Operation: Veiled Fist - Part Four

Posted on Tue Mar 10th, 2020 @ 2:59am by Captain Kalandra "Kassie" Paris & Commodore Ashley Kuechler & Commodore Edward Antilles & Commodore Korelii MacRae & Fleet Captain William Paris

Mission: Mission 79: Sound Trumpets! Let Our bloody Colors Wave
Location: Deep Space - Various Locations
Timeline: 0930Hrs - April 14th, 2392

The battle group was split into several squadrons of a dozen ships apiece as Captain Ashley Kuechler who was the Commanding Officer of the USS Barnham well knew. She was leading several groups in efforts to deal with the Klingon forces that had yet to attack the Hesin system wehere this Federation fleet was assembling.

Kuechler watched as the nearby ships all began to slowly disperse so they could maneuver more effectively, she grinned as she watched the sensor display. "Hail the Gorn command ship.."

Lieutenant Tom Winters nodded. "Captain Trogg is standing by for you."

Ashley Kuechler repressed a chuckle as the Gorn Captain appeared on the screen. "Captain Trogg, My forces and I are here to assist you in dealing with these Klingon pests, don't fire on us..."

"Captain... I am surprised to see that the Federation seems to have grown something of a backbone. Did the Klingons piss you off?"

"Something like that.." Kuechler responded simply. "They attacked the two of us together so... It makes sense to me. that we fight together to liberate Gorn space from these fools..."

"Very well... My ships and troops will fight alongside yours, the Klingon forces attacked this system earlier today and took two planets but failed to take any of the others... Though we suspect that this was a feint to distract us from other mission objectives the Klingons had elsewhere."

Kuechler nodded her head, her thoughts turned to her old friend and a wargame that the two of them used to play when they were younger women at the Academy and their first few assignments. "Understood... We're on it. Out." and with that, the screen went black.

Williams regarded his skipper and commander of the fleet here. "Sir... orders?"

"Why would you take two planets and then not finish the job..?" she inquired of Williams who shrugged in response. "Makes no sense... It's stupid to waste men and material taking planets you don't intend to hold.."

Kuechler mulled it over as she narrowed her eyes. "Something Heather Yamaguchi once said to me... Never leave an enemy stronghold intact..' Kuechler then turned to her first officer. "Commander, haves groups three, five and seven attack the second planet... Everyone else come with us.."

Commander Derrick Williams blinked in a state of confusion. "Sir... Why send all of our heavier ships to the second target...?" the man responded, in a confused tone of voice.

Kuechler had always preferred a more democratic command style with less formality and more emphasis on working together to resolve issues and she permitted people to question her at any time providing they had the time and the cause to inquire as to why she was doing what she did. Now was one of those times. "It's a trap... We're going to hit the outer planet and the heavier ships will hit the inner planet, the Gorn will support us both and we do this at the same time... I expect to spring a trap somewhere along the line... If I were waiting for an enemy response and I had cloaked ships... I'd station them in a group between the two planets in question and hit whichever planet the enemy tried to liberate."

"Bold.." Williams responded. "But then so is your plan.." he paused as he went to implement her orders. "I'll take care of your orders sir. Groups Three, Five and seven for the second planet, along with the Gorn... We'll hit the first planet."

Kuechler smiled. "Thank you, Commander."

Meanwhile, on the USS Hermes, which was one of the new Champion class armored fleet carriers, her starfighters came out of their hangars bays like bees from a disturbed hive before they swarmed around their command ship to protect her. Hermes herself was not unarmed as she still was quite formidable as Captain Korelii McKnight sat back in her command chair, the chatter going on around her and the controlled chaos presently going on in her hangars presented no challenge to McKnight as she went about commanding her ship and getting her ready for battle.

McKnight turned her head. "Anything out there weaps?"

"Not a bloody peep out of the jerries sir." came the response from her Chief of Tactical, a Lt Commander named James De Poix.

"Well keep a sharp eye out... I suspect they won't be waiting for us.."

"Aye, skipper." as the British man with skin as black as coal checked over his panel as the call came in. "Incoming contacts. Make it six capital ships and two dozen escorts of various types. Klingons... incoming hot."

McKnight didn't hesitate. "All batteries, open fire!"

Outside, it was like the ship had suddenly exploded as dozens of smaller warheads were suddenly deployed in flight from the Hermes towards the large Klingon force nearby, the Klingons returned the weapons fire with their own as the Gryphons off of the Hermes began to engage and chase down the enemy starfighters and missiles that were incoming while the Devastators all began to add their own ordinance packages to the dance while the Intruders elected to hang onto theirs for a little longer as the individual squadrons moved into various positions then they began to 'shower' individual Klingon ships with their ordinance packages.

The end result was the Klingons trap being blunted as McKnight smiled, she quickly figured out why Captain Kuechler had sent her and this battle group of ships out here, it wasn't to take the planet as it was to take apart the Klingon assault force attacking them.

Meanwhile, with group two was the USS Ambassador and commanding her was Captain William Paris who was standing in front of the master system displays located at the back of his bridge. "Nice work Captain Kuechler, remind me to never piss her off," Paris said quietly.

Commander Iser Zh'rythess turned her head, as the Andorian zhen regarded her skipper, a soft and gentle smile on her lips. "Why is that skipper?"

"Because she is downright scary at times.." came the response as there were a few snickers heard about the bridge as people tried and failed to repress their amusement to various levels.

Lt Commander Vozaa Sh'zhaval raised her head from her console. "Sir. I'm reading two dozen Klingon ships coming our way... they will be heading to meet group three.." as Paris turned to look at the tactical map before him, group three was out in front of the main group heading to the second planet, it was a dozen ships all told.

"I'm almost disappointed," Paris said in a dry tone.

Leading group three was Captain Edward Antilles who was commanding officer of the USS Exeter, he almost smiled. "Arm all weapons. If they wish to die... we shall oblige them..."

Commander Kailra Sara raised an eyebrow as she went to carry out her orders. "Arm all weapons... and fire when ready... missiles only.. save the close in weapons for when we get closer."

"Aye sir." responded Lieutenant Kerjanok, a male Benzite who worked his panel, from outside it looked like the Exeter became suddenly engulfed in fire as her warheads left their silos all at once.

Captain Kalandra Paris who was better known as 'Kassie' noticed as she ships around her own began shooting so she ordered her own weapons officer to do likewise, moments later the USS Tribal added her own ordinance to the mix, as Klingon ships were suddenly violated due to incoming weapons fire and the twenty or so all died within minutes as the Federation force steamed on towards their various objectives.