NRPG: This is the second last prelude post, the next and last one will get us started. This was an exceptionally hard post to write, and it took most of the week. I hope that makes sense when you read it!

RPG:

Mission: Prelude
Day: 1
Stardate: 2444.05.02

(San Francisco - En-Route to Federation Headquarters - Admiral Remae Ktell - 07:00) 

Remae was waiting for Admiral Bell to make an appearance, probably gone to get coffee or something that was holding her up. In the meantime, the Bajoran was waiting around, looking at nothing, looking at what had become routine for him, the damage was a still around… maybe not as noticeable as a year ago, but it was there. 

Much had been cleaned up, not that there was much to do, there had been patchy repairs here and there and the population had convinced itself that generally, it could have been much worse. This popular opinion had grabbed the attention of much of the population of San Francisco. They were the lucky ones… most of the causalities had occurred outside the city.

No one knew for sure why how it was such an obvious target, why, had it been spared and countless other lives around the world had been lost?

It had been the talk of everyone, investigations found nothing but for the first time in many years, fear had driven talk of a change, a change of policies, direction, purpose.

Has it been outsiders? Some Alien government? Who was taking advantage of the new kinder, passive, gentler Federation? Speculation was now the only topic of conversation.

Who knew how much longer the Federation could have followed its current course unopposed? Ever since the incident, some people were speaking about alternatives options and looking at history, what had they done for this to happen and what could be done to stop it happening in the future?

Remae has been one of them.

RPG:

Mission: The Incident
Stardate: 2443.04.23 

(San Francisco – Underground Tunnels – Underneath Federation Headquarters - 01:00) 

The small group was walking deep underground, these tunnels which ran beneath Starfleet Headquarters and had existed for hundreds of years but were seldom used or thought about. Light from hand-held torches lit the way. 

“Stop panicking Jennell, we all voted this was for the best. We have to address this and standing around talking anymore isn’t going to do it. No one is listening. We need a movement before it’s all late.”, said the leader of the group, showing the way down the tunnel.

“… but a bomb, causing violence, is this the way?”, she whispered, realising it was too late, they were in the tunnels and the others weren’t going to back down now.

The tunnels underneath San Francisco were narrow and ancient, but they served their purpose even though they had to beam through a lot of rock, their leader was well connected and was able to arrange their transport.

The bulky package was being carried by several members of the group, there was no beaming this through the rock has a completed device… it had been carefully assembled over the past few days, small parts beamed in, low powered enough to not set off the security sensors but close enough so they didn’t have to carry it too far… anti-matter/matter reaction chambers, even small ones, were substantially complicated devices.

This one had been modified for its purpose.

It wasn’t far but the positioning was everything, it would be bad but a message, a message that would wake up the powers that be and get them to understand that hiding from your enemies only invited them to attack and not take you seriously was needed.

The pieces of the device came together, clicking into place until a noticeable hum started coming from the device.

“That’s it. It’s ready.”, said one of the others before the leader inserted a security-card, the unit clicked into life, and it’s sound began to increase in volume.

“Return transport.”, the leader said into her stolen comm badge, and they all left the device behind.

(San Francisco – Underground Tunnels – Underneath Federation Headquarters - 01:05)

Alone, the machine continued to increase its power output; the sound would have been deafening for anyone in earshot but no one was around to hear, to react, to stop it from happening. 
It exploded.

(Spacedock - Observation Lounge – 01:06)

From orbit, the explosion was clearly visible, the blue wave expanded out from San Francisco and kept going, and going, and going. The antimatter wave wasn’t going to stop for anything or anyone that was in its way. The wave was a circle, expanding outwards, away from Starfleet, leaving it and its people relatively intact. 

The same could not be said anything else for thousands of miles in all directions… the damage remained consistent, damage to computers, damage to electronic systems, the vaporisation of millions but little to no damage to physical structures.

RPG:
Mission: Prelude
Day: 1
Stardate: 2444.05.02

(San Francisco - Federation Headquarters - President's Office - President Stiave Atremi - 12:05)

The Federation President was in her chair and the arrangements for the relaunch of Mars were underway.

=^= Is everything in motion? =^= 

The mysterious voice on the comm’s question hung in the air for a moment before she answered in the affirmative.

“It is. I think we’re off and running.”, she said before adding, “Has the ship been placed for his use?”

=^= Sure, she’s old but it’ll do =^=

“Very good. Did you rename it? Something stirring I hope?”, she said and there was a noticeably suppressed laugh on the line before the connection was dropped.

“I take that to be a yes.”, she said, leaning back in her chair once more and looking out at Starfleet Command Headquarters below.

(Reply from None)
(Posted by Anthony Keen)