"Stop The Pandora"

Posted on Mon Nov 30th, 2020 @ 8:28am by Captain Nycolas Temple & Admiral Gordon Francis & Admiral Audra Milne
Edited on on Sun Dec 6th, 2020 @ 9:33am

Mission: The Gauntlet
Location: Deck 1 - Ready Room

ON:

The final stages of departure were almost complete. The Pandora had her orders to leave the Hesiod Region and the ship was ready to do so. Keen to get home, Nyx wanted to just set the Pandora on high warp and blast their way back to Federation territory as soon as possible; but he knew their journey would never be that easy. It appeared, if former Admiral Thac could be believed, that a target had been placed upon the Pandora and every enemy in the Expanse would be gunning for her. Of course, Thac had intended to put fear into the Captain's heart in an attempt to cut a deal with them, but Temple remained skeptical. He wouldn't know the truth until he spoke to Admiral Milne.

Next to Temple sat Admiral Gordon Francis. If the Admiral was in any way still fatigued by the recent events, he didn't show it. His stature was calm, cool, collected.

The computer at Temple's desk lit up and the system warned of an incoming high-security subspace transmission. Finally it was time to get some answers. Nyx sat down at his chair and turned the screen so that Francis could be seen as well. The Starfleet insignia made way for a view of Admiral Milne, sitting in what appeared to be a shuttle cockpit. She seemed stress, her auburn hair pulled back into a messy bun, uniform jacket slightly askew. There was a distinct fatigue in her eyes but she still smiled when she saw the Captain and Admiral.

"Captain Temple, it's good to see you again." Milne remarked.

"Likewise, Admiral, it's good to be seen." Nyx replied warmly.

"Oh, and I see Francis as well." Milne nodded her head to the fellow Admiral. "I hope they've been treating you well?"

"You know these Luna Class starships, Admiral," Francis said with a jovial tone. "If it weren't for the uniforms and imminent danger you'd think you were on a luxury cruise."

Milne allowed a small laugh, "I'm sure the crew would disagree on the luxury, Admiral."

"We're a far cry from a war-ship, but this isn't a pleasure cruise." Nyx remarked. "You appear to be traveling, Admiral?"

"To Carnwennan Station," Milne nodded, "We're setting up a response Task Force there to deal with the Expanse crisis."

A chill fell over the two, with both Francis and Temple knowing this had to do with the Pandora. "The crisis?" Temple asked.

"The situation has gotten... complicated." Milne replied. "I've read your report from your conversation with Admiral Thac. It confirms some of our recent developments here, unfortunately."

"How so?" Francis asked, furrowing his brow.

"We were hoping to flip Fleet Admiral Vincent to find out what he knew," She explained, her tone heavy, "But he was found dead this morning in his cell."

Francis' eyes widened. "Holy bustapalooza!" he yelled. "How did he die?" he asked, though he knew the answer already.

"Suicide. Or at least, that's how it appears to be." Milne explained, "He apparently made a noose out of his clothing and hanged himself. Unfortunately, the security footage from that area has been corrupted, meaning we can't know for sure what happened, and it casts a significant doubt over his death. We cannot be certain that it wasn't an assassination. We have forensic investigators on the case as we speak."

Nyx breathed out a long breath of air. "So we just have Thac to rely on now to discover what happened with Pithos? And yet he said he was just following orders. Is that why a Task Force is being convened?"

"No. And this is where it gets complicated, gentlemen." Milne answered immediately. "It appears that before Vincent died, he left a message in his cell."

Nyx looked worriedly across to Francis, then back at the screen. "What did it say?"

Milne flicked her screen over to a photo; it showed a standard grey prison floor but scratched into the concrete in heavy, wild lines was the words "Stop The Pandora".

"Stop the Pandora?" Nyx gulped, feeling a deep sense of vulnerability. He wondered why this man's final thoughts would have been about this ship; it seemed unbelievable to him that he would be so obsessed.

Admiral Francis was shocked too. He couldn't believe any of it. The intelligence reports said nothing of this, though Francis was not surprised. "Got anything else to make things worse?"

Milne nodded, "There's also this."

Her screen changed again and it showed a black background with the sound of static interference for a few seconds. Then, out of the darkness, came a deep, computerised voice.

"Stop The Pandora." it said.

The clip looped around again. The black background. The static. Then the voice.

"Stop the Pandora."

Black background. Static. Voice.

"Stop the Pandora."

The chill spread throughout the entire room now. "What is that?" Temple asked. He was hit with growing panic, remembering Thac's warning about every enemy and opportunist coming for this ship. So it was true then - there was a target on the Pandora.

"This started broadcasting across all Federation and Starfleet subspace channels this morning." Milne explained, "We have confirmation of the message being spread from every corner of our territory and beyond. Allies and non-member worlds have received it. Our enemies have received it."

"Was it Vincent?" Temple asked urgently, trying to make sense of this.

"The broadcast went out half an hour after he was found dead. We cannot pinpoint the source as yet." Milne explained, "It could have been something he arranged before he was arrested? Perhaps to be triggered when he died? We don't know. Unfortunately, the message also came with navigation coordinates.

Nyx didn't want to ask because he already knew the answer.

Francis, however, needed to hear it. Just to be sure. "Where?"

Milne sighed, "The coordinates are for the Hesiod Region. The message was telling everyone where to find the Pandora."

Standing up from his chair, Nyx began to pace around the room. He wanted to act, he wanted to do something to not feel so terrified.

Francis stood as well and put a reassuring hand on Temple's shoulder, much like he had done with Rothgan just a few hours ago.

"We have to... I don't know." Nyx shook his head. He was grateful to have Francis there to calm him down, but he also wanted Nash and the crew to hear this too. He looked to Francis, "What can we do?"

"How long do we have?" Francis asked urgently.

"What do you mean?" Milne asked, perplexed.

Picking up Francis' train of thought, Nyx returned to the computer, "How long since the message was broadcast?"

"Two hours." Milne replied.

"So given the lack of subspace relays within the Expanse," Temple pondered aloud, "that would give us maybe six, or seven hours before it reached Alrakis Pact forces." Nyx began to think aloud. "Assuming they attempt to find us straight away, given our distance at high warp we would have... three hours before they were in-range of Hesiod? That gives us a head start of.... ten hours."

"At best." Milne said.

Nyx turned to Francis and gave him a wild-eyed grin. "It looks like we're making a run for it, Admiral."

Francis nodded, gravely. "I knew this whole thing wasn't over."

Milne spoke up, "We are gathering forces at the border of the Carnwennan Corridor, and all active ships within the Expanse will be converging on your location to help shepherd you home where possible." She frowned, "But we can't send those ships into the Expanse as a Fleet. The Alrakis Pact will only see this as an act of war and initiate hostilities. That is exactly what Admiral Thac wants us to do, we'd playing right into his and the Pact's hands by doing so. They will use this as their excuse to declare all-out war."

"You're right. We're on our own then." Nyx answered, taking it in slowly. "We have to run the gauntlet of the Expanse with the Alrakis Pact hunting for us."

Milne nodded, "Don't take too many risks, Captain. If you can hide, then hide. If you can avoid a fight, do so. We want the Pandora to get back home but we also need you here in one piece."

Francis spoke up. "Then keep the lights on. We'll be back in two shakes of a lamb's tail." He nodded confidently at Temple.

Milne allowed herself a moment to smile, "Good to hear, Admiral. I will be in touch as soon as we have an update from the Task Force. Until then, Godspeed to you, Temple and Francis. May we see you back home safely again soon."

"We will, Admiral. We will." Nyx replied, a sense of defiance in his tone now.

The screen cut to black again and Temple took in a deep breath. "Time to leave, then." He quipped to the Admiral.

"I assume you've made some friends in these parts," Francis said. "I've got a few myself. I think it's time to call in some favors."

"Ah yes!" Temple smiled, "Paradise Outpost may help to protect us. I'd hate to bring any heat to them after they only just freed themselves of the Breen, but they have a strong defensive barrier. We just need to get there first."

"I've got a friend on Delavi who I'm sure would be happy to lend a hand," the Admiral said. "He's a Broot named Qaraq. He probably owns the entire Delavi planet. I'll see if I can strike a deal with him. He's friends with your friends on Paradise, and he hates the Alrakis Pact."

"Sounds promising," Nyx smiled, "We may just get out of this alive. But... First things first." Temple paused for a moment before tapping at his computer. He opened a ship-wide hail, "Crew, what I'm about to play for you is a message that has been broadcast throughout the entire Federation Network and the Expanse. It is a warning to the Pandora specifically."

Tapping another button, the message played. "Stop The Pandora." Again. "Stop The Pandora." And again. "Stop the Pandora"

Nyx shut it off and spoke, his tone a mix of grave concern and consternation, "As a result of this message, we will be departing ahead of schedule. We must be ready to leave the Hesiod Region in half an hour. All hands to their stations. Temple out."

Releasing the comms button, Nyx sighed. He had to shrug off his fears and get to work. The ship was depending on it. "Let's get to the Bridge." He said with affirmation.

OFF