"Standby on all weapons, track them!" Captian Drayson snapped. Mara Jade stood behind him, watching the tactical displays and glancing out of the view ports. One of the Federation ships was flashing underneath their bow, angry red beams slashed out at their shields, followed by a series of small missile weapons that exploded against the prow of the Adjudicator in an impressive light show.

"Their torpedoes are inferior to the Borg weapons we encountered, sir." Drayson's tactical officer reported.

"Keep them in range, set the heavy turbolasers to flak mode, and don't give them time to use this warp drive of theirs." Drayson glanced back at Mara. "My troops are assembling in the hangar bay, will you want to join them?"

"Of course, Captain, but I want to see this Federation in action. So far I am not impressed." Mara replied coolly.

"Sir, the other two Federation ships are moving away from us at high sublight speed. Should we destroy them?"

"Focus on this foolhardy soul. Prepare a barrage from our ion cannons, I want him disabled as soon as possible before he realizes that he is outclassed and outmatched."

"I believe he is covering for the other two ships to escape." Mara commented.

"They will not escape us for long. The flak is pretty thick out there, it should provide enough of a disturbance to keep them from initiating their super light engines. Besides, I have a surprise for those two." Drayson replied. She watched him, he was like a sentry dog let loose, and he roamed his bridge like some predator, overjoyed at the prospect of combat. Lord Marek and Admiral Daala had chosen the right man for this mission. Captain Drayson and the Adjudicator had the most kills of Borg cubes since they arrived in this place, and back home he had made a name for himself on the rim, hunting rebel ships, single handedly destroying a Mon Cal cruiser that had tried to ambush them. He was vicious and single minded, with a penchant for flashy strategies that more often than not worked spectacularly.

"We have the Federation ship bracketed."

"Bring down his shields and hit him with the ion cannons."

"Aye sir."

The Federation ship pirouetted gracefully over the Adjudicator, firing her weapons in a continuous mode and doing almost nothing against the Adjudicator's shields. The impotent display would have taken the heart out of any Imperial crew yet these Federation ships did not seem to falter in the face of defeat.

"They are impressive in their courage and grace." Mara said quietly.

Drayson sneered.

"Courage and grace do not win victories, Ms. Jade. Power does."

With those words a volley of turbolasers struck the Federation ship. The shield bubble flashed an angry red for a brief moment then failed. A stream of white ion blasts cascaded over the ship, tendrils of electricity jumped around from nacelle to hull and the Federation ship seemed to darken, its movement slowed.

"The ship has been disabled sir."

"Bring her in close with the tractors, get the assault ship ready, and inform the troopers that I want that ship intact."

"Yes, Captain."

"The other two ships?"

"Relay their positions to the Executioner, bring her into this fight."

"Aye captain."

"Ms. Jade, the assault ship leaves momentarily." He reminded her. Mara nodded and stalked off the bridge.