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current_story:a_grey_day_in_fall [2021/02/07 16:28] – cartercurrent_story:a_grey_day_in_fall [2021/02/07 21:04] (current) – carter
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 The drone belonged to Leah Warner. ISN reporter, former paramour of Republic's XO, and at present, officially appointed documentarian. She'd gotten the briefing all on film.  The drone belonged to Leah Warner. ISN reporter, former paramour of Republic's XO, and at present, officially appointed documentarian. She'd gotten the briefing all on film. 
  
-The job was simple enough: Get Republic to Sutter's Moon, use the ship's advanced sensors and particle projector pods, as well as some swiftly fabricated graviton anchors, thanks to Maria Pikita's engineering department, to counteract local gravimetric fluctuations, and stabilize the moon's orbit. Then the science and engineering teams would begin using terraforming techniques to repair the damage being caused by said local stellar instability. +The job was simple enough: Get Republic to Sutter's Moon, use the ship's advanced sensors and particle projector pods, as well as some swiftly fabricated graviton anchors, thanks to Maria Pikita's engineering department, to counteract local gravimetric fluctuations, and stabilize the moon's orbit. Then, the science and engineering teams would begin using terraforming techniques to repair the damage being caused by said local stellar instability. 
  
 Leah Warner would film key parts of the operation itself, and then package the whole affair into a solid win for Starfleet, and the Federation. Something to quiet the nervous voices that had begun to grouse about President Kostya's antagonistic 'Home Rule' policies. Ms. Warner herself was observing the meeting from the far corner of the ready room, and quickly used her wrist-mounted control PADD to move the drone a discrete distance away. Leah Warner would film key parts of the operation itself, and then package the whole affair into a solid win for Starfleet, and the Federation. Something to quiet the nervous voices that had begun to grouse about President Kostya's antagonistic 'Home Rule' policies. Ms. Warner herself was observing the meeting from the far corner of the ready room, and quickly used her wrist-mounted control PADD to move the drone a discrete distance away.
  
-Next to his Captain, gave a sour look. “Right.” He said to the assembled crew. “We drop out of warp in 90 minutes...mark.” He looked to Pikita, who was dutifully checking details on her own PADD. “Pikita, I'll check in with you first, and then work my way up until we end with Astrometrics just before go time.” He said. “Dismissed.”     +Next to his Captain, Nat Hawk gave a sour look. “Right.” He said to the assembled crew. “We drop out of warp in 90 minutes...mark.” He looked to Pikita, who was dutifully checking details on her own PADD. “Pikita, I'll check in with you first, and then work my way up until we end with Astrometrics just before go time.” He said. “Dismissed.”     
  
 The rest of the staff in attendance pushed away from the briefing table and exited the room. Nat Hawk watch the staff go, with the notable exception of Chase Meridian, the ship's Diplomatic Officer, and then got up from his own chair before Kim Roth turned to him. “It's a big job, Hawk.” She said. The rest of the staff in attendance pushed away from the briefing table and exited the room. Nat Hawk watch the staff go, with the notable exception of Chase Meridian, the ship's Diplomatic Officer, and then got up from his own chair before Kim Roth turned to him. “It's a big job, Hawk.” She said.
  
-Nat Hawk nodded in agreement. “True enough.” He agreed. “But the plan is solid, and if this was gonna happen anyway, we're on the right boat for it, Captain.”+Hawk nodded in agreement. “True enough.” He agreed. “But the plan is solid, and if this was gonna happen anyway, we're on the right boat for it, Captain.”
  
-Roth nodded. Her XO had a point. The previous Republic had been a Galaxy Class starship; still widely regarded as the “Queens of Starfleet”. Originally designed for a 30 year service life, the Galaxy class had been designed for long-term exploration and first contact missions. Her scientific and engineering facilities were excellent, but there had been important strides made in astrometric engineering, material fabrication, and miniaturization since the Galaxy, Odyssey, and Enterprise-D had proven the efficacy of the class itself. As a result, though the Luna class starships were far smaller than the Galaxy class, they were far more suited to missions exactly like the one Republic was about to drop into. Her sensors were more precise and sensitive, and the replicator system could run longer, and cycle through projects faster than on other ships. Roth still preferred the larger classes she'd grown used to in her more recent postings, but she conceded that Hawk was correct. “Right place, right time, I suppose.”+Roth nodded. Her XO had a point. The previous Republic had been a Galaxy Class starship; still widely regarded as the “Queens of Starfleet”. Originally designed for a 30 year service life, the Galaxy class was designed for long-term exploration and first contact missions. Her scientific and engineering facilities were excellent, but there had been important strides made in astrometric engineering, material fabrication, and miniaturization since the Galaxy, Odyssey, and Enterprise-D had proven the efficacy of the class. Accordingly, though the Luna class starships were far smaller than the Galaxy class, they were far more suited to missions exactly like the one Republic was about to drop into. Her sensors were more precise and sensitive, and the replicator system could run longer, and cycle through projects faster than on other ships. Roth still preferred the larger classes she'd grown used to in her more recent postings, but she conceded that Hawk was correct. “Right place, right time, I suppose.”
  
 “Yes, Sir.” Hawk agreed. “Pikita ran the numbers. If she says we're good, we're good.” “Yes, Sir.” Hawk agreed. “Pikita ran the numbers. If she says we're good, we're good.”
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 “And THAT'S ANOTHER THING!” the president fumed again. “He's just... just... there! And that damned radical bitch doesn't even have him in the brig!” “And THAT'S ANOTHER THING!” the president fumed again. “He's just... just... there! And that damned radical bitch doesn't even have him in the brig!”
  
-At that, Malia felt her spine stiffen. She sat up, steepled her fingers in front of her, and spoke with icy firmness. “That 'radical bitch', Mr. President, is a hero of the Dominion War, and... to put it bluntly, sir, is folk-hero to the Bajoran people. You do NOT want to tangle with Kira Nerys.”  +At that, Malia felt her spine stiffen. She sat up, steepled her fingers in front of her, and spoke with icy firmness. “That 'radical bitch', Mr. President, is a hero of the Dominion War, and... to put it bluntly, sir, a folk-hero to the Bajoran people. You do NOT want to tangle with Kira Nerys.”  
  
 Kostya rolled his eyes. Kostya rolled his eyes.
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-“By the Prophets!” Cail Jarin cursed as he looked at his sensor repeater screen. “Look at that soup!” His surprise was well-warranted. A typical star like the one that held sway over Sutter's World, which was actually the largest of four moons in the system, orbiting the large, lifeless, mostly iron sphere, had a predictable cycle of flares and radiation which made up it's systemic behavior. The star in this system however, was anything but typical.+“By the Prophets!” Cail Jarin cursed as he looked at his sensor repeater screen. “Look at that soup!” His surprise was well-warranted. A typical star like the one that held sway over Sutter's World, the largest of four moons in the system. The moon orbited a large, lifeless, mostly iron sphere. The star in this system however, was anything but typical.
  
-Jarin didn't know precisely how, but his screen confirmed that there was a ridiculously high amount of background radiation in the system, which was making his deciphering of what was actually going on on Sutter's moon that much harder.+Jarin didn't know precisely how, but his screen confirmed that there was a ridiculously high amount of background radiation in the system, which was making deciphering what was actually going on around Sutter's moon that much harder.
  
 “Easy Mr. Cail.” Kim Roth cautioned from the center seat. “Give Astrometrics a chance to do their work.” “Easy Mr. Cail.” Kim Roth cautioned from the center seat. “Give Astrometrics a chance to do their work.”
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 All the same, Roth admitted, at least to herself, that she was putting on a brave face. Since dropping out of warp, Republic had been forced to make numerous course corrections, and the ship had re-routed a substantial percentage of auxiliary power to the shield emitters to compensate for the surprising amount of charged particles the local star now throwing off. This was worse than the unexpected 'gravimetric shearing' the crew had been told to expect. All the same, Roth admitted, at least to herself, that she was putting on a brave face. Since dropping out of warp, Republic had been forced to make numerous course corrections, and the ship had re-routed a substantial percentage of auxiliary power to the shield emitters to compensate for the surprising amount of charged particles the local star now throwing off. This was worse than the unexpected 'gravimetric shearing' the crew had been told to expect.
  
-A few seconds later, information from Republic's advanced sensor suite routed through the Astrometrics lab, where T'mer Graq, head of the Science Department, had been laboring with a few other hand-picked officers, to 'cut to the chase', as Nat Hawk had said to them. Republic had access to more incoming information than anyone could use, thanks to her particularly versatile sensors, now the computers in Astrometrics, with a little help from software written by Graq's science team went to work, filtering out what the crew needed to perceive and react to from what it didn't. Thanks to their efficiency and creativity Cail Jarin's view of local space soon cleared up.+A few seconds later, information from Republic's advanced sensor suite routed through the Astrometrics lab, where Chief Science Officer T'mer Graq, had labored with a few other hand-picked officers, to 'cut to the chase', as Nat Hawk had said. Republic had access to more incoming information than anyone could use, thanks to her particularly versatile sensors, now the computers in Astrometrics, with a little help from software written by Graq's science team went to work, filtering out what the crew needed to perceive and react to from what they didn't. Thanks to their efficiency and creativity Cail Jarin's view of local space soon cleared up.
  
 “Filters are in place Captain.” He confirmed. “Showing gravitational stresses on the viewer now.” “Filters are in place Captain.” He confirmed. “Showing gravitational stresses on the viewer now.”
  
-A complex series of over-lapping spheres, marked in blue, and force vectors, marked in red, showed the key points at which the orbit of Sutter's moon and the stronger gravimetrics from the star would dangerously intersect. Six bright orange blooms were then superimposed over  the surface of Sutter's Moon on the viewer. These were the points where Maria Pikita's Engineering team, and Republic's robust industrial replicators would have to go to work.+A complex series of over-lapping spheres, marked in blue, and force vectors, marked in red, showed the key points at which the orbit of Sutter's moon and the stronger gravimetrics from the star would dangerously intersect. Six bright orange blooms were then superimposed over  the surface of Sutter's Moon on the viewer. These were the points where Maria Pikita's Engineering team, and Republic's robust industrial replicators would go to work.
  
 From the XO's position on Roth's right, Nat Hawk engaged the comm.  From the XO's position on Roth's right, Nat Hawk engaged the comm. 
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 =/\= Already pushing them out the door, Sir. =/\= =/\= Already pushing them out the door, Sir. =/\=
  
-Just after the initial briefing on the situation on Sutter's Moon, Maria Pikita and her engineers got to work brainstorming. The instability in the local star had cause a 'wobble' in the normally stable orbit of the moon. Pikita's first thought, naturally, had been to change the gravitational constant of the universe. She'd smiled inwardly at that, wondering if somewhere... wherever he was, Victor Virtus had just sat bolt upright, somehow knowing that his protege was having chaotically dangerous thoughts. She liked to think 'The Chief', as she still considered Virtus was smiling at that too.+Just after the initial briefing on Sutter's Moon, Maria Pikita and her engineers began brainstorming. The instability in the local star had cause a 'wobble' in the normally stable orbit of the moon. Pikita's first thought, naturally, had been to change the gravitational constant of the universe. She'd smiled inwardly at that, wondering if somewhere... wherever he was, Victor Virtus had just sat bolt upright, knowing that his protege was having chaotically dangerous thoughts. She liked to think 'The Chief', as she still considered Virtus was smiling at that too.
  
-However, since neither she nor Republic had the power to solve this the easy way, they were going to have to settle for overly complicated. In this case, that meant replicating several gravitic anchor units; six in all, and placing them at precise locations in orbit around Sutter's Moon itself.+However, since neither she nor Republic had the power to solve this the easy way, they were going to have to settle for overly complicated. In this case, that meant replicating several gravitic anchor units; six in all, and placing them at precise locations in orbit around Sutter's Moon.
  
-In practical application, gravitic anchors were used extensively by the Romulan Star Empire, and some other smaller galactic powers, to aid in the harvesting of exotic particles from powerful cosmic phenomena. The Romulans themselves had a penchant for collecting what they called 'Aer'measa', or super-mesons which are integral to the construction of the forced quantum singularities which power most ships of their star navy. Other races such as the Breen and Tholians use the particles in the manufacture of advanced alloys.+In practical application, gravitic anchors were used extensively by the Romulan Star Empire, and smaller galactic powers, to aid in the harvesting of exotic particles from powerful cosmic phenomena. The Romulans themselves had a penchant for collecting what they called 'Aer'measa', or super-mesons, which were integral to the construction of the forced quantum singularities which powered most ships of their star navy. Other races such as the Breen and Tholians use the particles in the manufacture of advanced alloys.
  
-Here and now, Republic's Engineering brain trust had replicated six large, orbital gravimetric anchors. Once fabricated, they would be beamed to the Titan class ship's fantail, and the shuttle deck would be depressurized. Using the ship's advanced multi-axial tractor beam array, each anchor would be towed and dropped to a precise spot in orbit around Sutter's Moon. The anchors would then be networked, and, in concert with the information gained from the Astrometrics and Stellar Cartography sections, the anchors would send out create precisely modulated sub-atomic fields. The anchors would effectively act as a sort of electromagnet breakwater, to cancel out the erratic behavior of the system's star, and allow Sutter's Moon to slip into it's new, modified orbit, with the anchors now permanently in place to ensure that the moon's orbit remained stable and unmolested by the system star.+Here and now, the orbital gravimetric anchors would be beamed to the Titan class ship's fantail, and the shuttle deck would be depressurized. Using the ship's advanced multi-axial tractor beam array, each anchor would be towed and dropped to it's coordinates. The anchors would then be networked, and, in concert with the information gained from the Astrometrics and Stellar Cartography sections, would send out precisely modulated sub-atomic fields. These fields would effectively act as a sort of electromagnetic breakwater, to cancel out the erratic behavior of the system's star, and allow Sutter's Moon to slip into it's new, modified orbit. With the anchors now permanently in place, the moon's orbit should remain stable and unmolested by the system star.
  
 True to her word, Pikita had already replicated and modified each anchor unit, and the personnel on the flight deck were now guiding them into place with powerful tractor beams. True to her word, Pikita had already replicated and modified each anchor unit, and the personnel on the flight deck were now guiding them into place with powerful tractor beams.
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 Leah Warner had left her camera drone on the bridge, and was observing the mission to rescue Sutter's Moon from what she thought was the best seat in the house. Thanks to timely intervention from Chase Meridian, the reporter had been granted special access to the observation blister, normally off limits to civilians, which was part of the 'mission pod'; a design feature unique to the Titan class. Leah Warner had left her camera drone on the bridge, and was observing the mission to rescue Sutter's Moon from what she thought was the best seat in the house. Thanks to timely intervention from Chase Meridian, the reporter had been granted special access to the observation blister, normally off limits to civilians, which was part of the 'mission pod'; a design feature unique to the Titan class.
  
-Most Federation starships had a saucer, or elliptical shaped primary hull which housed most crew quarters and command and mission areas, and a secondary or 'engineering' hull which typically housed the warp core, dilithium matrix, EPS controls, and main engineering itself, which was, structurally speaking, the largest single section of the ship. On Titan class starships however, there was a third area of the vessel; the Mission Pod. This was a small module mounted on the dorsal axis of the ship, suspended above and behind the main bridge, similar to the large radomes on antique command and control aircraft from Earth's pre-warp past. By design, this pod could be swapped out depending on assignment, to mount a variety of different pieces of equipment. Some configurations mounted additional photon torpedo launchers or electronic warfare modules. In Republic's case, the mission pod contained additional sensor units which gave the ship a longer range, higher sensitivity, and better data resolution. All of which were vital in the crew's understanding, and solving of, the current crisis.+Most Federation starships had a saucer, or elliptical shaped primary hull which housed most crew quarters, command, and mission areas, and a secondary or 'engineering' hull which housed the warp core, dilithium matrix, EPS controls, and main engineering itself; structurally speaking, the largest single section of the ship.  
 + 
 +On Titan class starships, there was a third area of the vessel; the Mission Pod. This was a small module mounted on the dorsal axis of the ship, above and behind the main bridge. It was similar to the large radomes on antique command and control aircraft from Earth's pre-warp past. By design, this pod could be swapped out depending on assignment, to mount a variety of different pieces of equipment. Some configurations mounted additional photon torpedo launchers or electronic warfare modules. In Republic's case, the mission pod contained additional sensor units which gave the ship a longer range, higher sensitivity, and better data resolution. All of which were vital in the crew's understanding and solving of the current crisis.
  
 Leah had to agree to wear an EVA suit while in the mission pod's observation blister. This she gladly did, since it allowed her, and more importantly her hand-held tri-vid recorder to capture a bird's eye view of the rescue and recovery operation. Leah had to agree to wear an EVA suit while in the mission pod's observation blister. This she gladly did, since it allowed her, and more importantly her hand-held tri-vid recorder to capture a bird's eye view of the rescue and recovery operation.
 +From her vantage point, and from what she'd been able to gather from the briefing, everything was going as expected. Four of the six gravitic anchors had been towed into place. 
  
-From her vantage point, and from what she'd been able to gather from the briefing, everything was going as expected. Four of the six gravitic anchors had been towed into place. Warner found herself awaiting the next step of the mission, which should have been the launch of several shuttle craft containing medical and engineering teams to help deal with medical emergencies, and any damage to the various settlements on Sutter's Moon which had occurred before Republic's arrival. As Leah panned her camera around the amazing view the observation blister afforded her, she noted that the shuttles hadn't yet launched. She as about to tap her comm badge and check in with the bridge, when her world began to spin!+Warner found herself awaiting the next step of the mission, which should have been the launch of several shuttle craft containing medical and engineering teams to help deal with medical emergencies, and damage to the various settlements on the moon which had occurred before Republic's arrival. As Leah panned her camera around the amazing view the observation blister afforded her, she noted that the shuttles hadn't yet launched. She as about to tap her comm badge and check in with the bridge, when her world began to spin!
  
  
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-“Confirmed, XO!” Cail Jarin shouted from the forward Ops position on the bridge. “Anchor five is out of alignment and not in sync. The others are stable and awaiting activation.+“Confirmed, XO!” Cail Jarin shouted from the forward Ops position on the bridge. “Anchor five is out of alignment and not in sync. The others are stable and awaiting activation."
  
 “Can we correct from here?” Kim Roth asked. “Can we correct from here?” Kim Roth asked.
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 ---- ----
  
 +<UFP President's Residence. Somolensk, Russian commonwealth, Sol III.> 
 + 
 “Feed off.” Vladimir Kostya ordered his media controller. Obediently, the screen went black. After a moment sitting alone in the darkness Kostya spoke to no one in particular; save perhaps the voices in his own head. “Enjoy your bread and circuses.” He spat the words out. “I have work to do.” “Feed off.” Vladimir Kostya ordered his media controller. Obediently, the screen went black. After a moment sitting alone in the darkness Kostya spoke to no one in particular; save perhaps the voices in his own head. “Enjoy your bread and circuses.” He spat the words out. “I have work to do.”
  
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 =/\= “Acknowledged.” =/\= =/\= “Acknowledged.” =/\=
  
-“Effective this Stardate. Local reckoning November 23rd 2384. I am ordering all available vessels and personal to be re-assigned, per my authority as Commander in Chief of Starfleet, to carry our Operation: Righteous Endeavor. To whit, the immediate re-taking and holding in perpetuity, of the rightful Federation colony world of Cestus III.”+“Effective this Stardate. Local reckoning November 23rd 2384. I am ordering all available vessels and personal to be re-assigned, per my authority as Commander in Chief of Starfleet, to carry out Operation: Righteous Endeavor. To whit, the immediate re-taking and holding in perpetuity, of the rightful Federation colony world of Cestus III.”
  
 The computer beeped in acknowledgment. The computer beeped in acknowledgment.
  
 .0027 seconds later. The order was transmitted, and the Federation was at war.               .0027 seconds later. The order was transmitted, and the Federation was at war.              
current_story/a_grey_day_in_fall.1612715295.txt.gz · Last modified: 2021/02/07 16:28 by carter

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