USS ALSEA: In Dispute

"Captain's Log: Sardate 8872.5 After some need rest for the crew and a small resupply the Alsea is underway from Starbase 123 and in approximately an hour will cross into Romulan space. I have no doubt that we will be intercepted at some point though based on reports from Starfleet Intelligence I expect it to be closer to our destination rather than immediately at the border as we were with the Klingons. What is left of the Romulan fleet after Sela's combined attempt with the Klingons to take out Starbase Lotus is focused around the core worlds  still held close by the Empire and only token forces have been reported by Starfleet's border patrols. I do not know what we will face on reaching Unroth but I suspect at least one Romulan warlord if not more will object to our presence. To say that this will the trickiest part of our mission would be grossly understating the obvious."

Once again starting from his secluded ready room Jureth exited onto the Alsea's bridge and took his place in the command chair. The Alsea had left Starbase 123 two days prior and was at her maxium speed plus whatever else Lieutenant Commander Sangliar and Lieutenant Sorripto had been able to coax from the engines. Only a tinge of nervousness tugged at the back of Oseno's thoughts as he prepared to take his ship and crew into harm's way. If he was confronted by Romulan forces he had planned to do what he'd done with Jarrod, tell them the truth with some small alterations. The Federation had received a distress call from a planet and was sending him to investigate. He would mention nothing about the membership application, and if confronted with it claim ignorance. He could come up with no other plausible reason to justify their presence in Romulan space, Jureth just hoped it was enough for them not to start shooting.

"Report Mister Hunter."

"Steady on course Captain, we will cross into Romulan territory in approximately 25 minutes." 

"Acknolwedged, Cat any sign of Romulan ships?"

Steele shook her head "If they're out there Sir, they're hiding." 

"I wouldn't expect anything less...steady as she goes Mister Hunter...everyone keep their head on a swivel."

"I have worked on our warp signature," Sangliar announced. "It's not easy to imitate the ouput of a singularity core like the Romulans use instead of our matter-antimatter reactors, but I have placed filters on our nacelles to distort our emissions to appear like chronitons; the by-product of their engine type. It won't fool close range sensors but, at long range, it might let them beleive we are one of their older models of war eagles... at least if they do no more than a routine scan. Might not be much but it's better than nothing. With our own enhanced sensors, we should detect them and try to hide as we did in the Klingon sector before they take a good look."

"And if they are cloaked?" wondered Steele.

"Their cloaking technology demands a lot of power; that's why they do not have shields and long range sensors when switching it on and off. They most certainly do not engage the system when inside their territory and expecting no trouble, especially from the direction we will be coming. If they do cloak, that could be a sure sign they,re on to us."

Oseno nodded "Good work XO, my compliments to you and your engineering team. Mister Hunter when you can try to use planetary bodies to mask our presence. "

"Aye Captain." 

Jureth sat back in the command chair and turned his thoughts toward what he was sure was going to be a less than pleasant conversation with multiple factions within what was left of the Romulan government. 

***

Two weeks prior to Alsea deployment:

Unroth IV had long been a source of mineral resource for the Romulan Star Empire and it's sister planets offered vast veins of minerals needed for construction of starships, habitats, and government buildings. During the full glory of the Empire the Unroth system had been well protected by a full garrison of the military's best troops who co-habitated with the residents of the lone settlement of the system and managed the Reman workers who did much of the off planet mining. Then, the unthinkable had happened, the Hobus star exploded and destroyed the Romulan way of life. For nearly two decades things continued as they had been, but suddenly the troops from Unroth were called to the side of Empress Sela to preserve the Empire. Since then, the Unroth system had gone unattended, except by its inhabitants. The governor of Unroth IV, an older Romulan named Verrek, had taken steps to ensure his people would survive. He made a deal with the leader of the Reman miners, and the mines continued to function. They brought in minerals, and gasses and stockpiled them while offering them to traders that passed the area of all ilks in exchange for food, clothing, and defensive weapons. Governor Verrek formed a militia to take on the duties of security and safety and used old Romulan vessels that had been left in their docks to patrol the system.

Then, seemingly out of nowhere they had come. First the remnants of the Emprie, led by an officer with a very famous reputation, then the separatists led by a diplomat with an equally famous reputation and finally the Remans seeking allegiance from miner and citizen alike to their cause. Verrek was not a diplomat, he was an excellent leader and organizer, but not an accomplished negotiator or diplomat. Three factions demanding his attention was too much for him to deal with especially given the considerable firepower they all possessed. So, he did what he thought was in the best interest of his people.

"You did WHAT?!" the leader of the Empire' s fleet standing less than two feet from Verrek at the front of his desk yet she was screaming as if she was an entire star system away.

"I spoke plainly Admiral, I have petitioned the Federation for aid."

"This is Romulan space governor and we hold the only rightful claim to it. You would do well to remember that." 

"Perhaps, and perhaps not. If the Empire, were it truly in existence, was so concerned about Unroth why has it taken nearly a decade for you to show any interest in us? You were content to leave us be as long as you did not need us, but now..."

"Watch your tongue Verrek..." 

"Or what Admiral? You'll have the Tal Shiar silence me? You know as well as I that the Tal Shiar aren't a threat to anyone right now. Besides, I am too old to worry about boogeymen in the night. You could kill me, and enforce your claim if you wished, but my people have grown to enjoy my leadership. They trust me, I have kept them alive when their Empire could not. What good would your claim be if the citizens rise up against you? Hmm? No, I don't suspect you or anyone else up there will move against me. For now, I will await a response from the Federation." 

"You play a dangerous game Governor," the Admiral said with contempt in her voice "I will not allow the Federation, despite my respect for them earned in the heat of battle, to lay claim to this system." 

"You will do as you must Admiral, as will I." 

"I for one welcome the intervention of the Federation," 

The new voice was a calm serene one, much in contrast to the emotional one of the admiral, and it came from a Romulan man dressed in simple robes with a Romulan pendant hanging around his neck who had been standing silently while the admiral went on her tirade.

"You would...Proconusl." the admiral spat the title out as if it were a rancid piece of meat "You are a traitor, the Empress.."

"Is no longer in power," he replied "She is a guest of the Federation. In truth I am surprised she is still there, but I will not allow it to cloud my judgement. This is a time when we should be uniting as one people, Romulans and Remans alike. We should throw off the chains of the Tal Shiar's oppression and live life as a free people."

"I will not stand here and listen to your platitudes," the naval officer replied with contempt "I am returning to my ship, you Governor should rethink your strategy. It may come back to bite you."

With a tap of the communicator build into the gaultlent on her wrist, a transporter beam engulfed the admiral and she was gone. Verrek turned to the other Romulan left in his office

"The Admiral is certainly exciteable." 

"She is scared. She is a military officer without a commander to serve, and like any frightened person she would rather fight than stand down." 

"Perhaps a seasoned Federation diplomat will make her see reason." Verrek said

"Or start a war...I will take my leave Governor, if there is anything I can do to assist please let me know."

Then, the Proconsul too was gone leaving Verrek alone with his thoughts. The only faction who hadn't been in his office daily was the Remans and he suspected it was because their leader had already made his case and had nothing more to say. Remans were not known for being overly talkative. One thing was certain, whomever the Federation sent, they had better be prepared for a storm.

***

USS Alsea: In Transit, One Day from Unroth System

The Alsea had been cruising through Romulan space for the better part of the last two weeks with not so much as a blip on their sensors. If the Romulans had any idea that a Federation starship was prowling in their territory they were not showing it. Jureth along with Cat and science officer Sirius has gone over every anomalous sensor reading to make sure the Alsea wasn't being trailed by cloaked vessels, but so far they'd found nothing that indicated that was the case. At the same time the Romulans were very good at remaining hidden when they did not wish to be found so Jureth kept in the back of his mind the idea that there one or more vessels shadowing them. 

"I don't like it," Cat Steele said standing at the tactical station "it's too quiet out here. At least in Klingon space we could pick up patrols...here..nothing."

"A lot of the Romulan fleet was disabled or destroyed by the Undine," Jureth reminded her "never mind the Scimitar destroyed by the Artemis. We don't have any accurate estimation of how much they really have left."

"Still...I'd feel better if we saw...something."

"Be careful what you wish for.." Oseno replied.

As they were talking, the turbolift doors had opened and cloed so that marksus Sangliar could catch their conversation and arumphed as he sat with a not too graceful hop into the XO chair.

"Well... while you are looking for a fight, I have prepared engineering for the alleged colony situation. Since we know nothing of what is happening there, I have prepared basic emergency relief  equipement, material and personel. We can restore or implement power sources, basic fabrication needs and provide general repairs and replacements like we do for our own colonies. I have also fabricated some subspace relays, communication, surveillance, weather control and defensive satellites out of some probes. Not much, but it can support basic planetary necessities long enough for them to built a more permanent and efficient satellite network."

He adjusted his wide girth more comfortably in the large chair before continuing.

"Doctor Carter has confirmed to me that medical supplies and personel are also being made ready to provide basic help in case of bacteriological or chemical disasters, including a temporary hospital in cargo bay 2 as per standard emergency situation protocols. There is also basic food and water supplies and agricultural stuff ready in case of a famine or drought situations to alleviate; enough at least to have them start over if conditions did not deteriorate too much. I even threw a replicator or two in case there's raw material left to work with."

He looked at Cat Steele with a grin splitting his dark bushy beard like a torpedo blast.

"Don't worry, I have modified them so that no weapon beyond a pick or a shovel can be made out of them."

He then sat deeply into his big chair and crossed his arms, looking at the main viewer.

"So... are we there yet?"

As if in answer to the Tellarite's question Catherine Steele suddenly got her wish. The sensors returned a single solitary contact in a position to intercept the Alsea in the next few minutes.

"Conn, tactical, new sensor contact! Romulan dreadnought, Scimitar Class, on a direct intercept course."

"Mister Hunter, takes us to impulse,Yellow Alert shields up!"

"Aye sir, dropping out of warp."

"Weapons Captain?" Cat asked

"Not yet Cat..we aren't looking for a fight." 

"The Romulans are hailing Captain." 

"On Screen."

On the Alsea's viewer the menacing image of the Scimitar Class ship was replaced by the features of a Romulan female. Her short dark hair framed her chiseled features and green eyes fixed on Jureth with both intelligence and curiosity, but not anger or hostility as was common among many Romulans. 

"Federation starship, identify yourself." 

Jureth rose from the command chair and stepped forward slightly before answering. "I am Captain Oseno Jureth of the Federation starship U.S.S. Alsea." 

"Why have you entered Romulan territory Captain? You are a long way from home."

"We are responding to a call for assistance from a colony world." 

"Are you now? And which world would that be?"

"Unroth IV"

"That is the answer I was waiting for Captain. Allow me to introduce myself, I am Commander Tiaru Jarok of R.R.W. Lleiset. I apologize for the interrogation, but I had to establish that you were the ship we have been expecting."

"I don't understand Commander, you've been expecting us?"

"Indeed Captain, Proconsul D'Tan determined days ago that this was the course a Federation ship would likely take to reach Unroth and ordered me to patrol the area so that I could provide you an escort to the colony."

Oseno was now thoroughly thrown for a loop, of course there was no way of knowing that anyone other than the colony who sent the petition knew about it, but the mention of D'Tan and the prefix the commander had used for her vessel, R.R.W. these were things that had the Bajoran trying to keep his composure. 

"Well Commander, we will certainly accept an escort if it means no one will shoot at us." 

Jarok smiled visibly before she responded.

"Not until we reach the colony anyway. After that I make no promises...please match our course and speed. Jarok out." 

The commander disappeared from the viewer and Oseno stood silent for a moment contemplating the implications of the conversation before issuing orders. 

"Mister Hunter, do as the commander has asked. Match course and speed of the Lleiset."

"Aye Sir." 

"Now, what in the world have we gotten ourselves into?" he wondered aloud as he returned to the command chair.

"RRW... what the drymudhell does that mean? Retired Romulan Wreck?" mused Sangliar, frowning; "And Jarok...  isn't that the name of that Romulan Admiral that defected about half a century ago?"

"I don't know about RRW XO...but I do recognize that name. Computer, display file on Romulan Admiral Jarok."

"Jarok, Alidar Admiral," the computer recited "Attempted to defect to the Federation in 2366 from the Romulan Star Empire. His vessel was intercepted by USS Enterprise under Captain Jean-Luc Picard. Information leading to his defection was later found to be falsely planted by Romulan military. Subject died by his own hand, survived by wife and one child. All other information classified by Starfleet Intelligence. End of file"

"So, it seems the child survived the destruction of Romulus." Jureth said aloud "Then there's D'Tan...he was a unificationist if memory serves me, worked closely with Ambassador Spock. This situation seems to be getting trickier by the minute."

"That's what Romulan means," grumbled the Tellarite.

The he sighed.

"Well, we've got everything ready for anything relevant to helping a colony recover or prosper. I leave the diplomatic chores to you, captain Sir. And I guess now we all have to expect the unexpected."