Chapter 1.1

Posted on Tue Sep 5th, 2023 @ 11:55am by Commodore Loatha Targaryen & Commander Nathan Hawkins & Commander Ash Randall & Lieutenant Commander Horatio Refelian & Lieutenant R'elle & Captain Nathan Bishop

1,725 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Dysfunctional You
Location: Ward Room, Deep Space 12
Timeline: 2481-05-31, 09:00

Located adjacent to the Operations Center, the Ward Room was located along the southern rim of the Bunker and was the primary conference room for the station's Senior Officers. Upon entry, visitors were usually immediately drawn to the three large view ports that allowed the guests to see what was going on outside of the station. An egg-shaped table was located in the center of the room and it was, normally fitted with seven chairs for conferences; however, the Fleet Admiral had arranged for two additional chairs to be brought in for this meeting.

Standing near the console built into the side wall, the Admiral accessed the replicator menu and decided to order herself a Vulcan Mocha. Today's meeting wasn't going to be much fun for anyone involved and it was honestly worth the risk that the Vulcan derived coffee could paralyze her nervous system and atrophy her pancreas. A night or two in sickbay would be worth it to escape what was coming.

Turning toward the table, the Admiral looked at the seat beneath the window and considered whether she should take that seat. Instead, she took the chair opposite it and looked out at the window, waiting for DS12's senior most officers to arrive.

Chief counselor R'elle arrived. She was usually rather punctual. He tail flicking back and forth. "Morning Admiral." she went over to the replicator and ordered her usual hot chocolate /coffee combo. After which she took her seat and waited for the others to arrive.

"Morning Admiral." Horatio said as he entered the ward room. The Commander was still getting used to life in this area of space. However, he was curious as to why he had been summoned to this meeting. "Counselor." He added, giving the Caitian a nod too.

Following shortly behind came Commander Hawkins armed with a strong coffee in the attempts to rouse himself from his drowsy state. He'll need to be switched on to comprehend the reason why Luzol had summoned them. It was unlikely to be good news. "Morning," he muttered to those present as he sat.

Bishop received the message/summons from Fleet Admiral Luzol and he was immediately concerned both about the nature of the message and how bad was the news going to be? Sighing, he headed for ward room. Upon arriving he saw that a few others had arrived before him. Hawkins among them. He nodded his greeting and spoke to Hawkins. "Good morning, Nathan." He greeted his friend as he went to the replicator and got himself a Frappuccino before heading for his customary seat. "Good morning Admiral" He greeted Luzol as he sat down.

"Mmm," Hawkins raised his coffee to Bishop in acknowledgment his mouth full of warm dark nectar.

Luzol sat steadfast in her chair, but answered the Station's First Officer, "Thank you, Captain." She glanced at the chronometer as she waited for the remaining members of the Station's Leadership to arrive. Time was a factor in this assignment this time and she would only give a few more moments before she got to it.

Commander Randall was the next to arrive in the Ward Room. The Chief Engineering Officer of Deep Space 12 walked in, glanced around at those who were already assembled and then looked, directly, to Admiral Luzol. "Morning, Admiral." Purposefully leaving off the, customary, 'good' as, she had no expectation, it was going to be so. The small, Tuansee, then padded over to the replicator and ordered "The usual." And was presented with a steaming cup of Sassafras tea and a 'Dragon Snap' cookie that was more ginger than anything else. with her breakfast gathered together Ash took her customary seat and waited for the proceedings to commence.

Knowing that the rest of the crew would filter in, the Fleet Admiral decided it was time to get started. Pecking at the keys on a PADD the monitor in the corner of the room switched from a station display to a starchart reflecting the Maelstrom Sector. Luzol rose from her chair to begin the briefing, "I'm a stickler for time so we're going to get started. Anyone who hasn't arrived yet can catch up."

Luzol walked over to the wall display and pointed at the border wall, "Late last night a Starfleet flotilla confronted a group of Cardassian ships that were trying to annex a neutral system here in the Maelstrom Sector. During the confrontation, the Cardassian Defense Ship Thrarim requested political asylum and was escorted back to DS12 by the crew of the Valhalla. Their request has been granted and Starfleet Intelligence has begun an investigation into the Thrarim and its crew. During interrogation of their Captain, a Cardassian Gul named Slorir Varin," silent video of the meeting appeared on the screen, "we confirmed our fear that the Cardassian True Way has been supported by the Interstellar Coalition in exchange for information about the Federation and its operations. Among the resources that the Coalition has shared is their Plasmatic Pulsar Weapon, which was used against the Enterprise at Talos."

"Gul Varin, a former member of the Cardassian Diplomatic Corps, has shared with us that he has been involved in the initial contact between the True Way and the Coalition. He has given us the coordinates of their meeting place," the viewer switched to display the location on the star chart. Luzol crossed her arms and looked at the group, "Starfleet Command is directing that this location be examined immediately."

"Admiral, when you say Interstellar coalition, just who are we talking about? Who is part of this coalition?"

Luzol looked at the Counselor, "Intelligence information is still very limited about the Coalition, Counselor. Aside from the destruction of the planet Talos and the near destruction of the Enterprise, there is very little information available on them. That's why this mission is so critical. While we are ordering you to encroach upon their territory, we believe we need to make this shot as an attempt to open formal contact with them."

"Did Gul Varin indicate the size that maybe gathering at this meeting point?" Hawkins asked eying the displayed chart.

"Unfortunately, no," the Admiral answered. She typed on her PADD and changed the image on the screen from the coordinates to a planet. "The meeting point is located here on this uncharted planet in the Vayt Sector. While not part of the Maelstrom Sector, Vayt has many of the same characteristics as this region."

Ash munched on a cookie and sipped some tea while she listened to what amounted to a clandestine mission briefing and looked on interest at the planetary system. "Are we going in as, official, Federation Diplomatic Representatives?" The engineer asked, pointedly.

"Something like that," Luzol answered. "I'm going to be assigning personnel from DS12 to travel to the region aboard the Pegasus to make contact with the Coalition. While many of you are familiar with the Pegasus, I know some of you may not be. It's a Sovereign II Class Starship, designed for exploratory missions, but she also has a stronger tactical suite than most of her equivalent starships. She'll get you there and be able to bring you home."

Harry listened to the briefing. Something seemed odd as to why a loyal Cardassian Officer would suddenly want to defect. "Forgive me, Admiral, but why now? Seems very convenient that a small Cardassian ship wants to defect and claim asylum within the Federation to conveniently give us this information. What happens if it's a trap to lore us into the region?"

Ash took a sip of her tea and nodded, slowly, in understanding. "In our, Diplomatic, efforts I imagine Captain Bishop will be the, lead, liaison then." The Engineer mused, with a little smile and then looked over to Bishop and grinned. "First contact with an, overtly, hostile galactic power. Whatever did you do in a prior life, Nathan?" She asked, teasingly.

"Well, while I am no diplomat, as chief counselor, I am happy to assist wherever and however I can!" R'elle said.

Luzol continued, addressing the comments, "Gul Varin had been working with Starfleet Command for a long period of time and had previously been the Cardassian Liaison to the Risa Sector aboard Deep Space 21. We are not ruling out the possibility of a trap, but it's unlikely according to Intelligence. Captain Bishop is being assigned as Mission Commander for this mission with a temporary promotion to Fleet Captain. My attaché will be serving as the CO of the Pegasus during the mission with the senior staff of DS12 filling in as the senior roles aboard the Pegasus." She looked at Bishop, "Congratulations on your promotion, Fleet Captain."

Bishop looked to Ash, shook his head and shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know Ash. I must have been a very bad person for this to happen and with the Cardassians no less. I thought Admiral Luzol liked me, well at least tolerated me." He said with a grin as he only now registered his promotion even if it was a temporary one. "Thank you, Admiral, I think. This is quite unexpected."

"Congratulations Captain Bishop!" R'elle said.

Bishop's smile grew as R'elle shouted her congratulations. "Thank you R'elle. Thank you, very much. It is very much a surprise."

"How long is this window of opportunity to make contact?" Hawkins asked after giving Bishop a nod of approval of his new position.

"You all need to pack," the Fleet Admiral answered. "The Pegasus will leave within the hour." The Fleet Admiral looked around the group, "I have a lot of faith and belief in the people in this room. I know that you will be able to handle the challenges that come with this assignment. Good luck, if there's nothing else I'll let you all get to your quarters to pack."

Bishop nodded and returned the smile to Hawkins, his longtime friend before returning his attention back to Admiral Luzol. "We'll get right to it Admiral. We appreciate the confidence and the opportunity for this encounter. We won't disappoint you." He looked at the other officers, "You heard the Admiral, go get pack and we'll reconvene aboard the Pegasus."

Fleet Admiral Luzol nodded in response to the newly appointed Fleet Captain and then turned her attention to the entire group. "You all heard your Captain and I have kept you long enough. Dismissed."

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