/||\          ----------------------------------------------
      / || \              UCIP Starfleet Command, Eighth Fleet
     /  ||  \                  U.S.S. Coronado, NCC-97901
  .-/   ||   \-.      Commodore Tebrun Lora Kor,  Commanding (OOC)
  ./    ||    \.     ----------------------------------------------
  .-_-. || .-_-.                  Simulation  Teaser
   -_  \||/  _-.                  -[ SD 240207.01 ]-

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/ Simulation Teaser                                                       |
/ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ 

 The Commanding Officers of Starfleet Task Group 5.4 continued to
 meet weekly, either in person or via holographic communications,
 even though they weren't Task Group 5.4 any more.  The arrival of
 ansibles aboard all of the ships hadn't affected the weekly meeting
 in the slightest, except to raise participation.  The CO of a ship
 that might have previously been out of range or at slipstream could
 now participate.  It was certainly making the meetings more
 interesting.

 However, sooner or later, all of the Starfleet ships had been called
 home to Reorsa.  For the first time since their first arrival in
 M64, the Commanding Officers of every Starfleet vessel in Reor space
 gathered in the same place -- the conference room just outside the
 Situation Room in the Reorsan Ministry of Defense.  Rear Admiral
 Selectee Tebrun Lora Kor watched the latest meeting with more than a
 little bit of dismay.  The meeting had started out tense and had
 soon escalated into a shouting match.

 "In the 25th century, sentient humanoids have evolved to the point
 where they can resolve their differences without conflict," a tiny
 voice in Lora Kor's head said, in a tone that could only be
 described as incredibly sarcastic.  Then the voice started cackling
 insanely.  The Commodore ignored it, concentrating on what Captain
 Jennifer Mitchell of Fearless was saying.

 "It's a decision we should have all made together, Admiral," she
 said, tossing her hair.  Commander Zort of Resolute nodded his
 agreement.  "Surrendering the planet is not only drast--"

 "Jennifer, we're not surrendering the planet!" Captain Christina
 Margrove of Odyssey said, interrupting.  "Reorsa is joining the
 Hegemony -- but it's a ruse.  We staged the Peace First
 demonstrations on the planet for the Pfhor's benefit, then the
 civilian population 'removes the militaristic Quiza government from
 power.'"

 Commander Morgan Chapel -- "Chappy" to just about everyone,
 including most of her crew -- agreed.  "Captain Mitchell, this is
 just as much a surprise to me as it was to you, but you have to
 admit it makes sense.  It allows us to protect Reorsa's civilian
 population, and getting the Kioth to present Reorsa's application to
 the Hegemony was a masterstroke," she said.  "The Pfhor are going to
 see just what they expect to see, just what they've seen a half-
 dozen times before: a planet capitulating as gracefully as it can..."

 Margrove nodded, smiling a devious little smile, and continued the
 younger woman's thought, "...while the rebel element -- us -- is
 driven into deep space far from any hope of support.  We're nothing
 but a nuisance that can eventually be crushed.  All without risking
 the bulk of Reorsa's population at all."

 Commander John Zort shook his head, angry.  "It's Eternity, all over
 again.  It's Starfleet and the Federation giving up and running
 away, leaving innocents to suffer because of our cowardice, *all
 over again*," he spat.  "I was furious when I heard what the Will of
 the One was calling us, but now that I learn that their information
 was *right*, I have to wonder if they don't have a point calling us
 cowards."

 That's how the argument went, back and forth for more than 20
 minutes, the Starfleet Captains split roughly in half, Margrove,
 Marshall, and Chapel arguing for the ruse, Mitchell, Zort, Henes,
 Jonté, and surprisingly, Shiid arguing that the plan was
 capitulation and would doom Reorsa's civilian population to slavery.

 Through it all, Lora Kor listened, wincing when a particularly
 barbed insult flew across the table and Aldur listend and watched,
 without any expression at all.  Finally, apparently nearly on the
 bare edge of screaming, Mitchell threw her hands up and took a step
 back from the table, looking around.

 "Where are Morgan and Daren during all of this?" she demanded. 
 Meanwhile, the argument continued, Zort stepping into Mitchell's
 place to attack a point that Margrove had just made.

 However, Mitchell's question finally got Aldur's attention.  He
 stood up slowly, fixing each of the Commanding Officers with his
 gaze, one by one, none for more than a few seconds.  However, as the
 Admiral's eyes touched each of them, they quieted, whatever insult
 they had been preparing to toss across the table dying on their
 lips.  Only when the last voice fell silent did Aldur answer
 Mitchell's question.

 "Renegade, Coronado, and Churchill are outside of the system at
 present, preparing to deliver a... message on behalf of the
 Defenders," he said, voice very quiet, still looking from CO to CO. 
 "The Hegemony's deadline is in eight hours, and I have little doubt
 that the Pfhor battleship will appear in the Reor system on that
 deadline, to the minute.  I want to make sure that while the 'new
 civilian government of Reorsa' agrees to join the Hegemony, that
 *we* have something to tell them as well."

 Aldur walked slowly around the table, continuing.  "I know that many
 of you do not agree with this plan, but after careful consideration,
 it is the only way Admirals Theron and I can see to safeguard the
 Reorsan civilian population," he said.  His voice became, if
 possible, even more quiet.  "Even with the intervention of the
 Loktai, we simply *can't* hold Reor against another Pfhor attack,"
 he said.  "We simply do *not* have the strength.  We would be wiped
 out, and then the Pfhor would occupy Reorsa anyway... as a
 conquering army."  Aldur looked from face to face, making sure each
 understood that.

 "Reorsa will join the Hegemony," he said at last.  "You may not like
 the plan, but I assure you the alternatives have been examined, and
 rejected."  Aldur stopped near Zort.  "Commander, what was done to
 the Federation citizens on the Klingon and Romulan borders after the
 F-K-R War made me physically ill," he said.  "It was... disgusting,"
 he said, voice turning cold.

 Aldur stepped away from Zort, continuing to pace around the table. 
 Every eye in the room was on him now.  "But I've no doubt that the
 minute the first Romulan or Klingon set foot on the soil of those
 Federation citizens, many of them stood up to fight the occupation,"
 he said.  "That, now, is our job... and fortunately," Aldur said,
 smiling coldly, "we have more resources than those enslaved citizens
 do."

 "You're talking about terrorism, Admiral," Mitchell snapped,
 crossing the room to look into his face.  Lora Kor expected another
 explosion, but when Aldur replied, his voice was mild.

 "As a matter of fact, Captain, I'm not authorizing any attacks on
 Pfhor civilian targets... but as for the rest, I'm not going to
 argue semantics with you.  Use whatever word you like," he said. 
 "But in the meantime, I expect you to either accept and support the
 plan as proposed... or you have eight hours to find an alternative. 
 If you can, I'd be pleased to consider it," the Vice Admiral said,
 then returned to his seat, sat down, and looked at Mitchell
 expectantly.

\_________________________________________________________________________
\ End Simulation Teaser                                                   |
 ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ

 Defenders Task Group 85.3, "Whitestone" Staff:
    Commanding, TG 85.3:       Commo. Tebrun Lora Kor    (Jester)
    S-1, Group Adjutant:       LCdr. Sieven Drexler      (Brad)
    S-2, Group Intelligence:   LCdr. Kariasa Ma'Aru      (Kari)
    S-3, Group Logistics:      Cmdr. Savant              (Savant)

 U.S.S. Coronado Crew Roster:
    Commanding Officer:        Capt. William Daren       (Daren)
    Executive Officer:         Cmdr. Darek Smith         (Aggie)
    Marine Commandant:         Col. Jeremy Ironside      (Fraser)
    Chief of Operations:       Cmdr. Olme Tlaloco        (rev)
    Chief Tactical Officer:    Lt. Kyle Marcy            (Marcy)
    Chief Flight Operations:   Lt. JG Ananda Wilk        (Baralu)
    Chief Science Officer:     Lt. Kathleen Hammond      (Kath)
    Company Commander:         MCpt. Jacob Prescot       (Shadow-FjP)
    Flight Leader:             2Lt. Andrew Stylus        (JadeFalcon)
    Chief Engineer:            Cmdr. Zunite Oswald       (Sonya)
    Assistant Engineer:        LCdr. Jack C. Farley      (CCC)
    Assistant Engineer:        Lt. Aramis Skylooker      (LewisSharp)
    Chief Medical Officer:     Lt. (JG) Jason Vogel      (Thompson)
    Systems Specialist:        Lt. Caring-Thoughts       (Alffred)
    Civilian:                  Alados ha-Soron           (McC)

 On Extended Leave of Absence:
    None!

 Positions Available:
    Assistant Tactical:                                  (---)
    Flight Leader:                                       (---)

------
Jester

Commodore Tebrun Lora Kor
Rear Admiral Selectee
Commanding, Defenders Task Group 85.3, "Whitestone"
embarked on U.S.S. Coronado, NCC-97901
http://www.jestertrek.com/coro2400/