Part of USS Yamato: The Syndicate’s Gambit and Bravo Fleet: The Devil to Pay

New Orders

Main Bridge, U.S.S. Yamato
December, 2401
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In the intervening weeks since the Yamato had launched they had headed deeper into the Typhon Frontier. With no concrete mission as of yet, Solaris had decided to use the time wisely and put the ship through its paces. But even that could only last for so long, and now the ship traveled through interstellar space, awaiting its first proper mission. Solaris occupied the center chair like she did most days, watching the view screen as stars streaked by. Off to her side, a console chirped, she glanced over, eyeing the Operations station.

“Captain, priority message from Deep Space 17.” Soren said. Sol tilted her head to the side.

“I guess we’re about to get our orders… on screen.” she replied. Soren shook his head.

“The message is marked confidential.” he clarified. Sol frowned, standing.

“In my ready room then…” she said, shrugging. She crossed the bridge, and entered her ready room where her own personal terminal was already chirping at her. She circled the desk, and sat down, tapping in her access code. The message splash screen was soon replaced by a man in a Starfleet uniform.

“Captain McLaren, I’m Commander Thaddeus Kane, Starfleet Intelligence.” he said, not bothering to beat around the bush. Sol raised an eyebrow. A message from Starfleet Intelligence was not what she had been expecting.

“A pleasure, Commander. What can I do for you?” she asked. Being former intelligence herself, she could understand the desire for quick and concise communication. The man took just a brief moment to organize his thoughts before speaking.

“Intelligence has been monitoring the movements of the Orion Syndicate ever since Frontier Day.” he began. “Until now, things have been reasonably quiet. Now, however, the situation has taken a troubling turn.” he added.

“How so, Commander?” she asked.

“We’ve intercepted information that the Syndicate has acquired a prototype Starfleet weapon, and intend to auction it off sometime in the near future.” he clarified, reaching out of the frame to tap a few controls on his end of the call. His screen changed to show a picture of the weapon.

“What sort of weapon is this Commander?” Sol asked, eyes studying the picture.

“It’s a prototype anti-matter disruptor. Capable of defeating just about any form of shielding and rendering its target nothing more than dust.” Solaris’ eyes widened. What was Starfleet doing with that sort of weapon.

“Why do we have even one of those just sitting around?” she asked.

“It was an old project… started during the Dominion War. By the time they had a working prototype the war had ended, and it wasn’t needed. So it was sent to Daystrom Station to be stored… and until this year… no one had any reason to worry about its theft.” he stated. Sol sighed.

“Am I to assume that by bringing this to me, you’d like the Yamato to retrieve this weapon before someone we don’t quite like can buy it?” she asked.

“Yes… there are several groups out there who would kill, and I mean that literally, to have this sort of advantage.”

“I can imagine…” she said, “Where is this auction supposed to be happening?”

“An Orion station named ‘The Jade Exchange’… near the Badlands” he said, checking his notes.

“Tell me you’re kidding Commander… that’s at least a week away from our current position, even at our maximum warp speed.” she said, only slightly incredulous.

“Yes, Captain. We know… our information suggests that this auction wont be happening for atleast two weeks, which should give you plenty of time to get there.” Kane said. Sol sighed. So much for ‘exploring the unknown’. She nodded.

“Alright… and have you given thought to how exactly I’m going to hide a Sovereign-class starship in the Badlands from some of the most suspicious people in the galaxy?” she asked. She waited a moment, seeing if the Commander would reply before shaking her head. “We’ll be back as DS17 in a day… do you have any impounded vessels there?” she asked.

“I do not know, Captain.” the Commander replied. Sol rolled her eyes.

“Find out by the time the Yamato arrives, would you? Something that will fit in one of our shuttlebays please.” she ordered. Despite the Commander technically being above her, she got the feeling he was in over his head at the moment and her old training was taking over. She tapped out a list in a separate window on her terminal and sent it over to him.

“What this, Captain?” he asked.

“Other things that might come in useful… please have it ready as well.” she said. “Send me the information you have on this auction and the device. Everything, Commander… so I can brief my crew.” she added. The Commander nodded.

“Ill send everything we have.” he replied, reaching of screen again.

“Thank you.” Sol said, sighing. She really had been looking forward to exploring for once, instead of dealing with her old job. Not that she disliked intelligence work, but she did want to expand more.

“Sorry Captain, I know this wasn’t what you expected.” the Commander said. Sol shrugged.

“I go where I’m sent, like always.” she admitted. The comm channel closed, leaving Sol staring at her terminal for a moment. She sighed and then stood. She smoothed the hem of her skant, and headed back out onto the bridge.

“Helm, all stop.”

“Answering all stop, Captain.” the helm officer replied, slowing the ship to impulse before halting the ships forward motion completely.

“Lay in a reverse course, take us back to DS17. Warp seven.” she ordered. Amaya looked up from the center chair, where she had moved after Sol had left.

“Course laid in.” the helm officer stated, awaiting the command to actually engage the engines.

“Captain?” she asked, looking confused.

“New orders. We need to stop at DS17 pick up some supplies and then head for the badlands.” Sol explained.

“The badlands, Captain?” Soren asked from his position at the operations console. She nodded.

“Yes… I’ll explain more when I’ve had a chance to review all the information.” Solaris said. She looked to the helm officer.

“Engage.” she ordered then turned to Amaya.

“Commander, when we arrive at DS17, I’ve requested a bunch of supplies and a ship be ready for us. Please work with Mr. Soren and ensure that everything is accounted for.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“And assemble the senior staff in…” Sol paused, considering. “…three hours, in the observation lounge.” she finished, hoping that would be enough time to review the information that had been sent to them.

“Aye, Captain.” her XO replied.

“I’ll be in my ready room. You have the bridge, Commander” Solaris said

Comments

  • Briefing chapters can be tough - it's easy to make them all setup and exposition, leading into the good stuff before we get it. The details in this help set the scene on characters and tensions, though: Solaris's frustration at being pulled from an exploration mission, the mysteriousness of SF Intelligence. Kane's mixed information suggests Intel is frazzled, overworked, and that sending the Yamato isn't optimal - but it's what they've got. That puts the crew in an interesting place, needing to be imaginative at how they'll get into this auction in the first place. Hoping to see some ingenuity as this crew faces a challenge that seems different to what they're used to! Good start, looking forward to what comes next.

    November 2, 2024
  • Good old Starfleet Intelligence, sometimes they're right on the ball, and others they are constantly playing catch up. This seems like the later. Solaris is being asked to take her crew into dangerous territory, looking for a deadly weapon that would give anyone that possessed it a very strategic advantage. At least she had the sense to ask if there were any less conspicuous vessels available for the mission, a Sovereign-class does tend to stand out a little bit. I like how this one has started out, and will be interested to see what it leads to.

    November 2, 2024
  • Busting out the skant! I'd almost forgotten about those uniform variants, I love that! Looks like Solaris is more prepared than the intel officer, which is great. She seems rightfully miffed that she had left all the cloak and dagger style stuff behind her to turn a new page, but like a true professional it looks like she's settling back into the role like pulling an old dress out of the closet to find it still fits like a glove. Ready to throw down and get the task done! I'd rather got the impression that she is a lot more experienced at this than that Commander is, what with the way it seemed he hadn't even had a plan prepared for them about taking their operation off of the Yamato and it was the first thing she called out. Looking forward to seeing how that sort of dynamic might play out between her and him during any potential future communications as the mission progresses.

    November 2, 2024
  • Have you given any thought to how I’m going to hide a Sovereign? This is the dilemma of using Starfleet’s premier frontline fleet to hunt a bunch of baddies that specialize in not being found, and you’ve done an excellent job capturing that. So too with the general framing, the stakes, and the collision between the cloak-and-dagger stuff and what Starfleet typically faces. I look forward to seeing how you explore this theme as the crew of the freshly-launched Yamato undertake this complex, dangerous, and clearly under-thought out (by Starfleet Intelligence) mission they’ve been assigned!

    November 3, 2024
  • Waited a long time to see the USS Yamato launch.....I am not left disappointed!

    November 3, 2024
  • Just as Solaris was looking forward to exploring, the joys of Starfleet is that you can get pulled in a different direction at a moment's notice. I like how you have set things up with Starfleet Intelligence, contacting the Yamato with orders to head to the Badlands to stop the sale of a powerful weapon. I like how Solaris started barking (of sorts) orders about what she would need from the officer on the other end and how easily he agreed with her requests. I am curious how you hide a large ship such as a Sovereign. It's a great way to start things out, and I can't wait to see what happens next!

    November 3, 2024
  • Don't you just hate it when Starfleet Intelligence throws a dilemma your way but fails to give you a solution?! Go take your Sovvy to the badlands and hide it. Don't know how, that's up to you. Poor Solaris. Not her first rodeo, and not how she expected her first mission to go - but when is Starfleet ever about the expected things? I love that her exasperation comes across throughout and that the SFI operative knows they have done her dirty and apologises for once. I look forward to seeing how you hide the Yamato, and what you manage to procure from DS17. Also, nice callback to TNG with the skant. I like it!

    November 5, 2024
  • This is a great intro to the mission. Solaris comes over as very capable and I liked the way she read the conversation with Kane, despite his mysteriousness. It says a lot about her character in just that short exchange, that she turned it to her advantage to get what she needed to help with the upcoming mission. My favourite line is definitely the one about hiding a sovereign class! Looking forward to reading where this goes!

    November 5, 2024
  • Thanks for nothing, mysterious intel man! Guess Solaris is going to have to figure out how to sort through this mess that's been thrown into her lap. Also, why does Starfleet even develop such a weapon, we're the good guys! It comes across quite nicely, and Solaris manages to question things without being disrespectful. Such a great intro into the mission!

    November 6, 2024
  • I like that we're getting some classic exposition but quickly moving into the meat of the adventure, It's easy to get lost in the politeness of dialogue and you've managed to be succinct here, the dialogue is really well written. I also like that we're seeing another ghost of the Dominion War and I look forward to seeing how your crew deal with a skeleton Starfleet's been keeping in the proverbial closet. A nice start to Yamato's adventures, and just like Sol I'm intrigued as to how they'll be hiding themselves in the badlands. Looking forward to the next chapter!

    November 8, 2024
  • Wonderful way to setup the mission details, the Yamato is off to revert to DS17 and to Sol frustration not do some exploring. It was quite a good read and enjoyed the interactions as it also shows Sol experience and background but also personality in the overall career. I look forward to more, wonderful work!

    November 13, 2024