It had been surprisingly easy to convince the Jem'Hadar to bring R2 along whom they were convinced was a simply repair drone.

If they only knew…

Actually it was a good thing they didn't know or this plan would never work.

Scotty had been taken to the lead Jem'Hadar ship and was now in the engine room, operating under extremely strict guard. Everything he was doing was being double checked by the ship's own engineer to ensure there was no tampering with the engines, life support or anything else.

Scotty had to give them credit; they knew to keep an eye for sabotage.

That was why he brought R2 along. With the astromech's own body and knowledge having been upgraded by V'Ger, R2 was essentially the smartest machine in the galaxy, perhaps both galaxies including the one he was from.

If anyone knew how to stay under the radar it would be him.

Sure enough, R2 passed by several terminals but the Jem'Hadar made sure he didn't touch anything.

Smart but they hadn't realize R2 didn't need to physically touch the terminals like he would have needed before.

With V'Ger's upgrades, he didn't need to touch the console showing a schematic of engineering as he followed Scotty to the main drive.

"Now Mr. Scott, please explain how your 'hyperdrive' works." Weyoun calmly requested.

"Well, there's no real complicated method about it once you got the basics down. Simply we use the deflector dish of our ship to open a fissure into what we call hyperspace and enter it. We don't have to generate a warp field at all." Scotty answered, keeping it all simple.

"And how do we generate a fissure that will be safe to enter?" Weyoun asked. "Tearing a tear in the middle of space is dangerous enough but I am sure it would also be hazardous if they are opened and remain open even as you reach your destination."

"Aye, there's a bit of tinkering to be done." Scotty admitted with a nod.

"Then by all means, Mr. Scott." Weyoun gestured to the main engineering console. "Tinker away. Just remember we are closely monitoring your work and we will of course test it to confirm it works."

"Aye." Scotty nodded and gestured for R2 to follow. "Come along, lad."

"Perhaps just you for now, Mr. Scott." Weyoun said as the Jem'Hadar guards pointed their rifles at R2. "Just to see the master at work."

"Oh…Of course." Scotty sighed as he turned to carry out his task.

As the guards kept their eye on Scotty R2 slid back, already opening a compartment. Scotty walked up to the main drive console and go to work, creating the hyperdrive formula and displaying it for the Vorta and Jem'Hadar to see.

"Aye, there it is." Scotty gestured.

"Now let's check the file you've attached." Weyoun stepped forward as a guard pulled Scotty out of the way, taking a moment to examine the fire. "Mr. Scott, you disappoint me."

He turned and faced Scotty, shaking his head and closing his eyes as he sighed. "Really? A computer virus meant to infect our systems, disable our engines, shielding and weapons. That's the best you could come up and you left it out for everyone to see."

"Aye, that would be a major mistake on my part." Scotty nodded and then smiled. "If I was planning on hiding it from ya, laddie."

"Oh?" Weyoun raised an eyebrow. "And why is that?"

"Well, as it turns out my secret weapon isn't the virus I've attached to the hyperdrive formula." Scotty slowly explained. "Rather, it's my little friend."

R2's compartment as everyone turned to him as his electric Arc Wielder popped out and let loose a series of electric bolts that hit the Jem'Hadar and Weyoun head on, causing their bodies to flash before they collapsed onto the ground.

"Nice work, laddie." Scotty patted R2 on the head. "You zapped them!"

"I modified it to emit a stream of electrons at a level that would stun them. I'm still an Astromech, not a battle droid." R2 answered. "You did great distracting them."

"Aye." Scotty turned to the console and immediately deleted the hyperdrive formula. "Now all that is left is to send the virus to every Dominion ship in the sector."

"Leave that to me." R2 beeped as he came up to the console and his transceiver popped out of his dome shaped 'head'.

He then opened his transceiver and plugged into the system.

"I am accessing all Dominion communication protocols." R2 informed Scotty as he got to work. "My upgrades from V'Ger can allow me to send this virus to every Dominion ship in the Gamma Quadrant. They would spend years having to get it out of their systems. They would even have to build up an entirely new fleet from the ground up with a completely new network to finally get rid of the virus."

"Ah and their ships along with all their dry docks, stations and bases would be infected." Scotty nodded in agreement with a smile. "You are the smartest wee little mechanic I have ever met. Were you always like this or did this come from the upgrades?"

"Thank you." R2 beeped happily. "And I like to think I was always like this."

He combed through more of the computer system as he conversed with Scotty. "There's a Dominion fleet on the way and it's getting close. We'll have to hightail it out of here as soon as we're back on the Enterprise."

"Aye." Scotty nodded as he moved to help. "Can you get me transporter control? I don't have time to figure how this all works on my own."

"Done." R2 nodded, transferring transporter control to Scotty and even translating the Dominion language to English. "This should help."

"Aye it does." Scotty nodded with a smile as he got to work. "I'm locking onto all Dominion life signs on the Enterprise. I'll beam them to the cargo hold on this ship but we'll have to skedaddle."

"Right." R2's transceiver pointed in the general direction of the approaching fleet. "Ready."

"All life signs locked on." Scotty nodded to R2. "Transmit now. And…beaming out."

At the same time, the Dominion transporter system beamed all Jem'Hadar off the Enterprise while R2 began transmitting the computer virus he and Spock had made together on all Dominion frequencies. The surrounding Dominion ships began to dim and float about aimlessly in space, showing the virus had taken effect immediately. The lights were even dimming in the control of the ship Scotty and R2 were on.

Luckily they didn't stay long as they vanished in beams of light, returning to the Enterprise.

Xxx

USS Enterprise
Admiral's Quarters

Kirk knew something was up as soon as he heard the familiar whirring sound that came from a transporter and stepped out to the see Jem'Hadar posted at his door gone. He looked down the hallway and saw no Jem'Hadar at all as other Starfleet crewmen opened their doors to peak their heads outside.

"Admiral!"

Kirk spun around to see Scotty and R2 rushing down the hallway. "Mr. Scott. I assume you know what has just happened."

"Oh, Mr. R2 and I gave our new friends a little present but I don't think they took it well." Scotty said bashfully. "In fact, I think they are going to be a wee bit cranky."

"Then we better not stick around." Kirk patted Scotty on the shoulder. "Get us up and running and as soon as you can, get us to hyperspace."

"Aye sir!" Scotty replied before making a beeline to Engineering.

Xxx

A few minutes later, the crew of the Enterprise had scrambled and returned to their stations and the Federation ship began maneuvering away from the disabled Dominion ships. As soon as it was clear, it immediately shot into hyperspace, leaving it's would be captors behind.

Xxx

Dominion Command Ship

"What do you mean we can't restore our systems?!" Weyoun barked.

"I mean we can't. The virus has locked us out of the system. We cannot access our weapons, shields or our warp drive." The First Jem'Hadar reported.

Weyoun clenched his hands into fists as he cast an infuriated look around the bridge. "He played me…He knew I was going to look and he counted on it. He wanted my eyes off that infernal machine so it hit us from behind."

"Weyoun, there is a transmission from the fleet the Founder is on." The First reported.

Weyoun's eyes widened as he looked to the First. "Does she know?"

"Her ship is reported to be disabled like we are." The First simply said.

Weyoun froze in horror. "What?"

"Her entire fleet is disabled." The First answered.

"Then…that means…" Weyoun was trembling. "It's not just our fleet that was infected by this virus. If the fleet escorting the Founder is disabled as well…"

Then there was a chance that possibly every Dominion ship in the sector was infected and disabled.

Weyoun trembled at how the Founder would take this news.

Too bad he hadn't realized yet that R2 had modified the virus to spread through every communication channel the Dominion used and made it sure it was targeted to every Dominion ship and installation in the quadrant.

It wasn't just the two fleets that had been disabled.

The entire Dominion itself had been crippled.

Xxx

Five Days Later
Alpha Quadrant
Sol System

Admiral's Log Supplemental: We have finally returned home after assisting the Remee survivors in finding a system to rebuild their civilization that will be safe from the Dominion. Mr. Scott and R2 have confirmed the virus that R2 with Mr. Spock would disable the weapons, shields, and warp drive of every Dominion once inside their computer system and they would be completely locked out from any attempts to purge the virus. R2 had come forward with the virus idea and had used his own modified transceiver to beam the virus across the Gamma Quadrant through the Dominion network. It is likely the Dominion has fallen into complete chaos with their fleets and bases disabled.

A comforting thought to know that the Gamma Quadrant will be safe for a time from Dominion expansion but Mr. Spock has reminded me that eventually the Dominion may find to purge the virus or they will simply start over building their ships and installations cut off from their infected network. It is likely the Dominion will not forgive or forget this encounter but fortunately Mr. R2 brought back gift for us and his home galaxy. While aboard the Dominion ship with Mr. Scott, R2 downloaded the entire schematic database to their fleet, right down to the smallest detail.

For now, further exploration into the Gamma Quadrant has been deemed 'On-Hold'. Perhaps it is better for the time being we stay close to home. Starfleet is considering we begin exploring the other galaxy, with several ships and commanding officers in mind. In the meantime, I have been called to take part in a new project that has been proposed to the Federation Council.

A Fleet Modernization Project.

End Log

The doors opened, allowing Kirk to step and he saw the long table already filled with officers who were waiting patiently. "I apologize for being late. I had some last minute inspection I wanted to finish."

"You are in fact on time, Admiral Kirk." Admiral Cartwright replied, gesturing for Kirk to sit down. "This meeting is now in order. What is being proposed is a radical refit of nearly all ships in our mothballed fleet. The reason why is because of the recent concerns of the Enterprise's encounter in the Gamma Quadrant and many in Starfleet wishing to explore our new neighboring galaxy. While I am in support of this new place to explore, I am also concerned that we do not have the sufficient number of ships to support such an endeavor while looking after our own backyard."

Cartwright then tapped a switch showing detailed schematics of ships in the mothballed fleet. "Many of these ships served before and during the Earth-Romulan war a century ago. They are smaller and more compact compared to our current ships but the engineering team I assigned to inspect them have promised me that a majority of these ships are capable of being brought up to fleet standards. Others would have to have fifty percent of their hulls stripped down and begun anew. I want to hear all your thoughts on this new project and any advice you can offer if you are in agreement of this."