Big Box Grid

Posted on 2026, Wed Jun 10th, @ 9:33am by Lieutenant Commander Jep Fallo & Lieutenant Bill Meeeeeeehehehheheeheh & Captain Rhyx Kade & Lieutenant Daven Voss

730 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: Episode 1 "Operation Iron Justice" USS Halo, Star Base 113, USS Vigilance
Location: Various
Timeline: MD 10

The Talmakin task force dropped out of warp in precise formation—three vessels, angular and dark, their hull geometries designed to scatter sensor returns and make range estimation difficult. Every aspect of their approach had been calculated for maximum visibility: the tight formation, the direct vector, the silence on all frequencies.

The Talmakin Directorate had been watching Starfleet's expanding presence in the Beta Quadrant for the better part of two years—watching, cataloguing, and growing increasingly certain that Federation assurances of peaceful exploration were exactly the kind of language empires used before they stopped asking permission.

Commander Isen Varek did not wait. The Directorate wanted answers, and they wanted Starfleet to understand that the Talmakin would be the ones demanding them. Within seconds of achieving position, she opened a channel on all standard Federation frequencies.

=/\="USS Halo, this is First Commander Isen Varek of the Talmakin Defense Directorate, commanding vessel Vethara. You are operating in proximity to sovereign Talmakin space without authorization or prior diplomatic arrangement. The Directorate requires an immediate explanation of your presence and your intentions in this region.

Kade wasnt really up for anything politics so he well, just went for it. "We got missing ships that we need to find, We got a virus of sorts raging, Which has my patience for diplomats 0 to none, so either we figure this out now here on the view screen or in person, no diplmats, or we just ignore you and continue on our way to find out missing ships"

First Commander Isen Varek listened to the response from the Halo's commanding officer without expression. When he finished, she let a beat of silence pass before she spoke. Before she responded she turned to her Tactical Officer and wordlessly indicated that he was to perform a complete scan of the Federation ship's tactical capabilities.

She then turned her attention back to the viewscreen to address the Starfleet Captain who was dangerously close to crossing into her sovereign territory. The patience in her voice was the kind extended to someone who had not yet grasped the full weight of their situation.

"Captain, the Talmakin Directorate has been documenting Starfleet's activity along our borders for two years. Probes. Survey vessels. Exploratory missions that drift closer to our space with each passing season. Each time, the explanation has been scientific curiosity, or navigational error, or some other matter of pressing Federation business." She spoke slowly, as if she was speaking to a child or someone who struggled with basic comprehension skills.

"A missing vessel is the latest in a long line of justifications that certain members of the Directorate have grown tired of accepting at face value." She said pointedly.

"Your vessel will immediately stand to and return to your area of responsibility. If your missing ships did actually pass through Talmakin territory" The First Commander said with incredulity in her tone. "Then the appropriate channels within the Directorate will analyze the data and you contacted through official diplomatic means." The Talmakin said in a tone that was to be interpreted as a statement and not a suggestion.

Kade looked at the viewscreen and nodded. And had them cut comms.

After the channel closed, Fallo took off his headset and went to sit next to Kade in the XO's chair. In a low voice he said, "We are currently less then 2 light years from their border, and we are deploying dozen of fighters and runabouts in this search. We'd be just as nervous, if the rolls were reversed, with your permission, I'd like to send the Talmakians the info on our missing ships, and ask them if they have any information, and as a sort of olive branch."

"Go ahead, I might as well have some trust issues while we are here" Kade stated.

Fallo sent the communique with info about the missing ships and showed them their fleets deployments in the region, as a sign of good faith.

Both wing of search groups we're now working towards eachother. And so far they had no sign of any of the missing vesels

Just then, the communications officer reported, "We just got a call from the runabout Gravely sir. It got cut off mid transmissions."

No one on the bridge realized it yet, but the Gravely with Cdr Situs, Lt. Smythe and Corporal Fitzroy aboard had just been abducted by the Cardolan Union.

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