Chapter 4

All is in readiness as I join the crew of Enterprise and Solara joins 9024. We move beyond the Oort cloud and all ships as one energize their 'squirt' drive. We drop into real space in a system devoid of all planets or asteroids or anything save a lone planet around a class 'G' star. The admiral proposes that they stripped the system to build their war machine and rely solely on what is brought in from conquered systems to support the populous. There is one other thing in this system and that is thousands upon thousands of Skree scout size ships. Both sides open fire immediately. We are getting hit from every turn but each time those pulse cannons on the big ships fire there is a huge gap in their lines as ships just disintegrate.

Suddenly it's as if we can't hit anything it's as if the Skree suddenly have a shield that or guns can't get through. I get a call from Cmdr. Sordane, he has it figured out. They are using their smaller size and their own 'squirt' drives to suddenly move as we fire thus making us miss. I plug this data into the fire-control computers and he is right on the money, they are moving just 100Km ahead of where we fire. I pass this on to the Admiral and he in turn to the fleet, us your guns in pairs; the first one fire and the second aim 100Km ahead of that ship and fire with a 1sec delay. It works; suddenly the hit rate is back up and huge holes are opening in their groups.

Finally the Admiral calls for Kirov, Liberty, Washington and Enterprise to move to within 1000Km of each other, interlace all escorts and prepare to advance. Once in place the four ships set up a rotating fire pattern from their forward guns that creates an almost solid wall of energy in front of them. On the order all ships go to full power and plow head long into the Skree fleet. The Skree ships don't stand a chance their ships are not capable of penetrating that wall of energy. Finally we break through and if anything the fire intensifies, then before me I see their reasoning. They are going to use this fire ring on the planet itself. Hundreds of Skree ships try to block the assault but it is like throwing sand at a tornado; their own fissionable materials just add to the fire. Finally the fire wall contacts the planet's atmosphere and within a few seconds you can see the air start to burn. Now the other capitol ships are joining in their great cannons adding to the conflagration as the planet is incinerated and so is all life upon it.

It is done; the planet is a smoking ruin. Its atmosphere burned away, its surface turned to molten slag. We know that all the orders came from here; from their Emperor and Empress without them they are nothing. There will be pockets as local Cmdrs.' try to carry out their last orders but they will be hunted down and brought to justice. The galaxy is safe until the next time.

As Enterprise drops into real space at Eridani, I'm looking for the 9024 and can't find her. Suddenly there she is and badly damaged with at least six ramming's fused to her hull. I race to get to a shuttle and get to Solara. Saying little prayers to the powers that be; "Please let her be safe! Please let her be alright!" As I board her ship I see her sitting on the Ob-deck, she is bloody from head to toe. Her hands and feet caked in blood. I can see a couple of places where she is plasma-bolt burned and her feathers are singed and ruffled. I take her in my arms and hug her tight saying, "when I saw the ship I thought I might have lost you."

"You can't get rid of me just because of a little war," she says; and then goes on, "Oh, by the way I'm pregnant again." Oh what a wonderful life I have...