Pegasus Task Group, In Position

Posted on Sat Oct 26th, 2013 @ 5:44pm by Fleet Admiral Mike K`Wor Bremer & Lieutenant K`Wor & Commander Jonathan Coleman & Lieutenant Colonel Jillian "Phoenix" Sullivan & Lieutenant Ariel Gilmore & Captain Worf Son of Mogh & Lieutenant Catherine Mclintock & Master Chief Petty Officer Mark Branson

1,427 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Mission 84 - Blockade
Location: USS Pegasus, Bridge
Timeline: Following 'Arriving at DS14'

ON:

USS Pegasus, Bridge

Mike looked over the list of ships assigned to the Pegasus's group again.

Pegasus Group –
USS Pegasus – Galaxy Refit – Intercept Ship (Admiral Bremer)
USS Warrior – Defiant Class – Intercept Ship (Captain Worf)
USS Berlin – Nebula Class – Picket Ship (Captain Vanok)
IKS R’mall – Vor’cha Class – Picket Ship (T’sax HoD)
IKS Gr’vak – Vor’cha Class – Picket Ship (R’vis HoD)
CUS Dramal – Keldon Class – Picket Ship (Gul Gomar)
CUS M’raad – Galor Class – Picket Ship (Gul M’ral)
USS Atlanta – Intrepid Class – Picket Ship (Captain Davis)
USS Camaro – Defiant Class – Picket Ship (Captain Harper)
USS Vendetta – Galaxy Class – Picket Ship (Captain S’tal)
USS George S. Patton – Excelsior – Picket Ship (Captain Ebon)
IKS – Heg’sa – Vor’cha Class – Picket Ship (Varis HoD)

After reading over the ships' info, he stood from his seat.

"Chief, what's our ETA?" Mike asked.

"We'll be at our assigned coordinates in thirty-four minutes Admiral." Branson replied from the Flight Control position.

Mike nodded to himself, then tapped his comm-badge, "Major Sullivan report to the Bridge."

While he waited, he looked back to K'Temoc. "Open a channel to our Task Group."

After a moment, K'Temoc replied, "Channel open."

Mike cleared his throat before addressing the group, "Pegasus to Task Group, we'll be arriving at our assigned position in a little over thirty minutes. As soon as we arrive, I want all picket vessels to take their positions and activate their sections of the grid. Worf, as the intercept ships, I want the USS Warrior and USS Pegasus to split the difference, take the left wing and we'll take the right. I'll also have Major Sullivan's fighters patrolling the center. If anything is detected, the closest ship will intercept while the other moves to provide cover."

Mike then sent over a tactical 'map' of their assigned area with each ship's position displayed from left to right. 'Vendetta, M’Raad, Heg’sa, Berlin, R’mall, Dramal, Patton, Gr’vak, Camaro, Atlanta' and then behind them moving back and forth were 'Warrior and Pegasus'

"Understood." Worf replied over subspace.

"Remember, keep calm, maintain position, and report anything suspicious." Mike paused a moment, then finished the little pep-talk, "Bremer out."

Mike then looked back at the Bridge Crew, "Anything on sensors?"

At this moment Phoenix entered the bridge but chose to let the eggheads of the fleet do their jobs and report their status before she addressed her boss. All the while, she was fighting the urge to educate her CO on what her job was, as the commander of his air group, entailed. In many ways Phoenix did not mind being told what the plan was, but she was also a strategist in fighter warfare, and a former Top Gun instructor. Being treated as a typical fighter jock was becoming more annoying for her, the less she was used in fleet op prepping.

And of course, like the typical moronic fleeters, used to their comfy chairs and lavish living spaces aboard ships, Phoenix thought Bremer's strategic team were oblivious to how to properly utilize a fighter wing, in short of suicide missions. For that was truly the only type of strategy the brass knew how to employ on fighter pilots - suicide missions. That was probably what angered Phoenix the most out of this particular mission...

Surviving asteroid fields was a rare occurrence for small craft. Especially if you have to fight ship-to-ship at top speeds, in a unpredictable asteroid field. Phoenix had flown against the odds many times, but that had to deal with an innate natural talent - talent that not many fighter jocks shared. And knowing she would lose almost half her squad this day, did nothing but amplify that chip on her shoulder as she stood quietly at the rear of the bridge.

Lieutenant Gilmore looked up from the Science I station and said to Bremer, "I've got a few minor plops on the senors, but it could be anything, sir. I'm looking into them to rule anything and everything out."

Mike nodded to Ariel, then looked at his Tactical Officer, "Mister Brody, keep an eye on those blips."

Mike looked back to see Sullivan. "Major, status of your pilots and fighters?"

"My pilots are ready for this mission and the ordinance packages are fully installed in the fighters," Phoenix answered dryly.

"Good. Once we're in position, launch." He motioned for Sullivan to follow him over to the Intel station on the Bridge's left side, and activated a monitor behind Gardner and to his left. "I want you to take position in our Task Group's center, between the R’mall and Dramal. I have a gut feeling the Pact will use that asteroid field for cover, either to probe our lines or maybe even to try and run the blockade."

Mike still wasn't totally happy having both Cardassian ships assigned to his Task Group in the line's center, but with the fighters of the 181st there, he was much more comfortable with it, besides he wanted to be sure he had his flanks covered with vessels that were more than capable.

"With all due respect Admiral," Phoenix spoke quietly and cautiously. "If I were the Skymarshal on their side? I'd be smart enough not to run the blockade at our strongest point."

Sullivan pointed to her assigned CAP space, where the other capitol ships were assigned. "Smartest play is always to go for the flanks, to bypass as much of our defense as possible. If they send anything at our middle, it'll be scout planes only. And the middle will only appeal to them, if they figure out that Cardassians will break formation if they take too much damage. If that happens, twelve fighters cannot hold the middle indefinably. It'll take my entire wing."

Mike nodded and smirked, "I agree with you, that's why I assigned our big boys on the flanks, not to mention the TGs to our port and starboard. Think about it, would you want to run a blockade in the face of a Galaxy class or an Intrepid class in open space, or from the cover of an asteroid field toward Cardassian vessels?"

Mike knew Sullivan could very well be correct too. Use the asteroid field as a diversion and run further up...or even in another TG's area. He thought for a few moments before continuing, "I'm not expecting your group to hold the line, especially if they come in force. That's what intercept ships are for. What I do want, is for you to lead a flight personally into that field, scout it, make sure they aren't hiding or probing the line there. If they do try to run the blockade from there, sting em and report to us. The Pegasus and Warrior will intercept and if needed, the Gladiator will also Slipstream in to help or we'll call on additional intercept ships from nearby TGs. Have other flights patrolling the line as you see fit."

"We'll run the asteroid field as ordered, Sir." At the cost of many pilots too, Phoenix bitterly thought. "Just be aware, if the middle falls, and it will given the Spoonhead's galactic infamy of breaking off their lines, that the middle may not be so contested once you close ranks to reinforce that part of the line."

Now that Phoenix thought about it, that was probably what she would do if she had a lot of ships at her command, and wanted to outwit the Feds. Hit the Cardassians hard to force a more condensed line of defense for the Federation. Then sneak her bombers in the now unprotected flanks, to make perfect bombing runs on the planet.

Mike nodded. "Launch when ready."

Mike knew if the forces of the Typhon Pact attacked in mass, it could trigger a galactic war that no one wanted. Hell, even minor skirmishes could start a war, and that was part of the point behind the blockade, call the Pact's bluff, force them to back down without firing a shot...but Mike also realized a shooting war could be an all too real future.

"Brody, let me know the moment the fighters are away." Mike said to his Tactical Officer.

It took only three minutes for Phoenix to suit up and hop into her fighter. Once the signaling officers gave her the green light, she powered up her thrusters and opened up her comm channel. "All fighters launch."

Soon after, her squadron launched out rapidly in pairs, ready to patrol the asteroid field.


OFF: TBC

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