[snip]

”..I was thinking just the same! Ensign K’Sang..” Drudoc said, so far no patterns were yet showing up that Luna could target. Focusing her attention to Luna again Drudoc ordered. “..Ensign Luna fire a full burst of tricobalt devices into the cometary body. Ensign Marsh upon their launch angle the ship to 316 Mark 98 maintain evasive pattern Ceti 6a..” She said.

”..Aye ma’am..” Marsh said.

Once Luna would launch the tricobalt devices out the aft launcher the impacts were almost immediate, the devices detonated and tore apart the larger commentary mass into thousands of smaller fragments, as well as making cometary mass and gas shotgun out in all directions. But with the Ark Angel’s course change and faster speed they avoided getting caught in the ensuing cloud. However, as it soon revealed their pursuing warbirds were not so lucky, they were easily outlined in the cometary mass the Horn’s Claw was slightly above them to aft and port about 300 meters away, was the Cold Cutch was below them to aft and starboard about 500 meters away. Both well within weapon’s range.

Once Luna would fire phasers as earlier directed, the lancing shots would quickly pin down both cloaked and unshielded warbirds. The closer and more aggressive Horn’s Claw fell from cloak had major damage to their port wing nacelle assembly and were leaking drive plasma. The ship was flickering showing critical damage to their engine systems. While their shields sluggishly came back up registering only at 15% weapons were also knocked off line, but for the moment the more aggressive Horn’s Claw was disabled. For the Cold Clutch the phaser strikes there were less damaging, the further back warbird also fell from cloak and had their main power supply disabled, but back up power soon took over. Their shields sluggishly also came back up but were at 29%, the plasma bolt system seemed offline, but the forward disruptors showed likely to be working at only 30% capacity.

Seeing this Drudoc spat out some more orders. “..Ensign Marsh, bring us about and hold station 900 meters off both warbirds. Ensign Luna, target both ships with phasers but hold fire. Ensign K’sang open a channel to both ships, let’s see if they are willing to talk..” she said.

GM CockRoach / Drudoc Andone CO

“Yes Captain, channel open” he said as he worked the console, looking over he said softly. “Good shot” to Luna.

-Ksang, JSO

Luna smiled at Ksang. Her wing was held a little higher and she had relaxed the theist bit. Pride in her work reflected in her body language. She however focused back on the task and hand. Keeping a weapons lock on the Romulan ships.

Ensign Luna

Once the channel was opened again, Drudoc again rose as both warbird’s commanders came up on the split screen. To the left was the female commander of the Cold Clutch, the right was the male commander on the Horn’s Claw. The female commander’s bridge looked damaged but still usable, no obvious injuries were present in the viewing screen. The male commander though had a cut down his forehead, a slow drip of green blood evident over his brow. Behind him his bridge was a wreck it seemed and at least two officers were either dead or unconscious. =/\= This is Commodore Andone once more. I regret the need for this combat given our current situations but you left us no choice. Perhaps now either of you are more willing to listen? =/\= Drudoc said.

The male combative Romulan spat a wad of blood to the side, then wiped his mouth, =/\= Why should we ever wish to listen to you Bruchon filth! =/\= he said using the Romulan native insult and word for traitor. The female Romulan commander said nothing yet just watching impassively.

Directing her attention to the male commander Drudoc spoke, =/\= Because Commander, your ship is disabled, half your crew is injured or dead from the damages this combat took with your rash actions. With but another phaser strike I could destroy you. But that would grant you at least an Mnhei’sahe Vastagor in combat..=/\= Drudoc spat with a force of conviction and threat to her tone that seemed genuine to most who might hear it. Her words also were that of the native Romulan for ‘honorable death’. =/\= So I wouldn’t give you the satisfaction, instead you would commit hHhoasl but without any honor to your name or ship among the Paths to the Stars, so you would be denied that pathway. Instead you would drift slowly among this nebulous creature as I explained, slowly dying when your life support would run out..=/\= She said.

Indeed Luna and KSang could see that with the Horn’s Claw damaged as it was, without aide from them or their female commander’s warbird they would likely loose life support in a day or so. =/\= What is it you propose Commodore? =/\= The female Commander from the Cold Clutch said finally. The male commander seemed to be put in his place for the moment and remained quiet. Though clearly he was seething with rage at what Drudoc had said and his possible fate.

Directing her attention to the woman, Drudoc nodded. =/\= First? An end to further combat. As well as the instigation of further combat against my ship or any others we may meet unless attacked first. =/\= She said.

After a moment the female nodded, =/\= Agreed for now..=/\= She said.

Nodding Drudoc continued, =/\= Second as I also explained, this nebula we are all in is not a true nebula, it is in fact a massive space borne organism. One which spans over 4 light years across in all directions. This organism has the capacity to feed on both organic and technological substances. As well as absorb such energies and data it may have if it so chooses. Further it also seems to have the capability to transcend the known laws of not only the physical locations but also realitial and temporal locations. =/\= She said getting interrupted by the female commander.

=/\= So you began to say, I admit during our brief skirmish I had two of my engineering and science officers scan for abnormalities, since our arrival here two weeks ago. We located such a small blob near an EPS line to our singularity core. With some effort it was contained in an isolation field for further study. =/\= She said.

=/\= We have also captured one such creature, as well as attempting to contain a second on our ship.=/\= She said directing her attention to the male commander, =/\= I would suggest, Commander for your ship’s safety and crew you do the same as soon as you can..=/\= She said.

Growling low the man replied, =/\= Federation lies! No doubt some future weapon, rest assured if we find such we will vaporize it rather then ‘study’ it like my compatriot. =/\= He said then ended his side of the comm.

=/\= My wing commander is a hot headed one, passionate for the Empire’s future, Commodore. Let us focus on your terms though, what else? =/\= She asked.

=/\= The third thing you already answered, how long have you been here from your perspective. Further information you could provide of that nature would be welcome we are willing to share what we have found as well since our own entry. You should also be aware we have confirmed other ships have been in here. One is already within this system and partly why we came here originally ourselves. For the sake of peace and cooperation I would suggest you remain outside this system, given from when they come from relations and tensions between humans and the Empire are still quite fresh. =/\= She explained.

The female commander gave a faint snort, =/\= Fresh you say? When have relations between the Empire and humans not been tense? Though given the fact you stand on one of their ships in our future and wear their uniform and such a high rank I must surmise at some point we are either conquered by the Federation or you were outcast. =/\= She stated.

=/\= No the Empire still exists in our time rest assured, my own personal history of life from then till now is .....complex to say the least. I am no outcast though. I also hold the rank of Senior Fleet Commander in the Empire as well. In either case we are getting off track. My last condition is that we work together to establish a means to return to our respective times if possible safely, without impacting the timeline both past present or future as the point of view may be. =/\= She said.

After a moment, the female Commander nodded, =/\= We agree to these terms for now. I will begin by having my repair crews assist the Horn’s Claw and my own ship. We will alert you when we are stabilized. You fought well Commodore, if your skill with words and diplomacy prove as cunning as your use of tactics and combat you truly have earned your status of rank in your time. We will await your information packets and send our own once our computer core reboots. =/\= She said then ended the call.

Shaking her head Drudoc looked away from the screen, turning to Luna she said, “..Stand down to yellow alert, keep our shields raised for now but weapons to standby. Civlizan shelters can relax lock down status but should be ready to return if the situation changes. The Ensigns there will know what to do..” She said, then looked to KSang, “..Compile the information of our arrival here, but exclude the year or indications there of to lessen any damage to the timeline. Encode all data using historical archive formats for the Star Empire for 2280-2300. You can find them under the Federation-Empire Exchange archives in the computers. This should ensure they can not study any future data format encryption methods. Keep mention of the Synthesis vague, mention it is an Early-Federation class ship but not what type or year, explain its mission was exploratory for the time and was reported lost with all hands till our encounter here four days prior. Explain we had come here responding to a distress call that indicated it was this ship. Any questions let me know..” Drudoc said then returned to her captain’s seat. “..Ensign Marsh, once both warbirds are stable and effecting repairs, bring us about and return us into the system to rendezvous with the Synthesis at half-impulse..”

”..Aye ma’am..” Marsh said going to do so.

Drudoc Andone CO / GM CockRoach