Starwind stared at the fleet, having grown to fifty ships easy, and stared at the countdown o deployment. Less than one minute. "Computer, Captain's Log, supplemental. In just under forty-five seconds the Federation fleet will deploy, course set first on Betazed, then Alitar, and then finally to Sol. Just before Betazed we plan to initiate 'Operation Firestorm', our Zeon liberation offensive. Even with the Catalyst taking out a good twenty ships, we are still outnumbered fifteen to one and massively outgunned, should we even survive the Catalyst. 'Firestorm' is risky, I won't deny it, but we are, err, cautiously optimistic."

"This is Admiral Jonah Walker of the fleet's command ship, the USS Geneva. We are about to officially commit an act of war on the rebellious state known as 'Zeon'. Keep in mind, we must crush Zeon now, for the Cardassian Union is bound to be rather upset about our liberation of Bajor, and we cannot afford a two-front war." A voice rang on the ship.

"This guy is sick." Edwards scoffed.

Walker continued, not hearing the snide remark, "We will soon totally conquer the Alpha and Beta quadrents, and if our new chief of Starfleet Research and Development, a transdimensional traveler named Roger McKay, is correct in his theories, we may have countless other Milky Way galaxies at our fingertips to conquer."

"McKay, that rat bastard!" Starwind gritted his teeth.

"So let us prepare to be the greatest empire to exist! First, however, let us make an example of Zeon! Show this galaxy what we do to rebels!" Walker called, "Fleet, report in! Geneva, Jonah Walker, check!"

"Guardian, Will Riker, check." The commanding officer of the Patton-class called.

"Aspire, Tom Paris, check." Paris, commander of the Thunder-class called.

"Normandy, Wesley Ralston, check." Ralston called out from the bridge of the Galaxy-class.

"Rura'Penthe, Worf, check." The Klingon, Worf, who commanded the Federation's first Klingon ship, a Bird of Glory, called over the comm.

Starwind stood, "Destiny, Victor Starwind, check." He sat, as the roll call continued. What had he gotten himself into?