JP. Cpts Shayne & Niac, Cmdr. Raga, Lt. Cmdrs Alieth & Hobart: One Big Happy Fleet (PT2)
Karrod Niac
((Strategic Operations Center, Command Center, Deck 3, DS33))
Raga: As the Lieutenant Commander stated a frontal assault would be unwise. No matter what we do we need to minimize their numerical advantage or buy us time to only have to face a handful at a time if possible. Feints or deception seem to be appropriate. Ideally, we should try to lure them into a battle at a place of our choosing.
Shayne: You’re suggesting we thin out the herd some?
It wasn’t a bad idea on its own, but it was unlikely that, if they tipped their hand, they’d be able to inflict anywhere near the same kind of collateral damage.
Nodding with a smile towards his XO Karrod was glad to know they were on completely the same page.
Niac: I had an idea about that…it should help us bypass whatever perimeter security we find at J-0922A and it’ll serve as our signal to the Khitomer to begin the operation. The details are in the briefing file and it’ll cost us a few of our escape pods, but I think the surprise will make it more than worthwhile.
Across the holopit from Karrod, Agatha squinted down at her padd and reviewed those very same details. Her eyes widened as she looked up abruptly.
Stergis: Well… I’m surprised. Should work on the Alliance just fine.
Major Singh’s expression was far more fearsome.
Singh: My only objection is that I will not be there to see it happen, Captain.
Raga: That might work. While I’d love to throw everything the Ronin has at this we should keep at least half of our support craft here at the station as well as some of each crew to bolster defenses. We have roughly eighteen shuttles and runabouts and ten fighters, Valkyries and Peregrines, currently as part of our normal complement.
Shayne shook his head in polite disagreement. He could see Raga’s reasoning, all too well, for his tastes. It had taken literal years for him to get out of the siege mentality when planning for tactical missions or even navigating through bad spots in general. If their initial strike wasn’t effective at disabling a majority of the enemy force, no amount of Valkyries and runabouts would provide sufficient protection for a counterattack. They either went in to destroy their ability to engage, or they accepted that a great many people were about to perish.
Shayne: Protecting an immobile target is the mother of all asks, especially since this one is not a forward post or combat installation. She’ll be a sitting duck.
Alieth looked at the Khitomer Captain, head tilted slightly sideways, and a tightness to her lips that, to anyone who had spent much time among Vulcans, would indicate a certain degree of appreciation. The Captain's mind seemed to be aligned with her own and that was something the Vulcan welcomed. They had suffered enough losses in the last few missions to choose plans that would maximize them.
Niac: In addition to the element of surprise, speed will be the deciding factor for our success in this mission. We go in, hit hard, and run back to Thirty Three before the Alliance realize what happened. We won’t have time for fighter and runabout recovery, so having them as part of the stations' perimeter defense force makes the most sense to me. I’ve discussed it with Major Singh, and she agrees…they’ll be running mixed flights of Peregrines and runabouts, with the latter serving as long range sensor platforms to help coordinate the fighter craft. It’ll extend DS33’s sensor envelope several light years out and give them a great deal of early warning.
The Al-Leyan crossed his arms over his barrel chest and raised an eyebrow slightly as he regarded those present.
Raga: I have experience in defending a starbase. We had to repel the Valcarians from DS Twenty Six a few years ago. I would be alright staying behind to help with preparations in case you are forced to fall back. Here, or, barring that, Osiris and Solana both have the same experience with station defense as well. And as mister Osiris is a Starfleet Ranger I’m sure he’ll request to be here anyways.
The Khitomer’s captain stepped back, momentarily mollified. He hadn’t known this Raga for long, but he was quickly gaining Shayne’s respect. His first officer, by contrast, was less appeased.
Hobart: ::raising a hand in appeasement:: I have no doubts of our creativity in improvising a defense, but respectfully, sirs, I think hedging is a mistake. If we weaken the strike group, the odds of success go down, and then we’re left with an unhindered Lattice assault going up against whatever remnant we leave behind. ::beat:: The most talented defensive strategist can accomplish only so much with one hand tied behind their back.
Commander Stergis, who had been quietly reviewing some of the specifics of the plan, took the opportunity to chime in.
Stergis: I’d appreciate you thinking of us, Lt. Cmdr. Hobart. That’s why I’ve asked for every flight capable craft in the area to join our defense wing temporarily, and I’ve requested security personnel from both your ships to bolster the station's security team. All of that said, and I’m sure I speak for the Ambassador here as well, we’d really prefer it if you kept this station from becoming a battleground. As Captain Shayne mentioned, the history of a fixed installation withstanding siege against a large, well armed mobile force is….one-sided.
There were a variety of grumbles and nodded heads around the room, and Karrod pointed back to the holo, which he refocused on the target system.
Niac: We’ll do what we can, Commander, but you know what they say about plans surviving contact with the enemy.
Nolen looked to Captain Shayne, his confidence in his position swaying a bit as the conversation progressed. It was impossible to commit everything to the mission, because they couldn’t very well drag the station and its defensive fixtures (modest as they might be) along with them. And if there was to be some portion of the force left behind, it made sense to think about worst-case contingencies.
Hobart: If the joint strike fails, a delaying action here could make a lot of sense. Buy some time to evacuate and… scuttle the station. ::a nod to Raga:: There’s merit in leaving a small force behind, sir.
In his head, Hobart saw the worst hypothetical spiral out. The Khitomer and Ronin destroyed, a Lattice strike group besieging and capturing the station, turning a Federation foothold into their own. Not only would it mean hundreds dead, it would mean years, if not decades, before Starfleet could begin to exert pressure and influence in the sector again.
Shayne: I’ll vouch for that as a Plan B- but I still say our best defense is a good offense.
Smiling towards his former CO, Karrod tapped a few keys and the holo-cleared.
Niac: The let's make sure our first strike is a decisive one, Captain. Besides, the Khitomer gets the easy part of this plan…that is, unless you feel like offering up your ship as the bait?
Shayne: It’d never work- there’s no chance they’d buy that the Khitomer could be beaten.
As much as he missed Arrow, there were certain advantages to having the Khitomer under his command- such as the faith that came with a starship not falling apart around them. He threw a cock-eyed tongue-in-cheek wink at Niac, knowing he could give as well as he got.
He chuckled and pointed towards a chrono on the bulkhead.
Niac: Mission kick-off is going to be about four hours from now. We’ve got that long to transfer personnel and equipment. Then it’ll take us the better part of a day at maximum warp to get to the target system and get both ships into position. Any other questions? If not, good hunting and good luck everyone.
[End]
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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