“THERE THEY ARE,” Perim said.

Picard watched the Klingon armada emerge from under cloak. The battle group consisted of more than sixty vessels, all of which were now poised in strategic attack postures in orbit above Tezwa. Wriede had downloaded the data packet from Worf in barely enough time for Le Roy to configure the subspace signal and transmit the master command code to the still-cloaked fleet. The moment she confirmed that control had been established, she and Wriede coordinated the emergency shutdown of the entire Klingon invasion force.

Which now lay dead in space, helpless before the two dozen Tezwan vessels moving to take advantage of the Klingons’ sudden incapacity. “The Tezwans are raising shields and charging weapons,” Le Roy reported.

“Enterprise to strike teams,” Picard said. “Fire at will.”

Less than four seconds elapsed between the order and the action. Even though he knew the artillery was firing at reduced power, he still winced as he watched the fiery blasts streak up from the planet and inflict crippling blows on the Tezwan ships.

Seconds after the cannon fire began, it ceased. In orbit over Tezwa, two fleets lay immobilized—one by force, the other by sabotage.

“Ensign Le Roy, report.”

“All Tezwan vessels are showing heavy damage to power systems,” she said, running a confirmatory sensor sweep. “Several are ejecting lifeboats…. Five are signaling their unconditional surrender—to anyone.”

Picard knew better than to gloat; a disaster of epic magnitude had only just been postponed—it was not yet avoided. He could only hope that in the next several minutes, before the Klingon fleet succeeded in overriding the command lockout, someone in the Tezwan government would take advantage of this momentary reprieve to sue for peace, at any price.

Until then, however, all Picard could do was continue to play his part in this imminent interstellar tragedy.

“Picard to strike teams. Well done, everyone. Destroy the artillery system and begin your retreat. Picard out.” He returned to his chair and sat down. “Helm, move us into orbit over Tezwa. Let’s finish this, and bring our people home.”