//------------------------------// // Prologue // Story: Star Trek: Equestria Rising // by Sentinel053 //------------------------------// Star Date 87354.68 (5/10/2410) Captains log: USS Dawnstar Commanding officer: Vice Admiral Sarcon We have finally stopped the Herald invasion of New Romulus and have saved the remain Preservers from the Lae'nes system archive in the midst of the new war with the Iconians we are en-route back to Earth Space Dock for to receive new orders concerning our next move in defense of the Iconians and their servitor races. -end log- It had happened so fast. The return of the Iconians, the appearance of another Dyson Sphere in the Iconian system and to make matters worse the Iconinas have declared all-out war against the Entire Alpha and Beta quadrants. But there is hope, the men and women serving Starfleet the Romulan militia and the Klingon Defense force have join together stop this threat or die trying. Bridge of the Dawnstar "T'vreil what is our estimated time of arrival at Earth space dock?" Sarcon asked his fellow Vulcan she and the rest of his command staff had all graduated from Starfleet academy last year during the middle of the Federation-Klingon war with their first training cruise turning into a living nightmare when they were attacked by the IKS Chot under the command of the late Captain Marek. "At our current speed we shall reach the Sol system in exactly three day nine hours and twenty three minutes" T'vreil replied "Thank you T'vreil" Sarcon replied after operation Delta flight and the battle for New Romulus and defending the preserver archive much of the crew was in dire need of rest and shore leave. But for Sarcon he had different though he was unable to show it he wanted to return to fighting the Heralds and Iconians for he knew if they lost the entire Alpha and Beta Quadrants would fall along with the rest of the galaxy. Suddenly the sensors start beeping... "What is it Kolez " Sarcon asked "Sir I'm picking up an unknown warp signature" The Saurian replied "Can you pin point its place of origin?" Sarcon asked who ever or whatever had caused them to pick up this warp signature must be a race that has lived within Federation territory for some time to have finally reached warp capabilities. "Getting a location now, it appears to be originating from.... the Equus System Admiral Specifically from Equus three” Kolez replied "The Equus system intriguing, Commander Flores what do we currently know about Equus system" Sarcon asked his long time first officer another member of his graduating class that had been with him on their training cruise turned fight for survival "What we currently know is that it contains four planet three of them M-class which includes Equus three unfortunately every probe we have sent to Equus three we have lost contact with" She replied "And the cause for the probes being lost?" Sarcon asked "Some sort of ambient and unknown energy field that surrounds the planet as far up as the outer atmosphere” Commander Flores replied "What are the effects of this energy field?" Sarcon asked if there was going to be a first contact meeting they had to know if it was safe to use the transporters. "The field is causing heavy interference with our sensors so we are unable to get a clear reading of the planets technological development or what the native species is" "Commander Flores replied "Is there anything else we know Miss Flores?" Sarcon asked "The only information we have was recorded ten years before the war with the Klingons what was discovered was the Equus system does not have a heliocentric orbit, and that its star and other three planets seem to orbit Equus three "Hmm this will complicate matters sufficiently, Kolez are there any other ships in the sector that will have pick up the signature?" Sarcon said "One moment Admiral I was starting to check, there is Sir it’s the R.R.W T'lava, we are also being hailed by them" Was Kolez's reply "On Screen" Sarcon ordered to which a rather young looking Romulan male face appeared on the view screen with a smile "Admiral Xiramek" Sarcon said addressing his Romulan ally "Admiral Sarcon, It’s good to see you again my friend" Xiramek said to his longtime friend "It is agreeable to see you again as well my friend but, then again I do not presume you have contacted us to merrily say hello" Sarcon replied "You are correct my friend, a few minutes ago we detected an unknown warp signature coming from the Equus system I assume that you detected it as well?" Xiramek Said "Indeed we have I would suggest that you contact Admiral Kererek while we contact Earth space dock to ask for authorization to make a joint contact" Sarcon said a joint first contact was not a very common occurrence and first contact was a very delicate situation many races would either join the federation or they would isolate themselves in fear of others species. "We'll get right on Xiramek out" and with that the communication was cut "Kolez" Sarcon asked "Sir?" Kolez asked "Contact Earth Space Dock priority channel Alpha tell the communications officer to connect to Admiral Quinn's office" Sarcon ordered "Aye Sir" Kolez replied a few moments later and the face of Admiral Quinn the head of all Starfleet operations appeared on the view screen. "Admiral Sarcon Its good to see you" Said Admiral Quinn "Greeting's Admiral, I trust I am not interrupting something of the utmost importance? " Sarcon asked "Not at the moment but, I believe that you have a good reason to contact via channel Alpha" Quinn asked "indeed I have moments ago we picked up an unknown warp signature originating from the Equus system, Admiral Xiramek of the Romulan Republic whom I believe you have met has also confirmed as to having detected the same signature" Sarcon explained "I see" Said Quinn "And you are wanting to ask for permission to make first contact with him to an unknown species on a planet we hardly know anything about" "Affirmative Admiral" Sarcon responded Admiral Quinn let out a long sigh, with the war with the Iconians having just begun now wasn't the best time to be conducting a first contact mission. "I'll get in contact with President Okeg and the Romulan high command, I should have a verdict for you in a few hours Quinn out" Quinn said before cutting the signal. "Until then ensign Prescott lay in a course for Equus 3 maximum warp "Aye sir course laid in sir" Prescott replied "Engage" Sarcon said in a fraction of a second the Presidio class battle cruiser accelerated to sixteen hundred times the speed of light it would only take a few minutes to arrive and then all they could do was wait for Admiral Quinn to give them the Presidents verdict "Arrival in ten seconds admiral" Prescott said to which the bridge was greeted to a view of a lush green world with bright blue oceans and green country sides and Ha'feh class heavy assault warbird in orbit. "It would seem our friend Xiramek is waiting for us, ensign establish orbit alongside the T'lava and await their hail" Sarcon said "Aye aye sir" Prescott replied as he maneuvered towards the T'lava putting the Dawnstar in orbit three kilometers from the T'lava. "We're being hailed Admiral" said Kolez "On screen" Sarcon replied "Sarcon my friend glad you could join us" Xiramek said with a small smile on his face. "Indeed my friend though regrettably we must await the final decision from our commanding officers" Sarcon said "Until then we should both find a way to safely transport down to the planets surface through the energy field" Xiramek replied "Until then my friend, Sarcon out" Sarcon said as the comm was closed. Fast forward two and a half hours Dawnstar Bridge "Admiral we're receiving a message from Admiral Quinn" Kolez announced unlike the rest of the crew he was a bit nervous at having to undertake first contact, as the Dawnstar's tactical officer and chief of security he had more reason to be cautious he had heard the stories of how some of the first contact scenarios in the twenty fourth century had turned to disaster so he wanted to be ready for anything "On screen" Sarcon ordered to see Admiral Quinn and Admiral Kererek as well "Admirals I presume you have a verdict for us?" Sarcon asked "We do you and Xiramek are authorized to initiate first contact, however there is the matter of the ambient energy field around the planet which we know will prohibit transporter use, we hope you have a solution to overcome this?" Quinn asked "We have instead of using the Dawnstar's and T'lava's transporters we are going to utilize a runabout preferably one with cloaking capabilities and use it to beam to the planet’s surface from low orbit" Sarcon said "Are you sure this is the only available option?" Asked Admiral Kererek "I am afraid it is Admiral the percentage of finding another way is less 8.63 percent" Sarcon said " I do however, have one more inquiry that I must ask Admiral, what are my orders if the native inhabitants wish to see our ships?" "If they wish to they may but, under no circumstances are you to reveal sensitive technology to them" Admiral Quinn said "Understood Admiral" Sarcon replied "Very well, you are here by ordered to initiate first contact, we expect your result in the next three days Quinn out" Said Admiral Quinn as he closed the comm channel "Kolez you have command Commander Flores, T'vreil, and Lieutenant Commander Zarva please meet me in transport room one" Sarcon said as he headed for the turbo and bring only hand held phaser's for self-defense only we do not want the natives to think we are invading them" Twenty minutes later en-route to planetary surface it had been decided on by both Sarcon and Xiramek that they would be taking a Kestrel Runabout due to its size and with it being equipped with a full size transporter and medical bay in case first contact turned deadly and a member of the away teams became seriously injured, while uncloaking and providing fire support. "Admiral we have located the warp signature, it appears to be coming from a small village with what appears to be a castle made out of solid crystal" Centurion O'taas announced "Bring us into transporter range above the village and remain cloak" Xiramek ordered "Aye sir" O'taas replied "Xiramek my friend what do you believe we will find once we have transported?" Sarcon asked his friend "I don't have any idea which is why I am coming prepared" Xiramek replied as he un-holstered his plasma compression pistol "I see you have decided to come prepared but, I hope we do not have to use our weapons and make this a peaceful first contact" Sarcon said "Indeed my friend" Xiramek replied "Sir we are with in transporter range, we're going to transport you to the signatures last known location" O'taas said "Very well proceed" Xiramek ordered the two away teams consisted of Sarcon, Commander Flores Chief Scientist T'vreil and Lieutenant commander Zarva the Dawnstar's chief engineer while Xiramek's include his first officer Tovan-Khev chief engineer V'eril "Ready to transport Sir" O'taas said once everyone was on the transporter pad "Energize" Sarcon ordered before being consumed in a beam of green light, they were now truly stepping into the unknown with no idea what lay ahead or how Equus would react to first contact