Chapter 14: Crippled and Hopeless:

"WE GOT A HEAVY CRUISERS ON OUR TAIL!" an ensign with a slash of blood across his head at the helm yelled.
"INCREASE SHIELDING TO THE REAR OF THE SHIP AND CONTINUE TO FIRE ALL OUR WEAPONS ON THEM," Justin yelled with a cut on his head as well, which was also throbbing.

"SIR, THE U.S.S NEW YORK IS GETTING HEAVY FIRE FROM ONE OF THE DESTROYER!" another ensign at the com station said.

"GET ALL PILOTS TO THEIR FIGHTERS, AND LAUNCH THEM AT THE DESTROYER, and THEY CAN PROBABLY HOLD THEM OFF LONG ENOUGH FOR SOMEONE TO HELP!" the admiral ordered.

"YES SIR, ALL PILOTS THIS IS A SCRAMBLE ALERT, REPEAT THIS IS A SCRAMBLE ALERT TO ALL PILOTS, THIS IS NOT A DRILL, REPEAT THIS IS NOT A DRILL," the ensign yelled into the com.

The federation ships underestimated the assault force from the confederates; as a result the ships were hit hard. They already had several damaged ships and wounded on all each one. They were able to take out one of the destroyers, but that was all they were able to take out so far. The second destroyer was still operational, while two heavy cruisers were damaged badly, but they could still put up one hell of a fight till the end.

There was another huge explosion, this time from the port side of the starship, and this made the ship turn hard toward the port side, resulting with the admiral flying half-way across the bridge.

"REPORT!" The admiral barked as he got up, with rather some difficulty.

"THAT WAS A DIRECT HIT TO THE PORT ENGINES, SIR!" the ensign yelled.

"SPEED IS RAPIDLY DECREASING, SIR," the ensign at the helm added, "IF WE KEEP DECREASING IN SPEED THIS MUCH, SIR, WE'LL BECOME SITTING DUCKS TO THE ENEMY SHIPS, SIR!"

"I KNOW THAT GOD DAMN IT!" Justin yelled with rage.

This mission had gone to hell from the minute the anti-air weapons began shooting at the drop ships. Now they were losing speed and their wasn't a single ship in the federation's invasion fleet that could do anything to help them. There was another hit, this time, it was a hard one and this caused the ships lights to go out.

"WAT THE HELL!" Justin yelled.

"TURNING ON EMERGENCY POWER RIGHT NOW, SIR!" and the ensign pressed a few buttons and some dim red lights came on.

"STATUS!" Justin yelled.

"WE LOST MAIN POWER, AND ALL WEAPONS ARE DOWN, SIR," and ensign reported.

"WE LOST ENGINES TOO, SIR!" the helm reported.

Then slowly they saw the enemy ship fly over the now crippled flag ship. It was a massive ship, with multiple weapon turrets along both sides with one big one on the bottom. It flew over them and all of a sudden its engines, shined, and then it disappeared. The bridge for that split moment, everyone standing there knew, this could not be.

"Looks like they left us sir," said the ensign at the helm quietly.

"Yes, but why?" asked the ensign with a slash across his face.

Then slowly, very slowly, another starship flew over them, this one though, was one of theirs, it was the U.S.S Premonition one of the heavy cruisers that was escorting them.

"Were being hailed, sir," said the ensign with surprise.

"Well, bring them on screen then," Justin ordered.

"Aye, sir!" the ensign answered, and he pressed a few buttons and the view screen with the heavy cruiser changed to that of a wreaked bridge and several crewmen rushing back and forth on it, with a captain, standing at the helm.

"Good to see that we got to you in time, admiral!" the captain said.

"Yes, you got to us right on time, but what is your status, captain?" Justin replied.

"Well we got some destroyed weapons systems, and several breaches on some decks, but we can still put up a fight sir," the captain answered.

"That's good, what of the fleet?" asked the admiral as he walked up to the helm.

"Well we had serous loss, but aside from the U.S.S Venture, we lost one of the Heavy Cruisers, and the remaining frigate has been crippled, her crew though seems to still be ok," the captain reported.

"Good, what about the ground forces?" Justin asked.

The captains, face began to look grim, and finally he answered, "We lost contact with them a while ago when we were attacked, we don't know if our boys are still alive down there," the captain finished.

"Very well, keep me posted then, and see if u can do anything for the other ships, while we will attend the evacuation of the second frigate," the admiral finally ordered.
"Aye, sir, Premonition, out," and the screen went back to the view of space, and the U.S.S Premonition as it started up its engines again.

Then the admiral started for his chair which was now a heap, so he went and stood again instead. There was a long minute of silence before finally an ensign broke the silence and asked, "What are your orders sir?"

Justin slowly glanced toward the ensign and then he looked back at the view screen, which was now showing only the black of space. He answered, "Start on repairs, and see if u can get any of the other ships in sector if they can get in contact with the ground forces, as for the carriers, just order them to hold the continued assault landing till we can confirm that the first wave is still alive," Justin finished, and began to walk toward his the turbo lift. "If u needs me, I'll be in sickbay, and I suggest that you two come along too," he said as he looked toward the ensign with a slash across his face and the other with a slash across his head.

They both answered, "Aye, sir!" and followed the admiral into the turbo lift.

"Keep me posted," Justin finally said before the doors to the turbo lift closed.