Captains Log:

Our sister ship the USS Grus has now joined us in our hiding place, as we monitor the movements of the Vaadaur Supremacy.  I have not had the privilege of meeting its Captain before; Lieutenant-Commander Chance Vought is a resent transfer to the Fourth Fleet, but judging from his previous records; he seems like a good officer.  His XO however, Lieutenant (JG) Jason Devron is someone who I’ve crossed paths with before.

Commander Salan called him a work in progress; it will be interesting to see how much he has developed, in the absence of the Vulcan’s watchful eyes.

I’ve scheduled a meeting for 1500, so we can plan our next move.  Whatever we choose won’t be an easy task.  We are just scout ships, very capable ones, granted.  But when it comes to facing up to a vessel like the one orbiting Simson III, we’d normally call in the big boys.  Except we know, no one’s coming; it’s us or no one.

<End Log>

Commander Anacostia-Bolling grabbed her uniform jacket of the back of the chair in her Ready Room and slipped it on, before picking her Padd up off the desk and heading out the door.

Lieutenant-Commander Vought and his XO sat on the left side of the conference table, her own XO on the right.  The three officers rose as she walked in; and Anacostia-Bolling waved them to be seated.  The Captain noted her First Officer had already sorted out drinks for everyone.

Taking her seat at the head of the table; she first addressed the Captain of the USS Grus.  “First off I’d like to thank you and your crew for making it through the distortion and bringing up some additional news and information.”

“I only wish it was more.” Vought replied.  “But everything was very much a confused mess when we lost contact.”

Sadly none of it had proved to be good news.  When the USS Grus had last been able to make contact with anyone else, nine days ago Starfleet was working on the almost certain assumption that the Vaadwaur Supremacy were someone behind the ‘Blackout’.  They’d isolated countless planets and star systems, cutting them off from everyone else and making travel from one sector to another, near impossible.  It wasn’t know how many vessels they had at their disposal; but it was certainly a lot.

“I’ve read the report regarding some of the ideas being put forward as potential ways to get ships in and out of those areas currently cut off.” The Commander commented, placing the Padd down.  “For now though, we must assume either these ideas won’t work, or everyone is going to be busy defending major installations and planets.”

“So we are on our own?”  Devron asked, recalling the number of times the USS Jaxartes had been placed in situations like this.  They’d got through some scrapes over the past year, and evidently transferring to a bigger ship wasn’t going to change that.

“I’m afraid so Lieutenant.” Anacostia-Bolling answered.

They spent the next hour and a half going over plans, alternate plans and exit strategies; all in an attempt to create the best scenario possible; one that would be both successful and survivable.  They looked at ways to separate the fighters from the main ship and deal with those first.  Angles of attack and how to avoid all that fire power up front.  The grim realisation was that no matter how things played out; there would be casualties, and possibly a lot of them.

In the Transporter Room 1, the Commander, shook both Vought and Devron’s hands; and wished them luck before they beamed back to their own ship.

“You don’t think we’re walking away from this, do you?”  Alara Ley asked her Commanding Officer.

“If I’m honest I think our chances are very slim.” Anacostia-Bolling informed her calmly.  “But there are people dying on that planet and we can’t just sit here and watch.”

“Do you think the passengers from the White Rose are on the Supremacy’s ship?”

“We’ll try to figure that out, when we get close.”

**********

Throughout the two Starfleet vessels, preparations for the battle ahead, got underway.

In the da Vinci’s Sickbay, Doctor Sunny went through the inventory of medical supplies.  They’d used a few items dealing with the crewmembers injured during their sudden and unexpected deceleration, when the Blackout anomaly collapsed the warp field.

Nurse Folland was following him round, making notes on a Padd as they went along. “Do you want me to check the emergency medical kits?” She asked him; once he was satisfied everything was in order.  Several boxes of medical supplies were dotted throughout the ship.  The Bridge, Main Engineering, the Shuttle Bay, Science Lab 2; where just some of the locations the kits where stored.  Near each one there would be at least one Officer or member of the crew with some basic knowledge of first aid; enough to deal with minor injuries or help keep someone stable until medical assistance could arrive.

“If you wouldn’t mind, that would be much appreciated.” Doctor Sunny thanked her.

Folland was about to walk out, when the ships Tellarite Security Chief; Lieutenant Grav entered. “Just to let you know I’ll be posting Denisov and T’Linga outside your door.”

“You really think we might get boarded?” The nurse asked worriedly

“The Captain has told me to be prepared for everything.” Grav informed her.  “As I’m sure the Doctor is also aware.”

Sunny placed a hand gently on the young nurse’s shoulder.  “Yes that’s correct, I just didn’t want to worry you about it, until that time came.”

“I hope it won’t come to it, but they will protect Sick Bay, with their lives if need be.” The Tellarite spoke with some level of pride.  He might grumble about them from time to time; ok, almost constantly; but the security team he had with him on this ship were all people he trusted.  A couple of them had been with him on the USS Valparaiso, others had either come from different ships or this was their first assignment.  Being a patrol ship expected to deal with pirates, the security team was large for a ship of this size.  They would not let him or the Captain down.

**********

In Main Engineering, Chief Engineer Yolanda was barking out orders in his usual authoritative tone.  He’d been getting on everyone’s case, since day one and hadn’t let up since; despite receiving a verbal dressing down by the Captain, during a previous mission.  He regarded it as their fault for not warning him, rather than his own poor conduct.

“Get a move on this isn’t a social gathering.” He yelled at Niroc who was discussing something with one of the technicians.  They both gave each other that knowing look; before heading off to do their respective tasks.  “Ensign Sparrow that’s a five minute job, what’s taking you so long?”

“Sorry sir.” A muffled voice came from under central consol.

“You will be if we all get blow up!” Yolanda shouted back.

**********

It was a marked difference to the atmospheres within Engineering of the Grus.  Whilst the staff were still working just as hard as those on their sister ship; Lieutenant Dinari Lyambo, had a more calm and relaxed approach to running his department.  He was also doing some of the work, not just delegating it.

Everyone understood what was expected of them, and put every effort into achieving it; all in the knowledge that their work was greatly appreciated.  Word had gotten around about how he’d single handedly had to train an entire replacement engineering team for the USS Hope, after Frontier Day.

To say this lot weren’t proud to be working with the young Namibian, would be an understatement.

**********

On the Bridge of the USS Grus, Ensign Tholakath probably only spotted the arrival of another craft milliseconds before his counterpart on the da Vinci.  They both no doubt informed their Captains at the exacted same moment.

“Vessel just dropped out of Warp in the vicinity of Samson III.”

“Any identification?”

“Scans show it to be a Modified Orion Raider.”

That was all anyone really needed to hear; Navaar Orci had just crashed the party!