Mission Extension

Posted on Wed Sep 1st, 2021 @ 11:03pm by Captain Rhenora Kaylen & Commander Finchley Kerr & Commander Savar cha'Salik hei-Surak Talek-sen-deen & Lieutenant Commander Sandra "Phantom" Risa & Commander Dean House & Lieutenant Commander Thriss Kla'ren & Lieutenant Commander Aurora Vali & Commodore S'thenosis Gorgox

Mission: Gamma Quadrant
Location: Briefing Room
Timeline: 12 Hours before Departure

The Captain of the USS Sunfire sat back in the high backed chair of her Ready Room. The crew were on their way back to the ship after shore leave, the ship itself repaired and they were ready to embark on the next phase of their mission. They would be heading back to the Gamma Quadrant to see if the status of the Dominion could be ascertained more accurately. There was the possibility that the ships they had encountered were indeed rouges, but there was also the possibility that one of the greatest threats to the Alpha Quadrant was quietly rebuilding its fleet and preparing for another war.

" All senior officers, please meet in the briefing room at 1700 hours" She announced, preparing a briefing and the relevant information she would be presenting.

Soon they would be on their way again.

Savar was in his Ready Room, dealing with reports both maintenance and supplies along with crew transfers when the Captain's announcement came over the ship comm. Setting the reports to one side, he rose and headed for the ready room. Grateful for the break. The reports could wait... at least for now.

Aurora was at home enjoying her downtime with Sidak. She sighed as the call to attend the briefing came through. “Oh well Sidak, it looks like mummy has to go to work.” She picked up Sidak, then the pre-packed bag she kept ready to take to the ship’s nursery. “Let’s drop you off first.”

The Sunfire's resident Chief Engineer was on his way to Engineering when he heard the Captain's voice over the comm system. He was almost to Engineering, so he collected a PADD with the current status on the transwarp prototype, as well as the status of the Sunfire's systems. He then went to the nearest lift and entered. "Main Bridge."

Dean was mostly doing like he usually did. At his station on the bridge. There wasn't that much for him to do there really at the moment, but was there anyway. Keeping track of the time and heading into the Briefing Room across the Bridge five minutes early. A little curious why not the conference room instead but, it was the Captain's choice. Pressing the chime.

Finchley's body ached from his time in the gym with Dean and Rhenora. Standing at one of the Operations consoles, he reached up to scratch his head as he went over the report on the screen. As his arm got half way up he felt the tug of his shoulder and his eyes opened wide and he let out a little squawk of pain "Oh my good God.." he whispered loudly. Thinking he would rather try and scratch his face on the bulkhead rather that lift his arm gain, he was about to do it when the call came from the Captain to come to the Briefing Room. It wasn't far to go so he set of gingerly.

Arriving on the bridge having dropped off Sidak, Aurora made her way to the Briefing room. As she entered she offered a warm smile to those present before taking a seat next to her husband. “Something changed?” She looked at Savar curiously.

"I am not aware of any change Aurora." Savar admitted, "This meeting is a much a surprise to me as it is you. We will both find out what the Captain has called us together for."

Dean gave a bit of a nod to Savar and Aurora as they both came in, having set out two water jugs and glasses for everyone previously since he was the first one in there.

Aurora smiled as she looked towards Dean, she had a whole new respect for him after their time stuck in the jungle.

Savar returned Dean's nod. It seemed that a level of respect if not friendship had developed between the two.

After a short time in the lift, Thriss stepped off and entered the briefing room. He too was unsure what it was about, but as pretty much any briefing, most likely he'd find out soon. He quickly took a seat near the window, nodding to the others.

Bonnie heard the call and immediately dismissed it. She wasn't the head of any department not was she a senior officer. She listed herself as a need-to-know individual and she mused at how she liked it that way.

Sandra walked into the briefing room as soon as she heard the call but first, she stopped to clean up. She was working on 'Phanthom 1' on the fighter deck. "Please excuse the tardiness. Was fixing my fighter," she said sitting down.

Captain Kaylen headed for the briefing room, padd in hand, details running through her head as she walked. A barrage of sneezes stopped her in her tracks and she paused, waiting for the assault on her sinuses to stop before continuing and curses Bajoran physiology all at the same time.

"Good afternoon" she smiled as she entered the room, the majority of the ship's officers were present already. "I trust everyone's shore leave was enjoyable?" She slipped into the seat at the head of the table, a steaming mug of coffee waiting for her. Bless Ronson.

“Yes, thank you Captain” Aurora smiled warmly as she looked towards Rhenora. “I have to admit I’m curious as to why we’re all here.”

" We're here because as much as we'd all love to stay on shore leave, we have work to do" The Captain replied with a warm smile, the hint of humour turning the corners of her mouth upwards. " Our mission to determine the status of the Dominion has been extended" She started, pausing to look around the room at the assembled officers.

At that moment the doors parted and in slid the Dragon in all her glory. Her hair had changed shape appearing caged and somehow longer than before. She moved close to a window and stood stoic and waited. She simply waited to hear progress and allowed her presence to define her.

Aurora hadn’t yet met this woman and she was curious as to who she was, though no doubt she’d soon find out. “So we’ll be staying out here for the foreseeable future?”

" For at least a month - however, we have an appointment with the Cardassian Union in exactly one month's time, they have called a trial over the death of Gul Maccet, an incident that involved several members of this crew several months ago" Rhenora started to explain, knowing that a number of those present in the room had not been aboard at that time. " Commodore S'Thenosis has been sent from Command to prepare the defense"

The Commodore nodded in acknowledgment of her name and her purpose being mentioned in open forum.

Having entered the room and taken a seat, Finchley listened to what was being said. Upon mention of the Cardassians and the fact Starfleet had sent a Commodore as a defense lawyer, he said "Cardassian trials aren't exactly...fair, shall we say."

" Indeed, hence why we will need all the time we have available to us to prepare our case - whilst continuing our mission into the Gamma Quadrant. Now..' Commander Kerr has some insight into some possible Dominion activity from his previous posting... Commander?"

Sandra knew of the Cardassian judicial system and Finchley was quite correct. If the Dominion was indeed rearming, life was about to get very interesting and dangerous. She had to be ready to fly at a moments notice, and not just the Sunfire but the fighters as well.

Finchley stood up from his seat, and clearing his throat, began "Thank you Sir. The USS Patterson, my previous posting, had been sent out on a reccy, search and rescue mission. As you hopefully understand, I can't give out some of the details, however, I can give out most. According to our Intelligence reports, before the destruction of New Bajor, a few ships, including two Antares Class carriers, managed to get away, and allegedly onboard those two carriers were remnants of the New Bajor government.
Unfortunately, what we don't know is if they were the older sub-light carriers, or if they were the upgraded warp-capable carriers. I said to the Captain here that even if they were warp-capable, we're only talking warp two, perhaps three, but that's it. My belief is that they set off for a rendezvous that'd be reasonably close to where New Bajor was so they could travel in convoy.

We were doing a regular search pattern, in the same area, this ship was in, when we were ambushed by three Cardassian Hideki Class ships. We got no warning, they were just suddenly on top of us. The Captain and I have had a look at the coordinates of both attacks on the Patterson and the Sunfire, they're not that far apart. Now, given that the Sunfire was attacked by Jem'Hadar fighters, and the Patterson was attacked by Cardassian Hideki Class ships, it's not out of the realms of possibility that there's a Dominion base close by. However, that situation is for the Captain to decide upon.

Something else about the Antares Class carriers, sub-light or warp capable, they can't have gone far, so the Dominion forces, or remnants, will be looking for them 'if the rumors are true that anyone got off the planet, let alone some of the New Bajor Government. I'm still waiting on a couple of reports from the Patterson coming back to me, plus some older area field Intelligence reports so I can cross-reference them, but once I have them, I'll report it to the the Captain straight away."

With all that being said, he looked at Rhenora and said "Thank you Sir" before sitting down again.

"Thank you Commander" Rhenora nodded towards the new officer.

Aurora had heard the briefing but her mind was more on the fact that her husband was going to face trial, her heart was beating so fast that it felt like she couldn’t breathe. She pushed out her chair and stood up, “I’m sorry Captain... I need a few moments.” With that she headed out of the room and into the XO’s office where she could be alone.

"Excuse me, Captain, I should see to Aurora," Savar told Rhenora as he stood and left the room to check on his wife. Moments later he entered his ready room. He moved to her, "Aurora, my wife. Are you alright?"

Aurora looked up at Savar with tears in her eyes. “You didn’t tell me! Why didn’t you tell me!?”

"I had just recently found out myself Aurora." Savar found out. "I did not wish to add more stress after you giving birth. I would have told you. I made an error in judgment. Please forgive me."

Aurora gave her husband a nod. “I’m sorry I just... it felt like I couldn’t breath! I can’t imagine my life if you weren’t in it. I can’t lose you Savar! I won’t!”

"You have nothing to be sorry for Aurora. I was remiss in not telling you sooner. I am deeply sorry. Please forgive and you will not lose me." Savar answered as he wrapped his arms around his wife in a hug.

Aurora cuddled up to Savar. “I forgive you. I will be at your side no matter what.”

"Thank you my wife, my love. I would be lost without you at my side and in my life." Savar replied as he continued to hug her.

Aurora cuddled up for a few more moments. “We should really get back to the meeting.”

"Agreed my wife. Let us do so." Savar replied as his arm slipped around her waist.

Getting to her feet Aurora took a deep breath and offered a smile.

Back in the Briefing Room, Finchley had watched as the two Senior Officers got up and left the room. Turning back to the Captain he waited to hear what other information she'd share.

The Captain continued the briefing, knowing that there was nothing that Savar didn't already know going on at the present.

" So the plan is, head back through the wormhole, investigate a few of the nebulas and other hiding places where the two Bajoran ships could possibly be seeking refuge, and ascertain if the Cardassians are still on the wrong side of the wormhole. If they are we'll deal with the situation. Our primary mission is still to gather further intel regarding the Dominion. Are there any questions?" Kaylen looked around the group of assembled officers - they were the finest the fleet had to offer.

Returning to the room with Savar, Aurora offered an apologetic smile. “My apologies Captain, the news of the upcoming trial came as a shock.”

" I can understand it would, we had hoped that the Cardassian's had moved past this incident" Rhenora admitted herself.

Just as the meeting was about to adjourn and the Captain stood, S'thenosis cleared her throat, effectively reminding everyone she was there and garnering the Captain's ire in the process.

" Is there something you would like to add Commodore?" Rhenora regarded the Dragon with a look. She kept her tone civil, or tried to.

"A moment of your time if you please, Captain." S'thenosis requested. "Alone." She added, making it an order and somewhat final.

" Of course, Dismissed everyone, we ship out in 2 hours" The Captain nodded to the assembled officers, rising as everyone else did so. She remained behind though.

Finchley rose from his seat and looking at Rhenora said "I'll try to find out if there's been anymore Intelligence on the area we'll be going to Sir, and if there's anything else on the possible whereabouts of the Bajoran carriers."

" Thank you Commander, I appreciate any intel you can gather before we get there" Rhenora smiled at the new officer.

With that he nodded to his CO and left the Conference room.

TBC

Commander Finchley Kerr
Chief Strategic Operations Officer
USS Sunfire