Ready To Go

"Mister Borealiou, what's our status ?" Captain Taybar requested.

"All sections report ready." Marco relied. "As soon as the last Security teams reports their return, we'll be ready to leave."

"Good. "Aki said. "Mister McQueen, what's the status of the prisoner transfer ?"

"The last batch of ten Jem'Hadar and the Security team are approaching airlock three and Station security is ready to take over as soon as they reach them."

"Let me know when the transfer is complete." Aki ordered. "Lieutenant Barker, set a course for Trill and prepare to depart as soon as I give the word."

"Captain ?" Lily asked. "I thought we were heading back to the Gamma quadrant."

"New orders." Aki said. "As of now the Gamma quadrant is off limits to all Federation vessels. The Dominion have threatened to destroy any vessel passing through the wormhole."

"Captain, I'm readying phaser fire onboard." Logan announced.

"Where ?" Aki asked., thinking immediately of Lieutenants' Wright and Moss and the threats to their lives.

"Deck Fourteen." Logan reported. "It looks like my thought on moving the prisoners off ship was right."

"Yellow alert." Aki ordered. "Secure all decks."

"Captain, I've just detected a transport." Marco announced from the ops station. "Someone's used the transporter to get to the shuttle bay. I'm also picking up an unauthorised shuttle launch."

"Secure the shuttle bay, lock the doors." Aki ordered.

"Too late, they've overridden the door controls." Marco announced. "They've taken the Devastator and are heading for the wormhole."

"Captain, I'm picking up fifteen lifeforms onboard." Logan announced. "Eight Jem'Hadar, and seven Starfleet. It looks like they've taken some of the security force as hostages."

"The Dreadnought is powering up its weapons." Lieutenant Loh announced from the tactical station. "But the shuttle will be out of range."

"Helm, set a pursuit course and engage." Aki ordered.

[Security to Bridge.] A voice announced. It was Ensign Vasquez. [We've five men down, plus two Jem'Hadar. It looks like they've been stunned by phaser fire, we're moving them all to sickbay just in case.]

"Thank you Ensign." Logan replied. "Who's missing ?"

[Ellison, Smith, Tyler, Stressman and McQueen from Security and three of the Marines. They jumped us and were gone before we could secure them all.] Tania announced. [I'm sorry.]

"Not your fault." Logan replied. "It's mine, I should have ensured that there was adequate security present."

"Captain, the Dreadnought is signalling us." Marco announced.

"They've also targeted us." Garrett reported.

"On screen." Aki ordered.

The image of a Vorta appeared on the viewscreen.

[Leviathan, you have launched a shuttle towards the wormhole against orders. WHY ?] The Vorta demanded.

"The shuttle was commandeered by some prisoners in an escape attempt." Aki explained. "We are moving to intercept."

[No. You are not to follow that vessel, we will destroy it.] The Vorta stated.

"Like hell you will, I've got people on the shuttle, being held against their will." Aki said. "Raise shields, target the Dreadnoughts weapons and engine, prepare to fire on my mark"

[If you fire, you will be committing an act of war.] The Vorta said.

"Captain, the stations defences have just come online." Loh announced. "They're targeting the Dreadnought."

[Dreadnought, shutdown your engines and take you weapons off-line.] Another voice announced over the comm.

"Split screen." Aki said, looking across at Lieutenant Borealiou.

The viewscreen changed to show both incoming messages.

[What is this ?] The Vorta announced.

[Protecting another Federation vessel.] The woman on the other comm channel said, it was Commander West. [You have twenty seconds to power down your engines and take your weapons off-line before we fire.]

"Commander !" Aki stated.

[Captain, you have the authority to pursue and recapture the escaped prisoners.] West replied.

"Understood." Aki replied. "Helm, take us away from DS9 and head for the wormhole. Let's get our people back."

The Leviathan began to increase speed and head towards the Bajorian wormhole and the Gamma quadrant.

"Status of the shuttle ?" Aki asked.

"They entered the wormhole ten minutes ago, we'll be about eight minutes behind them." Borealiou announced. "Let's hope when we get to the other side, we can pick up their trail."

"If the Dominion don't destroy us as soon as we emerge on the other side." Loh added.

"I doubt that will happen, the Dominion don't have access to the sub-space link to send a message and I doubt they've had time to set-up any blockades." Aki suggested.

"Entering wormhole in ten seconds." Lieutenant Barker announced.

"On screen." Aki ordered.