Secretly, he couldn't stand the thought of using romulan warships. The Scimitar had proven, without question, the superiority of reman technology. Still, with the Scimitar and Rapier's defeat, they were forced to use what they could get their hands on. Of greater concern to him was his proud race's reliance on traitors within their enemy's midst to provide these ships. Romulans are underhanded, despicable, backstabbing bloodsnails, but they're not traitors, he concluded weeks ago. There was a reason why romulans were willing to supply them with these ships and it had nothing to do with improving the conditions on Remus. The reman leadership was playing a dangerous game with their enemy. He hoped it wouldn't come back to haunt them.
At least this vessel will be acquired properly, he thought. A twisted smile crossed his drawn, gray face, allowing his front six fangs to be visible. The Devoras would be theirs by the enemy's defeat, not through bargaining. The added bonus, of course, would be the capture of the romulan Donatra. It was her betrayal of their Praetor that allowed Enterprise enough time to defeat him. All hopes of a swift victory had vanished with the destruction of their flagship and the death of their first Praetor. Revenge against Commander Donatra would be slow and satisfying. Obviously, their first attack pattern had been so successful, the Devoras couldn't even mount a counterattack.
Lenethrix turned his head slightly towards his communications crewman. "Patch me through to the others." His voice was rocky and low.
Thankfully, as part of reman upbringing, they had all been taught how to read and speak romulan. He deftly tapped the keys on his panel. "I have them, Commander."
The commander nodded approvingly. "This is the Bloodlust. Move in. Have your boarding groups transport once we're within two thousand ucere. Remember, if you find Donatra, don't kill her. Bring her to me. Go." He rubbed his clawed hands together. "Helm, ahead one half. Close to two thousand ucere."
After a few button clicks, the warbird slowly closed in on its pray. The image of the sparking, smoking Devoras slowly filled the screen. "Boarding groups, stand by to transport!" Lenetrix laughed out loud. He has finally begun exacting his revenge on the arrogant, romulan pigs. For all the years he spent in the poisoned dilithium mines, for the years he spent as a slave fighter for that fat, pompous senator, for the months of imprisonment and torture he endured for losing a match, his thirst for vengeance was finally being satiated.
"Commander!" The sensor operator yelled. "We've just been hit by a tachyon beam!"
This information was confusing. Romulan warbirds weren't equipped with tachyon emitters. "From where?" He asked, his voice raised. Could it be there was another ship, cloaked, nearby?
"It came from the Devoras!" the operator yelled.
"How is that..." Lenethrix forgot his question when the image of the partly destroyed Devoras shimmered and waved away. Within moments, the image was replaced by something that should have been impossible. The ship in its place looked to be of Federation design, but much larger than anything he had ever seen. Clearly, it was at least the same size as a warbird. Its dual-tone gray exterior displayed the wording 'NCC 76032' and 'USS Warlord'. The nose of the ship was pointed directly at them. They had fired multiple disruptor and torpedo volleys in that area, yet this new ship appeared to be completely undamaged. The reman commander yelled to the large bridge area, "Sensors! What IS that?"
The sensor operator shrugged. "I can't tell, Commander. Whatever it is, their shields are preventing me from scanning it."
Then, the image of this new Federation ship changed slightly. Blisters on either side of the main hull began to glow green. Lenetrix's eyes grew wide.
The sensor operator looked up from his controls. "I think they're firing..."