Federation Council
The Council debated their orders to the last minute they had. The fleet waited anxiously for the Council to contact them.
Finally the long awaited news came.
"Captain, we've been discussing this for awhile," Aurik began.
"We've noticed," Riker mumbled under his breath on the other side of the screen.
But the President didn't seem to notice for he continued, "We've decided-"
"Captain, twenty Hagan ships are approaching our position." All eyes on the bridge turned their attention to the tactical officer then back to the screen where an image of the ships was being displayed. They were twice as big as a shuttle pod, but nearly blended into the starry background of space because of their dark color.
"Mr. President, we need an answer now; they're approaching our position with weapons charged. If they attack, do we open fire?"
Immediately Ambassador Amenanswered, "At all costs, do not engage! Stand down!"
"Are you-" Picard started but was interrupted by Aurik as he pushed past the Ambassador.
"Attack if necessary, Captain. Attack them and protect their target at all costs! Picard-"
"What are you doing?" Ambassador Amenasked Aurik as he deactivated the screen and muted the link. "If they attack, we will be at war with Miko!"
"And if they don't they will be destroyed!"
"We don't know that."
"Really?" Aurik shouted at him. He leaned back onto the console.
The Warbird
Ivinch looked up at her communications officer as the link was cut. The Ensign offered only a few words of apology and confusion before trying to get the signal back.
The Captain looked back at the viewscreen. Instead of Aurik's face, she saw the nose of nearly twenty Hagan ships. Stay and fight? Or leave?
She watched the ships approaching. "Alright, people, let's back off a bit. Power down the weapons but keep our shield up," Ivinch ordered. Slowly they inched back and past the Enterprise.
Just then, the link reopened. She glanced at her communications officer. The Ensign shrugged and shook her head.
"We gave them the coordinates, where they live, their defenses capabilities without even knowing it! Thanks to us, Ketrel is vulnerable to their attack and they will undoubtedly use it!"
She listened, recognizing the voice as President Aurik. He was talking to someone but most definably not them.
"That is not our problem! Not anymore! The Prime Directive keeps us-"
"The Prime Directive should have kept us from giving them what we did. But that didn't seem to bother us until it was too late!"
Ivinch couldn't believe what she was hearing. Picard's earlier words seemed to click into place. She leaned forward, as if she could hear what they were saying better. "And now we're going to let them be destroyed because of our ignorance."
"The Prime Directive-"
"Was destroyed two years ago when all of this began! If we can ignore it when it does not fit into our agenda, then it means nothing!" There was a long pause on both sides before Aurik said much more calmly, "We have to stop them or we will be at fault for the destruction of Ketrel."
The link was cut. Ivinch stood dumbly, her voice not at all the confident tone she always seemed to have. "Power weapons, don't fire first- let them."
The Enterprise Bridge
Despite what they had just heard, Picard watched as almost half of the ships backed off.
He let out a shaky breath, counting in his head. Sixteen… sixteen against twenty. They were horrible odds, just not good ones.
He stood from his chair, the movement unnecessarily careful. The two fleets hung nose to nose to each other. Mere minutes passed, each lasting a lifetime, as the two fleets starred each other down.
Picard was not sure who started the firing. He wasn't sure that it ever really had a beginning. But he found the orders to fire leaving his mouth and torpedoes leaving his ship.
Calmly he turned to Worf, ordering quickly that a channel to be opened to the other ships that weren't fighting. The Klingon obeyed but never ceased firing.
"If you refuse to fight, leave and save your ship and crew. No one will doubt you or think any less of you if you do so. Anyone who has a change of heart, is welcome to stay and help."
Picard fell against his chair just as he ordered the link to cut. He glanced at the view screen, finding two Hagan ships flying closer to his ship. Worf waited only a short moment for Picard's order before he fired at the two ships.
The view screen panned to see thirteen of the fourteen ships leave. He sighed. But his eyes caught the name of the other ship- the Kennedy. She joined in easily, attacking the Hagan ship just as it succeed in destroying the Pacific.
/-/-/-/-/-/
The fighting continued for nearly an hour. Most all ships were damaged to varying degrees. Many were crippled. Plenty destroyed.
In the end, eight starships remained well intact, six were crippled. Only five of the Hagan ships remained.
On the Enterprise, Picard slowly picked himself up, sliding into his seat. His eyes roamed over his bridge, assessing its condition. Conduits were exposed, smoke filtered from somewhere. Sparks flew over head from something.
"Damage report."
"Damage to aft shielding and impulse engines. Hull breaches on Deck 7-10. Force shields are in place," Data reported.
"Casualties?"
"Sickbay reports thirty-two, more coming in. Only five fatalities so far." He nodded at Riker and then looked back to the viewscreen. His eyes found the Hagan ships in the mix, picking out all five.
He watched. Suddenly all five jumped to warp.
"What's their heading?"
"Ketrel, sir. Warp Nine."
"Match speed and heading and follow them, Data. Worf, tell anyone with defense capabilities and warp to follow us."
It took only seconds for his crew to respond. Picard felt the slight jolt of warp and then Miko and his fleet were gone.
The Enterprise Bridge
Picard sighed. Three hours to get to Ketrel, Data had said. Three hours at warp nine.
"Who was able to join us?"
"The Warbird, the Florida, the Apollo, the Kennedy, the Roddenberry, and the Deforest," Worf reported.
"Seven against five. We have a chance. E.T.A.?"
"Two hours, thirty-seven minutes, and twenty-eight seconds," Data reported.
"Thank-you, Data." Picard rested against the back of his chair. Taking a deep breath, then releasing it, he began to prepare himself mentally and physically for what was ahead. Unconsciously, he glanced over, finding the resident Betazoid looking at him.
Deanna seemed terrified, Picard observed. But he knew that her fear was not for herself but for her young child. In the past two years, they had gotten into nothing more than a few scraps. Nothing like what they had found themselves in.
He leaned over to her, hoping that his voice was reassuring as he said, "I'm sure Liz is fine."
Picard had gotten to know the young child in the few years she had been alive. He found that she was one of the few children he was comfortable around and truly liked, if not loved.
Deanna looked at him. She forced a weak smile to her lips as she nodded. "I know. It's just… you never know what can happen." Picard nodded and straightened back up.
Federation Chambers
Teanna marched through the doors to Ambassador Amen's office. She glanced behind her, knowing that Vir and Nila were flanking her. Something was disturbing Teanna. Nila looked almost sick. Even Vir seemed flustered.
Teanna observed the sight before her. Ambassador Amen was speaking with someone- the man had his back to the three of them. When the doors clattered behind them, the man turned to expose himself as Ambassador Smith.
"Ambassadors," Amen greeted them. "What seems to be the problem?"
"Where is the President?"
Teanna watched Ken. A smile fell over his face. She knew the smile- it was his obnoxious, supposedly charming smile. "He's… well let's just say that he won't be bugging us for some time."
Teanna's brow creased. There was something about the way he spoke. His tone. His words. She didn't like the way he was thinking. She knew Amen had learned to block her thoughts from him; Ken hadn't.
"You killed him." Tenana's voice was slow, appalled. Things moved into place in her mind. Amen was next in line to become President if anything were to happen to Aurik.
Teanna watched the smile grow over Ken's face. She felt her stomach twist at the look hidden in his eyes.
Even with all her discipline, anger surged in her chest and she couldn't stop her reaction to all the stray thoughts she picked up from him. Suddenly her palm made contact with his flesh, a satisfying noise echoing throughout the room.
His face was forced to the side. He stretched his jaw, rubbing his red cheek. Whatever she had seen before in his eyes was replaced with a frown of bewilderment.
"You're overreacting, Tenana. You're not seeing the potential this has. We'll be able to do the things Aurik was too afraid to do. Things he'd have never done!"
"No, I do not think you realize what position you have put the Federation in." Vir's voice was emotionless, his face passive as he spoke. "With this new development, I will be petitioning to my world to leave the Federation."
Teanna turned as she watched him leave the room. Nila's voice caught her attention. "I agree with Ambassador Vir. I am prepared to do the same."
"And Betazed." Teanna gave Ken once last look before ushering Nila from the room.
Ken turned to Amen. He sighed, rubbing his cheek. "If Bolias, Betazed, and Vulcan leave the Federation, dozens of other planets leave as well. It will tear the Federation apart!"
"I know! Make this go away." Ken looked at him, mouth agape. "GO!"
A flinch was his only response. Ken blinked, took a breath, and rushed from the room.
