Topic: Star Trek XI

[Lieutenant_Q]

Only six more acts until the newest installment of Star Trek XI!!!

Exterior Scene: USS Titan

Riker: "Captain's Log, Stardate: 58329.4.  We are approaching Sector 338, Commander Donatra has sent out two of her smaller ships to lure away the Soveriegn's escorts.  The Valdore is lying in wait by herself, once Donatra gives the signal that most of the Soveriegn's escorts have been pulled away, we are to jump to warp 9 and enter the fray, before the Valdore gets herself too badly battered.  It's good to have Geordi back in Engineering, the ship seems to be running slightly better with him there.

Riker: "I don't know what bothering me more Deanna, waiting here with nothing powered up, or preparing to fire on another Federation Starship."
Troi: "I think that the answer to that question is more apparent to you than you are willing to admit."
Riker: "Maybe, but waiting here isn't too far behind it."
Troi: "If it weren't troubling you, I'd be wondering what happened to the Will Riker that I married.  At the risk of offending our allies, it sounds almost Romulan that we would destroy an entire ship just because a few have been infected.  But the Soveriegn would mever let us board her, you know that Will."
Riker: "And most of the crew probably doesn't have a clue that their command staff has been infected.  The Valdore's sensors show that only six members of the crew are affected.  Six members, out of over eight hundred!
LaForge (Comm): "Captain Riker, Commander Troi, can you report to the bridge please?"
Riker: "Has the Valdore signaled yet?"
LaForge: "No sir, but there's something that you should see."
Deanna(giggling): "There's something that he is very very pleased with himself about."
Riker glanced at her with a puzzled look, but said nothing as he left his ready room.  Riker strode on to the bridge, looking first at the main viewscreen, with nothing out of the ordinary there, he looked back to the Engineering station, where Geordi was sitting there, facing foreward and smiling the broadest smile he could.
Riker: "What's the big joke Geordi?"
Data: "All ship systems are operating within normal parameters, Nothing to report from the Valdore and her ships as of yet Captain.  The Soveriegn is holding station, apparently awaiting the arrival of another ship.  Her escorts, the Norway class Saladin, the Miranda class Saratoga, and the Defiant class Glory are peforming a standard defensive patrol around her."
Riker nodded, but continued to look at Geordi, when he suddenly turned and stared dumbfoundedly at Data sitting at the Ops station.  Troi too was staring at Data, but her expression was a bit more reserved.
Troi: "Data?"
Data looks at Troi: "Yes, Counselor?"
Troi: "Is it...really you?"
Data: "This body was B4's, but thanks to Commander LaForge and Lieutenant Torres, they managed to replace much of my positronic matrix.  My hardware is now capable of understanding the knowledge and experience that Commander Data passed on to me.  In essence, yes I am Commander Data now."
Riker still was staring at Data, but he finally closed his mouth, Troi on the other hand jumped on to Data and enveloped him in a huge hug.  Data, surprised and not quite knowing what to do, set his hands above Troi's back, and hesitantly patted back.
Riker: "Your Emotion Chip?"
Data: "My Emotion Chip was not included in the replaced hardware, so in effect, I am back to...'Square One'."
Riker: "I see...you still play poker?"
Data: "My knowledge of the game has not changed, I may not be able to...bluff as well as I did while the chip was installed, but, yes I still do play poker."
Riker: "Good, you and Geordi, be at my quarters at 2100 hours tonight.  Lt. Sloane over there has a good deal of my money, it's time to get it back tonight."
Lieutenant Slone waved from his position at Tactical: "I'd love to have more people to take money from, it just didn't seem right taking it from the Captain every time."
Troi got herself off of Data: "Well, now theres someone who I can't tell if hes bluffing even if I wanted to."
Sloane: "But...you said you'd never use your..."
Troi: "And I don't Mr. Sloane, but if I ever did...no one but Data would be able to bluff."
Data's console beeped, Data quickly accesed the data: "Sir... the Glory and the Saratoga are going to warp...the Soveriegn and the Saladin are holding position, but they have raised their shields."
Riker: "Red Alert! All hands to Battlestations!"
Gross: "Intercept course plotted and laid in sir..."
Riker: "Engage!"
Data: "The Valdore has decloaked and opened fire...all of her plasma torpedoes... the Saladin has been destroyed sir."
Riker: "Mr. Sloane, ready Phasers and Photon Torpedoes."
Sloane: "Ready sir."
Gross: "Dropping out of Warp sir..."
Riker: "Photon Torpedoes, dispersion pattern Omega...Fire!"
Data: "Three Direct hits, their shields are holding."
Riker: "Attack Pattern Picard Zeta, Mr. Gross."
Sloane: "Firing Phasers."
Data: "Foreward shields are holding, The Valdore is taking the brunt of the Soveriegn's fire, her shields are at 70%."
Riker: "Try to draw their fire Mr. Sloane..."
Sloane: "Aft Torpedoes lining up...Aft Torpedoes away."
Gross: "Adjusting course to one-one-four mark two-seven increasing speed to three-quarters impulse."
Data: "Aft shields are down to 80%.  The Soveriegn is losing her Port Shields to the Valdore's disrupter barrage."
Gross: "Attempting to enter the Soveriegn's port quarter."
Riker tightened his grip on his chair as he noticed that Gross had set them on a collision course.
Troi: "The Soveriegn is exposing her flank."
Riker: "Mr. Sloane...
Sloane: "Firing all Phasers..."
Data: "Direct Hits, two of her Phaser banks have been disabled, she's venting plasma from her port Impulse Manifold...Foreward Shields are down to 45%."
The Ops Station blared a warning followed quickly by two Quantum Torpedo impacts.
Data: "The Glory has re-engaged, aft shields are down to 40%"
Riker: "Defensive pattern Riker-Beta, get that Defiant off our back!"
Gross: "Easier said than done sir!"
Data: "Aft Shields are down, hull breaches on decks 32 and 33, emergency force fields are in place and holding."
Sloane: "Aft Torpedoes away...damn...all misses!"
Riker: "Where's the Valdore?"
Troi: "Coming in behind the Glory, it looks like they don't even notice her..."
Data: "The Glory is breaking off, her aft shields are failing."
Sloane: "I bet they notice her now."
Riker: "Never a good idea to ignore a Romulan Warbird.  Status on the Soveriegn?"
Data: "Her Impulse Engines and Quantum Torpedo launchers have been disabled, all of her starboard phaser banks are offline, and her hull integrity is down to 40%.  The Valdore's shields are down to 15%, Commander Donatra is signaling that she may have to cloak shortly."
Riker: "Make sure that she's covered if she does."
Sloane: "Photon Torpedoes locked on target...got him!"
Data: "The Glory's ablative armor has failed, her port nacelle is offline."
Riker: "Return our attention to the Soveriegn, if we get her the Glory may surrender!"
Gross: "Initiating Attack Pattern Delta-Nine."
Data: "The Soveriegn has lost 80% of her Phaser banks, hull integrity is down to 20%."
Troi: "Will! They're abandoning ship!"
Sloane: "Message from Commander Donatra, her shields have failed, she's engaging her cloak before the Glory pounds her to pieces."
Riker: "Signal the Glory, tell them to stand down immediately."
Data: "The Glory is powering down her weapons."
Sloane: "The Glory is hailing."
Riker: "On Screen."
Schneider: "We are powering down our systems Captain Riker.  I hope its not asking too much of you traitors to treat us with honor."
Riker: "Captain, no one here is a traitor, you will be treated as enemy POWs if you do not join us.  I was hoping you and I could discuss that very subject."
Schneider: "There's nothing to discuss Captain, my crew and I would never betray the Federation and ally ourselves with the Romulans the way you have."
Riker: "The Romulans aren't our enemy Jacklyn, I'd like to fill you in on the whole story, please."
Schneider: "This had better be good Riker."
Troi looking over at Riker after the channel has been closed: "What are you going to tell her Will?"
Riker: "The Truth..."

Ready Room:
Schneider: "You expect me to believe that?!!"
Riker: "I'm not expecting you to believe anything just yet Jacklyn, but I'm asking you to consider the possibilty."
Schneider: "The possibility that the entire Fleet Command is...what, Will?  Infested by parasites?!"
Riker: "You have to be aware of the incident almost sixteen years ago."
Schneider: "Of course I am, everyone from Commander on up is aware of the incident.  But after sixteen years?! They've had dozens of better opportunities in the last five years alone!"
Riker: "Eleven years, Sixteen years, Thirty years, there could be any number of reasons why they chose now, but like it or not, they are here now."
Schneider: "And our protocols that we put in place following that incident, were they worthless?!"
Riker: "Apparently my initial report that killing the Queen, killed all of them was either incorrect, or they managed to slip in during the Dominion War.  If I were to guess, I'd say that they have been inside command for a lot longer than we expect, and they were merely biding their time to get control of the people they needed."
Schneider: "Assuming, for the moment, that you are correct, why did you fire on the Soveriegn, why not just do what you and Picard did sixteen years ago, and find the queen and kill her again?"
Riker: "They learned from their mistakes last time, first Captain Picard and the Enterprise were destroyed, then when Voyager tried to enter the Terran system, she was fired upon, even though they knew she was coming.  They clearly did not want to chance that history could be repeated."
Schneider: "The report I got was that Voyager attacked and destroyed a civilian transport and then disabled an Akira Class Cruiser, they were trying to apprehend her."
Riker: "There was no civilian transport! The entire incident was a set-up, it never even occured.  The Cartwright was disabled, yes, but she fired first.  As for the Soveriegn, we knew that she had infected personell on board."
Schneider: "Where are they now Riker?"
Riker: "Dead."
Schneider: "How Convienent!"
Riker: "We've picked up most of the escape pods from the Soveriegn, why don't you go down to sick bay and ask her crew?  Certainly someone noticed things unusual about the senior staff."
Schneider: "I'll do just that.  But this is not over yet Riker."
Schneider turned about sharply on her heel and walked out the door.

Bridge:
LaForge: "Damage control teams report to Deck 32 section 12, seal off the ruptured plasma conduit before proceeding to the hull breach."
Sloane: "Internal scanners show no plasma rupture in that sector Mr. LaForge."
LaForge: "It's there, or rather it will be there once the hull breach is repaired."
Sloane: "How do you know?"
LaForge: "I wrote the book on the Galaxy class Mr. Sloane, I know this ship like the back of my hand."
Data: "The Soveriegn has life-support restored, Lt. Solor is requesting two EPS manifolds to get auxiliary power back on line.
LaForge: "I think we can spare those, tell Solor that his manifolds are on their way over."
The turbolift doors opened up to admit a visibly shaken Captain Jacklyn Schneider.
Schneider: "I need to talk to Captain Riker..."

Ready Room:
Schneider: "So you were right all along.  Damnit Will, things were so much easier when you were the traitors."
Riker: "So what's your decision Jacklyn?"
Schneider paused for a moment: "Get my ship repaired, we've got a pest problem to exterminate."

End Act XII

[Lieutenant_Q]

Scene: USS Defiant, at Warp.

Bashir: "...so Commander Vaughn turns to me and says, 'Julian, you don't know Section 31 half as well as I do.' and to that I said to him, 'Then why don't you tell me what I'm doing wrong?' to which he replies, 'You're not doing anything wrong...yet.'"
Sisko: "So what did you do?"
Bashir: "Well, I did the only reasonable thing I could do, I had him come with me."
Dax enters the mess hall: "You're telling that story again, Julian?  I swear it changes everytime you tell it."
Bashir: "Well, I do have to embellish a few parts of it to make it more enteraining..."
Dax: "..and by the time you finish making it 'entertaining' it will be something completely different than what really happened."
Sisko: "How long until our rendezvous with Excalibur and Voyager?"
Dax: "Twenty-three minutes."
Bashir: "Sickbay is all ready sir, but the Excalibur is going to have to handle any patients from the Dakota, our medical facilities and those of Voyager will only handle about a dozen or two patients together."
Sisko: "Hopefully, we won't have to take in any of their patients.  Dax, what do you know about Captain Calhoun?"
Dax: "He's a bit of a maverick, very little respect for the chain of command, only people that have proven themselves in battle get anything more than recognition from him.  He may like you, Benjamin, your record during the Dominion War will certainly raise you above the status of flying a desk.  He may resent you a bit because of your involvement in the Dominion War, Captain Calhoun made his objections quite clear with command during the war about his posting in Sector 221-G."
Sisko smiled: "Kind of like Kirk was, right old man?"
Dax smiled back: "Some in the admiralty have called him Kirk reincarnate, one of the reasons he was stuck in sector 221-G during the war."
Sisko: "How would you rate him as a Starship commander?"
Dax: "The reports filed by his first officers, Captain Shelby, while he was on the Ambassador class Excalibur, and Commander Burgyone, while on the current ship, all rate him as an competant commander, but he is prone to breaking the rules whenever it suits him.  Shelby once noted in her log that Calhoun had fired Torpedoes on a Civilian center, he destroyed the torpedoes before the reached their target, but Shelby was very close to relieving him.  As it turned out, the incident was broadcast to the populace of the planet, and they were more upset with thier leaders than they were with him."
Sisko: "So he gets away with throwing every rulebook in Starfleet out the window."
Bashir: "Sir, if Starfleet believed he was a threat, they would have removed him from his position a long time ago."
Dax: "Not really, Calhoun was chosen for his assignment in 221-G for a very specific reason, he is the only member of Starfleet that is from that region of space, so he knows it better than anyone else.  Given the lawlessness in the region following the collapse of the Thallonian Empire, I believe that Starfleet is willing to look the other way when it comes to his antics."
Sisko: "So your saying we should keep our eye on him, is that it?"
Dax: "No, according to his psych profile, he wouldn't turn on allies unless it was staged.  He likes deceptions, but can handle straight up fights as well."
Sisko: "Admiral Janeway is aboard Voyager, and will be in command of our task group, and I hear that Chief O'Brien is aboard as well, I'll have him transfered over here as soon as we are in range."
Bashir: "So that's why you left Nog back on DS9."
Sisko: "That's correct, as much as I like what Nog can do, Nog was needed on the station, and Nog knows what hes done to DS9 better than anyone.  The Defiant is still pretty much the way O'Brien left it.  Also I think that..."
Tenmei (Comm): "Bridge to Mess hall."
Sisko: "Sisko here."
Tenmei: "Captain, we have picked up Voyager on long range sensors, we'll be in visual range in five minutes."
Sisko: "On our way."


Voyager: Guest Quarters.
KO'Brien: "Miles, where are we supposed to go while your on the Defiant?  It's not like we have a station to be on while your away."
MO'Brien: "Captain Chakotay has offered to let you stay here for as long as we need.  Besides, it's likely that we will have to go back to Deep Space Nine to resupply on several occasions, you can get off and stay with Colonel...I mean, Commander Kira.
KO'Brien: "I'm sure that Kira is going to be as busy as you are during this whole thing, Miles, the station has changed so much, I don't know if I'd feel at home there anymore."
MO'Brien: "Nog and Jake are still on the station, and so's Quark."
KO'Brien: "Nog will be as busy as Kira, and you know my feelings about Quark."
MO'Brien: "What about Captain Yates?  You got along with her all right, didn't you?  Besides, its only temporary, once we get this Parasite problem under control, we can head back to Earth."
KO'Brien: "I just hope this temporary problem doesn't turn into another Dominion War...You keep yourself in one piece Miles..."
MO'Brien walking out the door: "I'll do my best love..."

Voyager: Bridge.
Paris: "Captain, we're approaching the Rendezvous coordinates."
Janeway: "Slow to impulse, Tom.  Harry, any sign of our co-conspirators?"
Paris looked back surprised at seeing Janeway back in the Command chair.
Kim: "Picking up the USS Defiant, closing at Warp 8, she'll be here in less than five minutes, no sign of the Excalibur as of yet."
Chakotay: "Calhoun's running a bit late."
Janeway: "Not surprising, I've heard that he loves to make an entrance.  Is there anything that could hide a Galaxy Class ship from us in the region?"
Kim: "A Galaxy class, no, but theres a distrubance about 200 million Kilometers out that could hide us..."
Janeway turned to Chakotay with a wry smile on her face: "Tom, take us into that disturbance.  Tuvok, have Sisko either follow us in or engage his cloak."

Defiant: Bridge:
Sisko: "She wants us to what?!"
Dax, at the tactical station: "She apparently wants us to hide from Calhoun."
Sisko: "But why?"
Dax: "I guess we're going to find out."
Sisko shrugs: "Engage Cloaking Device Ensign."
Tenmei: "Engaging Cloak."
The lights around the bridge dimmed as the ship transfers power to the cloaking device.
Tenmei: "We're cloaked captain, all power signatures are operating within standard cloaking tolerances."
Sisko: "Now just how long are we going to have to sit here?"

Voyager: Bridge.
Kim: "We're inside the distrubance Captain, our sensors are inoperable.  We're relying on telemetry from the Defiant."
The ship shuddered slighty.
Tuvok: "A thermionic discharge, shields are holding."
Chakotay: "Are these discharges any danger to us?"
Tuvok: "As long as we do not linger here for any length of time, no."
Paris: "How much time?"
Tuvok: "We can remain here for approximetely seventeen minutes until our shields will begin to show signs of stress. It will be several hours before our shields will fail."
Janeway: "Several?"
Torres: "Two, three hours at the outside, Admiral, but I wouldn't count on much more than two."

Defiant: Bridge.
Dax: "I've lost contact with Voyager, but I'm still transmitting sensor telemetry to the cloud."
Sisko: "How long can she stay in there?"
Dax: "No Idea, sir."
Sisko: "I know Calhoun is late, but this isn't something I expected from Janeway."
Tenmei: "Commander Vaughn says that Calhoun likes to make an Entrance, so maybe she wants to make an entrance herself."
Sisko: "Or is there something that we don't know about Calhoun that she wants us to comfirm...Dax, once the Excalibur enters range, I want you to scan the ship for parasites."
Dax: "Aye sir."

Voyager: Bridge.
Kim: "Admiral, we've lost telemetry from the Defiant."
Janeway: "What?"
Kim: "It looks like they were shifting their sensors to search for parasites...and they needed to cut our feed."
Chakotay: "Do they think that the Excalibur may be infected, or are they simply testing their sensors?"
Torres: "The Defiant was designed as a warship, her sensor package had to get extensive modifications done to it to be able to detect the parasites, it may be something they want to make sure works, before they make their pass at the Dakota."
Chakotay: "So how much longer do we wait?"

Defiant:
Dax: "Sensors have picked up the Excalibur, shes five minutes out and moving fast...Warp 9.7."
Sisko: "Any sign she's being pursued?"
Dax: "Negative."
Bashir: "So what do we do now?"
Sisko: "We wait for Janeway to make her move first."
Dax: "Telemetry is still being transmitted, I've changed the transmission so that it wont be too easy to be detected by the Excalibur's sensor array."
Sisko: "Good, once the Excalibur drops out of warp, take us to within scanning range, and then put us on her Aft-port quarter, range: two Kilometers, then when Voyager emerges from the cloud, drop our cloak."
Bashir: "Let's hope that their tactical officer doesn't have Worf's quick trigger fingers..."
Dax: "Their dropping out of warp..."
Tenmei: "Beginning manuever."
Dax: "Scanning...no sign of any parasites yet..."
Tenmei: "Coming up on Aft-port quarter, we're now two kilometers away, adjusting Z-Axis by negative 20 meters."
Dax: "Scan complete, no sign of any parasites."
Sisko: "When is Janeway going to make her move?"

Voyager:
Janeway: "Has the Defiant's telemetry come back yet?"
Kim: "Not yet, The Excalibur is now fifteen minutes late."
Janeway: "Tuvok, hail the Defiant."
Voyager shuddered, more violently than before.
Tuvok: "Aft Shields have just registered a full phaser hit from a type eleven Phaser Bank."
Janeway: "Damage?"
Tuvok: "Aft Shields are down to 85%."
Janeway: "Tom, take us out, Tuvok, Battlestations."
Kim: "We're cleaing the distrubance, I've got sensors back.  The Excalibur is right behind us, and shes got the Defiant in a tractor lock."
Tuvok: "We're being hailed."
Chakotay: "On Screen."
Calhoun: "Admiral, you know its not nice to hide from your friends like that."
Janeway: "Mac, why did you fire on us?"
Calhoun grinned: "To get your attention."
Janeway: "How did you find us?"
Calhoun: "You were actually the easier one to find, I figured you'd be hiding in that cloud since we couldn't find you on sensors, Morgan found Sisko just after we shot you."
Chakotay: "Morgan?"
Calhoun: "Our ship's computer.  Well Admiral, shall we get underway?"
Janeway: "By all means..."

Excalibur:
Burgyone: "I can't believe you just did that Captain."
Calhoun: "I just did it, so why don't you believe it?"
Burgyone: "That's not what I meant, you fired on the Admiral's ship."
Calhoun: "So?"
Burgyone: "Someone could have been hurt."
Kebron: "Not likely."
Soleta: "Voyager had to have had her shields up to be in that cloud, the likelihood that one phaser burst would have caused damage to the ship was minimal."
Calhoun: "No one was hurt, and that's the end of that."
Burgyone: "But..."
Calhoun: "That's the end of it, Burgy."
Burgyone: "Aye sir."
Lefler: "Captain, message from Defiant, she's cloaked and slightly ahead of us, she's found the Dakota."
Calhoun: "Morgan, slow to Impulse.  But be ready to jump to warp if neccessary."
Morgan: "I always am."

Defiant:
Dax: "Dakota, dead ahead, no sign that she's spotted us yet."
O'Brien: "That's one lean ship up there, If they spot us we're in big trouble."
Sisko: "Then make sure we don't get spotted Chief.  No games this time Ensign, get us in and out."
Tenmei: "Course ready sir."
Sisko: "Engage."
The bridge crew collectively held their breaths as the Prometheus Class Dakota grew larger in the main viewscreen.
Dax was the first to exhale: "Beginning Scan."
O'Brien: "The Dakota is on Stand-by, shes not even actively scanning for anything at the moment."
Sisko let out his breath: "Keep your eye on that Chief."
Dax: "No sign of any parasites...in fact...there no sign of any life at all on board."
Sisko: "What?!  How did we miss that?"
O'Brien: "Theres a low level dampening effect in the area, bloody hell, where did it come from?!"
Sisko: "Dax? I need answers."
Dax: "I don't have any for you Captain..."
Sisko: "Signal Voyager..."

Voyager: Conference Room.
Tuvok: "There appears to have been a fire fight onboard Dakota, five members of the Dakota's crew were infected with parasites.
Kebron: "Phasers weren't the only weapons used."
Tuvok: "Lieutenant Kebron is correct, several blast marks on the ship are consistant with that of a type three disrupter."
Soleta: "We have yet to find the source of the dampening field surrounding the Dakota.  So far the best we can assume is that the Klingons, or Romulans aided one side or both in the fight to control the ship."
Calhoun: "Given that the ship is still here, I would assume it to be the Klingons, the Romulans would have been happy to carry off the Dakota."
Sisko: "Not necessarily, there are a number of sensor stations between here and the Romulan Nuetral Zone, they would not have been able to carry the Dakota away without attracting attention."
Tuvok: "At this point we can only speculate which was involved, there are no bodies that do not belong to a Starfleet Officer on board.
Chakotay: "The Klingons wouldn't have bothered putting up a dampening field, maybe the Romulans were responisble and needed another ship in order to haul the Dakota away."
Janeway: "Until either one returns, we won't know the answer, I'm sending a report along to Admiral Ross informing him of the Dakota.  Captain Calhoun, can the Excalibur tow the Dakota back to Starbase 375?"
Calhoun: "It will take a couple of hours for the tractor beam to be set up to be stable enough to tow that large of a ship at warp.  Why not just put a skeleton crew aboard to pilot it back on its own."
Janeway: "The Prometheus class starship is a very different ship than any other, A skeleton crew would be unable to pilot the ship very well."
Sisko: "It wouldn't have to pilot it well Admiral, it just has to point it in the right direction, and stop her when she gets to her destination."
Janeway: "We would still have to escort it, gentlemen."
Calhoun: "The longer we wait here the more likely that whoever is involved will be coming back for it while we are still here."
Janeway: "And is that such a bad thing?  I didn't think so, make preparations to take the Dakota in tow Captain, Dismissed."

Excalibur:
Burgyone: "The Tractor beam is ready, Captain."
Calhoun: "So soon?"
Burgyone: "I began the modifications after we found the Dakota."
Calhoun: "Even though it makes more sense to put a crew on her?"
Soleta: "The Dakota is a design that doesn't comform to many standard specs in Starfleet, an untrained crew would have extreme difficulties piloting the ship in a firefight.  The Dakota would become a liability if we had to protect it, with the tractor beam, we can simply cut it loose and come back for it."
Calhoun: "Very well, signal Janeway that were ready to get underway."

End Act XIII

[Lieutenant_Q]

External Scene: Excelsior Class Starship, pursuing a heavily damaged Nebula Class Starship, entering the scene trailing the Excelsior are a pair of Miranda Class Starships, one of them exploding a few seconds after entering the scene.  A Vor'cha Class Attack Cruiser and a pair of Bird of Preys swoop around the debries.

Martok: {Target the Second ship!}
Worf: {The T'Kumbra's aft weapons array is offline, her hull integrity is down to 30%!}
Martok grunted his acknowledgement.  On screen, one of the Birds of Prey got too close the remaining Miranda, which punished it with a blistering aft torpedo salvo.
Worf: {Fury's shields have failed, her captain is requesting permission to ram the Federation ship!}
Martok: {No! Tell the Fury that she will be needed elsewhere later, there is no dishonor in withdrawing before a superior opponent!}
Worf: {Fury is breaking off. Photon Torpedoes are locked on target.}
Martok: {Fire Torpedoes, stand by all Disruptors!}
Worf: {The Ardennes is dropping out of warp, fifty thousand kellicams directly ahead of the T'Kumbra, if she can make it to the Ardennes she will be clear!}
On screen, eight Photon Torpedoes hit the remaining Miranda, her shields flashed a violent blue, a massive disruptor barrage slammed into her seconds later.  Shields winking out of existance, she shuddered as the disruptors raked across her Impulse Engines and Aft Weapons pod.  Meanwhile a Phaser and Torpedo salvo lanced out from the Excelsior, striking the T'Kumbra yet again.
Worf: {Impulse engines and Aft Torpedo launchers are hit, they've lost their Aft Torpedoes completely, Impulse Engines are moderately damaged.  T'Kumbra's hull integrity is down to 10%, and her Impulse Engines are failing!  The Ardennes is closing on the T'Kumbra, range now 25 thousand Kellicams!}
Martok: {Leave the destroyer for our escorts, get us closer to that cruiser!}
Ardennes fired an extreme range Phaser shot at the closing Excelsior, but missed, the Excelsior returned fire on the now drifting T'Kumbra.  The shots landed home and the T'Kumbra exploded in a brilliant flash of white.  With the T'Kumbra now nothing more than space debries, the Excelsior and the Miranda both changed headings.
Worf: {They are powering up their Warp Engines!}
Martok: {Ha! The animals are scared of us! Plot a pursuit course! Target thier Engines!}
The Excelsior catapaulted itself away from the battle, but the Miranda was caught with a Torpedo just before her warp field formed.  The field quickly formed then collapsed, sending the small ship spiraling out of control.  She was incinerated moments later by a Bird of Prey's strafing manuever.
Worf: {We are being hailed.}
Martok grunted and Captain Dodge appeared on the screen
Dodge: "Do we let that ship get away Chancellor?"
Martok: "My Battle group will pursue and destroy that Cruiser, Captain.  You will recover any survivors, and then regroup with us at location 15."
Dodge: "Good Luck Chancellor."
Martok: "Qa'pla Captain"
Martok (after the channel closed): {Pursuit Course! Maximum Warp!}

Ardennes:
Dodge: "Commence scanner sweep, the T'Kumbra first, then we can scan the Prinz Eugen and the Renown."
Diaz turned into the scanning station: "Beginning Scan."
Dodge: "Engineering, Status on our Engines?"
Skor (comm): "It will be a few more minutes until we have warp capability again Captain, I don't know what knocked us out yet."
Dodge: "Keep working at it Commander, Dodge out."
Diaz: "No survivors detected on the T'Kumbra, sir.  The Prinz Eugen looks in a similar condition, the odds of survivors are not good, the Renown has the best chance."
Dodge: "Lay in a course for the Renown, Ensign.  Full Impulse.  Are we searching for the proverbial needle Lius?
Diaz: "Most likely, both the Prinz Eugen and the T'Kumbra were largely disintigrated, the Renown has a few places were survivors may be found."
Dodge: "Any sign of parasites being on board the T'Kumbra?"
Diaz: "None that we could tell, but the fact that there were being fired on by ships that are not allied with us, tells us that there wasn't.  Entering scanner range, beginning sweep."

IKV Subjugator:
Martok: {Ready all foreward weapons, target their engines!}
Worf: {We will be in weapons range in twenty seconds!}
Martok: {Knock them out of warp, and then we will finish them quickly.}
The escaping Excelsior grew larger on the screen, the ship shuddered as a salvo of torpedoes slammed into the Excelsior's shields, one torpedo penetrated and struck her port nacelle. Oblidgingly, the Excelsior dropped out of warp.  All three Klingon ships swarmed around the stricken Federation Starship, Disrupters impacting against the shields, Phaser fire lancing back.  The Fury got caught by another salvo of Photon Torpedoes, tearing the small escort apart.
Worf: {Their Shield's are failing!}
Martok: {Excellent! Destroy them! Make them pay for the Fury!}
Worf hesitated breifly, then snarled as he stabbed at the console.  After a few seconds of Disrupter fire, the Federation Starship ceased to exist.
Martok: {Victory!  Set a course for Location 15, Warp six!  Engage Cloaking Device!}

Ardennes Conference Room:
Skor: "The Intake manifold for the port nacelle was rigged to explode as soon as we reached warp 9, we hit it just as we were entering the combat area.  Fortunately we were able to contain the explosion and maintain some of our warp velocity."
Dodge: "Not enough though, we were too late to save the T'Kumbra.
Diaz: "The T'Kumbra was lost before we joined the battle, sir.  The Charleston would have simply ignored us until the T'Kumbra was gone, this ship doesn't have the firepower to disable another Excelsior fast enough to have saved her."
Dodge: "I don't want something like this to happen again Skor, check over every system on board, if something isn't regulation, replace it."
Skor: "...Yes sir."
Diaz: "Word from Martok is that the Charleston was completely destroyed sir, no survivors."
Dodge: "Well that was a bloody sorty, not one survivor off any of the Federation Ships, what about Martok's Battlegroup?"
Diaz: "One of their Birds was destroyed."
Green (Comm): "Sir, we're approaching location 15."
Dodge: "Slow to Impulse Mr. Green.  On my way."
Diaz after getting to his science station: "Martok's two ships are holding station five thousand Kilometers off our port bow, both are cloaked."
Green: "Sir...Communication from Starbase 375...They've detected a large Federation Assault Group approaching them.  Admiral Ross is requesting all available ships head there as fast as they can."
Dodge: "Signal Martok that we need to get moving, lay in a course for Starbase 375, I want warp 9.6 or better."
Green: "Course Laid in sir."
Diaz: "Martok's ships have just went to warp sir."
Dodge: "Engage!"

IKV Subjugator:
Worf: {All of Qo'nos is celebrating our victory over the Federation, fleet commanders along the border are requesting permission to engage.}
Martok: {At least they are requesting, and not doing.  What is the status of the Federation Fleet?}
Worf: {The List of ships confirmed for one side or the other grows, most of them are siding against us, I have located a Task force along the Klingon border, which could be well suited for another glorius victory.  The Assault group closing on Starbase 375 will reach there far sooner than we will, I do not think we can save that Starbase.}
Martok: {Hmm...35 Starships, signal Squadrons 2, 6, 18, and 25 tell them to merge into Battle Group 15.  Also Squadrons 4, 10, 32, and 40 have them merge into Battle Group 16.  Those two battle groups will coordinate an assault on that Federation Task Force.}
Worf lowering his voice and switching to English: "The Federation will be gutted after this."
Martok: "I know that, but a Task Force that large hostile to the Empire must be dealt with!"
Worf: "We may wind up fighting the Romulans to keep them from taking territory from the Federation after the war."
Martok: "Civil wars are a bloody thing, we were fortunate that the Federation had no desire in taking our territory during or after ours.  We can...return the favor by keeping the Romulans out of Federation Space."
Worf: "One can hope that the Federation will not collapse as a result of this Civil War."
Martok: "We will not let that happen, without the Federation, the Dominion will be in the Alpha Quadrant in a month."
Worf: "Perhaps, we can launch an attack on the Parasite's homeworld."
Martok: "Do we know where it is?!"
Worf: "No, we only have a general direction."
Martok: "Let me see!"
Worf brought up a map of the Alpha Quadrant, A bold line was drawn from the center of the Federation out into the periphery, passing near the Klingon Empire, and out towards the edge of the galaxy.
Worf: "Somewhere along this path, lies the Parasite's Homeworld, it could be just outside of Federation Space, or it could be along the edge of the Galaxy."
Martok: "Signal Squadrons 1 and 12, have them follow that route, if they can come across the homeworld inside of a year, they are cleared to either destroy it, or signal for reinforcements."
Worf nodded and turned back to the map.

The camera closes on the map, then suddenly changes from Klingon Red, to Romulan Green, as the camera pulls out, Commander Sela enters the picture.
Sela: "Obviously, if the Klingons were to know about this, they would have launched an attack already."
Serilla: "So we will be the ones to destroy this vermin?"
Sela regarded the young woman before responding: "Yes, I will be leading a Tal Shiar strike force through Federation Space, and on to find thier homeworld.  Once we get there, we will bomb it to rubble."
Serilla: "Just what can I do to help?"
Sela: "Get me the fastest ships, and the best trained crews, I do not want this mission to be taking too much of our time.  The Federation will only be vunerable for a short time after their civil war.  They rebuilt very fast following the Dominion War."
Serilla: "You intend to attack the Federation after this?"
Sela: "Of course!  After we destroy the Parasites homeworld, we will enter Federation Space as heros, when they invite us to their capital for their celebrations, I will land ten thousand Reman Shocktroopers in their major cities.  The flag of the Romulan Star Empire will fly in front of their mighty Starfleet Headquarters before they even know what I did to them."
Serilla raised a glass of Ale, smiling: "And a new era will dawn for the Romulan Empire!"
Sela returned the salute: "A new era indeed."


End Act XIV

[Lieutenant_Q]

Exterior scene: Open space.  The stars shift towards the top of the screen, a body floats by.  As the body exits the top of the screen a debries field enters in from the bottom, at the far edge of the debries field in the distance is a Galaxy Class Starship moving into the field.

Riker: "Captain's log, Stardate, 58332.6:  USS Titan arriving at what used to be Starbase 375, in response to the distress signal they put out.  The Base was completely destroyed, along with one of her two defense craft.  The second ship is missing, it could have been completely destroyed, or it could have pursued or joined the people that did this..."

Data: "Counting the number of bodies we have detected floating in space, and those that we can confirm inside the wreckage, I have accounted for 90% of the crew for Starbase 375.  I am also detecting several escape pods that show signs of weapons damage."
Troi: "They shot at the people the were abandoning the station?!"
Sloane: "Looks like it, not detecting any life on any of the escape pods."
Riker: "Any ideas as to where they were heading?"
Data: "Subspace Eddy currents indicate that they may be heading for Deep Space Nine."
Riker: "Time to DS9 at Maximum Warp?"
Data: "12 hours, 17 Minutes, 27 Seconds."
Sloane: "Message from Deep Space Nine...Commander Kira has scrambled the Bajoran fleet.  She also mentions that a couple of Cardassian Cruisers and a Ferengi Marauder have volunteered to help defend the station."
Riker: "Will it be enough?"
Data: "We cannot determine the size of the fleet, the distress call from Admiral Ross did not mention how many ships, only that they were Federation Starships."
Riker: "Set a course for Deep Space Nine, Maximum Warp.  Geordi, I'm going to need everything to can give me, and more."
La Forge: "Understood, I'll be in Engineering."


Voyager:
Paris: "We're five minutes from Starbase 375, the Titan has just gone to warp, heading for Deep Space Nine."
Chakotay: "Do we alter course?"
Janeway: "Yes.  Signal Calhoun and Sisko to do the same."
Paris: "Yes, Ma'am..."
Janeway: "Captain, may I use your ready room?"
Chakotay: "Of course."
Janeway gets up and walks slowly in the the ready room.
Janeway, as she enters the ready room: "Computer, access FedCommNet."
Computer: "Accessed."
Janeway, sitting down at the desk: "Open a broadband channel."
Computer: "Channel Opened."
Janeway: "This is Admiral Kathryn Janeway, many of you have seen and heard the reports labeling myself and my collegues traitors.  Despite this..."
Computer: "Channel Closed."
Janeway: "Computer, re-open channel."
Computer: "Unable to comply, access to Federation Communications Network has been restricted."
Janeway: "One step ahead..."
She stands up and walks back onto the bridge.
Tuvok: "...Unlikely that they will destroy Deep Space Nine.  As critical as Starbase 375 was to Federation Defenses, Deep Space Nine is even more critical, its position at the Alpha Quadrant end of the Wormhole means that if it is destroyed, the Dominion have free access to the Bajoran and Cardassians Frontiers."
Janeway: "It's up to us to make sure that Deep Space Nine is never in any danger of falling.  We've just been cut off from FedCommNet."
Chakotay: "Not surprising, they did the same thing to us when we started the Maquis."
Janeway: "Is there anyway to override it?"
Torres: "Our best computer specialist couldn't do it, and we tried for years.  We'll have to find someone who isn't restricted to get the word out.  I don't think its going to be that easy anymore."
Janeway: "Do your best, I'll be in Sickbay."

Defiant:
Dax: "You all right Benjamin."
Sisko: "Ross is dead, old man."
Dax: "You don't know that."
Sisko: "No, I don't.  But the odds are not in his favor."
Dax: "How many times were the odds in our favor during the Dominion War?"
Sisko: "Not often enough."
Dax: "But we're still here.  Don't sell Admiral Ross short, he'll have found a way to survive."
O'Brien: "Sir...Commander Kira is hailing."
Sisko: "On Screen."
Kira: "Captain, I'll try not to take too much of your time, but all civilian personnel have been evacuated to Bajor, except for a few monks and one very stubborn Federation Journalist."
Sisko: "Jake?"
Kira: "...refuses to leave the station while theres a story going on.  It doesn't seem to matter to him that his access to the FedCommNet has been terminated."
Sisko: "I suppose I can't order him to leave, what's the status of the Station's defenses?"
Kira: "Nog thinks that whoever comes to fight this station isn't going to be leaving in one piece, between the weapons upgrades, the fifteen Bajoran Cruisers, two Cardassian Galor Class Ships and a Ferengi Marauder.  He says that we could fight off a Borg Cube."
Sisko: "I wouldn't go that far.  Every Ship is at their maximum warp and more.  Voyager will arrive first, in a little under ten hours, the slowest ships are the Titan and the Ardennes, they will both arrive in eleven and a half.  The Excalibur is towing a Prometheus Class Starship, Calhoun will cut it loose at the edge of the Bajoran system, and will arrive about fifteen minutes later."
Kira: "What's your ETA?"
Sisko: "Ten hours, twenty-one minutes.  Glory, another Defiant class ship, will be arriving a few minutes ahead of us."
Kira: "Then we'll see you in ten hours Captain, Good luck, Kira out."

Voyager Sickbay:
Janeway: "Doctor?  How is Seven?"
Doctor: "Very little change I'm afraid.  The parasite is starting to react negatively to the nanoprobes.  They seem to be killing the creature instead of assimilating it, treating it like an infection rather than a sentient life form."
Janeway: "Doctor, right now we're all treating it like an infection."
Doctor: "Unfortunately every treatment I've tried seems to do nothing to either Seven or the creature.  Seven's nanoprobes are gradually winning, but only because Icheb is letting Seven use his portable regenerator."
Janeway: "How is Icheb?"
Doctor: "He is beginning to show the strain of his lack of regeneration, but he can more readily adapt to a simple nights sleep than Seven could.  In fact, if he goes much longer without regeneration, he may no longer be dependant on it."
Janeway: "Is that good for him?"
Doctor: "Well, I may have spoke to soon, he will always be somewhat dependant on regeneration, as a matter of fact, hes sleeping in sickbay tonight so he can regenerate."
Janeway: "Let me know if theres any change Doctor."
Doctor: "Not so fast...When's the last time you slept Admiral?"
Janeway: I don't know...thirty-six...fourty hours ago."
Doctor: "Don't you think you should get a good nights sleep?"
Janeway: "Doctor, I don't have time to sleep."
Doctor pulled up a starchart: "As a matter of fact, you have plenty of time for a good eight hours of sleep, since we're not going to be at Deep Space Nine for another nine hours, forty-five minutes.  Please Admiral, eight hours, and if anything should happen, wake up and go to the bridge.  Just get some sleep."
Janeway: "You know a good eight hours...:yawn: doesn't sound so bad after all...Good night Doctor."
Doctor: "Good night Admiral." After the door closes: "They seem to get more reasonable as they move up in rank..."

End Act XV

[Lieutenant_Q]

Exterior: Empty Space,  Phaser Blast slicing through it, camera pans to bring a Cardassian Cruiser into the scene.  The Cruiser is being harrassed by a pair of Miranda Class Starships.  A Phaser blast hits one of the Mirandas forcing it to pull off.  Following the Phaser back to its source, Deep Space Nine floats majestically in space.  It's shields crackling under the intense barrage coming from two Akiras and a Nebula.  Off to the side, a pair of Runabouts and a Ferengi Marauder are sniping away at a Galaxy Class Starship, her shields out, she is moving away.

Ops: A shower of sparks rain down from behind the engineering station.
Nog: "We're losing Shield Generator Number 4!"
Dax: "We need to concentrate on the three starships that are hitting us!"
Kira: "Dax, target the Sutherland, full torpedo spread!"
Dax: "The Sutherland's shields are still holding!"
Nog: "Number 4 Shield is down!  Detecting Transporter Activity...Promenade, section 12!"
Kira: "Kira to Ro, We're being boarded, Promenade, Section 12."
Ro (comm): "Already on it."

Promenade:
A Phaser beam passes near Ro's head, she hides behind the directory, leans back out and returns fire.  Her shot hit the Starfleet Marine dead center, and he tumbles to the promenade floor.  Above, three Starfleet Marines run across the catwalk, laying down Phaser Rifle fire, covering each other.  A security officer is hit and uncermoniously crumples to the ground.

Ro: "This is going to get confusing... real fast."
Another Phaser bolt strikes the directory above her head, she whirls about in time to see one of her deputies hit the Starfleet woman with Phaser beam.
Ro, tapping her comm badge: "Ro to all teams, clear the Invaders off the upper level, and if you dont know who to shoot at...take off your jackets!"
Ro looked around for another target, but her attention was grabbed by the Starfleet woman that was just shot...her mouth was opening wide.  Out of her mouth crawled a pink creature.  The creature looked up at Ro, and after a moment, lept up into the air at her.  Ro's Phaser shot missed low, but the creature suddenly bounced away as if it hit something...It spasmed as if it lost control of itself.  Taran'atar deshrouded in front of her, with the creature impaled on his blade.
Ro: "Thanks."
Taran'atar nodded and fired a shot at the upper level, one marine was hit and flew backwards, over the rail and down to the lower level.  Ro fired her own Phaser up into the swarm of Marines that were materializing up above them, one fell to the ground just as the protection of the transporter beam left him.
Ro: "Ro to Ops, were getting overwhelmed down here, any chance the shields will be back up any time soon?"
Kira (Comm): We're making them pay everytime they drop their shields for transport, they'll get the message soon enough.  As for our shields, Nog's working on them."
Taran'atar shrouded himself and moved off, apparently towards the stairs to the Promenade's upper level.
Ro trained her sights on another Starfleet Marine that had just finished jumping off the stairs, but before she could fire, a green beam sizzled out of Quark's, striking the marine in the back.
Ro sighed: "Ro to all teams, shed your jackets now, thats an order, apparently Quark is getting involved in this fight.  I don't want him shooting any of you.  I don't think Ferengi disrupters come with a stun setting."
Ro glanced above, then ran across the promenade and dove into Quark's.
Quark: "Now you throw yourself at my feet.  Something I've been wanting for you to do for months, and you choose the middle of a fire-fight to do it."
Ro: "Shouldn't you be on Bajor?"
Quark: "If you think I'm gonna let the Starfleet oafs rob me blind while I'm down there...never mind..."
Ro fired a Phaser out the door: "Your forgetting something Quark, I'm a Starfleet oaf now."
Quark fired his own shot out: "No you're not Starfleet, unless you've finally decided to stay."
Ro: "I think I have finally."
Quark: "Oh well, we could have had a beautiful future together."
Ro: "You're not staying?"
Quark: "Maybe I am, but now isn't the time to talk about it."
Ro: "Just don't shoot any of my deputies."
A loud clang interrupted Quark's response, they both turned around to see three parasites crawling towards them.
Quark: "AAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!"
Ro: "Don't just sit there, shoot them!"
Quark began firing rapidly, and wildly, not one shot hit.  Ro's two Phaser shots hit putting two of them down, but the third jumped at Quark.  Ro grabbed the chair next to them and swatted the creature away, she stood up and smashed her heel down on the parasite.
Quark: "You...You...saved me...Laren I knew you cared!"
Ro: "Come off it Quark, and start shooting back at them."

Voyager:
Torres: "Admiral, I can't give you much more much longer..."
Paris: "We're 90 seconds out."
Tuvok: "Deep Space Nine has lost two of her shield generators, picking up two dozen Federation Starships, 4 Bajoran Cruisers, one Cardassian Cruiser, 2 Runabouts and a Ferengi Marauder."
Janeway: "Stand by all weapons, target the biggest threat to DS9."
Tuvok: "Target locked."
Kim: "Two smaller vessels are moving to intercept us, a Saber and a Miranda!"
Chakotay (Comm): "Chakotay to Bridge, the Flyer is prepped and ready for launch, Icheb and I are ready to go as soon as we drop out of warp."
Janeway: "Theres a Saber and a Miranda closing on us Chakotay, get the Saber, Tuvok will fire a few torpedoes to assist you."
Paris: "Dropping out of warp."
Kim: "Opening the shuttlebay doors."
Tuvok: "Raising shields."
Torres: "Diverting power to Phasers."
Janeway: "Attack pattern Beta-six, full impulse."
Paris: "Full Impulse."
Tuvok: "Firing aft torpedoes"
Kim: "Direct hits, the Saber's shields are down to 20%"
Janeway: "Voyager to Flyer, she's all yours Captain."
Chakotay (Comm): "Acknowledged...I want my ship back in one piece Kathryn."
Janeway smirked, then looked back at Tuvok: "Lock Phasers and Fire."

Voyager flies closer to Deep Space Nine, Phasers firing, striking an Ambassador Class ship.  The Ambassador fired once again on the station, Phaser fired washed over another one of the Station's shields.  Voyager, trying to get the Ambassador's attention, volleyed a full spread of Photon Torpedoes.  When the Torpedoes impacted against the bare hull of the Ambassador, she turned to face her antagonist.  The Miranda trailing behind Voyager was hit by a torpedo volley from the Cardassian ship, she pulled off and moved to engage the Cardassian.  The Saber, continued to ignore the Delta Flyer, and put as much Phaser fire into Voyager as she could.  The Saber paid for that when her shields failed and the Flyer put half a dozen Photonic Missiles into her rear hull.  Several of the Federation Starships suddenly turned tail and fled, followed quickly by the rest of the Federation fleet.

DS9: Ops:
Kira: "Where are they going?"
Dax: "Detecting three Romulan Vessels decloaking off docking port three.  And 40 Klingon warships decloaking in the midst of the fleet."
Nog: "They suddenly decided that carrying on the fight wasn't worth it."
Dax: "The Klingons and the Romulans are persuing, hopefully they plan on firing on the Federation ships more than each other."
Kira: "Stand down BattleStations...Kira to Ro, What's your status down there?"
Ro (Comm): "...Getting things wrapped up down here Commander, most of the Starfleeters surrendered once they heard their ships had left them.  We're screening them now for parasites...fortunately it wont be too hard to convince these people that they are here."
Kira: "What do you mean by that?"
Ro: "We've got a couple sterling examples of Parasites, and a couple not so intact."


End Act XVI

[Lieutenant_Q]

Scene: Quark's, Quark behind the bar, Ro Laren at the bar, a few extras in Starfleet Uniforms gathered around the Dabo Table.  Nog Enters with several yellow jacketed Starfleeters.

Nog: "Uncle!  I promised my Engineering crew a round of drinks for finishing up so early."
Quark (looking disgusted): "What do they want?"
Nog: "Synthale, all around."
Quark: "I'll put it on your tab."

Quark starts filling the mugs with ale, when he hears a voice.
Kim (off screen): "...you really think that the Doctor will enjoy this holo-program?"
Quark (raising his voice as Kim enters the bar): "Well, Well, Well, If it isn't Mr. 'We were warned about Ferengi in the Academy'.  Only a Lieutenant I see, how long has it been? Nine years?  My nephew over there is a Lieutenant as well, and hes only been out of the academy four years.  I guess its what you hew-mons get for spouting such lies about my people."
Paris: "We'd Like to rent a Holo-suite, Quark."
Quark: "For the two of you?  Lets see what I have for you..."
Paris: "Vic Fontaine, my wife would kill me if I ran anything else of yours."
Quark: "Oh...him...he's already running, Suite two."
Paris and Kim walk to the stairs and wait.
Ro: "What was that all about?"
Quark: "Nine years ago, that hew-mon comes in here, and I try to sell him some trinkets, you know souvineers for his family of his first Deep Space assignment.  And he tells me 'We were warned about the Ferengi at the Academy'!  To think that such an institution would defame an entire race, its supposed to be an education."
Ro: "I seem to remember that in the academy Quark, we were told that Ferengi were cut-throat businessmen that were never looking out for your best  interests, only thiers."
Quark: "That's it?"
Ro: "That about sums it up."
Quark: "And he considered that as a warning...my my my...these cadets are more naive than I thought...maybe a shop on Earth would be a better place..."
Ro: "They'd throw you in jail inside a month Quark."
Quark: "Maybe, but think of all the profit I'd make in the meantime...."

Paris: "Doc, over here."
Doctor: "There you are, now what is this holosuite program you want me to see?"
Kim: "You'll see when we get there."
The door opens to Vic Fontaine's Lounge, Vic walks up to the three of them as they enter.
Fontaine: "Hey Pallies!  I haven't seen any of you folks around here before, what brings you boys to Deep Space Nine?"
Paris: "You know where we're at?"
Fontaine: "Of course, just because I'm a hologram doesn't mean I don't know north from south."
Doctor: "You know you're a Hologram?"
Fontaine: "Yep, Felix is a great guy ya know, he programed me to be adaptive, to get to know the customers ya know?"
Doctor: "Please...Tell me more about Felix...Vic."
Kim: "I think we should leave them be."
Paris: "Right...there's Admiral Janeway and my Dad over there."
Kim: "And Commander Data just joined them."
Data: "You wanted to see me Admirals?"
Janeway: "Yes Commander, I was wondering, how good are you and breaking encryption codes?"
Data: "I do not understand the purpose of this question Admiral.  Am I being accused of something?"
OParis:  "Not at all Commander.  You see, our access to the FedCommNet has been cut off by the parasites.  We were simply wondering if you would be able to circumvent that restriction for us."
Data: "I see, you wish for me to bypass the lockout that has been placed on all of our access to the FedCommNet in accordance with Starfleet Protocol 112 Section 14 Paragragh 7 subsection 3."
Janeway: "Yes, that pretty much sums it up."
Data: "I see.  I shall attempt to do so immediately."
OParis: "Good Luck Commander."
Data: "I do not believe in luck sir."

Fontaine: "So you sing eh?  What's your name?  Maybe you can get up on stage and do an act or two?
Doctor: "I don't have a name."
Fontaine: "You don't have a name?!  What, you kidding with me...every Joe on the street has a name.  And a few schmucks have more than one."
Doctor: "A name wasn't neccessary, Doctor was all I needed."
Fontaine: "Well I'm telling you pallie, you need a name, Doctor just doesn't cut it here.  I can't get up there in front of all these people and say 'Here's Doctor'.  Ya know what I'm saying?"
Doctor: "Well what would you suggest?"
Fontaine: "Ah, I can't suggest anything, a name has to mean something to the person who wears it."
Doctor: "...Joe, my name is Joe."
Fontaine: "There, ya see pallie, it wasn't so hard.  Now, lets go introduce you to the rest of these folks."
Vic walks up onto the stage, everyone who noticed stopped their conversation, those who didn't stopped a few seconds later.
Fontaine: "Good evening ladies and gentlemen, before we begin our show tonight, we have a bit of a warm-up act.  So without further ado, Here's Joey!"
Janeway, Paris, Kim (all at once): "Joey?!"

Promenade:
Kira: "Nog's teams did good work, they got most of the damage cleaned up in the first twenty-six hours after the attack, the rest they just finished an hour ago.  I hear Nog bought them all a round of drinks for finishing so quickly."
Sisko: "Nog certainly has turned out quite well.  I can still remember he and Jake causing a lot of mischief for Constable Odo."
Kira: "I think Nog's greatest fear, besides Taran'atar, was dissapointing you."
Sisko: "He certainly hasn't dissapointed me in anyway.  I hear that Tarana'tar is a Jem Hadar.  What's he like?"
Kira: "Well, see for yourself, Captain, there he is."
Sisko: "Tarana'tar, I am Captain Benjamin Sisko."
Taran'atar: "The Founder said you were dead."
Sisko: "I'm afraid the Founder was mistaken."
Taran'atar: "Indeed.  The Founder said you may surprise even him at times."
Sisko: "Did he?"
Yates: "Ben!"
Sisko: "Kassie!"
Yates: "It's really you."
Sisko: "It's really me."
Yates: "I'm sorry it took so long for me to get here, finding someone to watch your new son wasn't easy, even being the wife of the Emissary."
Sisko: "New son...I have missed a lot haven't I?"
Yates smiled: "Yes, you have.  Joesph is doing just fine.  I hope you'll have time to drop in and see him.  Bringing an infant into a battle zone wasn't something that I was looking foreward to."
Sisko: "I'll make the time."
Yates looked around: "Where did that Jem Hadar go?"
Kira: "He's not very social, he'll make his point in a conversation and then just leave."
Sisko: "Just like a typical Jem Hadar."

End Act XVII

[Lieutenant_Q]

For those of you who had viewed my Star Trek XI website.  I regret to inform you, that I am going to be forced to remove it from my Website.  I apoligize for the neccesity of this, but as I was uploading the information for my Historical Society website, I noticed that I had exceeded my bandwidth.  Since I have a major commitment to the Historical Society, I have to give priority to that website.  I will continue to post the Acts of Star Trek XI here on Dynaverse.net. 

Thank you for your enthusiasm

Lt Q

[Kane]

when will you continue Q?

you can't leave me hanging like this.   

[Lieutenant_Q]

Im not leaving people hanging on purpose...just had a particularly brutal week of exams...this weekend should see the next act put up.

LLAP (Live Long And Prosper)

[Lieutenant_Q]

OK...good news for all of you, bad news for me...I couldn't sleep.  So...heres the next act, enjoy.

Exterior Scene: Starfleet Medical, Earth
Admiral Nechyev, Admiral Jellico, and Dr. Crusher standing in front of a medical monitor.  On the monitor is a Human man's bioscan.

Nechyev: "Is he healthy enough to receive the symbiont?"
Crusher: "Not yet, if we were to introduce the symbiont now, it could kill him and the symbiont."
Jellico: "That would not do, he may be a mere vessel, but the unblended have great respect for him, especially the rebels."
Nechyev: "How soon?"
Crusher: "I'll know more in twenty-four hours, until then, all we can do is keep him in the stasis pod."
Jellico: "We can't wait much longer, we may have to take the risk if it can't be done safely tomorrow."
An aide walks into the room: "Admiral, the Starship Exeter is arriving, they have the other on board, and he is alive."
Nechyev: "Excellent, soon Admiral Ross will be joining us, and we can crush the resistance once and for all."
Aide: "Begging your pardon ma'am, but there is more.  Two Klingon task forces have crossed into Federation Space and are shooting up any ship they find with us on board.  It seems apparent that the Klingons, and likely the resistance, has a method for detecting us inside the hosts."
Crusher: "Once Ross tells us what he knows, I can devise a way to mask us from their sensors."
Jellico: "Good, Lieutenant, make sure the Exeter gets priority clearance to enter orbit."
Nechyev: "Any news on the Borg?"
Crusher shook her head: "We traced one of Voyager's transporter signals to her apartment, they transported six people from her apartment, Seven and Icheb were apparently two of them, the other four we have yet to identify.  Professor O'Brien and Admiral Paris are both missing.  Paris was due for blending later that day, O'Brien was not a high priority, although in hindsight, he should have been.  He was on the Enterprise when we tried this the first time.  We have not heard from Seven since, we can assume that the medication to the symbiont is either ineffective, or that they are still fighting over her body."
Jellico: "Besides Riker, La Forge, Troi and Worf, is there anyone else we have to be concerned with having knowledge of us from our first attempt?"
Crusher: "No any of the Enterprise crew that knew first hand of the encounter have been taken care of."
Nechyev: "Riker will no doubt attempt to pick La Forge up as his Chief Engineer, I think we need to prepare a little ambush for the Titan."
Jellico: "I have just the idea..."

Starship Quixote, Ready Room.
Wilson: "This is some kind of joke, right Bren?"
Bren: "I assure you Captain it is not a joke."
Wilson: "And this came directly from Starfleet Command?"
Bren: "Admiral Jellico himself."
Wilson: "So this whole rumor of the Parasites returning is true, and Jellico sent us this list of infected ships.  The question remains, why would he have broadcast that, even if he isn't infected, those that are are going to find him quickly."
Bren: "There is a possibility that he may be attempting to deceive us."
Wilson: "But if he's not we need to do something about this.  Send a message to DS9.  Inform them we need a spare warp coil, before we can join the fray on their side."
Bren: "Then one of their ships will be routed to deliver the warp coil, and we give them the information."
Wilson: "Right...then we can..."
Comm: "Bridge to Captain Wilson."
Wilson: "Go Ahead."
Comm: "Sir...I..I think you better listen to this."
Comm: "...peat...This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the Starship Enterprise, if anyone can hear me, please respond.  My pod is losing..."
Comm: "We've lost the signal, sir."
Wilson: "Append that broadcast to the message, Bren... Bridge, set a course for the source of that signal...Maximum Warp."

Deep Space Nine: Ops
Dax: "The message was rather cryptic, sir.  It mentions that they have information from Starfleet that they did not want to transmit on subspace, and then...there's this."
Picard: "This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the Starship Enterprise.  My ship has been destroyed by an unknown force, I managed to get into a escape pod just prior to the explosion.  My Comm system was damaged, and I have apparently been thrown far off from my original position.  My pod is losing power, I have only three days of life-support remaining, anyone within hailing range, please respond.  I repeat...This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the Starship Enterprise, if anyone can hear me, please respond.  My pod is losing..."
La Forge: "I'm sorry sir, there's just no way it could be him, Picard was on the bridge when the explosion happened, we never saw an escape pod launch from anywhere on the Enterprise."
Chakotay: "I'm inclined to agree, we did an intensive sweep of the area, there wasn't much left of the Enterprise, and we certainly would have found an escape pod."
Riker: "Could his pod have rode the explosion away from the area?"
Dax: "The possibilities are remote at best, besides, the location the Quixote has traced the signal to, is twenty-seven light-years away."
Riker: "Q?"
Chakotay: "As much as Q loved to play around with you, I don't think he would have spent the time to save Picard's life and move him that far away.  Besides, if it was Q, Picard would have shown up right beside you by now."
La Forge: "Apparently Q didn't play with you as much as he did with us."
Riker: "Even if its not really Jean-Luc, we need to go see what the Quixote has for us.  Admiral, the Titan is ready to go as soon as the spare Warp Coil is aboard."
Janeway: "Good luck Will."

Starship Quixote: Bridge
Baker: "Sir, we are approaching the source of the signal."
Wilson: "Slow to impulse, Lieutenant."
Baker: "Aye, sir."
Bren: "A rather odd place for an escape pod to be, this asteroid field is the densest field in the quadrant."
Wilson: "Any sign of the pod?"
Bren: "Not yet Captain."
Wilson: "Jeannie, can you plot a course through this?"
Baker, smiling: "With my eyes closed sir."
Wilson: "You can leave them open if you don't mind, Jeannie."
A light shrill sounded on the bridge, before turning into Star Wars' Imperial March.
Wilson glanced over towards Bren: "Must you?"
Bren: "I thought it would set the appropriate mood."
Wilson: "Thanks a heap...now I'm going to see a Star Destroyer around every asteroid."
Bren: "Would that be such a bad thing?"
Wilson shook his head instead of answering, turning his attention back to the main viewscreen.
Bren: "Not reading any power signatures inside the field, however there appears to be some background interference that was not here when the field was last charted two years ago."
Wilson: "Interference caused by what?"
Bren: "Unknown, however the interference is limiting our effective scan radius to only five hundred thousand kilometers."
The ship shuddered.
Wilson: "Jeannie?"
Baker: "Sorry sir, it was either that one or the one that would have torn a hole in our port nacelle."
Wilson: "Are we going to get any room to maneuver?  I got a bad feeling about this..."
Bren: "We have just passed through the locally most-dense part of the field, approximately six million kilometers dead ahead is a break in the field, only a few large asteroids in that immediate vicinity."
Wilson: "Jeannie...if someone or something starts shooting, head straight for that break.  Red Alert."
The alert klaxon sounded around the bridge.
Bren: "I am still picking up nothing, but you are correct, this is an ideal place for an ambush, and given the disappearance of two dozen Starfleet vessels in the last week...It is best to be prepared."

Starship Titan: Bridge
Data: "At our present velocity, we will arrive at the rendezvous coordinates in approximately fifteen minutes."
Riker: "A rendezvous in the middle of the densest asteroid field in Federation space...what was Captain Wilson thinking?"
La Forge: "He probably expected the Defiant to come to rendezvous, not the Titan."
Data: "The largest vessel known to have navigated this field was the USS Bozeman NCC-1941, Captain Bateson reported in his log that his survey of the field was cut short when an asteroid impacted his ship, and compromised it's structural integrity, he later added that no ship larger than an Oberth class science vessel should be assigned to charting this Field, a recommendation that Starfleet has followed ever since.  It should be noted, that this was the last mission the Bozeman was reported to have completed before her disappearance near the Typhon Expanse."
Riker: "How do we get to the rendezvous point?"
Data: "Captain Bateson did notice that there was room for a larger ship, in certain areas of the field.  I believe I can plot a course linking those areas. While using a modified Phaser burst to cut through asteroids that are in our way."
Riker: "How soon until you can have the modifications done?"
Data, pressing a few buttons: "They are done now, Captain."
Riker: "Take us in Mr. Data."

Beauty shot of the Titan moving into the asteroid field, occasionally firing a phaser blast at a large chunk of rock in her way.  The rock being hit disintigrates upon impact.  Smaller rocks pulverize themselves constantly on the Titan's foreward shields, creating a shimmering effect in front of her.  All in all, I picture this to be a beautiful sight... (makes me wish I had any kind of talent in CGI)

Data:  "Captain, we are approaching the Rendezvous coordinates, I am picking up the Quixote, bearing 114 mark 218.  She appears to be holding station near a large asteroid."
Riker: "Hail them."
Sloane: "No response sir."
Riker: "Any chance they are damaged?"
Data: "Not that sensors can detect...curious...I am detecting a large jamming field inside the asteroids, sensors and communications are extremely hampered."
Sloane: "Reading six...no seven contacts...closing rapidly on us."
Riker: "Battlestations!"
Data: "I have no Identification on the incoming contacts, there appears to be no record of these ships in the Starfleet database."
Riker: "Get us some room to Maneuver, target the closest vessel and prepare to fire..."

End Act XVIII  (I think there needs to be a "Mwuhahahaha" smiley  )

[kmelew]

Thank you, sir 

[Tausi]

Really enjoying the rest of the story Lt_Q 
p.s nice touch with the star wars ref hehe

can't wait for the rest and hope the exams have gone ok

[Kane]

Im not leaving people hanging on purpose...just had a particularly brutal week of exams...this weekend should see the next act put up.

LLAP (Live Long And Prosper)

Same here.  I just finished my exams.

They story is great, I can't wait to see how it turns out.

 

[Lieutenant_Q]

Chabot Class- USS Exeter
Commander Rivers: "Admiral, we have cleared orbit and have laid in a course for Starbase Deep Space Nine."
Ross: "Very good, as soone as we have cleared the system engage at maximum warp."
Crusher: "Our passenger is stable, and he has shown no sign of rejecting the symbiont as of yet."
Ross: "Excellent, when he regains conciousness, send him to the ready room."
Crusher: "Aye sir."

Titan
Data: "Enemy Ships are closing to phaser range, still no difinitative Identification."
Riker: "Mr. Sloane, target the closest ship, and prepare to fire."
Sloane: "Aye, Sir."
Data: "Sensor readings becoming more reliable.  Ships are biological in nature, they do however have mechanical components, such as a Warp Drive..."
The ship shudders
Data: "...and two Type IV Disrupter cannons."
Riker: "Mr. Sloane...Fire."
A Phaser Beam lances out from the Titan's dorsal Phaser emitter, striking a pink ship behind what looks to be its head.  Red liquid briefly spills out from the Phaser wound before it congeals over the wound, forming a scab.
Troi: "Was that...bleeding?"
Data: "Apparently so.  The blood appears to be a natural energy conductor, transfering power from its internal warp drive to its Disrupter cannons ."
Sloane: "Our Phaser fire appears to have very little effectiveness against them."
Riker: "Then ready the Photon Torpedoes."
The ship shuddered again.
Data: "Aft shields are holding."
Sloane: "Torpedoes ready, locked on target."
Riker: "Fire."
Two Photon Torpedoes blazed out of the Titan's aft torpedo launcher, one strikes another pink ship head on, while the other impacts more towrds the aft of the ship.  The ship in engulfed in a photon explosion.  The explosion clears, and the ship is still there although its color has changed from pink to red.
Data: "We appear to have disabled its Disrupter cannons, but other than that, I am reading no significant damage."
Troi looks to Riker, worry on her face."
Riker: "Mr. Sloane...ready Quantum Torpedoes."
Sloane: "Locked and ready."
A bracket of four Quantum Torpedoes lept from the Titan's fore torpedo launcher.  One torpedo sailed beyond the target, detontating on a small asteroid just beyond, the asteroid was incinerated by the explosion, the other three strafed the ship from front to back.  The ship is engulfed by the explosions, when the dust settles, the ship is floating there, intact, but its blood is gushing out of multiple wounds.
Data: "The creature appears to be bleeding Captain, the wounds on the creature do not appear to be closing, I believe it is dying sir."
Geordi: "I am modifying the Phaser emitters to emit a quantum resonance burst, with any luck, that's what is keeping the wounds from closing."
Riker: "How much time do you need?"
Geordi: "Two minutes."
The ship shuddered, a console in the back of the bridge exploded in a shower of sparks.
Data: "Aft Shields are down to sixty percent."
Gross: "They're attempting to cut us off from the clearing!"
Riker: "David, do what you can with the Quantums!"
Sloane: "Fireing Torpedoes."
Two Quantum Torpedoes spiraled out from the aft launcher, both struck a persuing bio-ship, the bio-ship came out of the explosion red all over, but not hurt bad enough that it couldn't return fire.
Data: "Apparently the quantum resonance burst the torpedoes emit are not what is hurting the bio-ships."
Sloane: "Did we just get lucky on that one...or do they have a threshold before they completely fail?"
Riker: "Let's hope its a threshold...Geordi, I need those phasers back."
Data: "Sir...vessel decloaking astern...it is the Defiant."
The Defiant appeared directly behind one of the red bio-ships, and pummeled that ship with its pulse phasers.  The bio-ship broke apart and its two pieces scattered deep into the asteroid field.  The Defiant's port manuevering thrusters flared to life as she changed her heading slightly, before letting loose a bracket of quantum torpedoes.  The bio-ship exploded.
Data: "Direct hit on the bio-ship's warp core."
Riker: "That evens the odds quite nicely...any activity from the Quixote?"
Data: "None Captain."

Quixote
Wilson: "You still have no idea what happened?"
Bren: "As near as I can tell...at least before the sensors overloaded, was that we were hit by a stream of energy..I'm still having the data analyzed, but it may explain the sensor jamming field."
Wilson: "How soon until the sensors are back up?"
Bren: "Ten minutes."
Wilson: "I'll be in my ready room then."
Baker: "Sir...Navigational sensors are online...but I can't see anything through this soup."
Wilson: "Keep trying Jeannie."

Defiant
O'Brien: "Sir...I'm picking up eight more bioships, at least I was...they were behind the asteroid that the Quixote is hovering near...but I don't see them anymore...there's another low level dampening field in place, similar to the one that was on the Dakota."
Sisko: "Let's deal with the ones attacking the Titan first. Tenmei, attack pattern Sulu-seven."
Tenmei: "Aye, sir."
O'Brien: "The Titan is losing shields.  She wont hold up much longer."

A phaser beam lanced out from the Titan's ventral emitter, striking another bio-ship.  A scab formed over the wound, and the bioship returned fire, tearing a hole in the Titan's secondary hull.  The Defiant swooped underneath the Titan, firing her pulse phasers, the pulse phasers striking the same ship the Titan hit.  Blood begins to pour out of the phaser wounds, but they are slowly scabbed over, until another phaser beam from the Titan's saucer emitter re-opens the wounds, this time the wounds don't close and the ship appears to die right there.  A bracket of Quantum Torpedoes fly out of the Titan's foreward launcher, all four hit their target, and the bio-ship is completely incinerated.  The Defiant fires a pair of Quantum Torpedoes at an already damaged bio-ship, it breaks up into three parts on impact.  The remaining Bio-ship, still missing it's disrupters, turns into the asteroid field and flees.

Titan
Sloane: "Sir, the Defiant is hailing."
Riker: "On Screen"
Sisko: "Sorry we're late, Will."
Riker: "Considering I wasn't expecting you at all, Ben, I'm just glad you showed up, another couple of minutes and we would have been dead."
Sisko: "You might still be dead.  Before our sensors were jammed, we were picking up eight Bio-ships behind the asteroid the Quixote is holding station at."
Riker: "You think that this was a trap?"
Sisko: "Looking more and more likely as the time passes Will.  Which was why Janeway sent us along...she didn't like the idea of the Titan going off on her own without some kind of support."
Sloane: "Do we abort sir?  We can't take much of a pounding."
Riker: "We can't leave until the shields are back online anyway."
Sisko: "We'll do a recon run of the Quixote, see if you can't stand off and cover us while we do so."
Riker: "We'll do our best."

Quixote
Bren standing at his station, looking over the sensor data.  His antennae stand straight up as he slaps his combadge: "Bridge to Captain.  The Energy Stream was not natural, it was a massive Type IV disrupter barrage!"
Wilson runs out onto the bridge: "Did I hear you right?"
Bren: "Sensors coming online now sir.  Picking up eight unidentified contacts, closing on...the Starship Defiant, the Defiant is on an attack run...its target is us sir!"
Wilson: "Hail them...tell them we surrender!"
Bren: "If they fire on us...we're dead."
Wilson: "Engineering...Status on the Shields?!"
Bren: "They're firing...but not on us!"
On the view screen one of the eight bioships took four Quantum Torpedoes and disintigrated, the other seven returned fire.
Bren: "The Defiant's foreward shields are failing, but her armor is holding."
Four more Quantum Torpedoes struck another bioship from seemingly out of nowhere, it exploded.
Wilson: "What the..."
Bren: "I have the Starship Titan on long range scanners...she appears to be in the same shape we are in..."

Titan
Data: "Three enemy contacts destroyed, The Quixote is clear of parasites sir."
Riker: "Signal the Defiant and the Quixote...lets get the hell out of here."
Sloane: "The Defiant has lost her shields...and her armor has been breached."
Riker: "Ben...time to cloak...we'll make a run for it."
Sisko (Comm): "Understood...see you at Deep Space Nine."
Gross: "Coming about...engaging Impulse Engines."
Geordi: "Foreward shields are only at twenty percent, so try not to run in to anything too big."
Data: "The Quixote is accelerating to full impulse...she apparantly is going to follow us out.  The Defiant is still engaged with the five remaining bioships.
Riker: "He's giving the Quixote a chance to get away."
Slone: "Fireing aft torpedoes..."
Data: "The Quixote is nearing the edge of the bioships effective fireing range...the bioships are not offering pursuit."
Sloane: "Two direct hits...the bioship is damaged...Sisko finished it off."
Data: "The Defiant is cloaking...the bioships are turning to pursue us."
Gross: "Increasing speed to two-thirds impulse."
Riker: "Time til we clear the field?"
Gross: "One minute, thirty five seconds."
Data: "They will enter weapons range fifteen seconds before that."
Riker: "Geordi, anything you can put into our aft shields will be greatly appreciated."
Geordi: "There's nothing to put into the aft shields...every circuit is either fused or fried..."
Riker: "Go to three-quarters impulse...divert all available power...even from life-support...to the navigational deflector."

Exeter: Ready Room
Back shot of a man sitting in the captain's chair behind the desk.  As the camera moves in, a view of the back of the man's neck is given, the pink appendage sticking out of the neck, twitching ever so slightly.  The shot comes around to reveal the man as Admiral Ross.  A blank expression on his face until the door chime rings, then a slight smile appears on his lips.
Ross: "Come."
Off screen the door opens, foot steps are head as the man walks up to the desk, the camera never leaves Ross' face.
Ross: "Are you liking that new body?  We went through a lot of trouble to make sure it was healthy enough for you."
The camera angle changes to bring Captain Jean-Luc Picard's expressionless face into the picture.

End Act XIX 

[Lieutenant_Q]

Romulan Task Force Zeta:
RIS Praetor's Pride
Bridge

Sela: "How long until we leave Federation Space?"
Helm: "Two hours, twenty four minutes."
Sela, Gesturing to a PADD: "Are you sure this information is accurate."
Serilla: "Yes, The Klingons launched a task force to perform the same mission we're on right now."
Sela: "Then we'll have to make sure that we beat the Klingons there, and that they never return."
Serilla: "Is that wise?  We may need their help."
Sela: "We have a fleet of seventy Warbirds, are you suggesting that we can't handle these Bio-ships?"
Serilla: "They may be the smallest type of Bio-ship the parasites deploy, and eight of them nearly wrecked the Titan."
Sela: "Only because Riker had no idea what he was facing.  Riker isn't a fool, but he can be taken by surprise, and since he was, we will not be."
Serilla: "I hope you are correct."


Deep Space Nine:
Ops

Kira: "Will, you really got the stuffing beat out of you didn't you?"
Riker: "The Titan looks bad, but she's a tough ship, Geordi will have her combat ready again in twenty four hours."
Janeway: "Hopefully we won't be needing you for that long.  God I'm glad I sent Banjamin after you."
Riker: "And no one is more grateful for the help than I am. Admiral."
Nog: "Admiral, the Quixote is combat capable again, she's already taken a position patrolling the Outer Perimeter."
Janeway: "What about Deep Space Nine?"
Nog: "We'll be ready for another attack in two hours."
Dax: "Admiral, our relay in the Gamma Quadrant is picking up an unusual amount of traffic near the wormhole."
Janeway: "What kind of Traffic?"
Dax: "I can't tell, but they are heading straight for the Wormhole, they'll be here in twenty minutes.
Janeway: "Where's the Defiant now?"
Kira: "I've signaled for them and the Quixote to close on the station, but with the Titan laid up, and Voyager in Cardassian Space, the only other ships here are the Excalibur and the Ardennes."
Janeway: "What about getting a crew on the Dakota?"
Nog: "No way Admiral, we would need at least another day to familiarize ourselves with the controls.  Why they didn't make them standard is anyone's guess."
Janeway: "From the reports I've read, it was to keep a Changeling from simply taking control of one."
Kira: "Seem's to me there's a better way to do it than that."
Janeway: "Sometimes the simplest way is the way that is often overlooked."
Taran'atar (entering Ops): "Taran'atar, reporting as requested."
Kira: "Take a look at these sensor signatures Taran'atar."
Taran'atar: "Seven Heavy Cruisers, forty-three attack craft, and two Battlecruisers."
Nog: "That's more than enough to overwhelm this station!"
Taran'atar: "It is unlikely that they are an attack force, this is only a small percentage of the Dominion Fleet.  Even the fleet that you fought during the Quadrant War was only one-fifth of our total fleet."
Kira: "What are you suggesting?"
Taran'atar: "This fleet will not attack this station, If they come through the wormhole at all, they will not fire unless fired upon.  If they intended to attack, the size of this force would be increased twenty-fold."
Riker: "I would agree, it doesn't seem likely that they would come through with such a small force to attack us.  If we weren't having these problems with the parasites right now, we could have two fleets here in time to save the station...unless..."
Taran'atar: "I have made the Founders aware of the parasite plague.  They have not informed me what they intend to do to combat it.  It is most likely that they will be setting up a station on the other side of the wormhole, similar in function to this station here."
Kira: "And this fleet is going to protect it while they construct it?"
Taran'atar: "The Dominion can build battle stations very quickly, they will be the force assigned to defend it."
Janeway: "How do we know that they won't be using the base as a launching point?"
Taran'atar: "If this was intended to be an invasion force, you would not have detected their approach."
Dax: "The fleet is dropping out of Warp, they are holding position outside of weapons range of our relay station, three attack craft are breaking off and heading towards the wormhole.

Dominion Attack Craft 115832
Bridge

Weyoun: "We are approaching the wormhole now.  Begging the Founder's pardon, but are we sure Starfleet's battle station will not fire upon us as soon as we exit?"
Odo: "Quite sure Weyoun.  Enter the Wormhole."
Weyoun: "As the Founder commands.  First, take us in."
The Three Dominion ships entered the wormhole and were swallowed up.
Weyoun: "Ever since the seventh fleet was lost in here, I have dreaded moving through this wormhole."
Odo, snickering: "Afraid you'd be swallowed by the boogey-man Weyoun?"
Weyoun: "I am afraid of no boogey-man, Odo.  But the Bajoran Gods simply wiped a whole fleet out of existance, they rival your power Founder."
First: "Exiting the wormhole in fifteen cycles."
Odo: "Prepare to open a hailing frequency."
Second: "By your command."
Third: "Wormhole exited, I am picking up the Federation Battle Station.  Also detecting a Frigate, War Destroyer, Cruiser, and a Dreadnought in a defensive position between us and the station.  I am also detecting a Damaged Dreadnought and an undamaged Heavy Battlecruiser docked with the station.  Reading only Federation Starships in the immediate vicinity.  All active vessels have acquired weapon locks on us."
Second: "Channel opened."
Kira (voice): "This is Commander Kira of the Federation Starbase Deep Space Nine, to unauthorized Dominion Vessels, you have entered restricted space, state your purpose here immediately or we will open fire."
Odo: "It's good to see you again Nerys."
Kira: "Odo? Is it really you?"
Odo: "Indeed it is, permission to come aboard?"
Kira: "Upper Pylon two is open, Odo.  Welcome home."

Cardassia

Garak: "I assure you Captain, the Cardassian Union does not wish to see the Federation fall from within.  But these are suspicious times, how can I be sure that you are not the rebels, as the Federation Council claims.  After all, you have betrayed the Federation once before."
Chakotay: "Then let me be blunt with you Legate.  These parasites are consuming Starfleet Command, once they are done with the Federation, they will come for you, and the rest of the powers of the Alpha Quadrant."
Garak: "You can't know that for sure.  It is possible that they will simply stop with the Federation, after all, Cardassia will be impossible to take from with in.
Chakotay: "With the Federation under their control, they won't need to work from within anymore, they tried with the Romulans and the Klingons, they failed miserably with the Klingons, they didn't get far enough with the Romulans to do any damage...
Garak: "And they haven't tried at all with us Captain."
Chakotay: "That doesn't mean they won't."
Garak: "In any case, the Cardassian Union cannot spend the resources to assist you, we can barely support ourselves as it is.  Once the seventh order has completed their repairs, they will return to Deep Space Nine, with the orders to defend her.  But that is the extent of the support that we can spare at this time Captain.  Now...I must bid you good day, I have several pressing issues to attend to."
Chakotay:  Very well Legate, Good day.  Chakotay to Voyager, one to beam up."

Voyager
Bridge

Paris: "Any Luck Captain?"
Chakotay: "Nothing more than we already had, Tom."
Tuvok: "Sir, a Message from Deep Space Nine, A large Dominion force was detected closing on the Wormhole, three attack craft from the force broke off and entered the wormhole, the rest stayed on the Gamma Quadrant side."
Chakotay: "Do we need to race to Deep Space Nine?"
Kim: "The ships stationed there are more than enough for three attack craft."
Doctor: "Sickbay to Bridge, Captain, I think you'll want to come down here."
Chakotay, entering the Turbolift: "Tom, set course for Deep Space Nine, warp eight.  I'm on my way Doctor....Deck Five."
Chakotay strode out of the Turbolift when it came to a stop on deck five, and quickly entered sickbay.  A containment field was in place over the small work station in main sickbay, inside, a parasite was frantically trying to get out.
Chakotay: "Doctor?"
Vic: "He'll be right along in just a second pallie.  Said he needed to get some doo-hickey in the Biology lab.  Sometimes this stuff just blows my mind.  It's still amazing, he let me borrow his portable thinga-ma-jig and I got to see some strange stuff, what's that Astro Metrics thing? Is it French?"
Chakotay: "It's where we measure distances to stellar phenomina Vic."
Vic: "You mean like Black holes and such stuff like that?"
Chakotay: "Something like that."
The Doctor enters Sickbay, carrying a large device: "Captain, I've succesfully managed to extract the Parasite from Seven's body."
Chakotay walks over to the primary bed, where Seven has been lying for the last week: "Is she ok?"
Doctor, setting the device near the parasite, and activating it: "She should be regaining conciousness any minute now."
Chakotay: "What about the parasite?"
Doctor: "It seems to be in good shape, the Nanoprobes did some damage to it, but the creatures regenerative properties are incredible, its almost like it wasn't even hurt.
Chakotay leaned over to get a closer look at the Parasite, as he did, the Parasite jumped at him and bounced off the force field, Chakotay jumped back.
Doctor: "I don't believe that it can escape the Force Field.  You shouldn't worry yourself Captain."
Chakotay: "I don't want to take any chances, if theres even a slight chance that thing can get out, I want a guard in here anytime theres a person in here.  And you better arm yourself Doctor."
Doctor: "The parasite can't possibly affect Vic or myself, theres no need to arm myself."
Chakotay: "I don't want it getting out into the corridor Doctor."
Doctor: "True, have Tuvok send a security officer and an extra phaser down here please, Captain."
Vic: "Hey Joe, Sleeping Beauty over here is waking up."


Deep Space Nine:
Docking Pylon Two:

Odo and Weyoun are stepping into Deep Space Nine, Kira, Taran'atar, Sisko and Quark are waiting on the other side.
Kira: "Odo, welcome back."
Odo: "Nerys, thank you."
Weyoun: "Commander Kira, it is so good to see you again."
Kira: "I wish I could return the sentiment Weyoun.  I thought you were dead."
Weyoun: "Ah you are refering to the Weyoun that was shot dead on Cardassia, yes, that was the last Weyoun in the Alpha Quadrant, there were several more in the Gamma Quadrant, I am the first one to be revived since the war."
Quark: "Odo, I can't say it's good to see you again, but...I've missed you."
Odo: "Quark...I've...not missed your constant schemes and antics."
Quark: "Ah HA! But you have missed me...I can see it in your face!"
Odo groaning: "Oh all right Quark, maybe I have missed you a LITTLE bit."
Taran'atar: "I serve the Founder, in all things."
Odo: "I thank you for your service Taran'atar, but I am not here to retrieve you just yet."
Sisko: "Odo, how have things been in the Gamma Quadrant?"
Odo: "Captain, things have been better, we got word that the Federation is in Chaos."
Sisko: "Maybe we should talk in the ward room."

Ward Room:

Odo: "I see, it is a very disturbing turn of events Admiral.  There are some in the Link that are advocating another offensive against the Federation.  They feel that these Parasites would influence the Federation to attack the Dominion.  Dominion policy has always been pre-emptive strikes."
Janeway: "So is that what your task force is for Founder?"
Weyoun: "The Founder convinced the Link that a war with the Federation is not the way to handle this crisis, so the Link determined, in its wisdom, that a foreward Battle Station on our side of the Wormhole is warranted, in case the Federation were to suddenly become belligerent, your fleets could be halfway to our core-worlds before we knew about it."
Odo: "In the interests of peace between our governments, we would allow you to establish a relay station on our station, as long as you permit us to do the same aboard Deep Space Nine."
Janeway: "Your request sounds reasonable, we can communicate with each other much easier this way."
Odo: "Also, we request that any ship entering the wormhole from your side be signaled to our station ahead of time, we will do the same for you."
Kira: "Agreed."
Odo: "Then my mission here is done, I am sorry I cannot spend more time with you Nerys, but I must return to the Link.  Perhaps once our station is completed, I will see you more often.  Weyoun."
Weyoun touched a device on his wrist: "Until we meet again."
Weyoun and Odo dissapeared in a Dominion Transporter.
Dax: "Dax to Ward room, the Dominion ship just disengaged its docking clamps, and is heading for the Wormhole."
Sisko: "Let it go Dax."

End Act XX

[Commander Maxillius]

Sweet!!! must have more!!

[Lieutenant_Q]

USS Exeter- Entering Bajoran System

Ross: "Time to snuff out the rebellion once and for all.  Once Deep Space Nine falls, the resistance will lose any cohesiveness they had.
Picard: "With our Bio-signatures suppressed, they will have no idea who we really are."
Ross: "Exactly."

Deep Space Nine - Ops

Nog: "Captain, a Federation Starship is entering the system, Chabot Class."
Sisko: "Is it one of ours Lieutenant?"
Nog: "I'm not detecting any parasites on board sir."
Dax: "They're hailing us."
Sisko: "On Screen."

Admiral Ross appears on the screen.  Sisko looks relieved to see him alive.
Ross: "Ben, sorry for the scare.  I didn't mean to make it look like I died, but I didn't want them to know I was coming.
Sisko: "Coming for what admiral?"
Picard: "Benjamin Sisko...I see you've managed to come back from the dead as it were."
Sisko: "So have you apparently.  How?"
Ross: "I found that the parasites had beamed Picard off the ship before it blew up.  But apparently he was too injured to immediately take a symbiont, I commandeered the Exeter and went to Starfleet Medical where they were holding him."
Kira: "That's good news, I'm sure that Will will be pleased to hear that."
Picard: "Yes, I imagine he would.  Commander, we request permission to dock."
Kira glancing over to Nog: "Upper Pylon 3."
Dax: "Sir!  Another Federation Starship is entering the system, its Voyager, and they are not reducing speed!"
Sisko: "Hail them."
Nog: "They're firing on the Exeter!"
Kira: "What's Chakotay doing?!"
Dax: "Text message coming in...three words..Exeter is infested."
Sisko: "What? I thought our scans came back negative?"
Nog: "They did sir."

USS Voyager

Chakotay: "Attack Pattern Sigma."
Paris: "Aye sir, but they're a lot bigger than us."
Tuvok: "The station is hailing us again."
Kim: "Foreward shields are down to seventy percent!"
Chakotay: "Put it up."
Janeway appears on the screen, looking slightly confused.
Janeway: "Chakotay, what are you doing?"
Chakotay: "We got a tip from one of the crewmembers, former Maquis, she noticed that the senior officers weren't the same as they were earlier, she sent me a coded message."
Janeway: "But our sensors are showing them parasite free."
Kim: "Aft shields are down to forty percent!"
Chakotay: "Ross knew about the sensor modifications, they know how to stop our bio-scans.  Kathryn...Voyager is going to look worse than it did after that Kazon encounter with Seska if you don't do something!"
The screen goes black.
Kim: "Direct hit, our Comm Transceiver is down.  Shields are down to thirty five percent."
Tuvok: "The station has opened fire."
Kim: "Exeter is breaking off its attack, turning to run.  Her shields are failing."
Chakotay: "Tuvok, target a Nacelle, don't let them get away!"
Two Photon Torpedoes leapt from Voyager's Forward launcher.  The Exeter's warp nacelles flashed blue, began to expand around the ship, when both torpedoes hit the Exeter's starboard nacelle.  The warp field collapsed, but not after the Exeter began her jump to warp.  She spins on her damaged nacelle like a top before coming to a rest a few billion kilometers from the station.
Kim: "The Excalibur is releasing her docking clamps, heading out toward the Exeter.  Excalibur is firing on the Exeter, her phasers have been disabled."
Tuvok: "The Excalibur has engaged a Tractor beam on the Exeter and is pulling the ship closer to the station."
Chakotay: "Tom, dock us with the station, I think we're going to have some explaining to do."

Ward Room

OParis: "Captain, I am very much rethinking my decision to let you have Voyager after this."
Chakotay: "I had information that stated that Ross and Picard we're both infected."
Janeway: "And who is your informant?"
Ross, entering the room with Bashir, Picard and several security officers: "Dead."
Bashir: "They are infected all right Admiral.  And from what I've seen from the ship, had they docked with us, most of us would be as well."
Ross: "Your Maquis agent was good, she got off a quick coded message before we stopped her.  We had thought we had stopped her."
Chakotay: "That's the beauty of the Maquis codes, short and simple."
Picard: "Why do you resist us?  We only want to improve the quality of life, for both of our species."
OParis: "Because we like our freedom of choice, you would take that away from us."
Ross: "Your feeble intelligences are no match for ours, your simple lives would be much improved by our intellects."
Sisko: "I've heard enough, Lieutenant, take them to a holding cell, until we can figure out how to separate them."
Picard: "Sisko, you cannot remove us with out killing the host, these bodies are ours now, and we will not let you have them back."
Janeway: "And make sure they can't hurt themselves."
Ro: "We'll have to restrain them."
OParis: "Whatever it takes."
Sisko: "Chakotay...Thank you."

Voyager - Sickbay

Doctor: "I'm giving you a clean bill of health Seven.  You should talk with Captain Chakotay, I'm sure you have some things to catch up on."
Seven glances over to the parasite leaping at the forcefield: "Are you sure that thing cannot escape?"
Doctor: "Even if it can, once you are out of here, there's no one here it can infest."
Seven: "Still, I would be, uneasy around it.  Good day Doctor, and thank you."
Doctor: "Seven, Vic and I are going to be performing for some of the stations crew tonight at 2200 hours, would you care to join us?"
Seven: "Watching or Performing?"
Vic: "Either one works for me doll."
Seven: "Another time perhaps."
Doctor: "If you change your mind, you know where to get a hold of me."
Seven leaves Sickbay.
Vic: "She can sing, and she looks like that...wow, if she doesn't pack the joint, I don't know who could, I hope she reconsiders."
Doctor: "That's the problem though Vic, once she makes up her mind, its hard to change it."
Vic: "Well, then, looks like its just the two of us tonight."

Voyager - Bridge
Kim: "Our comm system is back on line, shields are at eighty percent."
Chakotay: "I want those shields back within the hour B'Elanna
Torres: "Not a problem Captain, I could probably have them back in twenty minutes, but Starfleet procedure slows me down somewhat."
Seven, entering the Bridge: "Captain, I am here to request an assignment."
Kim: "Seven, good to see you on your feet."
Chakotay: "Seven.  Unless B'Elanna needs your help, I'd like for you to help Lieutenant Wildman in figuring out a way to stop these parasites.  And you might also want to say hello to Naomi, I'm sure she'll be glad to see you."
Torres: "I'm fine over here Captain."
Paris: "You can say that again."
Torres: "If you want to keep up those remarks Flyboy, you'll be watching after Miral tonight, by yourself."
Paris: "She's been a bit ornery lately, I don't know if I can handle it by myself."
Torres: "Then do something constructive."
Paris: "Yes, ma'am."
Seven and Chakotay share a glance, before Seven steps into the turbolift.

RIS Praetor's Pride

Sub-Lieutenant: "Commander, one of our picket ships is picking up three Klingon warships, bearing three-two-nine, mark twelve."
Sela: "Do they have a better course than we do?"
Sub-Lieutenant: "No Commander, they appear to be paralleling our course."
Serilla: "Do we destroy them?"
Sela: "Not just yet, but move Squadron three to surround them."
Serilla: "How long do we let them live?"
Sela: "Not long at all..but first...Sub-Lieutenant, as soon as squadron three is in position, jam their communications."
Sub-Lieutenant: "Yes Commander."
Serilla: "Commander, It is strange that these three ships would not be cloaked."
Sela: "I agree, dispatch squadron seven to assist, watch especially for cloaked ships."
Sub-Lieutenant: "Commander, Squadron Three is in position."
Sela: "Jam their Communications, prepare to de-cloak."

End Act XXI

[Sapharite]

Check your PM for Klingon profiles. I am sorry it took me so long because of being sick last time :/

[Lieutenant_Q]

Heh...Serious Case of Writers Block here...the first one wasn't so bad, as I had written them in advance, I got my groove back just before I ran out of cached material...this time...you're all waiting til I start to click again...Sorry.

Lt. Q

[Commander Maxillius]

It's all good   No one can be expected to keep producing good material like this constantly.  Take your time, we're not going anywhere