Posted by Lieutenant Commander Haruka Sato (Chief Engineer) in Main sim USS Brave-Cargo Bay

Posted by Gamemaster Rei (GM) in Main sim USS Brave-Cargo Bay

Posted by Captain Daniel “DaVinci” Colter (CO/CIO) in Main sim USS Brave-Cargo Bay
DaVinci was walking down the corridor alongside Admiral Sinclair. They were headed to the upper level of the USS Brave’s cargo bay on deck 2.

“All the volunteers should be assembled in the cargo bay, Admiral. I think you’ll be pleased with the crew. In fact, I had to deny some of the volunteers due to the ship size. I’ve got the best of the best here, sir.”

The doors shwooshed open and the pair stepped in. Gathered below, on the deck, was the assembled volunteers. . . .

Captain Daniel “DaVinci” Colter
CO/CIO USS Saracen

The Old Man nodded. “You never disappoint, Captain,” he said, a hint of approval in his voice. Admiral Sinclair swept his gaze over the assembled crew below. The cargo bay wasn’t an ideal place for a briefing, but it would have to do.

Once everyone had filtered in, he steeled himself. “Welcome to Operation Silent Vigil,” he began, his voice echoing in the cavernous space. “Recent encounters—like the one in the Farsinia System, or the skirmish the Memorial just endured—indicate that something is stirring in Cardassian space. They’re pushing out, encroaching on our territory, sniffing around where they shouldn’t be. They’ve got new ships, new tech—some of it stuff they’ve long scoffed at, but now they’re deploying it. Something’s shifted in the dark over there. After the Dominion War, we were mostly forced out, leaving them to recover on their own. It seems they’ve more than recovered.”

He paused, letting the weight of his words settle over the crew. “Which brings us to this operation. We need eyes inside Cardassian space—deep inside, behind enemy lines. We need to see behind the iron curtain. The crew of the Saracen has the most situational awareness in the region, which gives you the best intel we have. That makes you the ideal team for this mission. Captain Colter’s experience in these matters makes him the perfect choice to lead this op, and I wouldn’t dream of separating him from his crew.”

“The operation itself is black bag—off the books, under the radar. If it goes sideways, it never happened. That’s why it’s volunteer only. It’s crazy dangerous and could very well be a one-way trip. Or worse.”

Sinclair took a breath before continuing. “So, what’s the job? You’re going hunting. The Saracen was attacked by newer ships with advanced weapons systems. And as you saw, they had cloaking devices. We’ve encountered the same—right down to fighter-sized ships with cloaks.” He let the revelation sink in. The Cardassians had never used cloaking technology before. Now, armed with it, they were a deadly new threat. “Your primary objective is to locate where these ships are being built and get a count on them. Secondary objectives: gather as much intelligence as you can—signals, transmissions, sensor readings, anything. It’s a sneak and peek.”

“We’re sending you out on a Brazen-class ship, the Brave. It’s small, nimble, naturally stealthy, but over-engined and over-gunned, much like the Defiant-class of old. It’s more than capable of handling this mission. But given the stakes, I’ve called in a favor.”

He gestured toward a nearby hatch that led to the walkway above. The doors slid open, revealing a new figure. A Romulan woman in her mid-thirties, with jet-black hair pulled into a tight bun and dark lips. She wore a casual duty uniform—mostly black with subtle hints of dark purple. It was vaguely Starfleet, but unmistakably Romulan. She moved to stand beside Admiral Sinclair. “Let me introduce Subcommander T’Reya,” he said. “She’s here to lend us a little help, in the form of a toy on loan from our Romulan friends.”

T’Reya stepped forward, her voice cool and measured. “I’m sure some of you are concerned about the Treaty of Algeron,” she began. “Rest assured, it’s still in effect. That’s why I’m here. You won’t be using the device—I will. The Romulan Star Empire shares your concerns. After the destruction of Romulus, we find ourselves in a precarious position. The Federation is our strongest ally, so it stands to reason that we should work together on this matter. Any intelligence we gather will benefit both of our peoples.”

Sinclair nodded in agreement. “To that end, Subcommander T’Reya will operate in cooperation with Captain Colter. In his absence, she’ll take orders from Commander Kolar. She’s your mission specialist and ally for this run.”

The Admiral paused, letting the information sink in. “Any questions so far?”

GM Rei, GM

Harri took a step forward.

“Chief Engineer Sato, Sir,” she said, as way of introduction. “Is the Romulan cloaking device installed on the Brave, and who is responsible for its maintenance?”. In truth, she wasn’t expecting an answer, but sometimes these little details were important, especially if the crew was going to be able to work well with the Romulan.

Lt. Cmdr. Sato
Chief Engineer

“Commander Sato,” Sinclair said with a nod. “Excellent question.” With one hand he gestured to T’Reya.

“My expertise is in the use of the cloak. I know a lot about it’s workings, but I’m no engineer. My focus is primarily in Intelligence. We’ll be working together to ensure it installs and runs smoothly. To that effect, we’ve already got a coupling and interface system ready to go. We’ll have to test it under way. I’m sure you’re eager to get a peek under the hood.”

GM Rei, GM