JP. Cpts Shayne & Niac, Cmdr. Raga, Lt. Cmdrs Alieth & Hobart: One Big Happy Fleet (PT1)
Karrod Niac
((Strategic Operations Center, Command Center, Deck 3, DS33))
The holographic representation of system J-0922A rotated slowly in the centre of the large circular room like a glowing enigma, fuzzy and uncertain. It was based on a compilation of long range intelligence gathered from every source they had access to yet the system itself was largely shrouded from view by subspace interference they’d come to recognize as large scale usage of Sencha-Wave radiation. The data they’d gathered over the last few months looped once again, showing dozens of vessels and their support flotillas converging on the system from several vectors but vanishing as soon as they proceeded inside. It was a pattern Karrod was all too familiar with, one he’d seen the Alliance employ when it was building up strength in the Olindra system prior to launching their original offensive, and it filled him with a deep sense of apprehension. He scowled towards the hologram again as the heavy doors to the room opened and admitted the remaining members of the ad-hoc Alpha Isles Defense Task Force. The Khitomer, represented by Captain Shayne and newly promoted First Officer Lt. Cmdr. Hobart, Deep Space Thirty Three’s Starfleet CO, Commander Agatha Stergis, and several members of his staff from the Ronin, most notably his XO Commander Raga, Lt. Commander Alieth, and Major Ishani Singh, who commanded the Ronin’s aerospace group. They filed in with a variety of grim expressions and took seats or stood around the circular holoviewing pit, glancing up at a projection all of them were uncomfortably familiar with. As they settled in, Karrod cleared his throat and nodded to Captain Shayne.
Niac: As we are pressed for time, I will dispense with most of the pleasantries, but I want you all to know how much I appreciate your presence here today. ::He turned to the holoprojector controls and tapped in a few commands, setting the hologram into motion:: You all know by now we have strong reason to believe the Lattice Alliance is planning an imminent attack on Federation space. Communication with Starfleet Command has completely collapsed, and partial messaging out of the Sol system indicates some sort of incident which coincides with the Frontier Day festivities. We believe this is the opportunity the Alliance was waiting for, and suspect an attack on Federation territory will be launched within the next ninety-six hours. It is our intent to hit them before they can.
Karrod nodded to his mentor and counterpart and gestured towards the holo.
Niac: Captain Shayne, Commander Stergis, and I are in agreement and have formulated a plan of attack that leverages both our vessels while still providing for the defense of Deep Space Thirty Three as a fall back position. Captain Shayne?
Shayne stepped forward, teeth held tight until the graphic made the appropriate changes before them.
Shayne: The plan is a simple two pronged assault. We get in, blow away as much as we can, and return to DS33 to fend off a counterattack and protect the assets stationed here.
It wasn’t the most complicated or elegant solution, but Shayne thought they possessed enough advantages between them to make it a success. For once, they didn’t have to worry about rescuing prisoners or avoiding some diplomatic crisis that would tie a hand behind their backs. This time, Ronin and the Khitomer could properly unleash the ordinance at their disposal, and Shayne couldn’t imagine a more appropriate target.
Toryn had exchanged a brief nod with Karrod upon his entry and elected to remain standing for this, though he’d entered alongside Major Ishani he had too much pent up to just sit.
Karrod tapped at the holocontrols and focused on an area just outside the target system.
Niac: The Ronin will be positioned here and will be rigged to appear in distress. We will simulate a total power failure and the ship will be tumbling as we send a fractured distress call and begin launching a small number of escape pods, here.
Highlighting a segment of the map a Starfleet delta appeared.
Niac: While we’re sitting around and looking helpless, the Khitomer will be positioned here ::the holo zoomed out and a second delta representing the Khitomer appeared:: waiting for our signal. Our goal is to draw the perimeter security to us and create a gap we can exploit for a raid.
Raga: If even half of what that shows is there, even with both ships we’re going to be going into this vastly outnumbered.
Some might even say outgunned but not him, they had over three hundred torpedoes at their disposal and a ship who, despite her age had every bit earned the name, Ronin. Add onto that their extensive support craft and fighters and she was a beast all her own. The Khitomer was icing on an already nice cake.
Nolen folded his arms across his chest in a clear expression of dissatisfaction, standing only half a meter away from his Ronin counterpart, sandwiched by their CAG, Major Singh. Hobart was sure they hadn’t heard the whole plan, yet, but what he had heard so far, was far from encouraging. The enemy—and that was unmistakably what the Lattice Alliance represented at that point in time—was massing an assault fleet. The most likely target was Deep Space 33, and though it wasn’t the only possible one, they had to operate on the assumption that it was. And he took a decidedly less rosy view than the one he sensed from Raga’s confident mind.
Hobart: ::muttered to Raga:: We’d be dead before the second torpedo left its tube. A frontal assault is suicide.
But a frontal assault wasn’t the only way to strike a target, and the Betazoid-hybrid’s dark eyes looked to Captain Shayne. He didn’t have a good read on his CO, but even in his short tenure, he’d grown to appreciate the man’s pragmatism and willingness to court dishonor in service of victory against a dishonorable foe.
Shayne was surprised by Hobart - not displeased, per se, but he’d hoped that there would be some more faith in Shayne and Niac.
Almost completely tucked out of sight behind the other officers, with a height far below her own, the petite 2O Ronin stood on tiptoe, finally catching a glimpse of the holo hovering in the middle of the room. Her dark eyes were not so intent on the system's entry and exit trajectory, the number of ships or its tactical details, but on the spikes of Sencha Radiation and the results of deep scans that might herald some of the terrible weapons they had already witnessed... or some new ones. And what she saw pushed her slanted eyebrows deep down her forehead.
Alieth: I am troubled by these radiation peaks, which are much higher than the ones we observed the last time. Have we been able to send a probe to scout the system in order to gather more information?
Raga: After our last bit of poking around I’m willing to bet they’re on alert for any Federation probes.
Niac: We haven’t sent any probes in and are relying entirely on long range sensors. While this has limited our picture of the system, it does provide us with one significant advantage.
He nodded back towards Shayne and felt the comfort of working in tandem with someone he trusted so implicitly.
The Khitomer’s captain was convinced that one advantage over any other would decide the engagement in their favor.
Shayne: Our primary strategy is surprise; as far as we can tell, they’re convinced their secret is still safe, and Starfleet has almost never launched preemptive assaults. This is a departure from our normal operations, and between the bureaucracy of the Sheliak and the arrogance of the Tholians, we believe there’s better than even odds we’ll catch them with their proverbial trousers round their equally proverbial ankles.
Karrod chuckled and briefly wondered if there was a tailor anywhere in the quadrant had taken on the challenge of providing trousers for either Lattice Alliance race before dismissing the idea.
Niac: With that in mind, we can’t leave DS33 defenseless in our absence, so I’ve been working with Major Singh and Commander Stergis on our fallback plan. Commander, Major, take us through it.
The Major broke away from the Ronin’s contingent and stepped towards the holocontrols as Commander Stergis stepped into the center of the room. The hologram changed behind her to show a tight view of DS33 and the space immediately surrounding it.
Stergis: Thank you, Captains. While I understand that Commodore Nicholotti and the Excalibur-A are attempting to make their way here to supplement our forces, we do not have a reliable ETA for their arrival and need to make due with the resources we have on hand. To that end, I have requested Major Singh’s aerospace group to supplement our perimeter security forces here.
The Major nodded curtly and leaned forward, her sharp features accentuated by the light from the holo in the otherwise dim room.
Singh: Many of my pilots were assigned to Thirty Three’s defense force before being transferred to the Ronin, so we’re familiar with the facilities and its defensive capabilities, such as they are. From the time the Ronin and Khitomer depart and until they return, we will be flying a constant combat aerospace patrol of the entire area. The Peregrines are capable attack craft, but their primary goal will be to extend DS33’s situational awareness and provide an early warning if we detect any offensive forces coming towards the station. Best case scenario is that you get back here before any Alliance forces do, and we can help you mop up. Worst case scenario…we’ll buy you time. As much as my people can.
The petite Vulcan shook her head, the locks of hair framing her face, waltzing around in a solemn beat.
Alieth: There will be ample room for improvisation, then.
Like any member of her species, she had no appreciation in embarking on any endeavour without a well-delineated plan, and it was evident in the deliberate cadence of her words. Nevertheless, when the woman raised her gaze to the two captains present, there was a point of wild determination shining through them, an intelligent resolve to do her best for the team in front of her ..... Or towering around her, more likely.
If there was anyone who could improvise science miracles on the fly it would be the diminutive Vulcan in their group. It made Toryn ponder the likelihood of her stature being inversely proportional to the genius and tenacity contained within her frame and whether or not that was deliberate on behalf of the universe for its own sake.
[TBC]
Captain Karrod Niac
Commanding Officer
USS Ronin - NCC-34523
&
Commander Agatha Stergis
Starfleet Liaison Officer
Deep Space Thirty Three
V239509GT0
&
Captain Randal Shayne
Commanding Officer
USS Khitomer
NCC 62400
G239202RS0
&
Chief Science Officer & 2O
USS Ronin USS-34523
E239702A10
&
First Officer
USS Ronin - NCC-34523
Writer ID: A239410TR0
&
Lt. Commander Nolen Hobart
Executive Officer
USS Khitomer (NCC-62400)
A240001NH3