Episode 4: When It Rains... Part IV

Mozg Nov 3 2003, 08:34 PM	Lattrel Ottel – Jalaly The Jalaly came out of warp just on the edge of Sector Meck. This was the place where Balahovitt had received their last transmission from Mkrdij. Ottel, Glott and Shani looked silently through the ship’s enormous frontal window, searching for any kind of a sign. The scene in front of them, however, was not very promising. Just above a long asteroid belt, they could see debris left from a somewhat recent fight. Ottel easily recognized the pieces of Mkrdij’s ship, a large section of which still remained somewhat intact. “Is that the ship’s central processor?” he asked himself out loud. “I think it is.” He accessed the panel in front of him and initiated a scan of the debris. “Yes! It is the CP,” he said excitedly. “Shani, can you try to access it?” “On it.” With a few clicks she managed to get the ship’s flight record on the display. “There,” she said. “Every action performed and recorded by the ship in the last hour of its existence.” She isolated the most recent occurrences and brought them closer for a review. Both Ottel and Glott joined her, going through every little bit of information available, including info on the ship that attacked Mkrdij. “Cardassian?” Shani asked. “I doubt they would have come this far into Federation space.” “The configuration is Cardassian, right,” Glott deducted, “but there’s something fishy about it.” If there was one thing Glott was good at, it was his knowledge of starships. He liked to know every weakness and advantage of his possible enemies. “According to Mkrdij’s scans, the ship left the strangest ionic signature. The only way you can get a signature like that, is if you are transporting karahunj, and lots of it.” “Karahunj? Smugglers?” Shani and Ottel simultaneously yelled out. “Of course, only people that use karahunj are us, for the construction of our bases,” Glott continued. “Wait a second. What is this?” He pulled up the last bit of data recorded before the ship’s explosion. “It looks like our friend Mkrdij managed to launch an escape pod.” Everyone’s face lit up for a second. If Mkrdij was able to escape the explosion, then maybe he was alive. “Where is he, then?” Shani asked. “Couldn’t the attackers have picked him up and shot the pod?” “Not necessarily. I don’t think they blew the pod up, otherwise there would be some debris left from it too, and I don’t think they transported him over. They could’ve done it before he launched the pod,” Glott said, thinking about other alternatives. “What the hell happened to it then?” Shani asked once again, “It wasn’t shot down, it wasn’t transported. Did it vanish into thin air? Unless...” As if reading each other’s minds, all three of them went back to their panels. Shani, being the fastest, when it came to computers, was the first to initiate a scan of old Earth radio waves. It was something that every able young smuggler was taught at the smuggling boot camp: Use old communications signals, so that your enemies won’t detect you. A few seconds later they were able to receive a message of help sent by Mkrdij. Shani tracked the signal to its source, a large asteroid just on the outskirt of the belt. “I’ve got him,” she shouted eagerly. “His life signs are very faint, but he’s still alive.” “We’ll beam him over,” Ottel suggested. “It’s a good thing that whoever attacked him, didn’t scan for radio waves.” “We should take him to Balahovitt,” Glott said. “He might need more medical help.” “No. Whoever attacked him might be at Balahovitt. I think it’s better if they think they’ve succeeded. Knowing that we’ve got information on them could force them to be more careful, which would make it harder for us to find them. We’ll take him to 001,” Ottel recommended. “I’ll ask for Hardgrove’s assistance. I want this whole thing to stay as hidden as possible.” With Mkrdij on board, the gyroscopic warp drive of Jalaly, located between its extended wings, stopped revolving, aligning its rings together, and the ship entered warp.
Tucker Nov 3 2003, 09:13 PM	Captain David Major - Garrison's Office Nearly an hour after the weary Captain had trudged through the station to the Admiral's office, the two had finished filling each other in on what happened. "Woah." Awestruck by the situation, that was all Major could manage. Tom nodded. "Woah indeed. And it's not over. Counselor Rasin is still down there. A rescue party is being arranged as we speak." David began to get up from his chair. "I'm going with yo.." "No, you aren't" the Admiral cut him off. "You've been through too much already. You'll report to sickbay for a complete checkup and then to your quarters for some well deserved rest." "But, sir." "This is non-negotiable David. Please don't make me force you to follow my orders. You'll be the first one to be told when we bring Rasin home." David closed his eyes for a brief second and nodded. "Very well, sir. But if there's anything I can do..." "The best thing you can do is get some rest. You're going to have a lot of debriefings to conduct once this whole thing is over." Major smiled. "Yes, sir." He moved to exit the office when David turned around. "Good luck, sir." Had he been closer, he would have noticed Tom's brow furrow when he gave a curt nod. Instead, the Admiral just got back to work. We'll need it...
RMrulz Nov 5 2003, 01:37 AM	Admiral Tom Garrison - Office Tom shut his terminal off, most of the preliminary plans were in place. Now he just had to meet with Drayson. He got up out of his chair and walked out the door. He turned to his right and walked down the suite of executive offices until he came to Drayson's office. He sounded the door chime, and heard a muffled, "Come in," from inside. Walking through the doors, he found Drayson Hardgrove sitting at his desk. "Tom, what can I do for you?" he asked. "I assume you know what I'm planning for later today," Tom said. Drayson sat back in his chair, looking thoughtful. "Oh, you mean the rescue attempt you, Tanik, and Sonal are going to carry out this evening? I was wondering when you would come to me about it." "How did you know I would—" Tom started, but was cut off by Drayson. "Oh please, Tom. I sent you that information, remember? Why do you think I sent it. I knew you would do this, I want to do it, and I needed your help." "So why not just ask me outright?" Drayson smiled. "That's not how I work." Tom just sighed. Intelligence Officers, he muttered to himself. "Okay, fine. Whatever. Anyway, I need your help to do this." "I know you do. I've assembled a team of ten men to help you in the raid. I understand you've changed your mind and decided to go with a full frontal assault..." Tom didn't even bother to ask how he knew that. He didn't want to know. "So I'm working on getting another ten. They should be ready within the hour. I've also acquired two shuttles for you to use. One will be a decoy. You'll use that one to get-away, but right as you cross through the radiation belts of the Earth's upper atmosphere, you'll all transport to a second, cloaked shuttle. They'll never be able to find you." Tom just sat there for a minute, absorbing it all. He knew he shouldn't be surprised by all this, but he still found it amazing just how far Drayson's resources and contacts extended. As Fleet Admiral, Tom prided himself on having a vast number of resources and contacts available to him. But compared to Drayson, he had almost nothing. "Well..." he said finally. "I guess you've given this some thought. Let's talk specifics of the plan, how to proceed, the layout of the building, etc. If I'm going to lead this rescue, I want to know where I'm going once I'm in the building." The two men brought up schematics of Starfleet Medical and began going over plans.
Omega Nov 5 2003, 09:26 PM	Captain Maxwell Sumit Tink, tink, tink... tink, tink... tink, tink, tink, tink... Sumit could hear the sound of metal boots moving towards his position. He just didn't know what direction they were coming from. It was too hard for him to concentrate, as he was still disoriented from the jump. He glanced out the window to notice Federation troops in combat, buildings either burning or being destroyed. The sky above him was being lit up by phaser blasts and torpedoes. Tink, tink... tink, tink, tink, tink, tink... tink... He rested his hand against the metal doorframe and glared down the hallway, but with the only light being from nearby explosions, he could only see things periodically. For a brief moment, he was reminded of his childhood days when his house would be powerless and only illuminated by the nearby flashes of lightning. "Over here." Sumit kneeled down and moved behind a desk. The entire room was a mess. The viewscreen was in shambles, tables were overturned, and blood stained the walls. The only thing that was seemingly intact, was the window. But with the fighting moving closer, it wouldn't be long before this building was attacked. As the footsteps got closer, the voices became louder. Sumit ducked in behind the shadows and peered out from a corner of the fallen desk. He slowed his breathing and raised his phaser rifle. He stared at the doorway and refrained from blinking. "Find anything?" "No. For a moment I was reading a temporal surge... but, nothing now." "It was probably due to an explosion from the outside." "Perhaps. We should continue on our patrol."   U.S.S. Enterprise-R, Sumit's quarters "Captain. Captain, please respond." Sumit raised his head from the confines of his bed sheets. He glared around the room with a haze in his eyes and became fixated on the empty bottle of rum at the foot of his bed. "Captain Sumit." "Go ahead," he responded as he tapped a small panel on the headboard of his bed. "Sir, we are receiving a priority one message from Starfleet Command." Rubbing his neck with his left hand, Sumit replied, "Patch it through." He pulled himself out of bed and stood before his personal viewscreen in nothing but a pair of boxers. As the screen flashed on, there appeared a very shocked looking Admiral Carter. "Did I catch you at a bad time, Captain?" "Not really," Sumit muttered as he looked around the room. "You aren't looking well, Max. Are you still having the dreams?" Pausing for a moment, Sumit raised his head. "No." "In either case," began the Admiral, "we need you to turn the Enterprise around and bring her back to Earth." "With all due respect, Admiral, we were just there three days ago." "Five, actually. Has the war been that tough, or has the rum been going down easier, lately?" Sumit shot back with an angered look on his face. "What the hell do you want?" "We want the Enterprise back in our solar system. You'll be the sole ship assigned to protect Earth and Starbase 001. Others will be in the area, but your prime duty will only be to those two installations." "I'm needed more out here." "Listen, Captain, I don't care whether you go on duty still hung over, but while you command the Enterprise, you'll be under my jurisdiction. I'll see you in day. Admiral Carter out." The screen flashed off and Sumit cursed under his breath. "Commander Eidos," announced the Captain as he tapped the wall console. "Set a course for Earth. Maximum speed." "Aye, sir." Sumit turned and leaned over to pick up the empty bottle. He stood there for a moment, closed his eyes and thought back to the tinking noises. His thoughts were only broken when he heard the bottle smash and blood dripped from his hand onto the floor.
Mozg Nov 6 2003, 02:22 AM	Lattrel Ottel – Jalaly “There,” Glott began. “We’re in the region. I still don’t get why you didn’t want us to get closer to 001.” “I have my reasons, Glott.” Ottel addressed Shani, “I need you to contact someone with these codes.” He tapped six buttons on the panel. She got to work. Starbase 001 - Hardgrove’s office “That’s just one of the back entrances, used mostly by maintenance,” Garrison pointed to a section on the SF Medical plans. “Then...” Hardgrove’s words were cut short when his combadge suddenly chirped. “Hardgrove here.” “Captain! This is Ottel.” He paused for a second, then, “I need assistance.” Garrison looked up from the plans with a quizzical stare directed at Hardgrove, who noticed that look and moved slowly to the edge of the room. “This isn’t really the best time, Ottel,” he said somewhat annoyed, putting the emphasis on the name. “It’s urgent. I need a doctor immediately,” Ottel stressed the importance of the situation. “All right, go ahead,” Hargrove hesitantly agreed. “I would like to have someone transported to your ship's infirmary, if possible.” “What! Where are you?” “Look, Captain. Time is of the essence. I promise I will explain later. All I ask is that you have your ship transport someone straight to the Infirmary. Tell them to target Nausicaan lifesigns,” Ottel requested, “I will transmit the coordinates straight to them.” “No problem,” Hardgrove wanted to finish this as fast as possible. “Hardgrove to the Gambit!” “Ensign Ballack here, sir. How may I be of assistance?” “Ensign, you will receive a transmission of coordinates shortly. Have the transporter chief transport a Nausicaan directly to the Infirmary. He needs to be taken care of. Clear?” “Right away, sir!” Ballack responded. “In fact we’re receiving the transmission now.” “Good,” Hardgrove finished up with the Gambit. “Ottel, you still there?” “Yes, Captain. Thank you.” Mkrdij dematerialized in front of his eyes. “I am in your debt. We shall talk when I get back in a few hours.” “Yeah. Glad I could help,” Hardgrove responded. What was that all about? “I’ll see you later, Mr. Lattrel.” “Till then, Captain,” Ottel said. “Oh, and you may call me Councilor. Ottel out.” Councilor, Hargrove thought. What? “Who the hell was that?” Garrison asked. He pretended not to pay attention through the whole conversation. “You’ll know soon enough, admiral,” he answered. “All in due time.” Garrison didn’t even bother to ask more. He had learned to live with this side of Hardgrove.
Omega Nov 6 2003, 06:24 AM	Captain Maxwell Sumit - U.S.S. Enterprise-R, Sumit's quarters As he slid into his uniform, he couldn't help but to think of the dreams. It was beginning to take its toll on him and he realized that. The sleepless nights, the cold sweats and the addiction. All because of one single incident. Moving over to his desk, he opened a drawer and pulled out a silver container that housed a hypospray. Sumit removed a small cylinder from it replaced it with a new one - once finished, he raised the hypospray to his neck and injected himself. He kept his eyes closed during the whole process, attempting to ignore the fact his body was slowly becoming dependent on these drugs.   Jump Glancing down at an armband, he realized he had only another thirty minutes before he was brought back. He began to doubt how he would accomplish his mission. Romulan forces had apparently swarmed the Command Complex and from the look of the outside, Starfleet forces were slowly dwindling down. He moved down the corridor, one that was scattered with debris and the occasional dead body - sometimes Romulan, but more than not, it was human. Sumit glanced over the railing of the second floor and peered down into the lobby. He could see several Romulans walking around guarding the entrance. Sumit quietly moved down another corridor. He stood before one of the doors. It was closed and not recognizing his presence. With the lack of power flowing through most of the systems, he realized he may have to do this manually. The doors slowly opened as Sumit pushed his body against the door frame. He moved down the steps onto the main level, where he appeared to be in one of the building's science labs. It seemed to be in relatively decent condition, considering the mess the rest of the area was. To Sumit's relief, there was a console still with power. He moved over to it and tapped the sleek contours of its design. As the outside explosions seemingly became louder, Sumit dove deeper into Starfleet Command's database, pulling up any information about the war. His eyes became fixated on the screen when he saw the name of an officer who he use to serve with, an Admiral Tom Garrison. U.S.S. Enterprise-R, Sickbay "Please state the nature of the medical emergency," announced Doctor Eugene Vant who routinely poked fun at his dislike for EMH's. Sumit raised the silver container. "I need more. Something stronger this time." With a look of concern, Dr. Vant responded, "Sir, give your body time to adjust to the new dosage. It will work. Raising the level higher won't do anyone any good." "I'm still having the dreams." "Don't you mean, flashbacks?" Vant replied hazily. "Just give me more, Doctor. Just give me more." Grudgingly, Vant followed his orders.
RMrulz Nov 6 2003, 01:27 PM	Admiral Tom Garrison - Starbase 001, Conference room Tom looked around at the faces gathered before him. Tanik sat next to him, Sonal on the other side, and about 20 other people he didn't recognize sat around the table. Every one of them, Tom included, were dressed in all black, standard atire for any covert operation. He had no idea who the rest of the people sitting around the table were. He didn't know where Drayson had gotten them from. And to be honest, he didn't want to know either. Speaking of Drayson, Tom thought to himself. I'm not surprised to see that he's not here. Always the 'behind-the-scenes' man. Tom stood up, and moved to a large holoscreen affixed to one of the walls. "I think you all know why you're here. You all know why Rasin is being held. You know what information he found out. And you all feel exactly as I do. That this sort of behavior goes completely against what the Federation is all about. I won't stand for it, and you're sitting in this room because you won't either." There were murmurs of agreement from around the table. "You have all had a few hours to review the plan which has been established. But to summarize briefly, we will all land in the first shuttle, the second will remain cloaked in orbit. We'll be walking in right through the main lobby, shoot anyone that interferes. Remember, phasers on heavy stun, we want them knocked out for as long as possible, but not killed. We will use subspace implosion devices, provided by Mr. Sonal here, to get through the security doors into the psychiatric ward. From there, we'll have to split up to search for Rasin since we weren't able to find out exactly where he is being held. Teams A, B, and C will search for Rasin, Team D will disable the inhibitor fields. That way, once he's found we can all beam back to the shuttle. We'll head for orbit, and at the exact moment that all sensors monitoring us will be disrupted by the Van Allen Radiation Belts, we'll mass transport to the cloaked shuttle. Any questions?" He looked around the room, he could read the same question in the face of every person present. What happens after that? None of them asked it, because they knew he didn't have an answer. "Good. I will lead team A. Tanik and Soval will accompany me. The rest of you will decide among yourselves who is assigned to what team, and who the team leaders will be. I want a full report on each team within the hour. We will meet in the shuttlebay in 90 minutes for departure. Dismissed." Without waiting for the rest of them to even stand up, Tom turned and walked out of the room. What the hell am I about to do? He asked himself.
Hawku Nov 6 2003, 10:19 PM	Lieutenant Rune Sith - Sith's quarters The Lieutenant sat, slumped in his recliner. All was good. But that wasn't the expression on his face. A face of inactivity. No life. A face of the past. Zeta was busy elsewhere in the quarters in his own interest, when Sith's door was banged on a couple times by an angry fist. "Sith! Get out here now!" It was K'Rak's voice. Sith hadn't answered his comm calls. Zeta quickly scurried to the door lock and opened it. In the glaring doorway, stood the commanding Klingon warrior who took this sight of this pathetic human on the couch. K'Rak's anger faded. "You... are unfit for duty," was his observation. K'Rak then made a decision, in this case, not to get involved. K'Rak walked away and the doors closed. Sith remained unbuged. "Gghh!!" He widened his eyes as if waking from a trance. Hours had passed. Above him stood Master Shikel. The old Vulcan with a cane. "Captain?" Sith got up with energy, dazed and confused. Shikel held out his hand. "I sensed a great deal of stress from you." "This isn't your quarters. Who the hell let you in?" Sith then glanced at Zeta who scurried away in shame. He looked over at Shikel for a response. Years of wisdom lay in his wrinkled face. "I will help you. Come with me." Shikel lead Sith out into the corridor. "But— Ggrrggh." Corridors Sith followed, despite protest, unable to argue. Most people who hated their elders had a deep seeded anger, layered with meaning and past. Sith had some of that, but his anger was more superficially placed. Shikel was just annoying to him. Too blunt. They stopped before a smaller holodeck. Shikel took out a Neural Synaptic Wave Interface device, a small blinking piece of technology designed to click onto your temple. "Therapy?" Sith crossed his arms in defense. "I'd rather wait until the new Councilor arrives. She's supposed to be here in two days." "Mah-hinnn-deg!!" Shikel raised his voice in Vulcan. Sith had no idea what it meant. "No!" He turned and crossed his arms in anger. Shikel opened the holodeck doors. "This is for your own good." Sith turned and stepped up to his old Master. "You don't understand. I was trapped in that fake reality." His voice toned of statement. "The last time I was in there, I almost died. Starfleet Training? What is that? You don't learn anything without first hand experience. That's not real and, as such, it can't help you. I don't intend on going back. I don't trust it. I don't intend on stepping into a holographic environment ever again." And with that, Sith walked off. Leaving the aging Captain, for once, undignified. Lorenzo's quarters Ensign Lorenzo lay unconscious on the floor. "Are you ready?" Forbes asked pacing. He stopped to where Matrix stood in the centre of the room. Matrix was focused. He was extending his telepathic range within space and thought. "I'm ready." Forbes replied, "Good! Find that pesky human and find out where his quarters are. If you want, destroy his mind. But I want that Omicronian!!" Matrix began. Deck 13 Sith stopped in his tracks and stood there with a vacant expression on his face. In a trance, his mind fell back into regression. Matrix had him, but had no idea what he was getting into. Valakis Matrix could see everything. Sith stood on a hill over looking Thavilli, an expanded village-like city, most of which was in ruins. The Alliance vessel sat in the dark cloudy sky, firing phasers at swarming Federation fighters. Just as before. What the hell is this?? Matrix looked around confused.
Omega Nov 8 2003, 02:05 PM	Captain Maxwell Sumit - Medical Bay As Doctor Vant passed over the refilled container, he gave his unwanted concern over the continual usage of the medicine. Sumit was under orders not to go into great detail about the reasons behind the need for the drug, but over the course of the past few weeks, he explained some of the sleepless nights to his doctor. The medical doctors at Starfleet Command fabricated a logical excuse to make the need for the drug necessary - it wasn't an illegal substance, just one that is rarely used on a continuous basis. And, for the time being, it was the only thing that was easing Sumit's pain.   Jump Sumit tapped the console quickly. He was hacking deeper into the system's database attempting to uncover any information that would ultimately prove useful against their attempted fight. Throughout this whole process, Sumit never really understood why Starfleet chose him for this mission. He was more of a military strategist than anything. But, in their defense, they had no idea what or when he would appear, thus making having someone more versatile that much more important. He came across the tactical database which depicted several enemy ships. Sumit began downloading them into a small portable device he had brought with him. Starfleet wasn't sure how much of the information would be brought back in Sumit's return, but they figured, at this point, anything obtained would prove useful. Tapping the console once again, Sumit instructed it to download choice personnel databases, various ingoing and outgoing communications, tactical positioning's of both Starfleet and enemy ships, and various key incidents that have happened over the years. U.S.S. Enterprise-R "ETA until Earth?" Sumit announced as he stepped onto the bridge. The helm officer, an Ensign Alyssa Reid, turned. "It'll still be another two hours, sir." Turning to his first officer, Sumit explained that he would be in his office working on some reports until then and how he'd prefer not to be disturbed unless absolutely necessary. Truth was, Sumit needed time to calm down his nerves as he was slightly concerned that all this was a trick in order to get him back to Earth to be used in another 'unethical' mission. Sumit always believed that the preservation of the Federation must be upheld, but also believed that the fabric of time is something that should not be tampered with. He began thinking about a name he had seen on the console, Admiral Garrison, and whether the upcoming events were something he should help support. It was tough. He was sitting there fully aware of what could happen, yet didn't believe that anything he did would be helpful. Sumit had been involved in the first mission, but there was no way that anyone could ever make him become involved in the second. As unethical as the first one was, the second one would prove to be far more worse than what anyone could imagine. He stared out his office window and muttered, "Corruption, praised when the outcome is good, shunned when the outcome is bad."
Hawku Nov 10 2003, 10:56 PM	Lieutenant Rune Sith The hover vehicle sped along over the dusty roadway in Thavili. Inside, were the family Sith had ran into. He hadn't any plan in mind for them, just as long as they were safe. Beside Sith, sat Matrix. "Who are you?" Sith asked, irritably, as if it was only partially a big deal. "I'm stuck in your memory, that's who I am!" Matrix frustrated. "What?" Sith was more focused on his mission than anything. "I don't get it. Something traumatic must've happened to you for your mind to be projecting this above anything else," the Lethean speculated. Sith glanced out the window. There, in the sky, the battle raged on. But something was missing. One of the fighters. He quickly checked his tricorder and located a second downed fighter. "Avel." With a harsh turn of the hover vehicle, they dodged broken buildings and headed for the fallen soldier. In no time, the transport slowed to approached the crashed Starfleet fighter. Part of it was flaming. Matrix spoke again, "I was just supposed to scan your mind; not get trapped in it!" He shook his head. "Normally, I could escape this, but your sense of urgency is much too powerful." Sith opened the hatch and jumped out onto the street. In the distance, down the hill of the landscape, was an army of Gorn. They had beamed down to this part of town to break into Valakian homes so they could destroy any operating transporter inhibiters. Anyone who fought back were to be killed. But this situation was different. In the middle of the dusty road, they were crowded together, trying to fight someone. A single man. Avel. "Avel!" Sith gasped. He ran and took a good glimpse of the situation. Matrix stood beside him. Below was a human, spin-kicking and swiping a bat'leth across Gorn after Gorn. "Avel was the most amazing fighter I'd ever met," Sith told Matrix. "He graduated the Academy with honours in Shaolin Combat." Matrix took a glimpse at the fight below. "He is quick and maneuverable." Sith began walking towards the fight. "The Gorn are the most difficult physical adversaries in the quadrant and he's handling them like they're paper. Avel knows more than eighteen styles. We were pretty good friends, until—" Sith stopped himself at the thought of it. Instead of dealing with that, he quickly ran down, pulling out a phaser. Shots were fired at Gorn; one down after the other. They returned distrupter fire, prompting Sith to dive behind a parked hover vehicle. It seemed Avel was able to predict every disrupter blast before it was fired, as he appeared to maneuver each shot with ease. Matrix was beside Sith. "How can anyone move like that?" In the background, Avel was flipping and slicing his bat'leth into more and more Gorn. Sith tapped his commbadge. "Sith to Avel. I'm behind the vehicle at your 9 o'clock." Sith then turned to Matrix. "Avel always carried a bat'leth with him. His is modified to absorb most disrupter and phaser fire. He always believed that hand-to-hand combat was at the heart of his Calamarine." "His what?" Matrix asked. "Avel here! I'm— kind of— busy!" Breaking flesh and bones could be heard over the comm. "I just scanned the Alliance vessel. Its engines are starting to produce high levels of Thalaron radiation," Sith reported. "It's the atmosphere." Avel force-pinned his fingers into a Gorn neck. "It's not co-operating with their engines." "It's also blocking any comm signals to the other fighters. I can't warn them unless I'm closer." "Mine is still usable. We can take it back up there and stop the fighting before it's too late." A Gorn was torn into and the communications cut out. Sith looked over to the group. Avel was still alive and active. He then turned to Matrix. "I have come to steal your Omicron spider," Matrix admitted, straight-forwardly. Sith shrugged his shoulders, dismissively. "Zeta? I don't meet him for another year." An energy blast knocked a Gorn flying into the vehicle. Glass shattered over their heads. "What in the name of any gods was that?" Matrix stood up to look, confused. Sith turned and continued firing. "That was Avel's attack. You see, all those who have studied Shaolin have a Calamarine." Sith ran out and towards the Gorn. He blasted phasers like crazy, knocking two Gorn out. Then a large disrupter pulse flew for him after he hid behind a Vakalian medical structure. "It's a small hint of energy passed down by the Shaolin teacher to his students." Sith continued. Matrix stood near him. "Not only humans have this, but many species throughout the galaxy who are masters of certain fighting techniques." "I've heard of this. In ancient times, this energy was once a free willing species itself." Matrix replied. "A Cal is a sacred thing. It becomes a part of one. It grows with one," he recited from past teachings. Then he stopped explaining things and started feeling sad. "Avel had so much potential. He would've made a great teacher." Blurred in the background was Avel's battle, thinning out the number of Gorn. Sith turned and focused. There was Avel jabbing his bat'leth into the shoulder of one of the bigger Gorn. That Gorn in turn, pulled out the bat'leth and slammed its sharp edge into Avel's side. "Nooo!!" Sith erupted in re-lived pain. He ran out, leaping over dead Gorn bodies and caught his friend before he hit the ground. Blood trickled to the dirt. "Avel!" Avel tried to speak but, instead, died. Matrix stood there, watching, and invisible to the Gorn. "Behind you," he warned as a big Gorn approached Sith. "Yyyaarrgh!" Out of sheer impassioned loss, Sith pulled the bat'leth out of Avel and stabbed it into the Gorn's stomach. He, too, now felt death and that Gorn fell to his knees. Matrix watched. "This Calamarine. Do you have one as well?" Downtown A flash occurred all around them and Sith found himself standing in a different part of town, empty and cold. Before them, a small ball of energy was floating in mid air. "Yes." Sith stared at it. Matrix approached it, sensing its strength. "This is what will take me out of your mind." He understood its freedom from the physical realm. "Then what are you waiting for?" Sith asked. Matrix placed his hand into the energy, his doorway out, but paused. "Now I know what plagues your mind." He shook his head. "The death of your friend. You tried to save him." Sith processed this, once again. His hand started shaking in fear. Then his arm. "No." Sith grabbed his arm still, controlling his self for just a second. "There's one more thing that happened." But before Matrix could respond, a flash occurred from the energy near him. Lorenzo's quarters Matrix opened his eyes, now free from the danger, brought back to his salvation. "Well? What did you find out?" Forbes asked, paying close attention to Matrix. "Let's get that spider." "No!" Matrix replied. "It is not that important." "What are you talking about? It's our payday!" Matrix grabbed Forbes and shoved him against the wall in anger. All the times Forbes told him what to do, he should have stood up for himself. This time, would be different. "I said, it is not that important." Forbes stayed quiet. Matrix was rarely angry. "Alright, alright." He adjusted his clothing and walked out the room.
RMrulz Nov 11 2003, 01:57 AM	Admiral Tom Garrison - Shuttlecraft Tom looked over the team crowded into the Earthbound shuttle. They were all sitting silently, each holding the state-of-the-art phaser rifles provided by Hardgrove. Tom had never seen this particular weapon design before, they must've been brand new. He didn't want to think about how Drayson had gotten his hands on them. He took a closer look at each member of the team, scanning all of their faces. They were a bit nervous, but you couldn't tell from a casual look at them. They were seasoned veterans. They knew how to put aside their emotions when they needed to. But Tom knew how to recognize the subtle signs and they were there. Hell, I'm just as nervous. We're about to stage an armed attack on Starfleet Medical. Who wouldn't be? The entire ride down to the surface, nobody spoke. There was no reason to, they all knew what they were about to do. They all knew the consequences of their actions. They all knew they were doing what had to be done. Tom glanced at the holo control PADD in front of him. The cloaked shuttle was standing by in orbit, awaiting their return. There was nothing left to do but land and begin the operation. Tom tapped a few floating buttons and the shuttle set down right in the courtyard of Starfleet Medical. Looking outside, he saw it was just past twilight; not yet completely dark, but dark enough so that everything was hidden in shadows. He looked at the team one more time. "All right. This is it. There's no turning back now. Let's go!" He shouted as he hit the button to open the door. They all poured out from the shuttle: Tom in the lead and Tanik right behind him. They sprinted across the courtyard, drawing nervous glances from the people walking outside. Tom was the first to reach the entrance and the lone security guard looked up in surprise to see about 20 figures dressed entirely in black running towards him with phaser rifles pointing his way. He started to reach for his weapon, but a phaser blast sent him to the ground, unconscious. Tom looked behind him, startled. Tanik still had his weapon raised, his hand still on the trigger. "No time to hesitate," was all he said. Tom nodded. At this point they had to do whatever was necessary. With Tom still leading, they poured into the lobby of Starfleet Medical. There were startled shouts from the people in the lobby. Tom immediately pointed his weapon at the first security guard he saw and fired. The others did the same, and within seconds every one of them was on the ground before they even knew what was happening. The room was suddenly filled with the screams of people as they started to panic and there was suddenly a mad rush towards the door. Tom let them go. There were just too many to shoot. Within moments, the entire lobby was clear of people. They moved to the security doors which connected to the high-security wards of the complex. Tanik and Sonal pulled explosives out of bags they were carrying and placed them on the corners of the doors. Everybody took a step back, and Tanik pushed a button on a small device he was carrying. With almost no sound or smoke and only a small flash of light, the entire door simply vaporized. Tom turned back and looked at the officers. "Teams B and C, take your search routes and begin looking for Rasin. Team D, find and shut off the transport inhibitor. Team A, you're with Sonal, Tanik, and me. We're searching for Rasin as well. Move out!" Everybody filed through the now open doorway and headed off in different directions. Everything had gone smoothly so far. These were highly trained officers. But Tom only got three steps down the corridor when an alarm began to sound. This place will be swarming with security officers in minutes. Now is when the hard part starts.
Omega Nov 11 2003, 09:56 AM	Captain Maxwell Sumit - U.S.S. Enterprise-R "Captain, we've arrived at Earth." "On my way," he replied. Standing up from his Ready Room desk, he tapped the console to turn off the display. He then moved onto the Bridge, glancing over at the precious blue planet on the viewscreen. He turned to one of his officers. "Raise Starfleet Command." The viewscreen flashed and an image of an Admiral appeared. "Captain Sumit. I just heard you pulled in." "Yes, we just arrived." "Good, good. I'll need you to meet me in the council chambers in an hour." "Understood." "Oh, Captain. Before I forget. Your crew is free to dock with the starbase or visit anyone down on Earth. I know you guys have had a hectic few months, so this would be another great time for some quick R&R."   Jump Sumit glanced down at his armband. It indicated that he only had mere minutes left. He began to tap the console, quickly, attempting to access more data that may reveal some sort of weakness that ultimately could be used to turn the tides of the battle. "I think I hear something." Glancing upward, Sumit could see the shadows of two Romulan officers moving in on his position. He raised his phaser and moved a few steps back behind another large console interface. As the two officers entered the room, they stopped at the active console and peered around. Sumit looked at the armband. Seconds left. As the countdown finally reached zero, it made a beeping noise which inadvertently was heard by the Romulans. He stood up, fired his phaser and hit the first Romulan. His body started to dematerialize, but was struck by the pulse blast weapon used by the second Romulan. Sumit cringed as it hit him but, curiously, didn't leave any visible markings. Finally, the Romulan was standing there alone. Sumit vanished. Return "Romulan weapon— hit me." "He needs medical attention," announced an Admiral as he knelt beside Sumit. Another Admiral grabbed the arm of the running officer. "I don't want anyone in here who doesn't have the proper clearance." A few minutes passed and the officer returned with a medical officer who was quickly told by Admiral Carter that anything seen or discussed here was to be off limits to anyone but those in the room. With a quick nod of acknowledgment, the doctor went over to Sumit. "What happened to him?" "He was hurt." "I'm going to need more information than that before I can treat him." Admiral Carter, somewhat hesitant, moved over closer. "He was sent five years into the future. It appears as he was returning back to this time, he was hit by a Romulan weapon. But, oddly, no visible markings." The Doctor injected Sumit with a painkiller. It was all that she could do. "The future? Why?" "It doesn't matter," Sumit announced as he leaned upward. "I'm feeling better." "Only because of the painkiller I gave you." "He'll be fine Doctor," Admiral Carter assured. "You don't understand. I'm no temporal mechanic, but when I scan the Captain, I keep getting faint readings of a disruptor blast throughout most of his chest. All his vital organs are being effected, but it's different from a normal weapon." "What are you saying?" One of the engineering officers stepped forward. "He was shot while being pulled back into our time. The blast must have somehow went into a temporal flux when it struck Captain Sumit. The pain he is feeling may not be the entire blunt of the blast, but more like an echo." "How can we get rid of it?" Sumit asked. "I don't think we can. That blast would have killed you if you received it before you were being brought back," the Doctor replied. "And, the closer this timeline gets to the actual time you were shot, which is roughly 4 years, seven months - the pain will slowly increase until it kills you." Sumit just sat there. Admiral Carter broke the silence. "Alright, let's retrieve that data and begin analyzing it. Doctor, you can look more into Sumit's situation and at the very least, supply him with the proper painkillers. You will also need to come up with some sort of logical medical reason for it to be put into his records." Carter turned to Sumit. "Go grab some R&R. It looks like you need it."
Captain Archer Nov 11 2003, 06:33 PM	Ambassador Michael Larkin - San Francisco tram station Michael finally pulled away from Jen. "I really need to go or I'll miss my transport." She looked up at Michael. "Then you better get going. Next time you take leave, we should go somewhere besides San Francisco... or the Gambit, for that matter." She let out a chuckle. Michael smiled and hugged her once again. "I'll talk to you later, Jen." He walked off towards the shuttle that would take him back to the station. Shuttle Michael's thoughts were pulled out of his daydream when a familiar figure sat down next to him. "Don't do anything stupid, Ambassador. It will just cut short our conversation, and I do wish to speak with you. Just keep looking straight ahead." "What the hell do you want, Telle?" Michael asked, irritated. "All in good time, Michael. First, you listen. The Cardassian Central Command knows all about your little time travel experiments and this is a friendly warning for you to pass on to your superiors: Don't even think about it. If you attempt any further research on this subject, we will consider it an act of war." Michael was confused. "What are you talking about? Time Travel?" Telle turned in his seat Michael did the same, till they were eye to eye. "You may or may not have information on this subject, but I know that whether or not you believe me, you'll still pass this on to your superiors, so just do it." With that, Telle stood up to leave. As he did, he stopped and turned around. "Until next time, Ambassador. I've enjoyed our little chat." He leaned in. "Don't follow me. Don't look for me. You won't find me." He then walked back to the aft section of the transport shuttle. Starbase 001 Michael stepped out of the airlock and hit the comm panel on the wall. "Larkin to Security. I need a team at Airlock 14, on the double." "Acknowledged." Michael watched the people coming off the transport. He didn't see Telle disembark. Michael heard the security team coming down the hall. They came up to him. "Ambassador?" Michael pointed up the airlock to the shuttle. "There is a gentleman still on the shuttle. I want him placed under arrest and confined to the Brig." "Yes, sir. Let's go." The team went up the airlock and Michael followed behind them. "He was in the aft section when I last saw him." Two of the guards stood on either side of the door. They pressed a few controls on the panel and the door opened to an empty aft section. "Clear," the guard called out. "That's not possible," Michael said in disbelief. "Scan the shuttle. He was here." The team moved around the aft section, scanning the area. "Sir, I've found something." The lead guard moved to the officer. "What is it?" Michael asked. The guard looked up at him. "It's a transporter signal; a Cardassian transport signal." Damnit. Michael walked off the shuttle and headed for the Operations Center.
Hawku Nov 11 2003, 10:40 PM	Lieutenant Rune Sith - Deck 13 Sith opened his eyes, awoken from the really strange dream. He had been standing there, without falling. But how long had he been out? He made his way to The Deck to check back in for work. There was Lieutenant VoKaila checking in at the Security Office. The Deck, Security office "Sir, I was just handing Lieutenant Commander K'Rak our report on the transport shuttle." She handed the PADD to Sith in case he wanted to know. "A Cardassian transporter signature was found on shuttle transport Emphany which Ambassador Larkin had been a passenger," K'Rak explained. "I see. Did we get Ops to begin long-range scans of Sector 001?" Sith asked. K'Rak nodded. "Yes. They are continuing them. We've also sent out a few ships. But I have a feeling we won't find anything." He nodded to VoKala. "Thank you, Lieutenant." VoKala left and K'Rak then addressed Sith. "If you will, I would like you to return to duty." Sith began immediately. "I will, sir. But first I have to apolog—" K'Rak raised his hand. "I don't want to hear it." He took out a PADD. "Ensign Lorenzo was found in his Quarters unconscious. He claims he was attacked, but can't remember who did it. You question him. Perhaps find any clues to his attacker." Sith took the PADD. "Aye, sir." Briefing room Lorenzo and Sith took seats at the big table and begun the questioning. "So," Sith asked. "What did you feel after you woke up?" "Well," the interviewee began. "Not completely focused. As if my thoughts were all out of order. It was almost like being brought back from the dead." This was a strange analogy, but Sith went with it. He also hoped his own nerves would slow down. "Sir?" Lorenzo noticed a lag in Sith's attention. "Are you alright?" "Yes, of course," the preoccupied officer suddenly became distracted. "Have you ever felt like a part of you was incomplete?" Lorenzo looked perplexed. "Sir? Did something happen to you?" Sith tried explaining, "Well, you see, this one time, I—" Sith wanted to talk about it but, more importantly, didn't. "Don't worry about it, Ensign." The Deck, Double~Helix Later that night, Sith was at the bar, drinking. It was a busy bar with loud people, laughing and socializing. A bartender brought over two more beers. "Here you go." "Thanks, Hrag," Sith said. He took the first one and gulped a huge portion. VoKaila came out of nowhere and sat beside him. "One bottle not enough for a first round?" she smirked. "Actually, this is my second." He handed her the other bottle. "Please." She took it, happily. "So what's the deal?" "Huh?" VoKaila gave him a look. "Alcoholism isn't exactly part of a martial arts regimen." "Depends on the arts." Sith sipped another. "Let's just put it this way," he began as he raised his drink for a toast, "This goes out to all those who have suffered in any war." She clicked hers to it. "The Federation hasn't been to war in a long time." Her point was valid. "War, no. Skirmishes, yes," Sith reaffirmed. There was a long pause. "So, you want to talk about it?" She asked, venturing into the unknown. Sith knew going there would not be a pleasant basis for a beginning friendship. "No." He shook his head, decidedly. "There's someone else I have to see first." He then gulped another large portion with that thought in mind. Briefing room Captain Shikel had just finished talking to Academy Administrator Nokane from the Academy on Vulcan. Over the past month or so, they had been on the station rearranging course outlines and student assignments based on recent Starfleet starship field data. When another session was over, Nokane left the room. He passed Sith, who entered the Briefing Room still somewhat buzzed from earlier. Shikel neatened the arrangement of the layers of hovering holo-documents above his PADD and then deactivated it. He turned, slowly, knowing Sith was there, and knowing why. "Look, I need to apologize—" Sith was cut off as Shikel raised his hand. "That is unnecessary." Shikel reached into his pocket and took out the neural device. Holoarenas! Sith still didn't trust them. "I can't," he protested. "What if it... malfunctioned?" Shikel approached. "You and K'Rak did apprehend Lieutenant Oswald. Did you not?" "Well, yeah," Sith trailed. "And, further investigation, repairing and precaution has taken place. Has it not?" "No, no. It has." Sith scratched the back of his neck. "Then it is logical to assume the Holoarena will not faulter on the same premise as previously enacted." "What about infinite probability?" Sith recalled an old course he took at the Academy. "As I recall, that course dealt much in holo training." The old man hinted. "You do not agree that all holo training is deficient? Not sufficient enough for real life?" Sith rolled his eyes. "Alright, I get the point." "Good." Shikel paused, holding a long moment before he flung the end of his walking stick towards Sith. He watched the Lieutenant quickly L-shape his left limb and block it with his forearm. "Also good! You are not that drunk." They made their way to the holoarena.
Joshua Nov 11 2003, 10:44 PM	Counselor Rasin - Jeffries tubes "All you have to do is walk into me," explained Eric. "You will then take on my form, temporarily. Your priority should be getting back to 001 and telling your Captain. From there he will decide what to do. Once you are on the station you will need to leave my form. Okay?" "Sure. I can do that. I just, uh, well," Othoniel started. "I just wanted to say thanks for helping me out back there. I don't know what I would have done. I would be 5 pounds lighter. The replicator in my room was malfunctioning." Othoniel once again tried to use humor to lighten the mood and his nerves, but it just made him more tense. "So, do we just do it right now?" Othoniel looked up and the light from above seemed to blind him. "Yeah. Just walk into me. Once you are inside, remember, go as quickly as possible to the base without raising alarm." With that Othoniel thanked him again and stepped into Eric. A brief feeling of happiness and pleasure came over him and then a feeling of warmth. Surface Othoniel, now in Eric's body, glared at his reflection. Mezmorized by the difference. This is kinda cool. Othoniel approached a transport pad in a quiet storehouse. The transport pad was used for moving heavy objects, and was noticeably not used very often. Othoniel walked toward the pad and called out for the computer to transport him to Starbase 001. Just before he could reach the transport pad, three starfleet officers walked in through the doors to the left of him. With large weapons in their hands, pointed at him, they approached him, slowly. Othoniel, tense and hesitant, threw his right arm around hitting the first security guard in the mouth and catapulting him farther away. He then raised his left leg and swung it towards the security guard on the far left, hitting him in the side and causing him to fly a few feet away. There was one security guard left, directly behind him. Just when the guard was about to shoot, Othoniel swung his elbow back, hitting the guard in the chest and then drove his fist up, with incredible force, hitting the guard in the jaw. Slightly in shock of what he was now capable of, the counselor ran a few steps to the transport pad and said, "Energize."
Tucker Nov 11 2003, 11:49 PM	Captain David Major Somewhere, far in the distance, he heard a voice, faint, barely audible, but a voice nonetheless. Creeping forward at a snail's pace, the boy moved forward, his weapon nearly three quarters his own size. A light. He froze. There it was again, on the other side of the cavern. Kneeling down and placing his ear to the ground, he listened for anything, everything. His earring dangling against the rock floor, he heard footsteps. They were coming this way. Faster now. They were running! Grabbing up his rifle, the child rushed to a dark cut in the rock. Squeezing himself in, the rifle dropped to the floor and, with a clatter, rolled to the middle of the pathway. Forcing himself not to panic, he closed his eyes and prayed to the Prophets for safety. Not now. Not like my father.  Suddenly, a form appeared from around the corner and, at a flat out run, was surrounded by beams of pulsating reddish energy. It contacted with the gun and fell to the ground in a mixture of dust and flesh. Rounding the behind the man appeared the two Cardassians. Chuckling, as the Bajoran struggled to pull himself up, the pompous alien shot one of the man's legs, then the other. Akrem closed his eyes, struggling to block out the cries of the man for mercy. With another flick of the wrist, the injured Bajoran lost another limb and, finally, was shot in the chest. Lifting his eyelids a fraction of a centimeter, the boy watched as Lorat, his older brother, grasped at his chest and, in one last flurry of motion, fell to the ground. The two creatures chuckled at their feat and a torrent of rage began to rise up in the boy's frail and beaten body. Tightening his fist, Akrem tore himself out of his refuge, and with all of his might, rushed towards the bigger of the two Cardassians. Mere feet from his target, the last person the boy would see calmly raised his right arm, aimed, and fired.   Quarters David woke up in a cold sweat, only to find the blanket so tightly wrapped around his arm that it was beginning to cut off his circulation. Regaining his composure, he tore off the covers and, slipping into a spare uniform, headed to the Medical Bay.
Hawku Nov 12 2003, 01:29 AM	Lieutenant Rune Sith - Holoarena The Master handed Sith the neural chip and Sith placed it upon his temple. There, it read his thoughts. The entire arena transformed into a very real environment of the Valakis invasion. The Master watched intently as the holographic Sith before them lay the dead Avel to the dusty ground, surrounded by dead or dying Gorn. Sith found within himself a new strength. He picked up Avel's bat'leth and made a run for it. He had to stop the fighting before it was too late. The Lieutenant ran into his hover vehicle and took out a fire distinguisher. "What are you doing? Where are you going?" the mother wailed, desperately. Her kids were restless in the vehicle. "You guys just wait here. Everything will be okay." Sith ran out to Avel's crashed fighter and sprayed the distinguisher out on the flames. He threw it to the ground and leapt inside. The hover panels came online and he impulsed the fighter off the ground. ZOOM!! Sith sped the fighter up into the sky. It approached the Alliance vessel, which had just blasted a tractor beam into another fighter, slamming it into a second fighter. "Sith to away team! Retreat! I repeat, retreat!" "What? Confirm. Please confirm last order to retreat?" Someone flew their fighter under the Alliance vessel. "The Alliance engines are malfunctioning. It's forming thalaron radiation, deadly to organic matter." Sith pulled around. The other fighters immediately turned out of there, but it was too late. The Alliance vessel exploded in the sky. Large pieces flew down to Thavilli City. Houses and buildings were smashed into. Debris flew back up and down again, totaling even more infastructure. Flames engulfed a line of the fallen ship pieces. Thalaron particles began to spread throughout the atmosphere. "..." Sith pulled his Fighter up and into space with the last surviving fighter's. They had just witnessed the deaths of thousands. In orbit, the U.S.S. Vitality had just disabled the other Alliance vessel. The Vitality opened its shuttle bay doors. Later, Sith met with Captain Malone in his Ready Room. Sith could only stare at nothingness, as his mind reviewed the events. "Sith, snap out of it!" Malone ordered. "You all did what you could. None of you are to blame for this." Sith shook his head, "I know, sir. It's just that all those people. There was this family, I—" But he couldn't continue. His arms shook in fear, then tensed in anger. He turned and punched the wall in anger. "Argh!" Malone stepped around his desk and stared at Sith, gauging his reactions. "We came here to help these people." "And we killed them." Malone locked onto Sith. "No. The Alliance did. Do you understand me?" He pulled Sith around. "Do you?" The Lieutenant was too fazed in his own anger to completely absorb it just yet. But, in time he would. "Yes." The simulation turned off and the holoarena was restored. Shikel approached Sith, who was filled with anger now. The fear had died. Replaced. Nothing was said, as there was nothing Shikel could say. He couldn't relate emotion; only advise logic. Shikel placed his hand on Sith's shoulder. Something deep within him had somehow empathized for Sith and, for a very brief moment, this old master of many things was like a father.
Mozg Nov 12 2003, 02:45 AM	Lattrel Ottel - Double~Helix Ottel sat in his usual corner of the bar, his fingers running around the tall glass containing his drink. He was recounting the events of the last hour in his mind.   Earlier After they had left Mkrdij with Hardgrove, the Jalaly headed for Mhoob. There, Ottel said good-bye to Glott and had an emotional moment with Shani. "Promise me that you'll keep in contact, Ottel," she made him promise one more time. "You know there's no getting out of it this time. The council meets every three months and you can bet your ass I'll be there." "I promise, I promise," he had said with a chuckle. After that, he took the Tilibos and headed for 001. Upon arriving, he headed for his quarters. As he entered the room, he was caught surprised, looking at the long body of Mkrdij lying on his couch, breathing regularly. Hardgrove's doctor had cured him. On the coffee table was a small holo-messenger. Ottel picked it up and opened it. "Your man is cured. I saw no reason in keeping him on my ship," Hardgrove's voice was heard. "And, Councilor, we shall talk about your title later. I'm guessing congratulations are in order." Ottel had covered Mkrdij with a blanket and headed for his bar. Double~Helix He was now sitting there, looking at his customers walking in, ordering drinks and walking out. It was all a pleasant sight for him. Behind the bar stood Hrag. In his absence, the man had taken care of everything. No questions asked. He's practically running the place, Ottel thought. Now that he had nothing to occupy him, the thought of his uncle's death began surfacing again. There will always be a time for tears, Ottel recited his uncle's words. Well, now may be that time. His finger kept sliding over the circular top of the glass. Ottel turned around and faced the bar window. He could see the blue planet right outside. Earth. It kept calling him since he set foot on the station. "Keep this picture and don't tell grandpa about it," Uncle Omma told him. As the years went by, Ottel gathered more and more information on his parents. He now knew all he had to, and a small trip down to Earth was all he needed, but could never work up the courage to do it. This is the time for tears, Ottel almost said it out loud. He got up from his seat and headed out of the bar. "Hrag, take care of things while I'm gone," Ottel requested passing him. Hrag stood there, annoyed, with his hands down. He was getting extremely angry. "Oh, Hrag," Ottel continued as he was walking out. "Consider yourself the new manager of the Double~Helix."
Jake Nov 12 2003, 04:35 PM	Lt. Cmdr. Tanik - Starfleet Medical Tanik kept his phaser rifle poised, ready for the unexpected. He, Tom, Sonal, and Team A were walking through the back corridors of Medical, searching for a way to Rasin's cell. Something caught the corner of his eye even as the alarm klaxons sounded. "This is the door to the mainframe, Admiral. If I could only..." Tanik trailed off. Tom looked to him. "Do what?" Tanik looked at his black jacket and an idea struck him. He took out his Starfleet identification card and slid it through the reader. It said, "Access denied," back at him. His brows furrowed and he looked to Tom, deeply concerned. "How could they know it's us!? My card should still work!" Tom tried his and it got the same response. Tanik looked the door over and over and his eyebrows raised as the team waited. Finally, he went to the panel and bashed it in with his fist. The door opened. Tanik walked right in. "Like a charm," Tom muttered to himself, humorously. Tanik quickly hacked the system and brought up a map with all of the patients and rooms. He looked to Tom. "Go down this corridor and take a left at the third hall. Rasin is in the second room to the right." "Good work, Commander. Let's move it, people!" Tom said. Tanik looked at the map a second longer and then proceeded out the door with the rest. As they got to the first hallway to the left, Tanik stopped and turned to Tom. "I checked the map. My niece is just down that hallway. Do I have your permission to break off and get her?" Tom looked at Tanik for a second, and said, "Very well. We will move on and meet you when we come back this way. Understood?" Tanik acknowledged and proceeded down the hallway where he hot-wired a door and stepped in. It was dark inside and he ordered the computer to raise the lights. Sabinus was asleep on the bed in the corner of the room. Tanik walked over and woke her up. She looked up at him. "A little old to be in covert ops, don't you think?" She said to him groggily as she looked him over. Tanik smiled as he gruffly replied, "Nonsense." They walked out the door together and a phaser blast from down the hall hit Sabinus squarely in the back. "SABI!!!" Tanik cried as he bent down to her and another phaser blast grazed over his head. He rolled to the side and fired at the security officer and hit his weapon. The officer ran down the hall to him, ducking and dodging Tanik's blasts until he kicked the weapon straight out of Tanik's hands. Tanik came back with a solid kick to the officer's groin and he got up and over him. He took his hands and pounded at the back of the officer's neck, forcing him to his knees. In desperation, the officer reached for the phaser rifle on the floor and grabbed it. He swung it over his shoulder and fired blindly, barely grazing Tanik's right side. Tanik grabbed the barrel and twisted his arm until it was in front of the officer's face aiming off to the left. Tanik quickly took his other arm, grabbed the rifle's butt and quickly squeezed the rifle to his neck, breaking a cervical vertebra in the process with a loud crack. He fell to the ground and looked back up at Tanik. It had not even knocked him out. Tanik quickly jumped back and stunned him in the chest with the rifle. He went over and lifted the unconscious and limp Sabinus over his shoulder and proceeded down the hallway to meet back up with Tom and Team A. Not again, Tanik thought silently to himself.
RMrulz Nov 13 2003, 05:30 AM	Admiral Tom Garrison Tom paused, signalling to the team behind him to hold up. He pushed his back up to the wall and inched forward along it until he reached the break in the corridor. Another hallway split off and went to the right. He slowly peered around the corner, moving his head ever so slowly. The corridor slowly came into his view. First, the far wall, then the middle, then the whole thing. It was empty. He breathed a sigh of relief and signalled the all-clear. Before anybody could move, they heard a noise behind them. The entire team immediately whirled around, ready to fire. It was only Tanik carrying Sabinus over his shoulder. Tom rushed to his side. "What happened?" he asked as Tanik lowered her to the floor. "She was shot. I'm not sure how bad it is." Tom bent down and glanced over her quickly, then stood up. "Take her with us. You'll have to carry her. Don't let her slow us down, though," he said, sternly. He felt bad. He sounded so cold and uncaring. But he was sure Tanik would understand. And he did understand. Tanik only nodded curtly and picked her back up. Tom walked back to the split in the corridor and rounded the corner. A phaser blast struck his shoulder, sending him flying back around the corner. "Admiral!" One of the team members rushed to his side. Tom was breathing heavily, trying to catch his breath. He struggled to his feet. "I'm ok. Whoever shot me can't shoot straight. It was only a glancing blow. Where the hell did they come from? That corridor was clear a moment ago?" he asked. It was a rhetorical question. He hit his commbadge. "Garrison to Teams B and C. Get to Cell 278-A. That is where Rasin is behind, held. We'll all try and converge there." He received a reply from both of the team commanders. He then turned to his own team. "Down that corridor is the only way to get to Rasin. We have to push on, even though it's now swarming with security officers." He looked over their faces. They knew what it meant. "Some of you will not make it. There is no question about that. But we have to press through. We must get to Rasin. All other concerns are secondary. Whoever makes it, you have to get him out. We have to do this. The Federation needs us!" His pep talk helped a little. A grim determination set in on all their faces. He looked over them all, once more, then raised his weapon. "All officers, ready. LET'S GO!" The security officers who had taken up position around the corner were beginning to get restless. They were wondering where Garrison and the rest of them were. Suddenly, they heard a great cry. "AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" came a loud shout as about a half dozen people, led by Garrison and two Romulans, suddenly jumped around the corner, their mouths open and letting out a great battle cry. Their phasers firing. Two of the security officers fell immediately. The holes in their chest suggesting at least some of Garrison's team no longer had their phasers set on stun. The remaining officers reset their phasers to kill and fired back. Two men alongside Garrison fell. Two more security officers fell. A shot grazed so close to Garrison his hair caught fire. He dove to the floor, hitting his head to put out the fire. Finally, it was out. He looked up to see Tanik standing over him, shooting his phaser left and right while guarding Tom. Tom jumped up to his knees and fired at the security officers, hitting another in the chest. There were two officers remaining and only Tom, Tanik, and Sonal remaining from Team A. One of the guards fired a blast that hit Sonal square in the chest. A smoking hole was left in his chest. Tanik stared at his friend for a second, then turned and fired at the remaining officers, hitting one who went flying into a far wall. The last one took aim and fired, narrowly missing a diving Tanik. He quickly re-aimed and fired, hitting Garrison. It was another glancing blow but, with the phaser set to kill, it ripped the flesh off his cheek and left him unconscious. It was just Tanik and the one guard. The one that had killed Sonal. Tanik took aim and fired, but missed as the officer dove to the floor. He fired back, but also missed as Tanik leapt towards him. He landed right on the man and punched him squarely in the face. The guard punched back, breaking Tanik's nose. Blood trickled out of his nose, but he barely noticed. He kicked the man in the groin, who fell backward to the ground. He raised his phaser and pointed it at the man but, just as he pulled the trigger, the guard rolled to his right, tripping Tanik with his foot as he did it. Tanik crashed to the floor, landing heavily on his shoulder and knocking the wind out of him. Before the guard could take advantage of the situation, Tanik rolled over on top of him and grabbed him by the throat. The guard grabbed Tanik's throat; each man strangling the other. They rolled over and over on the ground, gasping for air. Tanik's vision was staring to dim. He wouldn't last longer. He let go of the guard's neck with one hand and reached into his boot. He pulled out a knife and brought it up before the guard's head. His eyes widened. He knew this was it. He let go of Tanik and tried to shove him away, but it was too late. Tanik plunged the knife into his chest. He drew a few more breaths, each one more ragged, then lay still.   Tom woke up and sat up. There was blood pouring down his face, and he had the worst headace of his life. He looked around him. There were members of his team littering the floor, as well as dead security officers. There was a smell of burning flesh in the air. Tanik was standing over Sonal, who appeared to be dead. Sabinus was still laying on the ground, where she had been left by Tanik when the fighting started. "Commander..." he said. Tanik turned and looked at Garrison. "Sir. I thought you were dead." Tom smiled. "You can't get rid of me that easily," he said. Tanik said nothing in return, he just turned back and stood over Sonal's body. Tom struggled to his feet and walked to his side. They both said nothing for a minute, until Tanik broke the silence. "What the hell happened here? Our weapons were never supposed to end up being set to kill." Tom just shook his head, wincing at the pain when he did that. "I don't know. I don't know who changed the setting first. But it doesn't matter now, does it?" "I hope this," Tanik said while gesturing at the carnage before them, "wasn't all for nothing." "As do I," Tom said. He looked at all the dead bodies scattered on the floor, it was such a waste of life. As do I, he thought to himself. Taking another few seconds to reflect, Tom snapped back into action. He tapped his commbadge, calling the other teams. There was no response from team B or C. He could only assume the worst. Team D reported in. They were still working on disabling the field inhibitor. Tom turned to Tanik. "I guess it's just you and me. Come on. Rasin's cell is just down the corridor a little further." Tanik nodded, took one last look at Sonal and then walked over to Sabinus. He picked her up, slung her back over his shoulder and the two of them walked down the corridor toward Rasin's cell.
Jake Nov 14 2003, 05:54 PM	Lt. Cmdr. Tanik - Starfleet Medical "Here it is!" Tanik said to Tom, pointing to a cell door. "Think you can hot-wire it?" Tom asked. Tanik didn't even bother to respond. He simply opened the door rather quickly. The two men looked at each other. "Well. Let's get him," Tom said. They rushed in the room together to find absolutely nothing. There was a deep, profound silence. Tanik broke it after awhile. "What. The. Hell." Tom could barely muster up words. "Dear God..." he half whispered. They took another look at the carnage outside and then the empty room. Tanik was forced to his knees by the realization. There are over a dozen people dead... and we caused it. What are we going to do? Tanik asked himself. Tom limply tapped his commbadge. "Garrison to Rasin. Please respond." After a second, a voice came over the air and it wasn't Rasin's. But at least it was somebody responding to the pair's cry into the night...
Joshua Nov 15 2003, 01:43 PM	Counselor Rasin - Starbase 001 After just appearing on 001 his neural communicator alerted him of an incoming message. He answered it quickly, hoping it might be someone who could help him. "Rasin here" "Ugh, what...?" said Garrison, confused at the new voice "Its a long story, sir. I just got back to 001. I had some help from a friend of mine. I need to go talk to the Captain. Brief him on what I know. Do you want to meet me there?" Othoniel started to walk towards the Captain's office, not waiting for Garrison's answer. He needed to hurry. He didn't have much time left in his new form. There was a brief pause and then Garrison responded.
Will Karelia Nov 15 2003, 02:09 PM	Lieutenant Will Karelia - Quarters, Starbase 001 Will was in his quarters, pondering what he had witnessed the last couple of days. He was almost unable to believe that a Starfleet officer was capable of that kind of terrorism. Lt. Cmdr. Oswald is sure to get court-martialed now, Karelia thought to himself. It was 0200 and Karelia still couldn't sleep. He rose from his bed and moved over to the replicator. "Coffee, black." A mug of coffee materialized in the inset replicator alcove. Karelia picked it up and took a sip. Too hot. Damn, computer.  Karelia went to the other room, and noticed his desktop terminal was blinking. He sat down and realized he had received a communiqué from an old friend. It read: To: Lieutenant William Karelia, Starbase 001 From: Crystal Budreau, Alameda, California Hello, "Lieutenant". I hope you are doing well on your new post. I had hoped to keep you here, but you always were planning to head off to Starfleet. I didn't receive a message from you last week. I hope you are OK. Anyway, I hope to hear from you soon. Love, Crystal Karelia read the message, thinking of Crystal. She was his girlfriend back on Earth, but when he left for Starfleet a few years ago, they both agreed it would be best if they were just friends. Karelia regretted that decision greatly. He took a few minutes to write a response, then decided to once more attempt to sleep. He headed back into the bedroom.
Joshua Nov 16 2003, 06:35 PM	Counselor Rasin - Captain's Office "Sir, I know that it is hard for you to understand, to accept, but I can show you," said Othoniel definitively. Othoniel got up from where he was sitting and went slightly to the left of the Captain's desk. He then took a deep breath, closed his eyes and suddenly, right in front of Captain Major's eyes, what looked like a spirit appeared. It was directly on top of what now looked like Othoniel's body, then went to the left of Othoniel and took a solid form in the shape of Eric again. Stunned, Captain Major did not know what to say. Just then, the computer alerted them that someone was on the other side of the door. It was Garrison.