Like most days it was a sunny day in California, even though she hadn't been unfamiliar with sunshine on Virella it still sometimes surprised her decades later just how much sun there actually was here. It wasn't that different from Liberty, the capital of Virella, but then seeing as she had been forced into the camps the moment her ‘genetic illness’ was discovered by the authorities at age 5. Ever since she had never seen Liberty again. Only the Sector 9 camps and the frontlines against the Iron Syndicate. As much as she enjoyed watching the sun while sitting on a bench on the plaza, she had to restrain herself today as she had been ordered here for more than leisure. Recently she had been reassigned to a new command, the Odyssey Class USS Harmony. Even though this wasn't her first command, it still was weird for someone only twenty years into a Starfleet career to be given what in many ways could be considered Starfleet's flagship. When she received a message summoning her to Earth and indicating that they would be taking a flag officer aboard, things made more sense. Decades ago then Vice Admiral Archer had taken a liking to Ava when the smugglers that had taken her from Virella were intercepted by Starfleet Security and pushed through her asylum status. Ever since she had always been involved in Ava's life and in many ways guided her career within Starfleet. Even after she had retired herself. At this point Ava even considered her as a mother of sorts. 

After getting up from the bench she walked into the impressive Starfleet Headquarters building. Once inside she would continue to the reception desk where a Trill Lieutenant in Command red manned the station. 

“Hello, ma'am, how I may I help you?” The voice revealed the Lieutenant was still young, definitely not out of her twenties yet. But then again, even though Ava was 40 her species' naturally long lifespan made her barely an adult herself.

“Captain Amanin, I have an appointment with Admiral Archer” Ava replied with a smile.

The Lieutenant nodded with a smile herself before entering some commands on her console. 

“Ah yes, I have you here, Captain. Fleet Admiral Archer's Office has left a note to let you through directly so you may proceed. I believe you already know on which floor her office is located. Is there anything else I may help you with?”

“No, that's all. Have a nice day, Lieutenant” Ava concluded with a final smile before proceeding past the security guards and getting into an elevator. This had indeed not been the first time she had visited the Admiral in her office. When she arrived and repeated the introduction with the officer manning the desk in the waiting area before the office she noticed another Trill woman already waiting there herself, this one in Command red and wearing 4 pips while appearing hardly any older than the Lieutenant she had met before. 

“Please take a seat, Admiral Archer will be with you in a moment” The Vulcan Lieutenant Commander replied sternly. Ava quickly followed the instructions and sat down near the Trill Captain but not directly next to her in case the other woman preferred being left alone. 

It didn't matter much anyway as her wait would be short, after seeing a Vice Admiral and a Commodore leave the office it would only take a few more minutes before she was addressed by the Vulcan again.

“Captains Amanin and Kane, the Admiral will see you now”

Ava was taken a bit aback by that, she had expected a personal visit with the Admiral to receive her orders but the presence of another Captain, with presumably her own command, added a whole new dimension to the matter. But she likely would find out the specifics soon enough. Ava got up and would walk into the office, followed immediately by Audrid. While Lauren had insisted that there was no need for ceremony between the two of them and as a result she didn't normally salute her, the presence of another officer meant Ava would follow all procedures. Moving to attention “Captain Ava Amanin reporting as ordered, ma'am”. The gesture would be echoed by Audrid.

Lauren, while remaining seated would answer the salute. “At ease, ladies. Please take a seat”

This time Audrid was the first to move and sit down in one of the two chairs in front of the office, Ava would then take the one next to it. 

“Thank you for making it here so quickly, I understand you had to come from the Gamma Quadrant Captain Kane?”

"It was no trouble, Admiral. And as beautiful as New Bajor is I will always welcome an opportunity to see Earth again.

“Ain't that the truth, while I have known both of you for a very long time I do not believe the two of you have met yet. Considering you'll be working a lot together in the near future. Captain Kane, this is Ava Amanin, Captain Amanin, this is Audrid Kane. I first met Captain Amanin twenty years ago when one of the ships under my command found her under some unfortunate circumstances. I met Captain Kane only a few years later when she was the Executive Officer to a ship under my command in Task Force 9. Captain Amanin commands the USS Harmony and Captain Kane the USS Normandy. Both ships have been placed into a Division under my direct command due to the nature of our upcoming mission.” Lauren said, then giving both women a short pause to let the information settle. 

Ava now understood why they had both been called here, she couldn't recall what class the Normandy was but the fact that the flying Starbase known as the Odyssey Class was apparently not sufficient for it made her concerned. “What is our mission, Admiral?” Ava had asked the question without even really thinking about it.

“Well, Captain, as you know ever since we discovered the Nebulon Expanse and the first people that managed to escape it Starfleet has been monitoring the Veil of Shadows. Recent scans showing an alteration in the environmental conditions combined with our newer shielding has convinced our scientists that the Expanse was reachable. This was a year ago, since then we have sent ever larger unmanned objects into the Expanse and managed to get to the other side. However we have not found a solution for the Abyssal Wyrms yet. We are also still unable to communicate with units on the other side. While there is still significant risk attached to the voyage, I have managed to convince Starfleet Command to authorize the creation of a small Division. The Odyssey Class Harmony as the flying base of operations and the muscle, and the Cheyenne Class Normandy as the quick and smaller more surgical cruiser. Our mission is to establish a Starfleet presence inside the Nebulon Expanse and make contact with the civilizations inside it. Starfleet also worries that if we can get in, the Iron Syndicate might find a way to get out endangering all biological life in the galaxy. We must prevent this at all cost” Lauren said in response to the question. 

Ava nodded as she spoke, the severity of the message that she was going back to the place she had wanted to escape her entire life not even setting in yet. Ava would get some time to think though as Audrid spoke next. “Nebulon Expanse? Abyssal Wyrm? Iron Syndicate? I have never heard of these things before”

Lauren nodded. “You wouldn't, Captain. Compared to the scale of the Federation it is a small region of space. But I think Captain Amanin is better suited to explain than I am”

Ava looked up startled at the mention of her name, expecting to have more time to think. “Ehm, right. The Nebulon Expanse is an area encompassing several dozen star systems that has been isolated from the rest of the galaxy by a large nebula surrounding it known as the Veil of Shadows. The Veil presents numerous challenges to ships trying to get through. Perhaps the biggest of which are Abyssal Wyrms. They're ancient spaceborne creatures that roam the Veil and hunt any energy signature. When they find one they can drain any ship's power and produce a high energy beam that can cut through any material. Within the Nebulon Expanse several civilizations. I am from one of them, the Republic of Virella. The Sovereign Dominion of Orineth, is another, who when they were still an empire intent on the conquering of the known universe faced the challenge of not being able to produce enough ships and soldiers to overwhelm the five other civilizations. Their solution was to produce fully autonomous robots, vessels, and ships powered by artificial intelligence and capable of self-replicating using the debris of the civilizations they fight. Their programming had a mistake however, resulting in this new Iron Syndicate turning against its masters and interpreting their order to conquer everything to include the Orineth Empire. This also meant that Orineth was no longer able to control the Iron Syndicate. Initially they believed the limitations of the program meant the Iron Syndicate would shut down after twenty years, but that was more than one hundred years ago. Ever since the Iron Syndicate has been everyone's number 1 enemy but even fighting against six civilizations when I was taken by the smugglers they were still winning”

Audrid nodded as she took in the information. “And if they get beyond the Veil their orders will extend to everyone in the universe. This could be even more dangerous than the Borg”

“And that is why this is such a top priority that not only has Starfleet authorized a Division, they even pulled me out of retirement and allowed me to command it from the frontline. Captain Amanin, I will be establishing the Harmony as my flag, my staff will coordinate with your XO on the transfer. There is one more thing I should add, beyond your two ships we will also be taking on a Special Operations unit. These people are hardened veterans and have seen more operations than there are years I have been alive. They will also be operating from the Harmony. Captain Kane, the nature of the mission means that a capital ship is not always the best solution. The Normandy will first be there to support the Harmony but most of the time I will have distinct missions for you. I have personally requested both of you as I have seen your capabilities firsthand and now your characters. Likewise I am intimately familiar with the abilities of the Commander of the Special Operations unit. If we work together we can keep the Iron Syndicate contained and if they allow us relieve the people of the Nebulon Expanse who have been stuck in hell for generations. Are there any questions?” Lauren said, looking at both women.

Both Ava and Audrid shook their heads. “Very well then, Captain Kane you are dismissed. Captain Amanin, would you mind staying a little bit longer?”

“No of course not, Admiral” Ava replied while Audrid stood up and saluted once more. “Thank you, Admiral. Have a good day” she said before walking out of the office when the salute was answered. 

Once they were alone Lauren would move to the chair Audrid had been sitting in and turned it to Ava. “Now be honest with me Ava, how are you doing with this news? If it's too much for you I understand but I do think your knowledge of the area as the most recent escapee is critical for our success”

Ava turned her chair as well as she listened. She would lie if she claimed not to be hesitant of going back, she sighed for a moment before she turned to look Lauren in the eye, seeing a genuine concern and almost motherly love. At least she thought it was that, she could barely remember her own mother so she had little to compare it to. “Do I want to return to the place where my people put me into a camp as an undesireable because I didn't fit their mold? Where those same people then forced me to fight a war when I was only 12? Or that years later sold me into slavery? Not particularly. However, the Federation has taken me in and given me the home I never had. And as much as I hate the Republic of Virella, there are good people inside. There are good people inside Orineth, and all the other civilizations. Even now Sector 9 are undoubtedly still forced to fight, these are the closest things I have to brothers and sisters. So while I do not look forward to being confronted with my past. The threat to the people in my new home, and to the good people in my old home must be stopped. If I ran away from this I would be no better than the people that put me in those camps. It won't be easy, but I will be there with you” Ava said with conviction, placing Lauren's concerns at ease. 

“I honestly expected no less from you Ava, but I am glad to hear it from your own mouth. You have a solid crew on the Harmony, I know they are strangers to you but lean on them whenever things get difficult. Especially your Executive Officer will undoubtedly be able to offer you immense support”

“Thank you, I think I will actually beam to the Harmony right after this. I believe it has just returned from the shakedown cruise and most of the crew has arrived. When will you join us on there?” Ava replied, with a question at the end.

“Before the end of tomorrow. We don't know how long these deviations last if they're not permanent so Starfleet doesn't want to waste any time. The Harmony and Normandy will also immediately leave for the Nebulon Expanse after I get on board” Lauren said, concluding the conversation and by extension the meeting. After some final courtesies, Ava would leave the office and the Starfleet HQ building.