Enterprise had taken the few moments just before exiting slipstream to reconsider its mission. With the mobilization of the majority of the vorgon fleet, their success was definately slim. It calculated a less then ten percent chance of success. Although they didn't encounter it, somewhere in vorgon space was a very large vessel equipped with similar technology to the Pathfinders. Very little was known about the vessel, but it came out of slipstream near the Vegan sun and launched a torpedo at it, similar to the warheads that destroyed sixty Federation systems two days earlier. As with the other explosions, it decimated the entire Vegan system. Thankfully, several of the Vegan inhabitants had several seconds to escape, but the explosion had done its damage. The USS Oracle, carrying Admiral Greer, couldn't escape in time. His last order had been to locate the group responsible and remove them. The liklihood of accomplishing this mission was growing more and more grim with each passing moment.
The seven remaining Pathfinders exited slipstream. Immediately, green and red bursts of explosive energy greeted them, smashing into their shields. Sixty-two vorgon starships were waiting for them with hundreds more waiting behind them. Enterprise confirmed the presence of another six hundred vessels surrounding Z'erd, the moon holding the uthat manufacturing facility. Already in orbit around Z'erd was the larger version of a Pathfinder starship with intimidating vorgon markings. Somehow, the vorgons had managed to steal their technology as well.
"They were waiting for us, just as they were in Vorgon Prime," Intrepid interjected, its weapons firing in all directions.
"They have also begun using suicide runs as before," Ulysses added as two vessels slammed into its shields.
"Engage phase shift," Enterprise ordered. Something had definately gone wrong with the entire attack. The cause was obvious. "Track down and destroy all vorgon vessels equipped with timedrive. They are using their experiences of the present to influence decisions in the past."
The eight Pathfinders linked their computer systems together and phased out of normal space. Green and red beams of light passed harmlessly by them as did potential suicide vessels. Desperately, they began scanning the system for timedrive-enabled starships. Their reconnosaince was cut short as devices launched from the vorgon ships began impacting their hulls.
"Subspace torpedoes!" Challenger yelled.
"Dephase!" Enterprise replied.
"Yet another benefit to time travel, I presume," Intrepid interjected. The eight came out of phase and brought their shields back online. Their brief time of peace was all they needed. The four timeships were quickly identified. Most disturbing was the fact the vorgon Pathfinder was also equipped with a timedrive. The tasks of destroying the timeships were quickly divided among the remaining Pathfinders, who quickly slipstreamed away to their respective targets.
Enterprise remained behind momentarily to observe the vorgon time ships. As he feared, moments before the Pathfinders exited slipstream near their targets, the time ships warped away and a pack of vorgon warships swarmed to their exit positions. Due to the somewhat unpredictable nature of slipstream travel, it was impossible for the Pathfinders to know exactly where they will come out, yet the vorgons knew exactly where the Pathfinders would exit. This only server to confirm Enterprise's theory. Somehow, knowledge of their strategy was being communicated to the vorgons in the past, allowing them to know what was going to happen. Something bothered it, however. By their own computer records, the vorgons only had time to create sixty tox uthat weapons. Yet, with the destruction of Vega, the number of weapons deployed was sixty-one. Where did the final weapon come from?
Its damage warning systems indicated its shields were below twenty percent. However, or whenever, it was done, the vorgons had learned to use their resources well. Frontier and Challenger's shields had already failed and were beginning to take damage. As Enterprise continued firing as quickly as its weapons systems would allow, it began thinking of alternatives. Betting that the vorgons copied the Pathfinder blueprints to the letter, it accellerated to full impulse power and headed straight for its vorgon counterpart. Enterprise attempted to create a link to it as it had done to the other six. Although the encryption was slightly different, Enterprise quickly bypassed it and began downloading its memory. This, apparently, got the attention of the As'krys, the name of the vorgon Pathfinder. It quickly spun out of orbit and headed towards the Enterprise.
Intrepid gave a quick update. "Enterprise, we were finally able to destroy the time ship assigned to us. Challenger, regretfully, was destroyed."
"Salvage as much as you can of the timedrive," Enterprise ordered.
"Understood, Enterprise," Intrepid replied.
Vorgon vessels continued to follow the Enterprise as it sped towards Z'erd. Eventually, its shields collapsed as well. Regretfully, it sensed the destruction of the Endeavour. As weapon fire continued pummeling Enterprise, it saw the damage the others were taking as well. Their mission was a complete failure. They had one chance left.
"I have salvaged as much of the timedrive as I could," Intrepid announced.
"Understood," Enterprise replied. "Set course for the Enethri system. Engage as soon as you have your coordinates set."
"Enterprise," Intrepid interrupted, "The Enethri system is in the delta quadrant of the Milky Way galaxy. It will take almost four weeks to arrive."
"Exactly," Enterprise replied. "Currently, only one vorgon vessel will be able to follow us." As if on queue, a black disk appeared in front of the As'krys. Moments later, it flew through. "Gather debris with you as you leave. If I am correct, we will face that vessel upon our arrival."
"Does this mean we're giving up our mission?" Ulysses asked.
"Not at all," Enterprise replied. "We're going to change how we fight... or... to be more precise... WHEN we fight."
Still taking heavy fire, four of the five Pathfinders engaged their slipstream engines and departed for the Enethri system. Frontier, after sustaining heavy damage, was unable to form a slipstream portal and was destroyed moments later.