Mission Briefing

[Cptn Elias Moore 0]

NX-05 Challenger

Mission Briefing -- August 21, 2155

 

Transport M-7 drops out of warp at the edge of the Nequencia system, sending a tremor through the ship's frame that Chief Petty Officer Douk has gotten used to and even grown to rather enjoy. In the back sections, however, the transport's passengers suffer a moment of panic. M-7 is one of MACO's oldest transport ships, and every warp jump brings with it the apparency of a structural collapse, an apparency that's begun to border on downright alarming after numerous upgrades to the warp drive.

 

Swiveling around in his cramped control pod, the CPO brings the external sensors on line and activates the forward viewer. Amidst the flickers and waves of static, Nequencia fleet is visible on the green monochrome viewer. Douk locates and raises the Intrepid class vessel.

 

"This is CPO Douk, MACO Transport 7, do you read, over?" The voice carries a thick accent indicative of the southeastern region of the former nation of America.

 

Captain Hard's static obscured face appears on the viewer. "This is Captain Asmodeus Hard, ESS Defiant. I read you, M-7. Report."

 

"How'd'ya do, Defiant. I'm haulin' a load of ground pounders, no fewer than 42, that're lookin' for a new home. I got three fleet officers, too, one'a them's the feller that's gonna help y'all make the colony nice'n secure."

 

"42 MACO's?" Hard looks down at a pad in his hand. "I was only expecting 35 with the first wave. Was there another transport sent before you?"

 

"That's a negative, Defiant, this here's the first one alright. I got somethin' else fer ya that should set things straight. I see that big ol' warp 5 ship is still here. I'm to pass along new orders from the fleet bigwigs--seven of these here riflemen are to be assigned to her crew, and one o' the officers too."

 

"Ah, I see." Hard says, for the moment ignoring the revelation that this crewman snuck a peek at Command-level orders. "MACO's are being assigned to Challenger, then? Send me the orders, Chief, and I'll pass them along to Captain Moore. He'll arrange to have the new arrivals brought on board. And I'll want to meet with the tactical expert right away, have him sent over here."

 

"I read you loud and clear, Defiant. Copy, roger, ten four 'n' all that, M-7 over and out!" Douk cut the comm and cranked up the impulse engines. "Here I come, baby, yeeeeeehaw!"

 

M-7 tremored even more violently than before and all the on-board lights dimmed as the dingy little transport with a large confederate flag painted on its dorsal face hurtled toward Nequencia III on impulse power. In the back, even the most seasoned MACO's were hanging on for their dear lives.