Down the Valley of Death Rode the 600 Part 1

Posted on 24 Jul 2023 @ 1:59pm by Lieutenant Colonel Alexandria Somers & Lieutenant Commander Remington Dodd & Lieutenant Leland Hawksley & Lieutenant JG Tosrol Ze & Lieutenant JG Thex sh'Zoarhi & Lieutenant JG Shoniara T’ghann Dex & Lieutenant JG Thyra Sh'shraaqir & Lieutenant JG Ted Silver & Lieutenant Paul Winchester

2,802 words; about a 14 minute read

Mission: S3 Episode 5: Diplomatic Incident/Hydaransz Again (Main)
Location: Various/L’Horzel Corridor
Timeline: MD: 27

[ON]

Previously...

Ze tapped away as he looked over the sensors "Aye captain as soon as they move out there we will have a lock" he said pushing the button for yellow alert "Yellow Across the Board Captain Shields up and Phasers powering up"

Down in engineering, Thex saw the alert and rushed to check the power status. Thankfully the ship was handling the process automatically as the phasers and shields began powering up and arming their systems already tracking.

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The Tomcat had been holding a position outside the L’Horzel Corridor at a yellow Alert status, on the bridge Somers looked at Dodd, then pressed the Communications button on her chair arm, she was not a happy person at the moment and it was not with her crew.

=/\= Somers to Hawksley, Dex, Sh'Zoarhi and Winchester, sh'Shraaqir report to the CRR Pronto =/\=

As Paul climbed out of his fighter and handed his flight gloves and helmet to the waiting engineer, Paul tapped his combadge=/\= I'm on my way Sir,=/\= as he knew that this was the next part of the plan and so he stayed in his flight suit, as he closed the channel, he said," Make sure she's primed for Launch will you?" as he left the hanger bay.

Thyra was in her office at the intelligence department when she got the call on the comm. =/\=On my way, sir. =/\= She left the stuff on her desk and grabbed a padd she was working on and rushed out of her office.

Shon was in sick bay progressing with a nurse assessment. She tapped her comm =/\= Dex responding, on my way =/\= she smiled at the nurse. “Saved by the bell I believe.” Grabbing her medkit and tricorder just in case she was out of the door.

Somers did not respond, she signed off and stood up and looked at Dodd "With me Commander!" she said then looked over to the Science Station "Lieutenant Silver, you are in charge of the bridge" she said "Lieutenant Ze get a scan of that L’Horzel Corridor, have the sensors concentrate on the composition and see if you can get an assessment of the tactical situation with those fighters that attacked our patrol and make sure the CIO gets the information *pauses* Mr Silver I know you have the bridge but when Ze has the data he will send it to your station and I want you to analyze it for any adverse effects on the ship and organic matter and await my command.

Ted tried his best not to look startled at Somers putting him in charge of the Bridge. “ Yes ma’am,” Ted said.

"Aye, Ma'am, I am with you," Dodd replied at the first chance and was now Somer's shadow.

=/\= Hawksley, Sh'Zoarhi on our way Ma'am! =/\= Leland slapped at the left-sided chest of his engineering uniform. The Warp core pulsed through, the blue glow highlighting his face for a split moment.

"Time for us to go Thex. CRR" Leland watched for Thex to acknowledge

" On it boss," Thex replied her figures finished off recording the logs of the power grid and storing them away for future examination. With that, she followed him out the door.

With that and Dodd following her Alex entered the CRR and sat behind her desk.

Ze targeted the fighters and the lone Romulan warbird out there, he modulated the phasers just enough to keep them guessing "Lieutenant Silver can you check my modulation check out before I start firing on these Romulan ships?" He asked as he primed his fingers ready for the attack.

Ted's hands ran over the science console as the data Ze had sent him came through. Everything looked ok but Ted noticed something that could be bad for the Tomcat if things went against them.

“ Everything checks Ze. However, the molecular makeup of this area will be in the Romulan's favour weapons-wise. Their disruptors will be boosted in power by 75%. So we will need to keep out of the way and make sure our fighters do too.” Ted replied.

He also sent a warning to Somers so the pilots could be warned.

Ze looked to Silver "Thank you Lieutenant Silver" he said looking over his readings "Well i will try and re modulate so that we have at least a fighting chance with the romulans having an advantage this is going to be a hell of battle" he said pushing hi fingers over his console.

- CRR -

As Alex sat down she indicated for Dodd to take a seat "Now we wait for the others to arrive" Somers said.

"Yes, Ma'am," Dodd replied and did the Picard Maneuver and then took his seat to the right of the captain.

Dex arrived a little out of breath found a seat and sat nodding to those already there.

As Paul entered, he said "Captain, commander," giving both a nod and taking his seat and waiting for the briefing to start.

Hawksley entered the room still focused on engineering. He rushed through the doors, taking a seat along with the rest. His fellow Deputy Assistant Sh'Zoarhi was sure to follow.

Thex was next through the door panting slightly having run most of the way from engineering. She politely nodded as she took her seat.

Thyra came in a few moments later with a padd in her hand. "Colonel, Commander..." She looked around for a seat and sat down.

Looking around "So the Tomcat has stopped outside of the L’Horzel Corridor, now intelligence reports say that the Ambassador is somewhere in there or on the other side, we have confirmation of Rogue Section 31 Agents involved. It is also tactically sound to have people who can bypass Starfleet Security protocols. *pauses* Now to get cleanly out of federation space they would need a cloak or clearances, but Starfleet Security has checked the clearances and beyond Starbase 39 Sierra none have been used. Since the Treaty of Algeron, if there was a cloaked ship it was not Starfleet, I have used my diplomatic connections in what little spare time I have had and there have been no rebel Klingon ships, so that leaves only one Empire or organisation with the resources to assist in this, at this moment it is all suspicion, but as Holmes once said When you eliminate all possibilities, whatever remains however improbable must be the truth and in this, I strongly suspect the Tal'Shiar or rogue elements within it" she paused to let this sink in and allow questions if any.

"Ma'am, I am in full agreement with your thinking. My mind has been pondering the notion that an outside element was involved but I figured the Romulans would turn up sooner or later." Dodd stated as he fully believed that Somers was on to something.

Dex sat up straight her fingers locked together underneath her chin. “If this truly is connected to the Tal’Shiar then maybe my….” She halted for a minute trying to phrase her words carefully. “I have a medical contact in the Tal’Shiar, an….old friend if you will. I could reach out to her, see if I can find anything out?”

*Looks at the DCMO* "Can you reach your contact safely and quickly before we enter the corridor, Lieutenant?" She asked a hint of hope in her voice at this bit of news.

Dex nodded, “Yes Sir I think I can, or at least I can try. If I may be excused?”

"Not quite yet, I have a task for you and besides we will not be entering the corridor until we have all relevant information and data anyway" Somers responded.

Dex nodded, “Yes Sir, whatever you wish.” Dex was intrigued as to the ‘task’ she was going to be asked to do. She remained quiet observing the others.

Thyra looked at her padd. The colonel's conclusions were indisputable. All the evidence was there to support this. She had nothing really to add to that or even to question the logic. She hadn't fully read into the mission of the disappearance of the Ambassador, as she was mostly occupied with the intelligence of the Terrans, the Romulan's involvement in this peculiar but not unsuspected. She knew there were a lot of stakes involved. She needed more info to react. She kept quiet for now.

*Looks at the Intel Chief she was assuming that something was going through her mind* "What is it Thyra? Is it about the abduction of the Ambassador? Well all we know is that a Federation Ambassador was kidnapped from Starbase 39 Sierra, no alarms were set off so all clearance codes were current and no further trace, then rest you just heard my suspicions" Somers said.

Thyra looked up confused. "Ehm, Colonel, sir, I didn't say anything. Are you alright? I just knew this had something to do with the missing Ambassador, cause you briefed on him before, but I was on the Terran mission. Also, I don't have anything useful to add, so I kept quiet. If I have a question I'll make sure to ask it." She looked back on her padd. "Also seems to me you have a lead maybe. So I am guessing we should follow up on that." She made some notes on her padd. "Also, Romulans is legit, hard to argue that point." She made a gesture with her hands and added, "I have nothing else. Will keep quiet now."

oO Oops I did it again, read too much into someone's body language Oo Somers thought to herself mentally slapping herself.

"Indeed Lieutenant Sh'shraaqir my apologies for assuming" She looks at the two engineers "Anything from my Engineering team so far?" She asked. While she was waiting for the response, Lieutenant Winchester, please recount the combat you had with those alien fighters, mainly your operational observation about them?" Somers added and wondered who would respond first.

"Sir, those fighters that we were up against were copies of our Gryphon fighters," replied Paul looking back at those around him as he continued "So that must mean a leak in R&D and that could only mean our friends in Section 31,"

“Ma’am, with that information. Engineering will attenuate scans to further assist in the search for the activity of Romulan/Tal’Shiar vessels. Engineering can also issue some probes down the L’Horzel Corridor.”

Hawksley then pondered, leaning back in his chair. “If the probe scans for Tal’Shiar vessels will be modi-dimensional super conductor wave resonator. Any cloaked ships should show up like Christmas trees in the corridor.” He clasped his hands together. As soon as Leland heard of Tal’Shiar’s suspicions of the Ambassador’s appearance, it made more sense.

“It makes sense. A Cloaked vessel can transport with fewer signature imprints. Could also explain why we didn’t pick up on the Admiral’s trail.” Leland proposed.

Dex was still sitting silently observing those of the crew around her involved in the current discussion. She was normally very reticent about her long-time friendship with a member of the Romulan Secret Service as she felt it might go against her career progression as well as endanger the life of her friend. So, she waited patiently.

*Sighs* "Okay *looks at the Engineers* Leland, Thex when Science and Tactical have finished with their scans, I want you to use that data to come up with a way to add protection to this ship when we enter the corridor. *looks at Dex* and Doctor same with you with the information, but work on a vaccine to administer to the crew in case the shielding and such does not protect organics from the effects of the corridor. *she pauses and looks at Thyra* Thyra I want you to put the Terran intel on the back burner for now, get what intel you can from our fighters that engaged the hostiles, see if you cannot detect a carrier wave of some kind and Lieutenant Winchester *she looks over to the DCAG* supply all sensor and communication data to Intelligence, also what else can you tell me about these Gryphon Fighters, what insignias did they have if any, I am asking as you were there not I?" Somers asked.

“I can polarize the shielding of the vessel with Borg technologic elements, using a quantitative octonion bi-dehydrihetethemethyl-Halide shielding. In essence a latticework of bioptic connective rhozohndrel carbon lattice. Energized by the ship’s warp core and Bussard collectors, we can have shielding from radiation sources being emitted in the corridor. Colonel.” Leland added to his Engineering report padd.

Thex was already running through a few ideas in her head. " We could reinforce the secondary shields as well. Give us an extra bubble of protection in case the first one collapses." She added looking over at her boss.

*Looks at Hawksely with glazed eyes at the words he used* "Sounds good make the changes when you return to Engineering, now Mr Dex, have you anything in the works to help protect the crew as we traverse the corridor? I know you will need to speak to Lieutenant Silver and Ze, but is anything close to testing? *she asked then looked to Winchester expectantly*

She pulls out her Padd and reads it then looks at Hawksley "Leland, you will need to adjust the Phaser on the ship and fighters, get all relevant information from Mr Silver before you leave, he just sent a text message saying something about the molecular makeup of the corridor favouring Romulan disruptor weapons, not our nadion -based ones, you will need to make adjustments" she said to her Chief Engineer.

*holds up a hand to pause any immediate responses and taps her Commbadge* =/\= Somers to Silver, thank you for the text message, next time make it verbal if you will, please? =/\= She asked.

=/\= Yes ma’am sorry about that. Hope it helps.=/\=

=/\= Thank you, Lieutenant, Somers out =/\= she said and closed the link, then looked at those with her "Okay who will be first to what I just said prior to the communications?" she asked.

Leland turned to Thex. "That sounds about right. We will have to fortify the matrix emitters on the Tomcat, along with weaponry... A lot of work.." He gestured to Thex. They should get on it, on the double. On the way, speak to Lieutenant JG Silver regarding Phaser and potential weaponry systems aboard the Tomcat. "Stat," Hawksley mumbled as he thumbed through the Tomcat's main weaponry battery and systems which would have to be harmonically charged through means of engineering core systems, subsystems, and safeties all redefined limiters..." The Chief mumbled to himself. He was an Engineer and he would pull through and get things done correctly, efficiently, and on time with teamwork with his Deputy Engineering colleague sh'Zoarhi.

*Looks at Winchester* "You said they were Gryphon-like fighters, Lieutenant now you are saying they are small versions of the D'Deredex Capital ship, which is it, make up your mind!" Somers said to Winchester, exasperated with the DCAG she looked expectantly at Dex.

"Sir, when I mean copies, I mean they are like a one-man D'Deredex," Paul stated looking around the room as he hoped that they now understood what type of fighters they were up against.

Dex looked at the Colonel "I will have something ready and I will get the information from Lieutenant Silver and Ze" she responded.

Looking at the assembled "Okay people you know what to do, go to it, you are dismissed, I will keep the ship here until the ship modifications are done, the Medical injection will only be used if someone falls ill" Somers said looking at Dex who nodded. With that, both Dex and Thyra left the CRR as did the others.

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