A/N: As always, many thanks go to my friend, and constant reviewer, Kretolus! His work is awesome, and should be read forthwith! Also, thanks again to him for loan of his characters - it's something we've both enjoyed, all these cameo appearances!
Also also, I know this one's a little short, but it was the best place to leave it for the scenes that follow. Thanks for reading!
Please review and follow if you like it!
Rixadi stared at the viewscreen, stunned by the immense, emerald green ship that hung in the void.
It had already seen them, according to Ops, but it hadn't engaged its cloaking device. It had no need.
Looking like two ship hulls joined together, one on top of the other - which it was - the Haakona-class warbirds were in a class of their own. Even larger than the feared D'deridex-class battlecruisers, the Haakona utilised technology stolen from an experimental Federation vessel, the Prometheus. Its ability to separate made twice the threat, which did not bode well for the crew of the Puma.
"Elasha, raise shields and charge phasers," Rixadi ordered, despite the feeling of dread that surged through her. "Helm, put us on an intercept course."
"You can't be serious?" Elasha snarled from her station behind the captain. "That ship outclasses us by several magnitudes. Attacking it is-"
"Exactly what you wanted!" Rixadi snapped back, looking around at her friend. "Everyone on this ship followed me because of Samman's betrayal, and because we demanded justice that Starfleet would never give us. Don't you dare back down on me now!"
She settled back into her chair, and gave the order she feared most.
"Take us in."
The Puma shuddered as a volley of cannon shots hammered at its shields, and Rixadi swore under her breath. Several consoles blew out in a shower of sparks, and an EPS conduit in the ceiling burst.
"Stars of Ishkara," she muttered, gripping on to her chair's armrests, "if this is what their aft weapons can do, I'm loathe to face their forward weapons!"
"Ma'am, we have another ship decloaking," Violet announced flatly. "It...it is the Shadow of Bajor."
Rixadi grinned wolfishly, watching with satisfaction as the dark, deadly science vessel engaged the Romulan battleship.
"Stars," she whispered in awe, "that thing can move."
The Shadow seemed to almost dance around the massive warbird, it's beams clawing at the Romulan shields even as it evaded most of the return fire. Rixadi almost gasped as the Shadow pulled maneouvres that even a light escort vessel would find strenuous, and she felt a surge of awe for Admiral Kassai's helmsman.
Then she spotted something vital - a telltale release of air that signified the separarion of the two sections.
"We're being hailed, audio only," Azil said hurriedly, and Rixadi ordered it to be received.
"The Guardian section is breaking away!" Admiral Kassai shouted over the comm. "Follow it and engage, do not let it leave this system! Your target is on there, and this is the only chance we have to capture him before he flees!"
The channel died before Rixadi responded, and she turned to her helm officer with renewed fire in her glinting eyes.
"Keep after that ship, helm," she demanded, "and Elasha, keep firing. Aim for shields and engines. I want those bastards alive."
The Puma heaved through evasive maneouvres, trying to dodge the incoming cannon fire from the aft of the smaller warbird section, and although the firepower had halved, it was still tearing into the older ship with ease.
"Emergency power to shields!" Rixadi shouted, as several consoles blew out and more damage alarms sounded. "Elasha, keep hitting their engines, don't let them escape!"
"At this rate ma'am, they'll finish us off before they do!" the Caitian snarled, and the ship heaved violently as if to prove her point. "We need the Relentless, ma'am."
Rixadi thought for a moment, desperate to prove her detractors wrong by finishing her mission without help...but as her ship was being battered to pieces, she knew it would not be possible.
"Send the signal," she said flatly, and Azil complied.
Moments later, the Romulan ship was forced to change course drastically as an Excelsior-class ship burst into existence before it, and instantly went to rapid fire on all phaser banks.
The Romulan ship's shields burst under such sustained assault, its warp nacelles exploded and tore the 'wings' apart, and then the ship rolled unnaturally as its impulse engines died in a flare of abused technology.
The crew of the Puma cheered - except Rixadi, who stood and walked towards the turbolift.
"Request an away team from the Relentless," she commanded, "and send them my co-ordinates. I'm going to find this bastard and end this once and for all."
She entered the lift and headed for the transporter room, knowing that it was her duty and hers alone to end this - but she could not do it alone.