Desperate Retreats
- December 5th, 2380 -
"Armia Krajowa?"
"That is correct captain. We are dedicated to freeing all life from the tyranny of the Federation." So, this is where all our missing ships have gone to. "You're here for the Midway aren't you?" Lauren asked. Picard did not need to answer. "We have already liberated her, and her prisoners. As you can see Captain, some of her escorts have already joined our cause. Perhaps you would like to join us Picard? And be freed from the unjust rule of the Federation?"
"Captain Dougherty, I believe you already know the answer to that." He replied firmly.
"Of course, how foolish of me to question your blind loyalty to the Federation. I believe it is also pointless to ask for your surrender?" Picard simply glared at her. Dougherty shook her head sadly. "I am sorry then; I have no choice but to destroy you. I only wish we could have met under better circumstances Captain, your fame is legendary, let's see if its justified." The transmission was cut. Damnit! Picard quickly pivoted to face Commander Madden to give his next, albeit obvious, order.
"Red alert!"
- December 16th, 2155 -
"Travis, get us the hell out of here… maximum warp!" Archer yelled. He quickly turned to Hoshi, issuing a second order, "Inform Captain Pek that we're leaving!"
Both the Enterprise and Endeavour manoeuvred out of the circle just as the first volley from the Romulan cruisers reached both ships. They engaged their warp drives almost simultaneously. The dual warp nacelles of both ships lit up for a brief moment as they generated a stable warp field around their respective ships. But instead of disappearing in a streak of light, both ships simply shuttered and remained at sub-light velocities.
"What happened?" Archer inquired, as the bridge shook violently as the Enterprise endures a second salvo of fire.
"One of their ships is generating some sort of energy field that's disrupting our warp drive. They're also jamming our communications." T'Pol replied quickly. The ship rocked again. Malcolm reported that the forward hull polarization was down to 80%.
"Can you pinpoint which ship the jamming is coming from?" Archer asked a busy T'Pol rapidly working her console.
"I believe so Captain." She replied calmly without lifting her head from her console. "But I will need additional time to do so." Archer cursed. We don't have time!
"Great, no pressure T'Pol!" The science officer briefly lifted her head up to look at Archer, indicating that she picked up the sarcasm. "Malcolm, give those Romulans everything you've got, coordinate your fire with the Endeavour. We've got to give T'Pol some time!"
- December 5th, 2380 -
Immediately after Picard issued his red alert order, the bridge dimmed as all unnecessary lights were shut off and their power re-routed to the ship's defensive systems. Less then a second later, the ship rocked from the first shots fired.
"Evasive manoeuvres! Return fire!" Madden barked out. The sleek Sovereign class ship moved off and avoided a phaser blast, but the two Akira-class ships launched a massive wall of photon torpedoes directly at the Enterprise while the Concordia separated into three ships to attack her from all sides. The Enterprise shrugged off the initial attacks as she unleashed her deadly Type XII phaser arrays on the Akiras. Not too far off, a lone Galaxy kept the Illustrious occupied. The bridge rocked violently again as the ship buckled under another volley of fire, Captain William's face appeared on the Enterprise's view screen.
"Captain! We don't stand a chance against this many ships! Our warp drive is still offline... you have to escape and warn Starfleet!"
"I can't leave you behind!" Picard argued as the bridge rocked violently again. The Enterprise made a devastating pass on one of the Akiras, firing a full volley of quantum torpedoes at close range to collapse her shields while the phaser arrays systemically destroyed her exposed power relays to render the vessel inoperable. In response, the Concordia launched a deadly attack of her own, bringing the Enterprise's shields down to 60%.
"Damnit, you don't have a choice Jean-Luc! One of us has to warn Starfleet, and you're the only one who can do it!" Picard did not reply, because he knew Williams was right. "Now go! I'll keep them busy so they can't follow you!" Picard gripped the arm-rest of his chair tightly as he ordered the ship to warp. The Enterprise made one last run, disabling a second Akira in a brilliant display of fire works before she disappeared into warp. On the bridge of the Concordia, Captain Lauren Dougherty smiled.
- December 16th, 2155 -
"Captain! I have located the ship!" T'Pol yelled, almost excitedly.
"I have her locked on sir!" Reed yelled out next, he was definitely excited. Archer sprang into action.
"Hoshi, order the Endeavour to target all her fire on that ship!" He ordered as the Enterprise suffered another hit. The Romulans paired off into three groups, hitting both Starfleet vessels from all sides. The Enterprise moved in between one formation and unleashed its phase cannons and torpedoes on the Romulan ship disrupting their warp drive. Although she scored two direct hits, the rest of the attacks were blocked by another Romulan cruiser covering its team mate, the shields on their ships did not help matters either.
"We've got to bring down that ship's shields!" Malcolm reported, by this time smoke had begun to overwhelm the bridge and sparks showered those struggling from being thrown from their stations. Archer had an idea pop into his head.
"Hoshi, tell the Endeavour to cover us on our next run. Malcolm, I want you to overload the phase cannons on the next volley. I don't care if they won't work after that; just give them everything we've got." Malcolm acknowledged without any argument. The Enterprise and Endeavour turned and knifed directly at their target from below, as all six Romulan ships provided an unceasing wall of fire. The Endeavour blocked the majority of these attacks, shielding the Enterprise in the process but suffering drastic consequences as several direct hits landed on her bridge. A large explosion sprouted from the top of the Endeavour's saucer, and without her primary operations center the ship veered off course exposing the Enterprise.
"Endeavour's bridge has been destroyed!" Hoshi reported, a huge explosion on the ship knocked it off course, but Travis' quick hands returned Enterprise to its original path. More explosions shook the Enterprise as they passed the Romulan ships guarding their primary target. When the enemy vessel entered weapons range, the Enterprise fired all its forward phase cannons and torpedoes. The overloading effect proved devastating, collapsing the Romulan ship's shields in the volley, but it would prove to be insufficient.
"Its not enough, she's still operational." Malcolm said grimly.
"The Endeavour?" Archer asked, coughing from the smoke.
"Dead in space captain." T'Pol replied. In retaliation for their attack, the other five Romulan vessels converged on the Enterprise for a massive attack run. Miraculously, the bridge was spared. Archer looked all around him, his crew was struggling to remain at their post, and the ship was badly injured. He felt a sting on his forehead, and a quick check with his hands indicates that he must have cut his head on a fall.
"Hull breaches on multiple decks! And Doctor Phlox reports that we have suffered over 50% casualties!" Hoshi reported again, clearly stricken by fear. I hate Romulans. From the view screen, Archer could see the Romulans preparing for a final attack run.
"Hoshi, prepare a beacon with all our logs. Malcolm, get every available weapon ready. We're going to fire off the beacon and get word to Starfleet, than we'll stand our ground so the Romulans can't go after it." He said while gritting his teeth. He had just effectively ordered his ship; and everyone on it to their deaths. But he saw no other way. He truly admired his crew as they carried out his orders without hesitation.
"Beacon is ready sir." He heard Hoshi say. Malcolm nodded his readiness. I've faced Klingons, Suiliban, and Xindi... now some damn Romulans is finally going to get me. He hated the idea of defeat, regardless, he gave the order.
"Captain, wait." T'Pol spoke; Archer thought he heard a hint of excitement from her voice. Even though she's Vulcan, she had reason to be. The view screen shifted from the five approaching ships of death to a battered Endeavour closing in on the lone Romulan vessel. Archer's heart pounded, this was indeed a miracle. The Endeavour had caught the Romulans off guard as the five ships closing in on Enterprise immediately veered off to protect its helpless comrade. But it was too late, the Endeavour opened fire. The Romulan vessel was considerably damaged from Enterprise's daring run, and the Endeavour finished the job and turned the tide of the battle permanently.
"Trip! How's our warp core?" Archer couldn't control his excitement when speaking into the intercom.
"Damaged but working!" Came the reply, but that was all he needed to hear. On the view screen, the Endeavour vanished into warp before the enraged Romulan cruisers could pound on it.
"Get us out of here Travis!" But it was an unnecessary order as the Enterprise was already halfway to light speed.
- December 5th, 2380 -
It has taken two hours, but finally the Enterprise reached the edge of the subspace jamming. The jamming range was incredibly and unusually large, and during this time the ship has not been able to contact Starfleet Command. Geordi had worked frantically to break through the jamming without success, and now Picard was anxious to get word out to Admiral Janeway about the events that had transpired. As soon as the Enterprise was out of the jamming range, she dropped out of warp. Captain Picard immediately prepared to dispatch a message, but before he could do so, three Federation starships emerged from warp and halted directly in front of the Enterprise. What would happen next would be etched into his memory forever.
"Captain Jean-Luc Picard." The captain of the lead ship greeted him. "I'm Captain Samuel Thessien of the Merrimac… I have been ordered by Starfleet Command to place you and your vessel under arrest." Picard made no attempt to hide his shock, neither did his crew, and it was Commander Madden who replied.
"On what charge?" He asked. It took several seconds, but the other captain replied grimly.
"Treason…"