Fleet 31 Sim Board

Captain Stone sighed as he looked at the conference room and shook his head. "Not quite my ready room."

"You did tell me you wanted the senior staff that wasn't on the surface with you assembled." T'Var said in his usual cool Vulcan calm.

"Right right... but I... nevermind." Stone shook his head. "Alright people, this isn't going to be a cake walk, our orders are to proceed to a Romulan starbase that is barely hanging on near the edge of their space, the radiation levels are dangerously high on board due to their power core failing and there is a lot of background radiation from the Hobus star, so we're on a time crunch. Everyone will need to be innoculated for radiation poisoning and monitored by sickbay. Think something akin to Cherynobl but in space. We also have to worry about Orion raiders and Naussicans. So everyone is to be armed. We go in, save as many as we can save and offload to the Cerebus and get the hell out. We'll get our rally and refugee landing point once we're done. This is a clusterfuck but let's try not to screw it up. I'm not losing any of you in this, we're Starfleet this is what we do. We save lives. Dismissed."

Once the senior staff filed out, he saw his Chief Science officer and oldest friend hanging back.

"Long way from Mars and yet here we are still dealing with radiation based problems." Commander Don Denny said with a smirk. "I still say you should have hooked up with that Admiral's daughter while you could still have kids."

"You know there's always only been on girl for me... besides, she's had more husbands than I've got guitars." Stone chuckled. "So you think we can beef up the anti radiation shielding so we don't sterilize the whole crew?"

"Already working on it, the Dots and the Bips are handling it as we speak. God I love those things." He held up a padd. "So first real mission on this bird... and we're on a time crunch, can't even savor the mission."

"I'm sure we'll have plenty of them Don." He patted his shoulder. "Now get your blue ass back to science."

"Yes sir Cap'n sir!" he said with a smirk and a salute.

"Wiseass."

Romulan Refugee Colonies
(2 Days Before Synth Uprising on Mars)

Standing in a temporary command center, Captain Angelica Ryder stands before a group of COs and their crews in the middle of the clearing, shuttles and temporary housing containers were being dropped off around them.

"I won't sugar coat this people, when the Hobus star exploded, we've got an entire star empire that's in need of immediate refugee support. Many of the core worlds near Romulus and Remus are quickly becoming uninhabitable due to radiation and ecological collapse. We won't have much time and I'm pretty sure not all of us are going to be gathered like this again." She ran a hand through her long brown hair and sighed heavily. "We're all Starfleet can send for this and I know it's not enough, but... we're Starfleet. We eat bad odds for breakfast and overwhelming odds for lunch. I know this is going to be an upward battle, but this is what we've all trained for. And why you were chosen... all your ships are multivector. Each of your ships are at least 2 or three. I know the rumors that Starfleet is backing away from MVA ships are pretty solid but let's prove to them that MVA ships are the backbone of this fleet. I'll be on the Kitea coordinating, but I am also sure we're going to need to defend each other and the Romulan fleet remnant, scavengers are chomping at the bit to take what they can of the once mighty Romulan Star Empire. Let's at least let our old enemies have their dignity."

She turned to an elderly Romulan officer who walked with a limp and a mechanical leg. "Thank you Captain. I may not have the... influence I once had, but Starfleet can count the Romulans as friends from this point forward. Federation as a whole... " he smirked and shrugged his shoulders. "Remain to be seen but I show loyalty and friendship to those who are actually working to help."

"Each of you will get your orders, which areas to support and your missions, by hand from me. You do not share the full details of your orders with any other ships, just your crew verbally. There are bad actors trying to take advantage of this crisis so be careful." Captain Ryder said and saluted those gathered. "Let's get this done. We'll reconvene over subspace in three days."

Among the crew of the USS Cerebus, the newly minted Captain and his crew looked at each other. "I'm not losing any of you on my first mission." he straightened his uniform and saluted his XO. "Number One, let's get our orders and get back onboard."

"Aye aye Captain Stone."

Approaching the tall, dark haired CO, Captain Ryder whispered. "Good looking crew Rick. So 'Stone' now huh?"

"Easier for the fresh start." he said simply and saluted her. "Captain. I'd have thought you'd be a Commodore by now."

"I was, took a temp demotion so I could help with this, they didn't want anyone close to a flag out here. We may have to bust some heads." Ryder said and handed him a padd. "Your orders. Be careful Rick. I'm not going to be able to pull your fat out of the fire again."

"I was taking care of myself long before I met you." Captain Stone said with a smile. "We get through this you're helping me with my... other mission."

"Let's get through this one first but... I did promise you support." Angel said and shook his hand. "Good to see you again." she nodded and headed off to the other ships' crews.

"Old girlfriend?" the tactical officer said with a smirk.

"Classmate." He replied. "Her brother helped me pass my physics exam. Let's get this ball rolling." tapping his comm badge he looked up. "Cerebus, beam us up."

"Be nice... one of them was your step mother." Nick said as he beamed in and put his arms around his girls. "Young lady what did I say about leading security forces on chases?"

"Call you first so you can join in?" Olivia giggled.

"Exactly!" Nick replied with a laugh and kissed her cheek. "So she say yes?"

"She did... and y'know we're kind of old for you to be keeping us on a low jack." Angel teased.

"You'll never be too old for that." Nick pecked her cheek. "So... did I tell you about the apocalyptic dream I had?"

"Too much coffee before bed." Olivia deadpanned.

"And chocolates. Or skinny blondes." Angel deadpanned back.

"Ouch." Nick shook his head. "Eu Tu Angeli at Olivi? I'll forgive it... control three to beam to Command."

"If it is, then she's got more sense than most of the other girls that Jack's dated. I know our brother's a genius, but you remember how many of the pretty airheads flirted with him so he'd do their homework?" Angel said and shook her head as she looked up. "Although I really hope it's more than just that Calhoun woman and actually a formal alliance with the Xenexians. Not that he's a diplomat but he's been with her for years now."

"Seriously?" Olivia raised an eyebrow. "Has it really been that long?"

"She's a spy like you, she went by about four different names." Angel said and winked. "You've met them all, she's just that good at deep cover, telepaths..."

"Bane of our existance."

"HANDS!" Another office shouted and looked at the badge. "Don't matter if you're the friggin' Admiral in Charge, you lead us on a high speed chase through the city,  you shot up the side of the Command tower. What in the hell do you think we're going to do?"

"You're going to stand down, that's what you're going to do." another woman's voice said as she beamed in and cocked her head slightly. "And FYI... I AM the one in charge here and that's my twin sister."

"Yeah that's why purple haired punkette is still a Commander." the security officer said and holstered his weapon.

"For now." Olivia said and crossed her arms. "I think I will take that position Angel."

"Sounds good Captain... what last name are you using these days?" Angel raised an eyebrow.

"Ryder, same reason why you're a Ryder again. Besides, these monkeys need some sense knocked into them. The first mistake boys, was engaging me without opening a comm. Did anyone think to simply hit 'open comm channel?' you chased me, went over the loudspeaker and... instead of calmly askin me to stop, you treated me like I was some rabble rouser. Which I AM by the way, so good call there, but treating them like the enemy is going to hurt innocents and isn't a good look on us." Olivia said and tapped a control on her wrist band the cycle was beamed away. "So Director of Terrestial Security? I gotta wear gold now huh?"

"Navy blue, it has its own uniforms." Angel said as she put her hand on her sister's shoulder. "Besides, I'm trying to keep you out of Intelligence."

"Good call there. By the way your neice wants that keyboard you promised her for Christmas but we missed picking up." Olivia said with a wink.

"I'll have it delivered to your place." Angel replied and pecked her cheek. "Missed you sis."

"Missed you too. So did Dumbass say yes?" Olivia whistled.

"Yes and be nice to our brother."

"He screwed my best friend, got her pregnant and left me to deal with the fall out. He's a dumbass. He's my brother but he's Dumbass." Olivia winced. "I'll try to be nice. Did you hear from Jack yet?"

"He's on his way. Has a surprise for us." Angel shook her head. "I'm thinking it's that insane Xenexian he met."

"The brunette hottie that has a security dossier that takes up two padds?"

A purple and silver hovercycle screamed down the highway into Capitol City, three security cruisers were tailing it with  lights and sirens flashing. The rider glanced back, her long black and purple hair fluttering behind her as a hard driving electric punk rock song played over her sound system. A smirk formed on her purple lips as she kicked in the boost on her cycle and rocketed ahead toward an exit.

"PULL OVER OR WE WILL BE FORCED TO STOP YOU" a voice shouted over a speaker. A voice that may as well as have said 'Go faster this is fun!'because that's just what happened..

The rider sped up and would almost have made it to the exit had a land freight truck not pulled over to the side and blocked her escape. The cops following her thought 'finally we got her!' but they didn't anticipate her shutting off the grav generator and continuing on with sheer momentum, skidding across the pavement, ducking under the truck and then re-activating the anti-grav and rocketing into the city.

Cranking the music a bit louder, she mouthed the lyrics along to the Orion singer and smirked as a wicked idea crossed her mind. Seeing the Command Tower, she pushed the engine of her cycle to its full power and shot up the side of the building, setting off every alarm in the facility and then skidded to a stop on the roof.

"Fifteen seconds... a new record." She mused as she popped her helmet off and cocked her head to the security team who were already surrounding her with weapons drawn.

"HANDS WHERE WE CAN SEE THEM!" An officer shouted at her, weapon drawn and ready.

"Please... I outrank you." she said and flashed her own ID badge. "Commander Olivia Ryder. And you motherfuckers all just failed big time."

"Oh yeah... that'll be the day." Marcus said as he crossed his arms and glared at his big sister across from a briefing room table on the USS Seraphim.

"Just be open to the idea Marcus, I'm still a superior officer and I'm still your big sister." Angel said as she crossed her arms. "Seriously, why are you being so resistant to the idea of serving on the same planet in the same system as me?"

"Because last time I served with you and dad, I ended up on frakking dock duty." Marcus said and looked at her with crossed arms. "I'm a Marine, I may not have chosen the Corps, that was mom all the way but I take it seriously. I'm a war machine Angel. Point me at a problem, it's no longer a problem. But I'm not that little kid you used to babysit. Nor am I the idiot that didn't get the hints that my now ex wife and mother to my son was more in love with my sister than me."

"I know Marcus... I know." Angel sighed and shook her head. "I'm never going to stop caring about you nor am I going to stop trying to help you further your career. You could have been a Major by now if you were't such a damn daredevil."

"That IS my call sign." Marcus teased.

"YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN!" Angel shouted and chuckled. "I know you're on suspension from the Marine Fighter Wing on your current posting for crashing a fighter."

"Wasn't entirely my fault. If that Romulan pirate wasn't flying so erratic I wouldn't have had to take so many risks." Marcus said and clasped his hands behind his back. "It was a tactical error."

"Marcus... you bombed an Diplomatic Corps ship... luckily it wasn't being used but... you gotta be more careful." Angel said and took a deep breath. "Look, just... consider it. I'll be here for another day, Noella's still getting her stuff and her staff moved over."

"It's funny isn't it... doesn't feel like that long ago we called her mum." Marcus said with a slight smile.

"Until our mother returned and nearly beat her within an inch of her life." Angel grimaced. "I'm still not forgiving her by the way. You may have."

"She's still my mom." Marcus said with a shrug of his shoulders. "Your's too."

"Times I feel that's debatable." Angel said and felt the scar by her throat. "By the way... speaking of mothers. How's..."

"K'Aina? Not a factor anymore... she... lost the baby. We split up. It's alright. It was impulsive for us both. She was my mechanic and we're still different species." Marcus said as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Granted Romulans and Humans have mated but... it's always tricky. Must be the universe's way of saying... not now. Not with her."

"I'm sorry Marc... really. I... kind of liked her." Angel said softly.

"It's alright, she's busy with the Romulan-Federation rebuilding efforts. Her people need her more than I do. Even IF she's just as much a Marine as I am." Marcus said with a laugh. "Ooohrah. Sounded so sexy when she'd say it in her Northern Romulus accent."

"Same old Marcus." Angel chuckled. "But seriously, work with us... it'll be the first time the whole family has been on the same planet in the same system."

"I'll think about it." Marcus nodded his head. "You're probably right, I'd be an idiot to pass this up."

It was a bright, sunny morning on the newly constructed Capitol City of Terra Alpha, buildings were going up almost daily, sky traffic was increasing, but there was also an increase in land based vehicles thanks to the wide open spaces and the fact that it took less fuel to power wheeled transport than shuttles and pods.

Admiral Nicholas Ryder was standing at one of the newly opened cafe's in the city center that was directly across from the office tower his brother was building for his company, AlphaTek Solutions. Although he was currently in talks to acquire a couple other larger companies and fold them in, so the Solutions would be dropped and Industries would be added later. So currently the sign on the front simply read AlphaTek Tower.

"I think you're building too big Tony." Nick said as he sipped his coffee.

"I think it might be too small." Tony said with a smirk. "But I'm trying to be respectful of our neighbors."

"What happened that little company we started in Grandpa Gus's garage?" Nick shook his head and sighed. "You get the latest news?"

"About the riots? Yeah." Tony nodded his head and rolled his eyes. "Happening a lot more often now. You might want to reconsider swapping that uniform for a suit and tie soon."

"Maybe someday, but not right now. Starfleet still means security and peace." Nick said and sipped his coffee. "Until we're landing shuttles and guys in black with phasers come out."

"And you used to be one of those guys in black." Tony cleared his throat.

"I was the guy that sent the guys in black, but I wore black." Nick smirked. "First time since those days that you and I have gotten to work this closely."

Tony chuckled and rubbed his face. "I know... and it's been utter hell. The two of us in the same room together or more than an hour? I'm still smarter than you."

"Never said you weren't. You're naturally smart, I just got a little... help. But I was always the creative one. I came up with the concept, you made it work under the hood. And then I'd refine it." Nick said as he flexed his hand and made a tiny fireball manifest that he rolled around his fingers. "Someday I want to put this into something that'll power this whole planet. I know it's possible. Almost free energy."

"Only been working on that for the past what? 35 years? After your kids were finally old enough for you to start blowing up labs." Tony teased and smiled. "I missed this. So when's Angel coming? I still can't believe that girl's still alive."

"She's a tough girl. Like her old man and her mom. Ever since that one Borgified Android shot the legs out from her under, literally, I thought I'd be burying my first born. Turns out, just gave her an excuse to start a band and a clothing label." Nick said with a laugh and bit into his muffin.

"That green drummer chick... Jena... oof." Tony smirked and cocked his head.

"Ginny just loved finding you two in bed didn't she?" Nick winked his eye.

"She joined us. And then she left me." Tony shrugged his shoulders. "For a nurse oddly enough."

"Olivia always told you it wouldn't work out, Ginny swung for both teams." Nick teased. "Which apparently she does too. Thank her mother for that. Still, can't complain too much. Angel's had more almost weddings and a daughter from one of those."

"I haven't seen either of mine from Paula in years. I have no idea where any of them are. Every time I'd send anything, money, shuttles, gear, whatever, always got sent back. Hell I gave them all stock ownership and it went unclaimed and returned." he looked Nick in the eyes. "I have to say, I do envy you, even with about as many actual marriages under your belt as I have, you still see your kids. Guess I'm just... feeling my mortality. Just all these crazy riots and all these insane things I'm hearing from my contacts on the other colonies, and after what happened at Starfleet Recruitment..." he looked into his coffee mug. "Not the same Federation we grew up with."

"Which wasn't the same Federation that our parents grew up in." Nick replied. "But it does seem like there's more division, more... hopelessness than I've seen. Drug use is way up. Mom has had to open an entire detox wing."

"Speaking of ma, think she'll move the clinic here?" Tony glanced at the padds. "Could get her a whole hospital."

"That's my plan." Nick said and finished his coffee. "Well, I've got a bunch of meetings today and the Tigris really needs a refit of the warp nacelles, figured I'd put her in before anything else hits the fan."

"Still got the ol' Solidarity in the dock." Tony reminded him.

"Yeah, my break glass in case of war ship." Nick chuckled and got up. "Still getting used to actually sleeping on the surface in a bed alone. Last time I had a house I was married."

"You'll get used to it. Besides, isn't your Ex Noella coming to head up the Diplomatic whatever it is?" Tony raised an eyebrow. "Can share a bed with her again, she wouldn't complain."

"You're right. She wouldn't. BUT I would." Nick shook his head. "Too much bad blood to really reopen that old wound with her. Wasn't my idea, I assure you. Although I am looking forward to meeting my daughter that I never really got to know before."

"Someday we'll stop thinking with our dicks." Tony teased

"Speak for yourself." Nick winked and tossed a cred chip on the table. "I'm buying Mr. CEO. Besides, you bought the last three times."

"The day I can't afford to buy a fancy coffee for my big brother is the day I join Starfleet." Tony saluted.

"That'll be the day." Nick laughed and headed out of the cafe.

Terra Alpha - Capitol City

ONE YEAR LATER

The main city center of Terra Alpha's 'Capitol City',yet another 'original name' that President Nick Ryder hated, was a buzz of activity after the planet formally declared independence from the Federation. The UFP was embroiled in numerous scandals and corrupt leadership had all but turned the once benevolent Federation into a Nazi like regime. Alien allies were being ejected from the Federation, "Terran Looking" aliens were given preferential treatment and there were rumblings they wanted to reform the Federation as an "Empire" and conquer and absorb systems and planets they wanted for their resources.

Angelica Ryder was sitting on the balcony of The Spire, a land based command center and office complex, watching the shuttles and construction crews literally printing new buildings in a matter of hours.

"Hell of a sight huh kid?" Nick said as he loosened his tie and walked over to his daughter.

"Yeah it is. So President... that's gonna take some getting used to." Angel chuckled and hugged him. "I guess you were right, there was something brewing, something really nasty."

"Trust an old spy." Nick said and put his hands on the railing. "I wanted you to hear this from me first. But... you remember when I used to work in Pythus System and there were these weird temporal and dimensional rifts?"

"Yes..." she raised an eyebrow.

"They're forming near here. I don't know how much time we'll have before they do something but... it could get very weird very quick." Nick said and looked out at the city. "All this could be for nothing."

"Or it's just our new normal dad. What IS normal anyway? Especially with us." Angel chuckled and walked over to the table with her coffee mug. "Besides whatever happens, we'll handle it.

Later --

A series of rifts opened up around the Terra Alpha System, security drone ships immediately went to investigate and were destroyed by a couple of large warships.

"We are position Lady Ophelia." a helmsman said in a gruff voice. "Why are we going to these other realities?"

"Because we're testing new ways destroy worlds and we can only really use it once per universe." She said and pulled her robe off and walked over to a tactical station and entered in some commands. "Let's see if this Terra Alpha System can be destroyed in one shot..."

The ship's underside irised opened and a large cone of energy began to form and shot out and hit the system's sun, which immediately went Super Nova and began to wipe out planets and moons within moments.

"Take us back through the rift, we should still see the carnage as we cross the threshold." Ophelia ordered and stood on the bridge watching the viewscreen as Starbase Byron was enveloped and destroyed, followed by Terra Alpha itself which erupted into a ball of debris.

"Oh... I can feel all those deaths in the iljuna... get me someone from the slave pits, I need to... vent." Ophelia said with a laugh and left the bridge

--

On Terra Alpha seconds before destruction.

"This is Commodore Angelica Ryder to anyone that can hear this our sun went nova, some vessal came out of a rift, opened fire on it and... we only have minutes or seconds... but... the readings of the ship, the weapon and our final logs... are being transmitted." she said as calmly as she could through through her comm station. "We may be lost, but... maybe this will help someone. Somewhere... go..." she was abruptly cut off as the solar wave desintegrated the building in a blinding flash of heat and light and left nothing in its wake but debris and destruction.


In another place... another when...

"...ica Ryder to anyone that can hera this..." Nick Ryder furrowed his brow and looked at his eldest daughter and stopped the message. "This came through a small temporal rift. With a rather huge data dump. Time stamp puts it a couple years in the future. But this is disturbing."

"I'll say." Angel nodded her head and pulled her glasses off. "So I guess this means Terra Alpha System is going to be a going concern."

"Indeed. Assemble a crew, I'll be calling in some people as well. When I discovered those small rifts, that greatly resembled the ones I encountered years ago, that seemed to remake reality around me. Hence why you're a grown adult when you should really just be barely out of a training bra and I'm a youthful 'old man'."

"You and Aunt Becca always did make me wonder what really happened there. Part of the reason why I worked with you both so closely." Angel stood up and put her arms around her father's shoulders. "Whatever happened there, we'll make sure it doesn't happen to us. But... at least one thing is for certain, I really can keep cool in the face of certain death and still send useful intel. Maybe Captain Larkon will actually trust me when I say I learned from the best."

"Well, Krull is an old friend but he never truly saw us in action. So... let's make something happen. Because I am seeing some really really nasty things happening in the Council." Nick said as he handed Angel a padd. "I think your mother is backing the wrong people."

"Good thing the divorce was finalized." Angel deadpanned. "By the way dad, there's a scientist on Earth you should meet. Name's Huntington. Apparently she's a pyrokinetic like you."

"Well that's rather disturbing considering I'm the only one like me because that's what the people who made did." Nick said with a frown.

"Exactly why you should track her down. Who knows who did it to her and why or how. Anyway... I've got to go and finish packing. The Mata Hari is being decommissioned and anything left on board after tomorrow will be stuck there when it gets put into mothballs and ripped apart for parts and you know how much engineers LOVE to dissect old Galaxy class ships."

"Listen I didn't put the order through..." Nick said and chuckled. "I had nothing to do with it. Besides, your old CO will love the new ship."

"So what exactly am I signing up for again?" Angel raised an eyebrow.

"A starbase and a rather nice ship which you'll have to see when you get there. It's a surprise." Nick said with a wide grin. "414th will be based out of Starbase Byron when we get everything sorted, honestly... I think we need to seriously keep our friends close these days and trust very few. This is a new normal dear."

"What IS normal anyway dad?" Angel said and waved over her shoulder. "Certainly not people like us or our friends!"

--

And so it begins...

"Glad you asked." Angel chirped. "Dad apparently wants all of us serving in the same system."

"Shit." Marcus winced and ran his hand through his hair. "That's an Epsilon 13 protocol for sure."

"Oh you know about those protocols." Angel raised an eyebrow and muttered. "I thought Kirby made you forg... " she chuckled and smiled. "Yeah... its probably nothing but you know dad."

"Made Kirby make me forget what?" Marcus said and held up his finger. "You know I have severe mental trauma from all the times you guys did that to my head. You know I still count 'One two three Florida five six seaweed. Right?"

"Still?" Angel winced. "Yikes. Okay then I suppose Kirby was right not to neuralize you again."

"Only reason I agreed to the three way partnership we got with Olivia. Besides, Liv needs the stablity too." Marcus said and sighed. "I trust mother isn't coming."

"Oh hell no. I'm still amazed that woman isn't in a prison but I'm biased." Angel said as she felt the side of her throat absently. "I had no idea what she had done to Olivia in the name of 'training'. In any case, your entire unit will be redeployed here. Including Olivia's baby daddy. But I need you to help head up whatever airspace force, I don't know half the names on the list of pilots, but they seem green."

"Well that's what Marines do tend to wear." Marcus teased.

"You do know I outrank you in so many years little bro." Angel said

"Sorry ma'am." Marcus said with a slight pout.

"Ma'am me later. I'll send you what I have, see if you can make some sense out of it. I'll see you all within a couple weeks." Angel said and snapped him a salute. "This could be fun you know."

"Beats the assignment we're on now. Nothing but guard duty."