Line of Fire

[Cptn Corizon 0]

Named for a general who once stood “as a Stonewall,” the ship of the same name floated stately in the stars on the outstretches of the Omarion Expanse, the purple-pink waves of spatial flux gently reaching towards the Galaxy-class starship. A single comet passed by idly, her tail streaming behind. On the bridge of the shimmering starship, Captain Sandra Calypsis watched on as the normal routine patrol continued without hitch.

 

“Status report,” Calypsis said as she made herself comfortable in the command seat. She’d just came on duty for the morning, though—as she constantly had to remind her husband when he was aboard and complained when they woke her for the most trivial of problems—a captain never went off-duty.

 

The slender Xindi-Primate setting at the operations console made a last second check before turning to open his mouth. “No changes in status to report, Captain.”

 

“Excellent. Helm, keep us on course. Signal our status to Fleet Command at Camelot.”

 

“Yes, ma’am.”

 

A streak of white-blue energy shot towards the Morningstar, catching her a mid-ship. Instantly, the foreword phaser canons of the floating weapons platform called a ship lit up, hurling a mass of phased energy at the offending Al-Ucard cruiser that challenged her.

 

Explosions rippled across the hull of the Steamrunner-class Ottawa as a pair of Phantom-class Al-Ucard Interceptors flung photons on the isolated ship.

 

“Captain,” the startled voice of the formerly serene Xindi-Primate announced suddenly.

 

Leaning forward in her seat and taken aback by the urgency in the voice of her operations officer, Calypsis lifted a brow Vulcan-esque. “Yes?”

 

“I am picking up a distress single from our fleet engaging the Al-Ucard…”

 

Brilliant purple rays strobed from the fore of imperious black the Al-Ucard flagship Annihilator, striking back at the head of the attacking Federation fleet as she turned for another pass, striking the heavily armed ship with a vicious blow.

 

Nearby, a dogfight between the Vigilant of the Federation and the Hammerfall of the Al-Ucard ensued.

 

Though narrow, an advantage had begun to develop for the Al-Ucard as the Morningstar dealt with more heavy cruisers than they’d expected to be in orbit of the outpost.

 

“Is there anyone else in range?”

 

“The Lincoln and the Atlas, but they’re 25-minutes away…the fleet could be…”

 

“I know.” She pursed her lips. Standing orders from Captain Corizon held that she not break her patrol of the area, but she’d deal with that later.

 

“Orders?”

 

“Red Alert, all hands to battle stations. Helm, lay-in an intercept course.”

 

What was supposed to be a simple raid had turned into an all out battle between the Federation and the Al-Ucard. Aboard the Morningstar, Commander Na’Lok averted his eyes as his wing-ship, Havana exploded under a shattering blow from the phased graviton beams of the Annihilator.

 

“Signal the fleet,” he barked as sparks flew on the smoke-filled bridge, “concentrate fire on the heavy cruisers…and where’s our damned reinforcements?”

 

The command and control center of Starbase: Camelot buzzed with purpose. The diversion attack on the outpost by the Morningstar was decidedly not going according to plan. Commander Corris Sprint pursed his lips as he looked over the incoming reports from the battle.

 

“Any luck raising Captain Corizon?” Corris questioned.

 

“No, sir.”

 

At that moment, flanked by his first officer, Captain Sorehl entered the command deck, carrying what could only be described as a look of concern…even for a Vulcan. “Report.”

 

Sprint quickly relayed the information as quickly as possible and turned command decisions over to the more senior Sorehl.

 

“Continue to attempt to contact Captain Corizon,” Sorehl said calmly. “Order the fleet to alert and bring us Red Alert. If the fleet fails to hold them, we may have a counter-attack on our hands.”