USS Odyssey (NCC-80000)

Smirking a lot, McCallister was partly enjoying the start of this call. “Admiral Janeway sends her regards,” He paused as he knew he needed to extend this conversation. “I’m Commodore James Preston McCallister; I represent the United Federation of Planets and the Delta Coalition. I wish to discuss with you an end to hostilities.”

McCallister stood in the centre of the Odyssey’s bridge. He was calm and relaxed as he spoke. His hands were clasped in front of him. Everyone else around him was now working like maniacs, trying to complete their subterfuge while he distracted the Vaadwaur leadership.

“Peace?” Thaul asked, almost mocking the commodore’s statement. “Why would we want to end when we’re winning?”

“Are you?” McCallister called back. “Because the last I heard from the Alpha and Beta Quadrants, the Federation, the Klingons, the Romulans, and the Cardassians are working together to bring your Blackout Stations down. Hell, I’ve even heard reports of the likes of the Ferengi, Gorn, the Tamarians and Tholians are working against your forces. You’re losing your tactical advantage over our home territories.”

He was starting to get under Thaul’s skin. The admiral’s response showed his irritation. “Your Delta Coalition is no match for us, commodore.”

“Oh, this is just the first phase,” McCallister remarked. “You see, Admiral, while your people were hiding at this point in the Nekrit Expanse, our ships have been re-exploring Admiral Janeway’s legacy.”

“You do not make any sense,” Thaul spat back.

“Though Voyager re-awakened your people, it did do a lot of right during its tenure here in the Delta Quadrant,” McCallister explained. “Besides taking out the Borg threat, they made contact with a number of civilisations, and we’ve come back and got talking to them all again. Over the last three years, these ships have been making inroads with them all. From making ties with the Turei Alliance, the Qomar Planetary Alliance, the Antarian Pact, the Krenim Imperium, the Zahl Regency, Rilnar Alliance, the Benthan Guard, and now we’ve got the Kazon, the Vidiians, the Talaxians, the Haakonians, the Trabe, the Pralor and the Rakosans with us. Our coalition is growing, and when our diplomats have finished securing support from the likes of the Voth, the Hierarchy and the Malon, well, we will have a significant amount of power behind us to stop you.”

“All lies,” Thaul said.

McCallister didn’t wince one second. The last part may be lies, as they had not opened any such diplomatic interaction with those races, but with the others, they had some sort of connection with them. He stepped forward and looked at Thaul. “You really want to test that? Plus, there are many other worlds our ships have visited for the first time recently.”

USS Constellation (NCC-91017)

Limping into the captain’s chair, Taes refused to let Calumn help her up.  It was a small thing.  It was a petty thing.  But if she couldn’t put herself in the centre seat, she told herself she didn’t deserve to sit there.

Taes had draped a loose field jacket around herself to hide the hospital gown underneath.  Taes asked Nova to frame the visual sensors very close to her face as she joined the subspace debate between Admiral Thaul and McCallister.  The Federation was built upon ideals of diversity.  After monitoring the situation from sickbay, she could only think to unsettle Thaul’s laser focus by offering a third perspective.

“Admiral Thaul, I am Fleet Captain Taes of Constellation Squadron,” she said, offering a timbre of determination and deep respect.  “It is only natural for you to be proud of the strength of your fleet and your expansive defence platform.  You may have more weapons than we do, but weapons without allies are little more than a noise in the dark.  Scavengers have picked over your home world, and the Turei fight to control Underspace.  You’ve proven your might, and that means everyone sees you now.  Everyone remembers the old stories.”

“You think what was done to the Alpha and Beta Quadrants took might?” Thaul taunted from the viewscreen.  “That was but a jab.  We’ll give you something to remember us by.”

Pursing her lips, Taes shook her head.  It was a small movement, almost imperceptible.  “You could have used Underspace as explorers, as connectors between worlds.  Instead, you chose conquest.  As then, just like now, that choice has left you alone.  We are not here alone.  This is our truth.  We’re still standing after everything you’ve done, but now the entire galaxy is watching.”

“We’re not here to conquer you, Thaul,” Taes said, “We’re here to see you.”

Conqueror’s Fist

Not impressed by either McCallister’s or Taes’ words, Thaul shook his head. “All lies from a desperate people.” He pointed forcefully at both of them. “Prepare to see the Vaadwaur rise above you all. If you want to surrender now, I suggest you do so.”

Neither Starfleet officer responded.

“I see you’re committed to your defiance against us.” Thaul took a deep breath. “Prepare your fleets for battle!”

USS Odyssey (NCC-80000)

“We gave you your chance, Admiral,” McCallister said sharply, his voice edged with finality, just before the transmission cut out in a burst of static as Thaul severed the link.

McCallister turned to the Deltan officer still on the main viewer, offering a tight nod. “It’s good to have you back on your bridge, Captain Taes. Right where you belong.” He could see she wasn’t one hundred per cent, but if she was like any other Starfleet captain, she couldn’t rest in sickbay knowing the mission was still incomplete.

“You said it best,” Taes said, sharply and steely-eyed.  “Time to set our sights on the next problem to crack.”

“Let history show that we tried diplomacy,” McCallister said grimly. “All hands, prepare to engage.”

Taes affirmed, “We may be scientists and explorers and Romulans, but Starfleet didn’t send us all the way out here without teeth.  Constellation Squadron stands ready.” She nodded one more time and her transmission cut from the viewscreen.

From ops, Dalen’s voice broke through the tension. “Sirs, I’ve got good news. Access to the Vaadwaur defence platforms is confirmed. The Pralor interlink frequency has given full access. They don’t know we’re in. Commander Gray and Ensign Jaceon have access to every platform and can use them on your word. ”

“Excellent,” McCallister replied with a firm nod, satisfaction flickering in his eyes. He strode to his command chair beside Duncan, posture straightening with renewed focus.

Alarms flared to life on Keli’s tactical console, bathing her face in crimson light. “Multiple Vaadwaur fighter launches detected,” she reported urgently. “At least five hundred and forty-seven. All of them are closing fast!”

“Put them onscreen,” Duncan barked, eyes narrowing.

The viewscreen shifted to a storm of fast-approaching Vaadwaur fighters, swarming like angry hornets against a starless backdrop. Each one streaking closer with deadly precision.

“Open a fleet-wide channel, now,” McCallister commanded, his voice low and firm.

Bollwyn nodded sharply, fingers flying across the console to open the fleetwide link.

“This is Commodore McCallister to all ships,” he declared. “Arm torpedoes. Fire at will. Target every last one with phasers and wipe them out.”

Keli led the assault. The Odyssey’s torpedo tubes flared with light, unleashing a devastating spread of photon torpedoes. The rest of the squadron followed suit in a synchronised barrage.

USS Meridian danced through the attack wing of Kazon ships she was escorting to unleash wave after wave of phaser pulses and quantum torpedoes.  USS Minerva hung back among the Pralor, launching quantum torpedoes at the Vaadwaur fighters from afar.  USS Constellation took to rapid-fire shots in multiple directions from its phaser turrets.

Moments later, phaser arrays lanced out, striking the torpedoes mid-flight. The resulting photonic shockwaves rippled across space. They were brilliant and blinding detonations that engulfed the entire wave of incoming fighters.

“Multiple hits, sir,” Kelli announced, breathless. “All of them are either destroyed or disabled.”

McCallister turned to Duncan with a faint, approving smile—the first crack of hope in a tense battle.

“Now, let’s show them who’s in control,” McCallister said, his voice steely. “Relay orders to Commander Gray and Ensign Jaceon aboard the Astra. Tell them to use the automated defence platforms. Target the enemy flagships and take out their engines. Cripple their momentum.”