Posted by Captain John Tiberius Glen (Captain) in Admiral Stone’s Office — Starbase K-9
[snip]

With the Space Station walkways fully extended and safely attached to the USS Merrimack, Captain John T. Glen left the ship and walked to the office of Admiral Stone. Deep Space K-5 had become familiar to the Captain and his crew as it had mostly worked out from it over the last few years. It wasn’t exactly home, but it did feel like a comfortable old shoe. Some of the lower decks smelled just like an old shoe too. Luckily, Stone’s office was on the higher decks, almost as high as you could reach, so John took a turbolift.

Glen’s communicator bleeped =/\= Sorry to interrupt you Captain ,I believe you shall meet with the Admiral? Could you mention that we had to use the jefferies tubes when the ship’s power went out. The turbo lifts weren’t working and maybe request that stairs should be build =/\= knowing that the Captain had been on the planet he was not aware of the injured crew ,especially the one who got injured in one of the tubes .

=/\= Not sure if there is room for steps, but we could have ladders retro-fitted, and I’ll ask about having the back-up battery power enhanced so that we don’t lose Artificial Gravity so quickly… but I have to go now, sorry =/\= Glen replied.

=/\= Thank you Captain =/\= Cross replied =/\= At least he didn’t bite my head off =/\= she didn’t realize that the communicator was still on.

Once outside his office, Glen pressed the door buzzer.

It took a few moments but the door finally swished open showing Admiral Stone’s standing at the door panel just to the side of the door.
“Welcome, Captain. Come on in.” He invited, one hand held out to invite Glen in.

The office carried the sleek, purposeful style Starfleet favored in the late 23rd century. The walls were paneled in smooth off-white with accents of bright crimson and muted gray, punctuated by glowing inset light panels that hummed faintly with power. The flooring was covered in Starfleet’s deep red carpeting, clean and sharply defined against the bright tones of the walls.

A wide curved viewport dominated one side, framed in brushed steel. Beyond it, the bustle of Starbase K-9 stretched outward — shuttlecraft darting between spindly docking pylons, Constitution-class starships held in berths, their saucers gleaming under floodlights. The stars beyond shimmered as if painted onto a velvet canvas, perfectly in keeping with the TOS aesthetic.

At the center of the room stood the Admiral’s desk: angular, functional, and adorned with blinking multicolored status lights in that distinctive TOS palette — amber, turquoise, red, and green. A pair of tape-style data recorders rested in neat stacks, alongside a framed holophoto of his Academy class and a small silver model of the USS Excalibur, his first command.

Behind the desk, the Federation emblem gleamed proudly on the wall, flanked by a dark blue Starfleet Command pennant trimmed with gold. Nearby shelves contained a mix of official record tapes and subtle personal artifacts: a brass telescope, a crystal award from the Federation Council, and a display case holding a ceremonial Klingon d’k tahg — a reminder of battles survived and treaties won.

The entire office felt like a stage: a place where a captain could be called to receive orders that carried the weight of the Federation — orders that would send them into the unknown.

Admiral Stone’s led the way to one side, a conversation nook provided space for less formal meetings: low, curved chairs upholstered in black leatherette around a glass-topped table. On a sideboard, a polished metal carafe of real Terran coffee waited beside the more impersonal replicator alcove.
“Coffee?” He asked moving toward the sideboard.

Glen could not help but to be impressed by the room’s decor, though he wondered if the Admiral was overcompensating for something else. He’d only heard rumours of the room’s decor before, and some of them had been quite scathing remarks. Personally, he didn’t think it looked anything like a professional wrestler’s dressing room. He was always impressed by someone who had a proper coffee machine and who roasted and ground their own beans. He remembered now that the Admiral had invited him to sample his coffee once before, so he wasted no time in saying, “yes, please!”

Stone smiled into understanding at the Captain’s quick response. “How do you take it?” He asked as he worked the machine and filled two cups in decent sized mugs. He was a man who lived and breathed coffee. No dainty cups for him.

GM Nosferatu
Your Darkest Nightmare

Glen hadn’t had any real coffee in years. He hadn’t had unreplicated cow’s milk for longer still. He liked his coffee well roasted and brewed strong, with just a little of a milk alternative, but he didn’t wish to put the Admiral to any trouble, and was quite sure that the Admiral didn’t keep any dairy farm animals on DS-K5, so he said, “Just as you are Sir! From that carafe with a little of that white creamer, thanks!”

The Admiral nodded, added a touch of cream to both then carried the coffees over to the glass table between the two comfortable chairs. There were coasters on the table with Starfleet insignias on them, he set the coffees down, one on each before taking a seat in the chair across from Glen.
“Now, Captain” He said after allowing both of them to have a sip and relax. “I read your report but would like to hear from you what happened and why you think these Aenars deserve to have the attention of the council.”

GM Nosferatu
Your Darkest Nightmare

Glen thought and then said, “The planet had no permanent inhabitants when first discovered, and that remained the case until the Aenar were settled there by the Romulans. The Aenar have been living underground in secret ever since, completely forgotten about. They have a very clear cut legal case to remain on the planet, I thought, simply from that long length of time. The problem, as you know, is that the Federation now has Dilithium Mining interests there, and so they need to reach some kind of peaceful and mutually beneficial outcome. It wasn’t a problem that I thought that I could rule on and not get into some hot water, or have it later overturned, and I doubt that you would want to either. Best to pass it up the food chain to the Council to permanently settle for good. The Aenar will gain sympathy because of the genetic engineering experiments that were carried out, something the Federation might consider more important than Dilithium, both scientifically and diplomatically. However, if it were simply up to me, then I would impose a blockade on visiting the planet at all, by the creation of a new Starfleet General Order prohibiting contact. There is actually precedence for doing that. Of course, the other sources of the supply of Dilithium to Starfleet are running out, and those often mooted Dilithium recrystallisation experiments have not brought any fruit yet, Dilithium recrystallisation could be years away yet. So, I appreciate there will be economic arguments to resettle the Aenar elsewhere, however, I did give them my word that they would be allowed to stay. It was the only way that I could see to prevent further conflict between the Aenar and miners, and to get my crew safely out of the mines. I’m sure that with discussion around a table, some agreement can be made that is suitable to everyone, but I’m a jack of all trades, not a diplomat.”

• Glen, CO

Stone listened quietly, sipping his coffee while Glen spoke. He studied the Captain closely taking in his demeanour, tone of voice and conviction. When Glen finished, Stone waited for the other man to drink his own coffee before continuing.
“That was my take on it as well. It was I put into my own recommendation to the Council. I just wanted to hear yours from you in person. Thank you, Captain and well done. The Council said they are sending out a team to access the situation and make contact with the Aenar. The miners, of course, have already filed a complaint.” Finishing with that topic Stone went on, picking up a palm size remote off of a side table and clicking it to activate a screen that appeared after a panel slid open on the opposite wall.

“Tell me, Captain. What do you know of the Caradthian Expanse?” The Admiral asked as the picture of the expanse flashed onto the viewscreen.

After Glen told him what he knew, the Admiral continued. “The Caradthian Expanse is a volatile and largely uncharted region on the fringes of the Kaliphane Sector, spanning nearly fifty light-years across. It is marked by dense molecular clouds, unstable gravimetric pockets, and unpredictable subspace distortions that make long-range navigation hazardous.

It’s well outside our regular patrol lanes. Long-range probes have picked up a spatial rift with a very peculiar signature, a Cosmic string entanglement. Starfleet Astrometrics has named it the Veytan Aperture.”

A picture of the Aperture appeared on the viewscreen. It appeared as a vast, jagged rift in space, laced with glowing cosmic strings that twist like fiery threads of copper and violet. Stars behind it warp into arcs, while indigo and crimson gases shimmer at its edges. Within, the rift is a deep, shifting darkness streaked with silver and gold currents, flaring sporadically as strings collide—an immense, living scar across the void.

The Admiral continued after allowing the Captain to study the picture.

“Your primary objective will be to conduct a full-spectrum survey. Gravimetric, subspace, chronometric — the works. I want a complete profile of the Aperture. And Captain, I want it mapped. Every string intersection, every oscillation point.”

“That’s your first objective. Determine if these strings are stable or if we’re looking at a collapse scenario. If this thing tears, it could produce gravimetric shear zones or subspace fractures over light-years. I want your recommendation on safe operating perimeters.”

Another picture appeared on the screen. It showed a Shiarain warship which had a predatory, talon-like silhouette with two forward prongs housing heavy weapons. Its hull was plated in jagged crimson and black chitin-metal armor, ridged and segmented like an exoskeleton. Glowing red-orange veins traced along the prow and wings, pulsing as intimidation displays. Compact yet menacing, it bristled with weapon mounts and subspace snare projectors, built for rapid, aggressive strikes.

“But….Intelligence has picked up an aggressive warp-capable civilization operating near the rift. They’ve shown an interest in the anomaly. We don’t know if they’re scientists, opportunists, or something worse. You’re to initiate First Contact if the opportunity arises — but keep your defenses ready. If they attempt to exploit or destabilize the rift, stop them.” The Admiral warned very seriously.

The Admiral clicked off the viewer and the panel swished back into place hiding it.

“One more thing. Gravimetric sensors have detected… movement inside the Aperture. Not a ship. Something big. Possibly alive. You’re to investigate, catalogue, and determine sentience if possible — but do it without provoking it. If this lifeform is tied to the rift’s stability, we can’t afford to antagonize it.Keep me updated on every significant finding. You’ll have Science Council on standby, encrypted channel. And Captain—”

“This is an Exploration Priority One mission, but I’m giving you full tactical discretion. If the situation turns, you safeguard the Merrimack and her crew. Understood?”

Good. Godspeed, Captain Glen. The eyes of Starfleet are on you.”

GM Nosferatu
Your Darkest Nightmare