Sparks flew as another bridge terminal exploded. The crewman who was working

at that station flew backward, his head striking a railing. Captain Benjamin Sisko rushed to

the man's aid, but he was already dead. The bridge of the USS Defiant was coming apart

as the enemy weapons fire pounded the outer hull. There were no shields to speak of, and

half the crew had already been killed. Captain Sisko managed to get back to his comm

panel: "chief, I need those shield back on line".

     "It's no good, sir. The ODN relays --- fused, and we've --- lost weapons. It would take

weeks --- get the shields --- up". Chief O'Brien's voice was garbled as in came in over the

damaged communications system.

     "We don't have weeks Mr O'Brien, and we won't have a ship unless you get me those

shields"

     Captain Sisko knew that they wouldn't be getting out of this one. After all the

Federation's victories, the Dominion still managed this counter-strike. If Starfleet couldn't

hold this line, Deep Space Nine would be the Founders' next target. The war had been

going well up until the collapse of the wormhole. Somehow the Dominion had managed to

muster more ships than ever before. If Deep Space Nine fell, the Federation may well fall

with it. Worf was busy at the con, trying to manoeuvre the Defiant out of harms way.

"Sir, the Oakland and the Ba'tach have been destroyed, we must retreat to Deep Space

Nine. We cannot win this battle."

     As much as he didn't want to hear it, Captain Sisko knew that Worf was correct.

"You're right Mr Worf, this battle has been lost. Order all ships to fall back, we will

rendezvous at DS Nine." Almost as if he had the flu, Sisko had to force the words out.

There was no easy was to admit defeat.

     The four hundred Federation, Klingon and Romulan ships that remained set course

for the station. Over one hundred and fifty ships had been lost, most of them Starfleet. The

lack of warships in the Federation has been a disadvantage since the beginning of the war;

only now are the consequences being seen. The Dominion did not have to pursue the

retreating ships, they knew there was not a great deal of space for the Federation to fall

back into. The Dominion had time, the Federation did not.