Return to Deep Space 9, Pt. 2

Captain’s Log: Stardate 64975.4

 

It appears the rumors are true. According to Captain Ro there've been two more Undine attacks since we were ordered to return to Deep Space 9, both of them in the Bajoran Sector. A medical transport was ambushed by two Undine strikers on its way to Ufandi III to assist with a breakout of Rugalan Fever. All but a few of the crew survived, but the ship and most of the medical supplies it was carrying were destroyed. 

 

The second was a bombardment of Free Haven. Four ships came out of fluidic space and pummeled the Bajoran colony. The attack destroyed important infrastructure on the planet and left over a hundred Bajorans dead. It was the most deadly incident in the sector in over three decades, since the end of the Dominion War.

 

The only real good news is that the escape pod from the science vessel that was attacked near Tracken II a couple days ago was found. The Lieutenant inside was injured, but is alive and will recover.

 

Of course, the situation is being taken very seriously. Federation security forces on Bajor have begun a full mobilization. Here among the stars, in addition to the dozen Starfleet vessels already patrolling the area around the station, a fleet of over four dozen warships will be converging on Deep Space 9 within the week. 

 

They aren’t just Federation ships either. About half of the fleet is composed of Romulan and Klingon ships. Hopefully they’ll arrive in time. As of yet there haven't been any signs of a major fleet movements in the region, but that doesn’t matter. The Undine can pop out of fluidic space anywhere without warning, and we still have no way of detecting it ahead of time. That element of surprise is part of what makes them so dangerous. 

 

Either way, it appears the war with the Undine has, in fact, come to Bajor and the Alpha Quadrant.  

 

Personal Log: Stardate 64977.9

 

It’s been nice working with Captain Ro again. We have so much history, from the time we spent working together when I was chief engineer of The Defiant to her relationship with my Uncle Quark. And I forgot how funny her stories are of Uncle Quark. We’ve enjoyed catching up with each over the past week, even if the circumstances are on the verge of dire. 

 

We ate at the new Andorian fast food restaurant on the promenade today while going over security reports. She had the redbat. I’ve always been curious and almost got that as well. I knew it was going to be a long day though, so I went with the higher calorie tuber root salad. They say the place has the best tuber root in the Alpha Quadrant. I wasn’t disappointed. 

 

Personal Log: Stardate 64981.7

 

We’ve been back at Deep Space 9 for almost a week now. Jake and I finally got to have that lunch yesterday. He caught a Starfleet transport up to the station early that morning to cover the conflict with the Undine for the Federation News Network. 

 

It was great to see him, but I let him know how stupid he was being by putting his life in danger with a new baby one the way. He told me I sounded like his wife and I thanked him for the compliment. The truth is, the attack on Fair Haven shows that he isn’t necessarily any safer on the surface of Bajor than he is on the station. Still, at a time like this he should be with his family. 

 

Regardless of what I think, he’ll be on the station for a while. It will be good to spend more time with him after all these years, especially if we’re all about to die.

 

Captain’s Log: Stardate 64982.2

 

The last of the armada finally arrived. I’m shocked and very cautiously optimistic to see Klingon and Romulan ships in the fleet. I know we’re all fighting together against the Undine invasion in the Beta Quadrant, but they didn’t have to send ships this far away to help defend Federation territory, especially with their own home worlds under attack. 

 

That seems like a really positive step in the right direction. It feels like it did back in the old days of the Dominion War, which is emotionally chaotic and triggering to say the least. It was a time of promise and hope as old enemies became allies in a bid to save the Alpha Quadrant. But it was also a time of war. It was when I lost my leg, not to mention friends like Jadzia. It was a period of immense destruction, violence, and death. That worries me, a lot. 

 

Those of us here have begun informally calling the fleet “the Alpha Alliance.” Thankfully, no additional Undine attacks have occurred since the massacre at Free Haven. But the tension here is thicker than the swamps of Ferenginar. It’s only a matter of time.

 

Captain’s Log: Stardate 64982.5

 

It appears I spoke too soon in my last log earlier this morning. Twenty minutes ago we got word from Earth that a large group of about three dozen Undine fighters broke off from the battle in the Terran Sector and crossed the border into the Alpha Quadrant. The starbase at Actium has confirmed that the Undine ships are on a course for the Bajoran Sector. They’ll be here in a matter of days.