Jim Phaserman

Prologue

In the year 2381, the Federation is undergoing major changes. Still recovering from the Dominion War, she is also dealing with a now friendly Romulan Star Empire. However, all of the changes aren’t external, and not all are good, either. Within the Federation, many worlds have begun a debate as to weather or not the Federation should be allowed to determine the laws on each world. For years, the Federation’s laws had been almost universal throughout her member worlds. However, new factions demand more “states’ rights” for member nations, and the Federation is fast becoming a house divided. This is the Story of the end of the Federation.

CHAPTER 1

Star date 8143.4

Earth Date April 4th, 2381

Aboard USS Titan, somewhere near Sector 024.

“But sir, my designs are good! Honestly, you’ve seen them, you know how valuable they’d be to the Federation!” protested Commander Krajur Marvargaten, the executive officer of the USS Titan. “Commander,” responded Captain William Riker, commanding officer of the Titan. “I don’t make the decisions. In fact, neither do you. I’ll forward them to Starfleet Command, but that’s the best I can do.” Riker was frustrated. His Executive Officer was a talented man, he knew. A gifted engineer, who had an ability to seemingly pull starship designs or engineering solutions out of his shirtsleeves, But Riker also knew that Starfleet already had starship designers working for them, and they didn’t need another.

Riker leaned back in his chair, looking at the officer before him. Commander Marvargaten was by no means a young man. His species, the Valderans, were a mystery to the Federation. But one thing he did know about them was that they did live a LONG time. According to Marvargaten’s file, he was at least 250 years old. Most people that old had long ago retired, but not him. He had served successfully with his home fleet for 150 years, since the age of 20. At the age of 170, he retired from the Valderan Royal Navy to take a job in the Senate, and had served there for 30 years. What happened after is a mystery, as is how he became a Starfleet officer. But, he was a great engineer, and a good officer. “Commander, What Starfleet does with your designs is up to them, but I will pass them on for you. But, I don’t want to hear any more about this, got it?” Riker said, rather than asked. “Yes, sir.” Marvargaten said. He stood up and left. Then, the desk signal chimed.

Riker hit the button. “Go ahead,” he said. “Sir, we have an incoming message from Command for you.” That was the Communications Officer, Lt. Brackenridge. “They say it’s important.” “Put it through,” Will said. “This should be good.” The screen rose up on his desk, and he was surprised at who he saw. “Fleet Admiral Banach, good to see you. I trust all is well on the Eros?” Fleet Admiral Amanda Quinn-Banach was the commanding officer of USS Eros, a Soveriegn class starship, just the same as Titan and Enterprise. “The Eros is well. It’s other things that have me worried, Captain Riker.” The Admiral stated in a slight Australian accent. “There are murmurs in the Federation Council about certain worlds seceding from the Federation!” this revelation took Riker by surprise. “Surely you can’t be serious, Admiral?” Riker asked.

“I am, Captain. Unfortunately, I am dead serious.” This worried Riker. The last thing he ever thought would happen was the Federation would break apart. “What planets are considering leaved, Admiral?” He asked. “Well, a lot of small worlds. But a few notables. Andoria, for one. And Anteres also. “ The thought of Andoria, a founding member of the Federation, leaving was very disturbing. Even more so was Anteres. Anteres, while not a major political system, was home to the Anteres Fleet Yards, and that made losing them a much harder idea to swallow.

“What’s President Spock doing to stop this?” Riker asked. “Everything he can, Will. Which isn’t enough, unfortunately. The Senates of the various worlds considering secession are already debating them. If they secede, what can he do?” Riker thought it over. “Not much, I suppose.” Riker responded. “Listen, Will, I want Titan to return to Earth. I’ll tell you why privately when you arrive. How long will it take you?” She asked. “If we don’t disobey the speed limit, about 6 hours.” Riker said. “Very well, then. See you here in 6 hours.” With that, the Admiral closed the channel.

Riker stood and headed to the bridge. “Helm, Set a course for earth, warp 5. Everybody, we’re returning to Earth, the rest of our survey out here is cancelled. I can’t tell you exactly why yet, but I’ll inform you when I can.” Riker said as he addressed his bridge crew. “Course laid in, sir.” Said the helmsmen. “Engage.” Riker commanded as he sat down in his chair.

Six hours later, the Titan entered the Sol system and arrived in Earth orbit. Riker was a bit surprised to notice all the ships in the system. He recognized the Eros immediately, and also the Enterprise. A couple of smaller ships he didn’t recognize, including a ship that resembled an Excelsior-Class Starship with a third Nacelle. There were also four Defiant class starships arrayed around the Eros. “Sir, Message from the Admiral. Form up next to the Enterprise.” The Comm officer said. Riker just nodded, and the Titan formed up. Within an hour, Riker sat in the Observation lounge aboard the Eros, with the other Commanding Officers.

“Welcome, all of you,” Admiral Banach said. “I have already informed all of you of the plans for secession by several key worlds. Right now, 35 of 180 Federation member worlds are considering secession, and will be voting on it within the next week. I’m gathering this fleet here to set up a task force to repel any possible attacks on Earth by the Secessionists. Now, I know most of you don’t know each other, so I’d like to go around the table and have everyone introduce yourselves.”

“Captain Jean Luc Picard, USS Enterprise.”

“Captain William Riker, USS Titan”

“Captain Jason Quinn, USS Michael Quinn”

“Commander Nog, USS Defiant”

“Commander T’Lor, USS Abraham Lincoln”

“Captain Roger McNiel, USS Valiant”

“Commander David Webster, USS Arizona”

“Captain Mohammed Durias, USS Akron”

Riker looked at his padd, and noted the classes of each ship as their commander introduced themselves. Defiant, Lincoln, Valiant, and Arizona were the four Defiant class starships. The Michael Quinn was the odd Excelsior class starship with the third Nacelle, known simply as Michael Quinn class. And the Akron was a Toronto class light cruiser. “Alright, now that we’ve got that out of the way, We’ll be standing fast for the next few weeks. All ships will be on Yellow Alert, and we will be screening all incoming starships.” The Admiral sounded confident that this would work, but Captain Picard didn’t seem to think it was a great idea. “You are suggesting we blockade Earth, Admiral?” Riker wasn’t surprised to hear that.

“Not blockading, Quarantining. We’re still letting ships in and out. We’re simply here making sure nobody coming in has any ideas about making attacks on the Planet. We’ll be making sure all incoming ships are scanned, and if necessary, boarded to make sure they aren’t carrying anything that can be used offensively, especially if the ships are registered from a world that is considering secession.” Picard didn’t seam reassured, but he let it go. The Admiral dismissed everyone.

Back on the Titan, Riker took Commander Marvargaten’s designs and submitted them to Starfleet command’s R & D facility in Kyoto. Six hours later, he heard back from R & D Kyoto. They wanted Commander Marvargaten to transfer down, at least temporarily. Riker tapped his commbadge. “Commander Marvargaten, please report to the Captain’s Ready Room.” “I’ll be right there, sir.” Within a minute, the XO was there. “Pack your bags, Commander,” Riker said. “You’re being transferred.” The Commander looked at him funny, and Riker continued. “I sent your designs to the appropriate people, they want to see you. I think this may become a new job for you.”

Marvargaten nodded, thanked his Captain, and left the ready room. An hour later, he left.

CHAPTER 2

Two Months later

Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards

Commander Marvargaten sat in his office overlooking the dry dock. The ship in the dry dock was one of his designs, PCS Shiloh. He was overseeing construction of Shiloh, and her two sister ships. It was rare for Starfleet to construct the first three units of a class simultaneously, but in the past 6 weeks, 30 planets of the Federation had seceded and Starfleet seemed to think these ships were necessary. The Secessionists now formed a loose coalition of states that seemed to be growing more and more every day. Worse, they had control of Anteres Fleet Yards, and the ships under construction there. Marvargaten had also read reports that 20 Starships and their crews had already sworn allegiance to this coalition. Among them were 5 Akira class starships, 4 Intrepid Class Starships, 2 Galaxy Class Starships, 6 Miranda class starships, and 3 Nebula class starships. While not a particularly formidable force, with the Fleet Yards, they could be refit to be much more powerful.

The three ships under construction here under the supervision of Commander Marvargaten were already named. The ship in the dry dock directly in front of him had been named Shiloh. The other two were named Chancellorsville and Antietam. He thought they were fitting names, really. All three were named after battles of the American Civil War. These ships, named for battles in a Civil War, would soon be participating in a Civil War it seamed. Each of these ships was also being put together very quickly. At 685 meters long, they weren’t small ships. The same length as a Soveriegn class starship, they shared a nearly identical saucer and engineering hull. The warp nacelles, however, were swept forward and downward. Also, a notch was to be added in the bow. These ships would also be 36 decks tall, rather than 29 on a Soveriegn class starship. Because of the design, the ships were actually larger and heavier than their predecessors. They also carried more weapons. 9 photon torpedo tubes and 19 of the latest type XII Phaser arrays.

As Marvargaten observed the construction of Shiloh, a young Lieutenant came running in, out of breath. “What is it, Lieutenant?” Marvargaten asked. “Sir, the Secessionists…they’ve attacked Deep Space 13!” Marvargaten stood up quickly. “Are you sure?” he asked. “Yes, sir. It just came across the news. President Spock is calling a news conference.” Marvargaten turned on his monitor, and selected the Federation News Network’s broadcast.

“…onse to this attack, which resulted in the loss of life of over 400 Federation citizens, I am asking that the Federation Council declare that a state of war exists between the United Federation of Planets and the Secessionist Coalition. I am also ordering all Starfleet vessels to take up defensive positions around key facilities.” That was President Spock, speaking at a news conference outside his Paris Office. Marvargaten sat down and leaned back. The news conference continued on, but he tuned it out. Stepping to his window, he looked at the ship outside. The space frame was about 65% complete. Inside of another two months, the warp core and computer core would be installed. In another two months, the internal power systems would be in place. By the 8th month of construction, most of the internal infrastructure would be in place. By the 10th month, the outer hull would be in place and sealed. By month 12, Internal outfitting would occur. In all, construction would take 16 months before all of the systems were ready.

Somewhere in Sector 238….

The Thunderchild rocked again under a concentrated blast. Captain Francis Donovan picked himself up off the deck. “Fire photon torpedoes!” he bellowed. The ship he was fighting was a Galaxy Class starship, the former USS Excalibur. The Thunderchild, an Akira class starship, fired a volley of torpedoes that splashed against the shields of the Excalibur. Excalibur returned fire with a Phaser burst. The burst penetrated the smaller craft’s shields, and opened a hole in Thunderchild’s port tail boom. Thunderchild responded with Phasers, this time penetrating, and driving a hole through the ship’s forward torpedo tube. An explosion accompanied the burst, probably the detonation of a few torpedoes being readied. The explosion caused critical damage to the ship’s support structure that connected Saucer to Engineering hull. Excalibur fired another Phaser burst, this one clipping the Thunderchild’s saucer.

Thunderchild maneuvered up and around the Excalibur. A quick series of bursts from Ventral phasers and aft torpedoes depressurized the Excalibur’s main shuttle bay, ripped holes in her saucer, and punctured the Deuterium Storage tanks. The damaged Excalibur fired with aft phasers, but they went wide. It was now evident to Captain Donovan that the Excalibur was experiencing problems with her targeting sensors. Taking advantage of that, and the problems that seamed to now be growing aboard the Excalibur, Donovan brought his ship around for a run from stern to bow. Excalibur fired a few torpedoes that went wide of the weaving Thunderchild. Phasers weren’t any more accurate from Excalibur. Thunderchild, however, was dead on. Port and starboard nacelles housings, torpedo magazines, the central spine, and impulse engines all took direct hits. The torpedo magazines exploded fantastically, ripping a massive chunk out of the stern of the great vessel. Passing over the top, Thunderchild fired down onto the saucer section, damaging the main phaser array of Excalibur. Torpedoes opened massive holes in the hull.

Donovan was careful in the overhead run to avoid hitting the bridge, and communications arrays. “Open a channel,” Donovan said. “Let’s see who our enemy is.” The view screen came to life, and Donovan wasn’t surprised at who he saw. “I am Captain Thomas Riker of the Excalibur. You have my attention, Captain.” “Surrender, Captain. Your ship is crippled. If you don’t surrender, I’ll destroy it.” Donovan said. “You wouldn’t destroy a crippled ship, Donovan. It’s against what a Federation Officer stands for.” “Excalibur participated in the attack on Deep Space 13, avenging that attack would not violate my conscience one bit.” Riker just looked at him, then cut the channel. The Excalibur fired once again, a weak phaser blast. This was all the provocation Captain Donovan needed. Thunderchild came around and fired a full forward weapons volley. The damage caused the Excalibur to explode.

CHAPTER 3

Earth Date: August 1st, 2382

Somewhere near Risa

USS Shiloh cruised through open space. She, along with Chancellorsville and Antietam, had been commissioned just two months ago. They now patrolled together near Risa. Marvargaten had in the mean time been promoted to Captain, and commanded all three ships. However, reports were that the Secessionist Coalition had been busy, also. More ships had joined them, and they had finished construction on about a dozen small warships. Surprisingly, they also got their hands on a squadron of B’Rel class Klingon Birds of Prey from a Klingon House that was not friendly to the Federation. As the three ships cruised through the outskirts of the Risa system, the Shiloh’s sensors detected trouble.

“Sir, I’m detecting a group of enemy warships slowing to impulse. Bearing zero one zero mark four five. Range, six hundred thousand kilometers.” Lieutenant Kevin DeMorga said. DeMorga was a young officer who served Shiloh as Chief Tactical Officer. “Alright, I want specifics, Lieutenant.” Marvargaten said. “We have one Galaxy Class Starship, registered as CSS Orion, probably the command ship. Two Intrepid class starships, CSS Anteres and CSS Andoria. Also four Defiant class starships, CSS Monitor, CSS Courageous, CSS Implacable, and CSS Dominator. They are all in tight formation.” DeMorga reported. “Seven on one. Hail them.” “Frequencies open.” “This is Captain Marvargaten of the USS Shiloh to Coalition Strike Force. I’ll give you a fair warning. Leave this system or be destroyed.” The commander of the other fleet responded immediately. “This is Admiral Chakotay of the Coalition Starfleet. You seem to be mistaken, Captain. We outnumber you more than 2 to 1. Perhaps you better go home.” Marvargaten simply smiled. “I don’t believe so, Admiral. In Fact, it occurs to me I’d be better suited to stay here. If you wish to remove me from this system, then you’ll have to do so by force.”

The last remark was all it took. Chakotay’s fleet charged forward. Marvargaten spread his ships out. At range, the three Shiloh class starships began firing torpedoes at range, specifying targets. The volume of fire from 15 torpedo tubes managed to cause the Monitor and Courageous to pull back. Then, the Shiloh and her sister ships accelerated forward, and began firing massive phaser bursts. Space between the opposing groups of starships seemed to be alive with deadly light and torpedoes. All three of Marvargaten’s ships took hits, but not near as many as their opponents. “Target the Orion, all ships!” Marvargaten called out. The three ships, busy pounding Orion’s escorts, switched their target to the command ship. They fired massed Phaser blasts that shook Chakotay’s command ship. After that, Shiloh concentrated on the Courageous. Several phaser broadsides crippled the little vessel. Chancellorsville accomplished the same thing with the Dominator, then she and Antietam double teamed the Anteres. After a few minutes of trading shots with both ships, Anteres began to drift, her hull blackened and burning.

Shiloh then flew past Antietam to pick off the Monitor, which had been harassing the larger ship continuously since she engaged the Anteres. Monitor suffered the full effects of 10 type XII phaser arrays focusing their energies on her hull. Monitor’s shields collapsed, and Antietam took that time to hammer it with aft Torpedoes. The torpedoes ripped though the ship and caused it to break apart. Within just 5 minutes of the battle being joined, three enemy ships were disabled. The odds were steadily closing to be even. Chancellorsville traded broadsides with both the Orion and the Andoria until the Shiloh picked up on the Andoria. Antietam chased Implacable and Dominator around and away from the larger ships dueling, and forced the ships to clip each other by spraying phaser fire and herding them together. The ships, damaged, spun away from each other. Phaser fire from Antietam sealed their fate. Antietam closed and began trading broadsides with the Orion on her other side, putting Chakotay’s command ship between two powerful battle cruisers. Chancellorsville was rocked as the Andoria exploded, but managed to recover.

Marvargaten ceased his opportunity. He put Shiloh directly in front of the Orion. Now he had Orion in a pinch, exchanging fire with ships to her port, starboard, and now off her bow. Chakotay did the smart thing by backing her up, then came about. Marvargaten ordered pursuit, and the ships harrased the Orion until she began drifting. Full of holes, and with fires burning on most of her decks, Orion began to drift. Explosions rocked the ship, until finally she went dark. Within minutes, the fires burned out as the oxygen was extinguished.

Marvargaten pulled his ships back and took an assessment. Antietam was suffering from power fluctuations in her starboard main relays, and Chancellorsville had a double hull breach through her saucer. But, they came out relatively intact. Marvargaten called the engagement in to Command, and was contacted by Admiral Banach.

“Congratulations on your first combat victory, Captain,” the Admiral said. “I Have some bad news, though. The 3rd Fleet engaged a large group of Rebel forces near the Briar Patch. We lost 15 ships, and the Rebels took the sector. The Titan was with them. I’m sorry, Krajur, she was lost with all hands.”