Missing in Action*Starfleet HQ*

Everything was running smoothly in the Command center for Starfleet. A steady hum one could say was the norm for this day as officers spoke with each other; some were chatting it up near one of the three replicators, while others relayed information about the current whereabouts and on-goings of every fleet in the Federation.

The current buzz was the event surrounding the Paulson Nebula and how it produced a millennia storm. At the same time, the top brass and the head of the sciences were in heated and deep debates as to what had caused this. A console solely dedicated to a single fleet suddenly went red, and a piercing alarm went off as a young man stood up, wearing a solid gray uniform of a Starfleet Cadet, and the four pips on his collar of a Senior.

"Lieutenant Park's," he snapped as Tommy stood up and looked for his sister.

Taylor turned for her commanding officer and looked at her brother. Then, she and her commanding officer noticed the sudden silence and the flashing red around Taylor's console. She was in charge of the monitoring of the Fourth Fleet, and this had never happened before, ever.

Within seconds both Taylor and her CO were at the station.

"Tommy, what is going on?" she asked her brother as she took his seat.

As she slid the eye-piece over her left eye, she could see that two ships had vanished from the Fourth fleet, and there were no indications of a battle. She turned her head to look at her brother.

Tommy shook his head, "I have no idea," he stated calmly, "One second I was checking on StarBase Bravo, as you requested, and then the next the console went red, and the alarm began," he continued in the same calm tone. "The monitor then immediately shifted to the main overview, and those two red federation icons appeared," he finished as he pointed at the two missing Fourth Fleet icons that were now colored in red.

*meanwhile*

Admiral Derki Korlin stood on a very well-groomed fairway of one of the few physical golf courses that remained in San Francisco. His head was down as he was lining up his next shot. Golf was a pastime that he enjoyed doing, even in a holo-suite, but he preferred to feel the breeze washing over his long salt and pepper hair and being able to take in the natural smells from the course.

He was the only person on this part of the course and knew that he didn't have to rush his shots. A soft hum behind him, coming from his floating golf cadey, was the only sound; outside from the few birds and squirrels that were in the nearby trees. As he looked up from the swing and a resonating sound of his 5 iron connecting with the urethane ball he watched as the small wall ball nearly disappeared from view. Lucky from him he had chosen to bring his eye-piece to keep track of where the ball went.

Just as the ball bounced onto the green, the view in the eye-piece changed to display a man.

"Admiral, pardon the intrusion on your day off, but we have a situation back at Headquarters that requires your immediate review," the man stated as he waited for Derki to reply.

A soft sigh slipped from his lips as the iron he was holding slid down and the head was in his grasp. "Acknowledge, Captain," he said as he turned and headed for the cadey. "I will be in in about four minutes. Make sure that all relevant data and personnel are in the briefing room. Karlin out." With that he tapped the side of the eye-piece and the view returned to the course.

With a tap of his finger on a button on the cadey the white ball that sat in a field of bright green grass suddenly leapt into the air and soared back towards Derki. It landed on the ground a few feet in front of him and came to a stop after a couple of bounces. Reaching down Derki retrieved the ball and placed it in a pouch on the front of the cadey.

Derki watched as the cadey took to the air and soared back to the clubhouse, he then turned and headed for his personal shuttle that was hovering overhead and beamed aboard.

*back at Starfleet Command*

Taylor, Tommy, and their commanding officer sat in the briefing room with other officers; most of the other officers wore more pips than Taylor and her CO. This made Taylor a little bit nervous being surrounded by this much of the top brass and it showed in her face. Tommy on the other hand was his usual calm self. It was as if this was a normal event for him.

The atmosphere in the briefing room was heavy and thick. As if something of this nature was not heard of.

Suddenly the wide double doors that sectioned off the briefing room from the rest of Starfleet Command hissed open and a man dressed in solid red dress uniform walked in. The four gold pips of an Admiral shined as he took his seat at the head of the table.

As the Admiral took his seat, all of the conversations that had been taking place suddenly stopped and everyone's attention was focused on him.

Derki looked at everyone and nodded, "Bring me up to speed," he stated as he looked at Taylor and Tommy's commanding officer. Taylor stood up after her commanding officer looked back at her for a moment and she moved from her seat behind her CO to the monitor and tapped on a PADD that she had in her hand.

"Admiral, at 1100 time, two of the Fourth fleet's ships disappeared from our view," Taylor stated as she brought up the data on the main monitor. She then continued, "Not cloaked, and as far as we can tell not destroyed either," she informed Derki as she brought up the Heracles and the sector that the ship was in. "

Derki folded his hands in front of his face as he listened and looked at what Taylor had for him.

"We do not at this time have any data as to what happened, but some of us have noticed that both ships were engaged in the Fourth fleet's 'Stormbreaker' operation near the Paulson Nebula where a storm of millennia had been announced," Taylor brought up the nebula in question. She then tapped a live-feed of the sector and the storm that was in question. It showed the projected path of the storm and the efforts from the Fourth fleet. "As to exactly what both ships were up to we are not sure, at this time," she finished as she lowered the PADD down and waited for the reply from the Admiral.

Derki looked over at Tommy, "Do you have anything to add to this Cadet Parks?"

Tommy shook his head and in his calm tones replied, "Negative, Admiral Korlin," he said as he looked over at his sister, "What my sister has presented is what both her and I have gone over since the situation arised."

Derki looked at Taylor and nodded. He watched as she retook her seat next to her brother. After a few moments of silence he stood up.

"I will need a few minutes to make a decision on what our next course of action is. Until then everyone but Cadet Parks and Lieutenant Parks are dismissed."

Once the room was cleared he looked at them. "Lieutenant Parks, were you at your station when this event took place?"

Taylor shook her head. "No Admiral. I was in discussion with my CO at the time."

Derki shook his head, "Cadet, are you certified to operate the monitoring station that Lieutenant Parks is in charge of?"

Tommy nodded his head. "Yes, Admiral."

This acknowledgement threw off Derki as he looked at Tommy. He turned his attention to the monitor in front of him and after a quick look over Tommy's cadet profile and saw that the cadet was indeed certified to handle the station. He returned his attention to them. "I see." Is all that he said as he looked between the two of them. "Then if you two would not mind doing me a favor and locating a Captain Reynald Edwards for me I would be most appreciative of this," he said as he ordered them to keep it quiet for the time being.

Both Taylor and Tommy looked at each other for a moment and nodded their heads. Then then left the briefing room and headed for the exit that led out of the command building.

*outside of the 602*

Taylor and Tommy looked at the famous bar, from across the street,  that many Starfleet pilots and officers alike attended when they were stationed on Earth or in the SOL sector. Walking across the street, Tommy opened the bar door for his sister as they entered the establishment. The two of them looked around the bar looking for a familiar face when suddenly a deep voice was heard as a man stood up and looked at the two.

"What does the dear Admiral want now, lackeys?" a man said as he stood up from a table near the rear of the bar.

Taylor goes to speak when a hand touches her shoulder she looks back to see a man dressed in the red uniform of a bridge officer. His dark green eyes lock on hers for a moment before he looks back to the man that had rudely addressed her and her brother.

"It doesn't matter what Admiral Korlin wants," he stated in a tone that immediately demanded respect. "It's the fact that the request came from a superior."

"Captain Edwards?" Taylor asked as the hand that was on her shoulder slipped away.

Reynald looked back at Taylor with just his eyes for a moment before nodding. His body stood firm as he silently challenged the man that had spoken before. As soon as the man sat back down, he turned and looked at both Taylor and Tommy. He stood a good foot and a half over the two of them as he looked at them.

"What can I do for the Admiral?" He asked them.

Tommy spoke up as Taylor was fixated on the Captain's near-flawless features.

"Admiral Korlin, requested that we come and get you. No questions asked at this time, Captain," Tommy stated as he looked at Reynald.

Reynald continued to look at them and cocked his head to the side for a moment before centering it again. "I have a feeling that this is very serious and that there is more to this request. Especially if he has sent the two of you. One from Starfleet Command HQ, who has a very promising career in Starfleet intelligence, and a second who happens to be a cadet from our very own Starfleet Academy," he stated as he stood there looking between them.This information started Taylor as she had only dreamed of being in the Intelligence part of the fleet.

"I guess we should get going," Reynald stated as he followed them outside of the bar and to an awaiting shuttle.

*Starfleet Conference Room*

Reynald sat back in the soft leather of the chair that he was sitting in and listened to what Taylor had to say. After she had finished he looked at Derki.

"So I guess I am to take USS TalonClaw to the last location of one of those two ships and find out what has happened," he stated as he looked at the Admiral.

Derki sat there in silence, knowing all too well that his former XO was correct. This silence said volumes to Reynald who was nodding.

"I will gather my crew and depart immediately," Reynald stated as he stood up.

"One more thing, Captain," Derki said as he watched Reynald stand up, "You will be taking these two with you." He pointed at Taylor and Tommy.

Reynald looked at the two of them for a moment. "Well you heard the Admiral get your kits and gear together and report to the USS TalonClaw, on the double."

Taylor and Tommy nodded and left the room. Reynald looked at Derki for a moment. "Two rookies on my ship had better not cause me any issues Derki," he stated as he turned to leave himself.

"I know you will look after my niece and nephew, Captain."

Reynald turned his head and looked at Derki for a moment as the door to the conference room closed.