Mission Briefing

[Joe Manning 0]

"This is border station Jericho-3 in Sector 082 with high priority communique to Starbase 128.

 

"We have not received waypoint confirmation from cargo transport 81-Beta-3, currently inside the Klingon border. 81-Beta-3 entered Klingon space five hours ago on a trade mission to Ar'toQ colony. They had strict orders to stand by for arrival confirmation at the intervening Cepheus Gamma system. 81-Beta-3's commanding officer delayed considerably before responding to confirmation request. Request for explanation of the delay was met by an unidentified individual. Neither said individual nor 81-Beta-3 CO has made further contact with Jericho-3 command. Further requests for confirmation have not been answered. 81-Beta-3 was officially declared out of contact at 1620 hours.

 

"Alert status on Jericho-3 station has been upgraded to yellow. Support cruiser Vladika has been dispatched to the Cepheus Gamma system to investigate. We request that Starbase 128 notify the Klingon government of the situation and dispatch backup to Vladika's position in Cepheus Gamma. Vladika is a light cruiser, Oberth-class; backup may be required! Vladika's ETA to Cepheus Gamma is 35 minutes.

 

"Repeat, this is border station Jericho-3 in Sector 082 with high priority communique ... "

 

* * * * *

 

"SNAFU!" Commander Mench said as he reached under his chair. His hand found the grip of his disruptor rifle in the hollow compartment. He released the weapon from its dark confines and pulled the arming switch. The rising whine of the disruptor's energy coil firing up was always soothing to his ears. It was a beauty of a weapon with only one purpose; no stun settings on this baby.

 

"Take the bridge, Lieutenant." Mench said to the first officer as he strode to the transporter pads with the rifle leaning on his shoulder.

 

SNAFU. Gular never said anything about this cargo transport making contact with Starfleet. Now the Fleet was suspicious and sending at least one ship to investigate. Mench wondered whether Gular simply didn't know Starfleet was going to contact the ship ... or this was part of the Bolian's plans. Gular had a reputation on the Raven -- on his jobs, nothing ever happened that wasn't anticipated. So if Gular knew this transport was going to be contacted, why didn't he tell Mench?

 

The solution to this problem seemed simple -- grab the booty and run before the Fleet ship could arrive. Avoid a fight that could easily be avoided. That was always Mench's way, whether the Klingons liked it or not. But in this case, it wasn't so easy. The cargo they required was much larger than expected -- over 1/4 the size of QoB's hold, without the space to spare.

 

Another piece of information Gular hadn't shared.

 

Mench briefly considered running anyway. Screw Gular, the cargo, and the job if the Bolian wasn't going to be forthcoming with mission intelligence. But two thoughts urged Mench to retrieve his rifle instead of his raid team -- "Gular is not one to be crossed" and "the rewards could be too great to pass up."

 

"Energize," the ex-marine ordered. As his particles were separated, he muttered under his breath one last time, "SNAFU."