K.L.E.P.T.O. Maniacs

[Crash Calestorm 0]

Note: the following Plot Log takes place during late afternoon on Day 2 of the 48 Hour Time Between Sims. The log is for Out of Character knowledge, but Captain Calestorm and Commander Wesley will be passing on the following information to the crew In Character at some point as well.

 

= = = =

 

Captain Ashton Marie “Crash” Calestorm had made record time getting from the ship’s main bridge control area to her private quarters, and had wasted no time going to her desk to access the transmittal packet that was incoming over the wireless. With three long legged strides that carried her lanky frame easily across the slate gray decking, she planted her rear end in the desk chair and inputted her private code in the same motion into the flush desktop keyboard in order to acknowledge the communications request. Her commanding officer and friend, Admiral Shauna ‘Skipper’ Coyote promptly appeared on the desktop holo-viewer as the two women were connected visually and in real time wireless across the parsecs.

 

She canted one look at the stress induced age lines popping out around Coyotes eyes and mouth, and didn’t even waste any time on the usual pleasantries. “Skipper, what’s wrong? Talk to me.”

 

“Crash, we have -- to quote a cliché -- a bit of a situation that has developed. The SS T’Pol was en route to New Vulcan with another batch of colonists: ninety Vulcan passengers and families, operated by a mixed civilian crew of fifteen. The transport freighter has dropped off the radar, literally, and based on preliminary Intel the usual suspects are Orion Cartel slavers or mercenaries. With the Vulcans as a species brought close to extinction, they’ve become a high value consideration with regard to these reprobates who traffic in flesh, and there are some real sickos out there who will pay the right price to own or make time with a member of a semi-dying species. As of 13:30 hours this afternoon, and with the blessing of Admiral Komack, I authorized you and your crew to go mobile KLEPTO and intervene on behalf of the passengers and crew of the T’Pol. You’re to roll out of New Vulcan space immediately, and the USS Halifax will take over the colony ops in your absence; the ship and her crew are already on their way.”

 

Ashton’s eyebrows zoomed upwards to her wheat blond colored hairline in surprise, yet as a ships commander who had been sent out on any number of missions throughout her career, this situation was not entirely unexpected since the sectors as a whole were still reeling from the Nero attacks and the less savory individuals who thrived in chaos would take advantage of a Starfleet that was spread very thin. She spared a fleeting glance at the silver captains rank stripe braiding sew into the gold sleeve of her command tunic and was visually reminded that this was what she did for a living after all, going where the angels fear to tread.

 

“Fleet Command is prepped for that sort of undertaking? Full authorization no less? Obviously someone wants to make a smack down statement.”

 

She efficiently keyed in access commands one handed into her personal data slate, queuing up the background information that she was after. Of course Ash was well familiar with the concept of the KLEPTO program, but she preferred to have the history on the pseudo-activation tactical program in black and white on the smaller screen of her information device. The ships commander easily multitasked, keeping the conversation with Coyote going as well as visually reading the text and graphical information on the program:

 

====Level 10 Access====

====Fleet Intelligence====

====K.L.E.P.T.O Program ====

 

K illshot

L ong Range

E xtraction P arameters

T actical

O perations

 

<…retrieving full information…>

 

==== Procedures/History====

==== Access/Calestorm/Level 10/Captain/Agent ====

==== Encryption Niner Victor Alpha ====

 

The Killshot was self explanatory enough, but the bottom line was that if the mission specifics called for it, taking that so called final shot against any targeted personnel was authorized.

 

Long Range covered the fact that most of the KLEPTO missions could and would take place outside and within established, disputed, and neutral territories. As in, any team or crew could find themselves smack dab in the middle of enemy territory. And while the missions weren’t considered black ops, there was the very real chance that if it all went very wrong, you might end up very dead or very captured with no immediate chance of retrieval.

 

Extraction Parameters referred to the person, persons, target, or data that the team had been sent after to either retrieve or take down.

 

Tactical Operations involved that combination of factors that ultimately could come into play to either set forth a KLEPTO mission in the first place, the preparation work to complete the mission, or the occasional contingency plan in case of a complete clusterfrag. Intelligence, counter-intelligence, training, and the right combination of talents were all factors that a group of officers or crew could manipulate in order to complete a mission successfully. Whatever it took.

 

KLEPTO had originally been started as a first assault and insertion program back in the early 2120’s, with highly trained and Fleet Marine based commando teams sent out at high value enemy targets in order to cause whatever sort of disruption that was required. The most frequent targets had been the Klingons, Romulans, the Orion Cartel, any number of pirate groups, and the occasional target much closer to the Federation as well…all unofficially, of course. The program and the commando squads had been the pet project of one Lieutenant Colonel Kelly Moran, and his endeavor went on to remain as an active tactical response program for ten years. The soldiers and officers who booted up for the operations also became known as ‘Moran’s Maniacs’. Eventually, as new allies were brought into the Federation and the Starfleet, and the geo-political landscapes and machinations (read: politically correct) continued to change throughout the sectors, the pseudo-assault and insertion program was liquidated, and the KLEPTO concept itself went a bit more mainstream into the Starfleet, yet the program was not full re-activated or fully disbanded.

 

Instead of a department or squad devoted exclusively to the commando operations such as the Lieutenant Colonel and his Maniacs, the K-Ops were now activated on an as needed basis, and were as well no longer exclusively carried out by Marine soldiers. Typically, the K-Op teams were either handpicked, small scale squads or entire starship crews tapped for the mission parameters: commissioned officer, non-commissioned officer, ground pounder, stick jock, or naval squids alike had all been summoned over the years to take on one of these missions when activated.

 

Captain Calestorm paused, choosing her next words to her superior officer carefully. “I know I don’t have to tell you this Shauna, but initializing a K-Op, and the potential fallout for this sort of mobile mission that can occur is big, despite no love lost between the Starfleet and the Cartel clans. The local sector patrols could be sent out to investigate the disappearance as well. It’s a bold move for one missing transport freighter Skipper…that’s all I’m saying…”

 

Ashton had participated in one other mission of this type in her career, although that had been some years back just after she had made helm officer on the USS Kelvin. That particular mission had been deep in Klingon territory, and the team had been a combination of fifteen commissioned and enlisted officers representing all branches of the Fleet.

 

Coyote pointed a gentle finger at Cale to emphasize her next point. “High value target mission it may be, but I sure as Hell don't need to tell you that ninety Vulcan people are a very important payout let alone concern. Considering re-population of species patterns, the ‘Fleet brass is considering the risk of tangling with the mean greenies off set by the needed results, and apparently we are done playing games with the Cartel; those factions and clans have gotten bold with the after chaos of the Nero attacks.”

 

The master of the USS Comanche Creek nodded once, a quick and decisive movement to her commanding admiral that conveyed both her determination and willingness to undertake the assignment, no questions asked. “Aye sir. What are our specific orders?”

 

“Pick up the trail, try and locate the T’Pols last known whereabouts and follow that trail and those Vulcan people wherever you need to. Full authorization, bring ‘em home, any method necessary Captain. I’m forwarding the data charts and cargo lane graphics that our Intel guys extracted from the local sector spaceport database; the T’Pol was last seen at the base before her disappearance along the outer rim en route to New Vulcan. The zipped data packets should give you and your crew a solid lead to start with.”

 

“Fine. I’ll get my people right on it. We’ll warp out as soon as we recall and get the crew on board. Don’t worry Shauna, you know the ‘Creek crew is top notch, we’ll find out what happened and bring ‘em back.”

 

Coyote offered a small smile. “I know. Good luck Cale, Coyote out.”

 

Once the desk viewer had gone blank and Shauna’s real time communications image had been replaced with the static image of the Starfleet, Ashton thumbed the intercom access panel set flush into the surface of her desk.

 

“Main bridge, this is the Captain. Commander Wesley, report to my quarters, we have a few things to discuss. Have one of the senior Lieutenants take over your remaining bridge watch in the meantime…”

 

And with another flick of a wrist and stab of a finger to the intercom controls, Cale accessed a secondary channel in order to directly link with the communications officer on duty at the main bridge control console.

 

“Mister Kvar, start the recall from New Vulcan for all rotational relief teams, any current surface teams that are on duty, and any fighter patrols that are out and zooming about. All hands are to return to the ship and check in immediately. And, get me on a secure channel with New Vulcan Administrator Sarel…”

 

(To Be Continued in the 10.30.09 Sim)