The Sentinel's are quickly gathered and the situation explained to them and all of them understood the importance of what they were about to do and they did it, when they got the signal to start Ashland started by having all of them make a connection to her as a means of centralizing the focus in the Force, what they didn't know was that Ashland was also taking on most of the strain without the others permission because she knew that even with more Sentinel's there wouldn't be enough Force sensitives to counteract the exhaustion of connecting to non Force sensitives and keeping an eye on the surroundings at the same time. Half an hour later they heard from the Captain that they could stop their meditation now seeing as how Engineering managed to do what they could for the engines and they were on the move again and when they came out of meditation Ashland immediately collapsed and had to be taken to Sickbay where the Captain immediately went when he was told and was preempted by another Sentinel

"What happened here?"

"Don't ask, just don't even ask"

"Okay can I assume that it involves something Portland did?"

"Yes, and that's all we're telling you if you need to hear more the Doctor will be the one to answer all of your questions"

Two days later Ashland was officially declared in a coma and there were still about four and a half months before they were in Federation space, meanwhile the Captain had found out from both the doctor and eventually a few of the Sentinel's who realized that the doctor didn't have the full information needed to explain her current condition and why it happened

"So she deliberately lied to me about the group meditation?"

"Not exactly Captain, all of us were indeed feeling the effects of the meditation and what we had to do but Ashland took the worst of those effects onto herself, if she had been alone this type of meditation could have actually killed her, as it is she's wound up in a coma for two days already and we don't know when she'll come out of it"

"Why don't you Sentinel's know?"

"Simple we may be competent field medics we may even be able to sense a shift in her Force presence but we're not Jedi Healers and even they sometimes have trouble predicting an outcome of an injury"

"Very well, let's hope that she wakes up soon, in the meantime the shift schedule and assignments will remain so that you have something to do"

"Thanks Captain, I hope she wakes up before we get back to Federation space"

"Same here, same here"

Two weeks later Ashland did wake up having actually gone into a Healing trance a day after being declared in a coma because it turned out that she had strained herself to that point and it had actually been first her body and then the Force that put her and kept her into unconsciousness while her body healed from the stress of taking the majority of the strain each Sentinel felt from the unique meditation they had to do, unfortunately this time no one recognized the trance because her Force signature remained the same at all times because it was actually the Force that wanted people to believe she was in a coma because there was a danger coming that meant that at least one person needed to be mobile and unnoticed. Shortly after they were forced out of warp the people on board the Komatsu were all secured in their cargo holds all except for Ashland because the intruders were told that if she was moved she could possibly be killed but she woke up not three minutes before everyone was removed from Sickbay and once she was sure no one was around she quickly was on the move to take back the ship and continue their primary mission, unfortunately the Captain, Commander and the third person in the chain of command would all wind up in comas which meant there was a sudden power struggle, or at least there would have been if not for policies put in place in the early years of Ashland's learning experience at Starfleet Academy and then finally able to be implemented after she reveled herself to the Texas several years earlier

"So which of you Sentinel's is in charge?"

"Portland is because she's been in rank the longest, including the periods where she was thought dead"

"But that's only because of what the rest of you Sentinel's agreed upon without my knowledge or approval mister"

"Oh we know, but we also know that you'll be promoted sooner than the rest of us because of your constant actions for the better of Starfleet"

"We don't know when I'll be promoted or how, but for now you're right I am in command of this vessel so let's get back to warp and continue heading for Cardassia, Lt. Johnson I need you to man the bridge while I give Starfleet Command an update on our situation"

"Yes sir"

Ashland would wind up being on the line with Command for over an hour to discuss the mission particulars in case she wound up having to do the mission with Cardassia herself

"And in regards to the teaching situation for the cadets sir?"

"Don't worry some of you will be assigned to the academy when the time comes I promise, right now we're still actually working out a few kinks in those assignments"

"Understood sir, anything else before I sign off?"

"No, just a reinforcement that you're in charge until either one of them wakes up and is declared fit for duty by the doctor"

"Yes sir"

"And Ashland depending on the situation there might be more to this temporary promotion then you think, you see we were getting reports from the Jedi Council about when you were thought dead and decided to become a bounty hunter, they decided to count that as a long term undercover mission authorized through the Force and considering everything you did while undercover we at Starfleet Command have taken that into account and other times when you've been believed dead"

"You mean I'm up for a promotion again even after so little time in this rank officially serving under another Captain?"

"No, but you might be recommended to lead more away missions"

"Why are you telling me all of this?"

"Because we're debating on whether or not the Academy mission should be considered an away mission or not and of course for Cardassia..."

"That is most definitely an away mission no matter how you put it" (sighs) "I understand sir and will record everything I need to so that hopefully the rightful Commanding officers get a full report when they wake up and are declared fit for duty"

"Understood First Junior Sentinel Ashland Portland we'll be expecting regular updates"

"Understood sir, and the refugees you told me about two months ago?"

"They are who they claim to be, most of them will be taken to a safe location but the Jedi have insisted on helping us out even though they aren't Starfleet Officers"

"Then just have them teach the Academy students what they need to know about the planets they might be forced to fight on"

"That's not possible because for now they are in a very long debriefing period about how things went south so bad without anyone noticing anything until it was too late"

"Understood sir, but maybe you can suggest that afterwords depending on how far away we are once the debriefs are done"

"No problem Sentinel that was the plan from the beginning, we want bi-weekly updates"

"Yes sir, Portland out"

"Command out"

Ashland leaves the ready room and takes the Conn symbolizing that she was now in command of the vessel until further notice. This continued for another three months and everyone wondered if their commanding officers would ever wake up again, because it turned out that Bacta simply wasn't going to help this time

"How much longer until we're in Federation space again?"

"A month and a half and it will take at least another two weeks to get to Cardassia space from where we're entering"

"Okay who all has gotten a potential notice to temporarily serve at the academy before returning to your proper posts?"

"No one sir you know that though don't you?"

"No I've been swamped with reports lately and haven't been able to take care of much more than daily issues and regular reports"

"Why didn't you take a second when suggested?"

"No one else is qualified not even amongst the other Sentinel's"

They heard the turbolift open and everyone simply assumed it was a Lt. that Ashland had asked for not that long ago when they heard the voice

"You can stand down now Sentinel Portland, I've got watch"

Ashland quickly stood up in attention and looked at the Commander straight in the eye

"No sir, I am not allowed to do that until I get an all clear from the doctor"

Suddenly they got a call

"Doctor Hollden to bridge, have you by any chance seen a wayward Commander who just woke up from a three month coma while I was checking on another patient?"

"He's here Doctor and being escorted back to Sickbay as we speak"

She quickly signals an Ensign to escort the Commander back to Sickbay which he does easily especially because of the fact that the Commander was still weak and tired, Ashland didn't even have to use a Force suggestion to make him think about sleep

"Don't worry Commander I have things perfectly under control you're ship will still be here when you're ready for her but you need to recover from the coma first"

Two weeks later the Commander had been cleared for limited duty meaning he was stuck on the ship for more reasons then simply being the highest person in command that was awake, until he was fully cleared he wouldn't even be allowed to leave for dignitary meetings that were required to happen on the planet they were orbiting and Ashland was forced to be his second so that he didn't disobey orders and push himself too far

"All that's left is for the Captain to wake up"

"Yes and our mission to Cardassia will happen once we reach Federation space in about a month and Cardassia in another two weeks after we reach Federation space"

"So it's going to take a month and a half for us to reach or mission"

"Yes but at least you're awake now and can give the bi-weekly reports Command wants, though I already gave them a report not three hours ago"

That's exactly what happens and once they reach Federation space they find the Enterprise, Voyager, and Potomek waiting to take a few of the Sentinel's to Earth because while there were Jedi already there as refugees and could help explain the worlds the cadets might be fighting on once Starfleet got a little more organized and a little bit more information on the enemy they didn't know how to explain it in ways Starfleet Officers would understand them so a few of them went to Earth while the rest went to Cardassia which would turn out to be the best because Cardassia wanted to go fight pretty much immediately after hearing about the Republic enemies so the Sentinel's being there to help explain the enemy allowed for cooler heads to prevail

On Cardassia

"I still don't understand why anyone would do what has happened there"

"Not many do but things are the way they are because it's a crazy universe out there, look right now all I can tell you is that what we have to deal with isn't your average enemy, that's why if Cardassians are to go to Republic space then you will abide by our rules and keep most of your forces here in case of invasion from the Republic, though I wouldn't be surprised if there's a Rebel Alliance when we arrive made up of ordinary people and Jedi this time"

"Fine most of us will stay"

"Okay then now to explain a bit more about the planets you might be going to..."