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All characters appearing in Star Trek, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek Deep Space Nine and Star Trek Voyager are copyright Paramount Pictures. All characters appearing in the Star Wars saga are copyright Lucas Arts and the Walt Disney Cooperation. No infringement of these copyrights is intended, and is not authorized by the copyright holder.
All original characters are the property of Celgress.
Star Trek/Star Wars – Galaxy at War: Part Five The Battle of Juhrya
by
Celgress
Star Trek Dimension – Three days ago
Cardassia Prime deep inside Sith Imperium space, morning
"It is imperative we increase ship production at the Monac Shipyards," Weyoun said as he, Lord Tyranus and a sullen Legate Damar went over the latest tactical data in the locus of Cardassian Central Command. "We'll soon need far more vessels both to hold the prizes Imperium troops in service of our glorious gods have recently acquired, and so we can ferry newly activated occupation droids to their assigned positions."
"By how much?" Damar grumbled a half full glass of kanar in his left hand. Tyranus' upper lip curled upward in a visible, if subtle, show of disdain for his drunken Cardassian underling.
"Triple would be ideal," Weyoun said.
"That won't be easy. Our technicians there are already overworked. They are pulling 20-hour shifts out of a 26-hour day. They hardly have enough time to sleep or eat as is." Damar protested.
"Then we'll replace them with technicians who do not require sleep or sustenance beyond that derived from recharging," Tyranus said with a dismissive wave of his right hand.
"Replace our loyal Cardassian workers with mindless technical droids, never." Damar said somewhat to forcefully. He realized his mistake almost at once when he felt invisible fingers closing around his windpipe. "I,,,meant,,,no,, disrespect,,my,,lord," He cracked out. Immediately the pressure dissipated.
"Make preparations to send as many detachments of technical droids as required to the Monac Shipyards at once," Tyranus said to Weyoun. He did not spare Damar a second glance.
"Yes my lord," Weyoun said with a slight bow.
Damar rubbed his sore neck then downed the rest of his glass of kanar. He noted the smug expression on Weyoun's face. One day he would teach that little Vorta a lesson in respect, but not soon not today.
"Pardon the interruption my lords, but we have a problem." A male Cardassian said entering the room. The man appeared flustered. Tyranus, Weyoun and Damar turned their collective attention to the soldier.
"What kind of a problem?" Damar asked. A tone of annoyance in his voice.
"Me," An all to familiar face said. He entered the room escorted by a Bx Commando Droid on his right a Jem'hadar on his left. He glanced around the chamber at all the silent beings then he again spoke. "Isn't anyone going to welcome me home?" Gul Dukat inquired.
"That honor is reserved for heroes Dukat, not failures," Weyoun spat. His words full of venom. "Have you forgotten under your 'leadership' the former Dominion almost lost this war. If not for the divine intervention of the holy Sith Order we would have been defeated."
"So I've heard," Dukat said glancing at Tyranus.
"Why have you come here?" Damar gulped. Had his ex-commander returned seeking revenge against him for the death of Dukat's daughter Ziyal? Damar's free hand crept towards his holstered service pistol.
"I thought it was obvious. I've come to take my revenge on Captain Benjamin Sisko and the Federation." Dukat said a gleam madness in his eyes.
"We're in a life and death struggle the stakes being the control of half a galaxy and all your concerned with is a petty quest for revenge." Weyoun laughed. "You haven't changed one bit Dukat. We don't have time for this foolishness. Take him away."
"On the contrary Weyoun, I'm a new man. In a fashion, one could say I've been reborn." Dukat said the spark of insanity never leaving his gaze. He stepped away from the confused guards and moved directly in front of the trio. "I no longer have a need for conquest or power. I've moved far beyond such ultimately meaningless matters. I exist in a state of complete and utter clarity. A clarity I intend to share with the universe."
"You're right Dukat you have changed. You've lost your mind." Weyoun said with a sneer.
"What could you possibly offer us?" Tyranus said. The Force whispered beware of this one. He could offer either defeat or victory. Utmost caution must be exercised.
"What you desire most control of the Alpha and Beta Quadrants," Dukat stated. Weyoun chuckled but Tyranus silenced him with a yellow eyed glance. Dukat continued. "All I require is a certain Bajoran artifact one of many the Cardassians appropriated during the occupation."
"How will this artifact assist us?" Weyoun said. In spite of his lord's interest, he still felt dealing with the imbecilic Dukat was a waste of time.
"Let's just say it will make it possible for Dominion ah I mean Sith Imperium reinforcements to pour through the Bajoran Wormhole and crush Captain Benjamin Sisko, along with the other members of the Alliance, once and for all. Even with your hyperdrives travel between the Alpha and Gamma Quadrants requires months. By the time you've equipped every Jem'hadar ship with the technology years will have passed. You can not afford such a prolonged delay if you wish to conquer the galaxy. You may have snuck a single small stealth ship through the Wormhole and back again, however, the chances of repeating that feat are near impossible little own to bring through a fleet of any size."
Tyranus eyed Dukat warily. One elegant eyebrow fluttered up then slowly sank back down. How could this apparent madman know of his journey through the Dominion holdings in the Gamma Quadrant? The trip during which he had exterminated the dying remnants of the Founders and took full control of what was rightfully his. Once more he sensed something odd, unwholesome about this man. Considering the man's volatile nature Tyranus decided it would be best if Dukat remained blissful ignorant of the Sith Lord's secret project. If Dukat learned the nature of that project there would be trouble he foresaw.
"Very well Dukat you may inspect our collection of Bajoran artifacts," Tyranus said. "Be warned if this is a trick I guarantee you'll beg for death before I'm finished with you."
Dukat nodded. A deranged smile spread across his face. He shuffled out of the room his escorts remained beside him.
One day later Dukat stood in the locus of Central Command. In his hands was held a red wooden box which looked ancient. "Behold the key to victory." Dukat declared. Tyranus, Weyoun, and Damar stared at him skeptically.
"The wormhole is much more than the gateway to the Gamma Quadrant, it's the temple of the Prophets. It's from there that they smile benevolently down on Bajor. It's from there that they protect that world and the those who are friends of Bajor." Dukat explained. He placed the box carefully on a table prepared according to his instructions. He lit two candles and opened the box. Out of which he took a crude clay figure. "We wasted our time fighting the Bajorans when we should have been fighting their gods."
"How do you fight a god?" Damar wanted to know.
"I'll show you," Dukat said. He went through a complicated ritual that ended when he snapped the figure in half. A strange red energy emerged and seemingly entered into Dukat whose eyes turned red.
Outside the Juhrya System present day
On board the flagship of the Starfleet portion of the allied fleet and its command vessel the USS Enterprise-D Captain Jean Luc-Picard mentally prepared for what was to come. The massive bridge view screen was dominated by a forbidding scene. There directly in the path of the allied fleet lay an enemy fleet nearly three times larger.
Star Fleet, the Klingon Empire, the Romulan Star Empire and the Republic on short notice managed to cobble together a fleet made up of 337 ships, counting fighters and troop transports. By Data's calculations 1243 CIS, Cardassian, and Jem'Hadar vessels, mainly battleships, blocked their path. Getting through would not be easy.
"We're being hailed." Data said from ops.
"On screen," Picard said.
An image of General Grievous appeared by his right side stood his Vorta advisor Kilana. "Greetings Captain Picard we are honored by your presence. It is not every day we meet the commander of the Federation Flagship. Your reputation proceeds your Picard. " Grievous said in mocking fashion.
"As does your own General Grievous," Picard said.
"Oh really," Grievous said.
"The reputation of a coward, murderer and genocidal maniac," Picard said evenly.
"Ha, ha, ha, I like you, Picard." Grievous laughed. His demeanor turned more serious. "A pity I must kill you."
"You're welcome to try," Picard said his eyes narrowing. Riker made a gesture of his right hand and Data cut the transmission. Picard then addressed the fleet, "attack pattern epsilon."
In space, hundreds upon hundreds of phasers, plasma blasters, disruptors, and torpedoes fired illuminating the darkness in a kaleidoscope of rainbow colors. Droid and Republican fighters skirted between the far larger ships. These, often single individual propelled ships, fired at each and scored occasional hits. Sheer pandemonium reigned.
Deep Space Nine
Dukat transported into the Bajoran shire. He reached inside the force field and grabbed the orb protected within. Dukat released the red energy, in truth a Pah-wraith, which turned the orb black. In space the Bajoran Wormhole imploded.
Outside the Juhrya System
Within less than half a standard hour it became painfully aware to any impartial observer that the Alliance Fleet was in deep trouble. Thanks in large part to greater fire powered coupled with multiple kamikaze runs by Jem'Hadar vessels functional Alliance ships numbered under 150. By contrast, functional Sith Imperium ships numbered over 1000.
USS Enterprise-D
Eight enemy ships pounded relentlessly on the galaxy class starship. Her hull was pitted by craters and one warp nacelle damaged and venting plasma. She could not last much longer.
"Withdraw," Captain Picard said as he tightly held onto his command chair while the ship rocked violently around him.
USS Defiant
On the USS Defiant things were also in a dire state of affairs. Streams of steam vented everywhere through punctured deck plates. Pieces of shattered circuits were scattered all about.
"We're being torn apart," Commander Worf growled from his position at tactical as the ship violently rocked back and forth.
"They've lost almost the same number of ships we have," Chief of Engineering Miles O'Brien said. "The only problem is they can afford those losses we can't."
Captain Sisko hated to sign off on the order but there were no other options. "Withdraw," He said.
"Could you repeat that sir?" Ensign Nog at navigation said in disbelief.
"You heard me Ensign withdraw," Sisko said a wave of dizziness overcame him. He winced.
"Are you alright Benjamin?" Jadzia Dax asked from her station concern evident in her voice.
"I'm fine old man." Sisko lied.
Jedi Starfighters
Anakin Skywalker had been in many tight spots over the course of his young life, too many in fact. His current predicament, however, was one of his worse. Droid and Jem'Hadar fighters were all over him. At every turn, they were there. What Anakin despised most about the Jem'Hadar was the fact they did not mind committing suicide if they took an enemy or two with them. Every other instant it seemed he narrowly avoided a collision with one of their smaller vessels. Anakin swore in Huttese following the latest such incident.
"R2 give me a better navigation plan so I can more easily avoid those nuts," Anakin called back to his faithful astromech droid. R2-D2 beeped back at his companion. "I know plotting a safe course through this mess is difficult."
"Anakin a withdrawal order has been issued by fleet command." Obi-wan Kenobi's voice crackled over the communication challenge. "Make for the Entreprise. She's taken heavy damage we need to protect her until what's left of the fleet has successfully departed the battlefield.
"But master we can win this thing. I know we can." Anakin protested.
"The matter is not up for debate Anakin orders are orders, fallback." Obi-wan's voice said.
Reluctantly Anakin followed the lead blazed by Obi-wan's Jedi Fighter. Ashoka Tano's and Barriss Offee's fighters joined them. The four Jedi then looked on in horror as the Malevolence fired its massive ion cannons directly at the Enterprise-D disabling the starship. A Jem'Hadar vessel appeared out of nowhere and slammed into the drive section of the crippled vessel.
USS Enterprise-D
"All hands abandon ship!" Captain Picard ordered.
Malevolence
"The Enterprise has been crippled general. They are launching their escape pods as we speak." Kilana said proudly. "Once more our troops have proven their superiority in combat."
"Order our ships to pick off any escape pods within range." general Grievous commanded.
Jedi Starfighters
Enraged Anakin took out as many enemy fighters as he could. He concentrated his efforts on the Jem'Hadar. He would make the soulless alien monsters pay for their crimes.
The Force screamed a warning Anakin narrowly avoided being cornered by three droid fighters. He banked the starfighter hard to the left then to the right. Two Jem'Hadar ships loomed up in front of him. He was about to execute another fancy evasive maneuver when the enemy ships were blown apart by twin volleys of pulse phaser blasts from the Defiant.
"General Skywalker are you okay?" the voice of Sisko said.
"I am now, thanks for the save Captain Sisko," Anakin said. "We've got to protect those escape pods before it's to late."
Battle Droid Production Complex in orbit between Celtris II and Celtris III
The male Vorta called Yelgrun was overseer of the battle droid factories in the Celtris System. His counterpart was a Tactical Droid nicknamed "Hobok" by the Jem'Hadar stationed there. Technically speak neither Yelgrun or Hobok were in charge of the overall operation. That distinction belonged to a female Sith acolyte named Jen'Dhasi (Jennn Duh-Hus-Hee). Her named meant "Dark Beauty" in the language of the long vanished ancient Sith species.
"An unauthorized ship is approaching our outer security perimeter." A male Neimoidian technician, one of many stationed at various controls throughout the large room, announced.
"On screen," Yelgrun commanded. An image of the USS Final Frontier appeared on the large overhead display.
"Orders," The Neimoidian technician inquired.
"We wait they are no threat at present besides dealing with them may provide a welcome distraction," Jen'Dhasi said cutting Yelgrun and Hobok off before either could answer. She tossed back her black hood revealing a face the crew of Deep Space Nine would have recognized immediately, that or Tora Ziyal!
In truth, Jen'Dhasi was not Ziyal in a pure sense. Rather she was a clone created by Tyranus once he discovered latent Force ability in the original Ziyal's DNA. When the CIS took over the Dominion they instituted a blood screening program to locate potential Sith. Ziyal's samples were already on file with the Cardassian government so they were screened very early on. Dominion scientists were experts on cloning thus Tyranus had ordered a clone of Ziyal created at once. A clone programmed to hate the Alliance and be a loyal Sith follower. A clone who now help safeguard the Celtris system. A clone who Kirk, Scottie and their crew would soon have to face to complete their mission.
To Be Continued
