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Main Sim - Bridge - The Finite War

Posted Dec. 17, 2019, 3:27 a.m. by Captain John Tiberius Glen (Captain) (David Fergusson)

[snip]

As if summoned by Glen’s thoughts whether literally or not two more groups of warp signatures were detected. One to the ‘north’ of the system edge and one to the ‘south’. The first were two D-5C Klingon frigates dropping from warp shields and weapons primed. The second were a pair of Romulan T-5D Destroyers lead by a familare Flying Raptor Warbird battle cruiser. These three also had weapons and shields primed as they closed into the system both groups flanking the Orions from a distance. While the odds weren’t perfect the balance of power had most definitely shifted possibly in their favor assuming the Klingons and Romulans arriving were here to aide them as per the agreed alliance the Merrimack had helped sign.

=/\= This is Commander Kalrid of the Klingon Defense Force! Orion Dogs you will surrender your ships for daring to raid Klingon Outpost KSS-10!! =/\= the booming male voice of the Klingon commander said over an open comm evidently he was here to bring justice to some recent raid Th’anos had done.

=/\= This is Commander Andone of the Romulan Imperial Navy! We have come to answer a echoed distress call from the Federation ship USS Avenger in agreement to our operations treaty against Orion Pirate activity in this region. =/\= The familiar voice of Tel’shen Andone said. Evidently they had picked up the distress call too of the Avenger and followed the warp signature to this system from earlier.

Th’anos though seemed barely phased by his change of fortune. =/\= It matters not how many so called allies you call upon Captain Rogers! Your efforts to lay claim to what is rightfully ours by ancient right will not be swayed! =/\= He said. =/\= All Orion ships close formation and target all lead ships RAIN FIRE! =/\= he snapped before the comms ended. Evidently Rogers had used the sudden arrival of the Klingons and Romulans to try to threaten the Orions to leave but without success.

On screen the 8 Orion Wanderer frigates broke up into three groups, two angled about going for the Klingons while four more went after the Romulans, with the last two closing on the Avenger. The Merrimack was still out of their range as weapons opened up about the system around them. They still had breathing room to maneuver and plan or talk or something else.

“The rumours of my powers of prescience are all true,” Glen said to Kord. “I feel like we are throwing Rogers to the wolves, but I saved his ass once already today, and I think that even he would want us to stay with the Reality Stone right now!”

William kept a close eye on the scanners, the ones directed at the battle as well as the ones directed closer. If it came to battle the only thing he was going to be useful for was that, seeing what the others didn’t and using his admittedly clever brain to think of things the others hadn’t.

“It looks like the situation is changing rapidly,” said Glen. “Any other suggestions that allow us to remain here longer without entering the battle?”

While she couldn’t think of any tactical ways to remain unharmed, she let out a small chuckle as she half murmured a suggestion she was sure was ridiculous and probably already dismissed by the Captain in his thinking. “Hide on the other side of the planet? Can’t hit us if they can’t see us… right?”

Her hands had been typing furiously as she transcribed and made notes, listening to the unfolding conversations from below and the bridge. The idea of the planet’s defenses had fascinated her. She was curious if such a thing could be used on other planets or even on smaller scales like stations and ships…

On the screen the Klingon D5 Frigates were exchanging disruptor fire with the Orion Wanderers harassing them. Equally engaging the Orions was Andone’s Flying Raptor while the pair of T-5D destroyers quickly faded from view cloaking. Lastly the Avenger was moving to support both groups on evasive flanking maneuvers phaser fire lancing out to port and starboard. For the time being it seems Tha’nos had his hands full with combat, no one had yet moved towards the Merrimack deeper in the system, though it was likely everyone knew where the second Starfleet ship was.

“That could work, either we hide using the planet itself or we could use its magnetic pole to hide ourselves” William suggested finally feeling a bit more useful. That would be enough provided they had not yet detected them, even if they had that could give them some vital minutes alone.

Glen wasn’t so sure, “By my reckoning, there are at least 15 ships in this system now. I’m doubtful that there is anywhere we could hide from all of them. I don’t even think my idea of laying 50 probes as mines would work if a group came for us. To hide then we’d also need to shut down; go radio silent and power down the Warp drive. I want to keep in contact with Tinga’s team and to be ready for a fast getaway, if required. I’m open to trying though. If they are so involved with each other; caught up in fighting among themselves, it is possible that they just won’t notice us during the melee.... …On the other hand, I’m sure that the Romulan Commander Andone will have already clocked us, or specifically me! But given that her daughter will become a Starfleet officer in the future, by some weird turn of events that I still cannot fathom, that might not be such a problem for us.”

With one eye still on the viewscreen feeding live from the planet below Glen made to the landing party, =/\= Tinga, have Jasper ask the stone his question now, ‘how can we repair the planetary defences to protect the stone from the raiders coming to take it away/’ =/\=

An idea occurred to William, perhaps they could have the Creators or themselves use the Stone to fix the ship to ship planet weapons!

=/\= I meant ask the stone-crystal guardian. Sorry, it’s a little hectic up here! =/\= added Glen, though in his slip of the tongue, maybe he had accidentally fallen upon the solution itself?

The idea was a complete surprise to William, only occurring to him as the Captain asked the question as if it had been thrust upon him by an omniscient trickster god “Sir, what about asking the creators to use the stone to repair the planetary defenses, well either that or we use it ourselves if that’s even possible” He chimed in, speaking rather quickly.

“Yes! I mean, it should be possible, shouldn’t it? If it can change Ginger into the size of a Kzin by thought alone, then fixing some faulty wiring ought to be easy!” Glen replied enthusiastically.

Which was immediately tempered by another thought that Glen had. Maybe Glen was not prescient; maybe his thoughts about the arrival of the Klingons and Romulans had actually summoned them to appear? He did not mention this. Even though the arrival had been to their advantage, it may have equally worked against them.

Glen made one further reply to Tinga, =/\= Tinga, William suggests another tack. Ask the crystal guardian if the creators, or yourselves, can use the properties of the stone itself to fix the planetary defences. =/\=

Kord held the ship as he watched the view screen. He powered down the inertial dampers, that helped stabilize the ship to a flight type that many of the young races were accustomed to, and bolstered the inertial compensators that kept the personnel inside form becoming interior coatings whenever the ship changed speed or direction. The only person that might notice the small changes in attitude and position would be the helmsman.

Hal entered the bridge. He went to take over the tactical station. Klingons, Romulans, and Orions, he thought to himself. What is this, a convention?

“Welcome back, Hal,” Glen said, and then added, “And not a moment too late!”

-Glen, CO


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