S4:E7 - A Gathering of Angels

[Ian Galloway]

Lift====>Bridge

Kyle had been a tad pissed about being recalled at first but in the end, he was a Star Fleet officer first and foremost and this was his life. He had walked Lisa to her quarters and then went to his own after a nice "see you later" kiss and changed into his uniform and headed for the Bridge. The doors parted and he stepped out.

"Commander Briggs reporting, Sir." he said as he stepped down and took his seat. "What do have, Captain?"

[Bridge - USS Challenger]

Ian looked up with a grim expression as Kyle reported. He wished he had more information, but the briefing from Solluk was rather sparse on details.

"Seems like some local trouble makers called the Wanderers, space pirates of a sort if'n you can believe that, are headin' for the station. Normally they're more of a nuisance than a threat, but seems like the raiders have hooked up with another set of trouble makers called the Thinkers, nae so much imagination out here in the Gamma Quadrant it seems, and now this Wanderer ship, which is bloody big is now a problem. Station is evacuatin' all the civilians and we're ta buy time for them ta get away. Truth be told, this is likely a one way trip for us given the power of this upgraded behemoth we're ta fight. One way trip or not, we will fight this thing and we will delay it regardless of cost. So, apart from that, how was your two hours of leave?"

[Tess tLhoell]

Cmdr. Tess t'Lhoell
[USS Healy - Bridge]

Fabiano arrived on the bridge. Tess was glad to have him here. Benjin was on one of the Cobra Patrol vessels. She would have preferred to have him here, too. But she couldn't preference just because he was family.
As Fabiano crossed the bridge to take the seat at the science console, he looked to Tess and Rayek with a silent question on his face. Tess caught it and understood. She nodded her head in response which seemed to be enough for him at the moment.

"Science is ready, all systems show green", Fabiano said after a quick check, then Benjin and Security reported the same.

"Ensign Oloze, status of the fighter escort?" The escort consisted of 15 vessels - 8 King Cobras, 4 Cobra Class patrol crafts and 3 runabouts. The remaining 6 shuttles had been assigned to help with the evacuation.

"All show ready", Nadia reported back.

So far so good. "Open a channel to the Challenger, Discovery and the Tempest." Nadia complied and Tess spoke.  "t'Lhoell here from the Healy. Captains, we and the fighter escort are ready and standing by."

[Ian Galloway]

Cmdr. Tess t'Lhoell
[USS Healy - Bridge]

Fabiano arrived on the bridge. Tess was glad to have him here. Benjin was on one of the Cobra Patrol vessels. She would have preferred to have him here, too. But she couldn't preference just because he was family.
As Fabiano crossed the bridge to take the seat at the science console, he looked to Tess and Rayek with a silent question on his face. Tess caught it and understood. She nodded her head in response which seemed to be enough for him at the moment.

"Science is ready, all systems show green", Fabiano said after a quick check, then Benjin and Security reported the same.

"Ensign Oloze, status of the fighter escort?" The escort consisted of 15 vessels - 8 King Cobras, 4 Cobra Class patrol crafts and 3 runabouts. The remaining 6 shuttles had been assigned to help with the evacuation.

"All show ready", Nadia reported back.

So far so good. "Open a channel to the Challenger, Discovery and the Tempest." Nadia complied and Tess spoke.  "t'Lhoell here from the Healy. Captains, we and the fighter escort are ready and standing by."

[Bridge - USS Challenger]

The hail from Healy came in just as the fourteen minute timer reached zero and Ian didn't hesitate. All but six of the crew had reported and he'd have a conversation with each one of them, assuming he survived to talk to anyone.

"Initiate five second burst from forward thrusters ta move us clear of the station. Once clear, fire forward starboard and port aft thrusters ta bring us around. Once we've come completely about engage one quarter impulse until we are a thousand kilometers from Katra, then full impulse for the oort cloud.

"Mister T'Kel, I want fifty photons staged in the cargo bays for kinetic launch. I want ta leave these Wanderer gits a surprise minefield for once they get past us. We won't likely be around ta see it, but I don't care how bloody large this ship of theirs is, fifty bloody photons will put a dent in a Dominion Dreadnaught's hat."

Ian then concentrated on every dirty trick and scheme he could imagine or find in the ship's database on ship-to-ship battles for anything that would inflict the maximum about of damage possible to a single large ship. He sent a quick description and video file to the commander of the Healy on the Thatch Weave maneuver, which might prove useful when the Wanderer mothership launched it's parasite craft.

[Kyle Briggs]

[Bridge]

"Yeah. The time we had was great. But let's get back to the issue at hand. Is there something about these Wanderers and Thinkers you're not telling us? Are you expecting the Challenger not to make it through this? What kind of damn talk is that? We're the Challenger, man. We're the best damn ship and crew in the entire fleet. Now act like it." Kyle wasn't sure what had happened but he wasn't too keen on the Captain's "pep talk".

[ShranLahr ch'Verret]

PO1 ShranLahr ch'Verret
[USS Challenger - Deck One - Bridge]

[Bridge - USS Challenger]

Ian looked up with a grim expression as Kyle reported. He wished he had more information, but the briefing from Solluk was rather sparse on details.

"Seems like some local trouble makers called the Wanderers, space pirates of a sort if'n you can believe that, are headin' for the station. Normally they're more of a nuisance than a threat, but seems like the raiders have hooked up with another set of trouble makers called the Thinkers, nae so much imagination out here in the Gamma Quadrant it seems, and now this Wanderer ship, which is bloody big is now a problem. Station is evacuatin' all the civilians and we're ta buy time for them ta get away. Truth be told, this is likely a one way trip for us given the power of this upgraded behemoth we're ta fight. One way trip or not, we will fight this thing and we will delay it regardless of cost. So, apart from that, how was your two hours of leave?"

[Bridge]

"Yeah. The time we had was great. But let's get back to the issue at hand. Is there something about these Wanderers and Thinkers you're not telling us? Are you expecting the Challenger not to make it through this? What kind of damn talk is that? We're the Challenger, man. We're the best damn ship and crew in the entire fleet. Now act like it." Kyle wasn't sure what had happened but he wasn't too keen on the Captain's "pep talk".

Lahr's antenna flicked up in alarm at the Captain's quiet words to the XO.   It was moment's like this that the Andorian wished he didn't have such sensitive, antennaed hearing.   This was a suicide run!?  No way!

Flashbacks of the many battles on the Innominatum Outpost while retaking it from Admiral Leyton, played in the Andorian's mind.   Those battles too had been considered suicide missions.   Yet the ship and some small portion of her original crew - namely himself - remained.

Giving his head a shake Lahr forced his drooping antenna to stand alertly.  They'd faced terrible odds in the past and Lahr had nearly given up.  Well, he'd been wrong to do so! The Andorian glanced to his left to where Ruth sat at the Science console.   No, they would survive this.  He had extra reason to live.

Cmdr. Tess t'Lhoell
[USS Healy - Bridge]

"Ensign Oloze, status of the fighter escort?" The escort consisted of 15 vessels - 8 King Cobras, 4 Cobra Class patrol crafts and 3 runabouts. The remaining 6 shuttles had been assigned to help with the evacuation.

"All show ready", Nadia reported back.

So far so good. "Open a channel to the Challenger, Discovery and the Tempest." Nadia complied and Tess spoke.  "t'Lhoell here from the Healy. Captains, we and the fighter escort are ready and standing by."

[Bridge - USS Challenger]

The hail from Healy came in just as the fourteen minute timer reached zero and Ian didn't hesitate. All but six of the crew had reported and he'd have a conversation with each one of them, assuming he survived to talk to anyone.

"Initiate five second burst from forward thrusters ta move us clear of the station. Once clear, fire forward starboard and port aft thrusters ta bring us around. Once we've come completely about engage one quarter impulse until we are a thousand kilometers from Katra, then full impulse for the oort cloud.

"Mister T'Kel, I want fifty photons staged in the cargo bays for kinetic launch. I want ta leave these Wanderer gits a surprise minefield for once they get past us. We won't likely be around ta see it, but I don't care how bloody large this ship of theirs is, fifty bloody photons will put a dent in a Dominion Dreadnaught's hat."

Ian then concentrated on every dirty trick and scheme he could imagine or find in the ship's database on ship-to-ship battles for anything that would inflict the maximum about of damage possible to a single large ship. He sent a quick description and video file to the commander of the Healy on the Thatch Weave maneuver, which might prove useful when the Wanderer mothership launched it's parasite craft.

Lahr watched the viewscreen ahead as the ship sped off away from the station... away from the planet... and towards a fate as yet undetermined.

[Ruth Sigurdsdottir]

[Bridge - USS Challenger]

Ian glanced up briefly as Ruth made her report and answered tersely.

"Fourteen minutes it is then, and nae a minute more."

He went back to monitoring Dalish's efforts to bring the prototype point of impact shields back online. It looked like it would be close, but the Tellerite was a crack engineer and Ian was confident she'd get it done.

[Bridge - Challenger, 13.5 mins later]

"I believe we have 29 seconds to spare, Captain... all Sciences aboard and ready!" Ruth announced with a nod towards Ian.  She sometimes wished she didn't know him as well as she did as something didn't seem to be sitting on her shoulders too well.

[OCC - Katra Station]

Hrafn received Nevir's message and sighed.  She'd forgotten in the hubbub that was a red alert that her husband was actually on the station.

Acknowledged.  And good luck Captain Tekin.  Falleg-Tekin out   She hoped he understood that the brevity and professionalism was solely because she was in the OCC and on duty rather than anything else.

She turned her attention to the kids, big and small.

Falleg-Tekin to Commander Sigurdsdottir, I have been recommended by Captain Tekin to send my children to the Tempest.  In the interests of safety, and with them being cadets too, I'm going to recommend that your sisters and Sally McCutcheon join them, so if you need to contact them, that's where to do it.  They'll keep them safe, I know them all to be very capable young women.  Falleg-Tekin out. 

Ruth sighed to herself but was glad that someone had made provision for the girls.

Commander Sigurdsdottir here, Thank you for the heads up, Lieutenant, I agree they are all capable young women, the Tempest should make use of them all.  Good luck on Katra, we'll keep you as safe as we can.  Sigurdsdottir out.

[Bridge - USS Challenger]

The hail from Healy came in just as the fourteen minute timer reached zero and Ian didn't hesitate. All but six of the crew had reported and he'd have a conversation with each one of them, assuming he survived to talk to anyone.

"Initiate five second burst from forward thrusters ta move us clear of the station. Once clear, fire forward starboard and port aft thrusters ta bring us around. Once we've come completely about engage one quarter impulse until we are a thousand kilometers from Katra, then full impulse for the oort cloud.

"Mister T'Kel, I want fifty photons staged in the cargo bays for kinetic launch. I want ta leave these Wanderer gits a surprise minefield for once they get past us. We won't likely be around ta see it, but I don't care how bloody large this ship of theirs is, fifty bloody photons will put a dent in a Dominion Dreadnaught's hat."

Ian then concentrated on every dirty trick and scheme he could imagine or find in the ship's database on ship-to-ship battles for anything that would inflict the maximum about of damage possible to a single large ship. He sent a quick description and video file to the commander of the Healy on the Thatch Weave maneuver, which might prove useful when the Wanderer mothership launched it's parasite craft.

[Bridge]

"Yeah. The time we had was great. But let's get back to the issue at hand. Is there something about these Wanderers and Thinkers you're not telling us? Are you expecting the Challenger not to make it through this? What kind of damn talk is that? We're the Challenger, man. We're the best damn ship and crew in the entire fleet. Now act like it." Kyle wasn't sure what had happened but he wasn't too keen on the Captain's "pep talk".

Ruth shot a look at Kyle, he'd obviously picked up what she did.  She wasn't about to undermine the Captain on his own Bridge or make him feel worse than he already did.  She felt a little sorry for him sitting in the big chair, but she looked around her, seeing Kyle, Lahr, T'eala and the other Bridge crew and knew if any of them were going to bring them safely through this it was this lot, Richard and the rest of the Flight crew in the auxiliary craft, Tharn and her crew to keep us ticking and Lisa, Jess and the medics to patch them up after, the normally ambulatory crew as opposed to the ship that was.

She mouthed a quick "Love you!" across to Lahr with the brightest smile she could muster, clicked her neck, rolled her shoulders and pulled herself up, straight backed from her core.

"Let's metaphorically take my axes to this lot, let's show them what the Challenger, and Starfleet in general working in conjunction with Discovery, Healy, Tempest and Katra's ordinance can do... I'm glad we're on this side, I wouldn't want to be our opponents right now!"

Hoping that gave Ian, Lahr and Kyle some hope that the Viking inside her was ready for a fight. she checked her systems again and mentally psyched herself up for what was to come.

[Ian Galloway]

[Bridge]

"Yeah. The time we had was great. But let's get back to the issue at hand. Is there something about these Wanderers and Thinkers you're not telling us? Are you expecting the Challenger not to make it through this? What kind of damn talk is that? We're the Challenger, man. We're the best damn ship and crew in the entire fleet. Now act like it." Kyle wasn't sure what had happened but he wasn't too keen on the Captain's "pep talk".

[Bridge - USS Challenger\

Ian gave Kyle a hard stare at his rebuke before nodding slowly at his first officer.

"Thank you Kyle." He said softly. "We are the best, but we'll need ta be even better than that against this one. Their ship is huge and is a carrier sportin' all manner of decent sized parasite craft. Think of the worst fight you've ever been in and that is what we are up against. I'll use every trick I ken and will make up some in the process, but when we get back ta Katra, we're goin' ta need a lot more than shield upgrades."

[Richard James Litt]

[USS Challenger · Main Shuttlebay]

Litt headed as quickly as he could to the main shuttlebay and as soon as he got there he started giving orders to his team to do the necessary checks on all shuttles and everything they could check. A few minutes later he received reports from the entire team and with a smile on his face he touched his commbadge to speak to Ian.

"œLitt to Galloway. Captain, everything in order here, all shuttles ready for use if needed. We are ready to move."

[Kyle Briggs]

Bridge - USS Challenger

Ian gave Kyle a hard stare at his rebuke before nodding slowly at his first officer.

"Thank you Kyle." He said softly. "We are the best, but we'll need ta be even better than that against this one. Their ship is huge and is a carrier sportin' all manner of decent sized parasite craft. Think of the worst fight you've ever been in and that is what we are up against. I'll use every trick I ken and will make up some in the process, but when we get back ta Katra, we're goin' ta need a lot more than shield upgrades."

Kyle returned Ian's slow nod. "At least you said when we return this time. I can handle that a lot better. We might have to have the old gal towed in but together, we will get through this one just like all the others." He console beeped and he glanced down at it real quick. "All departments report one hundred percent on crew return. Now let's go kick their asses so I can get back to my R&R." he added with a grin.

[Danjar-Torra Addams]

(OOC partial repost from Discovery thread)

Ensign Danjar-Torra Addams
[USS Discovery - Deck One - Bridge]

When the Captain addressed the Bridge, Torra turned in her seat to listen attentively.  She had always known that the ship was very self-automated but it was distressing to learn that her role could soon be deemed unneeded despite the Captain's promise.  She was concerned what that new automation would mean for her ship upsol.

Her concerned thoughts were interrupted by a ping from communications.

"Incoming message, Captain." Torra announced and put the audio through to the Captain.

Cmdr. Tess t'Lhoell
[USS Healy - Bridge]
So far so good. "Open a channel to the Challenger, Discovery and the Tempest." Nadia complied and Tess spoke.  "t'Lhoell here from the Healy. Captains, we and the fighter escort are ready and standing by."

The call was followed almost immediately by an internal comm call from Medical to which the Captain answered before issuing his orders throughout the bridge.

[USS Discovery - Sickbay]

Wentock to Bridge.  Sickbay prepared for action. Wentock out.

"Bridge to Sickbay, take the triage crew and report to the Alpha hull infirmary.  Everyone else assist with Katra and Tempest.  Captain out." 

The ship shuddered as the primary Alpha hull connected with her engineering hull, and locked in.  Discovery was ready to go.

"Addams, you will be coordinating flight patterns with all three hulls.  Said, make sure weapon systems are tied to accept commands from the Main Bridge.  Felder is in charge of our crew station side, so today you are our tactical officer.  Torra, send an acknowledgement to the Healy, and coordinate communications with all ships.  Let Ops know we are ready to depart and need emergency clearance." he said, taking a seat.  All of the stations had a first for Federation ships; a holographic projection display to assist and augment the standard 2D panels.  Throughout the ship, the once secondary holoemitter system was now considered a primary system, allowing for personalization with a 3D display like what many private vessels were starting to have. 

"Aye sir."

Torra opened the comm on her station and replied to the Healy's call.  "Discovery to Healy.  We acknowledge your readiness.  Please hold while I tie in Challenger, Tempest's secondary bridge and your Lead figher ship.  This will be a dedicated line to be used for coordinating ship movements."

One-by-one ships were added to the comm line.

Then Katra's OCC was contacted and the request for emergency undocking sent.  Moments later their request was acknowledged and the umbilicals were disengaged and docking clamps released.

"Katra acknowledges and we are now released from Saucer Two dock moorings." Torra announced.

Once they received clearance, Nevir nodded.  "Alright, clear all moorings.  Helm, 5 second burst from reverse plus starboard maneuvering thrusters.  Angle us at 246 mark 7, and bring the warp core online... just the warp core.  We have an experimental drive that is not yet ready, so be careful.  Activate viewscreen." he called, as the front wall of the bridge faded into a more traditional looking viewscreen.  The Challenger and the Healy had both already pulled out of moorings and were maneuvering.

Torra lifted her eyes to the viewscreen as it came up.   The station looked like one of the Winter ornaments suspended above the planet.   She hoped that through their combined efforts they could ensure that she never had to see the damage that she witnessed during the Dosi attack.

[Ruth Sigurdsdottir]

[Bridge - USS Challenger\

Ian gave Kyle a hard stare at his rebuke before nodding slowly at his first officer.

"Thank you Kyle." He said softly. "We are the best, but we'll need ta be even better than that against this one. Their ship is huge and is a carrier sportin' all manner of decent sized parasite craft. Think of the worst fight you've ever been in and that is what we are up against. I'll use every trick I ken and will make up some in the process, but when we get back ta Katra, we're goin' ta need a lot more than shield upgrades."

[Bridge - USS Challenger]

Ruth audibly gulped, if this was going to be worse than the battle against Leyton, or the Space Nazis... they were up against it.

"So Leyton teams up with the Space Nazis and brings a few friends... right, got it..." she said giving a lopsided, wide eyed, rather worried look.

Bridge - USS Challenger

Kyle returned Ian's slow nod. "At least you said when we return this time. I can handle that a lot better. We might have to have the old gal towed in but together, we will get through this one just like all the others." He console beeped and he glanced down at it real quick. "All departments report one hundred percent on crew return. Now let's go kick their asses so I can get back to my R&R." he added with a grin.

Ruth almost laughed at Kyle and gave him an answering grin.

"Bring it on.  Let's show them we've got teeth... bloody big ones!  Or axes... whichever they'd prefer, I'll even let them pick body parts, that's how generous I'm feeling.  Which one I remove from their body first that is... I'm not being that generous!!"

[Ian Galloway]

Bridge - USS Challenger

Kyle returned Ian's slow nod. "At least you said when we return this time. I can handle that a lot better. We might have to have the old gal towed in but together, we will get through this one just like all the others." He console beeped and he glanced down at it real quick. "All departments report one hundred percent on crew return. Now let's go kick their asses so I can get back to my R&R." he added with a grin.

[Bridge - USS Challenger]

Ian appreciated the crew's confidence, but he was certain Admiral Hanson's fleet had felt confidence before the battle of Wolf 359 too. The big unknown about the fight with the Wanderers, was just how much had the Thinkers upgraded their goons' ship and how many parasite craft was it carrying. Kyle was right however, as captain, Ian couldn't voice his concerns, just live with them. Ian returned to his planning and remembered something he'd tried before on the Discovery and figured it might just be effective again. He activated the comm panel on the command seat.

"Dalish, I know you have you best people workin' on the point of impact shields, but I need you to send at least twenty crew, coordinate with Ops if you need more hands, ta the shuttlebays. I'm goin' ta need twenty quantums set for freefall and placed in a horizontal rack that can be released by someone on the bay on command from the bridge. The idea is to release the quantums as a stick of bombs when we roll the ship ta port. The rack can be replicated easy enough and will only take one crewman to release them. This is your number two priority after the shields."

[USS Challenger · Main Shuttlebay]

Litt headed as quickly as he could to the main shuttlebay and as soon as he got there he started giving orders to his team to do the necessary checks on all shuttles and everything they could check. A few minutes later he received reports from the entire team and with a smile on his face he touched his commbadge to speak to Ian.

"œLitt to Galloway. Captain, everything in order here, all shuttles ready for use if needed. We are ready to move."

[Bridge - USS Challenger]

Ian smiled to hear Lieutenant Litt was with the evacuation and replied immediately.

"Galloway ta Litt. Coordinate with Katra Ops on where they need you for the evacuation of the civilians. Godspeed Lieutenant."

[ShranLahr ch'Verret]

PO1 ShranLahr ch'Verret
[USS Challenger - Deck One - Bridge]

The Trialus System

Gradually, the stately vessels of Starfleet gained their clearance and entered formation to depart for the Oort cloud.  The powerful Galaxy class engineering hull and the USS Healy formed up in the rear, with eight King-Cobra fighters in close escort.  The USS Discovery and the USS Challenger created the Vanguard, as they were the two vessels who retained most of their combat capability.  Together, the twelve ships and craft comprised the largest Starfleet force deployed in the Gamma quadrant since the end of the Dominion War.  In a little while, this collection of vessels would reach the inner Oort cloud of the system, where they would be able to intercept the Wanderers.  Every minute they delayed the enemy there was 700 million more kilometers that the evacuees could traverse in their voyage of escape.  Every minute they held the line, lives would be secured.

Blood for blood.

[Bridge - USS Challenger]

Ian appreciated the crew's confidence, but he was certain Admiral Hanson's fleet had felt confidence before the battle of Wolf 359 too. The big unknown about the fight with the Wanderers, was just how much had the Thinkers upgraded their goons' ship and how many parasite craft was it carrying. Kyle was right however, as captain, Ian couldn't voice his concerns, just live with them. Ian returned to his planning and remembered something he'd tried before on the Discovery and figured it might just be effective again. He activated the comm panel on the command seat.

"Dalish, I know you have you best people workin' on the point of impact shields, but I need you to send at least twenty crew, coordinate with Ops if you need more hands, ta the shuttlebays. I'm goin' ta need twenty quantums set for freefall and placed in a horizontal rack that can be released by someone on the bay on command from the bridge. The idea is to release the quantums as a stick of bombs when we roll the ship ta port. The rack can be replicated easy enough and will only take one crewman to release them. This is your number two priority after the shields."

[Bridge - USS Challenger]

Ian smiled to hear Lieutenant Litt was with the evacuation and replied immediately.

"Galloway ta Litt. Coordinate with Katra Ops on where they need you for the evacuation of the civilians. Godspeed Lieutenant."

(OOC partial repost from Discovery thread)

Ensign Danjar-Torra Addams
[USS Discovery - Deck One - Bridge]

Torra opened the comm on her station and replied to the Healy's call.  "Discovery to Healy.  We acknowledge your readiness.  Please hold while I tie in Challenger, Tempest's secondary bridge and your Lead fighter ship.  This will be a dedicated line to be used for coordinating ship movements."

One-by-one ships were added to the comm line.

"Sir, we have the Discovery opening a dedicated comm line for ship movement and intel.  Putting it through direct to your armrest console. Simply press the icon to speak to all ships." Lahr informed.

Then following the Captain's orders to Lt Dalish Tharn, the Ops officer assisted as needed to get the torpedoes prepared to the Captain's specification.

Lt Cmdr. tr'Lhoell
[USS Healy - Deck One - Bridge]

At high warp, warp 7 or above, it took the Healy only a few minutes to move from the station into rear guard position.   According to the plan discussed in the briefing, Challenger and Discovery would continue on to the inner edge of the Oort Cloud as the Vanguard to meet the initial Wanderer attack.

The dedicated open comm line was eerily silent as the ships moved into position.

Trialus System - Oort Cloud

A massive squadron of fifty Wanderer attack ships entered the outer Oort cloud of the Trialus system.  Each of the ships was 50 meters long, about twice the size of a Danube class Runabout.  They were mostly engines and weapons strapped to a petite cargo and passenger compartment.  Their main guns could pack quite a wallop, unleashing charged particle bursts in the 100 Gigawatt range.  At that power level, they could even stagger capital ships.  Their missile armament was less formidable, relying on fusion warheads to do damage.  These were only very dangerous once an enemy's shields could be battered down.

Despite these weapons, the real danger of the Wanderer ships was their transporter system.  Each of these ships was carrying ten marines.  If any one of them could beam aboard a ship during a breach, they carried special transporter enhancers that would allow the remainder to follow- even after shields had been raised.  The marines were well-trained and highly experienced.  While the Wanderers were known as Pirates, they were in fact the last remnant of an interstellar nation's armed forces.  They trained and deployed like military professionals.

And now they soared towards the defending Starfleet vessels.  In five minutes, they would burst through the Oort cloud and enter weapons range.

"The Wanderer ship appears to have stopped outside the Oort cloud.."   Rayek called out over the dedicated comm to the other ships, though it was mostly for the benefit of Tess who seemed to have much of her attention on the tracking signal.

Within moments of stopping, the Wanderer ship launched a massive squadron of smaller attack ships.  "They've launched over 4 dozen attack ships... They are entering the Oort Cloud now.  At their current speed, 9.997 they will emerge out of the Oort Cloud into the Vanguard's weapons range in 5 minutes."

The speed of the each of the individual attack craft was disturbing.   If the attack ships chose to blow right past... they could reach Katra in under a minute after emerging from the Oort Cloud, presenting only a brief few seconds time during which the guarding ships could attack them.  Rayek, though not a religious man, silently prayed to the Elements that this would not be the case.

As the time ticked by, he studied the readings a bit closer and adjusted the sensor slightly, picking up a reading that was a little bit encouraging.

"Sensors are picking signs of strain on the attack ships drive systems."

Though they were moving at speeds just shy of Discovery's max... their engines were not built to withstand such speeds for long.  This could potentially be used against them.

The Andorian watched the viewscreen and hoped the Captain's slew of 'tricks and tactics' could help them win this.

"Damn, they're fast."  Challenger even at max couldn't go as fast as these small attack fighters.    But then ship battles were rarely fought at warp so that should level the field a bit.  However, they did appear nimble.. even at impulse Lahr got the sense that these ships were gonna try to fly circles around the larger ships.

He looked over to T'eala and gave an encouraging nod.  "You've got this." he assured her.  Then turned to look to the Captain.  Normally this would be when Lahr would ask for the Captain's preference in battle music.. but something about the serious look on the man's face and feeling of distance between them kept the Andorian for saying anything more.  He turned back to his console and waited for the orders to begin.

[Tekin Nevir]

Crosspost from Discovery...

[Deck 1 - Main Bridge - USS Discovery]

Prophets, this chair is comfortable... was his thought process as Discovery headed the vanguard with the Challenger nearby.  It was something else to put his mind on, while thinking of the obvious conflict that laid before him.

After checking to see that all ships were with them, and knowing that he was the field commander, he bit his lower lip.

"Red Alert, shields up.  Begin weapons power sequence to stage 1 only... I don't want them to see our weapons getting hot.  What are we seeing out there, Ms Addams?" he asked, staring out the screen.  The other ships were looking to him to make the first move, including the non-Federation ships, but he had an obligation to Starfleet to use force as a last resort.

"Inform the fleet to take defensive positions and stand by on my orders.  Hail the lead ships." he ordered, to give diplomacy a try.

"This is Captain Tekin Nevir of the Federation starship Discovery.  Stand down from your attack position and state your business in this region.  You have entered a zone protected by the United Federation of Planets.  We would prefer that this end before it begins with minimal blood spilled." 

Did he expect them to answer?  Maybe.  Did he expect them to listen?  No... but Prophets damn him if he were to be the one to fire first.  They wouldn't be the aggressors this day.  The ball was now in the court of the Wanderers.

[Ruth Sigurdsdottir]

[Challenger - Bridge]

Ruth hoped that everyone remembered that, while she was primarily a Science Officer, she could if necessary turn her hand to other Departments... well anything other than Engineering unless it was pre-warp, and Medicine bar basics.  If it required more than field dressings, administering a hypo, or as it happened, midwifery (the rural community in Trondheim she'd been brought up in, she'd learned a lot about births of humans and animals).  That said she was pretty sure that Lisa had Medical in hand and Dalish was fine in Engineering.

Challenger had always had a good crew, and they responded well to Ian, now they just had to pray that they got through this.

Operational Control Center - Katra Station

"Science, something is happening at the sun.  Tetryon emissions just spiked there, and I'm getting chroniton flux wavefronts of increasing amplitude.  I've never seen anything quite like it.  Please analyze and advise."

"Captain... there's something strange happening with that sun.  Chroniton flux waves too... Am I being too cynical to suggest that we're about to have a secondary attack of some kind.  Lahr am I cleared to talk directly to Katra Station?  If not please send a message to whomever at Science in the OCC just say 'Look at Triallus Sun core... something is happening to the core, I think they're - they being some 3rd party -  are going to harness it's power somehow...'  get all the Science boffins on it.  Tekin, Falleg-Tekin, T'Lara, I don't know who else but as our dear Captain would say... we need all the boffins heads metaphorically together on this one and quickly.  Sooner we are looking at that the sooner we can get something done about it.  Monitoring the core..."