Meeting the Neighbors (part 1)

Posted on Wed Apr 26th, 2017 @ 6:37pm by Commander Andrew Knight
Edited on on Wed May 3rd, 2017 @ 4:30pm

Mission: Down on the Upside
Location: Oehiri

Four small patrol craft entered the Oehiri atmosphere and headed for the landing strip of the Cina Enforcment base located several clicks outside of the city limits. Prak jumped down from the cockpit of his PC and handed his flight helmet to the young cadet who came running up to him. “Log me in,” he said to the cadet. “I'll be in the Commander's office.”

“Yes, sir,” the Cadet replied.

Prak burst through the door of his CO's office and said, “we have new neighbors.”

“What?” Commander Iehos said, looking up at his Patrol Leader. “Where?” he asked getting up and walking over to a long table that was actually a map of the sector.

Prak joined Iehos at the table and looked down, pointing to the cluster of dots not far from the original Federation gateway, long since shut down during war in, what they referred to as, the Alpha Quadrant. “Twice my group has seen blips on our sensors coming from there but the disappear almost as quickly as they appear. I looked it up and that is an dormant asteroid field so I am guessing that the field is masking whatever enters into it which is why the blips come and go.”

“Interesting,” Iehos said and moved away from the table. Going over to his desk he slid back a portion of the desktop and a terminal rose up to tabletop level, revealing a small monitor. With a few entries on the keyboard, a historical report appeared on the monitor. “That asteroid field once held a Federation starbase,” he said. “It was abandoned several years ago.”

“Maybe they have moved back in,” Prak said. With a shrug.

“Or maybe it is someone else,” Iehos said, rubbing his chin, thoughtfully. “We need to find out. I will contact Commander Stuos and see if their long range sensors have picked anything up. Good work, Lieutenant.”

“Thank you, sir,” Prak said and left the office. It would take too long to go by land to the Acsu base so he pressed an intercom button and said, “ready my shuttle,” and left office.

Thirty minutes later Iehos landed his shuttle on the visitors' landing pad and marched into the Ascu Enforcement Base HQ and a few minutes later he was in Stuos's office.

Stuos rose from his desk as Iehos was ushered in by an aide. He walked over to a side table with a decanter and several rock glass on it. "Greeting Iehos. Would you care for a drink?"

"No. Too early for me," Iehos answered.

Stuos poured one for himself. He then gestured to a sitting area. "Please, have a seat and tell me the purpose of this unexpected visit."

Instead of sitting, Iehos walked over to the map table...much like the one in his office and, getting straight to the point, said, "my patrols have discovered renewed activity in Itorea Belt," he pointed to the asteroid belt on the map. "None of our craft has the ability to reach the belt and our sensors are only able to pick up movement outside of the belt. My patrol leader says the blips on their scopes disappear once whoever or whatever enters the belt."

Stuos walked over to the map table at a leisurely pace and looked down at the point Iehos was indicating. He gestured with his drink hand before taking a sip. "So only two contacts you say. Could be anything then. A Hirogen hunting party? Possibly just a pair of smuggler vessels more likely."

"It could also be the Voth," Iehos said. "It could also be the Federation reclaiming their old base. Instead of speculating I suggest we find out."

Stuos sipped his drink thoughtfully for a few moments. He walked over to his desk and keyed a switch there. "Tria, contact the space port and have my transport prepared for launch. I'll be gone...two or three days perhaps." He turned to Iehos after terminating the connection. "Well, shall we go see these new neighbors are then?"

"Right behind you," Iehos said as he fell into step behind Stuos. He looked forward to being back in space. Piloting a desk had become mundane.