The Rise of Iconia

Chapter 22

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Chapter 22

Saratoga-A was a new ship. She was the first of the Intrepid class, with a crew compliment of one hundred thirty eight. Her captain, Aaron Cavit, had been Commander Tuvok's first officer aboard Le-Matya until shortly after the Prometheus returned from the gamma quadrant. Now, he was assigned to the Cardassian border in Picard's airwing.

Like Enterprise, Saratoga had a distinct battle mode. She carried no fighters, but the ship itself was small and agile. While in battle mode, an extra weapon would appear on both her upper and lower hulls. This was courtesy of the Iconian Twins. These weapons were powered by a dedicated ZPM, and were remarkably similar in function to the weapons on board the Ori motherships.

Saratoga had been keeping a close eye out for more Dominion ships. One of Weyoun's had travelled back, presumably to tell the happy news of the alliance with the Cardassians. Then, a couple of days later, six had come through the wormhole. They had gone immediately to the Cardassian border, where the Federation escort had left them.

Cavit had just turned the bridge over to his executive officer and was on his way to his quarters to change and eat, when the ship shook violently. It was a shaking that seemed to start deep within every molecule of the ship's superstructure. He reached for the override on the turbolift and ordered, "Bridge!" As he spoke, the red alert klaxon sounded.

When the doors opened he stepped off into controlled chaos. His exec stood up from his position in the command chair. "Sir, we are under attack."

"I kind of gathered that, Exec," Cavit said as he smoothly descended to the command arena. As he sat, he ordered, "Contact Picard and let him know what's happening here."

He looked at the screen and saw a Cardassian vessel. To one side, was a Dominion ship, and it was the one that had rocked Saratoga.

"Warn off those ships. I don't want to have to destroy them."

The Cardassian ship cut loose with multiple phaser bolts which shook the Federation ship, but not nearly as hard as the Dominion weapons had.

"Continue evasive action. Photon torpedoes target the Cardassian."

The ship rocked from the Dominion ship again.

"Belay that," Cavit countermanded his own orders. "Target the Dominion ship. Fire at will." A full spread of torpedoes streaked out from Saratoga. They found their target, and the Starfleet captain was rewarded by seeing some atmosphere vent from the holes created by the explosions.

The Cardassian ship, in turn, fired every weapon it had ot the Federation ship. Several relays blew, and number six shield went down.

"Tactical, please tell them not to do that again," Cavit ordered nonchalantly.

In response, the upper main hull weapon fired. In what almost seemed like slow motion, the beam reached out and touched the hull of the Cardassian warship. The shields had been at nearly sixty percent, but if they had been full, it would have made only another second of difference. The ship was torn into two sections through the long axis, then, it blew into microscopic debris as its matter and antimatter fuels met.

The Dominion ship hung in space for a few moments, as if waiting for the Starfleet vessel to make a move, but then, Enterprise, O'Neill, and Prometheus dropped out of warp directly behind Saratoga so the battleship pivoted and entered warp.