For future reference, I will now include this system to make it easier to understand who is talking at any given moment.

Captain William J. Blakes, Human uses HB (Human Blakes)

First officer- Commander Luaran, Vorta uses VL (Vorta Luaran)

Science officer- Lt. Commander Cylon, Android uses AS (Android Science)

Tactical officer- Lt. Telev, Andorian uses LT (Lt. Telev)

Chief Engineer- Lt. Commander Erica Durant, Human uses CD (CommanderDurant)

Chief Medical officer- Dr. Amy Martin, Human uses DM (Dr. Martin)

Q uses Q

HB "Excellent demonstration Durant! This should prove invaluable in the days to come. How long would it take to make the same modifications to a quarter of the ship's shield generators?"

CD "Now that we know what we are doing, it shouldn't take more than two days assuming I have the entire engineering department at my disposal"

AC "Cylon to Captain Blakes, we have a situation here."

HB "What is the problem?

AS "Long range sensors show a detachment of twenty Con-Federation warships are on their way to the Bolian home world."

HB "How long will it take them to get there?"

AS "Thirty-six hours, 21 minutes."

HB "Alert Starfleet and plot an intercept course. Durant, if we are not battle ready by the time we engage the Con-Federation, all of the Federation may be lost."

AS "Understood, I will do my best, Captain."

My one ship with makeshift weapons against twenty warships armed to the teeth with weapons technology that is centuries ahead of anything Starfleet has. When Starfleet replied to my request for any reinforcements possible, my hopes of victory, even survival were not dramatically increased. They offered five decommissioned museum ships that could be made operational and sent to my aide in two days and a prototype military vessel without a warp drive. That would take at least two weeks in tow to come anywhere close to the Bolian system. Somehow I just didn't think the odds were with me, not that I would have particularly had them in my favor even if I had what little reinforcements available. Never-the-less, if a single planet falls any other could be next.

Q "You do realize that this simply won't work, Blakey-Boy?"

HB "And what would you have me do instead? Let an invading army simply take worlds unchallenged?"

Q "A child race to the bitter end, the Federation can do without Bolarus IX and its endless supply of barbers. You must concentrate your forces around key planets like Vulcan and Earth."

LT "Captain, the tactical importance of Andoria cannot be overlooked, and it still maintains a strong army. Andorians could provide the backbone of a ground defense force."

HB "Yes, yes, Telev, I am not going to let Andoria or Bolarus IX be conquered. It is not Starfleet's way to simply abandon those that may be weak or tactically unimportant. Worlds joined the Federation for protection and safety, therefore it is Starfleet's duty to ensure their freedom."

Q "Well said, Blakey-Boy. I certainly hope you don't buy your own hopeless rhetoric. You, as frightening as it may seem, are the only thing standing between this one group of child races from destroying yours in hopes of gaining power which you pitiful beings find so tempting. I must ask you if it is really Starfleet's way or duty to sacrifice itself and the greater good for some minor engagement?"

HB "Telev, I want a full tactical assessment of the situation and ideas to at least give us some chance to defeat the enemy and present it to a meeting of the senior staff in one hour. We have some serious planning to do for the upcoming battle. Luaran, you have the bridge. I will be in my ready room."

Q "So tell me, Blakey-Boy, you can't honestly expect that dying in this battle will do anything to help the war effort. Then again, you are human and humans tend to overestimate their own personal importance."

HB "If I do not make a stand now, then the Con-Federation will think that they can come in and take any planet they want."

Q "See, you just said I, not we or Starfleet, you said I. You clearly think that you are the only hope the Federation has to win this war. You should realize, there is no hope, and you cannot change that."

HB "I might not be able to, but you can. You can delay the opposing fleet or at the very least bring the reinforcements to Bolarus before the battle begins."

Q "Oh but where would the fun be if I did that? Besides, how can I judge you lesser life forms if I got involved in your petty struggles?"

HB "You told me that you would stay on this ship and help. Sounds to me like you left yourself no choice other than doing what I asked."

Q "Now, now, now, Blakey-Boy, what kind of omniscient being would I be if I didn't leave myself options? What I will do for you is to give you a shield generator for every one that is modified."

HB "Good, at least then our shields will be at full strength while we are still building up weapons."

Q "I suppose, but wouldn't diverting the personnel from modification duty to install them weaken your attack strategy?"

HB "You mean you won't give us the generators to work on?"

Q "Heavens no human, I merely said that I will give you a brand new one for each that you convert into weapons. You need to start looking at the big picture. This way when you are destroyed a salvage team can recover the shield generators and use them in future failed defense operations."

HB "I am tired of this. Don't you have any space stations guarding worm holes or captains lost in distant parts of the galaxy to bother?"

Q "I know when I'm not wanted. I will go visit my friends at Starfleet Command. There's at least an admiral or two that still loves me there. I will be back in time for this splendid battle strategy meeting that will ultimately serve to make you realize how truly hopeless your chances are."

Peace, dear sweet peace from this eternal annoyance. Now, if I didn't have to fight a battle I am sure to lose in a few hours, I might have enjoyed this time. To be honest, at this point, I had started to lose hope. There really wasn't any conceivable way that the outcome of the engagement could be altered by any degree to create the possibility of any future engagements. However, I felt that the Federation, as a people, needed to know that although, as the Borg once put it, resistance would be futile, that it would still be brought to bear. Mankind has pulled itself out of many a terrible situation in the past, and it is solely due to its indomitable will. Time to go to the meeting that could very easily determine the fate of the galaxy as we know it. I'm sorry if I don't sound too optimistic.

HB "Give me whatever suggestions you have. I am open for anything."

Q "Yes, do tell! This should be very enjoyable to see. I do so love magicians."

LT "I believe there is only one possible way for us to win this fight. We will need those reinforcements from Starfleet to stand a chance against the invasion fleet."

Q "So sad then that your precious fleet won't arrive until it's too late. Oh well, I hope the next Enterprise captain will be more fun than you."

CD "Not so fast, Q, there is a way the fleet could be there long before the enemy ships move into weapon range."

HB "How?"

CD "By creating a finite temporal distortion in the area just ahead of the Bolian system. With any luck, it should slow time down enough for our ships to enter the area."

Q "Such simple beings, don't you see you are quite literally delaying your inevitable defeat. You can have all the time in the galaxy and that still won't save you."

HB "Do it."

Sure, the plan wasn't a great one. Sure, even with the reinforcements we will be out numbered 100 to 1. Sure, in the end, we would lose. Sure, all these disadvantages and more, but the finest minds in the Federation weren't able to provide us with a better idea. To this day, the no tactician has ever been able to determine a better course for our ship than this. Besides, luck was on our side… Maybe not, but at least, someone was.

LT "The enemy fleet is approaching within range of the temporal device, Captain."

HB "Is it ready, Cylon?"

AS "Charging now, sir."

CD "Wait, something is happening.

HB "What?"

CD "There appears to be a power surge in the plasma conduits. It's unstable. We have to shut it down."

AS "Unable to do so, sir. The controls aren't responding."

WC "It's time. I must help them more directly."

TT "If you think so. Do what you believe is right, Wesley."