The Chase pt1

Posted on Mon Dec 31st, 2012 @ 10:22am by Fleet Admiral Mike K`Wor Bremer & Commander Jonathan Roebuck IV & Ensign Becca Bremer & Commander Jonathan Coleman & Brigadier General David Hurd Sr & Lieutenant Commander Holly Gillo & Lieutenant Saith i-Ki Baratan & Commodore Alexandra Harrison & Lieutenant Catherine Mclintock & Master Chief Petty Officer Mark Branson & `Doctor` & Admiral Tomalak & First Ramata`tar

2,039 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Mission 81 - Revenge
Location: USS Pegasus, Bridge
Timeline: Following: 'Down, But Not Out'

ON:

"Admiral, sensors showing the Starlighter continuing on their current course, he's stopped his short warp jumps." Roebuck reported from Tactical.

"Course and speed?" Mike requested.

"Speed is holding at warp seven...looks like he's modified his engines. Course is three-hundred mark twelve... he's taking us deeper into Federation space." K'Temoc looked up from Strategic Ops.

The course was confusing to say the least, everyone expected him to be making a run for either the Neutral Zone or The Triangle.

"Admiral I've matched course, but we're holding at warp seven too, until we can get the damage to engineering repaired there's no way to over take him." Chief Branson added from Flight Control.

"How long will repairs take?" Mike asked Coleman.

Coleman looked at his indicators and did some last minute calculations before speaking up. "It'll take a good 20 minutes or so to get all the stuff fixed that we need to and that's a bare minimum to get us to warp seven or higher."

Mike didn't like the answer, and he hoped in the mean time nothing else would happen to slow the Pegasus down. He stood up, "I'll be in my Ready Room."

Speaking up before the Admiral left the bridge, David said, ''Sir, permission to mobilize my Marines to the extent possible?''

"Have them standing by, also prep the Poseidon, just in case." Mike replied. The Blackhawk type Marine Deployment Runabout could be used in case Marines needed to land, or as a diversion...

Mike then turned and entered his Ready Room...

As the Admiral left the for the ready room, David tapped his combadge, and said, '' Lt. Col. Hurd to all Marine personnel, Condition Zebra, i repeat, condition Zebra, assemble your gear, and meet in Marine ops in 15.'' ''Also, Marine flight crews, prep the Poseidion for immediate deployment''. As he left the Bridge himself to grab his combat gear, he said to the rest of the bridge crew, does anyone need anything else of me?''

Holly turned from her operations station and spoke to the Lt. Colonel, "Just wish I was going with you, but since I'm not give them hell."

As the turbolift doors started to close, David looked at the Lt. and replied,with a twisted, deadly grin on his face, ''Oh i will Lt., for they, as the saying goes, ''Hell hath no fury like a Marine.'' David was still smiling as the doors closed, and the turbolift car took him off to his office.


Mike sat at his desk in his Ready Room looking over a star chart along the course Westmoreland was going. 'Remu III?' He asked himself. But why, why go there?

Remu III was a Cardassian planet close to the Federation border, and the location of the destruction of the USS Pegasus NCC-53847-A. Westmoreland had left the Pegasus a year before then, and he wasn't aboard any of the other ships in the Task Force that was assigned to hunt down and stop the stolen USS Universal and it's rogue crew from attacking the helpless Cardassian world of three million, just a few months after the Dominion War ended.

Mike tapped commands into his desk's display and pulled up the crew manifests of the Pegasus-A, Falcon, MacArthur, George Washington, Defender, and Yamato.

No one named Westmoreland was listed aboard any of the ships. Then, Mike looked up the list of crew-members aboard the USS Universal. Even though the ship was stolen, it was her Commanding Officer and test crew that were intent on 'punishing' the Cardassians for their part in the war and the deaths of billions. Fleet Admiral Mark Casey had once been Mike's commanding officer...and former CO of the Pegasus, NCC-1702-A before Mike took over the ship, weeks before he loss.

As Mike looked over the Universal's crew, he found a name, Sara Westmoreland. She was a twenty-seven year old Engineer. She was listed as 'recently married and five months pregnant'.

Mike lowered his head, none of the Universal's crew had survived the ship's loss. It had been thirteen years, but time didn’t heal all wounds…Mike knew that very well. During that same mission, Mike’s ex-wife Becky was killed aboard the Pegasus, while saving Mike’s life.

He paused a moment, taking a sip of his raktijno. He then closed out the file and tapped in commands to open a subspace channel to Starbase 400. After a few moment, Vice Admiral T’Lar appeared.

“Heard anything from LaForge?” Mike asked.

"Yes, I did. He confirms what Admiral Tomalak said. There are no Romulan Warbirds there."

Mike shook head, “I’m not surprised.” He took another sip of the hot Klingon coffee. “Westmoreland isn't heading back for the Triangle…I believe he’s heading for Remu III.”

"That is very interesting. Any idea why?"

“I’m not sure, but I did find a connection. He accused me of killing his wife and unborn child. Apparently, his wife, Sara, was aboard the Universal when Fleet Admiral Casey and Commander Dailey decided to make the Cardassians pay. There were no survivors, and since the Pegasus-A lead the Federation Task Force to stop them…"

"So he decided to do the same to you. Take away someone you love." Deela could hardly believe that someone could hate that much.

“Remu III had a population of three million, and one of the Cardassian’s last ship yards at the time. The Universal destroyed the yard and bombarded the planet before we arrived. We only managed to find and recover about four hundred survivors. Since then, the Cardassians have left the planet barren, they never tried to repopulate and rebuild it.” Mike added.

"So why would he go there? What is waiting there for him?"

“I have no idea why he’d go there.” Mike shook his head again, still trying to make sense of everything.

"I managed to talk to Admiral Riggs. I can't help feeling that he is somehow involved."

“Riggs did seem pretty intent on me being on that conference call with him and Tomalak. What did you sense from him?” Mike replied.

"At first, I sensed that he was holding back something. As we talked, he became agitated. When I mentioned Westmoreland's name, his anxiety went up and that is when he ended our conversation."

“Deela. I don’t trust this to Subspace…I want you to go to Earth, speak directly to Fleet Admiral Nechayev. The USS Essex arriving home will draw enough attention, if anyone is aiding Westmoreland it might draw them out. Besides, I’m sure Lokran, Clifford, Yamaguchi, Harris, and General Jones need something to do.” Mike tried to flash a smile. “Have Greenwood take command of the Station, and keep an eye on the Triangle while you’re away.”

"Right away." She leaned forward in her chair, "Mike." She paused for a moment, "I didn't say this before but I want you to know how sorry I am for your loss. I hope you get that bas..." She stopped herself, toning it down a little, "...Westmoreland."

Mike tried to smile, but instead started to tear up again. "Thank you...and I will, I swear it." Mike quickly closed the comm before clearing his eyes and taking a deep breath.

He leaned back in his chair, thinking. Part of him wanted to stop Westmoreland now, get his son back, as a father he wanted his son safe. However another part of him wanted to let things play out, see why Westmoreland was heading for Remu III. Was it just a ploy, or was he going there for a reason. He also thought about calling for assistance from nearby Starships, bring things to a faster close, but he also worried that one nervous tactical officer would destroy the Starlighter before K'Wor could be rescue.

After a moment, he stood up and straightened his uniform before tapping his comm-badge. "Bremer to Senior Officers, report to Tactical Astrometerics in fifteen minutes."

David tapped his combadge just as he was putting on the last of his Battle Equipment, and said, ''Aye, Aye, Sir.''

Coleman pressed his combadge as he continued to work on the engines. "Aye, Aye, Sir" Coleman said before he continued to work.

Hearing the call to a meeting in fifteen minutes go over the comm. she pressed a few buttons and then responded, "Acknowledged, Captain." She then went back to monitoring what was going on with the ship and preparing to yield her station to another officer.

Saith was tense as she entered the room. She knew that the Romulans were under suspicion. She did not realize that she was sitting with her fists clenched. Taking a deep breath she tried to stay calm and took her seat looking at the large screen showing their position.

About fifteen minutes later, Mike entered Tactical Astrometerics. The Staff was gathered, several looking at the larger monitor on the wall. There were two small flashing dots representing the Starlighter and Pegasus, and highlighted line showing their course.


"Thank you all for coming." Mike started. " We've analyzed the Starlighter's course and believe he's heading here," Mike tapped a command and the map zoomed in on Remu III, "Remu III, in Cardassian space. Why, we're not totally here. The planet has been barren for thirteen years."

He tapped commands in again and the screen went back to the original display. "After much thought, I've decided to play this out, maintain distance and get closer to the Remu system. I believe if we try to close in on Westmoreland and board the Starlighter now, he'll simply kill K'Wor. Once in sensor range, we'll scan area, then decide where the best place to launch a rescue team will be. Colonel Hurd will lead the Marines, I'll be accompanying." He looked over at Hurd, "No debate."

Looking concerned, but accepting his the Admiral's orders, he simply said, ''Aye Aye sir, i will assighn you a personal bodyguard detachment when me launch the mission''

Mike tapped in a few additional commands, the map shrunk in size and moved to the size as pictures of Westmoreland, Sara Westmoreland, and Admiral Riggs appeared.

"Westmoreland accused me of murdering his wife and unborn child. He wasn't married when he left the Pegasus fourteen years ago to becoming the Executive Officer of the USS Atlantis. After doing some digging, we learned he married Sara Robinson about a year later. Sara was part of the design team and test crew of the USS Universal project during the final few months of the Dominion War, and was later killed when the Universal was destroyed at Remu III...a mission lead by the Pegasus. Sara was a few months pregnant at the time."

Mike paused a moment before continuing. "Admiral T'Lar spoke with Captain LaForge of the USS Challenger, verifying the Romulans were not building up along the border." He glanced over at Baratan for a moment before continuing, "After receiving the report from the Challenger, Admiral T'Lar spoke with Admiral Riggs. He seemed nervous and anxious, and we have a feeling he might be involved with Westmoreland. Because of that, I've asked her to take the Essex to Earth and speak face to face with Starfleet Command CnC, Fleet Admiral Nechayev."

The Admiral’s words were like a healing salve and Saith felt herself relax. Her people were not to blame. She wiggled her fingers to return the circulation to them, thinking about the information they had received. Unbidden her thoughts turned briefly to Maal and she smiled. She forced her attention back to the briefing.

He again paused to allow all the information to sink in before continuing. "Coleman, Gillo, I want this ship as battle ready as possible before we arrive in the Remu system. Weapons, shields, propulsion. Hurd, I want a team of your best Marines ready. Ramata'tar, I have a special assignment for you. Baratan, Roebuck, Security Alert One. I want armed teams patrolling every deck and assigned to vital areas. Doctor Brislan, have Sick Bay ready. K'Temoc, you'll be in command during the recuse mission." He looked around at everyone, "We're still nearly seventeen hours from Remu, so let's get to work, dismissed."

TBC:

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