STAR TREK
Cold Warriors
Prelude
The Dominion War is over and now the Alpha Quadrant has to begin the long, hard process of recovery. On Earth Starfleet command is coming up with new designs for warships for two separate threats. The first more serious threat is the Borg. In the last encounter with the Borg Earth herself was almost assimilated and would have been if not for the valiant efforts of Captain Jean Luc Picard and the Enterprise-E. The second most serious threat is the Dominion. Right now Defiant class ships are searching Federation space looking for the few Dominion ships that will not accept the fact that the war is over. Every so often those same ships will destroy aid vessels sent to other worlds, or hi-jack convoy ships. Also on the other side of the Bajorian Wormhole sits a massive fleet of Jem-Hadar ships rebuilding and tending to there wounds. Another threat is the other 3 Alpha Quadrant races right now.
Thanks to entering the war late the Romulans are in much better shape military wise then their long time enemies the Klingons. The Romulans are using the post war chaos to cover up incursions into Federation and Klingon space. Not much else is know about there post war activities due to the work of the Tal Shiar`s counter intelligence work
On the Klingon home world of Qo`nos chaos reigns. The Klingon Empire was hit the hardest during the war. The once might Klingon armada is in a state of disrepair and that is when they are the most dangerous. Official reports from Earth say it will take at least 10 years for them to rebuild there fleet to what it used to be. Those same reports state that most of the Klingon military is in a "Wounded animal mind frame."
What used to be the fourth major power is totally demolished. The Cardassian`s were hit the hardest by everybody during the war. Their cities are in ruin and they have no military left except for a few ships that somehow survived the war. Those few ships are now guarding the Cardassian home world. Everyday aid ships from the Federation fly from Bajor and Deep Space Nine specifically into Cardassian space and try to help the wounded, bury the dead and feed the hungry.
End Prelude
On the outside this small ship doesn't look too impressive. A small runabout with carbon scoring on the hull and dents made by everything from the physical impact of phaser fire to hits from small asteroids and space junk floating around. This small ship has seen more action then most Ferengi military vessels. Currently this ship is traveling through a dense nebula on its way to a secret location that its passenger Capt. Michael Jones does not know.
"Ok I`ve asked nicely and you still wouldn't tell me where we are going," he said to the stone-faced pilot as he sat there not paying any attention. "That didn't work. I've tried to use my rank and that didn't work. I've tried jokes, and I've tried every trick in the book and you won't tell me where we are going. I give up," he said and threw up his hands in mock defeat.
Just then a light blinked on the console and the stone faced silent pilot reached over and pressed a button.
"Hello Capt. Jones, this is Admiral Carter," said the voice in a serious voice. "I trust you have had a good trip."
"It has been a very quiet one," replied the Captain. "It's mostly been me reading and talking to a brick wall."
"The reason behind that," went the Admiral, "is because your pilot is deaf. He can't hear anything. When you dock at your destination he will activate his hearing devices, but for the journey he has been ordered to shut it off."
"Why," said the Captain in a puzzled tone?
"So he wouldn't talk about the star base you are about to dock at in an hour."
"What Star Base," went the Captain still puzzled? "All I see is an Asteroid belt that seems to be acting like a border to another nebula."
"That's what we want you to see. In realty each rock is packing more firepower then an average star ship and inside that nebula hidden from all types of sensor scans is a star base, that is so secret that most of Starfleet doesn't know it exists. But enough talk. I'll debrief you in about 2 hours. Carter out"
Just like that the transmission was cut off and the runabout entered the nebula.