(Okay, JTaylor and Mystic Angel get to make the official team posts, including any storyline, so to avoid interfering with their narative this is a 'renegade' post:)
TO: Commander, Starfleet Command (COMSTARCOM)
FROM: Commander, Deep Space Four (COMDS4)
SUBJ: BORG INCURSION INTO FEDERATION SPACE AND POTENTIAL ROMULAN INCURSION IN RESPONSE TO; NEW INTELLIGENCE REGARDING (S)
References: {a} COMSTARCOM message dated [Redacted] Re: Borg Incursion
{b} COMSTARCOM message dated [Redacted]
Enclosures: (1) ADM Gerald's personal comments to Fleet ADM Jackson (Personal and Private)
(2) USS Alexandria and pursuing borg vessel; hologram of
(3) Destruction of USS Alexandria by borg vessel; hologram of
(4) Romulan Fleet staging for maneuvers; hologram of
Background:
Reference {a} was received by COMDS4 on stardate [redacted] and processed for immediate action. All vessels not undergoing extended maintenance have been activated or recalled and have begun immediate replenishment and weapons loadout. Reference {b} was received by COMDS4 on stardate [redacted] requesting all battleworthy starships to report to sector [redacted] for regrouping and likely counterstrike.
COMDS4 Discussion:
COMDS4 received confirmation from USS Alexandria (NCC-26831) that recall request had been received on stardate [redacted]. Estimated arrival at DS4 was reported to be 4 days. 6 days later, on stardate [redacted], USS Alexander Nevsky (NCC-37787) recovered one of the Alexandria's log buoys and transmitted contents to COMDS4. Analysis of the log buoy revealed that Alexandria was attacked by a borg vessel. Images from the bouy during its launch record the Alexandria's last moments and are included as enclosures (2) and (3).
It is COMDS4's assessment that the borg vessel responsible for Alexandria's destruction is a mobile platform for deploying a borg station or Unicomplex. Long-range sensor data from USS Greenfield (NCC-65510) and USS Hood (NCC-66531) indicate at least three other similar vessels may be encroaching on Federation space. Several of these vessels could construct a long-range transwarp conduit for borg travel into this sector.
All Romulan patrols along Romulan outposts 11 and 12 have ceased within the last 72 hours. COMDS4 believes that Romulan Command is aware of both the nearby borg incursions and the borg incursion discussed in reference {a}, possibly due to recovery of Alexandria's other log buoys. Tachyon Surveillance Post Alpha reports a fleet of 16 Romulan Warbirds (D'Deridex and D'Verix Classes) gathering along Romulan/Federation border, cloaking, and moving out of detectable range (image enclosed as enclosure (4)) COMDS4 suspects that The Romlulan 3rd and 6th fleets are preparing to enter Federation space to engage the borg vessels in order to make other locations, farther from Romulan space, preferable for amasing a borg fleet.
COMDS4 Request:
COMDS4 requests COMSTARCOM permission to belay the orders of reference {b} to dispatch all battleworthy starships to sector [redacted]. COMDS4 believes that retaining a military presence along the Romulan border is vital to preventing a Romulan incursion and/or allowing the borg to establish another foothold in Federation space. Response is requested within 48 hours.
/Signed/
ADM William R. Gerald
Commander, Deep Space Four
ENCLOSURE (1)
Jack - I hate to do this to you, but there's too much at stake here. I've got borg encroaching along two sectors now and I've already lost one of my best starship captains to boot. I'm sure you remember CAPT Rob Goldstein from last year's light cruiser construction sustainability conference? That's right, he took over as CO of the Alexandria three weeks ago. Poor guy barely knew the bridge crew's names and now he's gone from the fast track to flag officer to pushing out a nebula.
On top of that, the Romulan regional commander has stopped responding to our hails. He knows something, and he's in no mood to talk about it. I hinted at it in the letter, but look: he's on track to make Imperial Senate as one of the Praetor's "enforcers", and unless I miss the mark he knows that we're ordered to send out all our ships. He's going to wait until we can't do anything about it, then send his big guns into our space to try and dust off that borg station before they start dumping cubes on the Romulans' doorstep. He comes off looking like a hero (not to mention saving the Federation planets in this sector), and making us look incompetent. If I play our cards right, I may even be able to work with him to take this borg station out before it's too late. Remember, the Mark VII cloaking devices they're using now are even supposed to be invisible to borg ships (remind me why you agreed to extend that treaty to forgo cloaks next time we talk).
I just can't spare my ships right now Jack. You've gotta come through on this one. I can send a couple: the Nevsky's already underway, and the Greenfield is right behind her. They're good ships, too, but I can't send you any more fodder and uphold my responsibilities here. I know you could pull rank on me for this one, but I think Starfleet needs our ships out here more. Just do me one favor, and think of all the citizens of Zeta Gruis before you make this call, please.
-Bill
ENCLOSURE (2): Borg vessel in pursuit of USS Alexandria
ENCLOSURE (3): Destruction of USS Alexandria
ENCLOSURE (4): Romulan Fleet staging for maneuvers