All characters (except for James Anez) are owned by their respective copyrights along with the technology, names (other than Emerald Dawn) and systems. The story is hopefully my own and don't sue me if I accidentally stole your story ..

Prologue

"What the hell is that thing?" Commander Riker asks Data, who is seated at the Ops station. "Sir, I have no idea. This ship does not match with any known configuration in the Federation Database. Captain Picard stands and loosens his collar as he looks out onto the view screen. There faces a large, grey, wedge sitting in their path. "Try hailing them…" A ringing sound emanates from the security console run by Lieutenant Worf. "Sir, comm channels are open." "This is Captain Jean Luc Picard of the Federation Starship Enterprise. Can we assist you?"

Crossing his arms, Captain James Anez looks out at the strange ship before him. "What is this thing?" "Captain apparently it's the Starship Enterprise belonging to the United Federation of Planets." His comm officer states. "Tch, never heard of this Federation…patch me through to this...Enterprise." "Right away sir..."

"Captain, we're getting a response." "Onscreen." The view screen switches over to Captain Anez's torso and face. "Unknown vessel you have entered Federation space, please state your business." Picard asks politely as any Federation officer would. "My business? Why is it any concern of yours? This is the Imperial Star Destroyer Emerald Dawn. I suggest you move out of our way. We're on important, classified, business." Captain Anez nods his head towards the comm. officer showing that he wants the line cut. "Damn is he annoying, maybe he'll do the smart thing and back away."

Captain Picard walks back to his chair and adjusts his uniform. "Well, they weren't very polite now were they?" He asks his second-in-command or his "number one". A warning arises from the tactical console behind them, "Sir, they are charging weapons!" "Perhaps that was an understatement. Red Alert! Raise shields and charge phasers!"

"Captain they're charging their weapons…do you want me to power up the ion batteries?" his weapon's officer asks Anez. "Hmm, let's see how hard they bite. Eh?" The weapon's officer smiles and orders the gunnery sergeant to fire a small burst of the ion batteries to port after they've adjusted. "Ok navigation, you know what to do. Basic firing pattern, port firing maneuvers." The ship spins around show all of its guns on the port side are in full view to the Enterprise.

"What the?! All hands brace yourselves!" Picard yells to the bridge crew. Small blue bursts flow out of the massive cannons of the Star Destroyer. The blue bursts blend into the flashing blue shields of the Enterprise. "Sir, shield strength has been reduced to seventy percent."

"Damage report?"

"No damage reported, only shields have been weakened."

"Doesn't seem they're too strong, fire phasers on those guns."

The Galaxy-class ship elegantly spins through space as it aligns the phaser rings on top of the saucer section of the cruiser. The entire ring glows red for a quick second and an orange beam of light flies out of the ring and impacts into the Emerald Dawn's shields. The light does not last for long and the shields seem to have taken no damage. "That's all they can dole out?! Hah! How weak! Obliterate them!" The captain of the Dawn orders to his crew.

"Should we launch fighters?"

"No no, we can easily take out this target. Continue to use the ion batteries but in stronger bursts. Let's destroy their shields first and then maybe they will move. We have to be civil about this after all." The entire bridge crew cracks a smile after this snide remark. With the beeping and pressing of buttons, the roar of energy being ripped out of the cannons can be faintly heard on the bridge as James watches the blue bursts pound into the Enterprise.