"Storming The Castle" - Part 3

Posted on 241409.13 @ 5:32am by Commodore Sebastian Ascari

Mission: Insurrection [Fleet Plot]
Location: MSV Echo / Epsilon-12 Comm Hub
Timeline: Backlog

== MSV Echo, Starfleet Supply Ship ==

Tugging on his newly donned uniform, Ascari stood on the bridge of the cargo vessel he and his team had commandeered just hours earlier. Now clad in the threads of a cargo ship skipper, Ascari would again use deception against a heavily fortified Starfleet installation and hope that several weeks of intelligence gathering, decoded messages, and luck would converge at a single moment in time and deliver an expected outcome. He still had doubts regarding Director Ascari’s plan. They were minutes from storming one of the most important communications hubs in the sector. The station, built into the side of a large asteroid, carried a significant portion of Starfleet and Federation communications. Gaining access to the station’s interior in a stolen cargo ship, infiltrating the station, seizing control of its infrastructure, and finally accessing its protected systems was something he might had dreamed up for a defense exercise back on Earth at Starfleet Intelligence. Now he found himself at the very center of an almost impossible plan. If it worked it would grant them a gateway into the very heart of their enemy, if it failed….

He shook his head leaving his doubt behind. He couldn’t afford it now. They had committed to this plan and there was no retreat now.

“Sir, we’re being hailed by Comm Station Epsilon-12. They are requesting our identification codes, clearance, and orders.”

Akina again took a seat in the captain’s chair. “Time to see if this Trojan horse works as well for us as it did for the original Trojans. Transmit our codes and orders. Let’s keep it informal. I’d prefer to avoid face to face communications if possible.”

Drumming his fingers in anxious anticipation, Akina watched as they slowly approached the asteroid field which surrounded the communications station. Hundreds of surrounding rocks both served as a natural deterrent to attack and also doubled as transceiver installations to collect and send kiloquads of data at speeds he could scarcely comprehend. A quarter of communications flowed through the facility before him at peak usage and taking it would surely get the attention of those who had seized power back on Earth and beyond.

“They’re requesting communication sir.”

Akina felt the muscles in his stomach tighten. “Engage the holographic interface and standby.”

“Holographic systems online. Ready sir.”

Akina swallowed. They had managed to install a holographic system into the freighter’s communications systems to relay a false image and voice back to the recipient in the event communications were required. The system responded to Akina’s voice and actions, passed those through a holographic computer system, and relayed an image and voice that matched the real captain of the MSV Echo. Akina simply had to play the part well enough to avoid creating suspicion.

He took a deep breath and slowly released it. “Alright. On screen.”

“Captain Harris! How are you? Back here so soon? I thought you weren’t due for another two weeks?”

“We’re on schedule Captain”, Akina replied. The person on the other end of the screen was identified by the computer as a Captain Albert Medax. “I would have thought you would be expecting us?”

“Ha. You know how it is out here. I have a hard time remembering what month it is let alone the day. Glad to see you again as I am sure our quartermaster will be as well. Always a pleasure to resupply. Boosts morale and keeps us all sane on this rock. Last ship that passed by was Ferengi wanting to trade their wares. You’d think they would stay away with all the increased security and recent Starfleet directives?”

The captain paused for a moment. “I seem to be getting a bit of lag on this connection? Is there a problem on your end?”

“We did run into an odd patch of interference a day or so ago. Some sort of energetic gas cloud we think. Wasn’t on any of the charts. It’s possible a residual charge on the hull might be affecting communications. Maybe your people can take a look? We don’t register a problem, but this ship isn’t exactly fresh from the shipyards either.”

“Well old or not we’re glad to see it. You’re cleared for dock 2. If you’re schedule permits let’s have dinner. I intercepted some communications you might be interested in and you still owe me a case of scotch.”

“I hoped you had forgotten about that”, Akina stated trying to play along ever conscious he was playing at the absolute razor’s edge. Several beads of sweat rolled down his face as he continued to smile.

“Are you kidding? I could buy half this station with a case of real scotch. It’s more valuable than gold pressed latinum.”

“Well so much for hoping. Dinner it is. Schedule is tight, but I can stop by.”

“Looking forward to it. Medax out.”

The channel terminated as Akina wiped the sweat from his brow heaving a sigh of relief. “Hurry up and dock this tub”, he barked. “If that idiot bought that then perhaps this mission will be a cakewalk.”

“Should I inform the Corsair”, the officer at communications asked.

Akina shook his head. “Maintain radio silence. That communications hub is designed to monitor most forms of communications. I don’t want to risk us ending this party before it starts. The Corsair is monitoring. She will be there when we need her.”

“Commencing docking procedures. Slowing to 100 KPH. Engines at station keeping.”

Akina nodded taking a seat. “Bridge to Cargo Bay. How are we doing Sai?” Akina was anxious to hear from the Corsair’s chief engineer who had beamed aboard after they had commandeered the ship.

“How did I let you maniacs talk me into this plan”, was the response that came back over the channel. “Sorry captain, I need a few more minutes down here. Calibrating this monstrosity is taking longer than expected and it’s going to take every last joule of power this bucket can produce to pull off. I’ll have an update for you in five minutes.”

“Make it fast chief. I don’t have to remind you about our time schedule.”

“No captain, that point I am acutely aware of. Kusinagi out.”

Akina chuckled turning his attention back to matters at hand. “ETA?”

“Three minutes. Automated docking procedure will take another two minutes. Engine shutdown, power transfer, and station keeping will take another five minutes.”

Akina nodded. “Steady as she goes…”

==================================

Captain Zane Akina
Starfleet Intelligence Operative

Captain Albert Medex
Station CO, Epsilon-12 Communications Array

Commander Sai Kusanagi
Chief Engineer, USS Corsair