DS2 RPG General Status Report January 2003 USS Earth Although there is disturbing news about a possible upcoming war with the Cardassians, copming in through the datastream from Starfleet, things couldn't be better with the relation between the Federation and the Stiegls. The Federation Council has sent a special ambassador and an entire administration to Stiegl, but that group will only arrive in six months. Until then Captain Steichen will be the representative of the Federation in Stiegl territory. LT Corsair in command of the USS Mandarin has been promoted to Captain and has been ordered to return to Federation space for a complete debriefing about the time travel possibilities of the Cardassians. Only a day later Captain Corsair says good-bye to the USS Earth crew and Captain Steichen. He thanks everyone again for helping them. And while the Miranda class USS Mandarin is taken by a Stiegls ship with Thunder Drive to Federation space, another guest is announced on the USS Earth which is the temporary embassy for the Federation. Actually the guests for Captain Steichen keep coming all from different and distant species. They all want to meet Humans, Betazoids, and Vulcans. After a few days receiving guests seem to be an exhausting activity. There is need for a permanent embassy. After consulting with the Stiegls there is a small M-class moon found suitable for humanoid life. This moon is called DT498, but almost immediately renamed in Second Haven. But an embassy still has to be built. The Stiegls show their interest and with their advanced building skills an embassy building and a few other buildings have been built. Not only that, but the Stiegls intercept the Federation vessel with the ambassador aboard and through their Thunder Drive they transport the entire Nebula class vessel USS United , the ambassador and the crew to Stiegl territory. It only took six days to set up a complete embassy with a fully equiped ambassador T'nara, a Vulcan with a huge reputation in negotiating treaties and diplomacy. But then a disturbing message from Starfleet Intelligence comes in. The message is a general message through the datastream, but it is received by the USS United and USS Earth as well as by the Embassy itself. It is clear that the message is sent knowing someone for who this message is meant, will receive it one way or another. Incoming Message STIN3527 Datastream file 17B Adressed to: none. I have foun the data and after a study it is clear that these Stiegls are not trustworthy. Everything seems to be the perfect environment for everyone. This data proves the Stiegls are indeed acting with cunning tricks and a deceiving show of technology. Thanks for the information. Please remember this message will be read by a number of people, so maybe you should lay low for a while. I am waiting for your next report anxiety. Your friend. End of file. Only ten minutes later Captain Steichen, in command of the USS Earth and Captain Veracruz, in command of the USS Unity are called in Ambassador T'nara's office... Captain Steichen advices Ambassador T'nara to start an investigation to try to find out who this message was for and why, and what the data is, which is mentioned. One thing is certain. There is something weird about these Stiegls. USS Metrical The USS Metrical is on its way to Hikta Prime in Cardassian space hoping to find more information about why the Cardassians are turning their planets in to big holographic planets. Somewhere in Cardassian territory... "Gul Manet. Finally you have arrived. Our little fleet has been defeated by the Federation and only because they received help from the Klingons. I am furious. Why wasn't I informed about the Klingons. You must find our operatives in Klingon territory and get more cooperation from them. We cannot fail a second time. Is that clear?" "Legate Benal, I am afraid there is more bad news. The USS Metrical, from Starfleet has entered our territory and has discovered about our holographic planets. The good news is, I have managed to get an agent of the Obsidian Order aboard this USS Metrical. He can come into action any time now. He must not fail or we are getting ourselves into deeper trouble. We can mislead the Federation and the Klingon Empire long enough to complete our work. As long as they think this is about holographic planets, we don't have to worry about anything." "Hmmm. You did well Gul Manet. I underestimated the USS Metrical. They have to be eliminated. One other Federation ship, USS Colorado has been disabled and stopped. We had to use one of our weapons though to do it. But nevermind that. It was also a test of our new weapons we have received from our friends the Stiegls." "Legate Benal, I am still a bit worried that the Stiegls have granted an embassy for the Federation in their territory. I didn't think that would be wise. These Federation dogs should not be in the heart of the Stiegls defenses. I think it is a mistake." At this time a humanoid comes in. It is a Stiegl Officer. Gul Manet immediately knows what is going on and whished he hadn't aid anything about the Stiegls. But it is to late. When Gul Manet fires his weapon on the Stiegl Officer, nothing heapons. The Stiegl Offcier returns fire and a moment later there is nothing else left of Gul Manet than ashes. Aboard USS Metrical on route to Hikta Prime... INTRUDER ALERT "What is going on?" "Captain, the Cardassian prisoner has escaped. The two security officers in the brig have been killed. He must have deactivated parts of the internal sensor systems as well. We cannot detect him anywhere. Security is already on its way for a deck to deck sweap." The situation is clear. The USS Metrical has a Cardassian spy aboard and nobody knows how much damage this one man can do. It is clear that if this Cardassian spy can escape from a prison cell in the brig, it is clear not many other things can stop him. The USS Metrical continues to Hikta Prime. The search for the Cardassian intruder will be done in the mean time. USS Thunderbolt "We are Borg. We live in coexsistance with humanoids. We will help you upgrade your biological and technological qualities. We will serve you to become perfect. Your designation is Mechels Guillaume, human species, Captain of the USS Thunderbolt, a Starfleet vessel, fugitive to Starfleet Command. We have intercepted Starfleet communications that the following Starfleet vessels are in pursuit of our vessel. Do you want to hear these communications ?" At least a week the three Borg drones have not communicated with the regular USS Thunderbolt crew. Now suddenly one of the Borg has addressed Captain Mechels. Even the security officers who guard the Borg are perplexed. These Borg are totally different then any Borg ever encountered. But Captain Mechels is back on track in a few seconds. "What is your designation ? "My designation is Four of Six. Do you want to see these communications ?" Captain Mechels is convinced the interceptioin of Starfleet communications could indeed be important and it seems the efficiency of these Borg is no less than Borg of the 24th century. *** Communications between USS France, Captain Jacques Cartier in command and USS Chili, Captain Diego Tarapaca in command. "Oh Come'on Jacques we will get this guy within 14 days. We have already tracked his warp signature. The USS Thunderbolt will be ours..." "Sure thing Diego. I didn't know he had fallen so low. When he attacked Geert's USS Giorko I was simply shocked. I will say it again and again." "Don't worry Jacques, our efforts will pay of soon. Besides, Geert has a great new ship now, USS Metrical. Maybe we could convince him to join us. Ah. Forget it. The USS Metrical is in Cardassian space. She is to far away. Besides the USS Los Angelos is coming from the other side closing in. And I also have heard from a friend in the Marine Corps, a special Marine team aboard the USS Lightning is also on it's way to intercept the USS Thunderbolt. They will not escape this time..." *** After listening to the communications between USS France and USS Chili, it is becoming clear that there a more than a few ships hunting the USS Thunderbolt. But Captain Mechels still has some questions. "Are you still connected to the Borg Collective ?" "We don't have to be connected to the Collective. We have been designed to accomplish assignments on our own. We don't need guidance. We are perfect. We are Borg." Some things never change... The USS Thunderbolt is battle ready. The ships in pursuit do not know the USS Thunderbolt is now a Borg fort. Captain Mechels' opponants have no way to beat him... Maybe the Marines do... USS Walang Starbase 684. The USS Walang, Defiant class starship enters spacedock. Shortly after Commander Hendriks and Countor, the Trax enter the office of Admiral Jennifer Vandenbergh where they have a short meeting. Admiral Vandenbergh has found the Defiant class starship not suitable for such a long journey and as she has a brand new ship in her spacedock with only a small crew aboard she has decided that Marja Hendriks will command this new ship and the crew Hendriks old ship will be transfered to the new ship. Official order by Admiral Jennifer Vandenbergh: I hereby officially assign Commander Marja Hendriks to command the new Galaxy class vessel with the same name as her old ship, USS Walang. By the powers invested in me I hereby promote Commander Hendriks to the rank of Captain and her first officer Lieutenant Commander Harry Belafonte to the rank of Commander. As the crew of the new USS Walang is now complete I whish you all the success in your new exploration and search for a possible new friend of the Federation, the Trum. There is a loud applause and a small reception in the forward lounge of the Galaxy class USS Walang. But all the preparations have been completed and it is time to go. The journey will be a long one and not without dangers, but everyone is convinced that the reward at the end of the journey will be undescribable. Starbase 684. The USS Walang, Galaxy class starship leaves spacedock. Folowing the route found in the Trum database the USS Walang sets course to the border of Federation space. The last inhabited planet in Federation space is the home of the Zolarans, a very old species with a very long history. It is even possible that the Zolarans know something about the Trum. When the USS Walang arrives the news has already traveled fast and the Zolarans know about the voyage and the search of the USS Walang for the Trum. Although it seems strange to Captain Hendriks that the Zolarans will not talk about the Trum. all conversations with the Zolarans stay superficial and everytime the word Trum is spoken the Zolarans start a new or different subject... USS Vertigo Day 95 13.14 The USS Vertigo and the small Federation fleet covered by an unknown number of cloaked Klingon vessels arrive in orbit of Triak II Day 95 16.00 Starfleet forces and security troops set foot on Triak II. One security team is lead by Lieutenant Commander Matz, who again shows her half Klingon side. Her team is joined by a Klingon team under command of Lieutenant Borak son of T'hogh. Day 95 17.51 A huge explosion on Triak II, and another one, and again... USS Vertigo Chief of Operations, Commander Lex Harding reports several federation ships have damage as well as several Klingon ships... 39.7 percent of the planet is destroyed, simply gone. Commodore Slater orders an emergency evacuation of the planet and to regroup away from Triak II. Day 95 19.35 Lieutenant Commander Matz wakes up in a sick bay of the Klingon vessel I.K.C. Rochata. USS Lightning With the help of the Klingons the battle against the cardassians was a huge success. Commodore Slater can be a pleased man and the help of the USS Lightning is no longer required immediately. Therefore the USS Lightning crew and the special Marine Unit can continue the ask for the help of Professor Ludovicus White, a scientist working on Dannorta II who is also a specialist on time mechanics. LT COL Crow, Personal Log, Date coded 44450K: It's important to find out what or if the Professor knows anything more and if he can help us. But he isn't going anywhere. I am sending a questionaire to the professor with the hope that he can answer all of my questions. But for the moment that is not so important . We will try to find the USS Thunderbolt because if there's one thing a marine hates, that's people who desert their own. We will find them and if necesarry bring them to justice. End log With the possible upcoming war against Cardassia LT COL Crow has decided to go after the USS Thunderbolt and if there is no other option the USS Thunderbolt will be destroyed. Incoming message from General Fujimori Highly classified Information I have read your reports on the time travel devices. According the latest information these devices are no longer a threat. The Cardassians are under control. But there is indeed still the matter of the USS Thunderbolt. I have received information from Special Operations that the USS Thunderbolt has at least made one trip to another time frame. It is not yet certain what the results of this trip might be, but if the USS Thunderbolt has returned from the future, it is possible that Captain Mechels and his renegade crew have brought technology of the future with them. You should be able to put Atad on the task of neutralizing that new technology. And there is another thing the USS France, Captain Jacques Cartier in command and USS Chili, Captain Diego Tarapaca in command, but also the USS Los Angelos are trying to surround the USS Thunderbolt and attack. This is not of your concern. I repeat, the USS France, USS Chili and USS Los Angelos are on their own. We have informed Starfleet these ships cannot handle the USS Thunderbolt, but they will not listen. This subject is not open for discussions. We have several traces leading to the USS Thunderbolt: First and most reliable is the trace followed by the USS Los Angelos in sector 32445, second and more difficult is the trace through the Hunaku Nebula, which gives you cover as well and third, but not recommended is Route 99... Remember Colonel, we believe the USS Thunderbolt has a cloaking device. Be careful. End Transmission. The information about the mission of the USS Lightning is classified. USS Colorado The USS Colorado has been hit by a new and unknown weapon made by the Cardassians. It is unknown to the Federation that the technology to make this weapon has been received from a species called the Stiegls, who live in the Beta Quadrant... "Warp core breach is immenent. Warp core breach in 4 minutes." "Ensign Jones to sickbay, medical assistance in Stellar Cartography I have two people slightly injured both are unconscious." Doctor Laura Wayne in Sickbay is still on her feet. "Wayne here ensign, the con systems are not working to good. See what else you can do, someone is on the way to help. Sickbay out." Although the ship will probably explode in a million pieces in 4 minutes Ensign Jones stays calm. She knows that the escape pods are only ten seconds away. "Stellar Cartography to bridge, the sensor logs are receiving a great deal of information I can't handle it on my own." Trying to get evryone together on the bridge First Officer Walker has a lot of questions to answer and Ensign Jones is only one of them. "Brigde here, do what you can ensign. Send the data that you have, and ensign stay focused. Lt. Hawk, go to engineering see what you can do, I do want to loose the warp core. And Lt. no gamble's if there's no choice, drop the core as last option." RED ALERT RED ALERT And LT CMDR Walker continues his orders. "Doran start to evacuation personel. Sonak how are we doing, I want that main computer online, even for a moment. And send the data we resieved to starfleet, and report our status." But the ship's main computer reports only reality. "Warp core breach is immenent. Warp core breach in 3 minutes." In USS Colorado engineering six engineers are working on sealing the possible warp core breach. But time seems against them. The first escape pods are launched and the runabouts take as many people as they can and launch into space. even the smallest shuttlecraft is launched filled with crewmembers and their families. Captain Harrison can be proud on this very fast evacuation of the ship. But lots of people are still trapped somewhere on the USS Colorado. Three officers open a hatch leading into stellar cartography and burst into the room where Ensign Ally Jones is taking care of her fellow crewmates on the floor. While LT Jane Fonda is getting back to her feet, one of the officers who just came in, addresses her. "Lieutenant. We had to climb two decks on ladders and crawlways. We have to evacuate the ship. A warp core breach is immenent. We will carry the Vulcan officer. Don't worry the escape pods are only around the corner." LT Fonda aggrees and supported by Ensign Jones she makes it out stellar cartography, followed by the three officers carrying the Vulcan Ensign P'nak. But when the small group arrives at the escape pod hatches, the escape pods are already launched. One of the officers checks his tricorder. "Next available escape pods are two decks down. It's our only chance." The small groups has no choice indeed and proceeds to the next level. In the mean time on the bridge a communication channel with engineering has finally been established and Captain Harrison who's head still hurts receives his first report from engineering. "Captain. We don't have much time. We cannot eject the warp core. There is only one way we can eject the core and that is through the controls on the battlebridge. Someone has to go there, but there is a lot of radiation. It is not really safe there, but it is our only chance..." "Warp core breach is immenent. Warp core breach in 2 minutes. Total evacuation is recommended." Captain Harrison doesn't need more information. But he falls down on the floor again. He is in no condition to go anywhere. "All hands. This is the Captain. Abandon ship. Abandon ship." But his first officer Lieutenant Commander Walker has gotten the message. He doesn't hesitate a moment and runs of shouting he will go. Before Captain Herrison can say anything a medic puts a hypospray on his neck. Walker decents the emergency stairway to the Battle bridge in a record time. He has to force the door to the battle bridge open. Not an easy task as he already feels dizzy caused by the radiation. But he got this far... The Battle bridge looks undamaged and Walker has no trouble to get to a console and start the warp ejection procedure. Only a moment later engineering reports the warp core has successfully ejected, but Tom Walker is on the floor... He doesn't move. Impulse power is back on line. Just in time... Ten thousand kilometers away from the ship there is a huge explosion. The USS Colorado shakes violently, but no further damage is done. Only two hours later the USS Texas arrives to assist the USS Colorado. The USS Texas is a brand new Galaxy class ship, under command of the Chief Engineer, Lieutenant Commander Derek Hulsenbein. Except for a few unfortunate casualties, the entire crew of the USS Colorado is safe. But the USS Colorado has to be towed by the USS Texas to spacedock for repairs. These repairs will take at least a full month and a large part of the USS Colorado crew transfers to other ships and stations. Ensign Jones, who served a very short time on the USS Colorado is invited to transfer to the USS Texas. In sickbay Captain Harrison and Lieutenant Commander Walker are on a biobed next to eachother. "Mister Walker. You did an incredible brave thing today and you saved the ship and a part of the crew, which was still aboard. I never had any doubts about your abilities since we first met, but I have taken myself some time to be absolutely sure about your progress. That time is now over. I had very different circomstances in mind for this, but here he goes. Lieutenant Commander Tom Walker I hereby promote you to the ranbk of full commander. I guess that after your actions the last three months on this ship you can chose any assignment. Congratulations Commander Walker." USS Alice Cooper The information about the mission of the USS Alice Cooper-B is classified. DS2 RPG General Status Report February 2003 USS Earth In Stiegls territory on M-class moon Second Haven, Ambassador for the Federation T'nara has no choice than wait for the reports of her intelligence officers. If the Stiegls are indeed untrustworthy, they probably follow every move the Ambassador makes. Captain Steichen and Captain Veracruz already know what makes the Ambassador worry. But they to have to wait until reports from their intelligence officers come in. First it has to be discovered for who the disturbing message was for and who send it. That is not going to be n easy task as the message was just hidden in the datastream. It is strange though, because the sender apparently knew that his message about the Stigels being untrustworthy, would be read by at least a small group of people. All reports in this matter will be coded by a complete new coding system. The possibility that the Stiegls can have the Starfleet codes already is not excluded at this time. Incoming report Lieutenant Patrick Johansson, Starfleet special operations assigned directly to Ambassador T'nara. Tracking down message STIN3527, Datastream file 17B Adressed to: none. Message comes from Admiral Zla Fadte Starfleet Intelligence himself and is send to this address: FFFA6FF. This address belongs to Ensign Rudy Vanholland. After investigation Ensign Rudy Vanholland is under surveillance, but he has done nothing out of the ordinary. We advice to inform Starfleet command of this situation. If their are any spies among Federation people in Stiegls territory there is the need to find them before the Stiegls do, and as the Stiegls have superior technology that will not be easy. End of report Captain Veracruz, Captain Steichen and ambassador T'nara do not need to communicate to evaluate the situation. But al three are invited by the Stiegls to meet the Stiegls president during a party in the Stiegls head building. It would be very unpolite to refuse this invitation. Captain Steichen volonteers to investigate the Stiegls further. When she is in the head building of the Stiegls, she will try to search the building of the Stiegls. Maybe something is to be found... USS Metrical "Captain. I think we have located the Cardassian intruder. Security is already on its way and forcefields are in place. He cannot escape." "Keep me posted Lieutenant." "Aye sir." While security on the USS Metrical is narrowing the net around the Cardassian intruder, on Hikta Prime other Cardassians are preparing to attack the USS Metrical with the new Stiegl weapons. There is little known about the Stiegls by the Federation, but also by the Cardassians who only use the Stiegls to their own advantage. Hikta prime is one of those holographic planets at the border of Cardassian space, build up by the Cardassians to mislead possible enemies. Some of these Cardassian planets are already completely operational, some almost and some already discovered by Federation starships. Hikta Prime is one of those planets which is almost operational. the holographic projectors are on line and someone who would just pass by and scan the planet would not notice that Hikta Prime was a almost deserted planet, with three thousand meters under the surface a fully operational Cardassian military base, shielded from sensors by Stiegl technology. And the Cardassians are waiting for the USS Metrical to arrive. One of the younger Cardassian officers is Glinn Talt who reports to Gul Jodat. "Gul Jodat. The Stiegl weapon systems are almost completely installed. I expect to receive the final reports within thirty minutes." "Very well Talt. The USS metrical will arrive here within eight hours. That will give us some extra time for more simulations. We have to keep in mind this Captain Van Nieuwenhove can be a very ruthless man. He ordered the extermination of our Battalion on Litak III. Glinn Multek was a good friend of yours I believe." It was silent for a moment. Glinn Talt remembered his friend Glinn Multek very well. They almost grew up together to serve the Cardassian military. They worked together on the projects with Stiegl technology and time travel. Now Multek was no more and all that Talt could do was revenge his friend by destroying the USS metrical... Five minutes later the report came in: All Hikta Prime systems were operational... Abaord the USS Metrical sensors were at maximum, but Captain van Nieuwenhove had ordered yello alert. There was no certainty what the federation ship would find on Hikta Prime. From this distance only one hour away from the Cardassian planet Hikta Prime looked like a normal Cardassian planet, populated and full of life. But USS Metrical Chief Engineer LT P'sok, finds some strange energy signatures. At the same time the Cardassian intruder is again locked up in a mechanical holding cell. After interrogation USS Metrical security does not have the inforation they need. But the discovery of the USS Metrical engineers is not really a surprise. "It is a holographic projection Captain. Hikta Prime is manipulated. May I remind the Captain what happened to the USS Colorado when it entered Cardassian space." Captain Van Nieuwenhove didn't need much explanation. He knew that the USS Colorado had been attacked by an unknown weapon and almost destroyed by only one projectile. And it was sure that the Cardassians had been operating that particular weapon. But the USS Metrical is a Prometheus class starship with shields three times as effective as the Galaxy class USS Colorado. That is something the Cardassians on Hikta Prime apparently had not foreseen. When Gul Jodat ordered to fire the weapon, the projectile took 1 minute and 7 seconds to hit the USS Metrical which was more than prepared. By rerouting the shields power to the sectors of the ship which would be hit, almost 70 percent of the weapon was neutralised. "Report. Damage report." "Captain. Shields are down to 42 percent. We have minor damage to the aft torpedo launchers, We have auxilliary power on decks 4, 9 and 10 for life support. Holodecks are off line. We have warp power, all phaserbanks are operational we have locked weapons on the sector of the planet where the projectile came from. Captain I recommend we return fire immediately." Captain Van Nieuwenhove doesn't have much time, but a remark from First Officer LT CMDR Jose Cambrera breaks the silence. "Why aren't they firing again? They only fired once." The USS Metrical crew will try to take over the Cardassian weapon site to learn more about this weapon. USS Thunderbolt The three Borg drones aboard the USS Thunderbolt apparently see the USS France and USS Chili as a major threat and set course to intercept. The refuse every communication with Captain Mechels or any of his crew. Aboard the USS France and USS Chili both Captains are surprised to see that the USS Thunderbolt is now on an intercept course. But this also means that the third ship of the trap, USS Los Angelos will be to late to intervene if a battle will happen between the USS Thunderbolt, USS France and USS Chili. At this time USS France, Captain Jacques Cartier in command and USS Chili, Captain Diego Tarapaca in command have a dilemma, to wait for the USS Los Angelos or act immediately. But the choice of the two captains is suddenly very limited when the USS Thunderbolt opens a transwarp conduit and jumps towards their position in a matter of seconds. With the element of surprise the three Borg drones aboard the USS Thunderbolt have already powered up the weapon systems. Out of the control of the crew, the USS Thunderbolt fires weapons ath the opponent starfleet vessels. Aboard the USS France, the bridge... "Captain, they appeared out of nowhere sir. They are firing at the USS Chili sir. Oh my... The USS Chili is totally crippled." "We are returning fire sir. There is no effect. There is not even a scratch. Sir sensors detect Borg aboard the USS Thunderbolt." "Helm, move us between that the Thunderbolt and the USS Chili. We have to cover them. They are a sitting duck." "Captain the Thunderbolt is coming around." "Is that a Borg ship Lieutenant ?" "For the most part yes sir. But they haven't introduced themselves." "Inform Starfleet Command the USS Thunderbolt has been assimilated by the Borg. We are engaging the Borg. Fire all weapons." "No effect sir. The USS Los Angelos has received our messages. Sir they are fring on us." "One direct hit sir. Warp power is out. Sir are you OK ?" "Yes I am OK. Report." "Sir, warp power is off line, weapons off line, shields are... zero Captain. we have lost life support on decks 4 to 7. The only thing that seems to work is auxilliary lights and the communications." "OK lets use those communications. All hands this is the Captain. Arm yourself and prepare to be boarded by the Borg. If you see that the Borg have addapted to your weapons you will retreat to the decks above. Good luck to us all." Aboard the USS Thunderbolt the crew has been looking at the very short battle. Both the USS France as well as the USS Chili are totally defenseless and are at the mercy of the USS thunderbolt. The battle has ended. The three Borg aboard USS thunderbolt are turning to Captain Mechels. "We are Borg we have terminated the threat. Do you wish to destroy the threat ?" USS Walang Although the encountered ancient species the Zolarans act suspicious about the Trum, Captain Hendriks decides not to ask the Zolarans about the Trum and continue the voyage. The Zolarans are Federation citizens and there should not be any dispute or troubles with them, so you leave them in peace. Captain Hendriks knows where approximately to find the Trum, so there should be no unnecessary loss of time. The big Galaxy class USS Walang leaves orbit of the Zolaran capital planet and continues the voyage to where it is believed to be the new home of the extremely advanced Trum. The relation with the Trax aboard is going very well and a major exchange of Federation and Trax culture is one of the most popular activities aboard. Especially the Vulcans seem to be very interested in the old culture of the Trax. But tension rises a bit when the USS Walang leaves Federation space and enters an almost new territory. Some species at the border of the Federation are very friendly, but they do not want to join the Federation because of their feeling of independancy. But most of them help the crew of the USS Walang, with extra supplies and some artifacts as a form of cultural exchange. The farther the USS Walang travels away from the safe borders of the Federation, more and more uncharted space is ahead. That doesn't really mean danger, but caution is recommended. More crewmembers have to get the ship in perfect shape and even the Trax come up with a few good ideas to improve the ship's power systems. But as expected not all species in the not-explored Alpha Quadrant are friendly. When the USS Walang encounters the Funola Empire, the Funolans do not want the USS Walang to enter their territory. The Funola Empire is not as advanced as the Federation and the USS Walang could be able to cross Funola space. If not, and the USS Walang has to go around Funola space, the voyage will take nine months longer... USS Vertigo Day 95 20.17 Lieutenant Commander Matz has contacted the USS Vertigo to inform Commodore Slater she is rescued by the I.K.C. Rochata. Although Commodore Slater has more important things to do he is happy to hear his Chief of Security, Matz, is safe. Day 95 21.03 Triak II, once a proud Cardassian planet, has fallen apart in a matter of hours. The planet is completely destroyed. Repairs of the damaged ships is in progress, but after consulting with the Klingons, Commodore Slater decides to send out probes to investigate the debris of the planet. Day 96 06.34 Federation scientists report that the planet Triak II is destroyed by a weapon of unknown origin. All safed troops on the surface report back to their own ships. Lieutenant Commander Matz, half Klingon, had addapted to the Klingon customs aboard the I.K.C. Rochata rather fast, and with a little regret she returns to the USS Vertigo. USS Lightning The information about the mission of the USS Lightning is classified. USS Colorado Comander Walker is already on his feet when he talks to Captain Harrison. "Thank you for the promotion sir. I have chosen to remain on the Colorado, and look the Colorado over, he took alot of beating. Sonak is going over the data of the cardassian weapon. Ensign Jones has requested to remain on the Colorado and assist in analysing the impact. I informed her that I would talk the Captain, and you would inform her when. Doc, has released from my bed. And that give's me the time prepare the ship for your inspection. And check the crew list." "Commander I understand that Admiral MacCarter will be inspecting the ship, to see how we perfrom." "Yes sir, the Admiral will be here in three weeks, the ship will be ready in 2." Captain Harrison is not yet leaving Sickbay and needs at least a week of recovery, and he doesn't like that at all, but he has no choice. In this case Doctor Laura Wayne is superior in her decision. Almost hals of the crew has left the USS Colorado to be stationed elsewhere. Starfleet can use every officer and crewmen. But the engineers in spacedock of the starbase are working in four shifts, at this time the USS Colorado is the only ship in spacedock and the Starbase is already renamed in Starbase Colorado in all fun of course and not officially. Admiral MacCarter has other things to do at this time. The USS Colorado is the least of his worries. The Admiral has just read about the Stiegls and that there is suspicion towards the Stiegls. In fact Admiral MacCarter had not heard about the Stiegls, a species living in the Beta Quadrant, although he had more than 20 years of service in Starfleet intelligence. Somehow the Stiegls must be a new upcoming species. It is even weird that the Federation has never heard of the Stiegls, although the Stiegls have superior technology... But there is another and totally unexpected event which could result in a major change in Starbase Colorado. Commander Tom Walker temporary in command of the USS Colorado is contacted by Admiral MacCarter directly. "Commander Walker. Our long range sensors have detected a small anomaly only one lightyear away from our starbase. As the USS Colorado is not yet able to leave and fly, you will assemble an away team and let this away team take one of your runabouts to investigate that anomaly. You are the best man to decide who will be in the away team. But I suggest you only take volonteers. This anomaly is like the other anomalies we have discovered which appear to be a rupture in time. Through these kind of anomalies Cardassian ships appeared in the past, but as we have been able to end Cardassian time travel this anomaly could be something else. I am sure the away team can figure it out." Commandr Walker understands what has to be done. In the main shuttlebay a runabout is prepared with an extra sensor module two supplemental power generators and a full compliment of Quantum Torpedoes. The rumor that an away team has to investigate an anomaly travels fast around the USS Colorado and als Ensign Ally Jones is informed. With Chief of Sciences, LT Jane Fonda temporary on sick leave, Ensign Jones is the senior officer in stellar cartography, specilized in sensor systems. USS Alice Cooper The information about the mission of the USS Alice Cooper-B is classified. DS2 RPG General Status Report March 2003 USS Earth There is a party in the Stiegl's head building. The main hall is very impressive with a huge chandelier covering almost the entire ceiling of the hall giving light to the entire dining table with nine hundred seats with at the head of the table the Stiegl president. Captain Veracruz jokes about the fact that Captain Steichen will not be missed when she will search for more information about the Stiegls. But Captain Steichen is on her own. To limit suspicion she first joins the Federation delegation at the dining table. The food is alien, exotic and unknown, but delicious. After dinner, the Federation and the other delegations of other star systems and other regions of the Beta Quadrant are welcomed by the president himself, with a long speach. When the speach is finally over, ambassadors and their delegation members mingle and talk about business. This is the perfect time for Captain Steichen to leave the main hall and start her search of the 612 floor building. Captain Steichen only has a few hours and will stay in contact with Captain Veracruz. Ambassador T'nara has already made it clear that if Captain Steichen is caught the Federation will do nothing. The Federation will deny every participation in Captain Steichen's action... Captain Steichen slowly removes herself out of the main hall into the first corridor. There are still a dozen people in the corridor talking and discussing all kinds of proposals. But Captain Steichen proceeds into the following corridor and tries to follow the signs to the departments like Defense and Economy. The Defense department is of course the first priority and after taking several transport elevators Captain Steichen ends up in the section of the Stiegl Defense department. To her surprise Captain Steichen sees that the entrance is open and there is no forcefield at all. Anyone could go in without any problems. Maybe the Stiegls trust their security systems a bit to much... But when Captain Steichen enters the first offices of this department it is becoming clear why the door was open. A masked person seems to be searching for documents or files on one of the computers. When this person sees Captain Steichen, he takes his mask off. "Captain Steichen of the United Federation of Planets I presume. I am Agent Juval of Bladerend. I am just a bit spying like you." Captain Steichen doesn't have an answer right away, so Agent Juval continues. "Come on Captain, You don't trusty these Stiegls any more than we do. our Bladerend scientists have come to the conclusion that these Stiegls have suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Stiegl seems to be a product of the change of time frame. I am sure you understand temporal mechanics enough to know what that means. We just want to... silence. Come here and hide with... Damn.. To late..." At least twenty heavily armed security officers enter the room and only a few minutes later Agent Juval and Captain Steichen are locked up in a prison cell. But Agent Juval seems to be full of confidence.. He comes closer to the Captain and starts whispering. "Captain. The technology of the Stiegls is partly fake. I will break out of this cell easily and I would like you to come and escape with me. Of course that will be your choice. You can stay in this cell if you want to..." USS Metrical At Hikta Prime in Cardassian space the USS Metrical has been hit by an unknown weapon, but because of briliant tactics the damage is only minor. Clear enough the weapon was not of Cardassian origin, and that is exactly what the crew of the USS Metrical wants to find out. Two thousand meters below the surface of Hikta Prime, Gul Jodat puts his hands on his head. "Glinn Talt. How has this happened. We have been promissed to have a weapon of such power, it should be able to whipe out several starships in one blow. This is the second time our target was not completely destroyed. How much time before the reload is complete ?" Glinn Talt stares at one of the viewscreens... "Two hours at least sir." Aboard the USS Metrical LT Jonathan Yell at tactical has already found the weapon installation of the Cardassians. The weapon was deteced easily once it had fired. Captain Van Nieuwenhove and his officers presume that the weapon has to be reloaded, otherwise it would have fired again already. As fast as it can the USS Metrical moves into orbit of Hikta Prime and invades the planet with security troops and Starfleet Marines around the complex where the weapon is located. There is no escape for the Cardassians but they won't give up without a fight. The mine shafts are flooded with Starfleet personnel and with minimal casualties the cardassians are beaten. When the first group of Federation soldiers, under command of Lieutenant Yell, arrive in the command center of the Cardassian installation, they find Gul Jodat, who has taken his own life. They also hear a computer voice clearly counting down for a self destruct sequence... Evacuation is immediate and all troops are getting of the planet, but Lieutenant Yell has an idea. "Captain we have to do this fast. We can try to stop the selfdestruct sequence so we can examine the weapon. I think there is one minute left..." Captain Van Nieuwenhove orders to stop the selfdestruct sequence, investigate the weapon and try to use it or find a defense against it. USS Thunderbolt USS France and USS Chili are sitting ducks for the Borg aboard the USS Thunderbolt. It will only take a split second to finish it. But Captain Mechels, Commanding Officer of the USS Thunderbolt, orders the Borg aboard his ship to leave the attacking ships alone. The renegade Captain sends a message to Starfleet Command to leave the USS Thunderbolt alone. The next ships that will try to attack the USS Thunderbolt will be completely destroyed. While the USS Thunderbolt leaves the battlescene through a transwarp conduit, both the USS France and USS Chili crews start immediate repairs. Most of the crewmembers of the two ships realise they were very lucky today that they have survived this very short battle as the USS Thunderbolt has been able to destroy both ships in a matter of minutes. When the USS Los Angelos arrives at the same coordinates assistance is given to the damaged ships, wounded personnel is transfered to the Los Angelos. In the mean time the USS Thunderbolt was on its way to a safe area with no Federation starships in the region, Sector 466987. Sector 466987 has only one M-class planet, designated as F466 and uninhabited. The crew of the USS Thunderbolt take the opportunity to rest, visit the planet and spend some time sporting. To everyone's surprise the three Borg also visit the planet. Not only did they build some Borg minor facilities, they even take time to have conversations with the crewmembers. The Borg were very friendly and assisted in some ways. After two days some of the crewmembers of the USS Thunderbolt started to help the Borg with the building and after four days almost the entire crew on the planet surface were getting planet resources and building a large facility, partly under the surface. When Captain Mechels asked the Borg wabout their actions they also had an answer. "Captain Mechels we are building home. If you don't need us anymore, we will return here." It proved a little that the Borg would do anything for Captain Mechels. History cold change here and now as if history was not already messed up... The three Borg drones return to the USS Thunderbolt with bad news. "Captain Mechels, we have received messages about a species called the Stiegls. The Stiegls are unknown to the Borg. According your Federation, these Stiegls can be a threat to the entire Galaxy. We can make contact with the Borg Collective to investigate. We are waiting for your orders." The challenge is set and the USS Thunderbolt sets course to pay the Stiegls a visit and investigate what kind of threat they are to the Galaxy... USS Walang At the border of Funola space the USS Walang has a difficult diplomatic task of trying to convince the Funola to let them pass through their space. Captain Hendriks even is prepared to give up some serious things in order to get the Funola on her side, but at first nothing seems to help as the Funola are protecting their territory in almost a severe way. So the answer is no, whatever Captain Hendriks and her diplomatics suggest. Even the Trax don't have have success with negotiations with the Funola. In the mean time more and more Funola ships arrive at the coordinates of the USS Walang. It is beginning to be clear now that the Funola don't want any strangers in their space and Captain Hendriks has no choice than go around Funola space. At the senior staff meeting Captain Hendriks informs her officers about the situation. "If they don't agree, we will just go around their territory. We don't want hostilities if we can avoid them. Their space is theirs and should be respected if possible." Twenty minutes later the USS Walang makes the turn and starts her way around Funola space, escorted by six small Funola warships at the other side of the border. It seems that a cold relationships between the Federation and the Funola, but in respect for eachothers law. The voyage will be a bit boring for the next nine months as long range sensor scans indicate no significant or interesting cosmic fenomena. But the crew of the USS Walang always finds things to keep life aboard exciting and that includes a volleyball tournement, courses in survival techniques in the holodeck, concerts and much more. Twenty three days have passed. The Federation seems to be involved in a war with Cardassia and reports of a species called the Stiegls are coming in, indication that these Stiegls seem to be planning to take over the Galaxy, but all of this is far far away from the USS Walang and although there is of course some concern, every single crewmember is confident that the Federation will solve any problem they encounter. At 14.19 hours Chief of Operations John Strauss reports there is an anomaly in Funola space. It seems to be some sort of temporal rift, like some other temporal rifts already discovered by other Federation ships. A ship has appeared from within the rift and with the new updated database, the ship is identified as a Stiegl ship. By now everyone knows what the Gunola do with intruders in their space and a small fleet attacks the Stiegl ship with only one and final warning. But the technology of the Funola is not capable to destroy the Stiegl intruder, on the contrary. The Stiegl ship returns fire and starts destroying the Funola warships one by one. The Funola ships are totally defenseless. USS Vertigo Day 96 23.11 There are no further goals about the Cardassian planet Triak II, which exploded. The planet has fallen apart and there is nothing the Federation/Klingon fleet can do anymore. Day 97 02.52 Lieutenant Commander Matz wakes up in her own quarters. The red alert sirene is all she can hear. As fast as she can she puts on her uniform and hurries to the bridge where she takes over the tactical station where Commodore Slater is going to hold a briefing. Day 97 03.04 Klingon ships start to cloak and the small Federation fleet of 18 ships starts moving o intercept a large fleet of Cardassian vessels with unknown plans. It seems that the Cardassian fleet is un a course to Wromasta III. But the lead Cardassian ship does not respond to any communications. USS Lightning The USS Thunderbolt has been attacked by the USS France and the USS Chili. But both ships did not have a chance as the USS Thunderbolt has been transformed to a Borg fortress. There are at least two or three Borg drones aboard the USS Thunderbolt, although it is not clear to the Federation whether this is a Borg invasion or not. From the reports of several outposts Starfleet Command concludes currently the USS Thunderbolt is on route to Stiegl territory. The USS Thunderbolt uses a transwarp conduit. At this time there is nothing which seems to be able to stop the USS thunderbolt except for a small group of Mrines who travel aboard the USS Lighting. On of these marines is Atad. Lieutenant Colonel Crow, in command of the USS Lightning has decided to try to get to the USS Thunderbolt and investigate the renegade ship and its status. But to take a shortcut the USS Lightning has to travel through the Hunaku Nebula, which gives cover, but also has some interesting parameters... In the mean time the USS Los Angelos takes another route to follow the USS Thunderbolt. The information about the mission of the USS Lightning is classified. USS Colorado Message from: Commander Tom Walker To: Captain Harrison Captain, I've been contact by Admiral MacCarter to investigate a small anomaly, one lightyear away from our starbase. One of the new runabouts is prepared for this mission, which will take a few days to complete. Joining me for the mission is LT Sonak - Dr Wayne and Ensign Jones. The Colorado is in good hands, I've placed LT Torak in command until my return. End note The runabout is launched with LT Sonak at the helm, settting course to the anomaly. With the USS Colorado still in repair, it seems the only way to get closer to the danger zone. The short voyage at low speed takes the runabout closer to the anomaly and while sensor data is coming in it is more and more clear that this is indeed a temporal rift like the ones encountered by other Federation starships. These temporal rifts were created by the Cardassians and because the network of Cardassian time travel devices was destroyed, it is even more strange another of these anomalies has appeared. "Distance Lieutenant ?" "Five million kilometers Sir. Sir, there are new data sir. There seems to be a small ship nearby the anomaly. We have to get closer to make a full identification." "Proceed." It is a small ship with four decks, but sensors cannot penetrate the hull, although there are no shields activated on this ship. After a complete scan the ship is identified by the ship's computer as a Stiegl ship. The Stiegls live in the center of the Beta Quadrant, which makes this puzzle even more fascinating for LT Sonak. The Stiegl ship doesn't seem to have power... USS Alice Cooper CAPTAINS LOG: Capt. Raz Kalee Reporting Ambassador Stevens approached me just earlier today requesting permission to see the Angel One terrorist, Gilly Corona, in the brig. So, although not sure it's such a good idea to begin with, I could nevertheless see no reason to refuse his request, within his rights as Ambassador, anyway, to see her in the first place. Besides, with all security precautions firmly in place, anyway, Ms. Corona and the rest of her gang in the ship's brig "behind bars" as it were with around-the-clock security personnel standing guard everywhere, I forsee no problems granting Ambassador Stevens what he asks. I guess, when push comes to shove, the only real worry I have in the whole matter is the effect such an encounter between the Ambassador and Ms. Corona might have on the good Ambassador's present uncertainty ---- emotionally speaking. Having once been a Federation Ambassador myself, once suffering a certain amount of post-traumatic stress after enduring a similar ordeal, I can readily imagine what he, too, must be feeling right about now. All the same, though, from what I've recently heard of the Ambassador's sometimes volatile nature, maybe it's Ms. Corona who faces the greater possibility of emotional strain resulting from such a little get-- together. Then again, all things considered, she no doubt has it cominge End Log DS2 RPG General Status Report April 2003 USS Earth With the only knowledge that Agent Juval of Bladerend is locked up in a Stiegl cell with Captain Steichen herself, she decides to trust Juval and she will try to escape with the Agent of Bladerend. Juval doesn't hesitate. He takes a tooth out of his mouth, turns it upside down and puts it in a small hole in his belt in which the tooth fits perfectly. Juval takes of his belt and twists it. The buckle of the belt transforms into a very small device with only a few buttons. "We have to be fast", Juval explains to Captain Steichen, while he puts the small device in front of his mouth. "Zona, Zona, this is Juval. Respond." The first few seconds seem like hours, when nothing happens, but Agent Juval seems very confident that his communication device will work. And it does indeed. "Juval Juval, this is Zona. Go ahead." "Zona, I have been caught as suspected. I need an immediate evac. I have a civilian with me. Execute the order." "Juval, identification complete. Civilian has been checked. Transport in progress..." All the Stiegl technology cannot stop the Agents of Bladerend to transport people to one of their ships. Apparently the entire process has not been detected by the Stiegls. A moment later Captain Steichen materializes on some sort of transporter platform next to Agent Juval, who is welcomed by his fellow agent Gunor. "Juval. I told you so. This was not the way at all, and you had to rescue a civilian ? Juval Juval, have you become soft or what ?" "This civilian is Captain Steichen of the United Federation of Planets. Captain Steichen, may I introduce you to High Agent Gunor, my supervisor." Gunor and Steichen exchange greetings. "Captain Steichen. I am sorry, but I will send you back to the Federation Embassy." Before Captain Steichen can say or do anything she is transported to the hall of the Federation Embassy on the small moon called Second Haven. She has no choice than to report to Ambassador T'Nara that she has not found out anything. When she enters the Ambassador's office she notices that Captain Veracruz also is present, but there is another starfleet Captain, Captain Acerta, Commanding Officer of the USS Leibnitz. The USS Leibnitz has just arrived from a deep space assignment and has passed Stiegl territory. But the tension is high. Ambassador T'nara explains to Captain Steichen that the relation between the Stiegls and the Federation has been troubled, not only because the actions of Captain Steichen, but also caused by a federation ship, USS Thunderbolt which seems to be on a course to Stiegle Territory. The USS Thunderbolt apparently scares the Stiegls. Captain Acerta informs the others the USS Thunderbolt is a Starfleet renegade ship and the crew and the Captain, Captain Mechels do not take orders from Starfleet anymore. According the latest reports Captain Acerta has received from Starfleet, the USS Thunderbolt has been transformed by Borg. It is not certain how much or whether the Borg control the USS Thunderbolt, but the USS France and USS Chili which tried to stop the USS Thunderbolt were no match for the USS Thunderbolt. There are some other ships in pursuit of the USS Thunderbolt, like the USS Los Angelos and the USS Lightning, but most Captains of the fleet don't want to take the risk of a battle with this modified Borg vessel. But there is another problem for the Federation... The Federation Council does not trust the Stiegls completely. It is time to make some serious suggestions for the experienced Starfleet Captains in Stiegl territory... In the mean time a message from the Stiegls comes in: "Ambassador T'nara of the Federation. We know that you have an officer in your embassy who has been caught spying in one of our buildings. We know this is one of your Federation officers. We will consider your embassy as federation territory and therefore we will not enter your embassy to capture This officer by the name of Steichen. But our patience will of course end at some time so we ask you to extradite this officer within 24 of your hours. End message." Captain Veracruz and Captain Acerta jump to their feet and shout almost simultaneously: "Ambassador, we cannot let this happen." And Captain Veracruz adds in anger: "These Stiegls are not trustworthy and we can smell it. There is no prove yet, but we will get it one way or another." Now all look at Captain Steichen as if she has the power to decide what to do next. "The USS Thunderbolt is coming just in time. Although Captain Mechels and his crew are Federation renegades with 'a price on their heads' I will ask Captain Mechels to help us with the investigation to find out everything there is to know about the Stiegls." USS Metrical The Federation troops on Hikta Prime covered by the USS Metrical itself have total control over the planet. The USS Metrical engineers have succeeded in stopping the self destruct sequence which gives them time to investigate the weapon the Cardassians used to fire on the USS Metrical. The first reports are coming in: "Captain, shields are back to 92%." "Excellent. Keep working on that. We don't want to receive any surprises." Trying to interogate the Cardassian prisoner again does not have any results and Captain Van Nieuwenhove even considers one of his Vulcan officers to do a mindmeld. But there are more important issues at this time. On the planet, Lieutenant Yell is still in command. His reports show promise. "Captain, this is Lieutenant Yell. Our engineers have discovered that the energy for this weapon is provided by the core of the planet. It takes about an hour to recharge. The weapon fires some kind of plasma energy, but only once. There is no possibility to regulate the power. This weapon seems not to be of much use against an entire fleet. You might be able to destroy one ship, but then it would be over, if you get my point. I will get back to you when we have more about the origin of the weapon. It is clearly not made by the Cardassians." At this time the USS Metrical is contacted by Captain Bluetooth, in command of the USS Goliath, accompanied by the USS Windshield, USS Manifesto and USS Johan Kramer. The small fleet of four ships has entered Cardassian space and will arrive at Hikta Prime in 24 hours. Almost a few seconds later Chief of Operations: LT Latisum Ginu has some disturbing news. "Captain, long range sensors detect seven Cardassian vessels. These vessels all come from different directions, but seem to be going to the same coordinates. It is like the Cardassians are regrouping. Sir the USS Metrical is a strong battleship, but against seven Galor class Cardassian ships, I advice to run instead of fight." "How far away are they Lieutenant and how much time do they need to regroup ?" "Sir, they need only 22 hours to get together and then they need 17 hours to get here. If we leave now we can pass those coordinates in 15 hours and they cannot stop us to go to Junal II, the next planet on our list. We even have time to get our personnel of Hikta Prime, but we have to start that eveacuation now." Lieutenant Yell, on the surface of Hikta Prime interupts the conversation. "Captain, this is Lieutenant Yell. We have just discovered how to fire the weapon, but we still have no clue who build it for the Cardassians. We also found some smaller holographic generators, which were made by the same people who build the weapon. It seems the holographic generators were used for transmitting holographic data. We are working on that to discover to who these holographic data was sent. But we need at least 24 hours for more research on these transmitters and to find out who build these hardware." "Acknowledged Lieutenant. Metrical out." Unknown to the crew of the USS Metrical, the Cardassian prisoner has managed to plant a sensor device on one of the ODN conduits, during the short time he had escaped. Everything the USS Metrical crew is doing is transmitted to a Cardassian relay station. The Obsidian Order is informed of every action of the USS Metrical... But Captain Van Nieuwenhove also has some things to consider. He will wait until the USS Goliath, USS Windshield, USS Manifesto and USS Johan Kramer arrive and then continue to Junal II, which could give the Cardassians time to regroup, but Captain Van Nieuwenhove will try to convince Captain Bluetooth and the other Captains to join him, which gives him a much better chance in getting to Junal II, through the Cardassian defenses. It also gives him more time to do more research on the weapon. USS Thunderbolt Traveling through the transwarp conduit, passing several Federation facilities, the USS Thunderbolt is easily recognised, but no Federation ship is able to follow the Thunderbolt, because of it's high speed. At the border of the Alpha and Beta Quadrant the Starfleet science vessel USS William Herschel is studying a rare plasma phenomena in the Dolestratus System. The very sensitive sensors of the USS William Herschel detect a transwarp conduit produced by the USS Thunderbolt. Captain Lorena Revak orders red alert and powers up shields and weapons, although he knows his Oberth class ship is absolutely no match for a Borg ship of any kind. "Captain, that ship is coming from Federation space and not from the Delta Quadrant. I am not sure, but I guess this could be the USS Thunderbolt." "You guess Lieutenant. That is something new to me. But then again there is no Vulcan with some humor." Coming from the Captain Lorena Revak it is rather common that she uses humor, especially as 80 % of her crew are Vulcans, but Captain Revak also understands the seriousness of the situation. Her ship can be blown into oblivion in five seconds. "Helm, we will stay at these coordinates. If that ship coms close and drops to impulse speed, we will make a run for it." As the Chief of Operations, Lieutenant Merimack, counts the seconds aloud, tension rises. "8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. They have passed us Captain." "Are the still on their course?" "Yes Captain, and sensors confirm it is the USS Thunderbolt, or at least, it used to be." "What do you mean, used to be?" "Apparently the USS Thunderbolt has been altered by Borg. There are at least a few Borg drones aboard. Time was to short to make an accurate reading Captain. They are gone Captain." "Very well. Stand down red alert." "Captain should we report this to Starfleet Command ?" "You must be joking Lieutenant. You shouldn't even be asking. Ensign Halloway, send a message to Starfleet Command that we have detected the USS Thunderbolt at these coordinates and inform them of the heading of the USS Thunderbolt." Aboard the USS Thunderbolt the crew haven't taken much notice of the USS William Herschel. They are on their way to Stiegl territory to find out what the Stiegls are all about. And with that transwarp speed Stiegl territory is getting closer. At the border of Stiegl territory the USS Thunderbolt is addressed by a Stiegl patrol of three ships. "Unidentified vessel. You will lower your speed, lower your shields and prepare to be boarded for inspection." The USS Thunderbolt stops for the Stiegl Patrol, destroys them and sends out a warning to the Stiegl leadership that the USS Thunderbolt is coming and they better surrender. USS Walang The headstrong Funola who do not let any stranger in their territory have already lost five of their warships in such a short time that Captain Hendriks opens a communication channel to the Funola and asks whether they need the assistance of the USS Walang to fight against the Stiegl ship. At that time the USS Walan crew has all the data of the scans of the Stiegl ship and according the last reports there is tension between the Federation and the Stiegls, although there are not yet any hostilities... But the Funola refuse to accept the help of the strangers of the USS Walang. Captain Hendriks honors the wishes of the Funola. She orders to continue the voyage to the new Trum home system. The only thing she can do is report the situation to Starfleet Head Quarters. So while the Funola try to to defeat the Stiegl ship, the USS Walang continues the journey around Funola space. Captain Hendriks has given permission to go over the Warp 5 limitation, which results in good progress. But Chief of Operations LT CMDR John Strauss stil keeps his eye on the battle between the Stiegl ship and the Funola warships, which do not seem to have much of a chance. He reports the situation to Captain Hendriks every 30 minutes. While the losses of the Funola are getting larger, they don't give up and send more ships to join the battle agains the Stiegl ship. The crew of the USS Walang is rather glad that they did not try to go through Funola space, because they seem to have underestimate the Funola's fleet. They just keep coming. And just when everyone thought it was over, it is becoming clear that the Funola addapt their weapons and try new weapons, almost like the Borg Collective. And then the USS Walang crew is silenced. One of the Funola warships has destroyed the Stiegl ship with only one shot. Luckily LT CMDR John Strauss kept a narrow high resolution sensor scan on the battle and he can analyse the weapon used by the Funola with the destruction of the Stiegl vessel as a result. While the Funola fleet leaves the battle coordinates and returns back to former duties as if this was the most normal every day job. LT CMDR John Strauss reports: "Captain, the Funola used a high frequency poloron beam as weapon against the Stiegl ship. The beam penetrated all defenses of the Stiegl ship and made a direct hit on the power generator of the Stiegl ship. Captain i suggest we send this data to Starfleet head Quarters. As tension between the Federation and the Stiegls is rising this could be very usefull information." Captain Hendriks agrees and orders to send the data to Head Quarters immediately. But the crew of the USS Walang moves on. More and more they also learn about and from the Trax aboard the Federation Starship. Because the Trax do not have much experience with space travel, they are very curious and follow the studies of the USS Walang crew of this part of the Galaxy. For the Federation this is unexplored territory and Captain Hendriks sends out probes regularly. One of the probes discover a wormhole nearby and the USS Walang crew is immediately fascinated by the wormhole upon arrival. The entrance of the wormhole is fixed. Before entering the wormhole Captain Hendriks decides to send in probes into the wormhole to see where it leads. The first results are very promissing. The probe ends up in the direction of the new Trum home world, 10 years of traveling at high speed, but the second probe indicates the end of the wormhole is not fixed. The Probe indicates its position is not even in this Galaxy... Captain Hendriks orders to wait at the entrance of the wormhole and keep testing by sending in probes. Maybe there is some kind of returning pattern so the USS Walang crew can predict where the wormhole will lead at a certain moment. USS Vertigo Day 97 11.26 Commodore Slater in command of the small Federation fleet already deep inside Cardassian space does not hesitate to proceed with his fleet towards Wromasta III, realising that the Cardassians could have a weapon that can destory a starship with one shot. The Federation fleet will arrive at Wromasta III before the Cardassian fleet. Day 97 12.13 The first probes launched from several Federation ships do not detect strange anomalies or objects. The planet Wromasta III is inhabited by 1.2 billion Cardassians. There is no evidence of holographic projectors, power generators under the surface or any other technology which could be a weapon of some sort. A cloaked Klingon Bird of Prey is already in orbit of Wromasta III for a full scan. There are no abnormal readings. Day 98 04.01 The Federation fleet comes to a full stop at a position which should be out of any weapons range on the Cardassian planet Wromasta III. The Cardassian fleet of now 19 ships is only two hours away. The Cardassians do not answer any communications. Suddenly a small Cardassian shuttle craft is launched from Wromasta III. The pilot claims to be alone and comes in peace... USS Lightning While the USS Thunderbolt is traveling at much higher speed than the USS Lightning, the ship under command of the Marine Lieutenant Colonel Crow has entered the Hunaku Nebula where warp speed has no meaning. Some scientists believe that the Hunaku Nebula is a gateway to another type of space, where sensors, shields and communications will not work. It is not even sure what the effect is of warp engines in this kind of nebula. But Atad has already calculated, course, speed and all kinds of possible disturbances in propulsion systems. Compensating for the electrical storms, ion storms and other natural phenomena in the Hunaku Nebula Atad manages to get the USS Lightning through the nebula at high warp with only a few course corrections. Once out of the Hunaku Nebula Lieutenant Colonel contacts his superiors. It is General Fujimori himself who answers the call. "Colonel Crow, you made excellent progress. You have a twelve day head start on the USS Los Angelos in pursuit of the USS Thunderbolt. We now have new information about the USS Thunderbolt. The renegades use Borg technology, which is unknown to us. Currently we believe that the USS Thunderbolt is on its way to Stiegl territory. Personally I don't trust these Stiegls, but at this time we are waiting for word from Federation Ambassador T'nara. Ambassador T'nara is the Federation ambassador in Stiegl. You are still nine weeks away from Stiegl Territory. On your way to Stiegl territory, you wil encounter a time bubble, first encountered by the USS Earth. But you will not reach this time bubble within four weeks. Therefore I suggest you start working on a plan to neutralize the Borg technology used by the USS Thunderbolt, but also try to learn as much about the Stiegls as you can. Do not leave a stone unturned. Is there anything else ?" "No General, I don't think there is. I will report to you when there is new data." "Very well then. Carry on. End transmission." The USS Lightning also contacts the USS Los Angelos. The USS Los Angelos responds that the USS Lightning should not wait for them and continue as fast as possible. Things aboard the USS Lightning continue as usual for the next few days except there is no plan yet to deal with the Borg technology of the USS Thunderbolt. There is not much data available. Suddenly Lieutenant Bell has something strange to report. "Colonel sir, there are three unidentified alien ships directly on the course we are following. Actually sir these ships are wreckages. They must have been heavily damaged during a battle not long ago, maybe two days ago." "Could it be the USS Thunderbolt which did this ?" "Unknown sir, but there are no Borg weapon signatures." The information about the mission of the USS Lightning is classified. USS Colorado "Mr Sonak what can you tel me about the Stiegl ship!" "Commander, I believe that the Stiegl ship is powerless. Scans indicate they have been under heavy attack, scource un-known!" "Any chance it could be Cardassian!" "Yes sir, that is a possibilty." "Let's prepare an away mission. Sonak do a long range scan of the area. Ensign Jones, any changes around the anomaly or nearby." "No changes sir, the anomaly is constant." But Commander Walker doesn't seem to be convinced. "Is it possible this anomaly could be a worm hole of some short, or time rift." "Yes sir, it looks like a worm hole created by the Stiegl or Cardassian." "Very well." Before going aboard the Stiegl ship Commander Walker takes some precautions. "Doctor, prepare transport to the stiegl ship, it is possible that they might need medical assistance." "Doctor here, ready and standing by." "Commander Walker to Lieutenant Hanson, report to the transporter section." "Hanson here Commander, on my way." "Commander Walker to lieutenants Richardz and Mendéz, report to transport section." "Mendéz here, on our way." The away team assembles in the transporter section of the small ship, where Commander Wlaker explains what to do. "We don't know what to find on the ship, so prepare for the worse. Once we are on board we split up in three teams. Hanson you're with me. Doctor you're with Lieutenant Richardz, Sonak and Jones. Mendéz you remain on Runabout Silverado with the rest of the crew. Once we're on the Stiegl ship, take Runabout Silverado to a safe distance from our position and await my signal. Also report or status to Admiral MacArter." Sonak has a present for the away team. "Commander, the comunication divices." "Thank you Mr Sonak, the wristcoms. There also a tracking systems, the ship we be able to monitor our werabouts. Lieutenant Mendéz, prepare to transport." Only a moment later the away team materializes on the Stiegl ship. At first the group is a bit lost. The Stiegl ship seems to be a web of corridors, no doors and not a clear central operations or bridge, but when the team splits up they away team gets a better idea of how this Stiegl ship is organised. While Sonak in one team reports every five minutes to Commander Walker in the other team, Lieutenant Mendéz aboard Runabout Silverado is informed about every move the away team makes and stands ready to transport the complete away team back on any sign of danger. It is Lieutenant Richardz, who records all data available of the structure of the Stiegl ship and he is also the first to notice the danger ahead. Richardz has just a split second of time to shout. "Down !" The four officers hit the floor without even thinking. Weapons fire passes over their heads and Lieutenant Richardz has already returned fire. "Sonak to Commander Walker we have encountered heavy resistance." But on the other side, Commander Walker finds himself in a similar situation. "Mendéz, get us all out of here." Lieutenant Mendéz aboard the runabout Silverado doesn't hesitate and activates the transporters just in time. When the away team has been transported aboard, the Stiegl ship has raised shields. When Commander Walker enters to hear the first reports, he can only hear Lieutenant Mendéz say: "Sir they have raised shields and they are coming about. I think they are going to attack. Everyone is aboard and I have raised shields to maximum, but from what I have read, our ship is no match for this Stiegl ship. We have to get back to the Starbase sir." But Commander Walker does not have time to think. Above the Runabout Silverado is the USS Colorado, dropped to impulse speed a second ago. The Stiegls seem to be surprised make a turn and then head towards the rift. A moment later the Stiegl ship is gone. After sending a probe into the rift it is clear for the officers aboard Runabout Silverado that the rift leads to unknown space... Back Aboard the USS Colorado Captain Harrison is completely briefed by Commander Walker. During the senior staff meeting Chief of Sciences, Lieutenant Jane Fonda comes up with the idea to transfer the data of the probes into the holodeck and let the computer search the database of the location of space at the other side of the rift. She suggests that Ensign Jones should execute this experiment. And so it is decided. In holodeck 2 Ensign Ally Jones is sitting in a shuttlecraft. The data of the probes is transfered to the holodeck and slowly Ensign Jones can see space, a few stars and more starts and more stars. In her shuttlecraft the computer calculates the location in space she should be. Unknown to Ensign Jones, Chief of Operations Lieutenant Doran, reports to the Captain. "Captain, we have lost connection with holodeck 2 sir." "Re-establish the connection then." "Captain... I can't. I have lost all control. There must be seven, no eight relays which have been overloaded. Replacing them won't help. They will be be burned immediately. We have to find another way. But that can take at least a day. And there is something else sir. The rift sir, the rift is closing sir." "How long before the rift is completely closed ?" "At this rate Captain... 17 hours." Captain Harrison is not happy with this and doesn't really want to take a jump in the dark, especially a rift he doesn't know much about. Time will be short and the Captain contacts engineering. "Egineering, this is the Captain. Can you fix holodeck 2 ?" It is Chief Engineer Lieutenant Torak who replies. "Captain that will take at least 16 hours, maybe more. And we have to shut down 60 percent of the ships main computer. It is not recommendable to hurry the procedures." In the mean time Ensign Jones enjoyes the view of the stars in Holodeck 2, while the computer calculates the position. But suddenly something seems to be wrong. It seems that another holodeck program is interfering with the program she is in. There is a knight on a horse running by, passing the shuttlecraft. In her amazement Ensign Jones doesn't see the train passing by at the other side... The Orient Express... And the moment after her shuttlecraft is in the atmosphere of a planet flying staright ahead. Suddenly two old aircraft pass by. The computer identifies the aircraft as McDonnel Douglas F-4 Phantom, a two seat multi-role fighter aircraft of the second half of the 20th century. "Computer end program." Almost automaticly the shuttlecraft changes into a F-4 Phantom itself and Ensign Jones has a lot of trouble to contorl the aircraft. she almost crashes in the sea below her. But finally she gets the aircraft under control. she hears a voice from behind her. "Hey Queen, what are you doing. I know you don't like me, but that is not a reaon to scare me like that." "Computer exit." "Hey Queen what are you brabbeling about. Do you want me to eject or what ? Just land this plain will you." "Computer arch." "I am not going to beg on my knees Queen, but we are way low on gass. Land the plain please. There is an aircraft carrier right in front of us..." After a few failing attempts to end the holodeck program, the F-4 lands on the aircraft carrier. Ensign Jones did not know how that happened, but as soon as the plain touches the deck of the carrier the carrier is gone and Ensign Jones sits in a comfortable chair in the hall of a luxurious hotel... looking at her clothing Ensign Jones presumes this is probably the 19th century... USS Alice Cooper Escorted by Lt. Cmdr. Gav Tiral to Ms. Corona's cell Jas Stevens was soon left alone (with the possible exception of a young security officer standing directly in back of him) with the prisoner, Gilly Corona, herself. However, instead of speaking to the former threat to all their very lives aboard the Alice Cooper-B, he just stood there, giving her at first a studious, contemplative, stare not unlike that of a microbiologist studying some new strain of virulent bacilli. Rigid, harsh, and even quite hostile in its cold approach it was an expression he'd practiced long and hard whenever his children tried defying his fatherly authority growing up ---- a look calculated to wither the staunchest heart, break down the toughest resistance. And, worst of all for the poor recipient of this silent reproach, was how Jas managed to avoid even such involuntary activities as blinking ones eyes, just staring at her, his body likewise frozen in position ---- seeming almost inhuman in its immovable stance ---- erect and motionless in both body and face as though some cruel, forbidding, statue. And so it was that, after nearly twenty inconceivable minutes of such tortuous treatment, it finally had its long--anticipated, readily--desired, effect.. "For the love of the Great Mother, Herself, make him stop it", Gilly nearly broke down, screaming, finding such "improper treatment" at the hands of some "mere man" quite intolerable. "Sorry, Ma'am, but my orders are to the contrary, letting Ambassador Stevens proceed as he sees fit short of actual physical violence", the security guard in back of Jas answered in reply to Gilly's rather passionate plea, her otherwise pert grin over the whole matter casting effective doubt on whether or not she was really ---- in the very first place ---- sorry at all. "Hmmmm", Jas gave voice to hidden thoughts, expressing himself at long last: "Very interesting". "What?!", Gilly countered, defiant in the face of such obvious scorn on the part of -- yet again! ! --- nothing but some mere man; "What's so 'very interesting'??" "Well, I was just reflecting on how puny, physically, the women in this universe are in comparison to those back in the real world what these Federation people you hate so much call the 'Tammyite Universe'- Not only are your females smaller ---- even weaker ---- than the women back home, but they're even smaller in stature than most of the men back home..* However, until now, I've never met anyone woman or man ---- so puny in spirit here, so poor in simple morality, as you.. At least not until now.. So, in reply to your earlier remark about the women aboard this ship not being YOUR equals, I most readily ---- most wholeheartedly ---- agree.. In short,you'd have to work quite long and hard, indeed, before I'd think you even half as worthy as these good women aboard ship!!" "Frankly, Ambassador, I don't care in the least what you think of either me, or my compatriots", Gilly sneered in reply quite scornful, indeed. "So you might as well keep your outsider opinions to yourself! ! !" "Outsider, huh", Jas mused aloud. "You don't know the half of it, Dear Gentlewoman.. Even in my reality ---- the 'Tammyite Universe' as they choose to call it here ---- Humanity is considered a freak race by all those other sentient races throughout the entire length and breadth of our known universe. Interestingly enough its because, in my reality, Womankind is the only sentient life--form divided into two genders ---- all the rest what you might call mono--sexual, or hermaphroditic, in nature. And, on a similar note, what makes this twice as interesting is the simple fact that, while the male half of Womankind might be inferior to those other races back home, the female segment of Humanity's number is just that much superior both physically, emotionally, intellectually, and even biochemically to all those other sentient races back home". "So what's that got to do with me?", Gilly countered, both surly and defiant to the bitter end. "Nothing much. Just thinking aloud", Jas shrugged, giving the matter a bit more thought~ "Even so, however, it still might explain why, in case you haven't noticed, I'm still finding it a little difficult fully adapting to your particular' plane of existence, being such a rather new arrival in your reality. So, if I appear at times a wee bit confused, befuddled as it were, please forgive me". "Hah", his verbal sparring partner practically laughed in Jas' very face. "And here I was thinking its because you're only a man". "Be that as it may, though, I'm still a man who has the upper hand where you're concerned", Jas insisted, nonetheless. "Therefore, you might find it most advantageous on your part to listen to what I came here to say." "Good", he continued, reading into Gilly's new--found silence an equally new willingness to listen even further: "In that case let me begin by saying I don't really care much for your special little version of reality here, preferring much more the way things are back home. Just between the two of us I don't care for either the brutality of this reality, its course vulgarities, its lack of civil refinement, its devaluation of sentient life, and its overall contempt for the basic rights of ALL intelligent beings to fair and just consideration! So, while this Federation these people aboard ship here belong to is a definite step in the right direction, it still has a considerable way to go before attaining those higher standards I'm used to back home in my reality, my 'Terran Commonwealth, and our version of Womankind no offense Lt. Albertson", Jas added for the benefit of the young security officer in back of him, looking over his left shoulder at the young gentlewoman in question before continuing in Gilly's direction ---- Lt. Albertson assuring him that all was indeed well, no offense taken. "As--a--matter--of--fact I'm still rather unsure as to why I was at all chosen to represent the Federation in this matter other than I'm indeed a man also from a matriarchate culture. I guess they thought the men on your world would be more willing to listen to another man while, at the same time, the women Angel One would be equally ready to hear the words of someone who shares their twin beliefs in both the matriarchate system and female superiority." "Maybe that's the most ironic aspect of this relationship we have going here. Here I am, a man who believes wholeheartedly in preserving the matriarchal nature of your great society while, at the very same time, here you are going quite out of your way indeed to thwart in every possible manner my humble mission to your noble people. After all, its only a few minor adjustments to your already prevailing social order that I beg to suggest to the just leadership of your world in the very first place --- my very game plan being to convince your male malcontents to accept that natural state of female rule always meant to be, likewise requesting detailed information on their part concerning those off--world governments encouraging the internal strife between genders on Angel One, in simple return for a few wee concessions concerning men's rights on the part of your female populace". "Good luck", Gilly giggled, amused at the very thought. DS2 RPG General Status Report May 2003 USS Earth Ambassador T'nara of the Federation has to take the logical decision. It is clear the Stiegls are up to something, which can be devestating. A few things are very clear. Captain Steichen will be protected by the Federation, second, the Federation will receive a full report and if the Stiegls make a point of this, diplomatic channels will have to resolve the problem. While a message is send to the USS Thunderbolt, the three Captains prepare their ships for the worst case scenario. This means that the ships are docked into the dock facility of the embassy. But time is short. The small moon, known as Second Haven, is already surrounded by eight Stiegl warships. A small group of Starfleet engineers start to dig their way into the small moon to try to build a hiding place, inside the moon. They haven't much time, but scans have revealed hollow caves below the surface, unreachable for any weapons. Every single crewmember is armed, even the medical personnel. The three ships will have a sceleton crew and in case of emergency all three of the ships will try to break out and do as much damage to the Stiegl fleet if the Stiegls decide to attack. There is no word from the USS Thunderbolt and no word from the Bladerend who helped Captain Steichen not that long ago.But there is a message from the USS Walang which is more intersting then any other message in the Federation communications. Message from USS Walang, Captain Marja Hendriks in Command. While traveling around Funola space, respecting the Funola's whishes not to enter their territory we have witnessed a Stiegl ship, coming out of a temporal rift into Funola space. The Funola have attacked the Stiegl ship, but without success at first. Many Funola warships were lost as the Stiegl technology seemed far more superior. In a continuous battle the Funola addapted, almost like the Borg Collective in defenses and weapon systems. After addapting the Stiegl ship was destroyed with only one singel Funola shot. The Funola used a high frequency poloron beam as weapon against the Stiegl ship. The beam penetrated all defenses of the Stiegl ship and made a direct hit on the power generator of the Stiegl ship, which was destroyed. End of Message Captain Veracruz doesn't hesitate and encourages the other Captains to addapt their weapons as well. If the weapon used by the Funola can indeed be used against the Stiegl warship, it will give a serious advantage. There is no answer from Captain Mechels or anyone else aboard the USS Thunderbolt. There is no answer from Starfleet. But the fleet of Stiegl ships in orbit of Second Haven is growing already up to 29 ships. A last warning from the Stiegls and a threat does not scare the Starfleet officers who stand fierce on their just gained little piece of ground. It is clear to the Stiegls as well that the Federation will not give in easy. Stiegl ground troops prepare themselves to intervene if necessary. And suddenly the engineers in the caves below the federation Embassy on Second Haven cal lthe Captains. They have found some unknown technology in the caves which seems to be of very old Stiegl origin After a short investigation, it is already clear that all kinds of power generators, extremely powerfull hand weapons, cloaking devices as small as a fist, and much much more. It is strange that the Stiegls never have discovered any of their own historic armory. Chances of survival for the Federation personnel resulting a Stiegl attack have suddenly increased exponentially. The Federation Ambassador T'nara calls for a meeting and asks the Captains for advice. Captain Steichen has only one suggestion: "Do not reveal the archeological findings to the Stiegls and use the information to our advantage. We must protect ourselves with this technology. Only use this technology to protect ourselves, not for offensive reasons." USS Metrical Message from USS Walang, Captain Marja Hendriks in Command. While traveling around Funola space, respecting the Funola's whishes not to enter their territory we have witnessed a Stiegl ship, coming out of a temporal rift into Funola space. The Funola have attacked the Stiegl ship, but without success at first. Many Funola warships were lost as the Stiegl technology seemed far more superior. In a continuous battle the Funola addapted, almost like the Borg Collective in defenses and weapon systems. After addapting the Stiegl ship was destroyed with only one singel Funola shot. The Funola used a high frequency poloron beam as weapon against the Stiegl ship. The beam penetrated all defenses of the Stiegl ship and made a direct hit on the power generator of the Stiegl ship, which was destroyed. End of Message At this time Captain Geert Van Nieuwenhove does not have much use with the technical details about the Stiegls as he is facing the Cardassians, although the weapon his crew has found on Hikta Prime is interesting enough to study. In the mean time the Cardassian fleet regroups at Junal II as if they want to make a last stand at that planet. But Captain Van Nieuwenhove also gets some help. The USS Goliath, USS Windshield, USS Manifesto and USS Johan Kramer arrive at Hikta Prime, not only to join the USS Metrical for an offensive action against the Cardassians, but also to join the survey of the new weapon found on Hikta Prime. Many more scientists and engineers report in to help with the analysis. With this new group of specialists a final report is soon delivered at the Captains who have placed themselves under the command of Captain Geert Van Nieuwenhove. Under Starfleet Regulation 191 article 14, in a combat situation involving more than one ship, command falls to the vessel of tactical superiority. The Prometheus class USS Metrical clearly has tactical superiority and battle is at hand so Captain Van Nieuwenhove is in command of the small fleet. The other Captains do not have any problems with that. But one of the security officers aboard the USS Windshield has scanned all vessels of this fleet to be sure the ships are battle ready. This scan reveals a device aboard the USS Metrical sending coded information directly to cardassia prime. All other ships turn out to be clean of these kind of devices and it is clear the Cardassian intruder, now captured aboard the USS Metrical has done this. The Cardassian prisoner is put asleep to prevent more damage or spy activities. The first reports about the discovered weapon are already sent to Starfleet Command and Starfleet vessels in Cardassian space also having troubles with the cardassians, like the USS Vertigo. The weapon found on Hikta Prime in cardassian space is almost certain of Stiegl origin. The weapon is recharged by the energy of the core of the planet in a time of one hour and 16 minutes. It fires a hi-condensed plasma bolt which contains enough energy to destroy a regular Federation Starship with shields up to 80 percent. Although this seems a very dangerous weapon, defense against this weapon is rather easy. Rotating shield modulation 231.5 to 231.6 in a narrow band. This should stop 98 percent of the destructive energy of the hi-condensed plasma bolt. Simulations confirm this theory. With this new science the small fleet under command of Captain Van Nieuwenhove is confident they will no longer have problems with these kind of weapons. The weapon on Hikta prime is destroyed and as there is no other weapon of this kind found on Hikta Prime the fleet sets course to Junal II, another Cardassian planet which seems to be involved in the Cardassian plot to conquer the galaxy. But seven Cardassian Galor class vessels block the way of the small fleet close to Junal II and it is clear that the Cardassians have another or even more of these Stiegl weapons on the planet itself, which they will use as a defense. But unknown to the Cardassians the fleet of the approaching federation is not only 5 ships, these ships also have updated shields to the Stiegl planetary weapon which the Cardassians use. Several hours later, on the planet Junal II the Cardassians feel very safe. Even when the Federation fleet is only a minute away from Junal II, the Cardassians retreat slowly as they are afraid of Starfleet. On Junal II, Legate Hunor has a talk with his adjudant, Glinn Dalle. "Yes yes my dear Glinn Dalle. Those Federation ships walk right into our trap. They do not know we have twelve Stiegl plasma cannons on this planet and even when their shields can withstand such power, there will be little power left and our warships can finish the job. Haha. Only a few seconds and fire !" Twelve Stiegl plasma cannons fire their deadly load simultaneously. "Report Glinn ! Report !" "Legate Hunor, sir, the weapons do not work. Their is almost no damage to the Federation ships. We have been betrayed ! We must call back our ships, they are no match for those federation ships. We must..." High above the surface of Junal II five Federation ships have begun a battle against the seven Cardassian ships, but although the Federation fleet under leadership of Captain Geert Van Nieuwenhove is outnumbered, two Cardassian ships are almost immediately destroyed, which evens the odds. And one of the shortest battles happens today, with the destruction of all Cardassian warships... Only a minute later there is a communication from the Junal II surface: "I am Legate Hunor. We surrender." But this could be another trap. The Stiegl weapons only need one hour and 16 minutes to recharge and that could be a devestating threat. Captain Van Nieuwenhove decides to accept Legate Hunor's surrender and arrests him and his people and after that the Stiegl weapons will be destroyed and the planbet secured. USS Thunderbolt It is clear the Stiegls are not so happy having the USS Thunderbolt in their region of space, but it seems they cannot do anything about it. Slowly the USS Thunderbolt enters Stiegl space and every ship that is sent out to do battle against the Borg modified USS Thunderbolt end up as wreckages or completely destroyed. But the Stiegl assemble a large fleet to encounter their worst nightmare. The arrival of the USS Thunderbolt is totally unexpected and seems to ruin any secret plans the Stiegls have had. The three Borg drones aboard the USS Thunderbolt report any change in the situation, but the only thing that is absolutely certain, is that there will be no surrender of the Stiegls. One of the main computers of a Stiegl wrecked ship is still operational, but rather primitive, and the Borg drones do not have any problem downloading the ships database. Some amazing files are found and Captain Mechels is informed immediately. "Captain Mechels, we report. These files contain information about the Stiegls past. One of the Cardassian time travel experiments has ended up with a stranded ship in Stiegl territory 4903 years in the past. This is the only time rupture we have found so far. The Stiegls, who were then exploring their star system found the Cardassian ship, which gave them a huge advantage in technology. At the time even the Borg were not yet expanding their territory. The Stiegls were able to use the time travel device and used it for their own benefit. Their main plan is to enslave the entire Galaxy. But as the Stiegls did not have much knowledge about the time lines they only appeared at this time, because the time trave devices were programmed by the Cardassians to return to their own time frame. That is why the Stiegl suddenly appeared out of nowhere." Some of the pieces of the Stiegl puzzle now come into place. The USS Thunderbolt crew can take initiative now, but during the senior staff meeting a federation coded message comes in addressed to Captain Mechels, from Captain Steichen, in Command of the USS Earth at the Federation Embassy in Stiegl territory. Captain Steichen asks Captain Mechels to help discover the secrets of the Steigls. While this is a surprising request, it becomes the topic of the meeting. some officers still feel friendly towards the Federation and suggest they should help the Federation if it helps to stop the Stiegls at the same time. Then there is on message from the Federation which seems important: Message from USS Walang, Captain Marja Hendriks in Command. While traveling around Funola space, respecting the Funola's whishes not to enter their territory we have witnessed a Stiegl ship, coming out of a temporal rift into Funola space. The Funola have attacked the Stiegl ship, but without success at first. Many Funola warships were lost as the Stiegl technology seemed far more superior. In a continuous battle the Funola addapted, almost like the Borg Collective in defenses and weapon systems. After addapting the Stiegl ship was destroyed with only one singel Funola shot. The Funola used a high frequency poloron beam as weapon against the Stiegl ship. The beam penetrated all defenses of the Stiegl ship and made a direct hit on the power generator of the Stiegl ship, which was destroyed. End of Message But again the Borg aboard have the last word. "This weapon is indeed very effective against Stiegl ships, but the weapons we use are much more effective and do not use as much energy. Although we have no use for this weapon, the Federation can use this weapon against the Stiegl threat. Captain Mechels the Stiegl fleet is on an intercept course and at present speed they will intercept us in 24 hours. Currently another fleet of Stiegl ships is on a tactic siege around the moon called Second Heaven, the location of the Federation embassy. It is not certain the Federation ships, USS Earth, USS Unity and USS Leibnitz, can make a stand. It is also not certain whether they have received the message from the USS Walang. They are outnumbered and outgunned. We can be at the Federation Embassy in 54 seconds. We thought you should know." Captain Mechels shows his good heart and informs Starfleet and the Federation about his findings about the Stiegls, but in the mean time the USS Thunderbolt continues towards the Stiegl fleet for the battle of the century. USS Walang Message from USS Walang, Captain Marja Hendriks in Command. While traveling around Funola space, respecting the Funola's whishes not to enter their territory we have witnessed a Stiegl ship, coming out of a temporal rift into Funola space. The Funola have attacked the Stiegl ship, but without success at first. Many Funola warships were lost as the Stiegl technology seemed far more superior. In a continuous battle the Funola addapted, almost like the Borg Collective in defenses and weapon systems. After addapting the Stiegl ship was destroyed with only one singel Funola shot. The Funola used a high frequency poloron beam as weapon against the Stiegl ship. The beam penetrated all defenses of the Stiegl ship and made a direct hit on the power generator of the Stiegl ship, which was destroyed. End of Message The USS Walang scientists have discovered that the wormhole they have encountered has a fixed part on this side, but has a variable exit. By sending in more probes it takes about 46 hours to find a pattern in the jumps of the exit of the wormhole. After a second double check the USS Walang scientists calculate when exactly the ship should enter the wormhole to cut a serioous distance towards the expected Trum planet. Everyone aboard is very excited, even the Trax. But there is also some anxiety as the jump through the wormhole will bring the USS Walang out of immediate reach of the Federation. So a last report is send to Starfleet Head Quarters, with all kinds of messages from the crew to their families. It could be even a few months before anyone in the federation will hear again from the USS Walang and its crew. The original journey to the new Trum home planet called Getris II is 5000 lightyears out from Federation space, towards the Gamma Quadrant, and it will be a long journey of about 3.5 years at high speed. But this wormhole will cut almost 2 years of that journey. Before entering the wormhole there is a last report from the USS Walang scientists. After traveling through the wormhole communications will take about 15 days to reach Earth and a reply will also take 15 days, 30 days in total. The time has come. Count down has started. Yellow alert is initiated. 4, 3, 2, 1. Then Captain Hendriks gives the order. "Engage." The USS Walang enters the orange wormhole. As there are no obstacles in the wormhole helmsman Lieutenant Shivers has no problem maneuvring through the wormhole. It is a fantastic site and the patterns inside the wormhole amaze everyone aboard, but the journey through the wormhole only takes 2 minutes. Then the USS Walang is back into regular space, just at the coordinates the scientists expected to be. A message to Head Quarters is send immediately, knowing this message will travel 15 days before anyone in the Federation reads it. Chief of Operations Lieutenant Commander John Strauss is the first officer to report. "Captain we are exactly where we suppose to be. We have just cut our journey to Getris II, home planet of the Trum to one year. If this continues, we will be home for dinner." the bridge officers start laughing, but the laughter stops when Lieutenant Commander Strauss continues his report. "Captain there are two small ships approaching. I will make a scan. One moments Captain. These ships are no threat. Even our shuttlecraft are more powerfull. Captain they are trying to communicate with us." "Open a channel." On the main viewer a reptile like humanoid appears. The three others standing aside him wear the same uniform. "I am Lieutenant Ghrtos of the Yunaka. You have entered our territory through the pipeline. You have to pay taxes. We demand you deliver us 1 kilogram of dilithium chrystals." The dilithium chrystals are needed for the engines of the ship and Captain Hendriks doesn't really want to give that much of it to the chrystals. It won't be a disaster and the ship will still be able to get to Getris II to find the Trum, but if there is another way... "I am Captain Marja Hendriks of the starship USS Walang, representing the United Federation of Planets. We didn't know this was your territory and we are willing to pay taxes if you let us through. But can't we give you something else instead of dilthium chrystals ?" "We demand you deliver us 1 kilogram of dilithium chrystals. Now." To enforce their demand the two Yunaka vessels lock their weapons on the USS Walang, but these weapons are no threat at all to the Federation starship. Captain Hendriks could simply ignore the Yunaka and continue on a course to Getris II. But that is not exactly the Federation way of doing things... Captain Hendriks does not want to pay taxes as a wormhole is nobody's property. USS Vertigo Day 98 04.05 USS Vertigo Chief of Securtiy Matz has adviced that the Cardassian pilot in the approaching shuttlecraft should stay where he is and in no circomstances can come aboard. After hearing the advice of his Chief of Security Lieutenant Commander Matz, Commodore Slater decides to talk with the pilot of the shuttlecraft through a communication channel only. Day 98 04.08 Incoming message from USS Metrical, Captain Geert Van Nieuwenhove in command. The weapon found on Hikta Prime in cardassian space is almost certain of Stiegl origin. The weapon is recharged by the energy of the core of the planet in a time of one hour and 16 minutes. It fires a hi-condensed plasma bolt which contains enough energy to destroy a regular Federation Starship with shields up to 80 percent. Although this seems a very dangerous weapon, defense against this weapon is rather easy. Rotating shield modulation 231.5 to 231.6 in a narrow band. This should stop 98 percent of the destructive energy of the hi-condensed plasma bolt. Simulations confirm this theory. Day 98 05.07 Negotiations with the Cardassian pilot who calls himself Kuran, do not give any result. Kuran doesn't seem to want to give information. Time is running out and a Cardassian fleet of now 24 ships will arrive in less than an hour. Somebody already suggests to blow Kuran out of space. USS Lightning The USS Lightning has found three alien wreckages on their route in pursuit of the USS Thunderbolt, Captain Mechels' renbegade ship, enhanced with Borg technology. But Lieutenant Colonel Crow decides not to investiate further and orders to continue the search for the USS Thunderbolt. All kinds of communications come in and it is clear that the USS Thunderbolt has set course to Stiegl territory and has already had its first successfull battle with the Stiegl patrols. Crow and his team realise that the USS thunderbolt will not be an easy prey to catch. And then there is more news about the Stiegls. Other reports indicate that the Stiegls are not exactly who they say they are or at least there is something suspicious about them. The technological very adavanced Stiegls seem to have the intention to use their technology to have more and more influence in the Galaxy. Some Marines aboard the USS Lightning are already joking about the Stiegls. But then there is again some serious news about the Stiegls. Message from USS Walang, Captain Marja Hendriks in Command. While traveling around Funola space, respecting the Funola's whishes not to enter their territory we have witnessed a Stiegl ship, coming out of a temporal rift into Funola space. The Funola have attacked the Stiegl ship, but without success at first. Many Funola warships were lost as the Stiegl technology seemed far more superior. In a continuous battle the Funola addapted, almost like the Borg Collective in defenses and weapon systems. After addapting the Stiegl ship was destroyed with only one singel Funola shot. The Funola used a high frequency poloron beam as weapon against the Stiegl ship. The beam penetrated all defenses of the Stiegl ship and made a direct hit on the power generator of the Stiegl ship, which was destroyed. End of Message And there is more. Incoming message from General Fujimori, Starfleet Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel Crow. These are additional files on the Stiegls. Starfleet intellegence is working together with Starfleet Marine Special Operations. As you know such a cooperation his an exception and indicates how serious we take these Stiegls. These are the included files: GHSY.HSY-TSY GHSY.HSX-TSX GHSY.HSA-TSA End of Message Atad is the first to study the files received from the General. A senior staff meeting is called for and Atad presents the new information. "The files indicate the following. The Stiegls are a product of the time travel of the Cardassians. Apparently the Stiegls found one of the Cardassian ships 4903 years in the past and used the time travel device to their advantage. That is how they developed their technology. But their technology is one sided. There are a lot of flaws in their systems and these flaws are easily detected. It is what we could call a smart deception. The flaws in Stiegl technology are detected rather fast if you know where to look for.I will make a list of flaws and addapt our systems accordingly." The meeting is over. Everyone knows what to do and what to expect. The USS Thunderbolt is traveling in Stiegl space already so if the USS Thunderbolt has to be caught the USS Lightning also has to enter Stiegl space. at the borders of Stiegl space the USS Lightning comes to a full stop. Three Stiegl warship block the way of the Starfleet Marines. Lieutenant Colonel Crow contacts the USS Los Angelos who is only 14 hours away from the same position. The information about the mission of the USS Lightning is classified. USS Colorado Trying to simulate the rift and what it does on the holodeck, Ensign Jones ends up in a malfunction on the holodeck, which runs multiple progams at the same time. The computer does not react to her commands. In the mean time Captain Harrisson and some of the officers are working on a way to get more information about the rift which probably opposes a threat. Captain Harrison to Lieutenant Sonak: "Mr Sonak, send all available information to Admiral MacCarter, and inform him of our current status." "All information is send." "Lt. Torak to bridge, we have established communication, with Ensign Jones." It is clear Commander Walker is concerned: "Walker here, Torak what Ensign Jones status?" "Ensign Jones status is good, she has informed me that she is handling the situation." In the mean time Lieutenant Sonak informs the Captain: "Captain, I'm receiving information from the rift. Information very unclear, trying to conpensate and clearafy the message and image." While Commander Walker goes to holodeck 2, to check on the progress of Ensign Jones and her attempts to escape from the holodeck he thinks about how to solve the problem. "Mr Torak any chance you shut down every program seperately, except the one ensign Jones's?" "Yes sir! But that is not without risk." "There's always a risk, see what you can do. Is the com system still online?" "Yes sir." "Thank you." As commnications between the holodeck and the rest of the ship still works, Commander Walker tries to speak with Ensign Jones. "Walker here ensign, can you here me?" "Yes sir, I'm trying to re-aline the power relays." "Can you send the data, to the bridge?" "Is not much, but it could be what are looking for." "Ensign, Lt. Torak is trying to shot down all running programs, do what you can to assist." As Commander Walker cannot do much more at the holodeck he returns to the Bridge where he reports about the situation. "Captain, Torak is working on the holodeck programs, there's a chance they can be shut down one by one. But there's risk involved." "What about Ensign Jones, is she handling the situation. And is working with Torak?" But Lieutenant Sonak interupts the conversation. "Captain, data coming through from holodeck 2, and the information and the image has been clearafied." "Lets have it, on screen." On the main viewer soldiers in ancient uniforms appear walking in a straight line almost perfectly, next to each other. They all carry an old weapon for projectiles, but the most impressive are their red and wite uniforms, high pointy hats, some with feathers. On the background there is the sound of bronze cannons. "Where is she ?" "Captain. All safety measures in holodeck 2 are off line. If Ensign Jones is in this war like program, she better be very carefull." "What kind of war is that anyway?" "According our records this is the battle of Waterloo between the French army of Napoleon Bonaparte and the English under command of Duke Wellington. A savage battle Captain." But Commander Walker has other concerns. "Ensign Jones, this is Commander Walker. Can you hear me." "Sorry sir. I am kind of busy." Ensign Jones has hidden herself in a small building behind the battle zone. She watches the English soldiers advance as the battle comes to an end. Then she sits down again and continues to repair the relays in the access console. She reminds herself, she has no time for historic happenings. And the program changes again. Still at the console Ensign Jones is on a beach with a calm see. Behind her is a large city with high buildings There is nobody on the beach, although loud noises come from within the city. In the mean time Captain Harrison has his own problems. The rift has grown and seems to come closer. Sure that the USS Colorado can escape from the rift Captain Harrison orders to "Captain the rift... it is like suddenly it got a hold on the ship. The rift pulls us in." "All engines full reverse." "Aye sir. Captain Holodeck 2 is consuming 29 percent of our energy. We need that energy to get free from the rift." Captain Harrison looks at Commander Walker sitting next to him. "How much time before we are at the point of no return ?" "37 minutes sir. If anyone wants to shut down that holodeck, better do it fast, or we will enter the rift. Sir we can use the transporters to transport anyone into the holodeck or objects. But we cannot yet transport anything or anyone out." "Lieutenant Sonak, what do you mean you can transport somebody in the holodec, but you cannot get him out?" "Captain, there are to many holodeck programs running at the same time so there is no way of a transporter lock. We could transport an explosive device into the holodeck to neutralise the malfunction." "Yes I know Lieutenant. But then Ensign Jones will be killed or at least be severely injured. What about the data Ensign Jones has send. Does that help?" "Captain that data is inconclusive. We have detailed information about where the rift leads, but we have no clue where that is. The ships computer does not recognise the configuration of the stars. There is a possibility that once we have entered the rift, we cannot return." "Lieutenant Sonak, inform Admiral MacCarter of our situation." But Ensign Jones also has her problems. A group of armed people have come on the beach. She reports to the bridge. "Bridge this is Ensign Jones. I cannot shut down the holodeck alone. i need some help here. If you are able to transport a group of engineers into the holodeck we cold shut down the holodeck from the inside easier." Captain Harrison knows that he can send people in, but not out and as the safety measures of holodeck 2 are out, there is a danger for the people on holodeck 2. "Ensign Jones. This is the Captain. I am afraid you are on your own for the moment. The ship is pulled into the rift. Commander Walker will coordniate with you on what we can do." In holodeck two Ensign Jones sits on the beach working at the console without to much success. It will be hard work for a long time before she makes the holodeck shut down. But then she sees a small group of people approaching. They are dressed in black clothing and wear black hats and sunglasses. Ensign Jones is just in time to throw some sand on the console so it is hidden. Just in time as one of the approaching men addresses her, pointing a weapon in her direction. Ensign Jones recognises the weapon as a machine gun used by 20th century gangsters. One of them addresses her with an Italian accent. "Hi there babe. So you are walking on the private beach of Mister Salvatore Milachi. This is a private beach babe. But maybe Mister Milachi will let you live... that is if you are not a cop. Hahahahaha. Now you better surrender. Mister Milachi always likes a good looking babe. So you might have a chance." Things get worse on the USS Colorado. Again Captain Harrison looks at Commander Walker sitting next to him. Then he speaks aloud. "If anyone has any serious ideas, I want to hear them now." USS Alice Cooper "Forget luck", it was time for Jas to counter. "What I could use here is just a little help ---- if you'd be so very kind". "You must be joking", Gilly now laughed quite uproariously in the Commonwealth Ambassador's very direction, tickled pink at the very idea of such an unlikely happenstance: "Why, in the name of all my people hold dear, should I help you?" "Maybe that's why", Jas now smiled rather wistfully in her very direction, a sort of sad melancholy now appearing ---- "for all your people hold dear". "What???" "Oh, come on young Gentlewoman. Let's both confess the truth and shame the Devil here. If the 'Rising Sons', as your male rebels call themselves, should win, then everything you hold dear WILL be forever lost ---- their backers, those off--world governments supporting their revolutionary efforts, most certainly moving right in without any delay, whatsoever. Result?? ... Angel One becomes nothing, but a beaten satellite world in their specific sphere of influence ---- a conquered slave camp! And, if those supporting the 'Rising Sons' are indeed those self--same individuals we believe they are, then your people are likewise in great danger. Just ask any Bajoran officer serving now aboard the Alice Cooper--B ---- and there are, in all honesty, quite a few, believe me!! ---- what it's like to live under Cardassian rule. I'm sure they'll express no reluctance in telling you all about their former occupiers, all their 'tender mercies', during that dark period in Bajor's herstory. Ever since learning Federation concerns concerning Cardassian involvement in this matter I've been doing a lot of investigative research into the matter of Cardassian policy concerning vassal states under their control. And, when it comes to the Federation's other suspect in this matter, the Romulans, then your people are in just as precarious a situation. However, on the other hand, if I, the Federation, and my Terran Commonwealth prove themselves the successful parties here, then all you might need think of is just a few minor, gender--based, concessions concerning the men on Angel One.. As-a-matter-of-fact I've even left with security here some material that will give you a most fair idea of both the kind of matriarchate civilization I come from in the Tammyite Universe, how it came into existence over 800 years ago, and what I have in mind where said concessions are involved. I've even included some excerpts from the writings of Saint Tammy Garfield the founder of the matriarchate civilization I come from. In my most humble opinion your people could do a lot worse than to use her teachings as a guideline for your society as well. So, if I've indeed managed to peak your interest, feel free to asic Lt. Albertson here to bring you all the material I left you out front". "Is that all?", Gilly asiced once Jas seemed to pause, taking a breath, her voice both patronizing and even wary at the very same time. "I guess so", he allowed for the moment, frankly unable to even imagine anything else he might add. Not if all he already said proved itself inadequate winning her over. "Very good, then. You did what you came for, said what you wanted to say, and left me your 'precious' material, so I see no further reason for you to stick around any more". "Agreed", Jas concurred, turning about immediately thereafter, walking away with the erstwhile Ms. Albertson following right behind him. And, continuing after him all the way into the security dept.'s visitors lounge well out of Gilly's range of hearing Jas still wasn't satisfied until leading her further, Lt. Albertson remaining behind him all the way into the public corridor well beyond the Alice Cooper-B's Security area. "So, Lieutenant", Jas was first to begin, once quite sure he was most alone with the young dark--eyed woman still in his company. "She was interested in what you had to say, and is naturally curious as to what it is you left her", Lt. Alberston informed the Commonwealth Ambassador now wearing a contemplative frown, "but, beyond that, she's still quite undecided as to whether or not she should trust you. It seems Ms. Corona still anticipates you double--crossing both her and her people. It's not so much prejudice she suffers from as a profound case of absolute doubt. She's more afraid than anything else". "Just scared, huh? Hmmm... Maybe she isn't so lacking in the social graces as I originally thought", Jas finally began to chuckle, ruefully amused by the whole, sordid, situation. "Maybe I should have her over for a little tea and coffee. Not that she'd ever eat anything I might, perchance, serve her. No doubt our good Ms. Corona would think it all poisoned". "No doubt, Sir. Is that all?". "Yes, Lt.", Jas returned once more to frowning. "I guess so". "Very good, Sir", the young Betazed officer turned away, heading back to her previous post. "In that case, with your permission, I'll return to my former duties as per Captain Kalee's previous orders, Sir". "Yes", Jas voiced his utter reproach in the matter. "Once again, Lieutenant, I wish to go on record as objecting most heartily to the use of your natural telepathic gifts in this particular instance no matter the obvious tactical advantage likewise involved. As you no doubt realize by now I find such violation of Ms. Corona's mental privacy quite abborent. Unfortunately, though, Captain Kalee deemed it quite fitting to override my authority in the matter, claiming it an issue of 'internal security." "Yes, Sir. I know", Lt. Albertson paused but for a moment, her back still turned to Ambassador Stevens, before continuing even further on her way. "Yes", Jas sighed, feeling at once quite tired. "I'm sure you do". DS2 RPG General Status Report June 2003 USS Earth Second Haven, Stiegl territory, all enhanced technology found by Starfleet engineers has been installed on the USS Earth, USS Leibnitz and USS Unity. All security personnel aboard all three Federation Starships have been armed with new weapons, personal shields and personal cloaking devices. The small Federation fleet, now under supervision of Ambassador T'nara, seems to be able to take action against any form of attack. But this new technology will only be used for defensive action. The Stiegls have lost their patience and the first Stiegl troops are transported in mass to the small moon still occupied by Federation troops. But the Starfleet security troops are seriously outnumbered and the only way to win this battle is to use weapons of high power. Ambassador T'nara forbids to use those weapons and orders to evacuate the Second Haven. All Federation personnel evacuates to the three supporting starships, which activate their new defensive shields. Jumping to high warp the ships are followed by now 31 Stiegl ships which open fire immediately. No damage. Even the Stiegls are surprised. USS Earth Security Chief LT CMDR Ulo Hung calculates what kind of effect the new weapons of the USS Earth will have on the Stiegls, knowing the use of a high frequency poloron beam will destroy all Steigl ships, but as there is no danger to the Federation ships Ambassador T'nara wants to show that the Federation only uses violence if there is no other alternative. But the Stiegl ships do not give up and keep firing. Shields of the Federation ships very slowly decrease and everyone aboard knows they can't keep this up forever. In the end they have to return fire... "Captain. A transwarp conduit has opened only a half light year away." Captain Steichen does not need further explanations. She knows it is Captain Mechels and the USS Thunderbolt. The only thing she can hope for now is that Captain Mechels does not take the side of the Stiegls. "Captain, a ship is coming through. It is the USS Thunderbolt." As soon as the USS Thunderbolt comes out of the transwarp conduit, the Stiegl ships in pursuit of the USS Earth, USS Leibnitz and USS Unity, abort their attempts and turn towards the USS thunderbolt. But the Stiegl weapons are useless and don't even make a scratch on the USS Thunderbolt. The USS Thunderbolt returns fir and with one single shot one Stiegl ship is destroyed. Six Stiegl ships leabve their fleet and flee. The others still keep coming to attack, but again without success. On the contrary, three Stiegl ships are destroyed. On the USS Earth, USS Unity and USS Leibnitz the crews follow the battle between the Stiegls and the USS Thunderbolt. Most of them in horor. Of course everyone is happy that they are safe and have successfully escaped from Second Haven. And although they all understand that if a ship is attacked it is allowed to defend itself, this battle looks more of a USS Thunderbolt hunt for Stiegls to destroy them. And they cannot approve... Another six Stiegl vessels set a collision course to the USS Thunderbolt and ram the renegade Federation at high speed, but they are destroyed by the Borg defensive shields of the USS Thunderbolt. The USS Thunderbolt has no damage at all. Ambassador T'nara opens a comunication channel and calls upon the Stiegls and the USS Thunderbolt to stop the slaughter and return to their particular regions of space. There is no answer from any of them... With the success of the escape from Second Haven it is clear there will be no further diplomatic relations between the Federation and the Stiegls. But it also calls for a certain action to secure the Federation from the Stiegls. And while the battle between the Stiegls and the USS Thunderbolt continues, Ambassador T'nara calls her Captains and asks for advice. Captain Steichen already has a plan. She advices to stay in Stiegl territory and do everything you can, even help the USS Thunderbolt in neutralising the Stiegls and their evil plans and after that try to find the Bladerend. It seems this species knows more than they have told so far. USS Metrical Legate Hunor and all other Cardassian personnel have surrendered, dropped their weapons and are taken on several ships of the Cardassian fleet in orbit of the Cardassian planet Junal II. Legate Hunor is the only Cardassian prisoner aboard the USS Metrical and is heavily guarded. He asks to see Captain Van Nieuwenhove, but the Cardassian has to wait. Captain Van Nieuwenhove is giving his orders to his fleet. "Regroup at coordinates 246, 134 mark 12. We will destroy all hardware of the cardassians on Junal II and continue to Dozoria, deeper into cardassian space. There are no Cardassian ships anymore which can block our way. It seems they all Cardassian ships in this sector have been sent elswhere." The USS Goliath, USS Windshield, USS Manifesto, USS Johan Kramer and USS Metrical arrive at the designated coordinates only an hour later to meet with the Galaxy class USS Protector, under command of Captain Zack Holiday, famous of his won battles in the war against the Dominon and still patroling in Cardassian space since then. The USS Protector is a great addition to the fleet of Captain Van Nieuwenhove... After giving the last orders it is time to speak to Cardassian Legate Hunor and the Captain of the USS Metrical himself goes to the brig where the Legate is kept behind a forcefield. "You must be Captain Van Nieuwenhove. I am Legate Hunor. I will make this as short as possible so you can act quickly. The Cardassians have been betrayed by a species called Stiegls. About a year ago one person in the Cardassian Obsidian Order found a small shuttlecraft landed on the planet called Zenola. There was a person found and taken to Cardassia prime. This person had escaped from a larger ship, we are still not sure about their species, but this person could provide Cardassia with a network of time travel devices, on the condition that the first voyage in time of a Cardassian ship would be to Stiegl in the past. I don't know how many years in the past, but apparently the voyage to Stiegl worked and all the other time voyages ended up in disasters. Time had changed but not enough to change events dramaticly in the Galaxy, until now. The power of the Siegls has grown rapidly. They are leading all kinds of plans from within Cardassia. They have power hungry friends in Cardassia who do exactly what the Stiegls tell them to do and those Cardassians are very active on Cardassia Prime, our home planet. They are the elected Cardassian Government. They want to take over the Galaxy. I am not even sure whether those Cardassians are using the Stiegls or that the Stiegls are using the Cardassian Government. You must go to Cardassia Prime and stop the Cardassian Government and we have to bring them to trial. This has to end before all species in this galaxy end up fighting each other. There are only two Cardassian warships to defend Cardassia Prime. I will talk to the Guls of those ships and they will let you through." Captain Van Nieuwenhove knows what the Cardassian trials are all about. And it is very uncertain the Cardassian Government will just surrender to a small fleet of Federation starships. It is not even certain Cardassian Legate Hunor speaks the truth... Captain Van Nieuwenhove orders a full stop and asks Starfleet Command for orders. USS Thunderbolt Long range sensors detect the USS Earth, USS Unity and USS Leibnitz leaving the small moon called Second Haven. Apparently that name was picked in better times. A fleet of more than 30 Stiegl ships are in pursuit of the Federation ships, firing their weapons. It seems that the Stiegls want to destroy the Federation ships with everything they have. But without success. Apparently the Federation vessels have been modified by some kind of new technology and their shields are holding. Captain mechels has been informed about the situation and decides to have a look at those coordinates where the battle is fought. The Borg drones have already addapted the USS Thunderbolt systems to the new systems of the USS Earth. "Open a transwarp conduit." "Coduit open Captain." "Engage." As soon as the USS Thunderbolt comes out of the transwarp conduit, the Stiegl ships in pursuit of the USS Earth, USS Leibnitz and USS Unity, abort their attempts and turn towards the USS thunderbolt. But the Stiegl weapons are useless and don't even make a scratch on the USS Thunderbolt. The USS Thunderbolt returns fire and with one single shot one Stiegl ship is destroyed. Six Stiegl ships leabve their fleet and flee. The others still keep coming to attack, but again without success. On the contrary, three Stiegl ships are destroyed. "Captain, they are still coming. There are six of them who try to ram us." One of the Borg drones reports. "Our shields will hold. They will be destroyed." And again the drone is correct. The six Stiegl ships are destroyed the second they make contact with the hull of the USS Thunderbolt. But even this does not frighten the Stiegls. They keep coming. Suddenly a familiar face appears on the main viewer... "Hallo Captain Mechels." The entire USS Thunderbolt bridge crew stares at the face on the main viewer. One of the Borg drones steps in and recognises the face immediately as well. "Drone. State your designation." "I am Eleven of Seventeen. I am aboard the Federation starship USS Thunderbolt, with my friends Three of Seven and Four of Ten." But the face on the viewer doesn't look satisfied. "Captain mechels, you will bring me my drones and surrender your ship to me." Just before Captain Mechels can open his mouth to abuse the person confronting him, Eleven of Seventeen does one step forward. "You have no power over us. The timeframe we come from has no Borg Queen. The Collective has destroyed the Queen. That is what you are afraid of, isn't it. You are afraid we will come to you and destroy you. Borg Queen. The Borg have a new objective, when you are gone. The Collective evolves by exploring and investigating. We only use force to defend ourselves and to destroy time violations, like this one of the Stiegls. Was there anything else we can do for you ?" There is silent. The Borg Queen on the viewer looks furious. The USS Thunderbolt bridge crew is speachless. The attack of the Stiegls on their ship is almost completely forgotten. Everyone is looking at the Borg Queen and is waiting for her respons. Som eof the officers clearly have fun watching the Borg Queen losing control like this. She starts shouting with a high voice. "Captain Mechels, you will bring me those drones, or I will hunt you down wherever you are in the universe." The Image of the Borg Queen disappeares and is replaced with space and the coming Stiegls for another attack. There are only nine Stiegl ships left. But Captain Mechels and the Borg drones don't care about the Borg Queen. Their plan is simple: destroy all Stiegels. USS Walang The Trum home planet called Getris II is only one and a half year away, thanks to traveling through the wormhole ending up in Funaka space. The Funaka demand taxes, but Captain Steichen doesn't pay anything and orders to continue the voyage at hy speed. The Funaka are not able to keep up the speed of the USS Walang and discouraged they break of their pursuit. The crew of the USS Walang is not discouraged, on the contrary. The relation between Federation officers and the Trax have improved as well by this lucky wormhole. The moral is high and some of the stellar cartographists already start to study he stars nearby. The variation in stars in this region of space is simply huge. As the stars are also closer together, even collisions of stars are not excluded. The colors are beautiful and after six days Chief of Operations LT CMDR John Strauss reports to Captain Hendriks some of the sciences departments have asked for extra power to continue their studies. As the ship moves away from several interesting phenomena sensors cannot scan anymore at the finest resolution and need some boosting up, with extra power. It is said among the crew that on one evening two of the Trax were sanding at the front window of the central lounge for at least four hours to watch the beauty of the complex stars evolving, apparently at a higher rate here than anywhere in the Galaxy. Only two days later one of the scientists of the nightshift in stellar cartography has found an upcoming supernova in the region. To see an exploding star from nearby and be able to follow it almost every moment is a dream for every scientist. The supernova does not take the USS Walang much of course, but it is not yet certain when exactly the supernova will happen. Traveling up to a safe distance will take at least two weeks. The scientists are very exited as are the Trax who enjoy this kind of exploration in space very much. The wonders of the Galaxy await them and with the ship, they have received from the Trum, their friends and family on the Trax homeworld can also enjoy this kind of travel. The Trax have contact with their home planet regularly and the enthousiame on the home planet is also on the rise. None of the Trax understand anymore why they have banned space travel. And they have come to understand that space travel is indeed dangerous, but that an accident doesn't have to be the cause of stopping it all together. Countor and the Trax are not only happy about the space travel itself, but are releaved that their species, the Trax, can now finally take part thanks to the Trum, or should they say Gsnode as that is how the Trum call themselves. USS Vertigo Day 98 05.53 Cardassia Prime. Office of Legate Podra, Obsidian order. Legate Podra is informed that the upcoming battle between the Cardassian forces, now 43 ships and the Federation fleetwill determine the destiny of the Cardassian empire. It is clear now to the Cardassian conspirators that they have been b etrayed by the Stiegls and that the Stiegl technology which the Cardassians received from the Stiegls is worthless. Legate Podra assembles his loyal officers and leaves Cardassia Prime with a Galor class warship to an unknown destination. Day 98 06.06 Close to Wromasta III. Apparently the Cardassian fleet of 43 ships which commence an assault on the less than 20 federation ships, have not received any information about some Klingon ships also in the neighbourhood. One Vor'Cha class battle cruiser after the other decloak and in a few minutes already 14 Carassian ships are destroyed. The Cardassian leading Gul Tramok asks for instructions of his superiors, while he orders his ships to regroup. There is no answer from Legate Podra... Day 98 6.21 The Cardassian fleet is surrounded. Gul Tramok feels he has no choice. He surrenders his fleet. The battle is over and the way to Cardassia prime is open for the Federation and Klingon forces. USS Lightning The three Stiegl warships blocking the USS Lightning do not answer to communications and do not seem to be disturbed by the presence of the USS Lightning but the Stiegls also do not seem to be bothered by a border and su!ddenly cross over to attack the USS Lightning, without even one word of communication. It is as if these ships were waiting for orders from their superiors. But the Stiegls underestimate the Starfleet Marines aboard the USS Lightning... not just another Starfleet crew... "Fire at will Lieutenant Bell." Three short bursts of compressed polaron beams leave the pulse cannons of the Defiant class USS Lightning and hit all three ships with only one salvo. The result confirms that the Stiegls technology is a showcase and is easily countered. All three Stiegl ships explode in a huge ball of fire. After a short scan there are no signs of any survivors. The pursuit of the USS Thundrbolt can be continued and now that the USS Lightning is coming closer and closer to the objective Lieutenant Colonel Crow sets his team to work to find a way to defend the ship against the USS Thunderbolt in case of attack. But that will not be as easy as fighting the Stiegls. And there is another problem. The USS Lightning doesn't have transwarp capabilities and has to travel through space of all species, friendly to the Stiegls and those species do not have fake technology. The first species the USS Lightning encounters are the Snoruna. And the Snoruna are not prepared to let the USS Lightning through their territory. On the contrary. An hour later after the first contact the USS Lightning is at high speed dropping mines behind them, with two Snoruna heavy cruisers on their tail. But then Atad has found a way to stop the Snoruna warships. LT COL Crow decides to use the way of Atad to stop the Snoruna warships. This means that the Snoruna ships will be destroyed which could lead to a lot more hostilities, maybe even a war. But LT COL Crow explains this to his officers: "If Atad has found a way to stop the Snoruna, I will go along with what he has in mind. He has never failed me yet. And if one Defiant class ship can stop the Snoruna, I don't think that Starfleet has much to worry. Maybe then, they are willing to talk to us. I hope Atad's way is not to serious, but then all is fair in war. The other problem with the USS Thunderbolt is being investigated by LT Bell. I hope to get an answer soon, because that will be a very hard nut to crack." The information about the mission of the USS Lightning is classified. USS Colorado The USS Colorado is pulled into a rift which will lead to an unknown destination. To get free the ship needs the extra power of Holodeck 2, but there is only one little problem. Ensign Ally Jones is trapped within the holodeck. If power is shut down, things look extremely bad for Ensign Jones... "Captain, we do have an EMH program we can use, it's a backs system in case of of an emergency. We transport the EMH to ensign Jones, and we do have an emobile enhabitor in which EMH can move freely. "Do it." "Bridge to Lt. Torak." "Torak here." "Torak can you program the EMH with an emobile enhabitor, and transported it to ensign Jones." "Yes sir, that is possilbe. I transport the EMH to ensign Jones original program." "Ensign Jones can you hear me." "Yes sir, I'm a little buzy can you send someone through?" "We cannot transport any any through. Lt. Torak is working on an EMH program that will assist you, Walker out." Meanwhile the bridge crew is also working on a way to avoid the rift. "Captain we can launch a probe to detinate within the rift. And foton torpedo infront of the rift." "Captain the detination in the rift could give us the adventage we need to break free, and take the ship to a clear distance before the foton hits." Captain Harrison realises time is running out. "Walker you and Sonak have 15 minutes to come up with the calulation that we need between the probe and the foton." In the mean time in holodeck 2, the Italian Gangster program has stopped and has been replaced with a program about the old Rome, during the time of emperor Tiberius. While Ensign Jones walks on the Forum Romanum she sees a familiar face. Dressed as a Roman lawyer, the EMH walks towards Ensign Jones while he brings her to a small street. "Ensign Jones. I am the doctor, send in the holodeck to assist you in shutting down the holodeck. I have an extra tricorder and a type I phaser that I had to give to you. There is a console hidden here in this wall." "Aren't you going to help me ?" "I am a doctor not an engineer." But ensign Jones doesn't give up easily. She takes the tricorder and opens the panel. The efforts she has done the last few hours, were not futile. She is able to shut down 90 percent of the programs and to her own surprise she is still in the old Rome when she disables the last programs. But she isn't there yet... On the USS Colorado bridge, Chief of Operations LT Doran reminds the Captain of the remaining time. "15 minutes Captain." Commander Walker contacts ensign Jones in holodeck 2. "Ensign jones, this is Commander Walker. What is your status ?" "I am almost there sir. One more minute." And indeed one minute later the holodeck program of the old Rome first freezes and then vanishes, leaving only Ensign Jones and the EMH standing in a Black room with the so familiar yellow grid. But there is a third person... "Ensign Jones, this is Commander Walker. We are running out of time." "Commander, I have shut down all programs with the help of Lieutenant Sonak and the engineers. But I think we have a problem. there is someone else here and it is not the EMH." The person on holodeck 2 starts to speak. "I apologize for the intrusion. I am Gsolt of the Karany. I live at the other side of what you call the rift. I tried to hide here on what you call the holodeck and tried to use it's power to get this ship into the rift. Apparently I have failed. I cannot go home now. I didn't mean any harm, but my urge to go home was so immense, that I couldn't stop myself to bring you in danger. I hope you understand." Enign Jones looks at the EMH in amazement. Instinctively she has taken the type I phaser and points it at the alien who calls himself Gsolt. "Don't look at me. I am a doctor. I save lives. I don't take lives." USS Alice Cooper As soon as Ambassador Jas Stevens had left the cell and Gilly Corona, two security guards were again posted at the cell. Gilly Corona, knowing her motives for her renegade rebelious act, was now in doubt. She knew that the new Angel One leader Beata III had been no more than a puppet on the string of alien soldiers, who were going to use Angel One as a base for further military operations against the Federation. Gilly never had seen these alien soldiers and had no idea what they even looked like, but Beata had been her leader in the resistance against the former Angel One leader... Gilly didn't even want to think about that name as the hate was so immense. She shivered... After some thinking and after the talks with Ambassador Jas Stevens Gilly had realised that she only had been used by aliens for the purpose of those aliens only. Suddenly she was convinced that there was nothing to gain for Angel One with starting a war against the Federation, or anyone else for that matter. The Angel One militias had already spread around the sector and neighbouring sectors around Angel One... Gilly looked at the documentation Ambassador Stevens had left for her to read. It would not make any difference. Although she had had the feeling she was doing the right thing al the time, she suddenly had lost that feeling. This was wrong. In a possible war the Federation would completely destroy Angel One... This was absolutely wrong. Why would Beata III ever do such a thing ? Why did she want Ambassador Jas Stevens out of the way ? What was so special about this man, a man, a male person ? She kept repeating it inside her mind. She could not longer control herself and almost jumped to the documentation which Ambassador Stevens had left for her. Ambassador Jas Stevens apparently was from an alternate universe... In Jas' universe the women there are an average height of 6 feet, 2 inches, tall while the men there are likewise an average height of just 5 feet, 8 inches tall ---- Jas only 5 feet, 7 inches. However, except for this reverse dichotomy existing between the sexes in the Tammyite Universe ever since their late 22nd century ---- Jas likewise coming from their early 30th century--- women and men there look no different in physical appearance than they do in Gilly Corona's universe. DS2 RPG General Status Report July 2003 USS Earth The USS Earth, USS Unity and USS Leibnitz proceed in the direction of the USS Thunderbolt to regroup Federation ships. While the USS Thunderbolt is destroying one Stiegl ship after the other, more and more Stiegl warships seem to appear out of nowhere. For every Stiegl ship destoryed two more appear. Chief of Security LT CMDR Ulo Hung reports there is another Federation starship entering Stiegl territory. "Captain it is the USS Lightning." It is almost dead still on the USS Earth bridge. The USS Lightning is the only starship in Starfleet under command of a Starfleet marine LT COL Crow and has a full team of Starfleet Marines aboard. These marines, famous for their data warfare cappabilities are famous for many actions, includeing destroying the Cardassian network of time travel devices. It seems that there is nothing that can stop the USS Lightning. When the LT COL Crow and his ship enter Stiegl space they fire on every Stiegl ship that comes close destroying them with the weapons technology provided by Captain Hendriks of the USS Walang. At a certain moment the USS Lightning seems more destructive than the USS Thunderbolt. The USS Earth, USS Unity and USS Leibnitz try to get to the USS Thunderbolt, but although they also have superior technology offensive as well as defensive, the three Federation ships are outnumbered in such a way that they have to retreat. They cannot reach the USS Thunderbolt as their way is blocked by an immense Stiegl fleet which is still growing and growing. Although the advanced offensive and defensive systems aboard there are so many Stiegl warships now the Steigls form a serious threat to the three Federation ships. The USS Thunderbolt itself cannot reach the USS Earth, USS Unity and USS Leibnitz as it can only proceed very slowly, maneuvering through the swarm of enemy Stiegl ships. Ambassador T'nara in command orders to leave Stiegls space at the oposite site as wher the USS Thunderbolt is still fighting the Stiegls. The USS Earth, USS Unity and USS Leibnitz jump to high warp away from the battle zone into safety, but on their way further into the Beta Quadrant. As soon as they cross the Border of Stiegl space the Stiegl ships stop their pursuit and let the Federation ships go in peace. After a day of flight, it is Captain Acerta in command of the USS Leibnitz who speaks out her concernes frist about getting back to Federation territory. Ambassador T'nara calls her Captains to meet and talk about possible ways to proceed. Captain Steichen's opinion is to continue on this course into the Beta Quadrant and try to find allies for the Federation. After all these ships are very well equiped for a diplomatic mission. In the mean time there are unlimited ways to explore this region of the Galaxy further. USS Metrical Incoming Message Starfleet Command: Admiral T'nok Captain Geert Van Nieuwenhove, you will command the small fleet USS Goliath, USS Windshield, USS Protector, USS Manifesto, USS Johan Kramer and USS Metrical to Cardassia Prime at low speed. There is a large fleet on its way to Cardassia prime as well and will rendez-vous with your fleet at these secret coordinates (+++++++++). When you have any troubles with Cardassian ships, even if it is only one ship, you will retreat. Those are your orders. End of Message The USS Goliath, USS Windshield, USS Protector, USS Manifesto, USS Johan Kramer and USS Metrical proceed at warp 2 to Cardassia Prime with extreme caution. On Cardassia Prime Legate Parn, member of the Cardassian Central Command is working on a second edition of a new offensive against all the enemies of Cardassia. He needs all his leadership and diplomacy, but also his other skills like treachery. Being an officer makes it even more difficult as he has to report to his superiors. Parn's superiors are not pleased easily. To be surse to have an escape route, Parn has send his friend Legate Hunor to the Federation ships under command of Captain Van Nieuwenhove. Legate Hunor has to convince the Captain of the Federation fleet that the way to cardassia is almost as good as without any defenses. Of course this is a Cardassian trap, but if Legate Hunor plays his act right, things will change for Cardassia. A fleet of almost 200 ships is waiting for the Federation fleet. Aboard the USS Metrical red alert is still active. Knowing that the small fleet of 6 ships is in extreme conditions has to proceed to Cardassia Prime, not really knowing what awaits them the crew is fierce. Although odds are probably against them in battle with a large Cardassian fleet, most of the senior officer in this small fleet relise this move is essential. Some even talk about being bait to lure the Cardassians out after which a large Federation fleet can close a Federation trap and destroy the Cardassian fleet. But the way to Cardassia Prima is long. It will take at least nine days before Cardassia Prime will be detected on long range sensors. In orbit of an uninhabited planet in the Stoar System is one unimportant Galor class vessel, under command of an unsignificant Gul. This Gul, his name is not worth remembering, wants to prove himself and his crew. Almost like Klingons this almost unnotiable Cardassian ship jumps to high warp. By the time USS Metrical long range sensors detect this Cardassian ship, it only needs three hours to come close to the small Federation fleet. It is clear that this unknown Gul is a complete madman... Captain Geert Van Nieuwenhove can only make one decision: retreat as ordered by Admiral T'nok. USS Thunderbolt The USS Earth, USS Unity and USS Leibnitz proceed in the direction of the USS Thunderbolt to regroup Federation ships. While the USS Thunderbolt is destroying one Stiegl ship after the other, more and more Stiegl warships seem to appear out of nowhere. For every Stiegl ship destoryed two more appear. Long range sensors detect the USS Lightning which has engaged the Stiegls as well, entering Stiegl territory. The USS Earth, USS Unity and USS Leibnitz try to get to the USS Thunderbolt, but although they also have superior technology offensive as well as defensive, the three Federation ships are outnumbered in such a way that they have to retreat. They cannot reach the USS Thunderbolt as their way is blocked by an immense Stiegl fleet which is still growing and growing. Although the advanced offensive and defensive systems aboard there are so many Stiegl warships now the Steigls form a serious threat to the three Federation ships. The USS Thunderbolt itself cannot reach the USS Earth, USS Unity and USS Leibnitz as it can only proceed very slowly, maneuvering through the swarm of enemy Stiegl ships. One of the Borg drones receives information from the USS Earth and informs Captain Mechels "Captain Mechels, Ambassador T'nara has ordered to leave Stiegls space at the oposite site as where we are is still fighting the Stiegls. Apparently the USS Earth crew has found advanced technology on a small moon called Second Haven. They can destroy many Stiegl ships, but they are outnumbered in such a way they will be destroyed by the mass of Stiegl ships. We find the order to retreat a wise decision." As there is no scratch on the USS Thunderbolt the crew does not have any fears. In fact this battle gets a little boring. An hour after the retreat of the USS Earth and the escort ships the USS Thunderbolt is completely surrounded. Although the Stiegls cannot hurt the USS Thunderbolt, The renegade Federation ship is now at the point of defending itself, more than attacking the Stiegls. The Borg drones have also realised that this fight could lead to a stalemate situation, so they suggest to Captain Mechels, to use a weapon of mass destruction, which will probably destroy half of Stiegl territory, but before Captain Mechels can make his decision, Chief of Operations LT Leeloo Brussels reports in with some new and very important information. "Captain, these Borg sensors indicate that these Stiegl ships sir... I mean they are not real. They are some kind of projection. It is similar to our holodeck technology, except these Stiegls do not need a holodeck. They can create holographic stuff in space." One of the Borg drones looks at the display and confirms LT Brussels findings. Captain Guillaume Mechels in command of the USS Thunderbolt orders to use the weapon of mass destruction, now that you know these Stiegl ships are only holograms. It is not certain, but this weapon may be able to destroy the holographic generators as well. USS Walang This is an interesting part of the Galaxy explore this region. The USS Walang have gained much time by traveling through the wormhole so there is supplemental time. Especially the upcoming supernova nearby could be the most interesting phenomena the crew will ever see. Captain Hendriks orders to set course: "We have time and could learn a lot." The USS Walang is on route to the star which can go supernova very soon. Chief of Operations LT CMDR John Strauss and the USS Walang stellar cartography division have calculated that the star can go supernova in about two weeks. It will take the USS Walang to travel about a week to get to a good and safe spot to investigate this supernova. This week the USS Walang crew is busy as never before. Stellar cartography and scineces departments are even helped by engineers and interested security personnel to calibrate sensors, improving shields for extra protection and hull enforcements. A week is short and excitement aboard the USS Walang increases every day. At the end of the week more and more ships are detected in the region of the star. Apparently more species in this region have send out ships to investigate the star which probably will go supernova in two days. When the USS Walang arrives at the favorite chosen spot, there are at least two hundred ships located around the star from as many different species. The star is located in the huge region of the Laurami, who have send ships on their own and are coordinating the event... as they cal it. There is no danger for the Laurami species and they let everyone in their territory for free so the event can be enjoyed by everyone. Aboard the USS Walang the last preparations have been made and some kind of count down starts. It is not certain when exactly the star wil go supernova, but it will be very soon. All ships in the region have their sensors pointed at the star. Nobody wants to miss anything. It is expected that the supernova wil last at least a full day and will produce a level 12 shockwave. But the ships around the star are perfectly safe. Most of the species present never had any contact before and it is the general believe this event could be a start of many diplomatic relations and maybe even friendship between a lot of different species. And then when tension is extremely high it happens. The star explodes in to many colors. there is not one of the spectators who isn't amazed. It is a hapening of a lifetime and while the automated recording systems run at top speed on all the ships all watch the supernova theselves. There is alost complete silence. No communications between any ships, all kind of species coming closer together embracing each other, and after an hour al kinds of felicitations are send out to everyone, including the USS Walang. The exploding star symbolises the forces of nature which connects all species... And as dangerous it is as beautiful. The colored waves of the supernova spread out in all directions, some of the more religious species start praying and celebrating... By the end of the day everyone is exhausted. While some of the ships have minimal damages caused by the decreasing shockwave, life will get back to normal, also on the USS Walang, which has ony light damage to the shields... And everyone agrees this event can be the start of a lot friendship between species... USS Vertigo Day 99 2.00 The entire Federation fleet and most of the Klingon fleet is on route to Cardassia Prime With the surrender of a part of the Cardassian fleet, the Klingons have towed away the Cardassian ships and left the Cardassians on a planet with some survival equipment, food and medicine. USS Vertigo Chief of Security Lieutenant Commander Matz finds that Klingon behaviour a bit strange, but she realises the huge amount of authority of Commodore Slater who ordered the Klingons to treat the captured Cardassians with respect. Day 102 16.00 Senior commanders meeting on the USS Vertigo. Starfleet Captains, Klingon Generals have come aboard and are escorted by Lieutenant Commander Matz and her security officers. The senior commanders meeting is all about the last defenses of Cardassia prime. The first reports of some cloaked Klingon Birds of Prey, scouting the Cardassian territory around the capital planet of the Cardassian empire, report 202 Cardassian warships are protecting Cardassia prime. Day 102 17.00 Although the Klingons want to fight and die honorably, they also realise the upcoming battle with the cardassian fleet of more than 200 ships will bring much devestation among the Klingon warriors. That should be avoided at any cost. there are a few options and one of them is wait for reinforcements. Unknown to the Cardassians there is a cloaked vessel of a species caled Bladerend in orbit of Cardassia Prime, investigating the relations between the Cardassians and the Stiegls... USS Lightning Two Snoruna warships continue in pursuit of the USS Lightning who now need desperate ways to defend themselves. "Damage report." "Colonel, we have been hit again. Shields are down to 81 percent. There is some moderate damage to the shield grid 23. I am compensating by rerouting power from grids 24 and 25." "Atad, are you ready ?" "Ready Colonel." "Fire at will or whatever you are going to do to stop those ships." Unknown to the Snorunas, Atad has tapped into their comunications channels and on command he releases a datawarfare computer program into the main computer of both Snoruna warships. The program starts to disrupt the weapon systems, shields, propulsion systems and finally leads to several hull breaches... While the Snoruna ships literally fall lapart, the USS Lighting continues at high speed through Snoruna space on course to Stiegl space, where the USS Thunderbolt is destroying one Stiegl ship after another. even the USS earth, USS Leibnitz and USS Unity have joined up to fight the Stiegls, after they have been threatened and attacked by the Stiegls. The USS Los Angelos, now only 10 hours away from the USS Lightning also on course to Stiegl territory has a small advantage in Snoruna territory. The Snorunas now know what these Federation ships can do and leave the USS Los Angelos alone. Incoming Message from General Fujimori Crow. Federation ships have been attacked in Stiegl space. You will proceed into Stiegl space and make an evaluation of the situation. You will send e a report. Act on your own initiative as necessary. End of Message "Colonel, we have entered Stiegl space. There are no Stiegl ships in this sector. We are free to move. Long range sensors detect several Federation ships in battle with stiegl ships. It is the USS Earth, USS Leibnitz, USS Unity and... USS Thunderbolt sir. The Stiegl ships are no match for the USS Thunderbolt sir. Captain Mechels is blowing them away." "Lieutenant Bell, we have to remember Captain Mechels and his crew are renegades." "Yes sir." "I will tell the Captains of the Federation ships what to do to destroy the Stiegl ships. We as marines have an obligation to help, but we must aprehand the USS Thunderbolt, one way or the other. If we are lucky we will come up the victorer but we will see what happens. We are ready to battle the USS Thunderbolt." The information about the mission of the USS Lightning is classified. USS Colorado Ensign Jones seems to have everything under control in the holodeck, but still requests some assistance. "Can you send someone to holodeck 2, we have an another problem." Commander Walker already took some precautions "Security is on it's way Ensign, keep the intruder buzy." Walker sends Sonak and a security team into the holodeck. "Be careful with the Karany, take him to the brig for questioning he might know something about the Stiegl." After which he reports to the Captain. "Captain if we are to brake free this is time." The USS Colorado has been invaded by one alien from the Karany who does everything to get himself home through the rift which is now open and the USS Colorado is drawn into the rift due to the alien's actions. The alien's name is Gsolt. He is captured on the holodeck where he endangered the life of Ensign Ally Jones. With ensign Jones free and the alien Gsolt captured, Captain Harrison orders to reroute power from the holodeck to the propulsion systems. "Rerouting power now sir. It helps sir. We are getting away from the rift." "Inform Admiral MacArter of our new situation and ask for further orders of what to do with this rift." "Aye sir. Sir, tactical reports, we could close the rift with some modified torpedoes." "How many of those torpedoes would we need Lieutenant ?" "Two hundred and six sir. It is very likely that such an explosion will cause serious damage to the fabric of space on both sides of the rift." "I'll keep that as an option." Gsolt is heavily interrogated because it is believed he has some connection with the Stiegls, and even after Betazoid Counselor Donar has confirmed that Gsolt does not know about the Stiegls, a Vulcan mind meld is initiated. But the result is indeed negative. Gsolt of the Karany does not know about the Stiegls. He just wants to go home through the rift. After his interrogation in the brig the Karany Gsolt is pleading for his life as he is convinced he will be sentenced to death in an upcoming trial. The security officers guarding Gsolt find this very strange, as the Federation does not have a punishment like that. But Gsolt is not convinced. "Please. Shuttlecraft. Do you have small ships aboard. I could use one of those and I promise the Karany people will not be in your way ever. I can close the rift easily from our side." Gsolt is pleading and begging in such a way that even Vulcan LT Sonak starts to feel sorry for Gsolt in his typical Vulcan way. And this new information about closing the rift from the Karany side seems facinating to LT Sonak. He calls the Captain. "Sonak to Captain Harrison." "Harrison here." "Sir I wonder if it is possible to give a shuttlecraft to Gsolt. He is most certain innocent and he claims to be able to close the rift from the Karany side." After a meeting with his senior staff, Captain harrison reports to Admiral MacArter, who agrees to set Gsolt free and let him return home through the rift. Gsolt accepts his freedom with a thousand thanks and departs in the Federation shuttlecraft through the rift. Froom the other side of the rift Gsolt oens a communication channel and says good-bye. "Many many many many thanks again Harrison Captain. I have informed my people of your kindness and we will shut down the rift for you." Before Captain Harrison can answer, the rift collapses and only a few seconds later the rift is gone. Harrison reports to Admiral MacArter, but the Admiral has other things to worry about. "Captain Harrison. I am ordering your ship to Stiegl territory. Our Federation ships are being attacked by a huge number of Stiegl ships. We need every available federation vessel to help out. I will send you the coordinates where the fleet of almost three hundred ships will group together. You have one day to get there. But I am also ordering you to leave all personnel aboard your vessel at my starbase. It is not necessary to risk any lives in a war that will take many casualties anyway. Good luck Jeffrey." "Good luck to us all sir." Captain Harrison knows what this all means. War. He pushes the button of the ships intercom and starts to speak slowly. "Attention all hands. We have successfully acmplished thhe mission, but we are again faced with another mission, a mission of war. First Officer Commander Walker will make a list of personnel who will be transported to Admiral MacArter's starbase where they will remain in safety. I cannot order you to go on this mission. There will be no shame if you want to leave the ship at the starbase as well. If you want to leave the ship and you are not on Comander Walker's list, report to him imediately so we can see to it you are transported off the ship to the starbase. That is all." USS Alice Cooper The more she read about it, the more Gilly Corona became convinced that living with males was a necessity and whatever the females did, there would always be males. The females needed the males and in stead of having aliens take over and use the Angel One females and their negative feelings towards males to conquer the galaxy. Weren't those the words of Beata III, when she came into power: "This is only the first step of a huge journey to take over all species and let females in the Galaxy finally do justice..." All of this didn't change her feelings about males, but this was wrong. The enemy females would not join Angel One to overthrow the males in power. In the Federation females were equal to males and not only in the Federation. Nobody should intervene in another society. Suddenly Gilly realised she had been lied to... Gilly Corona made a decision. She called the security guards and asked to speak to Ambassador Jas Stevens and Captain Raz Kalee. DS2 RPG General Status Report August 2003 USS Earth Incoming message from Starfleet Command to the entire fleet We have a registration of a huge explosion in Stiegl territory. We cannot yet determine the cause of this explosion, almost as big as a supernova. If you are in Stiegl territory or on your way to Stiegl territory, we advice you to ask your direct superiors for orders. If there is more information, we will inform the entire fleet. End of Message All three ships of Ambassador T'nara's fleet didn't need that message to know all about it. Sensors have detected the huge blast originating from the USS Thunderbolt, destroying a large part of the Stiegl fleet in one blow. Scientists aboard the USS earth who are searching for what kind of weapon the USS Thunderbolt has used find something very surprising while analising the sensor data. Apparently the Stiegl ships were only holographic images. Apparently the Stiegls did not need a holodeck to create holograms of this magnitude in space... Although all of this is very interesting, it is no longer a concern of Ambassador T'nara and the three Captains. The USS Earth, USS Leibnitz and USS Unity proceed into the Beta Quadrant to look for new federation friends. While traveling for days, mapping this region of the Galaxy everything becomes routine again. The crews return to their normal duties. But after 11 days of travel at warp 5, Ambassador T'nara, who uses the USS Earth as her flagship, is called to the bridge. "Ambassador. We have encountered a buoy of a species called Schulen. Lieutenant, let the Ambassador hear the message coming from the Schulen buoy and show the data on the main viewer." A moment later a large map of this region of the Beta Quadrant is displayed on screen, with designations of the Schulen territory, but also the territories of the Jumalat, Grolken, Stamaren, Kinoran and Quaren nearby. Then the message of the Schulen buoy sounds on the bridge: "This is the border of Schulen space. We are a peaceful trading species, but if you come into our territory with bad intentions, be warned that we will terminate your stay in our territory in an short and extreme way. This is an automated buoy. If you enter Schulen space for the first time, please register. You will receive instructions of how to proceed into Schulen space." Ambassador T'nara raises and eyebrow. But her decision does not surprise anyone. "Captain Steichen we will register to this schulen buoy." The procedure to register is rather simple and only a few minutes later the USS Eart receives instructions of how to proceed. "USS earth, USS Leibnitz, USS Unity of the United Federation of Planets. You are registred. Your leader will now present himself at our office of registration. Your leader will travel in an unarmed ship accompanied by maximum one aid or assistant. These are the coordinates of the office of registration." The USS Earth receives the coordinates of a planet and building of the Schulen office of registration. Ambassador T'nara seems to have full trust in the Schulen and asks Captain Steichen to accompany her in an unarmed runabout to the office of registration. A moment later the runabout launches from the USS Earth main shuttlebay and sets course to the designated coordinates, lands on the landing platform where Ambassador T"nara and Captain Steichen are welcomed by two officers of the Schulen office of registration. Both officers are very friendly and give a lot of historical information about the Schulen, their relation with the other species in the region and their interest of exploring the Galaxy. Although their technology is not yet as advanced as the Federation, they can manage very well in their space travels. They offer food and refreshments, while the identities of Ambassador T'nara and Captain Steichen are inserted in the Schulen database. Even the seats are very comfortable... But after your last encounter all diplomatics ended up into a disaster, Captain Steichen advices Ambassador T'nara to investigate the Schulen more until she is sure the Schulen are trustworthy. The Ambassador should not be influenced by the first impression... USS Metrical Incoming message from Starfleet Command to the entire fleet We have a registration of a huge explosion in Stiegl territory. We cannot yet determine the cause of this explosion, almost as big as a supernova. If you are in Stiegl territory or on your way to Stiegl territory, we advice you to ask your direct superiors for orders. If there is more information, we will inform the entire fleet. End of Message Incoming message from Admiral Carlito Lava Captain Geert Van Nieuwenhove, you did well retreating from that one Cardassian ship. We do not have information about that particular Cardassian ship. You will retreat to the following coordinates in the Shurta System. This system is perfect to lure the Cardassian ship into a trap. Your orders are to take the Cardassian ship in one piece and then act according your own ideas." End of message The objective does sound more easy than it really is. But upon arrival in the Shurta System the idea of Adpmiral Lava makes perfect sense. With the Cardassian ship on their tail, the small fleet under command of Captain Van Nieuwenhove enters a very small mutara nebula, just big enough to hide the fleet. But the Cardassian Gul isn't a fool either and presuming the federation fleet is hiding in the nebula he orders his ship to also enter the nebula. But there are a few things the cardassian Gul hasn't figured out. Ambitious as he is he is blinded for the facts that shields and weapons don't work in this nebula... "Operation catch the fish now." Captain Van Nieuwenhove sounds on every intercom system of all ships of his small fleet. every single personnel aboard knows what to do. Repair teams are standing ready on every deck of every ship, transporter crews in all transporter rooms, even in the cargo bays punch in their ordered sequences. Aboard the Cardassian ship they are still figuring out why their shields aren't working when the cardassian crew is surprised by hundreds of Starfleet Marines, who take the ship in only a few minutes with only minor casualties. Many of the Cardassians who try to run or resist are captured or killed. The infamous Gul dies an infamous death... After operation catch the fish there is a big opportunity for the Federation to use this Cardassian ship to come closer to the Cardassians and do some damage from the inside of Cardassian space or to find out what the Cardassians are really up to, how many ships wait for the Federation fleet, and much more. While one Captain is convinced this catch of the fish is a big chance which should be taken now or never. The Federation should use this ship to their advantage, but other Captains are not so sure. They think the Cardassian ship could be set up with all kinds of unknown Cardassian devices to get information about the federation fleet and its movements. They recommend that the Cardassian ship should be destroyed. Captain Van Nieuwenhove has to give the final order. Captain Van nieuwenhove orders another officer to assemble a team to man the Cardassian ship and gives them orders for a sabotage and spying mission for you and the Federation fleet. The rest of the Federation ships under command of Captain Van Nieuwenhove proceeds to Cardassia Prime. USS Thunderbolt Not that far away on the USS Lightning in pursuit of the USS Thunderbolt, sensors registrate a huge explosion around the USS Thunderbolt. The crew of the USS Lightning doesn't know yet whether the Stiegls have destroyed the USS Thunderbolt but it is more likely the USS Thunderbolt has used a weapon of some kind. The blast is almost as heavy as a supernova. Through the blast and shockwave the USS Lightning sensors stil detect the USS Thunderbolt undamaged. But a shockwave of huge agnitude is coming at the USS Lightning. With most part of the Stiegl ships in pursuit, the USS Lightning is at maximum speed excaping the shockwave. But the shockwave is much faster and starts to hit the Stiegl ships already, destroying them instantly. One minute later all the Stiegl ships in pursuit of the USS Lightning are destroyed and only a second later the shockwave hits the USS Lightning itself. The ship is thrown to all sides, but the USS lightning only has minimal damage to the propulsion systems, shields and only one hull breach, which is repared only a few minutes after the hit. The shockwave travels further but fades away eventually. Incoming message from Starfleet Command to the entire fleet We have a registration of a huge explosion in Stiegl territory. We cannot yet determine the cause of this explosion, almost as big as a supernova. If you are in Stiegl territory or on your way to Stiegl territory, we advice you to ask your direct superiors for orders. If there is more information, we will inform the entire fleet. End of Message Aboard the USS Thunderbolt things become back as usual, a routine kind of way in which the crew mans the stations and get back to the regular duties. More than half of all the holographic systems of the Stiegls have been destroyed, including several planets on which the indigenous species are now suddenly free. Coming out of their hiding places, caves and underground structures they will have to build up their society again. Some, who still have some of their technology, which was hidden from the Stiegl occupants, contact the USS Thunderbolt and thank the Captain and the crew for their liberation. It gives Captain Mechels and his crew a happy feeling. But all of this is not over yet... After the weapon of mass destruction is used, the Stiegls could be scared enough. So Captain Mechels will demande their surrender. The Stiegls will have to destroy all their holographic technology themselves to prove their surrender and free all occupated planets. Then they will all be assimilated, reprogrammed, by the Borg aboard the USS Thunderbolt. This could take some time and some Federation ships hunting the USS Thunderbolt are closing, but those are no real threat. USS Walang Captain hendriks gives permission to her crew to mingle among the alien species who are gathered at the star which has just gone supernova, but also among the species who live in this region of the Galaxy, she has them socializing with them and report about any possible friendships. Captain Hendriks also asks her crew to ask about the Trum and sends out a general message, hoping some reaction will come in. "One can learn a lot from others, whoever they are also somebody might know about the Trum." Part of the crew leaves the USS Walang in shuttlecraft or are transported aboard alien vessels. This entire region of the Galaxy seems to be one big happy family and it seems nothing to do with the supernova at all. The species of this region are just friendly out of their own nature. They trade with eachother, eat and drink with eachother altough they don't even have anything in common. Humanoids, reptile like, insect like species have mixed among each other as they are one of a kind... A few days later Starfleet officers start to report in with incredible stories about friendship and how they were accepted immediately in totally different communities on different worlds, but there is nobody who can tell anything about the Trum or the Gsnodes as they call themselves. The Trax aboard the USS Walang start to mingle among the alien species as well. They are also surprised there are so many different species living in almost perfect harmony together. The Trax also make new friends and learn a lot of this way of living. But although al lthese species are becoming great friends, there is still a mission to accomplish. The search for the Trum. But nobody wants to lose contact with all these new friends. Some officers and some of the Trax suggest to Captain Hendriks to build a space station in space where it is no bother to anyone. Some species already offer their help in trading materials to build this station. Some USS Walang engineers make blueprints for a station of about Thirty metres high by twenty metres wide, good for the stay of about thirty people. But Captain Hendriks as representative of the United Federation of planets has the last word on building a Federation station. Some of the Trax like the idea of this station as well... USS Vertigo Day 103 13.26 An incoming message from Starfleet Command reports a huge, supernova like blast in Stiegl territory. At first this is no concern of Commodore Slater's fleet. The fleet is on its way to Cardassia Prime at low speed. Communications with other smaller fleets of 5 to 40 ships indicate that a very large fleet is now on route to Cardassia Prime... Day 104 11.00 Another meeting aboard the USS Vertigo. Cloaked Klingon Birds of prey, scouting the region of Cardassia Prime report that their sensors have detected at least six alien warp signatures, but there were no ships detected, so those alien ships had to be cloaked. After further analysis, these warp signatures are simply unknown to the Federation and to the Klingons. Day 104 11.48 The meeting ends. USS Vertigo Chief of Security, Lieutenant Commander Matz volonteers to join a special Klingon task force on a cloaked Vor'Cha vessel together with 15 other Federation intelligence and security officers. Matz, herself half Klingon has no problems to fit in on the Klingon ship. She helps the other federation officers to fit in as well. The dangerous journey begins... USS Lightning In pursuit of the USS Thunderbolt, the USS Lightning has encounterzed a mass of oposition of Stiegl ships as soon as LT COL Crow's ship enters Stiegl territory. The fight has begun and while the USS Lighting comes closer to the USS Thunderbolt the Stiegl opposition against the Federation Marine ship is getting heavier. While the USS Lightning crew does everything she can to geth their ship closer to the USS Thunderbolt, the Stiegls start pushing them back. although the weapons of the Thunderbolt destroy one Stiegl after another, there are more and more Stiegls ships. Until Atad discoveres something... "Colonel sir. These Stiegl ships are not real. They are holograms.That is why we can destroy them so easily. If we hit the ship with those polaron beams, we destroy the holographic generators which are really flying through space. Apparently the Stiegls do not need a holodeck. That was meant as a joke sir." LT Bell pulls up his shoulders. "A joke from you Atrad ? That is something new." But LT COL Crow is not distracted. While his ship is under heavy fire he has to find a sollution to his problem. But then again Atad reports. "Colonel. Sensors registrated a huge explosion around the USS Thunderbolt. Either the Stiegls have destroyed the USS Thunderbolt but it is more likely the USS Thunderbolt has used a weapon of some kind. The blast is almost as heavy as a supernova. We better get out of here sir, and that is not a joke." Through the blast and shockwave the USS Lightning sensors stil detect the USS Thunderbolt undamaged. But a shockwave of huge agnitude is coming at the USS Lightning. LT COL Crow does not have any choice. He has to run this time. With most part of the Stiegl ships in pursuit, the USS Lightning is at maximum speed excaping the shockwave. But the shockwave is much faster and starts to hit the Stiegl ships already, destroying them instantly. Atad, calm as ever, reports. "One minute to impact." "Sound collision alert." One minute later all the Stiegl ships in pursuit of the USS Lightning are destroyed and only a second later the shockwave hits the USS Lightning itself. The ship is thrown to all sides, but with shielding configured by Atad the USS lightning only has minimal damage to the propulsion systems, shields and only one hull breach, which is repared only a few minutes after the hit. Damage reports are coming in and the damage is no problem for the marines to handle. Meanwhile the shockwave travels further but fades away eventually. Repairs are the first priority now, but at the same time the hunt for The USS Thunderbolt continues and while the Thunderbolt is getting away the USS Lightning is already in pursuit again. But there is now at least two days between the two ships. One day later Starfleet Command already has information about the explosion in Stiegl territory. Incoming message from Starfleet Command to the entire fleet We have a registration of a huge explosion in Stiegl territory. We cannot yet determine the cause of this explosion, almost as big as a supernova. If you are in Stiegl territory or on your way to Stiegl territory, we advice you to ask your direct superiors for orders. If there is more information, we will inform the entire fleet. End of Message The message was an entire day old. LT COL Crow and his team already knew all about it. The distance between the USS Lightning and USS Thunderbolt is increasing. It is as if the USS Thunderbolt is escaping... And there are still some holographic Stiegl ships... The information about the mission of the USS Lightning is classified. USS Colorado The USS Colorado will be on its way to Stiegl territory. First Officer, Commander Walker reports to the Captain the status of the crew. "Captain we have 189 unnecessary crewmembers, 8 in sickbay and 14 not on the list. And LT Torak requests to make a systems check on board the shuttle section for a run down. I have a team standing by, including myself and LT Sonak. Shuttle Seperation. Sickbay reports a need on additional staff, because she is short staffed. Ensign Jones is working on the retrieved information on the Stiegls." "Very well Commander. Let's get on our way. We will let the unnecessary of the ship at Starbase 133, which is the last stop before traveling to Stiegl space." The USS Colorado is on its way real fast and the crew makes preparations for battle. The shuttle bays are completely reviewed, runabouts are fully armed with full sized quantum torpedos, and all kinds of battle simmulations are running on the holodecks. But after a day a disturbing message comes in. Incoming message from Starfleet Command to the entire fleet We have a registration of a huge explosion in Stiegl territory. We cannot yet determine the cause of this explosion, almost as big as a supernova. If you are in Stiegl territory or on your way to Stiegl territory, we advice you to ask your direct superiors for orders. If there is more information, we will inform the entire fleet. End of Message Captain Harrison has understood that his first stop is Stabase 133 for further orders and before he lets part of his crew go, he needs more information. Admiral Conzalez, in command of Starbase 133, welcomes Captain Harrison and his First Officer, Commander Walker. "Gentlemen, please sit down. I will not lose any time. The situation with the Stiegls has changed a bit. Apparently the Stiegls use technology to create holographic images of everything they want and anywhere they want. With a huge blast of an explosion half of the Stiegl Territory is destroyed. All their technology is gone in that part of their territory. At this time we have a vague idea what caused the explosion... the USS Thunderbolt. We do not exactly know how the USS Thunderbolt did this. We have received reports from Starfleet Marines Special Ops that the USS Thunderbolt has been modified with Borg technology. It is not clear yet whether the USS Thunderbolt and its crew are assimilated by the Borg or not. As you know the USS Thunderbolt is a renegade Federation ship, under command of Captain Mechels. Captain Mechels and his crew are charged with at least 12 crimes against the Federation, including treason. Therefore at this time, we find it extremely dangerous to enter Stiegl space." At this time the Admiral is interupted by an officer at the door. He whispers something in Admiral Conzalez ear. The Admiral nods and sends the officer away. "Captain Harrison, Commander Walker, please follow me to the detention block." Not knowing what is happening, the two USS Colorado officers follow the Admiral all the way to the detention block. Upon arrival their questions are answered. Inside one of the holding cells there is Ensign Ally Jones... The only thing Captain Harrison and Commander Walker can do is listen to the Admiral explaining why Ensign Jones is in the brig. "Ensign Ally Jones has been accused of treason. We are at war with the Stiegls. She is believed to be a spy. We have indications that she searched for secret information about the Stiegls. Information only the wrong people would look for. My Chief of Security, Commander Frank Williard is in charge of the investigation." Captain Harrison and Commander Walker can do only one thing. Return to their ship. Once back Aboard Captain Harison tries to explain to Admiral Conzalez that he had given orders to Ensign Jones to get as much information about the Stiegls to be prepared when the USS Colorado was going to Stiegl territory. It doesn't help. Ensign Jones stays in the cell and waits for her trial. In the mean time ensign Jones is visited by some officers of Starbase 133. They let her know that they believe she is innocent and that the Admiral is crazy. They offer their help to escape. These officers tell ensign Jones that the Admiral and a few others take anyone prisoner who tires to find out about the Stiegls... USS Alice Cooper It was as if the Captain and Ambassador had been standing outside the cellblock, waiting for Gilly Corona to break and give information. Almost at the same time both men came in and walked straight to Gilly Corona's cell, where Gilli stood up and started to talk: "You will go to Angel One at once", Ordered Gilly still used to giving orders to males, but as she realised that she was not in a position to give orders, she continued in an almost friendly tone: "There is an alien plot to use the fanatic Angel One females to disturbe the peace we have with the Federation. I think that Angel One is misused by aliens to create a violent war for their own purpose..." Incoming message from Starfleet Command to the entire fleet We have a registration of a huge explosion in Stiegl territory. We cannot yet determine the cause of this explosion, almost as big as a supernova. If you are in Stiegl territory or on your way to Stiegl territory, we advice you to ask your direct superiors for orders. If there is more information, we will inform the entire fleet. End of Message DS2 RPG General Status Report September 2003 USS Earth The Schulen administration is very helpful with the registration of the Federation into their registers. It is not every day that visitors of a region so far from the Schulen pay a visit. One of the questions on the form is whether the Federation wants to receive a Trade Facility. Article 6. Every new visitor with peaceful intentions are encouraged to trade with the Schulen. Therefore a free Trade Facility will be offered to these visitors. The Trade Facility will contain an office building as needed and free access to the Schulen Trade Database, according Article 876 of the Schulen Trade Law. It all sounds to good to be true after the adventure with the Stiegls. An adventure that ended, as the Captain Mechels in command of the USS Thunderbolt took the matter in his own hands. The Stiegls are no longer a threat. It is strange though that the Schulen, who only live two weeks away from the Stiegls, never heard of the Stiegls... Apparently both species were not interested in some kind of relation... After the registration Ambassador T'nara and Captain Steichen are given all kinds of documentation of how to trade with the Schulen. At this time the Federation ships have permission to enter Schulen territory. While the Ambassador and Captain Steichen set their first steps into the new Federation Trade Building the USS Earth, USS Leibnitz and USS Unity establish standard orbit on their desgnated coordinates. The following hours lots of materials, furniture, computers, communication equipment, replicators, power generators and other hardware are installed in the building. Engineers, civilians, but also a small group of security personnel install themselves one every level of the building. The Schulen accept the presence of security personnel as long as they only keep the security in the Trade Facility. While a large part of the Starfleet Officers receive shore leave and explore the capital planet of the Schulen, they are all amazed to see that the Schulen seem to be a very happy kind of people. That makes them happy themselves as well. But there are more missions to accomplish and after two days, Ambassador T'nara calls the three Captains to her new office to determine how to proceed... Captain Steichen has her own ideas. "This region of space is easy to explore by one ship. Let the USS Leibnitz take that task, the USS Unity can function as support ship for the Federation Trade Facility and the USS Earth will move out of this region to explore further and deeper into the Beta Quadrant. Other species can be contacted on the Schulen capital planet where they have Trade Facilities. With the help of the Schulen it has to be possible to receives some information and maps of the Beta Quadrant." USS Metrical The captured Cardassian ship is now fully manned and sets course, further into Cardassian territory towards Cardassia Prime to investigate everything there is to know about the Cardassian forces waiting for Captain Van Nieuwenhove's fleet. In the mean time aboard the USS Goliath, USS Windshield, USS Protector, USS Manifesto, USS Johan Kramer and USS Metrical itself, all systems are checked, diagnostics have been executed, and the small fleet is ready to go. Slowly the ships start at low warp towards the only location in the Quadrant that needs to be isolated from the rest: Cardassia Prime. The way is clear but nobody would be surprised that a large Cardassian fleet would suddenly jump in fornt of them. Reports are coming in that the Stiegls have been beaten, by the cruel actions of the Federation renegade ship USS Thunderbolt. The USS Thunderbolt apparently has found a way to destroy all Stiegl holographic technology, which also has an effect on the holographic technology the Cardassians use. Hologram generators shut down by themselves or simply explode. There doesn't seem to be any resistance and according the Federation officers aboard the Cardassian vessel, they haven't seen one Cardassian ship. Their sensors do not detect any Cardassian activity around Cardassia Prime either. A few days later the Captured Cardassian vessel, in control of Starfleet officers is in orbit of Cardassia Prime, but there is no other Cardassian vessel detected by long range sensors, although life on Cardassia Prime seems to continue as usual. When Captain Van Nieuwenhove receives this report his small fleet are already near Cardassia Prime, to only get into standard orbit two hours later. All sensors can only indicate the same thing. And the question remains... Where is the Cardassian fleet ? Captain Van Nieuwenhove does not take any chances. He asks Starfleet Command for orders. USS Thunderbolt The Stiegls will not surrender to the USS Thunderbolt. That was to be expected, but luck is not on the Stiegls side, as the Borg sensors of the USS Thunderbolt have already detected their main planet, designated as KK-44. In fact this is the only planet where there are real life Stiegls present and there are not that many of them... not yet 200... The trip to KK-22 is fast and swift. Only one hour after the destruction of half of the Stiegl holographic hardware, the USS Thunderbolt is in orbit of KK-22, demanding the Stiegl surrender once again, but it is the Stiegl's last and final warning. Assimilation of the Stiegls is at hand, resistance is futile and battle is irrelevant. The Borg address Captain Mechels of how to proceed, but they wait for Captain Mechels order. "Captain Mechels, we are ready to start the assimilation process of the Stiegls. We are waiting for your orders." Captain Mechels takes his time and asks for more information. "Don't you think that sending you to the planet KK-22 could lead to your destruction ?" "We will not go ourselves. We will send in a replication drone. That is standard procedure. Once the replication drone has assimilated one Stiegl, this becomes a new drone and starts assimilate others. When the assimilation process has ended the replication drone will return to the ship where it will be recycled." Now this sounds like a good plan. Nobody abaord the USS Thunderbolt is at risk, so Captain Mechels gives the order to start the assimilation process. A replication drone is created and activated by the Borg. It receives the designation 1 of 1, it is transported through the Stiegl shields on the planet where it starts assimilating the Stiegls. Only two hours and sixteen minutes later, 1 of 1 reports back aboard, reporting the assimilation process has been completed, and the reprogrammed Stiegls are destroying their holographic technology. On that exact second, USS Thunderbolt sensors do indeed detect heavy explosions on the planet KK-22, but also on other planets nearby and even far away. A small holographic Stiegl fleet approaching USS Thunderbolt disappear completely, leaving only a trace of photons. The problems with the Stiegls are over. At the same time in Cardassian space, far away from Stiegl territory, hardware, machinery, and other technology which the Stiegls had shared with the Cardassians, explode, or simply vanish. But the end of the Stiegls, also creates new dangers. There is a Federation ship called the USS Lightning, with LT COL Crow in command of a special ops marines team who's only mission seems to be arresting or destroying Guillaume Mechels, wanted in the Federation for a list of crimes to long to even try to remember... The USS Lightning comes closer every minute, and it seems that a battle is again inevitable... "Captain. The USS Lightning is now in firing range. What are your orders sir ?" "Attack the USS Lightning and destroy that ship." USS Walang "Captain this is a list of all alien species we have found and with who we have had contact with in this region of the Galaxy: Rostobanen, Caldrons, Zerponaren, Quetorians, Mortensonan, Dolorians, Csjoloks, Takenon, Velaron, Shirpoken, Brukonans, Hyonden, Kerks, Raktoran and Erans. All species live closely to each other. All of them can reach eachother in a matter of hours. They trade a huge amount of articles with each othe, as there is always something one of them has, what others whish for. That is all for now Captain." "Thank you Harry. Call a senior staff meeting." While USS Walang First Officer Commander Harry Belafonte left Captain Hendrik's ready room, the Captain looked at the wall behind her. A painting of an Earth seaside, painted on a sunny day in the summer called for happyness and freedom. After all the trouble with Romulans, Cardassians, and the especially the Borg, this region of space seemed to be an example of peace and comfort. Captain Hendriks expressed her idea at the upcoming senior staff meeting. "First we search for the Trum and ask Head Quarters for advice about a space station. After we have found the Trum we will return to this part of the Galaxy, evaluate the situation and build the station if it still seems the right thing to do." Everyone agrees. The voyage to the Trum will take at least another two and a half years according the maps the USS Walang crew have received from the Velaron and Brukonans. If the USS Walang would stop and leave 50 or even more of the crew behind for diplomatic or trade reasons the USS Walang would probably have no crew left when the ship would arrive at its destination. The Trax aboard the USS Walang, including Countor are very enthousiastic about meeting other species as they only have just begun their space travel, but even Countor of the Trax understands that it would be almost impossible to set up all kinds of outposts far away from home with so little resources. And then the day has come that the USS Walang leaves this part of the Galaxy on its way to find the Trum, or Gsnodes as they call themselves. Many messages are send by all species in this region to whish the USS Walang a good journey. And then comes the order... "Helm set course 324.2 mark 25.3, warp 5. Engage." The USS Walang is on its way, deeper in space where no Federation ship has ever been... During the first week regular duty rosters are back up to date and preparations are made for the long journey. According the maps, given by the Velaron, there is a large unexplored area with only a few stars without planets, designated as R-563. Going around this area, will take only three months more time for the USS Walang, but there are some officers who advice the Captain to go through. There seem to be no real dangers in the almost empty region of space coming up. Not even interesting for anyone so enemies are not to be expected either. The Velaron did use a trade route around that region called R-563 as even the few stars in that region are so far appart and not interesting at all. But Captain Hendriks officers do not have to trade and try to find the shortest way to the Trum home planet... USS Vertigo Day 104 14.23 The IKC K't'angon, Klingon cloaked Vor'Cha class battlecruiser, under command of General Hu'gna has entered the so called danger zone of Cardassian territory. With several Federation officers aboard, including USS Vertigo Chief of Security, Lieutenant Commander Matz, mission data is compiled. Escorted by two cloaked Klingon Birds of Prey the small detachement ids proceeding at low speed. Day 105 8.36 The IKC K't'angon sensors detect multiple explosions on Cardassian planets. The energy signatures of these explosions match the signatures of Stiegl technology. When reports are received from the USS Lightning, in Stiegl territory, that the Stiegls are defeated, more hope of victory is among the Klingon Warriors aboard the IKC K't'angon, but also on the other Klingon and Federation ships. Losing all their fear the IKC K't'angon crew sets course to Cardassia prime. Day 106 15.47 A strange behaving Cardassian Galor class vessel is detected by the IKC K't'angon. There are no Cardassians abaord, but humans and two Vulcans. After a short investigation it is clear that this Cardassian ship has been captured by another Federation fleet under command of Captain Geert Van Nieuwenhove. General Hu'gna decides not to make contact with the Federation crew of the Cardassian vessel, but to escort the ship towards Cardassia Prime. USS Lightning LT COL Crow, Personal Log, Date coded 99846T: We will try to get to the USS Thunderbolt and capture or destroy Captain Mechels. This man really is dangerous so we better watch your six... That is our mission from now on: to get Captain Mechels, at any cost. End Log But it is a long way to the USS Thunderbolt for LT COL Crow and his team. But with a lot of Stiegl opposition destroyed, the way is clear for the USS Lightning to proceed to what were the last known coordinates of the USS Thunderbolt. Unknown to Captain Mechels LT Crow's Starfleet Marine Unit has a very enhanced robot aboard, named Atad. If it comes to a battle between the USS Lightning with this super robot and the USS Thunderbolt with three Borg drones aboard abducted in the 27th century, it is not really sure who will win. But the Borg would bet on the USS Thunderbolt... because they are Borg... The USS Thunderbolt has 23 hours head start but it seems the renegade Federation ship has no intentions of trying to escape from the USS Lightning. "Red alert ! Battle stations !" It is clear what the intentions are of LT COL Crow and his marines. The orders are to increase the efficiency of the weapons and defensive systems aboard the ship, including preparing for any damage. Although there is much work to do, LT COL crow also orders enough rest for everyone. You can't fight when you are asleep. Sensors are calibrated, supplemental portable power generators are distributed around the ship to provide extra power for forcefields, as the the enemy ship, USS Thunderbolt has Borg aboard, all weapons, even hand weapons are tuned to a new rotating frequency. Atad has calculated these weapons can be used four, maybe even five times. But nothing is certain for that matter. While the USS Lightning is approaching the USS Thunderbolt rapidly, sensor detect the USS Thunderbolt in orbit of the second planet of the Stiegl main star system. Atad reports the end of all Stiegl holographic activities. It is as if the USS Thunderbolt crew has ended the Stiegl activities. Atad also reports the Stiegl do not form a threat to the Federation any longer. But the USS Thunderbolt is still there. ETA 6 minutes. Lieutenant Bell reports: "Colonel sir. In ten seconds we will enter the firing range of the USS Lightning. Shields are at maximum. All weapons are ready. We can open fire in 5... 4... 3... 2... 1... Now sir ! Now !" LT COL Crow, Personal Log, Date coded 95712P: We are Starfleet Marines. We don't attack people in the back and also my pride is at stake. I want to find out if I'm good enough and my crew. If we can win in a fair battle between us and the USS Thunderbolt. We will shoot a photon torpedo of their port side and open a channel for communications. Let's see if they are willing to talk to us. We'll be ready and if not, we'll see who is the best. End Log "LT Bell. Fire a phonton torpedo accross their port side and open a communication channel." USS Colorado With Ensign Ally Jones in the Starbase 133 brig, charged with treason, Captain Harrison and Commander Walker seem to have a problem. "Captain, Security reports that we had some guests from the station, and went directly to Ensign Jones quarters, and from there to the bridge where they recorded all her data. According to Sonak they eraised all available data from the computer databanks. It could take a while before we know something. LT Torak also reports that a Commander Frank Williams and a small group took some readings. About what he doesn't know." LT Sonak interupts the conversation. "Sonak to Captain. Captain, I retrieved what information possible. Ensign Jones findings are interesting and very currious." "On my way." While Captain Harrison and Commander Walker hurry to see what LT Sonak has found out, Ensign Jones has refused any help from anyone to escape from the brig, guarded by Starbase 133 security officers. She believes she is innocent and has nothing to do with all of this. But she also finds it strange that some officers would help her escape. Escaping could indicate that she is guilty and maybe the officers who offered help to escape were just testing her. She has no idea what is going on aboard the USS Colorado... LT Sonak informs Captain Harrison and Commander Walker of his findings. "Sir, we have found at least six files in which it is clear Ensign Jones has connections with the Stiegls. These files are transcripts of communications between Ensign Jones and the Stiegls." But Captain Harrison is not convinced. "What. That cannot be. I have checked Ensign Jones records myself before she came aboard. I even have followed her performance aboard my ship personally, because I think she will be a great officer in the future." But Vulcan LT Sonak, does reply without emotions. "Captain. We have reason to believe that Starbase 133 Chief of Security Frank Williams has put these files into the USS Colorado computer, so it would seem Ensign Jones is guilty of treason. But he left to many traces. Therefore it would be logical to think it was not him, but somebody else who wants to mislead us. Although Captain Harrison is a patient man, he starts to lose his temper. "That doesn't make any sense Lieutenant. If somebody else put these files into our ships computer in a way that it would look like Starbase 133 Chief of Security Frank Williams, there should be some traces of that as well." But LT Sonak did not find any other traces, except those who lead to Commander Frank Williams. This can only mean one thing Somebody is plotting some treacherous actions and that cannot be allowed. Captain harrison turns to Commander Walker. "What do you think ? Don't take to long Number One. Ensign Jones has her first hearing by the JAG officer... right about now..." And indeed a JAG officer walks in the detention block of Starbase 133 to start the official procedure which will start the court martial of Ensign Ally Jones. This female human JAG officer seems very young, maybe graduated two weeks ago... "Ensign Ally Jones ? I am JAG officer Lieutenant Harmonica Eastwood. I am representing you in the court during your court martial. Actually I am very excited. You are my first case, and already a case of treason... Oh sorry... I shouldn't have said that... I mean... I have no other cases and I can completely focus on your case. The official hearing before the court martial will not start until next week so that gives me enough time to gather all data about your case. Actually, it seems rather simple. The prosecution has no evidence so everything you say will be the only real evidence during a trial. So if you just say you are innocent they have nothing to keep you locked up. so tell me. How should we plead, guilty or not guilty..." USS Alice Cooper There is an alien plot to use the fanatic Angel One females to disturbe the peace we have with the Federation. Some people in the Federation think that Angel One is misused by aliens to create a violent war for their own purpose... The USS Alice Cooper-B is on its way to Angel One. DS2 RPG General Status Report October 2003 USS Earth It doesn't take long for the Schulen to help Captain Steichen of their new friends of the United Federation of Planets, with maps, information about closeby species, hostile and friendly, technological development and much more. Strange thing though is that this information does not include the Stiegls. But the USS Earth will travel away from Stiegl territory, and there is nothing to worry about anymore about hostile species like that. While the USS Unity stays in orbit to support the Federation Trade Facility, the USS Leibnitz sets course to a nearby Schulen colony and The USS Earth engages at warp 5 deeper into the Beta Quadrant. Although USS Earth First Officer T'Lok is a full Vulcan she has some hsitoric words... "Where no one has gone before..." Indeed as the crew realizes that the USS Earth is now on its way into a region of the Galaxy which is only known by the scanning of deep space probes and the maps of the Schulen, but those maps can only be used for the first three weeks. While the USS Earth is at the border of the known Galaxy, Captain Steichen and her senior officers start selecting a system to explore. There are some very interesting possibilities, but as usual every department wants to have their say. Scientists are very interested in a star cluster only five weeks away at warp 5, but Chief of Operations LT Harry Dankers would like to extract materials from a white dwarf star, six weeks way in the opposite direction. Chances that the star cluster will be visited is very small if LT Dankers gets his way. But there are even more interesting space phenomena... Captain Steichen hears all the options, but before she makes a decision she wants to be alone in her ready room. The bridge officers take their stations on the bridge. "Commander T'Lok, you have the ship." "Aye Captain." The Captain dissapears behind the closing door of her ready room, but to her surprise she is not alone. On her sofa there is a Starfleet officer, Commodore, who looks a lot like First Officer T'Lok, except a bit older with grey hair. "What is the meaning of this." The Commodore stands up. "Captain Steichen. I am Commodore T'Lok. You have to go to these coordinates. That is all I can tell you. I can only answer a few questions, but you have to trust me." But Captain Steichen is not immediately convinced. "Who are you and if you are who you say you are, how did you get here and who send you ?" "You send me, 39 years, seventeen days from now." There is no other way than to confront this Commodore T'Lok and USS Earth First Officer Commander T'Lok and try to find out the truth. A DNA test or a mindmeld is one of the possibilities. USS Metrical In coming message from Starfleet Command, Admiral Benzo. Secure Cardassia Prime. Be adviced that there are reports that the Cardassians have installed cloaking devices on almost all their military ships. Commodore Slater is also on his way with a small Federation fleet. Hold until releaved. End of message The orders from Admiral Benzo are clear enough. The small fleet with Captain Van Nieuwenhove in command, secures Cardassia Prime. Sensors of all ships scan for nutrino and other emissions which could indicate cloaked ships. But nothing is detected. Then suddenly and without any warning the the Starfleet officers aboard the captured Cardassian ship report something is taking over the ships computer, something from outside the ship. There is nothing the Federation officers can do about it. It is like something is controling this Cardassian ship like a remote control. The Cardassians have to be very close. Maybe they are just waiting for the other Federation ships to arrive and then close their trap. "Captain, this Cardassian ship is surely a trap. You have to beam us out." Captain Van Nieuwenhove doesn't take any chances and transports his officers of the captured Cardassian ship. Just at the moment when the last officer has returned, Captain Van Nieuwenhove gives new orders. "Destroy that Cardassian ship." Without any hesitation Chief of Security LT Jonathan Yell fires the phasers. The Cardassian ship is destroyed. But the problems are just beginning. Aboard the USS Manifesto engineers notice that someone is trying to break into the ships main computer. Shutting down some of the systems is the only way to stop the hostile attempt. The Captain of the USS Manifesto realises that the Cardassians have to be very close to be able to use a Federation communication channel to try to take control of his ship's computer or any other system. As he knows by now that communications between the ships of this fleet will be monitored by the Cardassians. So the Captain of the USS Manifesto takes the initiative and strats firing phasers and torpedoes in random directions. Just as Captain Van Nieuwenhove wants to contact the USS Manifesto to ask what they are doing, some of the torpedoes hit cloaked Cardassian vessels. Discovered by the aggressive act of the USS Manifesto the Cardassians cannot wait any longer. One Cardassian ship after another decloakes and only 20 seconds later Captain Van Nieuwenhove's fleet is surrounded by more than 200 ships... Commodore Slater's fleet is approaching Cardassia Prime, but at least two hours away. They cannot be of any help for the USS Metrical or any other federation vessel surrounded by the Cardassian fleet. "This is Legate Kamar. Surrender your vessels now and prepare to be boarded. If you do not surrender within 1 minute, your ships will be destoryed. This is your only warning." The channel is closed. At the outer ring of the Cardassian fleet the Klingon Vor'Cha class battlecruiser IKC K't'angon decloaks, opens fire and destoryes a Cardassian ship in total surprise. The IKC K't'angon cloaks immediately after its attrack and dissapeares. Then a voice is heard on all channels. "This is General Hu'gna in command of the third Klingon Emperial fleet. You will lower your weapons and shields and surrender your vessels. All Cardassian military and other personnel has to transport to the planet Cardassia Prime. This is your only warning." Legate Kamar is confused and he is not the only Cardassian who is. But he thinks this Klingon is bluffing... The Federation ships USS Goliath, USS Windshield, USS Protector, USS Manifesto, USS Johan Kramer and USS Metrical take the opportunity and escape from the Cardassian fleet, and set course to Commodore Slater's fleet. Now there is even more confusion among the Cardassians. They had already read reports that a large Klingon fleet was accompanying the Federation fleets and some of the Guls do not whish to die or let their crew die. But Legate Kamar refinds his determination and decides to call General Hu'gna's bluff. He orders the pursuit of those six Federation ships with his entire fleet. Just as the cardassian fleet starts to move, above every Cardassian ship a Klingon ship decloaks. At the same time around the approaching Federation fleet under command of Commodore Jeffrey Slater about 80 Klingon vessels decloak... Legate Kamar realises that if he is goping to try to fight, half of his Guls will no longer follow his orders and his loyal Guls will be destoryed. It is a hopeless situation and Legate Kamar surrenders... An hour later Captain Van Nieuwenhove contacts General Hu'gna of the IKC K't'angon to thank him for his brave intervention. When General Hu'gna appears on the USS Metrical main viewer, there is a Starfleet officer standing aside of him. It is Lieutenant Commander Matz, Chief of Security of Commodore Slater's USS Vertigo. Commander Matz is half Klingon. "Do not mention it Captain Van Nieuwenhove. It was commander Matz idea. She thought the Cardassians should get a warning. The idea was that if the Cardassians were confused enough, you could escape. Although I must say this would have been a glorious battle and it was indeed a good day to day. Good-bye Captain. Maybe one day we will meet again. Qapla' Captain." Commodore Slater also thanks the Klingons for their help in this matter. But he also calls Captain Van Nieuwenhove to his ready room. After transport to the USS Vertigo Captain Van Nieuwenhove is escorted by Lieutenant Commander Matz to Commodore Slater where he receives a new offer. "Captain Van Nieuwenhove. Please sit down. You have done well. you have followed the orders even if you did not know exactly what was going on. You have given us and the Klingons enough time to intervene and take control of the situation. There will be a new government on Cardassia Prime. A peace treaty has been signed. As appriciation of your work and your accomplishements in this crisis, it is the judgment of Starfleet Command you should are an example for Starfleet. Therefore you have a choice of duty." And Commodore Slater presents a small list of career changes for Captain Geert Van Nieuwenhove... The USS Metrical will take Captain Van Nieuwenhove to Starbase 369... USS Thunderbolt And so a battle of titans begins. The USS Lighting under command of LT COL Crow, a special assigned Starfleet Marine, who will never give up and the already notorious Captain Guillaume Mechels, in command of the USS Thunderbolt, once a proud Starfleet vessel, but now a renegade ship, changed and altered by three Borg drones from the far future... The Borg aboard the USS Thunderbolt do not have any trouble addapting the systems to the weapons of the USS Lightning. While executing maneuvres, the USS Thunderbolt fires the renewed weapon systems, damaging the shields of the USS Lightning severely. The Borg act as if this is just a routine job in maintenance. "Moving at 54 mark 15. Fire forward launchers. Target hit, target shields to 24 percent. Compensating for next attack." Convinced that these Starfleet Marines will never give up, the crew of the USS Thunderbolt realise that they have to deal with this problem once and for all. While the attacks of the USS Lightning do no harm the USS Thunderbolt keeps firing. Even a new attempt of LT COL Crow's Starfleet Marines to fire a phase converted torpedo does not bring any damage. The Borg drones had already addapted the defensive systems of the USS Thunderbolt. "Moving at 135 mark 59. Target is hit, target shields are at 6 percent. Moving heading 315 mark 13. Target has a warp core breach in progress abort attack." The USS Thunderbolt moves away from the USS Lightning, but while the USS Lightning escape pods are launched together with some shuttle pods, a new problem for the USS Thunderbolt comes up. A female voice is heard throughout the ship. "I told you I would not leave you alone..." Just in front of the USS Thunderbolt a rift in space opens and while the USS Lightning explodes the USS Thunderbolt is moving into the rift and disappeares. When the USS Thunderbolt returns to normal space the crew only needs a minute to determine where they are... The Delta Quadrant... The USS Thunderbolt is in the Delta Quadrant. Captain Mechels will try to end the control of the Borg Queen over the collective for a better future for the Borg. USS Walang "Mister Shivers. Set course into the region called R-563." LT Silvester Shivers puts in the course and punches the engage button. The USS Walang slowly moves forward, and then faster, jumping to warp speed, leaving the many stars behind with a changing view on the main screen of empty space. After an hour there is no star to be seen, but nobody aboard the USS Walang is disturbed as this is the fastest way to the Trum new home planet. Some of the Trax aboard find this empty space fascinating. There is absolutely no gravity, as there are no stars, no planets... nothing. Everyone sleeps well for a week... "Yellow alert. Captain to the bridge." Captain Hendriks hurries from her dinner table to the bridge where she is in for a surprise. "Captain, sensors have indicated some kind of life form two light years ahead. The life form is unknown to the Federation. It is three meters long and one meter wide. Apparently this creature can live in space without any protection. And it is moving at warp speed towards us Captain. The creature will be reaching us in 17 minutes." "Very well. Keep yellow alert. We can't take to much precautions. Is there a way to contact this creature ?" "Negative Captain. Let's hope it contacts us first. Captain, I have searched the data we received from the Velaron, but there is nothing about this creature. Captain, there is a second creature of the same species. It is coming from behind us, make that a third one Captain from port side and yes sir a fourth and fifth. Captain they are coming from all sides. There are more than 50 now and there are more coming. Sensors cannot indicate whether they have some kinds of weapons or not." "Commander, they might just be curious." But Lieutenant Commander John Strauss, Chief of Operations is not convinced yet. "I hope so Captain." Only fifteen minutes later the USS Walang still travels at high speed, but now completely surrounded by more than a hundred creatures of the same species. These creatures do not indicate whether they are hostile or not. They just seem to escort the USS Walang in this void of space. There are only three stars in this region and one of them is on a direct course of the USS Walang. It might be the home system of these creatures. The star is several days away, and more and more of these creatures come together around the USS Walang, although they do not block, not hinder or trouble the USS Walang in any way. Some of the crewmembers find this unknown species very interesting, but there are also crewmembers who rather get out of this region as fast as possible... Captain Hendriks will try to communicate with these creatures Maybe the Trax aboard the USS Walang can help with that. As long as these creatures are harmless, the USS Walang will carry on as planned. But communications is a priority. USS Vertigo Day 108 01.32 More Klingon vessels escort the IKC K't'angon. There are reports of Starfleet intelligence that the Cardassians have developed a cloaking device. Captain Van Nieuwenhove, in command of the USS Metrical escorted by five Federation ships, has reached Cardassia Prime. some time later Captain Van Nieuwenhove destroyes the Cardassian ship which his officers had captured. Day 108 02.06 One of the Federation starships, USS Manifesto, opens fire in all directions. Some torpedoes hit cloaked Cardassian ships. A Cardassian fleet of 204 ships decloak and surround the USS Metrical and the escort Federation ships. Legate Kamar in command of the Cardassian fleet demands the surrender of the Federation ships. Lieutenant Commander Matz, Federation liaison, aboard the IKC K't'angon at the side of General Hu'gna in command of the Klingon Third Fleet asks the general to interven, blow one of the Cardassian ships up and demande the Cardassian fleet to surrender. General Hu'gna, an experienced Klingon warrior finds Matz' plan worthy of a warrior. He orders to decloak and destroy the nearest Cardassian vessel. After the attack he demands the surrender of the Cardassian fleet. During the confusion, the USS Metrical and the other Federation ships can escape from the Cardassian fleet. When the Cardassian fleet starts it's purtsuit, General Hu'gna orders his fleet to decloak and demands the surrender of the Cardassian fleet again. Day 108 04.00 A treaty between the Federation, Klingon Empire and the Cardassian Empire has been signed. Commodore Slater has called Captain Van Nieuwenhove to his ship to give him new orders. Captain Van Nieuwenhove is escorted by Lieutenant Commander Matz, back on the USS Vertigo after her Klingon adventure. The Federation and Klingon fleets return to their territory. USS Lightning And so a battle of titans begins. The USS Lighting under command of LT COL Crow, a special assigned Starfleet Marine, who will never give up and the already notorious Captain Guillaume Mechels, in command of the USS Thunderbolt, once a proud Starfleet vessel, but now a renegade ship, changed and altered by three Borg drones from the far future... It doesn't take long for the Borg to adapt to the USS Lightning weapon systems. "Colonel. We have been hit severly. Shields are down to 24 percent. Rerouting power from the auxilliary systems. Shields are now at 39 percent. Our weapons seem to be useless sir. These Borg aboard the USS thunderbolt have addapted already." "Than it is time for something totally new. Atad." Whatever LT COL Crow fires at the USS Thunderbolt, it doesn't make a scratch, until Atad has found a sollution. But time is short. While the USS Lightning is shaking under the poundering weapons fire of the USS Thunderbolt it seems more a matter of seconds than of minutes. Atad doesn't ask for orders, pushes the firing button and a special prepared torpedo is launched. The torpedo starts its engine and goes directly towards its target to only hit the target in a matter of seconds. But the huge explosion has no effect on the USS Thunderbolt. Before LT COL Crow and his team realise they have to improvise at the highest level, but when LT Bell reports he cannot access the Thunderbolt's computer systems with any prefix code, and Captain Hawk reports shields are at 6 percent... The USS Thunderbolt is still coming. "Hull breaches on decks 3 and 4. There is no power for emergency forcefields. Weapons are gone sir, propulsion is off line. Warp core breach is immenent. Sir there is nothing I can do about it. We have to leave the ship." "All hands to the escape podds. Launch all shuttlecraft. Senior staff has the Galey..." The crew runs to their designated pods or shuttles. They all launch safely and get away of the ship as far as they can. Type 10 shuttlecraft Galey is the last to launch, making sure everyone is of the ship and safe. Aboard the Galey, LT Crow sees his ship explode in a million pieces. But his attention als goes to a rift in space just in front of the USS Thunderbold. The USS Thunderbolt is moving into the rift and disappeares... A few days later the USS Lighting crew is picked up by the USS Los Angelos which is now accompanied by the USS Iceberg, a Souvereign class vessel with three thousand Starfleet Marines abaord, under temporary command of General Fujimori. But when LT COL Crow meets with the General there is some news. "So Colonel. Sit down. I will leave this ship and return to Head Quarters with the USS Los Angelos. I will leave two thousand troops in your command and this ship. This was my old ship you know. It is a fine ship. But now as I am going to retire, I won't need it anymore... You have served well under my command for almost 5 years. And you have received a lot of awards which you have well deserved. From this day on you will serve under my former assistant Lieutenant General Heather Lembeck. She knows all about you and your personal initiatives, improvisation and how lucky you have been surviving all these years. And that is what I whish you Colonel. Good luck. You can find General Lembeck at Starbase 44. But if you want my advice. Get to know this ship a little better. Maybe you should go to the Federation Trade Facility in Schulen territory, nearby, or you can help the Federation-Klingon fleet in Cardassian space during the upcoming battles... I leave it up to you." General Fujimori stands up shakes the hand of Lieutenant Colonel Crow. He leaves the ready room of the USS Iceberg, but at the door he turns around. "Oh one more thing. This ship is yours now, but it is a little bit to big for a Lieutenant Colonel, therefore I promote you to the rank of Colonel." General Fujimori smiles, but before Colonel Crow can say anything, the door closes behind the General, who mumbels to himself... "And may all the Gods you believe in have mercy on your soul..." LT COL Crow, Personal Log, Date coded 78964U: We'll get to know the ship and troops when we go to Starbase 44 and receive new orders from the General. The defeat is still fresh in my memory but we'll learn about our mistakes and we'll make no mistakes next time. We'll see. End Log USS Colorado Ensign Ally Jones is in Jail on Starbase 133 where the USS Colorado is docked. Apparently Starbase Security Chief Commander Frank Williams seems to be not that honest and some aboard the USS Colorado even start to think Admiral Conzalez in command of Starbase 133 is in it as well. It seems like a conspiracy. Aboard the USS Colorado everything is done to prove that Ensign Jones is innocent. Commander Walker has LT Sonak work on some corrupted computer files. "Mr Sonak, see what you can find out about everybody that was in contact with Cmdr Frank Williams. This especially who ever it was worked in Ensign Jones quarters. And I like to know who Ensign Jones has been in contact with since her transfer to the Colorado." "Ensign Jones did spend a lot of time in Stellar cartography. And Cmdr Williams did not go there!" If some of the answers are in stellar cartography that is the place to be. "Lt. Fonda, Cmdr Walker here meet me in Stellar cartography." "Fonda here sir, I'm on my way." A minute later the two officers meet in stellar cartography. "Commander, what can I do for you?" "Enisgn Jones was working on her findings on the Stielgs. Mr Sonak believes that the Ensign has a backup file's and that might be here. I want you to find the file's." "Yes sir, I found backup file's earlier when you ordered me here. Most of the logs are personal. There are surval file's which are coded. And I can broke the code!" Commander Walker gets the picture and calls USS Colorado Chief of Operations LT Doran. "LT Doran please report to Stellar cartography." Meanwhile on the bridge LT Tanaka reports. "Message coming through Captain from Starbase 133, a JAG officer named Lt. Harmonica Eastwood has been assigned to Ensign Jones." "Thank you. Mister Tanaka." It all seems unimportant who will represent Ensign Ally Jones during her first hearings but one thing is sure. Commander Walker hasn't much time left to collect evidence. He asks LT Doran to help and even LT Doran knows that this is very important. "Jeff, I have a code for you to crack, I believe it is a backup file from ensign Jones on the Stielgs." "I'll get right on it." But LT Doran is not the only one who is busy. "Sonak to Walker. Commander, I found a backup file from ensign Jones. The login is dated from Stardate 55899.2 "Mr Sonak meet me on the bridge." Like Commander Walker, LT Sonak heads for the bridge, and starts to transfer his data to the bridge. A few minutes later their is a meeting with the Captain LT Sonak and First Officer Commander Walker. LT Sonak reports to Commander Walker while Captain Harrison is also listening. "Captain, since Stardate 55899.2, Ensign Jones has been mailing backup file's on her findings. On Stardate 55902.3 she is approached by crewmember Richard Johnson. As you can read Commander, crewmember Johnson show great interest in her findings. On Stardate 55907.5 Johnson asks as you read Commander: Do you know what Captain Harrison further action will be towards the Stiegls." Commander Walker doesn't have to think to long. "Computer, locate crewmember Richard Johnson." But there is a surprising answer. "Crewmember Richard Johnson, is no longer on the Colorado." Captain harrison looks in disbelieve. He wants to make sure. "Computer, where is crewmember Johnson." "Crewmember Richard Johnson has left the Colorado, by transport to Starbase 133 by the command of Admiral Conzalez." Walker asks LT sonak for more information. "Can there be a connection fofund between Johnson and the Admiral." "No sir, but there is a log in on a connection between crewmember Johnson and Commander Frank Williams. Security logs report the following as showned by time index. Time index 13 shows that Commander Williams was in enineering and that this person crewmember Richard Johnson was in Ensign Jones quarters working at her consul." And Commander Walker already has seen the light and a possibility to free Ensign Jones. "Captain with this we can get Ensign Jones of Starbase 133, and bring her back to the Colorado. We should report our findings to Admiral MacArter." "Agreed, Mr Sonak prepare your data, and make a copy." But at this time nobody of Starbase 133 seems to be trustworthy. And all three officers realise that something should be done. Commander Walker is the first to address the Captain. "What about a the JAG officer?" "I'll ask for another JAG officer." LT Sonak may have a sollution He knows womeone who has studied law. "Captain, Selmak is a JAG officer. Admiral MacArter will not refuse your request." But Selmak is not unknown to Commander Walker as well. "I know Selmak, he is my fathers uncle. Once he is appointed, he will aske for the trial to held on the Colorado. Selmak doesn't like Starbases Captain." In the mean time aboard Starbase 133 Enisgn Jones has met the officers again who want to free her, and tells them she will think about there offer. But she also meets with JAG officer Eastwood "My name is Ally Jones, I am a science officer and my rank is Ensign." "Ensign Jones, know your name and rank." But that was not what Ensign Jones meant. "I cannot talk with you." JAG Officer Eastwood looks surprised "Do you have a reason?" "Yes." "What, reason is that?" "I most speak with Captain Harrison or Cmdr Walker. They are on the Colorado." But there seem to be more troubles than Captain Harrison has ever thought. There is an incoming message from the USS Alice Cooper-B suggesting an even more evil enemy... TO: Captain Harrison ( USS Colorado ) FROM: Captain Raz Ben-Eleazar Kalee ( USS Alice Cooper-B ) SUBJ: Recent Explosion in Stiegl Territory Dear Capt. Harrison In light of recent events in Stiegl territory I send this communique to de determine if the possible hostilities developing there might, in some way, be related to recent events also developing on Angel One ( ie: the matter concerning outside influences trying to undermine positive Federation/Angel One relations ). Although list of suspects involved here include for the present bath Romulan, Cardassian, and Ferengii agents I consider it possible either spheres of influence might also be involved concerning recent developments on Angel One. And given both the close proximity of Stiegl territory to Angel One space, plus the obvious benefit to the Stiegl government including Angel One among its territorial possessions, it occurs as weIl to me that the Stiegl might also be involved in current events on Angel One... the civil unrest fermenting in this particular sector. Given the close proximity of Angel One to both Federation, Romulan, Cardassian, and Stiegl borders you can understand how it would benefit any and/or all of these governments possession of such a convenient springboard for possible invasion as Angel One... all these governments proven already hostile towards Federation interests in this sector. So, taking also into consideration as of late both your ship and crew's special up-close-and-personal investigation of Stiegl activities, I am sending You this personal communique to determine if either you, or any of your crew consider it possible the Stiegl's might be involved in present events occurring on Angel One. Based on your own, personal, in-depth examination of current Stiegl activity in this sector is it possible the Stiegl could be trying to undermine Federation/Angel One relations in hopes of using the second against the first? Any possible information you could offer one-way-or-the-other in this matter would be greatly appreciated. Yours In Service To The Fleet, Captain Raz Kalee/USS Alice Cooper-B PS: Concerning also rumored Borg technology involved in the recent - explosion in Stiegl territory both my Chief Science Officer, Lt. Cmdr. Finiksa H. Stangya, and my Chief Engineer, Lt. Cmdr. Jelana Franke-Stangya, request more detailed information concerning both possible Borg technology employed by the USS Thunderbolt along with more detailed information concerning both the range and scope of Stiegl holographic technology. Considering previous concerns mentioned above, any further information you could supply here as weIl would be deeply appreciated. End of Message Was this a suggestion that the Federation was already infiltrated with Stiegls ? Are the Stiegls really destroyed, killed or assimilated by Borg aboard the USS Thunderbolt ? It is well known that the Stiegls had something to do with time traveling. What if this was a Stiegl plot which was created, maybe a millenium ago ? When Captain Harrison contacts Admiral MacArter, the Admiral is already on his way to Starbase 133. But he orders Captain Harrison not to speak with anyone about this, not even Admiral Conzales of Starbase 133. While LT Eastwood has left her client, Ensign Jones in the brig of Starbase 133, again has a visit of the same officers who want to talk with Ally Jones. Again they suggest that they would help with her escape. But this time, before Ensign Jones can answer, a full security detail, under command of Starbase Security Chief Commander Frank Willams jumps out of nowhere and grabbes the three officers to arrest them. There is a short struggle but the security officers have no trouble with the thre officers. They are immediately locked up in other cells of the detention block. To her big surprise Ensign Ally Jones is free to go, but first she has to go and meet Admiral Conzales. Aboard the USS Colorado a message from Admiral Conzales is received, in which he orders CO Jeffrey Harrison and XO Tom Walker to come aboard Starbase 133 for a meeting. Captain Harrison and Commander Walker do not have a choice, but LT Sonak and LT Doran keep working on those files to find more evidence. But when Walker and Harrison enter the breefing room they see not only Admiral Conzales, but also Commander Frank Willams and Ensign Jones, who seems to be free. The door of this breefing room is heavily guarded by Starbase 133 security. "Sit down gentlemen." While both officers of the USS Colorado sit down another officer comes in. It is Admiral MacArter. He also sits down next to Admiral Conzales. But it is Conzales who talks. "Now first of all, my appologies for the inconvenience. I have some explaining to do. To make this story a little short, we have taken the opportunity to put Ensign Jones in the brig under suspicion that she has collaborated with the Stiegls. We even had some of our security officers produce some false files to make this convincing. Why ? We know for a fact that there are Stiegl spies on this starbase, but we didn't know who they were. We only arrested a few of them and we do believe there are more. The trick with Ensign Jones worked very well, but I would like to propose to ensign Jones the following. Ensign Jones, I would like to catch all of those Stiegl Spies and you are the perfect bait to lure them into a trap. We will act as if you have been trown out of Starfleet, put you in civilian clothing and throw you out into the nearest bar of Starbase 133. You just sit at the bar and don't ask questions. It is our hope that with the captured spies already the others will come to you for information or to help you or to convince you to come with them to work with them. Ensign Jones, I cannot tell you how dangerous this mission can be and I do not order you to take this assignement, you volonteer or you will return to your ship. That is up to you. You will make the choice. I must of course remind you that you are well protected by security who will be always closeby incognito. You will not know who these security officers are and you will not notice them at all. So what do you say? And you Captain Harrison, I am afraid we haven't found your missing crewmember Richard Johnson yet. He must be hiding on the Starbase. He is not on your ship." USS Alice Cooper FEDERATION UNIVERSE: USS ALICE COOPER-B ( NCC-7734-999-B ) -- STARDATE: 290903 -- Leaving the brig aboard the Alice Cooper-B, starting their way to Captain Kalee's Ready Room, both men kept at first their peace... remaining silent... Jas, several minutes later, the first to break their quiet. "I know not what you think, but I for one am getting pretty sick-and-tired of dealing with mere underlings. High time we headed at last for Angel One itself, get down to brass tacks, and find out in person... close-up... what the heck's going on here!" "Agreed" , Raz gave his official consent... "Despite her still abrupt manner I think at last Ms. Corona's beginning to co-operate". "WeIl, at least as much as she can given her almost androphobic nature", Jas agreed, a bit hesitant... "So how long will it indeed take us to reach Angel One?" "At our present speed no more than seventeen stellar beurs". "Very goed, then. In that case just enough time to catch both Kory... Dr. Caynizmyr... and Alice #7 in your '10-Forward' for a wee bit of dinner followed by, perhaps, a few Z's", Jas gave way with a weary sigh... "That's if I can sleep at all". "Very goed, Ambassador. In that case I'll have rou paged from my Ready Room when we reach Angel ene". "Thank rou, Captain. See you then". DS2 RPG General Status Report November 2003 USS Earth USS Earth First Officer T'Lok is confronted with Commodore T'Lok who claims to be from the future sent to this time frame by Christine Steichen herself. Commodore T'Lok cooperates in every way. She doesn't seem to have any choice. It is clear to her that Captain Steichen will not do what she says until she is convinced that Commodore T'Lok speaks the truth. Commander T'Lok and Commodore T'Lok have indeed exactly the same DNA, according Doctor Numbo. Only a mind meld can establish the truth and Commander T'Lok and Commodore T'Lok are still in sickbay and while Doctor Numbo oversees and monitors the mindmeld of the two Vulcans. At first the conversation of the two Vulcans is only incoherent, but after a few minutes the first words are understandable. "Small moon... 376 by 64... Small moon... Go there... No warp speed... 376 by 64... Time... Small moon... 376 by 64... 39 years... Go there... Small moon... I am T'Lok, Commodore T'Lok... Mindmeld expected... Defenses not penetrated... Time jump... Small moon... 376 by 64... Time... 376 by 64... Small moon... Sensors did not indicate... Time... Destruction of Earth..." The mindmeld continues. Some things are not yet clear, but Doctor Numba warns both Vulcan women that they should not have this maindmeld for to long. But Doctor Numbo also adresses the Captain. "Captain The destruction of Earth could also mean the destruction of USS Earth, and not the planet Earth. I would like to know what this small moon is. Time is short Captain. According my readings there is only about 30 seconds left. And I have the impression that this Commodore T'Lok is much stronger than our Commander T'Lok. I don't think we will become any wiser." Chief of Security Ulo Hung steps forward. He has just been standing there, ready to intervene if Commander T'Lok would be in any danger. "Maybe we should investigate about this small moon at 376 by 64, if there is such a moon. I cannot imagine why you would send T'Lok to the past yourself if this was not important. I will ask the bridge to launch a probe, if you agree of course." Captain Steichen nods and Commander Hung gives his orders to the bridge. In the mean time the mind meld of the two T'Loks is interupted by the Doctor. Both Vulcans fall on the floor. While Doctor Numbo calls in his medical personnel he grabs Commander T'Lok and puts her on a biobed. The nurses and doctor who just came in take Commodore T'Lok and put her on a biobed as well. Both are fine, but a seriously exhausted. As for the moment there is nothing more to be done, Captain Steichen returns to the bridge. The first results of the probe do not indicate any dangerous situation, but the probe is still a day away of the coordinates given by Commodore T'Lok, coming from the future, refusing to say what is going to happen if the USS Earth will not go to those coordinates. "Doctor Numbo to Captain Steichen." "Steichen here, go ahead Doctor." "Commodore T'Lok has disappeared Captain. Our Chief Engineer is already here to scan sickbay. I will have him report to you." "Captain this is Sora Mil. Our internal sensors did not registrate anything. There are no traces of anything we can detect. It is as if this Commodore T'Lok was never here." And the situation even gets more confusing when Chief of Operations Lieutenant Harry Dankers reports the probe is gone. "It is gone Captain. One moment it was there, the next moment it was gone. The last readings of the probe indicate an energy wave, but it is not strong enough to reach us and it didn't bother the probe. This wave did not have anything to do with a small moon or anything at coordinates 376 by 64. It is like this never happened." But a moment later something happens indeed. A ship appears in fornt of the USS Earth. It is a ship of unknown design, but clearly Federation. Its markings are USS Moon... Without warning a familiar face appears on the USS Earth main viewer. "Captain Steichen. I am Admiral Steichen in Command of the USS Moon. We will have a warp core breach in four, maybe five minutes. Yes we are from the future. As you have not done what Commodore T'Lok has asked you, we had no alternative. I will not order you to safe us, but please download every single bit which is in our computer. That will make everything clear. You must realise this ship is one of the last of the Federation. When the Stiegls had most of our facilities under their control we were to late. Now, almost 40 years later, there is little left of the Federation, the Klingons or the Romulans... It is all Stiegl..." Just as everyone though the Stiegls had been finished by the USS Thunderbolt. Apparently the Stiegl holographic installations were only a diversion... Captain Steichen gives her orders. "We are going to download all files of the USS Moon, safe the crew of the USS Moon and if possible: try to safe the USS Moon. This future technology could be very useful." USS Metrical When Geert Van Nieuwenhove arrives at Starbase 369, he finds out very soon that his new home has some serious advantages. Being promoted to the rank of Commodore, gives him command not only over the starbase itself, but also the ships in the nearby sectors, assigned to Starbase 369: USS Starmaker, USS Napoli, USS Cruiser, USS Sunrise, USS Energy, USS Cary and about a dozen Runabouts. The brand new office of Commodore Geert Van Nieuwenhove is setup according his own specifications. The same goes for the living quarters of the new Commanding Officer of Starbase 369. But there is work to do. A lot of reports are waiting to be read and contact has to be made with the USS Mexico. The USS Mexico is the Souvereign class flagship of Starbase 369, under command of Captain Sigrid Johansson, also First Officer of Starbase 369. But the USS Mexico is almost 40 lightyears away. Due to the small number of Federation starships the USS Mexico has to patrol and search for animalies. After the war with the Dominion Starfleet is still rebuilding the fleet. And Starfleet cannot afford to keep a ship in spacedocks doing nothing. When Commodore Van Nieuwenhove enters Starbase 369 Central Operations that very first day, he is able to meet his entire senior staff. All of them report about the current Starbase systems and environment. When the Commodore contacts the USS Mexico, the bridge of the USS Mexico appears on the main viewer almost immediately. "Starbase 369. I am Lieutenant Claymore. The Captain is rather buzy. We seem to be under attack of some kind, but we are not really sure. Our sensors seem to be failing, but our shields are holding. There is a possibility that..." While Lieutenant Claymore reports, Starbase 369 Chief of Security Commander Carlo Demaggio starts checking the readouts of his console. There is no threat to the USS Mexico detected. There are not even any vessels nearby. The ship most close to the USS Mexico is the USS Energy, three days away. As a precaution the USS Energy is sent to the USS Mexico to assist in any way. In the mean time Lieutenant Claymore keeps reporting. "...all systems seem to be overloading. We had to shut down propulsion already and in a few minutes we have to shut down weapons and the holodecks." It is Commander Demaggio who interupts the Lieutenant. "Lieutenant Claymore. This is Commander Demaggio on Starbase 369. We do not detect any threat from outside your ship. This threat has to come from inside your ship." "Commander We have ran diagnostics on... Captain Captain !" Lieutenant Claymore runs away from his console and to their terror the Starbase 369 officers see the Lieutenant bend over Captain Sigrid Johansson, on the floor. Next to the Captain is the first officer, who apparently fell down at the same time as the Captain. "Starbase 369. Mayday mayday. This is Lieutenant Claymore. We need assistance. All systems are failing. The Captain is down, so is our XO. I don't understand. Why this could have happened. The ship was fine when we left spacdock... I have..." Lieutenant Claymore grasps for air. He waves his hand but can't keep his body straight. Slowly he falls down on top of the Captain. There is a new officer appearing. "Sir sir. Starbase 369 I am Ensign Doozer, helmsman. I am the only one who is still in good health here on the bridge. I think I have found a way to get propulsion back on line and warp out of here. Just let me..." A moment later the USS Mexico jumps to warp towards Starbase 369. The waiting for the Starbase 369 staff seems an eternity. But when the USS Mexico arrives to a thousand kilometers from the Starbase, even Ensign Doozer is on the floor of the USS Mexico bridge. Sensors indicate that the entire crew of the USS Mexico is uncounscious. Most systems have already failed and even life support is failing. It is only a matter of hours now before everyone aboard the USS Mexico is lost. A decision has to be made... very soon... Captain Van Nieuwenhove orders to place the USS Mexico in quarantine. The ship could be under a threat of a computer virus, system malfunction or even sabotage. Nobody may leave the USS Mexico, until an official investigation is complete. But he also has another plan and sends a holo-doctor over to check on the lifesigns and investigate. USS Thunderbolt The USS Thunderbolt travels to the Delta Quadrant, through territories who are already familiar with the Federation as USS Voyager passed this way as well. Some are hostile, some are not, but they are not the main objective of the USS Thunderbolt and most of these species are ignored. After USS Voyager has returned from the Delta Quadrant it was also a blow to the Borg Collective when one of their transwarp hubs was destroyed. But the Collective addapts rather fast. The Collective does not think three dimensional... The USS Thunderbolt is on its way directly to the unicomplex where the Queen should be. This is not without risk. The three Borg drones of the 27th century aboard the USS Thunderbolt cannot be assimilated, but the crew of the USS Thunderbolt can. The closer the USS Thunderbolt gets to the unicomplex the more Borg ships are detected by long range sensors. More and more planets with Borg populations or assimilated species, are passed and more and more the crew of the USS Thunderbolt feel they have to end the intentions of the Borg Collective. The crew stands as one man behind their Captain, Captain Guillaume Mechels. Even First Officer Els Antwerps can only confirm there has been a collective established on the USS Thunderbolt itself. The upcoming confrontation will be a confrontation of two collectives... And then... "Captain A transwarp conduit is opening directly ahead only one light year away." "Red alert. Battlestations." "Captain there are three Borg ships coming out of the conduit. One of them is a diamond shaped vessel. According our database that is the kind of ship used by the Borg Queen, and the other two are Class-4 Tactical Cubes. Heavy stuff sir." "Hail them." "They are hailing us sir." "On screen." On the main viewer of the USS Thunderbolt the Borg Queen appears. She has a smile on her face seeing the three Borg drones on the bridge of the USS Thunderbolt. Apparently she believes that she can gain these three future drones for her collective. "So we have a visit of the notorious Captain Mechels, renegade from the Federation. And you bring home three of my drones. I have a proposal. Return these drones to the collective and I will let you and your crew go free. It is all the fault of the Stiegls. Aren't the Stiegls your enemies too?" But Captain Mechels has already understood that his ship and technology has addapted to any weapons of Borg in this time, the 24th century. The Borg drones on the USS thunderbolt are three hundred years ahead and use their technology to help other species, not to assimilate them. Maybe it was time the entire Borg Collective of this time should be assimilated and put on the right track... This one seems all to easy for Captain Mechels. He orders to blow the Borg Queen's ship away... No mercy. USS Walang Surrounded by hundreds of alien creatures, the USS Walang is on its way to the nearest star at high speed. The USS Walang crew have not found a way to communicate with these creatures and the help of Countor and the Trax are welcomed. The Trax, use the ships systems to try to send their own communications out. Although the Trax have seemed a rather primitive species, because they didn't have the ability to travel in space, they now have more success than any Federation officer aboard. As the Trax at a certain time use the old Trum language, they seem to have gotten the attention of the creatures around the USS Walang. And they answer in the same language. "It can speak," they all seem to shout at once. "We can talk with it. It is shining bright isn't it, it is beautiful, and it can speak. It speaks the same as the Old Ones." The Trax do not take to much time in celebrating. They start asking questions right away. "Who are you?" "We don't know exactly, but we live in the star you are going to. The star is our home. The old ones called us Kiries. But the Old Ones have left long ago. We are the Kiries since then. But the name doesn't have any meaning to us. We just live happy around our star." "What you see is a space ship. We are on that ship. That is how we travel through space. From one place to another. Did the onld ones have a space ship?" "Yes yes yes. They called themselves Gsnodes. They were very pleasant creatures. But they had to leave to their new home. We have whished them good luck." This is the first time another species can tell about the Gsnodes, or Trum, as the Trax call them. It is clear that a long time ago the Trum passed this region and communicated with the Kiries. They even taught the Kiries the Trum language. This is indeed great news and everyone aboard the USS Walang is very excited. The Trax are the most excited of them all. "Kiries, we know the Gsnodes. We call them Trum. They used to live very close to us, but they left, like you said to look for a new home. They left us artifacts and machines." "We have seen machines. We do not need them. We are happy living around our star. It is nice to have visitors, especially those who know about eachother. We don't get many visitors here. Most of the other creatures are afraid of us. A long time ago we were even attacked, but that is a long time ago. Since then we did not have a lot of visitors. Some were lost and asked the way." Now that is a good question. The Trax of course would like to hear more about the Trum and where they went, or at least in which direction, how many were there, and so much more. USS Walang Chief of Operations John Strauss reports: "Captain we are approaching the star. Wow. They are all living there around the star. It is to close for us Captain. Our ship would not hold that temperature for long. These Kiries are really a unique species, living almost inside the star. It is incredible." Captain Hendriks agrees with Commander Strauss, but also gives her orders. "Establish standard orbit around the star. If the Kiries allow it our scientists can study the star and how the Kiries can stay that close to the star. Stay in communication with the Kiries. And the Kiries seem to like their new visitors. "Are you going to stay long?" "If we can stay for a longer period that would be very nice. There are a lot of questions, you can help us with. We want to know everything. If the Trax are willing to stay for a while, their help is more valuable." USS Vertigo Day 110 16.00 While part of the Klingon and federation fleet stays in Cardassian space for some time, the USS Vertigo, under command of Commodore Jeffrey Slater, returns to Federation space. First stop is Deep Space 9. Day 119 12.46 The USS Vertigo arrives at Deep Space 9. Part of the crew uses the well deserved shore leave and visits the famous Deep Space 9 promonade. Colonel Kira who is in command of the station until Captain Sisko returns, has a short talk with Commodore Slater. There is no word from Emissary Captain Sisko yet and the Bajorans believe it has to do with the Gods living in the Wormhole. Day 120 7.03 While Lieutenant Commander Matz, now out of uniform, relaxing, is walking around the station, especially interested in some souvenirs, she notices some people acting suspicious at the door of Quark's bar. This is either a hold-up being planned or maybe even worse... USS Vertigo Chief of Security Matz uses one of the computer panels to send a code to Deep Space 9 security and starts to observe the four suspicous men, without being noticed herself... USS Iceberg There have been some changes to Colonel Crow's Starfleet Marine team. Not only have most of the team members received a well deserved promotion, a new ship and new orders are waiting. The USS Iceberg, the brand new Souvereign class vessel is on route to Starbase 44, where Colonel Crow will meet with General Lembeck, with new orders. General Lembeck is the superior officer of General Fujimori. With two thousand troops and crew aboard the USS Iceberg seems to be a ship of war. Inviting all platoon commanders and division heads, Colonel Crow gets an idea who is who and what needs to be done. The USS Iceberg is the first ship of this class that is a complete Starfleet Marine ship. There are only Starfleet Marines aboard. After three days on route to Starbase 44, Colonel Crow in the center seat and his team have already proven they can handle this ship. After the list of tests, XO Lieutenant Colonel Hawk reports that the ship is indeed a state of the art. Aside of a warp capable yacht there are six runabouts in the main shuttle bay. These runabouts are especially designed for transport of troops to planet surface and give air support to those troops... But the USS Iceberg is not going to war... When Colonel Crow reports to Admiral Lembeck in her office in Starbase 44, he receives his first orders. "Colonel. Your actions have made you already legendary. But the case of the Stiegls is not over yet. We have information that Stiegl territory, the holographic technology and all that was only a diversion, while in the mean time they have been infiltrating in Federation facilities for a long time, maybe even more than a hundred years. With the recent time travel of the Cardassians, with the help of the Stiegls, we cannot be sure. Therefore your mission is to go to Lamara system. Lamara Prime recently had some outbursts of violent mass demonstrations. We believe it is the work of the Stiegls. Your orders are to investigate. You will not, I repeat not take any other action than observation. If this comes to a regular civil war on Lamara prime, you will not intervene. You can evacuate wounded or innocent people, but that is all. Remember Lamara is part of the Federation. They have more than a dozen warp capable ships and we can use their support. But you will not, and I say this again, not intervene, whatever happens. You can only go to the surface for gaining more information, but you will stay an observer, nothing else. Any questions ?" No questions. an hour later the USS Iceberg leaves Starbase 44 and sets course to Lamara Prime, which is a week away. Although this mission seems a bit strange, and it is not sure whether the Stiegls are behind all this, lots of things could happen in one week. The marines onboard the USS Iceberg now have an extra chance to fine tune the ship.All systems, especially the offensive and defensive systems, are checked with high level diagnostics and simmulations. And it seems to be necessary... "Colonel sir. We have arrived at the border of Lamara sir. There are six ships waiting for us. Our shields are at maximum. Their leader wants to talk to us." "On screen." "Federation ship. You will not enter Lamara territory. We had a change of government two days ago and the new government doesn't want to deal with the Federation. If you enter Lamara space, that will be considered an act of war. Do you understand?" "I understand. We will not enter Lamara territory. USS Iceberg out." Colonel crow immediately calls his officers on the bridge. every officer has his own ideas, but most of them agree about something. Major Hawk speaks for all of them. "Sir, a system can't just leave the Federation. Of course it happened before as an exception, but this smells like a devious plot. If I didn't know any better I would say the Romulans are behind this. I think we should investigate on Lamara Prime. The problem is to get there unnoticed. If we had a cloak, that wouldn't be a problem. These Lamar ships are no threat to us, but in greater number, let's say ten or more, we would have a hard time defending ourselves. A direct confrontation is not adviced sir, but we can outrun them. Our ship is much faster than any ship they have. They would never catch us." "OK We will act as if we will return but we will sneakaround them like marines doand gather as much informationas we can. The General will be contacted and updated. Let's go and see what's happening at Lamara." USS Colorado Aboard the USS Colorado everyone is relieved Ensign Jones is free again. And so business continues as usual. "Captain message coming in from Starfleet, new orders!" Captain Harrison has understood his First Officer. "Thank you number one, I'll take in my ready room." "Aye sir." In the mean time there is another channel open between the USS Colorado and Starbase 133. "Colorado, this is Admiral Conzales." "Cmdr Walker here Admiral, what can we do for you sir." "Nothing Cmdr, Ensign Jones has requested to return to the Colorado and resune her duties as science officer." "Admiral where is ensign Jones at this time?" "The ensign should be on the Colorado by now." "Thank you Admiral." Commander Walker doesn't hesitate to contact transporter room 3, Lieutenant Hora. "Lt. Hora can you tell me if enisgn Jones has arrived!" "Hora here sir, yes ensign Jones just came onboard." Enisgn Jones take's over the com to answer directly. "I'm back commander, what are my orders." "No orders ensign, take some time of, and report to the Captain in 2 hours." --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The last thing Commander Walker does while the Captain is in his ready room is sending a message to Captain Kalee. That message will take at least three weeks to arrive by subspace communications, but it is not really urgent. To: Captain Raz Ben-Eleazar Kalee (USS Alice Cooper-B) From: First Off. Cmdr. Tom J. Walker (USS Colorado) Captain sir, our incouter with the Stiegl was short. We made contact with the Stiegl ship near an anomaly we were ordered to investigate. At first we believed that the Stiegl ship was powerless as our scans indicated. Asuming that the crew was in need of medical assistance, I ordered a landing party of 6 including myself. Lt. Richardz recorded all possible data. Within moments we encountered heavy resistance from the Stiegls. In our findings there is no data, that we have us believe that the Stiegl ship has been to or near Angel One. Included are our data reports from the Stiegl ship we retrieved. On the behalf of Captain Jeffrey Harrison First Off. Cmdr. Tom J. Walker (USS Colorado) Captain Harrison comes out of his ready room with new orders. But he doesn't tell anything about those orders. He only has one thing to say. "Take us out of Starbase 133 spacedock number one and set a course to the Ginoma System at warp 5. I will be in my quarters. You have the bridge. I will be back for our meeting with Ensign Jones in two hours." Captain Harrison leaves the bridge apparently a bit distracted. But nobody asks anything about it. They know that if they have to know the Captain will inform them in time. "Release docking clamps. Helm take us out thrusters only." Slowly the massive Galaxy class vessel starts to move, takes the turn and leaves spacedock. "Commander we are clear and free to navigate." "Set course to the Ginoma System, warp 5, engage." Only a moment later the USS Colorado jumps to warp to leave Starbase 133 behind... Daily routine takes over and the excitement of a new mission becomes the talk of the next hour. Exactly two hours after the departure of the USS Colorado at Starbase 133, Captain Harrison, Ensign Jones and Commander Walker meet in the Captain's ready room. "Please sit down." First there is some talk about the latest adventure of Ensign Jones in the brig of Starbase 133. The chapter seems to be closed now. But there is a surprise for Ensign Jones. Some of the officers of the USS Colorado have stayed behind as they will transfer to other ships. That is life in fleet, but some officers will have to be replaced. One of the officers who will transfer to the USS Vertigo is Chief of Sciences, Lieutenant Jane Fonda. Ensign Ally Jones, you are hereby promoted to the rank of Lieutenant and assigned as Chief of Sciences on this ship. Congratulations Lieutenant. And your first order is, find as much data as you can about the Ginoma System. We are going to need it. You are dismissed. Not you Commander." Captain Harrison waits until the brand new Lieutenant Jones has left his ready room. Then he stands up and walks to the window, looks outside to space and then turns around again. "Commander... Tom... The Federation is in trouble. Apparently what happened in Stiegl space was only a diversion. The real Stiegl activity has been going on for centuries. They planned a takeover of the entire Galaxy more than four or even five hundred years ago. They did it so slowly, nobody ever recognised the Stiegls. They stole technology from almost every single species in this Galaxy, including even the Borg. We have no defenses against the Stiegls. Fact is, we don't know who they are and how they operate. But we know there are many among us." While Captain Harrison is explaining the situation to Commander Walker, Lieutenant Jones has resumed her duties, now as Chief of Sciences. Some of her officers are already at work assembling data of the Ginoma System. There is nothing out of the ordinary yet and the system looks as it should be. Ginoma II is the only inhabited planet with a population of almost one billion. The Ginomas have warp capability, but in the early stages. They joined the Federation two years ago. While Lieutenant Jones is making her tour of the stations she notices a young Ensign not at all doing what he should do. In stead of retrieving data about the Ginoma System, he is studying the warp core of the USS Colorado. That can't be right... In the Captain's ready room, Captain Harrison is still trying to find ideas to stop the Stiegls and the not getting paranoid. "...and therefore Number One we have to..." "Captain this is the bridge. We have a message for you on a priority channel 666." "Understood. I will take it here in my ready room." Incoming Message from Admiral Lotopak All Starfleet ships and Starfleet facilities. Starbase 133 has been destroyed by an internal explosion. Your orders are to go to yellow alert until further notice. We believe Starbase 133 was sabotaged and destroyed from the inside. More data will be available soon. End of message It is of course clear to the USS Colorado crew that the USS Colorado was one of the last ships to leave Starbase 133. Only one ship was in spacedock at the time the USS Colorado left. It was the USS Rapsody, Miranda class. The USS Rapsody left an hour later... USS Alice Cooper Listening then to the gentle, soothing, voice of Deborah Harry lull him foto a state of ultimate relaxation, closing then his own eyes as the lyrics he listened to told him, Jas was grateful indeed at least some things in this strange reality remained the same as in his own. --- TAMMYITE UNIVERSE: P.S. BASE #1 ( JUST OUTSIDE CHARON CITY, DEMETER ), COLONlAL TERRAN COMMONWEALTH OF INTERPLANETARY MATRIARCHATE WORLDS -- THURSDAY, JUNE 16th, 2917 A.D. -- "Hey, Dad. What'cha doin' sleepin' on the couch", Jas was waken rather rudely by the quite loud voice of his eleven year old son, Sean Paul... the just as clamorous sound of his young teenage daughter following right thereafter. . . "Yeah, Dad", Sarah Nikki was no less persistent... "You promised to take us to the Base pool with Uncle Andrei, J.J., and the twins at 14:30 hours! lts already 13:50!!" "What?", came their poor father's groggy reply... "Where am I??" "What?", both children echoed, curious what he meant. "Nothing", Jas this time muttered, sitting up on the edge of that very same living room couch he just woke up on... "Forget it". "Come on Dad", both Sean and Sarah Nikki insisted even further, forgetting indeed what he just said, returning to the previous matter at hand.... "They'll all be here soon!!" "Fine. All right. Okay", it was their befuddled father's turn now to lodge his own complaint, rejoining at last the land of the living in all its waking glory.... "You two get your swimsuits, give your dear old Dad a moment to recover, and we'll leave in twenty minutes. I'll call 'Uncle' Andrei and tell him to meet us there". "Sure thing". "Sweet!! " Running then, each, off to their own room... leaving then their utterly confused father all on his own... Jas got at once to his feet, meandering over to the broad bay glass windows providing a breathtaking, panoramic, view of the Base greenbelt bath below and beyond t;he high-rise they all lived in -- the command center and other community structures on the Project Starchild Base beyond even that. And, looking out the grand windows of that well-proportioned apartment complex he shared with both his wife and children back in the real worlds, it occurred right then and there with sudden clarity quite jarring indeed Jas was back yet again home... The "Tammyite Universe"... The Colonial Terran Commonwealth of Interplanetary Matriarchate Worlds! ! ! DS2 RPG General Status Report December 2003 USS Earth Aboard USS Moon, Admiral Steichen in command Engineering. "Captain I cannot shut down the warp core. A breach is imminent. The only thing we can do is valving off the plasma to the warp field coils, closing off the reactant injectors and venting the remaining gases overboard. The reactant injectors are not responding. We have to evacuate the ship. We will stay until the last second." "Acknowledged. The USS earth is already getting our people off." All personnel of the USS Earth are jumping to their feet and with high speed start downloading every single file that they can find in the USS Moon's main computer. In the mean time the non essential crew of the USS moon is transported to the USS Earth. These people are very happy to be rescued. In fact they strangely show much more than a usual happyness. Some of them start cheering Admiral Steichen's name and more follow, until two USS Earth cargobays seem like a huge sports stadium filled with hundreds of cheering people. Most of them are human, but there are also some Vulcans, Betazoids, Bolians, but to the surprise of the crew of the USS Earth there are also a dozen Klingons among them in Starfleet Uniform. That Starfleet uniform is not that much different than the current uniforms. Captain Steichen in command of the USS Earth is informed by her engineers that the USS Moon indeed is not to be saved, unless an engineering miracle occurs. In a few minutes almost the entire crew of the USS Moon, 406 out of a 413 in total, is safe aboard the USS Earth. The downloading of the files is still continuing. Time is runnning out, but Captain Steichen will wait until the last second to raise shields and warp to a safe distance. It is all a very strange situation. It seems that not only Christine Steichen and T'Lok from the future have traveled to the past, but also USS Earth engineer Ensign Tony Dotti who is the Chief Engineer aboard the USS Moon 40 years later. And he proves his capabilities... And then the engineering miracle occurs on the USS Moon. Just a minute before the USS Moon is destroyed the engineers on that ship have a brilliant idea. They program a few nanites inject them into the warp reactent injectors, who should then initiate the emergency shutdown procedure of the warp core... Just in time the warp core breach has been prevented. Two hours later the entire USS Moon crew have been transported back to their own whip except for Admiral Steichen and Commodore T'Lok. Admiral Steichen has a lot of explanation to do, but she insists there is not much time. "There is not much time, but I will tell you in short. 40 years ago the USS earth came in contact with the Stiegls for the first time. The Stiegls are experts in traveling through time. They don't do anything themselves, but it is believed that due to the Cardassian time travel activities, the Stiegls have obtained information, they should not have gotten their hands on about a thousand years ago, maybe even longer. The Stiegls used this technology in a very slow progressive way, so after a thousand years they suddenly appear to start their conquest of the Galaxy. That conquest takes about 38 years. Bit by bit they take out the opposition. The federation only has a hand full of ships and only one space station that really fights the Steigls of, Deep Space 2. the Stiegls leave Deep Space 2 alone as the people on Deep Space 2 have can only defend themselves, but not the entire galaxy. There is also the USS Thunderbolt, but it can do nothing but make hit and run operations. The Cardassians fell first, then the other species and eventually the Borg as well. Although it is believed the Borg escaped to another Galaxy. In this time, 40 years ago, there are some planets and moons which can provide shelter for the hunted preys of the Stiegls. These planets and moons have a distortion field of some kind around them, which cannot be penetrated by anything. We recently found a way to get through this natural distortion fields, but at that time there was nothing left of the Federation.Traveling in time seemed to be the only option. We are leaving now for the sanctuary and try to find a way to defeat the Stiegls. If we do we will contact the Federation and if not possible the Borg or one of the surviving species. You can come with us if you want..." Well that's it. Admiral Steichen has changed history by coming to the past. The files she gave to Captain Steichen contain information how the Stiegls operate. Admiral Steichen says good-bye, she stands up and with Commodore T'Lok she is transported back on the USS Moon, which sets course to a small moon at 376 by 64. USS Metrical The EMH Mark 4 has transported to the USS Mexico where apparently all systems have failed. Life support is only good for two hours. The entire crew is unconscious. A sordered the EMH first checks on the rest of the systems and system logs. There is nothing unusual, except that all systems started failing at the same time. Auxilliary systems have taken over but failed only some time later. It was luck that helmsman Ensign Doozer was able to let the ship jump to warp before he colapsed himself. Although the instructions of Starbase 369, the EMH is not able to restore any systems, and Starbase 369 is not able to activate any systems through remote control. There is nothing else the EMH can do thatn examine his patients. His mobile emitter has power for only five hours, but as the life support of the USS Mexico is gone in two hours, that will not matter. First the EMH tries to wake up Captain Sigrid Johansson. "Captain. You are fine. I am going to give you an injection to wake you up." While the EMH wakes up Captain Johansson, the engineering staff of Starbase 369 has send out a runabout for a possible energy transport to the USS Mexico if necessary. But because it is still unknown what happened to the USS Mexico, nothing will be done yet. Captain Johansson wakes up, shakes her head and looks at the doctor. "You are a Mark 4 EMH. You are not our doctor." "No Captain, I am send here from Starbase 369. The USS Mexico is only a thousand kilometers away from Starbase 369. Starbase 369 new Commanding Officer Commodore Geert Van Nieuwenhove is monitoring the situation on USS Mexico. All the systems are off line, including life support." "The crew. Take care of my crew. I'll talk to Commodore Van Nieuwenhove." Captain Johansson realises Starbase sensors can penetrate her ship's hull and examine what is going on. Only the EMH commbadge can be used to communicate with Starbase 369. The Captain takes the EMH commbadge while the doctor is waking up the other officers on the bridge. "Starbase 369, this is Captain Johansson USS Mexico. There is little time. I am not sure, but I think we were under attack from outside. I advice not coming aboard. It could be dangerous. All systems have been infected by an alien hostile program of some kind. We should not dock before we know more about these system failures. It could infect the entire starbase. Our officers are getting awake. I will put them to work. We could use a lot of portable power generators." "Captain Johansson, this is Commodore Van Nieuwenhove. We can formaly introduce later. I will see to it that you get those power generators. In fact we are transporting them on your ship now." "Thank you sir. We will get to work." Slowly the portable generators are installed and life support is restored on all decks of the USS Mexico. With the crew on their feet again, repairs are started. Captain Johansson reports. "Starbase 369. We have started the repairs. As you can see, we have the communications systems back on line already. It all started with encountering a probe. As soon as we scanned it, sensors detected Stiegl technology. It wasn't even hidden. the probe send out some kind of energy beam which hit our ship and although shields were at maximum, we sustained very heavy damage. This Stiegl energy beam overloaded all of our systems, including auxiliary systems. It was definitvely a weapon and not an innocent probe. This could be remains of the destroyed Stiegls, but if not, the Stiegls are still around and trying to attack us. We should take every precaution." "Captain this is Starbase 369 engineering. We have been monitoring your ship and your sensor logs. We have alerted all crews of all ships to be extra careful. We don't see any danger anymore that the USS Mexico is contaminated with some kind of alien or alien device. We have recommended to the Commodore that you can dock." "Thanks George. I hope to be back on the starbase in a few minutes." "You are welcome Captain. See you again soon." While the communication is closed Commodore Van Nieuwenhove has given permission for the USS Mexico to dock. That way the ship can be fully repaired in a much shorter time. In the mean time all sensor data about this Stiegl probe is searched and examined. The trajectary of the probe is recalculated and it points to a star system catalogued as TS-66. An uncharted system as it was believed not to have inhabital planets. The Nebula class USS Napoli under command of Captain Charles Verdun is only two days away from TS-66. On orders of Commodore Van Nieuwenhove a stealth runabout is sent from the USS Napoli to investigate TS-66. USS Thunderbolt The confrontation between the USS Thunderbolt and the Borg Queen, looks to be the end of the Borg Queen when Captain Mechels orders to destroy the Queen's ship. But the Queen didn't come alone. Class-4 Tactical Cubes move between the Queen's ship and the USS thunderbolt, but that was to be expected. With only a few shots the cubes are destroyed. But the tactical move of the Queen gave her just enough time to plan her escape. She disappeares into a transwarp conduit. But renegades of the Federation do no longer play by Federation rules and the Borg Queen has to figure that out fast, if she has not already. The USS Thunderbolt jumps behind the Queen's ship into the conduit and chases her to her destination. It is as if the Borg Queen has decided herself to give up... When the USS Thunderbolt comes out of the transwarp conduit right behind the Borg Queen's ship, it opens fire immediately, destroying the ship. But the three Borg drones aboard the USS Thunderbolt warn Captain Mechels, that the Borg Queen is not easily destroyed. They have received communication in the Collective that the Queen has transported her data to a new body already... "Do you know where we can find her?" "We do. We are Borg. These are the coordinates. Please remember Captain Mechels that we have upgraded all your systems, but the Borg Collective can addapt. We estimate they will be able to addapt to your new systems in two years three months and nine days. If this ship would be a Class-12 Tactical Cube, which we use in our time, the time for the Collective to addapt would be one thousand seven hundred and fourteen years, four months and twenty days." Of course Chief of Security Lieutenant Tomar wants to know whether it is possible to build shuch a ship or steal a Borg ship and make the necessary upgrades. "That is not possible. We need at least twenty three thousand drones to operate a ship like that. If we would gain access to a cube or sphere it would take the assimilation of the entire crew, and the ship, which would take about six months to complete. Most of the drones would have shut themselves down by that time and we cannot use them. Besides the chances that the Borg Queen would selfdestruct that particular ship, before we we can access it are..." "Astronomical." "A good human expression." "Helm set course to those coordinates. We are on a hunt." The USS Thundrbolt is on its way. Some of the crew start to wonder. If the Queen can create a double of herself in a few seconds, what will stop her a next time of doing that again ? Some officers offer the idea to Captain Mechels, who calls one of the drones to explain. "The Borg Queen will be destroyed in time. The Borg Collective we are from three hundred years from now does not have a Borg Queen. We are infact a collective. We decide collectively what to do. Helping other species is our primary goal. At this time, after investigating all communications in this Galaxy, it is more likely that the Stiegls are going to take over the Borg Collective. A Stiegl was never assimilated before. We have no knowledge about the Stiegls, only about those who set up those holographic environments. But those were only a few low ranking Stiegls, who did not have information about any tactical plans, or any movements of other Stiegls or their positions. Their assimilation did not give us much information, none at all actually." "You mean these Stiegls are still around messing up the Galaxy?" "Yes." While the USS Thunderbolt officers look at the Borg drone in a bit of amazement, Chief of Operations Leeloo Brussels reports. "Captain, a Borg sphere very closeby at low warp. Our sensors indicate there is Stiegl life aboard. Apparently the Borg on this sphere have assimilated a Stiegl." Now all of the officers look again at the Borg drone. It is as if this drone is calculating before he speaks. "If you look closely to the sensor data, you will see that there is one Stiegl aboard the sphere. This Stiegl is not assimilated, but has masked himself as a Borg. The Collective will be convinced that this Stiegl is indeed a Borg. It is very cleverly done by the Stiegls. This Stiegl has access to al lthe Borg sphere's systems, he can use their subspace communications and infiltrate in the entire collective. If this Stiegl has acces to the Collective root commands, it can do a lot of damage to the collective all by himself." USS Thunderbolt Doctor George Ceuster is the first to make a comment. "So a few of those Stiegls can shut down all Borg activity?" But Chief Engineer Will Brussels, brother of Leeloo, is already a step ahead. "That would mean the Borg Collective is destroyed now or in the near future, the three Borg drones who we have gotten aboard in the future, in the 27th or 28th century, will never exsist, so they will no longer be aboard our vessel and... we will be in deep serious..." He doesn't finish his sentence. Everyone has understood that at this moment a time paradox could be created by the Stiegls. It is no use to think about it. Something has to be done. But what ? What will cause the destruction of the Borg Collective ? "Captain we are in transporter range of the Borg sphere with the Stiegl aboard." "Destroy this Borg sphere. It is better to destroy everything that is Stiegl and Borg. The Klingons would say: "It is a glorious day. We killed two enemies in one blow." USS Walang Countor of Trax is very pleased with the USS Walang staying at the Kiries home. He explains to the Kiries that his Trax ancestors also have met the Trum a long time ago and that he whishes to renew the possible friendship between the Trum and the Trax. The Kiries like the idea of friendship very much. They are very happy as they say. "We do not know how long we have lived. It seems we have lived for ever, but we do not know who was the first Kirie. We like our star. Sometimes a new Kirie comes out of the star, but this takes a long time. We have not seen a new Kirie for a long time. a new Kirie came out of the star, before our last visitor. That was a group of religious people who prayed at our star. They were very happy and very friendly. They did not stay long. They had to go home." It is clear the Kiries are very happy to see new visitors and they keep communicating in the old language of the Gsnodes, or Trum, as the Trax call them. But they learn fast and easy. Most of them can communicate in Federation standard language after only a few days. It is not exactly clear how the Kiries communicate, but it is some kind of telepathic wave they use. But Doctor Asdria Lopez has a report on the Kiries. "This is a fascinating species Captain. They communicate telepathicly, which is not really unusual, but their bodies contain an exoskeleton which has addapted to the heat and light of their star, or any star for that matter. I have never seen a life form like this. The Kiries do not need any kind of fluid or gas to survive and their energy comes from the light of their star. Their solar cells in their skin recharge organs, we would compair with chemical batteries. They don't have any kind of excretion. It is simply the perfect organisme. I am very jealous. As I understand they lived for thousands of years and they probably live for thousands of years, yes, maybe for ever. It made me realise how tiny the human species is, or any other species in the Federation. Well, back to work." After the report of the Doctor, Chief Engineer Varo Mensa has something to add. "I have been trying to figure out how the Kiries move through space and I think I have found the answer. The Kiries use their solar cells which they can manipulate in such a way that their star in fact pushes them or draws them near. I am not sure how far they can travel away from their star, but some of the Kiries have told me they have been outside this almost empty region of space and visited several stars as well. They always returned home. And their is another thing, our weapons are useless against these creatures. Some Kiries have asked that I should fire the ships weapons on them, even after I exp^lained that these weapons are only to defend ourselmves as a last resort, but it seems to me the Kiries like being fired upon. It is like giving candy to a child. What do you make of that?" "We will certainly not fire on any Kirie, because he wants some candy." It is clear the Kiries are a very interesting species and some scientists, and some of the Trax, already would like to stay for a much longer time. Some of the Engineers have already made a blueprint of a station which could serve as an observatory and communications station with the Kiries and the Federation. But their are also a group of Trax and Federation officers who want to move on. Listening to the Kiries stories about the Gsnodes, or Trum, as the Trax call them, is fine, but a meeting and a journey to the Trum new home planet should be the primary goal of this mission. If the USS Walang stops here at the Kiries home star, the mission of finding the Trum would fail. It seems it is unavoidable that the USS Walang will move on... But Captain Hendriks has a good point. "By going through this empty space we saved a lot of time. We could use this time to get to know the Kiries better. There's certainly a lot to learn, which could be to our advantage." USS Vertigo Day 120 7.10 Four suspicious men enter Quark's bar. They do not notice they are followed by Lieutenant Commander Matz. They sit down and order some drinks. When the drinks are put on the table, all four of them start arguing with the waiter. What starts aparently as an argument about drinks, ends with threats towards the waiter. Just as Quark himself plans to call security, one of the men suddenly has some kind of weapon in his hand. Just before he can fire at Quark, Lieutenant Commander Matz throws a chair towards him and he misses the shot. Day 120 7.21 The remaining three men grab their weapons as well, but they cannot fire. They are fired upon from all directions. Deep Space 9 security controls the situation and the four criminals are put away in holding cells. Before Quark can thank Lieutenant Commander Matz, she already has left the bar herself. She has some questions for the four criminals and she is also very curious about the weapons they were carrying. Weapons are not allowed on Deep Space 9 and are neutralized immediately by the station's security systems. Day 120 7.45 Lieutenant Commander Matz asks permission to take one of the confiscated weapons of the four criminals to her ship, USS Vertigo. But her request is denied. These weapons have to be examined. A moment later, totally unexpected, the four criminals, who didn't even said their names are found dead in their cell. Doctor Bashir is not able to determine the cause of death. After the examination of the weapons, it is clear, Stiegl technology is used... USS Iceberg Major Hawk is now known as Lieutenant Colonel Hawk, a promotion well deserved which also comes with his position on the USS Iceberg. But there is no time for celebrations. The USS Iceberg leaves the border of Lapmara space and sets course away from Lamara space... So it seems, but while the USS Iceberg travels at low warp, Marine Engineers have already modified a runabout, which now has such a low poser signature that even at high warp the USS Iceberg sensors themselves will not detect the runabout. The marines call it stealth mode, traveling at warp 2 maximum. When the limit of warp 2 is crossed, the runabout will be detected by any sensors. An hour after the USS Iceberg is out of Lamara sensor range, the runabout is launched, with Colonel Crow himself, Atad and Major Bell, who leaves his brother and Lieutenant Colonel Hawk behind on the ship. The runabout travels at warp 1.5 to Lamara space using the long range sensors to find the Lamara ships and evade them just in case. With Atad at the helm it is just a walk in the park. It seems to be to easy. But there has to be caution. When the runabout is in transporter range, Crow and Bell are transported to Lamara Prime on a location far away from the main city. According Atad they are not detected. It is a day walking to reach the city and both marines get on their way. Halfway the trip, they will camp to get into the city the next day. That is the plan, but after a good hour of marching they notice a aircraft. It is moving at high altitude but is coming their way, so they hide and scan the aircraft. To their amazement the aircraft has some serious amount of Stiegl technology aboard. It is clear now that the Stiegls are on Lamara Prime. Both marines realise almost at the same time they have to get as much information as they can get, but also be able to get that information to General Lembeck. It is at this time they are contacted in a scrambled channel by Atad. Time of this kind of communication is short. Otherwise the risk of detection is high. "Four Niner. Information Stiegls. Several structures, weapons factories, underground shipyards... everything..." Without acknowledging the message from Atad Crow and Bell activate the emergency transporter bands. A moment later they materialize on the runabout which immediately sets course to the Lamara border at warp 1.9, just within limits of no detection... "Colonel. I think we might have a problem. Two ships are on an intercept course. These are Lamara ships, but I cannot tell whether they have Stiegl technology aboard. They will intercept us at their current speed in sixteen minutes... Sir we have to get this information to General Lembeck." "Keep the speed lower than warp 2. We will take the risk and when it comes to it, I am sure that Atad gets us out of there. But for the time being, we'll keep our heading at warp 1.9 and if this works, the Stiegl will not know that we have been there. We'll see what the General has to say about this matter." USS Colorado An hour before Starbase 133 exploded and was completely destroyed, the USS Rapsody had left spacedock. The USS Rapsody is the closest ship to Starbase 133. That gives Commander Walker an idea and he addresses his Captain. "Captain we can asume that we have an intruder onboard. Let's do a personel check, see who came onboard that shouldn't be here. The Rapsody was the last ship to leave, you can order here to turn back, there might be survivors that got away in escape pods." "How do you plan to work this out." "Deck by deck, section by section. I'll have Mr Sonak put security teams together to go over the ship." "Do it." Commander Walker immediately starts the orders and contacts LT Sonak. "Mr Sonak report to the bridge." But LT Sonak is also contacted by LT Ally Jones in Engineering. "LT Sonak, this LT Jones, I have someone in engineering that shouldn't be here, he's not one of my staff. Can you send security." "I'll have a team send down, Sonak out." While LT Sonak sends a security detail to engineering, he steps onto the bridge, where Commander Walker adresses him. "Ah Mr Sonak you took your time. Lt. Jones report a intruder in engineering, the intruder should be in the brig by now. Mr Sonak, still I want you to put teams together for a ship search, we might have more than one intruder onboard. May I remind the Captain that we do not have a full security team for ship search. Do what you can Mr Sonak, Tom and I will put a team together and take this section of the ship, you take this section of the ship." The USS Rapsody is contacted. The USS Rapsody was already on its way back to Starbase 133 to see whether they were any survivors, but there is not much hope. Starbase 133 is completely destroyed. While the search on the USS Colorado has started the intruder in the brig is interrogated. At first he doesn't want to say anything, but under the threat of a mindmeld the intruder called Jodin Klinda, loses all resistance. "I am... Jodin Klinda... I am a Stiegl Agent... I can tell you... My life is over if they know. I live on a planet called Fortune... Hahahahaha... Bad fortune if you ask me... Hahahahahaha... The Stiegls took it and forced us to work for them or they would kill our families... I had nothing to do with the explosion of Starbase 133... There were more of us and spread out over the ships at Starbase 133... Hahahahaha... I didn't even had family on Fortune..." Of exhaustion Jodin Klinda falls down on the floor. The coordinates of the planet Fortune is now known and the USS Rapsody is again contacted, but without result. It is as if the USS Rapsody has disappeared. Incoming message to Captain Harrison USS Colorado From Starfleet Command Admiral Charles Vincent Captain Harrison, Relay station HJ-45 has detected the destruction of the USS Rapsody. Your ship, USS Colorado was the closest ship to the USS Rapsody. We believe you are in danger as well. Take every precaution. End of message Captain Harrison informs his senior officers about the warning while the USS Colorado is on its way to the planet Fortune. By the time the USS Colorado arrives at Fortune, the ship has been completely searched and nothing was found. It was clear Jodin Klinda was not able to sabotage the USS Colorado. But a strange thing has happened to the planet Fortune as Chief of Operations LT Doran reports. "Captain. On the planet we detect an entire civilisation, but there are no life signs. Structures are destroyed, cities seemed to have been attacked from orbit. Jordan Klinda is confronted with what happened on his planet, but Jodin only has more than a few words... "That was the end of my people... Just because we didn't fight them. Captain be careful. There are Stiegls on this planet although you cannot detect them with your sensors..." But Captain Harrison wants to send down an away team to one of the large cities, now destroyed. Then Chief Engineer LT Torak comes up with an idea. "Captain we can send an automated robot down to the planet first sir. LT Sonak and I have worked on that for a month now and we think the robot is ready and works perfectly." USS Alice Cooper "I'm telling You, Andrei, I was really there. Really! As much as I'm here, I was there!!", Jas insisted over his best friend's understandable doubt, skepticism joined scan by increasing concern... both men watching at the very same time their young children at play. "AII right, all right. Just calm down". "I am calm, darnnit ! Why don' t you believe me?" "Sorry. Okay. Let's go over this yet again, step-by-step". "Yeah, right. Okay. Whatever you say". "Good" Andrei relaxed at least a wee little bit nov, telling right thereafter his elder daughter -- Jenniboni Jr. -- to keep a closer watch on both her younger brother and sister... watching them all splashing around in the nearby pool... turning then his attention back to Jas once sure everything was all right at least where they were concerned. "Okay, now. According to what you said before you find yourself on this other, alternate, reality whenever you go to sleep. Correct ?" "Yes", Jas agreed, sitting in opposite the round pool-side table "They call it the 'Federation that ether wicker chair from where Andrei also sat... Universe', but that's only one. . . " "Hold on, okay. One thing at a time". "Okay". "Good. AII right then. And in this 'Federation Universe' you're an ambassador aboard a 'Federation' starship called the USS Alice Cooper-B?" "Yes!", Jas persisted in what Andrei was staring to believe another occurrence like before, his friend having already described in great detail bis 'other' life in that 'other reality'. "But you also insist you end up there at the age of forty, that you've also been there nearly a year". "Yes". "Which would make you forty-one years old when you, just today, woke up after a brief mid-day nap". "Yes!" "But you're only thirty-one as of just last April 8th. In order to be forty when you get trapped in this 'Federation Universe' of your's, that would make the year here 2927... ten years in the future!" "Yes", Jas agreed, all of a sudden not quite so sure of himself. "So how could you have just been there when, according to your own testimony, you first found yourself there nine years from now?" "Hey, bro, hold it right there! Are you trying to teIl me none of it ever happened. That it was all a dream. No way, Hosea! I was there. I could touch, teel, taste, smell, and see everything there as clearly as here. This was, by no stretch of the imagination, a mere dream! I know the difference between dreams and what's for a fact real". "No, not exactly. I'm not saying its nothing but a dream but, all the same, it sounds a lot like your, uh... experience, should I say... with Jim Styles and..." "Now hold it right there, boyfriend!", Jas almost jumped right out of bis seat, holding up all the same a hand in protest...