Chapter 2.1

Posted on Thu Aug 25th, 2022 @ 3:13am by Lieutenant Hezaar & Lieutenant Percival Godfry & Captain Wilkan Targaryen & Galatea & Commander Nathan Hawkins & Patton O'Sullivan & Lieutenant Commander Cyrus Marner & Captain Nathan Bishop

1,587 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Hope
Location: Operations Center, Deep Space 12
Timeline: 2431-03-09, 04:15

The Operations Center for Deep Space 12 was unlike what many people expected it to be. For a Spacedock series starbase most people expected a colossal, cavernous room filled with workstations from floor to ceiling and enough workers that the Ops crew could man their own ship. The reality was far from the fantasy. While spacious, Operations on DS12 was not much different from a traditional Bridge on a Federation Starship and featured a very familiar layout. In fact, many found it to be highly reminiscent of the Bridge of a Nova Class Starship in its simplicity.

Perhaps the most striking feature of Operations was the central command area, located at the very center in a slightly submerged setting. A large situation table sat in the center of the room and was outfitted with multiple workstations filling a wide variety of roles. The Station's Commander and XO had large chairs that were built into the structure of the command area and a secondary console that sat between them. Directly ahead of the command area, in a further sunken pit, were the Docking Station and Tactical.

The rest of the stations were located in wall mounted positions along the perimeter of room, with a single configurable standing workstation built into the railing behind the command area. A large, Master Systems Display was located on the back wall behind the command seats that provided detailed information about the Station's status at a glance for any user. A large display screen at the front of the room served as a viewscreen, but usually was configured to display tactical analysis of nearby space. Entry to Ops was located along the port and starboard sides of the upper level with Turbolift access available from the starboard entry while the port leads to briefing rooms and offices for the Station's personnel.

In many ways it was exactly as Willian had remembered it, in others it was an entirely new beast of its own.

Approaching his chair the Admiral looked around the room, finding most of his staff had already arrived. "Thank you all for coming," he greeted. "I know that it's the middle of the night for many of us, but Starfleet Command had urgent news that impacts us greatly." He looked toward Galatea, "Commander, please display the message we received."

The viewscreen image shifted from a Tactical Map of the Maelstrom to the Starfleet logo. A series of numbers and various text scrolled over the screen before the computer system provided a warning, "Alert: The following information is classified to Starfleet Level 8 and above. Any and all Starfleet personnel who view this message are advised not to share its contents without the express permission of Starfleet Command."

On the viewscreen the Director of Starfleet Tactical, Vice Admiral Nimias Klioloy of Zakdorn, appeared before them from her private office aboard Spacedock. One of the greatest tactical minds that the Federation had ever seen, Admiral Klioloy was a lot like the Operations Center of the Station: not what someone would expect. From the near legendary stories of the Admiral people expected a warrior that towered over her enemies, not a woman who barely exceeded a meter and a half in height. She was smart though and used people's own bias and stereotypes against them. Independent and determined, Klioloy ran Starfleet Tactical with an iron fist. Normally she only spoke with people when she had a mission for them, and it was never an easy assignment.

"Admiral, I apologize for interrupting you and your crew at such a late hour, but a situation is brewing that requires your direct attention. The Cardassian Union, perhaps our greatest ally in your region, has come under fire from the True Way. Starfleet Intelligence believes that these dissidents are receiving support from an outside backer, and we believe that the Interstellar Coalition are financing their revolution. As the closest Starfleet base we are assigning you to investigate. Intelligence believes that the True Way and Coalition are meeting at one of the older Cardassian outposts in the Maelstrom, but we have not been able to pin them down. You will have to investigate these outposts for evidence of recent activity and disrupt their network. We cannot over emphasize the dangers posed by the True Way and the Coalition working together so you must act quickly. Starfleet Out." The screen quickly returned to the tactical plot of the Maelstrom.

Willian stood next to the situation table, "With the Cardassian Union still limited in capabilities their focus has been, primarily, on their core worlds and not the Maelstrom." He pressed a control, "That limits the candidates to these locations." The viewer highlighted a handful of systems. "Thoughts?"

Scanning his gaze over the systems and the possible site within them Hawkins studied them carefully: "Given the reduced capacities and presumable restriction to assets available to the parties I would discount the sites which would require a sizable amount to resources to become viable. "

Bishop had been silent as the Admiral and then Hawkins spoke. He looked the map the Admiral had brought up. "On the surface I agree, the Union doesn't appear to have the resources to make sites in the Maelstrom viable. However, I am just skeptical enough not to put anything by the Union that they can use as an advantage and this situation certainly falls into that category." He finished looking at Hawkins and the Admiral.

Willian looked at the two officers, briefly smiling inwardly in remembrance of the Starship Vigilance before returning his attention to the situation table. He tapped a control, "Using the logic of restricting resources we can rule out the remains of Litvok Nor then because it would take a lot to make it even remotely viable. That leaves the Ascella Supply Depot, the Tezle Supply Depot, and the Prendel Outpost." Willian smirked, "Prendel, also known as Vlulyr Tuok, has some history with us, the True Way having used it before in a makeshift alliance with Section 31. Enterprise engaged it and was nearly destroyed, the only thing that stopped us was the Starship Bismarck."

With Commander Snow away on assignment their Acting Chief Science Officer, Lieutenant Percival Godfry, added, "I have been scanning the Sector. It's been difficult, but scans seem to suggest that there has been very little travel to Ascella. That leaves Prendel and Tezle."

"Both are on Ferengi Trade Routes," the Enterprise's new Engineer explained in Ash's absence. Lieutenant Commander Hazaar was a student of the trainings of their dearly departed friend Karrak, but she did not look like the traditional Gorn. Highly reptilian in appearance, her skin was banded with deep crimson lines and her skin was a pale green in color.

"A excellent way to smuggle in supplies and forces without any questions," Hawkins noted. "For the correct price of course." Manipulating the display the two remaining sites were displayed: Prendel Outpost and the ground based station Tezle Depot. "If I were part of this resistance I'd want our meeting point to have many eyes to warn of unwanted attention and a easy means of escape if required, therefore I would nominate Prendel as a prime choice. However, if our resources allow it we should investigate both sites."

“I have a preference for Prendel as well.” Patton spoke up. “For mostly the same reasons that we’re just given. It is the best way to protect ourselves.”

"I may not be in intelligence, Prendle could be that central point and mayhap there are records?" Cyrus adding his own opinion.

The Admiral listened to his Senior Staff, fully knowing what they were considered the best of the best that Starfleet had to offer. He walked around the situation table, looking at the holographic display as he remembered the last time that the Enterprise visited the Prendel Outpost. They barely survived the encounter. While it was a small station, roughly only the center wheel of a Nor Class Station, it was outfitted with phasers, torpedoes, and a pulse disruptor system. The station was assisted by the renegade USS Galileo during the engagement, but that didn't mean the station was any less dangerous.

"We'll send an away team to monitor the station," he looked up at Galatea, "Is the Uhura ready?"

The holographic AI of the Enterprise, who was temporarily on loan to the station, typed on the control console, "The Uhura is at Docking Port 39 and is undergoing final fueling. Her upgrades are complete."

"Sounds like a perfect ship for a road trip," the Admiral answered as he looked around the group. "I'll take volunteers for this mission. Who's up for an adventure?"

"Count me in Admiral. I'm up for a change of scenery and meeting new people." Bishop replied with a grin.

Lieutenant Godfry interrupted with his distinctive brogue, "You'll need a Science Officer with training in running intelligence scans."

"Nothing like exploring some creepy ruins to keep to keep you edge," Hawkins smirked. "Sign me up."

"Very well then," the Admiral answered. "Bishop, Hawkins, Godfry, and Marner you will be assigned to the Away Mission. Please report to the Uhura for preparations for your mission. The remainder of the staff will be working with me on another project. If there is nothing else you're dismissed to your assignments."

As the crew broke for their assigned duties, Admiral Targaryen looked cautiously at the holographic map that hovered above the central workstation. As he started at the floating orbs he couldn't help but wonder if he was sending his crew into a viper's nest.

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