"Launch the probe Chief." Captain Benjamin Sisko ordered. Major Kira heard and grasped Dax's hands firmly.
"It's time." She declared, she moved to her station as Sisko ordered,
"Transfer helm control to the computer." Dax passed him and sat down.
"Autopilot engaged." she announced
"Raise shields," Sisko ordered. She acknowledged as Sisko shared a look with Kira. Bravely she returned his gaze as Worf announced they were breaking orbit.
"I'm picking up an unusual temporal signature. " O'brien announced.
Kira confirmed it for all of them. "It's the anomaly." she confirmed, "We're headed straight for it."
Dax's instruments' beeped a warning.
"Benjamin, the anomaly is unstable " she announced with concern, "I'm seeing variations in size, energy output-"
"The anomaly does not match our records." Worf said with some alarm.
"Captain, our course is changing." Dax announced, even as she was attempting to analyze the changes.
"Exotic particles are interacting with our shield grid, our warp drive is fluctuating? O'Brien shouted.
"Break off, abort!" Sisko shouted!"
"It's too la-" Dax began, and then time stopped. Sisko was reminded of his time with the prophets, as suddenly objects and relationships began to distort, and then endless moment was over. The ship lurched mightily.
"Shields fluctuating at 20 % shouted Worf, "Captain we have been fired upon!"
"What the hell??" Sisko surged from his seat despite the rocking. On the viewscreen debris was clearing and he could see utter chaos beyond.
"I'm readinf hundreds of ships, nuclear detonations..." Kira tried to keep up with what was appearing on her scanners.
"Evasive maneuvers," Sisko snapped, "Identift those ships!"
"They do not match any known configuration, but they are hostile " Worf informed him, "Phasers are offline but we have torpedoes"
"My God... " Kira breathed, and there was no need to explain why, as Dax naneuvered the ship, the planet below had become visible, and it was not the one they had left. This one, was burning.