“All the shuttles and runabouts are in position to escort the civilian ships, Captain,” Ward reported. She stared hard at her screen, where she could see the number of shuttles and runabouts that surrounded the ships, ships loaded with lots of fuel, fuel that will be used to create a massive explosion. Surely the station alone can handle these ships, but that much larger ship that is supporting those ships, the odds were definitely against them. But why haven’t they launched a full scale assault? They have the firepower to knock out their shields and then some. Did they want to capture the station? Or did they just want the system? Or both? Avalon Fleet Yards was not far off from them, they could use this system to strike but if they’re responsible for the phenomena, then they really don’t need to capture this system to attack the fleet yards.

“Activate the auto pilot system, send those ships to the asteroid field. Let’s hope those pilots understand their objective,” said Hunt.

“It was made clear to them, sir. They’re to protect the civilian ships at all costs, then scatter when they’re deep inside the asteroid field,” she reiterated, to assure Captain Hunt that the pilots will do their jobs. Her console then alerted her that there was movement in the Vaadwaur fleet. “Looks like four ships are heading towards the civilian ships, think we got their attention!”

Ward watched as the four civilian ships surrounded by the small craft made their way as fast as their engines could go, as they headed straight for the designated spot in the asteroid belt that they calculated that the explosion would cause the least impact to the system. They could see the four Vaadwaur vessels getting closer and closer until the holographic display showed the polaron beams that came from the enemy and struck either the small crafts or the shields of one of the civilian ships.

“It looks like the upgrades to the shield generators on those civilian ships is holding up,” said Hunt as he, among many others, watched the scene unfold before them in the center of the Ops station. The holographic display sure made it wonderful to watch, if only it was not about the elimination of enemy vessels. It was not long for the display to reveal some asteroids as the group approached the asteroid belt, while the holographic display showed more weapons fire, the such that was exchanged between the Vaadwaur vessels and the small craft. The pilots were doing their job well, to make it seem that the civilian ships were quite valuable, and thus the crafts protected them with extreme prejudice.

That is, until they reached their way point. They watched as all small crafts dispersed and scattered in various directions to get as far away as possible before the civilian ships erupted in massive amounts of flames and ripples of the extreme force behind the explosion. Such force and destructive power behind the explosion from the civilian ships was enough to not only propel surrounding asteroids away, as predicted, but also cause severe damage to the four Vaadwaur ships. So much damage, that all four of them had a cascade of internal explosions that soon had the entirety of their ships erupt into rippling waves and fire. The area was now scattered with debris, as the observers in Ops watched the success of a risky operation. One that they will likely not be able to repeat again.

“Well, goes to show that even if the Vaadwaur invasion fleet holds outside of our weapons range, we can still take some of their ships out.” Smiled Ward as she resets the holographic display to return to the Vaadwaur fleet. Just in time for them to see movement. “Looks like they’re not waiting any longer.”

“Alert all personnel, prepare to repel boarders,” Hunt ordered as he watched the remainder of the Vaadwaur invasion fleet move into range and began to pummel their shields, this included the singular large vessel, which angled itself so that it fired broadside into the station. Hunt could only estimate that their shields won’t last even a day under this assault, no matter how much power they divert to the shields, they will fail. And they will be boarded.

Tallix stood there, his breathing heavy, his left hand clenched tightly into a fist, while he held a blaster in his right. He stared down at the body below him, body of the former commander of the invasion fleet, one that was sprawled out onto the floor, lifeless. Of course, the former commander was lifeless because of the hole in his head, that started from the back, and ended at his forehead. Steam emanated from the hole in the back, as well as from the emitter of his blaster that he held in his right hand.

Eyes were upon him. Eyes of many bridge officers, all who had followed every order that this dead commander had made. Every order that Tallix had questioned to the bitter end. No more. Now Tallix will be the one to give the orders. He will be the one to ensure that this invasion succeeded. He looked up from the dead body, and let his eyes scan the room, where his gaze landed on each and every officer that watched him. They were curious. Was he going to shoot them as well? Or has he taken charge and were they awaiting his orders? Then it is best that he did not keep them waiting.

Tallix took a deep breath before he spoke loudly and clearly. “By right, I have executed our former commander for the fact that his orders had led us to nothing but failure after failure. The loss of our valuable fighters was to be expected, but they should have been backed up by the entirety of this fleet. The loss of our valuable ships, chasing a civilian convoy that turned out to be a trap; that was an unacceptable loss. Our former commander has made costly mistakes. Mistakes that I will correct immediately.” Tallix turned to Gallad. “You will be my second in command, and my first order is to engage that station with the entirety of our invasion fleet, at once!”

Gallad raised his voice as he spoke out to all officers. “You heard the new Invasion Commander! All ships, converge on the Starfleet Station! Set all weapons to maximum power and fire at will! Pilot. Bring our ship in range for a full broadside assault! We must eliminate their shields so our troops may board and eliminate all those who oppose the Vaadwaur Supremacy!”

The Tokyo was still a day away from reaching Starbase 415 when the Vaadwaur invasion fleet began to assault it at full force. Moment that they, and the three Tholian ships, had left the phenomenon, they were cruising at the fastest speed as they possibly could. Bruce even had to convince his chief engineer to coax more speed out of the engines, at risk of burning out the warp coils. But he did not care. As long as they made it to Starbase 415, they can replace those coils. Although, if they burn them up before they reach the station, then that’s a different story.

Just before they could reach the edge of the phenomenon that surrounded the Nereus System, home of their beloved station, Harper had informed Bruce that sensors had detected large number of vessels, most were Starfleet. So, Bruce ordered to investigate and thus, Tokyo and the three Tholian vessels had dropped out of warp to find out exactly who they were. They came across to five Talarian cruisers, and well over a dozen small crafts that came from the station.

“Sir, one of the runabouts is hailing,” said Pip.

“On screen,” Bruce ordered as he pushed himself out of his seat to approach the view screen, Stan had followed right with him, who was just as curious as Bruce was.

“Oh thank god you are here,” said the lieutenant on the viewer.

“What’s going on, Lieutenant? Why are you all out here?”

“Sir. Just eight hours ago, Starbase Four-Fifteen’s shields failed. Both reactors one and three took damage and were forced to shut down to prevent an overload. The station is under minimal power, one reactor and auxiliaries. The crew are trying to fend off the Vaadwaur soldiers but Captain Hunt…” she took a deep breath. “He ordered us to take as many people from the station as we could and flee as far as we could. We just got out of the phenomenon when we saw these Talarian vessels. Sir, they want to help fight the Vaadwaur that is attacking our people.”

Bruce could feel the glare from Stan, who had been so insistent that the Tokyo be there to defend the station. But Bruce knew, that if the Tokyo had been there, they would be in worse shape than they are now. Plus, by not being there, the Tokyo will be able to return to the station’s aide, with friends.

“Then, Lieutenant. Any crafts that needs repairs better get on board now. Because we are going back in, and we’re going to teach those Snake Heads a lesson.”