Stardate 52653.1
Office of the Admirality, Starbase 157

"Captain Desoto?"

Robert Desoto, Starfleet Captain, stepped into the Admiral's office on Starbase 157. His uniform was, for the first time in nearly a month, crisp and well tended. But he still could not help but feel ... he glanced at his hands, but they were clean. No sign of the blood he imagined on them.

"Yes, sir?" Desoto inquired as the doors hissed shut behind him.

Rear-Admiral John Kvach handed him a PADD. "Repairs to your ship will take six months, Captain. The entire nacelle structure has to be replaced, and the primary hull might as well be too."

Desoto fought to keep his emotions in check. The urge to scream -- to break something anything! -- overwhelmed him.

"You did well, Captain," Kvach continued. "Disabled a Dominion battlecruiser, destroyed two fighters ..."

"And I lost three hundred men doing it!" Desoto snapped. He caught himself and cringed. "I'm sorry, Admiral..."

Kvach shook his head and slumped into his chair. "It's a bloody war, Captain. We're losing all our best people."

Desoto looked up at the young Admiral across from him. A good ten years younger than he this man was. But while Desoto had passed up promotions (three offers in the past year!), Kvach had not. Desoto couldn't blame him, either -- he knew what had happened aboard the Boylston as well as anyone. And Kvach had been there, lived through it.

"Robert..." Kvach began softly. "You've passed up the admirality three times..."

"And I'll do so again," Desoto said. He'd be damned if he'd become a Starfleet Admiral. "My place is on the bridge."

Kvach leaned forward. "I tend to agree. The Fifth Fleet is looking for a squadron commander. It's yours, if you want it."

Desoto tilted his head. "A squadron?"

"We're commissioning a Sovereign-Class starship as its flagship tommorow."

Desoto glanced out the tiny port in Kvach's office. The Excelsior-Class USS Hood could be seen, framed in by construction bays.

"If you agree," Kvach said. "I'll approve the commissioning of the ship as the Hood."

Desoto glanced at Kvach. "I accept, sir."

Kvach grinned. "Good. Because I've already got a mission for you."

Desoto nodded. "Yes, sir."

Diagrams appeared on Kvach's monitor. "Two Klingon bird of preys detected a new class of Cardassian ship being launched from their orbital facility above Gainer V. It's three times the size of their Galor-Class ships. We've nicknamed it the Dreadnaught, for lack of the proper names."

"That thing is huge!" Desoto gasped in amazement. "Even a Sovereign-Class couldn't take it on and hope to win."

"Well, you're going to find out," Kvach said with a thin smile. "That ship enters Federation space in twenty-nine hours given its current course and speed. We've got the Third and Fourth fleets spread too wide over their possible penetration points -- and with the Dominion at Benzar..."

"I understand, sir," Desoto said, standing. "Permission to see to my new crew?"

Kvach nodded. "Good luck, Captain."

Stardate 52678.3
USS Segur
Somewhere ...

"Fifty-percent power restored to primary impulse drive, Commander," Ensign Stock handed over the report to the blonde officer seated in the XO's chair.

Commander Michelle Dasz took the padd and examined it. She nodded and handed it back. "We need one-hundred percent power, Ensign."

"Yes, ma'am," Stock replied. "We're having some trouble with the plasma drivers, but we think we can have it up twenty-percent by the end of the day."

"Good," Dasz said. "Carry on."

"Aye, ma'am."

Dasz stepped forward, down to the Ops console, where two officers were busy trying to put the dammed thing back together. "Any idea on the problem?" she inquired.

"Oh, sure," Ensign Pendergrast said, grimacing. "We're just not sure if we can fix it or not."

"Sickbay to the bridge," Doctor Gessling's voice said.

Dasz slapped her badge. "Dasz here, Doctor. Is it important?"

The Doctor's voice seemed to catch. "I'm afraid so, Commander. I was unable to stabilize Captain V'isll. He ... he's dead."

Commander Michelle Dasz closed her eyes, and ignored the ruin around her as she tried to keep herself from collapsing to the deck. I'm in command ... I'm in command ... I'm in co...

"Commander!" Pendergrast shouted in concern as the Executive Officer fell.

Stardate 52689.7
USS Akitshushima
In orbit of Andor

"This is Miguel Molina, reporting live to you from the Third Fleet Flagship Akitshushima. Deployed along the Andorian system, this fleet of close to nine hundred ships is here to defend the world from a suspected attack by the Dominion Fleet gathering above occupied Benzar.

"Just an hour ago, FIBNS learned that a mangled distress call from the USS Hood was recieved last night. Many of you may remember the Hood -- she fought in the campaign to retake the Chin'toka system. She has served in Starfleet for nearly forty years, and once, a long time ago, William T. Riker, the man who stopped the Borg after Wolf 359, served aboard her as Executive Officer. She was the lead ship in the Bor'al Colony relief effort. And last night, she was destroyed.

"Details are as yet, unclear. What FIBNS has learned is that the distress call was recieved by the USS Mair. The Hood and her escort ship, the Juno-Class Pancho Villa came under attack by a Cardassian battlecruiser, of unknown design. During the conflict, the Hood was destroyed and..." Molina stopped talking and frowned, someone was speaking to him through his earpiece. "Yes, it seems the Pancho Villa suffered heavy damage but was able to withdraw.

"Reporting live from the Akitshushima, this is Miguel Molina for the Federation Independent Broadcast News Service."

------------------
Star Trek Gamma Quadrant
Average Rated 8.32 out of 10 Smileys by Fabrux (with seven eps posted)
***
"Oh, yes, screw logic, let's go for a theory with no evidence!"
-Omega 11:48am, Jan. 19th, 2001

IKS Pagh

"Status." Captain HoQ did not phrase his orders as questions, as he understood many Federation officers did, but instead simply phrased them as orders. Statements. He gave them, others obeyed. Or they died.

"Constant course and speed," Klon reported from his station. "They have not detected us."

Part of HoQ was torn. They could've assisted when those two Federation ships had attacked. But part of him knew that it was not simply enough to die in the line of duty, it was to hurt the enemy in some way. And the way this Cardassian ship had torn the Sovereign-Class starship apart had made him realize that he did not want to die in a futile manuever. He wanted to take the enemy with him when he passed.

Commander Quoijk had objected to that line of thinking. And thus, Quoijk was dead, and Klon was now First Officer. This was, after all, a Klingon ship.

"Send data to Federation listening post," HoQ said simply.

His orders were always followed.

USS Segur

Lieutenant Mordock hurried onto the bridge, nearly knocking Lieutenant Vadrick off his feet. Pendergrast had lifted Dasz into the Conn seat, and was checking her over. "I'm fine," Dasz assured him, turning her attention to the Benzite. "Yes, Lieutenant?"

Mordock stood at attention. "We've recieved a low-frequency communique from Starfleet, Commander. Admiral Kvach wishes to speak to the Captain."

"Put him on in the Ready Room," Dasz said, standing. She sat at the Captain's desk, and wondered for the upteenth time how someone could exist one second and not the next. It was a question she had debated since Philosophy 101 at the Academy.

"Capta... ah, Commander Dasz," Kvach corrected himself. "I need to speak to Captain V'isll. Is he recovered?"

Dasz closed her eyes. "No, sir, he's dead. Five minutes ago, the doctor wasn't able to save him."

Kvach's jaw clenched. He and V'isll had shipped out together.

"I'm sorry, sir," Dasz said. "I just found out myself."

"Status of repairs, Commander?" Kvach said.

"We should be back at Starbase in about six days, sir," Dasz said. "Chief Engineer Showacre thinks we can be back in service in four weeks refit time."

"Not possible," Kvach said. "Do you know what the Kolvaania Expanse sector of space is?"

What did he think she was? A first year cadet? "Yes, sir," Dasz said. "A full sector of space where an unusual concentration of ionization renders sensors nearly useless. It's avoided by all starships except for select research ships..."

"And it's where you're going," Kvach said. "Go to red alert, plot a course, and engage. More mission details will be coming."

"SIR?!" Dasz gasped. "You've got to be kidding! The ship is in disarray, the captain and half of the crew is dead!"

"Commander!" Kvach snapped. "You don't understand, do you? You are the captain! Make do with the crew you have. Those are your orders."

Michelle Dasz nodded. "Aye, sir."

USS Pancho Villa

"You're crazy, sir!" the First Officer snapped.

"Man your station, Mr. Kavanaugh," Lieutenant Commander Alamin El'Fohil ordered. The bridge of the Pancho Villa was a mess. The fires had been brought under control, but the warp jump which had saved them from destruction had blown out the emergency bulkheads on decks seven, eight, and nine, and killed forty men and women.

"Sir, we can't go on!" Lt. Kavanaugh pleaded. "The ship is a wreck! We've barely got warp speed capability! We've got sixty-five percent casualties!"

"Well, Lieutenant," El'Fohil snapped. "We'll have to make do with the thirty-five percent we've got. That bohemouth destroyed the Hood as easily as if it were a bug. Now it's headed for the Kolvaania Expance, and if it gets in, we'll never find it. Now carry out my orders, or I will relieve you of duty."

Kavanaugh set his jaw in anger. "Aye, sir!" he snapped, turning away.

"I shall chase you to the ends of the galaxy," El'Fohil said to no one in particular, as the Pancho Villa changed course.

------------------
Star Trek Gamma Quadrant
Average Rated 8.32 out of 10 Smileys by Fabrux (with seven eps posted)
***
"Oh, yes, screw logic, let's go for a theory with no evidence!"
-Omega 11:48am, Jan. 19th, 2001

Lieutenant (j.g.) Grunnut wearily surveyed the master situation room of the small, three-person station. Computer stations blinked and whirred as they computated and postulated, and none of it mattered a god-damn.

The master tracking station was dedicated to compiling information from the other fifteen sensor posts within the Kolvaania Expanse and displaying the results here. It was Grunnut's job to make sure that any ships within the Expanse didn't get lost. It had happened before -- no one wanted a rehash of what happened to the Memphis.

There were ships within the Expanse. That took him off guard. The Expanse was pretty much off-limits ... unless ...

Could the Dominion be using it? Attempting to send their ships through the heart of Federation space? Oh, he'd warned Starfleet Command about that possibility from the get-go of hostilities, but they'd ignored him. He didn't even have a squadron to patrol the area, and now look!

There were two ships. He pulled up the data on them. He frowned as he recognized the Pancho Villa. Hadn't she been ordered back to starbase for repairs? But there she was, plodding away from the base, and into the Expanse ...

And it hit him. The Cardassian warship was in the Expanse. It had to be! The Pancho Villa was going to try and avenge the Hood! Foolish, Grunnut thought, but if the captain was human, it made sense. Humans were very foolish.

"Computer," Grunnut ordered. "Open comm channel to Starfleet Command."

IKS Pagh

"Status."

"Un-changed," Klon reported. "We are entering the Kolvaania Expanse in one point four hours."

"Report on that," HoQ ordered, stepping to Klon's Ship Status station.

"It disrupts ship's sensors, Captain," Klon reported. "The Federation maintains a system of sensor stations on the rim to help navigate vessels that get lost inside. One of their vessels - Memphis - became trapped inside with navigation errors and remained so for three months."

"Why would the Cardassian vessel go there." HoQ never asked. He stated.

"I do not know," Klon replied. "Perhaps they have a better navigational system than current starships. The tactical use is obvious: they can sneak past the fleet at Andor."

"Signal Starfleet," HoQ ordered.

"Do we pursue?" Klon inquired.

"We are Klingons," HoQ replied. "We do not fear navigational errors. We fear no one. Pursuit!"

USS Segur

"Sensors at max," Lieutenant Mordock reported from the Operations post as he pulled up new computations. "Still no readings."

"We've established a link with the sensor posts," Hope Showacre reported from her engineering post. "In about an hour, we'll have the best navigational system we could hope for inside of this ... thing."

"Good work," Dasz reported. The bridge crew noticed that Dasz had not sat in the command chair in the two days that the Segur had been pushing for the Kolvaaria Expanse. Instead, she gave her orders from her old post: the XO's seat.

The Sovereign-Class ship pushed forward.

------------------
Star Trek Gamma Quadrant
Average Rated 8.32 out of 10 Smileys by Fabrux (with seven eps posted)
***
"Oh, yes, screw logic, let's go for a theory with no evidence!"
-Omega 11:48am, Jan. 19th, 2001

I've really thought your idea would go into oblivion.
You have a talented writing style - fast and effective!

What kind of classes are these Starfleet ships?
Do you have a picture of your Super-Cardie-Cruiser?

And one simple request:
Could you please post before you switch to another vessel its name?
At the beginning it is a little confusing to organize the new crew-names to certain ships.

So after you've confinced me of your talent, i think i'm going to spend your ST-GQ site a visit.

Great work indeed!

------------------
Visit Seventhworld, with its new Sci-Fi project FALLENWALLS
www.seventhworld.de

And of course my own StarTrek Series Project
www.stnemesis.de

Just a preview...

You'll recognize some of these characters in ST:GQ, but I'll let you find them out for yourself

Ship classes ...

The first Hood is Excelsior, and Desoto's second Hood (the one that bites the dust) is Sovereign.

The Segur is Sovereign, the Pagh is a bird-of-prey (and it appeared in TNG's Matter of Honor, BTW). The Pancho Villa is, I believe, a Juno-Class, although no, I don't know what that looks like. It's a well armed scout, which is why its CO is a Lt. Commander.

I went back and edited in ship names so it's easier to figure out what crew the story is with at any one time.

No, I don't have pics of the super-big Cardie ship. It's big, though. It's monsterous.

------------------
Star Trek Gamma Quadrant
Average Rated 8.32 out of 10 Smileys by Fabrux (with seven eps posted)
***
"Oh, yes, screw logic, let's go for a theory with no evidence!"
-Omega 11:48am, Jan. 19th, 2001

------------------
Star Trek Gamma Quadrant
Average Rated 8.32 out of 10 Smileys by Fabrux (with seven eps posted)
***
"Oh, yes, screw logic, let's go for a theory with no evidence!"
-Omega 11:48am, Jan. 19th, 2001

Andorian Warship Tishratin
Somewhere near the Kolvaania Expanse

There was only one reason why Captain Kolax Ivari hadn't entered the Starfleet. And that was because he preferred the bridge of an Andorian warcruiser to that of a Starfleet science ship. Although, Ivari admitted to himself, the Akira-Class ship (which resembled the class of Ivari's own ship) was a handsome design. Obviously Andorian.

The bridge was compact and spartan. Highly trained warriors manned the tactical, helm, sensor, and combat stations. The dark greys and royal blues of the Andorian uniforms contrasted with the yellow bulkhead.

Except for the Starfleet officer present.

Ivari had mixed feelings about the old Officer Exchange Program, but especially with the Andorian military under Starfleet authority (something he had been quite irritated about), he had demanded that the liason officer aboard his ship be an Andorian.

And a big one at that. Lieutenant (jg) Gosvar was briefing Ivari on recent military news. "Starfleet reports that an unidentified Cardassian warship has entered the Kolvaania Expanse. They've sent ships to investigate. The..."

Ivari held up his hand. "Wait. Is this the same warship that destroyed the Hood?"

Gosvar nodded. "It would seem so. A Klingon bird-of-prey is trailing the ship, and the USS Segur has been diverted to intercept. Starfleet is planning on dispatching the Ark Royal to assist."

"And we will go as well," Ivari said.

"Captain?" Gosvar inquired.

Ivari turned his head. "Kovaine! Set course for the Kolvaania Expanse. Maximum warp velocity."

The second in command of the Tishratin leaned forward over her Combat Assessement board. "May I remind the esteemed Captain that we have been ordered to hold this position by Fleet Central?"

"I am thanful to the esteemed First Officer for pointing out the conflict," Ivari said, settling in his command chair. "However, it is time that we showed the Federation that the Andorian military is capable of commanding itself. We will destroy that vessel."

Kovaine nodded her head. "Aye, sir. Helm, set course, engage at warp nine. All systems -- run combat diagnostics."

"Sir..." Gosvar said.

Ivari took Gosvar's arm. "You're Andorian, Lieutenant! The fleet in this sector will not be affected by the loss of our ship. We have an honorable, glorious duty to attend to."

"Yes, sir, I realize, but..."

"Mr. Gosvar," Ivari continued. "Do you really want to go back to the Drysdale in a month without having seen combat? There is a war going on, and it is the duty of every warrior to fight in that war. To find our enemy, and hunt them out."

"And to die trying," Gosvar rumbled. "Sounds almost Klingon."

"Starfleet tempered you," Ivari said. "We Andorians are much like the Klingons. Honor above all else."

"Then let us find this ship," Gosvar said. "And destroy it."

Ivari grinned. "I knew you'd see it my way."

------------------
Star Trek Gamma Quadrant
Average Rated 8.32 out of 10 Smileys by Fabrux (with seven eps posted)
***
"Oh, yes, screw logic, let's go for a theory with no evidence!"
-Omega 11:48am, Jan. 19th, 2001

I assume the Sovereign-Class ship was being temporarily commissioned as the Hood to honor her new commander, Capt. Desoto. As if to if that commission would become permenant once the Excelsior-Class ship was ready to return to service, well ...

Yes, the Sovereign-Class Hood was the one lost in action to the Super Cardassian battleship.

------------------
Star Trek Gamma Quadrant
Average Rated 8.32 out of 10 Smileys by Fabrux (with seven eps posted)
***
"Oh, yes, screw logic, let's go for a theory with no evidence!"
-Omega 11:48am, Jan. 19th, 2001
***
I wouln't say that anyone who has ceased to post every time you rant has "realized that they couldn't win" Omega. It's more like "oh, great he comes Mr. conservative frontal lobotomy boy who only hits one note over and over and over and over..."
-Jay, July 15, 2000

Maybe this will help you how to figure out the rest of the story!

members.aol.com/sulpop/3.jpg

That is an image of the game StarTrek Dominion Wars, Cardassian Hutet-Class, not canon, but that is how i would imagine your Cardie-Dreadnaught!

------------------
Visit Seventhworld, with its new Sci-Fi project FALLENWALLS
www.seventhworld.de

And of course my own StarTrek Series Project
www.stnemesis.de

Just a preview...