Discontinuity: Indefatigable
by chaos_eternus

Three

Edonia Nebula

It was a mighty taskforce that gathered just outside the writhing grasp of Edonia nebula, but one that Ewing knew he would most likely not see much of again, not after they made contact with Osiris.

The best and brightest of Starfleet, of the Klingon Empire, of the Romulans and of the Cardassians; they might be in the best warships this quadrant at least had available to it, but the weapons of the Goa'uld ships were fearsome. Even weakened by the slightly variant rules of this universe they would really hammer the shields of this universe.

Already, the crews of the taskforce were making hurried modifications to their ships, hooking up extra generators, running Level One diagnostics on all systems and shoring up their power relays and data networks. The smaller ships in particular feared the sheer force of the Goa'uld main guns hitting their shields could shock their power relays and data networks out of operation, a weakness that was known to most ships captains of this universe but one that wasn't usually an issue. Goa'uld weapons made it an issue. They wouldn't be losing individual power relays or couplings due to shock damage like they usually suffered in combat, something that could easily be bypassed and then repaired, they could potentially lose the works.

And a single direct hit on the hull, and they would be toast. They knew this, they had seen what had happened during the retaking of Edonia and it was a universally disliked fact, except amongst the Klingons who had decided that defeating such a superior enemy would be a supreme test of their honour and their prowess as warriors.

Still, the taskforce was preparing, just waiting for word from the cloaked ships searching the space around where Hermes had disappeared that Osiris had been found.

Then, to quote Shakespeare, Cry havoc, and let rip the dogs of War!

The biggest logistical nightmare for the fleet was the fleet's biggest asset. Indefatigable, because the ship did not use warp drive or anything comparable and that meant the ship could not maintain formation or pace with the fleet that easily. Instead, they had to rely on a series of prepared rendezvous to ensure the fleet stayed together.

With this burden slowing the fleet down, it took 4 four days to reach the last known location of the Hermes, from there they made quick time to the only star system in the area with the entire fleet at Red Alert the whole time.

And inside the system, they found the Jaffa.

"Captain, Indefatigable confirms it's a Goa'uld ship, Ha'tak class."

"Very well" Picard frowned, tapping quickly at a large button added to the side of the displays mounted onto his Command Chair, bringing up the interfleet communications channel, "All ships, this is Picard. Attack pattern Edonia-twelve."

With one eye on the viewscreen, showing the Ha'tak, Picard glanced at the tactical readout on his Command Chair displays, watching to see how well his orders were followed, how well the new attack pattern, carefully designed for use against the Goa'uld would fare.

The Romulans cloaked, joined swiftly by the Klingons and a lone federation warship, the icons for the cloaked ships flickering as they split into two groups then moved to flank the Ha'tak as the federation ships split, keeping to a distance that would reduce the chances of a near miss on one ship hitting another yet still allow them to concentrate fire as needed. Usually they would be closing ranks, formatting tightly against an enemy, but not his time.

Picard was gratified to see the attack pattern followed almost flawlessly, but then the three Major races had had time to cooperate a lot during the Dominion war and the experience was showing. Speaking of the Dominion war… he glanced across the display and smiled as he noted the Cardassian formation hanging behind, their much smaller contingent, only ten ships, forming their sentry for this op, a screen to retreat behind should all go wrong, and to intercept any more Goa'uld ships that arrived, to give the main fleet time to reorganise for the new threat.

Picard grimaced, if either event came true then it would be a grim day for the Cardassian contingent but they had adapted their launchers to use the federation phase plasma torpedoes that had proven to be the only weapon from this universe that could tear through the Goa'uld shields so they would at least stand a chance.

And Indefatigable, she was right where she belonged, at Enterprises side, the head of the formation, her icon on his screen showing clearly that she had her weapons hot, her missiles loaded and her shields up.

She was their hammer, with the assistance of the Alliance vessels she would be the one to destroy the Goa'uld, Picard had little doubt of that. She was after all designed for just this war, but even she couldn't do it alone. Hence, the fleet.

"Goa'uld vessel is manoeuvring, we've been spotted Captain."

Picard smiled, a little slower then expected. Good, it would help.

"Continue the charge."

"Why only one ship? I thought we had confirmed a mothership as well as several Ha'taks? "

Picard grimaced, "A good question, if the pysch profile the Tau'ri provided is correct, they are most likely enslaving another world and his is the picket they left behind"

Then, the time for idle chat was over.

"Incoming fire."

"Data, evasive pattern Picard-Twelve."

The fleet danced as it charged, its evasive manoeuvres barely slowing the fleet down as the Federation vessels dodged the bright lances of energy spitting malevolently from the Goa'uld vessel. At least one ship wasn't quite quick enough, the Galaxy class USS Challenger breaking off, and retreating hurriedly as its shields vanished, abruptly blown away by a glancing hit.

Picard then smiled, as the Icon for Indefatigable shifted, the ship slipping sideways to place itself between the damaged federation warship and the Ha'tak as the symbols representing her weapons began blinking, her Gauss rifles firing at a steadily ferocious rate. Indefatigable took a direct hit, a bolt destined for the Challenger but unlike the ships of this universe, she was able to just shrug it off, and continue the assault.

Then the Goa'uld figured out who and what she was and Picard could almost taste the moment they decided that the Indefatigable was the biggest threat. No longer firing careful, somewhat aimed shots the Ha'tak just volleyed them, firing constantly at the Tau'ri Heavy Destroyer, ignoring the other vessels. That was their mistake.

Indefatigable was constrained by the bulks of the nearby Federation vessels and couldn't manoeuvre as well as she normally could and it showed as blows that normally the nippy Tau'ri ship could just slip out of the way of, started landing on her shields. Even as her shields eroded, the fleet was getting into position and just one minute after Challenger turned and fled, the bulk of the fleet decloaked and presented a classic, inescapable englobement to the Ha'tak.

For a moment, the fire from the Ha'tak faltered, and Picard grimaced inwardly as the fire returned anew, vengeful, firing not on the Indefatigable but on the decloaked vessels, attempting to force a path out.

He glanced across the display, taking everything in, assessing rapidly. It was time.

"Signal the fleet, on my mark, all ships will fire one Phase plasma torpedoes on the Goa'uld ship…. Mark!"

In a matter of instants, the entire armoured hull of the vessel vanished, melted and atomised by their fiery heat of the exploding plasma warheads, leaving only a burning, shattered hulk of a ship, its corridors and chambers clearly seen through the gulf of space.

Quickly, shields dropped and transporters activated, tearing any

Thing that showed signs of life from the Goa'uld vessel and dumping armoured engineering crews swiftly aboard, to loot for information, for technology before the ships reactor went critical.

Ten minutes later, the transporters hurriedly flashed out again, retrieving the engineers, then the fleet split, engines flashing brilliantly with contained energies as the vessels ran from the Ha'tak and its overloading reactor.

But the Klingons didn't flee, instead they dodged behind the bulk of the only inhabited planet and began swift attacks on any Jaffa life signs they could detect, sending hunting parties down in droves for the few Jaffa co-ordinating the Goa'uld control of the CT895-XC system.

In the end, it took just half an hour from the fleet's arrival in the system for the place to become liberated and brought under alliance control.