[DSX] [JP] Capt. Egan Manno, Cmdr. Faranster, Cdre. Westhaven: Destination: Piktar

[Tony]

(( CO’s Office - Ops Deck - Deep Space 10 ))

:: Though Westhaven enjoyed her corner console on the Ops deck, as soon as red haired commodore heard that the USS Garuda, Constitution-B, and Gemini had docked. She made sure that the orders to report to her at 1300 station time was lodged on their personal PADDs. ::

:: Rarely had Cassie approached the operations center of the old station with such trepidation. Not only was this briefing unexpected, it came with the arrival of several other capital ships. She could only imagine what Gul Noraht would have to say, especially after the incident with the Mercury halfway through the last year. There would be diplomatic hell to pay, she was certain, unless the Detapa Council was somehow jointly involved in this, too. But she didn’t see anything more than the station’s usual single Galor-class -- complement to the Garuda -- to match the additional Starfleet starships that had arrived. She sighed: She hoped this was for a good reason. ::

:: Shel had received partially cryptic orders from the office of SST telling him to be here. He dropped everything and made had his crew fly out to Deep Space 10 so he could receive his orders. He was extremely curious throughout the journey, and it was only getting more intense the closer he got to the answers. Once he was docked, he got his reporting orders and prepared to meet with the woman. ::

:: Once Shel made it to the office, he found himself waiting outside with a captain he didn't recognize. ::

Faranster: ::to the woman he didn't know. :: Captain... :: Extending his hand. :: Commander Shelther Faranster.

:: The man with her was a light-skinned humanoid, perhaps even human -- the Commander Faranster her initial recall order had mentioned. Cassie shook hands, but she thought she still had a lingering frown. She’d read the PADD, yes, but -- there was more to this than she yet knew. Of course. But maybe Andrew Davenport, with his talk of changes in high government and odd backdoor deals, had made her more paranoid than she knew. She forced a smile and tried to put it from her mind. ::

Egan Manno: Captain Cassandra Egan Manno, Garuda. And ::beat:: this station. Sort of. Though not just now.

:: The door of the office hissed open and Heather stood to greet the COs that entered. ::

Westhaven: Commander Faranster. Captain Egan Manno. Thank you for joining me on such short notice. I really do appreciate it. 

:: Shel stepped into the room with the other officers and looked at the woman, he was curious to find out what this mission was about and how he and his crew could help. ::

Faranster: You're welcome, sir.

:: Cassie’s frown returned, but only for a moment. She knew that answers would be forthcoming, but she wanted to make sure that she got them. ::

Egan Manno: You may begin, Commodore, by explaining our orders in more detail -- and telling me why Deep Space 10 is serving as your base of operations.

:: Quickly picking up the PADDs and distributing it to them, she began the briefing that she had been practicing in her head. ::

Westhaven: Are any of you familiar with the Prometheus Station? 

Egan Manno: Prometheus Station? ::beat:: Vaguely.

:: It was an outpost in the Menthar Corridor, but on the Federation side of the Corridor, away from where the Garuda’s operations usually took place. Cassie had never been there, though she’d seen the name of the place on transport orders and the like. ::

:: Shel shook his head as he glanced down at the PADD in his hand, wondering what the station had to do with why they were there. He was still relatively new to the fleet, and had been focusing on his section of space. While he had a relative idea of things that had happened in other areas, like his ship wasn't the only one to have a close encounter with the Marquis Reborn, he didn't know every station, planet, or ship under Starfleet's command. ::

Westhaven: The Prometheus Station is special research facility set up in the Piktar System that starfleet uses for secret and possibly dangerous experiments. It is made up of a Eidyia class starbase and two ground outposts on the two planets in the system. I’ve been authorized by Fleet Admiral Wolf to temporarily shanghai you for Task Force Silver. 

Faranster: Secret and dangerous, interesting. :: There was a shine in his eyes as his mind went through all the possibilities, at least the ones he could think of. ::

:: Cassie’s eyes had widened slightly at this news. Secret and possibly dangerous? She hoped Piktar, wherever it was in real space, was within the Federation’s sphere of influence. She was a poor liar and didn’t relish the thought of trying to cover that up if the Cardassians asked. ::

Egan Manno: Go on.

:: Motioning to the PADDs in their hands, Heather sat herself back down in her seat and motioned to them to also sit as well. Heather had spent enough time running about trying to throw together the hasty squadron. ::

Westhaven: Though there are more details in those PADDs, the basic premise is that Task Force Silver is made up of the USS Atlantis, Gemini, Constitution-B, Columbia, and Garuda. As we need to be very thorough, each ship has been assigned an area of responsibility. 

:: Looking at the PADD in front of her she began to read. ::

:: Shel had been looking through the PADD he had been presented, listening to the Commodore. ::

Westhaven: Captain Faranster. The Constitution-B is going to be looking for the system’s defense ship, the USS Thomas Edison. She’s a Nova-class vessel and went silent pretty much after Prometheus did. 

Faranster: Find the Thomas Edison, and find out why it disappeared, check.

Westhaven: Finally, Captain Egan Manno. As the ranking officer going to be in system, I’m placing you in provisional command of the task force. Keep me informed on their progress. Also, we detected a strange signal that we want you to look in to. I don’t have any other spare ships. 

Egan Manno: As ordered, so shall I go. But, Commodore--

:: The higher ranking officer seemed to have some questions, and probably due to knowing this area of space better than him and the other Commanding Officer. ::

Westhaven: Are there any questions, Captains? 

Egan Manno: Indeed. I’d like to know how Starfleet’s figured the Cardassians into this. Is Piktar in unaffiliated space?

Westhaven: No, it is in legitimate Federation space. She’s not a black ops base, just a safe haven for scientists wanting to run experiments that might prove risky. 

:: That was curious, having the station close enough to Cardassian territory for questions to arise, for scientists to do risky experiments. If an experiment went wrong, there was enough of a possibility that it would those on the other side of the territorial line. ::

Egan Manno: I see. Good. In that case, Commodore, I assume you’ll be operating from Deep Space 10 for the duration of this task force's maneuvers? 

Westhaven: That is my plan for now, Captain. 

:: Cassie nodded slightly. ::

Egan Manno: In that case, I suggest speaking immediately with the Cardassian contingent. It may be that the Union will be able to assist. Or, if Starfleet would prefer they didn’t, that you have a plausible excuse for our activity.

Westhaven: I will happily admit that I’m not presently up on specific Cardassian relationships especially any that you might have forged, but at the moment, the incident is on the Federation side of the corridor and so I plan to keep it amongst the Federation until the SST director or Federation Council decides otherwise. I’m not trying to keep them in the dark, but I don’t want to broadcast this...incident...louder than it already has. 

Egan Manno: As you wish, Commodore. Just -- be aware that this station is jointly owned by both governments.

Faranster: Commodore, my crew and I will find the ship, and if we have any questions or problems, we will be in touch.

A Joint Post by…

YNPC Commodore Heather Westhaven

Commanding Officer 

USS Comanche

Task Force Silver

Starfleet Sciences & Technologies (SST)

&

Captain Cassandra Egan Manno

Commanding Officer

USS Garuda

&

Commander Shelther Faranster

Commanding Officer

USS Constitution-B