New Krakow

Posted on Fri Dec 10th, 2021 @ 2:16pm by Captain Shran dh'Klar & Lieutenant Commander Deanna Celes & Commander Jonathan Grayson & Lieutenant Aiko Kato

Mission: Sinister Intentions
Location: USS Washington

The Washington was speeding at warp speed through the sector to the New Krakow colony. The experience with the Breen had turned up troubling information about trafficking inside the Federation, and additional information found while investigating showed that the New Krakow colony might be the right spot for them to look, if nothing else as a starting place. On top of the larger mystery was the fact that they had recently learned of troubling incidents regarding some of the crew, specifically Callie, and answers for her may be found on New Krakow as well. Shran wondered what they might find upon arrival. What he had heard from his friend concerned him. He also wondered how his XO would handle things considering the personal nature of the matters for him. He couldn't blame him if things got a bit out of hand considering the circumstances.

The mood on the Bridge was quiet but serious as every Bridge officer was focused on their respective stations. As big a ship as the Washington was, Aiko was realizing that it was also a family. What affected one member reverberated through various complex social dynamics to all of them, even (and especially) when you think you are far removed from it.

The crew had gone through much recently and the impact on several members, including herself was clear. This mission in a way was about finding answers to questions and hopefully finding a successful resolution to the dastardly and cowardly acts of the Breen as of late.

Noticing their location as flagged by the navigational computer, Aiko turned in her seat to face Captain Shran and Commander Grayson. "Approaching the Krakow system Captain. New Krakow is the third planet in the system."

"Very good. Take us out of warp and bring us into a standard orbit." Shran looked to Jon, "I'd like for you to take an away team down and speak with the local officials. Everything we've heard and learned thus far points to something odd going on down there, and I'm unsure if you can trust even the Federation officials. I'll leave the away team to your discretion, but I want you to take either Ayana or Celes. Each of them will give you different advantages."

Aiko effortlessly guided the ship out of warp and and fired the ship's impulse engines to half speed to keep the ship on course of the third planet. They were within orbiting range of the planet in under two minutes and Aiko entered a standard high orbit, switching to the reaction control system to keep the ship circling around the colony planet and away from the gravitational pull of the planet.

Jon nodded at Shran's instructions. "I think I'll keep the away team small has to not attract too much attention. I'll take, Sam, Ayana, Jortho and myself." He didn't want Callie down on the surface especially after learning she had been raped and her emotions still shaky.

Shran nodded. "Very well. By the book Jon for this one. Everyone armed, and everyone on their toes. Keep your eyes open for all sorts of unsavory types, whether they are StarFleet, Federation personnel, or something altogether different. I'll keep the fort ready should you run into any problems."

"Yes sir. Understood. We'll do it completely by the numbers. No one is above being a suspect and we won't rule anyone out." Jon assured his Captain as he turned and headed to the lift, to get his phaser and then head to the transporter room.

As Jon made his way out Shran looked back towards Celes and Aiko. "Aiko, I want you to keep a watchful eye on the navigational sensors. I want to know about every vessel that is coming and going while we are in orbit, particularly those that might be capable of carrying large numbers of people." Shran turned his attention to Celes, "Deanna, I want you to run manifests on every ship Aiko identifies. I'd like to be prepared if we have to start boarding ships.

Aiko nodded as she focused her sensors on monitoring the traffic in and out of the immediate vicinity of the planet and started drawing up a list, which she promptly sent to Deanna for further analysis.

She turned to Shran, "With your permission Captain, I would like to reach out to request space traffic information from New Krakow as well. That way, we can cross-reference their data with ours to see if there are any glaring inconsistencies, which might help us narrow down which ships to focus on."

"Very well lieutenant" replied Shran. He wasn't sure how fruitful this task would be, but a possibility existed that they might just catch someone being careless.

"Of the ships Aiko has provided thus far, we have two cargo carriers incoming, the Lyandra out of the Bajoran system, and the T'gasi which is a Nausicaan vessel" said Celes from Ops.

'It couldn't be that simple' Shran thought. "I want to board that Nausicaan vessel if need be. Hail the ship and pull up its manifest and travel log."

Aiko focused on the Nausicaan vessel and did a quick search of its travel path according to the ship's long range sensors, which maintained a record of passive scans it took at a pre-determined frequency that allowed for cross-referencing in the event there was a specific event of interest. This log could also be cross-referenced with one of a multitude of navigational beacons that the Federation maintained in its region of space.

In the records that the ops team on New Krakow had sent the Washington, Aiko saw that the ship's flight log indicated that it had come out of the Fereginar system and its planned flight route out of New Krakow was to take it to the Cardassian space.

However, when Aiko searched the Washington's navigational sensor logs for the specifications of the Nausicaan vessel along its stated Ferenginar to New Krakow flight path, she did not find any record of it within the window of the Washington's passive scans. It was a curious discrepancy but likely explainable given the intermittency of the Washington's passive scans.

On a hunch, Aiko ran the same query for the specification of the Nausicaan vessel along the general travel pathway from Casperia Prime to New Krakow in the ship's navigational sensor logs and got a hit.

Stunned, she quickly turned to the Captain. "You're not going to believe this Captain but that Nausicaan ship, the T'gasi, was picked up on one of Starfleet's navigational beacon coming out of the Horvian cluster, which is the region of space that Casperia prime and the Breen planet we visited are both located."

"Move us to tractor range of that ship." Shran looked to Celes, "Have they responded to our hails?"

"Negative" replied Celes.

"When we're in range lock a tractor beam on them. Inform them they are going to be boarded for inspection under Federation law. Failure to cooperate with result in the use of force."

Aiko broke orbit, steering the ship out of the immediate vicinity of the planet on thrusters heading towards a busy traffic of mostly transport and cargo ships coming in and out of New Krakow. Her sensors indicated that the T'gasi had changed course and had a new heading that took it out of the system as it powered its impulse engines.

Aiko similarly brought the Washington to quarter impulse, which brought the Sovereign class starship practically on top of the Nausicaan starship.

"Captain, they are powering up their warp engines," Aiko noted.

"Activate tractor beam" ordered Shran.

As the Nausicaan vessel was about to jump to warp the Washington's tractor beam grappled them, keeping it steady and motionless.

"Well done" said Shran. "Full scan of that ship. They obviously are hiding something."

"I'm detecting a dozen Nausicaans on the ship, but they have their cargo bay shielded. I'd add that they are attempting to break free from our tractor beam, with little success" said Celes.

"Deanna, take Aiko and a handful of security officers and transport over to that ship and give it a once over. Detain anyone who is uncooperative" ordered Shran.

"Aye sir" confirmed Celes as she got up from her station and glanced in Aiko's direction.

Aiko similarly logged off her station and quickly joined Deanna. "After you Lieutenant," she gestured towards the turbolift. She was curious to find out what awaited them on the Nausicaan ship and what connection it had to the Breen.

Shran hit his comm badge, =^=Shran to Engineering. I want a pair of engineers ready to beam over to the Nausicaan ship once the away team secures it. They'll work with Celes to search for any hidden compartments and contraband amongst other things.=^=

=^=Understood sir. We'll be ready=^= came the reply from LeFaye.

Shran wondered what might be lurking over on that ship, and what exactly they were so keen on hiding. The away team would find out, though he expected them to have to deal with some resistance as they took control of the ship.

Celes and Aiko entered the transporter room with a group of security officers. "Set phasers to high stun. Nausicaans are not known to be the most agreeable. Expect resistance the moment we come aboard until we seize the entire ship" Celes said as she made her way to the transporter pad. She looked at the transporter chief, "Chief, can you put onto their bridge?"

The chief hit a few buttons on the controls. "Not a problem lieutenant. I'll keep a signal lock on you all after you beam over, just in case."

Aiko grabbed her phaser and adjusted the stun setting as instructed and quickly joined the rest of the away team. She made sure her phaser was in front of her as she prepared for the transport that would put her right in the middle of the Nausicaan control room.

She could not be sure how they would react at a small force of Starfleet officer materializing on their Bridge, but Aiko was willing to bet they would not be rolling out the red carpet and singing kumbaya. Aiko felt some anxiety at the prospect of a firefight. She drew in a deep breath letting it fully fill her lungs before letting out slowly. She was as ready as she would ever be for what was to come.

"Stand ready everyone. I suspect we'll have a fire fight the moment we materialize. And remember, Nausicanns like using bladed weapons up close, much like Klingons. Keep your head on a swivel" Celes said as advice if nothing else. She held her phaser in her hand, "Alright chief, energize."

And just like that the away team dematerialized in the standard blue hue, just as LaFaye and another engineer were walking into the transporter room.