The cloaked Lambda Flier dropped out of warp as it entered the Jeor system, and Commander Lataro had taken the helm as the now weary Lt. Valdago took this opportunity to get some rest. He laid in the back of the ship sleeping, his arm draped over his eyes snoring loudly. Lataro laughed to himself as the roaring snores rocked the cabin.
<There is a ship approaching bearing 020 mark two,> the computer announced.
"Computer. Can you identify the ship?" Lataro asked as he tried to manually get a ID.
<Unknown configuration.>
"Very well. Drop to one-fourth impulse. On screen."
On the screen was a ship about double the size of the Flier and looked to have double the armor. It had weapon turrets scattered in random pattern throughout the hull: all seemed to be aimed forward, and if Lataro didn't know better, all were aimed for him. <Unknown ship is within weapons range.>
As the unknown ship broke the 1000 km barrier, the cabin lights turned red. <There are neutrino pulses emanated from the ship.>
Hmm. They are on to us. "Computer decloak ship, but keep weapons and shields down."
<Acknowledged.>
Immediately, the computer registered that the massive alien ship began to power all weapons and shields came up. Just as the tension started to grow, Lataro felt a hand on his shoulder that made him jump and react by grabbing it and twisting it, forcing the unknown assailant face first in to the console. "Whoa, Commander! Relax. It is just me," Valdago said with his face smashed flat on the forward display.
"Sorry. My nerves are a little shot right now. Do you recognize that ship?" Lataro said releasing Valdago's hand helping him up.
"No. It does somewhat look like the Jeorri ship we encountered the first time we were in this sector, but it is a lot bigger and well-better armed."
"My thoughts exactly."
[Unknown ship. This is the Battle Cruiser Callaan. You will come to full stop and prepared to be boarded.] A voice came over the intercom.
"Battle Cruiser Callaan. This is the Lambda Flier. We have no hostile intent. I request to establish visual communication." Suddenly the view screen appeared, and sitting in a chair in the center of a large bridge was a Jeorri. Lataro smiled and was jubilant inside, but the initial contact was far from hospitable. "Sir, I am Commander
Jonathan Lataro, First Officer of the USS Virgo, commander of this vessel, and this is Lieutenant Johnathan Valdago. We are..."
[The Virgo! Yes. I have heard of you. Is Lt. Roen with you?] the Jeorri asked, excitedly standing up.
Lataro looked at Valdago then back to the view screen. "Um, Sir, Lt. Roen was killed on an assault of the Kirusan fortress." The excitedness was lost with those words as the Jeorri sat back down. Both Lataro and Valdago immediately noticed that the Jeorri became choked up.
[I am Major Cleteri of the Jeorri Militia. If I recall our briefings wasn't your ship a bit larger and under the command of a Captain Maruu?]
"Yes, Sir. You are correct on all accounts. We were sent by Captain Maruu on an important mission so that we must speak to your governments leaders. It is of dire importance to both you and the entire Gamma Quadrant."
[Well tell me what it is and I will relay the message.]
"Sir, may we come aboard? I don't want to risk a security breach."
[That important, huh? Very well.] The Jeorri tapped a few buttons on his panel and immediately the Flier's computer registered the Callaan's shields coming down. [Commander, we are locking on to you with a tractor beam and bringing your ship into one of our access bays. Please come aboard.]
"Thank you, Sir. Lieutenant, cut all power to the engines," Lataro ordered.
"Aye, Commander."
The Flier was instantly pulled aboard the Callaan and docked. In the bay, Captain Cleteri and two other Jeorri met the Commander Lataro and Lt. Valdago as they disembarked.
"Commander Lataro. Lieutenant. I would like to introduce my Number One and Number Two, Captains L'Ciliar and Uyteria," Cleteri said, pointing to the officers in turn as they were introduced.
"Pleasure," Lataro said extending his hand. The Jeorri saw the hand didn't know how to react. Instead they bowed solemnly. "I am sorry. I forgot." Lataro retracted his hand and returned the bow.
"Please, Commander. Let us go to my office where we can discuss this important mission," Cleteri said as he waved his hands to the door. "Captain Uyteria. Please return to the bridge and continue patrol of sector Tila I."
"Yes, Sir," Uyteria said, rushing away.
"Shall we, Commander."
"Of course, Major. After you."
After about 20 minutes in the major's office, Lataro started to think that maybe he wasn't the best person for this mission. Major Cleteri was sitting in his chair with his fingers interlocked looking at Lataro with wide-eyed fascination. Often a look of disbelief formed on his face, and at other times, looks of affirmation. Finally, Lataro said his final pitch phrase and sat back. Cleteri sat there and looked at Lataro and then at Valdago. "So let me get this straight. Your plan is to a massive armada of Jeorri warships fight off the Kirusans?" Cleteri finally said, breaking the minute long silence.
"Yes."
"Well, Commander. I for one don't mind a fight. I am a fighter. How do you think I got to where I am today. But to fight the Kirusans one-on-one, it is almost suicidal. Do you know how many ships we have in our militia?"
"I am not sure. I really don't have the faintest idea."
"We have four battle cruisers like this one, and a total number of 12 attack ships in our entire defense force."
Lataro sat back in amazement. How for so long did the Jeorri fend off the Kirusans with such a minimal number of ships? "Major, how many ships have you lost in your fight?" Lataro asked.
"We have lost only five ships, but are tactics are different than yours, I would imagine. We hit and run just long enough for the Kirusans to want to disengage us. Enough hits on vital areas and the Kirusan ships go kaboom!"
"Okay. Then with concentrated fire power with your fleet and with the Virgo we may be able to inflict even greater amounts of damage."
Cleteri liked the idea of ridding his race of the threat of the Kirusans. He wanted freedom. Freedom to go where he wanted to and when he wanted to without the threat of being pursued or attacked by the Breadth. But his numbers were small and totally against him in comparison to the Kirusans. What was he to do? How was he to feel? Oppression or death?
Cleteri pondered those questions as Valdago leaned over to Lataro and whispered something to him. Lataro's eyes opened wide as if something had hit him. "Major, I forgot to mention, and this may help sway you. Do you remember your ancestry?"
"Ancestry, Commander?"
"Yes. Where you come from?"
"Well sort of. The teachers tell us that we were born of this world created from the primordial sludge. Then many years ago, a super powerful race of beings came and took a chosen few. These chosen few never were seen again, and we never knew what became of them."
"Major. Let me show you something. Is it possible to patch your computer system into the Flier's database?"
"Of course."
"Good. Please do so and pull up the entries on the Dominion."
Cleteri punched a few buttons and within minutes the entire database of the Flier was downloaded into the Callaan's computers. "Computer. Display all entries on the...Dominoes?"
"Dominion," Valdago corrected with a smile.
"...the Dominion." The computer spewed the information faster than Lataro and Valdago could normally process it. However, Cleteri seemed to have little to no problem reading and absorbing the material. Finally the last bit of information came and a picture of a Jem'Hadar soldier appeared. With that Cleteri gasped, and was amazed at the sight. "The Jem'Hadar! They are our lost ancestors."
"Yes, Major. But, they are not the like you. They are bred for war and fighting totally dependent on a substance they call 'ketracel white'. It is a drug that reinserts a chromosome which is vital for their survival. Its administrators are a race called the Vorta. The Jem'Hadar stop at nothing and are interested in one purpose: to serve the Founders. The Founders are their leaders or gods, who are bent on universal conquest. Once they return to your world, they will conquer you and enslave your people."
"No! I will not let that happen."
"Good. Lt. Valdago informed me that we are here not to ask for you to help us fight the Kirusans, but fight the Dominion!"
"From what I saw, I don't like the Dominion anymore than I do the Kirusans. Yes I agree, we must fight them to insure the Jeorri freedom. But, Commander, I also noted in the data that you are allied to them?"
"Yes. We are allied with them to fight off the Kirusans, but Captain Maruu intends us to show up after their fight against the Kirusans to fight off the Dominion. We are to turn against the Dominion to ensure and protect your freedom. This is a PADD that explains briefly what the Captain Maruu has in mind and why," Lataro said, handing Major Cleteri a PADD which he looked at confusedly. Cleteri had never seen technology quite like this but was eager to learn. Pushing a few buttons a few lines of text appeared which he began to read. As Major
Cleteri looked over the PADD, Lataro spoke. "There are five opposing parties here: the Federation, the Jeorri, the Kirusans, the Resistance, and the Dominion. When the Federation leaves this part of space, Captain Maruu wants the Kirusans and the Dominion to have fallen. The only winners here must be the Kirusan Resistance and you. Even if the alliance works, the captain doesn't want the Dominion to come and take control of you or your people as the Kirusans have. Besides, when the Dominion realizes you still exist, the Shahtar themselves have warned us that the Dominion will destroy your entire race because you threaten the entire Dominion's military force."
"I am sorry. Who are the Shahtar?"
"They are the leaders of the Kirusans, and their gods."
Cleteri read no more. He put the PADD down and opened a com channel. "Captain Uyteria."
[Yes, Major.]
"Set a course back to Jeor, maximum warp plus one."
[Yes, Sir.]
Lataro and Valdago grabbed tight to their chairs as the ship banked. The Jeorri hadn't perfected inertial dampeners as the tight turn was felt. Lataro hadn't felt something like that since he was on Earth flying an ultra light which he had made for a school project. That school project cost him greatly, a broken arm, legs, and clavicle bone resulting from the ultra light's crash which Lataro would never forget.
"Bridge, what is the estimated time of arrival to Jeor?" Cleteri asked.
[One hour, twenty minutes,] Uyteria said.
"Well, gentlemen. You have my vote, but unfortunately I am not the one to make those decisions. You must speak to the Council of Elders. With their approval, we will join you in the fight."
"Good."
"Until then, please make yourselves at home. Commander, may I ask you something?"
"Of course, Major."
"Tell me how Lili died. You see, Lili was my sister."