Chapter Twelve: Forging Ahead
Alissa looked out proudly at her assembled armada. The time had come. The Kreedak assault on Earth would begin very soon. Alissa's fleet was gathered around one of the Borg Transwarp Hubs. The fleet's numbers stood at 190 Cubes, 60 Tactical Cubes, 300 Spheres, 3 Demon's Tooth vessels and Alissa's Diamond. All ships had bio armored hulls and several experimental bio beam weapons. Alissa's Diamond and the Demon's Tooth vessels also had Omega reactors, enabling their shields to run at nearly 700 of normal.
Sinal was on board the Diamond with Alissa. Both watched as the Transwarp aperture was opened.
"Are you sure you want to come Sinal?" Alissa asked.
"Yes. I want to meet these humans," Sinal replied.
"Just be ready for some action." As the fleet entered the aperture, Alissa hoped that the future Sinal had been right.
…
The orbit of Earth was crowded today. With the arrival of Species 8472, the Romulans, Klingons and Cardassians had all made requests to meet their ambassador and discuss possibly technological exchanges. Starfleet had moved two entire fleets into the Sol system to maintain order and begin refitting with the limited technology 8472 had provided Starfleet in exchange for three uninhabited star systems.
Another recent event had also shaken things up. A Borg Sphere had appeared. It was under the command of a Klingon General named Korak. They had warned the Federation on a new enemy that had recently been popping up all over the Delta Quadrant. They were called the Kreedak, and they were an aggressive, expansionist empire. Korak had asked for a gathering of all Alpha Quadrant powers to discuss an alliance. That was the second reason for the conference.
Captain Picard was in his ready room, enjoying the first break he'd been able to get in nearly ten hours. He looked out the window at the clusters of ships, all getting as close to the bio ship as they could despite the fact that their sensors couldn't penetrate its hull.
"Riker to Picard." Picard slowly lowered his cup of Earl Gray and sighed.
"Picard here."
"The Klingon and Cardassian delegations say they're ready to talk."
"I'm on my way," Picard replied. The Klingons and Cardassians had been going back and forth all day. This was the third time they were attempting to talk.
…
As soon as the door to the conference room opened Picard ducked as a cup came flying out, narrowly missing his head.
"You pig!" A Cardassian called out.
"P'tah!" Came the Klingon Ambassador's reply. Picard, already very tired and in no mood for more arguing, entered the room, picked up the teapot and threw it against the wall, shattering it. At once the shouting stopped and all eyes focused on Captain Picard.
"Now," he began, speaking very calmly, as though he had never been angry. "I understand that you are all frustrated, but now is not the time for insults. Species 8472 are guests of the Federation, and as such they are entitled to enough time to rebuild their civilization. In time, all of you will be able to share in-"
"Why should we stand by while the Federation takes advantage of the most advanced technology anyone here has ever see!" The Cardassian Gul asked.
"We fought beside with the Federation in the Dominion War! WE should get the first samples of technology!" The Klingon ambassador replied. Picard was about to reply when…
"Riker to Picard."
"Yes Number One," Picard replied, this time unable to prevent irritation from seeping into his voice.
"Sorry to bother you, but sensors are picking up some strange subspace readings. I think you should get up here."
Picard was, at the same time, relieved to have an excuse to leave and angry that the two parties would immediately resume their verbal sparring.
…
"I hope you have something interesting Will," Picard said as the turbolift doors opened.
"We do. It looks like there are hundreds of Subspace tunnels moving toward us. Their speed's off the charts. They should reach Earth in three minutes." Picard's alert meter immediately went up. It had to be the Kreedak. Korak's vessel had provided Starfleet with sensor information on the Kreedak Subspace Tunneling Drive.
"Order all ships to go to red alert and signal the Klingon and Cardassian vessels to form up around us."
Tense minutes went by as the Subspace tunnels neared. Then suddenly they opened in coronas of blue light. From the vortexes emerged over 1,500 ships. They were organic looking, with insectoid spines sprouting from various places. Their colors were varying shades of green and brown. The ships immediately began forming up into attack wings.
"Report," Picard demanded.
"Sensors are detecting over 1,500 vessels captain. 1,200 of them are the size of an Intrepid; the others range from one to four kilometers long. We're being hailed," Lieutenant Jeniko reported.
"On screen." The screen changed to show the image of a wasp-like alien. He had four arms, the top two of which appeared to be some kind of organic weapons. His shell was red and blue, with two black striped running down his shoulders.
"To all ships gathered here. I am Commander Keeerr Zrrc, of the 456th Kreedak Swarm Fleet. You territory has been selected as suitable for Kreedak conquest. However, we offer you a choice. You may join with us and serve us as thralls. If you agree, your lives and your worlds will be spared."
"Open a channel," Picard ordered. "Kreedak Commander, I am Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the Federation Starship Enterprise. Your presence here is a violation of Federation Space. Leave now, or we will respond with all necessary force." The Kreedak Commander made a curious buzzing noise, and Picard realized he was laughing.
"You fool. You are outnumbered. You cannot stop us. Make your choice now: Serve us, or die." Picard motioned and the transmission was cut.
"Thoughts?"
"I say we fight," Commander Riker replied. "We know from General Korak that Kreedak ships are one on one weaker than ours. We have nearly 700 ships if you include the Klingons, Romulans and Cardassians."
"I say fight," Work added. Geordie nodded. Picard smiled.
"All right. Instruct all ships to open fire. Have Starbase One engage any Kreedak ships that move toward Earth. Engage!"
The combined defense fleet surged forward, unleashing a storm of torpedoes and phaser fire. Dozens of Kreedak ships were destroyed, but many more surged forward, vessels near the rear of the Kreedak fleet launching waves of fighter craft. Waves of acidic projectiles slammed into shields and bit into hulls. Crewmen screamed as they were dissolved. Fighters swarmed the smaller ships, using numbers to take them down. Starbase One destroyed a dozen Kreedak ships moving toward Earth, but more launched fast moving pods toward the surface, the majority of which avoiding the defensive fire.
The Enterprise skimmed between two Kreedak cruisers, savaging them with phasers, while three Klingon Birds of Prey fired torpedoes. One of the vessels exploded, the other began drifting. Suddenly a barrage of bio acid torpedoes tore one of the Klingon ships to shreds and sent the other two spinning away. The Kreedak had begun moving up their big ships now that the defense fleet was occupied.
…
The Enterprise shook as a Kreedak phaser tore at its shields.
"Shields at 74 percent," Work reported. Another shudder. "63 percent."
"Status on the fleet?" Picard asked.
"Sixty-seven vessels have been destroyed, more report heavy damage. The Cardassian flagship has been destroyed. Starbase One reports it is losing shields."
"Send signal Omega," Picard ordered. Signal Omega was a signal that the defense fleet was being overrun and desperately needed assistance, assistance that was quick in coming. A dozen Quantum Singularities opened and disgorged fifty 8472 bio ships. The ambassador who appeared as Boothby had told Picard that if he really needed them, his people would help.
The bio ships tore into the Kreedak fleet, heir bio beams cutting through shields and hulls. Hundreds of Kreedak ships fell. Then the entire Kreedak armada concentrated on the bio ships. Thousands of weapons cut into bio armor, overwhelming it. First one, then two ships were destroyed. Soon the 8472 vessels withdrew, having done all they could.
…
Picard clutched his chair as the Enterprise was rocked again. This time a console exploded, sending Ensign MrFare tumbling across the deck, his uniform ablaze.
"Shields down to 30 percent!" Worf reported. "We should retreat."
"No, right now the Enterprise is the only thing holding the defense line together," Picard replied. He looked out the view screen. Nearly half the defense fleet was burning. The Kreedak fleet had lost even more, but most of their large ships were still intact. Already reports of troops attacking cities across Earth were coming in. The invaders were nine foot tall insectoid warriors, armed with acid weapons and only vulnerable to high level phaser fire.
"Captain, sensors are picking up Borg Transwarp conduits. Lots of them,' Riker suddenly called out. Picard hung his head. He watched as hundreds of Borg vessels appeared in flashes of green light and…began attacking the Kreedak! He watched as three massive Borg vessel shaped like elongated diamonds fired massive disruptor beams into three of the largest Kreedak vessels, vaporizing them. Two dozen Cubes opened hatches on their sides and launched thousands of fighters. The Borg and Kreedak began tearing into each other.
…
Alissa and Sinal watched as the Kreedak turned their attention from the crippled defense fleet and began attacking them.
"All third element vessels, concentrate on the Kreedak forward elements. Main disruptors, continue targeting Kreedak flagships as fast as recharge permits. Fighters, engage Kreedak fighter craft. All other vessels, engage the enemy!" Alissa ordered. She watched with pride as her armada clashed with the already weakened Kreedak. Her Demon's Tooth vessels each destroyed a flagship every fifty seconds. Borg disruptors, torpedoes and bio beams savaged Kreedak cruisers and destroyers. Borg vessels fell as well, but loses were irrelevant. Only victory mattered. Alissa's Diamond joined the forward wave, destroying an entire wing of Kreedak frigates.
…
"The enemy ships are retreating," Commander Ger Dah reported ten minutes after the battle began. His Carrier Cubes had provided a major advantage in the battle. His Dagger interceptors have performed admirably. Now the next step began. Legions of Borg Drones, all armed with anti-matter rifles, transported down to the surface and, while they incurred nearly eighty percent losses, annialated the Kreedak army.
"Excellent. Good work Commander. My compliments on your new vessels. Begin collecting debris from Kreedak vessels. I want a complete analysis of their technology in ten hours."
"As you wish," Ger Dah replied.
"Hail the Enterprise," Alissa ordered.
…
"Sir, we are being hailed by the Borg Diamond," Worf reported.
"On screen," replied a confused Picard. First the Borg had come out of nowhere and saved Earth, and now they wanted to talk? Then the view screen activated and displayed an image of a human girl. She had long brown hair, deep blue eyes and was clad in Borg armor.
"Captain Picard. I am Alissa, leader of the Borg Collective. We need to talk."
So how was that? So Alissa and Picard are going to meet. What will happen? What will the end result be? Will an Alliance against the Kreedak form, or will there be only war? Find out in the next exciting chapter of A New Way. Well, see ya all then, and don't forget to review! The Emperor protects.
ENTILZA