Hostile Takeovers (Mercury)
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Mission Summary
Part 1
- Stardate 238904
After a short shore leave, the crew returned to the Mercury to begin their next mission. During a staff meeting, Captain Tallis Rhul received a call from the bridge that three Cardassian Galor-class starships had taken attack postures with weapons targeting the Oracle-class starship. Tallis spoke with the lead Cardassian commander, Gul Torolan Thenek, who informed Tallis that the Mercury would be escorted back to Federation space for violation of the Cardassian/Federation treaty.
When Tallis diplomatically asked for an explanation of the alleged violations, Thenek stated that another Federation starship had entered the Menthar Corridor. Knowing nothing of a second vessel in the corridor, Tallis asked for proof of the allegations. The gul sent sensor data to the Mercury. Lieutenant Commander Arden Cain and Major Jacen Fanel recognized the name of the second Federation vessel, the USS Nimitz, which was identified by its warp signature. The Nimitz had been assimilated by the Borg over a year ago and had disappeared. After reviewing the Mercury crew’s explanation and data, Thenek agreed to allow the Mercury to investigate along with his three ships.
While planning the Mercury’s next course of action, Tallis received a subspace communication from Starfleet that his brother was missing and presumed dead. Unwilling to accept the finality of that news, Tallis resigned his commission and set out to find his brother. Starfleet Command reassigned Commander Miles Unum to replace Tallis as the commanding officer of the Mercury.
Part 2: A New Captain, An Old Enemy
- Stardate 238905
As the Mercury began its pursuit of the Borg-ified USS Nimitz with its escort of three Cardassian warships, CO Miles Unum was also recalled. XO Arden Cain took command shortly until the new CO, Aron Kells, arrived aboard the USS Pythagoras.
The Mercury and the Cardassian vessels discovered the Nimitz hiding behind a moon in an unexplored solar system, and were immediately set upon by the Nimitz’s support craft. While the Cardassian ships received a pounding, the Nimitz’s shuttles beamed several parties of drones over to the Mercury as they deemed the Oracle-class design worthy of assimilation. Resistance in engineering, sickbay, and the computer core was especially stiff, but the Mercury crew slowly gained the upper hand and repulsed the invading force.
However, the Mercury crew soon discovered that the Borg had other plans: They were assembling a Queen in the computer core. The Nimitz appeared shortly to gather its support vehicles and made its escape as the Mercury crew disconnected the unfinished Queen from the Nimitz collective. With the Nimitz gone, both the Mercury and the Cardassian warships were able to assess their damage; the Mercury offered its assistance to the Cardassians, who refused, and so the Mercury continued deeper into the Menthar Corridor. The Mercury has just arrived at the star Eta Corvi, where the crew planned to spend a little shore leave time and finish their repairs.