7 Aug 2400

USS Osiris – Bridge

“Sir, we are coming up on our destination.”

Kr’Antren leaned forward in his chair. “ Very well. Let’s see what is out there.” As the viewscreen flashes as the Osiris exited warp and the raging brownish orange edge wall of the badlands is in front of them. “ Helm keep us 100km from the edge,” Lt. Darame Nodded from his console.

“Number one, thoughts?”

“Sir, message from the USS Edinburgh they are asking for our present location so we can rendezvous, they were on their way to DS47 but will turn around and make their way back.” Chief Kaha turned from her console and faced the command chairs.

Kr’Antren nodded “Send our location and confirm receipt of their message.”

“Helm, let’s keep this distance but in case anyone is watching, let’s work a race track pattern along the edge, make it seem like we are conducting routine patrol and scanning. Take us as close as safely possible on the return leg.”

“Tazzeth I want continuous scans short and long going at all times. Kaha, the Same goes with comms. Let’s have our ears open to everything possible.”

“Back to you number one.”

“Well captain, maybe we can do some research that may help us.” 

“What are you thinking, number one?”

“Computer, list all known or suspected member corporations of the syndicate.”

One name appeared on the main view screen highlighted in green, another group appeared under this highlighted in a yellowish gold of roughly another 15 to 20 names, though most of these were ship names.

“Hmmmm, less than I hoped for, captain. Though those other names listed are interesting as they look as if they are either ships or individual names. Which could be a place to start investigating.”

Kr’Antren stood from his chair and walked forward to stand between the helm and operations console. “Computer, split the main view screen. Show us an overhead map of the Badlands.” The main view screen splits in half top and bottom “Mark all planets, moons and and known phenomena within the Badlands.” spots of colour represented 17 planets, 43 moons and a rough looking blob marked a known asteroid field in the Badlands.“mark known M class planets or moons and any asteroids big enough to house a habitable base.” The colored spots that represent these start to pulse, ten small spots in the asteroid field also begin to pulse.

Tazzeth looked up from the science console. “Captain, we are not getting much on the scans. The short range scans seem to be ok, however the storms and everything else that make up the badlands are greatly reducing the long range scans. We can see a few kilometres in but not much farther. I’m going to allocate more power into the long range sensor arrays to see if that helps any.”

“Noted,Tazzeth. Thank you for the update.”

“Number one, take this” he points at the map that they were working with “into the briefing room. Let’s see what we can come up with before the USS Edinburgh arrives.”

Talibah stood from her seat and walked towards the briefing room. “Skagath and Shrybaas your with me.” Both officers stood and followed the Lieutenant, as Chief Kaha got up and took over the operations console. The main view screen returned to its normal view a few moments later.

Bridge Briefing Room

The three of them took a seat around the briefing room table and looked at the map.

“So what are we doing with this? “ Skagath asked as he nodded towards the viewscreen.

Lt. Talibah looked at the map then at her PADD. “Hmmm, reading through the report from Commander Harris, particularly the conversation he had with Gul Hasara. The only thing we know for sure is that there are at least two outside powers within the Badlands: this syndicate and another known as the Union. The only other thing we got out of it is that he all but confirmed that the Palasa Transport Group is a part of this syndicate.”

“Well that would be why they are the only ones in green then.” Lt Shrybaass stated as he looked at the information being displayed. “ Computer, remove any ships or personnel that are members of the Palasa Transport Group or are known associates of that group. I assume it would be safe to say that if they are part of that transport group then they are members of the syndicate.” Five of the ships and two individuals moved from the Golden yellow list to now being listed under the Palasa Transport Group in green.

“Good point lieutenant. Computer start a new list, separating those that identified themselves as part of the syndicate under duress. Folks do this all the time on earth so why not out here.” Seven more names moved from the golden yellow list to a third list in blue. “Well if this was a case in my precinct on earth those seven would get some extra scrutiny.”

Skagath stood from his seat and walked forward towards the view screen. “ Computer show all known locations of pirated ships within the badlands and surrounding areas. Over the past two years,roughly 250 spots appear randomly, Talebah and Skagath both let out a whistle. “Somebody has been busy.” Skagath ran a hand through his beard and then snapped his fingers. “Computer remove all locations that do not match the weapon signature noted by the USS Edinburgh from their encounter with the SS Heru.”  150 of the spots fade out. Shrybaas ran a hand over his scalp. “Interesting, no discernable patterns to the locations” He looked at his PADD “and from what I can find on here no discernable reason why those particular ships were picked. I don’t see anything that particularly stands out on their manifests and it looks like everything was taken and all crew on board were found dead.

-^- YELLOW ALERT YELLOW ALERT -^-  all of the lights go to a yellowish tone 

“Crap, this can’t be good. Let’s go, gentlemen.”

As the three of them made their way back to the bridge.

BRIDGE

“ We have a Cardassian Keldon class that just dropped out of warp 1000 kilometres off of our starboard bow.” Darame called out from the helm console. Skagath and Shrybaass took their seats at their console.

“Captain, they have raised their shields but not powering up weapons.” Skagath called out from his console.

“Do the same Skagath, let’s not do anything to provoke them.” Kr’antren said as he stood.

“Chief Kaha open all communication channels.”

“Channels are open sir.”

“ This is Captain Kr’Antren, Captain of the USS Osiris. We are on a routine patrol of the Thomar Expanse from Deep Space 47. We represent Star fleet and Task force 47. Please state your intentions.”

“Sir, they are currently closing the distance between us moving at ½ impulse.”

“Helm, let’s keep a couple kilometres between us.”

“Aye, Captain”

“ Captain, they are requesting visual.” Kaha stated from her console.

“Ok, let’s see who we are dealing with, on the main view screen chief.” As he stood between the helm and ops consoles.

“ Gul Tikbe Onot of the Rejal, Cardassian Defense Force. We are conducting routine patrols of our borders also.  We noticed your vessel drop out of warp through our sensor platforms so we decided to come take a look. We had only received word recently that a Reliant class ship had become operational in the expanse though we had not heard that you had left DS47 recently.“ as decent looking cardassian women came on the main view screen, seated in her version of the command chair, more crew could be seen busily working beside and behind her.

Kr’Antren looked over his shoulder at his number one with a raised eyebrow.

Skagath mumbles “they are assuredly taking scans of the ship lad, confirming or denying whatever information their people have on us.”

“Ahhh did you not think we would have people on your station, captain?”

Gul Onot turned her head slightly towards Skagath with a smirk on her face. “Why would you think otherwise, Tellarite? Your ship is the first of its class that as far as we know any cardassian has seen, captain. “ as she turned back towards focusing on Kr’Antren “  If these were different times I might have not been so friendly and tested you first, then again I might still. You never know.”

“So Captain, what brings one of the newest ship classes in Starfleet out here to this neck of the woods, as I believe the humans say.” she leaned forward in her chair.

“As I said Gul Onot, we are conducting a routine patrol with some science and engineering work added in.” Kr’antren retook his seat. “ As you well know I’m not going to give you all the details of my orders. So let’s just leave it at that. Call it a shakedown cruise if you will.”

“Pfft Captain, we all know there is more to it than that. Granted some of that story may be true, I’m sure. But we both know there is more, do we not?”

Kr’Antren raised an eyebrow and runs a hand through his beard “Do we? What is the real reason you’re out this far from your borders Gul Onot? We know that one star fleet vessel, no matter how new it is, would not raise flags with the Cardassian Defense force.”

She leans forward in her chair. “Yes, but one coming to this area after another just made a stop at Dozaria Prime, speaking with the Gul there. Hmmmm I don’t see the star fleet sending a vessel such as the ” she snapped her fingers and a crewman from behind her handed her a PADD “ ahhh yes the USS Edinburgh, to fix replicators. So that plus you showing up here leads to lots of questions as you can imagine.”

Kr’Antren looked at his number one and shrugged his shoulders, “I guess it would, last I heard the Edinburgh was on its way to DS47. Maybe your people will be able to find out why they stopped at Dozaria Prime, but I certainly have no idea.” 

Gul Onot sat back in her chair and let out a short laugh. “ Ahh, the games we captains play. So be it, We are watching you, Captain Kr’Antren of the USS Osiris. Next time we meet I may not be so nice, we may have to test this new Reliant class of star ship.”

The view screen goes blank and then shows the normal view, as the Rejal turned away from the edge of the Badlands and went to warp.

“ Secure from yellow alert” Kr’antren looked towards his number one, “ Thoughts?”

“She was definitely trying to get something from us. But I believe she also let a few things slip either on purpose or accidently. I’m sure Bravo command and the Task Force figured there would be informers or spies on the station, so that’s not anything new. Though I find it interesting that they got the info from the Edinburgh’s visit to Dozaria Prime. So either Gul Hasara talked or someone within his office passed a report back to the Cardassian Defence Force or Gul Onot has ties to the Obsidian Order, the cardassian intelligence branch.”

“I would hedge my bets that she is a part of or has ties to the Obsidian Order myself. The Edinburgh left Dozaria Prime what a day or two, at the most, ago. Seems kind of quick for a report to go through normal channels and be disseminated to the fleet.”

Kr’antren quickly filed a report and marked Gul Onot as a possible Obsidian Order officer; he then attached a copy of the conversation and the recorded scans of the Rejal. “And send, well Task Force command should have that in a few minutes I added the Edinburgh to the recipients, it may be interesting to hear what they think.”

“Captain and you to number one, would you come take a look at these scans for a second.” Skagath asked from his console. They both made their way over to his console and looked over his shoulder. “Notice anything on these scans of the Rejal” They both shook their heads, skagath raised an eyebrow.” hmpf. What if I do this?” as he brought up the scan report of the SS Heru from the Edinburgh. “ Hmmmm I guess we can confirm that the weapons that the Edinburgh scanned and saw powered up on the Heru are definitely Cardassian in design, though most of those Keldons were built in the 2370’s so not exactly top of the line systems but still.”

Skagath looked up towards the two of them. “That they were sir. However, look at this.” as he points to a couple notes near the bottom of the Keldon class info.” Say’s right here that most of the Keldon’s built were built for or by the Obsidian order and, this is the important part sir, those that were built for or by the Obsidian Order had cloaking devices installed.”

Kr’antren looked over at his number one and then towards the view screen. “ Well I guess we know now how they got the info so quickly about the Edinburgh.” Skagath, file this as an additional report and get it sent to the Task Force command and add the Edinburgh to the message.”

“Number one, I believe she was the Obsidian Orders version of a welcoming party with just enough hints dropped for us to figure out that they are watching what the Task Force is doing.” As Kr’Antren retook his seat.

“Well before we were visited by the neighbourhood welcoming party, we were able to highlight a few names that may need some further looking into. Other than that not much else at this time. Just not enough is known about this syndicate group. I’m sending the names to the Edinburgh. See what Captain Fontana has to say or recommend.”

Kr’antren nodded at this. “ Darame, resume course full impulse.”

“Resuming course at full impulse captain”