It had been two days since Ensign Cho; or at least something that looked like her; had shot him in the back at point-blank range and Jason Devron was still fuming.  Luckily for him she’d deciding on using the stun setting.  But how could he have not seen it?  As captain it was his job to know everything that was going on.  He hadn’t even realised the young Korean woman and his New Zealand helm officer had been seeing each other. Though the two of them had kept things completely professional during this mission; or was that more to do with her not wanting to be found out?

Jason had seen the haunted look on Chad Harris’s face, the empty eyes as if his heart and soul had been ripped out; and yet here he was sat at the controls, flying the compact Raven class corvette in pursuit of our shuttlecraft; carrying a Changeling in the form of a women he was in love with.

So, what had happened; why weren’t they all dead at the hands of the Jem’Hadar?  Basically they should have been.  Amat’Etan had set a bomb on the side of the mater-antimatter chamber; nothing fancy just crude effective and dangerous.  Then he’d sealed all the crew in the aft observation lounge.  Now that was annoying; once with the Orions’ was bad enough, but twice!  Well this time around things were different, the Jem’Hadar had not checked under the table, why would they expect a phaser to be stuck on the underside using duct tape?  A new door was a small price to pay at this point, compared to the destruction of the ship and the loss of 17 lives.

Due to some specialist training he’d been given at the Academy; Tholakath had been the one to disarm the bomb; a matter of carefully removing the outer casing, sliding something none conductive between two nodes and cutting the right three wires in the right order.  Of course unlike in the movies and books where the wires are all different colours and you just had to cut the red or the blue one, this device had eight grey wires.

They took off not long after that and started a scan for the Type 6 Shuttlecraft; as it was a rather compact vessel only capable of reaching warp 2.5 they knew it wouldn’t have gotten all that far.  And sure enough there it was.  “Ensign Harris what way is our shuttle heading?” Jason asked looking at its small image on the view screen.

“On its current course and heading.  Towards Far Point, sir” His helm office replied.

“That will take over a week from where we are, at their maximum speed!” Devron commented. “We’ll assume they either have other plans or are meeting up with a faster ship.”

“I agree with the assumption of another ship, though I’m picked nothing up on long range.” Tholakath pointed out.

Devron tapped his communication button. “Bridge to Engineering.”

“Engineering, here.” Replied Lyambo a moment or two later.

“What’s the best speed I can get out of the ship, Chief?” The captain enquired.

“Well after the structural damage we’ve suffered, don’t push it beyond warp 3, whilst I see which bits rattle and which fall off.” Lyambo answered.

Jason couldn’t be sure whether the comment was meant as a joke or things where really that bad; he didn’t know enough about structural engineering, but there was a section of deck 4 that now seemed to bow slightly and the door nearest that point had jammed half way.  So he merely thanked his Chief Engineer and ordered Ensign Tholakath to drop a warning buoy in orbit above the planet. He didn’t want anyone else landing or beaming down whilst there was any chance those creatures were still alive. Finally he ordered Ensign Harris to lay in a pursuit course at warp 3.

**********

On board the shuttle sat three Jem’Hadar warriors.  First Amat’Etan and the only other two surviving members of their fighters’ crash.  None of them had ever expected to meet a Founder, they were created to serve them with unwavering loyalty, but to actually be in the presence of one of their masters; it was almost beyond comprehension.  And what had honoured them even more was when this Founder had conducted the Ketracel-white ceremony with them.  Amat’Etan having managed to salvage one of the precious boxes containing vials of the substance; and as First had the power to hand out the white himself if no Vorta was available.  He’d neglected to mention the Vorta in charge had died at his hands.  But then the Founders knew everything any way, and this one had not punished him.

The Cho Changeling was at the controls of the shuttle, she knew much better how to handle such a craft than any Jem’Hadar.  Situations and circumstances had changed a lot.  Having originally been one of two Changlings aboard  the USS Johannesburg they’d set everything in motion.  Then reports of the missing fleet; ‘The Lost Fleet’ as everyone referred to it as.  News had to be stifled quickly and one of her companions’ tasks had been to sabotage one of the relay satellites in such a way that would delay the Romulans’ finding out and offering assistance.  Unfortunately despite this and the satellites eventual destruction the various Romulan factions had found out soon enough.

She’d taken a gamble in leaving the Johannesburg, but there was nothing more to be done there other than watch and wait.  Time, distance and the number of them had prevented infiltration of the Fourth Fleet to the same extent they’d managed to achieve elsewhere.  So the opportunity to get on board one of their vessels even if it was a small one seemed too good to miss.

‘Trust only the Fourth.’  She almost laught.  Poor Ensign Cho Hwa-yeon; only survivor of the USS Jaxartes, and look what she’d have to present them at Far Point, a sleeping Vorta.  All they need to do is wake him and unleash hell!  Goodbye Far Point, goodbye the Fourth.  Now she did laugh; which drew puzzled looks from the warriors.  This time the doctors wouldn’t be able to scan inside, she’d made sure of that.

All they need to do was rendezvous with the fleet which would get them closer to Far Point and sneck in during the confusion.

**********

The Jaxartes was closing in its wayward shuttle, very soon it would pick them up on its own limited scanners.  But at the moment it might look like things were going their way, events took another twist.

“Two Breen Warships, one Jem’Hadar Cruiser and nine Fighters on long range!” Exclaimed Tholakath. “Moving in at Warp 7.”

“That’s it we’re dead.” Devron muttered under his breath. “I’m sorry it’s come to this.” He announced a little louder.

Chad turned to him, “I’m sure the rest of the crew would agree with me when I say it’s been an honour serving with you sir.”  Both the Cardassian and Caitian nodded in agreement.

Jason was about to order Red Alert and inform the rest of the crew of the dire situation when a bright flash court his attention.  One of those ships had just destroyed the shuttle. “We’re being hailed.” Announced C’Rren covering communications along with his own scientific duties.

“Drop use out of Warp and put them on screen.”

The face or rather mask of a Breen appeared before then. “You may call me, Lon.” Came the voice. “We regret the situation that has arisen in this sector and knowing the danger of what was aboard that vessel have neutralised that threat.”

“And what are you plans for my ship? Lon.”

“You are free to carry on; the war with your Federation is over, at least from my stand point.  However not all Dominion units have stood down and a large portion of them still plan on attacking Far Point.”

“So what are your plans?”

“We will not fight our own if that’s what you’re asking, not unless ordered to do so that is.”

“You just killed one of the Founders.”

“Did I?” It was phrased as a question, but not really meant as one.  Then communication was cut and the small task force moved away.

“What now captain?” Asked his Helm officer.

“Onward too Far Point, we have a battle to win.” Replied Jason.

“Aye captain, course set.”

“Hit it!”