Pierce watched as the junior officers stared at him, silent. No doubt, Pierce thought, waiting for me to say something. 

There were times when rank was a nuisance, the admiral concluded to himself.

"Any thoughts?" Pierce asked, breaking the silence.

The seated officers looked at each other, but did not speak.

"It appears that both the Starfleet and Maquis intelligence gathering bodies were inaccurate concerning the Cardassian facility." Fleet Captain Sa'lanna stated, finally breaking the silence.

"That's an understatement." Gary Quick said from the opposite end of the conference table.

Sa'lanna raised an eyebrow in Quick's direction.

Admiral Pierce shrugged.

"A ship yard is a far cry from a science station." Pierce conceded. "However, our information shows the science facility in that location."

"Our information stated that the station was scarcely one hundred meters across and not built within an asteroid." Sa'lanna said.

"I guess they built an addition onto their house." Quick replied.

"Nevertheless, the Bozeman and Excalibur were successful." Pierce said, mainly to stop the exchange between the two captains that he knew left unchecked, would continue indefinitely.

"Captain Bateson's attack on the target was nearly six hours earlier than we had previously decided," Admiral Pierce continued, " which means that the Dominion task force has left the Badlands before the Bozeman and the Excalibur arrived.

"I had discussed the idea with Captain Bateson that if he had the opportunity, the two ships would attempt to destroy the battleship before they left the Badlands." Pierce continued. "However, that opportunity obviously never came."

Dan Shetley spoke.

"Since we know that the Dominion battleships can be destroyed by the tri-cobalt, why don't we just use one of those devices on the ship that's coming here?"

"Because the tri-cobalt torpedo is too unstable and cannot be launched at warp speed." Captain Sa'lanna replied. "In addition, the collateral radiation, from even one of those devices, could have adverse effects on the Bajor system."

"That's right," Admiral Pierce added, "as you saw from the battle, the tri-cobalt torpedo is extremely slow compared to a photon or quantum torpedo. A ship at impulse speed could theoretically evade a tri-cobalt device.

"The primary target of the tri-cobalt device as a stationary one."

The junior officers were silent, taking in the information. 

"You have a question, Commander Dax." Pierce observed by the look on the young Trill's face.

Jadzia Dax seemed startled from deep thought.

"Yes sir," she replied after a few seconds, "I was wondering how we were able to observe the battle at all. I would have thought that his mission was too important for Captain Bateson to risk broadcasting it to us."

Admiral Pierce smiled.

"That's a good question, Dax." Pierce replied, "and you would be correct under normal circumstances.

"The Bozeman, Excalibur, Liberator, a few more starships and several starbases have recently been equipped with an interplexing transceiver."

"Interplexing?" Dax repeated, not recognizing the term.

"One of the new technologies developed from our encounters with the Borg." the admiral explained. 

"One of the new." Jadzia asked.

Admiral Pierce smiled.

"Yes." Pierce said. "The Liberator has more than one surprise waiting for the Dominion."

"Captain Sa'lanna," Pierce said, "see that Jadzia gets a copy of the schematics for the new transceiver."

The Young Vulcan captain nodded but did not speak.

"Bateson's attack means that the Dominion task force will arrive here roughly six hours sooner than we previously expected." Pierce said. "Everyone will need to be ready."

Everyone seated looked at each other, realizing the new sense of urgency.

Admiral Pierce turned his chair slightly away from the others, tapped his communicator with his left hand and spoke.

"Pierce to Scott."

"Scott here, Admiral." the Scottish engineer replied after a few seconds.

"Scotty, we need to have the new reactor up and running by at least zero five thirty tomorrow morning. " Pierce stated. 

The engineer's muffled curses could be heard for several seconds.

"We'll na have time to test the damned thing beforehand, sir." Montgomery Scott finally said.

"But you will have it operational." the admiral confirmed.

"Aye lad," Scotty sighed. "She'll be ready."

"Excellent. I'll leave you to it, then." Admiral Pierce replied. "Pierce out."

The admiral turned back to the junior officers assembled once again.

"I think that just about does it." Pierce said.

The other officer shifted in their seats, except for Captain Sa'lanna.

"Final system checks are being completed on the Liberator as we speak." the Vulcan stated.

"Good, but make sure the crew doesn't beat themselves to death trying to get this ship up to standards in one day." Pierce replied. "Just make sure the guns, shields and engines work."

"Don't forget life support." Dan Shetley, who had been silent throughout the briefing, threw in.

"You can hold your breath, mister." Pierce shot back quickly as a smile appeared on his face.

Shetley laughed along with most of the assembled officers.

"Which reminds me," Pierce continued, "you will be on the Justice anyway."

"I will?" Shetley asked, feigning ignorance.

The admiral ignored the commander last remark and turned his attention to Captain Quick.

"Gary, I want you on the Freedom tomorrow.

"What about the Liberator?" Quick asked. "Captain Sa'lanna is going to need a First Officer."

Pierce thought a moment before replying.

"I'll be on the bridge to assist her."

Quick nodded.

"That means I'll have to keep eye out on Dan and make sure he doesn't get into trouble."

Pierce chuckled quietly, thinking those two would never change.

"That just means that General Martok will have to keep his eye on both of you." Pierce said.

"General Martok?" both Quick and Shetley said in unison.

Admiral Pierce noticed that Captain Sisko was smiling.

"Ben, why don't you tell them." the admiral said.

Sisko straightened up in his seat.

"General Martok will be commanding the Defiant tomorrow." the captain replied, looking at Quick and Shetley as he spoke. "I will be on DS9."

Shetley sighed.

"That's right." Pierce added."I think it's a good idea that you two get together with the general and plan a strategy since he will be directing all three ships."

Quick closed his eyes and shook his head slowly.

"It isn't that bad." Jadzia Dax whispered. "General Martok is really very nice, once you get used to him."

Before Quick or Shetley could reply, Admiral Pierce spoke again.

"I think that about covers everything." the admiral said, standing.

Everyone else at the table quickly followed suit.

"Dismissed."
 
 
 

As the other officers exited the War Room, Jadzia Dax approached Captain Sa'lanna who remained at the conference table keying data into a Padd as Captain Sisko caught up with Vice Admiral Pierce.

Ah, Lieutenant Commander Dax." the Vulcan stated. "I suppose I should say that it is agreeable to see you again, but the last time I saw you, you were an old man."

Jadzia Dax laughed.

"I get that a lot." the beautiful Trill replied.

"I am sure that you do." the young Vulcan replied, deadpan.

Jadzia Dax remembered the last time she had seen Admiral Pierce's daughter, she had been Curzon Dax stationed aboard the U.S.S. Livingston along with a very young Ensign Ben Sisko. 

Dax found it hard to believe the small girl she remembered had transformed into the beautiful woman standing before her.

"You have managed quite a career for yourself, Captain." Dax said, watching the Vulcan continue to input information.

"Yes." Sa'lanna replied simply. "I am the youngest Vulcan captain in Starfleet."

"I was wondering how Starfleet allowed you to be stationed here along with your father." Dax mused.

Sa'lanna stopped and turned to the young Trill.

"I was assigned to the Liberator by Vice Admiral Jellico during the short time he commanded the Seventh Fleet. When my father was given command of the fleet I requested a transfer to another ship. He refused. I made my request a second time to Starfleet Command, which was refused again." the Vulcan concluded.

Dax was silent, surprised by the Vulcan's openness.

"Does that satisfy your curiosity, Lieutenant Commander?" Sa'lanna asked.

"Yes." Dax replied, nodding quickly. "Thank you."

"Very well, "the beautiful Vulcan captain said, "here is the information concerning the interplexing transceiver."

Dax took the Padd.

"If you have any trouble assembling the device, feel free to consult with one of our engineers" Sa'lanna said.

"Thank you again, Captain." Dax said, taken a little off guard by the young Vulcan's coldness.

"If you will excuse me, I have duties on the bridge which require my immediate attention." Sa'lanna stated.

Before Dax could reply, the Vulcan turned and walked away.
 
 
 

Dax took a quick look at the Padd, turned and joined Ben Sisko who was speaking to the Admiral near his desk at the back of the War Room.

"I see you spoke to Sa'lanna." Admiral Pierce said, smiling.

"Yes." Jadzia Dax replied. "She's not what I remember."

Pierce shrugged.

"What do you mean, Old Man?" Sisko asked.

"She's very...Vulcan." Dax replied.

"You can blame her grandmother for that." Pierce said. "Sending her to Vulcan was a death sentence for her personality, among other things."

"It must have been difficult for you as she grew up." Jadzia said, feeling a wave of guilt pass over her for continuing the conversation.

Pierce signed.

"I had always hoped that she would find her own way instead of becoming a clone of her grandmother." the admiral replied after a time. 

"I suppose that she didn't have a choice since I sent her there," Pierce continued, "but I didn't have very many options at the time."

Admiral Pierce looked down at his clenched fists, remembering the "rock and a hard place policy" that the he had been bound by concerning family members aboard a starship so many years ago. Not a day had passed since that he did not think whether or not there could have been another option.

Finally, Pierce looked back up at his old friends and smiled.

"Well, we cannot change the past, can we." the admiral stated.

"I suppose not." Ben Sisko replied quietly.

The three friends stood in silence.

Finally, Admiral Pierce straightened his jacket and extended his hand towards the exit.

"Have you two eaten this afternoon?" the admiral asked.

"No." Jadzia Dax replied quickly before Captain Sisko could speak.

"Well, let's go have something now before we get too busy later." Pierce said. "I know how Ben gets during a crisis."

"I know." Dax replied. "He hasn't changed a bit."

"What do you mean 'how I get'?" Sisko asked as the three friends passed through the double doors, laughing.