Next Stage

Posted on 09 May 2019 @ 8:04pm by Lieutenant Colonel Anton Markov & Lieutenant Commander T'urok Son of House Mok'Tor & Major Alexandria Somers & Ensign Temperance Zachary

Mission: From the Darkness
Location: Various
Timeline: 45 Minutes until RV

After the meeting broke up and all left for their tasks, Alex went to her office which was part of her quarters and contacted her father on a secure channel. It was early morning on earth, as was evident by her father's ruffled hair and visage.

"Hi Papa, oh sorry I forgot the time difference, I have been asked to get with you and find out what is the latest from the rumblings in the Empire, it has something to do with our mission," she said.

Sam Somers looked through bleary eyes "Alex what the hell..." He paused as he replayed her reason for contacting him and seemed to instantly wake up, Alex knew it was no doubt from all those years from serving as a marine officer himself. "Um... The Klingon's, right! Well, the latest is that the Klingon's have fractured into two entities, the one that wants to remain with the Alliance to the Federation and the other who's stance has returned back to warfare orientated. The Klingon's are calling these Rebels and they have been open with us on events, right up until the Rebel faction was evicted from the High Council. what is currently known is that half the High Council went with the Rebels, so if the rebels decide to attack, the Empire is in no fit state to come to our aid, ironically the Empire has gone quiet of late so there are some people who are uneasy, not even I can get hold of my contacts on Kronos, I fear the situation is worse than we were lead to understand" he finished then looked at her.

"If your mission involves Klingon's be extremely careful little one for I fear that the Empire may not be friendly when they return from their self imposed exile, is there anything else?" he asked.

She gave him a wan smile "no thanks Papa, thanks for the info and my love to you and mom" Alex answered and her father gave her a final smile and signed off after that she stood up and straightened out her tunic and headed to the bridge. She walked out of her quarters and to the nearest turbo lift.

[Bridge] - [15 Minutes from RV]

She stepped out of the turbo lift and onto the bridge, she saw Markov sitting in the Captain's seat so she sat to his right and looking forward "I just got some potentially distressing news from my father Colonel" Somers said to Markov.

Anton looked up at T'urok and his XO as she sat down. "Well, I guess it was too much to hope for that he would tell us it was all rainbows and unicorns. What did you find out?"

Alex looked over at him "it is not good, not good at all Sir, my dad said that half of the Klingon High Council has gone rogue and is causing some unrest on Qo'noS, and of late things have gone quiet in the Empire, from what my father said not even his back door contacts are available, something is definitely going on in the Empire, his final warning to me was to be extremely careful, I have never had cause to doubt his advice or counsel" Somers said.

She looked up as the CEO entered the bridge and going by his bearing it was not good news.

T'urok stepped from the lift as the XO spoke to the Captain. "Well sirs the news from my grandfather is not good either", he said walking towards both the XO and Captain.

Anton frowned. "Take a seat," he said offering up the spare command seat. "How bad does he say it is?"

"I hope you have more information than I could get Commander, my father is or supposed to be close to the Klingon's but he and other Federation ambassadors have been cut out of talks, please say you have some decent news!?" Somers added to the Captain's query.

"As you have gathered, my grandfather thankfully has told me that the High Council is split in two. Those that are loyal to the chancellor are coming under attack from those opposing sides. Several of the well-known Houses are fighting over who will serve the Empire and those who won't. But....what is not known is this.....through efforts by aligned Houses loyal to the High Council and to keep the alliance with the Federation are beginning to locate some of the dissidents. It is a slow process and hopefully, all of this unrest might lead to another lasting peace. But only if they can quickly find all of those promoting unrest. The Houses that are loyal to mine are all with the Chancellor so this is probably why I have slightly better news", T'urok said.

"So it matches with my news, this does not look good, not good at all, so many years of peace with the Empire and we might end up in conflict with them again," Somers said in resignation.

Temperance had been on the bridge for a few moments, arriving shortly after the CEO. Instead of making her presence known, she had opted to remain silent, just observing and listening. "The situation is far from ideal," was all she finally offered in her usual quiet tone.

Looking at the person who spoke, "ah doctor, please elaborate?" Somers asked the doctor.

Slightly surprised by the fact that she had been directly addressed, Temperance looked around quickly. "There isn't much to elaborate on," she said quietly. "Any situation that brings unrest inevitably brings death and destruction, usually even more so when Klingon's are involved.

"So then. It appears as if we have lots of information, which both in part agrees with the assessment of the other. And disagrees with another aspect. Resulting in what I would say could be summed up as 'Something bad is happening in Klingon Space.'" Anton looked around his officers for a moment before shrugging. "Time to get this information first hand then. Conn broadcast a message to the system reading. =/\= Nest in position. Clear to Roost. =/\=." He stood up and looking to his XO and Engineer. "A small ship will dock with us shortly. On board is a contact who the Doctor is going to work with. Once the ship departs with them set a course to these coordinates," he instructed handing over a padd. Motioning to the Doctor to follow he left his Xo and Chief Engineer to man the bridge.

With a slight nod, Temperance offered a quick smile to Somers before she fell into step behind the Captain, leaving the bridge.

Somers watched them least "yes Sir," Alex said.

"Understood sir", Mok'Tor said.

As the bridge crew finished their preparations to go to warp and began the short wait they were interrupted by the Comms Officer. "Ma'am. The Smuggler's vessel has left the ship. I've already lost the signal. I'm also picking up something strange on short-range sensors near the corona of the star." They tapped their console briefly. "Can't make out whether its a ship or an asteroid but the object has rounded the sun and seems to be on a decaying orbit."

"Enhancing the scanners by applying focusing algorithms Comm", Mok'Tor said as he applied them quickly, "Now try again Comm. Turning to the XO, "Sir, this might be a good time for security to stand ready and the fighters on standby status. I have a gut feeling the Klingons are gonna be hanging around cloaked", he added.

*she nodded and pressed the communications* =/\= Bridge to fighter bay all fighters to readiness posture, be prepared for quick launch upon the Captain's command, bridge out =/\= she signed off then looked at the CEO "make sure we have spare power for Shields and SIF and ready repair teams to be assigned to an area at a moments notice" Somers said.

"Understood"", T'urok stated as his hands worked quickly over his console securing the extea power needed for shields, SIF and IDF fields, and bringing online all auxiliart fusion reactors from cold to hot standby. "Engineering, all damage control teams on standby to be deployed to all areas. All department specialists stations to be manned now. Report all situations directly to me, T'urok out", he said closingvthe com link. *turning to look at the XO* "Engineering is ready"

Then after nodding at the CEO's response, she contacted Security =/\= Major Somers to security, assemble RRT units and post two heavily armed officers at every sensitive area on this ship, if we get boarded I want it made extremely difficult for the attackers =/\= Somers instructed.

=/\= Affirmative Major assembling and assigning as we speak, security out =/\= came the no-nonsense reply.

"Helm set course and be ready for anything" Somers announced.

T'Lar said, "Understood, helm ready".

"Engage" Somers said and watched the stars become starlines.