Alliance Royal Armada

by Kenshul

After the fall of the Terran Empire the Alliance controlled Mirror Universe finally seemed at peace. Unknown though that while the Alliance was distracted a new foe quietly built up its army and would plunge the quadrant into an even fiercer conflict.

15. The March Forward

Chapter Fifteen: The March Forward

Mission
Four months after the Narendra Conference and the revelations that were brought to light there the Alliance finds the tide of war favoring them once again. As part of a fierce new campaign to help bring about the war's end Koltarn is given command of a Negh'Var class vessel and is sent to destroy one of the Romulan's most fortified shipyards.
Mission Date:
233rd day in the 2369th of Molar

"My brothers and sisters in arms, on this day I bring more glorious news to you of our campaign against the Romulans. As of sixteen hundred hours yesterday, the Romulan supply depots in the Trelex sector were destroyed by a combined Klingon/Breen task force. In the battle eight Breen vessels and fifteen Klingon vessels were destroyed. That means that nearly a third of the soldiers sent on this mission lost their lives. But let their deaths not cause a moment's hesitation in your mind, for they died in battle! They died with the honor that we can only pray we are bestowed when we too meet our fate. I know these past four months have been trying, and the casualty lists keep growing and growing, but look at what we have achieved! Since the realization of the Andorian support to the Romulans we have launched ourselves in a march forward that is unparalleled to any such march throughout the entire course of the war. For all that we have lost in this war we have made the Romulans pay for. In the past four months for every death they caused we struck back and killed three of them. Before learning of the Andorian survivors the tide of war was against us, and even threatened to overtake us completely. Because of your dedication that is no longer the case. Now it is we who have the advantage, and it is an advantage that must be pressed. We are on the brink of ending this war once and for all, and that end will be in our favor. But only if we resolve to not let our new found energy go by the wayside. Truly these coming days are those that will be remembered forever in song! The strength each soldier has shown has made me proud to be your Regent, and I know that my pride will not fade away so long as we remember those that have died at the hands of the Romulans and fight with every breath to make sure those sacrifices were not in vain. Let it be forever told of how in the face of near defeat the Alliance came back to crush their Romulan foe. Q'apla!" With that the image of Worf faded on the screen, but the words he said did not fade from the minds of those that heard it.

As the transmission ended Koltarn leaned back in the captain's chair and wondered if such a dramatic flair was necessary. He supposed that in times of war such a thing was, and as he looked around his bridge at the crewmembers that were present it did seem to have had a positive effect. In the daunting days of war when all one faces is death one tends to need a stirring speech like the one Worf had just given to stir feelings of hope and belief that all the bloody sacrifices were not in vain. Though he accepted that such inspiring exaggerations were necessary for morale he couldn't bring himself to like the fact. Perhaps the reason was because he saw the truth of what was going on in the war. Perhaps it was because he had seen too much of the harsh reality of war to see any silver lining left.

Sitting there in silence Koltarn's attention suddenly turned to the man who stood to his right. A man whom he had only known by vague reputation a few short months ago, but was now one of his closest friends. Being a decorated commander was enough to gain Koltarn's respect, but what he had done for him on Carraya IV had earned Mulkrit his trust and his friendship.

"Commander Koltarn sir," a voice said in front of the Klingon commander. When Koltarn turned he saw a young officer standing before him holding a P.A.D.D. out just in front of his face. "They're orders from Regent Worf himself." the officer explained. Carefully Koltarn took the P.A.D.D. and gave a gracious nod to the officer before he went back to whatever duties he was on before.

Reading over the P.A.D.D. Koltarn could feel his friend grow anxious next to him. Since their sudden arrival at the Narendra Conference neither of them had seen much action. Mulkrit's ship, the Sompek, had been thrown into battle the moment their glorious new campaign had begun and after three daring strikes at Romulan targets had managed to limp its way back to Kendra Alpha where it still was being given last minute repairs. Koltarn had been denied even one battle since his miraculous 'resurrection'. Being one of the few prisoners of war to be recovered from Romulan hands, someone had decided that he was to be given plenty of time to recover from any trauma that may have been caused by his imprisonment. Some treatment for a soldier who had been declared a hero, though Koltarn wondered if that honor was only bestowed upon him because it was thought he had died on an important and glorious mission for the Alliance. Either way, he could hold no grudge as things were finally starting to look up. With his recent installation as commander aboard the new Negh'Var ship, the Kri'stak, and the orders that had just been handed him it looked as though he was to finally get the action he so rightly deserved.

Standing beside Koltarn as he read over the P.A.D.D. Mulkrit grew curious as to what it might contain. With it coming directly from the Regent it undoubtedly contained orders for whatever mission the Kri'stak was to be sent on. He was anxious for his new friend to finally be given the chance to prove to everyone that the month he spent as a Romulan captive did nothing to lessen his resolve against their green-blooded foe. In fact, it had increased if anything. And to be given the command of a mighty Negh'Var class vessel whose paint was barely dry and had not been given the chance to leave Kendra Alpha was truly what Mulkrit thought that Koltarn was in need of to help give him a push back into the throes of war.

When Koltarn finished reading over their orders he rested the P.A.D.D. in his lap for a moment and simply stared ahead in thought, absorbing the information that had just been given to him. Knowing that simply sitting there in silence would accomplish nothing he decided that the best course of action was to inform Mulkrit of what was expected of them. Turning to Mulkrit he looked at the stalwart soldier as he rose from his chair. After another moment of him silently looking at the Klingon officer to whom he called friend he simply said, "Let us speak of this in the war room." before turning away and heading to one of the rooms adjacent to the bridge.

Quickly Mulkrit followed Koltarn into the Kri'stak's war room, wondering exactly what the orders were and why they might be relevant to him. When he entered the large room set off of the bridge he immediately noticed that Kotarn had taken a chair directly opposite of a black view screen and had laid the P.A.D.D. on the long metal table in front of him.

"Do you need anything to drink?" Koltarn asked of his guest as he gestured over to the room's replicator set in the far wall.

For a moment Mulkrit hesitated and thought well over the question before answering. His decision was finally made when he noticed that Koltarn had gotten nothing for himself. If the matter to be discussed was something that Koltarn would rather talk about dry then certainly he should do the same. "No," Mulkrit said graciously, "all I would like is to know what exactly is on that P.A.D.D."

Carefully Koltarn picked the P.A.D.D. back up off the table and glanced over it as though he thought another read of it would make a difference before continuing further. After he had apparently finished he gently placed the device back down and began to tap a few buttons on the table next to him. Suddenly the view screen across from him came to life with a map of where Alliance space met that of the Romulans. Keying a few more buttons made the image zoom in closer to the part of the border that had seen action since the Narendra Conference.

Taking a step towards the screen, Mulkrit looked over the regions that were displayed for any clue as to why Koltarn chose to bring this area of space up and how it tied in with the new orders he had just been given. Not giving up easily he stared for several moments and scrutinized every little sector of space that was shown, but it was to no avail. Reluctantly he stepped away from what was being displayed and simply turned around to Koltarn with an expectant look on his face.

"Since the Narendra Conference ended and our new campaign began," Koltarn started to say, briefly looking at Mulkrit before focusing his attention on the view screen and the map it displayed, "we have focused our main forces in this region. As well we should. The area that we have been sending our forces is a rather large one, stretching across both the Klingon and the Cardassian parts of the border with the Romulans. As you can see from this map our forces have pushed on two different fronts." Taking a pause Koltarn tapped a few more buttons on the panel beside him and the screen suddenly highlighted two regions on the map. "Our forces have pressed the Romulans mainly from these two staging areas: the Kresh'nar sector up by the Cardassian border and the Dalaneb sector down in Klingon space. While both these advances have proven well for us and been able to be pushed well into the Romulan side of the border there has been a place along the border that has been overlooked. And that place we can no longer afford to do so."

With the new information given to him by Koltarn Mulkrit once again looked at the map. Noticing where the two task forces had advanced into Romulan space Mulkrit followed the Romulan border to the middle of these points and did indeed notice a part of Romulan held space that seemed to jut out like a peninsula in a sea of Alliance controlled territories. Talking a step closer he slowly read over what Romulan possessions were located in this area of space. When he saw the name of what lay there he quietly read it out loud without even thinking about doing so. "Heyati II."

"And that my friend is our target," Koltarn said as Mulkrit realized what their orders were.

"Heyati II," Mulkrit repeated it as though he could hardly believe the fact. "That's one of the Romulans most fortified shipyards. Hundreds of their ships are built and worked on there each week."

"I know," Koltarn said trying to reassure his friend that he full well knew what they would be up against. "That is why we have left it alone for as long as we have. But my friend, we can ill afford to do so any longer. Regent Worf was right in that we are on a march forward against the Romulans right now that will probably only be ended by the Romulans defeat. I ask you, if we are to defeat them then can we really allow such a large facility to operate so close to our border any longer?"

Leaning forward with his hands gripped onto a chair Mulkrit thought over Koltarn's words carefully. They made sense in the fact that Heyati II's destruction was something that must eventually be done. But for them to do it? That fact he was still a bit hesitant on.

Looking across the table into Mulkrit's eyes Koltarn could immediately see the doubt and hesitation that were surely welling up within the Klingon commander. He couldn't blame Mulkrit for harboring such feelings. After all, he was guilty of feeling them a bit himself. Neither of them could have such feelings held against them though because that was just part of the game they played as commanding officers during wartime. The real test was what they did with those feelings. If they were to let such feelings bother and consume them then surely they would lose their lives, as probably would their crew as well. But if they conquered such feelings and rose to meet the challenge that lay before them, well that was how legends were born.

"Well," Mulkrit started as he turned back towards the map, "if we are to attack Heyati II then at least tell me we won't be doing so alone."

"No, not at all Mulkrit," Koltarn replied as he pushed the P.A.D.D. across the table to where Mulkrit stood. "They're sending us with every ship currently here at Kendra Alpha."

"Every ship?" At the statement Mulkrit felt a little more comfortable about their odds, but he gave no sign of a change until he felt sure about their odds. In his mind he thought over what ships were currently at Kendra Alpha and began to count them to try and estimate how big their task force would be. "There's our two Negh'Vars, about two dozen Vor'Chas, and probably close to four dozen K'Vort bird-of-preys. That's about sixty vessels in total," Mulkrit said to Koltarn out of a sense of formality than anything else. "Those odds I like more than two against whatever horde the Romulans have stashed at Heyati II, but still it will be a tough battle to win."

"Do you doubt that our honor will prevail?" Koltarn asked of Mulkrit stone-faced and in a curious tone.

"Certainly not," Mulkrit shot back, thinking for a moment that his friend had just insulted him, but knowing better when he saw a slight grin just barely peek out the corner of Koltarn's mouth.

"Good to know," Koltarn casually said in a tone that made Mulkrit immediately relax. "What if I were to tell you that the odds will favor us even more?"

"Oh?" was all Mulkrit could say in response, anxious to hear what Koltarn meant.

"Apparently since we have blatantly ignored the facility the Romulans must believe that we have forgotten about it completely. A smug belief of safety as well as the need for their interests to lie elsewhere has diverted a great many of their vessels away from the Heyati sector, leaving only a handful of warbirds left to guard the shipyard."

"And exactly how many are left?" Mulkrit asked, beginning to get just a little excited about finally being able to take out the Heyati II shipyard.

"Two dozen. Perhaps three. Plus who knows how many fighters, but they'll cause as much trouble as a glob fly."

Only three-dozen warbirds had been left at the Heyati II shipyard? And they were sending about six-dozen vessels to destroy it? "We'll out number them two to one." Mulkrit blurted out the obvious.

"Those three dozen will most likely all be D'Deridex class warbirds, a tough match against our forces. That is why we are getting a force that numbers double of what they will have. It will help to level the playing field."

"True." Walking back towards the map Mulkrit took another hard look at the Heyati sector, a sector that had been a thorn in their side since nearly the war's start nine years ago. The Romulan's had always had that shipyard so well guarded so as the Alliance could not even dare to dream attacking it. Why now would they leave it seemingly abandoned? This question was one that bothered Mulkrit up until the fact that he actually asked it of Koltarn.

Looking across the table at Mulkrit Koltarn knew what his friend's question would be before he even asked it. He knew about it because it was a question that he had himself the moment he read how many vessels were at Heyati II. When he realized the question's answer he almost felt stupid, but simply shrugged it off as he realized it was all part of their leaders' self-proclaimed genius.

"Do you know why we are being sent on this mission at this time?" Mulkrit thought about the question for a moment, but could only respond with a slight shake of his head no. Leaning forward Koltarn continued. "Why would we be sent on this mission when less than twenty-four hours has passed since there was an Alliance attack on Romulan supply depots?"

Taking in the question Mulkrit once again turned to look at the map being displayed. First he took note of where the Heyati sector was, then he looked at the Trelex sector. When he found both he looked at how far apart they were. The Trelex sector was several light years away and nearly on the opposite end of the map from the Heyati sector. What possibly could be the connection between the two sectors? "The Trelex sector is light years away." Mulkrit said over his shoulder to Koltarn. "Why would our attack in that system be of any consequence to our attack on Heyati II? After all, it would take several days to travel from..." Mulkrit's words trailed off as the obvious suddenly hit him. Turning quickly around he looked at Koltarn and found a smile just barely make its way from the corner of his friend's mouth.

"The Heyati II shipyards have been left unguarded because their forces have been sent to stave off our advance in the Trelex sector." Koltarn said to Mulkrit to help his friend confirm that what he had just realized was true.

"Then the attack on the supply depots were just a diversion?"

"Well that attack will help us in a small way, but yes it was. This way the bulk of the Romulan fleet is far enough away from the Heyati sector that by the time they can come to affect aid it will be far too late."

A triumphant grin flashed on Mulkrit's face as he realized how truly inspiring this plan was. All throughout the war the Romulans had always flaunted what seemed to be a superior tactical mind. Many times they had been able to outwit the Alliance, and each time it had cost the Alliance dearly. For a second his mind drifted back to a moment just one year old aboard the now destroyed Lyca Station. In his hands he could feel the delicate yet beautiful frame of his beloved T'Jal and he could see that last smile she had bravely shown before his departure. His hand became a fist that tightened its grip at the memory and the knowledge that the Romulans had tricked their forces to guard Kendra Alpha while they secretly planned to destroy Lyca Station. Now it would be their turn, his turn, to outwit the Romulans and strike at them unexpectedly. He vowed though that there would be a difference, his strike would be one the Romulans couldn't bounce so easily back from.

Watching the sudden change in Mulkrit's mood Koltarn wondered for a moment what might have prompted it. Then as if he could read his friend's mind he realized that it dealt with T'Jal, the Bajoran commander of Lyca Station that Mulkrit had grown fond of. While Koltarn had not known the Klingon officer for very long he did know of the anguish Mulkrit had felt at losing the Bajoran woman. It was a story every officer could sympathize with in this war, the story of dead loved ones and the trouble they had at continuing the fight. Koltarn though sensed that his friend's story was a little different. He felt as though maybe Mulkrit and T'Jal had shared a deeper connection than one either would admit to having in the throes of war.

A silent moment passed as both Klingons sat there in thought. Finally, after seeing a time readout on the wall and noticing how fast time was slipping by, Koltarn broke that silence. "If we are to bring death to the Romulans in the Heyati sector then we should depart." he said as he looked across to Mulkrit. Standing up from his chair he added, "After all, there's no reason to delay this mission any further." A solemn nod came from Mulkrit before the two departed from the Kri'stak's war room.

Once on the bridge the two warriors made their way to the turbo lift. "Lok'esh," Koltarn said to his helms officer as he and Mulkrit waited for the lift. "Signal Kendra Alpha that we will be departing shortly and see to it that all officers are on ship and ready to disembark."

"Aye sir," was all the Klingon officer said as he looked at Koltarn and tried his best to hide the curiosity that was boiling inside him. The Kri'stak had never left Kendra Alpha as of yet and to be suddenly told they would at last be leaving brought a curious excitement to Lok'esh, as well as the other officers present. It finally seemed as though their prowess would be tested on a mission, an issue that they all seemed to relish. Stepping onto the turbo lift Koltarn turned and took one last view of the bridge of the ship that he would take into battle before tapping the button to take him and Mulkrit down to deck twenty-seven.

The ride in the turbo lift proved to be a silent one as both Klingons prepared for the battle ahead. At one point Klingon warriors would charge into battle with little regard for what would be the kill total at the end of the day. So long as they died with honor then nothing else mattered to them. The war with the Romulans however had taught them too many painful lessons that couldn't be ignored. Gone was the simple ideal of kill until killed. Now they had to plan out each encounter with the Romulans as best they could. For probably the first time in all of recorded Klingon history body counts actually mattered. When the days end came they knew that more Romulans than Klingons would have to lay in death, or else threaten to put victory back within their enemies grasp. This fact had become a harsh reality for those in the Klingon Empire, and for commanders like Koltarn and Mulkrit even more so. For there actions not only risked to condemn themselves to death, but the thousands of warriors that they would lead into death's reach.

When the turbo lift reached deck twenty-seven both Klingons stepped onto the deck without hesitation. Both had grown very familiar with the layout of a Negh'Var class warship and knew exactly where to go without having to give it a second thought. After traveling down several corridors they finally reached their destination, the transporter room.

The moment Koltarn and Mulkrit entered the small transporter room the officer on duty quickly snapped to attention. Being still docked at shipyard there had been little to do onboard the Kri'stak, short of actual construction work, to which was done mostly by Kendra Alpha's workers. For the actual crew it had been a boring stretch of time in wait for their first mission. Even though this had caused a more lax attitude to be spread through the crew that attitude always became lost when in the presence of their new commanding officer.

"Commander Mulkrit here will be beaming back to the Sompek," Koltarn informed the officer who only responded with a nod as he began to key up the sequence that would send Mulkrit back to his ship.

Placing one foot onto the transporter pad Mulkrit turned back to look upon his friend one more time. A strange and foreboding sense came over him as he looked back at Koltarn and for a moment his mind wondered if he would see his friend again. Then, after a quiet sigh, he pushed the thought away and felt bad of the fact that death haunted him so. True he had seen a great many die around him, but so had everyone else at some point during this bloodbath. Just because he had lost those that had been closest to him didn't mean that he would have to bury any more friends. "To a glorious victory," he said as he held his hand out to Koltarn.

Instantly Koltarn clasped Mulkrit's arm and replied with, "One which will be forever mentioned in song my friend." A vow of bloodwine was made between the two before Mulkrit stood in position on top of the device and slowly faded away in a brilliance of red light.

Once Mulkrit had beamed aboard the Sompek Koltarn quickly departed the transporter room without a word to the officer on duty as his gray commander robe billowed out from behind him. He then made his way back to the turbo lift in a pace as quick as a walk would allow. Koltarn knew that in order to successfully complete their mission they would have to depart as soon as possible. More so he knew that they needed to depart as soon as possible for the sake of the crew, who he could feel growing more and more dissatisfied by the prospect of sitting on the sidelines during a war. This sentiment he couldn't hold against any of them, though it was one he could no longer identify with so strongly.

The moment Koltarn returned to the bridge all eyes rested upon him. There were almost twice as many eyes as had been there moments before he noticed and realized that every officer was now at their station and ready to go on whatever mission their leaders willed. Taking a look at each of them he saw something just beneath the surface that he couldn't immediately identify. At first he thought it was an uneasiness about going into battle in a new and untested vessel. Then he realized his mistake in judgment and decided to finally tell them the glorious mission they were to be sent on. "Patch me through to the entire ship." Koltarn said to his comms officer as he moved to stand in the middle of the bridge. After a nod from the young female officer was given he began.

"My brothers and sisters," he began in a form that mimicked that of Worf's earlier. It was a form he was not too fond of, but he knew from experience that it was the best form to use when inspiring those that served under you. "We have been called upon by our leaders to undertake an important mission. Perhaps one of the most important missions of the entire war. By the end of today the Romulan shipyards at Heyati II will be left to memory by our hand."

From those around him on the bridge and surely from all others who had heard Koltarn's words a sudden change in mood came. No one felt quite sure how they should react to such news. Every one of them had been anxious to be sent on a mission, and when the prospect of one finally came they all had to hold back the sheer excitement their warrior hearts pumped into them. But to take on Heyati II, one of the Romulans most well known strongholds, and on their first time out from dock? It was a thought that made each of them pause for a moment.

"I know that such a mission probably wasn't what anyone had in mind for our first time out, but let the newness of this vessel not cause a single one of you to be concerned. This vessel bears a righteous name, and holds a most honorable crew. Though the Kri'stak's paint may be fresh, you are not. Each one of you have fought with distinction over the course of this war and each one of you know what must be done to drive back the Romulan threat once and for all. For this reason I am confident that at the end of the day the path to victory will be like this mighty vessel and coated in a fresh layer of green. Let the name IKS Kri'stak be one that is forever remembered in song. Q'apla." With that Koltarn sat down in his captain's chair and simply let his words wash over his crew, hoping they would have at least a fraction of the impact that Worf's words had on them only a short while ago.

Doubt and uncertainty had run through the officers that made up the Kri'stak's crew at the mention of Heyati II as their target. Though the Kri'stak was a powerful Negh'Var class warship and manned by one of the most skilled crews in the Alliance their minds had still found a way to let a small bit of doubt sneak in. That doubt had quickly been pushed away by Koltarn's words. While each of them were far from the starry-eyed and often gullible ensign that came fresh from training, they just couldn't argue with their new commander's words. It came down to one simple fact. That fact was how could they question their chances when Koltarn so firmly believed they would be victorious? This fact was one that no one felt could be argued.

Almost instantly Koltarn could feel everyone's mood change and he almost smiled at the fact. He knew that each of them harbored doubt at being able to take out the Heyati II shipyards. As well they should. Those shipyards had been considered nothing short of a fortress and he knew that for it to be destroyed would take an unmitigated resolve. Being the commander did not shield him from such doubt. He too wondered if they would be able to walk away from this battle with both their lives and a victory. Unlike those under him though he wasn't allowed to show such doubt. In the face of danger he needed to appear always confident and never wary for the sake of them. This was another fact that he did not like, but had simply gotten used to.

With the order given to disembark and Kendra Alpha notified of their long awaited departure the crew grew excited as they stood ready at their stations. The full realization that they were finally leaving didn't hit them though until a metallic sound could be heard coming from outside. Slowly the station's construction arms retracted away from the Kri'stak and it shifted slightly as it came under its own power. As Lok'esh punched in the sequence to start up the engines the anxious feeling that the crew had been experiencing seemed to come from a new place entirely, from the Kri'stak herself. Obviously that was something that was more felt by the crew then actually happening, but being a warship it could almost seem plausible.

Moving away from the station now Koltarn had one more doubt about the mission spring into his mind. It was the first mission that he was to command since his capture on Delpox II, a mission that had cost the lives of at least five of the seven troops under his command, perhaps even all seven. In the role of soldier a defeat clung to one's being like a stench that would never fully go away. This point was even greater for those in command. Koltarn knew though that the only way to wash himself from that stench would be with an absolute victory. This he kept in mind as the rest of the task force assembled behind the Kri'stak and the Sompek before the entire group jumped to warp en masse.

The journey to the Heyati sector was a slow one. Much slower then what one might think of considering how close to the border both Heyati II and Kendra Alpha were. Right after the fleet had gone to warp a rudimentary attack plan had been devised between Mulkrit and himself and then sent to the rest of the vessels via transmission, but really how much could one plan such a mission? All they had to do was fly in, destroy one of the Romulan's toughest bases, and fly back out with their lives. How hard could that be? In either case, planning a mission hardly ever seemed that effective, as intelligence was seldom accurate. Most of the best tactics were always ones borne on the field of battle, and in one of those Koltarn placed his hope for success.

After speaking with Mulkrit not a single thing of interest had happened. Though never tested the Kri'stak seemed to be running smoothly thus far. Her crew were keeping themselves as busy as they could at their stations, but it hardly seemed enough to simply stay there as they awaited the fast approaching battle. For weeks now they had trained day and night on the Negh'Var's systems, knowing that when the time came their lives might depend on how well they could react within a situation. But they had learned all they could in that time. Now all they could do is sit back and hope that their training would help them succeed when they were tested in the coming battle.

With nothing to do himself Koltarn was left to sit in silence and do the only thing one tends to do when placed in this situation; think. Sitting there his mind wandered to thoughts of his new friend Mulkrit. In the short time he had known the warrior he had learned a lot about him, but he still wasn't quite sure how he felt about the man. Mulkrit was obviously a great soldier, his commission along with half a dozen commendations showed that, and he was a likeable person as a whole, but still Koltarn felt something holding him back when he went to judge the him. Having risked his life to save Koltarn instantly won over some respect from the Klingon commander, and the fact that Mulkrit had come to Carraya IV specifically looking for Koltarn was commendable, if not slightly suspicious, but still Koltarn was hesitant to put any sort of label on the man. For the moment he simply decided to call him friend and leave things at that.

Thoughts about Mulkrit and his rescue led Koltarn's mind back to thoughts of his imprisonment. Going back to Delpox II the last few minutes of the mission flashed before him. Suddenly before him was Turax, one of the best soldiers he had ever led into battle, as the green light of a Romulan disruptor struck the Klingon square in the chest and he fell to the ground in death. Then he saw himself fire shot after shot at the Romulans who poured into the small room and he saw each of them fall to the ground in slow motion, almost as though his memory was some bizarre movie that he was watching. He felt the sense of death come upon him as he knew the Romulans would soon kill him, but at the time all that mattered was letting the Breen soldier behind him complete his task. So many had died that day and he knew that the only way for their deaths to not be in vain was for Lukshn to be given the chance to send a message out to their superiors. Then he saw himself fall down like Turax and he could almost feel the hard blow that some Romulan soldier had delivered him. Falling into unconsciousness he did not know whether or not Lukshn would succeed, but all his being prayed that he would. He then took what he thought would be his last breath before the world around him had gone black.

He had thought wrong though. When he stumbled back into consciousness several hours had passed, or it could have been days, he had no way to know for sure. What he did know that he was no longer at the Romulan base on Delpox II. As he looked about he saw that the room around him was now much smaller, and was free of the chaos that he had just escaped from. The movement he felt around him told him that he was now on a ship, though even that he wasn't entirely sure of. Slowly he moved his hand to the back of his neck and gently placed it on a lump that was sending wave after wave of pain burrowing into his mind. This could be the cause of his feeling movement, but again there was no way to be sure.

Another stretch of time passed and Koltarn sat against one of the gray walls that made up the room. There was not a sound nor movement coming from anywhere around him and for the first time in a long while he felt truly alone. In too much physical pain and mental anguish Koltarn couldn't even summon the strength to make it across the room to the door that was set across from him. Not that it mattered though, since surely there was some sort of forcefield on it, and if not then two armed guards surely awaited on the other side for him to try and escape. This left him alone and to himself for several hours before the doors finally opened and in walked a Romulan officer flanked by two guards.

The officer was a centurion, and a rather high ranking one Koltarn gathered after noticing how many medallions adorned the front of his uniform, by the name of Veruuk. Almost immediately Veruuk spit words out about him being a prisoner and how he would co-operate or suffer the consequences. Koltarn made only a vague nod of recognition to these words which pushed the Romulan beyond the line of anger. Then Koltarn thought the centurion was going to torture him for information, but he did the opposite as he turned on his heels and walked out of the room without another word.

He never saw Veruuk again, nor did he see anyone else until the two troops came to remove him. One of them had a needle in hand and injected Koltarn with something after a mild struggle had come from the Klingon. Once again Koltarn slipped into darkness and once again he awoke from that darkness in a new surrounding. This time the room was slightly larger and looked to be built of a different and probably cheaper material. There was another difference this time in that he was not the room's only occupant. In a corner opposite from him he saw a Breen soldier sitting against a wall and apparently asleep. Koltarn knew that now he was in a Romulan prison camp, and he knew that the days would get progressively darker.

"Commander Koltarn," came a sudden voice that jarred the Klingon soldier from his memories. The voice belonged to Lok'esh, who was turned away from his station and looking directly at Koltarn.

"What Lok'esh," he replied feeling a little dazed from so suddenly being brought back to reality, but unwilling to show the fact.

"Sir, I thought you would like to know that we will be arriving in the Heyati system in less than four minutes." the helmsman said quickly before turning back around and returning to his duties.

Sitting up in his chair Koltarn readied himself for the battle that was about to ensue. For so long the Romulans of the Heyati II shipyards had proved to be an annoyance that simply refused to go away. He almost felt like grinning at knowing how the Romulans were about to be caught unprepared and about to lose one of their most valuable possessions. Yes, the death knell would certainly toll for those aboard Heyati II today.

The closing moments leading up to the battle were tense ones. Each officer found themselves sitting on the edge of their seat and those standing found a rigidness take hold of them. They had all trained for this and they were all more than well prepared, but that didn't leave them void of uncertainty. The task of taking out one of the Romulans most fortified stations was a daunting one, one that made them each want to hold their breath up until the point they finally dropped out of warp.

Calmness came from the velvet black space that lay just within the Heyati system. That calmness seemed like it could never be disturbed. But that only lasted for another heartbeat as suddenly it winked to life as dozens of Klingon ships dropped out of warp and into the Heyati system, hungry and eager to spill Romulan blood.

Koltarn sat at attention as the Romulan shipyard appeared on the view screen before him. There was quite a distance between them and the shipyard as it was on the far side of Heyati's second planet. In that distance Koltarn could recognize several Romulan ships that looked just ripe for killing. "How many Romulan vessels are there?" he asked, wanting to make sure they would have a definitive advantage over their Romulan foes.

"I'm reading twenty-two D'Deridex class warbirds, sir." Gorz'k, the ship's tactical officer, said in response to Koltarn's question.

Only twenty-two vessels? That was even fewer than what their estimates had projected. This would give the Klingon task force a three to one advantage over the Romulans. With that there was no way that Koltarn could see that the Romulan shipyard would be left running at the end of the day. Something ran through his mind to which he couldn't immediately recognize. This moment he had been waiting for ever since his rescue from Carraya IV. It was the moment when he would exact revenge upon those that had capture him, and he intended for that revenge to send ripples throughout the entire Romulan Empire. Bringing his hand up he held it there for a moment to give the Romulans and his crew one last peaceful moment. Then he tightly gripped it and gave the sign to attack.

Seemingly without hesitation each vessel in the Klingon fleet moved forward towards the Romulans and the shipyard that they would unsuccessfully try to protect. Each vessel was manned by a ready crew that was eager to be remembered throughout the rest of the war as part of the task force that destroyed the famous Romulan shipyards. The war had been a bloody one in which the tides of fortune had shifted back and forth between the warring powers several times. Now though it seemed to be favoring the Alliance in their campaign against the Romulans. This march forward was one they were dedicated to not relent in until the Romulans were defeated, and they hoped that the destruction of the Heyati II shipyard would prove to be a crippling blow that signaled the beginning of the end for the Romulan Star Empire.

As the Klingon vessels approached the shipyard the Romulan warbirds finally took notice of the enemy vessels and they turned to face the oncoming threat. Slowly the bulky Romulan vessels moved away from the shipyard and began to come at the Klingon force in an attempt to head off the oncoming threat and draw the Klingon fire away from the shipyard. Koltarn gave a slight grunt of amusement when he saw this. The Romulans had to know they were horribly outnumbered and would surely all die, yet here they were charging into that death. Had the action come from anyone else he might have thought it a noble act from a brave race. But these were Romulans, and they weren't doing this for honor or glory but for desperation. It was a desperation that Koltarn would gladly end, along with their lives.

The moment the two combatant forces got within range they opened fire, not holding a single thing back. It was the Klingons who fired first and hit their mark first. It was also the Klingons who took the first casualties as Koltarn saw a K'Vort bird-of-prey get torn to shreds by disruptor fire. This death did nothing to slow the Klingons in their resolve though as they continued to push into the Romulan line and continued to hurl wave after wave of death upon their green-blooded foe.

Watching the action on the view screen Koltarn held firmly onto the sides of his captain's chair. Being one of two Negh'Var class vessels made the Kri'stak a welcome target, to which the Romulans had already seen fit to strike with several glowing torpedoes. But the Romulans were paying their due. Sitting there Koltarn watched on as a squadron of ten K'Vort's formed up and made several runs on a nearby warbird. Since they were small and maneuverable they were able to easily weave in and out around the warbird's disruptor fire. Several of them were struck, but onward they flew, firing volley after volley of phaser fire at the mighty vessel's key structural points. Several moments passed and the vessels continued to be locked in this strange dance until finally the Romulan vessel teetered to one side and disappeared in a fireball.

The battle pressed on and the casualties on each side grew more and more. Though the Klingon force greatly outnumbered their Romulans counterparts the Romulans were doing a surprising job at pressing back on the Klingons and keeping the battle seemingly even. Then the Romulans pulled a tactic that Koltarn had been waiting for since the first salvo had been fired.

Towards the middle of the shipyard facility a large, round station sat. This station was undoubtedly the nerve center for the entire facility, but it also served another purpose. As Koltarn watched on the station appeared to split in half as several sections around the station's middle moved upward and out of view. In those gaps were set vast bays which suddenly birthed hundreds of small green vessels. The Romulans were launching their fighters in the hope that these added vessels would help to force the advancing Klingon threat back. Though hundreds of these small vessels were coming to join their larger brethren in combat Koltarn was far from concerned. True these fighters would cause an annoyance to the Klingon aggressors, but that's all they would cause. He knew the specs of these vessels quite well and knowing that he felt that they would be easily picked off.

With the Romulan fighters joining the fight the battle intensified. They acted as gasoline that had been poured on a wildfire and all they had accomplished was to cause that fire to grow beyond suppression. On the whole the Romulan fighters did prove to be a help to the bulky Romulan warbirds, but only slightly. For each vessel they helped to destroy at least four of them were blown to bits. This tactic would have failed the Romulan fighters had they not had such a large amount of them. They must have known that they would be easily wiped out, but onward they came in kamikaze fashion. Again Koltarn felt something for the Romulans that he was helping to wipe out, that feeling was pity. He decided though that since they had never shown the Alliance pity that he would return the favor and show them none on this day.

Seeing the Romulan line beginning to crumble Koltarn decided it was time to enact the second phase of their plan. "Gorz'k, signal all vessels to concentrate their fire at coordinates twenty-two delta, towards the center of their line where it's weakest." He intended to break through that line and clear a path down the center all the way to Heyati II.

"Aye sir," was the tactical officer's only reply as he relayed the orders to all the other Klingon vessels.

In one swift movement all the Klingon vessels stopped firing at whatever targets they had been engaging and turned their focus and their fire at the designated coordinates. Volleys of torpedoes were sent hurtling into two warbirds and phaser fire lanced the nearby fighters, turning the whole area into an unending wave of fire and death. Almost frantically several warbirds tried to move in towards each other to close the gap as the two targeted warbirds were lit up by fire and began to drift off, broken and beaten.

Koltarn would not allow the Romulans to take away this advantage. "Give the signal to go through that gap before they close it!" he shouted to Gorz'k as a console off to his right exploded in response to several Romulan torpedoes that struck the Kri'stak. He wondered which console had blown up and what the condition was of whoever had manned it. In the heat of battle though these were questions that a commander could only give the briefest of thought to.

Steadily, with the Kri'stak leading the way, a group of Klingon vessels moved towards the gap in the Romulan line. Seeing the Klingon ships advance the Romulans quickened their movements in a final attempt to stop the Klingons from getting through. In response the vessels that marched forward fired every torpedo and every blast of phaser energy they had at the Romulans as the Romulans fired back with an equal amount of force. The space between the opposing forces lit up and filled with an array of torpedoes and phaser fire. Both the Klingons and the Romulans were being hit by untold strengths and many of the vessels were torn to shreds and burned to a crisp in the fierce violence that ensued. Vessel after vessel crumbled and burned to dust and yet neither force gave any sign of diminishing their resolve against the other.

As the Kri'stak approached the gap the whole vessel quaked as blast after blast impacted them. The vessel very nearly felt like it would come apart at any moment and join those that lay tumbling and burning. Koltarn wouldn't allow it though. His fists gripped so tightly that his hands began to bleed slightly as his fingernails dug through the leather of his gloves and into his palm's skin. He knew that all around the Kri'stak Klingon vessels were being destroyed and hundreds of loyal and honorable Klingon soldiers were dying at the hands of the Romulans. This fact he would have given a passing thought too except he knew that Romulans too were shedding blood, and probably in a greater amount. So much death encircled around him, but he kept his mind focused on one single task, the destruction of the Heyati II shipyards. Its destruction was all that mattered, as only then would there come justification for all of the lives that were being extinguished around him.

The battle seemed to come to almost a standstill as time appeared to slow as the Kri'stak closed the distance to the gap in the Romulan line, though the ferocity of it remained as intense as ever. From outside the range of death it looked very cinematic as the Klingon vessels continued fighting and dying on approach to the gap. Onward they pressed and it looked as though the tactical officers aboard each of the combating vessels never let their finger slip off the trigger. Continuous fire and continuous death, that was the mood of this battle. Many vessels erupted into flames on both sides in what was surely the most tense battle fought as of yet during the war. As their comrades died around them several of the Klingons wondered if they would make it to the gap, and wondered if they would be able to get to the Romulans shipyard and see to its destruction. Several of these questioning minds got a swift answer as the vessels around them were hit with fire and exploded around them. Some though were rewarded as the Klingons finally reached the gap and were able to punch through, leaving a graveyard of Romulans vessels and debris in their wake.

When the view before them showed only the Romulan shipyard Koltarn slammed his fist down in triumphant rejoice before rising from his chair. He knew that their resolve would beat back that of the Romulans, and now he had a clear path that would end at the shipyard's destruction. "How many vessels made it through with us?" he asked over his shoulder, not wanting to take his sight away from the helpless station that lay before them.

"I'm reading....fourteen Vor'Cha's flying directly behind us sir," Gorz'k said after a moment's hesitation and with a hint of fatigue in his voice.

Only fourteen? That number would barely do in taking out the Romulan shipyard. If that is what he had to work with though then he was determined to make it count. "Signal the Sompek and tell Commander Mulkrit to keep the remaining Romulans at bay while we take out the shipyard." Koltarn paused for a moment and let the officer give the standard reply before continuing. "When we get within range of the shipyard I want you to hit it with everything we've got. Empty the torpedo tubes, drain the phaser banks, whatever it takes to send those aboard to a fiery death."

"Yes sir!" the tactical officer said, but in a different tone then what he used moments before. This tone was full of excitement, a feeling that all those on the bridge felt at finally seeing the destruction of a vital Romulan base draw ever nearer.

Koltarn stood firm in the center of his battered bridge and looked on as his emotions threatened to break through the veil of stability that command had brought upon him. Feeling the mood of those around him change he knew that their excitement was growing larger as their target was drawing nearer. He couldn't blame them for that excitement, but he didn't exactly share in it. His tenure as soldier during this war had taught him some harsh lessons. Ones that became even more apparent during and after his mission on Delpox II. The lessons and experiences that summed up his military career had eaten at his being and eroded the passion for battle that he felt as a young officer. Now excitement in the face of Romulan death was fleeting, if it came at all. No, he did not feel excitement as they readied themselves to destroy the Romulan facility, but he did feel pride at those that had served so well under his command on this day. For their sake and for the sake of those that had perished he would bring about the shipyard's destruction with a graceful passion that officers looked toward their commanders for.

The second the Klingon vessels got within range of the shipyard they all stopped dead in their tracks and simply stared at it. Disbelief then coursed through them as they finally stood within moments of the mighty shipyard's destruction. A wondrous awe enveloped them and they all took a deep and heavy breath in the calm before the storm. Then as before Koltarn lifted up his right hand and held it there as if gathering dramatic effect before giving the fist clenching signal to open fire.

All gre'thor broke loose. Without any warning all fifteen vessels suddenly opened fire upon the station with a ferocity that legends are made of. Each one of them fired everything they had in the same fashion that they had when trying to punch through the Romulan line; only it seemed more grandiose than before. Wave after wave of death pounded itself upon the scaffolding and stations that made up the great Heyati II shipyard. It was truly a wondrous sight that would surely inspire generations of pride and untold numbers of song. Koltarn found himself enjoying the scene before him in an odd way he thought was lost to him as he stared on.

"Sir! I'm picking up something on scans!" Gorz'k shouted through the chaos at his commanding officer.

In the midst of the destruction that was being caused Koltarn didn't immediately register his tactical officer's words. When he did he turned to Gorz'k begrudgingly, not wanting to be interrupted in their moment of triumph. "What is it?" he asked, not even bothering to try and hide his discontent in his tone.

"Its Romulans sir! I'm picking up several vessels decloaking behind the Sompek and remaining Klingon vessels!"

More Romulan vessels? But they were barely holding their own against the Romulans force. For them to get reinforcements now would surely tip the balance in their favor and down upon the Klingon's heads. "How many?" Koltarn asked, not sure if he really wanted to know.

"I'm reading thirty D'Deridex class warbirds decloaking and approaching the remaining Klingon ships."

Thirty more warbirds? The news hit Koltarn like a brick. With that many vessels the Romulans would be able to kill every last one of them. If they were swift enough they might even be able to stop them from destroying the shipyard all together. While important, the shipyard was the least of Koltarn's worries at the moment. In his mind he calculated the time they would need to completely destroy the shipyard and tried to guess how long it would take for the Romulans to be breathing down their necks. There would be a risk that they would fail if Mulkrit didn't stay and take the heat off them until the shipyard's destruction. He didn't want to fail in his mission, but neither was he willing to sacrifice Mulkrit's life in order to achieve it.

"Patch me through to the Sompek," Koltarn ordered. After getting a signal from Gorz'k that he was through he swallowed hard before giving his friend the hardest order a commander will ever have to make on the field of battle, the order to retreat. "Mulkrit? Are you there?"

"I'm a little too busy at the moment for small talk," Mulkrit said through static and explosions.

"Listen to me Mulkrit. I want you to get yourself out of there. Fall back to the rendezvous coordinates in the Amagosa system."

"And let you take all the credit? No, I think we'll stay and fight this one to the bitter end. You just make sure you take out that shipyard."

The stubborn fool! He was going to get himself, his crew, and the crews of several other vessels killed just because he didn't want to duck out of a fight. Mulkrit was an honorable soldier, but in this case Koltarn thought that survival should outweigh the prospect of any extra honor he might gain in staying. "Mulkrit, I'm ordering you to..." he started to implore his friend until there was an electronic noise that signaled that Mulkrit had closed the channel.

"What are our orders sir?" Lok'esh asked as she stared at Koltarn.

"Destroy that station now!" Koltarn said as he seethed with anger over his friend's blatant ignorance of the situation.

The moments that followed were the most intense yet. Turning a blind eye to the Romulans and their reinforcements the Kri'stak and the Vor'Chas that fought alongside her continued to pummel the station. Here and there holes were being punched through the station and metal melted and twisted away under the extreme heat the weapon impacts caused. Still the base wasn't quite ready to die yet. As though it were a living thing that wished to mock the Klingons in their attempt to destroy it the shipyard persevered. Hundreds of torpedoes and uncounted phaser blasts had struck the shipyard as it continued on with a few choked gasps of life. Finally though after what was surely an eternity the outer most parts of the facility bent and teetered themselves inward and collided with the centermost structures. With this impact a thousand tiny fires jumped to life and came together to spread all across the shipyard's hull. Then, in what was a scene fit only for a movie, there was a phenomenal explosion and the Heyati II shipyard was no more.

All around him came cheers of joy and celebration, but Koltarn wasn't ready to celebrate just yet. "Put the Sompek on screen and prepare to fire anything we have left to try and defend her." Koltarn ordered as he made his way back to the captain's chair. Instead of sitting down though he simply looked on, hoping it wasn't too late for his friend.

His order was obeyed and the Sompek appeared on the screen, but it was too late. All around the mighty Negh'Var the Romulans circled like vultures, striking at it over and over in an attempt to gain some retribution for the shipyard they had just lost. Then, before Koltarn's very eyes, the Sompek began to buckle and a great explosion erupted from where it held its position. Koltarn's eyes widened in horror as they saw the explosion wrap itself around a few nearby warbirds before it fizzled out and left nothing but a few sharded remains.

The impact of what just happened wasn't felt by just Koltarn, but by all those who witnessed it. A grim silence strangled the air of the Kri'stak's bridge as no one quite knew what to say. Finally though someone did speak. "What should we do now sir?" Lok'esh asked, not knowing what else to say.
Falling back into his chair a stunned Koltarn looked on, not knowing what to say. On the screen though someone made a decision as the remaining Romulan forces began to turn around and come at the Kri'stak. Koltarn could barely speak, but he knew what he had to say. Their mission was done, and now the only choice was to stay here and die or fall back to fight the Romulans another day. "Fall back to the Amagosa system, maximum warp." he ordered with his last bit of strength.

On the view screen the Romulan vessels disappeared and was replaced by the blackness of space as several points of light sped passed them. Koltarn could hardly think of what to do. He had known that the destruction of the Heyati II shipyard would come at a price, he just never imagined that it would be so high or hit so close to home. The crew was silent as they traveled their way from the battlefield and to the safety of Amagosa.

When they arrived in the Amagosa system the first thing for them to do was regroup and try and figure out exactly how many ships and how many lives had been sacrificed to win the day. Their task had just begun when suddenly Gorz'k piped up.

"I'm picking up a ship approaching, sir."

A ship? Koltarn's mind rushed through the possibilities. Had the Romulans followed them here? No, that didn't make sense. If it was indeed the Romulans then why only send one vessel, and decloaked for that matter. Whoever it was Koltarn wasn't about to be caught off guard by them. "Raise shields and full tactical alert, Gorz'k."

The Kri'stak stood ready as the unknown vessel approached. Slowly it entered the system and dropped out of warp. When it did so the battered and barely functioning vessel limped into view. Koltarn's eyes went wide again in disbelief.

"Thought you'd leave me behind did you my friend?" Mulkrit's tired voice came over the comms channel as Koltarn and the rest of the officers present stared on at the barely functioning pile that had once been the Sompek.

"How did you?" Koltarn asked of his friend. He wanted to say something more but his stupor prevented him from doing so.

"I will tell you my friend, rest assured." Mulkrit's voice came over the static riddled channel. "Now, I believe you owe me a barrel of bloodwine." This caused Koltarn to give a hearty laugh before extending his friend an invite to come aboard.