Instead of a small, undefended Cardassian science facility that had been converted into a supply station for the Dominion war effort, they had found a full blown battle station surrounded by a densely packed asteroid field.

"Sweet Jesus, that's big." Bateson whispered.

Manning the tactical station, Mike Dennis replied. "That particular asteroid where their base is located is over thirty kilometers long and just under eight wide.

"The openings at both ends are just under six kilometers in diameter. Analysis of the internal structures shows that for the most part, the asteroid is a natural formation."

"And the Cardies just moved in and phasered out a home for themselves." Helmsman Andrew Wesley added from his station.

Bateson shook his head, thinking how the hell are we supposed to destroy that?

"Do you this these tri-cobalt things will do the job?" Dennis asked.

Bateson took another look at the station, taking in its hollow, cigar shape.

"Positive." the captain finally replied.

"Mike, give me a split screen showing tactical with visual." Bateson ordered.

Instantly, the view screen shifted and showed the massive Cardassian station as it spun slowly within the asteroid field. As the mouth of the station slowly came into view, Bateson's jaw dropped.

"Are those what I think they are?"

Mike Dennis quickly operated the controls at the tactical station, attempting to verify his captain's suspicions. 

The view screen visual image changed again, showing a closer view of the mouth of the station. Within the gaping maw of the asteroid, suspended within a metal lattice frame, hung seven partially constructed Dominion battleships.

The bridge crew of the Bozeman stared in awe at the massive ships inside the asteroid. Thousands of space-suited figures could be seen moving about the ships like bees around a hive, working to advance the Dominion war machine. Small construction ships moved within the space frames of the massive vessels. 

"My God." Andrew Wesley stammered.

Morgan Bateson stood.

"Make sure that the Excalibur is seeing this." Bateson ordered.

"Every bit of it, sir." Dennis replied.

The visual image changed again, showing an even closer view of one of the battleships. Only a few humanoid figures could be seen near it and no mobile construction ships. 

The gargantuan ship was not tethered to the internal frame of the station. Maneuvering thrusters could be seen occasionally firing, keeping the Dominion ship stationary.

"I...I'm guessing by what I'm reading from the probe," Dennis began, but stopped.

Bateson started around the railing and joined his Tactical Officer.

"What is it?" the captain quietly demanded.

"It looks like two more of those ships will be operational within a week." Dennis whispered so that only his captain could hear.

Morgan Bateson quickly confirmed the data at the console and then looked back to his friend and comrade. He could tell the young man was frightened.

Bateson tilted his head slightly and said, "Mike, remind me to put you up for a promotion when we get back."

In spite of their situation, Mike Dennis smiled.

Bateson started back down the ramp to the center seat of the Bozeman.

"Make sure that everybody on aboard is seeing this." the captain said, raising his voice. "I want them to see what's at stake today."

Settling into his chair, Bateson sensed doubt building within him.

Life was a lot simpler in the twenty-third century, he thought grimly.

Bateson looked around the bridge of his Nebula class U.S.S. Bozeman and into the eyes of his crew, who were all looking to him for support and direction. Some of them, Bateson had known for more than a century, while others scarcely a month. All of them looked like children, he thought to himself.

All of them were his responsibility.

Today, some of them, possibly all of them, were going to die.

Bateson quickly pushed the thought from his mind.

He was a starship captain.

Their starship captain.

His mind drifted back as he remembered the first time he had stepped aboard a Federation starship from this century. He remembered how he had felt so out of place and desperately wanted to return to his own time. Now, he thought as a smile began to stretch across his face, there's no place I'd rather be.

"Look alive, boys." Bateson said, stabbing the communications panel controls.

"This is the captain," Bateson announced. "All of you can see what we're up against and I realize that the task at hand may seem impossible. 

"However, I know that each and every one of you are capable to rising to the occasion and by God, we'll get the job done."

"Great speech, sir." Andy Wesley said from the helm.

"Brought a tear to my ear." Mike Dennis added.

"Oh, shut up." Bateson replied, deadpan. "Battle stations!"
 
 
 

The starships Bozeman and Excalibur shot into the densely packed asteroid field at one-third impulse. Both ships skirted as close to the asteroids as their helmsmen dared, trying to remain undetected for as long as possible as they launched their attack upon the Cardassian station.

Aboard the Bozeman, Morgan Bateson continued to watch the sensor updates from their probe.

"They still haven't seen us." Bateson announced.

"That's probably because of the unusually high concentrations of duranium in the asteroids." Lieutenant Commander Mike Dennis replied. "There's enough if it in one of the big ones to build over a thousand starships."

"Time to intercept?" Bateson asked.

"One minute, ten seconds." Dennis replied.

As they approached the target, the image of the Cardassian station and the massive battleships berthed inside grew larger in the view screen.

"Mike, activate the jammers," the captain ordered. "We don't want anyone crashing our party."

Suddenly, an alarm sounded from the tactical console.

Captain Bateson quickly turned around to face his old friend.

"They've spotted us." Dennis announced.
 

Warning alarms sounded throughout the Cardassian ship yard, sending its inhabitants scattering to their stations and for cover. Thousands of Jem'Hadar and Cardassian soldiers rushed to their weapons stations, ready to face their unknown enemy.

Aboard the Galor class ship Vetar, Gul Evek was startled by alarms sounding through the bridge of his ship.

"Report!" the Cardassian commander demanded.

"Two Federation starships are emerging from the asteroid field on an attack vector with the ship yard." Glin Teren replied quickly.

Evek settled into his command chair and quickly brought up his own monitor displays.

"How were they able to get so close without being detected?" Evek asked, already knowing the answer.

"The duranium in the asteroids masked their approach." Glin Teren replied again.

Evek slammed his fist on his command console.

"I told those fools at the Central Command that we should have placed a sensor net on the outskirts of the field."

Teren was silent.

"It doesn't look like they've seen us, either." Gul Evek observed from his console.

Glin Teren nodded.

"No, sir" the subordinate replied. "We are too close to the ship yard for their sensors to register us."

"Yet." Evek added to himself. "Power up the disrupters and stay close to the asteroid. They won't see us or our dogs until its too late."

Teren nodded and moved to comply. 

"Gul Evek, one of the Federation ships is the Bozeman." Teren said, reading new data from his own displays.

Evek smiled.

"Good. Today is proving to be better than I thought." the Cardassian Gul said.
 
 
 

Aboard the Bozeman, Morgan Bateson and his crew prepared to strike.

"Time to target." Bateson ordered loudly.

"Forty seconds." Mike Dennis replied. "The Excalibur will be in range five seconds before us, captain."

"I hope Captain Calhoun has the good sense to wait for us." Bateson said as he watched the Ambassador class starship ahead of them on the view screen.

Morgan Bateson continued to watch as the starship Excalibur nimbly darted around several asteroids, amazed by the skills of her helmsman. He quickly realized that Andy Wesley was matching every move the Excalibur made and duplicated it perfectly.

"This isn't a race, Andy." Bateson said quietly.

"I know sir, I'm just letting them do all the thinking." Wesley replied.

Morgan Bateson smiled at the modesty of his young helmsman. He knew that Lieutenant Andrew Wesley was one of the best helmsman in the starfleet.

The Bozeman suddenly split away from the Excalibur as both ships passed near a particularly large planetoid, intending to attack the enemy from two fronts.

"Sir, the station launched something at us just before we moved behind this big asteroid." Mike Dennis announced.

"What do you mean something?" Bateson asked, moving quickly from the captain's chair to the tactical station.

"Some kind of torpedo, but I've never seen anything like the energy signature its giving off." Dennis replied, calling up more displays on his console.

"The computer says that its comprised almost entirely of highly concentrated plasma." Dennis said, shaking his head.

Captain Bateson quickly studied the readings as well.

"It doesn't look like it going to hit us." Bateson observed.

The captain of the Bozeman quickly returned to his command chair.

"Andy, alter our course to zero five two, mark seventy-nine." Bateson ordered. "I don't want to come around the other side of this rock and run into one of those things."

"Aye, aye sir!" Wesley replied, complying with the captain's order.

The Bozeman turned and began to move under the massive planetoid that it was using for cover. Seconds later, the Nebula class starship emerged left the protection of the rock to meet their enemy.

"Ready the tri-cobalt, Mister Dennis." Bateson commanded.

Captain Bateson observed that the Excalibur had slowed during its maneuver behind the planetoid and was once again even with the Bozeman.

"Tri-cobalt ready, sir!" Dennis announced.

"Steady as she goes, Andy." Bateson said calmly. "Increase speed to half impulse."

"Aye, sir."

"I want to make sure we leave a lasting impression on the Dominion." Bateson said.
 
 
 

"The Federation ships continue to use the asteroid field as cover in order to prevent the ship yard's defenses from getting a positive lock." Glin Teren announced.

Gul Evek shook his head in disgust.

"I told those fools at the Central Command that they should have cleared a perimeter around the asteroid before they converted it into a military installation."

Teren nodded.

"Both ships have powered their weapons but they still have not seen us." Teren said. 

Evek confirmed his second in command's assessment and nodded.

"Raise shields," the Gul commanded, "and give the attack order."
 

"Fire!" Bateson shouted.

"Firing tri-cobalt." Dennis said, stabbing the tactical console.

Almost in unison, the Federation starships Bozeman and Excalibur fired their deadly payload of tri-cobalt, sending eight glowing blue torpedoes streaking towards the enemy installation.

"Time to impact, fifteen seconds." Mike Dennis announced.

Morgan Bateson watched as the tri-cobalt sped towards the enemy station with a gnawing suspicion growing within him.

This is too easy.
 
 
 

As the deadly tri-cobalt torpedoes sped towards the enemy, the Cardassian station fired at the devices, attempting to destroy them before they reached their target.

Dozens of the small construction ships, seeing the enemy weapons, attempted to flee through the maw of the ship yard.

Suddenly, four Jem'Hadar attack ships flew over the top of the Cardassian station, firing wildly at the tri-cobalt torpedoes as they came.

Even as the Dominion fighters attempted to destroy the oncoming torpedoes, the station began firing at them as well, launching powerful globes of plasma into the void.

As the Federation tri-cobalt devices grew near their target, the enemy's struggle to destroy them became more frantic. One of the Jem'Hadar fighters, ahead of the others, veered into one of the torpedoes and left a brilliant explosion of energy in its wake, sending the three remaining fighters spinning out of control and away from the ship yard.
 
 
 

"They got one." Mike Dennis announced.

In the view screen, the crew of the Bozeman witnessed the destruction of one of their critical weapons. Each of the crew wondered silently if the remaining torpedoes would be enough to destroy the Cardassian station inside the asteroid.

Suddenly, another tri-cobalt torpedo was destroyed by one of the station's plasma torpedoes. However, the remaining six devices continued towards their objective.

"Captain, the Excalibur has broken formation." Dennis said.

"What," Bateson exclaimed, "where the hell are they going?"

Morgan Bateson's question was answered as the image of the Excalibur suddenly filled the view screen as it passed in front of them.

"One of the battleships has made it out of the mouth of the asteroid." Andrew Wesley cried.

"It's powering up weapons." Dennis reported. "Jesus Christ, its bigger than the Liberator."

"Target the battleship and give it all we got." Bateson ordered. 

"Time to impact?" the captain of the Bozeman asked quickly.

Mike Dennis looked up.

"Now."
 
 
 

Two of the remaining tri-cobalt devices struck the shields of the gigantic Cardassian ship yard, causing a tremendous flash of blue and white as the installation's shields were drained by the powerful blast and suddenly shorted out.

One of the powerful Federation weapons actually flew through the mouth of the asteroid and into the ship construction area, striking one of the partially constructed Dominion battleships head on. The entire interior of the asteroid was engulfed in the blast of the tri-cobalt as it exploded, destroying the ships inside as well as the crews that had been working on them.

The final three tri-cobalt torpedoes impacted on the surface of the asteroid. The resulting explosion incinerated the few construction ships that had made it out of the asteroid and the Dominion battleship that had sought to escape as well. 

The final flash of the explosion was so powerful the at the imaging sensors of the Bozeman were overloaded and the main view screen went black.
 
 
 

"Wizz, get the main viewer online!" Morgan Bateson shouted.

"Working on it sir," Dayton replied quickly, "I'm having to reroute the imaging sensors through the main sensor array."

"The captain doesn't need a lesson in sensor mechanics, Wizz." Commander Gabriel Bush said as he burst through the turbolift doors and onto the bridge of the Bozeman.

At the appearance of his first officer, Morgan Bateson visibly relaxed.

"Ah, Gabe," the captain said, "I was beginning to wonder if you were going to make it."

"Hamilton and Perry are still complaining about us coming into battle without more time for repairs." Bush said, taking his place at the captain's right.

"Those two too worry too damned much." Bateson replied quickly.

"Look around," the captain continued, "the mission has been a success."

To emphasize his point, the main viewer flicked and flashed back to life.

Captain Morgan Bateson's blood turned to ice as he saw the enormous piece of debris from the destroyed station on a collision course with the Bozeman.
 
 
 

The phaser arrays of the Bozeman came to life and began to fire at the rapidly approaching section of the Cardassian station. Large sections of the debris were vaporized as the Federation ship desperately tried to destroy the incoming mass of rock and metal before it struck them.

The Bozeman attempted to dive under the approaching mass at the last second to avoid destruction. 

The spinning hulk of rock struck the Bozeman in a glancing blow across the upper saucer section of the ship. As the rock skidded and skipped across the hull, it tore and stabbed into the delicate skin of the starship, sending oxygen, pieces of the ship and dozens of the crew into space before continuing past the ship.
 
 
 

"Holy Jerusalem!"

Morgan Bateson smiled upon hearing the familiar phrase of his first officer over the ship's alarm as he flew through the air.

Bateson struck hard against the ceiling of the bridge of the Bozeman and felt himself tumbling back towards the deck.

"Can someone please get the gravity back on before I bounce through the skylight." Bateson yelled.

"Trying sir." Andrew Wesley answered from the helm. "But I'm a little preoccupied at the moment."

"What is it now?" Bateson asked, bracing himself for another impact with the deck.

Bateson's descent was suddenly slowed and he settled gently onto the deck of the bridge.

"Your mother couldn't have done a better job." Gabe Bush said, still holding on to his console, coughing from the smoke that filled the bridge.

Bateson smiled again at his first officer but made no attempt to get up from the deck as he wiped his stinging eyes.

"Report." the captain commanded.

As the automatic fire suppression system struggled to extinguish several burning science consoles at the rear of the bridge, Mike Dennis spoke.

"Shields and weapons are offline."

"So is internal communication." Commander Bush added. "Hull breach on decks eight through seventeen."

"Inertial dampeners are pretty much screwed so the ride is gonna be rough," Andy Wesley threw in, "and two Jem'Hadar fighters are hot on our tail."

Bateson looked up.

"What." the captain said struggling to get up from the deck.

"It looks like two of them were far enough from the station not to be destroyed by the blast." Dennis reported, wiping his eyes.

"Lucky them." Gabe Bush said, deadpan.

Captain Bateson slowly settled back into the center seat of the Bozeman.

"I'm getting too damned old for this." the captain muttered.

"Increasing to three-quarter impulse." Wesley announced.

"The Jem'Hadar are not firing their weapons." Mike Dennis said.

"It looks like they've diverted power from their weapons to shore up their shields." Gabe Bush added, studying his console. 

Bateson nodded.

They're on a collision course."

"Looks that way." Bush replied.

Bateson turned to Mike Dennis.

Where the hell is the Excalibur?" the captain demanded.

Suddenly, the entire ship seemed to shudder.

"Take it easy, Andy," Mike Dennis said, "your about to overload the structural integrity field."

"Tell that to those fighters." Wesley replied as he dodged behind a small asteroid. 

"It looks like the Excalibur has set an attack vector with a dust cloud off our port side." Gabe Bush said. 

Bateson's eyes widened.

"Put it on the main viewer." the captain ordered.

The image of the Excalibur appeared on the view screen, moving at nearly full impulse through the asteroid field towards an unusually dense cloud of ionized dust.

Suddenly, the Ambassador class starship launched a full spread of quantum torpedoes at the cloud. 

Bateson shook his head.

"What the hell is Calhoun playing at?"

"Maybe he's clearing his escape route." Gabe Bush speculated.

"Calhoun's no coward, but I..." Captain Bateson began but stopped as he saw what the captain of the Excalibur had done.

Four Jem'Hadar attack ships suddenly flew from the dust cloud, oblivious of the oncoming torpedoes. 

All four fighters were struck by multiple quantum torpedoes before they could evade.

All four fighters erupted into balls of flame as their shields failed and the torpedoes found their mark.

Commander Gabriel Bush shook his head in disbelief.

"Holy Jerusalem." Bush gasped. "How did he know they were there?"

Bateson smiled.

"Mackenzie Calhoun's reputation is well justified."

"Sir, I hate to interrupt your musing, but the Jem'Hadar are gaining on us." Andrew Wesley reported from the helm.

Morgan Bateson laughed out loud.

"Andy, you haven't know me long enough to talk to me like that."

"With all due respect sir, I've served with you for over ninety-seven years." Wesley shot back.

"And a damned fine job you've done, son." Bateson said. 

"Are you trying to tell me that we've about to part company?" the captain asked, his smile fading.

"They're gaining very quickly and I'm running out of tricks." Wesley said.

Captain Morgan Bateson leapt from his chair and quickly moved up the ramp towards Mike Dennis at Tactical, followed closely by Gabriel Bush.

"What are our options, Mike." Bateson asked quietly.

"All weapons are still offline." Lieutenant Commander Dennis replied grimly. "I cannot contact the Damage Control teams so I don't know when they'll be back up."

"Shields are still down." Bush reported from the secondary tactical console.

Bateson turned to his communications officer.

"Wizz, can you raise the Excalibur?"

"No, the enemy fighters are jamming us." Lieutenant Dayton replied.

"Dammit." Bateson said, slapping the wooden railing.

The captain of the Bozeman thought frantically as he watched the young helmsman desperately dodge through the asteroid field, attempting to evade the merciless Jem'Hadar fighters. He watched the asteroids streak past the ship on the main viewer at incredible speeds, knowing that if one of them struck the unshielded starship they would all die.

"The asteroids!" the captain shouted, slamming the railing again.

"What?" Bush asked quietly.

Bateson smiled at his first officer, and the younger man instantly knew that his captain had an idea.

"Do we still have our tractor beam?" the captain asked.

Gabe Bush rapidly called up the necessary data on the console.

"Sure do." the commander replied.

"Power it up." Bateson ordered.

Mike Dennis shook his head.

"Captain, Intell says that its impossible to lock onto a Jem'Hadar ship with a tractor beam." the Tactical Officer stated.

"I know that, Mike." the captain replied quickly. "I do read some of the reports they publish, contrary to what you may think."

The deck under them suddenly shook again, this time with more force.

"Steady on, Andy." Bateson said. "We may have some relief for you."

"I sure hope so." Wesley replied.

"What do you have in mind, Morgan?" Bush asked.

"Get ready to lock unto one of those smaller asteroids as we pass." the captain said.

Gabriel Bush's eyes widened and then he smiled.

"Alright, 'Bulldog'." Bush said, still smiling.

"God, I haven't heard that in a century." Bateson laughed, grasping his chest.

"The Excalibur has doubled back and is on an intercept course with the fighters." Mike Dennis announced.

Captain Bateson took a quick look at the tactical display.

"It looks like he's going to get the straggler."

That leaves the other one for me." Gabe Bush added, still smiling.

Morgan Bateson strode down the ramp and returned to the captain's chair.

"Andy, head for one of the bigger asteroids." the captain ordered.

"Aye, sir." Wesley replied.

The Bozeman shuttered again as it made a sharp turn starboard and sped towards a large asteroid, almost ten kilometers wide.
 
 
 

As the wounded Federation starship neared the enormous mass of rock and metal, one of the trailing Jem'Hadar fighters was suddenly struck by a volley of torpedoes from the rapidly approaching U.S.S. Excalibur. The damaged fighter spun several times before it was hit again, this time by the powerful phasers of the Excalibur, which finally caused the enemy ship to explode.

The Bozeman quickly ducked under the large asteroid and out of view of the remaining pursuing fighter. 

As the fighter followed its prey under the mass of rock it was suddenly and abruptly met by a smaller rock directly in its path. Before the Jem'Hadar fighter could evade the obstacle, it struck the asteroid, destroying both in the collision.

Both Federation starships slowed and came along side each other.
 
 
 

Aboard the Bozeman, a transporter beam appeared on the bridge and Captain Mackenzie Calhoun materialized.

Captain Bateson stood up and quickly shook the extended hand of his fellow Starfleet captain.

"That was quite a maneuver with the asteroid, Morgan." Calhoun said quietly.

Bateson laughed.

"That was nothing compared to the way you handle those fighters out there." the captain of the Bozeman replied modestly. 

"How the hell did you know they were there?" Bateson asked.

"I apologize for leaving you like that, but if I had broke communication silence and let you know what we were doing, I risked letting the enemy know as well." Calhoun replied.

Bateson noted that the junior captain had avoided answering his question.

"What's the status of your ship?" Calhoun asked, catching Bateson off guard.

"Major structural damage to the saucer section, all weapons and defensive systems are offline. Plus all communication as well." Morgan Bateson replied.

"Very well, I'll send over some repair teams, if you can use them." Calhoun offered.

"Thank you, that will help us a great deal." Bateson said quietly.

"We had better get as far away from here as we can." Captain Bateson added. "We don't want to be here when the Dominion comes looking for its hidden ship yard."

Mackenzie Calhoun smiled.

"I agree."

Captain Calhoun stepped back and tapped his communicator.

"Calhoun to Excalibur. Energize."

As the junior captain faded from view, Morgan Bateson returned to the center seat of the Bozeman.

"How do you think they knew about those other fighters?" Gabe Bush asked, taking his place at the captain's side.

"I suppose everyone has to have a secret or two, Gabe." Bateson replied. "Take me, for instance."

"What do you mean?" Bush asked.

Bateson smiled.

"The old 'Bulldog' still has a few tricks up his sleeve."

"Holy Jerusalem!" Gabe Bush said.

"Don't you mean 'up his paw'?" Andy Wesley asked.

"Oh, shut up." Bateson replied, deadpan.
 
 
 

Aboard the Cardassian ship Vetar, Gul Evek wiped blood from his face. At the last second, the Cardassian captain had managed to get his ship far enough away from the ship yard to avoid being destroyed along with it.

Sparks from exposed conduits shorted against deck plates caused a thick scent of ozone to fill the bridge, along with a thick veil of smoke.

"What a disaster!" the Cardassian exclaimed.

"It will take a day to restore propulsion and communications." Glin Teren reported, coughing uncontrollably.

"That's if we don't drift into an asteroid first." Evek replied grimly.

Teren was silent.

Gul Evek shook his head.

"I told those idiots at the Central Command that we should not have built a ship yard in the Badlands."