Star Trek RPG - Mission #7: "The War-Brotherhood of Irkhuit"

[choie]

Kylah has been in the middle of explaining what little she understands of the controls to Lt. Graham and St. Croix when the lurch hits. She stumbles into the front panel but uses it for balance, then looks up to see the Yorktown disappear. Horrified, she pushes herself away.

Her first instinct, embarrassingly, is to stare up wildly at Lt. Graham and blurt, "I did not touch anything!" Her frightened gaze returns to the controls and the starfield onscreen. She tries to make sense of anything she sees. Are the engines actively engaged? Is the Doregg being controlled remotely? Are they being towed?

Probably not questions she is capable of answering. The ability to vaguely recognize rough symbols and control functions does not extend to being a capable pilot of an unknown ship--she performed the bare minimum of flight training at the Academy, and that not very well--much less an understanding of what security measures to deploy.

The searching look she sends back at the ACOS / C.O. mixes alarm and expectation. Lt. Graham was in the co-pilot seat with Lt. Onn on the Tesla, he likely knows how to handle all this. Belatedly, she remembers her own primary function, and fumbles to retrieve her blessed communicator. She holds it with both shaky hands, flipping it open. If they are at warp, it is likely useless, but she must try contacting the ship. However, just before she engages with the Yorktown, she keeps her wits and first confirms with Lt. Graham--for all she knows there might be some security reason to avoid transmitting something. "S-sir?" she asks weakly.

[general_urko]

"Shit..."

"I think we just went into warp, Graham says, for the benefit of the team around him and into his communicator assuming he gets the good doctor's ping.

He rubs his chin. "No, you didn't touch anything, Mr. Kylah." he grunts. "Meaning it was keyed to something else...or timed...or someone on board has an ace in the hole...."

He scans the screen attentively. "So where the hell are we - Uwat space, or were the Romulans clever enough to set a trap?" He somewhat doubts the latter given their hasty departure, but the major was certainly sharp enough.

"First order of business - eyes on the screen," he says--"any ideas where we are?"

[choie]

"Yes sir." Swallowing, Kylah stares at the screen. Stars seem like stars to her, unless they are the familiar constellations over one of the two planets upon which she has spent the most time. She stares at the only systems she can identify. "We know the shields are damaged due to the Yorktown attack. If we are at warp unprotected..." Swiftly her attention focuses on St. Croix and points at the other area she recognized. "Can you tell if the--the navigational deflectors are working?"

The uselessness of her communicator by now, at least for external comms, is manifest. "I should try to contact the Yorktown, sir. No doubt they are giving chase, but they might be able to tell if the Doregg is piloting itself. If Lt. Onn were here..."

If the Sidonian were here she would probably be unconscious by now--or worse. Kylah shakes her head. "But she was able to rely on you as copilot in the Tesla, sir. Have you helmed a ship solo before?"

She will also ask for permission to go to the Comms area and attempt to reach the Yorktown. Kylah suspects she might be better able to figure out the Communications controls than anything here.

[stolz]

If communicators are working and Bizhi is able to reach the bridge team, that is already a relief.

"Mäkeläinen here," he says, "this is... Team Cryo. We were just wrapping things up with the Chalnoth. Haven't seen anyone else. Are you all right?

[Elendil's Heir]

Kylah believes, from her quick reading of the control panel, that the navigational deflector is still working. She is soon able to reach the Yorktown on her communicator; her superior, Lt. Thalen, is on the line. "What's going on over there, Ensign?" he asks, more puzzled and concerned than angry. "Why have you gone to warp?"

Dr. Mäkeläinen is able to reach Graham over his communicator.

St. Croix answers Graham, pointing. "I think that's a forward starfield, sir. It appears to show our direction of travel."

Not far aft, Three Crows raises her phaser and says tersely, "Not quite the time for a snack, I think." She steps past the doctor and closes the door again, despite the protests of the Chalnoth.

[choie]

Lt. Thalen's voice is so welcome Kylah nearly smiles despite the bizarre circumstances. "We did not do anything, sir; the ship seems to have gone to warp itself, perhaps on some...autopilot sequence?"

She looks from St. Croix, who seems competent when it comes to handling machinery--at least, she got the doors open quite easily--to Lt. Graham, who is C.O. and has spent twenty years on and off starships. Kylah knows she is the worst of the three to provide anything valuable, so she is ready to convey anything the others wish her to. But she continues:

"We are in the Bridge now and I--I am sorry, I am failing to decipher the helm controls. Only shields and deflectors. None of us is a helm expert as far as I know. Maybe someone in the rest of the boarding party?" She eyes Lt. Graham's communicator, where she hears the doctor's tinny voice, and hopes he can hear her.

"Lt. Thalen, are you tracking us? Can you pursue? Perhaps a scan might gauge whether the ship is traveling on its own volition to its original intended destination, or if someone else is controlling it?"

Wordlessly she lifts the communicator to Lt. Graham, in case he has orders and suggestions for the Yorktown. Then, remembering a scattered thought she had moments ago, she speaks simultaneously to him, St. Croix and Lt. Thalen. "Might the Romulans be towing us? I cannot think why, but...could they?"

[general_urko]

Graham scowls, but breathes a sigh of relief that the Yorktown has them in its sights.

"We have control of the bridge, Lt. Thalen, but aren't able to effectively use the Uwat-labeled controls," he says to the proffered communicator. "I'm guessing a timed jump, other than entering the bridge we hadn't done anything." He rubs his chin. "I think it would be a tough row to hoe for a cloaked Romulan ship tow something this size...but I supposed whether we're heading toward Uwat or Romulan space might give us some indication of who's behind this."

[stolz]

Dr. Mäkeläinen says over his communicator, "Lieutenant Graham, this is Doctor Mäkeläinen. So, you are on the bridge, there is no one else there, but the ship still went to warp? We know it was not the Chalnoth. Haven't seen that other passenger. Can we trust the scans that there is no one else on board?"

He asks, "What about the plan to inspect the hold? I am not going to be thawing anyone out without the Yorktown standing by to receive patients, unless it is a matter of life and death. If we are not able to regain control, how long do we have until we arrive... wherever it is we are headed?"

[choie]

Gnawing at her lower lip in thought, Kylah glances at the communicator, and speaks softly in hopes only the Doctor will hear her on the other side. (Of course, her words are also for St. Croix and Lt. Graham.) "Doctor, I agree that the lone human is important to speak with. He was treated with some special courtesy, even if only as a high-paying passenger. Perhaps he knows the intended destination? If nothing else he is unaccounted for and should probably be located, if still aboard."

[Elendil's Heir]

Thalen says from the Yorktown, "We began following you, matching course and speed, immediately after you went to warp. Sensors clearly show you aren't being towed; the Doreggp's own engines are moving you. You are now headed directly for the nearest star, FGC-216, at Warp 5." He pauses, apparently consulting with someone else, and then adds, clearly concerned, "It is a red giant, and you will enter its photosphere in 17 minutes."

(For more: https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/FGC)

[general_urko]

Graham blinks and takes a deep breath.

"Agree Doctor, no de-thawing until we have control of the ship." He pauses and then continues, keeping his communicator channels open: "OK, two hypotheses, two priorities. One: timer or some other auto-pilot. Two: that unknown human passenger is doing this. Lock the Chanlnoth down--with all apologies--if you haven't already. Then we need to find that human, but Doc and Three Crows - if you can make your sweep on the way to main engineering and figure out how to shut the engines down I'd be much obliged. I'll take a tow by or evac to Yorktown over this any day of the week."

[choie]

Seventeen minutes. Lt. Thalen's previously welcome voice now resounds in Kylah's head like a death knell. She instinctively takes a couple of steps away from the starfield onscreen, as if that will somehow delay the inevitable. Then she freezes in place, her only motion that of her right hand twitching with the impulse to reach for Lt. Graham.

She stifles it. He cannot be distracted. And she is an adult, not a child.

...Except in her mind, where she is again present at her parents' cremations 12 years ago. As they passed through a transparent tube, each coffin was bathed in orange light and incinerated in a blast: in one instant, silver-hued wood and body alike vaporized to dust.

That will happen to us. The Doregg's shields, even if not damaged, cannot withstand the thousands of Kelvins of a red giant's photosphere.

She stares at the control panels she has failed to decipher. Is there anything that remotely resembles the glyphs or symbols for the navigational deflectors? If she can comprehend anything that indicates some similar navigational function, she could at least try to redirect their course.

Assuming the destination is not locked in, or--as she hears Lt. Graham opine--being controlled by the mystery passenger. If so, he must have a death wish. He was so anxious; perhaps this is why.

Lt. Graham is quite right that the engine room is likely the best option. Kylah manages to ask shakily, "Should Lt. Vielar go with them, sir, or can she help up here?"

Then she finds enough courage to address the Yorktown over the communicator, although she almost does not wish to know the answer. "Lt. Thalen--Captain--do you have any suggestions?" She swallows. "Can you not catch up to us?"

[stolz]

Mäkeläinen had thought that they had much longer than... seventeen minutes!?

He is not sure what the last passenger might have to do with any of this, but if they collide with a star, they are not likely to live long enough to find out. "All right, engineering," he repeats over the communicator, locking eyes with Lt. Vielar. (This is her show, now. He cannot read Uwat labels any more than the bridge team, nor does he know how to manually cut power even to a familiar warp core.) "Can you direct us? That would be below and, I assume, aft? Rawlings and I spied what looked like a secure door in that direction."

With the Chalnoth on hiatus, there is no reason to waste precious time hanging around the passenger area, and he points the way back to the main ladder.

[general_urko]

Graham flexes his hands. He's no engineer, the best he can do is lead the search for the mysterious human. Not that he'd have much leverage if the guy had a death wish and control of the ship.

In response to Kylah's question, he keys his communicator. "Doc, Three Crows - get Lt. Vielar to the engine room. Any action that doesn't leave us dead but stops our progress toward that star is a good one. Yorktown is on our trail, she'll have our back."

He blinks. "Lt. Thalen, sir, any information on understanding Uwat language and symbols Yorktown can get to the teams would be much obliged. If Vielar can find the switch to vent the warp core into space, I'll take it."

Graham checks the setting on his phaser - stun. "We go door to door from here. St. Croix, you seem to have a knack for locks. You breach. I'll cover."

He takes another deep breath. "Ens. Kylah, I'll shield you, stay behind me, but if meeting this guy isn't an instant firefight, I want you doing the talking. If he's in fact in the driver's seat, talk him down, OK?"

[choie]

With another desperate glance at the control panel, Kylah turns to Lt. Graham, eyes wide in fear-tinged surprise. "Aye, of course I will try, sir, but--should I not stay here in case Lt. Vielar needs action taken from the Bridge, or if I--if Lt. Thalen has success with the language?" Flushing, she lowers her voice to whisper, nearly a mere mouthing: "I am sorry for failing to pull out the rabbit, Mr. Graham."

[Elendil's Heir]

Three Crows reports to Graham, "The Chalnoth are still locked in their room, sir, but they're not happy about it."

Kylah can't be sure, but from carefully examining the controls believes that the Doregg's forward navigational deflector is up, but all other deflectors - the Uwat starship's defensive shields - remain down.

Lt. Vielar nods at Dr. Mäkeläinen and Three Crows. The tall, birdlike engineer is ready to go.

Capt. Singh comes on the line. "Mr. Graham, either shut down or destroy the warp drive; the first option would obviously be preferred. We can't just beam you out. There wouldn't be time to retrieve you, the Chalnoth and all those still in cryosleep." There is a pause, and she adds, "Mr. Thalen is checking Federation records on the Uwat language and symbolism but I'm afraid there's not much there."

[stolz]

"I fear we have very little that is helpful to convey," the Doctor says while he efficiently navigates the corridors. "Mr. Rawlings and I barely got started scouting the layout. All we know is, there is a locked door barring the way to the stern compartments, and what sounded like some kind of heavy machinery beyond." He will take the party there, unless Three Crows or Vielar have a better idea.

[Elendil's Heir]

"This way, I'm pretty sure," Rawlings says before moving quickly ahead.

The Captain says, "We've already caught up to you, matching your course and speed, and are now 200 km off your starboard bow."

[choie]

Kylah looks hopefully at the starfield, as if the Yorktown will be visible--which it could not be, if the screen is facing forward. She winces at what she knows will be taken as a foolish question. "We have incapacitated ships before using the Yorktown's weapons. Is that an option? I know it is a risk, but..." But there are now fifteen minutes, or thereabouts, and miracles may be in short supply.

She gasps at a wretchedly belated thought. "The lone Uwat in the cryo chamber. Was it taken by the Romulans, along with the others? If not, how long would it take to revive them, even briefly?" Even if the Uwat is there, there cannot possibly be enough time. Why oh why did I not think of this before? Mindless petaQ!

[stolz]

Dr. Mäkeläinen follows the security escort to the stern; he stays alert to anything that may have changed from the last time he saw it.

He does not imagine an engineer like Lt. Vielar will take much time at all to hack open a simple electronic lock. (Also, the security officers probably train on how to breach doors in an emergency using phasers and other equipment.) He is more worried about the non-existent margin of time: they do not know exactly where they are going, they may have to backtrack, it may take a couple of minutes to identify the conduits and controls they are seeking (precision seems in order when dealing with antimatter, dilithium, or anything else that packs enough energy to warp space and time). At least he knows what they are in for and can assist if requested--- there is a cabin full of enraged Chalnoth (will they be able to calm them down so easily a second time?) and a possibly panicking extra passenger who have no idea what is going on, that they may be unceremoniously snuffed out in a moment of pain and terror, the only mercy that it will not last long enough to process what is happening.

Such thoughts are mercifully, if temporarily, interrupted by Kylah's voice on the comms. He answers her honestly: "Ensign Kylah, even assuming I already knew the location of the individual in question and the correct operation of the cryo pod, warming someone up from cryostasis temperatures is not instantaneous, then you have to ease them awake, and, in my experience, most people need a few minutes and a hot drink before they are quite themselves. I cannot guarantee all that happening in time. I am willing to have a dekko if you can translate the controls; you'll have to come down--- is there really no hope of changing course or adjusting the engines from the Bridge?"

[choie]

"Not that I can confirm; I am sorry, Doctor."

The doctor's ideas about doing something on the Bridge nag at her. Her abilities to come up with technology-based solutions are woefully few. She mentally curses her Uncle's successful negotiation of an accelerated Academy career. Some subjects received short shrift, and unfortunately, most of them were tech and engineering. What tech she does know is primarily focused on comms systems and cryptography--specialties that make her failure to understand these symbols even more bitter.

"Lt. Vielar...Yorktown," she says quietly, "you were able to take over the comms systems. There is no similar route to navigation? I know we are going too fast to avoid the danger entirely, but... would changing the angle of approach lengthen the journey to the photosphere? Buying us time to work on the main warp core issue?"

She stops wincing to stare down at the one control panel she does seem to recognize. "Or...what about the deflectors? Would pushing them to their limits affect our speed? Is there a way to use them as thrusters to slow us down?"

I am talking gibberish, Kylah thinks, and hugs herself while waiting for a reply. She closes her eyes again in embarrassment. She can only imagine the looks back on the ship at this ridiculous idea. Revealing her ignorance to everyone, so that the last opinion the crew have of her will be of some helpless elite whose position was won by nepotism and political influence.

[general_urko]

Graham stares Kylah, and then the console, and the Kylah again.

Maybe for too long in each case.

"It's possible to divert all power to the shields on a Federation ship," he says, half to her, half to himself. Usually when you did that, things weren't going well, he remembers from experience.

"Maybe that's your rabbit, Ensign," he says, giving her shoulder a little squeeze.

"Yorktown: the team is on getting to engineering to disable or vent the warp core if we can. We're going to try to divert all power to the shields from the bridge. Uh--it might mean you have to fire on us a little...stand by..."

He looks at the inscrutable console and back to he young Elasian. "So what we want to do is turn the shields...up...a lot. So much so they demand all the ship's energy. If you have any idea how to starting to give that a go, I'm all ears." He pauses and adds "And if you want my hand to be the one that makes the wrong move on the console and kills us all, just give me the best advice you can, I'll make the call, it's on me."

[Elendil's Heir]

Capt. Singh says, "We know so little about the design and function of the Uwat warp drive, I'd strongly prefer not to use the Yorktown's photon torpedoes to try to knock it out. There's a significant chance it would destroy the ship, so I consider it a last resort. And phasers won't work while both ships are at warp, of course."

Rawlings leads Dr. Mäkeläinen, Lt. JG Three Crows and the others in their party aft, to the heavy doorway sealing off the engineering section from the rest of the ship. Lt. Vielar looks over the door controls, punches a few keys but then shakes her beaked and feathered head in frustration. She says to Graham by communicator, "I'm sorry, but I doubt I could get this open in even half an hour, sir. I recommend we cut through the door by phaser."

The more Kylah looks at Uwat control panels on the Bridge, the more she's able to make sense out of them. Things are starting to click for her in her understanding of the Uwat consoles' glyphs. She believes she can increase power to the navigational shields.

[choie]

Lt. Graham's hand on Kylah's shoulder steadies her, and she nearly smiles at his rabbit remark. As her comprehension of the symbols slowly increases, she lifts her hand to the panel.

"I believe your experience in shields and navigation makes you the better choice, sir," she murmurs. "I have never piloted anything but a shuttle, and that was in the Academy." She does not add that she crashed twice before managing to pass her helm examination.

She shows him how to perform what she is 80% certain--well, 60% certain--is the correct combination of gestures or buttons or knobs or whatever the Uwat use to increase the deflector power.

(Her vague idea is that the deflectors--which push debris out of the way of the ship--might create some sort of drag on the ship's speed, much as an engine thruster might. If it does nothing but improve the shields, it could still buy the warp core team some time.)

She notices her pointing finger is trembling and she works to keep is still while looking up at Lt. Graham.

[stolz]

Credit where credit is due, Mäkeläinen thinks to himself. The Uwat do not make their constructions sleek and fair, but they work, an aesthetic the Doctor honestly appreciates.

If the door lock is, in fact, properly encrypted, there is no way they have time for Vielar to carefully probe its systems and deduce its workings. The combination may or may not be guessable, but not to someone without knowledge of Uwat language and culture. However... "There has to be a way of accessing the compartment in case of emergency, shipwide power failure, crew inside incapacitated. They would not have made the door phaser-resistant. I concur, it's worth taking the minute to cut through it."

[general_urko]

Graham first replies to Vielar. "Permission granted. Be cautious, for the moment, we're going to see if we can divert engine power to the shields to buy us time."

Graham then listens to and watches Kylah's instructions. "Keep trying to understand these damned Uwat symbols," he says quietly. "The warp core can only produce so much power. I'm hoping we can fool the ship it's all needed for the shields." He forces a little smile. "You gave us at least a little hope for a rabbit, Ensign," he tells the young Elasian.

He sighs and touches the controls, following her instructions. "Here goes..."

[Elendil's Heir]

Graham works the controls and Kylah is pretty sure power to the navigational shields then increases. It does not slow the ship, however.

"Understood, sir," says Vielar to Graham. She nods to Three Crows, who says, "Step back, please," and carefully adjusts her phaser's setting to serve as a cutting beam. She tells Rawlings to do the same, and they soon both begin cutting into the heavy door from different points, top and bottom, to get through it, hopefully, in half the time.

[stolz]

The Doctor does not have a phaser. Vielar obviously seems to know her [her? Mäkeläinen takes a careful look. Yes, her.] business. All he can do is shield his eyes.

He has no idea if an Uwat engine room may have hazards (to humanoids) such as high levels of radiation, toxic gases, or elevated temperatures. If it is a standard warp drive, everything should be contained. All the same, after the door is down, if anyone tries rushing in without a scan he will remind them to do so.

[choie]

Heart sinking that the idea did not work, Kylah just confirms Lt. Graham's suggestion. "Yes, sir, I will keep trying." She continues the attempt to decipher the panels. It confuses her that she identified the deflector panel as specific to "navigation" purposes, yet cannot determine the navigation system itself; surely the symbols must bear some resemblance or correlation to one another.

"Of course not all languages have such logic," she mutters. Or at least, not logic she can identify. With infinite diversity comes infinite interpretations of what makes sense. She explains her thinking to Lt. Graham and St. Croix, enlisting their aid in identifying recurring patterns. Highly skilled security officers are likely quite good at that, even those who do not specialize in cryptography.

"We could also make an announcement seeking anyone who understands Uwat to come to the Bridge. But that is unlikely." And there is little time left, anyway.

At least Velir escaped. It is unfair that the Yorktown crew came aboard to help and are now doomed. Lt. Graham only just fell in love after losing his wife. The doctor--for his first mission to end like this? She does not know much about Mr. Rawlings but he must have loved ones too.

She thinks of her siblings. They will not much miss her. His Serenity Tellun hardly knows her. But Aldaan will mourn her loss, not merely for her utility. If only she could have made things right with him, somehow. For good and ill, he has been the closest person in her life.

The panel turns blurry. Kylah blinks away tears, then uses her sleeve to wipe her eyes. "Perspiration," she explains numbly, shoving away emotion to resume her frantic search.

[general_urko]

Graham uses his communicator to tell the other team their gambit didn't work, and to proceed as quickly as possible.

"OK," he replies to Ens. Kylah. "So that control as far as we can tell was specifically for 'shields for 'navigation.' So anything similar might be for defensive shields, or for actually navigating the ship." he nods to St. Croix. "All hands on deck helping Kylah look for anything similar."

[Elendil's Heir]

Three Crows and Rawlings finish cutting through the heavy door. Rawlings gives it a good kick, and the phaser-cut portion falls inward, away from you, with a crash. Carefully avoiding the still-hot edges, Vielar at once steps through and looks over the hulking warp drive beyond. (You may go through, as well, if you wish). After a few moments, she says, her voice muffled, "It's some kind of... subspace-shifted plasma system, I think. Similar to what the Raizi and the Ghedonians use, perhaps? That might explain its physiological impact on the Chalnoth. Hmm. I've never seen one before, myself. Just a moment...."

Something in her mind clicks, and Kylah has a breakthrough. She finds she can now much better understand the Uwat control consoles. Her eyes sweep over the glowing panels. Life support... shuttlebay... communications... yes, and there, right there, the warp drive!

From the Yorktown, Thalen says, "You now have ten minutes before entering the red giant's photosphere."

[choie]

In the middle of her shaky "aye sir" to acknowledge Lt. Thalen's grim news, Kylah breaks off with an inward gasp and leans closer to the warp drive panel. "The engines," she blurts to Lt. Graham, pointing, then expresses herself more clearly to be heard over the communicator. "We see the controls for the warp drive."

Of course recognizing controls and knowing how to use them are two different matters. Lt. Vielar might have been speaking Uwat herself for all the use Kylah can make of the technological terms. Swallowing, she continues, "Lt. Vielar, Yorktown, what--what do you recommend?"

If the panel is easy enough to understand that she can simply lower the speed slowly, she will do so. But if not, she has no idea what to do; perhaps Lt. Graham can comprehend them?

[stolz]

Mäkeläinen does not know his warp drives, but he realizes that thing could be leaking subspace radiation harmless to Uwat but devastating to certain other individuals. Had it not given him the boak every time it activated? Should he really be standing this close to it? At least now he can narrow down what they are dealing with, information that will help Lt. Rangin, and the Chalnoth... should they make it out of here.

Ten minutes? Is that enough time for an emergency shutdown? One that will not leak even more unknown radiation? He wishes he had his medical tricorder. He lets Lt. Vielar work, staying out of the compartment for now. He bites his tongue and keeps the comms clear for the others. If the helm controls work, perhaps emergency procedures will not be necessary. However, if the helm controls are truly reliable at this time, why are they careering towards a star instead of anchored where they started?

[general_urko]

"Good work," Graham says quickly to Kylah. He looks at the control: is it similar to the shield control? Is it possible to deduce that moving things in the same direction might be "more" or "less" like the navigation shield control?

[Elendil's Heir]

Vielar flexes her wings in frustration and says, "It's going to take me a lot more than ten minutes to figure all this out." She is at least able to confirm, with her Engineering tricorder, that there is no radiation risk.

Kylah is now able to think through what most of the Uwat controls say, and Graham, with her help, is then able to use his piloting skills in flying the ship. With just under four minutes before the ship plunges into the star, and with the interior temperature steadily rising, Graham carefully bypasses a Romulan lockout program and turns the Doregg in a wide arc away from FGC-216. The temperature perceptibly begins to drop. The Yorktown makes the turn, as well, and the heavy cruiser keeps pace with the Uwat ship as it heads back into deep space.

[choie]

This time Kylah's wrist wipes actual perspiration away along with her tears, the temperature and stress having wrung her out. With her free hand she clasps Lt. Graham's arm and squeezes it in gratitude. "Thank you, sir. That was excellent maneuvering."

She smiles her relief at St. Croix as well, and, realizing how shaky her body is, eyes the seat designed for an Uwat crew. If she can do so comfortably, she will let herself sit down; if not, she will lean to rest her tense muscles.

From some of Lt. Graham's swiftly muttered remarks as he handled the helm controls, it appears it was the Romulans who locked the Doregg into this deadly course. Kylah shakes her head. She cannot understand their motives. There is likely much to learn back on the ship.

Meanwhile, until they get instructions from the Yorktown, she continues taking deep breaths to calm her heart rate, announcing to the team in the engine room. "Lt. Graham has successfully changed course," she says to the crew. "We are out of immediate danger from the photosphere."

Casting another look at Lt. Graham, she lowers her voice to avoid being heard over the communicator either inside the Doregg or out to the Yorktown. "If I may say so, sir? Lt. Onn would be proud of you."

[stolz]

When Dr. Mäkeläinen understands from the shift in the engine's vibrations and the comms chatter that the course change was successfully effected, if he wipes any perspiration from his brow it must be due to the heat coming out of the engine room.

If that little bit of sabotage was a Romulan ploy to distract the Yorktown and get her off their backs, it seems to have worked like a charm: they must be light years from where they started, and if the Romulans have activated their cloaking device in the meantime, he would not like to bet on the odds of picking them up on long-range sensors, or of catching up to them even if they could.

"Back to Plan A, then?" he asks over the comms, nonchalantly. He even has a clue now concerning what has been affecting the Chalnoth, and can suggest to their afflicted something to block it.

About how close they came to an abrupt demise, he cannot afford to let his thoughts turn that way.

[general_urko]

Graham's response to Kylah's words - "Lt. Onn would be proud of you" - catches in his throat.

"I--I hope so," he says softly.

He exhales and says as much to Kylah as the universe in general. "But I gave the Romulans the benefit of the doubt. Assumed they'd get their job done without unnecessary collateral damage." He frowns. "I was wrong, but thanks to you--we're not. Thank you."

[Elendil's Heir]

Kylah can sit down, and not all that uncomfortably, although the Uwat seats are really not designed for humanoid posteriors.

St. Croix, relieved, returns her smile.

"Well done, Mr. Graham, Mr. Kylah, and everyone aboard the Doregg," says the Captain over the subspace comm channel. "Let's get some more distance from the star. I'll put together a prize crew, and also a Science team to study those still in cryosleep. What else would you like to do over there before returning to the Yorktown?"

[stolz]

"Mäkeläinen here," he speaks into his communicator, "We have a cabin full of ill, ill-tempered, and famished carnivorous diplomatic representatives to beam aboard at your earliest convenience. However, at least one passenger is unaccounted for, status unknown. We need to check on him."

Some of their gear, which was confiscated, could be stowed in any number of places--- it was all standard-issue kit, more or less (he had modified the medical tricorder to his personal specifications, of course, and, presumably, the same is true for some of the others' equipment, but nothing worth going out of their way for if they do not run across it. The prize crew will recover it.

[general_urko]

Graham's first thought is that there is nothing more he'd like to get off this ship and...

...and check on Nia.

Is that right when he has a wife and son waiting for him?

He asks for - and if he receives - a ship-wide channel, says "This is Lt. Graham, ranking Security officer onboard. This ship is under the protection--and control--" He's tempted to say "passenger" in the singular, but doesn't, but does emphasize "control." "Of Starfleet. You will declare yourselves peacefully to Starfleet personnel immediately."

[Elendil's Heir]

St. Croix is able, using her tricorder, to find the confiscated Starfleet accoutrements of your party in a storage closet not far from the Bridge. It all appears to be intact and in good shape, including Dr. Mäkeläinen's Medical tricorder.

Graham is put through by Thalen. After a few seconds, someone else comes over the shipwide comm system. A male voice says, "I'm here. I don't want any trouble." Kylah recognizes the voice of the lone passenger she spoke to earlier.

[choie]

Kylah types a text message to Lt. Thalen via her communicator, wishing to be tactful regarding the human. She describes their earlier interaction and suggests gentle treatment, given his querulous state when she spoke to him this morning. Only this morning! Her head shakes in disbelief.

Perhaps we might add to our announcement reassurance about the provision of good food and comfort suitable to their tastes, as well as the fact that we will assist them in getting to their intended destinations with all due speed. The Chalnoth are best handled with strength, we have learned, but after our ordeal, even they might appreciate hospitality and efficiency.

She lifts her communicator and shows the message to Lt. Graham, not wanting to make such a suggestion without his approval--especially since she has had no luck in her previous attempted discussions with either the stranger or the Chalnoth.

[stolz]

"Ens. Kylah, could you please patch me through, or relay the message? ... This is Dr. Mäkeläinen of Starfleet Medical. We are providing all passengers medical treatment, food, drink, and refreshment, and any other accommodations they may require."

Bloke is--- well, was--- probably waiting for us to leave him alone. "Kylah, tell him this ship is not going where he thought it was, due to force majeure," he asks her on the communicator channel. "We are here to help, but he will have to take that up with the Captain."

He looks at Vielar, then Rawlings, and the others he nearly joined in fiery death. "After all this is over, anyone wants to join me for Glasgow Hullstrippers, I'm buying."

[general_urko]

"Well, that's good to hear," Graham says in response to the passenger's voice. "Sit down in the hallway with your hands clearly visible, and Starfleet personnel will shortly come ensure there's no trouble to be had, all around."

He glances at Kylah's text. Suddenly, he's wearied in a deep way: we just came close to losing Nia. I just came close to leaving Marala a widow--again. And--

He takes a breath. I'm not sure which I was more worried about.

Nonetheless, he forces as a smile. "Yet more good work, Ensign," he says, clear-headed at least on that score. "We might say something about respecting their honestly and strength compared to the treacherous Uwat and Romulans." He authentically laughs a little. "Without laying it on too thick..."

[choie]

Surprised by Dr. Mäkeläinen's assertiveness, Kylah nevertheless nods to herself in impressed agreement with his words, and with Lt. Graham's as well. She hastily types up the combined changes, including Lt. Graham's remarks about honesty vs. the Romulans/Uwat, and sends them off to Lt. Thalen for his and Captain Singh's approval.

(She does not wish to risk communicating directly to those aboard the ship without permission--the Captain may have specific plans to handle the passengers, not to mention getting them to wherever they need to be. Kylah would not wish to promise something they cannot deliver.)

She is pleased that the Lt. Graham has found her suggestion satisfactory, though she senses a depletion in energy from him that matches her own--exceeds it, really. He is certainly dealing with far more than they all bargained for what was supposed to be a simple escort journey. Her eyes meet his with an encouraging, sympathetic glance before returning to look at her panel.

If the Yorktown approves, Kylah will patch the delayed recording she made of Dr. Mäkeläinen through to the Doregg's comms so he can be heard directly, and will relay the rest from Lt. Graham, along with any changes conveyed by the ship. (Did the human's reply indicate his location? If not, Kylah will also add a gentle request for him to let them know where he is, so they may escort him to safety. A name would also be a boon.)

Then she exhales, sitting back to relax her muscles as best she can given any conflicts between her soft, malleable flesh and the seats, which are more appropriate for the Uwat's rigid, exoskeleton-like form.

[Elendil's Heir]

Vielar and Rawlings both chuckle at Dr. Mäkeläinen's offer. Rawlings says, "That sounds very good to me. I'd be glad to take you up on it. Thanks, Doc."

Thalen approves the suggested changes to the message, and sends it. After a minute or so, the previously-unseen passenger's cabin door opens and he emerges. You see that he is a balding, dark-skinned Human of medium build, apparently in his fifties or early sixties, clad in a tasteful dark suit. He sits down in the corridor with his hands clearly visible, as ordered.

[stolz]

After Vielar finishes things up [assuming she does not stay behind] and Dr. Mäkeläinen's party makes its way back and sights the final passenger, the Doctor does not act overly familiar, yet does seem at ease, as though he had been expecting this mysterious stranger all along. He is quite aware that he himself is being obtrusively escorted by three security officers (and Graham's group, if they arrive, will only amplify that presence) and how that looks, and it does not sit right with him. He will do his best to mitigate things, as much as he can, by treating the stranger with respect and putting him at ease. He approaches him as if meeting a friend.

While they speak, he assesses the man with his usual critical eye, noticing if anything seems wrong, if the man seems injured, but also signs more subtle. "Hello, I am Doctor Mäkeläinen," he introduces himself. Extending a hand to shake will be awkward if the man is still sitting on the ground. "Please, get up," he implores if that is the case, "I do not know exactly how they phrased things over the intercom, but you are our guest, and we are to extend you every courtesy. This is my friend Mr. Rawlings; he works security. We boarded at Ollos. The others from the Yorktown, I am still getting to know, so it is better if I let them introduce themselves."

[choie]

While Kylah awaits instructions, she peers once more at the panels around her on the Bridge. Whatever steps are required to assist Lt. Graham and the ship's crew back on the Yorktown in preparing the Doregg for boarding or transporting or unfreezing the captives or whatever else is next, Kylah is supremely grateful for the chance to study the controls with greater care, no longer through the tunnel vision of desperation and fear. At least she can explain the basics of what the various options are.

"Sir," she says to Lt. Graham while studying, "if the cryo technology has instructions that require translation, I might be of use there, too. Although perhaps by that time, the U.T. will be able to compile whatever data it has on the Uwat language to send to the engineers' tricorders."

Kylah pulls her sleeves back down, now that the air has cooled significantly after their near-brush with the photosphere, and lowers her voice. "I suppose we have duties yet to perform here, but I hope we will be able to return to the ship without too much delay. I am anxious for a status update on Velir. Lt. Rangin," she corrects hurriedly, though she doubts the need for formality at this point. "He looked so very...weak."

[Elendil's Heir]

The man rises and says to Dr. Mäkeläinen and the others, "Thank you. I'm glad to know there's someone to provide security. I would strongly prefer not to face the Chalnoth alone again."

Ens. Russell stares at him for a moment and then blurts out, "You're Hrothgar Quinn, aren't you?"

The man smiles thinly and bows his head. "The same."

At once Dr. Mäkeläinen remembers him: Hrothgar Germanicus Quinn, the Deneva billionaire, missing now for, what? Two months? Three? Quinn had abruptly disappeared one night from his palatial estate, leaving his vast business empire behind without a word as to where he was going, or why. After an initial investigation by the Denevan planetary authorities, no foul play had been suspected, but his disappearance had turned Federation commerce on its ear. The doctor is sure there are many who would dearly love, and pay considerable sums, to know where Quinn is at this very moment.