A History Lost?
One
Prior to the Dominion War the USS Defiant NX-74205 (Defiant-class Escort), an United Federation of Planets Starship based at Federation/Bajoran space-station Deep Space Nine at the mouth of the Bajoran Wormhole in the Alpha Quadrant, was tasked with long range exploration/scouting missions into the Gamma Quadrant. These missions were generally long and uncomfortable especially on a ship as small as the Defiant it was designed for combat no exploration. Starfleet knew that this and that an Intrepid-class or Nova-class would be better suited to this type mission. Unfortunately because the Gamma Quadrant was dangerous, with the Dominion having eyes in most systems, Starfleet couldn't risk sending a general explorer-type vessel.
Relaxing on the Defiant was almost impossible mainly due to the cramped conditions so Captain Benjamin Lafayette Sisko often took to sitting on the bridge in the command chair, even when not needed as part of his duties, sometimes he'd just sit and listen to his crew work other times he'd deal with some of the paper work he needed to do for Deep Space Nine, the perfect escape from a long mission.
Often these missions yielded little to change Starfleet's impression of the Gamma Quadrant however one mission changed Earth's history, in a way no-one thought possible, and Starfleet's perception of the Galaxy and the universe. "Another long mission almost done, and what to answer for it? Sensor logs of a new rogue comet, two more races under the heel of the Dominion and a lot of aches and pains." Chief of Operations Miles O'Brien said from the engineering console at the front port side of the bridge, it was a light-hearted moan from the Irishman and the usual on the Defiant's bridge the staff were encouraged to voice opinions and let out their tension when there was nothing else happening.
"You forgot all the technical malfunctions and glitches you found Chief, another technical manual to write beckons." The Trill Helm/Science officer Lt. Jadzia Dax quipped, she sat almost leisurely at the Helm console just ahead of the main view screen as the Defiant travelled at warp towards the Wormhole, a less experienced eye may think that she was not interested in what was going on at her console, but Sisko knew her better than that. Jadzia was a joined Trill and so the Dax symbiont that shared her life had lived in several hosts experienced several lives, the Captain had known the previous host Curzon, a Federation diplomat, and he knew that the dedication to duty that Curzon and Jadzia shared ensured that Jadzia was fully concentrating on her work while enjoying the banter of the bridge.
"With this ship, I could write a dozen already Lieutenant." O'Brien shot back, when he retired he probably would write a dozen tech manuals, although the Chief wouldn't trade her with any other ship in the fleet. The Defiant was overpowered for her size and that cause the ship to be a handful to the Engineering team as well as any potential enemies. Even as he was speaking to Dax the Chief was tinkering with some of the Defiant's systems, Sisko had no idea what he was doing but no doubt it would improved the ship in some way. When Sisko had served at the Utopia Planetia Shipyards, in orbit of Mars, he had watched the Defiant grow from a keel to a starship, one designed to fight the Borg, however it was O'Brien and his engineers who had turned the Defiant into a ship that could serve Starfleet in a far broader duty.
"Captain, we're receiving a distress call" Major Kira Nerys, his Bajoran Executive Officer at communications officer said as always she was all business. "Sir, it's in English" she reported stunned, English was almost unheard of in the Gamma Quadrant and there were no missing Starfleet or Earth-registered craft in the Gamma Quadrant to Sisko's knowledge.
"Put it up" Captain Benjamin Sisko said, sitting on the central chair, now all business.
"It's in audio only" Kira said patching in the channel. The bridge's speakers crackled into life with a female voice coming over the bridge.
"This is Colonel Tanya Ward, commander of the Phoenix, to the attacking craft. We are from the planet Earth and are on a peaceful mission." The voice said over an explosion and after a few moments "…launch all fighters, bring the main weapons array online." Colonel was not a Starfleet rank. As far as Sisko knew the starship USS Phoenix was a light exploration craft missing in the Beta Quadrant half a Galaxy away. Around the bridge the crew looked totally stunned but not the Captain, who seemed to take it in his stride standing up from the central chair.
"Major, get a fix on that transmission. Dax, set a course maximum warp. Mr Worf" he said looking over at the Klingon Tactical Operations officer at the weapons console "Arm Quantum Torpedoes, Drop the Cloak and raise shields. We're going in!" He said defiantly, the command crew began immediately following his orders, although Sisko did not know who was in trouble he intended to find out and why they claimed to be from Earth. The Defiant transformed from being a cramped vessel not designed for its job to a Warship, the only real Warship in the Federation's Starfleet, ready for combat. "Bridge to sickbay, Doctor we have encountered a situation with possible casualties, possibly human, be prepared for anything. Have security standing by."
"Yes, sir" the English doctor said across the comm. without a single thought to ask why his patients would be human so far from Earth?
A few minutes past and the Defiant dropped out of Warp near the distress call the cloaking device, on loan from the Romulan Star Empire, was lowered it hid the ship but didn't provide any protection from weapons, instead the shields raised. "Report" Sisko ordered as the view screen zoomed in. On the screen Sisko could see three small bug-like purple Jem'Hadar Attack Ships that were circling and firing their weapons on an unidentified larger craft which appeared to be equipped with powerful shielding. The larger vessel was of a design and configuration he had never seen before with a long flat upper hull, with a command tower towards the rear, forward there was a slanted nose while along either side there was what appeared to be two shuttle bays in pods that were about half the length of the forward hull. The vessel was firing on the Jem'Hadar vessels with projectile and missile weapons, long abandoned by most space faring races humanity included.
"Sir, three Jem'Hadar Attack Ships attacking a single craft. Unknown classification, sensors are unable to penetrate its shields or hull. Defiantly the source of the distress call, the Jem'Hadar are currently jamming all communications." Kira reported basically what they were seeing. Looking at the unknown vessel firing at the Jem'Hadar craft Sisko could tell their weapons were having very little effect which was more than a little impressive.
"Sir, I'm also detecting several small two person craft, shuttle size, attacking one of the Jem'Hadar craft." Worf reported the view screen focused in a pair of fighters with grey hulls forward swept wings and a dual cockpit, the fighters were firing standard missiles and some sort of projectile weapon similar to the weapons being used by larger craft. "Their weapons are not being effective."
"Understood, Major break that jamming and give me a channel to the Jem'Hadar, Mr Worf target the Jem'Hadar but do not fire until I command." The Klingon nodded as did Kira, he had a channel. "Dominion vessels this is Captain Benjamin Sisko, commander of the USS Defiant. You are ordered to end your attacks or be fired upon." Sisko said drawing a line in the sand, within the Dominion Sisko and the Defiant were well known and respected adversaries. One of the Jem'Hadar Attack Ships broke off heading for the Defiant firing its Poloron Beams hitting the Defiant's port shields doing only light damage, the other two craft continued to circle and attack the craft known only as Phoenix.
Despite the bombardment from the two remaining vessels the unknown craft's shields continued to hold, a Starfleet explorer starship's shields would likely have failed from this amount of fire. "Dax, Attack Pattern Omega 3, target the ships attacking the Phoenix. Commander Worf, Quantum torpedoes at your discretion." Sisko ordered as was the case of his command, the officers with hands-on dealt with the problems and his orders, within moments the Defiant was moving quicker and rapidly changing its direction of travel.
As the Defiant manoeuvred into attack position nearer the two attacking Jem'Hadar craft the Phoenix lashed out with a pair of new weapons paired focused plasma beams. These beams struck out from the forward section of the Phoenix hitting the attacking Dominion craft on the amidships shielding. The Jem'Hadar's shields rippled with the hit, the craft changed its direction of travel with a new respect for the Phoenix's weapons. "Impressive" Worf grumbled, most Starfleet vessels would fail to have that kind of impact on the Jem'Hadar's thick shields.
The Defiant was not most Starfleet ships, however, Worf focussed on the undamaged Jem'Hadar craft first. From the forward launchers, set into the vessel's compact hul, four quantum torpedoes fired. The powerful matter/anti-matter torpedoes crossed the gap between the Defiant and the Jem'Hadar craft slamming into the Dominion vessel near the warp nacelle pylon on the port side. The resulting explosions tore the pylon apart sending the vessel into an uncontrollable spin before it exploded in a ball of flame.
As the Dominion lost one of their craft another was in position to attack the Defiant. Its Poloron beams struck out hitting the Defiant's aft shields, the whole ship rocked with the hit, though the Defiant carried heavy shields the kinetic energy from a hit was always felt throughout the vessel.
"Evasive pattern Epsilon 2" Sisko ordered, the Defiant dropped into a diving barrel-roll turning away from the Phoenix and other Dominion craft, the chasing Jem'Hadar craft followed firing its weapons again but missing by several kilometres. Dominion craft were generally less manoeuvrable than the Defiant in good hands and there were few better than Jadzia Dax, she piloted the craft like and extension of her own body, one of her previous hosts was an expert pilot and so was she.
The Phoenix continued to fire its paired Plasma Beams, adding the occasional Railgun volley and conventional missile strike beams while its eight fighter craft also made constant runs against the ship, the shields of the Jem'Hadar craft were almost constantly flaring with adding damage though it was not enough to knock the craft out of the battle it was keeping it busy and away from the Defiant.
"Mr Worf, aft torpedoes, fire!" Sisko ordered as the Defiant moved, Worf fired two more matter/anti-matter projectiles this time exiting via the centrally mounted rear torpedo launcher. The torpedoes flew true and slammed into the front of the Dominion craft overloading its shields leaving the hull exposed. "Mr Worf, one more time" Sisko said looking his auxiliary monitor "Fire!" he ordered the Klingon tactical officer fired another pair of torpedo the weapons flew from the rear tube. The torpedos hit the Jem'Hadar Attack Craft just behind the forward Poloron Beam emitters, the bug-like craft exploded moments later as the warp core detonated.
With both its companion craft destroyed the single remaining craft appeared to be interested in engaging the Defiant for a moment however it then turned lazily and jumped into warp speed escaping the battle scene. Normally the Jem'Hadar pressed an attack until they or their target were destroyed, why they had retreated would play on Sisko's mind for a while however for now he had a more worrying situation to worry about "Captain, the Phoenix is turning to face us, its weapons are still charged and targeted" Worf reported as the Defiant moved ahead of the vessel.
"Understood Commander, power down our weapons but keep the shields up for now. Let's see what is going on here?"
