Klingon Invasion of 2389: Difference between revisions

Having just returned from R&R, the USS Apollo and her crew are dispatched to escort the USS Mercury which was currently enroute to Trinity Sector Space. The Mercury, having been tasked with a diplomatic mission, had been carrying a Cardassian VIP, namely the Cardassian Minister Prianna, who was to be closely guarded. The reason for this high level of security was subject to a rumored assassination attempt to be executed by parties uknown. The Apollo, would be in charge of defense of the Mercury, but with one caveat. Along for the ride was a Cardassian counter-intelligence agent known as Tala Rovor, who seemed to have some insight on the assassination plot. At first, it was unknown just who Rovor seemed to be working for, but through tireless talks, games and negotiations, she would pull through with vital information.

In the first few days it was relayed by Rovor that a man named Baren Dreth would be involved in the plot, if not the one who executed the plan himself. Dreth was a Cardassian revolutionary, one that Rovor had followed closely for many years, that would stop at nothing to see the Cardassians rise against the Federation and its allies. It was thought at this time that Dreth would be the architect to which these plans had been built. Through some investigation of their own, the Apollo's intelligence department was able to uncover some background on the man, as well as some information to suggest that he might alter his appearance in order to make it all work. The plans had been thought out over many years, and Dreth would be waiting for the right time to strike.

Meanwhile, as tensions between the Cardassian agent and Starfleet personnel seemed to be mounting, a chemical outbreak aboard the Mercury landed them with new information that would ultimately tie the plot together, at the cost of their CMO. A chemical agent, which was identified by Rovor a few days earlier as the method of execution, was released in the Mercury's arboretum. Confiscation of said compounds was enacted and processed, leading to the discovery of the purchase of the materials at Starbase 118. Through SFI channels it was learned that a back door deal was made, and in return for amnesty, the names of the men who made the purchase were divulged. It had indeed been Baren Dreth, and a counterpart named Zolrak. With cross-references to the passenger manifests for Prianna's ship, it was found that both men has entered the ship, but only one had boarded the Mercury. Dreth had concealed his location and identity aboard the ship by posing as one of Prianna's aides, as was already Zolrak. The two men together assembled their compound and unleashed it in the arboretum as a test.

Now with the means, motive and suspects procured, an action plan was sought by intelligence departments from both ships. Having been deeply affected by the harm done the CMO, the Lt. Isaac Bale of the Mercury took it upon himself to attempt capture of the two men, having been advised upon by Lt. Viktor Lanius of the Apollo, as well as his CO. The plan was executed by Bale, which led to the death of Zolrak by means of his own poison, and the escape of Dreth. Dreth had been infected by the same poison, although he was able to synthesis an antidote to administer to himself. By this time, both ships (the Apollo and the Mercury) had reached the Trinity Sector, bringing the Prime Minster to her destination, and the two criminals to their believed demise. It wasn't until after that Dreth was able to be located by the Apollo, only to engage in a massive gunfight. Dreth, now at the wheel of a rogue Romulan War Bird and her hapless crew, would stop at nothing to destroy the Apollo and all that she stood for. It was only then that a Cardassian warship appeared and relayed to the Apollo that they had been sent by Cardassia's intelligence bureau with intent to uncover Dreth once and for all. Without warning, Dreth destroyed the warship, to be an act of violence without provocation. With Captain Jaxx in an appearant coma, then Lt.Cmdr Frost took action, destroying the threat to the alliance, but with Dreth once again escaping, never to be seen.

Now with the threat to the Apollo and Mercury vanquished, and the Cardassian Minister free to examine the damaged Romulan systems, it was on to Thracian space to aid in an invasion attempt made by the Klingons. A small rouge KDF fleet had arrived as a dagger to be plunged into the heart of Thracian space, meant to disrupt any peace talks that might be happening. The Apollo joins with the USS Achilles and the USS Victory, , as well as Thracian Irregular fleet to stage a final defense of the system. Commander Krax and General Ma'Tag have mounted an assault on Thracian Space, the small force of Federation and Thracian Irregulars would be the final line of defense for the entire sector. At the precipice of battle, the two forces stand end to end, waiting for one side or the other to make the first move. Tensions mount, and time goes by, until a key piece of information is uncovered by the Apollo's intelligence unit indicating a BOLO from the Klingon government. In this BOLO, it is learned that Krax and Ma'Tag have been found guilty of treason, and are being sought after by their government for execution. With this knowledge in hand, and all ships notified of the findings, there would be no back up for Krax and his small fleet. Just as action was to be taken, Krax launched the first salvo of torpedoes which flew right passed Federation ships with no apparent target. It would be known later as to why this occurred, as the recalled torpedoes collided with a warp bubble, just as Krax and his fleet moved to warp. The blast had severely crippled the Victory, while rendering minimal damage to the Apollo. Krax had escaped, but for now, Thracian space was free of the Klingon threat.

With damages being repaired, and after action reports filed, the Apollo would dock with the Starbase for a debrief and tri-ship soiree to celebrate their collective efforts in repelling the rogue klingon fleet. Many awards and commendations would be handed out, including the promotion of now Fleet Captain Andrus Jaxx, amongst many others. The joint efforts of all three ships and the Thracian Irregulars certainly quelled a coup that would have changed history as they knew it.

Arriving on-scene at high warp, the Avandar was able to make enough of an impact to drive the attacking Klingon ship away, though both Starfleet ships were left with the problem of what to do about Gateway Station – the neutral facility the Drake was visiting as part of it's mission to get a ancient sensor network online, and now had weapons locked on both ships.

The situation deteriorated rapidly, with attempts to negotiate a peaceful reduction in tensions interrupted on a number of fronts: Klingon covert operatives on the station staging an attack, the KDF ship from earlier returning with reinforcements, and mines laid by the Klingons during their withdrawal decloaking and attacking anything in the area without a KDF transponder.

As an away team from the Drake attempted to secure the station and the artifact they were after, the Avandar, assisted by fighters from Gateway, concentrated on clearing the area of mines, leaving the Drake to concentrate on the approaching ships. The Avandar's efforts were only partly successful, though they did mean that Gateway Station was only severely damaged instead of destroyed utterly – the fact that cloaked shuttles had managed to breach the shields of both the Avandar and the Drake

to deliver boarding parties, leading to internal fighting aboard, certainly didn't help.

When yet more KDF ships arrived, the situation began looking grim indeed, but they were in fact the biggest surprise of the day. Instead of joining the attack on the station and Starfleet ships, the new arrivals immediately engaged the other Klingon vessels, destroying several before anyone on either side could do anything to react to their presence.  

With the artifact secured and the attacking forces thoroughly distracted – and a terse message from the newcomers that Starfleet would be better off leaving the Empire to deal with it's own internal politics, the Avandar joined the Drake in evacuating as many civilians as possible from the crippled Gateway Station and dealing with their own uninvited guests. With casualties sustained among their crews, at least one major hull breach each, and every spare cubic meter filled with injured and frightened civilians, the two ships took the opportunity to get clear...

Through the reasons for the Klingon attack remain unclear, valuable intelligence data on a potential new threat – the cloaked boarding pods – was obtained, as well as a step toward a new sensor network that would be able to provide high definition observation of the border area, and the conflict was prevented from spreading any further into Federation space.

Scant consolation, perhaps, for those that had lost their homes on Gateway Station, and lost their lives in the fighting on and around it, but the efforts of the Avandar and Drake's crews kept things from getting far, ''far'' worse.

While Federation forces struggled desperately to keep the fragile peace between the Federation and Klingon Empire alive, a small but powerful faction of the Romulan government had their own ideas. Calling themselves the Kaleh (Romulan for "dagger"), this splinter faction believes that the only way to secure Romulan survival is to eradicate both the Federation and Klingon homeworlds. While having little in the way of diplomatic or bargaining skills, the Kaleh possess a small fleet of Warbirds, although the exact number is unknown. The faction also includes a large chunk of the research and development wing of the Romulan military. With the rest of the fleet engaged in operations to blunt the Klingon assault, Starfleet Command learns of the Kaleh and their secret weapon: A subspace quantum torpedo launcher.  

This weapon is a "game changer", and can fire a series of high-yield quantum torpedoes at any target at virtually any range. Having captured one of their number, Starfleet Intel have learned of a diabolical plot to destroy both homeworlds, starting with Earth. With most of the fleet engaged with the Klingons and the Kaleh homeworld near the remote Avalon sector, Starfleet orders the USS Discovery to cross the border. Little is known regarding the location of the weapon, but the Discovery crew quickly uncover the planet the Kaleh use as a base and orders return quickly from Starfleet: Destroy the weapon at all costs. Since the exact location of the weapon on the planet is unknown and time is short, Starfleet authorizes the unthinkable-an orbital bombardment that will kill over 200,000 innocent civilians.  

Plagued with the terrible task, Captain Waltas carries out his orders and sends Discovery careening into Romulan territory. They are quickly confronted by warbirds loyal to the Kaleh and a battle ensues, with Discovery besting two Valdore-class Warbirds and a D'Deridex. During the battle, another communication comes in but is cut off when Discovery takes a lethal hit to its communication array. Discovery limps on to the planet containing the device and, under Captain Waltas's orders, prepares to eradicate the surface of the planet.  

A portion of the crew begs Waltas to take the time to repair the communications array, while others are content with the grizzly task and believe, as he does, that time is not on their side and the lives of billions are at stake. The decision sets the crew at odds with each other and a near-mutiny ensues, with First Officer Blueheart eventually relieving Captain Waltas of his command. Captain Waltas, confined to quarters, breaks free and with a team of loyal shipmates retakes the bridge and Engineering, taking back command, but not control as Blueheart has locked out the controls. As a stalemate ensues, the clock ticks.  

The defunct Science department saves the day by concocting a plan to counter the subspace torpedo and the weapon is eventually located and destroyed. Discovery has been ordered back to Earth and Captain Waltas and Lt. Commander Blueheart are standing trial at Starfleet command due to the "Kaleh Incident".

Originally tasked with the study and repowering of an ancient Xenos sensor network, the USS Drake was on it's way deep into the No Mans Land between the Klingon and Romulan Empires.  These now dormant Sensor Beacons promised to be a wealth of data and intelligence on the growing hostilities between the two boarder empires, and was an opportunity that could not be passed up.

Bouncing first from a popular tourist spot on the shattered world of Ishkara, the crew of the Drake followed the bread crumbs to an aging alien space station, dubbed Gateway Station by the first Federation Explorers who found it years ago.  Gateway was far from abandoned however, with hundreds of civillians calling it home as well as a well trained and equipped mercenary unit named The Black Sheep.  More importantly the next Sensor Beacon was inside, and perhaps more importantly then that a Klingon Vorcha Cruiser lurked in the void outside and immediately took up arms against the USS Drake.  With the Klingons firing the first shots in what could prove to be all out war with the Federation, the Drake moved to defend itself while and Away Team went to work on the stations Sensor Beacon.

Thanks to a timely distress call the USS Avandar arrived on scene and assited the Drake in driving off the Klingons, who cloaked and fled the scene.  Not however, before setting a field of Gravametric Mines loose to attack anything without a Klingon transponder, including the station and the refugees within.  As chaos reigned in space, the away team was captured by the Mercenaries on board before they forged a loose truce so long as the Federation gave them a laundry list of demanded supplies in exchange for access to the beacon.  The team went to work as the Drake and Avandar worked in tandem to defend the station, and themselves, from the swarms of incoming mines.  The situation was made all the worse by the return of the Klingon aggressor, with the aide of several Klingon warships including a massive Vo'quv carrier.

Both ships and station launched a counter offensive with the Black Sheep mercenaries lending their aide in the form of aging Space Superiority Fighters and soon the void was filled with shuttles, fighters, mines and debris.  As casualties mounted on both sides the Away Team was successful in reactivating the Beacon, despite attacks by Klingon sleeper agents aboard the station and massive damage from gravametric mines.  The Drakes 103 Search and Rescue team was dispatched to evacuate civilians and the Mercenaries who doggedly protected them, and began transferring them via emergency transportation to both Avandar and Drake.

It was only the confusing and timely arrival of a second Klingon fleet that saved the day for the Federation. The second fleet quickly went to work attacking and destroying multiple elements of the original force, now known to be led by a rogue Colonel. With Gateway Station completely evacuated, the Sensor Beacon reactivated and broadcasting, and a steady stream of casualties both the Drake and Avandar returned to friendlier skies.

After the successful restoration of the newly discovered Space Station in the orbit of Eta Corvi IV, the Mercury received orders to proceed to escort the Cardiassian Councilor Prianna and her party to help with the Romulan relief effort during the conflict with the Klingons. With this action the Mercury broke orbit from the planet and headed towards Cardiassa Prime. Upon arrival, the crew received massive amounts of equipment for the Romulan relief effort and the Deptra council member Prianna and her party.

The Mercury and her crew left Cardassia Prime to rendezvous with the USS Apollo in the orbit Betazed. During the journey the crew made every effort possible to provide comfort to the Cardassians, but little known to Prianna and the crew there was a plot to murder her. Lt. Jade Matthews and her security team were assigned to protect Prianna and her party.  

Upon arrival into the orbit Betazed, the Mercury met up with Apollo where Captain Andrus Jaxx transported from the Apollo to meet with Commander Aron Kells to discuss the orders and the possible attempted murder of Prianna. As the Mercury left Betazed towards their next destination Starbase 118, Lt. Commander Velana was critically wounded during the ill fated attempt, but it was discovered that one of the Councilor’s own aide was part of the plot. Isaac Bale in a rage of vengeance took the lives of the would be murderers.

The away team consisting of Captain Aron Kells, Lt. Commander Alexander James Matthews, Major Jacen Fanel, Councilor Prianna and Ensign Kael Mason Thomas stood on the transporter pad to beam down to the planet for the duty of the relief effort, but to their surprise found themselves transported to a prison camp run by the Klingons. They had no idea where they were or how they were beamed away from the Mercury. Meanwhile the crew under the command Lt. Commander Arden Cain and acting first officer Eyas Wulfantine were faced with the task of finding their missing comrades, while dealing with running a blockade to the planet of Valdor III.

While the crew members were in their cells, Captain Quinn Reynolds came to the rescue. Meanwhile back on the Mercury, Lt. Commander Eyas Wulfantine formed a rescue mission as the crew reached the planet. Using shuttlecraft the rescue team made their way down to the planet surface. Captain Aron Kells and the rest of his party continued on towards the surface, but little known to them as they ventured to escape, they were being attacked mentally by a powerful telepath that placed visions in their minds. The rescue parties on the surface made their way into the underground facility and were also affected by the telepathic attacks.

Captains Kells, Reynolds and the others were able to join up with the rescue party, but during the rescue attempt the parties were attacked by the Klingons, which in fact was in the past a Cardassian experimental facility to enhance telepathic ability. A firefight ensued, the some of the crewmembers were injured. They escaped in a stolen shuttlecraft and made it back to the Mercury.

As a direct result of the USS Victory's involvement in the establishment of the Thracian Alliance, a Klingon former Governor is ejected from the High Council and dishonored. When the Governor is killed, his son is convinced that he will not go to Sto'Vo'Kor and vows to reclaim his father's honor by taking revenge on the Commander and crew of the USS Victory. He quickly joins forces with another dishonored Klingon, General Ma'Tag, who still commands a small fleet loyal to him and his name. Together, the two use the cover of the Nequencia and Khitomer invasions to mount their own invasion into Thracian space and stage an assault on Starfleet and the Thracians responsible for their disgrace while gaining and claiming the area in the name of the Klingon Empire and regaining their place among the rulers of their Empire.  

After the deaths of thousands of evacuating civilians, who were fleeing the main KDF and the destruction caused as that fleet moved through unrecognized Thracian space, the USS Victory is deployed to the Thracia system to find the President of the Alliance. He'd gone into hiding not realizing that the small fleet terrorizing the system was not part of the main Klingon force. Once on station, the Victory is able to locate him and beams him aboard to finalize a protectorate agreement that had been started by Ambassador Lily Ventu months before when the Alliance had first formed. While the diplomats were getting the paperwork in order, Captain Kalianna Nicholotti, along with the Victory's escorts, the USS Achilles and the USS Apollo, worked to prevent war between the Klingons and the Federation.  

Finally, word arrives through backchannel Intel networks that the fleet the three ships are facing is not part of the main KDF, but a ragtag group of dishonored Klingons out for revenge. Without politics and the future of Klingon/Federation relations on the line, the three captains prepare to force the small fleet out of the system by any means necessary. They are unable to, however, before the leader of the small fleet tries something unheard of and creates a pocket of a warp bubble and recalls multiple torpedoes to its location. The resulting blast is enough to heavily damage the Victory and mildly damage the Apollo. The ships are unable to pursue, but the USS Achilles, who already had a tractor beam on the lead Klingon's ship, is pulled into warp with them and gives chase.

Ultimately, Krax, the head of the Klingon fleet, escapes, but not until he and his counterpart, General Ma'Tag, are forced from the system. News of a group of KDF sanctioned ships, on their way to give chase to the dishonored fleet, reaches them all, and news of the new Federation protectorate is spread throughout the sector. Though the Klingons are not happy with the new protectorate, and still refuse to recognize the neutral zone alliance, they avoid further attacks in the area in order to maintain whatever strained relations they have with the Federation.