The Fleet is Gathering - Part One

Posted on Sun Feb 23rd, 2020 @ 9:55pm by Fleet Captain Torilla Yamaguchi

Mission: Mission 5: Skyfall
Location: Various Locations - Starbase 400
Timeline: 1000Hrs - January 7th, 2389

Ships were quickly gathering at Starbase 400. Federation, Klingon, and Cardassian alike. It was the largest gathering of ships in one location since the Dominion War. Even the Borg invasion of 2381 didn’t see this many ships gathering in one location for one mission.

A few ships needed to be resupplied or quick emergency maintenance, so they docked within Starbase 400’s internal docking bay.

As the ships arrived, over seven hundred of them, the crews were granted shore leave for the remainder of the day. With so many Klingon and Cardassian personnel aboard the Station at once, Starbase 400’s Security and Marines were in full force making sure no fights or other mischief occurred.

For the Captains of the ships, there was one more important duty to be performed before they too could enjoy a brief rest, a meeting with Admiral Bremer and Admiral Sevlek to discuss the mission’s specifics.

There weren’t many places aboard Starbase 400 to serve as a meeting hall for over one thousand people at one time. The main briefing rooms and even Tactical Operations were out of the question. However there was one place that could hold everyone in one place at one time, the Lecture Hall.

The Lecture Hall had been little used aboard Starbase 400 in recent years, as other smaller briefing rooms, class rooms, and meeting areas had served better, but today it would be major asset.

First inside the Lecture Hall was Admiral Bremer. He’d briefed the Command Crew aboard the Pegasus and returned to the Station to look over final intel and prepare his overall mission outline. When Mike arrived in the Lecture Hall, he activated the two front display screens. On the right, he brought up a map of the Krazzle/ C’Hakilian warzone with the projected routes and assigned positions for the Fleet’s ships. On the left he brought up a similar map, but instead of displaying the blockade ships, it showed locations of the Krazzle and C’Hakilias fleets, patrols, and possible areas where Typhon Pact ships were sending aid to the Krazzle.

Mike set a PADD down on the podium, then walked to the food slot to order a drink. He didn’t want another raktijno, he’d had three already, so he ordered Japanese Green Tea instead. After receiving the drink and taking a sip, he put the glass on the podium as well.

Mike looked up to see several Federation, Klingon, and Cardassian Officers coming through the two doors at the rear of the Hall.

Andrew Clifford made a point of arriving early to briefings. It was in keeping with his security/tactical background and it allowed him time to assimilate the information on who was here and who wasn't etc.

“Please, take a seat. We’ll start once everyone has arrived.” Mike said. He noticed the Cardassians were choosing to sit together, where at the Klingons and Starfleet Officers were more integrated.

A few minutes later, Mike saw Captain K’Temoc come in with Captains Riker, LaForge, Ramon, and Commanders Data, Kim, and MacLeod. Mike walked down to meet them.

Andrew stayed in the background and just watched as the Admiral went forward to meet the new arrivals. Some very notable officers were present, this was going to be an important mission.

Mike shook hands with Riker, LaForge, Ramon, Data, and Kim. He and Harry has known each other from childhood, and Mike had met the others through the years.

“Glad you could join us.” Mike said with a smile.

“Nice of you to offer, I’m not sure about everyone else but we were getting tired of exploration.” Riker jokingly replied with a smirk.”

“Oh yeah, I think we all were just screaming for a little action.” Geordi replied with a smirk of his own.

Ramon smiled, “If you wanted to throw a party, you didn’t have to invite the Krazzle.”

“Well I wanted things to be exciting, it’s not everyday we have this big of a ‘get together’, least I could do was make sure no one was bored.” Mike replied, smiling.

Kim then changed the topic, “Sorry I couldn’t be at the funeral. My parents said they stopped by to see you.”

Mike nodded, “You don’t have to apologize Harry, its me that should apologize to you. I had no idea Westmoreland would take his revenge on my friends like he did.”

Deela entered into the Lecture Hall, one of the places that she hadn't gone into before. She looked around and was a bit overwhelmed by the amount of Klingons and Cardassians. She continued to look around. Finally, she could see some familiar faces talking to Mike, one of which she knew, Commander Data. She had conversed with him before and hoped that they would be able to have another interesting conversation. As she passed by Mike and the others, she acknowledged them.

As more and more Officers arrived, Mike took his leave and walked back to the front of the Hall while Riker, K’Temoc, LaForge, Ramon, Kim, Data, and MacLeod took their seats.

Deela stood for a moment while looking for a place to sit. Commander Data motioned to Deela for her to sit next to him, "Vice Admiral T'Lar, it is a pleasure to see you again." Deela smiled, "Thank you Commander, same here." She sat down.

In the middle of the people gathering, there was a quiet reunion of sorts happening as Captain Jake Yamaguchi regarded his wife with a measure of affection. "Torilla... and you thought you'd never get here"

Torilla smiled as she looked at her husband. "Yes... well the Admiral thought differently." she replied. "shall we go in."

"Yeah, lets not be late for this.."

Lee walked into the room for the mission briefing and nodded to a few high ranking officers that he knew. He spotted the Yamaguchis and went over to join them:"Captain, Commander"

Torilla found a space along the back wall of the hall as Jake settled in next to her, he wouldn't take a seat unless she could sit next to him, upon hearing Lee's voice, Torilla moved over so he could have space next to her. "Lee."
Jake greeted his wife's friend as Torilla smiled up at him since he was taller then she was.

Andy entered the room and sat at his designated area, he made a nod to Riker and the other and said "Admiral..."

Sevlek arrived, intentionally near the end of the assigned officers, with Zandusky and Andrenicus in tow. As they neared the Lecture Hall's stage all three men climbed the stairs with Zandusky and Andrenicus taking up positions at the back, until they were called upon.

Finally, with all the seats filled and some Officers standing along the side and back walls, Mike starting the briefing.

“Thank you all for coming. We’ll keep this briefing informal and as brief as possible. As you know, the Krazzle and C’Hakilians are at war, a war that has seen the Krazzle push into the heart of C’Hakilians space. The speed and ease of the Krazzle push has been extreme, and recently the C’Hakilians have uncovered proof that the Typhon Pact has been aiding the Krazzle.”

Mike activated both displays, “The C’Hakilians have been requesting Federation assistance, and while the Federation isn’t looking to start a new galactic war, it can’t sit idly by and watch the Typhon Pact take over a sovereign power and continue to expand. With the support of the Klingon and Cardassian governments, we have decided to even the playing field between the Krazzle and C’Hakilians. What we are going to do is blockade Krazzle and occupied C’Hakilian space.”