The eight fighters of Hound flight dropped out of warp, a scant kilometer from the edge of the ice field. Breaking into pairs they throttled up and entered what almost looked like a comet gravy yard. Full of shards and huge asteroid sized pieces of frozen material, the field's navigation hazards were numerous, and since it was on a fairly well used space lane – Starfleet often sent a small group of 'cutter' ships through to clear the floating debris from the most used path. Each wing pair began picking a path through the floating debris, off the main channel to hopefully break up their sensor return, ice fields were notoriously noisy on long and medium range sensors, and coupled with the fighter's small mass taking a much more ice dense route meant that they should be hard spot. Of course, the same was true for the convoy – though less so, considering the mass of the ships involved.
After about five minutes of picking their way through the ice field, Lieutenant Commander Josephina 'Josey' Rice reduced throttle to a crawl and keyed a channel to her group, "Hound Flight, this is lead. We're in far enough that we can deploy our little friends. Huntsmen, feel free to range about a bit, but stay fairly close – things could get hairy without much warning. Hounds, stick with your wingman."
"Huntsmen copy. We'll range a little and see if we can't have a bit of a skirmish line. Keep us in the loop."
"Will do Hunt Lead, Hound Four, you remember to drop a repeater buoy?" Rice asked
"Roger Lead – clean comms to the buoy – we're still quiet." Hound Four replied
Rice nodded, a gesture completely wasted on voice transmissions, but a habit anyway, "Good – time to deploy the ROVERs."
"Copy Lead – go for ROVER deployment - will copy Home Plate on telemetry feed."
"Good. From here on our maintain radio silence except for critical transmissions, Hound Lead out." Rice finished, and then flipped to intercom, "Ok WEPs how's our little friend doing?"
"Everything's green boss, ROVER one launched clean, I'm leaving ROVER two in reserve." Quark responded from the back seat.
Josey nodded to herself, and settled into wait, keying the Hawk's autopilot to keep a hundred meter clearance from all navigational hazards, she brought up the ROVER telemetry feed on her primary MFD.
ROVER stood for Remote Observation Vehicle – Elint/Recon. About three quarters the size of a standard torpedo, the ROVER was basically a cut down sensor probe, designed specifically to be deployed by the Hawk-R, it was a low observable platform which could be used to snoop, or equipped properly provide a forward jamming array, in a pinch. Each R model was capable of carrying and deploying six of the little recon units, but the pair of R models in this op were only carrying two a piece. The ROVERs were stored in the Hawk's internal bay, and due to the operational needs, the rest of the belly bay had been loaded with quantum torpedoes. The four external hardpoints on each Hawk-R's stubby wings loaded six more standard yield photon torpedoes, three to a pylon on the inboard hardpoints, while the two outboard hardpoints sported what was being called the 'rocket pods.'
Designed in a similar manner to the rocket pods carried by aircraft of both ancient Earth and other planets – the rocket pods were each loaded with twenty five, small low yield photon missiles, all which lacked a guidance package – and instead packed a slightly heavier warhead then the fighter to fighter missiles carried by the Eagles. The photon 'rockets' were completely dumbfire – but weapons tests had shown that if ripple fired into a target's shields – the repeated strikes, while not powerful by themselves were sometimes enough to cause the shields to fail on a quadrant for a few precious seconds – allowing heavier weapons fire to slip past. On this mission, only Hound Lead, and Hound Four carried the rocket pods – so if it came time to deploy weapons, they would take the lead against any heavy targets, while Hounds two and three lagged behind to loose torpedo shots at the sections of hull exposed by the downed shields.
The standard Hawks, by comparison, were loaded to the gills with torpedoes. Six quantum torpedoes were racked on a rotary launcher in the internal belly bay, to make them slightly more difficult to detect before they were deployed – while a full ten standard yield photon torpedoes hung on their external hardpoints.
The four Eagles carried the lightest load out sporting only paired pulse phaser cannons and eight anti fighter photon missiles. But their job was simply to escort their larger and heavier brethren – providing cover from any fighter class threats, and harrying any capital class targets.
A few minutes later Quark piped up on intercom, "I've got some intermittent heat signatures ahead of ROVER One, looks like weapons fire… maybe."
"Ok. Take ROVER in closer, we'll follow in trail. Send a text alert to the other fighters and toss an update to Home Plate while you're at it. Line of sight only – I don't want to alert the target." Josey replied over the intercom.
"Roger boss. Message going out now… and I'm getting a green response from all ships. We're ready to move out. Hound Four is angling their ROVER in on our possible target." Quark responded after a moment
Josey nodded to herself and pushed the throttle forward, accelerating the fighter bomber smoothly as she navigated around the ice shards – there was no reason yet to hurry, and she didn't want to have to worry about dodging weapons fire, and asteroids if she could help it. They were another few minutes trailing the ROVER drones when Quark keyed his intercom again, "Umm…Boss… you should see this."
"One sec WEPs…" Josey stated before flipping to a live channel, even with directional transponders, it was a risk… but she felt she needed to take it, "Hound Flight. All stop."
The response was seven mic clicks. Indicating all had heard the command and were obeying. Matching her own order she throttled back to idle and watched the speed indicator on her HUD slide down to zero; that done – she flipped back to Intercom, "Ok, what have you got Quark?"
"I'm piping the image to your MFD now – this is live off ROVER One. ROVER Two is getting a similar shot, different angle. I'm sending this to Ranger priority one."
"What the…" Josey started, as she looked down at her MFD
"…Hell is that?" Devin growled as he looked at the live feed from one of the ROVERs up on the main monitor. Without waiting for an answer he continued, "Terrik, can you enhance the upper left quadrant?"
"Yes sir. The ROVERs don't have the best optics, but I think I can clean it up. The main image is pretty easily defined though…" Terrik responded as he started to input commands into his console
"That's definitely a Sabre class, with two Milspec freighters in tow via tractor beam. We got lucky if he's been dragging them all this way – that much mass would definitely slow down a Sabre." Caroline opined.
Devin nodded as he waited for Terrik to enhance portion of the image he most wanted to see. He was getting a sinking feeling in his gut about this, however – whatever that image was – they still needed a confirmation. Looking over his shoulder he spoke, "Tai – Flash message to Hound Flight – confirm ID of Convoy, and close to within strike distance."
"Aye sir – flash message away…. Hound Lead responds message received and understood." Kim responded, a few moments later
"Helm – drop us out of Warp and alter course – I want an intercept point with that object that Terrik is clarifying for me. Bring up the fighter's telemetry on the main viewer, if you would." Devin ordered.
"Dropping out of Warp," Ensign Zephyr replied
"Fighter telemetry overlay up on the main viewer now." Kim piped up as she brought her overlay view up on the main viewer
Rising out of his chair Devin walked up next to the Helm console as he studied the readout, "Mr Zephyr, does it look to you like the unknown is about two hundred kilometers from the Melcomf nebula?"
"Hmm… About that sir… you think that's an escape route?" the Ensign replied
"I do. Plot us a course that will drop us behind the unknown, where the nebula and the ice field meet." Devin stated
"One minute here… ok, I've got it – course laid in." Zephyr said, glancing up at the Captain.
Devin nodded, still lost in thought about the unknown for a moment, "Good. Engage Warp eight. I want to be over there, now."
To Devin's right Commander Terrik looked up, "I've done the best I can sir – but – this is fairly odd sir."
"Put it on the main viewer." Devin ordered.
"Done."
The entire bridge stared at the image on the monitor. It appeared to be a Federation ship, by configuration, but was a bit more square and boxy then most current designs. Commander Nyes spoke first, "What… is that?"
"It looks like… but it can't be." Commander Tai chimed in
Devin shook his head, "You're right, it shouldn't be – but that's the profile of the Nimitz."
"Sir?" Caroline asked
"NXCV-1" Devin filled in, "The prototype test bed that most of the new technology that makes up the Ranger's launch and retrieval systems was tested and perfected on. Shortly after the Ranger's keel was laid down they moved on to testing a newer warp core design that was supposed to be even less damaging to subspace then the newest models. There was some sort of catastrophic failure and the ship was reported lost – with all hands."
"Then… what is it doing out here?" Caroline asked, somewhat dumbstruck
"That – is a fine question Commander, and one I think we might get a chance to answer. Tai – pull the Angel's from the forward launch roster – we're going to want to be ready to kick our full compliment out the front door as fast as we can. We'll launch the Angel off the retrieval deck as the first CAT shots are firing - Gold and Red squadrons out first to fill out our Hound Flight, with the 'Cards and Reavers out after as quickly as possible to support." Devin said as he headed back to his command chair
"Aye sir – sending the orders now," Kim responded.
"Three minutes to destination Captain." Ensign Zephyr reported from the helm
Settling back into his Command chair Devin nodded, "Everyone on your toes – this could get prickly."
"Hound flight. Move to perimeter positions around target convoy - but stay quiet." Josey ordered as she continued to nudge her fighter bomber through the ice field, they were closing fairly rapidly on the Convoy – that Sabre helmsman had to be struggling to keep that much mass moving in one direction without making too many course changes. The TAC officer was probably having a field day with all the phaser fire they were laying down to clear a path, "Ok WEPS – what's the word on the ROVERs?"
"They're just about to make a pass under the convoy. I've got them running completely silent – full coast – all sensors passive. They're ghosts – for all intents and purposes." Quark stated over intercom.
"Good. Let me know what you find." Josey stated as she flipped back over to the squadron channel and risked another transmission, "Hound flight, all stop – we're just outside the channel they're blazing and they won't get much farther before we get the word. Everyone stay frosty – we might need to be shooting shortly."
Seven mic clicks answered her as she throttled back, out her cockpit canopy she could clearly see the Sabre class frigate towing the two mammoth haulers. It was almost comical – except for the circumstances.
"Sensor data coming in from ROVER one and two Boss…" Quark piped up over intercom, "Both freighters are on emergency power only – and barely have sustained life support. Five life signs detected on each freighter – but they're very faint, probably unconscious."
"Pipe what you got back to Ranger WEPS. They're going to want to know." Josey replied as she tapped her fingers idly on the control stick – she hated waiting.
"Sir, update from Hound flight – Transponders confirmed on all three convoy vessels – the freighters are operating on emergency power and bare minimum life support – five life signs per freighter – all very faint." Kim reported
"Let sickbay know – any reports of damage to the freighters?" Devin asked
"Negative sir – no external signs as to why they're only on emergency power, or why the Sabre's crew didn't transport the freighter crews aboard – the ROVERs can't give you more information without giving away their locations." Kim informed the Captain.
Terrik glanced back from his console at Ops, "Sir – I may have a theory."
"Go ahead," Devin replied with a nod.
"If the crew of the Valley Forge does indeed have hostile intent, which is currently the only explanation that appears to fit with the evidence – the easiest way for them to take the freighters without any struggle would be to use a system override via command codes and introduce a virus into the freighter's main computer. Safety locks would keep them from keeping main power online, and bleeding off life support to bare minimums – so it could be that they've made the main computer believe that a warp core incident was imminent and forced a shutdown of the warp core – and then bled power from life support to the current levels so it would be barely sustainable until they got to their location." The Vulcan paused for a moment, "It seems somewhat fantastical sir – but it's the only logical answer I can come up with at this time, with the given data."
"Sir – thirty seconds from Warp exit." Ensign Zephyr piped up.
"Terrik – scramble our command codes as a precaution. Tai – have all fighter and support craft do the same." Devin paused a moment and glanced at Caroline, "Commander – if you have a suggestion as to how we're going to avoid a fight with our own ships, I'd love to hear it."
Caroline just shook her head.
"I was afraid of that." Glancing over at Lieutenant Fero who was still sitting in the chair to his left Devin said, "Let me know if you have any flashes of insight, eh Lieutenant?"
Lieutenant Fero nodded her face tight.
"Ten seconds." Zephyr interjected
"Commander Tai – flash Hound flight – on go signal, deny the Valley Forge her charges, and attempt to disable if possible. Vertung, open a wide band hail as soon as we drop." Devin stated.
A moment later the USS Ranger dropped into normal space inside the Melcomf nebula and gracefully turned towards the ship Devin had identified as the Nimitz and the wayward convoy – closing the distance at full impulse power.
"Channel open sir," Sol reported from his location at Tactical.
"This is Captain Devin O'Connor of the USS Ranger to the USS Valley Forge and unknown Federation vessel – you are hereby ordered to stand to and await our arrival by orders from Starfleet Command. Please acknowledge – this is not a request." Devin stated flatly as he watched the image on the main viewer grow larger as his ship closed on the other vessels. If he was lucky, they would do as he ordered and they could sort this whole mess – there could be, he supposed in the most hopeful reaches of his mind, a perfectly good explanation for all of this… Of course he might also learn how to breathe in a vacuum some day too.