"Sir, we have to retreat. There are no other options. We've taken direct hits to the main and auxiliary power supply. We can't even go past Warp 2!" Okul yelled as another explosion went off.
"Very well. Carter, take the helm. Plot a course to SB901, Warp 1.4."
"What about the Commodore and Wolf?" Dreke yelled.
"Three people for a starship isn't a fair trade. We must fall back and regroup," Lataro said as the Hornet turned around and went to Warp 1.4. Lataro walked over to where young David McAllister had fallen. He bent down and felt no pulse.
"Captain, it'll take us at least six days to get to Starbase 901," Carter said, turning her head and face that was now dirty.
"Thank you, Commander. Ensign Okul, send out a distress signal to the station. Chief, I want to be up to Warp 4 by tomorrow," Lataro said, walking past the chief to the conference lounge.
In the conference, Lataro sat looking out into the void of space. He drummed his fingers along the armrest as the faint smell of smoke lingered in the conference lounge. In his thoughts, Captain Lataro could not believe that he had let his guard down just for a moment, and in the moment the Mullurans attacked. But why? His intelligence was not that far off, but it was enough to have gotten the Commodore captured. Now he had to do something.
In the reflection off the port window, he saw the black uniform he wore with the black turtleneck. It was very much the same as the other command, science, or engineering uniforms -- the only difference was that the striping was black and the turtleneck was black. His shining gold pips that notated a captain also reflected back in the window. It is time that we put what I learned from command into play, Lataro thought. He turned around quickly and headed back to the command chair.
Lataro tapped his combadge, "Chief Matthews."
[Go ahead, Captain.]
"Chief, I need full power back as soon as possible."
[I have teams working on it.]
"I am going to pull some help from other departments. I need full warp power now."
[Aye sir. I am giving you all she's got.]
"I am sure you are chief, but it isn't enough. Bridge out."
The bridge crew looked at Lataro. It was different side to him. Lataro hasn't said too much since the departure, but now the once destitute captain is starting to act the rank he was given.
"Captain!" Dreke said, almost yelling. "The Mulluran fighters are on an intercept course."
"Commander Carter. Scramble the Banshee Squadron. Give us the time we need to get out of the system."
"Sir? But how are we to get back?"
"I need you to maintain a presence. I am sure that you will be able to handle yourself for a few days." The bridge crew looked up at the Captain, who just looked squarely at Carter. "Just kidding, Commander. Get the Banshees in the air. We will wait for you, but don't dilly dally."
"Aye sir."
Carter hit the turbolift and tapped her combadge. "Banshee squadron! To your ships!" The computer sounded orange alert, which was the predetermined signal for the pilots to get to their ships. From everywhere: their quarters, from the mess, even from the head, the pilots jumped, startled but now anticipating the thrill of the fight. They ran to the hangar and entered unique fighters. "Let's go Banshees. Do you want to live forever!??"
"Captain. Flight crews have reported to their fighters. All hangar doors are ready and they are requesting permission to launch," Okul said.
"Lee. Remember; give us the time we need. We will try to support you with what we can, but the fighters are quite maneuverable. That is why we called you!"
[Understood.]
"Launch at will!" Okul said. Instantly, Banshee was up and flying. The Mulluran fighters were flying toward the Hornet. One of the small fighters launched a torpedo. "Captain. There is a subspace torpedo en route."
"Execute evasive maneuver Lataro Beta." The Hornet slowed down to one quarter impulse, letting the torpedo enter the phaser range. Moments later, which seemed to be an eternity, the Hornet's aft phaser array lit up and fired at the leading position of the torpedo. But as the first blast left the array, the warp nacelles lit up and propelled the Hornet 10000 kilometers from its last position. The torpedo exploded harmlessly, the shockwave jostled the mighty Sovereign class starship. Lataro let out a sigh of relief. "Turn into the ships and open fire." The forward arrays fired her weapons as the quantum torpedoes left the torpedo chamber and flew just over the Banshee Squadron who were just ready to engage.
[Um, Captain. I thought we're on the same side,] said Carter with a moderate slight sarcasm in her voice.
"Don't worry, Lee. If I would have wanted to hit you, I would have."
The quantum torpedoes flew and massive barrage of weapons' fire and torpedoes hit one of the Mulluran fighters. Her pilot had no time react. The first phaser burst took out the shields as the second and third took out the navigation and engines, however what did it was the quantum torpedo that collided with the wobbly ship detonating, leaving a massive fireball. The fireball sent shockwaves to the other ships that regained control instantly.
"Banshee squadron. Engage!" Carter yelled. "Protect the Hornet!"
The pilots acknowledged the order and split off, engaging the nuisance fighters.
Beckett had managed to fly behind one of the fighters and expertly shadowed the ship as it tried to bank and roll. The mild orange glow of her engines burned as the Mulluran fighter pointed her nose upward and tried to climb. "Is that all you got?" Beckett said, smiling as the crosshairs lined up on the suicidal fighter. With a flick of her thumb, Lt. Beckett changed from torpedoes to phasers and squeezed the trigger. The pulse phaser lights illuminated the hull of the Banshee as her tracers hit the mark. The Mulluran fighter vaporized as the phasers hit the engines. "Scratch Two!"
"Good job!" Vasser yelled. "But watch this!"
The Mulluran fighter was banking right, heading towards the planetoid. Vasser didn't want to waste the limited supply torpedoes so she too armed her phaser array. Instead of following the fighter into the bank, Vasser pulled her Banshee hard left but kept the enemy ship in visual site. The g-forces the turn created caused Vasser to grunt, but as the phaser crosshairs intersected the fighter, Vasser reversed the turn and returned just behind it. "Let's see how good you are." Suddenly the fighters stopped and began to turn on its Y-axis and Vasser had to jerk the control yoke to avoid hitting him. The fighter's blue lasers lit the sky, but the sudden move Vasser did barely escaped colliding with the deadly light show. "Not bad! It's my turn." The fighter accelerated, but not until the Banshee returned to its tail. The crosshairs lit up as the fighter continuously crossed them each time providing Vasser an opportunity to fire, but she didn't.
"Commander Vasser!" Carter yelled. "Stop playing with that ship and provide cover to the Hornet."
Provide cover? But why? The remaining fighter that had managed to slip away from the dogfight was heading straight for the Hornet. Phaser fire was trying to hit the highly maneuverable fighter, but it simply banked and rolled out of harm's way. Beckett and Schmidt were on their way to engage the fighter, but it seemed hopeless. The fighter had too much of a head start.
"I am sorry bud, but I can't play anymore." The crosshairs again lit up, but this time Vasser squeezed the trigger and the pulsating lights hit the cockpit imploding it. Within seconds all that remained was the burning debris of the Mulluran fighter. "Scratch Three!"
"Captain," Ensign Dreke yelled. "That Mulluran fighter is heading our way."
"Get a phaser lock on it," Lataro yelled.
"I'm trying."
"Do it manually!"
"Aye sir."
"Sir," began Okul, "the ship is 3000 kilometers and closing fast."
"All hands, this is Captain Lataro. Evacuate secondary hull. I say again, Evacuate secondary hull. Con! Evasive maneuvers."
The Hornet banked to the right exposing her "soft" underbelly. Lataro wanted to protect the fragile nacelles, and the deflector dish was already hit from the subspace torpedoes. He was hoping to absorb some of the damage.
"2000, 1000," Okul iterated.
"All hand, brace for impact!" Just as Lataro yelled the order, there was a large explosion. The Mulluran fighter had been destroyed by the combined efforts of Banshee squadron, but not before a torpedo had been launched. The torpedo hit engineering. "Damage report!"
"Damage reports coming in," Okul said. "Hull breach in decks 32 section g. Emergency forcefields in place. Engineering reports heavy damage, 25 people unaccounted for."
"Engineering!" Lataro yelled.
[Go ahead Captain,] Chief Matthews responded.
"How bad is it?"
[Bad sir. You wanted warp by tomorrow. Well, I would be lucky to have in 100 days.]
Lataro let out a big breath. "Do the best you can. We need to get to Starbase 901 as soon as possible."
[Understood. Engineering out.]
"Recall the Banshees," Lataro said. "And Mr. Okul, tell them 'good job'."
"Aye sir."