“And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.”
Dylan Thomas, 1947.

“We cannot win.” The Vulcan declared, after considerable deliberation and a pregnant pause.

Her own face illuminated by the shifting glyphs of the main holo-infographic that toyed and swirled around the bioneural depiction of the immediate volume of space surrounding the planet of New Providence, Captain Raveen Shavda remarked dryly.

“Well thank you for that stark strategic overview, Lieutenant – Commander, that’s highly encouraging.”

The Strategic Operations OIC raised a quizzical eyebrow and ultimately (and correctly) surmised that this rejoinder was the result of the human compunction towards sarcasm when faced with a logical extrapolation that did not conform to their desired worldview.

Something he was familiar with but, never could quite anticipate or get used to.

“Well, it’s hardly subtle.” Allowed Commander Jensen Wing, as the XO leaned on the edge of the Situations – board and absently toyed with one end of his moustache, as he was want to do when lost in deep thought.

“Then again, dropping a 1,062 meter – long Starship on top of another one hardly qualifies as subtle either, but that did seem to have the desired effect?”

Completely failing to note the irony laden in the Executive Officer’s observation, Sulan frowned under his severe fringe and pursed his lips in consternation.

“The tactical victory born of our recent engagement with the Vaadwaur Supremacy Forces besieging this world, a pyrrhic – victory at best, was the most-likely outcome of the combination of subterfuge, misdirection and shock & awe, Commander Wing.”  The sombre Vulcan intoned as he précised the events that had led the remains of the Vaadwaur Naval element to retreat back to the safety of Underspace.

“A combination of tactics that were successful in negating the force – ratio advantages of the opposing aggressors, interrupting their bombardment of the Civilian assets on – surface and forcing a tactical withdrawal. It is not likely that the Vaadwaur would be susceptible to a repeat of these tactics. That hand has been played and thus has lost its value. When the Vaadwaur regroup and return, as they surely will, they will do so in considerable force and likely to a ratio where the USS Hikaru Sulu will almost certainly be overcome & defeated.”

Jensen tightened his grip on the display – table and replied in an equally tight – voice.

“I don’t accept that.”

Lieutenant – Commander Sulan looked nonplussed and countered.

“Accept the hypothesis or not, Commander, with the assets currently at our disposal, this is the most logical outcome. We are alone and we are considerably outnumbered.”

Captain Shavda raised a slim placatory hand, to interject before Jensen retorted and the briefing deteriorated into something far less productive.

“I think that we can all agree that Sulan’s tactic to park the “Sulu” on top of the enemy fleet certainly achieved its desired ends in terms of “Shock & Awe” and that it is almost a certainty that the Vaadwaur will return in force. There’s no way any commander in their right mind would let a ship like this run – loose in their AO. I certainly wouldn’t.”

Sulan inclined his head in agreement, his attention turning to a member of his team that approached with a Datapad and handed to him, before retreating to their monitoring station.

“However, we need options. Fantastical or otherwise. We cannot just sit here and wait to be annihilated. We have also the remaining civilian populace of New Providence to consider. With the Blackout annexing this region, the Cardassian High Command has no access to this sector of space and therefore it falls to us to render humanitarian assistance to the surviving colonists.” Shavda asserted evenly.

“We would be unable to provide protection to the colonists and be able to mount a credible response to any Vaadwaur forces that came back for a second swing at the prize, Captain.” Commander Wing pointed out the obvious.

Raveen shook her head, refusing to countenance any scenario where the Cardassian settlers would again be left to the mercy of the Vaadwaur invaders.

“Then we’ll bring them aboard and take them with us.”

Jensen Wing had known his CO for ten years and knew better that to question her when she had made up her mind. It was mildly easier to try to change the position of a mountain.

“They’ll be in harm’s way here aboard the ‘HS’ “The XO pointed out, ever the Devil’s – advocate. “If we die – they die.”

Raveen set her jaw and looked her friend squarely in the eye and said softly.

“If we leave them on-planet, the Vaadwaur will finish what they started here. You’ve seen the after – action reports from Harry? Chief Trench states that they weren’t interested in taking prisoners. The only use the settlers had to their remaining ground forces was as hostages. Every single one of those Vaadwaur soldiers chose death over surrender. These are zealots were dealing with. Highly trained, highly focused and willing to do anything to achieve their goals.”

“I will not abandon the people of New Providence to certain death. The settlers will come with us until such a time as stability is restored to the system and we can guarantee their safe return to their home.” Raveen ordered with a commanding finality.

Jensen threw up his hands, conceding defeat.

“Alright, but they aren’t just going to come quietly.” The XO pointed out. “These colonists have no more love for the Federation, that they do their Terran neighbors in the Belt. I doubt that they will just ‘up-sticks’ and come willingly aboard a Starfleet ship, even if we have just saved their lives.”

Raveen nodded, accepting this logic.

“Well, it’s a good job that we have our own Diplomat onboard then, that sounds like the perfect job for Lieutenant – Commander Bravas. Orliella has been spinning like a fifth – wheel since this conflict began, I’m sure that she will welcome the chance to work in her own wheelhouse for a change.”

“Then I’ll get together with Ops & Flight and we’ll begin to draw up a plan for the evacuation, once all of the niceties have been dealt with.” Commander Wing nodded.

Captain Shavda turned back to the Vulcan Strat-Ops officer and prompted.

“So, when our guests do return, where should we be expecting them to call on next?”

Sulan manipulated the controls of the Holodisplay and the glowing blue apparition wheeled, compressed and zoomed apparent space and the view shifted to a dispersed series of shapes representing the asteroid belt that mantled the system. A particularly large asteroid was highlighted in bright orange and a data table appeared next to it and began to scroll data.

“If the hypothesis was that New Providence was indeed attacked to deprive the production & supply of consumables, then their most likely target will be the main customer for that food – the Mining Operation situated here on “Riordan’s – Rock.”

The orange image of the asteroid began to grow and dominate the view. As the representation magnified, it became apparent that the planetary body’s surface was studded with a patchwork cornucopia of paraphernalia, shuttledocks, solar processers, shield generators, sensor domes, comms arrays and defence installations.

“’Riordan’s – Rock’ is the main operating facility for the “Bactra – Angelus Extractive GbmH” mining company. Formed in 2352, the Rock was one of the first astral – bodies mined when Dilithium ore was discovered. Central to The Belt, over the intervening years, the ‘Rock’ was mined out and when the extractive process was concluded, repurposed as the central hub for all mining and processing operations.”

“A logical and neat solution as it provides protection from radiation, collisions from other planetary – bodies, as well as providing a neatly defensible bulwark from hostile raiders.”

Captain Shavda narrowed her eyes, as the holo of “Riordan’s – Rock” span slowly above the table, mirroring the real – space version as it slowly spun to create a weak, but serviceable artificial gravity.

“And where were these miners when their Neighbours were being slaughtered?”

Sulan surveyed the Datapad and intoned dispassionately.

“It appears that the Miners were disinclined to render assistance, Captain, despite having access to several mining vessels in their fleet.”

“There’s obviously no love lost between the Terran and Cardassian peoples in this area.” Spoke Lieutenant Savak, as the Vulcan/Romulan Intelligence Officer joined the group.

Not for the first time Raveen was struck by incongruity that, whilst Sulan and Savak outwardly looked the same, you could not find two more different people.

“Run-of-the-mill Xenophobia and bigotry notwithstanding.” The corners of Savak’s smooth lips curled into an ironic smile, “Current intelligence (well, as current as was to be had before The Blackout) indicates a strong pro-Marquis sentiment was active in this area, centered here in the Belt.”

“It’s likely that some amongst those at Bactra – Angelus are highly sympathetic to the cause, if not actual New -Marquis cell-members themselves. The belt is the perfect place to hide assets and avoid detection by both the Obsidian Order and Starfleet.”

The attractive young Intelligence Officer shrugged lightly.

“Put simply – If the colonists of New Providence were on fire, the Miners probably couldn’t be persuaded to piss on them to put them out. Given the independent nature of these non – aligned, non – Federation worlds – I’d hazard that they’d probably have to think twice before considering extending the same courtesy for us too.”

“Thank you for that observation, Lieutenant.” Raveen replied tersely, whilst Sulan was guileless socially and Machiavellian strategically – he remained a known quantity. There was something profoundly unsettling about her new Intelligence Officer and she had not yet had time to get Savak’s true – measure – what with the attendant chaos inflicted by the blackout.

For her part, Savak just inclined her head in acknowledgment – a wry smile refusing to depart from her lips.

Raveen frowned.

“Well then, it’s logical that The Belt is our next destination. We’ll have to see what sort of welcome we receive when we get here. But that still doesn’t answer the question of what the hell we will do when we arrive?”

The Strategic Operations OIC interrupted tactfully.

“Captain? If I may? I think that you may have misconstrued my initial analysis as one of finality.” The severe Vulcan nodded sagely.

It was Raveen’s turn to raise a distinctly – quizzical eyebrow.

“Well, you must admit that “We cannot win” does carry with it at least the impression of finality, Sulan?”

The Vulcan bowed slightly from the waist and demurred politely.

“My apologies for be so misunderstood, Captain. However, that conclusion is valid if you consider the parameters of the strategic situation that we currently face.”

Raveen obviously looked confused.

“The overall strategy of the Vaadwaur Supremacy, if condensed to its most simplistic interpretation, is to “Divide & Conquer”. A classic stratagem that favors forces such as theirs, that suffer from a disparity in technological parity and numbers. By isolating the forces of involved Alpha & Beta Quadrant species by the annexure of the effects of The Blackout, the Supremacy is able to engage these smaller, isolated units on more equal terms.”

“A similar historical comparison would be the Campaign fought in the Normandy “Bocage” after D-day during Earths Second World War. Each field in this area of France neatly encapsulated a small pocket of conflict, cut off from and sometimes unaware of a similar, identical conflict being waged in the space next door. In this case the impassible hedgerows of the Bocage are synonymous with the limitations of subspace distortion – but the comparison is remarkably apt.”

Captain Shavda was beginning to despair of ever being able to follow the Vulcan’s convoluted train of logic, when Sulan concluded.

“This strategy relies upon confinement. We are currently, for all intents and purposes, a ‘Ship in a Bottle’”.

As if to illustrate the point, Sulan altered the holodisplay and it replayed the moments, the day previously, when the defeated Vaadwaur invasion fleet beat their hasty retreat from the engagement above New Providence and fled to the point where a Subspace aperture had formed, allowing the defeated ships to find solace back within The Labyrinth.

“But every bottle has a neck, Captain.” Sulan indicated the Subspace aperture.

“And the Supremacy’s plan is only effective as long as we stay in the bottle!” Raveen exclaimed, beginning to catch that train.

“But how do we smash that ‘bottle’?” Commander Wing frowned. “The Vaadwaur will certainly have the aperture heavily defended with considerable assets, to prevent an enemy trying to use Underspace to flee their trap?”

Lieutenant Savak leant in to manipulate the image of the Underspace aperture even further, at this level of magnification, the image was given to a high – level of granularity that could not be fully resolved by the image processors.

There was something indistinct, but observable, just beyond the event horizon.

Something ‘Man-made” ….

“But what if we don’t need to actually smash the bottle?” Savak smiled slyly.

“What if we just need to remove the cork?”