Mission Two: In The Family

Created by Commodore Jacob Kane on Thu Jul 29th, 2021 @ 7:53am

The USS Athena, complete with a fresh new command crew, has been dispatched to the remote Paratus system, escorting a Federation Ambassador to complete the final stages of the Paratans' membership in the Federation.

Freshly promoted to Commander, Kane is now seeking to fully start out on his command career with a high-profile success. The Ambassador Lady Donatella Hortensia, however, is a larger-than-life character, placing huge demands on the crew and generally behaving very rudely. She insists on using her own vessel as transport, escorted by Athena.

Immediately on their arrival at Paratus, the two ships are ambushed. The SS Glory is crippled and the Ambassador gravely injured, leaving the inexperienced Envoy Hamilton Broll to conduct negotiations.

As Lt. Cmdr Taeler and a team support the Envoy in his mission, Kane and the Athena seek to learn more about why they were attacked. It is revealed that the Queen of Paratus and her brother, Duke Alonso, are in the midst of a major dispute and the planet is simmering on the fringe of a civil war.

When the Duke's forces cause a major problem, the matriarchal Queen's loyalists hold the Athena crew hostage - insisting that Kane eliminate the rebel Duke. Escaping captivity with the aid of undercover Intelligence operative P'rel, Taeler's group fight their way out of danger. In orbit, Kane orders the Athena to open fire on the Paratan space forces; citing acts of aggression against the landing party.

The crew are beamed up just in time, as Paratus descends into Civil War and their membership application is brought to a sudden end.