Containment Protocol
Posted on Mon Jun 22nd, 2026 @ 10:58am by Captain Elia Thorne & Major Cassandra Blake & Lieutenant Commander Miley Coulfer & Lieutenant Evelyn Jamison & Lieutenant JG Mira Kess & Lieutenant Colonel Judith Rouse & Lieutenant Karen Palmer
953 words; about a 5 minute read
Mission:
Silent Vectors
Location: Operations Sphere Decks 1 & 2
Timeline: MD 01 - 0800
Elia's hand slipped from her chin, and she caught herself from falling face-first into the desktop. "Right okay," she said, reviewing reports, it was quite boring but with Strenvale out someone had to do it. She noticed an unwavering motion happening near the Cardassian. Tactical analysis' and ....
"Yellow alert," she called out. She immediately got up to move out to Operations.
As she stood at her brace bars, she looked over to the young Bajoran; it was the Deputy Chief. She had heard good things about her, "Lieutenant Mira, please scan the Cardassian Borders. There is a movement along the Corridor, and I don't like it. Make sure our Civilian Population is protected, and Lt. Palmer, notify Starfleet command."
"Yes, Captain." Palmer's hands slid across the comms panel, quickly getting Starfleet Command on the channel. She quickly brought Command up to date on the situation. "Starfleet Command notified, Captain."
"Yes, Captain," Mira said as she checked tactical along the Cardassian borders for any sign of life from the Cardassians. She looked up at the screen as well, beside her tactical station.
Captain Elia Thorne stood in the Operations Center staring at the sensor display. The Cardassian border glowed red across the tactical overlay on the main screen.
Three hours ago it had been routine traffic. Two hours ago it had been unusual. Now it was becoming concerning.
"Confirm the readings." she ordered from the Operations Console.
The Operations Officer nodded. "Confirmed, Captain. Cardassian vessels continue repositioning toward the frontier. No response to diplomatic inquiries." Lt. Timothy Cardison said.
Thorne folded her arms. "Any Temporal Variances reaching the station?"
A pause as a staunch uncomfortableness filled the Operations Center. Elia raised her eyebrow and walked over to the console, placing a hand on the back of the Ensign, he must of been new, no older than 19. "Sir, they've increased by 12%."
She let out a deep sigh. That could be interesting. Confirming the readings from Stadler Array and New Haven, she couldn't explain it.
"Alright folks, Sciences & Medical are to be given priority. Operations and Security make sure that the RAS-D's are intact working and stable. And someone final me Major Blake and Commander Coulfer. Stat." she said returning to her office.
Palmers hands moved across the comm panel. "Major Blake, Commander Coulfer, Report to the captain's office, stat!"
"Sir, they've increased by twelve percent." Science reported.
Elia stared at the science officer as she made her way up the stairs to her perch. Twelve percent. The numbers from the Stadler Array matched those coming from New Haven. Independent sensor platforms. Independent analysis. The same impossible result. She opened her mouth to issue another order.
A sharp pain exploded behind her eyes. The breath vanished from her lungs. Her hand shot out, grabbing the nearest brace rail as the deck seemed to lurch beneath her feet, for a brief instant, reality fractured, voices echoed, displays flickered.
Faces appeared where others should have been, then it was gone. Elia doubled over, struggling to draw breath.
"Captain." Vor was at her side immediately, the Denobulen's calm expression carried the slightest trace of concern.
"Captain Thorne, are you injured?"
Elia raised a hand. "No..." The word came out strained.
She forced herself upright. "I'm alright." A lie.
Whatever had just happened felt like being pulled through a transporter pattern sideways. The Operations Center continued around her, the readings kept coming in. The Chronometer, 1152
Nobody else seemed affected. Nobody except Talen appeared to have noticed anything unusual, her eyes drifted toward the communications station, her instincts were to call back the Sacagawea, she froze. A short brunette stood over Palmer. She had scars like she had been in a war, she was Human, Blue Eyes. Lieutenant Colonel insignia, the officer was calmly reviewing traffic reports as if she'd been on duty all day.
Elia frowned, who the hell is that? Before she could ask, Talen spoke.
"Lieutenant Colonel Rouse has completed the communications analysis, Captain." Elia looked at him, like he was drunk.
Then at the woman, then back at Talen. "Rouse?"
The Denobulen tilted his head. "Yes, Captain."
As if the answer were obvious. Lieutenant Colonel Judith Rouse glanced up from her console.
"Long-range communications remain silent across the border. Several Cardassian relay stations have gone dark."
Elia stared. The woman spoke with the confidence of someone who had served aboard Concordia for months. Nobody questioned her presence. Nobody looked surprised, nobody noticed anything unusual.
Because to them, there wasn't, the turbolift doors opened.
Major Cassandra Blake emerged and crossed directly toward the Captain's perch.
"Captain, I came as soon as I received the summons." Elia felt her stomach tighten.
The uniform was familiar. The face was familiar. Everything was familiar. Except for the intelligence insignia displayed on Blake's assignment tag.
Intelligence. Not Oversight, Intelligence.
Blake stopped. "Captain?"
Elia realized she had been staring, "Your report, Major."
Blake activated a display above the tactical table, a Cardassian Hutet-class warship appeared.
Several supporting vessels surrounded it, lines of intelligence data scrolled alongside the image.
Elia's blood ran cold she stared at the words.
The Obsidian Order, the feared Cardassian intelligence service, destroyed decades ago.
Wasn't it? Nobody reacted.
The designation sat on the display as naturally as a registry number.
As though it had always been there.
As though everyone already knew.
Blake continued her briefing.
"We assess the Order's deployment as a deliberate show of force. Their movement pattern suggests reconnaissance and containment operations rather than immediate engagement." Blake continued
Elia barely heard the rest, she sat on the steps looking forward, her eyes were darting between Rouse, Blake the Display, Sciences, the Obsidian Order reports, the Temporal Variance reports. A terrible realization hit, we had shifted again.
RSS Feed