Nicole could hear the sounds of the footsteps as Katarina entered the Leo's outlet in Berlyn. Katarina looked at Nicole, "There is something you should see."
Katarina took Nicole by the hand and lead her outside. Nicole was horrified to see tens of thousands of Cardassians standing on the street.
Katarina looked at Nicole, "It was so easy. We appealed to your sensitivities. We Ekosians, we like the Cardassians. We like the totalitarian approach. We defeated the Zeons in our system."
"Nicole, you are so naive. My father knew that you would feel sorry for the poor refugees. It is who you are. You risked your career for us.", Katarina started to laugh.
"Look at this, Nicole... Look at this.", Katarina boasted.
The Cardassians were lead by several Ekosian officers who went from the tattered clothes of refugees to the uniforms of the Ancient Earth Luftwaffe. Nicole was mortified. She had risked her career for these people and this is how they had repaid her. They mobilized to start the ground war.
Vincent Viceroy ordered the immediate dispatch of Colonel Belvedere Brown and his Dogs of War. Vincent was furious with Branson when Colonel Zoe Beamon, his new found beloved left with her Zombies to take on the Cardassian-Ekosian Alliance in a bitter ground war, the third war of Ephyra.
Vincent blamed Branson and her sensibilities for letting Riech Marshal Werner Heinrich and his Ekosians on to the colony. He made his displeasure known to all who would listen. It was his Zoe who was on the ground near Berlyn.
Nicole fled Berlyn for Ephyra city. Acrylos Teero was no Governor. The Bajorans were furious with his inability to act and worse yet, his industrial replicators were the machines of war that armed the Ekosians. The Bajorans were calling for Acrylos Teero's head. They had lumped him in with Nicole Branson. He trained under Admiral Tim Veltkamp. He had this stupid dream that there could be a home for all races. A dream that had become a nightmare for Ephyra.
The Cardassian-Ekosian Alliance had moved towards Ephyra City. Vice Admiral Elizabeth Coren informed Admiral Vincent Viceroy that it is the recommendation of the Coren Alliance that whatever force is necessary must be used to prevent the fourth Cardassian occupation of Ephyra.
Vincent looked at Elizabeth, "Don't you think I know that?"
"You are holding back. Colonel Zoe Beamon is on the ground and you are not prepared to use whatever force is necessary in order to prevent her being hurt or killed in the crossfire.", Elizabeth scolded.
"I cannot believe a Betazoid could be so cold.", Vincent snapped.
"This is about trade. With the recent failures on Omega II, the Rainforest and the Omega Enriched Dilithium in the trees have become a more important resource than ever before. The Betazoid Alliance must have access throughout the region and our ships operate on Dilithium crystals. Do whatever is necessary.", Elizabeth scolded.
Vincent walked towards a command grid as Nicole walked into the Complex Control Room. Vincent turned to her, "You did this!"
Nicole started to tear up, "I know."
"You did this!", Vincent repeated shouting at Nicole.
Nicole had no answer. Vincent looked at her, "Zoe is on the ground out there."
"I know. I love her too.", Nicole touched the map. Her fingers trembled as they slipped down the screen.
Colonel Teero came walking into the war room. He looked at Vincent and took a deep breath. Vincent knew what he was about to ask. He had heard the words from Elizabeth. Acrylos looked at Vincent, "We have to protect Ephyra."
Vincent looked at his aide, "Contact Lt. Governor's. Have Commodore Tan give the order."
Nicole put her hand on Vincent's shoulder. He pulled away. Nicole looked at the HUD as Commodore Tan appeared on the screen. Vincent hated to hear the words. Commodore Tan contacted Captain John Warren to inform him that the Colony of Ephyra authorizes the King's Fleet to use whatever force is necessary to protect the capital.
"I, Captain John Warren, order all vessels in the King's Fleet to engage Attack Vector Warren-Alpha.", John announced back.
The ships in the King's Fleet began to bombard the surface. Commodore Tan could be heard shouting, "Drive them back to Berlyn!"
Vincent paced in the capital hoping for word from Zoe, Bell, ANYONE. He glared at Nicole. He glared at Acrylos. They had brought this horror to the colony. The colony had known nothing but war since Branson and her refugees had arrived.
Retarnee terrorists and the war of the Cardassians has plagued the colony over several months. General Nickel Nerah called out Viceroy and Branson blaming them for this. Nicole took every word of it. Nerah let it go with both barrels blaming her stupidity, her naivete and Viceroy's incompetence for the horrors that had now befallen the bombardment of the Ephyra.
Nerah called Branson the apple in the Garden of Ephyra tempting the good people of Bajor into these horrors. Vincent had had enough. He looked at Nickel, "Remember, the Cardassians and the Bajorans were fighting long before Branson and her refugees had arrived. And one thing to remember, General, before Branson came, when the Cardassians came, you lost!"
The words seemed to resonate with everyone in the complex and soon spread like wildfire through the colony. The Cardassian occupation had brought so much horror. The Bajorans remembered. Ephyra may have been liberated but they were left meaningless. Since Branson and the King's Fleet arrived, they mattered. Ephyra mattered.
There was another eerie silence in the control room.
"Ephrya Control, this is Marine Communications Factor One, Please respond!", came the voice.
Vincent rushed over and tapped the comm button, "Go for Admiral Viceroy."
"Admiral, this is Captain Tennessee Todd of the Dogs Unit 818.", the voice responded.
"Go, Captain. Please give us an update.", Vincent demanded.
"The enemy is in retreat.", Todd announced.
"And what of Colonel Beamon?", Vincent demanded.
"The Zombies are leading the charge sir. Colonel Beamon is at the front. The bombardment has driven the Cardassians towards Berlyn.", Todd announced.
"Shall we enter the city, sir?", Todd questioned.
Vincent looked at Teero. Acrylos looked at Branson. They all looked at Nerah. There was a stunned silence.
"Blockade the city!", Vincent ordered.
"Consider it done.", Todd responded.
Hours passed and then it turned into days. On Day 3, Colonel Belvedere Brown contacted the complex. Vincent, Nicole, Nickel, Acylos and Elizabeth had been in the war room for 5 straight days. They looked ragged and tired.
"City secured. Your orders, Admiral?", Belvedere announced.
"You orders, Admiral?", Zoe repeated.
Vincent grinned, "Zoe!"
"Colonel Beamon and her Zombies at your service.", Zoe announced.
Vincent turned to Nicole. He had a grin from ear to ear.
"Your orders?", Bell repeated.
Vincent looked at Nicole. Nicole responded, "Not all the Ekosians are with the coordinated attack. There must be some good there."
"We need to send a message to the Cardassians.", General Nerah looked at Vincent.
Vincent looked at Acrylos. Acrylos looked at Nicole, "You can have this damn job. I don't want it."
Vincent looked at Elizabeth. Elizabeth looked at Vincent, "You know where we stand."
Vincent looked back at Nicole, "Over the past 10 years, Ephyra has had to deal with the Cardassians. For the past 5 months, we have had to deal with this ongoing threat. These people humiliated you, the civilian government and the honor of the King's Fleet."
Vincent announced on all channels, "This is Admiral Vincent Viceroy, Commander in Chief of the King's Fleet formally declared the Ekosians an aggressive threat against the citizens of Ephyra and authorize the use of deadly force. Fire at will!"
Nicole gasped. Elizabeth smiled and walked away. The city of Berlyn was obliterated off the Ephyran map.
Posted by:
Christine T'Nley
Bajoran Broadcasting Network
Ephyra Colony
King's Fleet
Writing on Behalf of
Admiral Vincent Viceroy
Commander In Chief
King's Fleet
Governor Nicole Branson
Ephyra Colony
King's Fleet
Colonel Acrylos Teero
Chief Engineer
Ephyra Colony
King's Fleet
