====== Bridge, USS Qashqai ======
"Report" Shane called through the noise on the bridge.
There was a faint scent of smoke all around the bridge and
Shane knew that at least one third of all consoles on the
bridge are not working. Engineers were trying to do some
repairs in the back section of the bridge … even through
the battle was still raging. Some medic was tending to two
or three bridge crew that were injured bad enough not to
return to their posts.
"Another Warbird is down" Vlimar reported. His words
were confirmed through the maiun view screen … where a
dying D'Deridex class Warbird was to see … not moving,
just slowly drifting while spinning quite fastly.
That was the third Warbird that was rendered useless by the
small Starfleet Force under Shane's command. Two more were
severally damaged and both withdrawed from battle.
Unfortunately, Shane's fleet took some beating as well.
"The Pickwick is reporting massive engine failure, all
they have is 5% impulse speed … for the next 10 minutes.
They request permission to withdraw to SB 234."
Nodding, Shane replied: "Granted" Without the Pickwick,
there were only three Starfleet ships (inclusive Qashqai)
left to fight the Romulans.
"Sir" Vlimar cried, "Chimera is overloading its warp
core, war core breach imminent!" Last time Vlimar
mentioned Chimera, there were less then 20 persons on
board. Poor souls that could not find an working escape pod,
or those injured and unable to move … or those valiant
individuals that choose to die with the ship …
Like many times before, Shane's thoughts wandered to Rangi
and Martin and he strongly hoped that both of them made it
safely off the ship. Shane could not imagine loosing one or
both of them …
"Chimera went to warp … "Vlimar went on, "and
destroyed several Warbirds with her final explosion"
Shane sighed. Before he was promoted to Commodore, Chimera-B
was his ship … and thought he loved Chimera-A more then
her successor, he still felt quite attached to the B version
of Chimera. Seeing her destruction touched his heart …
almost the same as it touched him to see Chimera-A's
destruction on the LOST planet.
He forced himself to return to reality and said: "Select a
new target Colonel and signal it to the fleet. There is
still too much Romulans in this sector …"
Vlimar nodded and looked down on his console … only to
look up with surprise in is eyes: "Sir … Romulans are
disengaging from the fight!"
"What?!" Shane could not believe his eyes. But he could
see it on the screen as well. Dozens of Warbirds were
turning and slowly leaving the battle, some cloaking and
vanishing … some not.
{What the hell is that?} Shane asked himself.
====== Bridge, 10th Galae Command ship
======
Khre'Riov Gaalen broke the silence on the bridge, stood up
from his high command seat and announced: " Orders to all
Galae vessels. We are withdrawing from this battle. Using
cloak … everyone is ordered to disengage from the
battle." Turing around he said: "Have the Preator unit
clean the battle site and remove all prisoners".
Gaalen's order was simple but brutal. All Romulans ships
had to leave the battle site … ships too muc damaged or
not obeying orders would be destroyed by the Praetor unit,
making it impossible for Starfleet to take POWs and acquire
Romulan technology from all the debris around.
The battle was fierce and could be won … eventually …
but the number of losses would rise sky high and even an
victory would mean just another defeat. Gaalen did not want
to loose two thirds of his all fleet and still call this
battle a victory. It almost seemed that today the prize went
to Starfleet and Erassians
{… but our time will come} thought Gaalen while issuing
the final order: "Retreat all farces, all forces retreat
… back to Romulan territory"
"You might have won a battle, but the war will be ours"
Gaalen muttered to himself/.
:====== End of log ======
Commodore Shane Guzman
1st TF CO
SSF Command
(3 IC days remaining)
