It’s been two years since the end of the Dominion War. The Alpha Quadrant is still reeling in the aftermath of the most destructive interstellar war in over two millennia. The Romulan Star Empire teeters on the brink of economic and social collapse as the Klingons struggle to come to grips with a failing warrior ethos that has left their society riddled with nepotism and corruption. What remains of the Cardassian Union is in shambles with a road to recovery that will be measured in decades.

As the great powers of the quadrant lick their wounds, the second-tier governments vie for position and spark a firestorm of ‘minor’ conflicts that further sap the strength of the beleaguered Federation. The Alshain/Son’a War, the Talarian Incursion, the Benzar Plebiscite Crisis, the Velk Incident, a resurgent Maquis movement and religious terrorism on Bajor… the crises mount as an overwhelmed Starfleet struggles to cope.

Amidst this turmoil, a new shadow takes shape, a potential catastrophe the likes of which has never been seen in the Federation’s history. Keeping the truth of the impending danger from their wartime allies, Starfleet engages in a desperate plan that just might give the UFP the time it needs to meet the rising threat head on, and more importantly, on the Federation’s terms.

The USS Kestrel, an aging Miranda class, serving as part of the Border Service has the thankless task of patrolling some of the murkier corners of the Federation. As the seat of Federation power in a dangerous and wild region of space, the Kestrel acts to paraphrase her firebrand captain, Captain Gregory McGregor, as the rule and the law, the line in the sand, the first and last line of defense for the Federation.

"So we can't be calling in the cavalry at the drop of a hat. We are the cavalry. We stand the line, we duke it out, we shout them down, we clean their windscreens, and we set out the welcome mat. It's not all bad you know."

This is the first story featuring the ramshackle, rough and ready crew of the Kestrel. I'd call them an unorthodox crew but hey isn't every crew unorthodox in their own way!

Led by the acerbic, sarcastic, bombastic, over the top, pain-in-the-ass, coarse and unprofessional Captain Gregory McGregor. Just the type of behaviour to get stuff on the border done! There's no time for Jean-Luc's niceties here!

The Border Dogs might be seen as the ‘poor cousins' of the Fleet and the Miranda might be seen as the ‘Ford pick-up of Starfleet' but the Kestrel in the humble opinion of her Captain shows the Fleeters how to do things the proper way.

(2242) - A light little piece that pokes fun at accents; Corry and Scotty have a little language duel. Takes place between the Prologue and Part 1 of On the Nature of Wind.