The peaceful rest that Sisko was having was broken by the harsh sound of someone coughing. Sisko groaned and staggered upright out of his bunk. The coughing had stopped but now that he was up he may as well make the most of it. He was scheduled to take Defiant out on a quick patrol. His new his ship was looking forward to the chance to stretch her legs. "The poor thing has been cooped up for too long." He thought. "I'll talk to Starfleet about it. See if I can't get them to allow her to fly more often. She deserves it." Defiant was more than capable of flying all on her own but she chose not to. Rather, she'd only fly if she had Sisko with her. Defiant was resting at her dock when he approached her. She looked so precious curled up like she was. She was a small ship compared to the rest of the flee and while she looked cute, it was a mistake to underestimate her. Sisko smiled, placing a hand on her nose. "Hmm..." She murmured. "Wake up sleepyhead. It's time to go." Sisko said. She yawned and awoke fully. "Just give the word captain. I'm ready." She said. "You know you are free to come and go as you please." Sisko said, referring to his free policy of flying around the station's perimeter for his starships. "I know but flying alone is no fun though I am glad you care enough to give me such a freedom." Defiant replied gently. "Sometimes I think you care too much." He said. "Can I help the fact my captain is a kind, handsome, strapping young man?" She purred, pressing her nose against him. He smiled, giving her a gentle pat. "Permission to come aboard?" He asked. "Permission granted." She replied. "Thank you my dear." Once he was on the bridge, Defiant released the docking clamps and backed out of the station. Once clear, she engaged her warp engines and away she went. Sisko tried to make it a point of giving her a routine of workouts at least twice a week. It was part of the reason why she was so efficient. Her fitness level was higher than the average starship. Even Enterprise D had been impressed with her performance during the last fleet inspections.
Having completed the first half of her training loop, Sisko gave Defiant her head. Every few weeks, the starship was allowed to fly at a dead sprint and when she did it was a sight to see. Sisko kept a careful eye on the starship's readings displayed neatly on the monitor in front of him. Everything looked normal until Defiant approached her full speed. Sisko noticed the ship was drawing more Oxygen than usual, her life support systems struggling to compensate. Her core rate was higher than normal as well. Periodic rumbling throughout her hull told him she was panting. "Slow your speed to warp factor 3 Defiant." He ordered. Defiant complied, her hull shuddering. Sisko recognized this as coughing. "Defiant, are you alright?" He asked. "I'm alright captain." She rasped. "I'm taking you back to DS9. Julian will take a look at you." He said. Reluctantly, Defiant left the patrol area and sailed for the station.
When she arrived, Julian was waiting. "What are her symptoms?" He asked as he examined her. "Harshness of breath, increased core rate, coughing. That's all that appeared on the display." Sisko replied. "Defiant, anything you'd like to add?" Julian asked. "Well, I feel a bit off balance when I move, weak almost like..." "Like you're losing your solidity, becoming more like liquid?" Odo said as he came forward. "Yes, but how did you know?" Defiant asked. "Because I had the same thing." Odo replied. "But I couldn't have... It's not designed for ships surely!" Defiant cried. She turned to Sisko. "Tell me there's a cure. Please tell me there's a cure!" She demanded. Sisko sighed. "Well there is but..." "But what?!" "Its back at headquarters. I've ordered for a sample to be brought in but it won't arrive for another 2 weeks." Julian interrupted. "Defiant think, was there anyone you came in contact with in the last 3 weeks?" He asked. "Just-just Sovereign." Defiant replied. "And now she's at Ragnar..." The starship's voice trailed off. "This is not good." Sisko said. "We could have an outbreak on our hands." Julian agreed. "I'm sending out a priority one message for all Starfleet and colonial vessels. Anyone who's come in contact with or shows signs of the virus will congregate at Ragnar. Defiant, I'm taking you there. Think you can make it?" Sisko asked. Defiant straightened up. "Just give the word sir." She replied. He gave her snout a pat. "That's my girl." He said. Defiant left DS9 with both Sisko and O'Brian. Starafleet's chief engineer was valued because of his intimate knowledge of a ship's design.
The journey to Ragnar had sapped the poor ship's strength and she practically staggered into the colonial's base, flopping down at her dock. Sovereign was in the berth beside her. "I blame you." She rasped. "Ugh.." Defiant groaned in reply. She coughed harshly, spitting up a wad of blue gunk. "Eww!" She cried. "Get used to it." Sovereign groaned. Defiant wasn't sure if she wanted to. Several Starfleet ships fell ill in the next few days and now at least a dozen lie in berths at Ragnar. As Sisko walked down the line of sick ships he was very surprised to see "Captain Picard?!" Starfleet's leading captain was stroking the nose of a Sovereign-class. "We were patrolling the neutral zone when she first showed signs of the virus." He said ."I see." Sisko sighed. "How many others might've been infected?" He asked. "That's impossible to say. "Picard replied. "Data's working on a scan of all possibilities now." "I'll wait for his report then." Sisko replied. Picard was distracted as Enterprise moaned something indiscernable. He knelt in front of her. "See to your ship captain, and I'll see to mine." Sisko said. "That's about all we can do now." Picard sighed as Sisko walked back to his own ship. Defiant was sleeping restlessly, twisting and turning in her berth as she tried in vain to find some position that was comfortable and all the while practically coughing her lungs out. He would've helped her with anything in a heartbeat but here, he was powerless. He could only hope the antidote would come in time.
At 03:00 the next day, Ragnar had it's first casualty. From the outset, USS Mushashi had been weaker than most. She was still recovering from a nasty bout of influenza, courtesy of one of Galaxy's petri dishes and her immune system wasn't up to par. She was doomed from the outset. Though she dwarfed the starship in size, colonial flagship Aurora was determined to stick by Musashi's side. The Galaxy-class was barely responsive. Hours earlier she'd pleaed with the battlesar to stay before falling back asleep. Aurora proised not to go anywhere and she was keeping by that promise. Sisko watched from beside Defiant, powerless, as Musashi turned pale and her faintly rising and falling flanks suddenly stilled forever. Aurora bowed her head and touched her snout gently to the starship's cold, still flank, murmuring a quick prayer. "So say we all..." She finished brokenly. She bestowed a kiss on the starship's saucer before she backed away. Enterprise called out to her. The Federation flagship and the battlestar had a long history going back nearly 3 centuries when the first Enterprise found Aurora's mother, Galactica, and eventually her as well. Throughout her subsequent incarnations the two remained inseparable as ever. Enterprise loved Aurora and the feeling was mutual though the battlestar already had a mate in Triton. Nevertheless, Aurora had no choice but to dock beside Enterprise offering what little comfort she could. "I can't see you Aurora." Enterprise whimpered. "I-I can't..." "Shhh." The battlestar whispered soothingly. "You have a very high temperature. It must be affecting the circuits of your implants, causing them to malfunction somehow." "Aurora, where are you! I can't see you!" Enterprise wailed fearfully. "Enterprise, listen to me! You can't see but you can hear." Aurora growled. "And you can feel." She pressed her hull up against her. "I am right here beside you and I'm not going anywhere, do you understand?" She growled. Enterprise nodded, burying her bow into Aurora's side. Though she barely had any room at all, the battlestar extended her starboard flight pod over Enterprise, enveloping the starship in a sort of embrace. One which Enterprise happily settled into.
Defiant, having seen Musashi's death murmured "It'll be me next." A second later the whole base heard a loud squeal as she recoiled, her nose throbbing from the swat she'd just received. On the dock stood Sisko, fist still raised. "Don't let me ever hear you talk like that again Defiant. You are not going to die!" He moved forward, placing a more gentle hand on her snout this time. "I'm not going to let you die, understand?" He whispered. She nodded, resting her head down on the dock. He knelt beside her. "Just rest. You'll feel better soon, I promise." He said. "Is the cure coming soon?" She asked. "It'll arrive within 2 days." Sisko replied. She whimpered and closed her eyes, her harsh breathing evening out somewhat as she fell asleep.
It was another few weeks before all the ships were medically cleared and no one was more happy than Defiant. She flew around happily, doing somersaults and flips and spins as she raced around Ragnar grinning and giggling a mile a minute. Enterprise rested in her dock. Though she herself was clear, she lacked the energy her younger counterpart had. Aurora was beside her. "Youth, wish I had their energy." Enterprise chuckled. Aurora smiled. "Let's just hope she calms down soon enough." She said. "Knowing Defiant, that's gonna be never." Enterprise deadpanned while Aurora just laughed.