bulkhead, his uniform seared and his right arm useless—badly burned from an exploding plasma manifold. His other hand fumbled at the controls, trying to force through the next launch cycle despite his injuries.

"Sarge, you're done," she said, shoving her shoulder under his to keep him from collapsing outright.

"Like hell I am," he growled, but the pain in his voice betrayed him.

Another impact rocked the Challenger. A torpedo rack seized mid-cycle, the automated loading arm jerking violently as sparks spat from a damaged motor. The warning lights on the control panel flashed red—jammed. If the system locked up completely, they'd be dead in the water.

"We don't have time for this," she muttered, tapping her combadge.

"Forward Torpedo Bay Control to Sickbay, I need an emergency transport—O'Doyle is down!"

A second later, the shimmering blue glow of the transporter engulfed him, and she moved to replace him after he vanished. 

[Doctor Dawson - Sickbay - USS Challenger]

CJ couldn't even breathe between patients; she just needed to go on. It was the adrenaline that fueled her to do so. Her last patient lived and she wasn't even half done cleaning her place when another emergency came in. The man in front of her was in pain, she could see that. "Lay still, I just need this." she grabbed her hypospray from her jacket and gave him some painkillers. "It's nothing." he gritted his teeth in pain, he was tougher than nails. She shook her head whilst the tricorder gave her all the information she needed. "I think you need to be glad your arm is still on." she started immediately with treatment before he could even resist and even sit up and walk away.

After being done with O'Doyle she send him off with a PO to finish his treatment. Sweat was showing on her forehead and she could use some water by now. But it wasn't the time for that because the next thing was already happening. Evacuation of all non-essential personnel. Even though she felt she needed to stay, the logical thing to do was to help others to the escape pods and be in one herself. Her hands were more essential down on the planet or even the station than they were on the ship.

"I'll stay, you go." Doctor Fellows said. CJ's eyes narrowed but before she could even say anything Fellows interrupted. "That's an order Dawson." her gaze was stern but CJ could tell there was so much more that they wanted to say. Only thing she did was nod before making her way to one of the escape pods. The way to the pod was her fighting the urge to walk up to the bridge and take Malik with her but that was not an option. It was fighting everything inside her to abandon the ship, to leave the crew and maybe even her friends there. She even stopped for a moment and almost turned around to walk back. It was for a faint yell that she looked up to estimate where it came from. She looked into one of the corridors on the right but saw nothing there. Then she walked up to the other corridor and heard a softer yell this time. CJ didn't hesitate one moment and started to sprint off to the sound. Under a big pile of debris she saw an arm stick out with light movement. "I'm here, I'm gonna try to get you out." she tried to sound calm but on the inside tension was building up. They needed to get out as soon as possible. She heard a muffled groan and saw some movement and before she knew it she was trying to get the debris out of the way. It took her longer than she wanted but she finally had it removed. A young ensign was laying there more dead than alive. CJ quickly grabbed her tricorder to scan the woman in front of her, it didn't look good. With all of her power she tried to throw her over her shoulder.

It took all of her willpower to finally reach the escape pod, just in time to evacuate. She had strapped the ensign in and finally herself before shooting off into space. Her tricorder in her hand still scanning the person next to her. When and if they finally reached the planet she needed to move fast, hopefully it was a smooth ride.

Of course it was a bumpy ride and the landing wasn't that good at all. The moment they touched down she immediately tapped her combadge.

  Lieutenant Dawson for Outpost Solaere, Medical Emergency beam up for two. 

[Doctor Dawson - Medical Station - Outlost Solaere]

Next thing she knew she was in Solaere's Medbay and the chaos they had before in Challenger's Sickbay continued here. She looked around before yelling. "I need some help over here. She needs immediate attention. Plasma burns, broken bones and some lost metal inside." she didn't even know to whom she was talking to, what she did know is that if they didn't act fast the Ensign would probably die.

[Tekin Nevir]

Days Later...

They were close enough to get readings from Solare, but not close enough to help.  With the ship at red alert, he was ready for anything.  Nevir spent most of the trip in his ready room, making calls to his contacts in the Romulan Free State.  If he couldn't get there soon, he wanted to at least help bring allies. It seemed to have worked and the Romulans were sending a fleet to assist.  With that sigh of relief, he turned to the battle data for the sector. There were incoming signatures already.  Two groups, from both sides.  One Federation, one Romulan.

His attention was interrupted when Ops announced a hail from one of the lead Federation ships. The elder woman in red looked at Nevir for the second time in a week.

"Discovery, you are just in time. Join the fleet formation, you should be dropping out of warp about the same time we do."

"Yes, ma'am. Do we need to come in guns blazing?"

"No, not this time.  It looks like they are already in retreat."

"Understood.  Stand down red alert, lets go to yellow alert."

While Janeway's fleet warped in, a green shimmer was the telltale sign of a slipspace drive, and the Discovery finally arrived at Solare.  Sure enough, the remaining ships were on retreat.

"Sorry Mr. Dersch, you'll have to wait to go guns blazing." Nevir commented, standing up out of his chair.

"Hail the station. Let them know Discovery is ready to assist."

[Lorut Vila]

{USS Discovery-Bridge to Outpost Solaere-various}

Hail the station. Let them know Discovery is ready to assist.

"Aye, sir," she said, and pressed a button.

"Solaere, this is the USS Discovery. LtJG Lorut Vila. We're on standby for orders," she said.

She clicked off the Comms for a moment.

She set the computers to remain in battle-ready mode, and then clicked back on to see if there were any further hails.

The steady tap-tap-tap of her left foot against the metal console base was the only sound while they waited in tense silence. Quietly, the Bajoran ensured that her phaser was on-it was more or less a comfort object for her because even SHE knew that the weapon was no hope in this sort of scenario.

"Captain, Commander. Anything further?" She asked.

[Roswell Parry]

Next thing she knew she was in Solaere's Medbay and the chaos they had before in Challenger's Sickbay continued here. She looked around before yelling. "I need some help over here. She needs immediate attention. Plasma burns, broken bones and some lost metal inside." she didn't even know to whom she was talking to, what she did know is that if they didn't act fast the Ensign would probably die.

The first thing Roswell sensed was the smell. It seemed to travel faster than the sound of the officer screaming. No matter how many times you treat plasma burns, weapon related or otherwise, you never get used to that smell.

"OK, lets get them to surgical suite! The ICU is offline because of the power rationing, this may be as sterile as we are going to get."

He didn't need any medical scans to see the obvious, this patient was circling the drain. Roswell noticed the teal uniform of the officer that brought them in.

"You're a doctor, yeah? I'm going to need help. We don't have enough power for everything, I can get a sterile field up and initialize just enough stasis to keep them from coding. The broken bones aren't a priority, but we need to get this metal out quickly... and I think we are going to have to do it the old fashioned way."

Courtney and The Robert could handle the rest of sickbay for the moment, the patient in front of him would need to take priority. The stasis would help the burns and keep them alive, but they would need a way to subdue the patient and keep the pain at bay. Drugs would help, but...

"Feeva! Get in here quick, we need help!"

[Feeva Drylo]

Feeva had quickly gotten over her earlier anger at Dr. Parry-time simply didn't permit her to hold on to anything. She was currently on her stool, hovering over another injured crewman. The exhaustion was likely visible in her eyes, but she did her best to keep her cheery demeanor. She was just climbing down off the biobed as Dr. Parry's voice rang out.

Feeva! Get in here quick, we need help!

She didn't ask, just ran. In a moment, she had appeared in the surgical ICU.

"Hello, Feeva Drylo, station's Counselor and Assistant CMO," she said to the stranger who stood near Parry. "What do you need?" The question was stupid; she could FEEL why she was needed.

"The pain is centralized to his torso and arm," she said. "I'll do what I can to soothe him. What's his name, Lt-?" She inquired about the woman's name. She fell quiet, and then looked at Parry.

I am Counselor Drylo. I am here with Dr. Parry and your CMO. You'll be ok. Dr. Parry is good at this-he'll keep you alive. 

Well. It was the best she could do, anyway.