Ansalom Stories: Attack on Titan Run

Posted on Tue Dec 6th, 2022 @ 6:37pm by Lieutenant Evan Gahs

Mission: Side Stories
Location: SS Ansalom, Cargo Pod Delta
Timeline: December 6, 2344

Walking along the silent cargo pod delta, Broderick sighed. The captain wasn’t going to like what he found, a hole in several of the grain sacks. He cursed after slipping on some of the triticale that spilled onto the deck plating. Luckily he caught himself on the bulkhead nearest to the intercom.

“Pod Delta to Bridge,” Broderick said after pressing the tiny white fob-button on the comm.
“Come in Ry, what you got,” the voice of their young captain echoed through out the Pod.

“It’s what you think, we’ve got gremlins.” Ryan passed a hand through his sandy hair. His hand nearly touched the plate above his head. He was tall, athletic, and spoke gruffly. A total opposite to the Captain’s short stature and darker complexion. Ryan was hired on after Captain Ghas took over the Ansalom. Ghas was kindly, funny and yet there was something about Ghas that Ryan couldn’t put his finger on. In fact, most of the crew felt the same way. But once the credits started rolling, whatever they felt about their new commander, it didn’t matter. He was making them rich (so to speak).

“I am on my way,” Ghas replied. And, after a few minutes he seemed to materialize next to Broderick.

“Damn,” he said looking over the open bags. Searching over toward a corner Ghas found dark rodent dropping. “Looks like mice. All this modern technology and we still can’t prevent mice.”

“What should we do kill them,” Broderick asked.
“That would be inhumane, set traps. There should be some in a locker in Alpha. We’ll drop them off once we get to Carrick. They’ve got a Terran Animal Reserve there,” Ghas shook his head and then the deck plating shook. The entire room flashed in red.

“Bridge to Captain, we’ve got company,” came a hurried voice over the intercom. The deck shook again.

Ghas ran to the comm and pressed the white button, “I am on my way. Send a signal to Starfleet. SOS”
---

An hour had passed once the last of the Klingon Ships were sent away. If it weren't for their location, Ansalom would have been destroyed. She was an old cargo runner from the 2200s that had been retained after the destruction of several other ships in the Federation Cargo Fleet during the Cardassian War.

Once things had settled, Ghas invited the commanding officer of the Starfleet Vessel named Bellopheron on board as a kindness and thank you meal.

"Thank you again for helping us," he said to the younger Captain Easton. She was Terran, aged 40 or so, and carried herself with all the military bearing her office allowed her.

"You're more than welcome Captain Ghas. If we weren't patrolling this line I don't know what would have happened."

"Nor do I," he echoed her sentiment. "However, I am going to have to repeat what my Engineer asked you during the battle. 'I thought we were at peace with the Klingons? Why are they attacking Cargo Ships?"

"Glory Evan," she replied. "Plain unadulterated glory and breathing room. SFI has been tracking their movements for over a year and it appears that they've been amassing ships along the Titan Run. It seems they're trying to obtain territory in uncontested space. If I were you, once you've finished you repairs..."

"We can't," Evan interrupted. "Do you know where we're going? What we're transporting?"

"Grain, I know."

"Grain to a planet that is going through a major famine. And the only lane we can travel on is the Titan Run," Ghas crossed his arms.

"Then at least let us escort you."

"You know what my crew will think," Ghas spoke darkly. The crew would not like the idea of a Star Fleet Shadow.

"From a distance. Because if they attack you again, we may not be able to come as fast as did. You'll be on your own," Easton echoed Ghas's tone.

"We'll find a way."

"I hope so."

---
Lt. Evan Ghas, COO
USS Mercutio
Former CO SS Ansalom