Wallace was in his quarters going over some reports on the station's upgrades. He knew an attack was pending, and the Son'a wouldn't live up to their word. He saw that most of the stations phaser arrays were upgraded, and that the armor that Garek designed in the Gamma quadrent was being placed on vital areas of the station. Richard was going to get a coffee refill, when a comm message beeped.
"Coffee, extra hot, extra strong, french blend, black." The cup appeared and Wallace picked it up and took a sip.
[Captain. Cadet Razek here.]
Wallace tapped his comm badge, and put his coffee down. "Wallace here, now Ensign one rule of thumb, don't interupt a man while he is having his coffee. Now what is so important that you call me at 0530 hours?"
[Sorry sir just a group of very scrambled messages came in, and I am having a hard time cleaning it up.]
Damn, I hope it isn't the Darwin in trouble, the Son'a wouldn't dare attack a civilian target.
"On my way."
After a trip of ten minutes Richard was on the command deck and went strait for the OPS station. There were only a few personel on the deck. Wallace went and saw the carrier wave the comm message was being carried on, and saw that it was scrambled near the source of the message. The words were reversed and static was played in behind it. After ten minutes Wallace had unscrambled the message.
"Alright Cadet play it."
Razek went and pressed the comm buttion and Wallace as did Lieutenant Call,who walked in only 2 minutes after Wallace.Herd the message.
[SB901, New Canada is under sttack, the are going to kill us.....]
No please God, no, Wallace thought to himself.
"My goodness sir they attacked a Federation colony."Call said.
"Cadet open a comm channel to the station."
"Aye Aye sir. Open sir."
"Attention crew, this Captain Wallace, for some time now we have feared an attack, now it has happened to New Canada.
All Senior staff report to the USS Arizona, all medical teams to the Arizona. We leave 20 minutes." Wallace rubbed his hand across his brow, and turned to Call."You heard my orders Lieutenant."
"Sir I believe I may better serve the station here." Call said
"Bull you have your Orders your dismissed!" Wallace said in a firm tone. "Cadet your with us to." Wallace said to Razek who seemed a little to eager for this mission. He then tapped his Comm badge."Lieutenant Nugent come in."
[Nugent here]
"This is Captain Wallace , I want you to take charge of the station, while we answer this call."
[Sir, you're sure?]
"Yes damn it, now get up to the Command deck, I'm leaving you with a small staff. If we encounter a large fleet heading towards the Station we will fall back here, don't worry." Richard made his way to the Arizona, bridge and saw Ensign Kalvin and Lieutenant Call. He walked over to the Lieutenant.
"Status Report."
"Sir the medical teams are on board. Commander Nevar has borded with 18 Security officers, and 100 phaser rifles. We have addtional compliment of 4 Science officers, and 8 command level crew man, along with ships normal compliment of 36 crewman, and 12 officers."
"Very well Lieutenant, man Tactical 3."
"Yes sir."
Garek then walked onto the bridge, and reported that eveyone was onboard.
"Sir, what of our guest in the stations Infirmrey." Nevar asked stepping onto the bridge.
"I've locked down where she is at, only people can come and go are residents and staff."
"Good job sir," Nevar said, giving a grin.
"Ensign take us out."
"Aye Aye sir."
"Ensign raise the Darwin on Subspace, and take us to New Canada at Warp 8.9, and activate the sensor masking program."
The Arizona went to warp, and Wallace had also sent a message to Command telling them what was going on.
"Sir we have the Darwin on subspace." The view screen came on and Water's was sitting in his command chair.
[Yes Captain?]
"New Canada is under attack. The Arizona is about 8 hours away. I was wondering if you could assist."
[New Canada is 12 hours from our postion at transwarp speed of 10. Any faster we fly apart. Besides we can't fight a Son'a ship]
"Listen Commander I am your suprior officer and I'm ordering you to assist us in any possible way." Wallace didn't understand his old friend Waters.
[Very well sir, but for the record I obey this under protest]
"Fine just get you ass there ASAP"
After 8 hours the Arizona came into orbit of New Canada. The ship slowly entered orbit.
"Nevar scan for Son'a ships."
"Done sir, none."
"Lieutenant Call, life signs?"
"Sir I pick up many, allow me to display it on the view screen."
On the view screen came a map of the Colony, and where the town was, and little dots indicating life signs.
"Sir I pick up 31 human life signs stationed around the mines." The view screen then focused on the mountains.
"The Dilthuim mines sir, can't beam them out and can't beam down there." Nevar said.
"Okay that is either Murphy or Kelly or perhaps both's postions. Scan the planet for Son'a" Wallace said.
"I'm picking up 100 Son'a, and 68 Aliens that are Unknown to our data files." Call said.
Okay the Son'a were only 200 ten years ago and they were dying then, how could a hundred be down there with out ships in orbit. Wallace thought to himself
"Okay were going down there." Wallace said aloud.
"Fine sir let me get the away team ready. Just tell me what you want." Nevar said standing up.
"Take 13 men and beam near the mountains, and take Lieutenant Deavrux with you. Join up with the Colonist there.
I'll take another team and land about 1 kilometer from the Town, and look for survivors." Wallace said standing up.
"With all due respect sir. Your place is on the ship." Nevar said.
"You know what is wrong with Command?" Wallace asked
"What sir?"
"They rather have others do their bidding, and that leads ti either confusion, or a giant SNAFU. I lead by example, and I will not put my men in any situation that I wouldn't put myself in. Lieutenant Call is with you, I'll take your Second Security officer Lieutenant Sovick, and Cadet Razek. Ensign Kalvin is with you, I'll take half of the medical team and you take half. We'll see what aid the Colonist need." Wallace then saw Garek come on the bridge.
"'Garek, I want to know how long the station would take to get here, and get in orbit around New Canada."
"Oh about 3 weeks. Why sir?
"You have 3 days. "
Garek was a little confused at the order, but knew that Wallace knew what he was doing.
"Come on lets see what we can do." Wallace and the others walked down the hallway to the turbo, Nevar was at his left side.
"Sir what do we do to the Son'a and this unknown Aliens?" Nevar asked as they reached the turbo lift and headed towards the cargo bay.
"Commander I have feeling these people vaule life very little, and have commited crimes. We will have to drive them out by force, more then less, and trust me Commander, I loath the idea of fighting a conflict such as this one."
Nevar smiled, and then tried to bring some sort of humor into the situation, as Wallace geared up and loaded himself up at least four days of rations. After 12 minutes the 45 personel being beamed downed to the surface gathered in the Arizona's shuttle bay. Richard felt rather obligated to say something to the men, and women he was going to lead into a hot spot. He didn't want a repeat of Xeon III where he lost all but one of his department crew.
"Listen up, I am not promising you what we see will be pretty, many of you except, Nevar, and Call never seen action,or a battle face to face. Listen to your team leader, and don't try anything heroic, like taking on five Son'a at once. My orders, are this Shoot first ask questions later. These Son'a are believed to have killed 162 federation citzens many of whom weren't armed. Also keep your head down and don't panic, and by the grace of god, or what ever gods you believe in." Wallace said looking at Nevar.
"Please Oh Lord have Mercy on those who are helpless, and allow these soldiers of right help stop a wrong being commited. Amen." Wallace heard three Amens and a few other remarks. Wallace was brought up a strong Catholic but after his first taste of battle he had never prayed, mainly because he had his own butt to protect and now the lives of others depended on him, and he needed all the help he could get. Nevar's team first beamed down using the cargo transporter to beam his 16 man crew down. Wallace was then to beam down next, and sweep through the town, and look with Dr.Cherrin for anybody alive down there. The first ten beamed down and hoped, then as Wallace and Cherrin and Sovick, stepped onto the transporter beam, he saw Garek, standing on the upper level.
"Good luck Captain." Garek said as the ten remaining beamed down to the surface.
The time was 1300 hours almost 13 hours after the orignal distress call was sent.