A/N: This is it. The penultimate chapter. The lines are drawn, the rallying cries sounded, the calls for aid answered. The question is...will it be enough?
Thanks as always to Kretolus and Tremor3258 for their regular reviews and support, and for being awesome.
Hope you're ready for the ride to come...
Lydana and a small away team beamed down to the surface with the young Romulan woman, in order to investigate the Tal Shiar presence in orbit. The young Admiral met with Councillor Rehu, the head of the Cirini colony, and she had politely asked for Lydana's opinion on who she should side with – the Tal Shiar, who promised protection at the cost of total freedom, or the Republic, who promised freedom but at the cost of total peace.
"I'm flattered you'd ask me, Councilor," Lydana answered, her tone apologetic, "but I don't think I can offer an opinion in good conscience. I'm hardly unbiased."
Rehu frowned in confusion, cocking her head in silent question.
"I've fought the Tal Shiar and the Star Empire on too many separate occasions," the Admiral continued, "plus...my wife is of the Republic."
"Ah, I see." The councilor nodded in understanding, giving Lydana a gentle smile. "Well then, I guess I will have to make the decision myself."
"If it helps any, it seems to me you've done a fine job of remaining neutral," Lydana assured her. "If you wanted to keep that neutrality, I think you can do it, and you have every right to choose that."
"Thank you, Admiral, that means a lot to me and my people," Rehu said , her sincerity obvious. "While you are here, however...there is a man here, a survivor of the Virinat attack. I think you might find what he has to say quite interesting. He is past our town hall, no doubt fixing something or other."
"Thank you Councilor, I'll do that," Lydana replied, "and good luck to you and your people."
Lydana bid the Councilor farewell and headed in the direction she had pointed out, ignoring the glares of the Tal Shiar representatives but resting her hand pointedly on her disruptor pistol. They passed without incident, and continued past the town hall until they found another Romulan, lying on his back, almost unnaturally focussed on the repairs he was carrying out. Lydana approached carefully, gesturing for her team to stay where they were as she crouched beside the man.
"Excuse me," she said softly, "the Councilor told me you are a survivor of Virinat?"
He paused at the mention of the lost colony, before carrying on his work.
"That's right," he said flatly, not looking at Lydana.
"She said...that you had something to say regarding the attack."
"Do you know what the Tal Shiar and the Star Empire are saying about us?" he asked angrily, still working.
"In my experience, they say a lot of things, very little of it true."
"Right. Well, they're calling us terrorists, as if we were the ones going around with alien allies abducting people, and attacking innocent colonies who just want to stay away from the fighting! Tell me, do you think us terrorists?"
Lydana shook her head.
"I know you aren't," she said, maintaining a soft, calm tone. "My wife is from Virinat too, and she's certainly no terrorist."
"Well, I'm sure your Federation are less convinced, so why not take them some evidence?" He placed a tool down, picked up another from his other side and continued his work. "Virinat was an agricultural colony, and yet they are saying we stored weapons there, to be used by the Republic against the Star Empire. Have a look for yourself, and take your findings to your superiors."
"I'll do that," Lydana told him. "As far as I'm aware, we haven't had the time to send an investigation team over there. Perhaps it's time one went there anyway."
The man made a grunt of acknowledgment, but carried on with his work without any further comment, and Lydana straightened up and returned to her team. She tapped her commbadge, informed the Shadow that they were ready to beam up, and within seconds they were back on board, with Lydana heading straight to the bridge.
"Kassai to the bridge," she said aloud, walking as fast she could for the turbolift.
"Go ahead, Admiral," Elisa answered formally, and Lydana suppressed a grimace.
"Set course for the Virinat system – it's about time we investigated the Star Empire's rumours of weapons being held there," she ordered, stepping into the turbolift as soon as she reached it.
Since the journey to Virinat was not particularly urgent, Lydana had decided not to engage the Slipstream drive and instead stick to standard warp speeds – mainly so she could deal with the piles of paperwork that had been building up.
It still amazed her that, in a society that no longer used paper, it was still referred to as 'paperwork', but it was just as mind-numbing and hateful no matter what it was called.
She leaned back in her chair, wishing her ready room had a window as she instead stared at the model ships mounted on the wall.
Unlike other captains, the ships that adorned her ready room reflected the ships she'd commanded in her career – starting with the Steadfast, through the DaVinci and Banshee, and culminating with the Shadow. Usually captains had models that reflected all the vessels that had borne their ship's name, as Picard had done, or just a variety of ships. Lydana had wanted them to mean something to her, however, to remind her where she began...not that she'd ever forget the start of her career, but it never hurt to have a reminder.
She sighed in relief as the door chime sounded, and she called her visitor in, smiling warmly as she saw her friend enter.
"If they offer to make you an Admiral," she told the redhead, getting out of her chair and heading for the replicator, "refuse. It's as much bureaucracy as it is actual work."
"Oh, it can't be that bad, surely?" Elisa asked, shaking her head as Lydana silently offered her a beverage.
"You think?" Lydana sat back down, setting her spiced to one side and grabbing a handful of PADDs. She began listing their contents, gesturing with each one as she mentioned it.
"Readiness reports for my task force. Crew evaluations. Fleet deployments, as if I really needed to know. Intel reports, I could tell you but I'd have to kill you. The Federation Science Commission want me to offer a second opinion on the credentials of a 'colleague' I've never met or heard of, and finally a science report they want me to evaluate. It's all fun around here," she added wryly, and Elisa chuckled.
"Well, I'm sure you'll manage. No letter from Loraya lately?"
Lydana frowned, rubbing at her nose ridges again, and shook her head.
"No, and that worries me. Last I heard they were going on a mission to take the fight to these 'Elachi' we've been hearing about, but nothing since then."
"She's tough, Lyddie, I'm sure she can handle herself," Elisa reassured her, although her friend looked unconvinced. "Anyway, We're not far out from Virinat, wondered if you wanted me to arrange an away team for you."
Lydana shook her head again as she sipped her tea, setting it down carefully.
"Not this time. I have a rather painful reminder of why I shouldn't be leading away teams, so this one's yours. Make sure you take Anari with you though, she's tough, dependable and keeps her cool in a fight."
"Will do," Elisa replied with a short nod. "Anything else?"
Lydana handed her a PADD she had been working on, and Elisa frowned as she looked it over.
"What do you think? It's my tactics and formations list for the task force, figured I'd get your opinion as a tactical officer."
Elisa spent a few moments perusing the device, before nodding in approval as she passed it back.
"I'm impressed Lyddie, you've become quite tactically astute since your officer training." She smiled at her friend's blush, before taking a deep breath and coming to attention.
"Right then, I guess I'd better see to my away team then," she stated, and Lydana nodded.
"Be careful down there, Commander," she warned, and Elisa noted a change in her friend's tone when she gave official orders. "We need evidence, not fresh bodies on the deck. Stay safe, find what you can and get back up here. Understood?"
"Yes ma'am," Elisa answered, before giving her friend a jovial salute and heading out of the room.
Lydana took another sip of her tea, sighed in defeat, and returned to her paperwork.
"Coming up on the Virinat system now, ma'am."
Lydana looked up from her assortment of PADDs, rubbing her eyes with her thumbs.
"Thank you Ryan, bring us out of warp and I'll be there in a moment."
She gathered the PADDs into some sort of order, recycled her mug and straightened her uniform jacket, before adjusting her hair as well. She had to at least look less tired than she felt.
Once she'd seen to her appearance, she stepped out of the ready room door and back onto the bridge, slowing as she saw the viewscreen...and how utterly empty the space around Virinat was.
"Ops, report," she said quietly, as if afraid to wake the spirits of those who had died there.
"I'm detecting dozens of wrecked ships, of varying sizes. None of them seem to be have been combat vessels...and there are no lifesigns from the planet."
"Prophets," Lydana whispered, offering a silent prayer for the souls of the dead. "Move us into transporter range, Mister Cobham. Bridge to Commander Flores."
"Flores here, Admiral."
"We're approaching Virinat, standby to beam down. And remember what I said earlier."
"Aye ma'am. Ready on your order."
Lydana kept watching the viewscreen, horrified that someone would attack such a peaceful, beautiful planet...and then she remembered just who had perpetrated the attack, and she was suddenly less surprised.
"I've never been in a system that's so silent," Teshar said, in the same hushed tones as his captain. "It's...eerie."
"You're telling me," Lydana replied, finally settling into her chair. "Keep an eye on the sensors, Mister Teshar. I don't want us to get surprised by anything while we're here."
The rest of the journey to the planet passed in taut silence, each member of the crew subdued by the enormity of the tragedy.
"We're in transporter range now, ma'am," Ryan reported, and Lydana almost flinched at the sudden sound of his voice.
"Thank you, bring us into a geosynchronous orbit. Bridge to Commander Flores, you're clear to transport."
"Roger that ma'am, we'll keep you updated. Flores out."
"Ops, scan the colony, see what you can ascertain from here. Look for energy traces that would be out of place for an agricultural colony, especially traces of thalaron radiation. That's one thing that the Tal Shiar are keen to pin on the Republic."
Teshar acknowledged the order and focussed on his console, and Lydana returned to waiting expectantly for Elisa's report.
When it came, it was precisely what she expected.
"There's no sign of anything to suggest this was anything more than a peaceful world, sir," Elisa reported, her voice strained with grief for the lost. "Looks like they were in the middle of a festival when they were attacked."
"Teshar, anything to add?"
The Andorian shook his head slowly.
"Nothing, sir. No sign of thalaron weapons, no other weapons signatures that I can identify. All I can see is trace amounts of energy that match up with Romulan disruptor weapons – centred around impact craters. Evidence would suggest that they were attacked by Romulans, and I doubt they did it themselves."
"Did you hear that, Lise?"
"I did sir, and it matches what we're seeing here. Craters from orbital strikes, carrying trace energy signatures of Romulan weapons. It was definitely a Tal Shiar attack."
Lydana's hands curled into fists subconsciously, and only the pain of her nails digging into her palms informed her of the instinct reaction.
As far as she was concerned, the people this happened to were her family, as much her people as Bajorans were, and she felt the grief and rage as if it had happened to her personally.
"Anything else to add, Commander?" Lydana asked through clenched teeth, fighting to control her emotions.
"We've found a strange beacon-type device, that seems powered down now. It doesn't match anything in our database, but it lines up with signatures the Republic provided us...of Elachi tech."
"Good work, Elisa," Lydana said flatly. "Finish up, then get back on board. We'll send this to Command and see what they make of it."
"Aye aye, ma'am. Flores out."
Lydana sighed and leaned back in her chair, trying to process what she was feeling. It wasn't normal for her to be so affected by such a tragedy, but then she rarely came across such things happening to a race she knew and cared about.
Just as she'd begun to relax, T'Vrell caught her attention again.
"Sir, we have a Priority One message coming in from Admiral T'Nae, broadcast on all subspace channels."
"Onscreen," Lydana ordered wearily, fresh emotion rising in her gut.
The screen switched to show the small, angular features of the Vulcan Admiral, and while her expression lacked emotion, her eyes didn't.
They were furious.
"To all ships, this is a Priority One alert. Our allies, the Romulan Republic, have been attacked at their homeworld of New Romulus."
There was a collective intake of breath from the bridge crew, but none surpassed that of Lydana herself, who's hand covered her mouth in shock before she could control it. Unshed tears began to burn in her eyes as the message continued, but she was only partially aware of it.
"All ships are to report in for further orders, and it is advised that all captains appraise themselves of the observed capabilities of the enemy known as the Elachi. T'Nae, out."
The screen blanked again, and Lydana took a moment to try and regain her composure.
"T'Vrell, open...open a channel to the Admiral," she said, her voice quivering, and the Vulcan complied. In a few short seconds, the admiral's face lit the screen again, now in real time.
"Admiral Kassai, thank you for your swift response," she said in her typical, unemotional voice. "Your task force is on its way to you at Virinat. Once it arrives, head to New Romulus at best speed to bolster the defence forces – the Romulans have not had time to implement their orbital defences yet, and as such they are painfully vulnerable."
"Yes ma'am," Lydana replied, still fighting against the tears in her eyes and the lump in her throat.
"And Miss Kassai...I understand how you must feel, but we need you focussed – the Romulans need you focussed. Do not let emotion cloud your judgement."
"Yes ma'am," she repeated, forcing her voice into something harder and steadier. "I'll see you at New Romulus. Kassai, out."
"We have the Commander back, sir," Teshar reported in the silence that followed, as Lydana continued to fight against her own emotions. "Detecting multiple Starfleet warp signatures...looks like your task force, sir."
Lydana scrubbed at her eyes, swallowing hard and staring levelly ahead of her.
"Onscreen."
The perspective shifted slightly, flicking away from the planet to the space off to the Shadow's left, where nine fresh flares of light heralded the arrival of her task force.
The ships she now commanded formed an impressive miniature fleet in its own right; two Sao Paolo escorts, a Gryphon support escort, two Sovereign-class cruisers, two refitted Excelsior-class cruisers, a Rhode Island science vessel...and a Jupiter-class carrier.
On any other day, it would have stolen Lydana's breath, but she was too afraid for her wife to truly admire it.
"Sir, we are being hailed," T'Vrell informed her, and Lydana gestured for her to acknowledge it.
A familiar sleek, grey Caitian appeared on the screen, a hunger for battle gleaming in her good eye, and she bared her fangs in a feral grin.
"Admiral Kassai," she growled. "I assume I have you to thank for me still being with Starfleet?"
"I have no idea what you mean, Tenahbi," Lydana answered, a trace of humour returning to her voice, and the Caitian laughed.
"If you will forgive the insubordination, Admiral, to quote the humans, I call bullshit."
"I'll let it slide this time," she replied with a slight smile. "How are our people?"
"Ready to kick these vile creatures back to whatever foul hole they came from," Tenahbi answered with a snarl. "As am I."
"Then let's not waste time. Form up on us, standard pattern. It's time the republic knew what an alliance with the Federation means."
"And time the Elachi learned to fear us," Tenahbi added, baring her fangs.
"Quite so, Captain. Let's get to it. Shadow, out."
The screen blanked once more, and Lydana instantly began giving her orders.
"Ryan, set course for New Romulus, maximum warp. Rhobas, charge weapons and shields, load torpedoes. I expect us to be going in hot. Teshar, I need you monitoring the task force so that we know how to support each other. T'Vrell, same thing, I need you to keep up with the task force comms."
A volley of assents greeted her, and as the ship began turning to settle into its place in the formation, Elisa strode out of the turbolift and took her place at Lydana's side.
"I just heard," she said in hushed tones, "are you-"
"I don't want to talk about it, Lise," Lydana said sharply, before looking down at the deck sadly. "But your concern is noted...and appreciated."
Elisa stayed quiet, resting her hand on Lydana's arm in a silent show of support, and the Admiral looked up once more.
"T'Vrell, open a channel to the task force."
"Open, sir."
"All ships, this is Admiral Kassai. I want readiness states reported to me within the next fifteen minutes. Set course for New Romulus...engage."
A split second later, ten ships jumped to warp in rapid succession, and Lydana offered a prayer to the Prophets – to watch over her people, across all the ships she now commanded...but mostly over Loraya, who no doubt was in the middle of the defence of her home.