~\\_               
          \\\\_             
          `\\\\\            -----------------------------------------
           |\\\\\           Starfleet Command, Eighth Fleet (OOC)    
            \\\\\|__.-~~\   
         _--~         ~~/   Defenders Task Group 85.3, "Whitestone"  
       /~         _-~~~'    Embarked on U.S.S. Coronado, NCC-97901   
      ('-//////-//          Rear Admiral Tebrun Lora Kor, Commanding 
       ////// }}-)          -----------------------------------------
     /////~                 Simulation Teaser                        
  _///~                     Stardate 240302.09                       
 `                          
 _______________________________________________________________________ 
/ Simulation Teaser                                                     |
/ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ 

 "Elite, confirm targets and lock," Swassanra said, and checked her
 sensors to make sure the other three Banshees nearby were holding
 formation.  It was an unnecessary gesture.

 Swassanra, callsign "Sway," a Caitian, led her team into battle.  It was
 not the first time.  It was likely not to be the last.  Banshee Elite
 was a flight of four Banshee class heavy fighters crewed by the best
 pilots Whitestone Enterprises had to offer, and four of her most senior
 test pilots.  A few months prior, without warning, they'd been
 reassigned to patrol and escort duty for the asteroid-starship Xanadu...
 part of a top secret Reorsan Fleet Research and Development program
 code-named "Tuberider."  It was a dull duty station: Xanadu had been
 orbiting the J043 star well within Reorsan-patrolled space for months,
 and until today, had shown every indication of remaining in the system
 for the foreseeable future.

 That had certainly changed today.

 "Two, Sierra seven, locked," the Banshee on Sway's starboard confirmed. 
 That was Claw's bird, piloted by Swassanra's First-Claw, as close as
 Caitians came to a mate.  The two of them were never separated on the
 Hunt.

 "Three, Sierra nine, locked," Borg replied from Sway's left.  "Borg" was
 an Andorian, Soshra, tall, lean, and deadly.  Her callsign reflected her
 flying style, cold and perfect.

 "Four, Sierra five, locked."  That was Tanner Kile, flying the aft
 element, behind and below Sway.  The Caitian guessed (correctly, as it
 happened) that Kile was the reason that Elite had been reassigned to
 Xanadu.  She further suspected that Kile wouldn't be flying much longer;
 he'd gotten... not bored with the flying, so much as interested in
 moving into something more challenging.  "Slap," as Kile was known, was
 about to go respectable on the Elites, and take civilian employment.  He
 was the key flyer assigned to "Tuberider."  Claw had taken to giving the
 human a hard time about it.

 "They're powering up for a run," Slap added.  "Same energy signature as
 before, when they launched into the anomaly."

 "Elite, stand by evasives," Sway said automatically, and was rewarded
 with a terse "Two.  Three.  Four," in response.  "Are they firing on us,
 or the anomaly?" Sway asked.

 "Unknown at this tim-- incoming!"

 "Elements, break and attack!" Sway ordered.  Claw followed her around in
 a spiraling maneuver that took the two of them out of range of the
 incoming fire and behind Sierras six -- Sway's target -- and seven.  She
 sensed rather than saw Borg and Slap breaking in a mirrored maneuver,
 Slap covering Borg as Claw covered her.  Maneuver complete, Sway found
 herself lined up with Sierra six, one of the heavy Xurian fighters and
 brought her main guns to bear, obliterating it in three shots.  "Banshee
 Elite has engaged forward elements," she said calmly into her suit
 helmet, reporting back to Xanadu.  "Enemy in double-strike formation
 attempting to cut our lines along vectors 10-7 and 10-8."

 "Roger, Elite," Xanadu replied.  "Ravens, you're on maneuver mission,
 plug that gap--"  There was more, but Sway tuned it out, swinging in
 behind another of the fighters.  Around her, a dozen other flights of
 Spectres and Banshees were also at work, holding a skirmishing line
 against the advancing Xur fighters.

 "Elements from Tango flight breaking to engulf," Claw's voice said in
 her ear as she maneuvered, trying to line up another shot.  "Watch your
 tail," he said, a half-growl punctuating the statement.

 "Banshees Three and Four, move to cover our flank," Sway said in
 response, calling the rest of her flight back in, not bothering to
 respond directly to Claw's statement.  She did, however, risk a look
 back and as a result, the image was burned into her mind, forever.

 One of the heavy Xur fighters, moving to encircle the lighter, faster
 Reorsan craft swung in behind Claw's Banshee and fired... Sway never got
 a good look at the weapon.  She only saw that a sphere that glowed with
 a ghastly light as it enveloped Claw's fighter.

\_______________________________________________________________________ 
\ End Simulation Teaser                                                 |
 ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ 

 Defenders Task Group 85.3, "Whitestone" Staff:
    Commanding, TG 85.3:       RADM Tebrun Lora Kor      (Jester)
    S-1, Group Adjutant:       Capt. Sieven Drexler      (Brad)
    S-2, Group Intelligence:   Capt. Jarod Bentall       (Alffred)
    S-3, Group Logistics:      Cmdr. Savant              (Savant)
    Commanding, M64 Ground:    Brig. Jeremy Ironside     (Fraser)

 U.S.S. Coronado Crew Roster:
    Commanding Officer:        Capt. William Daren       (Chris)
    Executive Officer:         Cmdr. Velorna Tal         (Aggie)
    Chief of Operations:       Cmdr. Olme Tlaloco        (rev)
    Chief Flight Operations:   LCdr. Maiko D'Rall        (Farrell)
    Command Yeoman:            PO/1 Zachery Prentiss     (Prill)
    Battalion Commander:       LCol. Jacob Prescot       (Prescot)
    Flight Leader:             2Lt. Edward Somansky      (Somansky)
    Flight Leader:             2Lt. Amy Dillon           (AlexJenson)
    Watch Tactical Officer:    Lt. (JG) Derek Canterbury (Spuzzum)
    Chief Engineer:            Cmdr. Jack C. Farley      (CCC)
    Assistant Engineer:        LCdr. Aramis Skylooker    (LewisSharp)
    Assistant Engineer:        Ens. Brandon Gannsen      (Lefty)
    Chief Science Officer:     Lt. Anna Brooks           (Kari)
    Chief Medical Officer:     LCdr. Rachel Kennedy      (Santiago)
    Assistant Medical:         LCdr. Lauren Dyson        (Natty)

 On Extended Leave of Absence:
    None!

 Positions Available:
    S-2, Group Intelligence:                             (---)
    Watch Tactical Officer:                              (---)

------
Jester

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