The Battle of Karema

[Cptn Corizon 0]

Approximately Thirteen Minutes before the Excalibur-Led Allied Fleet engaged and defeated the Al-Ucardian fleet, the Joint Romulan-Dominion Task force engaged the second fleet.

 

Just outside the local space of Karema, the Romulan and Dominion Fleets stood at the ready, preparing to repel the oncoming alien fleet. Aboard the Bridge of the RES Storm Falcon, Admiral Khevio tr'Shaelon rapped his fingers off the arm chair of his command seat, the silence before the storm calling to him.

 

He glanced at the Operations officer, "Signal the Dominon Flagship," his voice hiding the angst inside him. "We have taken our flanking position...we will follow your lead."

 

Almost at once a viewscreen blinked on, displaying the face of one of the Kilana clones. Her soft features seemed out of place on the warship bridge, and she smiled the light smile of a diplomat.

 

The Romulan's expression changed little. "Jolan tru."

 

"Our forces are prepared to engage the enemy, Admiral," she said, and glanced off-screen for a moment. "We intend to hold the dreadnaught back until their first defensive screen has been softened, then eliminate them decisively."

 

She smiled again, but this time it had a harder edge to it. "I'm assume your vessels may be able to assist with the softening phase?"

 

A smile appeared on his face, "Our strike cruisers stand at the ready, though you may not see them, our warbirds will be with you."

 

Indeed, only about half the Romulan force lay on either side, with the other half hanging in cloak, ready to pounce. The Romulan glanced off screen for a moment himself, "Our sensors show the enemy fleet closing...we await your move. Storm Falcon, out."

 

Pael'en stood in front of the small viewer of the Eratan mothership, the ridged palms of her hands rubbing together in anticipation. The tall woman's face stood out against the dark blue of the vessel's interior. Turning to the glossy black and gold creature at her side, she inclined her head respectfully. "The ships await your command, Lord."

 

The straw-yellow and black Scorpiad moved his mandibles quickly, eyes looking over the readouts, his thick-yellowish tail swayed slightly. "Begin your assault...concentrate on the Dominion vessels..."

 

Ponderously the Dominion lines shifted, forming a wedge leading the dreadnaught through the Eratan lines. Smaller vessels ducked in and out of the formation, taking up support positions in preparation for the firefight to come. Space seemed to hold its breath.

 

A small nod as she turned to her second. "Give the order for the fighters to move out. Begin targeting the Dominion dreadnought and attack vessels."

 

The main force of heavy Romulan ships took a flanking line on either side of the Dominion fleet, ready to pummel the oncoming ships in a cross fire of heavy torpedo siege.

 

The triangular, small, cruisers moved out, a swarm of smaller fighters following them as they moved towards the dreadnought. The flagship followed behind, albeit at a somewhat slower pace.

 

The Dominion capital ships met the flight before it reached the dreadnought, pushing against the line as though to split it and funnel it to the Romulans on either flank.

The Eratan looked over at the stingered one in the specially-designed command seat.

 

"There will be nourishment enough for us all, your eminence willing." She smiled, hoping for a favorable reaction.

 

Khevio leaned back in his chair, "All vessels, open fire...target the warships."

 

The Scopiad clicked and chriped. "Focus on the battle at hand."

 

The Romulan vessels began pouring heavy torpedo fire into the oncoming fleet, the cloaked portion still awaiting activation from their flagship. A handful of fighters came around between the Romulan ships and the Eratan cruisers, firing a rotating volley of torpedoes back at the Romulans.

 

The Dominion vessels at last opened fire. First the fighters, strafing the Eratan cruisers, then the larger ships slectively targetting the most vulnerable among the fleet. The white-green pulses of the Romulan Disruptor cannons streaked towards the intercepting fighters, as the Romulan lines shifted to pack the Eratan cruisers closer together; the fighters winging outwards, breaking off their assault to regroup. Moving towards the front of the battle, a dozen of the larger motherships began targeting the smaller Dominion cruisers.

 

Aboard his flagship, Khevio held fast as the smaller fighters harried the Romulan lines. This wasn't working as well as he'd planned. "Signal the Romulan fleet to begin attacking the mother ships, directly."

 

The Romulan lines began moving towards the motherships, focusing their fire on the large unwieldy vessels, and by passing the smaller ships, leaving them to the Dominon. The Dominion fighters broke off to give chase to the Eratan craft, while the cruisers continued their relentless journey thought the lines towards the flagship.

 

The flagship remained near the rear of the group of immense Eratan vessels, another group of dartlike fighters joining their comrades against the Dominion.

 

Dodging through the throng of titanic ships, the Romulans begin laying heavy fire to the motherships, focusing on three or four of them en masse. The light cyan bursts of energy emerging from the weaponry of the cruisers came into contact with the Dominion fighters, firing almost leisurely.

 

Rocking under the heavy fire of the Eratan motherships, several warbirds exploded into sinking flames. The Romulans pressed on though, unloading their payloads upon the offending vessels.

 

As the energy blasts became thicker, the toll became apparent on all the fleets. One Dominion cruiser lit the battlefield in a spectacular firework of red and orange, silver shrapnel spreading like stars.

 

Aboard the flasgship, Dak'Gha remained confident in his servants ability to win the battle. "Have your mother ships engage the Dominon at point blank range."

 

A score of motherships broke off from the main group, again targeting the Dominion dreadnaught. A selection of gleaming cruisers following nearby guaranteed protection against the smaller Dominion fighters.

 

Khevio whirled in his chair as the bridge rocked violently. "Signal the secondary force to eliminate those cruisers!" Designed for orbital bombardment, used correctly, they could lay waste to entire fleets of vessels, and Khevio had known this.

 

Above the battle, nearly eighty Romulan Command and Strike vessels shimmered out of cloak simultaneously releasing huge volleys of weaponry; the squatting D'Rredrix-classes unleashing their heavy siege. Watching the unfolding chaos, and knowing what losing the Dominion flagship could mean to not only this battle, but the course of the war,

 

Pael'en turned from the newly visible Romulan ships on the viewer to her god and mentor. "Your orders, my lord?"

 

Hissing as his body flattened and his cauda dripped with venom, "Destroy them!"

 

The door had been opened for the Dominion, and Khevio just hoped they were smart enough to use it; his own fleet was taking heavy damage. Unsure of how long they would be able to manage, the Romulans kept fighting.

 

With the opening provided by the Romulan ships, the Dominion at last brough out their heavy hitter. The Super Dreadnought unleashed its weaponry, pounding hard against the Eratan fleet.

 

Not giving up on their efforts, the other motherships moved in on the Dreadnought once more, all focusing their firepower in synchronized bursts.

 

Khevio glanced at the screen, "Find their mothership...all Romulan forces focus your attacks."

The Romulans ships coming in fast and furious, the Eratan flagship did not budge. Cruisers and fighters clustered around protectively, a few more of the mothrrships falling back to cover it. Swarming, the Romulan vessels picked up their pace, firing as they went, bent on their target.

 

Behind it all, the Dominion flagship continued firing, great gouts of plasma that sizzled against shield bubbles and tore deep wounds in hulls.

 

Suddenly wishing for the safety of his own Ga'Jak-class Battleship, Dak'Gha watched on in nervous anticpation. "How many motherships remain?"

 

Pael'en turned to her scanners. "Thirty-five." Her voice was low, slightly fearful of Dak'Gha's wrath. Nearly half the fleet had been lost, and the tide was turning. "Fall back," he clicked anxiously. "Reform our lines, we must not allow them to flank us."

 

The remainder of the Eratan fleet withdrawing, Pael'en looked downward. "We have not failed you yet, Lord."

 

Cruisers and fighters regrouping, the lines began to restructure. The Scorpiad clicked nervously, "We can not afford to lose this task force entirely, nor can we secure total victory today. Recall your fighters."

 

Pael'en stood straight, a touch disappointed. "As you command."

 

The remaining ships gathered close to the flagship, a few shots fired off as a final, defiant gesture.

 

Watching in growing pride, unawares of the iniquitous plot hatching, the Romulans took a victory formation at the head of the allied lines.

 

The Dominion ships allowed the Romulans to take point, though Kilana smiled smugly aboard the flagship. Let them think they had won this battle.

 

Dak'Gha pushed himself from his command seat, "Set course for the base at Surma, inform me when we arrive."

 

He would allow the Dominion and their allies to think the battle had been won, a sinking feeling told him that a similar result was coming across the sector to the Al-Ucardian forces; however the true objective of this offensive had yet to been revealed, even to the very servants who carried out the will of the Scorpiads.