Chapter 81

Solids

Omnigra IV, Omnigra system

March 10, 2378

The quote came to Gideon as he looked upon the survivors in the labor camp: "man's inhumanity towards man". He couldn't remember if he heard it in Mr. Gardner's English class in eleventh grade or Ms. Harper's history class in tenth grade. This was helpful because the sheer sight of the people in the camp brought up memories of the video he saw in Ms. Harper's class about the Holocaust that the Nazis committed against the Jews during World War II. Sure, there had been other holocausts in the three hundred years (his time) since then, but none had such shocking images of brutality as those that Hitler allowed to happen during his regime.

Here, though, were humanoids who were in various stages of death. All of them looked malnourished, and many of them had bruises, cuts and scrapes on their bodies. There were bodies of those deceased all over the place, and it looked like the Jem'Hadar had massacred many of them in some attempt to stir up fear not only in the survivors but in Gideon's forces as well.

Riker came up to him and said, "I don't care how jaded you are, seeing something like this just tears your heart apart."

"Yeah, I know. Bastards," was all Gideon said. His cool, calm demeanor was being shaken to the core by the sights he was witnessing at the moment. During the Drakh plague crisis, he remembered talking to President Garrison Hollifield one night and the topic of father's came up. Hollifield told him about the horrors his father had seen on Balos and on other worlds during the Dilgar War, and how it had affected him. The shock of the sights had left Hollifield's father so traumatized that he eventually had to be institutionalized for mental problems. To this day, the president's father remained at the hospital, unable to forget the horrors he witnessed long enough to deal with the real world.

Gideon worried that these sights would eventually do the same sort of damage to his psyche, but a small child came up to him and asked him, though his universal translator, "Are you here to help us?" As scarred over as his heart seemed at times, and as detached as he tried to become in situations like this, he couldn't help but to let a tear fall from his eye.

Later that night, at the medical camp that his crew had set up, Dr. Sarah Chambers walked out to her tent and met Gideon on the way there.

"Captain. How are you this evening," asked Chambers.

"I've been better. Seeing something like this... what's the status of the survivors?"

"Well, we've had five die because they were too far-gone, and about two dozen others who are on the verge of death. Thankfully a lot of the children have been saved, but we may lose some in the other camps. From the looks of it, these look to be recent arrivals."

"What about the other camps, doctor?"

"Riker and his crew are dealing with them. It's even worse out there, because at least this region has a moderate climate. One of the camps,for what passes as a tropical zone here, has seen massive causalities due to dehydration and starvation. This makes what Hitler and Tower did look like child's play!"

Gideon and the doctor talked for a little while longer, staying on business and keeping their emotions in check. However, as he went back to the headquarters, he passes by her quarters and heard her crying. He thought for a moment about going in, but thought better of it. He knew Chambers was a strong woman as well as a private person, so he left her alone for now.

Riker met him in the headquarters, located in the main offices that had been abandoned when the Jem'Hadar fled from the system.. "Something's been bothering me, Gideon."

"Just one thing. I'm surprised.," Gideon said bluntly.

Riker let the remark pass, mainly because he was feeling as emotionally drained as Gideon was, and said, "Why did the Jem'Hadar pull out without even a fight? Don't they know what kind of intelligence we can gain from a place like this? And this place is like a mother lode when it comes to a resupply!"

Gideon shook his head and said, "Honestly, I don't know. I know, I know, I should have some idea, but my mind's been a bit overloaded as of late."

Riker nodded soberly. "I know. Damned Jem'Hadar. Any news about the Vorta?"

"Only that they've been helpful in Deslok and Wildstar at Bullon and Xintoa. I got word not long ago. Deslok's forces took the Jem'Hadar by complete surprise and stormed the station before they could activate the self-destruct, and Wildstar's forces took out virtually all of the Ragendora at the dockyards above Xintoa. They've also reported similar situations as we've had here: humanoids in brutal captivity. They've sent their database and it looks like at least fifty different races have been enslaved."

"I know this isn't the time or place for this, Gideon..."

"Will, whatever you have to say, spill your guts."

Riker sighed and picked up a PADD from the table, handing it to Gideon. "From the looks of it, I believe that the Jem'Hadar and Ragendora are wanting to make a final stand at the Gora system. That's where the ships that fled this system appeared to be headed. If we'd been here a day earlier..."

"I know. Damned thing is that they were expecting us, or someone like us, to show up here. And, between you and me, I think they wanted us to see this camp."

"I think you're right, Matthew. Seeing something like this isn't going to be helpful to morale, to say the least. But we humans are a resilient bunch, and so are the other races in Starfleet."

Gideon replied, "No doubt about that. Now all we need to do is to find out what kind of force we'll be facing at Gora."

"When do we go after these bastards," Riker asked.

Gideon breathed out, then replied, "Reinforcements will be here within a week, and I want to send Deslok and Wildstar's forces to try and weaken the enemy with hit-and-run attacks. Deslok's forces seem to be extremely adept at that, and Wildstar's tactical abilities will serve him well in what I have in mind."

Over the next few days, many others died when a sudden and unexpected heat wave hit the camp. They managed to find several underground aquifers nearby to help quench the thirsts of those in the camps, but some simply could not be saved in time. The crew rationed their food as best they could to give to the survivors, but even that was not enough to save them all.

Captain Steven Ashcroft beamed down after the Wildstar had entered the system and looked around at the camp. Riker and Gideon were there to meet him and escort him back to the offices. "Montgomery and Litinova will be down shortly with the medical supplies and foodstuffs. We met up with some freighters on the way here and escorted them here. Apparently the Jem'Hadar are fleeing to the Gora system in droves, and the Vorta are taking over."

"That's the news that we've been getting. It still baffles me. Why retreat to one system when they would be better served in fighting out in the open," asked Riker.

"If I had to guess, they have a surprise waiting for us at Gora. What that surprise might be...I have no idea.," replied Ashcroft.

"Any news on Derek Wildstar's campaign on Cardassia," asked Gideon.

"I heard from Ben Sisko before we entered the wormhole. They've been able to mop up the last of the resistance from the Jem'Hadar and the Ragendora, but many of their ships escaped. My guess is that they've headed out to either Breen and/or Tholian territory. Starfleet's moved some forces there for reconnaissance work, but we've not been able to tell what they're up to. Wildstar's also been sending out forces into the rest of the Cardassian territory to see if any additional forces are being hidden from us.

Ashcroft stopped as he came upon the burials of those who had not been able to survive. "Damn. Seeing something like this..."

"Yeah, I know.," was all Gideon said as the three stood there and watched as the crew helped to bury those who had passed on with the dignity they deserved. They had already filled one hillside with those who had been found in warehouses nearby and were busy working on another one off to their right.

"We have to beat these bastards. After seeing this, I don't care if I or my crew have to die for it, but I want these bastards," said Ashcroft with a savage voice.

"I think that goes for all of us, Captain.," Gideon said.