USS Odyssey (NCC-80000)

This was the moment. All their hard work and efforts culminated in this. The final battle lay before them. They would either halt the Vaadwaur for good or risk their alliance crumbling, allowing the Vaadwaur to seize control of the galaxy.

As the turbolift ascended toward the bridge, Captain Max Duncan tugged at the hem of his uniform jacket, his hands then clasping tightly in front of him. His gaze remained locked on the doors ahead, his posture composed but taut. Beside him, his husband, Commander Tobias Court, stood in thoughtful silence. Neither had spoken since stepping into the lift until now.

“Breathe, Max,” Court murmured, glancing at his husband quickly.

Duncan exhaled slowly. “I am breathing.”

Court let out a soft chuckle. “If you say so,” he teased gently, recognising the tension beneath Duncan’s calm facade. Reaching out, he grasped Duncan’s hand and squeezed it reassuringly. “You’ve got this.”

Duncan returned the squeeze with a faint smile. “We’ve got this.”

The turbolift slowed to a smooth halt. Both men straightened, silently steeling themselves for the battle ahead. As the doors parted, Duncan and Court exchanged one last glance before stepping onto the bustling bridge.

“Captain on the bridge,” someone announced crisply as Duncan stepped out. The crew snapped to attention, but with a curt nod, Duncan motioned for them to return to their stations. Crossing to his command chair, he was quickly joined by Hunsen, Tomaz, Flemen, and Horin.

“Status?” Duncan asked, his eyes scanning his senior staff.

“Ready as ever, sir,” Flemen responded confidently.

“And the commodore?”

“On his way up,” Tomaz reported.

“Good,” Duncan said with a firm nod. “Take your posts. Let’s get to work.”

The officers exchanged brief nods and quiet words of encouragement before dispersing to their stations. Court slid into the seat at Duncan’s right. For the coming engagement, he would serve as first officer of the chevron section when the ship separated for Multi-Vector Assault Mode. Hunsen and Flemen would command the stardrive, while Tomaz and Horin would take the Telemachus.

“We’re approaching the system’s boundary, sir,” Paynkor reported a few moments later. “Just ahead, the outer edge of the Nekrit Expanse.”

“Onscreen,” Court commanded.

As the viewscreen shimmered to life, Duncan sat up, revealing a sprawling ribbon of pink and violet gases. Beyond it, the star system they approached loomed, the battleground ahead.

“The system is heavily populated with Vaadwaur ships and installations,” Keli reported from tactical, her tone steady.

“Shields to maximum. Charge all weapons,” Duncan ordered crisply. He tapped the ship-wide intercom. “All hands, this is the bridge. Tactical alert. Report to your posts and stand by to engage the enemy.”

“Sir, you should see something,” Reddick stated as she pulled up the sensor readings onto the large viewscreen. 

At that point, Commodore McCallister entered the bridge. “More challenges ahead?” He asked.

Duncan looked over to his superior officer, “It looks like it.” He gestured for his science officer to continue.

“The edge of this system is littered with those Blackout Stations that Starfleet warned us about,” Reddick shared. “With those and the sensor-interfering properties of the Nekrit Expanse this far out, it’s a perfect place to hide away.”

“No wonder why they fell back here to rebuild,” McCallister remarked, almost impressed by their enemy. 

“A small pocket in the Delta Quadrant to conceal their existence when everyone else thought they were destroyed,” Duncan said. “Now we need to bring it down.”

“Then let’s get started,” McCallister ordered as he took the seat to Duncan’s left. 

USS Almagest (NCC-91870)

“Exiting Underspace in… three, two, one,” Commander Kellin Rayco announced.  In time with his countdown, the burnt-caramel glow flooding the USS Almagest’s bridge drained away in a heartbeat later.  The lighting dimmed.  Through the wide transparent viewscreen, the darkness and stars of normal space returned to view.

Seated in the captain’s seat at Kellin’s side, Captain Elbon Jakkelb requested, “Squadron report?”

“Each ship in Constellation Squadron has exited the Underspace aperture,” advised Lieutenant Dolan from the science hub.  “The coalition of Haakonians, Talaxians, Kazon, Trabe, Rakosan, Pralor, and Vidiians are reporting in too.”

Elbon leaned in to Kellin to whisper, “We didn’t lose any of the Kazon?  Not one?  I expected at least one sect to betray us by now.”

Glancing down at his arm panel, Kellin confirmed in an undertone, “Eleven Kazon ships on scanners.  No weapons targeted at us.”

After clearing his throat, Elbon opened a question to the senior staff at large.  “As much as we’ve walked the trails of Underspace, I’d still describe us as tourists.  We’re certain this is the origin point of the carrier wave that was used to control the Pralor?  We followed the signal to the right aperture?”

“Aye, captain,” Dolan quickly advised.  “USS Orion has independently confirmed the origin of the carrier wave.  USS Odyssey is entering the star system ahead of us now.  The Pralor have deployed their own counter-measures to avoid further control, and the interplexing beacon in our communication pod is transmitting the counter-signal.”

“Let’s make it official,” Elbon remarked.  “Shields up!  Red alert.  All hands to battle stations.”

Under the cover of flashing red lights and blaring klaxons, Elbon lowered his voice again so only Kellin could hear it.

“Kel, is there any update on Taes’s condition?” Elbon asked gently.

“Nothing concrete,” Kellin said, bottling up his worry in the pit of his stomach.  “She’s still in surgery.  Commander Calumn is in command of Constellation.”

USS Orion (NCC-92915)

“All fighters have been launched, Captain,” Saval announced crisply.

“Excellent,” Krabreii said, her brow furrowing as she strode across the bridge with folded arms. She studied the holographic tactical display. “They have a lot of defences.”

“At least half a million automated weapon platforms and a sophisticated detection grid,” Anderson reported from tactical. “This won’t be easy, ma’am.”

“Absolutely, Mister Anderson. This won’t be easy…for them.” Krabreii smirked.

Jines glanced nervously over his shoulder, hesitating.

Spotting her pilot’s unease, Krabreii strode to the helm. “What is it, Andron?”

Jines met her gaze. “We traced the signal that took over the Pralor to this system, but ma’am, look at these readings.” He pointed at his console. “The signal is everywhere in the system.”

Krabreii squinted at the readings and rested a hand on the back of Jines’ chair. “Lieutenant, I think you’ve just found our upper hand.”

“I did?” Jines asked, eyebrows rising.

“You did,” Krabreii said, a grin tugging at her lips. She tapped a control on his console, transferring the readings to the main viewer. “Brad, overlay the defence grid’s tactical data on the override signal.”

Anderson nodded and got to work, while Saval rose and joined his captain at the helm. “Do you see a pattern, ma’am?” he asked.

She nodded. “If I’m right, we can exploit it and turn their own defence grid against the Vaadwaur.”

Saval approved. “A tactical advantage indeed.”

Anderson finished his work and then looked up. “Captain, your instinct was right.” He gestured towards the main viewer. 

Everyone turned to the main viewer. Krabreii allowed herself a smile. “Someone call the commodore, we’ve got a plan.”