RRW Courser

Scimitar Class Dreadnought Warbird

In space near Jupiter


─•~:~•─


Courser exited warp speed, and the seven-ship task force of the Dabhe Karansu found itself face to face with the largest planet in the Terrhaha's system, a planet they called Jupiter. In their religious lore of ancient days, Jupiter was the Roman god of sky, thunder, and king of all other gods. With bolts of steel, Jupiter would cast thunder to his enemies, and stood above all others in the pantheon of the sky.

The Rihannsu did not have gods, at least in the same way other species like the Terrhaha did. Their spiritual beliefs said that the elements themselves were things that could be asked for reverence, and in exchange the elements would give their favour to those they deemed worthy. All Elements had two purposes. Okhala, or what Terrhaha called Fire, would warm the soul, and burn the varuul, just as Hobus had burned Romulus. But there was one creature from their religion that could be viewed as a God to the Rihannsu, and Donatra felt that the massive gas giant in front of her might be the home of that creature.

Alth'Indor had no name in English, but the concept was similar to Terrhaha's myth of a Phoenix, a grand Bird of Prey that would die in fire but be reborn in ashes, stronger, faster, and better than it was before. D'Tann and those like him often compared the Rihannsu to Alth'Indor. Donatra bought into the stories, even if Bragg didn't, and she was hoping that great bird's spirit would help her and her friends today.

She stood, patiently, as Riov Jarok set about her tasks as the master of Courser, "Full sensor sweep, how many Federation Starships are coming for us?"

The Uhlan at the console scanned his instruments, but reported back, "I can detect no Starships in our immediate vicinity, Riov. However, there is a great deal of civilian traffic making its way from the sixth planet to the third, which appears to be linking up with a large task force at the fourth planet."

"On screen," Tiaru ordered, as she rose from her command seat.

The image flipped from Jupiter, and Courser watched as ships of all makes and designs fled like Epohs from a predator, while the sizable and powerful task force of Illoannen'galae tried to marshal the civilians into something that resembled a properly escorted convoy.

That task force was likely enough to give the entire Republican Karansu a severe challenge if they were turned against the Rihannsu, but they seemed be turned away from Donatra, a sight she found incredibly strange.

"They're running away," Tiaru commented.

"Yes, but from what?" Donatra asked.

Courser and her escorts were hardly a threat to that task force.

The Uhlan answered her question, "New sensor contacts, Riov! A pair of Terrhaha aihth'hiylls are firing on a Bhorgha ship! That must be what the civilians are fleeing from"

"On screen, now!" Donatra shouted as she ran to the console. It was a breach of Karansu protocol for a Khre-Riov to issue orders on the bridge of an AkhDhael over the Riov, but protocol had to give way to time and practicality.

The image flipped once more, and two of Starfleet's Battleships, as they would say in English, were firing their impressive cannons at a diamond shaped vessel of what they called the Borg, which in Rihannsu translated to Bhorg as a descriptive adjective. The furious guns of the battleships were pounding as hard as Valdore had pounded Scimitar a decade ago, but the monstrous Bhorgha Diamond was hardly being slowed.

To the best knowledge of Bragg and Donatra, the Rihannsu had never encountered the feared cybernetic race of the Delta Quadrant in open combat before. Decades ago, the Rihannsu had broken their long silence with the Lloann'na (Federation) on the old Stelai Ler'lloann (Federation Neutral Zone) when several outposts on both sides of the zone had been destroyed by some unseen and powerful force.

Tebok, the first Rihanh to address the Terrhaha in person sinceKeras had tested the resolve of James T Kirk and "Old Plasticides" Enterprise hundreds of years ago, had spoken with Jean-Luc Picard and reasoned that it was the Bhorgha responsible for the destruction. War was averted, butTebok left Picard with a warning that was required reading in the Officer's Academy of both the Rei Karansu and the Republican Karansu.

Matters more urgent caused our absence. Now, Witness the result. Outposts destroyed, Expansion of the Federation everywhere. Yes, we have indeed been negligent. But no more. You are not wanted here. Do you understand my meaning, Captain? We...are back.

Since that time, The Bhorg had attacked Earth twice in living memory, once at the Battle of Wolf 359, and once more, a year before the Dominion War. Wolf 359 had led to only the second official dialogue between the Star Empire and the Federation when the Federation had requested assistance in repelling the cube shaped vessel from their space.

The Klling'hann Nneikha (Klingon Empire) had dispatched a squadron of their own that failed to arrive in time to provide any meaningful assistance, but the arrogance of Proconsul Neral refused to offer any assistance, and a single AkhDhael was sent under cloak to watch the proceedings. The Cube threw Illoannen'galae aside like a child would throw aside an unwelcome meal, and the Bhorg had come closer than even the Rihannsu had to finally defeating Earth.

Before Hobus, there were whispers that the Tal Shiar may have boarded several other cubes, but nothing was ever confirmed or revealed, and like so many other secrets of that hated organization, any technology or information was lost as ashes in the white fire. Scientists and Strategists estimated that, at least in theory, an AkhDhael could prevail in combat with a Cube, but those estimates were just that, and Donatra found another difficult choice ahead of her.

"Norat would have a point about this. We could turn around and leave. They'd never know we were here," Tiaru pointed out.

It was a frustrating statement, but it wasn't incorrect.

But Donatra was not a coward. Besides, Daendelno favoursi na varuul.

She hit the comm's panel, and this time, protocol favoured her in ordering the task force into action, "Courser to all ships. Set course to 115 Mark 221. Bring us alongside either of the aihth'hiylls and bring all weapons to full power. Target the Bhorg ship and prepare to fire as soon as we are in range. Kiuu mnekham, All is Well. Courser out."

As the black predator and her escorts around her brought their considerable array of weaponry online and sped fast into the jaws of death, Tiaru offered another smile to Donatra, "So, are we going to be your friend Alynna's Jhu this time, Khre-Riov?"

Donatra smiled back, "She absolutely hates being called The Angel, in any language."

"She may not have a choice. Let's see what we can do to help, Jolan Tru!" Tiaru cried to her crew.


─•~:~•─


"This is taking too long," Rain cursed under her breath.

She slammed her fist on the firing switch, and the third salvo from Repulse screamed out from her guns into the heart of the Diamond.

After an eternity of thirty seconds, the shells savagely battered the Borg Diamond, and that hateful-looking monstrosity was violently rocked in space.

Moments after Repulse had fired, the third salvo from Vanguard slammed into the opposite side of the Diamond, and the impact was enough to throw it 18° off her Z axis.

But the Diamond continued to push forward and continued to absolutely infuriate the small part of emotion that the Engine that Rain allowed her mind to experience.

"Damage assessment thus far?" Tovey asked from his seat on the Loft.

Gunny Bagsley, copying his Major, took over a sensor console and answered back quickly, "We're definitely hurting whatever the hell that thing is. I've got power fluctuations across the board, and there's a shitload of micro-fractures appearing on her outer hull. But she's still got full power on impulse and 25% of her third shield grid still up."

Ignoring the reports, Rain quickly entered a new series of commands into the Gunner's table.

With some quick modifications that weren't – technically speaking – by the book, she was able to increase the auto-loaders speed by 13.2 seconds, and thus she was able to fire the guns of Repulse that much faster.

She slammed the firing switch again, and the fourth salvo quickly crossed the .5 AU distance between the battleship and the Diamond.

All six shells slammed just as hard as they had before, and Rain allowed herself some amusement watching the Diamond spin like a top against the violent impact of Tritanium on her hull.

But the Diamond stubbornly refused to die and continued moving forward towards the Asteroid Belt and Earth.

"22.67% Now," Bagsley added to the noise of the autoloaders straining to answer Rain's inputs.

Seconds later, Vanguard fired her fourth salvo, and this time an explosion was added to the violent impact.

Whatever Repulse's sister managed to hit, it was enough to knock the Diamond back in space almost fifteen kilometres and buying Rain about ten seconds of extra time.

"What was that?!" Tovey asked as he pointed to the red fire erupting from the side of the Diamond facing away from Repulse.

Mike hit some switches on his console and replied, "I'm not quite sure, but I think Vanny managed to hit a primary EPS tap. I just logged a 12% drop in her subspace field strength. I think we've got our targets now!"

Vice Admiral Quinn, who had been trying to keep quiet during the entire battle, suddenly spoke up, "We should get closer and fire more weaponry at that thing. Perhaps some quantum torpedoes or maybe a burst from our plasma lances might create a dampening effect on that grid?"

Micheal shook his head, "I can quite tell you've never done any fighting off a holodeck before. Moving closer puts us in range of their weaponry. I'm not making myself an easier target"

Quinn stood up and channelled some hidden confidence, "This little plan clearly isn't working any better, Captain Tovey. I order you to bring us closer and -"

Tovey stood up and borrowed a line from the Marines which forced the Vice Admiral back into his seat, "Quinn, would you kindly shut, the fuck, up?!"

Satisfied that the line worked, Tovey spoke kindlier to Rain, "Continue firing, Major Kaimeao. Ready the fifth salvo at your discretion and see if we can hit a few more of these-"

Micheal was in turn cut off by Mike, who sounded slightly concerned, "New sensor contacts closing in from six o'clock. Looks like... oh shit!"

"What is it, Gunny?" Rain finally added to the conversation.

Mike turned and pointed at his screen, "Romulans!"


─•~:~•─


"Standby CIWS! Lock up those green bastards-" Jackie ordered but found herself cut off by Jack at the Gunner's Table.

"Look!" he said in a scream, pointing at the main viewer, "They're firing on the Borg!"

Vanguard shook as she shot out her sixth salvo. Joining the streak of orange were three dozen sinister green plasma torpedoes and nearly a hundred white disruptor bolts fired out from perhaps the only ship in space that could possibly match Vanguard in a straight fight.

Jack tried to keep his hands from shaking as RRW Courser, the same shape as the predator Scimitar that had almost killed him twelve years ago, slotted evenly between Vanguard and Repulse, while three Alehal light battle cruisers – the Republic's answer to the fallen Avalon – lined up in front and underneath the larger ships and added their own volley of plasma torpedoes and disruptor bolts to the thunder of ordinance that was seconds away from slamming into the Borg Diamond.

"We're getting a signal from Courser; it's coded for Admiral Nechayev by name." Jonesy called from the comm's station.

On a separate window from the trace of weaponry, Rear Admiral Donatra Vaakam appeared and offered a smile to her friend from a decade ago, "Sorry we're late, Alynna, but like you always say, better to be late and make a good entrance, right?"

Alynna smiled back and channelled her maverick ways, "Good God! Three hours ago, I was praying to God and Elements alike that I wouldn't have to shoot at you, Donatra. It's damned good to see you!"

"The feeling's mutual, my old friend. How can we help?" Donatra asked.

Before "The Angel" could answer, the sixth salvo struck home, and with the added power of Romulan Torpedoes and Disruptors, The Diamond visibly shuddered under the impact. Bright red explosions danced across the hull, and the Diamond was knocked back several more kilometres in space. Jack looked quickly at his targeting sensors, and felt relief that, finally, the Borg's impulse drives were starting to waver.

"Keep doing that, Donatra" Alynna answered, keying in her console to link with Courser, "I'm sending you a firing solution that my nephew came up with an hour ago. If you have anything like KEW's or our cannons, feed that into your tactical control systems and start blasting away. Otherwise, just follow our tracers. Try to hold your ships out of range as much as you can, that Diamond has some sharp teeth"

"Will do. We don't have anything like your cannons, but Courser has a magazine of old-style spatial torpedoes that might do the trick. But I need to point out we're unlikely to destroy that thing even with this clever little solution you've got. And since when did you have a nephew?" Donatra asked as she directed her own ships into battle.

Alynna smirked, "I'll explain it to you after, and ideally over a bottle of that Kali-fal I love so much. If we can get their shields down, my nephew has 74 000 Marines sitting in our cargo bay that will do the job from the inside"

"And feel free to join the party, we could use a few extra guns" Jack added quickly as he prepared the seventh salvo while linking into Courser's own tactical station to vector her spatial torpedoes appropriately.

"Humans have a funny idea about parties. I'll get the bottle ready for us, Alynna. Let's get to work!" Donatra shouted back as she closed the channel.

Alynna had butted heads with Jean-Luc Picard over more than a few issues, but reading his reports always gave her a smile, including his report about the Battle of the Bayzon Rift twelve years ago. So as a maverick, she decided to steal another line, "You heard the lady, let's go to work!"


─•~:~•─


"3783," She said with cold fury, "Remind me after we finish with 5618, 3783 is to be added to the priority assimilation list"

She felt the Collective complying with her instructions, while her emotional subproccessors were screaming in naked anger at the arrogance of such an inferior species to dare interfere with her plans.

Her Library reminded the Queen that 3783 was an off-shoot of Species 3259, designated Vulcan in plain text. Like 3259, 3783 – designation Romulan – had intriguing telepathic abilities and advanced quad-helix genetic structures. Five of Eight was a formally a member of 3783, and there were 342 other drones aboard her Diamond that were also former members of 3783. Despite their relatively inferior eyesight and propensity for genetic diseases, they had proven useful for simulation studies and tactical planning. They also managed to infiltrate several Cubes over the years and steal technology that did not belong to them.

Just as Virnas took something from my library, she thought to herself.

Priority Alert. Incoming kinetic impactors, Grade C plasma torpedoes and ion-channelled disruptor fire, multiple vectors. Estimate catastrophic damage potential at 67.88%. Impulse thrust is insufficient for successful evasive manoeuvres. Brace for Impact.

The Combat Algorithm's warning came to her quickly, but not quickly enough to nearly send the Queen flying into another bulkhead. She held on to a rail – just barely keeping herself stable – and felt the pain as hundreds of drones from twenty-seven distinct species died on the decks below her chambers. She felt more pain, and anger, as the Diamond's impulse drives finally gave out, and her assimilation platform halted in space.

"Status!" She cried out to the Collective, letting her logical units be overwhelmed by the emotional subproccessors.

Impulse drive offline. Repair time estimate 1 Hour 18 Minutes 29 Seconds. Tertiary Shields holding at 2.7% power. Subspace gird 119-C offline. Diamond 812 Combat Effectiveness rating at 32.84%, no longer sufficient to comply with Command 8812

With that same cold anger, she violently smashed her armoured hands and destroyed yet another console in her chamber. Such destruction was not efficient, nor was allowing her emotional subproccessors to govern all actions, but now, she didn't know what else to do.

The Collective began building a new consensus. 48.8% favoured Withdraw, and 52.4% favoured Maintain, but the percentages were closing faster than she could keep track. First of One was not supposed to override a consensus, but she ignored inefficient warnings and instead chose a third option.

"Launch Prototypes 2-1 and 2-4 on course 111 Mark 15. Discontinue all further power transfers and prioritize library preservation and tactical data uploads. All remaining drones are to prepare for CQC action" She ordered, removing her jacket, and accessing her library to select an appropriate personal weapons load-out.

Action exceeds safety margin and is not recommended.

Again, the Combat Algorithm proved as annoying as 3783. She was in no mood to be questioned. With a single blink, she deleted Combat Algorithm v.218 and instructed her Collective to compile Combat Algorithm v.219, with a single priority command in their root path,

"Safety is irrelevant. Death is irrelevant. You must comply"


─•~:~•─


"That's it! We finally knocked that fucker's impulse drives out. One more shot ought to do it Major!" Bagsley cried out triumphantly. The bridge crew of Repulse joined with the Secret Squirrel in celebrating a hard-fought victory.

Rain was too focused to cheer, but she pushed the Engine down just enough for one final thought, as she keyed the final firing sequence into the gunner's table and set the last salvo at 129% power.

This is for you Zelina, my love

With all her hate, all her anger, all her fear, all her sorrow, and all her love, Rain slammed the firing switch and felt Repulse herself shake with all of the emotions that her gunner was feeling at that moment, Engine or not.

Six tritanium shells flew out from Repulse's guns, joining six more from Vanguard that fired at nearly the same time. And around those twelve shells, thirty-six Romulan Spatial Torpedoes fitted neatly into the gaps.

Spatial Torpedoes were horribly primitive weaponry by most standards, unable to sustain solid trajectories at high warp, easily defeated by modern CIWS systems or tactical interceptors, and the propellant agents that powered the missiles themselves were almost as dangerous to their own ships as the explosive warheads were to enemy ships.

But just like the bootnecks own – allegedly – horribly primitive weaponry, Spatial Torpedoes would continue to function in even the densest of EMP jamming clouds, couldn't be disabled remotely by computers, and would still explode via magnetic contact detonators even in the unlikely event the duotronic proximity sensors burned out in-flight.

Starfleet hadn't loaded Spatial Torpedoes in Starship magazines for almost a hundred years, although sizable stocks were maintained on Earth, Andoria and Bajor just in case. The Romulans however, be they Rei Karansu or Republican Karansu, always carried a full stock aboard each of their ships, as it was Romulan folly not to bring every weapon they had into a fight. From the long, spiny wings of Courser, the missiles flew out in every direction and quickly found their places alongside the tritanium shells fired from the slightly larger battleships on either side of the Green Predator via laser guidance.

A single heartbeat later, the shells and missiles blasted through what was left of the Borg Diamond's final shield grid, and the monstrosity was violently rocked for a final time. The Diamond violently spun in place three times, and flipped over her Z axis for a full nine rotations. The Diamond wasn't destroyed – and in Rain's mind, it probably couldn't be destroyed in any reasonable time – but she had been badly wounded, and Rain's Engine allowed her to join the cheering as the crystallized outline of Borg Shields shattered in space, finally giving Rain her chance to take her revenge on the Borg.

I'll see you soon, Zelina.


─•~:~•─


Jack didn't have an Engine like Rain did, couldn't engage Work-Mode like Mark could, and lacked both Mor's decades of killing experience and Virnas' Borg Tactical Data, but he knew his chance when he saw it, and he wouldn't let the opportunity slip by quickly.

He jumped to his feet, opened his wrist-comm, and shouted, "Vanguard 1-9 to all FMC call-signs. Standby for flash transport! Con one carry, weapons free!"

Jack reached into his pocket and took out the micro-block holding his armour, but before he put it on, he stopped in front of Jackie and made another choice that he didn't fully understand – like the choice he made to join the FMC in the first place – but felt good anyway.

He grabbed Jackie by her dreadlocks, pulled her mouth to his own, and shoved his tongue down her throat as he enjoyed the sensation of her arms and legs wrapping around his body.

A few seconds after Jackie and Jack exchanged saliva and passion, he shoved her roughly back into her Captain's Chair, hit the button on the block that would deploy his armour, and picked up his rifle to return to the task at hand.

Jackie, still gobsmacked and thoroughly aroused at the grand display, only had six words to respond with, "What the fuck was that, Jack?!"

Through his helmet, Jack nodded back, "For luck, of course. Make you a deal, Jackie. Assuming I don't die in the next few minutes, we'll do the rest when I get back. Alright?"

Jackie shot to her feet and screamed, "Oh you bet your fucking ass we have a deal! Ain't no fuckin Borg drone is stoppin my fun tonight, right Auntie Lynna?!"

Once more, Auntie Lynna could only smirk back and said, quietly, "Good luck Jack."

Alynna hit the flash transport controls, and lights in the cavernous bridge dimmed slightly as she devoted every bit of power, she could into beaming 74 000 armed Marines into any viable target her sensors could lock on to.

Perhaps she wouldn't be getting laid tonight like Captain Fishier would be, but the Maverick Admiral savoured the almost as pleasing bottle of Kali-fal that her friend Donatra had ready for the victory celebrations.