Having just departed Deep Space forty-seven a few hours ago the Dragon was making its way to the commonly used badlands entrance into the Thomar Expanse. 

“Meadows join me in my ready room, time for us to open our orders and see what lies ahead of us.” Aryanna stood from the center seat looking around the bridge. “Sustram, you have the conn.”

“Yes ma’am.” As he got up from his console and made his way to the center chair, accepting the dragon ring from the captain. “ I have the conn”

Meadows was already up and heading toward the captain’s ready room, but waited for her before entering. 

“I know where heading towards the Deneb sector, but the long way around. Going to take some time. The time that some may not have.” Meadows said as they entered the captain’s ready room.

“I know, but the only other option would be the B-T corridor which has its own set of complications,” Aryanna said as she made her way to her desk and took a seat. “Well let’s see what the fourth fleet has in store for us shall we?” As she typed on the desk’s console.”

“Authorization code alpha” the computer stated

Aryanna took a deep breath “Rigras-November-Papa-four-nine-one”

“Code accepted, authorization code bravo”

Aryanna looked at Meadow and shrugged. “Bearsong-Fox-April-nine-nine-seven”

“Code accepted, enacting room seal procedures.”

The two women looked at each other with a knowing look.

After several seconds the main view screen came up showing a fleet captain sitting in some sort of briefing room.”Captain Rigras, as you are aware the Deneb sector has come under attack from an entity that we have deemed the Lost Fleet and their allies the Breen Confederacy. Within a few short hours, they laid claim to several key installations in the Deneb Sector and enslaved or captured several systems. We know they are using Breen space for some things but the where is something we do not know. That is where you and the Dragon come in. We need intel, we need to know who is operating and where they are, we need to know staging areas, maintenance areas, logistical and supply routes.”

Aryanna paused the message “Looks like we are about to become spies.”

“That’s going to make things interesting, an Inquiry class starship is not exactly easy to hide,” Meadow stated as she was looking at the information about the Deneb sector on her PADD.

Aryanna nodded and hit play.

“We need that information, we need actionable intelligence for the rest of the fleet.” A map of the Deneb Sector comes up with the latest overlay of known conditions. “We will leave the how to you and your crew, Captain. As well as getting actionable intelligence for the fleet you are granted permission to seek out and destroy targets of opportunity. Lastly, all speed restrictions have been lifted, you have also been given to use the B-T corridor at your discretion, we are pretty sure the Breen will be watching this route as it is the quickest way from the Expanse to the Deneb sector, but we feel that the need warrants the risk. Lastly, this is from the Admiral himself Trust only fourth fleet.” the screen goes black and then to the Starfleet logo.

Aryanna tapped on her combadge. “Viameli, hold us up on our side of the expanse.”

“Yes, Ma’am”

“Sustram, please come into my ready room, we need to discuss something with you.”

“On my way, ma’am”

Several seconds later the door chime sounds.

“Enter”

“You needed to see me, captain”  Sustram entered the captain’s ready room.

“Grab a seat. What can you tell us of the B-T corridor?”

Sustram’s eyes went wide as he let out a low whistle. “Talk about threading a needle, ma’am. It would shave off days of travel though, so there is that to take into consideration.”

“So it becomes a decision of saving time versus the risk.”

Meadow typed something on her PADD bringing a map of the B-T corridor up on the room’s main view screen. “There is one more thing to take into consideration though, If I’m looking at this right, the B-T corridor ends in the Vadlox Nebula.” she looked at Aryanna with a smile. “ meaning we would be behind enemy lines and hidden from ships.”

Aryanna stood and approached the screen. “Within easy reach of several captured installations and a known Breen Dilithium mine. Computer, zoom out on the area centered around the Vadlox Nebula.” The computer zoomed out to show the western and central area of the Deneb sector “Hmmm, computer move more north of the nebula, showing the Breen and Dominion controlled area.”

As the computer followed the command Aryanna ran a finger over the area. “Yes, this would be perfect for our operations. Meadow, look at this area here, where the two controlled spaces overlap, that would be a good staging ground. Let alone the area down here near the Nebula with these three installations. Close to Deneb and Farpoint. Then we have Jandor down here.” she taps the system with a finger “That and Kanaan would be my next targets if I were them.”

Meadow looks at the area and nods “Make sense from the diplomatic side also, take those two systems and it puts you on the doorstep of  Deneb. Take that system and not much would stand in the way of controlling the Deneb sector, striking a major blow to the federation.”

Aryanna turned and looked at sustram. “ all speed restrictions have been lifted for us per Fourth Fleet command. Go down to astrometrics and figure out a route to get us through the B-T corridor or find us another way through. I don’t care which. Report back to me when you figure something out,”

“I’ll get right on it captain” as he looked at the map one more time, shook his head, and exited the captain’s ready room.

Aryanna tapped on her combadge. “Scamandrius, Commander Thornton, Skagath, report to the captain’s ready room as soon as possible.” She sat down in the chair behind the desk. “ Looks like we have an operation to plan, let’s give the fleet what they asked for and see what else we can do to disrupt the Lost Fleet and the Confederacy.”