Part of USS Centaur: Episode Two Phase One: Greed and Desperation and Bravo Fleet: Phase 1: Omega

Chapter Three: A Rat is Watching…

Fero Psi Sector
2399
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[USS Centaur]
[Rubieta Star System]

After a lengthy search of the Gydis system, they couldn’t find any of the molecules there, but sensors were still going crazy about it in the sector, so they resumed their search by proceeding to the next closest star system, the Rubieta. Gydis only consisted of three planets, neither habitable and neither showing any signs of the molecules. Which to Carter, made sense. As far as he has read about them, the Omega Molecules can only be synthesized by a very rare and special ore, and any sort of natural Omega Molecules has not been heard of. But from the recent reports that Carter has been reading, of course reports that were only available to Captains and Flag Officers, there were Omega Molecules almost everywhere. The hell is going on? Now they were entering the Rubieta star system, a single planet and an asteroid belt, which the search is taking a little longer, as they’re scanning practically every asteroid in the belt for any traces of these molecules.

They were just about finished with the scan of the asteroid belt when one of the stations tasked to scanning each individual asteroid for those readings that Carter was only able to provide, began to emit an audible alert, indicating that it had found an asteroid with those readings. Carter wasn’t the only one who went to the station to inspect the sensor data from the scan, Vakai joined as well, both looking over the crewmate’s shoulder as they checked it out. Carter frowned before he reached over and tapped a few commands, commands that would send the sensor data straight to the tactical station, where Carter would walk to next, Vakai following.

“So we found our first…?” Vakai asked.

“Our first cluster.” Carter informed Vakai. “And we are going to destroy it, per orders of Starfleet.” He said as he stood there beside Gomo and went over the data again, only to sigh softly. “The cluster is small enough. Load up two of those special torpedoes, that should be more than enough to destroy the cluster.”

Gomo nodded his head. “Aye sir.”

Carter then stepped around the console and went back to standing in front of his chair. “Ryker, pull us away, bring us to maximum efficient range of our torpedoes. As soon as we fire them, I want us out of this system.” He needed to take every precaution, he did not want anything to go wrong.

Ryker, confused, nodded his head. “Yes, sir. Moving the ship into position and warp engines are on stand by.”

“Fire when ready, Gomo.” Carter ordered.

“Yes, sir. Ten seconds into firing position.” Said Gomo, “Five seconds.” The anticipation grew inside Carter, “Three…two…one…firing.”

“Engaging warp engines!” Ryker announced as he pressed the button and the ship jumped right into warp. “We are now at Warp Three.”

“In ten seconds, drop us out of warp.” Carter ordered, and those ten seconds went by slowly but once they did, the ship dropped right out of warp, just outside the system. “Status.” Carter asked when he turned to look at Gomo.

“Switching to a narrow band, focusing on the target.” Gomo paused as he was waiting for the sensor data to return, only then to look up and nod his head at Carter. “Target destroyed, sir. There appears to be no trace of this cluster.” Gomo then reset the sensors before squinting a little at the display. “But we are still getting those readings in this sector, and it doesn’t look like we put much of a dent in it.”

Carter frowned at that news before sighing. “All right. What is the next star system?”

Ryker turned in his seat, “That would be the Ioleuth System, sir.”

Carter nodded his head. “Good. Plot a course, maximum warp. I will be in my quarters for a brief. Vakai, you have the conn but contact me as soon as you discover another cluster. Clear?”

Vakai nodded his head. “Crystal, sir.”

Carter gave him a small smile before going straight to the turbolift and took it to his quarters, where he wasted no time getting there. He locked the door behind him and engaged the forcefield before going over to his desk. “Computer, begin encrypted log entry and have it sent directly to Task Group Commanding Officer, as well as forward it to the Task Force Executive and Commanding Officer.” The display showed an ‘acknowledge’ before saying ‘ready’.

“Captain John Carter of the USS Centaur. This is an encrypted log entry and my report on the current situation at hand. We located a small cluster of Omega Molecules and have destroyed them with two photon torpedoes with the payload per instructions. It was located on an asteroid in the second system in the sector that we are currently investigating, and there was no life signs, no signs of the molecules having been manufactured, at least not by the means that we know of. I feel this is worth reporting immediately. We are still detecting large traces of Omega Molecules in the sector, so we are still scouting the remaining systems for more. The Don S. Davis is on standby with a resonance chamber, as I feel we will be needing it. After this encrypted log is sent for your classified records, it will be deleted from the Centaur’s computer records. I don’t know what is going on, but I don’t like this. End of log.”

Carter watched as the computer finished the encryption and then sent it. Once done, Carter pressed a few commands and the log was completely erased from the computer core.

 

[IKS Shadriq]
[Deep Space]

 

Voq was reading over the recent transcripts, most making little sense during whatever crisis that is going on, when his intelligence officer barged right in. “You better have a good explanation, Lieutenant.”

The Intel Officer placed a large padd down, facing it to Voq and pointed at it. “Starfleet is after something, something very interesting. What’s more, there are two Starfleet vessels in the Fero Psi sector, which is not far from here, my lord. Our long range sensors just detected an explosion at this system,” He pointed at Rubieta. “The explosion consisted of a standard starfleet photon torpedo, but with a gravimetric charge. From what the sensors tells me, about eighty isotopes of it.”

Voq’s eyes went wide and grabbed the padd, looking it over. “Eighty isotopes for a gravimetric torpedo?” He muttered to himself as he continued reading.

“My lord, what ever it is that Starfleet is after, they apparently fear it.”

Voq narrowed his eyes, “Enough to destroy all traces of it.” He said softly.

“And what’s more, my lord. They are still in that sector, still searching. That can only mean one thing.”

Voq lowered the padd and looked at his officer. “Their sensors are detecting more of it.”

“Precisely! But we have yet to detect it ourselves, my lord. I recommend we go into this sector and watch the small ship, find out what they are up to, what they’re after.”

Voq grinned, “And how we can use it as a weapon.” He rose from his seat, quickly walked around his desk and let his heavy footsteps to his command chair gather his bridge crew’s attention. “My comrades. We now have a new mission falling upon us. A mission that could reward us a potentially powerful weapon. But first, we must acquire more information. Status on the cloak!” He barked.

“Cloaking generator is still engaged, my lord and continues to run at ninety-eight percent efficiency.”

Voq snorted, “Then we best be silent. Can not afford risks of this grand opportunity. Plot a course for the Fero Psi sector, and once we arrive, lay an intercept course on the small Starfleet vessel. Bah!”

It couldn’t be seen, but a Klingon Vorcha Attack Cruiser moved away from where it had been stationary, and then jumped into warp, en route to it’s next prey.