Posted by Captain John Tiberius Glen (Captain) in Main Sim - Bridge - The Finite War
[some edit and snip]

A computer library check would show no one known claimed the system. It lay close to Federation space but was not claimed by the major power yet. A rough library check on the make up showed two planets both uninhabited and mainly composed of nickel and iron ores without atmosphere. The interesting thing of the system was the swarms of comets and asteroids of all makes and sizes within the single solar body system.

“Set a heading 034 mark 119. Take us to Warp 5,” Glen instructed.

“Sir.” the Security Chief rumbled from his station. “Suggest we go to yellow alert. If there is a vessel in distress, odds are great we may have hostiles to deal with when we drop out of warp.”

“Aye. Take us to a Yellow Alert,” agreed the Captain.

William opened the library files on the Yoki system. He was largely unfamiliar with this sector of space. “I’m checking our records for the system but I don’t recognize it from any Klingon or Romulan controlled systems in the region” He informed the Captain.

“The system remains unclaimed but it’s still close to Federation space. It contains two uninhabitable planets and is as warm with comets asteroids and other natural space debris” William informed the Captain.

Tinga was culling her memories. Being in the Andorian military one learned interesting things and her family travelled extensively. Hopefully something useful was in those memories.

“Thank you, Mr. Grey,” replied Glen. Glen was concerned about the number of celestial objects in the system. The could hide all kinds of dangers.

At the time Cross was in her office when she heard and saw the yellow light flashing in sickbay.The doctor contacted bridge =/\= Cross from sickbay ..why have the ship gone on yellow alert ?’‘ she asked hoping someone would enlighten her of the situation.

About this point NE Sleepy got the Merrimack going to warp 5, at their current speed they would intercept the Avenger at the Yoki system in 10 minutes.

Nkosenye keyed the comms. =/\=Bridge to Sickbay. responding to request for assistance from another vessel. Recommend you prep for potential incoming wounded. Bridge out =/\= To the point, no fluff… as Mthunzi was when he was working.

=/\= Acknowledged Lt…Cross out=/\= came her swift reply, after which the female doctor told the medical personnel to be prepared for likely causalities and the possibility of Triage.

In no time at all sickbay became a bustle of activity.

Kord was at the science station checking long range scans.

“Kord, such a large number of Iron/Nickel planets and planetoids is unusual, yes? And no gas giants. Something catastrophic must be responsible for the asteroids, yes? Such as the disintegration of another planet in the fairly recent past?”

“Helm, you are going to need to be careful to avoid collisions with those bodies,” replied Glen. “It will be almost impossible to predict the paths of every single one. Please avoid them and make the safety of the Merrimack paramount over assisting the Avenger. We do not want to turn an incident of one ship to a crisis of many by going in too close.”

”..Aye yawns sir!..” NE Sleepy said as the Merrimack dropped from warp outside the system. Ahead of them was the USS Avenger, a Chandley class medium cruiser.

“NE Sleepy, go immediately to the galley and drink two shots of espresso,” said Glen. “NE WideAwakeClub take over at Helm.”

The ship was leaking drive plasma from the port nacelle and there shields were raised. Not far behind the ship dropping from cloaks were two Orion blockade runners who immediately opened fire on again on the Avenger. The Merrimack, not far from a comet cloud, likely was for the moment not being picked up yet by the two Orion ships on scans.

“Go to Red Alert!” announced Captain Glen. “That’s the shore leave party officially over now!”

“Nkosenye, I see you stand like a greyhound in the slips, straining upon the start. The games afoot! I suggest a full spread of photon torpedoes in salvos of six, do you concur?” Glen asked.

“Aye, Captain. Recommend we close to medium engagement range, minimize the effect of their multiple vessels and keep them from concentrating fire on any one section, Captain.” Nkosenye replied, his fingers flying over the console and the tubes loading.

“NE WideAwakeClub, it doesn’t look like they’ve detected us yet behind this comet cloud. Please keep it that way until we fire on them. They won’t know where it came from,” Glen said.

William made sure that their passive scans would not reveal their location as he continually went over his sensor screen.

Cross entered silently and quietly absorbing the surrounding of the bridge,particular the Captain’s commands while her eyes firmly fixed on the view screen.

“These Orion pirates are getting bolder by the day,” mused Glen. “Orion vessels firing on Starfleet starships is an audacious move by them. I thought that our previous encounters had helped to put them back in their box, and to shut down their shady operations, but here they are, just as brazen as ever. Starfleet Intelligence reports have previously suggested that their official position of neutrality was valued by them above that of ship and crew, underlined by all unsuccessful Orion missions ending in a self destructs or suicide. I would expect that Orions would keep that rationale in good conscience, because they would otherwise fall subject to Federation retaliation, if they were to lose their neutrality. Nevertheless, I don’t want to be stuck out here, patrolling these forsaken borders for the remainder of my career, so we need to nip this insurgence in the bud, as quickly as possible. Mr. Nkosenye, fire at will!”

-Glen, CO

A nod was all the acknowledgement that came from the big Zulu and his finger pressed the fire control. Immediately, a six-torpedo spread was shot forth, each programmed to detonate with overlapping fields of efficacy.

Nkosenye, CoS