Chapter Four - Calling All Captains

Fleet Admiral Nechayev had chosen a large conference room for the meeting. As Jett felt the transporter beam vanish, he noticed several familiar faces. He saw Admiral Janeway standing with Voyager's Captain Chakotay, while Admiral Picard stood near Enterprise's Captain Riker. Fleet Admiral Nechayev, as usual, was standing near the podium as she watched the various captains still coming in.

As there would be twenty captains in all attending this meeting, seats were going fast. Jett took a seat near the back and tried to remain unnoticed, as despite the status of the ship he commanded, he was still probably the most junior captain in the room. When Admirals Picard and Janeway headed to join Nechayev, it looked like the meeting was about to start.

Nechayev opened the meeting.

"As I'm sure you all know, the Romulan government is interested in talking with the Federation. However, several factions in their fleet are not. These Romulan admirals have taken it upon themselves to attack several Federation outposts along the Neutral Zone. From latest Starfleet Intelligence briefings, we've gathered that their fleets contain scout ships, Warbirds, and even a few Novas. And, unfortunately, there are rumors that the renegades also have a few captured Reman warships in their arsenal as well."

Excited murmurs permeated the room. Nechayev paused a moment, then continued.

"The ships assembled here today will be divided into three task forces, one under my direct command aboard the Sovereign, another under Admiral Janeway aboard the Voyager, and a third under Admiral Picard aboard the Enterprise. Under consent of the Romulan government, they will go inside the Neutral Zone in pursuit of the renegades, hunt them down, and bring them to justice."

At that, Jett raised his hand. Nechayev reluctantly acknowledged him.

"Yes, Captain Thomas?"

"Forgive me for interrupting, Admiral, but I just wanted to clarify something. When you say 'Reman warships', does that in any way mean another Scimitar? I read Admiral Picard's action report on how heavily-armed a ship like that is."

At that every eye in the room went to Nechayev, who paused a moment before continuing.

"Captains, I'm sure we have nothing to worry about. The Scimitar was a one-time threat."

Jett immediately fired back, much to the surprise of everyone in the room, including himself.

"With all due respect, ma'am: Suppose it isn't? What if there are more of those things out there? If something like that could do that much damage to a Sovereign-class vessel, if a Farragut or Repulse, and especially an older Excelsior encounters one...no offense meant to the commanders of those vessels, but they don't stand a chance."

No one appeared to take offense; the captains of those vessels Jett had mentioned were nervously looking at each other and at Nechayev, knowing Jett was quite correct. However, Nechayev simply replied,

"Captains, I reiterate that the Scimitar was a one-time threat. She has no sister ships, and there are no vessels like her in the renegade arsenal."

Silence pervaded the room. Most captains were still glancing nervously at one another. Jett simply sat down again, fixing Nechayev with a look that said, 'You don't know for sure, do you?'. Nechayev saw the look, but chose to ignore it and continue with the meeting.

"Captains, you each have seventy-two hours to prepare your ships. Those ships in my personal task force are as follows: Sovereign, Kirov, Repulse, Cumberland, Victory, and Phoenix. Admiral Janeway's: Voyager, Intrepid, Ark Royal, Houston, Leyte, Roosevelt, Hood, and Gettysburg. Admiral Picard's: Enterprise, Zuikaku, Hornet, Akagi, Lexington, and Midway." Jett exhaled in relief upon finding out Zuikaku was under Picard's command. 'Thank God we weren't picked by Nechayev,' he thought to himself.

After this announcement, the meeting broke up. Admiral Picard left with Admiral Janeway and Fleet Admiral Nechayev after telling the captains in his task force there would be a meeting on board the Enterprise the next day.

After the meeting, Captain Riker came over to him.

"That took some guts...standing up to Nechayev like that. She didn't like it, that's for sure. I don't think I've ever seen someone make her squirm as much as you did."

Jett shook his head.

"I was just trying to get my facts straight before I led my crew on the mission. But between you and me, I don't think she knows for certain if there's only one Scimitar-class vessel."

Riker nodded.

"I saw her eyes too...she doesn't know for sure."

Jett shook his head.

"And that lack of information may well cost us quite a few lives."

Riker nodded, then clapped Jett on the shoulder and departed for the Enterprise. Since he'd not received instructions to the contrary, Jett decided to release a portion of Zuikaku's crew for a short leave. As he left the conference room, he tapped his comm badge.

"Thomas to Zuikaku."

The answer came almost immediately.

"Solak here."

"Have the senior staff meet me in the conference room. Start rotating the crew out on leave; eight-hour increments. I'll be back aboard momentarily. Thomas out."

"Yes, Captain."

Jett returned to the Zuikaku to find groups of people waiting in and just outside the transporter rooms. He nodded to the transporter chief as he stepped down from the platform, and headed for the bridge.

Upon reaching the conference room, he found his seven senior officers waiting for him. He took a seat at the head of the table, and spoke.

"None of you would believe the meeting I just attended. We've been assigned as part of a task force under direct command of Admiral Picard aboard Enterprise to patrol a sector of the Neutral Zone. We're to hunt down and confront a fleet of renegade Romulan vessels intent on stopping peace talks between the Empire and the Federation."

The looks upon the faces of his officers were priceless. Solak and Price simply raised an eyebrow. The faces of his Counselor, the Chief Medical Officer, and the Chief Engineer were ones of astonishment. Korth's eyes held anticipation for the coming battle. After conferring with his officers, Jett relased them for shore leave as well, telling them to take it while they could, and informing Commander Solak that he himself was heading down to the planet for eight hours.