12 days later - classified briefing

Classified Information leak

It was now 12 days after the Frontier Day attack and the situation had still not sunk in. President Chekov has survived somehow; and now he was sat in a stark briefing room just outside of Paris. It was Dark with gray walls and steel units; at least 15 metres underground. It made Anton uncomfortable to be so confined.

"Mr President, the situation is dire, we must conclude that in order to effectively continue and recover, we must unilaterally open up to all parties within the Federation."

He looked at Admiral Richards. now leading Starfleet HQ operations program "You might be right Admiral, but should the information we discuss here today, leave this room, the wider implications could be catastrophic, our recently formed Allies might take this opportunity as a sign for their own ends. Cardassia alone haw partitioned now more than 8 times this year to expansion, political code for rearming. And let's face it, the Klingons are on the front porch once more. The magnitude of this size could destabilise the whole quadrant " His brow furrowed deeply, as if some unimaginable pain tried to escape at that moment.

"Indeed" Murmured around the room

"Sir. Vice Admiral Sullivan Starfleet medical. We have finished our initial report and, so far we stand at a loss of over 31.000 personnel and civilians that we can account for. Commodore V'tarr has more answers from Engineering "

"Yes, to be frank, as to coin an Earth expression. The Home fleet is no longer operational, Earth station is crippled, but I understand reparable. In the mean time we have transported 3 smaller operational stations from Pluto to manage as a base of operations. I had the idea to repurpose Space dock, but that notion has been assuaged. Admiral Richards and I have ordered Fleets Two and Four to return to Earth for new assignments, we will merge them into the new home fleet, as it were." V'tarr raised his Vulcan eyebrow "I hasten to add, we have begun removal of synchronised automation programs throughout all new fleet vessels"

Thelian surveyed the room, he'd only seen these people from afar and only knew 2 of them. the old Andorian's antenna twitched at the mood in the briefing. 3 days ago he had been Deputy to the Deputy head of Intelligence in Starfleet. one was now dead and the other missing. Which made him Head of Intel.

"It would seem Mr President, we were unprepared for such an attack or even the notion of an attack, especially by the Dominion; or the faction of them that's responsible. I have sent word via Deep Space 9, the Defiant is on its way into the Gamma Quadrant to make contact with the Changelings. Though I do doubt it will bring much joy" Thelian coughed and then tugged at his collar. "My own intelligence brings much the same poor news. We have at least another 44 high ranking members of Starfleet unaccounted. My teams have located a further 28 members that had been assumed replaced. They seem to have used a base on Mars as a holding cell for many of the crews. "

He looked over to Admiral Quill, now head of Starfleet Academy before continuing; the two had discussed much in the last hours. "This situation leaves much of our fleet undermanned and the loss of a such a large portion of senior officers from the home fleet; would by sure leave us without seasoned leadership. 4th year cadets are being graduated early to replace staff in minor areas and relieve those of seniority to take up new posts. I suspect in the next year, 3rd year students will be graduated early also. It will not solve the short term issues of crew replacements. Merely a band aid. I mean how do you replace 30.000 people."

Admiral Richards leaned back in his seat; the weight of the situation had not been lost on them, but discussing it our loud for the first time in a group made the surreal or the more real. He began to retake over the conversation "Well I hope that we are all up to the task and Mr President, I do hope that you take under advisement those names I have listed for Head of Starfleet command. In the mean time, we have made some changes for our fleet services. the 3rd fleet and 5th fleets will remain as situated. the 6th fleet will be spread a little thin along the Klingon boarders, but they can manage. I have assigned new headquarters for the 7th fleet, relocated to Tellar Prime; the 8th fleet will relocate to Andoria until such an appropriate location can be confirmed. "

"Is that necessary Admiral?" Chekov responded

"I think all things are necessary Mr President. Effectively we have lost over 300 vessels from our roster. And half the crews to man them. As of yet, we have no clue as to how long it will take to overhaul such a large fleet, and with Mars ship yards gone, we have to rely on smaller stations to complete the work. Our early estimates, 2 years to undo what has been done. We don't even know what else the counterparts have put in place. It might have been the primary goal of the Borg to annihilate, but never underestimate an enemy out for revenge. "