"Plan B - we fight"
 by Lieutenant jg T'Kang
 Chief Tactical Officer - USS Intrepid


T'Kang's massive hands gripped the edges of the Tactical 
console as his fingers impatiently drummed the titanium 
surface.  "What is taking Blake so long?!" the Klingon finally 
grumbled.

Taddy shot a glance at the Chief Tactical officer.  His 
outburst was rude, but not all uncalled for.  The Ferengi 
cruisers were closing in by the second.  If Blake wasn't able 
to vent the plasma quickly to allow time for it to saturate the 
space between their pursuers before it was ignited, this ruse 
was not going to work.   Thumbing the communication 
system on the arm of his chair, the Commodore hailed 
Blake.  "Taddy to Blake.  What's the delay with venting the 
plasma?"

T'Kang's eyes narrowed when the Captain's hail was met 
with silence.   Across the bridge, the perky Lieutenant 
O'Malley was quick to locate the problem.

"Sir, I'm reading a loss of life support in main engineering.  
Emergency force fields have been activated. . . ." Em 
reported.

T'Kang's eyes widened.  "If they have evacuated 
engineering, who is going to vent the plasma?" the Klingon 
questioned in a gloomy, 'we are all doomed' monotone.

The Commodore shook his head.  "It's not going to happen.  
So we switch to plan B."

T'Kang frowned, his face turning to a scrunched and 
wrinkled scowl, "And that plan would be?!. . . ."

"We turn and fight.   Helm!, bring us about.  T'Kang, power 
forward weapons array and load all forward tubes with 
quantum torpedoes.  Let's hit them hard before they close 
the distance."  Commodore Mitchell ordered.

"Aye Captain."  T'Kang replied heartily, adjusting the tactical 
station to carry out the Commodore's orders even as 
Lieutenant Cowan brought the Excelsior-class Tempest 
around in an elegant swooping 180 degree turn.

"Let's look sharp people and hope that Starfleet doesn't 
make 'em like they used to."  Taddy encouraged, referring to 
the Tempest being 100 years older technology-wise than the 
three Ferengi cruisers it was about to face.

"Switching to forward view screen. . . ." Em informed as the 
view screen showed the three Ferengi vessels approaching 
in standard attack formation.

"Signal Red Alert.  Lock on quantum torpedoes."  Taddy 
ordered.

T'Kang tapped a control and immediately the warning 
klaxons began singing through out the Tempest.  The 
Warrior's heart began to beat strongly as the battle 
approached.  "Quantum torpedoes are armed and locked on 
target."

The Commodore watched the view screen, waiting for the 
enemy ships to get into optimal range.  For several tense 
seconds the bridge was surrounded in tense silence; only 
the warbling sound of the red alert klaxons sliced the quiet.

"Lieutenant T'Kang. . . . .  Fire forward torpedoes." the 
Commodore finally ordered.

Thumbing the launch button, T'Kang called out, "Torpedoes 
away!" even as the spread of quantum war heads streaked 
outward from the USS Tempest and headed into the heart of 
the Ferengi formation.

The command crew watched as the Ferengi attempted to 
break out of the way of the approaching torpedoes, but even 
technology for destruction from 100 years earlier was not 
easily avoided by the large cruisers.   The first torpedo 
slammed into the hull of the lead ship, sending a quantum 
wave of destruction radiating outward.  The other two ships, 
that managed to break right and left, avoided being hit, but 
were still caught in the quantum effect as it washed over 
their bows, sending the ship's toppling over like toys.  The 
remaining torpedoes exploded shortly after, totally 
annihilating the lead Ferengi cruiser into a pile of burning 
parts.

"Report!"  Taddy called out.

T'Kang took a quick scan.  "One Ferengi cruiser destroyed.  
The other two took minor damage from the blast."  The 
Klingon glanced up at the main view screen, "Evidently their 
shields are quite a deal more advanced then our own."

In her typical, bubbly tone, Em looked to the sunny side of 
the situation, "But at least a direct hit from our torpedoes can 
defeat them Lieutenant. . . ."

T'Kang glanced at the Chief Operations Officer and gave her 
a sarcastic frown as he grumbled, "Yes.  When we score a 
direct hit with the most powerful weapon we posses.  But 
you forget, they haven't attacked us yet."

Taddy shook his head, "Let's not give them the chance.  
T'Kang, reload forward tubes, same as before."

The Klingon tapped the proper controls to have the tubes 
reloaded, but it would take some time.  Right now seconds 
seemed like an eternity as the two Ferengi cruisers 
recovered from the quantum blast wave and began to 
reacquire the Tempest as their target.

T'Kang's fingers drummed on the console impatiently while 
he rechecked long range sensors.  "The Ferengi are 
powering up their weapons. "

Taddy evenly called out, "Be prepared to evade Cowan.  
What's taking so long loading those torpedoes T'Kang?"

The Klingon let out a grunt expressing his equal frustration.  
Finally his status lights changed to green, indicating the 
torpedoes tubes were again full.  "Torpedoes loaded and 
armed Captain."

"Lock on and fire."  Commodore Mitchell stated evenly.  It 
was almost as if the excitement of battle wasn't even 
affecting him.

T'Kang thumbed the controls.  "Torpedoes away!" he 
declared as another spread of Quantums raced away from 
the Tempest.