Shortest War Ever

"Shortest War Ever" is a fanfic by, set in the  shared universe. It was written for Unofficial Literary Challenge #36: "Rhyme Directive" on the Arc Forums.

With the Milky Way Galaxy finally in a relative peace following the end of the Iconian War, Captain Kanril Eleya of USS Bajor is dispatched to observe a Nuclear Age civilization on the planet Volante. Though she intends to stick around only long enough for a science vessel to arrive, fast-moving events on the surface put her on a collision course with nothing less than the Prime Directive itself.

Though originally planned as a one-shot, after requests from other authors StarSword hinted at a miniseries, eventually naming it Case Nightmare Red when "Shortest War Ever" was reposted to FanFiction.net.

Summary

 * Epigraph: "So Long, Mom" by 

In the Confederation of Samar on the planet Volante, the Supreme Cabinet meets regarding a confrontation with the rival People's Syndicalist Dominion over a nuclear missile base on the island of Valdemar, which ends with the decision to mount a naval blockade against the island.

High above them, USS Bajor monitors planetary communications while awaiting the arrival of the starship USS Karelia. Kanril Eleya is irritated at best by a Dominion propaganda video, but Commander Birail Riyannis is intrigued by a rudimentary mathematical proof on warp theory.

At that moment, Petty Officer Martin Karlsson detects the Samarian naval deployment. Riyannis comments that the Sabek have had one limited nuclear war already, noting a crater left by a megaton-range thermonuclear explosion. Eleya orders some computer simulations be run to predict possible outcomes, then with little else to do, goes off-duty. Riyannis gives her some Sabek novels acquired by an away team from a Dominion library.

Later, Reshek Gaarra comes to get Eleya from her quarters. She is engrossed in the novel Egg and Excelsior by Va'sheft of Tabriz, and decides privately that if just one of their writers is that good, the species is worth saving.

The results of the simulations are not favorable: Riyannis predicts a one-in-six chance of an extinction-level event within 48 hours. Eleya asks for options and the Prime Directive is pointed out in response. Lieutenant Dul'krah, Clan Korekh reacts angrily to this, blaming the law for the near-extinction of his own species and pointing out that it was also used to justify Federation inaction in the Occupation of Bajor. Eleya agrees with his point but points out that they don't know yet what is going to happen, and that she'd rather seek permission to intervene from up the chain of command.

Eleya requests this permission from Admiral Eric Velasquez, who is reluctant to grant it. Eleya argues that she is only planning to act in the event of an extinction-level war, but they are interrupted by an alarm from the bridge: that war is happening now. Eleya sounds battle stations and demands that Velasquez authorize her to intervene. He refuses to do so without consulting Starfleet Command, and Eleya swears and disconnects him.

On Eleya's orders, USS Bajor begins a targeted orbital bombardment combined with shuttlecraft airstrikes and use of tractor beams, transporters, and deflector shields against the nuclear forces of both the and the People's Syndicalist Dominion. A mere 22 warheads out of tens of thousands get through, causing an estimated 60 million deaths. Eleya orders the ship's electronic countermeasures dropped and breaks into planetary communications, announcing to the Sabek:


 * “Citizens of Volante, this is Captain Kanril Eleya of the United Federation of Planets. Your war is over.”

In the aftermath, Admiral Velasquez argues with Eleya about her actions. She initially uses a creative interpretation of General Order 24 to justify her actions, arguing it to be in conflict with the Prime Directive when it came to a planetary extinction event, before admitting that "I did the only phekk'ta thing that was going to let me sleep at night!" Velasquez expresses his sympathies for her position but orders her suspended from command of Bajor pending a board of inquiry into her actions, effective upon the arrival of Rear Admiral Pekara Rader with additional ships. While waiting for her to arrive, Eleya begins first contact protocols with the leaders of the two Sabek blocs.

To be continued.

Memorable quotes
"Commander [ Quataris sh'Thash ], shut that crap off. Prophets, I haven't seen ham like that since the Iconian War."

- Captain Kanril Eleya on a PSD propaganda video

"Thirty minutes after it began, the Third Alliance-Dominion War ceased with a whimper, not a cataclysm, as generals, statesmen, merchants, and laborers raised bleary, shellshocked eyes to the perfect, impassive blue sky over their lands, collectively wondering what the bloody hell just happened?"

- narration

Characters

 * Benra • Rachel Connor • Arak Esplin • Alicia Gantumur • Kanril Eleya • Kar'tan • Martin Karlsson • Kinlo • Dul'krah, Clan Korekh • Tesjha Phohl • Ragen • Rek'nar • Reshek Gaarra • Birail Riyannis • Ter'graf • Quataris sh'Thash • Tro'draht • Va'kreht • Eric Velasquez • Peter Wiggin


 * Zefram Cochrane • Kanril Torvo • Pekara Rader • Chiga Riyannis • Velar Shan • Va'sheft of Tabriz

Events

 * Third Alliance-Dominion War


 * Iconian War

Locations

 * Volante (Confederation of Samar: Ibaka • Valdemar)

Races and cultures

 * Andorian • Bajoran • Human • Pe'khdar • Sabek • Trill (Trill symbiont)


 * Ferengi • Iconian

Ranks and titles

 * admiral (Royal Lord Admiral) • captain • chief of the boat • command master chief petty officer • commander • cryptologic technician • general • lieutenant • lieutenant commander • lieutenant junior grade • petty officer second class • Secretary of Intelligence Affairs • Secretary-General • Sibling High Minister • tactical officer


 * rear admiral

Starships and vehicles

 * ballistic missile submarine • bomber • frigate • USS Bajor


 * Al-Birjandi (Type-7 shuttlecraft) • Hubble (Starfleet shuttlecraft) • USS Glyrhond • USS Karelia  • Vell-os (Starfleet shuttlecraft)

States and organizations

 * Alliance for Global Unity (Sabek) (Confederation of Samar: Supreme Cabinet) • People's Syndicalist Dominion (Valdemar) • United Federation of Planets (Starfleet: Starfleet Command)

Technology and weapons

 * ballistic mesh vest • ballistic missile • deflector shield • electronic countermeasures • PADD • phaser array • radar • quantum torpedo • sonar • tractor beam • transporter

Other references

 * General Order 24 • novel • Prime Directive • propaganda • Reckoning of Dala Kor • The Thrawn Trilogy