"We feel knowledge of the system will only cause the rank and file to second guess themselves," Pak spoke up. "Since nothing can be done to counter it right now, our analysts tell us the best way to proceed is as if we're still ignorant of it. It will make the Fed overconfident in its use."

Kohl sat there, not sure what to think. He'd been aware the Fed had some sort of superluminal com system they'd employed in Odmena, but he'd been assured there were limited units available and that they were left over alien relics from the Expansion War. If they were building and deploying them in large numbers, it was only a matter of time before the system became more streamlined and efficient.

"That's only the first problem we face right now," Ersk said. "The other involves a bit of a touchy subject in this group…Admiral Wolfe. He had disappeared directly after returning to New Sierra from the Odmena System, and we incorrectly assumed he was being relieved of duty due to the massive loss of civilian life suffered there. We have since learned through our contacts that Wolfe has been removed from Taskforce Vega—in fact, that taskforce has been dissolved—and has been put in command of a new, rapid-response taskforce made up of five ships."

"So…a demotion?" Kohl asked, not catching on. In his world, battles were won by hard numbers, and a flag officer being removed moved to a command with less than half the ships of his previous one could only mean one thing.

"They're a new ultra-secret destroyer called the Super Valkyrie-class," Ersk said, ignoring Kohl completely and turning to make eye contact with the others in the room. "They actually made an appearance in the Odmena System under the command of none other than Admiral Wright. She was the one who thwarted the attack on the orbital platforms. These ships were built from the five remaining hulls of the canceled Valkyrie-class program even though Starfleet claimed they'd recycled them."

"How the hell did you find that out?" Pak asked.

"Deep-cover asset," Ersk said. "That's all I can tell you. This person can only surface briefly to make contact and pass on intel, but everything we get from them is pure gold. What we've learned is these ships pack all the punch of the Nemesis…and then some. They're stealthy, packed with the latest tech and weaponry, but their most impressive party trick is that they can perform intra-system warp hops with frightening accuracy." This comment was met with more gasps and hisses from her audience.

"So," Jin Pak said, standing to indicate he wanted the floor. "Admiral Wolfe now has a strike force of super advanced starships and can receive intel nearly instantaneously through their faster-than-light communications array?"

"The details are in a briefing packet I've prepared for each member of this group, but that's the gist of it, sir," Ersk said as she sat down.

"Now you see why I asked us to meet here in person," Pak said. "Even I didn't know all the details of what we're facing, but I'm still confident we will prevail. The Federation's tricks and gadgets won't save them when their fleet is exhausted and depleted.