Mosquito Hawks

"Captain I've got an idea. The Bariens know our comlink signals so they bounce them back to us using a refractive pulse. The pulse is coming from one ship, at bearing three two mark seven. The damaged battleship," Lieutenant MacLeod yelled.

Devore turned and looked at Mac, "Outstanding."

"Cadet plot a course over the hull of that ship. I want to strafe that ship and if you can tell me where the Bridge and Engineering are that would be even better."

Grafton target at anything that resembles weapons or sensors.

Engineering, get full power back to shields and stand by for warp speed."

[Sir, are we making a run for Limerus IX ?]

"Yes but not yet ?"

The Leviathan continued to take a pounding as it drudged on to the capital ship. The small fighters continually attacked regardless of the persistent efforts of the runabouts and the Ronin. Holding on tight as the Leviathan rocked from the pelting, Devore sat scanning the area. Even the Jeorri, who had no stake in this war, fought valiantly, but slowly their shields were weakening as well.

"Captain, we are within range of that capital ship." Grafton said.

"Good. Open a channel to the Nile... I forgot no com."

"Sorry sir."

"If we can take care of this ship we can regain command and control."

"Sir, look !" McCaffee said pointing at the screen. The small fighters were beginning to converge in the flight path of the capital ship. They were acting as some sort of protecting shield.

"Damn it ! These things are like mosquitoes, annoying." Devore said hitting the arm of his chair.

"Mosquitoes sir ?" Mac asked.

"Yes Lieutenant they are.... oh never mind." Devore said. "Okay Ensign. Re-route all available to the shields double front. Engineering. I need all power from the deflector array and warp core directed to the shield emitters."

[Barnes here. Sir, we can give you all the power from the warp core, but the arrays has sustained heavy damage. We need that power just to keep the emergency fields in place.] Barnes said.

"Very well." Devore said. "Cadet. On my command ramming speed. We are going to cut through these insect. Grafton prepare to fire all phasers and torpedoes at that ship."

"Aye sir."

"Eng...." Devore began but as he spoke the fighters began exploding. "What !"

"Captain...." Began Grafton. "....there are hundreds of smaller signals coming in from 270 mark 3. They look like fighters."

"From whom."

"Sir..." Lieutenant MacLeod yelled. "....look."

The Barien fighters dispersed and were chased by smaller fighters.

"They are Nuans." Devore said. "Good job."

"Yes Captain Devore," Ambassador Maul said from the turbolift. "I had contacted the Nuan homeworld once we left DS9. That is the remainder of our fleet."

"Ambassador. I forgot that you were here. I haven't seen you since left DS9."

"I know. I have been meditating and I felt that I was needed now."

"You sure are."

"My Hawks are engaging the smaller fighters and well let's just say that they are helping."

"She is right..." Grafton said. "...we have a clear shot at that capital ship."

Devore smiled. "Cadet. Engage."

The Leviathan opened her weapons upon the capital ship. The weakened shields stood no chance from the concentrated weapon's fire of the combined Jeorri and Federation phasers. The ship exploded in a brilliant flash of orange and red.

"Sir. We are receiving jumbled messages." Grafton yelled.

"Open the battle channel and begin monitoring." Devore yelled.

[Leviathan, this is the Hawk One.]

"Go ahead Hawk One," Devore said responding to the squelch.

[Captain Devore. We are taking care of your "fighter" problem.]

"Outstanding. We will concentrate all our weapons on those larger ships. Just keep them off our back."

[Understood. Hawk One out.]

Finally the fight looked like it was going to be a victory anyway, but that thought was short lived. The Nile broke through.

[Captain Devore. The Hellcat has sustained heavy damage and has hidden herself within the nebula. But we are taking heavy fire and our shields are weakening. We need assistance.]

"Son, set an intercept course now !"

The Leviathan banked and sped towards the Nile.

"The Nile is in visual range." Grafton yelled.

"On screen."

The Nile was surrounded by a group of fighters that fired relentlessly. Her shields glowed a pale blue, but stood strong.

On board the Nile, Lieutenant Savage was frantically trying to get out of her situation, but with her systems down, she couldn't do anything.

"Crewman Burrows...." She began. "....where is the nearest capital ship ?"

"One thousand metres off our port bow."

"Good. Overload the engines now." Burrows looked at her. "You have a problem crewman."

"I don't want to die."

"Well if you don't do this then we will all die."

After a moment, Burrows nodded.

<Engines will overload in ten seconds.>

"Time to intercept?" Devore asked.

"Twelve seconds."

"Captain. I am registering a massive build up of energy from the Nile."

"What ! Mr. Grafton. Target the ships and prepare to fire."

"Ships targeted, Captain."

Suddenly from the Nile's position a large flash was seen. The waves of the antimatter explosion incorporated the fighters and the unfortunate capital ship. The shockwave buckled the hull resulting in a compromise of their own engine. The capital ship exploded.

"What happened ?"

"Lieutenant Savage set the engines to overload. Anything within five thousand metres didn't stand a chance," Devore said. "Open a channel to the Jeorri. The ball has been hiked."