The Crazy Horse and Sutherland fell into a wing formation behind the Arizona as the Mulluran cruisers sat menacingly in the distance. The three battle cruisers wore scorch marks as medals while the fighters swarmed around them like bees at a hive. As the Federation task force closed in, the cruisers broke formation, and began their assault with the five enemy fighters heading for the other Steamrunner class Crazy Horse.
"Lock target alpha and fire full torpedo spread," Captain Wallace commanded coolly.
"Aye sir," K'Tag replied. Five quantum torpedoes rushed forward towards the target, slamming into the shields. The Arizona rocked as she received disruptor fire. "Shields holding at ninety five percent."
"Continue assault." Wallace looked over to Garek. "Contact the Sutherland and have them deploy the Hammerheads."
"Right." Garek rose from his chair, and made his way over to the secondary tactical station. "Sutherland, come in. This is Arizona."
The communications screen blinked momentarily as the image of an older captain filled the screen. [This is Captain Daniels.]
"Deploy the 58th, and engage attack pattern Beta-Four. Target cruiser Echelon."
[Understood. Sutherland out.] The communications channel broke. Soon enough, the Hammerhead fighters of the 58th flew at full impulse over the hull of the Arizona leaving a burning ion trail in their wake. The group flew forward in a standard "V" formation before breaking into elements to engage separate fighters.
Doesn't get much better then this..., Boyle thought as he pulled a high "G" turn to pull into a flanking position on one of the enemy fighters. Morgan Bicardi and Shannon Vansen slid in behind him to cover his back as Boyle began a weapons track.
[I've got one riding my ass,] suddenly came the call from Bicardi.
"Break off and engage," "Pappy" called back. He locked up phasers and pulled the trigger. Multiple lances of red phaser blasts shot forward from the rapid fire nose cannon. The shots were absorbed by the enemy fighter's shields. The shields began to wear down quickly, however, and soon enough the phaser blasts were ripping out chunks of duranium hull plating. "Splash One!" Boyle roared over the intercom as the fighter he had been chasing began to rotate out of control and eventually explode a few hundred kilometers in the distance.
His celebration was cut short as his right wing dipped under the explosion of another fighter that was about to attack him from his side. [Splash One!] came the growl of Bicardi as he fell into a flanking position on Boyle. Boyle shook his head as he came around to engage another fighter.
The Arizona rotated on it's long axis to narrowly avoid crashing into one of the Jem'Hadar cruisers. Every phaser bank along the ventral side of the ship fired, tearing into the now exposed hull of the enemy vessel.
"She's gonna blow!" Razek said from the CONN.
"All ahead full impulse!" Wallace yelled. The Arizona sped away as the Jem'Hadar cruiser exploded in a spectacular explosion of purple and blue light. The shockwave of the blast caught up with the Arizona rocking her from side to side. Crewman were jostled about. Garek regained his composure and looked around. Rich was knocked unconscious, his head banging off his chair. A crimson streak of blood began to rush down the side of his face from a gash on his forehead.
Razek began to reposition himself in his seat, slightly disorientated from the explosion that knocked him from his seat. Garek looked around the bridge, attempting to regain his composure. "Ethan, bring us around to attack the other Jem'Hadar ship."
"Aye sir," Ethan replied weakly.
Garek spun in the Captain's chair to find Ensign K'Tag repositioning himself at tactical. "K'Tag, I'm gonna need full phasers and quantum torpedoes in another 20 seconds."
"They'll be there sir," he replied.
Garek then made his way over to Rich to make sure he was all right. He immediately checked his pulse and airway to make sure his heart was beating and he was breathing. Success. Both were alright. Garek tapped his commbadge. "Bridge to Sickbay. Anyone alive down there?"
"Yes Commander," Doctor Varl replied.
"I need an emergency beam-out of Captain Wallace to sickbay. He's unconscious with a head injury..." Garek looked at his arm, and noticed that it was twisted very awkwardly. "... and a broken arm."
"I'll attend to him immediately. Sickbay out." Immediately, Rich disappeared in a transporter beam.
Alright, this is going to be interesting... Garek thought to himself. Like every officer, he was required to take command courses while at the Academy. He, however, did not specialize in ship command, and this was going to be his first major command in a battle situation. "Alright. Helm, come around and track target Echelon. Tactical, lock weapons and fire. Give me a full spread." A small chorus of "Ayes" from Razek and K'Tag came back as the Arizona banked hard to starboard and both photon and quantum torpedoes streaked ahead towards their intended target. Following closely were multiple blasts from the phaser array and phaser cannon.
The torpedoes impacted on the second of the Mulluran cruisers. The first photons impacted on the shields, distorting them enough to allow the quantums to pass through the distorted shields and tear apart the vessel's hull. Phaser blasts began to cut into the vessel's bulkheads. The Crazy Horse swooped in on the Arizona's starboard side and added her own exclamation point with a single tri-cobalt device. "Pull out! Pull out!" Garek commanded as he watched the greenish-hued streak rush towards the second of the cruisers. Razek quickly ran his hands over the flight control, pitching the Arizona upwards at a rapid pace, and increasing the speed. The tri-cobalt weaseled it's way through a hole in the bulkhead, detonating inside the enemy vessel. The vessel split down the medial axis as plasma fires sprang forward from the ship. It wouldn't be long until the fires subdued, and the ship became a floating hulk in space.
"Sir, we're being hailed by the Sutherland," K'Tag called from tactical.
"On screen."
Captain Daniel's face occupied the viewscreen. [I see Captain Wallace must be injured. He would've never left the bridge in the middle of a battle.]
"That's right sir," Garek responded.
Daniel's grinned. [The third Mulluran cruiser is limping along at Warp 2 out of system along with the one surviving fighter. I'm recalling the 58th, and recommending we return to Nine Oh One.]
"Agreed. Do a quick scan for survivors, and then head out of system. Arizona out." The channel closed. Garek sat back down into the Captain's chair, and exhaled deeply. "Mister Razek, take us back home."
"With pleasure Commander." Razek entered the coordinates, and the Arizona turned, jumping to warp.