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Returning from missions into the Beta Quadrant, members of Task Force Hurq Mevik find themselves drawn into another conflict that could make them new enemies just as dangerous as the Breen or the Scryer…
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Shift Time: Sunday, Oct 18, Alpha-1
Audience: Klingon and allies
Event Type: Social RP
Starting Point: Fleet Starbase
OOC point of contact: @anncarise
NPK@annpc#5570 | On the way back to the Zenas Expanse, Sadia and the other task force members suddenly receive a highly secure priority communication from a nearby KDF relay…
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: to comms Put it through.
NPK@annpc#5570 | A familiar looking Klingon in Klingon Intelligence armour appears on the screen, “Captain Cynis. Tabadi Lorri. Captain Egzo. This is Commander Qu’Run of Imperial Intelligence. We have spoken before on the V’Ku matter.”
Egzo@HF_Mudd squints, trying to remember…
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Commander. Considering the priority, I guess no good news on that field?
NPK@annpc#5570 | Qu’Run: “On that field you’ve done very well. What remains of House V’Ku has predictably cast their lot with the rebels, but thanks to you, there’s not much left of them. This call concerns another somewhat related matter, however.”
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: shifts in her chair, listening
NPK@annpc#5570 | Qu’Run: “During your battle with D’othak, Son of V’Ku, he warped his ship into Sheliak space and was subsequently destroyed by the Sheliak. We do not have eyes within Sheliak space, but we have eyes /around/ it.”
[Local] NPK@annpc#5570: | Qu’Run: “We have recently detected a Sheliak fleet emerging from their territory, and unless they have a score to settle with the Breen that we are not aware of, they are coming for you.”
NPK@annpc#5570 | Qu’Run: “It seems even in death, V’Ku continues to pose a problem.”
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Even from Grethor he spits at us, eh? How big fleet are we talking about?
Egzo@HF_Mudd makes a face at that.
NPK@annpc#5570 | Qu’Run: “Seventy-seven including support vessels. More than the Breen fleet you engaged at Starbase 151. The Sheliak do not play around.”
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: leans forward This’ll get many a warrior’s blood boiling for sure. Did the Sheliak issue any official statements?
NPK@annpc#5570 | Qu’Run: “Only this.”
Egzo@HF_Mudd mutters, “This’ll be good.”
NPK@annpc#5570 FX | The screen changes to rows of Klingon text, and a voice reading it, “Klingon creatures. You have violated the sanctity of our space. Your purge will commence.”
NPK@annpc#5570 | Qu’Run appears on the viewscreen again, “They do not distinguish between House V’Ku and other Klingons, and they will likely not distinguish between your task force and the rest of the Empire.”
[Local] NPK@annpc#5570: Should you fail to show them our strength here, they will likely send their ships into the rest of Imperial space. And I need not tell you that this is a very…inconvenient time."
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: leans back I can imagine. Do we have any intel on their combat capabilities?
NPK@annpc#5570 | Qu’Run: “Minimal. Their isolationist and xenophobic nature makes it difficult to gather intelligence on their technological development outside of wars. We possess only long-range scan data of their fleet composition.”
NPK@annpc#5570 | Qu’Run: “Apart from that, there has been only one encounter with their vessels in recent times, when a Federation starship mediated a dispute between them and the Ferengi.”
Egzo@HF_Mudd nods sourly. “Like try’na get touchy-feely on a horta.”
NPK@annpc#5570 | Qu’Run: “Starfleet has shared their data with us, but we have not yet procured anything from the Ferengi. They may have more information. That said, information is not the only thing you will need.”
NPK@annpc#5570 | Qu’Run: "We do not believe the Sheliak will offer you the luxury of using your starbase in the defense as the Breen did. We do not understand the Sheliak as much as they do not understand us, but we
[Local] NPK@annpc#5570: - have studied their battle tactics. Should they reach Starbase 151, they will not throw their ships at it like fools. They will most likely set a blockade and starve you.
NPK@annpc#5570 | Qu’Run: "That would not normally be a problem, but the Empire is in no position to send you reinforcements with the current internal turmoil, and the Federation will never risk their precious
[Local] NPK@annpc#5570: - treaty with the Sheliak by intervening. I suggest you seek other allies in this fight."
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: nods This is a worthy challenge. What’s the ETA for the fleet? How much time do we have
NPK@annpc#5570 | Qu’Run: “They wil reach the Expanse in a little over one month. If you carry out interference raids with your raiders, you may be able to delay their arrival further.”
[Team] NPK@annpc#5570: I’m hoping to have the big showdown before Christmas so we can have a big party event heh
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: We will definitely make their trek to SB 151 as painful as possible.
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: They do not sound as someone willing to listen to the reason or evidence, if they sent an entire fleet after one ship’s suicidal attack.
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: “They really ain’t, no.”
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Send us all the relevant info you have. We will see to it that Sheliak fleet never reaches the beta quadrant.
NPK@annpc#5570 | Qu’Run: “From my understanding, the Sheliak view other forms of life as inferior. They tolerate our presence outside their territory, just as we tolerate vermin outside of our homes.”
NPK@annpc#5570 | Qu’Run: “But if we find them in our homes, we would seek to exterminate them before they become an infestation. That is the closest analogy I can offer to how the Sheliak think of us.”
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Tch! Well, they’ll see that this “vermin” has more than just teeth to defend itself. Thank you for the warning, commander. Anything other advice you can provide for this situation?
NPK@annpc#5570 | Qu’Run: “I will send you all the data we have on them. I would also suggest that you seek assistance from the OSN and the Cardassians as well as any local allies in the Expanse.”
NPK@annpc#5570 | Qu’Run looks to Lorri, “It may not seem to be in your interests, but the Sheliak respect the word of law. They will, however, refuse to sign a treaty unless you demonstrate your strength.”
NPK@annpc#5570 | Qu’Run: “If you can convince your Tabadi’s Circle to join in this coming battle, your government will have a place in whatever accords are made with the Sheliak once they are defeated. That will prevent any trouble between you and the Sheliak in the future.”
Lorri@crystyll nods, “We can handle it.”
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: We will do what we can, but I’m skeptical we’ll get much assistance aside from the most steadfast allies glances at Lorri. I see no reason why Cardassians, Ferengi or other local powers would go
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: - out of their way to fight against someone who they never had any quarrels with.
NPK@annpc#5570 | Qu’Run: "The Sheliak will not enter Federation space due to their treaty. So unless they want to take a years-long detour, they will have to pass through Cardassian space. I doubt they will
[Local] NPK@annpc#5570: - be thrilled to have a fleet with such wanton disregard for life crossing their territory. But the Cardassians will certainly not be easy to convince either."
NPK@annpc#5570 | Qu’Run: "You may be able to talk the Ferengi into selling you information on the Sheliak, but we understand they also have some form of agreement with them. I do not expect them to lend any
[Local] NPK@annpc#5570: - ships or other assistance that would antagonize the Sheliak."
Egzo@HF_Mudd snorts and shakes his head
NPK@annpc#5570 | Qu’Run: "Aside from those, you know the Expanse better than I. You may be able to find allies from the powers within. After all, if the Sheliak drive the Empire away, they will likely have to
[Local] NPK@annpc#5570: - deal with the Sheliak, and the Sheliak are anything but easy to deal with."
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Unless we hire their “privateers”. Well, we better start brainstorming . to Qu’Run Well, they’ll have trouble talking to them at all, seems like.
NPK@annpc#5570 | Qu’Run nods, "It will benefit the locals much more for them to help us with the shooting.
NPK@annpc#5570 | Qu’Run: "This is all I have for you at the moment. I will pass on all the intel we possess, and let you know if we find more.
NPK@annpc#5570 | Qu’Run: “Do not let the Sheliak reach the Beta Quadrant. The Empire is counting on your task force.”
Egzo@HF_Mudd mutters, “Also if they do, we’re all dead.”
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: chuckles I’d add, “like our lives depend on it”, but they actually do. Kodon will enjoy making a story out of this
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: I’ll keep you posted on our progress, commander. Qapla’!
NPK@annpc#5570 | Qu’Run nods, “Qapla’, H’urq Mevik!” He gives the traditional Klingon salute before the comm ends.
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: starts fritting her hands Ooooo boy, am I the only one excited for this?
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: OPS, display the provided data on the Sheliak fleet.
[Local]Egzo@HF_Mudd: “ehhh, I prefer my fights t’ be unfair on /our/ side…”
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: And that’s what we must work on, right? Uneven the score in our favor. to Lorri Tabadi, what do you think
[Local] Lorri@crystyll: “I think a smarter approach than simply fighting them to the death is called for.”
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: I guess we are all in agreement then.
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Okay, we are still on the way home, so we are practically closest to the Sheliak fleet.
[Local] Egzo@HF_Mudd: “You wanna swing by and take a look, or what?”
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: A fleet so large cannot move fast or it will endanger support vessels…
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: to Egzo I want you to shadow them, and collect as much information about their ship composition, support vessel positioning, weapon and defense configurations of their combat ships.
NPK@annpc#5570 FX | The screen shows the data on the Sheliak fleet, comprised of 16 cruisers, 16 lighter cruisers, 36 frigates and 9 smaller ships closer to Federation escorts than raiders
NPK@annpc#5570 | There is detail only on the heaviest cruisers, showing a ship built to both take hits and when positioned properly, deal heavy hits from the front of its ship. The design is clearly meant to be
[Local] NPK@annpc#5570: - used as part of a fleet formation, built for war as opposed to Starfleet-style self-sufficient cruiser designs
Egzo@HF_Mudd glances over the scouting report and nods. “On it.”
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Once we get that info, we can organize our raider and merc forces and start harassing their support/supply vessels. I believe you are the best qualified on this matter
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: to Lorri Tabadi, think you can negotiate a deal with the Ferengi for the data they have on the Sheliak.
[Local] Lorri@crystyll: “We have a few channels with them. I’ll see what I can do.”
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Also, when you’re there, please contact their mercenary guild and put a bounty on Sheliak vessels. Whatever standard fares regarding ship sizes are used plus a small bonus. I am opening my “rainy days” funds for this.
Lorri@crystyll nods.
Egzo@HF_Mudd chips in, “Doubt you’ll find a lotta takers… but every bit helps.”
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: I’ll be heading off to SB 151 to organize defenses and cash in whatever favors we have with our local allies and…acquaintances.
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: to Egzo Smart ones will group up, and try to make a hit or two on the outliers.
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: If anything, it might make opening for your own stealth squads to sneak and hit where it hurts.
[Local] Sadia@gulremal: Anyhow, we’ve got work to do. That Sheliak fleet will curse the day they set out to pick a fight with us!