Extremum Proelium - The Battle for Deep Space 5 - Part IV

Posted on Tue Jul 8, 2025 @ 5:29am by Commodore T'mpest Michaels & Colonel Nicholas Means III & Captain T'Lisa Anderson - CO of the USS Canterbury & Charghwl'IH of the House of Soval & Civilian Hydel Turvan

1,706 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Tergum In Tempus
Location: Various

[PREVIOUSLY]

[Pangaea - Portal Complex]

The Cardassian forces had taken the bait and were pressing hard and gaining ground has Means and his Marines engaged in a fighting retreat. Means slapped a fresh power cell into his rifle when the signal sounded in his earpiece sounded. "POINT ZULU REACHED!"

The final point of their planned retreat had been achieved and right on cue a dozen flares were fired into the sky lighting up the sky as the sun was setting.

[CONTINUED]

[Pangaea - Training Camp]

"NOW!!" The call went out to every unit in what had appeared to be a dormant camp sprang to life as transports emerged from concealed positions skirting the mountain heading for both the research compound and the portal complex.


[Pangaea - Mountainside & Far side of the lake]

From concealed positions, Marine heavy weapons spun to life as their commanders tracked the incoming reinforcements. "Transport are flying...let's cut them path!"

The mountain unit opened fire sending barrage after barrage into the Cardassian positions nearing the portal.

From the far side of the lake several units opened up on the know Cardassian command and control and other positions, including the Raddon Building reducing it smoldering shell.

The twilight sky was relit as plasma energy ached out over the lake and rained down from the mountainside.

As the artillery walk forward, the first transports reached the portals and Marines poured out.


[Pangaea - Research compound]

In the areas around the Federation Marines mixed with Klingons and Romulan waited for the signal to attack. The Klingons aching for battle had to held in check. "They have taken the area we must attack before they secure it!"

A Marine hunched against the wall, "Just wait."

"We must attack!"

Adjusting his helmet..."Just wait."

"What are we waiting..."

The Klingon was cut off as a series of explosions from Marine artillery hit the Federation facilities and the Marine Lieutenant stood. "Now."

The mixed force poured out from both the Klingon and Romulan areas of the compound even as transports swooped in to deposit even more Marines.


[USS Canterbury Bridge]

On the view screen the Bridge Crew watched as the first Galor, its forward shields depleted, had its main weapons array surgically removed by the Canterbury's phasers.

The second Galor opened fired on the Canterbury with a barrage of torpedoes.

The Bridge shook, but the shields took the brunt of the attack.

"Operations, increase power to shields." The Captain ordered.

"Aye, ma'am." Said the Orion Chief of Operations, with a slightly German accent.


[Klingon fleet]

Two squadrons of 32 Klingon battleships and birds of prey dropped from warp, one on either side of the planet as they approached the station. Several Birds of broke off from each to provide support to those on the planet.

From his command chair aboard his Houses flagship Charghwl'IH almost hailed the Cardassians to give them a chance to surrender but grinned as he gave a different order. "All vessels...Attack!"


[USS Canterbury Bridge]

The ship rocked again.

"Report?" The Captain said.

"Minor damage to Decks 4 and 5." Latimer replied. "Damage Control Teams are on it."

"Return fire." T'Lisa ordered.

Latimer launched a narrow spread of quantum torpedoes. The ripped through the attacking Galor's shields and pierced the hull. This led to an explosion in the Galor's torpedo magazine, which tore the ship apart.

The view screen flashed bright white. When it cleared the attacking was gone and the other was damaged, and venting plasma.

"Open a channel."

"Channel open."

"Galor Class ship, this is Captain T'Lisa Anderson of the Federation Starship Canterbury." T'Lisa said. "Surrender now and you will be treated well."

A middle aged Cardassian male appeared on screen. His face was bloodied and his uniform torn. "I am Glinn Alon Zaha, acting commander of the Cardassian Defense Force Vessel, Deenar Shol. I believe the human phrase is Go to Hell."

"Captain, they've set their warp core to explode." Latimer called.

"Helm get us out of range, now."

The Helm officer steered away the ship away.

====

[Cardassian Research Facility - Pangea]

"I believe the Human phrase is. . .Go To Hell. . .", The defiant message was broadcast throughout the fleet as the Cardassian and Xi'Cadian forces continued their fight against the scattered Federation forces and their obedient lapdogs of allies. Hydel was softly, but repeatedly pounding his fist onto the console beside him.

This was not going according to plan

Everywhere he looked, there was a report of Federation forces beating back the surprise Cardassian forces. While the battle was far from over, it was obvious that his forces had lost the element of surprise.

"Get me Gul Vashur, now!" Legate Turvan shouted to the comms officer. Within moments the star chart was replaced with the face of an intently focused, but still haggard Cardassian female.

"Gul Vashur, the primary focus is the planet! Do not allow the Federation to distract you from that goal. Direct your forces to converge on the planet." Turvan ordered.

"That will be easier said than done," The female commander of the 127th replied as her vessel shook from phaser fire. "It appears there are more infantry and artillery forces on the planet surface than we anticipated." She stated as she brought up a side screen showing their displacement.

Legate Turvan studied the screen for several moments before responding. "Order the Warships Arvawn and Beldon and tell them to take up defensive positions around the Ghemor, If we're going to win this battle, it won't be from engaging in a shoot-out on the station." He added.

"Very well, Vashur out." The Commander stated as she turned her attention from the viewscreen towards her Tactical Officer.

"I want the Arvawn and Beldonto break off their current engagements and take up defensive positions around the Ghemor, defensive pattern Omicron-5." She shouted over the rising noise of active combat operations.

"Direct the Ghemor to scramble Hideki fighters and to take out the Federation Artillery forces on the planet and near the portal." Gul Vashur said sternly as she gripped her chair rest.


[Orbit of Pangea]

The two escorting Cardassian warships maneuvered skillfully through the fleet and took up defensive positions around the Cardassian fleet carrier. Each vessel took up a position on both the port and starboard sides, but then began to perform a series of slow rotations along the opposite side of the carrier, providing a rotating coverage of fire from any engaging vessel.

The Ghemor, a rather slow-moving, but still powerful Carrier, began launching a portion of its Hideki fighter complement from its aft bay. The fighters quickly came into a tight formation and made their way into the atmosphere of the planet surface and began to search for the targets that had been assigned to them.

The area of space outside the station quickly devolved into a chaotic swirling storm of dogfighting starfighters and heavy weapons fire between the attacking Cardassian capital ships and the gargantuan space station.


[Deep Space 5]

The station retaliated with all phasers and photon torpedoes, picking off the fighters and enemy ships. In addition, the station utilized the tractor beams to repel ships into the Klingon's line of fire.

With the addition of the Klingon fleet, the Cardassian and Xi'Cadian forces quickly lost any advantage they thought they gained.


[Tiahuanaco]

The station was doing well so far, now that all weapons were firing. But it wasn't enough. The seven ships in the small task group were taking damage, although they were still fighting.

"Another hit to shields. Down to 20%, ma'am."

"Reroute power. We need to keep their focus away from the station for now," T'mpest ordered.

The ship rocked as it took another hit. "Nacelle took a hit. We're venting plasma."

"Do what you can."

Another hit took power offline, but after a moment, it came back on. They weren't going to hod out long with the combined attack of multiple ships. "Contact the Canterbury and the Cuzco."

A moment later, the other two captains were online. "How fast can you beam my crew over? We're not going to hold out much longer and I have an idea."

"You're a small-enough ship. Using all transporters, I can get them over in five minutes," Torena, the CO of the Cuzco replied. "What do you have in mind?"

"I'm going to ram them," T'mpest replied. "Once a course is set at maximum impulse, I want everyone off the ship."

"Interesting strategy, Captain." T'Lisa said. "We will provide assistance."

[Canterbury Bridge]

"Operations, work with the Cuzco on getting the Tiahuanaco's crew evacuated." T'Lisa ordered.

"Aye, captain." Chasity replied.

"Tactical, keep the enemy off us, as we perform this evac."

"Aye, Captain." Latimer replied as he performed his duties.

"Bridge to Sickbay." T'Lisa said.

"Sickbay, Dr. here?"

"Paula, prepare for wounded, we're evacuating the Tiahuanaco."

"Understood, Cap."

"Okay, you lollygaggers, get ready for wounded." Paula Rimpcle called.

Her staff ran around doing their work.

[USS Tiahuanaco]

"Begin evacuating the crew. All non-essential personnel, head to cargo bays one and two," T'mpest ordered. "Be ready to beam out in five minutes."

She then sent orders to the rest of her crew for a coordinated evacuation with the Cuzco and the Canterbury.

When she got the go-ahead, she gave the order for evasive maneuvers while the other two ships beamed her crew aboard.

Five minutes later, she moved on to phase two. Sending an encrypted message to the other two COs to evacuate the rest of her crew, she ordered the ship to full impulse, all weapons firing.

T'mpest was the last person to beam off the ship. As she did so, she saw the Cardassian ships turn their weapons on the Tiahuanaco, but it would be too late to prevent the ship from ramming into one of the larger ships.


(To be continued...)

Colonel Nicholas Means III
Marine CO
Deep Space 5 & Pangaea

Captain T'mpest Michaels
Commander
USS Tiahuanaco

Captain T'Lisa Anderson
Commander
USS Canterbury

Latimer
USS Canterbury

Glinn Alon Zaha
Deenar Shol
Cardassian

Gul Vashur
Cardassian

Legate Hydel Turvan
Former Cardassian Amabassador to DS5

Captain Torena
Commander
USS Cuzco

 

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