Trial By Fire (a fanfic)

[Col. Crackpot]

now be nice everyone, not only is this my first fic, but the first goddamn story i have written since composition 101 in college.



TRIAL BY FIRE
a crossover fanfic by Col. Crackpot


Admiral Jellico sat stone-faced in his command chair. His emotions must not be allowed to betray him. It had been a long three months of training and drills…. endless drills. His people were finally being molded into the shapes of his dreams. These are what a Starfleet officers should be.
It was true, at first he had doubts. Some of the most dubious names in Starfleet were placed under his command… Ro Laren. Ben Maxwell. Tom Paris Thomas Riker. Doubts concerning their discipline and character were long cleared. Besides, it takes the right assignment to bring out the true character in anyone. The newly created Federation dark ops task force seemed to be that very assignment.
‘Sir, we are disengaging slipstream and closing on waypoint zeta’ Captain Maxwell’s calm voice pierced the relative silence of the command bridge.
‘Very well, bring the fleet to battle stations, launch all assault craft…defensive pattern Sisko epsilon 5.”
The massive bulk of the Athena ripped through the slipstream eddies and tore into real space. Its twelve hundred meters of armored bulk dominated the star field. A trio of escorts, dwarfed by the giant, pulled along side, and hurried off into evasive patterns. Mounted upon her armored neck, the nacelles of eight Defiant class corvettes began to glow a soft cool blue before rapidly detaching from their moorings.
Dozens of small fighters poured from each of the Athena’s four launch bays.
‘Sir, incoming subspace transmission, priority one, Admiral’s eyes only.’ Maxwell cocked his head slightly, a hint of confusion evident on his face
‘Halt the exercise and recall all launches. I’ll take that call in my ready room…you have the bridge Captain’
Jellico’s mind raced. What could be so important as to interrupt a live fire exercise? Not just any, but the first test of the new Defiant tri cobalt launching platform. ‘Damn’ Jellico straightened his uniform, sat and opened the comm. Channel. What he saw surprised him.
"Fleet Admiral Shanthi, it’s a pleasure Ma’am" Jellico greeted the commanding admiral of Starfleet with more than a twinge of apprehension. The Admiral of the Fleet simply does not call upon someone unless something…
‘Admiral’ Jellico’s thoughts were interrupted ‘I’m afraid your Black Ops project will have to be brought into service far sooner than planned. We have a …situation. Fourteen hours ago we lost all contact with the New Canberra colony on the edge of the typhoon expanse. The USS Thunderchild and her fighter wing were sent to investigate, and subsequently disappeared.’
‘The Borg?’ Jellico cringed at the thought of those cybernetic monsters.
‘No, however that was our initial belief. Shortly after the loss of contact with the Thunderchild we dispatched the vanguard elements of the 7th fleet…the Venture, Galaxy and the entire 17th Akira task group. The force was led by the Enterprise herself’ Shanthi’s face paled ‘We received the following message from Capt. Picard.
The bloodied face of Picard replaced that of Admiral Shanthi. ‘This is the Enterprise! Condition Omega! Request massive re-enforce…..” the message faded to static.
‘That’s not all. The Enterprise also was able to embed some tactical data in the transmission, take a look at this.’ The image of a wedge shaped vessel filled the screen now. Multiple weapon emplacements are seen firing on the Federation formations…obliterating them.
‘Our preliminary estimates’ Shanthi resumed ‘are astounding. That vessel is roughly 900 meters long and the weapons fire seems to be in the GIGATON range.’ Jellico’s jaw dropped ‘Ed, yours is the only task force equipped with a slipstream drive. My estimate is that you can be on scene in a half hour. The 7th fleet is in route, but will arrive a full hour later than you. There are a quarter of a million colonists on New Canberra, and five million more on Stella 4….”
‘I understand Admiral. We’re on our way. Jellico out.’ Jellico let out a long sigh, allowing himself a moment to think of friends aboard the Enterprise and Venture before heading back to the bridge. The doors hissed open and he stepped out onto the relative bright lights of the command center.
‘Lt. Burkhardt, prepare the battle group for a slipstream jump and lay in a course for the New Canberra colony. Maxwell, bring the ship Red Alert. Senior staff in the conference room. NOW.’

<TO BE CONTINUED>

[Col. Crackpot]

well, i guess no news is good news...here's some more



2 Hours Earlier - New Canberra System

USS Enterprise, Acting Command Ship- 7th Fleet, Task Force Alpha

“Captain, we are approaching the New Canberra system. Sensors are showing a minor gravimetric anomaly around the third planet it may be a result of a ship or ships on the far side.” The young officer reported. A raven-haired female Ensign, barely in her twenties Picard guessed.
“Thank you Ensign Hernandez. Yellow Alert. Signal the fleet to drop out of warp. I for one would like to know what is going on.” Whatever the cause of this mystery, one thing was for sure, it was not the Borg. They had not come to him in his dreams. He cannot hear them. No, this was something entirely different, indeed. “Launch a warp probe to the far side of the planet, and open a channel to the colony”
The distinct hum of the warp drive faded as the task force dropped from warp sixty light seconds from the planet. On the main view screen eight Akira class vessels can be seen speeding ahead, each launching its complement of 36 Peregine II light fighters. Behind the Enterprise, to starboard and port the Galaxy and Venture launched their own fighters. Swarming like angry wasps, they took up defensive formations around the trio.
“New Canberra Colony, this is captain Jean-Luc Picard of the USS Enterprise, What is your situation?”
“Captain, sensors indicate no life signs on the surface. I also see a debris field and traces of antimatter radiation. It is the Thunderchild…. Sir, a large vessel has fired on our probe and is moving toward our position on an attack vector” Picard found Commander Parek’s calm Vulcan demeanor an asset in times such as this. “They are hailing us”
“On Screen.”
“Federation Vessel, this is Captain Viscerett of the Victory Class Star Destroyer Aggressor. The Galactic Empire has claimed this system and all things within it. You are ordered to stand down and prepare to be boarded. All resistance will be met with force.” The screen abruptly cut back to an image of the planet.
“Like Hell we will. Commander order the fleet to red alert. Mr. Worf, tactical analysis?” Picard was angry now. He rose from his chair to face his tactical officer.
“Sir, the ship is nine hundred meters long and constructed of an unknown alloy with high a concentration of neutronium…. Hull conforming shield system of unknown power and multiple weapon emplacements. They are also launching several dozen one manned craft…. fighters sir.” Worf’s snarl betrayed his burning desire to kill something.
“Hostile fighters moving to engage the 89th and 115th fighter wings, 101st and 103rd moving to support. Captain! The 89th has been fired upon, 9 fighters down!”
“Open a channel to the fleet! All ships, weapons free, repeat weapons free!”