Moving to Intercept (Part 1 of 2)

Posted on 18 Nov 2015 @ 3:53am by Queen Regent Lirha Saalm & Commander (La) Flektor Stace & Lieutenant Commander (La'Hom) Gerrin illm Warraquim & Lieutenant (Sogh) Andreus Romar & Lieutenant JG (SoghHom) Jynn & Warrant Officer ('etlh Suvwl') Keval Grayson
Edited on on 18 Nov 2015 @ 3:56am

1,784 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Episode 09 - Empires
Location: IKS Saalm - Deck 1, Bridge
Timeline: MD 07 - 2045 hrs

[ON]

"Stace to the Queen Regent." The interruption was short and clear, with pregnant with an anticipation that delighted the Trill.

The annoying chirp of the Saalm's internal communication system blared across the queen regents quarters just as she was finishing the last bite of her leftover tribble steak. Even two days old after being stored in the cry-fridge, the meat was still flavorful and succulent after a quick reheating, and she sighed contently while the chewy protein worked its way around the inside of her mouth with each bite. "Yes?" she answered in a muffled voice after slapping the comm console at the edge of her decorated dinner table.

"You might want to come to the bridge," he then snarled, crossing his legs beneath him as he righted himself on the command chair he was sat on. "Long-range sensors have picked up something interesting. A starship energy signature that we don't recognise..." He allowed the tantilising statement to hang in the air as the corners of his mouth turned upwards into a grin. "I've kept your chair warm for you."

Gerrin was now back on the ship with none being the wiser. The Fold Ship having vanished away like a ghost in the night. There had been news beyound just giving his report to the Guild Mother. As he stood on the bridge watching he heard the call to the Queen. It had taken the KCA twice as long as the Fold Ship to detect the activity and now react to the new odd signature. There technology was not improving. He kept his silence waiting for the Queen to make an appearance.

"A ship?" From one of the aft stations Tyrion stared at the main screen, his eyes sparkling with curiosity. He was still getting used to his status as a free man, after Grayson's unfortunate death at the hands of his prior master Hirad. But he was adjusting quickly, because he had no choice. He turned back to his controls, working his way with the ship's sensors. "We need to get closer for better readings," he suggested.

Hunched over the hooded targeting display at the tactical station, Andreus Romar took his own look at the sensor readings. His tapered fingers flicked across the controls on his station to toggle between analysis results from the ship's computer. When he first straightened up in his chair, Andreus narrowed his sapphire eyes on Tyrion with some uncertainty, as he silently questioned when the released-slave had been assigned to bridge duty. His gaze didn't remain with Tyrion long. Andreus turned his chair to face the command throne. "I don't know what it's using for propulsion," Andreus reported, "but the radiation leakage from that ship's impulse reactor doesn't quite match Terran technology."

The massive reinforced double-doors to the main bridge parted with a mechanical grown, and in walked Lirha with all her disgruntled elegance. Her eyes narrowed amid the subdued lighting while she glanced around the command center at the different crew members. "Why have I been summoned?" she asked with an edge of anger in her voice. It was supposed to be her dinner and self-gratification time, and for her to be interrupted on such an occasion meant the only excuse was something involving the destruction of the Terran Empire.

Gerrin turned and made a formal bow. "Your majesty. I am guessing that your crew finally picked up Terran Empire ships. We have noticed that a day ago, also there is a reading of another ship which does not match exactly either the Alliance nor that of Terran Empire signature. While our Fold Ships are good, we will not take the chance of folding into the midst of a hostile group."

"Your grace," Tyrion spoke up as he turned, though bowed his head in an attempt to be humble. It wasn't too difficult since he was used to being humble in the presence of superiors. "Perhaps we should send a few spy ships ahead to take better readings?" His eyes settled on Gerrin, his mouth turning into a sneer. "And you couldn't have informed us a day ago, so we could get a head start and deliver more information to her majesty by this time?"

"I am but an observer sir. My government has not fully committed this faction. Thus it is a test of your capabilities." Gerrin replied with a coolness and aloofness that he felt above these other beings.

"Terran vessels? Where?!" Lirha demanded. She was just finding out about this information and it somehow seemed a bit delayed, according to the bickering that was going on in the bridge. "Why was I not informed sooner?"

"Because he didn't tell us your grace," Tyrion countered, cringing unconsciously at her pending anger. He didn't want to be the subject of it as he'd seen her act priorly in a briefing, and he really didn't want to meet the same fate of the poor man.

"One of our Fold Ships detected TE signature in the Nimbus system and something that is close but is somewhat different. The ship folded into the system briefly to get a reading and it appears to be a base set up within the now asteroid field. Obviously with that much presenece there your Highness," Gerrin noted the former slave had used Grace which was the wrong title for royalty. "We did not linger. The use of the biploron weapon would have been effective but would have revealed our presence as well. If you wish we can supply co-ordinates of base."

So...there was an outpost nearby, as her intelligence teams had predicted. And now, it was apparently within striking range and much closer to the Klingon homeworld than Lirha had originally anticipated. The armored boots on her feet tapped heavily against the metallic deck plating as she walked back towards her command chair and took a seat. "Send all of the data to my display," she answered, then let out a sigh of content.

"It appears the opportunity is at hand to crush the Terrans. No doubt General Holliday will be at this base -- if it indeed exists." Her skepticism was still apparent especially after previous failed attempts to locate the Terran assault force, but she was feeling a but more optimistic today.

"Ready our forces and have them assume formation. We will depart in one hour for the Nimbus system, and hopefully put an end to this...charade." She leaned back in her chair and tented her fingers, her eyes narrowing on the large viewscreen in front of her while she stared into the deep blackness of open space.

Huddled at the conn was the ship's flighty young Deltan. He had begun tapping away excitedly at his console, checking for proper calibrations and making sure that everything was in running order. His mind was certainly working in overdrive as well, running through the Saalm-type maneuvers he had memorized during his service. Saalm wa' vagh was his favorite and it took restraint for him to not 'test' the maneuver right at the moment at hand, but instead he continued to tap away, with only perhaps a jolt or two as he tested the impulse drive and RCS thrusters for proper communication.

Gerrin turned and went to the Deltan. There was that sweet delicious smell as he got close enough. He could not help but wonder if he tasted as good as he smelled. "Here is location we determined."

The location was punched in by the excited pilot almost immediately. He had more important things to focus on that numbers and decimals. He wasn't sure which he should focus on more: serving the ship and making sure it was ready to rumble or feeling the gradually building emotions of everyone on the bridge, most notably the strange and unique creature that had moved close to him. A shiver ran down his spine, unsure what exactly the man was thinking but nonetheless excited by the sudden feeling of desire, whatever it was for, behind the thoughts. He couldn't help but smirk a bit as he continued to work.

He turned again to the Queen. "I shall request that our Fold Ship fold into close enough into the area to get an idea of the forces arrayed there. We maybe able to phase into one of the nearby asteroids for closer detail if you desire your Highness." That was one more bit of marvel that the Fold Ship could do. The mechanism that allowed it to merge briefly two spots of time and space could also allow it to occupy the same space but in a slightly different time stream. The gist was that it seemingly gave the ability for what appeared to allow a solid object to pass through another or sit within it. This whole exercise was as much a part of showing what they could do as much as seeing which side was the strongest and best to put an end to constant bickering and fighting.

Tyrion scoffed under his breath, ignoring the nimble Deltan. He found the man odd, and the jumble of emotions coming from him was giving the Betazoid a headache. Keeping his eyes on his controls, he did listen in on every conversation around him, as no doubt he was expected to do. He was, after all, a spy.

Gerrin touched a spot on his belt and seemingly vanished. A few moments later he suddenly reappeared in exactly the same spot. "The ship is in place you Majesty."

"No, keep your alien ship in place!" commanded Lirha towards the Akkadian. The planning and execution of the ambush would be hers and only hers. No one or no other strange alien species and technology would take away the greatest achievement in her life when she brought down the Terran Empire.

The queen regent looked down at her tactical display and watched as the small armada began to assume formation and prepare for warp. The journey itself would not be too long, and glory awaited them within 24 hours.

Gerrin just made a bow as though to comply. What the ship would do he would not say, for he was not its commander.

To Be Continued...

[OFF]

--

QRGT Lirha Saalm
Commanding Officer
IKS Saalm
[PNPC Saalm]

Tyrion
Freed Slave/intelligence
IKS Saalm
[PNPC Tyrion]

Rheneas
Queen's personal slave
IKS Saalm
[PNPC Tyrion]

Keval
PNPC Jared
IKSSaalm

SoghHom Jynn
Chief of Flight
IKS Saalm
[PNPC played by Jynn]

La'Hom Gerrin illm Warraquim
Akkadian Military Observer
IKS Saalm
[PNPC Allyndra]

Commander Flektor Stace
First Officer
IKS Saalm
[PNPC Stace]

RSS Feed