With a plasma torpedo incoming, the Helicon battens down the hatches.

"Romulan plasma torpedo launch detected." Kwon said, his voice slightly elevated, "trying to establish lock for intercept."
"Would have been awesome to have the fighters now" he added under his breath.
"They'd worse off than we, Lieutenant." Umi said answering his murmur, "Manual targeting. Fire at will." She turned to Marukami as Kwon opened fire, "Did we get their decloak and cloak on sensors? Can we track them?"

Marukami's fingers danced across the control surfaces, the proximity alarm counting down the seconds until impact.

"No Captain, but there is a spike in neutrino emissions 3 milliseconds before they decloak."
"3 milliseconds?" Umi said in disbelief.
"It's the new sensor package. Standard issue would not get it."
"I see. Coordinate with engineering and tactical. We have to use those…"

"Brace for impact!" Kwon barked over the alarm.

The torpedo struck the shields, imparting a significant amount of energy into it with the rest converting to a kinetic impact. The inertial dampeners did their best to keep the ship unaffected but were chanceless against the sheer force . The resulting short out caused the ship to shake violently. Crew and material were tossed around, the backups just slightly lessening the force.

"Report." Umi said over the alerts.
"Minimal structural damage. Shields holding. The phasing and the Romulan shield protocols caused most of the impact to be bled off. No casualties. Emergency teams responding."
Umi tasted something metallic in her mouth.

"Be ready. Give me those 3 milliseconds."

"Captain." Nozomi called. "The away teams. They signal that they're in position."
"Sonoda to Engineering. Lieutenant, work your magic and bring my away teams home."
"Nya."


The Romulan Captain looked at the viewscreen in confusement.

"Is the viewscreen working correctly?"
"Yes Captain."
"Then why, Sublieutenant, is the Federation ship not moving?"
"Unknown, sir." The science office said.
"Then make it known! Or I'll have you sent to the mines of Remus."

The sublieutenant hid his discomfort at the thought and worked his console.

"Tactical, ready to fire?"
"18 millicycles."
"These Klingon ships… very well. De-cloak and use the disruptors too."
"Yes, sir." The tactical officer responded, keying in the sequence.


The shimmer and buzz of the pattern enhancers filled the compartment. Everyone sans Nico, just a low whine of wind was heard within its confines.

"Norikura to Helicon. We're ready." Eli said over the com-link.
"Wait for Nico." The short tactical officer was tapping frenetically on her tricorder.
"Stand-by Helicon."
"We're go on your order Commander." The voice of the transporter chief echoed.

Eli looked exasperated at Nico.

"Done."
"Norikura to Helicon. Energize!"

The shimmer of phased matter slowly, almost hesitantly, encroached on their field of view.


"Captain!" The Romulan science officer called.
"What is it?"
"A craft, larger than a Federation shuttle is in the atmosphere below the Federation starship. It's matching speed and course."
"That must be their away team." The Captain smiled with glee, "Destroy that ship!"
"Disruptors are being blocked by the dampening field. Torpedo ready in 5 minicycles."
"Fire when ready. Keep firing disruptors!"


"Transport underway." Marukami reported.
"Understood. Status?" Umi held on to the armrest as the ship was jostled by the continued fire from the Romulan cruiser."
"Phasers ineffective. Torpedoes still unavailable. We don't have enough power, Everything is going into the transported and shields. Damage is being mitigated." Kwon said.
"Keep it steady helm."

Come home Kotori… please, Umi thought , seeing a smile that would ignite a thousand stars in her mind. She wanted to see that smile again.


Eli counted the seconds in her mind. Just before she came to five, her vision was completely obscured by the phased matter stream. The static build-up, usually minor tickled her skin in a way that was unnerving. She continued to count.


"Captain! Another torpedo. What? No!"
"What is it Ensign?" tried to keep her voice steady.
"It's targeting the runabout!"

A plot appeared on the viewscreen, superimposed over a tactical display of both Federation ships. The plot from the Romulan ship intercepted the runabout.

"Stop that torpedo… do anything!"

Kwon didn't wait to reply, phaser beams leapt from the strips and cannons, desperately trying to target the torpedo. It streaked undeterred across the bow of the Helicon towards its target. The viewscreen, already displaying and image of the runabout become white as the sensors lined up with the Norikura were blinded by a powerful explosion. A split second later, another explosion appeared on sensors. From the ground.

"Kotori…" Umi whispered in disbelief just as the unmistakable shimmer of a two transporter beams appeared. Kwon pulled his phaser, while still operating the tactical station. Agonizing seconds later, Eli and Nico finished materializing on the bridge. Nico was the first to move.

"Kwon. Sitrep." She said commanding.
"Refitted D7 cruiser. Plasma torpedos and disruptors. "he replied as he vacated the station and Nico sat down.
"Transporter room to bridge. All aboard."

Umi looked at Eli.

"But… the explosion?" she inquired.
"Captain?" Eli asked, not understanding.
"Present from Nico." Nico said, "Warp core overload.""Captain, the torpedo impacted on the surface. The dampening field is offline." Said Marukami, "I'm reading debris."

Umi shock off the confusion.

"Transporter Room, say again, are the other members of the away and rescue teams on-board?"
"Confirmed Captain."

Umi sat back down.

"Tactical. Make the Romulan reconsider his actions."
"Targeting weak point. Firing." Nico confirmed.

Two photon torpedos and beams of phaser fire leapt towards the Romulan cruiser and struck it just off the base of the neck connecting to the drive section. At first nothing happened, but then small explosions erupted from all along the neck and the drive section. The cruiser began to slowly spin, losing its orientation.

"I'm reading massive power fluctuations. They are losing containment." Marukami said, Eli standing at the XO station, eyeing the ensign.
"Open a channel." Umi ordered, "This is the USS Helicon to Romulan cruiser. We are reading an imminent containment breach in your vessel. Lower your shields and prepare for emergency evacuation."

Nothing happened.

"This is Captain Sonoda. We stand ready to offer emergency assistance. Lower your shields so we can evacuate your crew."

On the viewscreen a picture filled with static, sparks and the sound of the low creaking of metal appeared. A face appeared. It was Romulan, bloody and scowled.

"Blast you Federation. I will not fall for your tricks."
"This is not a trick. You are heading for a singularity breach. It will annihilate you. Let us help!"
"NEVER! I will not be made a pet."
"Pet?"

The figure disappeared off-screen.

"Final… duty!"
"Captain!", Marukami could barley contain the panic in her voice, "Containment loss is accelerating. Shields won't hold."

The Romulans had played their cards.

"Helm, turn about and maximum warp. Any direction. Execute!"
"Ay." Wakefield's fingers had already input the commands.

The last thing the Romulan captain saw was the Helicon jumping to warp. Then his world ceased to exist.