Asteroid 726: Denorios Belt, Bajoran Space
Stardate: 53310.4
"We have to contact Captain Tigranian at Deep Space Nine!" Gleeto shouted across the bridge.
"Wait!" Katie said raising a hand. She turned to face T'les.
"Have the Cardassians detected us?" Katie asked trying to keep everyone calm.
"I do not believe so," T'les replied as she examined her displays. "There is much interference both from the Tong Beak Nebula and from venderite deposits in the surrounding asteroids.
Katie took a deep breath.
"Ensign Gleeto," she said closing her fist. "Cloak the ship."
"Ma'am?" he asked in utter disbelief.
"I said cloak the damn ship!" she repeated more forcefully.
"Katie…" Phil said softly from the helm. "I concur with Ensign Gleeto. If there's a chance we can coordinate efforts with Deep Space Nine…"
"Mr. Lexington," Katie said cutting him off. "Your recommendation is noted, but if the Cardassians haven't detected us, there's a chance we can still take them by surprise. If we open hailing frequencies, they'll know we're out here. They'll charge straight for the Bajorans as fast as they can. We all know that the hometown fleet is no match for those cruisers."
"Ma'am," Gleeto said still on the verge of panic. "With respect, neither are we. We have no offensive weapons. Even if we did get the drop on the Cardassians, we wouldn't be able to stop them before they reached Bajor."
Katie raised her hand to silence him once more.
"I am command of this ship, Mister," she said calmly. "I will not let those Cardassians reach Bajor, even if I have to ram straight into them. Do you understand?"
Gleeto knew she was serious.
"Yes, Captain."
"Cloak the ship."
As Gleeto activated the cloaking device, Katie keyed her intercom.
"Bridge to Engineering."
"Scharr Here."
"Mr. Scharr, how long until you can get the weapons back online?"
"The weapons interlocks are manually bypassed at the plasma junctions, Katie," Scharr replied. "It'll be three hours at a minimum. I might be able to give you quantum torpedoes in two."
"Phil," Katie said turning to the helm. "How long till we intercept the Cardassians."
"At maximum warp, twenty-three minutes."
The situation seemed so hopeless, Katie couldn't help but laugh out loud.
"Well, Mr. Scharr," she said back into the intercom. "You better get started."
"Aye, Captain," Scharr replied.
As the Andorian moved as fast as he could into the nearest jeffries tube, Katie turned back to the helm.
"Phil lay in an intercept and engage at maximum warp."
"Aye, Captain," Phil said plotting the course.
"I say again, Ladies and Gentlemen," Katie spoke steadying herself in the captain's chair. "We will not let those ships reach Bajor…by any means necessary."
****
"I've lost all contact with the Pershing," Laria said examining her instruments in Deep Space Nine's operations center. "She must have cloaked."
"What is that crazy lieutenant of yours doing?" Rhaan said angrily before turning towards Tigranian. "The first sign of trouble and she tries to run?" The overgeneral turned to a Bajoran manning the communications station. "Open a channel and get them to coordinate with us…"
"No…" Tigranian said angrily shaking his head.
"Are you serious, Captain?" Rhaan said in disbelief.
"Katie is an experienced combat officer who knows what she's doing! If she cloaked the ship, she must have a plan. If we try to communicate with the Pershing, it might tip the Cardassians off and desynchronize everything."
"So, you're asking me to put the entire fate of my planet in the hands of a twenty-eight year old Starfleet officer and one ship?" Rhaan asked.
"That's exactly what we're doing, Sir," Annabeth said joining the heated exchange. "Because, quite frankly, they're the only hope we have. The rest of the Federation fleet won't be here for hours and those Cardassian cruisers will cut through your ships like they weren't even there."
"By the hand of the Prophets!" Rhaan said throwing up his hands in total frustration. "I guess we don't really have a choice," he said acquiescing to the bleak situation, "but if you're wrong, the survivors of the Bajoran civilization will not forget what happens here today."
Tigranian couldn't help exchange a glance with Laria.
"Sir," Kira said calmly. "The Prophets will protect Bajor, and I believe they will make all of us their instrument today."
"I hope you're right, Colonel," Rhaan said glaring back at her. "I really hope you are. Redeploy the Bajoran Interceptors inside the Derna perimeter. Tell them to get their weapons back online as soon as possible. Everything depends on it."