Ticonderoga Mission 02: "Standing Tall"

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Stardate 20808.01
Rear Admiral Joseph Daher:

The Ticonderoga crew's shoreleave was cut short when news of a Romulan attack on a Federation frigate in Federation space reached us. We were ordered to Starbase 157, where a Federation fleet was being built up to combat the growing Romulan threat. While there, the Romulans also attacked and destroyed one of our starbases.

Faced with this blatant and unprovoked agression, the Federation Council officially declared war against the Romulan Star Empire after being asked to by President Jon Beckett in a speech broadcast to the entire Federation.

After a meeting of the top flag officers and COs in the area, Starbase 157 was put on high alert when intelligence reports indicated that it and Acamar were likely to be targetted by attack next. The ships at Starbase 157 were scrambled to defend the base when intelligence reports turned out to be true.

Captain's Logs

Cdr Paul Braggins

Stardate 20805.20

Stardate 20805.20
Commander Paul Braggins:

My first week on the Ticonderoga has only just ended, and already I'm finding myself in charge while Admiral Daher meets with other important people aboard Starbase One-Five-Seven. I don't know what the brass are discussing, but being this close to the Neutral Zone makes me feel uneasy...

Since the Red Alert was called, I've been wondering to myself whether or not this is just an excercise, a show of force or something of a more sinister nature. I'm hoping it's not the latter. To make matters worse, some of the crew are visibly affected by the situation - most probably because of the events surrounding their previous mission.

On a more positive note, the new additions to the crew seem to have settled in very well. Lieutenant Bradford has turned out to be a confident Department Head despite her young age, and I'm glad to see that the others have welcomed her with open arms. Our new Doctor; Lieutenant Sheriashu, has been working tirelessly in Sickbay to keep her Medical teams on their toes and ready for any eventuality...

I think we might need their services soon...

If push does come to shove and the Romulans cross the border, I wonder...are these people ready for a full-out war?

I guess we'll find out soon enough...

End Log.

Stardate 20806.01

Stardate 20806.01
Commander Paul Braggins:

Not good...

The amassed fleet was just attacked by a strike group of a dozen Romulan Light Cruisers. The sudden and unprovoked attack caught us off guard, and at least one vessel is confirmed destroyed.

The Ticonderoga has taken some damage, caused when a cargo ship transferring Quantum Torpedoes was destroyed off our aft quarter...the Damage Control teams have not reported in yet, but the damage to Decks Fifty-Five and Fifty-Six is expected to be severe...

We have also suffered our first casualty of the mission, from what I have read, Chief Petty Officer McNamara was a competent crewman and he will be sorely missed by his friends and colleagues.

I hope we do not suffer any more casualties on this mission...although experience tells me that we'll be taking more people home in body bags.

I just hope that the meeting that we were brought here for was worth it...I guess we'll find out when Admiral Daher returns...

If we survive that long...

End Log.

RAdm Joseph Daher

Stardate 20806.06

Stardate 20806.06
Rear Admiral Joseph Daher:

After the first wave of Romulan attack forces retreated, I transported back to the Tico since conluding the meeting with Admiral Thrawn and the other high-ranking members of the fleet.

Admiral Tei, commander of the Romulan assault force, gave us one hour to evacuate the station and surrender the sector. Obviously, we are not going to surrender and the Romulans, as I expected, did not keep to their timeframe.

The Ticonderoga and five other ships including the MacArthur and New Orleans, were assigned as forward defense for the entire Star Fleet task force. Positioned 250,000 kilometers from Starbase 157, we began conducting tachyon and antiproton sweeps to detect incoming cloaked Romulan vessels.

We didn't have to wait long. So far we've detected dozens of Romulan ships - which are far more than our initial estimates projected. And they have now decloaked and engage our forces. My six-ship task force has been engaged by a Romulan battlecruiser, two light cruisers, and two scouts. I've ordered our escorts after the more highly manueverable scouts - but only to a point; I don't want them to stray to far from our defenses, which is what the Romulans may be trying to do - and the rest of the group will take on the remaning three heavier ships.

After years of peace, it has all come down to this. Despite my own preconceptions about Romulans, I also despise war. But make no mistake; I won't allow their severe act of agression to go unanswered.

End Log.

Stardate 20806.20

Stardate 20806.20
Rear Admiral Joseph Daher:

The battle has been ongoing for the past several minutes and it appears, at least for the moment, that my task force has the upper hand. Of the Romulan forces that have engaged us, two frigates and one scout have been destroyed. We have also dealt serious damage to their battlecruiser which has cloaked and presumably withdrawn.

For our side, we've lost the destroyer MacAruthur and the escort Chiron is completely disabled. With a numbers advantage and our two frigates, New Orleans and Miami, still at full strength, we'll try to take out the remaining Romulan vessels in our area and rejoin the rest of the Federation fleet near Starbase 157.

End Log.

Stardate 20806.29

Stardate 20806.29
Rear Admiral Joseph Daher:

Things have taken a turn for the worse. While we managed to destroy or cripple several of the Romulan vessels, our fleet has also taken signifcant losses. The Enterprise has been destroyed with hands aboard. And the Tico has suffered extensive damage. A warp core breach was imminent and the core was unable to be ejected. I gave the order to abandon ship and hopefully all of the crew manages to escape.

End Log.

Supplemental

SUPPLEMENTAL
Rear Admiral Joseph Daher:

After apparently experience some sort of temporal anomaly most likely caused by one of the Romulan quantum singularity drives, we managed to force the Romulans to withdraw. Although no one on any ship is really quite sure what happened – we all seem to feel out of place, or time rather – what I do remember about… the future? was nothing good.

We, along with the New Orleans and Beljawsky, have completed rescue operations, but the casualty reports distressing – there were upwards of 650 fatalities in the Ticonderoga’s task force alone. No word on the rest of the fleet yet, but it can’t imagine it’s much better.

Now that the battle is over and we’ve “won”, reinforcements should be arriving soon to fortify the base against another attack. We’re heading back to Starbase 157 to meet with the other commanders so we can hopefully go on the offensive… and take this fight to the Romulans.

End Log.

Stardate 20807.27

Stardate 20807.27
Rear Admiral Joseph Daher:

Now that things in Sector 228 have calmed down, Star Fleet is sure to launch some sort of counter-attack, if only to regain some of the territories we lost in the Romulans' blitzkrieg invasion.

We probably won't have a lot of downtime before our next mission so I've asked our resident bartender Graf to set up a "party" of sorts in Ten Forward to give the crew a little R&R.

Still, there is plenty work to do in the meantime. I have to vet a few new candidates for the STRATOPS position on the Tico.

End Log.

Crew Logs

LCdr Stewart MacDonald

Stardate 20805.22

Stardate 20805.22
Lieutenant Commander Stewart MacDonald:

Well the repairs to the Tico have been completed. All the battle damage from the last mission has been fixed.

Ruth has also finally made an honest man of me. We finally married however, it was cut short as there was a recall to the ship.

All I know is that we have been sent to our side of the neutral zone. After our last mission though and the problems with the secondary systems I had the boys at engineering upgrade the systems and install a few back up shield generators in critical areas.

These include the bridge, sickbay and engineering. I am hoping we never use them but I am pleased that they are there. They will not hold for long in a sustained attack but they will give us precious seconds and minutes.

Ruth and myself have also discussed where we should go on a proper honeymoon. I was thinking back to Earth again for a few weeks. She has other ideas, so I will see where things take us. For the moment our plans are on hold because of the redeployment of the ship.

End Log.

Stardate 20807.11

Stardate 20807.11
Lieutenant Commander Stewart MacDonald:

We are heading back to the starbase after the skirmish with th Romulans. The Tico has taken a beating but she has held up well.

The modifications to the shields I had installed worked. The lasted long enough to protect the vital areas when we needed it. There are hull breaches on multiple decks, but my main concern is the shuttlebay. I am about to inspect the bay for myself to see how bad the damage is and how long repairs will take.

On a personal note I am proud of the Engineers under my command they have perfomed well. For some it has been a baptism of fire. I am impressed by Cenara Vixx she has the makings of a fine Engineer. She may one day be better than me.

End Log.

Lt JG Zzen Drell

Stardate 20806.21

Stardate 20806.21
Lieutenant Junior Grade Zzen Drell:

It was nice to see my parents again, father and mother looked well. In fact, mother informed me that she was expecting medical scans indicate that she has three eggs. She told me that father thinks he is too old to be a father.

I was surprised when my father announced that both Lt. Dempsey and Admiral Daher had been inducted into the Ssssl'zzu Dass. Though I am not sure that they fully understand that they must make the Dsss’leesssh within the next five years.

I looked over the holdings that father had selected for Lt. Dempsey and Admiral Daher. I think they will enjoy the holdings. I have searched the records and as far as I know, no off worlder has ever been inducted into any of the crests of Gorn, let alone the Imperial Crest.

I was worried that Medical would not clear me for combat with my eye gone. Hoya thinks we might be able to clone a replacement. However, tests so far have shown that my body may in fact reject the clone implant. She did say that she had heard of another Gorn in Star Fleet. A Marine Major, Rraass’giraath serving on board the Gettysburg. It seems that Major Giraath’s eyes have been replaced by Gorn ocular implants, which glow faintly in low light. Hoya thinks that if he has had both his eyes replaced, then she has the utmost confidence that she can replace mine. We would have to get the specs from the Major.

I must confess, I have never heard of such devices as Gorn can heal themselves from most injuries. Hoya says that the Romulan pathogen may have altered my ability to self heal, or at least it did greater damage to my eye than what my body is capable of healing. Hoya said that she would contact Major Giraath and see if she can get the specs from him, as he is the closets.

It looks as if war has raised its ugly head. I still cannot believe that another war is here. I cannot help but think that how this will impact all our lives. I wonder if it was all worth it, was Commander Vrelnas and the Terix worth all the blood that we spilled and all the blood that will be spilled.

End Log.

Stardate 20807.14

Stardate 20807.14
Lieutenant Junior Grade Zzen Drell:

War has raised its ugly head yet again. The Romulans must have something up their sleeve seeing how aggressive they have been lately it must be rather big considering the forces that has been thrown at them lately. Most of us who have dealt with the Romulans before know how sneaky, manipulative, petty, and cruel they can be.

Having spoken with friends back on the Gorn home world, the news is that the Romulans seem to be making a territorial grab. Rumors have been floating around that the Romulans want to take the Fendarko System, for its rich deposits of Dilithium and other precious minerals and gems, not to mentions its proximity to several Federation out posts and star bases, though these rumors have not been confirmed.

I am worried about Lt. Dempsey; he has been showing signs of more and more reckless behavior. He is my friend and my brother but I cannot allow his self-serving need for revenge to jeopardize the safety and well-being of the crew, I am after all a Federation Security Officer and as second in command of the Tico’s Security Force, it is my duty to ensure that everyone is safe.

I was shocked when Lt. Dempsey called me a coward back on the runabout. If I did not know that, he was under such great mental stress over the loss of Commander May I would have had to teach Lt. Dempsey that Gorn are not cowards. Lt. Dempsey is my brother he is of the Dragon Crest of Gorn, which means I must due all in my power to keep him safe, not to mention the fact that I promised Admiral Daher that I would keep an eye on him.

In my opinion, Lt. Dempsey needs to see a counselor to deal with his grief and pain and then take a few weeks of rest and relaxation. Risa might be a nice diversion for him. Lt. Dempsey is a warrior but even warriors hurt from time to time.

End Log.

LCdr Edward Gregg

Stardate 20806.21

Stardate 20806.21
Lieutenant Commander Edward Gregg:

After being called off shore leave the Ticonderoga and the rest of the major ships in Star Fleet were sent to Starbase 157, as close to the edge of Romulan space as it is possible to get. Admiral Daher had been called to a meeting on the Starbase and during that meeting the first wave of a Romulan “response” to our presence in the area began systematically destroying certain supply vessels.

Once the first wave had done their job those vessels which weren’t immobilised or destroyed returned to Romulan space. Between the departure of the first wave and the arrival or discovery of the second wave an away team comprised of Lt Dempsey, Midshipman Flynn and a mixed group of security officers and marines boarded one of the Romulan vessels which had been put beyond use in order to acquire some tactical advantage on what the Romulans might try next.

During the second wave of attacks, serious damage was inflicted to the Ticonderoga, almost no department was left untouched. The Science Labs have not been in contact leaving me to fear the worst. Neither news of injuries or fatalities from the Labs have reached the Bridge and my only hope is that the crewmen who were working in those labs have made it to Sickbay.

On another note, as per my request Crewman Winfield has begun work on a minefield employing spatial charges and begun to set them between us and the Romulan fleet, unfortunately the most recent wave has delayed the completion of the mine field. At this point it is unknown as to how effective a deterrent such a minefield will prove to be.

If we survive this battle I do not know by whose hand we will survive.

End Log.

Stardate 20808.16

Stardate 20808.16
Lieutenant Commander Edward Gregg:

At some point in time a number of Federation vessels experienced warp core failure, this combined with the formation of black holes somehow caused the destruction of the Fleet and a number of Romulan vessels. Attempts to abandon ship were met with lifepods being sucked into the black holes which formed.

Death would have been unavoidable except for an event which has yet to be explained. For every vessel and crew in the area time was reset to certain position. After the event the Romulans appeared slow to respond to our attacks and then they left for Romulan space, again.

If their retreat was in response to the event that makes it harder to know what their next move will be. For the moment the Ticonderoga and a number of other vessels have docked at Starbase 157. And if I can get tidied up here then maybe a discussion with some fellow science officers might give me some new ideas.

End Log.

Ens Cenara Vixx

Stardate 20806.22

Stardate 20806.22
Ensign Cenara Vixx:

Dear Xot,

Well Xot it looks as if yet another war was here. Somehow knowing that you had a hand in building my ship makes me feel safer. I just hope that will be enough. The Romulans are growing more brazen with each raid. I know that Admiral Daher will ensure our victory. He is the best Commanding Officer in the fleet, which will give us a huge edge over the Romulans.

I also know that with Lt. Dempsey and Lt. Drell we should be safe over all. Speaking of Drell, he has become a good friend. Hoya had to tell him the bad news that his eye will not grow back. She said if he had not been a Gorn, in likely hood he would have died from the Romulan pathogen. She had mentioned something about a clone replacement but the test results do not look promising.

Xot I would be lying if I didn�t say I was scared. Romulans take prisoners but they also are known to kill them just as easily. If I find myself taken prisoner, I think I would ask that one of my fellow prisoners to just kill me, rather than run the risk of being violated. It is funny, a lot of my crewmates have made their Wills. I think I am a bit young to have to do such a thing. Kind of like cursing myself if I do make one out especially during a war.

Xot I just want you to know that if anything happens to me, I just want you to know that I love all of you, Chell, Mother, and Father. If there is a body please make sure that, it is taken back to Bolarus and bury me next to our beloved Co-Mother Breeha.

Wish us luck Xot and keep us in your thoughts.

End Log.

Stardate 20807.15

Stardate 20807.15
Ensign Cenara Vixx:

Romulans, it is always Romulans. I do not understand why the Federation does not finish off the Romulans once and for all and have done with it. The Romulans seize a planet, exploit its mineral resources, and leave the planet un-inhabitable for centuries and the Federation does nothing. The Romulans annex a world and enslave its population, again the Federation does nothing.

I know war brings out the worst in people, never the good only the bad. Even among Star Fleet Officers, war destroys people’s normal demeanor. The incident in the runabout left me feeling confused and frustrated. Who was I to chose, Lt Drell or Lt Dempsey, both are my friends. Zzen was right we should have tried to rescue as many of the Tico crew in the escape pods as we could. I cannot figure out why Lt. Dempsey acted so out of sorts. Ever since the death of Commander May he has been acting odd. Rumors have it that Lt. Dempsey has a death wish. I do not know about that, I myself have never put too much stock in rumors.

Lt. Dempsey is my friend, how can I turn my back on my friend, and my superior but, Zzen is also my friend and my superior. We never learned in the Academy how to deal with power struggles, munity, and things like that. I guess I will just have to follow my heart and hope and pray for the best in the future and hope I never have to make a chose like that again.

What if at some point I have to make a chose between Chief MacDonald and Admiral Daher. What if during a battle with the Romulans I am forced to take Admiral Daher’s side over Chief MacDonald? I mean I like them both and think highly of them not only as officers, but as people as well.

War changes the way people think and act. Lt. Dempsey is a perfect example of that. He is the Chief of Security and he was acting on the primitive need for revenge. He was so bent on it he actually called Lt. Drell our Gorn in residence a coward and everyone knows that you never call a Gorn a coward; you can call them a coward but don’t expect to live too long. I was afraid that Lt. Drell and Lt. Dempsey were going to get into a fight, Lt. Dempsey would have lost, and he would have lost more than just his life.

In the runabout tempers were running high, people were upset and not thinking clearly, action needed to be taken. Lt. Dempsey was wrong; revenge was not something that was called for at that moment in time. Picking apart Romulan Technology was something that could have been done later just as Lt. Drell had said. If I had to do it all over again, I would have picked to go with Lt. Drell.

On a personal note, Angus McCabe, the Chief's cousin. What can I say about him, he is one hunk of a man? Almost identical facially to the Chief MacDonald they both have those same sexy eyes that melt a girl’s heart. Angus is a wonderful man, intelligent, articulate but also down to earth and easy to talk to about anything. He is a civilian Tactician, working for Star Fleet.

I know from reading Earth History that a Scottish Highland Warrior was a forced to be reckoned with. Scotland produced some fine warrior’s and statesmen William Wallace, John Paul Jones, Robert the Bruce and Mary Slessor just to name a few. Angus was a lot of fun; I had a great time at Ruth, and Chiefs Wedding. Angus can dance; most people think that a man that size would be awkward on their feet. He said the next time I am back on Earth to call him and they would go out dancing. I am looking forward to seeing him again. Angus also is a big rugby fan as well a rugby player.

Angus McCabe is a full figured man who knows how to fill out a kilt,in all the right ways. I think it is safe to say that I am in love.

End Log.

Mid Jarrod Flynn

Stardate 20807.10

Stardate 20807.10
Midshipman Jarrod Flynn:

The events since posting to the Ticonderoga have been like a whirlwind. I can hardly get my head around all that has happened in the short time I've been aboard.

This is my first posting since the Academy and it's not like I had planned. My final exam at the Academy had me aboard a ship what ended up being destroyed by the Borg. I didn't think I'd end up in a battle against the Romulans that could have resulted in the same thing.

The ship has taken serious damage to certain parts, and I only hope that she can be repaired quickly.

The crew seem to have performed very well. I think I will fit in here alright and look forward to getting to know these people more. Although I must say that Lt. Dempsey does still concern me a little. My first meeting with him resulted in a bar fight between he and some Naussicans. Now I see a hatred for the Romulans that seems to run deep. There is a dark side to the man that I hope doesn't surface often...or to it's full. I feel if it does there could be some dire consequences, both for himself and those around him, friend or foe. Time will tell.

On a more personal note, I must remember to finish writing that letter to T'vul that I started on Starbase Bravo. Also, don't forget to contact Mum. I know she'll worry if she doesn't hear from me soon.

End Log.