This Is Not Our Fate

Chapter 2

Terran Republic Star ship classes:

Midway: Early fleet carrier design based off of NX-class exploration cruiser, lighter weapons load and enlarged landing bay for 12 single seat fighters and four standard shuttlepods.

Class members: TSS Midway, TSS Wake Island, TSS Guadalcanal, TSS San Diego.

Essex class: Dedicated fleet carrier class based of lessons learned from Midway class, larger size allows for weapons load comparable to NX-class exploration/fleet cruiser and double fighter compliment.

Class members: TSS Essex, TSS Lexington (under construction), TSS Saratoga (under construction), TSS Coral Sea.

Exeter class: Heavy cruiser designed for fleet engagements based from lessons learnt from NX-class and Intrepid-class, currently supplements Intrepid-class in deployment. Armament consists of eight single phase cannon mounts, four forward torpedo tubes, one aft torpedo launcher, and laser point defence system.
Visually, has a narrower half saucer with a slight V shape cross-section with two wedges leading back from the disk to a narrow rear hull with a W shape cross-section with an oval dome over the engineering section with the nacelle pylons, nacelles are the same as on the Intrepid class .

Class members: TSS Respite, TSS Resolute, TSS Warspite, TSS Prince of Wales, TSS Exeter, TSS York.

Hannover class: Experimental Battlecruiser intended to replace NX-class as a combat vessel. Essentially an up scaled NX hull with increased cannon armament (20 phase cannon mounts), laser point defence system and energy shielding.

Class members: TSS Hannover, TSS Arizona (under construction), TSS Valiant (under construction).

Intrepid class: Predecessor to the NX-class, originally built around the Starfleet version of the warp-3 engine, replaced with warp-5 in 2153 and warp-7 in 2159 and formed the bulk of the Home Fleet's heavy flotillas until additional shipyards became available to produce new classes. Armament consists of six phase cannons, two forward launch tubes, an aft torpedo launcher, and a laser point defence system.

Class members: TSS Intrepid, TSS Sydney, TSS Drake, TSS Crecy, TSS Shannon, TSS Defence, TSS Kent, TSS Monmouth, TSS Good Hope, TSS Minotaur, TSS St Lo, TSS Apollo, TSS Juno, TSS Eclipse, TSS Phoenix, TSS Hawke, TSS Rosyth, TSS Colorado, TSS California, TSS Normandie, TSS Minerva, TSS Jupiter, TSS Vulcan, TSS Neptune, TSS Scharnhorst, TSS Blenheim.

NX Class: Dedicated exploration cruiser, built around the warp-5 engine with the first ship launched in 2151. The lead ship of the class, TSS Enterprise, was the first star ship built by the republic purely for exploration and was instrumental in many first contact situations throughout its service period and in the stabilising Vulcan/Andorian relations in 2154. The original armament consisted of three phase cannons, four forward torpedo tubes and one aft launcher. Current class armament consists of twelve phase cannons, four forward torpedo tubes and twin aft torpedo launchers, recently refitted with laser point defence guns.

Class members: TSS Enterprise (Destroyed over Andoria Prime-2156), TSS Columbia, TSS Atlantis, TSS Challenger, TSS Endeavour, TSS Hood, TSS Bismarck, TSS Avenger,TSS Duke of Edinburgh, TSS Houston, TSS Shenandoah, TSS Richmond, TSS New Orleans, TSS Virginia.

Pioneer class: Destroyer designed as light weight support to Intrepid-class in the Home Fleet, now deployed as a fleet escort in all major combat actions. Like the intrepid class, it was originally built around the warp-3 engine and most squadrons received upgrades at the same time as the cruisers they were assigned to escort. Armament consists of one dorsal forward phase cannon, one ventral forward phase cannon, one aft phase cannon and four torpedo tubes, two forward and two aft, and a laser Point Defence System.

Class members: N/A, most ships assigned numbers and deployed in squadrons. At least thirty squadrons in service.

Yorktown class: Dreadnought/ Heavy Battle cruiser. Starfleet's first dedicated warship, designed to supplement the NX and Intrepid classes during the border conflicts with various pirate groups, the Orion syndicate and to counter Klingon heavy warships. Lead ship was the first republic ship to be experimentally fitted with energy shields. Armament consists of 16 heavy phase cannon mounts, six forward torpedo tubes, twin aft torpedo launchers eight twin barrel close range plasma cannons, and a laser based Point Defence System.

Visually, looks like an NX saucer attached to a cylindrical hull by a neck angled at 45 degrees, with a t-shaped pylon rising from the cylindrical hull with the vertical part attached to the neck and saucer, the horizontal wings that connect to the nacelles are horizontal and swept back. A secondary deflector dish was mounted at the front of the cylindrical hull with the rear of the cylindrical hull equal to the end of the nacelles.

Class members: TSS Yorktown, TSS Hornet, TSS Bunker Hill, TSS Independence, TSS St Vincent, TSS Orion, TSS Monarch, TSS Audacious, TSS Ajax, TSS Zeus, TSS Victorious.

All Warships of the Terran Republic have had the Polarised hull plating supplemented by Energy shielding but the equipment hasn't been removed on most ships.

Chapter 2

Orsai groaned as he woke up, his head felt like it had been split open, and judging by the fact something wet drenched the left side of his head that may have happened. He tried to raise his head but pain lanced through his skull and he blacked out.

When he came to again, his head was bandaged and resting on something very soft and warm, two things actually and a hand was stroking his hair. He opened his eyes to find himself looking across engineering where there were two repair teams trying to restore the warp engines and other downed systems.

He turned his head to find a pair of beautiful blue eyes staring down at him. His head was resting in T'lana Ventnor's lap. "Hey Lana," he said, wincing slightly as his head ached. "How long have you been here?"

"About ten minutes, Jackson asked me to look after you, he figured out we were together," the black haired Vulcan said smiling at her boyfriend. "The work crews arrived shortly after we dropped from warp; they found you in a pool of blood." She stopped there as tears formed in her eyes, she wasn't like most Vulcans as she had been orphaned on earth as a baby, she had grown up with a human family and hadn't been taught to suppress her emotions or had the social pressure to do so. She was something of an outcast among Vulcans.

"Hey, it's ok I'm still here," Orsai said gently, taking her hand and giving it a gentle squeeze, that simple gesture helped calm her.

"I know, but… there was so much blood," she said, trying not to openly cry as tears fell. "They had the medic patch you up and asked me to look after you." She said after a moment.

"Something happened when we were in warp; there were power surges on all decks at the same time as the turbulence began. Collins was killed by one. Jackson just sent word that none of the Nav-beacons are responding. It's as if the republic doesn't exist." T'lana continued, clearly frightened by the implications.

"Any warp trails?" Orsai asked frowning, if all the beacons were missing…

"One," she answered as Orsai finally made to sit up, "a Starfleet trail consistent with a warp-5 engine." She continued. Sean stopped feeling the bandage, something in her voice made him give his girlfriend his undivided attention.

"They think it's the Enterprise," she finished, concern etched into her face.

Sean simply stared at her; the NX-01 Enterprise had been scuttled in 2156 after sustaining irreparable damage to the warp field generator and saucer section at the Second Battle of Andoria, that was five years ago.

"Enterprise?" he asked, nothing could've prepared him for this. "So we might have gone back in time or jumped between dimensions," he said, considering both the survival of Enterprise and the lack of any sign of the republic.

"Or maybe both," T'lana added grimly as she helped Sean to his feet. He swayed a little as he stood but T'lana steadied him. He started to move towards the repair teams but T'lana steered him away and led him towards the turbolifts, saying he needed to be examined by the doctor before going back to work.

She led him to the turbolifts and set them to go up two decks to medical on E-deck. When the doors opened, the two were met by the sight of wounded lining the walls. They continued towards the medical bay, forced to avoid stepping on the wounded or knocking into the medical staff, before finally reaching the med-bay. One of the Corpsman came and took Orsai from T'lana and sent her back to her station.

18 hours later Orsai was released by the CMO; having slept for ten hours he didn't need to return to his cabin and instead decided to return to the Armoury to help repairs. He reached the Turbolift to find one of his friends from Security waiting, Michael Turner.

"Welcome back to the land of the living," Turner greeted as Sean entered the lift.

"Thanks, how are we looking?" Sean greeted.

"Pretty good, we've swapped out most of the blown conduits, repaired the hull breaches and got both impulse and warp engines online, in 4 hours we'll leave for Sol," Turner replied as the lift doors closed and it began to descend.

"Jackson doing a good job?" Sean asked, curious as to how the popular former XO was doing.

"Better than Collins," Turner answered as the lift reached the right deck. Turner left and went to the barracks; Orsai went in the opposite direction to the Armoury.

Orsai entered the Armoury and went over to the stairs to the fire control station on the main bridge, one of the technicians handing him a PADD with the damage report and progress reports for the sections he would be responsible for until a new Armoury chief was assigned. He finished reading the reports as he reached fire control, everyone looking to him as he entered.
He looked at every member of Varus' team… no, his team now, before giving his first order, "Alright, let's get the Yorktown ready to fight people," he said, moving to the central station and beginning a systems diagnostic as everyone resumed work.

The armoury crew were largely undisturbed in the four hours needed to finish repairs, with the notable exceptions of a power surge cascading from A-deck down to E-deck and a meeting of all the senior officers in the Captain's ready room regarding repairs and the issue of there being no sign of the Republic.

"How are the weapons systems?" Jackson asked as he returned to the bridge.

"Phase cannons are online, forward torpedo tubes 1-3 are online and we have one of the aft launchers, shields are still down but the hull plating is ready," Orsai answered, not looking up until he was finished. "Are we expecting company?"

"Helm has confirmed that Enterprise is approaching," Jackson said, "with three Mazarite heavy frigates in pursuit."

"Rules of engagement?"

"We fire a warning shot, if they don't back off we destroy them," Jackson ordered.

"How long?"

T'Pol glanced up from her screen to look at the Captain, "2 minutes."

"They're firing again!" Captain Archer barely had time to look at his weapons Officer before the ship shuddered and let out a groan, followed by the slight whine of the Warp Engines dying.

"They hit our starboard nacelle, we've dropped out of Warp," Ensign Mayweather reported from the helm.

"How long until the Vulcans reach us?" Archer asked again.

"Eight Minutes," T'pol replied, noticeably, unhappily.

"But it was down to two?"

"While we were still at Warp!"

"Captain, you and your crew have made a valiant effort, but now there is no choice but to turn myself over to them," V'lar stated.

"This isn't over yet, Ambassador," Archer replied.

"It's the most logical course of action," V'lar argued.

"If there's one thing to know about humans, it's that we don't always act logically

"Sir, new contact directly ahead… I think you want to see this…"

Archer, T'pol and V'lar looked first at Mayweather, then the view screen, staring in surprise as a ship twice the size of Enterprise approaching with the hull angled down and 45 degrees to its right then swinging up to reveal the cylindrical secondary hull below the saucer and the nacelles were attached to that hull not the saucer.

"That looks like an Earth ship, but we've never built anything like that," Lieutenant Malcolm Reed said thoughtfully.

"Sir, their broadcasting on an open frequency," Archer nodded and Hoshi Sato opened the channel and set it to play over the bridge speakers.

"Mazarite craft, this is the Terran Dreadnought Yorktown, withdraw immediately or you Will be fired upon!"

"Dreadnought?" Malcolm wondered, Archer glanced at him but was nearly knocked off his feet by an impact and looked back to see the other two Mazarite frigates firing on the Yorktown, he opened his mouth to give the order to fire when the Dreadnought responded.

Beams from four Phase Cannons lanced out at the further of the two ships, which had passed and was banking to the Dreadnought's starboard, in under a second, the first impacting the shields, the second punching through and striking the hull but doing little damage and the final two carving great gouges through the hull causing the ship to explode. The second vessel was directly in front of the warship and had no time to evade as three amber trailed torpedoes shot from under the port side of the saucer, impacting and annihilating the frigate like its shields weren't there.

The third ship which had remained close to Enterprise hesitated then withdrew, retreating into Warp.

The bridge was silent as everyone tried to process what they'd witnessed. Archer, Hoshi, Malcolm and Travis Mayweather were astonished at the capabilities of an, apparently, human vessel, while V'lar and T'pol were quietly disturbed and worried that Starfleet had been building such powerful ships in secret, but at the same time a little intrigued.

Neither Archer nor Reed missed the fact the Dreadnought was already heavily damaged.

"Captain, they're hailing us," Hoshi said, looking at Archer.

"Open a channel," Archer replied.

The view screen changed to show a bridge similar to Enterprise but with a console in front of the Captain's chair, the other stations in a ring around the Captain's chair and all consoles and chairs were partially sunk into the floor. In the Captain's chair was a Caucasian man with fair skin and brown hair, he was wearing a Starfleet jumpsuit with a rigid vest with curved shoulder pads (BDU from Mass Effect 3) and a peaked cap with a cap badge showing Earth's western hemisphere on the back of a burning phoenix with the wings flanking the globe.

"I'm Commander Vincent Jackson, acting Captain of the Terran Warship TSS Yorktown…"

"I'm Johnathon Archer of the Earth ship Enterprise, thank you for the assist."

"Don't mention it Captain, were our roles reversed I doubt you would have acted differently…"

"Indeed I wouldn't," Archer replied, glancing briefly to the Vulcans, "I noticed you've taken damage, can we offer any assistance?"

Jackson smiled amusedly, "I was about to ask the same, but yes we would appreciate if you could spare some medical and engineering teams being sent over, we were forced to retreat from a battle after losing our entire engineering crew minus a few damage control teams with damaged nacelles, we… sighs… we ended up a long way from home… it's complicated Captain, I'll explain what I know in person."

"I look forward to hearing it, in the meantime, I'll arrange for my Medical Officer and Chief Engineer to head over shortly, Archer out," he turned to T'Pol as the screen reverted to normal, "T'pol, I want you to go over with Trip and Doctor Phlox, offer whatever help is needed within reason."

"I'll begin preparations and inform Doctor Phlox and Commander Tucker," T'pol replied, rising from her station.

"Malcom, what can you tell me about them?"

"Their Phase Cannons are powerful, roughly a fifty percent higher yield than ours and they have independent tracking sensors, theoretically they can fire on several ships at once, those torpedoes though are something different, some kind of high yield Anti-matter warhead, the Mazarites never stood a chance," Malcolm answered.

"Captain, the Vulcan ship Sh'Raan has arrived…"

"Well, Ambassador, it appears that this is where we part ways, I hope we meet again in more pleasant circumstances," Archer said to V'lar.

"As do I, Captain, but with recent events the Captain of the Sh'Raan may wish to remain a while, never the less, I'll collect my belongings and meet you at the air lock," V'lar replied, bowing respectfully before leaving the bridge.

Archer settled back into his seat after returning the Ambassador's bow, watching the Vulcan ship manoeuvre around the Dreadnought, taking care to keep it in the forward cannon's fire arc, for several moments, he then activated the deck comm to Engineering to inform Trip, 'Today has certainly proved interesting,' he thought.