Damon Vaako sat alone in his sparsely lit Spartan ready room; behind his desk he was reading a pad that held the information from his new ships shakedown cruise, his chair was looking out of the large porthole and he sat his feet resting on the desk. Razing his hand over the dark desk he spoke in his normal arrogant voice.

"Computer Pint Glass of Water Cold" it beeped to acknowledge the command, almost immediately lights spouted forth from below where his hand was hovering, a slight whooshing sound then a beep to signal that the replication was complete. He grasped the glass firmly with his left hand he took a long drink that took a third of the water he sighed, taking his feet of the desk he sat directly behind his desk straitening his uniform as he did so.

"Computer Combat log" it beeped to acknowledge the command "Star date 77139.94, Super Dreadnought I.S.S Kumari-A NCC-2150 Grand Duke, Admiral Damon Vaako commander of the Olympus and Titanic fleets, defender of the northern sector, General and commander of the 16th, 09th, and 12th legions of the United Empire of Planets, commanding.

The shakedown cruise of my recently completed War ship has gone beyond my expectations, if I wasn't me I could almost pity any ships that attack this new technological terror I have created. Jean-Luc Picard said that Praetor Shinzon's ship the Scimitar was a predator, well what prays on a predator?"

He paused to take a sip of his recently replicated glass of cold water; he let the soothing cool beverage quench his parched throat before continuing.

"On another note, Imperial command with the backing of the senate has decided to investigate the sudden loss of three imperial listening posts in the Gamma quadrant, military analyst's fear that the Dominion may once again try and conquer the Alpha quadrant and knowing there almost unrivalled capacity to breed troops and build ships they may have the numbers to sweep away Starfleet, the Klingon defence fleet and the Romulan Star navy"

Taking another long drink from his glass, to wash the taste of saying Romulan out of his mouth, he hated them Just as much as the Dominion, wounds from the Earth Romulan war were still bitter festering and fresh in the minds of many of the Noble Houses.

"Though there former allies in the Cardasian Union are still rebuilding their planets and forces under Legit Dumar, the Breen have been all but destroyed by the Gorn Hegemony and the Tholian assembly. With no allies in this quadrant the Empire believes that they will attack without restraint with numbers between the millions and the hundreds of thousands.

As such I have been given a so-called fleet to investigate, so-called because it is an insult to me, my station and my house. The Imperial navy supplied me with

1 dreadnought:

(Galaxy class X):

3 heavy cruisers:

(Ambassador Class)

12 destroyers:

(6 Miranda class refit)

(6 Defiant class)

38 frigates:

(14 new Orleans class)

(11 Okinawa class)

(13 Aegean class)

This small fleet is supposed to come with me and face the untold hordes of the Dominion"

He shook his head in disgust as he listed the fleet given him, it didn't matter that they were all under the control of his house what mattered was the small number of them.

"I voiced my objection to Imperial command, the Admiralty, the senate and even the emperors themselves. Each said that the fleet I was given was more than adequate for the job. I do not believe this to be the case, for several decades my family has been voicing our disgust with the barley armed and armoured ships of Starfleet, knowing that the space frames could support almost two or three times the weapons and armour they are usually given, why the Constitution class alone could support the technology of today quite adequately and still be one of the best ships of the line and are in my personal fleet.

as such and in accordance with Imperial Law, I have come to a decision along with this pitiful fleet I'm sanctioning the use of several vessels from my personal fleet.

3 dreadnoughts

(Galaxy class X, Mk XI, Vaako refit):

2 carriers

(Modified Dominion Carrier Mk II, Vaako refit)

9 heavy cruisers

(3 Ambassador Class Mk X Vaako refit)

(3 Excelsior class Mk V Vaako refit)

(3 Constitution class Mk VIII refit Vaako refit)

36 destroyers/ escorts

(12 Defiant class Mk II, Vaako refit)

(12 Miranda Class Mk IV, Vaako refit)

(12 Centaur class Mk III Vaako refit)

108 frigates/ missile frigates

(50 Steam-runner class missile frigates Vaako refit)

(54 NX Intrepid class Mk V, Vaako refit)

60 cutters

(Sabre Class Mk II Vaako refit)

40 corvettes

(Constellation Class Mk V, Vaako refit)

20mine sweepers/layers

(Oberth class refit Mk III,Vaako Refit)

35 gun cursers

(Soyuz Class Mk V, Vaako refit)

These ships once taken with me shall be replaced by ships from my mothball fleet.

He grabbed a padd from his desk with the list of ship names, a devilish smirk spread across his face.

"My first plan is to send out my escort ships to scout the former listening posts to scan for weapons signatures and other evidence. If the investigation shows the Dominion had anything to do with it then by god I will make them pay, as we should have when they first tried to invade, an invasion that cost me my son and my wife, if I get the chance I will pay the founders back for the loss of my family. But should they manage to kill me I trust that my brother will continue on the Vaako name, and it should be so noted in this log that even though I don't always show it I am proud of my brother and the fact that he has earned a name outside the Vaako name that many still fear"

He put the data pad down and picked up a picture of himself his brother and their father, his younger self didn't smile and had his arms crossed looking board, his father had a proud smirk on his scarred face, his black dreadlocks tied back in a pony tail his sapphire eyes blazing with merriment, and his younger brother arms crossed like his brother and father his blond dreadlocked hair wild and free like his spirit and smiling like a fool, Putting it back down a rare smile gracing his face before he forced it back down.

"the Balthazar Vaako Butcher of Betazed, I didn't think him capable of such a feet but the reports speak for themselves, I guess that showed me, Blood will tell and all that. The pride I felt could only be eclipsed by my son's graduation from the imperial Officer Academy as valedictorian and beating my father's and my own results by a fair margin"

He finished his drink before continuing

"my first stop before Deep Space 9 is my fleet's staging area just outside the Olympus and Etna sectors; from there it is a three day journey to the Bajoran sector and the wormhole to the Gamma quadrant, it should be interesting seeing the Lady colonel Kira again, End Log"

"Computer Personal Log," it beeped to acknowledge the command "the Cardasian Union's rebuilding had gone well under Legit Dumar, the crafty leader of the Cardasian people didn't let loosing half his face deter him",

He shook his head in good humour; he had met the man in person after the dominion surrender and found him a charismatic and fair leader, and he was one of the few who offered economic and humanitarian support to Cardassia witch he accepted.

"and it seems that he had prepared for the Dominion to turn the weapons on the people of Cardassia prime, he had his agents move all the items from the museums and libraries as well as all government documents to secure underground bunkers",

He refilled his glass and took along drink.

"I offered the defeated people of the Cardasian Union economic and humanitarian aid on behalf of house Vaako, the senate didn't think it was worth it to sheer up an enemy empire so they sent only a few ships, Fools in my opinion I can see the benefit of having one of the major powers in the Alpha quadrant owing you a favour, they should soon be at pre Boarder wars of 2347-2350s, with some help from my own house of course, and thanks to some dirty deals with the remnants of the Obsidian order to help rebuild their military infrastructure, I have been given the designs for the Galor and Keldon class ships, of course section 31 was given copes to get there dogs off my back, I also gave them the plans for Klingon and... Romulan ships my house helped salvage from Imperial space. unfortunately there cloaking devices self-destruct if a certain code is not entered during removal, those pointy eared bastards are crafty, Breen ships if incapacitated also self-destruct it seems as though our rivals are getting more devious I only hope that we can be just as devious in the future, End Log"

Damon Vaako sighed as he ended the log entry, he was a tall man around six foot nine with a pony tail of black dreadlocked hair that reached between his shoulder blades. His skin was pail and ashen his face had high cheekbones and a strong jaw line, his eyes were tired ringed with dark bags his green eyes shone through the tiredness. Unlike any Nobleman or Starfleet officer outside his house he wore specially designed armour styled like the ancient Necromonger armour of Helios prime, the under shirt was a deep crimson showing his status as a command officer, like the Hirogen the armour contains advanced scanners with strength enhancing exoskeleton that can make a standard human as strong as a Borg drone. It can take multiple phaser rifle shots and is made from the same materials as a star ship's hull it also has a specially designed helmet that folds out from the high collar, his armour comes with a crimson cape. Over his left eye a Dominion styled eye peace to see outside the ship. Unlike any other Starfleet vessel Vaako's new ship's bridge was deep inside the hull of the ship and protected by heavy bulkheads and shields along with a specially designed cage around it to reinforce the bridge.

Getting to his feet he walked out of his ready room the bulkhead doors opened with a hiss announcing his arrival on the bridge.

"Admiral on the deck" shouted the executive officer

"As you were" he said as he glided across the bridge his red cape flapping behind him.

the bridge itself set up like a Sovereign class with the captain's chair at the centre of the room the first officer had a station to the right of the captains chair with a smaller seat than the captains and the second officer on his left, the captains chair looked more like a throne than a chair, with a high back made with thick padded material covered in a crimson leather with gilded gold accents. He sat heavily on the chair.

"status Mr Cowen?" he asked as he looked to his XO a short portly man with vicious scars he earned in the Dominion war when he went hand to hand against a Jem'Hadar. It cost him a chunk of his lower jaw and his ability to speak but he had won, he also had an eyepiece over his left eye. His armour was slightly different to most as it was the CQC variant maid for close quarters battle, his under shirt was also a crimson red for command.

"All ships are at the main staging aria and all crews and soldiers have been checked for Changeling infiltrators sir" the man croaked with the help of his new voice box making him sound like commander B-4.

"set course for the Olympus sector warp 4"

"Aye sir warp 4" said the helmsman he was young man of Asian descent, his armour in the standard configuration and had his rank insignia on the centre of his chest and left shoulder, on his right was the ships logo duel rapiers through a planet earth on top of an Andorian skull, on the right side of his chest was his name tag, his left eye had the eye piece to know where he's going "helm reports warp 4 reached sirs"

"status"

"Tactical reports all offensive and defensive weapons are green" said the tactical officer a tall woman of African descent, her long hair tied back in a pony tail; her eyes were an emerald green with an eye piece on her right eye. Her armour had more hip plates making it look like a skirt. Her under shirt in gold to show security staff, her boots were more feminine and held a slight point at the tip and an inch heel.

"Engineering reports warp cores fully functional and all stats are green sir" an older man of Germanic decent his red hair put up in a pony tail he had a goatee and his armour was designed for radiation resistance his left eye had been replaced with a robotic one and a scar that ran from above his eyebrow to beneath his jaw line. His under shirt in a golden yellow to show engineering staff

"Helm reports all systems green sir"

"Comm. station reports all channels free and clear sir" said the young African woman her hair up in a short bob, her armour in the CQC variant and her undershirt in crimson. She had two disrupter pistols on her hips and a third in the small of his back. Her boots were more feminine and held a slight point at the tip and an inch heel.

"Sensor stations report all screens are clear and all stats are in the green" the woman was of Indian decent, her armour was standard designed and her under shirt was blue to show science staff. She had a slight scar across her nose her long brown hair was tied up.

"Security reports no problems" said a man of Middle Eastern decent he had short brown hair his eyes were replaced by robotic ones and he had a burn scar running across the upper half of his face, where he took an exploding eps relay to the face, his armour was designed for heavy combat and his undershirt was golden to show security staff. At his waist were two knuckle duster trench knives a gift from his father.

"Legion commander's reports all green" said an older man his head was covered in scars he had a crew cut with a five o'clock shadow he was of European decent his eyes were blue and judging from his eyebrows he was blond, his armour was made for heavy combat his under shirt was gray to show he was mobile infantry legionnaire.

Lord Vaako nodded

"good inform me when we reach the staging area" he said as he got to his feet and headed back to his ready room. "you have the bridge Mr Cowen"

"sir" he said in acknowledgement

As he left the bridge the helmsman turned to the XO

"what's wrong with our Lord Sir?" he said turning his chair to face the XO

"he's going over battle strategies like all great commanders" the helmsman nodded and turned back to his station.

inside his ready room Lord Vaako began to think over the Dominion war, they said that the dominion was unbeatable, the alpha quadrant alliance proved them wrong, he personally had proven them wrong, he proved them wrong in the Olympus sector in space with his personal fleet and on the planets Demeter, Persephone, Gaia and Pan, his legions had suffered heavily but victory was his. He had proved it in the Etna system where his fleet decimated a Cardassian fleet of the first order second battalion, Imperial command though had denounced his choice of destroying the escape pods, that's how he earned the names Vaako the merciless, Vaako the pitiless and Vaako the unforgiving. Though it did earn him the respect of the Klingons who called him an honoured Warrior,

He wondered if he could take the war to the dominion, the best statisticians he had said it would be dammed near Imposable. Looking once more over the ship names he smiled every ship home made in his own ship yards to his specifications, and every officer and enlisted man home grown from his own worlds, and trained in his own academes to his houses specifications as they have been for the past two hundred years. Looking over every name on every ship he knew that he had the best forces the best ships and crews, taking a moment to crush any thought of defeat. With his ships and his crews he could take the fight to the Dominion.

After going over every specification for Dominion ships and the strategies used against them in the last war his comm., beeped. He tapped his comm. Badge which was a sword running though the planet earth

"Sir we are coming up on the Olympus sector staging aria now sir"

"Understood ensign when we get there take us out of warp"

"Yes sir" the badge beeped as he pressed and the channel closed.

In space the mighty ship slowed do sub-light speed and moved at a steady pace towards an empty section of space where it slowed to a dead stop. Inside the bridge Lord Vaako once again strode the bridge and sat in his throne.

"Sir?" asked the young helmsman questioned as they reached the thirty minuet mark of holding station where they were.

"Open comm. Channel max scramble frequency" he said to the comm., officer

"Channel open sir"

"This is Alpha dog one to fleet release camo, repeat this is Alpha dog one to fleet release camo"

"Sir were getting request for confirmation codes"

"Transmit code, Zulu, Delta, Kappa, Kappa, One, Eight, Four, Alpha,"

"Transmitting now sir"

As soon as she hit the transmit button distortion fields encompassed view screen. There before them was 313 of the most heavily armoured and armed ships in imperial space.

"Put me through to all ships, and make sure that we get ship wide on each"

"Done sir"

"This is Grand Duke Admiral Damon Vaako of house Vaako to all ships; our first stop will be the Bajoran sector and deep space nine, while there I expect each and every one of you to remember you represent me and my house so you had better be on your best behaviour, we will also be picking up the ships assigned to us by imperial command I shouldn't half to tell you how dangerous this mission is, I know many of you want another shot at the Dominion for revenge, retribution or whatever motive you have. But know this and this is for all you new shiny enlisted men I have one rule and one rule only everybody fights no one quits you quit and I will shoot you myself end transmission" he turned to face his Comm. officer "signal the fleet to Helm set course for Bajor warp 6"

"Aye transmission sent"

"Helm answers we are headed to Bajor warp 6".