"We are being hailed. Audio only." Edwards reported.
"Put it through." Starwind ordered.
"Zeon ships and sympathizers, this is the Federation fleet led by the USS Sentinel. Lower your shields and surrender your ships. You will all be taken to Amagosa Station, where your leaders will be put to trial and your subordinates imprisoned and sent to the Federation penal colony at Rura'Penthe. Following your surrender here, you will accompany us to Sol III, where you will watch the destruction of your precious Earth. You have ten seconds to comply." The voice from the Sentinel called.
"VonBach, lock weapons on the Sentinel and fire. Edwards, send them a reply. 'Like hell' should do." Starwind ordered.
"Aye, sir!" VonBach and Edwards replied.
"Talara, move us closer to the Enterprise." Starwind ordered.
"Federation ships assuming attack formation." Edwards reported, "Sir, I'm detecting a spike in the upper EM band…" Edwards paused, "Ten Romulan Thal'Rax class warbirds decloaking!"
"Thal'Rax class? Those are violent." VonBach sighed with relief, "Glad they are on our side this time."
"Actually, Commander, we don't know much about their weapons systems. We haven't encountered any in battle to date." Talara reported.
"Seems as though we might find out." Starwind smiled.
"Federation ships are not doing a whole lot of anything. Weapons still armed, shields still up, but they aren't firing." Edwards reported.
"Hail the Sentinel." Nechiev commanded on another bridge not so far away, "Federation ship, this is the Zeon flagship Enterprise. I am Zeon Marshal Aleena Nechiev. You are in Zeon space, and I don't think you have permission. If you don't want my Romulan friends to blast your ships out of existence, I recommend you sign a lovely little treaty declaring Zeon a free and independent state, and get the hell out."
There was a stillness on the Enterprise bridge. "No response." Winters reported the obvious.
"Ball's in your court, Feddies." Nechiev sat in the center chair.
"Marshal, they've called you. Three Defiant classes have broken off and are moving in.
"Order one of the Warbirds to open fire." Nechiev ordered.
"The situation is escalating. Other ships are moving in to aid the Defiant classes."
"Open a channel." Nechiev stood again, "Think, feddie, is war what you really want? We have already proven ourselves here. Is more bloodshed necessary?" Nechiev signed to end transmission, "Signal for Geneva and Corona to open fire on the Defiant classes. Have the rest of the fleet lock all weapons on the Sentinel."
"Sentinel is backing away slowly." Picard reported.
"Fire a warning shot across their bow." Nechiev stared at Royac.
"Aye, ma'am." Royac fired. A photon torpedo barely missed the dorsal hull of the Sentinel.
"She's speeding up." Picard informed.
"Cowards!" Nechiev stood, "That's all the warning they get. Tell the fleet to open fire on the Sentinel and to move on to other Federation targets." The Sentinel on the viewer exploded.
"We are being hailed by one of the other ships." Winters reported, "They are retreating and will talk with the Federation government on our behalf."
"Not good enough. Keep firing. Put the hailing ship through." Nechiev ordered.
"Marshal, please!" the voice pleaded.
"I will let you escape only if there is no further Federation hostilities, military or political, against the Zeon Republic. Also, I want to be declared officially independent, not in a hundred years, not in ten years, but today. Also, I want the location of the scientist Roger McKay." Nechiev demanded.
"Your demands shall be met. I vow it!"
"And for that I have only your word? Ah, no. The Enterprise, accompanied by four of these Thal'Rax warbirds, will accompany you to Amagosa." Nechiev demanded.
"Agreed. As for McKay, records indicate he has taken a runabout to the old Warp Facility on Sol IV."
"Marshal, if I may beam over to the Destiny and inform them? I also would like the ride back to the Sol system." Winters exited the bridge.
"Does this mean…?" Picard looked over at Nechiev.
"We won, Jean-Luc." Nechiev smiled, "We won."