Post #205: Dagger to the Heart

Posted on Mon Feb 17th, 2025 @ 12:07am by Lieutenant V'Lar & Ensign Freya Locklyn & Ensign Dot and Dash & Ensign Timor Kyl & Ruby Starling

1,095 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Secrets
Location: Intelligence Department
Timeline: current

As soon as the opportunity had presented itself V'Lar had made her way out of ops and as soon as the doors had closed had proceeded to sprint down the corridors, slide down ladders and sidestep various people to get to the Intelligence hub, she knew that at this moment her department, the smallest department on the base, was arguably also the busiest in this moment. Stepping inside the hub she looked around and was met by the sight of her officers working hard to try and get a handle on what the hell they were dealing with.

"Dot, Dash I need transponder checks on Starfleet vessels and bases, who was hit and so on." V'Lar said "Timor, was this targeted against us or is it more widespread?"
"Check Romulans, Cardassians and so on got it chief." Timor said
"Freya." V'Lar said "Crosscheck Starfleet chain of command structure against the damage, who's still up and who isn't."
"On it." Freya said
"Good." V'Lar said

As her team went about their work V'Lar also went about her task, she had one primary responsibility in this situation - an attack on Federation worlds on this scale and in this manner raised one important question - was San Francisco still standing? She needed to confirm whether a command structure still existed and if it didn't then they'd potentially have to do something about it. The Federation News Service broadcasts were coming in from all over reporting the attacks but they didn't have concrete answers, all that would do was spread panic - morale was going to be one huge problem by the sound of it. V'Lar sighed as she continued to tap away at the computer console she was at, she couldn't tap into the primary networks on Earth, these being the ones that were in San Francisco serving the pillars of both the Federation and Starfleet, no signal from Starfleet Command, Starfleet Academy, Starfleet Medical, Starfleet Intelligence, Starfleet Science Division, Starfleet Corps of Engineers or Federation HQ. Instead there was one signal coming out, from the backup transmitter in France, a two word phrase spelled out in morse code 'Watership Down' trust Starfleet Intelligence to take a novel from Earth and use the title to send an automated message that only a few would understand the significance of - in short this was the worst case scenario message, attack on Earth, Starfleet headquarters destroyed, Federation leadership gone.

"What have we got?" V'Lar asked
"Every starship inside Federation space or within proximity was hit." Dot said "Deep Space exploration missions appear to have avoided the damage."
"Please tell me that includes some colonial missions." V'Lar said
"Three yes." Dot said
"Dash?" V'Lar said
"Every starbase was hit." Dash said "Including the Daystrom Institute, Midas Array, shipyards, science outposts and so on. Only Deep Space Nine appears untouched although the vessels stationed there and throughout the Bajoran sector have been destroyed."
"Why leave DS9 intact?" Freya asked

"I might be able to answer that." Timor said bringing up a holographic display of the quadrant in the centre of the room "These are readings from civilian satellites and outposts in the Federation." a significant number of identifiers began to appear on the image "These indicate a significant build up of forces within Romulan, Cardassian, Breen, Tholian, Tzenkethi and Gorn space."
"That's not coincidence, that's conspiracy." V'Lar said "They're going to carve the Alpha Quadrant up between them. What about strikes on planets?"
"The only major Federation world not struck was Bajor." Dot said

"Now that is odd." V'Lar said "I'll buy not hitting DS9, after all the position of DS9 makes it the most strategic location in the quadrant and if this was the knockout blow before an invasion I understand why the Cardassians would want the station in one piece. But why not hit Bajor? Unless... you don't want to antagonise the Prophets."
"Doubt the Cardassians care about that." Freya said
"What about the command chain?" V'Lar asked
"Aside from who we have aboard in terms of Admirals." Freya said "All sector commanders are presumed KIA, fleet commanders are presumed KIA and the deep space missions don't have flag rank. Added to the loss of San Francisco which means all of Command is presumed KIA."
"And we haven't got Bradley back yet." V'Lar said "Why me?" she took a breath "Ok relay all the information we have up to the Captain and request a meeting for me with him and Admiral Olvera."
"I will." Freya said
"Timor have we got a full casualty list?" V'Lar asked
"Here." Timor said handing V'Lar not a single PADD but a small box full of them. "It's thousands of names but it'll be millions in truth."
"Keep working it. The more we know the better." V'Lar said she went over to the wall and hit the com panel "Ruby meet me on the utility ring deck 386."
-----------------------------

Deck 386 was part of a block of decks that was empty, Ruby was leaning against the wall her mind trying to process what had been reported on the news, a large scale attack on the Federation, it seemed the sort of thing that would never happen to them but it had. She looked up when V'Lar stepped out of the turbolift and ran up giving her adopted mother a hug.
"I know... I know." V'Lar said running her free hand through Ruby's hair "It's going to be ok."
"How do you know?" Ruby asked
"Because the right person, in the right place at the right time can change everything." V'Lar said "And I have a high enough security clearance to know the detailed records of who I'm serving with and let me tell you this won't intimidate them this will make them thrive." she smiled "You want something to do?"
"Sure." Ruby said stepping back.

"Ok." V'Lar said looking around "Decks 386 to 395 were earmarked as museum space but as you can see there's nothing here." she handed Ruby the box "The PADD's in there are the casualty list so far. Now we can file these into a computer database or you can make them into a reminder of who they were and what we're fighting for."
"A memorial?" Ruby asked
"Yes, you're a bit of an artist so go to work." V'Lar said
"I will." Ruby said "Just let me get my bag."

************

Lieutenant Junior Grade V'Lar
Chief Intelligence Officer
Starbase Obsidian

Ensign Freya Locklyn
Infiltration Specialist
Starbase Obisidian

Ensign Timor Kyl
Intelligence Officer
Starbase Obsidian

Ensigns Dot and Dash
Encryption Specialists
Starbase Obsidian

Ruby Starling

 

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