Gathering of Forces

Posted on 31 Jul 2019 @ 2:15pm by Captain Jasmine Somers FCapt & Lieutenant Commander Alexanderia Cahill & Lieutenant Commander Cody Parker

2,267 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: S03 Ep 01: Family Of Slaves (incidentals)
Location: Various
Timeline: Mission 1 S3 Day 16.2

[ON]

- USS Avant-Garde -

Weeks earlier...

Back in earth orbit, the USS Avant-Garde was finishing taking on supplies while the Captain was in his Ready Room when his desk computer made a sound, he looked at it and saw the spinning UFP emblem, making the connection.

A Vulcan Vice Admiral appeared on the screen "greetings Captain, I have some new orders for you and an assignment for you" the Vulcan blandly said.

oO Vulcan's! Oo he thought, but outwardly "Yes Sir, what is it?" he asked.

"You are to journey to Galen IV where you will meet up with two other ships a Prometheus and Akira Class, plus a few Sabre and Norway class ships, there you will then journey into unclaimed space and wait at one light-year from the Thorion system, according to latest details the system is heavily defended by Orion slavers and the Tomcat will not be able to complete her mission without backup" he said.

"When do I set off Sir?" the Captain asked.

"As soon as your new temporary Officer comes aboard, which leads me to my assignment, this new Officer is a Marine Officer and has recently passed her advanced Command Course at the Academy, she has the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, I want you to let her command this mission and I want you to assess her in the usual areas of Starship command" the Admiral said.

"A Marine!! This should be interesting, what do you know of her?" the Captain asked.

"Well she is the daughter of a diplomat, she is an experienced ground commander and quite young for such a rank, she recently did a short stint on the USS Powell as First Officer and got a taste for it, so when she returned to earth she applied for the advanced command course. She is also a member of the 95th Rifles one of the new units created to fill the gap in assault troops, she may be a combat veteran, but where ship command is concerned she is a novice, so assess her as you would assess a new potential fleet officer going for the same type of job, she knows that if you feel the need that you will take command at a moments notice"

"Her name Sir?" he asked.

"Lieutenant Colonel Alexandria Somers, the only thing she does not know is that this mission is an assessment mission, so please do not let her know, she thinks it is a standard test," the Admiral said.

"Somers, is that the Somers family who have strong ties to the Klingon Empire?" he asked and the Admiral nodded "A worthy candidate, I will do as instructed Admiral" the Captain replied and with a curt nod the Admiral signed off.

Sighing heavily he sent notifications to all those who needed to know and then he returned to the bridge.

- USS Ladyhawk -

Captain Juliette Brannon was in command of the Ladyhawk. An Akira is class ship was return from a routine escort. Jason that was classified. Her communications officer turned around.

"Captain, there is a high priority message from Star Fleet Command. And is marked high-priority Captain's eyes only" the communications officer announced.

She stood up "Patch it to my ready room. Command Garcia, you have the bridge.

- Captain's Ready Room -

"Computer open communication channel code omega serial alpha."

Soon Admiral Rhymer came on screen.

=/\=Greetings Admiral Rhymer I hope you and your family are well.=/\=

Admiral Rhymer responded. =/\=Yes they are, I have a high-level mission for you and your crew. The Tomcat has requested immediate assist near the Thorion System. They were attacked by Orion Slavers while on a rescue mission. several crewmembers were abducted and will be sold as slaves unless rescued. You are to divert immediately to assist Fleet Captain Somers with the mission. To rescue the crew and a family they were sent to rescue=/\= Rhymer said.

=/\=Understood Admiral. But we have no treaty in that sector. Our arrival along with the Tomcat could be considered an act of war. Do you give us permission to enter that sector of space Admiral?=/\= she asked.

Admiral Rhymer slammed his fist on the desk in front of him. =/\=I have given you a direct order Captain. Now carry out that order.=/\=

=/\=Understood stood Admiral=/\= Brannon said, just before the channel went blank.

Brannon stood up returned to the Bridge.

"Helm set a course for the Thorion system immediately. Commander Garcia. Make sure all systems are at peak performance and see everyone is carrying phasers set on kill. Extreme force is authorized and lethal force is ordered. Be ready to repel boarders" she ordered and then continued. "The Orions attacked the Tomcat and took several crew members as slaves. We are to assist in the rescue. *pause* Communications send high-security message to the Tomcat that we are responding to assist. *inhales* This fight is all or nothing we kill or become slaves" she said as she sat back in the Captain's chair "helm Engage" she ordered.

Helm officer responded, "aye Captain it will take 4 hours at Warp 7 Captain" the helm officer responded.

Captain Brannon responded "maximum warp to Galen IV now Lieutenant That means 2.45 hours, Yellow Alert. " With that, the Ladyhawk went warp speed.

- USS Liberty -

Tank had just finished a training session on the holodeck when his comms badge alerted him.

A monotone female voice spoke=/\=Captain Tankson, I have a High Priority message from Starfleet.=/\=

"Understood, send it to my quarters Lieutenant Syvark," Tank replied as he went to his quarters. What would the Admiral be contacting him about, he wondered.

Moments later after a conversation with Admiral Rhymer, Tank leaned back into his chair. "What had the Tomcat gotten herself into he wondered aloud?" With the press of a button he was in contact with the bridge, "Helm set a course to the Galen System, with haste. I want all department heads in the Ready Room in 30 minutes."

A short time later Tank stood in the ready room surrounded by his fellow officers, "The Tomcat has requested support near the Thorion System, Security, I want yellow alert set before we enter the system. These Orion Slavers are notorious for boarding ships during an engagement, I want the security teams deployed throughout the ship also. Science and Operations, I want the two of you to work together with the shields and sensors, I want no surprises on arrival" Tank instructed his officers. "Comms, the Admiral said there were other ships arriving to assist as well, once we are in range I want you to establish communication as quickly as possible so we can coordinate as necessary. When I know more I will pass it along, XO please remain here, the rest of you are dismissed" he finished.

Tank discussed several strategies and approaches to the imminent engagement they would be facing. Knowing that action was looming on the horizon, the Liberty sped towards the Thorion System.

- USS Avant-Garde -

After getting her orders Alex with a Kitbag only reported aboard the Avant-Garde and asked for the ships Captain, she was escorted to the bridge, the enlisted crewmember left her outside the turbo lift to the bridge, she thanked the rating and walked into the lift, when the doors closed."Bridge" she said and she was swiftly taken up to the bridge.

She was told that for this mission that she would be tested and asked to Command a Sovereign-class ship for this mission, she had never been on a ship so big and as she stepped out onto the bridge she looked around in awe, mouth agape and all as she shuffled forward. "WOW!" she exclaimed loud enough for the Captain to take note.

oO So that is her Oo he thought to himself, what he saw was a well-groomed female Lieutenant Colonel who looked a little too young for her rank, but when their eyes met, she looked older, he knew then that this one was no stranger to emotions, but currently he could not read her, so he walked over to her and held out his hand.

"Hello Colonel I am Captain Shannon," he said with an Irish lilt to his speech.

Startled out of her wonderment she quickly composed herself and with a diplomatic smile and warmth done on an unconscious level took the hand and gave a firm handshake. "Lieutenant Colonel Alexandria Somers reporting as ordered Captain," she said.

He studied her up close and noted how she quickly composed herself and how she reacted, she did not in this instance say Sir, but she spoke to him with respect but as an Equal, she was definitely trained in diplomacy so he wondered why she became a Marine, then he noticed the white band around the bottom of the grey shoulders, his look must have shown curiosity.

"I am originally part of the 95th Rifles and this white band is known as the White Cord of Courage and to get one you have to do something worthy and fitting such an elevation, but it does not hold any weight outside the Regiment, so I am just a Marine Officer to all outside the Rifles" she said and the Shannon nodded.

"Okay, for this mission we are assembling sat Galen IV, the bridge is your's Captain," he said as his Yeoman took her Kitbag and she handed him a Padd.

"That is my Service jacket Captain Shannon," she said factly, gone was the diplomatic warmth, now he assumed that she had fallen into command mode, he knew this trip would be informative.

As reports came in of everything loaded the main bridge crew having been told in advance had arrived on the bridge and taken up their posts, she polled the stations and Departments below and hesitated as she approached the Captain's chair, Shannon was in the First Officer seat, steeling herself she sat down and crossed her legs quickly getting comfy.

To the engineer at the rear bridge station "switch to internal power and disconnect power cable to the Starbase and seal all external hatches," she said as the hatches closed and the gangways retracted.

"Aye, switching to internal power, all hatches closed, all confirmed," the engineer said.

Then she turned to the helm officer "Lieutenant one-quarter thrusters till we clear space dock" she instructed "aye Captain" came the response.

Shannon was impressed so far, the young woman seemed to be a natural at command, but he knew commanding a combat unit on the ground was totally different from combat on a starship. He watched as the ship moved forward slowly, but fast enough to get to the doors as the saucer section arrived there, the viewscreen showed the blackness of space getting bigger, Shannon always liked this part.

When the ship had cleared spacedock "Full Impulse until we pass the Oort cloud then set a course for Galen IV warp seven" Somers said.

"Aye Captain" the helmsman replied.

After some hours they cleared the Oort Cloud "Oort cloud cleared Captain" the Lieutenant said.

"Good, engage," Alex said and the stars became star lines, inwardly she felt a thrill, she always wanted to to say that, now that was another thing to cross off her bucket list.

Captain Brannon had been looking forward to the downtime at Starbase 339 when the call came in. It seemed that lately, they were getting one mission after another.

She had graduated top of her class in the academy and had a hardcore reputation for not being pushed around. And all her crew knew a mission like this was going to be a hard test of their capabilities. They knew she would take nothing less than their best.

- USS Ladyhawk - Two weeks later -

She was the daughter of Admiral Amanda Brannon retired and her father was Chief Diplomat Edward Brannon deceased. He was killed by the Cardassian's while on a peacekeeping mission she was made Captain at age 27. Due to her cunning skills in battle and her ability to lead her subordinates. She gave respect and expected nothing less than respect and in return. Her navigation officer broke her thoughts.

"Captain, we are 30 minutes from our destination," he said.

"Thank you, ensign" Brannon responded.

She opened wed an intercom channel, =/\= all hands we are enroute as part of a task force to assist the Tomcat in a situation with the Orion's. We can expect a fight and be boarded by the Orion's. Deadly force is authorized and expected to be carried out. It kills or be taken by the Orion's to be slaves. =/\=

"Good luck and good fighting, Captain Out." The channel closed.

"Send a message to Tomcat as to our arrival time Communications" Brannon instructed "now we wait for the rest of the fleet to arrive" she added.

- USS Avant-Garde -

Last to arrive at the assembly point was Lieutenant Colonel Alexandria Somers commanding the Avant-Garde, she was only late she had to meet up with more reinforcements, as the Sovereign-class ship dropped from warp followed by over two-dozen smaller ships, the three commanders ships computers linked up and synchronized with the Avant-Garde's computer with the latest information.

On the bridge of the ship, Alex turned to her Communications officer "Lieutenant Open a hail to our other ships" she said.

"aye, Captain" came the response.

OOC: Continued in Prelude to the Battle at Thorion #2

[OFF]

Lt Colonel Alexandria Somers [P: Somers]
Acting CO
USS Avante-Garde

Captain Brannon [NPC: Cahill]
Commanding Officer
USS Lady Hawk

Captain Tankson [NPC: Parker]
Commanding Officer
USS Liberty

 

RSS Feed