Chapter 53

The Tholian Advance


Deep Space Nine

November 27, 2377

11:35pm

Riker had learned from experience about how the Tholians attack, but their new ships and tactics took him by surprise. They had launched a series of hit and run attacks at the Hercules as well as the station. Luckily, Wildstar and Yamato II were able to assist them in time, and Starfleet had been able to bring in enough forces to repel future attacks.

The Tholians, though, had enough forces to go after targets on Bajor. Luckily, no one had been killed, as a squadron of Whitestars had spotted them coming in and sent out a warning. The damage was very extensive,and as General Kira Nurys reflected on walking through some of the rubble on her homeworld, she shuddered at how worse it could have been.

Captain Stephen Ashcroft of the Wildstar joined her in her office as they looked over the various damage reports. Ashcroft had lost his first wife and son in a sneak attack by the Tholians, so he was not in a good mood when he learned of the attacks. Kira could sense that he just wanted to go after the Tholians with his advanced starship, but his sense of duty and discipline held him in check. Nevertheless, he was chomping at the bit to get at those crystalline bastards.

"You really should take a break, Stephen. You look like you're so wound up that you're spring at the slightest provocation.," said Kira.

Ashcroft sighed and leaned back in his chair, then inhaled and exhaled slowly. "You're right. I need a break from this. You have any plans for tonight?"

"No, none at all. Odo's still on Bajor working on security issues there. Why?"

Ashcroft smiled and said, "I've got this new program on the holodeck that simulates walking down the old Riverwalk in San Antonio. Captain Paxton off the Adiemus sent it to me before all this broke out, and I have only had one chance to use it. I was wondering if you wanted to give it a go?"

Kira smiled and said, "Sure thing. Do you want to use it on the Wildstar or in one of Quark's holosuites?"

"It'll have to be on the Wildstar, because I checked into Quark's holosuites and they're booked solid. I like those better anyway, because they're bigger and more sophisticated than the ones at Quark's."

After finishing up on their paperwork, they headed to the Wildstar to take in the program. Just as they were getting into the airlock, the station was rocked by several massive blasts.

Kira's exec officer, Commander Fuyuzuki, chimed in on her comm badge. "General, the Tholians are attacking again. Reading two dozen small ships and four large destroyers on attack course towards the station!"

"So much for recreation! I'll head up to the bridge! See you on the flip side, Kira," said Ashcroft, who raced into his ship and onto the bridge.

"What've we got," he said to his tactical officer, Montgomery.

"Sir, we've just taken out four of the smaller ships and disabled two of the large destroyers. Hercules is after the third destroyer and Yamato II are on the fourth's tail."

"Take us out of dock and then launch our fighters. I want to disable as many of those ships and get some intelligence from those bastards.
What's the engine and weapons status on the ships we've been able to disable?"

Litinova, his exec, said, "Weapons on the first destroyer are out, but they have limited impulse engines. The second does have some phasers, but they're effectively stalled in space."

Ashcroft nodded, "Let's not get overconfident, people. They caught us by surprise again, and I don't like that happening. Any idea if they have a cloaking device?"

Montgomery downloaded some information into a PADD and then handed it to Ashcroft. "Here's what we've got so far. I'm not sure if it's a cloaking device or if they have the ability to enter and exit warp undetected. The data's not conclusive."

He looked over the data and said, "I'll look this over after we clean up this mess. Looks like the Tholian destroyer nearest us is completely disabled, so take us closer to it."

"No wait, sir! I'm picking up a surge in their reactors. I've alerted the other two ships as well. Looks like they don't want to be taken alive, sir," said Montgomery.

"Like hell they will! See if you can beam any of those Tholians out of there, and tell Riker and Suarez that they should do the same. I want to know what they are up to!"

"Yes sir! I'll do what I can.," replied Montgomery, who went to work on the problem.

Ashcroft sat down next to his exec and she said to him, "Sir, do you think that we can get anything out of them? They aren't exactly susceptible to the same kind of interrogation tactics as we are."

Ashcroft nodded and said, "I know, so we may have to go a little unorthodox with this one, Commander. It may require doing some things that are outside the box."

Litinova thought for a moment, then said, "Does it involve asking the telepaths to interrogate them?"

"Yes, it does, but Byron and his people won't do it if I command them, so I have to be careful as to how I approach them. They're on the station now, because they want asylum on Betazed."

Before they could continue the conversation, the two ships they were attacking exploded in rapid succession, and the other two ships also blew up. "Sir, Yamato II reports some hull damage to their ship. Apparently the destroyer they were after tried to make a run at them before they went up. No fatalities yet, but plenty of wounded."

"Tell Suarez if he needs any assistance from us, he's welcome to it. Better yet, go ahead and give it to him. I'm going to look over this data you gave me. We need to figure out how they are sneaking up on us.," Ashcroft stated.

"Yes sir. Sir, the other ships are leaving the system. Shall we pursue?"

"Negative, Montgomery. They may try to lead us into a trap, or sneak one of us off and leave the station vulnerable. Track them as long as you can and we'll go from there." Montgomery nodded her head quickly and worked at her console. Ashcroft headed into his ready room, and Litinova followed behind him.

She coughed and got his attention. "Commander, is something the matter?"

"I have a concern, sir. It's about the Tholians. I know you lost your first wife and child in an attack."

Ashcroft cut her off. "...and you're worried that I might get too emotional and let my judgment slip. It's nothing that I haven't thought of myself. Besides, I'm more worried as to why the Tholians are fighting us anyway."

"Do you think they are allied with the Ragendora?"

"It wouldn't surprise me. After what happened to the Romulans and Klingons, and with Cardassia under Ragendoran occupation, the Tholians are the last major power in the galaxy besides us. They may be doing this on their own, but I tend to lean that they are in bed with the Ragendora."

"This keeps getting more and more complicated as this goes along, Captain."

"Commander, I fear we've just begun to fight this war. But make no mistake, come hell or high water, and regardless of the cost, we will win this war!"