Star Trek: Season 2 - Gathering

[KingIsaacLinksr]

"Ensign Starstriker, I'll be in the ready room. You have the bridge. Come with me counselor."
"Yes sir" said a suprised Isaac.
Either I'm really lucky or in big trouble, he thought to himself
Isaac got out of his ops seat and walked over to the command seat.  He stared at the seat, as if it was where he belonged...
Sounds of explosions, battle crys and high-pitched screams filled his head.. "Stop!, nooooo!!!"

"Sir"? asked Ensign Bartok. "What?" asked Isaac.  "What are your orders?" Queried the junior grade ensign.

"Yes, tell Engineering we need to work double time on the array, we're still blind and with that Acamanian ship still out there we're in danger.  Also, tell sciences we need an alternate way to detect that ship, in case the array doesn't come back online.  Put us on Yellow Alert until further notice.  "Yes sir!" replied the startled Ensign Bartok.

Isaac sat in the command chair.  "How comfortable, no wonder captains hate leaving this chair for admirality." he thought to himself.  You are forgetting though that you cannot do things that would change the future here or your identity, you must be involved only to the fullest extent of your existence in this realm "Yes...know, I know."


King Linksr

[Jen]

Klaxons rang out, interrupting the discussion regarding the voices that they alone could hear. Lt. Commander Sevryll and Counselor Margon exchanged bewildered glances then they hastily exited the ready room to investigate the nature of the Yellow Alert.

Margon crossed the bridge and took his seat as Starstriker rose to meet the Vulcan.

"Situation?" she asked in an even tone.

"I felt it was necessary to be on our toes in the event that the Acamerians revealed themselves."

She considered him with a thoughtful eye then nodded her approval. "Take your station at Ops Mr. Starstriker."

"Aye sir."

Sevryll then tapped her comm. badge, "Ensign Morgen, report to the bridge."

"On my way Commander," replied the science officer.

Sevryll tucked her hair behind her ear and sat in the captain's chair. She crossed her legs and gripped the arms of the chair. On the view screen before her, the glowing hull of the Klingon Vessel hovered in geosynchronous orbit.

"Ensign Starstriker, open a hailing frequency."

"Hailing frequency open commander."

The image of Captain K'Renth appeared on the screen. The Klingon woman stood on her bridge, fists planted firmly on her hips in a stance of frustration...or was it bravado? Sevryll was not certain. Her understanding of emotions was greater than that of most Vulcans, but when it came to Klingons, she definitely was not conversant.

"Commander," hissed the Klingon female through clinched teeth, "Quinn has transported to the surface without conferring with me first. Does he wish to beat me to Chorgan?"
Sevryll was now fairly certain that it was indeed frustration she read in K'Renth's posture.

"Not at all Captain. Commander Quinn has taken an away team to the surface in an attempt to glean information. He awaits your arrival in a tavern—I'm transferring the coordinates to you now. The members of our away team have altered their appearance to blend in. I suggest that you disguise yourselves in a similar fashion."

K'Renth harrumphed before abruptly cutting communication.

"That went well." Margon chuckled.

If Sevryll had been human, she would have shared the laugh. Instead, she inclined her head in agreement.

Ensign Morgen entered the bridge and Sevryll set him to monitoring the repairs to the sensor array.  "Keep me apprised of the progress Ensign."

[Jen]

Several hours had pasted since Sevryll spoke to the captain of the Klingon vessel. K'Renth met Quinn on the surface and her War Bird moved off to maintain an orbit on the opposite side of the planet.  Since that time, Tiberius had been searching nonstop for the Acamarian vessel. Their damaged sensor array had prevented a through search, allowing the Acamerians to find the Tiberius first.

Ensign Starstriker studied his console.
"They're on a direct course commander. Heading 778 Mark 4".
Sevryll stood and walked around to the back of the captain's chair. "Hail the Acamarian Ship."

"Hailing on all channels... they're not responding. Commander, they're powering weapons!" Starstriker pivoted in his chair to face the acting first officer.

"Shields up. Red Alert." Snapped Sevryll.
Soon after the order was given a weapons blast struck the Tiberius, shuddering the bridge and jolting its crew. Sevryll steadied herself against the chair as her feet fought to keep their position on the deck.  A trace of irritation could be detected in her level voice, as she gave the next order.

"Helm, evasive action." She cut her eyes toward the young ensign who manned tactical, "ready forward phaser banks, fire at will."

A concentrated ray of energy sliced through the zone between the two ships and pierced the Acamarian vessel's shields. The Tiberius took three more hits in rapid succession. Smoke from a nearby conduit began to seep onto the bridge, filling it with a thick haze. Sevryll stepped away from the captain's chair, hands out for balance as the bridge rocked again. "Report."

"We've taken 4 major hits, shields are holding at twenty percent commander," replied Ensign Starstriker.

Sevryll paced the bridge, keeping her eye on the vessel before her on the view screen. "Reroute power from nonessential systems to the shields."

"Aye Commander."

"Ensign Morgen, how are the repairs to the sensors coming?" The ship lurched again before the ensign could reply.

"Sensors are online, operating at eighty percent commander."

"Scan the Acamarian Ship. Attempt to locate a weak point in their shields."

"Aye Commander."

Yet another volley of disruptor fire collided with the Tiberius shaking her violently.

"Helm, hard about." The battle intensified as the Federation ship cut into a series of maneuvers, taking some hits and delivering a number herself.

"Ma'am, sensors have located a weakness in their aft shields," reported Ensign Morgen.

"Concentrate fire in that area."

The counselor was thrown to the floor as the Acamerians landed a final punch to the Tiberius. The bridge shuttered as Starstriker reported, "their shields are offline commander".

Sevryll helped the counselor to his feet as she ordered tactical to target the Acamerians' engines.
An explosion flashed on the view screen as the attacking vessel was immobilized.

Her final order declawed the predator, "target their weapons, fire when ready."

The battle only lasted a few minutes, yet it had seemed like hours to Counselor Margon. "Piece of cake,"he said sarcastically.

The dark, crippled mass that made up the Acamarian vessel, floated before them on the view screen. The repeated attempts to hail the Acamarians had failed; the alien vessel's com system was no longer functional. Sevryll decided the proper course of action was to assemble a boarding party to  commandeer the ship.

"Ensign Morgen, Ensign Starstriker you're with me. Counselor, you have the bridge. Attempt to raise the Klingon vessel. Inform them of our situation."

Lt. Commander Sevryll, and Ensigns Morgen and Starstriker recruited ten security officers, before they transported to a corridor on the Acamarian ship. With her phaser drawn and tricorder scanning, Sevryll lead the team down the narrow passageways. Sparks rained down on them as they navigated the darkened, smoke filled interior of the disabled vessel...

[PepperDude]

"Can you get us a communicator?" doctor Peterson asked Mattack.

"Chorgan has one on him. You don't think he wouldn't leave without one do you?" replied Mattack matter-of-factly.

Ensign Manrique searched the unconscious Acamarian. He found a small, anti-personnel phaser and a small, broken, Ferengi made communicator on Chorgan's body. Manrique was very disappointed. He held it on his palm and showed it to the doctor and Mattack while pocketing away the small phaser. "Just our luck. It broke while we were fighting him," said Manrique. "Don't you carry one Mattack? You're second in command."

"I usually do. . . who doesn't? That communicator you're holding was mine. Chorgan sometimes forgets to carry one and today was one of those days. I let him take my communicator. Anyway, I may still be able to get one from one of the others in the bar."

"If that doesn't work, we can always get one from some Ferengi merchant present in the bar or elsewhere around here," suggested the doctor.

"I don't think that's necessary. I can get one don't worry about that."

"But we'll be going in without Chorgan. . .they'll get suspicious," added Manrique.

"I suppose so but we'll have to risk it. We don't have any platinum or anything else that we can bargain with a Ferengi."

"I suppose Mattack is correct doctor," said Manrique a little doubtful and leery. But Manrique knew that they had to take action quickly if they wanted to communicate with the Tiberius.

[RicSantiago]

The corridors on the Acamarian ship were poorly lit . By design, they were not as brightly lit as Federation ships and now several large stretches were blackened from malfunction. There were several strange smells in the air – smells too strong for humans, much less Vulcan noses. One of such smell was metallic, it reminded Morgen of the taste of copper. And as soon as he approached one of the fallen Acamarians, tricorder in hand, he understood why. He was bloody...their blood was a mixture of iron and copper...now Morgen knew where the metallic smell came from.

The dark and smelly corridors gave him a claustrophobic feeling. But he dismissed it and focused on finding the way to the bridge. His mind was troubled with a string of questions that popped up as soon as he was summoned for the away team: "What was the purpose of taking possession of this ship? This is not usual Starfleet procedure. Why were they here? Once they took control of this ship, what would they do with it?"  He wondered to himself...he decided he would ask Lt Commander Sevryll when the proper moment arose. But he would be careful not to sound as though he questioned her orders.

They reached the bridge and there they met the first real resistance – disruptors were drawn by the Acamarians, but the were promptly stunned by the Federation team's hand phasers.

When the bridge was secured, Ensign Morgen found the proper way to ask why they were there. "What systems should be our priority to restore on this ship and to comply with your plans for it?" He asked.

[Jen]

"I will need you to accompany me in my search for an injured boy...I'll explain later." She was aware that several of the away team members questioned her decision to board the Acamerian ship, and Morgen was among them. She understood their uncertainty and reassured Morgen, "we will be taking this vessel back to Starfleet Command as evidence in a crime. The crew of this ship is responsible for the massacre that took place on Altair III. We suspect that they are also to blame for attacks on additional outposts."

She nodded to the head security officer, "detain all the survivors. Clear the cargo bay of potential weapons, and confine the Acamerains there. I will have a medical team beam aboard to tend to the injured."

"Yes ma'am," replied the officer.

Sevryll, Morgen and Starstriker rounded the last turn in their search for the boy. The corridor they found themselves in led to a makeshift medical bay. Sevryll slowly and carefully searched the injured marauders, for the child she saw in visions shared with Counselor Margon. She and the Counselor saw the doctor's bloody hands moving frantically to save a young patient— they later determined the boy was the sole reason Peterson was abducted.

A telepathic link created by an ancient relic, was discovered during their last mission. It alone was responsible for the the bond between the doctor, counselor and chief science officer . At first it was a nuisance to Sevryll.  The emotions felt by the doctor and counselor were difficult for the Vulcan to push back—they caused pain and confusion. Now, aside from the afore mentioned side effects, she found the link to be useful. It had helped them narrow their search for the doctor to the planet they now orbited.

Sevryll found the boy on a table at the back of the med bay. In her vision, she noted  that the doctor was protective of him, a sentiment Sevryll shared as a mother. Because of this, she was determined to see that the youth survived.

Sevrylll nodded to her Science Officer, "you're in charge Mr. Morgen. See to the comm and supervise the repairs to the engines. Assist Mr. Morgen, Ensign Starstriker. I'm beaming back to the Tiberius with the boy. I will check periodically on your progress."

"Aye ," replied Starstriker and Morgen in unison.

"Sevryll to Tiberius. Two to transport directly to sickbay."

[Geekyfanboy]

Everyone sat down on a bio bed and the Nurses went to work. 30 minutes later the five of us stood on the Transporter padd in transporter room two unrecognizable. Quinn was now a Naussican, Nagumo and Stormshield were Packleds, Corran was an Orion and Averik a Ferengi.  Quinn was about to say energize when his badge chipped.

=/\= Sevryll to Commander Quinn. =/\=

=/\= Quinn here =/\=

=/\= Sir, I would be remiss in my duties if I neglected to protest your inclusion among the members of the away team. It is far too dangerous, please allow me to go in your stead. =/\=

Quinn smiled  =/\= Noted =/\=, he turned to Lt. Decker... Energize!!

The familiar surroundings of Transporter room two dissolved and was replaced with the sounds of a busy thoroughfare. It was night down on the planet and there were fire burning in trashes cans and many people surrounding them. Quinn pulled out his tricorder and read it's readings.

"We are meeting up with K'Renth and her crew, we are to meet in a tavern around the corner from here. Let's go."

Quinn's motley crew of disguised crewmembers made there way into the very busy tavern, only a few minutes passed when K'Renth in all her Klingon glory comes pounding in with two of her crewmen. Quinn approached her cautiously.

"Ka'plaa, Captain K'Renth" Quinn said with a smile.

K'Renth two guards pulled out knives and held them up to the Naussican's throat. Quinn's crew took a step forward but with one look from him step back.

K'Renth pulled the Naussican's face close to hers and stared in his eyes. "Commander Quinn??", she growled.

A broad smile crossed the Naussican's face. "You like my new look?"

The guards put away their knives and the two crews walked over to a more isolated table and sat down.

K'Renth turned to Quinn. " So what is the plan? "

[moyer777]

The counselor was shaking. 

"I know I've trained for this but I'm not sure I am prepared for command of a starship!"

He sat down into the captains seat and it felt strange, not that it wasn't thrilling, but he would have prefered different circumstances. 

"Hail the Klingon ship" he said with all the authority he could muster.

The Klingon ship was just now making it's entrance.  The view screen flickered and a large threatning Klingon peered at Margon.

"Oh great, thanks for showing up now, you missed all the fun!" said the counselor sarcastically.

"What do you want blue man?  Who are you? Is this some kind of joke?" snarled the Klingon.

"I am counselor Margon and I'm in command of the Tiberius,  I have information for you, so shut up and let me send it to you!"

Margon had read somewhere that you had to be firm with Klingons, you couldn't let them get the upper hand, otherwise they would never listen to you.  So Margon got the most aggresive face he could put on and continued.

The Klingon's face turned from sour to a look of curiosity. 

"Commander Sevyrll the first officer wanted me to bring you up to speed on what is going on!" the counselor barked.

The Klingon smirked, "Ha!  I like you, even if you are blue!" 

The Bolian counselor motioned the communications officer and data was sent to the Klingon ship.

"It's coming to you now, Margon out"

The screen went back to the disabled ship in front of them hanging silently in space.

The counselor sighed with relief.  Talk about a game face.

The com chirped, it was Commander Sevryll.  She was bringing an injured Acamarian to sick bay  two.  Counselor Margon waited for a report.  Normally he would have jumped toward the turbolift and gone straight to sickbay, but he was under strict orders to command the ship. 

"Why does everyone like to remind me I am blue?" he asked to no one specifically.  The bridge crew looked at him and shrugged their shoulders.
"I could use that piece of cake right now" he muttered. 

"Sir?" said the ops officer. 

"Never mind" the counselor chortled.

All Margon could do now was wait and hope that nothing serious happened on his watch.  He wasn't prepared for this, nor did he feel comfortable in this seat.  At least Sevyrll was back on board.  She would hopefully be back on the bridge soon.

[Jen]

"Be careful Captain, even a Klingon should watch his back in this place." K'Renth grinned at the artificial Naussican standing before her in the tavern. Quinn's alterations were convincing, yet his slightly above-average human height, translated to a rather stunted Naussican...one that, perhaps had not obtained the appropriate amount of nutrition as a youth.

K'Renth's crewmen inspected the hoge poge of species that made up Quinn's away team. They were a bit confused by the disguises, for they had seen the Captain of the Federation ship on their viewscreen, and they were certain he was human. One of the more vocal Klingons inquired, "Why do you hide your faces?"

Lt. Averik was not exactly delighted that her delicate, Bajoran features were now concealed by the over exaggerated features of a Ferengi Male. Quinn even made her wear a modest, prosthetic stomach to make her look "more profitable", as he called it. She had protested before the procedure began, but Quinn successfully resisted her ordinarily persuasive debating skills. She was a crafty lawyer but then he was a former ship's counselor, and Quinn could smell "bull" a mile away. Averik Newol was still a bit indignant and took her frustration out on the "slow witted" Klingon male towering above her.

"Its called 'blending' genius, you might want to try it yourself. You stick out like a sore thumb." The Klingon growled low at the uncharacteristically bold, frumpy Ferengi. "You are not Ferengi." He hissed. "Give... the man... a prize." She replied as she folded her arms across her chest. Quinn cut a look of warning at the JAG officer.  She caught its meaning and held her tongue behind the sharp prosthetic Fernengi teeth.

The Klingons and Federation officers intermixed, and begin their investigation, paired in groups of two. Before Quinn and K'Renth departed, they gave their away teams a rendezvous time and coordinates. Then Klingon captain offered her men a last bit of advice before she and Quinn left the Tavern.

"Obtain information through any means necessary... but please... don't kill anyone!" The Klingons roared with laughter and slapped each other on the back before beginning their fact-finding mission.

Chorgan awoke in an empty hanger bay, his head pounding with the force of ten phase cannons. It seemed his newly acquired employees had some how managed to overwhelm him. Mattock was missing as well; the spinelessness coward had done nothing to stop them. He was probably assisting them now. Chorgon pushed himself off the hanger deck and approached the one Acamarian who had not betrayed him, Beroan.

Beroan was lying face down beside their craft. Chorgan searched him and found that his weapon was missing. In anger he kicked the man, "get up."

The two Acamarians traversed the ground between the hanger bay and the tavern where the rest of their men awaited. They stuck to the darkened alley's, using the shadows to hide their forms from prying eyes—Eyes that belonged to quislings who would sell their information for a single credit chip.

Chorgan's anger brewed inside and begged to be poured out on the traitors who had dared to challenge him. They would pay for their impudence. Mattock would pay in blood.

The Tavern was within view and the two were moving towards it with purpose, when they suddenly stopped and ducked into a doorway in the alley. K'Renth was leaving the Tavern with a Naussican. Chorgan would have to rethink his plan.

[KingIsaacLinksr]

Sevrylll nodded to her Science Officer, "you're in charge Mr. Morgen. See to the comm and supervise the repairs to the engines. Assist Mr. Morgen, Ensign Starstriker. I'm beaming back to the Tiberius with the boy. I will check periodically on your progress."

"Aye ," replied Starstriker and Morgen in unison.

'Hmm, helping him with this ship?'  It was in bad condition after the battle with the Tiberius.  'What Fools they were, thinking they could take on an Akira-class ship 1 on 1.'

"So, what should we do?" ensign Starstriker asked Morgen.  "We should set about getting this ship somewhat operational."  replied Morgen.  "I'll go down to their version of engineering and see what we have to deal with, sir" said Isaac.  "Fine, I will go to the main bridge and see how things are looking up there" stated Morgan.

'Hmm, boy this is just not good, the engines are shot...'  "Ensign, report" chirped his combage.  "Engines are not in operational status, we took a good chunk out of them when we fired back, We may have 1/2 impulse power in 8 hours but you should probably ask an Engineer for his opinion on this mess sir." stated Isaac.  "That bad huh, the Bridge isn't all that bad, but nothing much is working, this ship certainly isn't very durable considering how much we shot them with."  replied Morgan.  "Well, assist the engineers as best you can until we get further orders".  "Yes sir."

*It wouldn't take that much and no one would notice.*  *NO, you know the laws that you set yourself, violating them isnt' good.  This mission must continue on without you as the hero.*  *Sigh...I just hope nothing bad happens.  We got lucky with this ship, not durable at all*

King Linksr

[Jen]

Chorgan welcomed the relative obscurity offered by the darkened alleyways—especially now that he sighted K'Renth. She was obviously on Dessica II to fulfill her Blood Oath.

Months earlier, he killed her only son, Kesk. Why the adolescent warrior was at the village at that time, was beyond Chorgan. Perhaps it was fate. Suffice it to say, the young Klingon was one of many people who fell that day.

Though Chorgan understood K'Renth's wrath—he felt no regret, for Kesk was struck down as the heavy descent of his cold blade swept toward Chorgan's own son, Emany. Chorgan's perfect aim stopped the Batleth's arc before it could taste flesh, and Kesk's full weight fell in a heap upon the much younger Acamarian boy.

He knew it would be a mistake to underestimate K'Renth, after all, she was a Klingon Warrior. Ordinarily, Chorgan would not hesitate to confront her, yet his son, the boy Doctor Peterson had saved, gave him his sense of self-preservation and purpose. He had to elude her in order to ensure the future of the Gathers and secure Emany's future among them as leader.

He watched as K'Renth disappeared around a corner and cautiously approached the The Brintek Bar. Inside he found the same Nausicaans at their Dom-Jot game, two new Pakleds, a Ferengi male and many Orions, Elasi and Osaarians. He scanned the room with his eyes for Acamarians. They were seated in the back of the room at the table he left them at.

*Aboard The Tiberius*

The comatose boy Sevryll brought aboard the Tiberius, bore many injuries. Quite a few of them were suffered in years past. A tricorder scan revealed that a sedative was administered via hypospray, hours earlier. Sevryll knew the tranquilizer was dispensed by Peterson's hand, for the scene played out in a vision when she first laid her hand upon the boy's arm on the Acamarian ship.

"See to his injuries," she told the Ferengi doctor, "and inform me if his condition changes." The Vulcan rushed out of sickbay to take over for Margon on the bridge. Earlier, she could hear his thoughts echoing in her mind as she searched the Acamarian vessel. The apprehension he felt, hunted for fissures in the emotional barrier she futilely maintained. Anxiety managed to seep in and she felt his unease as he lowered himself into the captain's chair and hailed the Klingon ship. She struggled to push back the angst and reinforced his confidence with Vulcan poise. After some time, she heard him say:

"I am counselor Margon and I'm in command of the Tiberius, I have information for you, so shut up and let me send it to you!"

Hours later, Sevryll entered the bridge to find the counselor comfortably seated in the command chair. When he noticed her presence on the bridge, he quickly offered her his place and shifted to the chair on the left. The blue Bolian had cheerfully relinquished the responsibility of command to Sevryll. His spreading smile barely hid his relief and utterly failed to conceal his delight. "Well done Counselor" whispered Sevryll. "When our mission is complete, perhaps we can share that piece of cake." Margon's smile broadened at the prospect.

Sevryll tucked her hair behind her ear as she eased herself into the captain's chair, "what is our status Counselor?"

[moyer777]

"Commander, ah, yes, it's good to have you back. Although that chair is comfortable, it brings a heavy weight upon all that sit in it"  Margon smiled.   

"I'm not used to that, I would much rather be asking how someone is doing emotionally than to figure out if the photon torpedos are at the maximum yeild!"   He chuckled.

"As far as status is concerned, the Klingons know what we know and we are simply waiting for a report from the surface.  It has been some time since we have heard anything and I grow a tad bit worried about the away team.  I understand that our guest is doing better?   Can you explain to me where we are at in this whole mess?"

The Bolian looked at the Vulcan, she seemed to be doing well.  He watched as she seemed to have an air about her that showed confidence and more than usual.  She liked the position she was in, and she seemed to have a handle on the stress.  She looked calm, and with the effects of the unusual device still lingering, the Counselor felt her very centered and able to handle the extra emotional conversations that were flooding her head. 

Margon waited for an answer.  Sevyrll was quiet at first.

"Chocolate" he mused.

"Counselor?"  Sevryll inquired.

"I like chocolate cake."  He grinned and sighed relief.

[Geekyfanboy]

K'Renth and Quinn exited the Tavern and headed down the street. Something wasn't right. Quinn tired to read K'Renth's mind but she had been taught to block telepathy, but he could still feel K'Renth anger but did not want to confront her about it at this time, the last thing he needed was a confrontation with a Klingon. Quinn took out his tricorder and scanned for Peterson and Manrique, there was too much interference. Quinn stopped walking and stretched out his telepathy. He knew Peterson was half Betazoid and was hoping he would be able to feel his presence.

K'Renth looked at the Naussican "What is it?"

The Naussican Quinn had a smile on his face. " I found them "

"How??" K'Renth exclaimed

"Telepathy..." Quinn explain. " They are close, just around this corner. "

" Great!! " K'Renth said and pressed a button on her right forearm. It beeped several times.

Quinn looked at her, "What was that.." "A diversion" K'Renth said with a smile"

Moments later there was a loud explosion and Quinn could see a large fireball shooting into the air, just a few yards away.

"What did you do? "

"This was plan B just in case your plan failed" She hissed.

"Failed.. you didn't even give my plan a chance. We could have gotten my men and been out of here without incident."

"Our plans are not the same Captain" Quinn tried again to break through to the Klingons mind, but only managed to get two words "Blood Oath"

"Blood Oath...Who are you after? " Quinn asked. "This is no concern of yours Captain. Get your men and leave this place."

[Jen]

The Tiberius Bridge

"...I like chocolate cake." Grinned the counselor. Before Sevryll could inquire as to his preference in chocolate varieties, the young lieutenant seated at Ops, interjected.


"Commander," Lieutenant Li Sameria said, her voice held a note of intensity that immediately captured Sevryll's attention.

"Yes, lieutenant?"

"I've detected an explosion on the surface, near the rendezvous point." The Vulcan glanced at Margon. The Counselor's face expressed the concern Sevryll's would not.

Contacting Quinn, via the comm, would  compromise the away team's undercover investigation. The Vulcan formulated a logical workaround as she stood and walked to Sameria's station. "Can you determine the source of the detonation?" inquired the Vulcan as she gazed over the Bajoran's shoulder.


Sameria deftly keyed a combination of queries and was promptly given a less than satisfactory response.  "Sensors are only functioning at seventy five percent...the most I can establish is that the blast was six seven point zero six meters from the tavern's entrance."

Sevryll straightened to her full height, "are they, capable of detecting casualties?"

The Bajoran indicated that the casualty report lacked the detail Sevryll desired.


The patrons within the Brintek Bar rushed for the door in order to locate the source of the small quake that spilled their drinks and ruined their Dom-Jot games. Outside, the streets were filled with bystanders gazing slack-jawed at the flames rising from the docking bay a few meters away. Chorgan heard one of the onlookers exclaim, "the docking bay is on fire!"

The lead Gather had remained inside the bar, with the remainder of his men. It would be unwise to scamper into the streets in plain view. He motioned for them to follow through the door at the back of the Tavern. Chorgan was certain K'Renth was responsible for the blast, and he knew she expected him to come stumbling out of the shadows and into the sharp, pointy end of her D'k tahg.

Their transport craft was most likely destroyed in the explosion and Chorgan's communication device was gone—destroyed in the struggle at the docking bay. Unless he could contact his ship and arrange for the only remaining craft to be sent down, they would be trapped on Dessica II. The second craft was rarely operational, but Chorgan was hopeful that one of his men had taken the initiatve to repair the lousy piece of scrap while he was away. "I should have grabbed an engineer instead of that useless security officer," he mutterd to himself.  Once outside the tavern, Chorgan turned to the Gather nearest him "give me your transmitter," he ordered, then he activated the device and called his vessel. At first there was no reply.

Lieutenant Sameria was monitoring the surface of Dessica II, when she received a hail from the Acamarian ship. "Commander Sevryll, the Acamarian vessel is hailing us."

"On Screen." replied Sevryll.

Ensign Morgen stood before her on the viewscreen. "Commander, we're receiving a call from an Acamarian on the surface. I believe it is the captain of this ship. What are your orders?"

Counselor Margon glanced over at Sevryll, a sly smile spread across his face, "I recommend that they answer his call..."

"Agreed," she said then gave her science officer, Ensign Morgen, the go ahead.

Chorgan repeated his call a second time, and finally a voice that he did not recognize answered. "Yes Captain?" it replied.

Chorgan's eyes narrowed as he anylized the disemodied voice, "who is this?" he gruffly demanded.

Ensign Starstriker shot an uncomfortable glance at Ensign Morgen, as they stood together on the bridge of the Acamarian ship.

Ensign Morgen mouthed the first name he could think of, for Starstriker's response. Though no sound passed over them, Starstrker's lips formed the word given, repeating it to Morgen for verification. All the while, his eyes expressed a sincere disappointment of the science officer's lack of creativity. Morgen nodded with a smirk and anxiously motioned for Starstriker to answer the Acamarian. The reluctant ops officer hesitantly offered the odd alias to Chorgan, "...Filth, sir."

"Filth?" repeated Chorgan. Starstrker was sure the poor choice in names would blow the whole thing. "I don't recognize that name.... Ahgh, we don't have time for this. Our transport has been destroyed. Send the second craft." As Starstriker and Chorgan discussed the availability of the second craft, ensign Morgen pinpointed the location of the Acamarian on the surface, and transferred the data to the Tiberius.

The Tiberius' transporters were off-line, the battle with the Acamarian vessel had seen to that. Tiberius' engineers reported that the transport systems would require a complete, in-port overhaul before they could be considered safe. The Gathers had no transport system aboard their vessel, so beaming the Acamarian aboard either ship was out of the question. The only thing they could do now, was keep track of Chorgan for the away team, and somehow get Quinn the information they had collected...if he was still alive. Sevryll pondered their options for contacting the away team, then consulted with the counselor. Within the ready room, the two senior officers discussed the next course of action.

[KingIsaacLinksr]

"Ensign Morgan, I'm heading back to engineering to assist." stated Isaac.  "What is the status of the ship?" asked Morgen.  "Right now, we have an engineering crew working on the impulse engines, they're pretty intact but the primary connections between the main core and the engines are badly damaged.  We've stabalized the main power and back up systems.  The only question the repair crews have is whether we should fix the weapon systems."  Isaac said.  Morgen replied, "no, that won't be necessary, however, you should go ahead and disable them so they can't be used again."  "Ok" replied Ensign Starstriker. 

Ensign Starstriker made his way down the weapons control room.  It was a mess of garbage and broken parts.  He wasn't sure whether it was due to the Gatherers or the battle.  He started by sifting through the mess to find the controls to disable the weapons from use.  'Hmm...this may take a while.'


Ensign Morgen was going over the repair crews' reports.  They looked promising. 'If the battle had lasted a minute longer, the damage could have been worse.'  He ordered the teams to hurry their repairs so that they would be prepared for departure at a moments notice.  'It's going to be a long night, that's for sure,' he thought to himself.


'Talk about a mess, but at least I've figured out how this stuff works.' Isaac was about to deactivate the weapons when he heard: "Ensign Starstriker..."


TBC

King Linksr