The undulating scream of the red alert klaxons tore through the ship with a more ominous note than they had ever sounded before in the long and distinguished career of the Federation cruiser Lexington almost as if the ship had some clairvoyance relating to the events about to take place. Crewmen and officers moved to their battle stations in the ordered chaos of preparing for a possible battle, that special beauty and efficiency of the lethal ballet which would have made any captain proud. The ship and crew had seen more than its share of surprise attacks and were not going to be caught unprepared.

Captain Lee was struck by all of the new faces that greeted her on the bridge of Lexington as she took the center chair. In her time in command of the cruiser, there had been many changes in the senior staff. Yet they were a good crew and the ship was sturdy and true.

"Status report," she snapped as she turned to look at the view screen. She was shocked and confused at the same time. There was a ship in front of them with a configuration and design which she had never seen before. She hoped they were friendly, but some sixth sense sent a shiver down her spine which, for a telepath of Lee's ability, was an ill omen.

"Captain, unknown alien vessel ahead. We have no record of such a ship on file. And by our sensor scans this ship is armed to the teeth. Power readings for weapon systems greatly outclasses ours. I can't get a clear reading on her shielding systems, but there is a heavy gravitic distortion around the vessel which is probably related."

The ship seemed small compared to the bulk of the exploration cruiser as she emerged from behind the planet than had so far obscured her, but something about the lines of the ship said that she was not to be taken lightly. The ship looked for all the world like a pair of hammerhead sharks joined in the middle. The sleek lines of the hull seemed almost uninterrupted, but even as alien as the design seemed, no one could mistake the weapons bays lining her sides and housed in the broad hammer-headed nose of the vessel.

"Open a hailing frequency, Mister Johg."

"Aye captain."

"This is the Federation Starship Lexington. I am Captain Olivia Lee. Please respond. What are your intentions?"

"No response Captain. What should we do?"

"Liza, get a scan of that ship, get as much detail as much as possible, but do it subtly."

"Aye Captain."

Lieutenant Sanchez began her scan of the alien vessel before them. She was amazed at the readings she was getting. This was a warship through and through, with weapon systems that the operations officer of Lexington had never seen before.

"Captain, I don't like this," stated the executive officer, echoing the thoughts of the captain.

"Neither do I Condor, but as it stands they have made no aggressive action against us and have not responded to our hails, what do you suggest we do."

"I think we should leave before something happens."

"Captain..." Ensign Johg yelled out, interrupting their conversation. "They are hailing us with a message."

"On speakers."

[This is the His Majesty's Heavy Cruiser VORTEX, Royal Dalriadan Navy. Surrender your vessel or be destroyed.]

"Does that answer your question as to their intentions Captain," said Condor with a smug look on his face.

"More then enough Condor. Helm, get us the hell out of here, fast."

"Captain the warship is turning its broadside to us." Johg yelled out with some anxiousness in his voice, unusual for a Klingon, but understandable given the reading on the unknown vessel's weapon systems.

"Captain, my scans indicate that numerous weapon systems are laid out about their port and starboard sides. They are turning to fire on us."

"HELM! Full impulse, get us out of here." The Lexington's drive slammed to full power, accelerating the large cruiser at more than one thousand Earth gravities. Yet, the nimble, lighter Dalriadan ship easily kept pace.

"Aye Captain."

"Johg, maximum shields, arm all phasers and photon torpedoes."

"Aye Captain."

As the Dalriadan warship turned to fire, several thoughts raced through Olivia's mind. Were they already at war? Had the Dalriada finally crossed the line between harassing Federation traders with Q-ships to open hostilities? And, that if this Dalriada warship was anything like the Dalriadan vessel that Admiral Brooks had sent out a warning to the fleet's captains about, the Lexington didn't stand a chance.

The Lexington turned with all the power that her drive could deliver. One thought kept echoing through he mind of her captain, She's a good ship, a very good ship. The Dalriadan warship turned its full broadside to bear on the Lexington, unleashing a storm of energy as gatling phaser bolts and particle cannon blasts lance out towards the Federation cruiser.

She's a good ship, a very good ship.

The warship's aim was true. Starboard and aft shield buckled and collapsed as the vicious assault continued, cutting though hull plating and exposing chambers to space. Emergency bulkheads slammed closed, trying desperately to save Lexington's remaining crew from becoming so many corpses blown out into space by the escaping atmosphere. As the Dalriadan's energy weapons depleted their capacitor banks, the ship rolled to show her belly to the Federation cruiser as if mocking them with the underside of the ship, bereft of all weapons.

She's a good ship, a very good ship.

"God damn it, helm, get us to warp."

"Not possible, sir, damage to secondary hull is too heavy. Warp engines are offline."

"Johg, lock on and fire phasers."

Johg did as he was told. The Lexington's saucer section glowed a bright red as the stream of phased energy came together, firing out bursts of pure death at the belly of the dreadnought. The shots hit, but not a scratch to her.

"What the hell happened."

"Captain, scans indicate that the ship has some sort of gravity wave field generated on the underbelly and roof of the ship. I don't think our weapons can get through, sir."

"Helm full impulse, get us away from them as fast as possible."

"I'm doing my best Captain. But I'm losing helm control."

"Liza send out a distress call, we need help from any Federation ship nearby."

She's a good ship, a very good ship.

The Dalriadan cruiser rolled completely over, bringing her port side batteries to bear on the Lexington, unleashing another volley of gatling phaser bolts and particle cannon blasts. The shots streaked toward them with unending fury. This time, missiles shot from their launch tubes, now able to launch cleanly as the warship let Lexington pull slowly away.

The missiles exploded tens of thousands of kilometers from Lexington and the captain had an instantaneous urge to sigh in relief until thousands of invisible beams of bomb-pumped x-ray lasers pierced Lexington's hull. With the damage from two broadsides, there was almost no shielding to stop them as they tore a path of destruction through alloy, plastic, and flesh with equal ease. Hundreds died and the ship seemed to cry out in pain.

Lexington was doomed.

"Condor," said the captain decisively as she turned to look at her first officer straight in the eyes. She had a sense of dread come over her, fear rushed deep, but she was a professional, and pushed aside her fears and took control. She clutched his hand as if it would be the last time.

"Take control of the battle bridge, take Liza and Johg with you."

"Captain..."

"Get all crew over to the secondary hull and prepare for saucer separation."

"Captain..."

"Once separated, get the crew to the nearest starbase fast. We'll do our best to buy you some time."

"Captain!"

"Condor, do as I say. Don't argue with me. This is my ship, and I'll be damned if I'm going to leave her. Now get your ass in gear and get the crew out of here."

"Alright Captain, but..."

"What is it Condor." She turned to face him. An almost angry look on her face.

"It has been an honor serving with you, sir." She was stunned by this sentiment, but she figured Condor knew what was going to happen.

"More so for me Commander. Now, if you please, go."

Condor nodded. He hated leaving, but he knew the Captain was right. He waved to Liza and Johg as he ran toward the turbo-lift. They both arose slowly from their posts as their replacements took over. They didn't want to leave, but they didn't have a choice. Johg was the only one to turn back.

"Captain, I've sworn my life to you, I will not leave you now."

"Johg, if you stay you will die."

"To die in battle is every Klingon's dream Captain."

"Not today Johg, not today. I'm ordering you to the battle bridge."

Reluctantly he turned and followed Condor into the turbo-lift.

"This is the Captain, all hands prepare for saucer separation. All crewmembers evacuate to the battlesection immediately." Olivia turned to see the faces of her command staff one last time as the turbo-lift doors closed.

The Dalriadan cruiser closed slowly with its victim, apparently with the intention of boarding the crippled cruiser. The Federation cruiser quickly separated. All latches unhooked and let the saucer section free. There was little time left as the warship closed the distance. Most of the crew were on the battle section as the two parts split off. The saucer section spun to face the Dalriadan vessel head on.

"Captain's log. I would like to say that the crew of the Lexington under my command should be commended for their valor and courage. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Commander Condor Henderson, my XO, Doctor Ral Calda for his excellence, Lieutenant Liza Sanchez for the incredible work she has done, and Ensign Johg whose bravery and courage is an example to all. And to all who have come and gone, I thank them for all the great moments aboard this ship. And what I am about to do, I do of my own decision.

Captain Olivia Lee, Final Log, USS Lexington."

"Computer package with sensor logs and send subspace message to Starbase Omega."

[Message sent.]

"Alright, lets get down to business."

"Computer, lock on all weapons and fire at the Dalriadan warship."

Like a raging bull, the Lexington fired off all its weapons before the Dalriadan warship could turn away. The phaser bolts from the saucer of the stricken exploration cruiser spent their energy futilely on the almost untouched forward shields of the heavy cruiser. The saucer section charged toward the Dalriadan with one intent and one purpose, even as the chaser armaments of her enemy opened up and decimated her. Plasma cannon tore open gashing wound in the Lexington's skin and particle cannon tore into her like dozens of knives, but the Federation cruiser kept coming.

Olivia stood between the Ops and the helm station as she stared the Dalriadan warship down. She stood to see the mighty warship spin of its axis, trying to bring its full broadside to bear as the Dalriadan crew must have realized Lee's intent, all her weapons locking on and almost ready to fire as soon as it completed its turn.

Olivia took a step back, but nearly tripped as Hank, her faithful companion stood behind. She was surprised to see him, but glad all the same.

With a smile, she stroked his long furry mane and did what she had to do.

"Computer all power to forward shields, full impulse."

The Dalriadan cruiser turned, all its weapons locked and ready to destroy this meager saucer section with a force capable of destroying a small moon. Olivia needed only a few short seconds to complete her task. But it was too late, they were ready to fire.

The warship did not fire. She did not turn away. The ship hung in space as if paralyzed for but a few brief seconds. Few precious seconds.

'She's a good ship, a very good ship,' thought Olivia to herself.

Evan was, perhaps, one of the strongest living human telepaths ever born, it was no simple task to blank out the mind of a crew of more than a thousand men and women, even for an instant. To do so for a second or two required effort beyond the imagination of even most Vulcans. Yet, desperate to ensure the safety of her remaining crew aboard the star drive section, Olivia mustered the inhuman effort required for the task. She shivered from the strain of holding their thoughts for those few seconds. Seconds that seemed to be an eternity in her mind. Small blood near her skin burst with effort and the master of the Lexington literally sweated blood with the exertion even as the tiger, Hank, snuggled close to lend his reassuring presence and his loyalty to the effort, knowing that the end was near. With every ounce of love of courage, of strength, she did the impossible. She found those few extra seconds. Even as Lexington's bow met the edge of the Dalriadan warship's shields, Olivia Lee collapsed from the effort, darkness clouding her vision even as a whisper escapes her lips echoing the thought that she was held in her mind from the beginning of the battle, "She's a good ship, she's a very good ship."

With but a fraction of a second left, the Dalriadan crew snapped out of the thoughtless trance in which Olivia had held them. It gave their captain only enough time to read the words USS Lexington, NCC-1703-C, on the forward section of the saucer before it crashed head long into his own ship. The heavy cruiser shuddered with the impact and then erupted in a brilliant blaze of light as her forward fusion bottle shattered, releasing huge amount of energy inside the ship, cutting her in two and instant before the cruiser became a ball of expanding gas and fire. The brilliant flame of the explosion could be seen hundreds of thousands of kilometers away even with the naked eye.

The surviving crew of USS Lexington in the mangled battle section looked on with sadness. If only the information that their damaged computer cores were carrying about a Dalriadan warship could be recovered by the Federation, it might be enough. They could see that the Federation was going to need every advantage that they could find in the war which had just begun.

And so, USS Lexington became the first Federation casualty of a war that was to claim many more. She would not go down defeated. She would not be beaten. And she would not be the last to bear the name, Lexington.

---

A short time later...

"Admiral, please report to the operations deck," came the voice of Captain Dieje. Brooks had known the Hannian long enough on the base to know that he would never call the admiral unless it was a matter of the utmost importance.

---

Operations Deck (Bridge), Starbase Omega...

"Now, what is it, captain?" asked the admiral grimly. The deathly quiet in the normally bustling operations center told the admiral just how grave the situation was. Even the station's executive officer, the Klingon, Commander K'Bronn, was noticably more dour than usual.

By way of an answer, the captain touched a button on his console. The last words of the captain of the Lexington played themselves again.

"...Captain Olivia, Lee Final, Log USS Lexington."

"What attacked her?" demanded the admiral.

"We're not sure. The logs that were transmitted were badly scrambled. We were able to salvage these images of the attacking ship and we have the science teams working on trying to recover what they can."

Brooks had spent his life in starships. Only in the last few years had flag rank robbed him of the ability to command from the deck of a starship. The next question came as almost a whisper from a man who had seen enough combat in his time to be truly weary of death. "Survivors?"

"The Lexington's star drive section appears to have separated before the collision. It has to be badly damaged, but we are getting an automated distress signal. No ship is close enough to get a life reading on the cruiser, though."

"Dispatch the search and rescue units. And..."

Brooks pulled up a list of available starships. "And we'll dispatch Yamato to the area to investigate the wreckage."

"What if that warship wasn't alone?"

"That is precisely what Captain Stern will need to determine. If someone in the region with a warship able to smash a Galaxy-class cruiser wants a fight, then we need to know and we need to know quickly."

"Admiral, Captain, I think that you better take a look at this," stated Lieutenant Commander Martel. The TACFLEET liason officer was standing over one of the sensor technicians working on the logs from Lexington."

A symbol flickered into existence on the main display screen. There was a almost collective gasp from the officers and ratings around the bridge. Brooks' jaw muscles tightened noticably. Despite the distortion of the image, the symbol in the hull markings of the warship was clear. The crest of the Dalriadan Star Kingdom and the Alliance. Their attacks against the Federation had gone from covert, deniable operations to open hostilities.

The Indigo Fleet and the Federation had just gone to war.

Norman Lee
aka
Captain Olivia Lee
late Commanding Officer
USS Lexington, NCC-1703-C

Jeffrey Jenkins
aka
Vice Admiral John R. Brooks
Commander in Chief
Indigo Fleet
SB Omega, DS-239