Final Battle : Preparation

All of the senior staff, apart from Lieutenant Commander J'Ross were now sat in the main briefing room of the Leviathan. Captain Taybar was very glad to have her crew back together. J'Ross had not come back from her exploration of the strange planet that the crew of the Saucer section had discovered. Aki had spoken to the Lieutenant Commander, but so far there had been no further reports.

Also in the room was the Jem'Hadar leader Goran'Agar, who sat at the end of the table, still puzzled as to why the Captain had requested his presence in the briefing and why she had asked for the best Jem'Hadar pilots from his team to be present. The rest of his group were on the alien planet and starting to settle in. As soon as Goran had arrived back onboard the Leviathan, he had spoken to the Captain. She had agreed to allow all the Jem'Hadar passage through the gate and allow them to settle on the new planet.

"So we now know that the rogue Jem'Hadar vessel is definitely on its way." Aki stated. The crew had launched a class eleven probe to investigate the incoming vessel and it had confirmed that the vessel matched all the data the crew had on the vessel.

"This means we have to either leave or make a stand." Aki continued. "As Starfleet officers, we have no choice but to protect what is down on the surface of the planet, so we're making a stand. This will be the end for one of us, nothing less will do."

Most of the assembled crew looked a little nervous and shocked at the strong statement the Captain had just made. Many of them had been onboard the USS Taurus and had seen the devastation and power the rogue Jem'Hadar vessel could 'hand' out. The only one's around the table who showed no emotions, were the Captain, Commander Rashad and Goran'Agar.

"What support will we have ?" Zack Dare enquired. "How many vessels have Starfleet sent as support ?"

The Captain looked at her Helm officer trying to hide the fact that there was no support coming from Starfleet or anywhere else, but somehow Zack picked up on it.

"We're going to be alone." Zack stated, with a note of defeat in his voice.

"That's the facts." Aki admitted. "All we have are the resources available to us. However, Lieutenant McQueen and Commander Rashad have been working on a battle plan, which we think will work, so long as everyone co-operates."

The Captain turned to Lieutenant McQueen, who rose from his seat and stood in front of the large viewscreen, tricorder in hand.

"What we intend to do is use the Hellcat and our compliment of shuttles as a fighter wing to supplement the Leviathan." Logan stated. "We've analysed all the data from the encounter the Taurus had with the vessel and we think we have found several weaknesses in the rogue vessels system."

"A few shuttles aren't going to make much of a difference." Zack commented. "Plus we don't have enough pilots to man all the shuttles."

"There are several well-qualified pilots onboard, who could fly the shuttles." Aki stated. "But our plan goes a little further and I hope with the assistance of Goran'Agar we will have more vessel to add to our little squadron."

Finally Goran'Agar realised why he was at the briefing, the Captain wanted as many vessel as she could get. To do that she needed pilots, good pilots and Goran'Agar had fifteen such pilots under his command.

"My officers are willing to fight against our oppressors, to the death." Goran'Agar stated. "You can have as many pilots as you require to pilot your shuttles."

"Actually, we have enough pilots for the shuttles, what I was thinking was added some of the Jem'Hadar shuttles your group arrived in." Aki continued. "Plus we need one of the transports and two officers to fly it. Lieutenant McQueen will brief your men about their part later on today."

"You will have them." Goran'Agar. "So what's the plan ?"

"Good. Our first order of business is to get all the pilots filled in on the plan. The Commander has already got Engineering working on the Jem'Hadar shuttles and the Hellcat. Lieutenant Dare, you will be piloting the Hellcat under the command of Commander Rashad. I'd like you to remain after the briefing and we'll go over your part of the plan."

The rest of the briefing went over the basics of the plan and half an hour later, it was all over. The crew left to brief their own teams, leaving just the Captain, Commander Rashad and Lieutenant Dare sitting at the table.

"Lieutenant, I sensed earlier that you were sceptical about this mission." Aki enquired.

Zack was quiet for a moment, thinking over what the Captain had said during the briefing.

"Captain, I meant no disrespect, but I can see several flaws in the outline you've just described."

"Perceptive." Rashad commented. "But that was the idea. There were several areas of the battle plan which we omitted to discuss openly."

"Lieutenant, the reason I've placed you in the Hellcat is because you're probably our best pilot." Aki commented. "This entire plan hangs on the performance of the Hellcat. If you and the crew fail, then all will be lost."

The three officers discussed the mission and the reason that the Hellcat was so central to the mission. After fifteen minutes of intense discussion, finally the three officers left the briefing room and prepared for the final battle.