‘Well we hadn’t fallen apart so that was a positive sign at least.’ Thought Jason to himself as they approached the battlefield.  A few more repairs had been made and Dinari had deemed it safe to increase the ships speed to Warp 3.6. But he was still unwilling to chance anything higher.  Devron couldn’t blame his Chief Engineer for his caution; it was a miracle they hadn’t split in half.  The poor old Jaxartes was going to need a lot of work done on her, and she wouldn’t be getting anywhere near the front of the queue for repairs; that honour would fall to the bigger ships.

Devron had called a meeting, the aft lounge was off limits being the other side of the damaged section of the ship, instead they’d squeezed into the officers mess. The room was probably roughly the same size if not a little bigger, but with the replicator and food preparation area up one end, it felt a little more cramped. 

“So exactly why are we heading towards the most dangerous part of space in a ship held together with duct tape?” Stuart asked, getting straight to the point and expressing the thoughts of everyone else. “No offence Dinari.”

“Two reasons.” Devron spoke calmly. “Number one as you’ve highlighted and everyone is aware this ship can’t get far as she is.  We are in no fit state to run off anywhere.”

“And number two?” She asked looking directly at him. 

“There are going to be a lot of damaged ships out there, escape pods and stuff floating around.” He answered. “If we can do anything to help save lives, I want us to try.”

“So no plans to go in fighting?”  It was Tholakath turn to speak this time.

“I’d be a fool to even try.” Was the captains’ honest reply. “Besides the good doctor here would probably have me relieved of command, rather sharp!”

Doctor Andrianakis nodded, though she wasn’t entirely sure that as a civilian doctor merely on secondment she carried the same weight and authority that a Starfleet doctor would.  But if the worse came to the worse, she could always incapacitate him and ask questions later.

The rest of the meeting was good natured, despite all their nerves, but at least everyone was clear on what would be expected of both them and the rest of the crew.

            **********

The battle was raging and not just in one place; forces of various sizes and configurations were scattered all over the place.  Ships danced around each other in a deadly ballet.  Swapping from one target to the next as successive enemy vessels came into weapons range and then raced past again.  The chaotic swirl of battle was almost too much for the senses to handle; and even the ships computer was having difficulty tracking and identifying everything out there.

Federation, Cardassian, Klingon, Romulan and hold on, was that really a group of Tholian vessels performing manoeuvres that didn’t seem physically possible as they set upon a cruiser!  Energy beams of a half dozen different colours or shades depending on their power source and the race that had built them criss-crossed searching for their quarry.  Photon and quantum torpedoes found their mark with deadly accuracy.    

It was so easy to be distracted and just stare at the view screen, but the crew of the USS Jaxartes where there to lend a hand in whatever small way they could. “Escape pod bearing 040 mark 160.” Called out Tholakath; breaking the silence on the bridge. “Detecting four life signs.  Navigation systems and beacon are none functional; power levels fluctuating.”

“Get us in close Lieutenant!” Jason commanded.  Today was going to be a very lucky day for those four individuals on-board that escape pod.  Had the corvette not been here they would have most likely drifted off into deep space unseen amongst the mayhem and spreading debris. “Lock transport and beam them off.”

“Crewman Lightwood confirms we have them.” Announced C’Rren, covering communications.

They change course again; constantly on the lookout for anyone in trouble whilst avoiding direct confrontation with any Dominion ships.  Twenty minutes later they had another half dozen transferred from a second pod.  They didn’t ask for names or what ship they’d escaped from, that would come later, for now they’d just be checked over and any injures dealt with.  Doctor  Andrianakis had the EMH, Ensign Harris and another crewmember helping out in sickbay. But other than one person with a broken leg; injures had been minor so far.

“Bearing 163.7 mark 017.” The Cardassian called out the direction of another target requiring assistance. “Heavily damaged Valkyrie; one faint life sign.  This one would be far from easy enemy vessels where much closer and getting within transporter range would put them well within the weapons range of at least one Jem’Hadar fighter and possibly the cruiser swinging round.

“This is the USS Jaxartes requesting covering fire.” Devron broadcast across all frequencies. “Attempting pilot recovery.”

What came next was something both wonderful and remarkable and a sight he never thought he’d witness, let alone be stuck right in the middle of it.  Flanking them on either side a pair of Klingon ‘Birds of Prey’ raced ahead ripping into the Jem’Hadar fighter with everything they had corkscrewing around it in such a way that the other ship was unable to deal with them before its shields collapsed.   Above the corvette casting a huge shadow across the small craft as a Galor class warship opened fire on the cruiser.

“Message from the warship sir.” The Caitian called out. “Hope your looking after my son?”

The Cardassian Ensign sunk down in his seat slightly.  Of all the places to turn up and all the question his father could have asked. Jason noticed and turned to C’Rren. “Tell their captain he’s the finest Cardassian tactical office I’ve ever worked with.”

Tholakath sat up feeling rather proud at that moment; knowing how strained things seemed when they’d first met. “Hold on, I’m the only Cardassian you’ve ever worked with!”

“It’s a start Ensign it’s a start.” Jason said warmly. He couldn’t believe how things had changed in such a short time.  The enemy he’d hated with all his heart was not only becoming something less menacing, it was actually a person with a name sitting in front of him and a warship keeping him and his crew out of harm’s way. The universe was full of surprises.

“Match the rotation of that Valkyrie as best you can, Lieutenant.” He asked Stuart. “Hopefully that will make it easier to lock on.”

With careful skill whilst the Galor kept on a fixed vector; Lyanna slowly brought the Jaxartes into a spin matching that of the stricken Federation fighter.

“Transporter locked.” Announced  Tholakath.  “Pilot retrieved.”

“Ok get us clear.” Shouted Devron.  The Raven dove down relative to the other ships and Jason switched the main screen to an aft view watching the Cardasian warship now joined by the Birds of Prey rip into the cruiser from three sides at once.  On the scale of things that particular fight was short lived; but the battle was not yet over.  There was still more to do.  The tied had turned, but whether the Dominion that had arrived here would fight to the last, run or actually surrender was still unclear.

However for one Raven class corvette it was time to look for more people to rescue. Each life saved would mean one less family in mourning for the loss of a loved one; Jason Devron had witnessed that first hand, so he knew what was at stake.