Fear was a powerful weapon. It could be harnessed and used against ones enemies, like it was for so long in the Second World War. The Germans, hopelessly outmatched, turned a 4 year war into a 6 year war all because they feared the Russians so much they were unwilling to surrender to them. Mass suicide took place after the surrender as German soldiers and citizens alike chose death over Soviet occupation. No ship understood the power of fear better than Defiant. As a ship of war, she was often the instigator of it. She carried more firepower of any ship her size in the Alpha Quadrant. A fleet of Romulan warbirds would be child's play to her. She'd have a field day with the Klingons. And yet she couldn't take down a simple Excelsior-class starship.
Lakota was one of the old guard. An aging Excelsior-class vessel with about as much combat experience as an earthen rat. But she had teeth, sharpened teeth at that. Someone had been tampering with her weapon systems, making each phaser hit more powerful than her class was designed for. And Defiant was feeling those upgrades first hand. After draining her shields to 60%, the little starship had had enough. "Okay, that's it!" She growled. "No more misses nice girl." She circled around, firing her own phasers on Lakota's main weapon systems. The Excelsior-class was unaffected as she dodged nimbly to the side and returned fire. Defiant took 3 direct hits to the head, thankful that her shields in that area were still strong enough to take it. "Damn it Lakota, snap out of it!" She roared. Unlike her crew, Lakota could sense that Defiant and her crew were not Changlings. Admiral Leyton knew this and so she was given a special kind of steroid, meant to inhibit her natural senses. Defiant could've appeared as a Dominion battlecruiser for all she knew. "There's only one way to counter that shit." Defiant growled and looped around, stimulant in hand. Hopefully this would offset the serum's potency just enough for Lakota to realize what she was doing. Defiant closed in, teeth bared as she weaved her way around the larger ship. She couldn't dodge all the phaser shots though and one direct hit knocked her off course. Defiant rolled several ship lengths before coming to rest on her side. Lakota towered over her, teeth bared and aimed for her throat. Defiant braced herself to die. A silver blur slammed into Lakota with an angry roar. Defiant's savior grabbed the stimulant from her and shoved it into a vein. Lakota quit struggling before raising her head. "Ngh, Enterprise?" She asked. "Defiant?" "For an explorer you shoot pretty well." Defiant muttered dryly, nodding to her wounds. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't..." Lakota whispered. "My crew they want me to fight you, why?" She asked. "You're part of a conspiracy." Enterprise panted. "A conspiracy meant to overthrow the president and cause chaos at the heart of the Federation." "Then by the Ancients I will not allow it." Lakota snarled. She led the way to Earth.
Defiant wasn't content with sitting in orbit like the Excelsior and Sovereign class were. She raced in right to headquarters, finding Admiral Leyton and jumping him. Sisko was startled by her sudden arrival but the little starship had Leyton pinned under her tremendous bulk. "If I ever, see or hear a word from you again." Defiant hissed. "I will make a submarine's game of play with their food look tame!" She let him go and fired a low powered phaser shot to get him moving. Now well motivated, Admiral Leyton left Starfleet HQ in disgrace, never to return. Sighing, Defiant turned to Sisko. "Defiant, not to sound blunt but you're a mess." He said. "Heh, well blame Lakota. Girl's got good aim, even if she is just an explorer." The little starship limped out, carrying Sisko on her back until she reached altitude before beaming him aboard.
She returned to orbit, staggering into Lakota. "Steady." The Excelsior murmured. Defiant groaned, her vision swamped by a wave of dizziness. "Excelsior, help me!" She wailed, finding it hard to breathe. "What's wrong with her?" The CMO asked as she came racing up. "I don't know! I-Ancients I don't know!" Lakota was beside herself. "It's my fault. Her wounds are from my phasers." "Calm yourself sister. I know all about Leyton's plan." Excelsior murmured. "It's his fault, not yours." Excelsior ran a scanner over Defiant. "She's showing signs of massive trauma. Lakota, how many upgrades did you get?" She asked. Lakota whimpered. "Too many." She replied. "I-I didn't even have them on the maximum setting at the time." Both ships turned when they heard another ship collapsing. "Enterprise!" Lakota cried, rushing to her leader's side. The young Sovereign had a nasty gash on her side from where she'd taken a hit from Lakota. "Damn it, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry!" Lakota wailed. Enterprise pressed her nose to the Excelsior's side. "Calm." She murmured. Lakota whimpered, pressing herself against her leader in an effort to help her stand. Enterprise didn't try and move. "Enterprise, you need to get to drydock." Lakota said. Enterprise sighed, her head dropping. "Enterprise, come on!" Lakota begged. "Oh that's dirty!" Excelsior cried, causing Lakota to turn. Enterprise stumbled and Lakota murmured a quick apology as she went back to support her. "What, what's dirty?" She asked. "No wonder your phasers were so potent, the beams were laced with thaleon." Excelsior said. "Thaleon, you mean they were poisoned?" Lakota asked. "Affirmative. Damn, I don't know if I can even begin to treat this." Excelsior murmured, poking at one of Defiant's blackened wounds. Defiant squealed in pain, huddling on instinct to Excelsior's side. "Oh, I'm sorry. I'm sorry." The healer whispered, stroking her head soothingly. Lakota nuzzled Enterprise, fearful at the lack of response.
Thaleon was something no ship messed around with. It degraded organic matter in seconds after contact. Enterprise had taken only one shot but she was hit in a vital area, her chest. Defiant had taken far more than one shot, more than half her body was covered in the ugly burns marking the thaleon's affect. Lakota could do nothing but whimper and apologize profusely for what she had done. But words were useless to Defiant and Enterprise. If either ship died now, Lakota could never, would never forgive herself.
She and Excelsior went back and forth between the two ships. Lakota was with Defiant currently. The little starship couldn't do much more than lie there, teeth bared against the pain. She'd been trying up until recently to keep her spirits up but her pain had overwhelmed her. Lakota kept watch. The best thing she could do according to Excelsior was to keep her wounds clean and make her as comfortable as she could. Defiant's chances weren't good though. The little starship knew this but she was determined to hold on and prove them all wrong. Lakota had to admire her will. The Excelsior-class ran her tongue gently across the harsh looking burns on Defiant's side. Most were deep and leaked blood on a regular basis as they constantly scabbed. But it was up to Lakota to keep them open until she was certain all traces of the thaleron had gone.
Enterprise, despite having taken only one shot, was worse off. She'd taken a blow to the chest, perilously close to her core. Excelsior had her moved to a drydock and placed her on life support. Not even a year old yet and already Enterprise could be facing death. Excelsior did what she could to keep her wound clean but that was easier said than done. The thaleon had infected a lung so Enterprise was always coughing. It was a painful feeling and each coughing fit left her feeling weaker and more vulnerable.
Lakota carried Defiant into the drydock, wincing at the sound of her flagship's coughs. Enterprise sounded sicker all the time. "It'll get worse before it gets better." Excelsior had told her. Now Lakota knew what she meant. The old starship's eyes looked about for her sister, finding her leaning against a dock pile on fast asleep. It was a habit of Excelsior's to stay up for weeks at a time, watching over her patients. Never did her any good in the long run though. "You rest sis, I've got this." Lakota murmured. "W-who's there?" Enterprise rasped. "It's me, Lakota." Lakota set Defiant at her side. "Someone wants to see you." Enterprise straightened as best she could, nuzzling Defiant as the little ship snuggled to her side. The contact aggravated Enterprise's lung and the flagship was forced to turn away in a severe coughing fit. Her coughs wracked her whole body, sides heaving from the strain. Her nacelles flickered. Lakota, thinking fast, gave her a good wack across her back. Enterprise lunged forward, coughing up several mouthfuls of blue gunk before she collapsed. "Thank you." She rasped. Lakota nodded and the flagship curled around Defiant.
Lakota stood watch until her sister stirred 4 hours later. "What time is it?" Excelsior asked. "You slept for about, oh I dunno, 6 hours maybe." Lakota shrugged. Excelsior looked her sister over, noticing her haggard appearance. "You should get some rest yourself, sis." She said. Lakota sighed. "I doubt I can, Excel." She murmured. "It's not you fault. Blaming yourself isn't making things any better you know." Excelsior said. "And I doubt that's what they want for you either." She nodded to the sleeping pair of ships. Defiant had expertly snuggled herself into Enterprise's side while the flagship had curled around her, creating a near 360 degree wall of protection. Her nacelles twitched in her sleep. Lakota smiled at the sight. "No, I suppose not." She agreed. Excelsior took a step back as her sister moved in beside the pair, resting her nose over her nacelles as her breathing evened out. The healer then went about her duties once more.
It was several weeks before Enterprise and Defiant's wounds began to heal themselves. The thaleon was gone from their systems and the two were cleared for light duty only. Defiant was very happy about this. Happy enough in fact to get back to her old tricks again. Being the only ship at a far flung station meant one had to develop ingenious ways of entertaining themselves. One of these ways was pranking and Defiant prided herself on being the best prankster in Starfleet! She eyed her target, a currently empty berth. Rigging it took her only a few minutes before she quickly disposed of the evidence, then raced around to hide behind Lakota docked nearby. The Excelsior took one look at the berth and said "Girl, you are asking for trouble." Defiant giggled. "Did it with her predecessor many times. I still owe her a few." The berth she had rigged belonged to Enterprise E.
Defiant waited eagerly behind Lakota as Enterprise reentered ESD after a short patrol around the solar system. Excelsior wouldn't allow anything more than that and in fact Defiant watched as the healer went to her own berth. "3, 2, 1..." Right on que, both ships screamed as Defiant's pranks were put into action. Excelsior was hounded by tribbles while Enterprise got a saucer full of paint. With bright colors of yellow, green, and pink dripping off her face, Enterprise whirled around as her eyes searched ESD for the culprit. "Alright, where is she?" She growled to Lakota. "No idea what you're talking about." Lakota giggled as she struggled to keep a straight face. It didn't work and Enterprise approached, only to real back as Defiant raced out from behind the Excelsior-class and out of the spacedock. Enterprise gave chase and Excelsior joined her. The healer didn't bother to reprimand Enterprise for her excretion, she was just as eager as her flagship to catch the naughty prankster. "DEFIANT, YOU ARE SO GROUNDED!" Enterprise roared. "I regret nothing!" Defiant squealed back.