[IRW Aylhr] Penumbra - SD242106.23 -[Backlog] Past Imperfect Pt 9 - Shiarrael t'Rehu

A Mission Post by Riov Rhaego tr'Neyl
Mission: Penumbra
Location: Various
Timeline: 15 Years Ago

[Narendra System - Klingon Listening Outpost]

"Agh!" Qu'mok grunted at Va'Kelor "what is this!"  He held up handful of slimy gagh "Cold!  Dead!  Such slop is not fit for a targ!"  He stormed to his station and plopped down behind his console and toss a handful of the dead serpent worms into his mouth swallowing in one motion.  "What I wouldn't give for some fresh gagh for once!"

Va'Kelor winced at him.  "Do you expect to be spoiled here?  Eat what you are given!"  He lifted his own gagh but stopped hearing his console beep.  Tossing the worms back into the bowl he leaned over the screen and snorted.  "What is this?  There is a large anomaly in sector 22-301.  Do you see that?"

Qu'mok grunted again and twirled a collection of limp worms around his finger unapprovingly "slop."  He reiterated and glanced at his console. Stared at it for a long moment.  "Hmm."  He then looked at Va'Kelor "a large energy reading but nothing on sensors?"  Pulling handful of worms out of the bowl he tossed back his head and dropped them into his mouth, a few lingering tendrils of the slimy creatures glistened at the edges of his lips.

"Nothing." Va'Kelor confirmed.
 
"Mmm."  The console sudden let loose a shrill screen that cause Qu'mok to choke and spit a large explosion of half-eaten gagh all over his console.  Using his hand, he slid the remnants of his food off the screen and threw the bowl to the ground.  Looking up at Va'Kelor his eyes were wider than saucers "RomuluSngan!"

Va'Kelor moved towards him but felt the deck lurch beneath him, as he fell the entire outpost unraveled around him in emerald fire and plasma.

[Khitomer System]

"Oh my.  They seemed a little startled."  EnRiov Telek t'Lyirru stood at the center of the IRW Nohtho'le's bridge in front of the wide viewing screen.  The screen image was focused on the dozens of shuttles that were pouring out of the Klingon's massive orbital station.  "Are they running?"  Her fingers gently traced the ridges of the Klingon skull that adorned the front of her golden fleet sash as an ornament.

"They are evacuating the station it seems."  The ship's RS confirmed her suspicions.

T'Lyirru sighed.  "Shiarrael gave me specific orders not to be too…"  She looked at her RS "what is the word I am thinking of?"

"Savage."

"Ah yes."  She lifted a finger into the air "the Klingons are savages, and we are not...but" a smirk appeared on her face "we can still enjoy ourselves, no?"  Her RS appeared a bit uncertain but nodded his head "yes, let us have a little fun."  She stepped forward and pointed to the station "have wings three and four prepare tractor beams and grapples.  Wings one and two will focus on disabling the station's shield generators and stabilizing thrustors." 

Emerald beams and bolts rained against the station's ruby shielding.  Several of the shuttles that buzzed around it like tiny flying insects erupted in short bursts of bright crimson.  It took a few minutes, but the barrage eventually broke the station's shielding.  The emerald beams began to lacerate its hull in long dark streaks of black rimmed by glowing red.  At the same time, several Romulan ships moved around the station and began to grapple and lock their tractor beams on it before moving towards the planet.  Slowly returning to her seat Telek reveled at the display.  When enough momentum was established, the ships broke away leaving the station dangling on the precipice of obliteration.  Soon the entire viewscreen glowed orange as the massive structure tumbled into the atmosphere and transformed into a bright glowing blob of orange and red.

"The station has entered the atmosphere.  Calculating twenty-seven seconds until it impacts the eastern ocean."

The glowing blob was now surrounding by thick white and black streaks as smoke poured from its hulking body incinerating in the atmosphere.  Time seemed to move slower as they waited for the climax of the show.  Telek grinned toothily when the artificial comet finally made impact.  A bright flash of light lit up the bridge, as the brightness settled, they watched a thick column of fire and smoke pour up into the planet's lower atmosphere from the impact site.  A shockwave rippled through the planet's clouds rendering them from thick white and grey cotton to mere strands and sinews.

"Beautiful, just beautiful!" t'Lyirru clapped.

[3 Months Previous, Galae Command Center]

EnRiov Telek t'Lyirru was not known for her patience.  If Shiarrael was known for being dreadful then Telek would have been best known for her madness.  The commander of the fourth fleet sat at the opposite end of the meeting table, smiling at nothing, fingers gently tracing the ridges of the Klingon skull cap that she used as a sash ornament.  Telek was a fuller figured Romulan, athletic, but not thin.  Her dark amber hair rested against her shoulders, a bit disheveled, like someone who did not take the time to straighten it when waking up.  Her light green eyes were looking around the table furtively.  Next to her was EnRiov S'Hauen tr'Aimne, where t'Lyirru was more edgy, S'Hauen had the air of your typical Romulan commander.  He sat erect at on the right-side of the table, an expression of complete solitude on his dark olive face.  His curly hair was cut short and looked like an ocean of raven waves on his head.  He simply stared at the empty display at the head of the table.

"When will we start this meeting?"  Telek asked tersely "or do you expect us to sit here quietly all day?"

Shiarrel winced "if that is my will, do you have much choice Telek?"  She smiled at the EnRiov who frowned deeply "if you wait just a moment longer the other three will be here and we can begin."  As if on cue the door hissed open and t'Hnea stepped in followed by t'Knei and tr'Shiarkek.  All three took their seats.  

T'Hnea was almost a head shorter than the rest, thin build, with dark blue eyes that accentuated her pale olive complexion and deep brown hair that flowed about half a foot past her shoulders.  Where t'Lyirru was messy, t'Hnea was composed, elegant, and regal.  The turquoise sash she wore was adorned with the wings of a Mogai representing the second fleet that she commanded out of Constantus.  Seated next to her was t'Knei.  The older commander of the Tal'Diann was athletic, hawk faced, with a dark tan-olive complexion.  Her raven hair was cropped short in the old bowl cut style that the Galae had preferred two decades ago.  Her unusual silver irises were focused on t'Lyirru wearing the gaze of a parent silently disapproving at a misbehaving child but not want to say anything in public.  Across from them next to S'Hauen was where Shiarkek took his seat.  Tall, noble, hawk faced Shiarkek.  Shiarrael regarded him sadly, after his recent defeat he seemed more shell than man.  He wore a tired expression on his thin boney face, dark bags hung heavily beneath his blue eyes, raven hair cut short to near shave.  He was the first to speak up after the arrival of the trio "so, Shiarrael, what do you plan to do?"

"We'll make the Klingons leave Dherex."

Telek winced at that "make the Klingons leave Dherex?"  She leaned back in her chair and huffed incredulously "and how do you plan to make them leave t'Rehu?  Ask them?"  She waved a hand and leaned forward "or do you plan to seduce their commander with your feminine wiles?  I heard you've employed this method on humans before-"

"Telek."  Shiarrael interrupted "if you do not want your tongue nailed to this table, I suggest you close your mouth."  She smiled at the EnRiov who went quiet.  "Now, you are right to be skeptical.  Why will the Klingons leave Dherex?"  She stood up and activated the display that illuminated to show the border between Klingon and Romulan space.  Several long arching emerald lines moved from Tomika towards several Klingon systems: Khitomer, Narendra, and Cordensia.  "We will get them to leave through invasion.  Three fleets with the combined forces from the outmarches along Federation space.  We will hit Khitomer, Narendra, and take out the fleet facility in Cordensia."  She smirked "the Klingons will have little choice but to abandon Dherex if they believe their homeworld is threatened.  Such a massive operation will create the illusion we will be reaching for Qo'nos.  Telek you will be responsible for Khitomer.  S'Hauen you will attack Narendra.  T'Hnea your focus will be the fleet yards in Cordensia and then you will move along the Klingon supply routes to Dherex wreaking havoc as you go."  The screen image shifted from the broader view to t'Hnea's supposed march from Cordensia to Dherex hitting several outposts and supply station along the way.

"That is extremely bold Shiarrael." S'Hauen spoke up, his eyes studying the display.  "However, if we move so many of our forces away from the neutral zone will it not leave us vulnerable to the Federation?"

"The Federation" the words rolled off her tongue in bitter Rihan, lloann'su, sounding like a cluster of phlegm she was just beginning to spit up.  "The Federation is weighed heavily by bureaucratic machinations, they always move slowly, if they even move at all.  No, the Federation will not threaten us.  If they should become suddenly become adventurous it will take them time to move enough resources to the border for an invasion.  Even with a smaller defensive presence it will take a considerable operation by the Federation to successfully attack us.  Our listen posts will immediately notice such fleet movements and we will be able to react accordingly.  Plus…" she looked at t'Knei "the Tal'Diann will be running fleet movements with holographic projections.  This will give the Federation and Klingons the illusion that our fleet movements remain normal.  We will also limit details of this plan to your eyes and a few specific wing commanders you trust."

T'Hnea, who had been quiet, and observant, shifted in her seat slightly at the latter comment "do you believe we have spies Shiarrael?"

"Of course, we do.  Do you think the Tal'Shiar or Tal'Diann can find every weed in the great field that is the Galae?"  Shiarrael shook her head "these are necessary precautions.  They may be inconvenient but the element of surprise is pivotal to success.  We cannot endanger it.  Not if we wish to truly route the Klingons, and route them we will."
 
[To be continued]

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