Stardate 94150.44
Introduction
One of the problems about Utopia Planitia was it size, each Drydock had to be connected via Conduits to a Hub, which then connected to a Spire, which usually had Hangar Bays and several Checkpoints in order to proceed into the Hubs and Drydocks.
Unlike the other Docks, Dock 9 of Spire 18 was much larger than the standard Drydock, trumping even Hub 21's Docks which had been used to produce the Odyssey class. It was here in Dock 9 that a dream was finally coming to fruition.
It had been 6 months since the Fleet Admiral's little Jaunt to the previously unknown Kelvin Timeline. Which, in the aftermath of a need for a new Dreadnought platform resulted in the wishes of one Admiral Marcus coming to fruition. Utopia Planitia, already spun up to produce Odyssey classes had been easily been able to modify Dock 9 to accommodate for the Dreadnought class's enlarged platform compared to the Odyssey.
As such, the first of the new Vengeance-class, USS Kronan NCC-92828 was ready to set sale.
—
Utopia Planitia Shipyards - Spire 18, Dock 9 - Bridge - USS Kronan
Admiral's Log: Stardate 94150.44 - Kronan, finally having been built after much deliberation is ready to set sail. Home to about 3,500 crew, she'll hopefully be the first in a long line of new warships much like the Arbiter class to defend the Federation against any threat, no matter the time. Unfortunately, we seem to have a serious problem, Kronan's original deployment date was pushed forward. As such, over half Kronan's Damage Control Engineers are racing to meet Kronan in the Regulus System before she completes her Training Exercise with the Galaxy Class, Olexa.
"So you mean to tell me, after Quinn's held up deliberations, we finally get Kronan?!"
"Calm down Lt. no need to bust everybody else's ears, we can barely see you anyway…...Computer lights"
The Bridge, previously unnavigable, suddenly lit up on command. Displays and the Holotable at the back whirred to life, providing system readiness displays and structural integrity percents.
"Captain, I'll be in my ready room, try to answer the Lieutenant's questions about Kronan…..and, while you're at it, send an Ensign from the dock up, I need to make sure all the paperwork is done before we set sail."
"Aye Admiral, Now Lieutenant, about that new power core….." The Xindi-Reptilian drifted off
Unlike the standard bridge that every Vengeance class had, the back wall of Kronan's bridge had been moved back, allowing a Holotable to be utilised to help conduct Fleet Maneuvers. Directly to the left and right of the Holotable were the Ready Rooms for both the Captain and myself. It was here that I began through the long and arduous task of beating the influx of paperwork that the Dockyard Ensign had brought in….
—
After a gruelling hour of getting through paperwork and another hour or so arguing about the fact almost 2 Cargo Bay's worth of Neutronic Torpedos had mysteriously been rerouted to the Vulcan Shipyards instead of Kronan's dock at Utopia Planitia, it was time to launch off and head to Regulus to have a knock around with Olexa.
"Lieutenant Zel, cut all moorings and request to leave the Yards, Lieutenant Commander Zeta, coordinate with our resident Chief Engineer, tell Zarva I want our Warp Core ramped up to 120% of normal to test it before dropping down to 85% efficiency. Commander Vakel, have our Antiproton Arrays and Torpedo Launchers partially warmed up, just enough to have them ready incase we get ambushed by Olexa before we reach the Gunnery Range, that Captain has a few too many tricks up her sleeve, and Captain Tholra, avoid crashing Kronan into those stars out there, I don't know how you passed the Academy but try to avoid ramming us into the stars. I don't think any of us enjoyed repainting the hull of the Pincer, T'Nae certainly didn't".
There were laughs all around as everybody remembered T'Nae's haughty expression after the Admiral had been told that the Arbiter class Battlecruiser required time in Spacedock to have a new paint-job done.
"On the other hand, Captain, please engage warp"
"Aye sir, Helm, get us to Transwarp 34 for our flight to Regulus."
"Aye sir" The Breen swung his chair around and Kronan went to warp.
—
Regulus System - Starfleet Gunnery Range
Four Hours Later
"Vakel, lock onto Olexa's Impulse Manifolds and fire, redirect Torpedo Tube 4 to prioritize those Fighters she's dropping, Zel, see if you can use our thrusters and fling us around, have Leeta drop our Assualt Drones out the back, see if they can slowly get under her shield grids to fire at her Shield Generators!".
Unlike others of her class, Kronan had her blueprints modified, mainly as to whether or whether to not utilise RCS Accelerators and utilise Thrusters. RCS Assemblies had the advantage of being protected inside the hull while Thrusters allowed Kronan to turn quick but were easier to destroy. In the end, Kronan's planned RCS Assembly had been stripped out and replaced with state of the art Impulse Thrusters, a blend between the usual thrusters and a pair of impulse engines. This allowed her to maneuver like a Heavy Cruiser aka the Resolute class while still retaining her formidable firepower and defensive systems.
"Firing now". Vakel seemed to slowly speak as the first of Kronan's Antiproton Beam Arrays, optimised for Armour Penetration and Critical Damage (aka smashing hull plates so bad they needed to be fully replaced instead of repaired) spoke, easily smashing through hull plates at their simulated yield. Lieutenant Exil, having seemingly planned for this, launched a nasty little Virus, designed to knock out the Sensors and Cloak so Kronan could slip back into her own
Battle Cloak, stolen from a Voth Vessel who had only been "to kind" to Pincer.
"Phew, Leeta, keep those drones harassing Olexa, don't give them too many commands though, otherwise Captain Aurelia's Sensor Officer will pick up our signal. 0718, how's sickbay going?."
"Fine sir, only a couple of minor injuries when they started lobbing their Quantum and Neutronic Torpedoes sir!"
Olexa had gotten the jump on Kronan, materialising from Stealth and raining hell with their forward torpedo tubes, having gotten their Stalkers to form a Tachyon Detection Grid,
previously having only been avaliable to Nebula classes. Those torpedos, having stuck directly at Kronan's secondary hull, had smashed into Hangar 4 and ruined a whole flight of Assualt Drones with their simulated yield. Damage Control is still trying to contain the fire in order to open the hangar doors, allowing us venting the oxygen from the hangar and stifling the flames. Main Engineering isn't pretty either, one of those Quantum Phase Torpedos had been able to "knock out" (in the Computer's Simulation) a EPS Junction, whacking the stolen Voth Battle Cloak offline and in the process weakening the aft shield grid with energy flowing to it from 4 junctions and not 5.
"Zel, see if you can orient us for an Alpha Strike, Vakel drop everything on them, Antiproton Beams, Neutronic Torpedos, hell even our Retrofitted Antiproton Broadside Beam Array, everything to their max simulated yield. Nelen Exil, drop a Grav Well on them, see if you can cluster the Stalkers together with their mothership, see if the computer will register their simulated warp cores going up as damage to their shield."
My chair swings about to face the Reptilian, standing at the Holotable with Leeta who was busying toying with Olexa's defence turrets, The Reptilian looks up.
"Drop our Cloak, and see if you can also get Commander Four of Nine to confuse them with our EW suite, hell, use our Distortion Tech we stole from Vosk before Destiny went boom, whatever you do, do not let them lock onto our signature before Vakel is done emptying the Simulated Neutronic Torpedos and Antiproton Beam Arrays".
"Yes sir" The Xindi strode off to a console located at the back right of the bridge, tapping a few buttons and launching a Distortion as Kronan broke from stealth, Olexa's shields vaporising as the full simulated force of Kronan spat death at her playmate. Olexa seemed to shudder as the Computer's Training Mode registered dozens of simulated breaches and fires. Not soon after, Olexa seemed to run dark as it's Computer's Training Mode registered the Warp Core going critical, putting an end to the match.
"Sir, we are being hailed by Olexa. Captain Aurelia seems to be signalling defeat,"
"Open a channel, let her know we accept the defeat and…." It is at this moment in time as Aurelia appears on the screen, her image is unceremoniously thrown to one side as Daniels takes up the other half of the view screen. "Daniels…..". A low growl seems to erupt from the Fleet Admiral as he mentally prepares to slam through the view screen to kill Daniels.
"Fleet Admiral, Captain, I'm afraid I'll have to borrow your time, at 0300 hours, we lost contact with Temporal Fleet Command, I need you to head to the Gamma Quadrant specifically to New Khitomer."
"This Daniels, is the last bloody time I'll deal with your shit". Each word seemed grated out as the Admiral's fist clenched. "First you make me deal with your Doomsday Machine, then you want me to smash the Sphere Builders in a different reality and last time, you asked me to bash the Vorgons into submission and in the process, damn near vaporise half of Pincer's Spaceframe. We're damned lucky we dropped back home, in the correct time with a single jury rigged nacelle!"
"Ah yes about…"
"This Is The Last Time I Do Your Job"
"Uh Admiral, who exactly is Daniels…"
"Xiomek, drop the channel, send him a text message saying that we'll do his job one last time, have Captain Aurelia meet me at the Conference Room, we need to talk"
"Aye Sir", the Reman swings around and types rapidly at his console.
"Tholra, you have the bridge, keep me informed if we have problems."
"Aye sir", As I head into the turbo lift, the Xindi drops down into the Captain's Chair, barking out orders as Kronan and Olexa jump to warp.
—
Stardate 476999.19
New Khitomer System
"Temporal Transit complete sir" Nelen Exil looks up from his console, while his hands seem to finish typing on his console. "We have arrived in the New Khitomer System, reading a small blockade between us and Temporal Fleet Command. Our "esteemed" guest seems to have an idea of how to proceed."
"Ah yes, Captain, Fleet Admiral seeing as both your ships have cloaks, I was wondering if we could….."
Ordering Exil to drop him, I signal Olexa. "What do you have in mind?". Curtly nodding, I drop a message via PADD, quickly outlining a plan for us to wipe out the entire blockade and smashing those dastardly little Kremim into the ground.
"Ah"
"I'll be launching our Drones within minutes, I assume your Stalkers will be ready?"
"Yes sir",her image drops and replaces itself with a view of Temporal Fleet Command.
"Leeta, drop our drones, time for Noye to have a little wake up call"
"Yes sir", the drones drop and speed off, closely followed behind by Olexa's Stalker Flights, already masking their energy signatures as the drones tear into the feeble resistance offered by the Na'khul and Kremim Frigates. "Zel, have us and Olexa drop out of Slipstream here, at Mark 04 by 218, get our broadsides and torpedoes locked on. If Aurelia has any MACO's tell her to drop them into the corridors of Temporal Fleet Command, she'll be able to do it safely if she drops Olexa about to our left."
While Exil and Zel go about their jobs, I go and grab a Coffee from the Chair's inbuilt replicator, savouring the taste as we drop out of Slipstream and the Drones and Stalkers, having stripped the tinny frigates into space dust begin their assault on the Krenim Battleships and Na'khul Battlecruisers.
"Drop our cloak now, Vakel, full broadside, drop a few Neutronic Cluster Torpedos out the side while your at it as well, R&D wants some feedback about them. They seem interesting enough but….." The Coffee spills as the first Neutronic Cluster Torpedo explodes against an Acheros, completely destroying her forward plasma emitters and her plasma wave projectors. Secondary explosions dot across her flank, the EPS Junctions almost exploding in order.
"Sir, escape pods launching from N.V. Stripper, shall we stop them sir?"
"No, they are of no harm, however if they attempt to get close to us, shoot to disable, no point in supposedly alienating us further."
"Understood, Leeta, you mind targeting… There we go, that's another Acheros down"
"Tholra, take over, have Captain Aurelia meet me over at Temporal Fleet Command with her finest. Exil, 0718 your with me. Zeta, as our resident Intelligence Officer, see if you can crack the programming code of those unlaunched lifeboats first, see if that gets you a back door into their systems"
A chorus of Aye Sirs come up as Exil and myself enter the turbo lift, heading direct for the Armoury.
—
We beam down, having armoured up in those new spiffy and stolen Herald Tactical Combat Armours, smoke and little fires blaze around from M/AM explosions that Photon Grenades caused.
Aurelia salutes me before her team sprints off down the corridor, their Phaser Rifles blazing. Exil pulls out an Omega Force Antiproton Carbine, most often utilised by MACO's in a close quarters situation. 0718 pulls out a Kelvin Timeline Phaser Rifle, having been modified to fire fully automatic while still retaining the Bolt and Sniper Modes. I pull out a unique weapon, utilised by Khan Noonien Singh of the alternate reality, literally a starship grade weapon, the Boolean Heavy Assault Cannon fires every second in return for one dead enemy.
Sprinting off after them, and easily covering the distance, (Herald Tactical Combat Armours seem to have exoskeleton motors designed to boost speed and defensive capabilities) we catch up with them and several MACO's shooting in the Entrance Hall as Krenim and Na'khul beam off the transporter pads to assist their comrades. Too bad Zeta managed to figure out how to mount Micro Chroniton Torpedoes into our suits.
Three sprays of Micro Chronitons slam into the bunkering Na'khul and Krenim, throwing them all over the place as the MACO's advance, pulling out Pulsewaves and utilising both the Grenade Launchers mounted underneath and the pulsewaves themselves, easily disembowelling the enemy at such close range, almost creating a bounce effect as we sprint past, throwing ourselves into another pack of Krenim, scattering them like bowling pins.
Unlucky for us, they seemed to have locked the door in the Ampitheatre, unlucky for them a real time link with Kronan's Intelligence Officer seems to crack the code in seconds, instantly giving us access to the Ampitheatre. Daniels who had been beamed down with Aurelia's team seems to sprint inside, soon followed by MACO's, and our respective teams.
"Specialist Krog, we meet again, i'm surprised Jarok let you out, Bolarus, oh looky, how is Ajur by the way, is she here?" snarks Aurelia. No surprise, she seemed annoyed that she couldn't take custody of Krog and "peacefully" resolve the Vorgon dispute.
Both seem to growl and Krog's hand gently moves to her sword, gripping it and flexing her fingers, both seemed to be held back by the third figure standing between them. The Envoy…
"So here it is, the so called Guardians of the Future…" He babbles on and I take the time to have the MACO's reorient to a flanking position.
"But we seem to be missing someone and yadda yadda yadda". The Envoy loves his voice, and just as soon as I arm the Boolean to wipe the smirk of his face, we hear shots, Mirror Leeta not Mirror Holo-Leeta, as in the one aboard Kronan decloakes behind us smashes a phaser beam into Daniels, instantly killing him. MACO's instantly start shooting as she beams off with Noye, aka the Envoy, big deal there.
Krog sprints towards me, I drop the Cannon and parry her blow with my own Assasin's Blade, curtesy of the Lobi Crystal Consortium. Aurelia and the others smash Bolarus into the ground, their respective weapons hammering into him like no tomorrow. Krog who seems taken aback by Bolarus's quick demise, seems to falter and I push the advantage, smashing the pommel of the sword over her head before decapitating her, making her only a head shorter.
By this time, Xiomek, ever so grateful for that cross trained Science/Comms Officer rings in, informing us that the ISS Enterprise is impulsing away like no tomorrow. Bad luck for Leeta, Aurelia and I are out for blood.
—
There are some things that we all hated about Daniels, his constant need for us, his overbearing need for a lengthy mission briefing on the view screen and most of all, his need to interrupt everyone to but in his points.
I think we all missed his comments.
Probably too late to admit it though, I think as I step out of the turbo lift, having dropped off 0718 at Sickbay, and leaving our armour and weapons dumped outside the armoury, poor Karara'Clan. The Jem'Hadar is Chief of Security after all. Zel ever so on the ball is already typing in an intercept course as Olexa trundles ahead, having beamed up her MACO's. She begins gaining on Enterprise before being rudely shoved back by a Krenim Battlegroup and its swarm of mines, most of them careening wildly into her saucer, leaving little marks on the paint.
Bad Luck for them.
Kronan having caught up to her shipmate begins lancing her beams into the remaining warships as Olexa dispatches a warship from the Na'khul Battle Group Virtuous Destiny. Man they have a grudge, prioritising Federation Targets when faced with the combined Alliance Fleet.
With the mines and completely laughable resistance offered to Kronan, we chase after Enterprise, Leeta's drones ramming the Na'khul warships attempting to decloak and fire upon us. Pity, we could've used some extra pieces of Na'khul tech, especially those distortions, Kronan might have it but Olexa and most of the fleet don't, what a waste.
Mirror Leeta, who finally twirls Enterprise around seems to gleeful smirk at us from the view screen as she decloaks her rather numerous fleet of Mobius Temporal Destroyers. Or, was numerous.
Vakel and Olexa's Tactical Officers hammer away, wiping a dozen Mobius Destroyers off the holotable's plot. Leeta's Drones and Olexa's Stalkers knocking out most of the remainder. Mirror Leeta, who seems rather enraged at her fleet blowing up like fireworks leads the charge against us with a handful of Mobius Destroyers, soon fleeing as we pick off her escorts before she even gets in range.
Oh well, a missed opportunity to show why even our Enterprise lost against Kronan.
By the time we catch up to her at the edge of the system, she's already in formation again with dozens of Temporal Defence Front Warships facing us. Noye and the Annorax casually giving us a wave as they all streak off to Procyon V. Oh well, at least those Assualt Drones knocked out part of her propulsion system before she left. She'll be running there at a sedate Warp 7 instead of Transwarp Velocities.
Quinn hails us, asking us for our mission reports and personnel casualties lists. Starfleet might dislike the concept of revenge, but Kronan's dedication plaque has a saying.
"Revenge, is best served cold."
End