Chapter Three

Five days later, the starships Enterprise, Titan and Voyager sat in close proximity like the spokes of a gigantic wheel, their bows facing each other around a communal center. Picard stood in the Transporter room as the pads activated and his former first officer and counselor materialized. Riker and Troi smiled hugely at the sight of their former commanding officer. Riker shook Picard's hand and said, "It's great to see you Captain. I'm looking forward to working with you again." Deanna Troi stepped forward next and gave Picard a hug and kiss on the cheek, "Captain, I sense that you no longer suffer from things unrequited. Professionally, I think it's the mentally healthiest thing you've done in a long, long time. Personally, I have to say it's about damn time you two stopped hiding your feelings for each other." Silence reigned supreme for all of two seconds before the three former comrades broke into fits of laughter all around.

Picard recovered first, "I'm glad my former counselor thinks so. Beverly and I are fine too. How are you two?" Riker spoke then, "Everything is fine. The Titan is shaping up to be a great ship. I think very soon now, we'll be giving you a run for your gold-pressed latinum for 'Best ship in the Fleet'. Sometimes we both still miss the Enterprise but I'm glad I took this assignment." Picard nodded, "I understand perfectly Will. Now to the business at hand; Admiral Janeway and Captain Chakotay came aboard about fifteen minutes ago and the Admiral wants to get the briefing started without delay."

Five minutes later, Captain Picard entered the briefing room just behind Riker and Troi. Admiral Janeway and Captain Chakotay were laughing over a shared memory. Chakotay stood first and extended his hand to Riker. "Captain Riker. It's a pleasure to finally meet you." Riker returned the handshake, "The feeling is mutual Captain Chakotay." Riker nodded towards Admiral Janeway and took his seat as Deanna shook Chakotay's and Janeway's hands respectively and sat next to him. Even though Janeway was senior officer present, it was still Picard's ship so he sat at the head of the table.

Janeway spoke, "Now that we're all here, let's review the observation data and your reports on your initial meeting with Jedi Rau and Warlord Regis so that we can all be up to speed and ready to plot our course in this matter. Counselor Troi, we'll start with you if you don't mind." Deanna nodded and said, "I never met Warlord Regis in person, but the initial reaction I received the one time I saw him over the viewscreen was of a man who would stop at practically nothing to accomplish his mission. Failing that, he's a survivor and not above finding a scapegoat if needed. At the time we met him, Regis was focused on Armis whom we had aboard the Enterprise D at the time. Armis asked to be let off the ship so that Regis wouldn't destroy us to get to him but Captain Picard refused, saying that he wasn't in the practice of surrendering persons who had Sanctuary aboard his ship. Regis didn't want to take the time to destroy us so he fired on the Enterprise and continued his search elsewhere. The damage we sustained from only those few hits was terrifying. I don't even want to speculate on what would have happened to us if Regis had fired on us with a full barrage."

Riker took up the narrative at this point. "Lucky for us, Armis was on the bridge at the time, out of range of the visual pick-up and using the Force gave us enough warning for me to order the shields up. Even then, the damage we sustained was immense. Two shots from that Star Destroyer were enough to overload the shields on a Galaxy class starship. Even then, one of those shots was largely deflected by the simple physics of direction of fire against energy shields. If those two shots had been on target, over 1000 men, women and children would be just so much dust in the stellar wind. Regis left us to die. Only the quick actions of Mr. Data were enough to circumvent a total system failure. Even then, Regis wasn't done with us. He came back about a day and a half later or so and attempted to board us and find Armis the hard way."

Picard spoke next, "I was out of commission with two broken limbs and internal injuries. Mr. Rau, along with Counselor Troi helped get me to Sickbay and there I stayed until just before Armis left us to jump back through the rift that brought him to us. The after-action reports I read before making my own summation of them clearly stated that Armis Rau was instrumental in saving the ship. First, by helping give Commander Riker the warning of incoming fire even before our sensors could, second, by assisting everyone he could help during the initial clean up phase. I even read about a couple of bulkheads that he had to cut through with his lightsaber to help free trapped crew and third, by helping defend the ship from the stormtrooper boarding party that came aboard to find him and further by accepting the surrender of those few stormtroopers who survived. I'm told that if they had set off all of their personal munitions, it could have compromised the structural integrity of several decks, not to mention the attendant loss of life that would have resulted as well."

Janeway nodded her head in understanding as Chakotay asked, "What can you tell us about this Armis Rau from your personal observations?"

Deanna spoke again, "He was truly selfless in his actions. From what he told us of the Force and what it could do for someone trained in its use, he could have quite possibly taken over the ship for himself, but he didn't. He was courteous and polite, even when I tried a direct empathic reading of him. He abided by our rules at all times and even tried to pay Guinan for services rendered in Ten-Forward." Riker spoke up again, "From what Dr. Crusher told us later at a briefing, he might very well have overextended himself and died trying to ease all the pain and suffering after Regis's attack. He set Geordi Laforge's dislocated arm, quick healed Deanna's ribs and nose, helped get the Captain to sickbay by levitating him in the air and I saw him give a short prayer of some kind over the body of our helmsmen on the bridge who had broken his neck in the attack." Picard spoke now, "According to Mr. Worf's report, Armis was also an accomplished leader and fighter. If anything, our Security personnel were in his way when the stormtroopers boarded. He took command of a detachment of Security and led them quite effectively and directly saved some of their lives in hand-to-hand combat."

Chakotay nodded his head. Janeway spoke, "Thank you all for that. It makes me wish I could have met him. At any rate, what are your recommendations for fighting that ship of Regis's?" Picard said, "I think you should let me call in Mr. Worf for that. He would be the best qualified I think for a Tactical evaluation of that nature." When Janeway nodded her permission, Picard said, "Picard to Number One." A moment later, "Worf here Captain. How can I help you?" Picard answered back, "Number One, would you please join us in the main briefing room. Admiral Janeway would like a Tactical evaluation; one I think you would be best able to give." Worf answered, "Understood Captain. I'm on my way. Worf out."

A few minutes later, Worf walked into the briefing room. Janeway said, "Commander Worf . . . thank you for joining us so quickly. Do you remember the Star Destroyer commanded by Warlord Regis?" When he nodded, Janeway said, "How would you fight it then?" Without skipping a beat, Worf answered, "With a thousand ships and more firepower than I've ever heard of. Lacking that, I think the best way would be to divide and conquer. With your permission Admiral, I would like to use the briefing table's holo-pod to illustrate my point." Janeway said, "Please do Commander."

Worf walked over to the monitor on the wall; entered some commands and the built-in holo-pod in the briefing room table came to life with an image of the Star Destroyer. "As I indicated in my initial report with the information that Jedi Rau gave me, the Imperial Class Star Destroyer has a crew complement of 5000 people as well as a separate detachment of ground and air/space forces, total number of approximately 37,085. It is armed with 60 turbolasers, 40 point defense laser cannons, 60 ion cannons and 10 tractor beam generators and shielding to rival anything we have, except on a planetary scale. Of the 60 turbolasers, 4 batteries fire in the forward arc, 4 to the port and 4 to starboard. With regards to its point defense laser cannons, 2 batteries fire to the forward arc, 3 fire to port and 3 fire to starboard. Shall I go on Admiral?" Janeway's mouth closed with an audible snap and said, "That will be enough of the specific detail Commander, thank you. From what you've just said though, I think I understand your reference to divide and conquer. It sounds like the best chance our three ships have, would be to attack from above, below and behind all at the same time. Is that correct Commander Worf?" Worf said, "Not entirely Admiral. Do not forget that it carries an entire complement of fighters as well. From the information that Jedi Rau gave me, a Star Destroyer is a multi-faceted vessel capable of being outfitted with specific mission goals or general ones, hence the starfighter complement on board. If we can commit to and successfully perform hit and run tactics, we might and I stress might survive the day by evading the fighters. If we attempt a head-to-head battle, all I can say is that it will be a good day to die because we will lose."

Three days and many planning sessions later, the three starships sat in a wedge formation preparing to make the final jump into the area. Activity aboard each vessel had been hectic to say the least. Shields, weapons and engines were fine-tuned and made ready for battle. Crews not at battle stations stood ready to form damage control parties. On the bridge of the Enterprise, Picard sat his station. Outwardly calm, inside equal parts scared and excited. Excited to be able to fight with his ship; scared for his crew and his fellow starship captains and their people. The main viewscreen was divided into three parts. One part each on Captain Riker aboard the Titan, Admiral Janeway aboard the Voyager and the bottom of the screen in Tactical mode. Worf looked up from the panel at his station as Number One, and said, "Captain, all stations report ready, all weapons armed." Picard said, "Understood Mr. Worf. Admiral Janeway, Captain Riker, we're ready whenever you are."

Janeway looked to the screen directly after getting a report from Chakotay, "Very well Captain Picard. On my mark we'll go to warp speed together and after returning to realspace, we'll reform into Attack Pattern, Khitomer 1 and give Warlord Regis a reason to leave our galaxy altogether. Janeway to strikeforce, jump to warp in 3 . . . 2 . . . 1 . . . mark!"

The three starships jumped to warp as one.