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Thread: Star Trek RPG - Mission #6: "Marala"

  1. #1451
    Oliphaunt SidonianGal's avatar
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    With a brief nod, Nia turns to Jones. "All right. I'm not inclined to warn the Sarafina again. I'll take our Security over whoever the hell they've got any day of the week. But I don't trust that captain or his choices. They may think they're in charge now that they've effectively got hostages."

    Goddammit. Until we went over there, we had all the advantages. She eyes Dahlquist and Jones alternately. "Graham and the rest should have no problem if our sensors are right and there's nothing deadly waiting for them.

    "Are those scans absolutely conclusive? Is there anything we couldn't scan through? Anything normally of no concern to our ship but potentially weaponizable against our people?"

    She shakes her head. "Who knows what they've carried over the years? With any cargo that attracts pests, they could have poison fumigation gas ready to flood the hold or hallways. It's crazy but frankly, so is Bell. I want to know." After a thought, she goes on, directly to Jones again.

    "Options? Me, I'm tempted to knock down those damn shields again. Bell might be thinking he's got the upper hand and we should be glad to negotiate, we wouldn't take a shot with our folks on board. Unless Lt. Graham tells me otherwise, I think his team can handle a shaker. If we're careful. Risk assessment? And any other ideas are welcome."

    Nia briefly lifts her attention to Ensign Rangin. "That last request is open to everyone," she says to the entire Bridge crew, though her raised eyebrow hopefully makes it clear that she's particularly inviting his input.

  2. #1452
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    Rangin cannot help but feel sympathy for Kylah given her position at Comms and so going to be the one person they will all go through in any attempt to save themselves.

    "They will seek help from us because they think we can help. They are going to seek help from everyone they can think of, because they want to live."

    He feels uncomfortable knowing that he is more than likely going to be on the warship when it leaves the system with so many others left behind. He can only how that Engineering can put is plan into some form of action, which in turn depends on Security and Graham doing their part.

    "Hope is not ours to give or take away. That toe belongs to the Captain and up the Governor. All we can do is make the possibilities as broad as we can."


    As the call comes in about the shields, Rangin can feel the tension rising with the Security team now trapped on the Sarafina. Still standing by Kylah's console, Rangin does his best to stay out of the way when Lt Onn is issuing commands to her.

    Trying to think what the cargo ship's Captain might be doing because, when it came right down to it, he was facing off against a fully weaponised Federation starship and must be hoping against hope for something to happen. No-one is that desperate unless they are hiding something or he owes someone an awful lot of money. The kind of people who don't care if the Federation would pay later.

    But then as the command for ideas is voiced while Lt. Onn looking in his general direction, Rangin gets the feeling he had better come up with some courses of actions to stop them. Instead of trying to take out the bridge, better to remove the reason for him to run in the first place. Besides, it was going to happen anyway if they commandeered the ship.

    "Two options, Ma'am. Take the Engineering section and cut power on the ship, or find the hold, override the cargo bay doors and jettison his cargo. Without his cargo, he doesn't have an honest reason to run."
    Last edited by choie; 06 Apr 2019 at 01:24 PM.

  3. #1453
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    Graham scowls and quickly texts back.*

    My call is presumng hostile intent Forcible entring bridge Stanbdy

    Graham turns and says to the team behind him "Pass the word back. Serafina has raised shield. Presume hostile intent and stay ready for incoming. As soon as we're all ready we take the bridge."

    He turns back to St. Croix. "Options? If we can't override we're burning our way in."

    *Typos intentional!

  4. #1454
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    Kylah sees that the four incoming subspace calls from NR are from Walter Harris, to whom she spoke earlier; Boris Klimov; Aleksei Myagkov, whose name rings a bell; and Ruth Soeryadjaya. The first call is addressed for the Captain; the next two are for the Yorktown's general subspace message queue, which she as the duty Communications officer on the Bridge would be expected to handle. The fourth call is addressed to Kylah herself.

    The message queue now shows another incoming call, this one from Capt. Singh.

    Jones says to Onn, "I half-agree with Mr. Rangin. I'd knock their shields down with another pair of torpedoes, to ensure continued transporter access, and then Mr. Graham and his boarding party can get into Engineering over there and make sure they stay down."

    Bancroft adds, "Scans show nothing aboard the Sarafina that poses any particular threat to our ship or to the boarding party. There's no fumigation system, for instance; I can tell that for sure. But they may have small arms, and any ill-intentioned merchant ship captain can certainly improvise with whatever he's got aboard."

    Graham's other boarding party personnel acknowledge his message.

    St. Croix, working over the door controls, mutters, "Hang on... almost got it... there!" The lock indicator light on the Sarafina's Bridge door control panel turns from red to green. She closes her tricorder's display lid with a decisive snap, takes her phaser off her belt again and grins at Graham. "Ready when you are, sir."

  5. #1455
    Ape must not kill ape! general_urko's avatar
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    Graham nods to acknowledge her good work--he forces a slight smile, thinking he's way too old to grin about almost anything "on the job." Odds are this is a cakewalk, but there's a non-zero chance St. Croix gets slagged as soon as we open the door....

    He supposes he's glad young officers don't start their careers that jaded. St. Croix has been solid. Real potential, he makes a mental note. Also, the smile highlights the same cute freckles he noticed on their first mission...

    C'mon, Booker, don't be an idiot.

    "On three," Booker says, holding up three fingers with his free hand and catching her eyes, then turning back to glance at the two officers behind them.

    Then he readies his phaser in the other and lowers his fingers one by one: "Three, two..."

  6. #1456
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    With a nod, St. Croix follows Graham's count and then hits the OPEN button, her phaser upraised. The door whooshes to one side. A crimson phaser bolt, and then another, immediately zap through the opening. They pass Graham with just centimeters to spare. One hits a corridor stanchion with a sizzle, causing a shower of sparks, and the other wings de la Paz, who was just a meter or two behind Graham. He falls to the deck with a heavy thud, his own phaser clattering out of his hand onto the deck.
    Last edited by Elendil's Heir; 07 Apr 2019 at 09:28 PM.

  7. #1457
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    A sting of pain warns Kylah that if she gnaws her lower lip any harder she will draw blood. She stops but cannot keep from shaking her head. She cannot speak to Ms. Soeryadjaya, not on an unsecure line. What is the woman thinking? That she is scared, Kylah answers herself. Like the others on the queue. Even this Myagkov, whom she recalls among the names on the Novy Rostov Council.

    About to forward Harris's call to the Captain's inbox, Kylah hesitates when she sees the Captain herself on the queue. She darts a look over to Lt. Onn, but then considers that there's the slightest chance the Captain will wish her hail to be directed elsewhere.

    She takes the Captain's request, sending the others a brief recorded acknowledgement that their hails have been received--but otherwise she lets them all wait. "Captain Singh?" she asks, almost hungry to hear a confident, in-command voice.
    Last edited by choie; 08 Apr 2019 at 10:31 PM.

  8. #1458
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    Nia glances over at the ship, nodding as the men speak, then turns back with a tense but appreciative smile. "Of course. Dump the damn cargo. That's what we'll be doing with it either way, so why not? Where the hell were you with that recommendation earlier, Rangin? We should've just done that in the first place. The cargo--or Bell himself."

    She lifts a palm at the xenobiologist, hoping he realizes she's not serious. Well... not about blaming him, anyway. Damn it, this is the sort of thing she should've thought of at once. Has she been worn down into complacency by Starfleet?

    Straightening, she stands up to address the Bridge as a whole. "All right. Let's do all three. Let's get into position, Leventhal. I'd like to wait to make sure Graham's going in, then we'll aim two rocks at their shields." Booker, let me know how you're doing. You will, right?

    Second on her list of must-have upgrades to the current woefully inadequate communications equipment, just below her wish for a wearable device: a videocam. Utterly ridiculous that they have no way to see what boarding or landing parties see without requiring one of the crew down there to hold up a tricorder the whole time.

    Increasingly concerned that things might be escalating without Graham keeping her informed, Nia licks her lips and hurries out: "Anyone get a reading of explosives or any activity over there?"

  9. #1459
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    "Weapons free, weapons free," Graham bellows--he's calm, looking for targets, but he wants it loud and from his belly, both so his team can hear it and, also, so the Serafina's crew hears it loud and clear.

    Saving the charge on his phaser is the last thing on his mind--if he has a target or an opportunity to lay suppressing fire, he does so aggressively.

  10. #1460
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    Capt. Singh says, via audio only, "Mr. Kylah. The Governor is about to address his people in a colony-wide broadcast speech. I want you to broadcast it shipwide, as well, with links to all officer and crew comm accounts for those who are asleep or off-watch. Preface it with this short statement of mine." She pauses, and then says, "All hands, this is the Captain. What follows is a speech by Gov. Sergey Voronko of the Novy Rostov colony. He will explain the crisis now facing his colony, and his intended policy. Both the colony and this ship face grave challenges in the hours to come. I expect all Yorktown personnel to do your duty, true to your oath and obedient to your orders, and I'm confident that you will. Carry on." She pauses again. "That should do it. Now, where do things stand with the Sarafina?"

    Jones works his console's weapons controls and reports to Onn, "Two more torpedoes programmed, loaded and ready for firing at your order, ma'am."

    Leventhal says, "Still station-keeping relative to the Sarafina."

    Bancroft runs a full scan of the merchant ship. "I'm picking up indications of phaser fire near the bow, Lieutenant, but no explosives or anything else dangerous."

    From the doorway, Graham can see little inside the dimly-lit interior of the Sarafina's Bridge. St. Croix fires her phaser, then fires again, and you hear a cry inside, followed by another heavy thud. Russell also fires from behind her, apparently without effect.
    Last edited by Elendil's Heir; 09 Apr 2019 at 11:00 PM.

  11. #1461
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    Graham keeps his eyes open for targets while addressing the room. "Starfleet Security. You will drop your weapons and yield command of this vessel. You are resisting lawful orders and will be prosecuted for every goddamned stupid thing you do including shooting at my team. And just be clear how goddamned stupid you are, you are resisting a combat-equipped and staffed Starfleet ship of the line. We can take down a Klingon fucking Warbird. If you do not surrender you are going to learn just what that that force unleashed feels like on the receiving end."

  12. #1462
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    Another phaser beam comes out of the Bridge, hitting no one. The door starts to close again.

  13. #1463
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    Booker's voice gets Nia to her feet. "Fire," she orders, focusing on the area the security officer is targeting. "And load up two more just in case."

    Even as she speaks she engages her chair's comm panel. "Chief Harrison. Try to get a lock on the contents of their cargo holds. They're supposedly carrying tons of Telperion hardwoods. Once we get access, I want it all floating in space. Can you do that?"

    Hesitating only a couple of seconds, she adds: "If that's a problem, lock on whoever's currently on the Bridge who isn't one of us and grab 'em."

    She twists her head to see Jones. "Whoever's free in Security--get three officers to Harrison ready to greet a potentially hostile beam-in."
    Last edited by SidonianGal; 09 Apr 2019 at 11:08 PM.

  14. #1464
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    Kylah is distracted by the sudden sound of Lt. Graham's raised voice, not to mention the orders going on behind her. But she follows the Captain's orders and marks the section of the automated recording of Singh's words that will need to be appended to the Governor's.

    "Yes, ma'am," she says while taking care of the task. "We are engaging the Sarafina. The captain refused to return and assist the effort, and Lt. Onn is--has commandeered their ship. But they are still resisting. Lt. Graham is currently leading a boarding party over there."

    Kylah takes a quick breath. "And Captain...I have already received hails... people on the planet are contacting us, pleading for help. They must know, somehow. Is there something I should be saying...?"
    Last edited by choie; 09 Apr 2019 at 11:44 PM.

  15. #1465
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    Jones says, "Torpedoes locked... firing now." The torpedoes again race away and hit the Sarafina's shields at almost point-blank range. They flare brightly on impact. Jones reports, "Their shields are down again. Two more torpedoes loaded and set."

    Chief Harrison says, a note of concern in his voice, "It'll take awhile to beam that much wood from their holds, ma'am - maybe ten minutes, from the looks of it. I won't be able to maintain transporter lock on our landing party while I'm doing that. I can task one of other transporter rooms to at least get started on the lumber, if you wish." He checks his instruments. "Their shields are down now, and I could definitely beam people off their Bridge, if you wish."

    Jones adds quietly, "A Security team is on its way to Transporter Room 1, Mr. Onn, but I can send 'em to any of them."

    Capt. Singh, sounding very tired, says to Kylah, "Thank you, Ensign. I'm afraid rumors are already circulating down here. Hard to keep something this big under wraps." She sighs. "Tell anyone asking for help to await the Governor's speech, and say that you aren't at liberty to make any further statement."

    She signs off.
    Last edited by Elendil's Heir; 12 Apr 2019 at 12:31 PM.

  16. #1466
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    Rangin waits for Lt Onn to be facing in a different direction before rolling his eyes at her comment. It's obvious what she means, but still...given the comment he can't help it.

    He still needs that information from Kylah, but it seems that events are conspiring to prevent her having an opportunity to help him. Not to mention the fact that there is a supposed murderer on the planet along with Federation Security Services that need assistance. He heads back to the Science station to do a little more research, aware that there is little he can do to help anyone else at this point in time.

    While there, he sends a note to Kylah, which she may have better luck reading and acting on, while still handling the incoming calls. Can she get a list of people on the planet, that are visiting and would not be on any standard population record?

    And then he starts to pull up any population records the colony does have to look for any adult males that arrived in the last two years. If this person did exist, his type (adult male, no dependents) would probably be last on Rangin's list of people to save from the Colony. But then everyone else wants to leave it to random chance. Ironic really.

  17. #1467
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    Novy Rostov records show that 114 adult males arrived there in the past two years. Of those, 37 had dependents.

  18. #1468
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    Graham keeps his phaser trained on the door while he pulls out his communicator with his other hand to specifically hail the Captain...er, my...girlfriend?

    "Graham to Onn," he says quietly, neither wanting the assholes on the Serafina to hear nor to alarm Nia. "I have armed resistance and a man down. If we want this ship intact escalating our assault is not a good option." However tempting, he thinks. "Can you assist: two options. Transport in flashbangs to the Bridge. Or grab the bastards and hang 'em in stasis. Please advise." He waits a second. "And prepare Sickbay for a casualty."

    He's concerned about de la Paz--cautiously optimistic, in that he wasn't incinerated and that most bad guys were aware that shooting set to kill was a good way to elicit a lethal response that Starfleet would otherwise simply never use.

  19. #1469
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    Nia swipes her communicator from her belt to her ear in record time, adding a quick "One moment, Chief" to Harrison and "Send Security to Harrison" to Jones.

    "Graham..." She's damn glad to hear his voice, though not this strained version of it. "Yeah. I'll help you out with the Bridge."

    She turns her head back to her chair's comm unit. "Chief. Once Security's in place, yank up whoever's in the Bridge ASAP."

    Finally back to Booker: "Lieutenant, once you're moving forward again, can you or someone else head to Engineering? These shields must be kept down. Also, does your injured officer need a beam-out? Who is it?"

  20. #1470
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    Two more phaser blasts come out of the dim recesses of the Sarafina's Bridge; both St. Croix and Russell return fire. Graham cannot see anyone to shoot at.

    Jones says quietly, "They should be there momentarily."

    Transporter Chief Harrison says, "There's phaser fire over there, which complicates things, but I'll do my best, ma'am."

  21. #1471
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    "Thanks," Nia says, aiming it at both Jones and Harrison. "Chief, if it's at all risky, Graham's suggested beaming in a pair of flashbangs to stop this guy shooting. Jones, can you get on that?"

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    Jones says, "It'll take a few minutes to get some flashbangs from the Armory to the transporter room."

    Harrison then says, "The Security team just got here. I'll beam out one of the bad guys with a phaser. Stand by...."

  23. #1473
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    "Acknowledged, Yorktown," Graham replies. "Engine room's top of the list. De la Paz needs evac. But I want that bridge first."

  24. #1474
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    "Yes, we've had some.... delays on our end." Nathaniel says. "I'll get back to when we're ready to make a move."

    Nathaniel bid the doctor goodbye and wonders what he should do now. Those poor fools at the colony didn't know what was coming. When would their people inform them they were all about to die? He wonders if Kylah knows anything. Communications was her area. But Nathaniel dreads having to deal with her. Who knows what her emotional state is, especially given what is going on around them. But he did want to know. He decides he would text her. That way he wouldn't actually have to talk to her.

    As he types out the words "Ensign Kylah, are the colonists aware what is going on down there?" He sends the text.

    But he needs to get off this bridge and attend to his patient. He clearly couldn't quarantine her on the colony so other arrangements had to be made. But he didn't know what they were as of yet and he can't do anything from here. He needs to talk to Nia. Besides his patient, it sounds like there might be injured from the battle on the Sarafina . And he could be of better use in Sickbay than here.

    "Ma'am," he addresses her. "Request to leave the bridge."

  25. #1475
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    Rangin keeps his ears open while the situation continues around him, although there's little he can do to help. But he can continue with the supposed missing murderer on the planet. He is not really surprised by how many there are, but he is surprised that an agent could not get a view on every one of them over a six month period.

    Rangin checks to see if there are any images or details of the adults he can compare against and then get the computer to perform a match between them to see if anyone is a partial match based on the data. Then he wonders why that agent had not done the same...

  26. #1476
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    "You want the Bridge, Graham, we'll do our best to give it to you," Nia says, then lowers her device to speak to the transporter room through her chair mic. "Great, Chief, beam him out as soon as possible, thanks."

    Wait, did he say one of the bad guys? She turns swiftly to Dahlquist. "How many are on the Bridge?"

    Bennett now, the male one, that is. Almost forgot about him. "Permission...? Yes, Doc, but we'll need you back once we're--oh! Just a sec'." Straightening, she holds out a stop now palm. "A wounded officer's coming in soon, and we need a med team to meet him at Transporter Room 1. No, hang on... " She lifts a hand to her forehead, patting it lightly as she thinks. "Make that Transporter Room 2, sorry. Can you take care of that, please? Either be part of it or arrange it, you get to choose. Thanks."

    She tries to keep the balls juggling. Back to Harrison. "Uh, Chief, anyone in Transporter Room 2? Someone needs to evac Ens. de la Paz, and since you're about to have a hostile guest I don't want the med team getting in Security's way, or vice versa." Breathe. "Jones--ready the flashbangs just in case."
    Last edited by SidonianGal; 11 Apr 2019 at 09:38 PM.

  27. #1477
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    The door to the Sarafina's Bridge is now fully closed again.

    Dr. Cobb sounds puzzled, but signs off.

    Rangin is able to find images of all 114 adult males who have come to Novy Rostov in the past two years. Neither by image or detail do any match the fugitive, Lt. Paul Hutchinson. The Library Computer's facial and biometric recognition algorithms also cannot make a positive match. He recalls the Starfleet Security undercover agent saying Hutchinson may have had a full identity swap.

    Bancroft at the Science console (Dahlquist is at Engineering) says, "There are still four individuals on the merchant ship's Bridge. Sensors indicate two of them are armed."

    Harrison sounds a little distracted as he reports, "All four primary transporter rooms are now manned, Mr. Onn, per standard Yellow Alert protocols. I'll notify the others to be prepared for immediate beamouts." You hear buttons clicking. "Beaming out one of the armed Sarafina crew... now."

    Jones adds, "I have someone bringing flashbangs to Transporter Room 1 on the double."

    Graham, St. Croix and Russell can hear the hum and whine of the transporter effect through the door.
    Last edited by Elendil's Heir; 11 Apr 2019 at 10:54 PM.

  28. #1478
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    Bancroft's report comes as a surprise to Nia. It shouldn't--she should've remembered how many were on the Sarafina's bridge.

    She takes her seat carefully. Calm the fuck down and stop making cadet-level mistakes. Flapping around like a headless chicken is not a good look for a commander.

    Gathering herself, she nods in acknowledgement to Bancroft while speaking to Harrison. "Sorry, Chief, let me leave you to your current task--I'll arrange for the rest. Just when you're done, lock on the other armed person and wait for my command." Next, she contacts the second transporter room. "Onn to Transporter Room 2: We need an evac on Ensign de la Paz ASAP. A med team'll be arriving shortly."

    She taps a fingernail on her armchair in thought, then decides. "Kylah, open a channel to the Sarafina. Let's see if watching someone disappear has made any kind of impact." A doubtful prospect, she understands, but it's worth letting Bell know how fucked he is if he doesn't surrender.
    Last edited by choie; 12 Apr 2019 at 03:46 PM.

  29. #1479
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    Kylah has nearly decided what to say to Ms. Soeryadjaya when she gets a notification from her communicator. Frowning--that is, frowning even more deeply--she looks at the device and is surprised to see a message from Dr. Bennett. I thought he was on the Bridge...? She checks and, while there is no one at Medical, the new doctor is clearly visible, waiting for Lt. Onn.

    She wonders what confidential issue he would want to relay to her when they are in the middle of a crisis, and is about to read when her name catches her attention--along with an order by Lt. Onn.

    Kylah swiftly says "Aye aye, ma'am," and attempts to open a channel to the Sarafina.

  30. #1480
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    Finally, something to do, Nathaniel thinks.

    “I’m on my way to Transporter Room 2, ma’am.” He says, as he flips open his communicator and requests that a Medical team meet him there.

    Nathaniel rushes out, hoping he doesn’t have to come back. He tries to catch Joe’s eye again as he left, but he is immersed in the activity around him. Maybe later, Nathaniel thinks. No, definitely later.

    He leaves and soon finds himself standing outside of his destination.
    Last edited by Elendil's Heir; 14 Apr 2019 at 06:56 PM.

  31. #1481
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    There is no response from the Sarafina to the Yorktown's hail.

    "Acknowledged, Bridge," Chief Belinda Brady says from Transporter Room 2. "I have a lock. Energizing... now."

    De la Paz disappears from the deck near Graham and the others.

    Bancroft is busy and doesn't make eye contact with Dr. Bennett as he leaves the Bridge. The young surgeon enters the transporter room just in time to see a redshirted figure materialize on the platform.

    From Transporter Room 1, Chief Harrison reports, "I got one of their crew, Mr. Onn. She had a phaser, but she's now been disarmed and taken into custody. Locking onto another crew lifesign now...."

  32. #1482
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    As the figure solidifies on the transporter platform, Nathaniel opens his medikit and rushes forward to attend to his new patient and access the injuries.

    What I wouldn't give to be back in a nice clean hospital where most of my patients were planned and prepared for in advance. Nathaniel thinks. This stint on this ship couldn't end soon enough.
    Last edited by anthonydlangford; 15 Apr 2019 at 08:22 AM.

  33. #1483
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    The redshirt, whom Dr. Bennett can see is a tall Latino-looking male, is sprawled somewhat awkwardly on the transporter platform. He has no visible injuries but is passed out cold. A quick medscan shows his vital signs are strong. He appears to have been phaser-stunned.

    Two medics with an antigrav gurney come hurriedly through the door. "May we help, Doctor?" asks one.

    Kylah sees there are now eleven incoming subspace messages from NR in her Communications queue, including from Walter Harris, Boris Klimov, Aleksei Myagkov, Ruth Soeryadjaya and seven others. She can refer any or all of them to the ship's Communications Center belowdecks, if she wishes.
    Last edited by Elendil's Heir; 17 Apr 2019 at 09:36 AM.

  34. #1484
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    “Looks like he’s just been stunned, but I won’t know until I examine him further.” Nathaniel says to the medics as he eyes the results of the medscan. “Get him on the gurney and lets take him to Sickbay.”

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    Graham scowls. Keeping Sarafina's shields down is their ace in the hole. He debates sending Russell back to the rest of the team to move on engineering, but decides against it: concentrate force here. We've already had one casualty.

    Graham hails Yorktown. "Graham to Yorktown. Status? We're standing ready to move on the Bridge." After a brief pause he adds, "Is de la Paz OK?"

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    "Aye, sir," the medic says, and she and her colleague carefully lift de la Paz onto the gurney. They head out the door and towards Sickbay on the double.

    Graham and the other redshirts hear the transporter whine again behind the closed Bridge door.

    From Transporter Room 1, Chief Harrison reports to Onn, "I've beamed over the second armed person, ma'am. He, uh, had to be stunned when I beamed him in and he was about to shoot at the Security team here." Onn can hear some discussion in the background, and Harrison goes on, "The flashbangs are here now. Should I beam them over to the other ship?"

    Kylah receives a priority call over the Novy Rostov Colonial Government subspace frequency. A commtech says, "Yorktown, Yorktown, stand by for a message from the Governor." After a moment the screen clears to show Gov. Voronko seated at a desk in front of the Federation seal. The comm routing data shows the message is going out across the entire colony. An unseen announcer says somberly, "Ladies and gentlemen, an address by the Governor of Novy Rostov." Voronko looks like he's aged a decade since Kylah saw him at the party in his apartment just a few hours ago. "My fellow colonists...." he begins.

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    "Full identity swap indeed", Rangin muses to himself if the initial scan from the Ship's computer cannot find a match like that. He looks up quickly and scans round the room to see if anyone is trying to catch his attention. But no it appears they are all busy and concerned, quite rightly so, with the incident on board the Sarafina.

    Rangin increases the search to include everyone regardless of species that have come to Novy Rostov since the incident, just to get an idea of the number they are looking for.

    Even with an identity swap, there are still several things which can give a person away, things that are ingrained into their psyche. And if he is the kind of person who could afford to have mental blocks thrown into to prevent that kind of tell, then he is probably someone Rangin doesn't want to find.

    Just on instinct, Rangin also searches for any group coming to NR that roughly matches the family. Sometimes, things are not as they seem and identity swaps are what are used to hide people. Sometimes for very good reason indeed. As someone from Starfleet security would be well aware of.

  38. #1488
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    "Good work, Chief," Nia says rapidly to Harrison, "--And pass along my compliments to the Security team. Yes, if you can beam in the flashbangs near Graham, go for it."

    She catches Booker's questions and switches her focus to him. "We just grabbed both armed personnel who were giving you trouble over there. None left, according to our scanners, so you can cautiously consider your way clear--just in case, we're sending the flashbangs you requested."

    Nia inhales deeply before continuing. "De la Paz is being taken care of. You worry about your team there." And yourself. She sits back in her chair, still tense. "Go get 'em, Lieutenant."

  39. #1489
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    Kylah forwards all the incoming hails--except for the one from Ms. Soeryadjaya--down to the Communications center, guiltily aware that she is passing along an unfortunate task to her colleagues.

    But she cannot put off Ms. Soeryadjaya forever. Swallowing, she takes the call and says softly, "Forgive me, ma'am, I will be with you in a moment," then hurriedly puts the woman on hold while she focuses on Vorenko's speech.

    She remembers that it will have to be prefaced by the Captain's words when she broadcasts it to the Yorktown. But Kylah feels obligated to listen to him live, even more so given how wretched the man looks.

  40. #1490
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    Novy Rostov records show that 280 adults of all species arrived there in the past two years. Rangin sees that of these, there were five families with a husband, wife and son, like the Hutchinsons.

    The flashbangs materialize near Graham. There are six of them in a small carrying case, identical and dark gray, each about the size of a pinecone, with simple controls built in.

    Miss Soeryadjaya is unable to get a word in edgewise before Kylah puts her on hold.

    In a calm, serious manner, Gov. Voronko describes the crisis facing the colony much as Science Officer Roble did when you first returned to the ship from the surface. Another 22 incoming messages from NR appear in Kylah's comm queue.

    Voronko continues, "I have discussed the situation at length with Capt. Singh of the USS Yorktown, the Starfleet vessel now visiting our world. I'm working closely with her and her senior officers, and we're in agreement as to what must happen next. Much as I regret it, and despite the best efforts and best minds both here and aboard the starship, it does not appear likely that everyone in this colony can be saved from the radiation burst soon to hit us. Our goal now is obviously to save as many lives as possible. We cannot do that if there is a panic. I call for everyone to meet this crisis calmly, hopefully, with fortitude, and in obedience to the rule of law."

    "As Governor of Novy Rostov, and for the public good," he says, "I have decided to take the following steps. First, under the powers granted to me by Federation law and the colonial Charter, I am declaring an emergency, effective immediately. Second, I'm placing the colony under curfew, also effective immediately. If you're already at home, stay there. All those not already at home must return at once, without delay, to their addresses of record. Those not home within half an hour of the end of my remarks will be subject to arrest and detention, and may not be eligible for evacuation. Third, all businesses, mining operations and facilities other than those related to security or emergency services, including the hospital, are hereby closed."
    Last edited by Elendil's Heir; 19 Apr 2019 at 02:26 PM.

  41. #1491
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    Nathaniel follows his med team and they head back to Sickbay.

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    Dr. Bennett and the medics are soon in Sickbay. They transfer de la Paz to a diagnostic bed.

    A total of 37 messages are now in Kylah's comm queue from NR.

  43. #1493
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    Graham acknowledges Nia's message. He grabs one flash bang and hands the rest to Russell. "Take these back to Mahmoud - join up with them, tell him to lead seizure of engineering, and not to be shy about using them. Or calling on Yorktown for transporter support. We'll keep the shields down from the bridge."

    Assuming Russell acknowledges the orders, Graham turns toward the Bridge. Still keeping his phaser ready he raises his voice. "Attention the bridge. Your colleagues are in custody, awaiting charges that are currently--and I emphasize currently--far greater than what you're facing. You will open this door and stand with your hands above your heads. You have count of three."

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    "Aye, sir," Russell says and heads aft, at a trot, with the other five flashbangs.

    When Graham reaches "Two," the Bridge door slides open. From the darkness within comes a shaky voice, "Don't shoot! I surrender!" A scrawny man in a dirty-looking uniform emerges, his hands held high.

    Gov. Voronko continues, "Fourth, all Security officers are to report for duty immediately. The Security Auxiliary is also called up and will report at once for duty. Fifth, and most importantly, there will be a lottery to determine who will be evacuated. Capt. Singh of the Yorktown, drawing on this colony's personnel records, will see to the running of an entirely random computer-sorted drawing of names. The drawing of the name of any cohabiting family member, adult or child, will mean that everyone else in that cohabiting family's quarters, as already listed in colony records, will also be evacuated. The Captain and I agree that family preservation is a vitally important criterion for this lottery. We don't want to orphan any child."

    The Governor says firmly, emphatically, "I want to emphasize that the lottery will otherwise be completely random. Simple fairness demands this. Neither I, my family, nor any public official, community leader, corporate executive or any other person, high or low, will have any entitlement to evacuation or any other special privilege. My family and I will take our chances in the lottery, just like everyone else."

    There are now 52 messages in Kylah's queue.
    Last edited by Elendil's Heir; 20 Apr 2019 at 07:08 PM.

  45. #1495
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    Nathaniel does a more intensive examination of his patient as he attempts to figure out his condition.

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    Dr. Bennett discovers nothing to change his original diagnosis of a phaser stunning. De la Paz seems fine otherwise. If no action is taken, he should regain consciousness in about ten minutes.

    There are now 66 messages in Kylah's queue.

  47. #1497
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    "On the ground, facedown, hands flat, don't move." Graham says to the man. "If there are any surprises for us in there, now's the time to tell us, Mr.--?"

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    The man drops on his face at once. "No surprises, none!," he says, sounding scared. "I swear it. You stunned Pete and then the Captain and Leanne were beamed out, I guess. Pete's still in there, on the deck." He gulps. "I'm Marty."

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    Rangin shakes his head at the almost absurdity of what he is doing. Trying to find a needle in a haystack when they are likely to throw away most of the haystack anyway. Just pushing his ideas further could mean that the man might have come here with anyone, not just by himself. A family in hiding, a lover he had run away to hide with, a murderer on his own hiding from the law, just too many options, when in the scheme of things, it could resolve itself without any intervention.

    Better to do what he can for the populace as a whole, and not try and focus on just one tiny detail and get sidetracked.

    Putting the details to one side, he focuses back on the Sarafina and awaits Engineering's comments on his plan.

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    Kylah stares at the board, the impulse to block all incoming messages almost smothering her. She cannot, of course--how much worse will these people feel if the ship will not even acknowledge them?

    She automatically checks the senders' identifications to see if she knows anyone, before forwarding everything to the Communication center. Her throat hurts from her effort to avoid crying. And her stomach churns at her awareness that these hails will surely be followed by still more, and more, and more...

    "But what can I do?" she asks herself in despair, not realizing she has murmured aloud. "Just change the automated response and disconnect them?"

    Guilt presses down on her. Yes, this would effectively block hails while offering a bit more information, and thus ease her own discomfort--and that of her colleagues' who are dealing with these new hails. But it would be a slap in the face to the citizens so desperately in need of help.

    She shakes her head, overwhelmed by the magnitude of this calamity. But at least she knows she has a task to complete first: to handle the Governor's message as Captain Singh requested. Using her console's editing capabilities, she appends the Captain's introduction to Governor Voronko's speech.

    Before she sends it as ordered, Kylah realizes she should let Lt. Onn know. She turns and sees the CO is very clearly involved in multiple conversations while in the middle of a possibly dangerous mission for the boarding party. Instead, Kylah waits for an opportune moment.
    Last edited by choie; 28 Apr 2019 at 07:00 PM.

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