Chaos of Conflict

Posted on Thu Mar 3rd, 2022 @ 2:39pm by Captain Shran dh'Klar & Commander Samantha Howard & Lieutenant Aiko Kato & Lieutenant Commander Shoniara T’ghann-Travis Dr

Mission: The Orion Syndicate
Location: USS Washington

The red alert klaxons sounded across the ship telling everyone that they were preparing to go into battle. Lights dimmed which accented the various illuminated control panels as a red hue seemed to infiltrate everything.

Meanwhile in sickbay Sam waited patiently as Dex begin her rise to consciousness. Howard wanted to make sure there was no further threat to her 2IC's health as the current medical crisis eased.

Dex tried to get up off the bio bed, dizzy and a little confused at her surroundings, she grabbed at Sam her fingers digging in to her friend and CMO, “Sam I have to get to the Captain, I have something important to tell him, something important to the mission whether he believes me or not.” She turned to Deanna and held her hand. “Thank you for pulling me out.” Puss rushed towards her growling and purring for joy at seeing her.

"Easy there Dex, you've just had a major mental episode" Sam tried to restrain the part Risian.

“To be honest Sam I feel awful, muzzy but I NEED to get to the Captain, I have to warn him, I wanted to be on the away team! But I am presuming……ooh I do not feel good.” She lay back down. “I have to get to the Captain Sam, please help me?”

Sam took a dubious breath. She understood how important this was but her first priority was for Dex's health and wellbeing.

"Two conditions, you come straight back here afterwards and I go with you"

“Agreed, I am not fit for the away team anyway” she looked at her friend and CMO and once again broke protocol and hugged her. Dex stood gingerly her world spinning. “Let’s get to the bridge?”

Sam kept her dubious expression on but knew there wouldn't be any changing Dex's mind. She took her medkit and slung it over her shoulder before easing Dex to her feet and wrapping an arm around her 2IC's waist to keep her stable.

"Alright, whatever you're gonna say, say it quickly when we get there" Sam said firmly.

Dex nodded and wobbled the the same time. The bridge seemed miles away as her eyes refused to focus. Her legs did not feel like they belonged to her but rather to a wooden puppet and an intoxicated one at that. She put one foot in front of the other and, with Sam’s help began to move.

After a long few minutes they reached the turbolift. Dex’s brain screamed to sleep and she began to feel her heart race. She stood taller in the hope that Sam would not recognize her worsening condition.

On the bridge things were getting tense. "Away team is safely on the surface. Shields are up, weapons ready" said Ayana from tactical.

"Very well" said Shran reflexively. "Aiko, break orbit and move us into a tactical position between those Syndicate vessels and the civilian vessels" he ordered calmly.

"Aye Captain," Aiko replied. The ship effortlessly broke its geostationary orbit and began its steady but determined movement towards the three Orion Syndicate vessels. The Washington quickly moved past the shipping lanes, and in a few seconds was between the civilian traffic and the Syndicate vessels.

The latter seemed to have slowed their approach significantly so that their presence was known but also deliberately not screaming aggression. She noted however that their shields were up, much like the Washington.

This being their turf, she reasoned that perhaps they were being careful in their tactical response. Not only could they cause collateral damage to their own world, but she suspected they did not want to incur the wrath of the Federation- beyond what they had already incurred.

Either way, Aiko supposed time would tell how far this Syndicate vessels, and the ones on the planet with the Away Team, were willing to take this fight.

"Captain, the lead vessel is hailing us" said Ayana.

"On screen" replied Shran.

The viewscreen came to life, a large Orion in view. "I am Ganz, Third Triumvere of the Orion Syndicate. You are Capt. Shran of the USS Washington. We have been looking for you. You are quite pesky and troublesome."

Shran gave a smirk. "We aim to please."

Ganz scoffed. "You have cost us a great deal captain. You now come to our home, and we wish to repay your generosity in kind."

"Funny, I was going to offer you the chance to surrender before we blast you out of the stars."

Ganz gave a wry smile. "One of us it seems is in a lot of trouble. I'll be sure to inform StarFleet of your sacrifice."

The viewscreen switched off, and as Shran looked at it, it reverted back to the forward image of the ships. Suddenly they moved towards the Washington at high impulse.

"Friendly bunch," Aiko said sarcastically to no one in particular. She prepared to counter the aggressive move of the Syndicate ships as they charged at the Washington.

Her experienced mind took note of their positions and their formation and generated various possible options she could maneuver the Washington to give the Sovereign class starship optimal firing power while minimizing the effectiveness of the Syndicate ship's weapons.

But it was all up to the Captain as to what maneuvering option to pursue and Aiko waited with baited breath. It would seem the Orion Syndicate had done their calculus and felt the appropriate response was to attack the Washington.

It was a daring but foolish plan as far as Aiko was concerned. She suspected the Syndicate would soon see the errors in their decision, and she could not wait to be at the forefront of teaching them the error of their ways.

After all, revenge was a dish best served cold- or so the expression goes.

A few moments later Dex and Sam stepped off the turbolift and spied the Captain, making a very slow beeline for his location.

"Ahh Captain, Dex was adamant she needed to speak with you personally." Sam explained.

“Captain Shran!” Dex exclaimed. “I know you are in the midst”….she looked at the view screen, “Oh shit!” was all she could say as she saw the Orion vessels headed straight for them.

"Aiko, battle course Theta 3. Ayana, target weapons and engines. I want to disable them, not destroy them." Shran looked at Sam and Dex and saw Celes walking in behind them. "Good to see you all, but you picked a rather inopportune time to need to speak with me" he said as the ship rocked softly from the shields being impacted by enemy disruptor fire. "Ayana, fire phasers."

Dex’s legs gave way and she sank to the floor but she pulled herself up.

At the helm station, Aiko guided the ship in a slow 45 degree forward dive that gave optimal firing solutions to the dorsally located weapons of the ship and just as the Syndicate ship were repositioning to compensate, Aiko veered the ship sharply to starboard and edged the ship upwards in a climb that exposed the dorsal sections of the Syndicate ships to the full range of the Washington's ventrally located weapons.

A satisfactory grin crossed Aiko's face as she watched Ayanna take maximum advantage of the maneuver. Aiko was going to shift her gaze steadily to observe Dex and Samantha when an alert popped up on he console.

"Captain, Klingon Vorcha class battlecruiser decloaking. It is firing on us" said Ayana.

"Captain, this Klingon ship is from the House of Duras, or rather it was. I believe it to be the House of Toral now" said Celes.

"Continue firing on the Orion vessels. Target the Klingon ship with the aft torpedoes and fire when ready" ordered Shran, He looked at Dex, "Your vision tell you anything about this?"

Dex nodded, “I did not know it would be a Klingon ship but, there is something on board that ship that will be used as a weapon or part of one that can destroy this ship even with shields at maximum, and I do not mean in battle now.” She steadied herself on Sam. “There is something on the surface please Captain do not take the ship into the atmosphere.”

"Well that catches my interest" said Shran. "If the shields won't be enough, then I suppose I'll have to activate the special defenses. Been a while since that was necessary. Better deal with that Klingon vessel to be on the safe side." Shran looked toward Aiko, "Course correction, pattern Echo 2."

Aiko was puzzled by this development. When did Dex start having visions? What was more, the Captain took it seriously. She suspected there would be time to ask questions later. Evading four enemy ships was proving to be quite a tasking exercise and she needed all her attention.

"Aye Captain, adjusting to evasive pattern Echo 2," Aiko announced, her hands steering the ship in a new maneuvering pattern that attempted to isolate the Klingon ship from the Syndicate ships but concentrate the Washington's attention on it.

Shran sat and thought for a moment, then looked at Dex. "You said to not take the ship into the atmosphere. The only reason I can think of to need to do that is because we are trying to assist or rescue the away team. Jon and his team are in danger."

“I do not know for sure sir but I would think that would be the only reason to take the ship into the atmosphere. That is what I have been seeing for weeks now. The Washington in Orion’s atmosphere destroyed by a weapon on the surface.”

"Ayana, all weapons fire at will. I want that Klingon ship and the lead Orion ship for investigation purposes, the others are your discretion." The ship rocked as he finished speaking.

"Aye sir" replied Ayana.

The Washington took a beating on the last strafing run, despite her best attempts. All the ships were proving to be more agile and capable than she would have expected. Nevertheless, the battle was not lost. She quickly brought the ship about for another pass, this time driving in between the four ships so that the Klingon and the lead Syndicate ship were on the starboard side, while the remaining two ships were on the port side.

Typically, this would not be the best move since it meant the Washington was getting hit from both her port and starboard side simultaneously, however, as she got into position, Aiko initiated a sharp turn to starboard side such that both the Klingon ship and the lead Orion ships were now squarely in front and at the mercy of the ship's powerful forward firing arcs.

A stunning barrage of phaser fire and torpedoes launched from the Washington and impacted the enemy vessels. The Klingon ship began to shift as it appeared suddenly dead in space. A second round of fire and two of the Orion vessels exploded in brilliant light, destroyed . That left only the lead Orion vessel, which was no longer firing, and appeared to be leaking plasma from its engines.

Celes was now at her station. "We have minor damage on decks 4 and 5, a plasma fire in cargo bay 2, and a small hull breach on deck 7, emergency forcefields are holding. Damage control has been dispatched. And captain, the Orion vessel wishes to speak with you."

"On screen."

"This isn't over captain. We shall win the day yet."

Shran smirked. "Perhaps, with a dozen more ships, though I promise you, you won't be alive to see the victory."

Ganz suddenly came to a realization as he heard small explosions behind him on his bridge. "We yield to you captain, though I don't believe Toral will do the same."

"Oh, I will handle Toral. You shut down your engines and leave only your environmental systems online. I'll send some folks to greet you momentarily. Washington out." Shran looked at Dex and then back at Ayana. "Full boarding team to the Klingon ship. Expect heavy resistance. Bring me Toral. And send a boarding party to collect Mr. Ganz as well."

Ayana nodded. "I'll handle Toral personally."

Shran gave a small grin. "Stand down red alert, keep us at condition yellow. Put a tractor beam on the Orion ship. Celes, contact our fleet and notify them we are ready for them. And hail Jon, I want a status update.