[snip]

“I agree that we can’t let the Orion’s have it but we don’t have the means to defend the orb.” Kord replied, “If we can’t get the facility’s defenses online, we may have to destroy the facility and, hopefully, the stone with it.”

“Hold those thoughts, just a moment, while I reply to Rogers,” Glen told Kord. At the same time he was most interested in the conversation the surface team were now having with the Orb, especially Jasper’s insightful questions about DNA. It was difficult to juggle everything at once.

Glen replied to Rogers on the secure channel, =/\= Captain, my team do know the precise location of the Stone within the facility and are gaining a lot of information from the Speaking Orb on the defences and from a historical perspective. It is heavily defended but the extra-planetary defences are in need of some repair. It also appears that it will not work if removed from that location and whoever tried would be attacked. We now view it as a weapon of mass destruction, best left untouched. It appears that it didn’t work much to the advantage of the Creators either. Our plan A would be to repair the planetary defences and have this system placed under a Starfleet General Order that no vessels under any condition, emergency or otherwise, are to visit. Plan B would be to destroy the facility and, hopefully, the stone along with it. Plan C would be to deliberately let the Orions try to take the stone and destroy themselves in the process. At the moment we need to buy some more time. Would you like to talk to Th’anos and keep him busy while my team continues to gain further information? Tell him the the Black Fleet will arrive shortly. We are eager to learn more, as it is possible that the Stone has a DNA-encoded lock. We are therefore also curious at how humans have managed to activated it… and possibly my pet cat too, but I won’t go into that right now. We just don’t have the time. Captain Glen out! =/\=

Before Glen got the channel closed Roger’s replied. =/\= I’ll try my best Captain. But if your team knows where the Stone is I would suggest they grab it and get back to the ship. Or better yet use it to even the odds here! From what I hear the Stone literally could bring in the whole of Black Fleet to our aide. =/\= He said.

Next, Glen wanted to inform Tinga =/\= Tinga, continue with this line of questioning. I’m trying to buy you some time but the Orion’s have a fleet of ships here. I can’t prevent them coming down to the planet. Your safety is more important than this information, so don’t stay too long that you can’t leave. We may be attacked and be forced to withdraw at very short notice. If so, meet us in the shuttle at the planet’s 2nd Lagrangian point. Glen out! =/\=

Glen turned back to Kord, “I would like to give Tinga, Jasper and Dr. Smith more time to question the Speaking Orb. If Rogers can’t sweet-talk the Orion captain, then we still have forty-odd probes left. We could send them out and mine the space around us, which would buy us a little more time.... It won’t prevent the Orions getting down to the surface though. We could also withdraw completely from here and allow the Orions to walk in like a bull in a china shop, and to destroy themselves, subject to the workings of the DNA-encoded lock. I’m open to other suggestions. I don’t think we can very easily destroy this facility from orbit. It also appears that it would fight back too, and right now, it seems to like us and considers us to be friendly. I’m happy to remain in its good books. An attack on it by us would turn its attention towards us instead of at the Orions… and we’d need to attack three facilities at the same time. Not an easy feat with two ships and surrounded by Orions. The final problem is that if the Orions are here, the Romulans and Klingons can’t be far behind. =/\=

As if summoned by Glen’s thoughts whether literally or not two more groups of warp signatures were detected. One to the ‘north’ of the system edge and one to the ‘south’. The first were two D-5C Klingon frigates dropping from warp shields and weapons primed. The second were a pair of Romulan T-5D Destroyers lead by a familare Flying Raptor Warbird battle cruiser. These three also had weapons and shields primed as they closed into the system both groups flanking the Orions from a distance. While the odds weren’t perfect the balance of power had most definitely shifted possibly in their favor assuming the Klingons and Romulans arriving were here to aide them as per the agreed alliance the Merrimack had helped sign.

=/\= This is Commander Kalrid of the Klingon Defense Force! Orion Dogs you will surrender your ships for daring to raid Klingon Outpost KSS-10!! =/\= the booming male voice of the Klingon commander said over an open comm evidently he was here to bring justice to some recent raid Th’anos had done.

=/\= This is Commander Andone of the Romulan Imperial Navy! We have come to answer a echoed distress call from the Federation ship USS Avenger in agreement to our operations treaty against Orion Pirate activity in this region. =/\= The familiar voice of Tel’shen Andone said. Evidently they had picked up the distress call too of the Avenger and followed the warp signature to this system from earlier.

Th’anos though seemed barely phased by his change of fortune. =/\= It matters not how many so called allies you call upon Captain Rogers! Your efforts to lay claim to what is rightfully ours by ancient right will not be swayed! =/\= He said. =/\= All Orion ships close formation and target all lead ships RAIN FIRE! =/\= he snapped before the comms ended. Evidently Rogers had used the sudden arrival of the Klingons and Romulans to try to threaten the Orions to leave but without success.

On screen the 8 Orion Wanderer frigates broke up into three groups, two angled about going for the Klingons while four more went after the Romulans, with the last two closing on the Avenger. The Merrimack was still out of their range as weapons opened up about the system around them. They still had breathing room to maneuver and plan or talk or something else.

“The rumours of my powers of prescience are all true,” Glen said to Kord. “I feel like we are throwing Rogers to the wolves, but I saved his ass once already today, and I think that even he would want us to stay with the Reality Stone right now!”

William kept a close eye on the scanners, the ones directed at the battle as well as the ones directed closer. If it came to battle the only thing he was going to be useful for was that, seeing what the others didn’t and using his admittedly clever brain to think of things the others hadn’t.

“It looks like the situation is changing rapidly,” said Glen. “Any other suggestions that allow us to remain here longer without entering the battle?”

While she couldn’t think of any tactical ways to remain unharmed, she let out a small chuckle as she half murmured a suggestion she was sure was ridiculous and probably already dismissed by the Captain in his thinking. “Hide on the other side of the planet? Can’t hit us if they can’t see us… right?”

Her hands had been typing furiously as she transcribed and made notes, listening to the unfolding conversations from below and the bridge. The idea of the planet’s defenses had fascinated her. She was curious if such a thing could be used on other planets or even on smaller scales like stations and ships…

“That could work, either we hide using the planet itself or we could use its magnetic pole to hide ourselves” William suggested finally feeling a bit more useful. That would be enough provided they had not yet detected them, even if they had that could give them some vital minutes alone.

Glen wasn’t so sure, “By my reckoning, there are at least 15 ships in this system now. I’m doubtful that there is anywhere we could hide from all of them. I don’t even think my idea of laying 50 probes as mines would work if a group came for us. To hide then we’d also need to shut down; go radio silent and power down the Warp drive. I want to keep in contact with Tinga’s team and to be ready for a fast getaway, if required. I’m open to trying though. If they are so involved with each other; caught up in fighting among themselves, it is possible that they just won’t notice us during the melee.... …On the other hand, I’m sure that the Romulan Commander Andone will have already clocked us, or specifically me! But given that her daughter will become a Starfleet officer in the future, by some weird turn of events that I still cannot fathom, that might not be such a problem for us.”

With one eye still on the viewscreen feeding live from the planet below Glen made to the landing party, =/\= Tinga, have Jasper ask the stone his question now, ‘how can we repair the planetary defences to protect the stone from the raiders coming to take it away/’ =/\=

-Glen, CO