"What am I to do after that?" Asked Captain Kanda'. "When I have completed that mission, am I to join the fleet on the assault or return here?"
Kumerian laughed. "If you survive then you may join the assault fleet or return here at your discretion. Kanda', I don't expect you to survive this mission. One war cruiser, two tender cruisers and a freighter don't exactly comprise a very survivable force against what we expect them to throw at you."
"Do not forget the three flotillas of G1s Admiral. I expect that the tholians will not press too hard in this attempt and will turn tail as soon as I have vaporized a few of their ships."
Kanda' Looked long at the tactical display. The Fleet was moving under warp speed in formation. It was a beautiful thing, this fleet. A hundred predetors seeking prey, discipline and training holding them in formation. Kanda' had seen many wars in many places and in many forms. The General war had been raging for ages it seemed. He had watched countless lives wither in the field of fire. Hydrans, Lyrans, Kzinti, Human, and Tholians. Even Klingons die. But in all of the ages that he remembered, nothing was as awe inspiring as a Klingon Battle Fleet. He picked out the Flagship of the assault force. The C9 surrounded by her escorts she resembled nothing less than a queen dictating to her legions. Smaller specks flashed on the display, as fighter pilots manuevered in and around the massed ships. The Assault fleet sparkled in the endless night. Twenty war cruisers flanked the flagship on either side, spread out in a wing extending half a million kilometers. Heavy cruisers and fleet tugs, formed wave after wave of floating death. The escorts, Frigates, scouts and destroyers, circling the fleet, looking for any signs of prying eyes. His own command, the three tenders and the Prowler were seperate from the main fleet. This was his reward for being the only captain to ever successfully probe the Tholian Home system. The success of that mission was what made all this possible. The Fleet, The Tholian Expeditionary Genocide Fleet, was headed to that end. The Tholian Home world. The single largest fleet in the known galaxy. Almost every other frontier had been cannabalized to come up with the ships. Nearly a quarter of the whole Klingon military power was arrayed in this sole mission. Exterminate the Tholian menace and reclaim the territory for the Klingon empire. A single thrust into the very heart of the Tholian hegomony and it would be over. The rest would be a mop up. All they had to do was get there. Kanda' doubted the success of the mission. He had warned the high command that the tholians would be too hard pressed. The federation would come to their aid, not that the Tholians would ask for any aid, but they would come. They always would. Those altruistic flatheaded humans would interfere with the mission. The Expedition fleet would crumble if the feds showed up. The High command did not listen. Admiral Kersious who had been the Tholian front commander had argued that if the fleet could make it into Tholian territory fast enough, then even if the feds showed up, it would be too late.
Kanda' was not so sure. He had been there. And he had made it back. Kanda' Had proposed another plan. Outfit a much smaller force and attempt to sneak into the system the way he had done. Set up a secret base and harry the tholian shipping lanes from within. If contact could be made with the orions, supplies could be brought in. The smaller force could attack the interior with impunity, and it would cost much less. Kersious was not convinced. The high command had made his plan the operation.
Kanda' left the bridge and made his way through the corridors to the officers lounge. He had long ago gotten rid of the non klingon crew members on his ship and replaced them with people of his own choosing. He had collected them from the dregs of personnel. Discipline cases, but his reputation had gotten them to join. He promised glory and combat and he delivered. With a few exellent officers and his own brand of discipline, he had turned them into a top notch crew. Any one of them would die at his command. And he had collected a few others. Criminals, those who knew how to contact the pirates. Scavengers and hunters. He sat down in front of Borilis Ganysid and looked at the renegade. Borilis was klingon, an officer under Kanda' but Borilis was not a combat officer. His expertise was not the killing, but of the hunting.
"Have you made the arrangements we discussed?" Kanda' asked.
"The captain of the tug Hisperion will be looking for the signal after the battle at the Starbase. He will disengage from the battle and meet us in the asteroid field where you dropped the bouy. He has been told what to look for. He is supposed to be carrying fighter parts. He is in fact carrying the cargo that you specified. The other captain, Troan was opposed to the plan, but will meet us at the arranged pick up point if the van of the fleet is intercepted. He wants to be sure that your opinion of how the operation will procede is correct before committing his life and his ship into your hands. He agrees with the operation, but only if the expedition is a failure."
"Which it surely is. And the others? What of the supporting escorts? Have they been informed of what is to occur?"
"Yes. Now all you have to do is complete your mission and get those tenders to the pick up point unharmed. The rest is arranged Kanda' all as you specified. The high command knows nothing. Security has not been compromised."
"Good! Then we will Procede." Kanda' was pleased. All was going according to plan.
"Two Tholian Heavy cruisers, One Dreadnaught, three escorts Bearing 210 mark 7 range 500,000 kilikams." Called out the navigator. "Slowing to engagement speed warp 3.1 and slowing."
"Tactical!" Ordered Kanda'. "Send a message to the Van that we have contacted the Tholian interception fleet. Inform them of their strength and position, and tell them that we are going to engage. Also, see if you can raise the Tholians I want to talk to them before we destroy them. Ship to ship code 3 order Attack plan Alpha."
"Hailing frequencies open captain, the tholian commander is on. Putting it on the main viewer." Called out the Communications Officer.
"You are trapped Klingon. Your pitiful force will be swept away and your fleet will be crushed. Surrender now and we will spare your lives." Raged the Tholian commander.
The swirling heat of the interior of the Tholian vessel was evident in the view screen. The crystaline creature looked angry, thought Kanda'.
"Klingon Commander to Tholian Commander. I am Kanda' Jalen Eirsie Captain of the Klingon Deep Space Vessel Prowler. Surrender your vessels. There is nothing you can do to stop our attack, it is too strong. Your attempt is futile and will only result in your own destruction."
"Klingon, you have entered our territory with the intent of combat. I will not deny you of this pleasure. Prepare to be vaporized." The channel was cut off.
The PF's accellerated out in front of the three combat vessels. the three flotilla arrayed in the Klingon hunting formation. One flotilla forming the left wing, one the right, and the third in a line formation to the rear. The formation arrowed towards the tholian ships. The Prowler and the two D6 PF tenders formed an echilon and proceded at high warp speed at the tholians.
The Tholian capital ships formed into a wye formation with the dreadnaught at the base. The escorts staying behind in a packed formation. They were expecting a battle pass and were confident that they would outgun the smaller klingon ships.
The two formations closed the range quickly, the tholian ships fired from extreme overload range at the patrol ships. At the same instant, the Patrol ships launch a massed swarm of drones. The PF tenders locked onto the drone channels and provided the guidance channels. The Tholian capital ships held their fire and slipped into overrun attack position. Suddenly, the Three klingon cruisers reversed engines and stopped dead in space.
"We have them now. They know we are going to overrun them. They are reenforcing their shields. Close to 10,000 kilometers and fire all weapons. Concentrate on that center D5. Then All Ships turn to 210 and come around for those PF's. Escorts fire on those drones and then cover yourselves with a web wall. Scout, attempt to jam those drones with Electronic counter measures."
The Tholian Hive mind echoed with Commander targs orders. All over the tholian fleet, individuals were acting as one body.
"They are coming into overload range, They are going to overrun us. The escorts are firing on the drones. Flotilla 915 has lost three units." The communicator panel called out the status report.
Kanda' barked out orders. "All ships drop your loads and accelerate, full reverse. Arming sequence should be completed on all modules. Tractor beams ready to lock onto those ships. Execute the wall manuever now!"
The three klingon ships slammed to a halt, shuttle bay crews working furiously to comply with Kanda's Orders. The warp engines whined as the full reverse power was applied. Slowly the ships backed away from the tholian ships bearing down on them. The Pf's banked away from the oncoming ships and the formation split into seperate fleeing units. It all appeared to be falling apart. Many of the drones lost tracking as the tholian scout jammed the drone control channels, more were destroyed by the picket ships phaser fire. The rest impacted harmlessly on the web that was cast. The Tholian commander was ecstatic. It appeared that the Klingons were running! But not fast enough and too late. He ordered full speed. Get those tenders and the escorts could take care of the Pf's while the heavy ships could procede on it's mission. This was so easy, Targ thought. If all of the Klingons fought this badly, their attack fleet would be easy pickings for the main intercept formations that were converging on them from all over tholian space. It was piecemeal but it would be enough. The New Friends and their new ship designs could easily deal with these SoftBodies.
Kanda' Looked on the scattered formations of the PF's. It looked sorry and ill prepared. Good. It was supposed to look that way. Individually, Pf's were ineffective against heavier ships. Only a determined disciplined pack could successfully engage capital ships. The Tholian formation was almost withing range now. "Weapons. Status report." He shouted. All stations reported ready. The Tholians closed the range. The fleeing Klingon vessels had only gotten about 25,000 kliks when they again slammed on the brakes. Halting in front of the Tholian formation. Weapons at the ready. Kanda' spoke into the command channel. "Steady, ready those tractor beams, wait.... wait... "
The tactical display darked. The View screens exploded into brilliant sparkles. The Large mines they had dumped out of the shuttle bays exploded full onto the front shields of the onrushing tholian capital ships. "Now fire all weapons into that dreadnaught!" Kanda' yelled into the command chair microphone. Simultaniously the three cruisers concentrated their full weapons array into the leading tholian dreadnaught. It shook and started to heel over under the pounding. "Engage the Stasis field!" The beam lanced out and grabbed one of the cruisers. The remaining cruiser was snagged by the tractor beams of the tenders. It straightened out and plowed straight into the second string of mines. The dreadnaught exploded. It's weapons unfired. The remaining free cruiser was too close and it too exploded. The mines and the exploding dreadnaught causing too much damage. The front shields of the klingon ships buckled with the force of the explosions.
"All ships reporting minor damage. Shields swept away by the explosion. The Pf's have engaged the tholian escorts and are tearing them apart. We can't see because of the web, but the Flotilla leader reports that they will be no problem." The Status report rang out from the overhead speakers. The Bridge crew leaped out of their chairs chearing. A smile crossed Kanda's Face. He turned to the communications officer.
"Inform the fleet that the tholian vessels have destroyed our Pf's and that both tenders are flaming wrecks. Order all vessels to radio silence. Order the Auxillary tender to approach and prepare to make repairs on the remaining Pf's."
The bridge crew stopped dead. Looks of bewilderment crossed their faces. Kanda' said "return to your stations. This isn't over yet. Weapons get ready to blast that last cruiser when we release it from stasis. Communications, Ship to ship with the tenders." The crew complied. They knew that their captain was up to something. And it was bound to be glorious.
"Captains. Are you ready for phase two? Report to my weapons station when you have cycled your weapons to full overloads. When we release this scrap from stasis, I want it instantly destroyed. No messages must escape it. No reports. Is this understood?" The mop up took a few hours. The repairs of the Pf's proceded with speed. The Prowler and it's escorts licked their wounds and sped off into the night seeking the safety of the wide asteroid belt that Kanda' had charted on his last visit into Tholian territory.
Three days later the Fleet tug Hisperion arrived at the clandestine meeting place in the asteroids. A few hours later three other tugs and two F5 frigates arrived. Two days later, there were more arrivals. Three D5's and a a scout. Altogether Kanda' has assembled 1 D5A, 3 D5 war cruisers, two D6P Tenders, two F5 Frigates, a D5S scout, Three transport tugs, a fleet tug and an auxillary Pf tender. The Tenders each had 3 g1 Pf's, the rest not surviving the battle. More were loaded on the Fleet tug, along with spare parts and other supplies, but they would be broken out when they had established the base. They were awaiting one more arrival. When it showed up, they could prepare. In the mean time, the ships were busy, pulling asteroids into position. They were forming a nest of sorts. Deep in the wide belt that stretched into Tholian territory. The most important consideration was not being discovered by tholians or Klingons.
The Battle at the starbase had been successful. The Expedition had had overwhelming forces and had lost few ships. They had been intercepted however, shortly after by massed Tholian resistance and since they were operating far outside Klingon space, and away from their supply lines, the tholians had easily cut them off. They had proceded on their mission, making great strides into Tholian space, but the massed defenders, and the webs had slowed them down too much. Their supplies dwindled, repairs were impossible, as the defenders gave no respite from their counter attacks. The Expedition was turned back. Even now, single ships and small groups were attempting to make it back to Klingon lines. The mightly C9 flagship commanded by Ardak Kumerian was fleeing alone back to Starbase. Kanda' Had been right. The Federation had intervened, but had not entered Tholian space. A small force had been made available, and had faught the Expedition on the frontier and were harrying the Klingons fleeing from the engagement.
The Scout monitored the subspace channels and tracked the tholian responces. From their hiding place, they silently pieced together what was going on around them. They watched as Klingon ships passed them in the night, unaware of their presence. Many argued that there would be captains who would now commit their ships to this attempt, but Kanda' warned his people that those ships were needed on other fronts, and that hailing them could expose their position. Finally the last ships in the conspiracy arrived. Three Tugs and two more frigates. The Tugs carried the equipment and supplies that Kanda's Fleet would need. The Mobile repair station was broken out and assembled. The cargo holds emptied of the special silent running gear.
Four weeks later, the D5's and the Pf tenders were outfitted with the gear. One tug also was outfitted. All spare rooms and corridors of the ships were jammed with supplies and spare parts. The Pods of the remaining tugs were fitted with life support systems and special sensor gear. They were attached together to form a base station. The Rigged tug would tow it. The frigates were to escort the remaining tugs back to Klingon space. Slowly to give Kanda's Expedition time to infiltrate Tholian lines and then to tell the Klingon High command what was happening. The story was to be that Kanda' had communicated his false message so that Tholian forces would be unaware of his presence. They were to admit that they had conspired to collect the necessary supplies, but that the plan was only to be implemented if the Expedition was a failure. Since this was not too far from the truth, Kanda' had no doubt that the High Command would believe it. The fact that he had changed fleet supply by stealing three tugs from the main fleet, and that his ships could possibly have been better used in the main assault, he hoped would be overlooked. They had to be successful or they would all be dead. Kanda' sent an explanation message back with the escorts. He hoped to buy the time needed to implement his plan.
Admiral Kersious was furious to learn that Kanda's plan was accepted by the high command and approved. The captain of the prowler was deep inside tholian territory with an assault fleet capable of committing mayhem on the Tholian war effort. He would have no way of knowing that the Klingon high command had approved his plan or any knowledge that the federation was also aware of his activities. The Orions had been contacted and a base had been set up in the asteroid belt. Someone within the Orion organization had sold the information to a flathead spy however, and the feds had informed the tholians. Kanda's Bug hunt was doomed, thought Kersious. he would be the hunted, and the ships that he comandered would be waisted in the futile effort. Too bad though, it was a grand attempt.
Kersious looked at the map floating in his office and wondered just where Kanda' was at this time. The formally blank area that now held the specks that were the Tholian home world, twinkled. The grey elipsoid blotchy area that defined the great belt, curved around the system and headed off into the outskirts of uncharted space. Kersious wonderd if he would ever see Kanda' again. Doubtful, but if Kanda' somehow made it back, he would be a hero. Kersious tapped his fingers on the desk and stared at the holomap.