- FIFTEEN -
The Incursion

- February 16th, 2157 -

The entire senate chamber was thrown into frenzy, politicians bickered amongst themselves or shouted insults and their objections towards the group of Starfleet officers. A stunned President stood quietly as he considered what had just happened. Jonathon Archer didn't react. After what seemed like an eternity the President was able to restore order and the room quieted down again.

"Admiral, do you realize what you are proposing?"

"Yes I do." Forrest replied firmly and without hesitation.

"This global democratic institution has been in place for forty-four years... what you're asking us to do... is almost unimaginable."

"But, we must do whatever can to preserve this institution in the face of defeat. I am no asking you to forfeit your authority; only that you loan it to us for the duration of the war."

"No one person can have total authority!" One senator yelled from high in the chamber, "If history has taught us anything, it is that absolute power corrupts absolutely." A small round of applause broke out.

"And you would be correct Senator." Forrest echoed, "However I would not ask you to do that. We have drawn up a plan, to create a council that would make all the decisions. So that the authority in which you hand down to us, if you choose to do so, would not be abused by a single person."

"History is not on your side admiral. A many infamous dictators were created this way." Said another senator, causing Forrest to let out a small sigh. Archer then decided it was his turn as he stood up.

"I know history is not on our side Senator, but our history will mean nothing if the Romulans win and humanity is destroyed." He spoke loudly, surprising a few in the room including the admiral himself.

"The floor has not been handed to you Captain Archer." The President replied harshly, sounding very irritated at the breach of protocol.

"Captain Archer has put his life on the line on numerous occasions for Earth. If anyone deserves to be heard, it is him." Forrest quickly went on the defensive for the captain, and the President relented, gesturing for him to continue.

"Thank you admiral, Mr. President." Archer said with a nod, "Senators, I understand your reluctance and scepticism to our idea. When Admiral Forrest first explained it to me, I was strongly opposed to it myself." He said as he looked through the crowd, "But I came to the realization that we if are to survive as a race, and have our way of life preserved then this is something we may have to do. I have faced the Romulans in battle countless times; I have watched men and women die. The Romulans are heartless, cold and will show no mercy. They kill without thought or hesitation and when they arrive on Earth they will not accept surrender from us." He paused for a second for breath and to allow what he has spoken to sink in. "Our current chain-of-command has shown, over the past year, that it is ineffective in dealing with such an enemy. And if it continues at this pace, then the Romulans will be at our doorstep before we know it. Senators, desperate situations calls for desperate measures. I can only ask that you trust us because our only interest is protecting humanity, not glory or power... our future rests in your hands." Archer took another look before sitting down, but was shocked when a few claps rang out from the chamber.

"Well done Jon, you could be a politician." Forrest whispered to him. Jon let out a partial grin.

"Don't even joke about that... I'm just trying to help out." The President then retook control as he stood up to speak.

"Thank you gentlemen..." He started, and paused to look around the room, noticing all the senators still debating on the controversial topic at hand. "Well I don't think we're going to come to a decision today." Archer caught the irony and laughed inside. "We will adjourn the senate... and vote tomorrow."

- January 1st, 2381 -

"There sir, there it is again." The ensign pointed out to Commander Geordi LaForge on the display screen.

"Yea, yea I see it." He noted the fluctuations in the power flow to the ship's shields. "Better take a look at that." He proceeded to work the console quickly, running a series of diagnostics and tests in an attempt to locate the source and reason for the problem. Just as he was starting to isolate the root of the fluctuations, the blare of the red alert klaxon startled him and everyone around him quickly jumped into action. On the bridge Captain Picard emerged from his Ready Room and took his position as he stared at the ship on the view screen.

"Where did that ship come from?" Picard asked.

"I don't know sir! It just de-cloaked directly in front of us." Lieutenant Perry replied.

"Can you identify it?" Perry spent a brief second working her console before answering.

"Negative sir, it's a Steamrunner-class but the ship isn't in Starfleet registry."

"Captain, she's approaching on full-impulse, entering weapons-range in thirty-seconds." Munroe cut in from the tactical console next to Perry. "Her weapons and shields are powered down." He added.

"Sir, Commander Worf on the line, audio only." Perry said next.

"Captain, we cannot identify the vessel, nor are they responding to our hails."

"Be ready for anything Mr. Worf."

"Yes captain, our ships are ready to open fire on your command." Worf replied. Picard was glad to have him around again.

"Entering weapons range in fifteen-seconds." Munroe updated.

"Power up the phasers and load the torpedoes. I want all weapons targeted on that ship." Madden ordered, deciding it was better not to take any chances. On the view screen the two Birds of Preys moved off from Enterprise's flanks towards the lone vessel. The two Klingon ships then took positions behind the Streamrunner as Worf's Vor'Cha stood guard over the Enterprise.

"Sir, target vessel has entered weapons range." Munroe updated again, Picard continued staring at the view screen.

"Hold your fire Mr. Munroe." Picard muttered, just then the bridge's lights flickered for several seconds.

"Sir! Our shields just went down!" Munroe shouted in surprise. Picard immediately pressed a button on the armrest of his chair.

"Mr. LaForge, report!" Geordi's voice replied quickly.

"I don't know sir, some sort of fluctuations interrupting the power feed to the shields. I think I may be able to locate..." But he was cut off by Lieutenant Perry's voice from the front of the bridge.

"Captain, look!" She said, pointing to the view screen. Picard returned his attention just in time to watch the Steamrunner activate a series of ablative armour generators. A number of pearl-white scales materialized out of thin-air, encasing the entire hull of the unidentified ship.

"Damn!" Picard cursed, but he had no time to ponder on the new development as his mind raced into action. "Mr. Munroe and Mr. Worf, open fire on that ship!" The Enterprise, along with her Klingon escorts sprung into the fight, unleashing a deadly rain of fire on the lone ship. However the ablative armour simply shrugged off the attempts at wounding her. But the situation went from bad to worst as the Enterprise bridge lights and consoles flickers into and out of life a second time. LaForge's voice sounded again over the intercom, this time with even more concern in his voice then before.

"Captain, we've got more problems!" Great. "Primary and secondary power is failing, activating auxilery and emergency power now." Picard knew exactly where this was going.

"What do we have left?" Picard fired the rhetorical question.

"No shields, no warp or impulse, no weapons, no transport..." But once again the chief engineer was interrupted.

"Intruder alert! Enemy boarding party on deck twenty!" Munroe shouted again, without shields the Enterprise was helpless to stop them from beaming aboard.

"Mr. Munroe, deploy Elite Force." Picard replied, Munroe nodded and ran off the bridge as another officer quickly rushed in to take his station. "Mr. LaForge, I need you to get my ship running again!" The Enterprise slowly turned to distance itself from the mysterious attacker as the Klingons ships plummetted it with disruptor and torpedoe fire that only made small dents on the opposing ship. The vessel simply veered around trying to avoid the fire since the ablative armour covered all its phaser arrays.

"Our weapons are ineffective." Worf's voice came over the speakers.

"Ms. Perry! Find a way to get through that armour!" Picard ordered. Meanwhile, several decks below Alex Munroe ran into Elite Force's armoury where members of the team were already busy strapping on their equipment and checking their weapons. Telsia tossed a phaser rifle which he caught easily; and quickly put his equipment on and ran out the door with the rest of the force.

"Munroe to bridge, where are the intruders?" He said into this comm- badge.

"They've made their way to deck-seventeen! Security forces are temporarily holding them in place but they won't be able to for much longer." Came the response. Munroe then led Elite Force through a short maze of Jefferies Tubes and crawl-spaces so they can come up behind the intruders and hopefully surround them. Munroe emerged from a panel in the wall as the sounds of phaser blasts echoed from just down the hall.

"Let's go people." He signalled his team as he cautiously but quickly moved towards the battle. In front of him where about two dozen humans clad in full black-outfits and toting Federation phaser rifles, Munroe also saw the comm-badges pinned to their chests but did not recognize the insignia it represented. The intruders were taking cover behind some bulkheads, and beyond were a large group of Enterprise's own security forces. The corridor was dark save for the pulsating glow of the red alert indicators and the flashes of light generated by the phaser fire. Monroe noted that the Enterprise's security forces was holding the fort, pinning the invaders and preventing them from advancing although it was evident that won't be the case for much longer. Now it was Elite Force's turn to show whats it is capable of.

"Clear shot! Weapons are free!" Munroe said as he lifted his rifle and squeezed off a few shots from behind some bulkheads. The rest of Elite Force followed, as the first volley took down six of the invading attackers but in doing so, it also alerted the enemy to their presence. Munroe quickly ducked back below the bulkhead as the return fire just missed him.

"Chell!" He let out as he watched the Bolian officer take a shot in the shoulders and fall down. Juliet Jurot, Elite Force's medic quickly rushed to his aid.

"He's okay! We'll get him to sickbay!" Jurot gestured to several fellow officers as they dragged the injured Bolian away. Munroe returned his attention to the attackers as another phaser blast struck the walls above him showering him with sparks. Austin Chang, another member of Elite Force rose from behind his cover and fired off a pair of shots, and Munroe followed suit. The two managed to take down another pair of the attackers. Munroe took aim at another target and squeezed the trigger. The phaser blast struck its target but this time, to Munroe's shock, a green shield materialized in front of the targeted soldier and absorbed the deadly energy.

"What the hell!" Chang let out a surprised yelp, but they have both seen it before and knew exactly what it was. Adaptive Borg shielding.

- February 17th, 2157 -

Jonathon Archer didn't sleep all night, he couldn't. But from the looks of Admiral Forrest and the other Starfleet officers, including Commodore Shields it doesn't look like anyone else got a proper night's rest. So Archer again sat in the same seat as yesterday in the senate chamber running on nothing but the caffeine from all coffee he has consumed in the last two hours.

"After much deliberation, it is time for you Senators, to cast your vote. Today, we will decide the fate of this government. Do we, or do we not hand over our authority to Starfleet for the duration of the Romulan War? Senators, cast your votes now." The President said as the rest of the politicians got to work. Although it was just rumours, Archer has heard from many that the debate over this issue amongst the senators were long, bitter and divided giving him some hope that their plans may come to fruition. A tone sounded at the completion of the voting process, Archer took a deep breath and hesitantly shifted his eyes towards the large screens hanging high in the center of the room displaying the results as the President cleared his throat and started speaking.

"Then so be it. The people of Earth have spoken..."

To Be Continued...