RPG: Mission: Prelude Day: 1 Stardate: 2444.05.02 (San Francisco - En-Route to Federation Headquarters - Admiral Remae Ktell - 08:30) A male Cardassian in a Starfleet Uniform strolled past the front entrance of the Federation Council Building as Admiral Remae Ktell, once CO of the USS Spectre now not so newly appointed and unhappy Admiral, continued past the steps towards the entrance to his headquarters. On his arm was Admiral Jana Bell, once CO of the USS Wraith and together and now finally married after what could be called an extended courtship. With their commands long behind them, with grey in their hair and a sadness, none could perceive, as they walked towards their destination. Both had been summoned to a critical Monday morning meeting of the Starfleet Council or rather, to its aftermath, by the time they would arrive, it would be over. Remae looked around, the extensive damage was still evident around them, even though it occurred over a year ago. The attack on Earth was so devastating that it would be an even longer time before it was all repaired. The physical damage wasn't overly hard to fix; however, the psychological damage caused would take longer. The attack had become a symbol to him, one that highlighted what Starfleet had become and what was at stake. The repairs wouldn't have taken so long, but raw materials were thin on the ground, and even thinner was the motivation to do the work. The Federation was struggling, and it seemed that it was only a matter of time before the next catastrophe would happen or was it happening now? Interfleet communications were non-existent, the news was scarce, and deployments were a thing of the past. Whatever was left of the fleet, whatever starbases were in operation, there was little news. ". but we're Admirals.", Jana said, "Doesn't that count for anything?", she said, bringing up the argument again and her arms gesturing at Federation Headquarters. Stopping to look over the bay, Remae joined her at the shoreline. "Admirals of what? Admirals of a non-existent fleet tasked to protect what we once had, not to bother anyone else and certainly, not go boldly into space.", he said frustrated and sad, as he was these days. "Not again.", said Jana and walked away. the conversation has been played out, again and again, run its course and there was no one to help, no friendly senior Admiral of the fleet, no secret source. no one until recently, there was a new possibility. Not too far off in the distance was the memorial statue to Admiral Jopek, the original commander in chief who had died in the attack on Earth. Remae's eyes were drawn to it and to thoughts about his mentor. The Bajoran wished his old friend was here to help now. (San Francisco - Federation Headquarters - Admiral Remae Ktell - 09:00) Newly elected President Stiave Atremi awaited them inside the main foyer of the building, the seal of the United Federation of Planets adorned the floor which she stood on, standing in its exact centre. The poignant newness of the seal and the missing stars was a moot-point, it seemly recently, more stars were removed and the seal seemed to change often. The three of them gathered at its centre. The Bajoran President spoke to them briefly before ushering them together into the large chamber, where until a few moments again, the senior commanders of Starfleet had gathered. Although the formal gathering had concluded, many of the Admirals were leaving, notably, the Commander in Chief of Security and he was already looking angry, angrier than usual at this time of the morning. Hushed voices spoke about the need to bolster security across the borders of the Federation while others insisted that a passive posture was needed, to placate, to reason with and to come to agreements with anyone and everyone. The resignation of the last president who ran on and stuck to a non-threatening, non-confrontational agenda had lead to the Federation being overrun with anyone and everyone with a grudge to bear, be it pirates in the outermost systems to entire races, looking hungrily at the resources or a Romulan offshoot clan, looking for a new home and no one mentioned the newly enrolled Cardassians. It was like there weren't there, even though they were. Hit and run attacks on the border were becoming more frequent, and diplomacy was failing. The Council session had ended and achieved little more than when it started, the only difference being, the President had a fixed timeline to do something, and her friends were few, and she wasn't backing down. (San Francisco - Federation Headquarters - President's Office - Admiral Remae Ktell - 09:15) The small viewscreen showed a map where the Alpha and Beta Quadrants shone, planets, stars, borders, territory, but in the middle, the area occupied by the United Federation of Planets seemed to have shrunk, and on all sides were the traditional species, the Klingons and the Tholians. Other borders seemed less sure, the Romulan Star Empire, an empire without a home and a red circle appeared to encircle Andoria. Automatically, Admiral Remae Ktell went looking for Starbase Geneva and the sector of space that he knew so well, but it wasn't there, the sectors around Geneva was all blanked out, a subtle indication that the exclusion zone around the subspace tunnel network had been deemed hazardous and to be avoided. He knew it wasn't on the map. why did he always look? "Those are always fun.", said the President flopping into her chair. "You've only been in the job for a few months, Atremi, you knew things were going to get worse before you had any chance of them getting better.", the Admiral said. both looked at one another, both Bajoran, both had known each other for far too long. "Did you expect them to turn over 20 years of political dogma just because you said so?", he said, enjoying the fact he was no longer alone with the frustration of dealing the paradox of an organisation dedicated to exploration, who didn't explore anymore. She continued to look at him with that look, and he raised his arms, "Its not my fault!", he took the chair, and the metallic sound of his artificial legs clanged against the desk of the president. Jana outside the room, in earshot but in the background. fire in her eyes, but she kept her composure. "What I am doing here again?", asked Remae, looking for any excuse to get out of this office and back to his own agenda, which had become wasting time around the Spacedock, looking for a way off Earth and back to where he belonged. "How's Jana?", she asked, taking Ktell by surprise, Jana was just there, but it was changing the subject and hopefully, changing the mood of the Admiral. He paused, "Fine!", he said nodding past the door, "I think she's feeling more protective than ever, but I don't expect her to hang around, she's planning on heading back out soon. I think she's spotted another ship she wants to "test".", he said more loudly than he needed to for all to hear and then added, "I don't think the rank of Admiral is going to stop her going into space anytime soon." President Staiave pointed at the viewscreen with the map. That damned map, the map that was displayed on every screen around Starfleet Command, around the Office of the President and across every area of command in the Federation. "One-quarter. We've lost a quarter of the Federation, Admiral. We're not exploring, we're not protecting what we have, we're not accomplishing any diplomacy. remind me, what are we doing here exactly?", she said, standing once more, still pointing at the map. "Really? I've didn't know, wow, what insight! It's not like I've not been screaming at anyone and everyone for over a decade, and what did that get me? A chair and a desk plus, why are you asking me, just because I hang around here and we know each other?", he said grumpily. "Answer me, Ktell.", she said, fingers snapping in his general direction. He didn't, and the stalemate continued. The room went silent and it as if time stopped while neither gave in to the other. President Stiave produced a PADD she had tucked inside her desk, the content of the PADD were designed for one thing and one thing only. she began to read. (Reply from None) (Posted any Anthony Keen) -- Reboot-rpg mailing list Reboot-rpg@startrekfreedom.com http://startrekfreedom.com/mailman/listinfo/reboot-rpg_startrekfreedom.com