Catch as Catch Can

Posted on Sat Jan 24th, 2026 @ 10:04pm by Lieutenant Jean-Baptiste Dorsainvil & Ensign Garabed "Garo" Hakobyan & Crewman Emiliano Echevarria & Major Clay McEntyre III & Lieutenant Commander Ryan Keel & 1st Lieutenant Ángel Martinez & Captain Remy Johansen & Lieutenant Commander Daynah Ral & Commander Maxun Spello & Lieutenant JG Sakkar & Lieutenant JG Fulvia & Lieutenant JG Jason Williams III
Edited on on Fri Feb 13th, 2026 @ 8:41pm

3,246 words; about a 16 minute read

Mission: Peril at the Unification Accords
Location: Main Bridge
Timeline: MD 09, 0900 Hours

This post runs semi-concurrent to "Jammed", "The Hand That Guards Must Not Be Seen", and "The Haunted Freighter".

---

On the viewscreen, Barisa Prime kept on turning, patient as ever. Silhouetted against the green, blue, and white, was the Nidean freighter Katreen's Hope.

At one of the aft stations, Crewman Emiliano Echevarria leaned closer to his screen, his shoulders crisping in an unnatural angle as though the data he were reading might slip away if he didn't old it with his eyes. Lines of encryption scrolled past, dense and fussy, almost like it was just noise.

"That's not right," Emil murmured.

The transmission from Katreen's Hope pulsed again--it was a tight signal that originated deep in the engine section where a freighter--any freighter--had no business emitting any sort of signal. He chased it through the noise and the background radiation of space, stripping away the harmonics, following it like a scent trail Mateo might take interest in.

No matter what he did, Emiliano could not resolve the signal's destination.

It just... ended.

Frowning, he had a new idea: overlaying spatial telemetry, adjusting from relativistic drift, and pulling up a volume map. The signal didn't terminate so much as thin-out--bleeding into a pocket of space only a few thousand kilometers off the freighter's port quarter.

He straightened, feeling his pulse ticking up a few notches.

"Lieutenant Commander Ral," Emil said, keeping his voice level but unable to hide the edge. "I could use a hand, please." He watched the Trill Operations Chief--his boss--at her bridge station and wondered if it was not kosher to request an on-duty superior officer for help.

Daynah looked toward Emil she smiled and walked over. "What do you have Crewman?"

"Well, ma'am, I'm tracking the encrypted burst. It's not bouncing to any relay or buoy. It's just... ending." He tapped the screen, and looked to Daynah. "Centered roughly at grid Theta-Seven-Two, subspace offset point-four-one. That's just completely empty space. But overly empty."

Daynah looked at the data. The Crewman had the right of it not only did the signal end abruptly, but there was a whole lot of nothing out there. "It is possible that it is some sort of anomaly. However, we should rule out the idea that something is tracking us. A brief tachyon pulse from the deflector would reveal anything operating under cloak in that area." She turned toward the Command pit of the Bridge. "Captain, with your permission it would take but a moment. If we are being tracked they already know our position, and we would gain the benefit of knowing where they are."

"Do it," Remy ordered. "And we are being tracked, if you can think of anything to get us out of their sensors, let's get on it."

"Aye, Captain," Emiliano said, and routed control from Ops to his aft station. On his screen, the deflector schematic bloomed open like a spring flower. He adjusted the pulse parameters by instinct, setting several optional factors using just his gut.

He looked to Daynah, then to Captain Johansen. "Tachyon pulse discharging in four seconds."

The pulse went out.

On the viewscreen, nothing changed. Barisa Prime kept turning. The Katreen's Hope remained in its geostationary orbit, and space--in its usual manner--remained unmoved.

Then the display hiccupped.

A small shape resolved on the screen--not a buoy or probe. But something was there.

"Uh," Emiliano said, intelligently.

Nearby, Jean-Baptiste Dorsainvil had gone still. He'd been monitoring fleet posture and command-channel chatter as part of the initiated Command Protocol since Ambassador T'Varel's death. It was quiet work, especially with Fulvia beside him monitoring transmissions from Barisa and Starbase 773. However, Emil and Daynah's discussion tugged at him.

JB rolled slid his chair a few inches closer to them, eyes flicking over the data.

"Signals don't just drop like that," he said, remembering something he'd learned about subspace transmissions in space. "Maybe with our starfighters getting a closer look..." He let the idea trail-off and stood, looking toward the center of the bridge.

"With your permission, Captain?" JB asked with a slight nod to Remy.

"What are you thinking, Lieutenant?" Remy stood up so that she could turn to better face JB's station.

Jean-Baptiste snapped his fingers and gritted his teeth. "I'm not a stellar cartographer, ma'am, but I remember the compulsory courses during my first year at the Academy," he said, thinking out loud. "It is said that consistent emptiness is rarely empty, correct?"

Emiliano glanced over his shoulder, hearing the Lieutenant attempting to make a point. "Exactly. Dust, debris, inert gasses should all be detectable."

Overhearing the conversation from his temporary Bridge console, Keel piped up. 'If something's absorbing the signal, it's absorbing the energy driving it right? Energy doesn't quite disappear if I remember correctly,' he drawled, 'shouldn't whatever's eating the signal be slightly warmer than the space around it?'

"That's my thinking too, Commander."

Unceremoniously--and without permission, Crewman Emiliano Echevarria turned to Remy. "Captain, we could have Lieutenant Vale's group focus a sweep in that area--a phased gravimetric scan with thermal variance. It would tell us quickly if there's something there--maybe a cloaked buoy or relay."

"How dangerous is this to send his team in?" the Captain asked. "To search for a buoy that is draining energy? Wouldn't it be better to send probes?"

'There's only a few military powers that have a cloaking device that good,' Keel replied carefully, 'the only ones who would be in the vicinity are the Romulans. They're the most logical people to have an asset like this out here. Though who amongst them exactly would want to endanger the talks ... that's something to ponder further.'

JB nodded along to Keel's assessment. It was a sound one. "It sounds like a perfect operation for the Tal Shiar."

Maxun had been looking at the sensor readings and has been thinking about the situation. Finally, he spoke up, "Captain," he said to Remy softly, "there's more going on here than we are seeing. It's almost as if someone has erected an immense holographic image of the array of space that surrounds us. That could be why the sensors aren't picking up anything solid."

"Holographic images in space?" Remy looked to the operations team. "If that's true we need to get to the bottom of what's going on."

Fulvia was in her usual spot, monitoring the transmissions, but judging from the look on her face, something was very wrong as she ground her teeth together. "This is very wrong. Signals from the station aren't reaching the freighter, and my empathic bond with Xalanth is feeling very mushy is the best way i can describe it." she added.

JB looked over at Fulvia, seeing the usually-composed Magna Roman with an expression of worry. "What do you mean?"

"I can feel that he's calm, but it hurts to feel it. I have to push to feel it, and it hurts when I do it." Came the Roman's reply.

He lowered his voice to a whisper. "Is the Away Team in danger?"

"I can't say. Xalanth's still calm, but he could stay calm whilst being charged by a bull Yarven," came her honest reply.

JB thought for a moment and then opened a smaller window on his screen that displayed each of the Away Team's vitals. While their heart rates were slightly higher, JB knew he wasn't about to play doctor and make any assumptions. "Mysterious freighter might give me palpitations, too," JB said dismissively but gently. "I'm sure he's fine. He's always saying his bits grow back." He offered Fulvia a reassuring smile.

"He's trying to what?!" Remy cut in, her voice firm. "We need to get him out of there. Patch lifesigns through to my console, I need to see if there is anyone else we need to pull."

JB tried to open a channel to the Away Team from his station but the signal was not getting through. It was as though something on the freighter were emitting a broadband pulse that pushed their transmission in different directions.

"Captain," he said, possibly too calmly. "Something on the freighter is jamming communications. We can't get through."

He managed to put the Away Team's vitals on the main viewscreen as ordered, but their heart rates were now in high-stress territory.

A lump of anxiety formed in Keel's throat as he watched the bio-signs on the main viewer. It was never pleasant to be sat klicks away from your comrades and know that they were in danger with precious little you were able to do for them. Comms jams were way outside his wheelhouse, and he could only but hope that they would overcome them.

"Commander, we need rescue and support over there, STAT," Johansen ordered looking directly at Spello.

Maxun pressed the intraship comms control and spoke in a commanding voice. "Bridge to Starfighter Leader, send a pair of starfighters over to the following coordinates," he punched in the spot where the sensors were reading a null space. "Their mission, determine what is there and report back immediately. How do you copy?"

While Spello made contact with air support, Remy tapped the comm button on her console, "Bridge to Marine Commander, Major, we've got an Away team on a freighter in distress. Situation unknown. I need you to prepare a unit. You'll likely have to take one of your shuttles, stand by while we check to see if we can use transporters. Acknowledge."

While she waited for a reply, Remy turned back to the operations team, "Can we send the Marines over with anything to get around the communications block?"

[Solid Copy, Captain.] Clay answered turning to his marines in their barracks.

"MOUNT UP, MARINES!" He called out as he moved to the armory to gear up as quick as they could.

1st Lieutenant Martinez closed their eyes for a brief moment at the order. Not long enough to be called hesitation. Just a breath taken before motion resumed. If anyone in the barracks had been surprised, then more fool them. It wasn’t the call itself. It was the intensity of the Caitian Major, something Martinez was still adjusting to. The rest of the Marines didn’t seem to notice. The usual chorus of affirmation rose without effort, voices steady, no fuss. “You heard the Major,” they said, voice firm but even, already moving toward the armoury. One benefit of being on standby: boots were already laced, gear checked, body and mind already halfway to the next fire.

Static crackled over the open channel before resolving into a female voice. She was calm-sounding, but young.

[Astrea, this is Lieutenant Junior Grade Taqqiq Allooloo,] the voice reported. [Vale scrubbed on launch. In-flight diagnostic flagged a plasma leak in the port assembly--he's set his bird back down in the bay. I've assumed lead.]

There was a brief pause as the bridge crew waited.

[Proceeding with mission, Commander. Coordinates received. Will report back momentarily,] Allooloo said, her voice barely louder than the whine of her engines.

JB leaned forward, opening the comm relay from his aft station. "Lieutenant Allooloo--before you begin, alter your scanners for a..." He glanced sideways to Emiliano and Daynah. "What was the scan, again?"

Emil didn't miss a beat. "Phased gravimetric scan," he said, already pulling the parameters back up. "Layer it with thermal variance."

"Did you catch that, Lieutenant?"

[Copy,] Taqqiq said. [Running it now.]

On the viewscreen, Barisa Prime continued to turn while the Nidean freighter hung there in its eternal fall.

[Astrea,] Taqqiq said, her voice sharper and more urgent now. [Scan's returning... something.]

Maxun arched and eyebrow as he heard the incoming report. "Can you be more specific, Lieutenant?" He asked Alooloo aloud, knowing that the Captain needed as much detailed information aa possible.

[Negative, Commander.] Her voice seemed almost drowned-out by the whine of her engines once more. [Still receiving telemetry.]

Keel leaned forward, studying the viewer intently as he listened to the conversation, brow furrowed, heart in his throat.

[It's solid,] the pilot continued. [Massive. Gravimetric profile's clean--no buoy, no probe. Coordinates reading as follows: grid Theta-Seven-Two, subspace offset point-four-one... secondary fix at axial vector nine-one-eight by three-three-zero.]

"Ay, mi madre santísima!" Emiliano swallowed. "That's... bigger than Astrea."

"Is it a ship, Crewman?" Remy asked.

Emiliano's fingers flew across the console as he punched-in the coordinates, hoping for a quick analysis. "It has to be a ship, Captain."

"But what kind?" Maxun asked Remy quietly. "This is feeling more and more like a trap of some kind, Captain."

"Did we already fall into it?" Remy wondered out loud as concern for her crew showed on her face.

Letting out a sigh of worry, Keel ran through what he knew of vessels that size. Few came to mind outside of those of the Dominion or Romulan Empire. A D'deridex would push us hard, he thought nervously. A thought did occur to him though. 'Why haven't they fired? We're making the assumption that big is powerful.'

Daynah looked at the readings, both the size parameters and the energy readings. The Crewman was right this was most definitely a ship. But there was no reason to believe it hostile. "I concur this is a ship. However, none of the readings coming from it indicate weapons, shielding or any offensive or defensive systems. It is quite possible that whoever they are, they are just as interested in us as we are in them."

"We should proceed with caution, not do anything to put them on the offensive," Remy agreed.

Maxun nodded in agreement with Remy's statement. The last thing they needed right now, was to get into a shooting match with an unknown adversary.

Daynah placed the backup systems in standby, and prepared the reserve power. She wanted to be ready should this turn into a shooting match. When her fingers finished entering the commands she looked up at the viewscreen at what was to come.

The comm channel to the starfighter group came to life again.

[Astrea, we're receiving a transmission from Ensign Hakobyan on the freighter--he's using a tertiary band at a high frequency.]

"What does he have for us?" the Captain asked. "Play what you can."

There was a brief moment where it sounded as though Allooloo were trying to connect both channels through their own subspace transmitter. After a few seconds, a high-pitched whine and a distorted voice came through.

[... can they hear me? Astrea, this is Ensign Hakobyan on the Katreen's Hope. Myself and Ensign Williams are on the bridge but I think we tripped security protocol. Rest of Away Team are on their way to Engineering but we are out of contact. All communication jammed--kkkrzzztt.]

[Captain,] Taqqiq said over the comm channel. [The signal is being jammed.]

"What I could make of it, our team is split up, and may be up against some sort of defense mechanism," the Captain stated. "Lieutenant Ral, get your team working on what can be done to clear up that signal and get communications online," the Captain ordered.

"Dorsainvil, Fulvia, coordinate with the Marines, let them know where they can dock, and try to give them as much information as possible so they aren't blind," Remy added.

From down in Shuttlebay three, Jason was getting his fighter ready. He was listening in on what was happening, and he was starting to feel itchy to get out among the stars, doing what he did best...

Pilot his starfighter.

As he strapped on his helmet, he activated his comms. "Bridge, this is Williams. I have Delta squad ready to launch, we can provide cover for the support teams heading to the enemy vessel. What are your orders, Captain?"

"Lieutenant Williams, establish a cautious defensive position," Remy responded looking to Spello for affirmation. "There is possibly a cloaked vessel out there. We don't want to give them a reason to strike."

=/\=Aye, Astrea,=/\= Jason replied. =/\=We will stay on our toes out here.=/\= he then switched the comms to the flight channel. =/\=Alright, boys and girls, Mother Hen wants us to be careful out here, and that's exactly what we are going to do. No wild moves, anyone. Stay with your wingman and keep your eyes peeled for anything out of the ordinary.=/\=

The channel crackled again, thinner this time.

[Astrea,] Taqqiq Allooloo said. "I'm transferring flight-lead authority to Lieutenant Williams. He's got the squad in position."

There was a soft chime as control passed--nothing dramatic, just responsibility changing hands.

[Banshee,] she added, using Jason's callsign, shifting channels slightly, [you have the stick. I'll maintain sensor overwatch and relay anything I see.]

"Roger that Ptarmigan, I've got stick, you have overwatch. Keep your eyes peeled up there. Beta Flight, remain on overwatch, Alpha Flight, on me." He then nosed his raptor over and started to move towards the sensor void.

[Astrea, Ptarmigan here,] Taqqiq said, voice calm over the whine of her engines. [The signal from Hakobyan is now completely cut-off. Tertiary-band dead.]

Captain Johansen looked solemnly toward her first officers as she responded back over subspace to the starfighter crew, [This is your Captain. Understood. Keep trying. Once the Marines have boarded we'll make it a priority for them to find all of our crew.]

---

Captain Remira Johansen
Commanding Officer
USS Astrea


Commander Maxun Spello
First Officer
USS Astrea


Major Clay McEntyre III
Marine Commanding Officer
USS Astrea


Lt. Commander Daynah Ral
Chief Operations Officer
USS Astrea

Lieutenant Ryan Keel
Chief of Diplomatic Intelligence
USS Astrea


Lieutenant Jean-Baptiste Dorsainvil
Assistant Chief Security Officer
USS Astrea


1st Lieutenant Ángel Martinez
Marine Officer
USS Astrea


Lieutenant J.G. Sakkar
Chief Flight Control Officer
USS Astrea


Lieutenant J.G. Jason Williams III
Starfighter Wing Group Commander
USS Astrea


Ensign Garabed "Garo" Hakobyan
Transporter Specialist
USS Astrea


Crewman Emiliano Echevarria
Operations Technician
USS Astrea

 

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