In The Dead Of Night
Posted on Wed Jan 17th, 2024 @ 3:07am by Commander Irene Vincent "Rally" & Lieutenant Shiki Ichiose & Lieutenant Commander May Hopkins & Lieutenant Commander Damien Maillet & Lieutenant Kate Ross & Lieutenant Kris McEntyre & Lieutenant JG Daphne Crenshaw & Commander Louise De La Valliere & Lieutenant Tsumugi Ismay & Lieutenant Alice Zuberg MD & Lieutenant JG Kas Th'shrytrir
Edited on on Wed Jan 17th, 2024 @ 3:17am
3,922 words; about a 20 minute read
Mission:
Season 1, Episode 3: Trespassing
Location: Deep Space Station K-9- Function Area, Deck 8
Timeline: Stardate 1515.6
Given the highly-sensitive nature of their assignment, Rally had elected to host a staff meeting for the crew of the Tigerfish at an odd hour of the night, hopefully when most prying ears had long since gone to bed. She had already summoned May, Damien, and Kate to the Function Area on Deck 8 to help her in setting up this presentation, and it was here she found the three of them gathered around the main podium, testing the screen to make sure the presentation would be ready for the briefing.
"I take it the invitations have been sent out in advance?" she inquired as she drew up to the group.
“Four hours ago,” Damien said, nodding. “Enough time that everyone will get it and respond, but not enough time for anyone wanting to sneak in to make a good plan. Only the Tigerfish crew will be here, Commander.”
Kate peeked around from the back of the projector. A stark realization hit her... I'm the most junior officer here. If I keep my mouth shut, I might just learn something...
She made a mental note to soak in as much as she could.
"Right, then," Rally sighed, moving over to the podium. "Let's finish getting this set up before they start to arrive..."
By the stroke of one, the first staff members began to trickle into the function area and take their seats. It looked to be a fairly young crew, with most of them here looking to be not much older than 40 years of age. with some of them rubbing the sleep from their eyes, and still others fighting back a yawn, it was clear that they weren't accustomed to having a staff meeting this early in the morning, and would likely be curious to find out what all the hullabaloo was about.
Commander Louise de la Valliere walked into the room. She looked a little tired, but otherwise she seemed fine. "An unusual hour to be calling a meeting..." she said simply as she crossed her arms.
"All will be explained in due time, Commander," Rally assured her. "Just be patient, we'll be starting up momentarily."
One crewmember who was fine to be awake at this hour was Dr. Alice Zuberg. All through her childhood and surprisingly into her teen years, she could work efficiently regardless of the hour or how much sleep she got. It annoyed her classmates in the Academy. Some speculated drugs. Others jokingly thought she was a robot, nicknaming her Alice Synthesis 30. She managed even to return to duty within days of the incident in which she lost her eye. But the truth was simpler: she was just efficient without much sleep, so long as she could catch up later. And so she was energized and ready to listen to what Commander Vincent of Deep Space K-9 was going to tell her and her crewmates.
Tsumugi Ismay stumbled into the function area herself barely functioning. The young security officer and newly-appointed first officer of the Tigerfish had forgotten that there was a meeting scheduled at this time. Fortunately, she had had the foresight to enter it into her official security docket, which her boss, Natalya Chornovil could see and review, and it had been a stroke of luck that Natalya was still up at this hour, and had kindly reminded her assistant about it in the most Slavic way possible. Yawning, Tsumugi plopped into a chair, the only thoughts on her mind being how crazy Commander Vincent must be to be holding a meeting at such an ungodly hour.
Daphne Crenshaw had definitely not gotten enough sleep. She'd intended to adjust her sleep schedule a little but that had only made her self-conscious about it. Still, she was yet young enough to brush off such things. She was one of, perhaps the, most junior officer attending. She wanted to make a good impression. So she strode crisply in, bright and energetic, and prepared to listen.
A tall, rangy Andorian slipped in through the door. It was late, and his circadian rhythm had been knocked out of whack by the hour. Heavy-lidded, he rubbed at an eye with a silver-tattoed hand as he took a seat.
Right as Rally was taking a headcount to make sure everyone was present and accounted for, she happened to notice the set of doors to her left opening; she turned, and was just in time to catch a lean, chocolate-haired woman in her late 30s gamboling her way into the function area. even in the dim lighting, she could tell this woman's appearance was noticeably unkempt for a Starfleet officer, with a wrinkled uniform that looked as if she just had it laying haphazardly about her quarters, and severe case of bedhead to boot. Rally was about to speak up when the woman stopped dead in her tracks, her nose twitching as if she had just caught a whiff of something downwind.
"Fufuu~ is that...?"
before anyone could stop her, she frolicked her way over to a security officer seated in the back row and began sniffing his hair- much to officer's surprise and abject horror.
"Mmm... Floyd's 99 Classic Shampoo... medicinal, clean, evocative of barbicide... enduring. Ooh, barbicide, haven't collected that scent yet; I may just have to add that one to my wishlist..."
She snapped her head to the side, as if something else had just caught her attention.
"And you!" she proclaimed, making her way over to an Engineer seated a few rows ahead of the security officer. "Wait, don't tell me... Ah, Sandalwood- the official scent of the perfectionist; one who doesn't settle on "good enough" and is always working on honing in their skills-!"
"You there in the back!" Rally called out. "Quit sniffing everyone and take your damn seat! NOW!"
The woman glanced over at Rally, flashed her a smug, shit-eating grin that indicated that she was not in the slightest bit apologetic for her antics, and took her seat.
"Right," Rally sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Now that that's all sorted out, I suppose we ought to get started with the presentation?"
“Sooner we start, the better,” Damien replied, “lest more people join in on the scalp smelling.”
Taking a deep breath, Rally turned to address the assemblage.
"I'd-!"
The whole room flinched as the shrill tone of a feedback loop momentarily deafened them. Muttering a few choice words, Rally proceeded to adjust the volume settings on her microphone.
"I'd like to thank you all for coming here," she began, lightly clearing her throat. "I understand a few of you here have some questions pertaining to the nature of this briefing- especially given the odd hour at which it's being held. Know that this was a deliberate decision on our part- not necessarily out of spite, but to mitigate the chances of eavesdroppers picking up on what we're about to discuss."
"And before I go any further, I want to make one thing crystal clear;" Rally continued. "The nature of what I'm about to share with you is highly classified; you are not to discuss this information with anyone outside of your fellow crew-mates. I know what I'm asking of you is a tall order, but if we didn't trust every last one of you here with this assignment, we wouldn't have summoned you. So once again: Do I make myself clear?"
The assemblage nodded.
"That's more like it," Rally smiled. "Now, if I may divert your attention to the screen directly behind me..."
The screen slowly flickered to life, revealing grainy footage of what appeared to be some sort of ritualistic combat between two male opponents. Their black, long-sleeved undershirts, paired with golden-hued vests, appeared to indicate that these individuals in question were Klingons, or at least affiliates with the Klingon Defense Force.
"What you're looking at right now is a traditional Klingon matter of honor known as the "Right of Vengeance"," Rally went on to explain. "This ritual in particular was covertly filmed by a member of Starfleet Intelligence who was working undercover in the KDF at the time."
It’s barbaric, thought Alice as she watched the footage. She made a mental note to make sure sickbay was well trained and equipped to handle injuries caused by knives and other bladed weapons.
"The combatant you see on the left is- or, as you'll come to see, was- choHyurgh, Son of woy'qurgh, of the House lurap. the individual on the right is known as Bra'Khis, son of Khartan, of the namesake House Khartan," Rally continued. "It is believed by Starfleet Intelligence that choHyurgh made a dishonorable pass at Bra'Khis's sister, lle'Dara, and then proceeded to insult her when she rejected him."
Daphne was waiting to find out what the disputes between how the disputes between these Klingons concerned Starfleet and the Federation but she didn't ask. She just kept watching. She did not yet have anything to add.
“Do we know how regularly these challenges occur?” asked Alice. “That seems like a minor offence, after all. How often do KDF members maim or kill each other over petty things? And are these always to the death?”
"While the information that manages to trickle in from Intel is a bit... sketchy, their research would appear to indicate that Klingon society prides itself on the art of battle; honor is held above life, surrender is considered cowardly, and fighting is considered a means of enriching the spirit. As you can imagine, these aren't the type of people you'd wanna cross on a good day..."
The assemblage looked on with equal parts shock and horror as Bra'Khis proceeded to drive his blade into choHyurgh's thorax; his opponent staggered forward, blood trickling from between his pointed denticles, before collapsing in a heap at Bra'Khis's feet. A sinister sneer donning his expression, Bra'Khis proceeded to plant his boot on choHyurgh's now lifeless body and proudly hoisted his weapon in the air.
The video feed paused, lingering on the haunting image of Bra'Khis as he stood triumphant over his foe.
"But they sure as hell are the kinds of people who wouldn't mind crossing with species they consider to be "lesser"," Rally continued. "Starfleet Intelligence has been keeping a close eye on Bra'Khis for several years now, but they've accumulated enough information to paint a picture of the sort of man he is. He has made clear on many an occasion- both publically and privately- that he considers all non-Klingon species to be beneath him: a labor asset, the spoils of conquest, name it what you will. Regardless of what you call it, the fact remains that he's a very dangerous individual when he puts his mind to it."
"That could describe a lot of Klingons, ma'am," Daphne chimed in at last. "I take it he's more extreme?"
"And howdy," Rally replied as the screen switched over to a starmap of sector 813. "Bra'Khis has shown blatant disregard for preexisting treaties between the UFP and the Klingon Empire, having annexed no more than four systems that lie well within neutral territory. And if that weren't bad enough, it appears that Klingon High Command is all too happy to enable this sort of behavior."
"And that footage was hell to get!"
A new voice pops up, a woman in scuffed up utility armor and intelligence blacks said from the back of the room. Her accent, Texan, her hair, Dirty Blonde, long and wavy in a crude ponytail. She looked like she'd just came back from wherever that footage was taken, and in a hurry. She was covered in dirt, and half applied camoflage makeup. She had a duty belt with an old style 2250 laser pistol, heavily modified, on her hip.
"It also shows their willingness to take things to the end of hell and back if needed to defend their honor. Apologies for the dramatic entrence though," she said to the group with a half smile.
"Ah, Lieutenant McEntyre," Rally smiled. "Glad you could make it; please, have a seat."
"Thank you Ma'am, glad to be here"
Kris replied before she sat down near the back of the room.
You'd practically have to be living under a rock not to have heard about the renowned McEntyre family and their numerous contributions to Starfleet. As far back as the United Earth days, the brothers Josiah, John, and Eli McEntyre had served dutifully in the now-defunct Military Assault Command Operations, also known as MACO. All three had been trailblazers of their respective divisions, and set the precedent for McEntyres being counted on to get the work done. Rally had practically been giddy to discover that Starfleet Command had (miraculously) assigned a McEntyre to the Tigerfish as an Intel Liaison, as she'd no doubt be an invaluable asset to this mission.
"Right, then," Rally continued as the screen shifted to a starmap of Sector 813. "In particular, we'll be focusing on the Phantohk system, situated approximately 2 light years from the Eifie colony of Umbre. A fairly nondescript star system as far as natural resources are concerned- prior to its annexation in 2260, it previously housed a small research facility that was owned and operated by the nearby Argo Confederation- its only real strategic advantage lies in its proximity to the Umbre system- one of the largest suppliers of dilithium in the entire Eifie Republic. And while it may be on our side of the neutral zone, it is almost certain that Umbre lies within Bra'Khis's sights."
"So, what is it you want us doing?" Louise asked. "I've dealt with Klingons before, they're not easy to take down. If only we had a Constitution Class..."
"As a matter of fact, Commander, we were just about to get into that," Rally assured her. "I'll let my Chief of Ops take it from here."
The assemblage clapped nervously as Rally stepped back and Kate proceeded to take the podium.
Kate nodded seriously and stepped up to the podium, mindful of the feedback. She quickly took in a breath and then launched into her report.
“On 15 September, Starfleet Command received intel from the Eifie Republic concerning a Klingon fleet massing near the Phantohk system. Initial reports did not specify the size or composition of this fleet. It did, however, report that the fleet was poised to invade the nearby Umbre system. At the Command level, this intel was categorized as rumors or speculation at best.
However, Starfleet Command was suitably concerned by the ramifications of a Klingon-led invasion in the sector and decided to dispatch a Dolphin-class covert probe to gather their own information. The probe was successfully launched and began returning data - which, initially, seemed to confirm that an invasion was in the works. The probe’s data, along with corroborating intel from covert operatives, placed Bra’Khis at the fleet’s head. However, the probe went silent around 9 October.”
Kate paused to consult the nearest chronometer before she continued.
“It is now 21 November - 39 days have passed and Starfleet Command has received nothing further from the probe. The Tigerfish’s primary objective will be the retrieval of the probe; if that is not achievable for any reason, you are to retrieve any intelligence data that the probe has gathered and eliminate any and all traces of the probe’s existence. The Tigerfish’s secondary objective is to ascertain if a Klingon fleet is mobilizing to invade the Umbre system. If this is confirmed, Starfleet Command authorizes the Tigerfish to render neutral any Klingon vessel operating in the Phantohk system with the intention to invade the Umbre system. Additionally: should the Tigerfish engage targets in the Phantohk system, Commander Vincent is to be immediately notified, so as to notify the appropriate diplomatic channels within the Federation.”
Kate paused to let that sink in; she’d never ordered anything like this before and she wanted to make sure that these folks, the ones at the spearhead, understood their orders well.
"Any questions or concerns regarding the nature of your assignment?" Rally called out, addressing the audience directly.
"Yeah, how exactly does Starfleet expect the Tiger fish to deal with a potential invasion fleet alone?" Louise asked. "That's an old Lancaster class ship out there! Sure, if I had a Constitution it might be able to handle it, but that old thing? It'd be a miracle if we even get her upto full operation!"
"Glad you asked, Commander," Rally smiled. "Because while it may not be the latest and greatest ship that our Fleet has to offer, it's still a force to be reckoned with, even to this day:"
The screen switched to an orthographic of the Lancaster-Class.
"Designed by the Shimada Dominquez Corporation in 2205, the Lancaster-Class of cruisers are built to last, placing a stronger emphasis on concepts of simplicity, adaptability, and durability," Rally went on to elaborate. "Given it was also designed in an era of unprecedented growth, Starfleet acknowledged the need for a Starship capable of protecting frontier outposts, and as such spared no expense when it came to the Lancasters' tactical capabilities; 8 Type V phaser turrets, 2 Type VIII laser canons, and 2 missile launchers boasting a compliment of 20 Trillobite missiles each give it some real teeth against the likes of some of it's Klingon contemporaries, such as the D-5 and even D-6. On top of all that, this particular example was refitted with a 300,000 Terajoule shielding system as late as 2245, which compliments an already reinforced space-frame; to put a long story short, it's got both the offensive and defensive capabilities to get itself out of a pinch."
"Against a D-5 or D-6," Daphne said skeptically. "But against a fleet of them?"
"Our hope is that you won't have to engage their fleet," Rally responded. "Your first and foremost priority is the safe recovery of that probe. Starfleet Command authorizes a level of force that you feel is necessary to complete your assignment, but if at any point you find the odds stacked against your favor, then you are to prioritize in ensuring that the probe and the data contained within do not fall into Klingon hands- And that may full well include destroying the probe, if worse comes to worse. Is that understood?"
"Yes, ma'am," Daphne answered.
Alice nodded along, taking in every word even if most of it would not apply to her in medical.
"Well, then," Rally stated. "If nobody here has any further objections, I'd like to consider this meeting formally adjourned. Best of luck to all of you on this assignment; you're going to need it."
The assembled crew began to leave as instructed, Alice falling in with the group and wondering if it was too early to get sickbay optimized for a possible fight.
Filing out with the others, Kas' fingers and antennae were twitching in anticipation. Clandestine mission into Klingon space? They'll need some fancy flying for sure.
Running a hand along the crest of his shaven scalp, the Andorian wondered if he'd have enough time to get to a simulator to work at the controls of a mocked-up Lancaster class.
Daphne glanced over to Kas and smiled slightly. It was a dangerous mission. She had no doubt. But she was confident they could pull it off. "This should be interesting," she said, trying to sound light.
Louise huffed as she shook her head and left the room, clearly she was not happy.
As the last of the Tigerfish's crew filed out of the room, Rally shook her head and sighed.
"Let's hope I'm making the right choice, May," she muttered, shooting her XO a worried look.
“Perhaps best to think of it more like the best of a group of bad choices, Commander,” Damien suggested.
"And that's what I'm worried about, Commander," Rally sighed. "That Captain has nine separate write-ups on her file, including two pertaining to physical assault. Physical assault! And somehow the idiots at Starfleet Command think she's the right Captain to be taking a Lancaster deep into Klingon territory? We'll be lucky if we get out of this without a major diplomatic incident!"
Damien shrugged. "Maybe that's what we need. Someone who, when faced with the Klingons, will punch first and talk second. It would not surprise me if they respect that sort of thing."
"One can only hope," Rally shook her head. "Because at this rate, that's likely how things are going to pan out..."
As the room started to empty, Kate could feel a palpable mix of apprehension and excitement stirring within her. The task they were given was far from easy - it was fraught with danger and uncertainty. It was a mission that could potentially alter the course of interstellar politics, a mission that required the utmost skill and precision.
But as she watched the crew file out, she felt an overwhelming confidence in their capabilities. Each person in that room was a highly trained member of Starfleet, each with their own unique skills and experiences that could make the difference in the field. She saw in them the dedication and commitment to the mission that was so characteristic of Starfleet officers, and it filled her with a sense of pride.
She had stepped down off the dais when the crew had been dismissed, wanting to make herself available if anyone should have questions. As she waited, she reviewed a briefing on her PADD, mentally preparing herself for the task ahead. She knew that the coming days would be challenging, but she also knew that they were ready.
For the first time in her Starfleet career, she was not just an observer but a leader, and she was determined to lead her team towards success. As the last crew member left the room, Kate took a deep breath, steadying herself for the mission ahead. The air of apprehension had also sparked a flame of excitement within her. She was, after all, stepping into the unknown, and there was a certain thrill in that. But more than anything, she was ready to face whatever came their way. Because she wasn't just leading a team, she was leading a crew of Starfleet's finest.
Posting By (In Order Of Appearance):
Commander Rally Vincent
Commanding Officer, Deep Space Station K-9
Lieutenant Commander May Hopkins
Executive Officer/Chief Engineer, Deep Space Station K-9
Lieutenant Commander Damien Maillet
Second Officer/Chief Communications Officer, Deep Space Station K-9
Lieutenant Kate Ross
Chief Operations Officer, Deep Space Station K-9
Commander Louise De La Valliere
Commanding Officer, USS Tigerfish (NCC-1509)
Lieutenant Alice Zuberg, MD
Chief Medical Officer, USS Tigerfish (NCC-1509)
Lieutenant Tsumugi Ismay
Executive Officer, USS Tigerfish (NCC-1509)
Lieutenant JG Daphne Crenshaw
Chief Security Officer, USS Tigerfish (NCC-1509)
Lieutenant JG Kas Th'shrytrir
Chief Helm officer, USS Tigerfish (NCC-1509)
Lieutenant Shiki Ichiose
Chief Science Officer, USS Tigerfish (NCC-1509)
Lieutenant Kris McEntyre
Intel Liaison/Chief Communications Officer, USS Tigerfish (NCC-1509)
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