[Galaxy] 2161.09.25 - CHA/MER JL - "Here They Come!"

[Anna H.]

OOC -- This takes place foremost on the Challenger, unless otherwise noted by brackets.
 
IC --
 
//  Challenger, Bridge  \\
 
 
The scoutships had returned, their data had been analyzed, and the group of CO's had strategized late into the night.  Now the decision had been made -- they would proceed through the nebula along the route the scouts had found in just a few minutes.  The Challenger and the Meridian would lead the way, followed by the rest of the Star Fleet ships.  As far as the rest of the Coalition vessels were concerned -- Sasha and Rog had some ideas for their participation in the battle, so they were all bringing up the rear.
 
The element of surprise had been maintained.  The way the Romulans had been going about their business, supreme in their confidence that they could plan their invasion of the Sol System without hindrance ... Sasha had been gleeful.  Good.  Surprise was one key element she was completely unwilling to give up.
 
"Sattal," she said, "get me the Meridian, secure channel, you know the drill."
 
"Aye, Captain," the COMMs lieutenant replied, fiddling with the keypads on his console.  After a few seconds he said, "you are go for Meridian, ma'am."  The screen bloomed with a slightly staticky view of the Meridian bridge.
 
"Rog ... deadline's approaching fast.  How's everything there?" Sasha looked up at him.

=/\=  Rog looked at Sasha and replied, "Everything's good to go here Sasha. Good thing we sent scouts out first."  =/\=
 
"Agreed.  So ... plan as follows, as we discussed:  in about two minutes we polarize our hulls, set the deflectors on full, gather the smaller ships in our wake, and head out down the path the scouts found for us.  It takes us four hours to get across the nebula, best speed, and then we all re-group on the other side, but still /within/ the nebula.  Yes?" Sasha had been looking down at a datapad on her lap, now she looked up at Rog, her eyebrows up.
 
=/\=  Rog was looking at his own PADD, confirming things on his end. He replied, "Right. As to our speed, full impulse through the nebula.  Now as for our allies...."  =/\=
 
" ... our allies know what to do, too."  She winked at Rog.  An ace in the hole, perfect.  Actually, they had /several/ aces hiding in the hole.  Sasha grinned.
 
=/\=  Rog nodded and said, "I hope this works Sasha."  =/\=
 
"It will.  It has to."  Sasha accepted a datapad from Yuki and thumbed her acceptance of it, then looked up at Rog again as she handed the 'pad back to her yeoman.  "All right, time's up.  Want to give the word?" She made a gesture with her right hand that said, 'take it away'.
 
=/\=  Rog smiled and said, "Right." Looking at his helmsman, he said, "Andre, full impulse through the nebula. Terez, sound the red alert." Looking at his Yeoman, PO Gomez, he said, "Well Gomez, here we go."  =/\=
 
Sasha stood up and said, "Ensign St. John ... follow the laid-in course through the nebula at full impulse.  Vic -- sound tactical alert.  Ensign T'Lara -- deflector and all sensors on full forward.  Chris -- relay our actions to the rest of the fleet, tell the fighters to stay close."
 
Vic tapped the red alert button.
 
[ MER ]  Almost at the same moment, Danielle tapped the Meridian's red alert button.
 
[ CHA ]  The fleet began to make its way through the dark nebula, following the route the scout ships had discovered to safely make the trip.  All the ships -- 6 Human, 6 Vulcan, 5 Andorian, 4 Tellarite, and 3 Denobulan -- stuck close together, the Human ships in the lead behind the Challenger and Meridian, with the other Coalition races bringing up the rear.  The smaller ships, staying in the Challenger and Meridian's wakes, stayed in place so that they could take advantage of the starships' deflector shields.  The deflectors worked overtime, pushing the particulate matter of the nebula out of the way.  
 
"Vic, get all weapons online.  Full phased cannon fire on my mark --- lace the area with torpedos as soon as you can get a target lock on the Romulan vessels.  There were only 12 that the scoutships saw, but for all we know, there could be more now."  Sasha was sitting again now, staring forward into the murk that was revealed through a static-laced main viewscreen.
 
Vic replied, "Aye captain." Tapping the buttons, he saw the lights signifying that torpedoes were loaded light up. He felt he was ready.
 
[ MER ]  Rog sat tapping his fingers on the armrest of the captain's chair. It was only a matter of time till they made contact.
 
[ CHA ]  Several minutes later, Sasha sat up straight as a soft tone sounded, signifying that they had arrived at the edge of the nebula, on the Cheron side.  "Full stop!" she shouted.  "Sattal, is our combat feed ready to link up?"
 
"Aye, Captain."  His finger was poised over the button.
 
"Then link us up."
 
The young COMMsman pressed the button, his other hand to his earpiece.  "Combat feed in place and working, Captain."
 
<+>  "This is Captain Spearling.  Sound off."  <+>
 
<+> Rog tapped his comm and said, "Meridian here."
 
<+>  "Whispering Death, here."  <+>
 
<+>  "This is Captain Rakul of the Andorian cruiser Menzobarranzan."  <+>
 
<+>  "Captain Larana, we Denobulans are still with you!"  <+>
 
... and on and on it went, as all the ships sounded off.  Sasha continued, "Keep to this channel, exclusively.  It'd take the Romulans a whole room full of code-breakers fully three years to break it, I am told by my Science Officer, Ensign T'Lara."
 
<+>  T'Pren's voice was heard.  "If she has said it, it is so."  <+>
 
Sasha grinned.  
 
<+>  "Rakul of the Menzobarranzan ... we count 27 Romulan ships in range, eleven of which are heavy cruisers.  Sending coordinates to your consoles."  <+>
 
<+>  "Thank you, Captain.  Well ... are we ready?!"  Sasha gestured to Yuki -- have a seat.  Now.  <+>
 
<+> Rog looked at his Bridge staff and said, "People, we're going to win this fight. We have to."
 
A chorus of hails answered in response.  Boiled down to the base essence, the common reply was, "hell yes! Finally!"
 
<+>  "Choose your targets ... On my mark, Meridian ... follow us in after, everyone else ... and ... MARK!"  <+>
 
The Challenger, which along with the Meridian, had stationed herself up front and away from the rest of the Coalition vessels, popped into warp one and blazed out of the nebula.  "Hold at warp one ... hold ...." Sasha said.  The ships screamed in toward the Romulan fleet.  "Drop out of warp on my mark!" Sasha yelled.
 
"Captain! We're coming in too close!" St. John shouted, his face white.
 
Vic was surprised at just how close they'd come in. He said, "Captain, the torpedo's blast will damage us almost as bad as the Rommies."
 
"Hold!" Sasha said, her eyes on the screen.  They were out of the nebula and would be in the midst of the Romulans in two seconds -- maybe less.  "Commander Hanley, fire torpedos the second we come out of warp.  Choose your targets!"
 
<+>  "Full impulse!" Sasha yelled.  <+>   They dropped out of warp, both ships, screaming to a stop in amongst the Romulans.  The collapsing of the Challenger and Meridian warp fields sent a shock wave out that rocked the Romulan vessels, sending several of the ships slamming against their neighbors. 

 
[ MER ]   Rog's eyes got bigger for a second.
 
Andre said, "Sir are you sure you wanted to get this close?"
 
Rog replied, "Damn straight. We want to get as close as possible to do maximum damage immediately."
 
[ CHA ]  "Fire phased cannons! Launch all torpedos!" Sasha shouted.  "Alex -- evasive maneuvers!"
 
The Challenger and Meridian unleashed hell on the unsuspecting Romulans.  As soon as they began firing, the rest of the Star Fleet vessels came pouring out of the nebula and joined in, flanking the enemy.  
 
Surprised? You bet.
 
 
[ CHA ] 
Captain Sasha Spearling, Commanding Officer
Commander Vic Hanley, 2nd Officer, Chief Armory Officer
<NPCs apb Anna and John>
 
[ MER ] 
Captain Roger Finney, Commanding Officer
LtJG Andre Hunt, Helm Officer
<NPCs apb John>
 
[ Alien Vessels ]
NPCs apb Anna 		 	   		  
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