A/N: I truly can't thank Kaffeekonsum and Mcaapr2 enough for their lovely reviews and encouragement. Your reviews and thoughts about the story make my days better. ~Raises the Ta'al~ Your service honors me! LLAP

Letant was sitting in the Captain's chair on the bridge flanked by Agnes on his right and the Captain on his left. They were an hour away from M'Pah, the planet where he hoped to find more answers. They had received several transmissions from ships pledging themselves to the Letant's cause. It amused Letant to a degree. They didn't know what his cause was, only that he wasn't a reman. Not how he dreamed of becoming Praetor as a child, but as they say some men are born great and others have greatness thrust upon them. Secretly, he hoped he was able to deliver that greatness.

The romulan communications' officer roused Letant out of his thoughts with the urgency, "Captain, we are receiving a distress signal from M'Pah audio only."

Temerik nodded, and the com officer patched it though so everyone could hear the static-filled transmission, broken up by disruptor fire.

They are killing us...Reman...uprise...children….if you can...help….

The bridge fell silent for a beat and Letant stood, "What do we have on long range sensors?"

The com officer answered, "There are six Scimitar class vessels orbiting the planet, they are creating a barricade, and a jamming array on the surface."

Letant frowned, "Can we beam through the jamming array?"

The officer tapped in the equation, "No, Sir."

Letant turned to the captain, "How many Scorpion fighters do we have on board?"

"Sixty, Excellency."

The communications officer interrupted, "Sir, Admiral Kutak, of the ship NeBath is hailing us."

Letant sat back down, smirking as he spoke, "On screen."

A large romulan Admiral whose features were sharper than average appeared on the screen, he frowned deeply when he saw Letant, "You old son of a breen brood viper. I drank a whole bottle of ale to celebrate your death and here you are on my screen. If there are the gods then they weep." he growled. "You have a singular talent at staying alive."

Letant smirked, "As wonderful as it would be to banter about our mutual hate, and my children which you believed you sired, every syllable we waste here means romulan deaths at reman hands on M'Pah. So join us, or leave."

Kutak sneared, "I bring the Kitana, and the V'Lese as well. What is your plan?"

Letant was a brilliant strategist, now was his moment to prove he could be a leader of these men. He tapped in the instructions and sent it to the Admiral on a coded channel. The admiral looked at it and laughed, "Your insane, but it might work."

"If it works, I'll make you the viceroy of my senate." Letant said smoothly.

"Then don't die before I have the chance to kill you."

"I'll do my best." he replied and shut the com off.

Letant stood again, "I need five of your best men ready to perform a space jump. They will launch from the scorpions. Once on the surface they'll destroy the jamming beacons."

Agnes stepped forward, "I'll lead that team."

Letant gave her an incredulous look as if to question if she was serious. Agnes nodded, "I had to do three of them during the war with the Dominion."

Letant waved her off, "Go." He'd rather her not go, but if she had experience in a combat situation, he would trust and believe that she may be the difference between success and failure.

The plan was simple, and vicious. All of their ships would come out of warp as close as possible the planet and launch the scorpion fighters simultaneously, slinging them across the atmosphere. At which time, when they reach the appropriate coordinates, they'll jettison the divers into the atmosphere. Once the divers landed, it was their mission to disrupt and destroy the array so they could teleport troops down to the surface and put down the reman uprising. Letant felt it was brilliant, and a touch insane, but he believed it would work.

Agnes helped her small crew get ready. She meticulously made sure they weren't going to die on re-entry. When she approached the youngest of the crew he was visibly nervous. As she snapped him into his gear she said softly, "It's going to be just fine."

"I just don't want to puke in my suit."

She stifled a chuckle, "If puke is the worst thing that happens today, I'll be surprised. Stay close." she slapped him on the back, "Let's hop on the rocket shall we?"

Solok stood from his desk chair still talking to Ston when suddenly he went pale and had to grab the side of his desk to stay upright. Ston's eyes widened, "What is it?"

"I...I am unsure." Solok replied with a small pant, "There was an intense emotion, it was as if I had been," he paused, "pulled out of an airlock."

"It is your bond, do you still feel her?" Ston pressed him.

"I believe so, it is not clear, but I feel waves of nausea." Solok said trying to school himself.

"You should have gone to a healer to open your bond." Ston said standing straight.

"It is a private matter," Solok said firmly. In truth, he had, and the healer said the bond would mend in time, with patience, and care. She had recommended a prolonged meditation together, melding, and mating. It was not a simple fix, but he found himself suppressing resentment toward Ston for commenting on the issue.

The com beeped and on the screen was the Bajoran, Kira Nerys. Solok remembered her from their baseball game, and from the emotional look on her face, she remembered him as well. "Captain Solok," she started with fake smile, "We are set to rendezvous with you in thirteen minutes. My orders were to surrender command of the Defiant to you and your first officer."

"Very well, we are enroute to the coordinates. Solok out."

"She seemed to know you." Ston said walking out of the ready room, "Is she the bajoran woman from your paper called The Emotional species and manufacturing triumph where none exists? The paper was based in the experiment you did the build up, execution, and after party of a baseball game played."

He gave a sideways glance, "She is.

"I see. We may wish to raise shields when we arrive at the rendezvous point."

Solok paused, "Do you wish to challenge me, Ston?" He stood a touch straightener and stared into Ston's eyes.

"I am a bonded male, your question is illogical." Ston replied placing his hands behind his back, " Do you wish someone to challenge you?"

"No, but I would accept one." Solok said firmly, the realization dawning on him that he would indeed fight a challenge. He looked away from Ston and began walking to the bridge, he was fighting a sense of longing that welled up from deep in his mind. He was also fighting a sense of shame. Over the last few hours, he had a great many realizations about himself that were uncomfortable. In the beginning, when he started provoking humans to prove his logical points, he had deluded himself into thinking he could be the universe's Surak, leading these lesser developed races to the peace of logic. In truth, there was it was no magnanimous gesture, it was his pride, which shamefully became complete contempt. It was not logical, and he realized he had become that which he claimed to disdain.

The com officer of the T'Kumbra interrupted his thoughts, "The Defiant has arrived at the coordinates and signals they are ready for transport."

"Lt. Commander Vorik, you have the bridge." Solok said and fell in step with Ston who was already on his way to the lift as Vorik took the Captain's chair.

Nerys stood as Ston and Solok came on the bridge and she did the formality required when a new commander took over for the first time, "Captain on the bridge." Everyone stood up at attention. "What are your orders, Sir."

"I am changing orders, Captain Nerys." He approached her looking down at the petite bajoran, "You will remain captain of this vessel, it is...only logical since you are familiar with its limitations and capabilities. Commander Ston and I will advise. Our orders are to proceed to M'Pah on the other side of the neutral zone and extract a romulan ally and a Federation officer assigned to him. It is most urgent that we arrive expediently."

Nerys's mouth gaped slightly which morphed into an incredulous smile, "Yes, Sir." She was surprised, she'd expected him to take command aggressively, and from the look of Solok's companion she wasn't the only one shocked by Solok's gesture. "Lt. Nog, activate cloak and set coordinates for M'Pah, and engage at maximum warp."

Solok stepped away from her and stood by Ston. He was shifting on his feet slightly.

"What is wrong?" Ston asked softly in their native tongue.

"I am unsure. There is a sensation coming through the bond that I have no exact word for." he closed his eyes trying to focus on opening the injured bond, "It is...terror."

Ston raised his chin slightly, flexing and relaxing his balled hands behind his back. The two said no more, but both were wholly focused on formulating every possible calculation, probabilities, and outcomes.

The moment they landed they had to fight for their lives. Agnes was expecting that, but not expecting what they were going to have to fight. When she hear the word remans, which were an offshoot of romulans, who were cousins to vulcans, she was expecting to see people who were similar in appearance. What she got was something out of Bram Stoker's worst nightmares. They were tall, thin, strong, and their features resembled those of vampires who had not fed she'd seen in old holovids. They were also vicious, using modified mining instruments as weapons. She had watched as one of her men had been disemboweled before her eyes. She and the young romulan who she told to stay close to her, were covered in his ichor.

After they had put down the remans who had met them upon landing, she ordered the remaining romulans to shed the environmental suits since they limited range of motion. She also picked up one of the makeshift weapons and strapped it on. She had a disruptor, they all did, but if they had to do more close quarters combat they'd need more than technology.

Agnes looked at the young officer, "Are those things, remans?"

He nodded, "We use them as shock troops. They fought during the Dominion war and a squadron of them were able to put down an incursion of Jem'hadar." he said visibly trembling.

She half wanted to confess her own terror, but he thought she was vulcan so she opted for something a little more logical. "I know you are afraid, but use that fear to fuel you. Do not let it stop you."

The young romulan swallowed thickly, "Yes, lady. T-thank you for saving me."

"We will all save each other before the battle is won." She looked him up and down, "And now, no one can tell whether we vomited in our suits or not."

"Did a vulcan just make a joke?" he asked, slowly calming some.

"Not at all." she said raising an eyebrow. "Come," waved to the remaining people in her crew, "let's open the gates for our people." They formed up and listened to her plan.

"Hard to starboard!" Letant yelled out gripping his chair as the ship rocked, "FIRE!"

"Target destroyed." the com officer said.

Letant smirked, "You'll owe me one for that, Admiral." he said under his breath. They had just saved his old rival's life. That pleased him not only because they needed the help, but because he knew the air on the admiral's ship would be thick with his swearing. He did not get to celebrate long.

"Two more enemy vessels decloaking."

"Any change in the jamming array?" Letant asked as he stood.

"None, Excellency."

He ground his teeth, "Come on, my girl…" he growled out.

"Sir, a Federation ship is decloaking….it's the defiant."

"Hail her."

Solok and Nerys appeared on screen and Letant smiled, "Are you here to help or watch my demise."

"We are here to help." Nerys said, "What ships are allied?"

"Send the identification of our ally ships to the Defiant."

Solok spoke up, "Where is Dr. V'Lor?"

"On the surface, taking down the jamming array that is preventing teleport."

"Have your scorpion fighters give shuttle cover fire on my mark. We are sending a team to aid in that effort."

Letant nodded and the com went blank, "Send orders to our ships that the Federation vessel is our a ally and have a squadron protect their shuttle."

888

Solok turned to leave the bridge, and Kira stopped him, "Where are you going?"

"Commander Ston and I are going to the surface. Send orders to the T'Kumbra to cross the neutral zone and engage. You have your orders, if the commander and I fail to return from the surface."

"Aye, Sir." Nerys said watching them leave for a shuttle.

They had fought for every meter it took to get to the base of the array and they were almost there. "INCOMING!" Agnes said, waving everyone to hit the dirt. The explosion behind them blew the slowest person forward onto rocks, but everyone else only got covered in a layer of dirt. As the smoke cleared she stood and ran to the injured romulan. "Help me get him down, he's still alive." Just then the remaining members of the squads from other ships came out of cover and joined her group. Twenty five people had landed on the planet and all that remained were eight, plus her now injured crew. She looked to the young romulan, "You see that small shallow cave?"

He nodded, "Take him to that, and wait for us." Agnes said as she finished stabilizing his breaks with a hasty knitting of the bones.

The rest of the romulans cast glances between themselves, most romulan commanders would have left him, or killed him. "What are your orders?"

"Let's get inside that array and shift the tide of battle."

"Yes, Sir!"

When they arrived there were four reman guards outside the command box and Agnes' team was hidden behind an outcropping of rocks. "Which one of you is our computer person?"

A smaller romulan raised his hand.

"Do we have the explosives?" she asked looking to the other men.

"They were lost."

With a labored sigh Agnes thought, "Well, why destroy a weapon we can use against them?" She handed over one of the makeshift blades she had picked up to an officer without one, "Here is our plan. You four draw the remans out, engage them, and you and I... " she said pointing to her computer expert, "We are going in on the side and taking the array command box. We will shut it down, and then send a signal as far as the array will reach. We are going to pronounce Letant Praetor, and invite loyal romulans to fight at his side."

She had apparently said the right things because the men thumped their chest with their fists, "For the glory of the Empire!"

Solok, Ston, and four of the Defiant crew landed at the coordinates given to them by Letant. Ston went and checked a Romulan officer, "The markings of his uniform are those of Letant's ship. He was a part of her crew."

Solok nodded, it was not hard to see the trail of blood leading them to the array, "Make haste." he ordered.

Ston kept trying his tricorder, it was being jammed by the array, then suddenly it began reading. "Solok." he said holding up his device, "The array is down." I am getting two Romulan readings in a small cave one meter east, I have no hu-vulcan readings."

"We will start with the cave." He said shifting his pace to quicken, "She may be in the array itself."

Solok tried to focus on their bond, "I believe you may be correct."

As they approached the mouth of the cave Ston spoke romulan, "We are allies do not fire."

The young man poked his head out, a disruptor cautiously pointed at them all, "He needs medical attention."

Ston nodded, "I am a doctor."

Solok approached the young man, "Where is the vulcan female with the red hair?"

"His Excellency's daughter, she who lead us, went on to the array."

Solok looked to Ston who answered, "She knit his bones, I am beaming him to sickbay on the Defiant."

Solok nodded, "Let's go."

The young romulan followed Ston and Solok out of the cave after his charge vanished. "They have taken down the array." he said, "I knew they would."

"Excellency, the array is down, and there is a broadcast coming from it." the com officer said looking very amused.

All hail the new Praetor of the empire, Letant! All loyal ships loyal to his new and glorious reign join the battle at M'Pah, and put down the reman uprising."

Letant threw back his head in laughter, "Tell all ships to send troops down." he paused and smiled, "That's my girl." the tide of battle was shifting.