Between a Rock and a Hard Place (Starbase 118 )
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--Stardate: 238810.01--
A Romulan Science vessel discovers a Pergium deposits on Thracia 2, a small planet near the Klingon border. Due to location of the planet, the Klingons are keen to also benefit from the discovery. The planet is inhabited by a pre-warp proto-Vulcan race whose society would be wiped out if the proposed strip mining is undertaken and the Federation are very concerned about this.
In accordance with its purpose, Starbase 118 plans negotiations that would save the race and keep peace along the border, but a new contender is soon to rise...
--Stardate: 238810.28--
The USS Victory is dispatched to the planet in order to protect it from the two sides squabbling over the rare material found there. Both the Klingons and the Romulans have sent ships to watch over the other; a situation that could quickly become the first battle in a new war. Though they know little more than the fact that they are walking into a ticking time bomb, the crew soon arrives at the planet to a void of empty space.
Meanwhile, delegates from the Klingon empire and the Romulan ruling powers, as well as a Ferengi ambassador, arrive at the station and begin to prepare themselves for the coming talks. In the shadows, yet undeclared, a new alliance is acquiring the weapons and ships that they will need to enact their master plan.
--Stardate: 238811.23--
The USS Victory might have seen nothing upon entrance to the system, but that didn't mean there wasn't anything there. One by one, for various reasons, ships begin decloaking all around them. At the same time, a strange beam of energy, coming from one of the now present Klingon vessels, is seemingly randomly bringing down the shields of both the Victory and one of the Romulan ships. With the Klingon General shooting in all directions, hell bent on forcing any other Romulan ships in the vicinity to decloak as well, the Romulan commander shows her hand and threatens to attack.
Tensions spike as the Klingon General moves his fleet towards the Romulan fleet. Desperate for a way to keep the peace for a short while longer, Lt. Commander Nicholotti orders the Victory into the center of the battlefield between the two aggressors. With the only thing keeping the two sides at bay being the chance of shooting a Federation vessel, the crew struggles to not only keep all weapons sheathed, but to stay alive.
Aboard Starbase 118, a new delegate seeks out Captain Jaxx to declare a new alliance of planets in the Thracian system. With this new information, Jaxx enters the gridlocked talks intent on finding a peaceful resolution for all, including the newcomers.
--Stardate: 238812.01--
With tensions running high, the Romulan Commander Creena contacts the USS Victory to reveal the new Thracian Alliance to Lt. Commander Kalianna Nicholotti shortly after the same had been revealed, unbeknownst to the crew of the Victory, on Starbase 118. Confirmed by a report received moments later from Captain Jaxx, the information changed the approach that the crew of the Victory had to take in the situation.
Meanwhile, an underhanded plot by a rogue Klingon 'diplomat' is discovered when the real ambassador to the talks wakes from a drugged state to find someone in his place. Putting the pieces together, the Klingon ambassador Ja'Dar finds that a fleet of ships had been sent with instructions to instigate a war with the Romulan Empire at the planet in question. With moments to spare, the ambassador contacts the fleet and warns them to return home or face dishonor.
With the unveiling of the Alliance to the ambassadorial representatives on the Station, a resolution is quick to come. After uncovering the plot to start war, both the Klingons and the Romulans agree to leave the planet in the hands of the Thracian Alliance, whom has been found to be doing business with the Ferengi and have acquired Ferengi ships to back up their cause. Upon their arrival in the Thracian system, all but one of the Klingon ships turned and left for home. Now, both the Thracian fleet and the crew of the Victory wait to see just what the desperate-for-an-honorable-death Klingon General will do.
--Stardate: 238812.07--
After a tense few moments, General Ma'tag and his ship, the Luk'la fade into history as they cloak and turn away from the planet. He knows that he's losing the chance to die honorably in battle, but being unwilling to be the catalyst of a whole war, he sees no other choice.