BATTLESTATIONS!!! THE TURNING POINT
Posted on Thu Feb 12th, 2026 @ 11:12pm by Commander Kyle Reece & Lieutenant Nicholas Reece [Reece] & Captain David Tonelly [Reece] & Captain George Charles [Reece] & Captain Mattias Richardson [Reece] & Master Chief Petty Officer Chuck Finley [Reece] & Gunnery Sergeant Moses Henderson & Staff Sergeant Liam "Swede" Reece [Reece] & Cadet Junior Grade Gérard Dirsye [Reece] & Civilian Hendor Charles [Reece] & Civilian Conglomerate (Reece) & Riov Olmex Thikoho [Reece] & Captain Gary Taylor & Commander Sthilg & Lieutenant Colonel Azhul Naxea & Lieutenant Commander Alicia Kelea-Salik & Lieutenant Anna Esquivias & Lieutenant Thor Magnus & Lieutenant Tate Sullivan Ph.D. & Lieutenant J'airesh Mora-Heath & Lieutenant Zuriñe Aritza M.D. & Lieutenant JG Camryn Shepard & Lieutenant JG Damien Blackford & 2nd Lieutenant Elijah Hunter & Commodore Phoenix Lalor-Richardson & Civilian Teevs Dosivi & Lieutenant Commander Kara Starr {Kelea-Salik} & Lieutenant JG Heather De La Rosa {Kelea-Salik} & Lieutenant JG Varinity Atoro & Senior Chief Petty Officer Emily Charles {Kelea-Salik} & Staff Sergeant Leilani Charles {Kelea-Salik} & Ensign Lorelei Lee ( Barclay de Tolly )
Mission:
Season 6: Episode 6: Conglomerate
Location: Circinus Galaxy, USS Elysium, RSN Havraha, Galatonian Fleet
7153 words - 14.3 OF Standard Post Measure
MM OOC: as before, please include any of your npc's onto the author list that you will have making appearances in the battle. This part should wrap the battle itself up. There will be at least one more mission-based jo after this one is posted. Any side jps can be written there. Please use this one solely for the battle itself. Thank you for everyone's contebt...its been awesome!! -Bill
~ON~
Galatonian Crown Ship
The queen was furious! The battle had already cost more than any in her memory. Who were these aliens who thought they would stand against her?! As the damage reports came i, her desire for trophies dropped lower and lower. Finally, the decision was made for her, when the battle cruiser, commanded by her oldest daughter, and heir to her crown, vanished in a massive fireball, she howled in aguished rage as she hurled her ceremonial sword at the main viewer, piercing it in the exact center, destroying it in a cloud of sparks.
"KILL THEM ALL!!!!" She bellowed causing her senior staff to flinch, as they had never known her to be anything but expertly calculating. However, they all carried out her commands to the letter. If their Queen wanted the aliens wiped out, then so be it.
Battlefield
Through the growing debris field, the various opposing forces continued their dance of death, each one vying to gain the upper hand a score the kill first. Almost immediately following the destruction of the Galatonian battlecruiser, the enemy forces seemed to change their tactics. Instead of focusing on the starfighters screening the two capitol ships, all Galatonians in the combat zone seemed to switch their focus solely on the Elysium and Havraha.
Havraha
"Riov!" The current tactical officer running the ship's weapons shouted to Omex, as her department head was carried to the ship's morgue, following his death from an exploding console. "The enemy has switch their targeting profiles! They are now solemnly targeting the Elysium and us!"
As the incoming fire started to rock the Havraha, Olmex barked out orders. "Order Dagger Wing to act as a screen for us, all other pilots are to protect the Elysium! No matter the cost!" He then pulled up a quick status update of his ship.
Though she was strong and built for hard combat, the sheer numbers of enemy contacts was starting to wear the Havraha down. Already, she had suffered Mittal destruction to her hanger bays and Marine areas. Thankfully, all of her operational starfighters had bee launched and her entire Marine compliment had been brought out of cryosleep and sent over to the Elysiym, to assist in keeping her civilian population safe.
As the damage reports continued coming in, Olmex knew one thing for certain. If the battle didnt change soon, all would be lost. Pressing a control on his command dias, he spoke aloud. "Now hear this! All non-essential personnel report to your evacuation stations and prepare to transfer to the Elysium! I say again...all non-essential personnel report to you're evacuation stations and prepare to transfer to the Elysium!" He closed the channel and looked at his communications officer. "Get me the Commodore!"
USS Elysium
The call came through and Phoenix ordered it on screen. "Riov" she said as she kept an eye on her own board and the ship shook.
The call came in on a small monitor screen, located at Phoenix's left side, thus keeping the unfolding battle uninterrupted on the main viewer. Olmex's face came on the screen, his own ship rocking and sparks flying behind him. "Commodore," he spoke quickly, yet respectfully of her senior rank. "I am about to launch my remaining life pods, containing all of my remaining non-essential personnel. I will use the Havraha to shield their escape. I ask that you please collect them. Their lives are now on your hands, Ma'am."
She spun to face him. "We will collect them." A hand waved and an officer moved to get the tractors online. "You and your bridge crew will also be collected. We will lock on to the bio signs right now."
Anna nodded briefly as the tractors came online. She bit her lower lip, eyes on the screen.
Olmex didn't say anything at first. Then, he replied. "Please focus on my crew first, Ma'am." The image of him broke into static for a few beats, then he appeared, mid sentence. "...Will do our duty to defeat our enemy." The signal then broke again, and the sensors indicated that the Havraha 's communications relay had just been destroyed.
Suddenly, the broad battleship moved into a blocking position, shielding the Elysium with its dorsal section. As she glided into position, nearly two dozen escape pods launched from her ventral hull, heading straight towards the Elysium.
"Get those Pods aboard! Get the Transporters locked onto the Bridge crew of the Romulan Ship!" Phoenix barked out.
Anna's flew over the console. She got a sensor lock on the bridge crew and sent it to Transporter Room One. They would handle it from there. Then she worked the tractor beams. "Tractor beams locked on!" she yelled. "Bringing them aboard!" She hesitated. The pods were being brought in, but every second it took seemed an eternity. Anna sighed audibly as they finally made it. "We have the pods, ma'am."
Gary looked at the information scrolling across his console. "Three breeching pods have broken through our defenses and have drilled into the hull." He grabbed a phaser rifle and took a cleansing breath. He knew it was time for Gray Wolf the deadliest member of Admiral Zhukov's Wolf Pack to reappear. The ship needed him, the crew needed him, his daughter needed him. he would not fail them.
USS Elysium Medical
Triage
Zuriñe was humming quietly as she placed her hand inside the thigh of the female Orion in front of her. She was busily suturing one of the main arteries together. Selnor was busy prepping another patient that had his arm partially amputated. McGaver spoke up loud enough so the triage personnel could hear “Attention everyone just received word to expect Romulan casualties. Appears we are collecting escape pods from the Havraha.”
Zuriñe looked up at Selnor “I am about finished with this patient, she is stable enough to be made a yellow and wait for surgery. I’ll take over with that one and do the amputation. Make sure we have plenty of blood compatible for Romulans.”
T'Kek silently began to grab Vulcan and Romulan blood packets from storage and setting up two tables. One with Vulcan blood and the other with Romulan blood packets.
Tate hastily brushed her hair out of her eyes, sparing a small glance downward at her uniform streaked with various colors of blood. If she acted fast, she could don another one before the next wave of casualties arrived. Some might consider the change a luxury but Sullivan considered it a victory for morale, not just hers but the morale of the medical staff and future patients. After quickly changing her own gown, she grabbed a stack of others and began passing them out. “Hang in there everybody.”
USS Elysium Medical Elsewhere
Sthilg was arm deep into one of the human ensigns. It was the third time on this voyage. " Don't you die on me, ensssign you ahve a purple heart to win." He muttered as he finished stitching the man before handing him over to one of the nurses to finish sealing him up. " You heard it, people let'sss get asss much romulan and vulcan blood ready to go." he yelled over the noise.
J'Air moved from one operating table to another spare one, as some nurses and Auxiliaries cleaned down the one she had just vacated. She cleaned up, re-sprayed a new set of liquid hygiene hand covers into place and waited 30 seconds for them to harden into surgical "gloves" for want of a better word. Then she set off again with the next patient who was prepped and ready for emergency surgery. The cycle was successful and she was making it work again and again with no more than a few minutes between giving time for a protein drink with a straw to be placed up to her mouth whilst she waited for her hand coverings to dry, keeping her sustained instead of meal breaks.
Emily had taken over from Sthilg alongside Heather, taking care of their surgical patient. The whole situation was like a crazy war zone she wanted out of. “That’s this patient done.”
“Nice job” Heather nodded and offered a brief smile knowing they’d soon have more patients to attend to.
USS Elysium Beta Wing
Addison pulled into a tight turn, lining up a shot on a Galatonion fighter. She pulled the trigger as phaser pulses ripped into the enemy fighter, turning it into a fireball. She was operating on pure adrenaline. Enemy fire impacted her fighter, causing the ship to shudder.
"Shields down to forty-five percent," Thumper called out.
Addison pushed her fighter to full impulse and snapped back on the flight stick, causing the fighter to spin on it's axis towards the attacking Galatonion fighter, unleashing a barrage of phaser fire, destroying the fighter. Another wave of breaching pods were incoming. She reported the pods as she rolled into a strafing run, opening fire on two of the pods.
In all the chaos, three breaching pods managed to slip past the layers of Elysium’s defenses. Two attached to the stardrive section-one on the port forward section of deck thirty-one, the other other starboard amidships of deck thirty-two. The third pod connected with the forward dorsal section of deck five, on the saucer section. As soon as the connections had sealed, the pods drilled into the Elysium's hull and breached, disorganized a total of thirty-six of the cybernetically-enhanced Hounds. This time, there were no handlers to control them. They were simply set loose to cause as much damage and death as possible.
USS Elysium; Deck 32
The intruder alert sounded throughout the ship. On Deck Thirty Two, Marine Country instantly went into lockdown as forcefields were raised at key points throughout the deck as well as phaser turrets activating. Naxea donned her helmet as the full face helmet sealed and readouts from her tactical trickster appeared in a holographic display inside her face shield. She absently thumbed her rifle power up as she moved quickly down the corridor. She would make sure the Galatonions that breached Marine Country learned fear today as she shouldered her rifle into the ready position. Gunnery Sergeant Gami joined her as they exited the Marine CIC.
"Reserve Marines, with us. Stagger formation. Weapons free when you encounter the bastards," Naxea spoke as she and Gami led the way down the corridor towards the Galatonions.
Liam moved into his assigned position within the defense formation. He quickly checked his gear, for possibly the hundredth time, before settling down and clearing his mind. He had but one job to do. Eliminate the enemy, no matter what.
Teevs followed suit and moved into position with the others, his pulse nearly choking him. It was too late to back out now.
--------
From outside Marine Country, The Hounds converged. They could smell their prey, and they were hungry.
Almost instantly, the section defenses activated, when the phaser turrets began opening up. Four of the intruders were cut to pieces almost immediately, while the other pressed the attack, destroying three of the four turrets that guarded the outer section of Marine Country.
"Reece, take some Marines and split off down Corridor Seven-J to flank them," Naxea states as she tapped a few quick commands into her tactical tricorder to use security fields to herd the remaining Galatonions into a kill zone.
Teevs heard weapons charge up around him and focused. As much as he hated it, he let prior experience take over, because without it he was certainly going to be killed. He watched the corridor he and a few others were monitoring, hearing the turrets go off and what could only be described as ripping metal. The grip on his weapon tightened, waiting for the first sign of trouble to round the corner. He had shared tactics with Naxea and the other marines, but the sheer number of ships they saw had him hoping it would be enough.
Liam hoisted his rifle and nodded once to the Colonel. "Aye, Ma'am!" He thenlooked at the Marines in his squad. "Third squad, on me!" The group of six Marines moved out smartly, following Liam, as he led them out on of the other exits from the Marine Country.
A few moments later, when they were in position, Liam peered around the corner of a cross corridor, and saw the Hounds, three in total, destroy the last defensive turret and then turn their attention to the main entrance to Marine Country. He tapped the comm control on his battle suit and spoke quietly. "Spartan Actual, this is Thumper. In position. Three enemy combatants at front door. Defenses gone. Thumper Squad stands ready to distract guests, on your order, over."
Naxea was still leading the other half of the Marines as she glanced at her tactical tricorder holo display in her visor that was linked to the ship's internal sensors.It showed the Galatonions' position as well as hers and Reece's . "Lowering force fields J-7 and G-8. Let them have it," she said as she rounded the corner and came face to face with the three Galatonions, immediately opening fire.
As soon as the Colonel and her team opened fire on the group of Hounds, Liam and his team let loose, catching the enemy in a flanking firestorm. Three of the beasts went down quickly, while the remaining opponents turned and advanced towards both firing lines.
One white-furred Hound managed to dodge much of the frontal and flank fire, launching several of the harpoon weapons into Naxea's line, while the other remaining Hound, did the same, firing towards Liam's team, one harpoon striking the young NCO in his left upper leg, the force of the hit, jerking Liam back and onto his face. While his battle suit sealed around the embedded barbed blade, he was still bleeding into the boot of his suit steadily, his suit's damaged systems not cauterizing the wound.
One of the barbs struck Naxea in the abdomen as well as several other Marines fell from the baeba, knocking her back several feet to the deck.
"Colonel!" Gami called out as she fired a burst from her rifle, striking the white haired Galatonion in the head, dropping it. The Galatonions laid dead on the deck as Gami rushed to Naxea's side. "Colonel! Can you hear me?"
The pain was excruciating as she took deep breaths to try and control the pain. "I'm here," she said. Her suit's computer told the tale of her injuries on her holo display in her helmet. Kidney and intestinal damage causing internal bleeding. "How are the Marines?"
"Reece is down but looks like a leg injury. Both of you need to get to Medical now,* Gami replied as she slapped her comm link. "Gunnery Sergeant Gami to Medical. We've got several wounded Marines for Medical transport."
Teevs was one of the few who managed to either dodge the harpoons or were far enough away to be safely missed. He shot at another hound, shifting position to get around the frontal shield while also keeping himself between the hounds and the injured he knew were behind him. He didn't dare look behind him, not unless he wanted to share the same fate. It was only when the other hound dropped that he spared a glance behind him, tightening his jaw at the carnage.
USS Elysium BRIDGE
Phoenix was getting irate and when an Erisian got Irate it was often a scary sight. More so when the normally calm Phoenix Lalor-Richardson lost her temper. She rarely let it loose. "Open all weapons, I want those ships blasted to dust!"
Once he was treated, Kyle got back to his feet and limped back to his station. He looked over the incoming reports and conveyed them to Phoenix. "Commodore, reports coming in...at best count, there are thirty of those hound creatures aboard. There do not appear to be any of the control officers this time. It looks like the beasts were sent in on a search and destroy mission." He paused to catch another incoming report. "Reports of four of the creatures moving towards the diplomatic emergency bunker. Force fields are slowing them down, but not stopping them. We have several casualties coming in, but we are doing better against the enemy this time than during the last attack. I am directing several security teams to the bunkers, along with our Romulan allies."
Phoenix nodded. "Good." She said.
"Captain Taylor, Get those things off of my ship!"
"Yes Commodore!" Gary replied crisply and set about doing just that, removing the creatures from the Elysium. His hand flew over internal controls, locking, isolating the creatures in small groups and thereby reducing the lethal efficiency and also allowing the marines and security to dispatch the creatures with extreme prejudice.
USS Elysium Deck 31
Deck Thirty-One was chaos as Security forces battled the Galatonions and to keep them from reaching the photon torpedo storage. They had to hold out until reinforcements arrived. The door to the turbo lift opened and Chief Warrant Officer Man'darr limped out, still in a hospital gown. During the chaos of the attack, he had managed to sneak out of the Infirmary. Pain shot through his body with every movement. Yet he would not be caught in bed when the ship was being attacked. His Capellan DNA and 20 years of Starfleet service wouldn't allow it. He grabbed a phaser rifle off a nearby deceased security officer and followed the sounds of combat. Anger and dirty pushed him one painful step at a time.
With him, Moses Henderson, equally dressed in Sickbay patient scrubs, limped after his senior officer and friend. He carried a long piece of duranium, brandishing it like a club. "Wish I had Betty with me right now, Chief," he said, referring to his phaser Gatlin cannon.
Man'darr grunted in acknowledgement as he looked to Henderson. He could order him back to sickbay but like him, Henderson was a warrior. 'He would have made a decent Capellan,' Man'darr thought. "If you survive, Gunny Gami will kill you for leaving Sickbay," he joked as he handed the phaser to Moses. "So take this and give me that," he gestured to the duranium piece.
Moses chuckled as he swapped weapons with his friend and senior officer. "She'll do worse to me if I get killed," he checked the phaser charge, out of habit, then nodded to Man'darr. "What say we keep that from happening, eh, Chief?"
Man'darr grunted with a slight grin. "Sure.". There was a tiredness in his voice. Not physical but emotional. He had lost Jess and recently been denied reuniting with her in the afterlife. Even though he was surrounded by those he considered friends, he was alone. He had no family, no clan, and no mate.
The two rounded a corner as a Galatonion barreled into Man'darr. Going on instinct, he thrust the piece of metal upwards as the two fell backwards to the deck. Using momentum, Man'darr brought his legs up and kicked out, sending the Galatonion landing several feet behind him.
Moses reacted on trained instinct. As soon as he saw the Hound hurled away from his friend, he fired his phaser on full power, vaporislzing the beast before it even hit the deck. Once that was done, he dropped down to his right knee, spinning to cover the direction the Hound has originated, as he shielded Man'darr, giving the Capellan time to get to his feet.
Lucky for him, he had dropped to his knee when he did, as a second Hound, this one heavily damaged and injured, swung its remaining heated claws over Moses' head, embedding them in the bulkhead, before the weapon shorted out and trapped the one-armed creature there, struggling to free itself from the melted duranium trap.
Man'darr, being fueled by adrenaline grasped the hound's head and twisted with a grunt as audible crack was heard, snapping the hound's neck. Pain throbbed throughout his body as his legs wobbled and gave out as he dropped to his knees, cursing his weakened state.
Despite his own injuries, Moses quickly moved to his friend's assistance, heating the Capellan up and across his powerful shoulders. "I've got you, brother," he said, his deep voice indicating that he would not let Man'darr fall. Reaching up, Moses grabbed onto the hanging corpse of the Hound and stood up, ripping a few of his own stitches as he did so, and carried his fellow Marine, his brother, to the nearest aide station.
As the turbolift doors hissed open, Damien raised his Phaser rifle and quickly stepped out, glancing from left to right as he made his way down the corridor. The sounds of combat made it easy for him to know which direction he needed to head for. His heart was thumping in his chest as he made his way down the corridor, eyes occasionally glancing downwards at the bodies that strewed the floor. Some of the face-up ones he recognised, and part of him was too scared to stop and check the others. Instead, he resolved to keep his eyes forward and keep moving. One step at a time. "Keep your head in the game, Damien." He said out loud. "There'll be time to grieve later."
Bashalan felt like he couldn't catch his breath. There was a slight tremor in his hands as he finished shooting at a hound. His blue head glistened with sweat as he covered for the other officers with him. Motion in the distance caught his attention, and he saw Damien. "Blackford! Three at your twelve o'clock!" He shouted.
As soon as Bashalan shouted, a rather large Hound turned its glowing red eyes towards him and snarled. It turned to face him and fired a full spread of vicious harpoons in the officer's direction. It then extended its heated claws and started to slash its way through bulkheads and security officers, decapitating two Romulans with one swipe.
It all happened so fast. The first harpoon whizzed past Bashalan's ear, causing him to flinch. The second lodged into his right shoulder, making him stumble back and drop his weapon. He began to cry out in pain before the third harpoon cut him off as it entered his mouth and exited out the base of his skull. A splatter of blue blood decorated the area behind him. Bashalan fell backwards onto the ground, causing the fourth harpoon to hit another officer further down the corridor and pin her to the wall.
LTJG Varinity Atoro screamed as a harpoon dug into her shoulder and slammed her into the wall. Her free hand grabbed the thick metal, but it was no use trying to pull it out; the point was firmly set into the bulkhead behind her. She grimaced, wanting to throw up from the pain. She quickly grabbed her phaser with her free hand before the numbness made her grip fail. As long as she had two hands, she'd still try to fight!
The large Hound howled as it saw the carnage it had wrought. It was then cut down by three sepetate disruptor rifles, its howl of victory changing to one of anguish, as its body was vaporized slowly.
Varinity aimed at the hound as best as she could, trying to contribute in any way she could, then managed a very slight breath of relief when it went down. Tears had tracked down her cheeks from the pain, and any sort of adjustment she made only made it worse. At least she wasn’t losing blood, yet. Her eyes fell on Bashalan, his head at an awkward angle from the harpoon through his head. A few swears stumbled out of her mouth with a trembling breath.
EXTERIOR BATTLE
As the battle for the interior of the Elysium began in earnest, the starship battle continued to rage. Aboard the Havraha, Olmex gritted his teeth as several consoles on the bridge exploded, as the mighty warbird took the brunt of the enemy fire as she shielded Elysium.
"Riov!" A junior engineer shouted over the cacophony of battle, "Cloaking device destroyed, aft disruptors offline, port torpedo tubes destroyed! Shields are dropping to fifty percent!"
Olmex knew what the future held for his ship and remaining crew. If things did not change immediately, they would not last much longer, even with their superior technology. The Galatonians simply had more ships.
As the bridge shook violently again, he suddenly had an idea. Steeling himself for the inevitable, he spoke loudly and clearly. "Transfer all ship controls to my station! You are all hereby ordered to abandon ship. I will ram the Havraha down their throats. Our singularity warp core will rupture and take most, if not all of them with me!"
The officers present hesitated then looked over at Olmex. "Sir..." the tactical officer spoke first. "Respectfully, I refuse your order to abandon my post, Sir!" The rest of the Bridge Crew nodded and echoed the officer's brave words.
The door opened and the Chief Medical Officer came in. She was calm and carried a satchel over her shoulder. "All injured and medical personnel have been beamed to the Elysium."
Olmex turned and saw the woman he had fallen in love with step closer. "You were ordered to evacuate to the Elysium!" For the first time during the battle, there was a sliver of fear in his eyes as he looked into hers.
Calin rolled her eyes. "I chose to stay." She replied.
Before Olmex could reply, the bridge shook violently from several internal explosions. "Shields are gone! The young tactical officer shouted, before her console exploded, killing her instantly.
USS ELYSIUM BRIDGE
As the battle nothing outside and inside the ship continued, Kyle noticed the sensor readings. "Ma'am! The Havraha....she's changing course and geading straight towards the enemy command ship! It looks like shes going to ram the enemy!"
"Keep a lock on the remaining crew! Beam them out !" Phoenix snapped
Gary heard the shouted statement that the Havraha was going to ram the enemy command ship but he was busy dealing with the creatures still free and roaming the Elysium.
Anna moved her hands frantically over the controls. She practically held her breath. It wasn't an easy lock under these conditions. "I have a lock, ma'am," she said. She worked the console a second more, communicating with the transporter rooms. "Sending it to transporter room three. We'll know in a moment." Her voice was tense. It wasn't the easiest transport.
USS Elysium Main Engineering
The deck shook as engineers scrambled halfway. Cam tapped furiously at her repair console, watching the power levels spike. Focused on the battle within the interior of the ship, she fought to maintain the power settings and watched the forcefields in some decks flicker. More life signs joined the ship while several lifesigns faltered from existence. The burning heat from the malfunctioning environmental controls spiked, causing her skin to flush. Wiping a bead of sweat from her forehead, she logged a command using her own voice, "Activate the DOT system. Multiple decks require immediate attention. Implement Shepard Dash Two Oh Three Falco."
The computer beeped just as another console exploded. The debris scattered as several micro pieces barely touched her. She jerked sideways and turned to see flames shooting out. Grabbing the nearby compact fire suppressant, Cam rushed over to the flaming console and opened a can of whoop ass on the fires. The destroyed console ceased smoking as several more engineers assisted her in preventing the deck from losing its structural integrity. Grabbing a random engineer, she forced the fire suppressant can of whoop ass in his arms and rushed over to another console.
Tapping on a few commands, she checked on the status of several systems. Noting a malfunctioning console down below on Deck thirty one, she locked down the damaged console and rushed towards the access junction. Grabbing a phaser rifle, she hoisted it onto her back and began her trip from the chaotic main engineering through the access tunnels.
USS Elysium Beta Wing
Addison pulled into sharp turn as she opened fire, destroying three more breaching pods in a strafing run. Sweat beaded on her face as she and her WO, Thumper worked in unison to identify and destroy targets. Luckily the breaching pods were nearly all destroyed yet there were still plenty of fighters as her fight shook from another hit, causing alarms to blare in the cockpit.
Shields down to twenty-five percent! Warp engines are offline! Minor hull damage!" Thumper called out as she worked her controls to keep the Gryphon in the fight.
A Romulan fighter flew up into the wingman spot for Addison. Her comms crackled briefly, then a male voice could be heard. "Beta Lead, this is Raptor Seven. You have heavy damage along your ventral hull, and you are venting drive plasma. Suggest you pull back for repairs, Ma'am!"
"Not until this fight's over with," Addison replied. Even in her damaged state, she could still fight and they needed every fighter.
"Shunting drive plasma lines," Thumper called out. "That's going to reduce our speed some."
"Take life support offline and transfer to shields and we'll use auxiliary life support in our suits."
"Acknowledged," Thumper replied as she performed the requested actions as their suits began to produce oxygen. "Shields up to thirty five percent."
"Understood, Beta Lead. I will stay on your port wing. On your lead!" The Romulan starfighter was good to his word, moving with Addison so expertly, it was as if they were one craft as they continued to engage fighters and remaining breaching pods.
USS Elysium Beta Wing
Elijah’s Gryphon bucked hard as another shockwave rolled through the debris field. The Galatonian battlecruiser’s death still painted the stars in burning fragments, and with it came the shift—Elijah felt it as much as he saw it on his threat board. Every red icon bent inward, arrows re-vectoring like a predator’s gaze snapping to a single wounded animal.
“All wings, Falcon,” he snapped over comms, jaw tight. “They’ve abandoned the screen. Elysium and Havraha are primary. Beta, tighten it up—no hero runs. We hold the line.”
He rolled left, thrusters screaming, and stitched phaser fire across a Galatonian interceptor that was lining up on the Elysium’s dorsal arc. The fighter came apart in a bloom of white fire. Falcon didn’t linger—another contact slid into his periphery, and he kicked full impulse, using the wreckage as cover.
“Falcon, this is Thumper,” came the strained voice from Addison’s cockpit. “Shields at twenty-five, warp offline. We’re still effective.”
“You’re not alone,” Falcon answered, steady by force of will. “Thumper, you keep killing pods. I’ll peel the fighters off you.”
He snapped his Gryphon into a nose-over-tail manoeuvre , dumping heat and flares as disruptor fire tore past his canopy. His targeting reticle settled—one squeeze, then another—two clean hits. A Galatonian fighter spiralled away, venting plasma.
The comms lit up with cross-traffic: damage reports, intruder alerts, clipped orders from the bridge. Elijah caught the word breaching and felt his stomach knot. Thirty-six Hounds loose aboard the Elysium. He pushed it down. The Marines would do their job. I do mine.
“Havraha is moving,” Ops called out on the tac net.
Elijah risked a glance at the wider battlespace. The Romulan warbird slid with grim purpose, her battered hull interposing herself between the Elysium and a converging swarm. Escape pods spat from her ventral hull like sparks from a forge. “Romulan pods in the black,” Elijah said. “Beta, mark and cover. Anyone shooting pods answers to me.”
He flew escort, weaving between incoming fire and the fragile blips of life. A Galatonian strafed in—Falcon cut across its vector, took the hit on his shields, and returned fire until the enemy broke off in flames.
Then the impossible registered.
“Havraha changing course,” someone breathed. “She’s—she’s ramming.”
The Romulan ship surged forward, singularity core flaring like a caged star. Enemy fire raked her hull, but she didn’t flinch. Elijah and Beta Wing tore into the Galatonian screen, buying seconds—precious, terrible seconds. Another breaching pod tried to slip through; Elijah caught it dead center, the explosion washing his cockpit in white.
“Falcon to Elysium,” he called. “Pods covered. Keep those tractors hot.”
Galatonian Crown Ship
As the battle continued to unfold, the Queen was gnashing her fangs in rage. She was about to order a full-press assault, when one of her aides shouted from her console, "Majesty!! The smaller enemy ship has set a collision course with us! Collision in eight seconds!"
The Queen spun in his command seat, to watch, with growing horror as the green, raptor-shaped vessel, streaming damage from multiple breaches, was seemingly headed straight for her bridge! She knew that she was dead. In a last ditch effort, she used her command controls to fire all of her ship's weapons at will.
It was for naught.
The forward bow of the Havraha impacted with the midsection of the Crown Vessel, seemingly slicing through it without any major damage. However, less than five milliseconds after the two mighty ships collided, there were two massive explosions, as both engine cores detonated.
The Galatonian explosion was enormous, vaporizing several support craft and starfighters unlucky enough to be too close.
Then...the Havraha's singularity core detonated. At first, the explosion flew outward. Then, almost as quickly, the freed mini blackhole grew exponentially, pulling in everything within range. Three more support ships failed to escape the high gravity.
When the conflagoration was finished, there were two support vessels left, both heavily damaged, plus about a dozen of the boxy starfighters.
Beta Wing
A shockwave slammed Elijah's Gryphon as the Havraha struck. Space folded into fire and shadow. Falcon rode it out, alarms screaming, teeth rattling in his skull. When his vision cleared, the enemy formation was chaos—ships tumbling, signals blinking out.
“Now!” Elijah barked. “All wings, press the advantage!”
He dove back into the maelstrom, fear burned down to something sharp and clean. Below decks, Marines fought tooth and claw. On the bridge, they held the line. Out here, Elijah would make sure the enemy paid for every meter of hull they’d dared to touch.
“Beta Wing,” he said, voice iron. “Stay with me. We finish this.”
USS Elysium Main Engineering
Thor replied, “Good job Cam. Everyone, brace for ….”
Engineering gets with an explosion knocking Thor out.
A medic comes up to Thor. “Bridge. Lt. Magnus knocked out. Suggest have Cam take over. Magnus threw himself Lorelei to protect her from the blast.
Lorelei says, “Magnus saved my life. Medic on the scene with a medical tricorder trying to revive him.”
Lt. Alice Jordan was also hit. “Wounded shoulder.”
Bridge
"Commodre! We have the Romulans. All accounted for! Transport room 3. Medical is checking them out!"
Phoenix nodded. "Now let's clean up the rest."
Kyle looked over his security board, then reported, "Ma'am! Internal sensors are picking up ten more of those beasts aboard! They..." he looked again at his readouts. "They seem to have gone even more berserk than before! I wonder....perhaps they were controlled somehow by the command ship? Once it was destroyed, they lost their leash?"
Phoenix considered it. "Beam them into space." Her tone was now very icy. "Get them off my ship and our fighter pilots can practice their shooting."
Kyle paused for a beat, then nodded gravely. "Aye, Ma'am. " he then worked his console quickly and, a few beats later, he looked up. "The Elysium is clear of all intruders, Ma'am."
The Commodore nodded. "I want injury reports and damage reports. Get all birds home, as well as any Romulan fighters that are out there."
==Elysium Interior==
Varinity watched as another hound turned the corner and spotted her. It didn't take long to make peace with imminent death, and she clamped her eyes shut in preparation. A moment passed. Then another. She cracked open her eyes to see the hound being transported away, though it had gotten way too close for comfort. Her breath was ragged as her heart recovered from the scare, then winced as her heaving chest brushed against the harpoon. The danger was decideddly gone, so she pocketed the phaser and put her good hand around where the harpoon met her skin. Looking to a couple of officers nearby, she called out to them for help. "I do not wish to be post-it note anymore..."
Leilani was doing her best to keep up with the wounded that the hounds had thrown her way, alongside staying out of the way of gnashing teeth herself. Moving over to Varinity she quickly assessed the situation and the damage. “There’s no way of pulling that thing out of the wall without doing you more harm, it’s going to have to be a transport.” She hit her comm badge. “Medical emergency beam 2 directly to Sickbay!” She just hoped the weapon didn’t dematerialise with them.
Cam climbed down from the access ladder in the interior junction access corridor of deck 31. Deep within the bowels of the Elysium, the air felt heavier with the metallic tang of scorched circuitry. She paused, turning to listen. Distant growls of the hounds echoed somewhere far off, now fading. However, the engineer remained sharp despite the real danger surrounding her. The corridor lights flickered in uneven pulses, throwing long shadows across bulkheads. Rifle in one hand, she pulled out her tricorder with the other. A quick sweep confirmed no immediate lifesigns. No hounds or crew. Just the faint, unstable power signature of the EPS junction she hunted.
Bodies and twisted metal littered the floor. Alarms wailed overhead, keeping Cam steady as she slowly but quickly stepped forward. Stepping over debris with deliberate care, she followed the tricorder's pulsing signal deeper into the dim corridor. Her trigger finger felt slick and clammy against the rifle's guard -- adrenaline, heat, and the oppressive humidity from the damaged environmental systems mixing into something unpleasant. She kept her back close to the wall, moving in short, controlled bursts until the flickering console finally came into view.
The EPS Power Regulation Node feeding the torpedo magazine sputtered, its interface cycling through error codes. Setting the rifle down, she slapped the manual forcefield control, throwing up a localized barrier around the console. Sparks snapped against the field as she pulled up the diagnostic. Fighting against time, she rerouted several lines and disabled the malfunctioning primary feed. Activating the backup system, she managed to restore the balance to the torpedo magazine.
==Exterior==
As the last enemy starfighter exploded, the last support frigate jumped away into subspace, leaving nothing one else to attack the victors.
From his cockpit, George let out a quiet breath. It had been a hard battle. Of the low number of starfighters they had managed to scrape together before the battle, Elysium had lost seven, nearly completely depleting her inventory. The Romulans had fared a bit worse. They had not only lost nearly half of their Starfighter strength, but, they had also lost there home. He sent a silent prayer to the Goddesses, that their dead would be allowed into paradise, to enjoy true peace for all eternity.
His comm unit beeped, breaking him our of his contemplations. He read the text message that scrolled across his screen, then activated the comm channel shared by both groups of starfighters. "Alright people. Time to bring our birds back to the roost. As we need to find room for our new friends, we are going to do this in an orderly fashion. All birds that require immediate emergency repairs, you are to land in the starfighter bay. The rest of us, we will head to the main shuttle bay. For both groups, landing priority is most damaged or injured goes first. We are all professionals here, people. Let's continue to behave as such." Ge then angled his raptor towards the main shuttlebay. There, he took up a holding position, allowing the rest of his pilots, Starfleet and Romulan alike, as they were now truly his pilots, to land first.
Acknowledging the command, Addison lined up into the landing pattern for the Starfighter bay. She switched to the landing computer. The computer took over as it synced with the Elysium to bring the craft into the hanger. Halfway to the bay, the program went offline. "Shit! We've lost our landing computer. Switching to manual." Addison gripped the flight control as she kept an eye on her speed and angle of attack as she approached the bay, which was quickly growing in size. "Deploying landing gear," she called out as she pressed the landing gear switch. Another alarm blared. 'Oh, you gotta be shitting me,' she thought. "Rico to Elysium. I'm on approach on manual landing condition and no landing gear. Requesting the deck be cleared for possible emergency landing.". Normally the emergency tractor beams would guide a damaged craft in but they had been badly damaged during the Galatonion's first attack. Addison throttled down as the fighter entered the bay, managing to set the fighter down with a slight jarring. She let out a sigh as she powered down her fighter. Her hands started to tremble as she let go of the controls. Outside, deck hands rushed to the craft.
"Nice landing, Addy," Thumper complimented as the cockpit opened.
"Yeah...thanks," she flexed her hands as they continued to shake. She then stood and climbed out of the cockpit.
It took nearly an hour, but finally, all of the surviving starfighters had been brought aboard. The Elysium stayed on stations, as the sensors were used to locate both any pilots who had had to eject, any surviving bodies of the slain, and then any usable material that could be recycled into the industrial replicators, to assist in repairs.
The battle was over. Now was the time to regroup, repair and start the healing process.
~FIN~
