Daniel Schirra
Captain
Registered: Apr 8, 2013 21:02:47 GMT
Posts: 468
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Post by Daniel Schirra on Sept 14, 2017 12:50:35 GMT
.......... Daniel spun at the voice, admittedly shocked to see the Commission member in the doorway. White entered with a supreme air of confidence Dan thought was anything but genuine.
"You appear to be is somewhat of a bind Ladies, Gentlemen." he said, grinning.
"What are you doing here ?" Tania asked quickly
"Where is my Executive Officer, I assume you have something to do with his disappearance ?" Schirra demanded. White merely shrugged.
"Commander Psonoir is safe, albeit somewhat tied up at present."
"Where is my mother ?" Tania asked.
"She will be along in due course my Child." White said, walking past her to look at Unwin, a guard, phaser raised standing in the doorway blocking the view into the room and making it clear that he wasn't moving anytime soon, "As you have no doubt speculated, the Commission is in somewhat of a disagreement regarding their loyalties, or lack thereof, to who are rapidly becoming known as their Federation Overlords ...."
"What are you talking about, the Federa ...." Koni began but was silenced by Schirra's arm being raised.
"Thank you Captain, I do so hate being interrupted, the height of rudeness in my opinion." he said, almost hiding the smirk as he looked at T'Seng then back to Schirra, "As I was saying before your overzealous Officer spoke, The commission is in disarray. While we are all committed to the completion of the terraforming, not everyone is happy to hand over control of the planet once it is complete. In fact, some would I think go [word deleted] far as to demand the Federation remain outside the System all together, which could be met with unfortunate repercussions should they chose to ignore the 'demand' ..."
"I'm sorry Commissioner, but I'm at a loss as to what you are saying here." Daniel said, moving toward White until the guards' attention on him persuaded him otherwise, "There are issues here, that is evident, and the attack on the Excalibur will prove to be the downfall of all concerned. My suggestion would be to contact these 'dissidents' and have them surrender. The Excalibur will have got word back to the Federation Council who will no doubt be sending reinforcements as we speak. They need to lay down their arms, surrender the Belfast, and make arrangements for the safe return of Commodore Ryat."
"Alas, I am afraid the Six will not be inclined to cede to your demands Captain, in fact, I would not be surprised if efforts to commandeer the Excalibur are not underway already." White said with a sad, almost defeated shrug.
"The six ?" Koni asked.
"Tiresome ..." White said, begrudgingly turning his attention to the Security Chief, "They are, shall we say, a disillusioned clique within the Commission, one that has taken overall control I fear. They are the ones that wish no further interaction with the Federation choosing to govern themselves and those that support them, the number of which is quite considerable among the workforce. So you see we are in the minority, and should our clear opposition become too annoying, I am sure we shall no longer be welcomed ... As it is, our continued presence on the Commission is to Syphax and Crossfields' amusement, nothing more."
"They rule this Six you mentioned then ?" Daniel asked.
"Openly, the Six do not exist, more rumour and speculation than reality, but yes, they rule the Six and much more I fear, which is evident by the transferred loyalties of the Belfast and her crew." Roberta Rushworth said, entering as the guard stood aside then closed the door blocking any view inside.
"Mother !" Tania exclaimed.
"What Alek has told you is correct." she hugged her Daughter, eyes on White for a long moment, something in her eye, a warning maybe ?
"So we are just supposed to take your word that you are on our side I assume ?" Schirra asked, the sarcasm obvious.
"Oh I do not remember saying which side, if indeed any, that my loyalty lay, but safe to say that if Syphax learns we are conversing, the resulting fate will be shared by all."
"They need to contact their ship Roberta, with the outca ....."
"Oh 'DO BE QUIET' Alek !" Rushworth demanded, glaring at her fellow Commissioner. Daniel could see the obvious conflict between them and tried a different tack:
"You said Syphax and Crossfield rule the Six so who are the other four ?"
"Hmm, now there you have me alas. The Six are somewhat 'fluid' in nature, no-one knows who is currently in favour, and those who are are sworn not to speak of their association, for obvious reasons. But needless to say that at least one, maybe two, are not on this planet, as the allegiance of the USS Belfast testifies."
"Who are the others on the planet, Kincheloe, Walker, Bridgeman, McKay, Niles ?" Daniel asked, hardly expecting her to answer.
"Hmm, Ivan and John are reluctant to speak about the current state of affairs, that of course is no indication that they are with the Six, far from it ... As for Bridgeman, McKay, and Niles, they are new to the Commission and I am of the opinion that they are laying low to see which way the proverbial 'wind' blows before showing their allegiances one way or the other. Given we have had no contact with the last three I can only assume they have secreted themselves away somewhere, but who is to know, allegiances seem to change like the direction of the breeze." she said, musingly.
"Roberta ... Their vessel." White said again.
"What about our vessel ?" Daniel asked ..........
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Karka Psonoir
Commander
Registered: Apr 9, 2013 19:55:13 GMT
Posts: 422
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Post by Karka Psonoir on Sept 15, 2017 3:52:37 GMT
"She'll be entirely drained of power by now," Roberta said to Schirra, "Or if not completely, then to such a degree that she'll have a very hard time getting any sort of informative message out to the Federation. Perhaps a short, scrambled message will get through, but by the time Command have made sense it, any reinforcements they send may come too late..."
"Unless the Excalibur has already overcome the Belfast," White's tone was sharp. His shortness he felt stemmed from his remorse at having been the one to order the initial attack by the Belfast on the Excalibur (having been suspected by the Commission of Federation sympathies, and hence under pressure from them to act in accordance with their programme). He turned to Schirra, "You wanted to contact your ship," he then gestured to the wall, using a remote device in his hand to retract a section of it and reveal an alcove with communications gear, "Be my guest. Our HQ transceiver here is powerful enough to break through Crossfield's jamming field - the same which nullified your communicators. Use our transceiver before it's too late, for you or for your ship." Unwin saw in the corner of his eye Roberta nodding at the 'your ship'; contrary to his initial impression, it seemed she was less keen on the Federation than White. "The Excalibur should've just sufficient power to receive comms."
At that moment the guard by the door glanced at White; White nodded to him; Unwin realised there'd been a sound from the other room, the room into which he'd peered and had seen a pair of Starfleet-issue boots, Commander Psonoir's. The guard left the room to see to the prisoner, two other guards just now arriving to take his place.
"Our comms were jammed. From where?" Unwin asked White.
"From the northern polar transmitter. A horde of discontented land prospectors - understandably unsure of their future given the political instability - seized it three months ago. As you know, they're now descending on the equatorial zone, virtually unopposed thus far, I believe." White seemed remarkably calm.
Unwin and Schirra stepped up to the alcove, the CEO finding it easy of access - Federation standard - and activating transmit, "Excalibur, this is the away team. Unwin speaking. Respond." Static, a wash of ghosts over the chaotic gap between land and stars. "Excalibur, respond."
A distorted unfamiliar voice sounded over the comm, amidst the wash of static and background noise; from the bridge? someone he didn't know, someone... not of their crew? He didn't know every Excal crewmember: he could only hope it was an unfamiliar Excal duty officer - in charge of the watch - who was answering the call.
<Tag Excalibur, Schirra>
* * *
Karka was once again in the company of his own thoughts, Roberta Rushworth having departed to join the conversation in the next room. His acute hearing had picked out the individual voices of the rest of the initial landing party, together with White's and the PR officer's. Certainly he was glad to know the CO had made it here, yet going by the progress of the dialogue he suspected he was not to be freed yet.
Lirwa charged into the room, a finger to his lips in the common human gesture signifying, 'keep your mouth shut'. As if he would be so foolish. Psonoir's Hybrudean comrade - in his human flesh-and-blood mask - began untying his bonds and explained, "I let your shipmates in there, consciously turned my back and walked down the hall in the opposite direction. Don't worry they're none the wiser, though your Captain might've recognised me as Bartleby of SCE." Lirwa spoke in hushed tones and winced as he loosened a particularly restrictive bond round Karka's neck.
Lirwa continued, "I thought it would help them reach their goal, but I fear I've trapped them... I don't believe they should be trusting Roberta. And White... Well, all I know is he hates Ryat's species." Karka stood, Lirwa continuing, "I'm certain we do have someone with us, though. Zuur, the Communications Officer at the residential facilities with which your ship first made contact... He's a rogue Raider, has been to the 27th century and back... Saw Commodore Ryat's original shuttle, the Constructors' world, the Cetans... He knows whom White has been in contact with. Fortuitously, that brute Syphax has invited Zuur to join the Six while one of them is away."
"The Six?" Lirwa explained who they were and also informed him Ryat was certainly not in the 27th with the shuttle, in which case the science officer's priority switched from White's dealings with the beings of that time to the here and now: Ryat's safety therein as well as that of the Excalibur, "You said Zuur came back from the 27th... Where is he now?" Karka whispered.
"On the Belfast. He arranged to arrive five minutes before it turned its dampening weapons on the Excalibur, is leading what might be called a counter-mutiny." Lirwa turned and opened a chest of drawers, taking out two laser rifles and throwing one to Karka, "United Earth standard issue."
"United Earth?" Karka was incredulous.
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Karka Psonoir
Commander
Registered: Apr 9, 2013 19:55:13 GMT
Posts: 422
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Post by Karka Psonoir on Sept 22, 2017 22:23:06 GMT
OOC: This should provide a bit more to go on. The last post was definitely in need of a 'TBC' lol
Karka and Lirwa entered the room adjacent to that which Schirra, T'Seng, White and the two Rushworths were in, hefting their antiquated laser rifles. "Ahem," Lirwa (dressed in his terraforming personnel garb) vocalised.
The two guards standing in the doorway turned abruptly, immediately lifting their own weapons at them. "Psonoir... how've you...?" White began, then looked at Lirwa, "What have you done? Who do you think you are?" He was calm.
"An interesting question," Lirwa replied, and Karka could tell he was about to start expounding some philosophy connected with 1st-2nd millennium Earth, Lirwa's favourite topic. He put a stop to this with an interjection, "It seems the odds have been evened. Commissioner White, are you with us or against us, willing to help the Federation retain this system within its sphere of interest, or will you join Crossfield and Syphax? If you'd done this peaceably, negotiated with the Fed authorities about making this an independent operation, you might have found the Federation amenable, but your Commission has acted obstinately and unreasonably."
White nodded at the guards to lower their weapons, Karka and Lirwa doing the same. All of them now gathered in the same room, Karka nodding and standing to attention before Schirra. It seemed the situation was defused. "It was nothing to do with me," Alek White protested, "I've tried to mediate, I've tried going along with them, tried opposing them. Crossfield is an intransigent fool, he won't listen to reason."
"And Syphax has changed," Roberta Rushworth said. "He's a Kling- "
"Roberta..." White began.
"We know that," Schirra said. "Is he trying to align the Eyrie Syphax system with the Klingon Empire?"
"I don't think that's likely," Rushworth Jr. shook her head, "No, it's impossible. He wants independence, that's all. And peace." Karka suspected she was allowing a lingering loyalty to the old 'Berz' Syphax to cloud her judgement.
White was standing meditatively in one corner, facing the wall; peering into nothingness, he murmured, "I don't care for independence, I don't care for the success of the terraforming, ultimately. I do care about the safety of the Federation, and despite your demands that I desist from this course of action, your former Commanding Officer and the Syphax symbiote, members of the predatory Trill species, will be destroyed. Syphax deceived me, made me believe he was from Chicago - I grew up there, with him as my mentor. He's alien, of a species that takes over a humanoid body. Can you think of anything more terrible? And your Commodore lied about her species. She is an infiltrator. They'll be eliminated."
<Tag Schirra responding to White's goals?>
Karka was about to ask where Ryat was but White preempted his question, even with his back turned and Karka not visible to him, "Again, I don't know her location. And it's not true that she's been transported through time to the 27th century, as I know you at one time believed, Commander Psonoir."
Please do be quiet, Karka thought. Lirwa glanced at him, smirking slightly. In any case, Psonoir had told Schirra he'd suspected the temporal displacement. He just hoped White didn't know enough to be able to say exactly how Karka knew about it.
"Where is Syphax now?" he asked.
"With the Six," Rushworth Sr. said and paused, "You know who they are?" They nodded. "Well, he's with the Six, but we don't know where they are. We know that Crossfield's at the North Pole, for that reason not currently sitting with the Six. Syphax makes up that body to six from whoever's around whom he trusts." Schirra asked of their likely composition, Roberta paused, "Best guess: Syphax, Kincheloe, Walker, McKay... and two others, Comms Officer Zuur one of them, I think. Meanwhile," she directed their eyes to the comm station that would allow them to contact the Excal, it also showing a global map with lifesigns in a big snaking gaggle passing down from the northern hemisphere towards the equatorial zone, "We're being invaded by Crossfield's ragtag army - disaffected Fed citizens. They're like Syphax and Crossfield, but have nothing to do with our terraforming. They'll fight against us for pay."
"Numbers?" T'Seng asked.
"I'd say (depending on our personnel's loyalty to the Federation) that we're outnumbered at best by 17:1, at worst... 1000:1?" she shrugged. Karka assumed the latter estimate was if there was a mass desertion (including virtually all the isolationists and very many of the Fed supporters) to Crossfield's army. "They'll be here in little under 7 hours..." Roberta continued, "We have no one to face them in the gorge passes; all our defence people - not many, most of us are scientists - are deployed elsewhere on the globe or at this HQ complex and in stations at other segments of the equatorial zone."
<Tag>
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Daniel Schirra
Captain
Registered: Apr 8, 2013 21:02:47 GMT
Posts: 468
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Post by Daniel Schirra on Sept 23, 2017 1:10:12 GMT
=^= Excalibur .. .. This is the away team .. Unwin speaking .. Respond =^= Static, a wash of ghosts over the chaotic gap between land and stars.
=^= Excalibur .. .. Rspond =^=
A distorted unfamiliar voice sounded over the comm, amidst the wash of static and background noise; from the bridge? someone he didn't know, someone ... not a member of their crew ? ... He didn't know every Excal crew-member: he could only hope it was an unfamiliar Duty Officer - in charge of the watch - who was answering the call. He looked at Schirra:
"Do you recognise the voice ?"
"No ...." Daniel said, concern growing exponentially, "I don't ... But that's not to say it isn't one of our crew, re-open the comm before anyone starts to query why it's taking so long." Karka did as asked, seemingly deep in thought.
=^= Excalibur .. Schirra .. What is your situation ? =^=
=^= Lieut .. .. igori Capta .. .. .. We are havi .. .. ouble .. Blocked communic .. .. =^= Dan thought quickly. 'igori, who the hell, wait, Security Chief Yukagori, YES, it had to be him, but why was none of the regular Bridge Officers answering, unless they had their hands full of course. He glanced at the others in the room who seemed oblivious of his sudden urgency. He turned back to the cubicle and spoke quickly:
=^= Lieutenant .. If you still hold the Excalibur and have not been boarded you will make every effort to warp out of orbit with all due haste .. Once clear of the System you will contact Starfleet Command and demand emediate assistance to this location .. Is that fully understood lieutenant ? =^=
=^= .. .. .. .. .. =^=
=^= Lieutenant .. Did you receive my instructions ? =^=
It was no good, the comm had been broken, either by the Excalibur, someone on the surface, or by the Belfast. He could only hope that Excalibur would escape, with or without them .......
~~~~~~~~~~
He almost smiled when White divulged his snippet of information regarding Syphax, alas he had to burst his proverbial bubble.
"We know that. Are they trying to align the Eyrie Syphax System with the Klingon Empire ?"
He listened to the reply, and the subsequent rhetoric regarding Ryat, Syphax himself, and he suspected numerous others, though this wasn't expressed, about the Trill, a little-known race but one that appeared to be gaining influence outside the Federation and may one day be looking toward joining, but that was for someone else to ponder, he had enough on his plate, so to speak, without speculating on possible new members of the Federation of Planets ...
"You call Commodore Ryat an 'Infiltrator' ... Why would you believe these 'Trill' are out to do the Federation harm, is it not plausible that they have been taking, what did you call them, hosts ?"
"I must say that I do not agree with Commissioner Whites' issues with the Trill." Rushworth interrupted before falling silent rather than expanding on her comment as White glared at her.
"Yes. Though I do not recall calling them hosts, but that would suffice." White said with a wave of his hand.
"It is clear that you have much more information than the Federation on these Trill, their somewhat 'unique' method of existence as it were, and their Homeworld no doubt." Schirra said, wondering just what these people knew and how, "It is obvious that the Commodore was less than truthful but you would have to ask how she managed to circumvent the countless medical's she would have had to undergo throughout her career so as not to have this 'symbiotic' species discovered, After all, it would immediately show up on any and all scans of her, wouldn't you agree ?" White remained silent, Koni continued where Daniel had left off:
"So these Trill, they are physical beings I assume, not just some intangible essence that occupies the mind ?"
"We believe they are something akin to a larval parasi ...."
"So you haven't actually 'seen' one of them then ?" Koni interrupted, "Not forcibly extracted one of them from a host ?"
"We are in the proce ...."
"That would be a 'no' then !" she said, clearly keeping White off balance. But Roberta wasn't that frustrated, nor was her Daughter:
"He has no clear concept of what we could be dealing with." the elder Rushworth said dismissively turning her back before dropping into a seat, her contribution and involvement in the conversation over.
"Well here's something for you to mull over ...." Daniel said, loosing all patience, "Once the Excalibur get's away, she will bring all hell down on this rock in the form of the Federation you do or don't support. Frankly I couldn't care less at the moment given you seem hell-bent on eradicating a sentient race without from what I can tell, 'ANY' form of communication, dialogue, conditions ... In fact, you have declared war on the Trill, and that I'm afraid, the Federation will not allow to continue. In fact, I believe you are likely to be spending the rest of your collective lives on a barren rock out of harms way."
"This, assuming you have control over the Excalibur no doubt ?" White speculated.
"I think that's a given Commissioner." Daniel said easily, "Now .... You stated that Ryat has not been whisked off to the twenty seventh century, which by default keeps her here, somewhere. Is she being held by Syphax ?"
"Who is to say." White said with an elaborate shrug.
"Where is Syphax now ?"
~~~~~~~~~~
Daniel was shocked at the numbers of malcontents willing to risk all. It was essential the Excalibur get to the edge of the System and contact the Federation. At this point, no-one had mentioned the other terraforming projects ... How far did their reach extend, was it possible that this was confined to this planet, or was it so widespread as to pose a genuine threat to not only the Trill, but to the very Federation itself ! ..........
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Karka Psonoir
Commander
Registered: Apr 9, 2013 19:55:13 GMT
Posts: 422
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Post by Karka Psonoir on Sept 27, 2017 23:37:33 GMT
On the USS Belfast
"Commence secondary boarding operations," the Captain of the Belfast ordered with a nod to the tactical officer. He'd put a good number aboard their quarry already.
"Belay that order," Zuur spoke. Until a while ago Zuur had been posing as comms official for the Federation operation on Eyrie Syphax VII. He'd greeted the Excal as it'd reached the system; he'd worked his way into the ranks of the new, illegal group of the Six headed by the Klingon-Trill. Now he was posing as first officer of the USS Belfast, ostensibly posted here by Syphax to assist the ship's traitorous CO but actually to hinder the CO and upset Syphax's plans.
"Lotos? What...?" the Captain sputtered at him, turning from his command chair to see Zuur (Lieutenant Lotos of the Belfast in this guise) standing in the open turbolift door with a steely gaze.
"The Captain has been compromised. Not the USS Excalibur. Bremmell, secure the bridge," Zuur directed the tactical officer, who stood firmly at his station in refusal of Zuur's command, though he did lift his fingertips very slightly off the panel.
"There are traitors aboard the Excalibur!" the Captain said in a rage, "They made out that Commodore Ryat had been kidnapped and have come to this world to destroy it: the terraforming facilities, the Federation personnel, the numerous civilians living round the North Pole." The Belfast's Captain was now on his feet. The diplomatic attache - Santos, Zuur believed his name to be - stood at the back of the bridge on the starboard side, quite unsure what to make of it all. "Execute my orders, Lieutenant Bremmell!" the CO demanded.
"Belay that order," Zuur ordered a second time, stepping down to the command area, two security officers following him to put the Belfast CO in binds. "Captain, I am placing you under arrest for knowingly misleading Starfleet Command, colluding with separatist elements on Eyrie Syphax VII led by Mr Albert Crossfield, firing on and boarding a Federation starship, and laundering latinum through the Orion Confederacy - payment from the Klingon Empire for experimental weaponry."
The Captain was led from the bridge, shouting his head off, while Bremmell stood frozen, in two minds as to what to do. Eventually he did nothing, merely stood upright with hands behind his back and turning red. Lotos/Zuur was satisfied. The comm jamming and energy dampening effect on the Excalibur couldn't at this time be lifted; once the dampening weapon was activated, its beam glued to its target and couldn't be reduced in intensity for approximately four hours. But he'd arrived just in time, just prior to the transportation of the Belfast's marine contingent onto the Excalibur. Unfortunately they may still have a fight on their hands from the first boarding party. In their scans of the Constitution class, it was impossible to distinguish their own crew from the Excalibur's - they only knew there was much phaser fire.
"Hail the USS Excalibur."
Bremmell recovered and resumed his station, inputting commands and nodding to Lotos/Zuur when all was ready. The Excal bridge appeared on the screen, but extremely fuzzy, indistinguishable; their own jamming and energy dampening was destroying audiovisual comms, "I am Lieutenant Bym Lotos of the USS Belfast. I am to inform you that the Captain of our vessel has been taken into custody. By this time, without my intervention, the Belfast - at our Captain's order - would've transported sixty marines aboard your ship. He is in collusion with certain elements of the terraforming team's administration."
"You're Zuur," an indistinct officer - someone other than whoever was in the centre chair - blurted on the bridge of the Excalibur, "You're one of the terraformers. We saw you when we first made orbit..." Zuur was disturbed, especially because this meant the Excalibur could see the Belfast bridge with perfect clarity. On the plus side, this identification of himself meant the true Excalibur crew still held the bridge. What the situation was on the rest of the ship, however, was yet to be determined.
Zuur paused, "You're mistaken, I... ah..." He gave in, "You're right. I am Zuur." Now he took a gamble (what if any of the Excal's bridge crew had been compromised, if they were deceiving him?), "If you can defeat your boarding party, together, we can hopefully call in help from Command." He looked round at the crew of the Belfast; they were stunned at the revelation of his identity and he looked apologetic. However, security were closing in, some of whom may be loyal to the Captain he considered.
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Daniel Schirra
Captain
Registered: Apr 8, 2013 21:02:47 GMT
Posts: 468
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Post by Daniel Schirra on Oct 1, 2017 20:25:27 GMT
USS Excalibur :: "What is the Belfast doing now !" "They are closing the distance Lieutenant. They transported a party aboard, Security are trying to confine them as we speak !" the Operations Chief informed Lieutenant Yukigori, currently in command. "Sir, whatever they were using on us has decreased in intensity. Sir they are hailing us !" Jenni gold, the Communications Officer informed him. Taka looked around before nodding. The viewscreen polarised to allow a smaller 'window' to open. he sat watching the image trying to keep his expression neutral, not knowing that the Belfast's view of their Bridge was disrupted with interference. =^= ..... to inform you that the Captain of our vessel has been taken into custody .. By this time .. Without my intervention the Belfast at our Captain's order would have transported sixty marines aboard your ship .. He is in collusion with certain elements of the terraforming team's administration =^= Yukigori heard a sharp intake of breath: "You're Zuur ... You're one of the teraformers. We saw you when we first made orbit ..." Taka saw the mans expression change, firstly to surprise then shock, then seemingly, resignation. =^= You are mistake .., I .. Ah .. .. You are right .. I am Zuur =^= he fell silent for a few seconds, clearly weighing up his options, =^= If you can defeat your boarding party .. Together we can hopefully call in help from Command =^= =^= We have them contained but the fighting is heavy and possibly hand to hand .. .. hHw do I know we can trust you Zuur or whatever your name is ? =^= =^= You have in truth little option Lieutenant .. I am confident that if you were to contact the surface your Captain would order your cooperation =^= =^=That is as may be but Captain Schirra isn't here which makes any decision regarding the Excalibur mine to make =^= =^= I beg to differ Lieutenant .. .. You are free from attack due to me not your own ingenuity .. Therefore I believe it would be prudent and sensible of you to appreciate your good fortune =^= Taka could see the tactical view on the viewscreen beside the image of Zuur, the Belfast had indeed halted her approach and was now shadowing the Excalibur, but he could also see several armed men entering the Belfast Bridge. He was about to warn Zuur when someone on the opposite Bridge spoke, Yukigori couldn't make out what had been said but the image suddenly vanished, which couldn't be good he thought. He turned to Comms: "Get the Belfast back." "They are hailing again Lieutenant. Gold informed him. "On screen." =^=Apologies Lieutenant but there seemed to be a little uncertainty as to where our 'loyalties' lie .. That has for the moment been rectified .. .. Now regarding our 'cooperation' .. .. I must tell you that my hold over the crew of this vessel is not as solid as I would like .. There are some still loyal to our former Commanding Officer. A small group but nonetheless they could prove troublesome if allowed to roam free .. So we should act with all due haste if we are to secure your away teams' freedom .. Unless of course you have other more pressing issues at hand ? =^= Zuur said, his outward confidence ensuring those around him didn't question his actions, but Yukigori knew that he was much less assured inwardly. =^= Your dampening field is still affecting our systems .. If you expect us to work together I would have thought deactivating it would be a substantial gesture =^= =^= Alas the very nature of the field prevents instant deactivation .. You should be feeling reduced effect but the field will take approximately four more hours to completely dissipate .. Then a further six to reinitialise =^= Zuur said, eyeing the fragmented image hoping the man understood the significance of his last comment. Yukigori had indeed understood and knew now that the Belfast could not deploy the same attack for at least six hours. He could only assume that the Belfast still retained her normal defence and weapons systems, so they could still be a problem in a fire-fight, but he couldn't think of that at this point in time, he had to make a decision: =^= Once we secure the boarding party I will contact you again =^= Yukigori ordered the communication closed. he looked at Lieutenant Wentworth, the Operations Chief: "Are the attackers still contained to one section of the ship ?" "Yes Sir, but it's ....." "Seal off that section and reduce oxygen content to twenty percent." "Sir ?" "Now .... Lieutenant. Then get Security and Medical down there. Once everyone in unconscious, our people to Sickbay, there's to the Brig." "Sir, with all due resp ....." "Now .... Lieutenant." Yukigori said quietly, his tone making it clear that the conversation was concluded. Wentworth input the commands and sat stiffly, eyes on her console. He sat in silence, knowing what he was doing could do more harm than allowing the fighting to continue, but he could not allow the Excalibur be taken. He also had the instructions, albeit garbled and clearly open to interpretation, from Captain Schirra. Yukigori believed he had been instructed to break free of the Belfast and clear the System, but could he rely on the sporadic static-filled communication, and was it even Schirra issuing those instructions ? ... He looked at the chronometer above the 'window' assessing the time it would take for the oxygen-deprived combatants to loose consciousness ..........
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Karka Psonoir
Commander
Registered: Apr 9, 2013 19:55:13 GMT
Posts: 422
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Post by Karka Psonoir on Oct 4, 2017 4:17:43 GMT
"Where is Syphax now ?"
White was evasive, "It's difficult to say with any certainty. The Six keep the location of their meeting places a secret, and I haven't once been admitted to the group to be able to offer a list of possible rendezvouses."
They asked or rather demanded that White - as well as the Rushworths - make some educated guesses. After much disassembly, it was said that the northernmost limit of the main HQ complex (17 buildings scattered across 200 square kilometres) and its small box-like building units was a likely location of the Six's meeting.
Karka was just as concerned about the march of the thousands towards the equatorial zone. If the Excal officers and the questionably loyal Committee members could be that far outnumbered (with many isolationists joining Crossfield, as well as loyalist terraformers who'd been here a long time and had become so jaded that they would evaluate the odds pragmatically and join whichever side seemed likely to achieve victory), then there was surely little chance of the Excal away team escaping the planet.
They'd still be outgunned even with both Federation ships' help, he considered, considering the drained state of the Excalibur, and the unconfirmed assistance (when was anything Lirwa ever said confirmed!) of Zuur on the Belfast. Nor could he envisage them firing at the separatists on the surface, not on account of ethics, but because any phasers or torpedoes unleashed against the surface could generate unknowable seismic activity while many of the plates and their bedrock were necessarily exposed for the current 'gardening' operations.
Speaking for him, Roberta Rushworth announced, "I must help make ready the defences. You," she pointed at Lirwa, still in terraforming uniform having freed Karka, "I don't know who you are, other than a wretch who released an enemy while we were still at odds with that enemy, but you're coming with me." She marched out of the room.
"The lady has spoken," Lirwa shrugged at Karka and followed. That left the away team, Tania Rushworth and Alek White.
"They'll be in session now," White walked to the comm station which Unwin and Schirra had used to attempt contact with the Excalibur. He began using it to discern which lifeforms might be detected in the HQ, trying to glean any faint signatures - for the console could achieve nothing more - of Trill lifeforms and their location. "This equipment was never configured to search for symbiotic lifeforms... Our adaptation of the technology is still in its early stages. Of course, it doesn't exactly have a typical example to seek when its quarry is a Klingon-Trill hybrid."
Having located the weak trace of what could possibly be a Trill symbiote, White pointed and they made for the door, now wandering corridors en route to the northern tip of the complex. It would require three traverses of personnel tunnels between facilities, one of which was all glass - meaning exposure to outside viewers of whom, White told them, there could be many, as around them loyal personnel made ready battery emplacements and other defences for the coming fight. Karka closed his eyes: he hoped it wouldn't come to that, nor that the ragtag clutch of malfeasants would be able to make it this far into the interior.
They reached a junction a third of the way there, at which White made Tania hotwire a blast door, the former explaining that the Six may have seen to block approaches to the site of their secret deliberations, which was a good sign, Karka reflected, as it may mean they were drawing close. But what would they do once there? What was the objective if they simply walked into the room and saw a group of traitors talking, with Ryat nowhere in sight? Did they dare to think they may outgun the Six, that the Six would be completely unguarded?
With the Excal officers concealed by White, only him and Rushworth in the open, the blast door shot into the floor and ceiling and revealed two guards standing either side of the corridor, in alcoves they were using for cover. Arms rolled in shoulder joints round their respective corners to train laser pistols on the intruders.
"Hold your fire," White cautioned dryly, phrasing it almost as a question.
"Commissioner... We didn't know it was you. Why did you...?" White looked at him. "Sorry, sir. They're just finishing. Ah, there are only five of them... we were wondering who the sixth was meant to be. Do go on, only a mile to go." Hiding his surprise and wondering who the real sixth was, White stepped through the blast door's frame and paused, looking over his shoulder briefly. Karka saw this through the holes of a support pylon, and wondered if it was worth the risk to force their way through with him. Surely they must try.
<Tag Schirra>
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Daniel Schirra
Captain
Registered: Apr 8, 2013 21:02:47 GMT
Posts: 468
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Post by Daniel Schirra on Oct 7, 2017 0:32:15 GMT
Daniel had remained relatively silent since the communication failure with the Excalibur having happy to allow his Executive Officer to take the lead in questioning White and his colleagues. He had things on his mind, the first and foremost being the safety of the aforementioned Excalibur. They were expendable, but not the ship, and it was imperative that they both evaded the Belfast and contacted Command for assistance before the facility was overrun ! During their journey they had only passed two other people. Both seemingly unaware of anything being amiss, they had nodded as the two Commission Members had approached and had hardly spared the time to acknowledge the presence of the Federation Officers. Daniel wondered somewhat irrationally if they had been instructed to ignore any parties approaching the meeting area but report their presence once out of sight. He chastised himself inwardly for second-guessing himself and those around him and continued along the corridor half expecting someone to step out in front of them at any moment. They reached a large and clearly fortified blast door ... This was the moment of truth as far as Schirra was concerned, if Commissioner White stepped through the soon to be open door and shouted a warning that he was being held under duress, then it was doubtful they would even make it into the room, let alone any further. With the Federation Officers out of sight the doors opened, much quicker than he had expected and almost catching him off guard for a split-second. He raised his phaser slightly, keeping it pressed against his hip as Commissioner White spoke to the clearly unconvinced guard. "Sorry, Sir." the man said, eyes flicking past the Commissioner for a fraction of a second, "They are just finishing. Ah, there are only five of them ... We had been wondering who the sixth was meant to be. Do go on Sir, only a mile to go." Daniel, listening intently for any sign that White was not believed, glanced over to where Karka and Mark Unwin were sanding, the expression on Psonoir's face obvious, it was go or no go ! ... Dan looked back at Koni who, not needing to be asked her opinion, nodded. He looked back through the door and could see Commissioner White and Tanya Rushworth approximately five meters into the corridor, the two guards watching them closely. He looked over to Psonoir mouthing: "Three .... Two .... One ...." Daniel stepped forward, firing into the back of the guard to the left, Karka followed suit hitting the one on the right, Tanya had heard the first shot and had spun to shout a warning,it was then that a beam lanced from out of sight slamming into her shoulder and sending her spinning ten meters further into the long corridor. Koni threw herself headlong through the blast doors on her side, firing at the unseen guard, Psonoir went right, firing twice in quick succession. White had gone to Tanya, helping her to a sitting position against the wall as Schirra stepped into the corridor. "Secure Captain." T'Seng confirmed as she went to help the stricken woman. "Any chance they raised the alarm ?" Daniel asked, his question clearly aimed at White, who stood, or rather was pushed aside by T'Seng. White raised his hand to cup his right ear, turning left and right theatrically listening for rushing footfall, then, seeing Psonoir's phaser pointing at his midriff, turned to Schirra. "I do not hear anyone running in our direction, Captain. It appears we have been somewhat fortunate thus far. I believe it would be prudent to vaporise these gentlemen before they are discovered." "But wouldn't their being missing raise the alarm ?" Koni asked, still kneeling beside Tanya. "You could always wake them and beg their cooperation in not raising the alarm." White said, the sarcasm oozing from every syllable. "I could drug them, induce short-term memory loss, if I had the right drugs at hand ?" she looked at White, who shrugged, being no help at all, she turned to Schirra, "Sir, if we 'dispose of them they might be missed if the section is checked. On the other hand, if we allow them to live and are found, then we're lost unless we act quickly." ahead was a one hundred meter glass walkway separating the Administration Buildings from the rest of the 'T7' Facility. they needed to get to the other end of this without being approached and preferably without being seen ..... "Koni, can you sedate the guards enough that no-one is about to get any sense out of them even if they are found ?" T'Seng nodded, Schirra, Psonoir, and Unwin put the guards back around the desk, heads resting on their arms. He found a storage cupboard, luckily containing several flasks of the local brew. At first glance it would look as if they had drank too much and simply passed out, and whoever found them would be more intent on getting them conscious prior to ripping them each the proverbial 'new one' for drinking and sleeping on duty. He looked around the small area checking for phaser burns were stray shots had marked the corridor but thankfully the Federation Officers had been accurate in their target acquisition, and the one shot fired against them hit Rushworth. "Close the blast door." Dan said, eyeing the corridor ahead, the subdued sunlight casting ominous shadows through the plexi-glass tunnel, he looked ahead, frowning, "I can't see another station at the other end, so maybe this is the only one, so as long as no-one steps through the companion blast door we should make it. Tanya, are you OK to continue or do you need to stay here ?" "I'm ... I'm OK, bit sore but hell, sacrifices ...." the young woman said, forcing a grin onto her face, a grin tinged with pain. Truth be told Schirra couldn't afford to leave her her unless she had perished, it wouldn't have taken long for a determined questioner to extract what information they needed, thankfully he was spared the unenviable task of shooting her. 'One less headache' he thought wryly ... They set out, walking in silence, it occurred to him that the corridor being the only route above ground to the Administration Block, it be monitored at all times. if this was indeed the case the Six would already be aware of their approach, and would, presumably be sat watching the scene with interest, already knowing the futility and thus the outcome. They were only fifteen meters from the other end of the glass corridor when White muttered a comment: "So far, so good." he said. Had Daniel had the time to tell him to keep his musings to himself, he would have, but at that moment the blast doors at the end of the corridor began to cycle ..........
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Karka Psonoir
Commander
Registered: Apr 9, 2013 19:55:13 GMT
Posts: 422
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Post by Karka Psonoir on Oct 12, 2017 16:22:02 GMT
The invaders streamed into the bottleneck at the head of the canyon, separated from the plain, on which was situated the administrative buildings, by a line of barricades which they'd now already overrun. Using the opportunity afforded them by the delay of the miscreants in the bottleneck, the defenders (a motley few in comparison) fell back towards their inner defences (near three personnel tunnels connecting the central complex with the buildings on the HQ's northern side; the nearest of these tunnels was a plexi-glass walkway through which several figures were now moving).
A vehicle, looking very much like a tank of the old-world, rolled up the canyon behind the mass of Crossfield's advance force (approximately 800 strong). It had a gunmetal grey turret rotating on top, loudspeakers situated at the front plow-area with Crossfield's characteristic guttural voice booming from them amidst a wash of static, separatist flags flying from its sides and an array of electrostatically charged rods protruding at all angles (giving the tank the appearance of an Earth-terrestrial hedgehog).
Electric discharges from the rods in tandem with a plasma bolt fired from the turret burnt to a crisp the front line of defenders (falling back, shooting from the hip), while a second plasma bolt landed like a lobbed grenade in the defenders' midst and only exploded after a couple seconds delay.
Far off in the distance, Karka could see this conflict unfolding, a hazy aura towards the horizon, glowing red through dust and growing larger all the time - a combination, he suspected, of the epicentre of the fight closing distance with the facility, and of the destruction on both sides continuing to increase in intensity.
The group neared the blast door at the tunnel's end, Karka turning his gaze back to front and centre. The door started to open. Stranded in the corridor with no cover, they could only raise their weapons, crouch, prepare to evade fire if they could by rolling out of the way and such like, and steel themselves to face the newcomers in the tunnel.
Psonoir recognised one of the commissioners, an isolationist, accompanied by two guards in the process of talking over a communicator as the door fully retracted, "Yes. They've breached the complex. Shouldn't be long now before they link up with us, Syphax." The commissioner chucked. "Yes. Yes, and then the final break with the Federation and the punishment of Ms Rushworth's group can begin. The rack? No... No, I..." He trailed off as he noticed the Starfleeters, the aforementioned Rushworth's daughter and Alek White.
Psonoir fired - in tandem with the others - and struck the isolationist commissioner square in the chest; he went down with the two guards who had been half-asleep apparently, in not having noticed them. "I don't like the trail we're leaving behind us," Unwin said, approaching the unconscious forms and stepping over them, surveying the downed commissioner, "We need to find some other way to store these bodies."
"You heard what he said?" Psonoir asked, "The conflict is getting closer. They're preparing to link up with them... I don't think we have time to delay anymore." He knelt and took the isolationist's communicator. They agreed and stepped into the following chamber, identical to the room the other end of the tunnel from which they'd entered the walkway. It was now a mere 50 metres to the location of the - clearly adjourned going by the unconscious commissioner's absence - meeting of the Six.
They pushed on, resistance becoming heavier though still isolated into pockets of two or three separatist personnel. They disposed of one too many groups, for a claxon started blaring all about them soon after; one had crawled half-conscious to slam a palm against an alarm. While the others debated fervently what to do, Karka was deep in thought, standing near a comm console. "Commander?"
"I wish to stay here and attempt contact with the Excalibur. We can't let the isolationist army - which must surely be almost upon this location by now..." Indeed they could hear laser and plasma weapons' fire out on the plain, distantly through the walls, "... We can't let them take over the facility and put all the power in Syphax's hands. If the Excalibur can be convinced to try something, if they can even command their weapons what with the energy dampening..."
His position was accepted and the others made off towards the Six's meeting room (though would Syphax's group (sans unconscious commissioner) still be present? there were three people in the meeting room according to the comm console's scanners); Unwin remained with the science officer, for Karka had a plan to corner the Six, "If I can transport you to the corridor the other side of the meeting room, and if we may hope the door will be unlocked, we can catch them between two fires: you on the one side and the CO on the other."
Unwin shook his hand - in case this would be the last time they would talk - and indicated he was ready for the transportation. Karka nodded, conducted the transport and buzzed the Excalibur again, eventually gaining a response. The video-feed failed immediately and the radio was choppy, "Excalibur... this is Psonoir. Please tell me you have working sensors and weapons. Scan the terraforming HQ, the northern sector..."
"Aye, Commander - and it's good to hear your voice - there are lifeforms, mostly humans, streaming all round the complex... Go- Going by scans, some have... and they've just managed to blow a hole in one of the larger buildings and many biosigns are passing inside... Casualties on b-... sides, approximately seven hund- ... nine ... and... arrivals, several thousan-" The transmission was lost in static.
"Is this being monitored?"
A terrible delay, "Likel- ... -ir." He ordered them to fire phasers on empty land near the HQ on lowest setting, as a warning shot, the Excalibur replied they'd see what they could do, but informed him they were barely able to retain control of their own bridge.
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Daniel Schirra
Captain
Registered: Apr 8, 2013 21:02:47 GMT
Posts: 468
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Post by Daniel Schirra on Oct 26, 2017 19:10:36 GMT
It was clear they had little time and even less options open to them. If they allowed the facility to be overrun then all was lost, Starfleet Command would not sent out resources to fight what appeared to be a civil war of sorts, they would simply disassociate themselves with 'T7' and all those connected to it, as while the facility was important, it was far from vital in the scheme of things Daniel thought. He looked back the way they had come then out through the plexi-glass windows ... The fighting was close, too close, it was clear they had already breached sections of the facility and would no doubt be trying to connect with their confederates inside. He agreed to the plan set forth and knelt beside Koni who was aiming her phaser towards the large doors ahead.
=^= Excalibur .. This is Psonoir .. Please tell me you have working sensors and weapons .. Scan the terraforming HQ .. The northern sector .. .. =^=
=^= Aye Commander .. It's good to hear your voice .. There are lifeforms mostly humans streaming all round the complex .. .. Go .. .. Going by scans some have .. .. and they've just managed to blow a hole in one of the larger buildings and many bio-signs are passing inside .. .. Casualties on b .. .. sides approximately seven hund .. nine .. and .. arrivals several thousan .. .. .. =^= The transmission was lost in static.
Rising, Daniel approached the door and tentatively placed a hand on it. Applying slight pressure it didn't give. he increased his push but no luck, they would need to get the door unlocked before the other team entered ... he looked at the unconscious Commissioner, walking over and kneeling beside him. He checked the mans robe hoping to find some form of electronic key or release activator, but was out of luck, he was turning away when he noticed the bracelet:
It was a thin gold band, he'd noticed the same on Roberta Rushworths' wrist and turned quickly to Tania.
"Do you have one of these ?" he asked quickly. Tania raised her sleeve, taking hold of the band.
"Are they used to open the doors ?"
"They monitor where we are within the facility, yes, they allow access to restricted area's but each is programmed to the wearer ...." as demonstration she approached the large doors herself but the indicator on the frame remained a solid red, "I am not one of the Six, so I wouldn't be able to enter any area they control."
"Damn !" Schirra said, looking up at Psonoir who could only shrug then turn back to the panel attempting to find a workaround. Kira had been listening and muttered something unrepeatable before getting up and approaching the Commissioner. She snatched hold of the collar of his robe and began to 'drag' the man towards the door, stopping after a few meters to look at the others, who had remained motionless:
"Her bangle doesn't work .... But his does." she said, waiting for her comment to sink in.
"Karka, contact the others, tell them we will breach in thirty seconds from now, they better be on the other side of the room when we do." Dan said, lifting the unconscious man to carry him toward the door. Placing him against the door frame he took the mans arm then looked at the others, "Ready ?" Psonoir counted down from five then nodded. Daniel pushed the Commissioner's arm up toward the small glowing square and the doors slid silently aside. He dropped the arm, following Koni into the dimly lit room. There was a circular table in the center, a ring of lights above casting the remainder of the room into shadow. One rectangle of light was visible across the room where the others had entered.
"Koni, try to get the lighting raised." Daniel said, approaching the large table, she returned a few seconds later having had no luck, "They must like the gloom." he said as he heard Unwin.
"Captain, over here." the groups converged where Commander Unwin was waiting ...... He was stood over eight bodies, all face down and clearly deceased ! ... They proceeded to turn the bodies onto their backs before moving them closer to the table, and the light. Tania gasped as she recognised the first:
"That is Commissioner McKay !" she said, her hand going to her mouth in shock, she turned as the second body came into view, "Commissioner Niles. Commissioner Bridgeman." she couldn't identify the other five, but it was clear that apart from the unconscious Commissioner at the door the others, all of them presumably members of the 'Six' ... Had vanished ! ... It was then they heard the first explosions, the Excalibur firing into open land around the complex hopefully ..........
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Karka Psonoir
Commander
Registered: Apr 9, 2013 19:55:13 GMT
Posts: 422
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Post by Karka Psonoir on Nov 2, 2017 9:15:49 GMT
The merciless conflict continued unabated, a new tank entering the plain from the bottleneck at the head of the canyon and bringing weapons to bear on a concentration of Federation loyalist defenders. As the ground shook with the heavy tread impact of the tank and the barrage of weapons fire on either side, another source of vibration entered the frame: through cloud layers, thick with noxious gases and glowing red with the atmospheric constituents and the fire of combat below, sliced a low-energy phaser blast, three beams in quick succession arrowing into the heights of nearby land relief.
The combatants froze for an instant, a lull in weapons fire giving space to the boisterous new presence that hit the hilltop and caused smoke, dust and rubble to billow outwards, engulfing momentarily the whole topography and sending a shockwave out over the fighters. When the dust cleared seconds later, the heights of the hilly area were seen to have been levelled. Crossfield's tanks began to withdraw and the defenders took courage, before beginning to lower their own arms, perhaps fearing that the Excalibur's weapons weren't meant to dissaude the enemy but to conquer themselves.
Karka received word from the rest of the away team that the meeting room had been secured, and en route there was mysteriously contacted by Lirwa - it seemed his friend had planted a small communicator behind his ear - who informed him that Roberta Rushworth, from a command tower, was rallying the defences: the Excalibur had struck with its warning shot.
"What have we - " he began as he entered the Six's meeting room, "Ah..." He was greeted by the sight of the eight bodies, including three of the commissioners whom Tania said had been recently assigned by the Federation, "The Excalibur has destroyed a nearby hill," he informed them. Distantly through the walls, they heard the sounds of fighting - the decrease in volume was noticeable, hopefully this meant the war was ending and not simply that the epicentre of the combat was moving.
"Look at this... A list of the attendees. It seems the minutes writer left in a hurry," Unwin said, leaning over an antiquated console, "Syphax, Kincheloe, Bridgeman, Niles, and I don't recognise these two names."
Rushworth looked over his shoulder, "They're personnel from the organisational level below the Commission. Berz... I mean the Klingon Syphax, must be preparing to promote people in place of certain others." Yes indeed, Karka thought, looking at the butchered forms of the three loyalist commissioners. It seemed Syphax had only included Niles and Chairman Bridgeman this time so the latter could bring their supporters along to be executed as well.
Psonoir used a secondary terminal to access a map of the local complex. Blobs representing lifesigns, flickering due to the poor internal sensors, were moving along corridors nearby, a great mass of them, all armed going by the ancient scanning systems. "It seems despite the Excalibur's attack, a good many hostiles have made it into the complex," he called.
As if on cue, sounds of laser and rapid-fire projectile weapons filled the nearby labyrinthine hallways, including the personnel tunnel they'd just come from, accompanied with shouts and screams. Karka perused the map on the screen, there seemed to be no way out except through the forty hostiles approaching their position, yet how had the remaining Six escaped the away team? Surely not the same way, for they would've passed them earlier.
A robed figure leapt out of the wall, "Fool!" its cowled head shrieked at Karka. The science officer recognised from the minutes' images the face whose outline, courtesy of his advanced sight, he could just make out under the cowl, "You're one of Syphax's appointees."
"Yes! Or so I would have these people believe!" The mysterious figure looked the half-dozen of them up and down, "I'm from Starfleet Intelligence. Come with me." Unwin with Rushworth and White were cut off by a sudden influx of hostiles into the room, as the robed man pulled Psonoir, Schirra and T'Seng through the unseen gap in the wall - what appeared to be a photonic illusion - into an extremely narrow passage, perhaps a cavity between walls, "Don't fret, it will do no good. I've been here two and a half months, my mission of infiltration was nearing an end... Syphax had already decided upon it, but I persuaded him to break off contact with the Federation, hoping that in so doing he would be more vocal about and less clandestine in his activities, that he would reveal he was alive in another body - and hence show himself not to be human - and what's more incriminate himself obviously before the Federation. Your interference has ruined everything. There's open conflict, and now the Excalibur herself has fired on the surface!"
Karka looked around him, "Was this your avenue of escape with the rest of the Six?" he asked.
"It was, and if you must insist I'll lead you to Syphax and the others. But once we get there, all decisions we make are in my hands." He halted suddenly. "You will do exactly as I say and nothing more. If I have to confer with them and bring you into the open, then depending on the situation, you're my prisoners or my soldiers: you don't move of your own volition, you don't speak, and if I give you an order before them you carry it out without compunction." He fetched inside his robe and flashed the chrome of a laser pistol, "Is that understood?"
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Daniel Schirra
Captain
Registered: Apr 8, 2013 21:02:47 GMT
Posts: 468
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Post by Daniel Schirra on Nov 6, 2017 22:37:46 GMT
".... then depending on the situation, you are my prisoners or my soldiers: you do not move of your own volition, you do not speak, and if I give you an order before them you carry it out without compunction." He reached inside his robe and flashed the chrome of a laser pistol, "Is that understood ?" Daniel had listened to the man while remaining silent allowing his Executive Officer to lead the conversation. His thinking was that it might be more productive to keep his own position vague, at least for the moment. The in-fighting was close now, much too close for comfort, and it was clear they were about to be completely overrun, despite Excalibur's interjection. He glanced up at the ceiling, trying to construct a mental image of what was happening above, the Excalibur, the Belfast, who held control ? He decided he needed to get to the ship, by what ever means and tried to get Karka's attention as they began to file out of the room. Psonoir too knew that someone needed to be on the Excalibur. Daniel surreptitiously pointed a finger upwards, Psonoir nodding a fraction of a degree towards the panel at the far end of the room. As they left Psonoir spoke to their captor/confederate to get his undivided attention as out of his line of sight, Schirra ducked behind the door and dropped to the floor. He waited while the voices faded completely then risked checking the corridor. The fighting beyond the corridor almost drowned out anything else, the facility almost completely overrun now, it was only a matter of time before they had full control, at least on the surface. He crouched low and risked crossing the open doorway to reach the panel. He would need to be quick because anyone monitoring would instantly know his location, and if that was the attacking forces he didn't stand a chance. Quickly he entered a signal transponder code the Excalibur Bridge would be able to recognise. Should anyone 'not' assigned as a Bridge Officer see it, they would react but have no means of identifying who was on the other end. All he needed was someone to establish a Comm link ..... He sent the code and crouched down, not a second too soon as two bolts from phaser rifles lanced across the room from beyond the still open door and slammed into the furthest wall. The fighting was right outside now and if the ship failed to react correctly to his Comm then within minutes the room would be full of people who would like nothing better than to have a Federation Captain as a bargaining chip in their upcoming negotiations ! ... he saw the first enter, looking around the room quickly, fortunately missing the crouching man at the back of the console. Daniel was about to give a sigh of relief when the man returned. "Come out .... I know someone is back there .... Come out or I will shoot !" Daniel closed his eyes, realising his comm hadn't reached the ship, or if it had, there was no one from the original crew to care. He began to stand then felt the tell-tale caress of a transport. The mad too realised he was right in thinking someone was indeed hiding in the room but was shocked to see someone de-materialising before he could capture and question the man. He spun back and ran from the room ..... ~~~~~Materialising, he ran from the transporter pad, Junior Officers in tow and headed for the Bridge: "What is our status ?" he asked one of the Lieutenant's. "We are secure now Captain. The attempt to take the ship failed and the Belfast ceased their attack. It too has been taken over and the insurgents have all been detained in the cargo hold, as have the people who attempted to take the Excalibur. Long-range scans show two vessels on intercept course but we cannot identify them and believe them hostiles." As they stepped on the Bridge the Duty Officer seemingly catapulted himself from the center seat, clearly relieved that someone was here to take over. Daniel dropped into the seat: "Get a transporter lock on all out personnel on the surface and get them back here !" he ordered, instantly second-guessing his order, "Belay that .... Get locks and track locations." He decided quickly that this was a lost cause, they couldn't contend with the rebel forces attacking the facility, and the whereabouts of the 'Six' was at this point unknown. Five thousand meters ahead, the USS Belfast was hanging above the planet. He could order both vessels to fire on the insurgents, crush the situation and let the Diplomats and Politicians sort out the whole sorry mess, but he had people down there and he knew that his Executive Officer had known what he was getting into ... "Communications, send a sub-space message to Starfleet Command, include all logs from one hour prior to entering the System. Request their .... Advice." Daniel said ..........
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Daniel Schirra
Captain
Registered: Apr 8, 2013 21:02:47 GMT
Posts: 468
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Post by Daniel Schirra on Nov 7, 2017 23:32:39 GMT
He dropped into the center seat awaiting a reply from Starfleet Command ... "Sir, communications are being interrupted somehow, I can't get command or any Federation facility." the Comms Officer informed him. Dan looked through the massive 'window' glancing to the left to check the tactical plot superimposed. "The Belfast ?" he asked. "No Sir, more like electromagnetic static than man-made, I'll try to break through." "You do that." Schirra said, trying not to allow his growing frustration to surface, "What's the status on the surface, do we have positive locks on our people ?" "Difficult Sir, the radiation from the bombardment around the facility is interf ...." "Yes, yes, yes ... Interfering with transporters !" he said, immediately regretting his snapping at the young Officer, who after all was only reporting the situation, it was hardly his fault, "OK ... Lets try the Belfast ... Contact them, instruct them to fall in ahead of us, but they will deactivate all weapons systems before approaching. Only when we can confirm compliance can they move. Tactical, get a weapons lock on the Belfast, no point in being too trusting given recent events." "Belfast confirms their orders Captain." the Comms Officer confirmed. "Their weapons systems are off-line, they are coming around to approach astern." the Duty Tactical Officer added. "Captain, the Belfast is requesting to transport someone aboard the Excalibur." Lieutenant Gold informed him. "Really ...." Schirra said, watching the ship as it passed beyond the edge of the window to their Starboard, presumably beginning a lazy turn to drop in behind and Port of the Excalibur, "Tell them their request is denied. Instruct them to carry out the order given and await further communication. I want them where I can see them for now. Anything further on contacting the away team ?" "I believe they can hear us but we're getting nothing from them Sir. It's possible the area of the Facility they were heading towards is causing the problem. I have requested they move higher or out into the open." He fell silent as the USS Belfast passed directly above them dropping into synchronous orbit two thousand meters ahead of the Excalibur. It was possible an outside influence was blocking communications, in which case there could be at least one other vessel out there aligned with the Isolationists and the self-proclaimed 'Outcasts' ... Admittedly, there was no evidence to prove anyone else was involved, but he couldn't quite bring himself to believe that Syphax, Crossfield et al had orchestrated this rebellion alone. It also occurred to him that Syphax had ordered the assassinations of the newly appointed Commissioners, Bridgeman, McKay, and Niles. It proved he was set on a path that no-one was going to sway him from regardless of the cost to life !. maybe they simply didn't fall into step with the mans plans, or possibly he had already decided on his 'inner circle' of leaders and they were simply surplus to requirements, it was a moot point, as either way they were dead. Which meant that the other Commissioners not affiliated with his maniac schemes were also in danger, along with his away team, who at this stage he couldn't afford to escape. Surely it wasn't possible that he believed that he was going to be left alone after this, the Federation may well wash their proverbial hands of the terraforming on Eyrie Syphax, in fact they could do nothing less in his opinion, but they would also need to be seen to be holding someone responsible ! "Captain, the Commander of the Belfast is asking to speak with you." Lieutenant gold said, breaking him from his train of thought. "OK ... On screen." he said. Surprised to see not the Captain but someone he didn't know: =^= Captain .. My name is Santos .. Diplomatic Envoy .. I have been asked to speak on behalf of the Belfast Command =^= =^= Fine .. Who is actually in charge over there Mister Santos ? =^= Santos looked at someone out of shot for a moment, nodded, then turned back to the screen, but before he could continue another person appeared: =^= I have taken command Captain .. My name is Zuur .. The malcontents are secured in the cargo hold acquainting themselves with the prospect of a long incarceration .. I would like to transport over to discuss our situation =^= =^= 'Our' situation .. Hmmm .. .. .. Humour me here Mister Zuur .. But how as I to know that this is not a means to gain control of the Excalibur ? =^= =^= With all due respect Captain had I not taken control when I did I seriously doubt either of us would have been in any condition to speak together .. Those loyal to Syphax would have attacked the Excalibur =^= Daniel took a moment to assess the man and his comments, then replied: =^= Very well .. Stand by .. We will transport you in a moment .. You and you only .. Oh and if the Belfast makes any attempt to activate weapons or transporters we will fire immediately =^= =^= You have my word Captain =^= Zuur said, a sickening grin forming. Dan didn't trust the man and he assumed the feeling was mutual. He stood and turned to the Tactical Officer, "Lock onto Mister Zuur." =^= Captain .. I assume my good faith is reciprocated ? =^= =^= That remains to be seen .. .. Stand by for transport .. Excalibur out =^= he turned to the Tactical Officer,instructing him to beam Zuur directly into the Brig in thirty seconds then left the Bridge ..... USS Excalibur - Brig :: Daniel was stood patiently waiting when Zuur materialised in the center of one of the holding cells. At first the man didn't realise where he was, approaching Schirra hand outstretched. The shock of it connecting with the force field threw him back several paces, confusion quickly changing to shock. "Welcome aboard Mister Zuur." Daniel said ..........
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Karka Psonoir
Commander
Registered: Apr 9, 2013 19:55:13 GMT
Posts: 422
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Post by Karka Psonoir on Nov 13, 2017 21:33:31 GMT
"Fine way to greet the instrument of your deliverance," Zuur grumbled, collecting himself and massaging his hand where it'd made contact with the field, "If it wasn't for me, Captain, this ship would now be swarming with... no, taken over by Belfast marines, traitors, I might add, to the Federation - "
"Enough, Zuur, your own loyalties are far from confirmed. Your hostile attitude towards us was obvious; we took precautions."
"Your disdain is obvious!" Zuur made his riposte and sank back into the bench the cell was equipped with; he was grateful for its presence. "As I explained to your duty officer during our fragmented comm conversations (while as I'm led to understand you were still on the surface), the Belfast's Captain and four senior officers were in collusion with separatist elements on ES-VII led by Commissioner Crossfield. If you don't believe me, if you believe I'm the perpetrator of all this and the true object of your enmity, then allow me to download to the Excalibur relevant sections of the Belfast's LCARS database - you'll find all the information you need, damning the Belfast's CO now in custody in its cargo bay, with additional information Intel gathered on Syphax's patronage of dispossessed Klingon noblemen."
Zuur (lately Lieutenant Lotos, posing on the Belfast as per Syphax's instructions, though by no means aligned to that Klingon-Trill) growled in rage as Schirra made it clear he wouldn't allow what could potentially be a malicious data dump (masquerading as LCARS) from the Belfast's computer to the Excal. "And... Klingon noblemen. What?" Schirra finished.
"Berz Syphax in his new body has been communicating with the Klingon Empire. As far as intel goes..." he'd nearly said 'Cetan's intel', for he'd been to the 29th century with Alek White, had seen the business he'd got up to there with the Cetans, the missing Excal shuttle, the struggle with the Cetan Imperial Navy. "According to a friend in SF Intel, Syphax's host is from a family of the dispossessed; in return for using these discontented Klingons - from the Houses of Me'toq, Krokos, and Qo'nos'dakgh'tu - to build a weapons stockpile and receive illegal compounds to accelerate the terraforming, he's trying to stir up discontent in the Empire in the hope of eventually toppling the Klingon High Council so those three Houses can be restored."
He studied Captain Schirra, "Didn't you see on long-range sensors? Two vessels, Birds of Prey, closing on this system... The Belfast detected them, but we didn't dare use our comms to inform you lest unbidden you should've blasted us out of the sky!"
The Excal CO told him flatly he didn't trust him. Zuur realised something, "You were wondering how Syphax and Crossfield could've done all this by themselves, Captain..." his tone was insolent, "Well, now you have it, Syphax's separatist army have been receiving arms from the Klingon Defence Force ever since he returned to Eyrie Syphax in his Klingon body. Now... Let me out of this cage!!"
Almost amused, the Excal CO demanded he relax and contacted the bridge, having Lieutenant Wentworth scan for the two unknown vessels approaching; sure enough, sensors were now able to resolve them as a Klingon Bird of Prey and a rare-configuration Klingon craft, about twice the Bird's size. They would be on top of the Federation starships in 15 minutes...
"Are we still being jammed? Transporters, long-range comms?" Zuur asked. Schirra glared at him but asked this of the bridge, too; the answer was affirmative.
"You have my word, for what it's worth, that the Belfast is not responsible." Zuur paused, "Except for the transporters." He'd daren't allow the Excal away team's rescue until they found Syphax...
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Daniel Schirra
Captain
Registered: Apr 8, 2013 21:02:47 GMT
Posts: 468
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Post by Daniel Schirra on Nov 19, 2017 12:17:06 GMT
Daniel didn't know whether to believe the man or not. Granted his information regarding the approaching Klingon vessels had proved factual, and maybe everything else he was saying held equal merit, but he couldn't simply allow the man free reign on the Excalibur, and having no means to retrieve his personnel on the surface severely limited his actions. "You have my word, for what it's worth, that the Belfast is not responsible." Zuur paused, "Except for the transporters." Dan had a thought, but he would need the Medical Officers' approval. He walked to the Brig watch station and asked the Doctor to attend, turning to evaluate the prisoner silently while he waited. When Commander Wundt entered Dan took him to one side, speaking quietly. Zuur moved as close to the force-field as possible trying to listen to the whispered conversation. Whatever Schirra had in mind it was clear the Doctor was against it, and said as much loud enough for him to hear. The Captain in turn spoke more forcibly, apparently telling the Doctor that he would be 'surplus to requirements' if he was unwilling to carry out instructions. Zuur was still none the wiser when the Doctor, extremely annoyed, stormed out of the Brig. Daniel returned his attention to his prisoner. "What was all that about Schirra. We do not have time, the Klingon's will be upon us momentarily !" "Oh we have a few moments Zuur." Daniel said with a slight disconcerting smile as the Doctor returned, a Med case in one hand. He glared at the Captain then placed the kit atop the control console, then, facing the cell he opened it before taking out a hypo-spray and studying it. "Captain, this goes against every civil right and contrav ...." "Thank you, Doctor." Schirra said, looking at the hypo, "Have you set the dose as requested ? "I must protes ...." "In ten minutes we will have two Klingon warships above us Doctor. If our 'guest' is able to offer assistance then I need to be able to speak with him instantly. This will ensure his compliance while out of the Brig." "What are you talking about ?" Zuur said, suddenly worried. "Now please, Doctor." Schirra said, ignoring the prisoner while making it clear his instruction was a clear order ...... Wundt began to protest but Schirra simply held up a hand then pointed to the cell, "Against the real wall Zuur, any attempt to resist will result in the Security Officer stunning you and the force-field being activated. If you move at all our conversation is over, is that completely understood ?" "What is he going to do to me ?" "Against the wall. I won't ask you again." Schirra said. He continued as Zuur slowly backed up, eyes locked on the Doctor, hesitantly approaching, but approaching nonetheless, "I am going to inject something known as a neural inhibitor, or suppressant, into your blood stream. Once done you will be required to have counteractive measures hourly to prevent the toxin from running it's full course, which believe me, we leave you completely oblivious for your foreseeable future ... before you start to quote the illegality of my actions, I am fully aware and will answer for them to the appropriate authorities in due course, but for now ...." he shrugged as he waved the Security Officer forward to cover the prisoner. "You are going against your own hippocratic oath in doing this. You know that." Zuur said to the Doctor. "You will need to report to me hourly. If you don't, well ...." Wundt said, turning his attention to the task at hand. He placed the hypo-spray against Zuur's neck and activated it, leaving the cell to return to the Security console. Zuur placed a hand over the injector location, rubbing it as it was actually painful. Schirra stepped aside and motioned for him to step out of the cell. Lieutenant Yukagori, Head of Security entered the Brig with two other Officers. Schirra instructed Yukigori to take their 'guest' into the corridor and wait, when they had done so he turned to the Doctor: "You should take up acting as a hobby Doctor." "That man believes he has been intentionally poisoned, the implicati ...." "Precisely doctor, and as long as he believes he has been poisoned, and believes you are the only person preventing that poison from taking full effect, he is likely to be a damn sight more compliant." Daniel said, heading for the door before turning back, "Out of curiosity, what did you inject ? "Vitamin C." the man said, still clearly unhappy about having to deceive a patient, he looked at Zuur as they left the Brig, "Hourly, do not forget." he said then headed back to Sickbay, Schirra smiled at Zuur: "Let's go Mister Zuur." he said, stepping into the turbo-lift, Security and Zuur in tow ..... Excalibur Bridge :: "How long before they are in range ?" Schirra asked, dropping into the center seat while the two Security detailed to Zuur moved him to one side where he could be contained if necessary. "Three minutes Captain." the Duty Tactical Officer answered, "Sir, they either haven't detected us given our low orbit, or they don't appear concerned at our presence." "Strange, they should be able to see us." Daniel mused, glancing at Zuur who remained stolidly expressionless, "Contact the Belfast." the Comms Officer nodded and Schirra could see a young Commander in the center seat: =^= Commander .. Status ? =^= =^= We're secure Captain .. All 'dissidents' have been detained =^= =^= Good .. .. OK long range communications are out for the time being .. I need you to leave orbit ..Take up a position one hundred thousand kilometers ahead and above of us in direct line of the oncomming Klingon vessels .. It is likely that we will not be able to communicate .. If that is the case you are to prevent the Klingon vessels achieving orbit .. Is that fully understood Commander ? =^= =^= Fully understood Captain .. I have permission to use any means at my disposal .. Belfast out =^= Daniel watched as the ship complied, this could still completely backfire on them if Zuur had been lying all along and it would effectively put the Excalibur against three vessels and restricted to defending the away team. "You don't have any idea as to how we can get our affected systems back on-line I suppose ?" he asked Zuur, who shrugged. "You should be seeing a reduction in the jamming used by now." was all he replied. "Bring weapons on-line ... Raise shields." ..........
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Karka Psonoir
Commander
Registered: Apr 9, 2013 19:55:13 GMT
Posts: 422
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Post by Karka Psonoir on Nov 26, 2017 3:46:39 GMT
Having managed to escape the firefight that'd erupted all around them at the time Schirra had disappeared, Karka and T'Seng had peeled away with their new ally down another personnel tunnel, this one leading west and turning northwards in a wide arc back towards the northern complex of buildings - where they again hoped to find Syphax.
"They retreated in this direction?" he asked, as they kept low in the smoke-filled corridors, hearing the distant discharge of laser and phaser rifles, and the rattle of automatic weaponry.
"Indeed, scientist," the cloaked and cowled man said, scampering along ahead of them, "I've told you, I've worked my way into the Six... It's taken me three months to earn Syphax's trust; I'm not going to waste my opportunity now that I have him at my very fingertips."
They neared a hatchway similar to the one through which the member of the Six - whom they'd rendered unconscious earlier - had passed. "I must inform you of my priorities," Karka said, panting as they came to a halt, "A fellow crewmember of ours - if you hadn't noticed - has disappeared with Commissioner White and Ms Rushworth: Lieutenant Commander Unwin. The three of them are likely in the custody of the enemy, or dead. My first objective is to locate him - "
"No! It isn't!" the man snapped, his nose and jawline visible beneath the cowl, and he spat, his mandibles snapping in fury, "Your objective as my subordinate is to help me complete my mission! It's your mission, too, the removal of the Klingon from Federation territory, or his capture by us."
"First, though, it would be useful to have your name," Karka said evenly.
The man opened the hatch, peered through with T'Seng unhappily taking the lead, phaser raised and turning each way in the new dark space - someone had to protect them, if her two supposed seniors were intent on arguing their way to their deaths. The man looked back at Karka, "My name is of no concern to you. I'm from Starfleet Intelligence. That is all you need to and all you will know."
They neared the new location of Syphax - Karka believed they were being led on what humans so quaintly termed a 'wild goose chase' -, backed themselves against a wall with the corridor, in which was the door in question, to their left. Dubiously, Karka nodded to their hooded friend (whose only positive ID was a - conceivably forged, though he had no very good reason for thinking so, SF Intel Officer Recognition chip), drew his phaser and scanned with the bulky tricorder slung about his waist, "Four lifesigns, one of them Klingon-Trill -" he began to whisper.
His communicator chirped. His first thought: how? He moved to a corner and flipped open the comm (T'Seng watched the corridor, their friend covered the hatch they'd just come through), "This is Commander Psonoir, go ahead..."
"Commander! At last, we've been attempting to get through to you, or someone else on your landing party, for the last 45 minutes. This is Lieutenant Bremmell on the USS Belfast. I've got some news you're not going to like to hear, Commander..." Karka heard him gulp, "... The USS Excalibur has been seized by our own renegade marines and security, in league with the isolationists on the surface, and with the Kl- "
"Stop. I don't believe what you are telling me, Lieutenant." Rather, Karka thought uneasily, I can't and won't believe it. He looked about - T'Seng and even the hooded Intel officer were standing regarding him in shock. "Lieutenant, I thought you'd secured the Belfast of traitors before the assault on the Excalibur could begin in earnest? And Captain Schirra managed to transport himself to the Excalibur not half an hour ago," Karka said.
"He's beamed into a hellhole, Commander... The technical term, understand. We have secured the Belfast, sir, but our traitor marines had all beamed across to the Excal before we could wrest back control of our ship's computer. And the Klingons - "
"The Klingons?!"
"Two of their ships have arrived. They've been supplying Syphax and Crossfield all along. We're outnumbered 3 to 1 and have just started taking heavy damage. Recommend you leave the HQ complex, head to these coordinates I'm sending to your tricorder - a nearby set of hills; from there we'll be able to transport you up to the Belfast and to safety."
"I'll see what..." Karka paused, nearly choking. Had Schirra walked into a trap, into death in returning to the Excalibur at this time? "I'll see what I can do, Bremmell, but I would like some confirmation. I don't know how, but you're going to have to prove it to me. And we're going after Syphax first."
"Get him," Bremmell replied, "And take him to the beam-out coords, too, if you can, then we'll all bug out to Sector HQ while trying to shake the Excal. Your ship's controlled by our traitor officers and marines now, sir, and Klingons have beamed aboard it, too, in league with the traitors, of course." The comm ended and Karka stood stunned; face white as a sheet, he directed silently the other two towards the room in which four of Syphax's cabal were contained; they walked in and seized them, Syphax, Walker and two others, simple as that.
"Very well," Karka heaved, looking over their captives. "How do we get out?" he demanded of the Intel officer who was currently gloating over the huge, enraged form of Syphax, who nevertheless - with T'Seng's phaser at his temple - pointed towards an exit that would have them evade the huge army of separatists in and outside of the building. They made for the hill and beam-up coordinates, crossing a dusty plain, unnoticed by either loyalists or separatists. The loyal Belfast would soon receive Psonoir, T'Seng, the hooded officer, and four of the Six (their new captives) into its welcoming arms - as soon as Karka received confirmation from the Belfast of the Excalibur's loss to the enemy. It was shocking what'd happened on the Excal, but Karka had to endure; his object now was to get Syphax into custody in the Belfast's brig. [OOC: it's a trick]
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Daniel Schirra
Captain
Registered: Apr 8, 2013 21:02:47 GMT
Posts: 468
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Post by Daniel Schirra on Nov 29, 2017 23:56:41 GMT
"Bring weapons on-line ... Raise shields." .....
Daniel sat in the center seat watching as the Belfast, now thankfully under Federation control, began to move ahead of the Excalibur on a heading that would put them in direct line to the oncoming Klingon vessels. He was still worried about the away team: Had they been captured, escaped, gone into hiding on the surface now the Facility was completely overrun, there was no way of knowing at this stage and he could only hope they were safe and well, somewhere.
He had little option now but to ensure the dissidents on 'T7' didn't receive the support of the oncoming Klingon's ...
"Lieutenant Yukigori ...." Dan addressed the Security Chief, "Any possibility that if we could drop into a low orbit we could transport our people up ?"
"Impossible Sir, we don't have the systems back on-line."
"Thank you Lieutenant. Helm, lets move into a higher orbit, keep the Belfast between us and the Klingon's, at least until we are capable of fighting on an even footing."
Lieutenant Sarah Wentworth, at Operations, was monitoring all the ships' systems and got up to approach the Communications Officer. She looked over the Communications panel frowning, then asked Lieutenant gold a question:
"That frequency modulation, what is it ?" The Comms Officer looked at the almost invisible waver and she too frowned. making several inputs she attempted to isolate the frequency but was struggling to do so. Dan turned to look in their direction, glancing at the Belfast through the polarised window every few seconds. The superimposed tactical display showed the two oncoming Klingon ships were less than ten minutes out, while the Belfast, now two thousand kilometers ahead was beginning to slow in anticipation of the expected attack.
"Problem ?" he asked the two Officers. Jenni Gold turned to look at him:
"We have, Lieutenant Yukigori picked up a frequency discrepancy, I am trying to isolate it Captain but it's proving difficult."
"Is it a communication ?"
"Possibly Sir, but if it is it's nothing we've picked up on before. Maybe it's bleeding over from the facility, I'm checking that now." she said, turning back to her panel, the Tactical Officer still hovering over her for several long seconds before returning to his station.
"Captain, we are no longer picking up firing within the facility." Yukigori informed him.
"Could mean the takeover has been successful." Sarah Wentworth suggested from Ops.
"Possibly ...." Daniel mused, deep in thought, "Try to get transporters back on-line and long-range communications, we need to find out the status of our away team. He was about to continue when the Security Chief interrupted:
"Sir, I'm picking up something ...."
"Something, Lieutenant ?" Dan repeated, trying to be patient.
"Possible transports from the surface."
"Who would be transporting people off the surface, and where the hell would they be transporting them to ?" Dan asked, a shiver running down his spine, "Do we have our transporters back up ?"
"Yes Sir, but it's not us. Sir, our sensors are not fully operational, but if I had to guess I would say someone has beamed up, to the Belfast."
"As enlightening as your insight is Lieutenant, I would much prefer to have hard facts at my disposal, if you could." Schirra said, instantly regretting his tone, but the woman simply nodded and turned to her station, seconds later updating him again:
"We picked up a minor fluctuation between the surface and the Belfast. It could have been a disguised transport, or an encoded communication. At this point I cannot determine which. Apologies Captain, I'll keep working at it."
"Why would anyon ......" Daniel began, then changed tack, "Open a comm to the Belfast ... NOW !" ..........
< Tag : Belfast >
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Karka Psonoir
Commander
Registered: Apr 9, 2013 19:55:13 GMT
Posts: 422
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Post by Karka Psonoir on Dec 1, 2017 11:13:14 GMT
Bremmell surveyed the bridge, happy at what he saw: the officers of the Belfast's crew who were on the right side, knowing where their loyalties lay and justified in their decision by whatever standard of justice one wished to apply. Happy he was also, considering the pending request for communication from the Excalibur, that none of the quarry just beamed aboard were in sight.
The people in question were secured in the brig and sickbay as appropriate, the former confounded at their apparent reversal of fortunes, the latter vindicated that the ploy had seemingly come off successfully.
"Lieutenant Bremmell. They're hailing again - "
"Alright!" Bremmell was impatient, dropping into the centre seat with a sharp exhalation of breath, "How close are the Klingons?" He was informed they would be on their position in less than two minutes... Excellent, he thought, Keep Schirra talking for that amount of time and all the while the noose will be tightening...
"Answer it," he told Communications, "On screen." He tried to keep the smug grin from his face, "Captain Schirra. It seems we have the Klingons at a disadvantage. The Belfast will act as decoy, we'll pull away to port as they close to say... a 1,000 kilometres? and you open up with a barrage of photons - "
Schirra cut him off, demanding to know who they'd been communicating with and/or transporting aboard the Belfast. "Please, Captain, I've rescued your officers. They're recuperating in sickbay at this moment, along with a strange creature... hooded fellow, didn't seem happy despite his turn of good fortune," Bremmell said.
"You have Commander Psonoir aboard? Bring him to your bridge immediately..." The commanding officer of the Belfast paused, savouring the moment, though suddenly nervous: how was he going to play this? Bringing Psonoir to the bridge was out of the question, unless... unless he was heavily drugged and made pliant to answer questions in whatever fashion Bremmell and his colleagues demanded of him. Syphax on the other hand, well, to bring him to the bridge would be the Belfast crew's collective suicide, unless he was brought in binds... but even then that would raise suspicions which were already extreme. "Need I pull rank?" Schirra asked.
"You're right, Captain," Bremmell said, and signalled to have Psonoir and T'Seng brought to the bridge, hypnotised, drugged, he cared not, as long as they seemed completely happy to be here. In short order they arrived, swaying very slightly but not enough to suggest their unsteadiness was anything other than the result of the ordeal they'd gone through on the surface. At Bremmell's request, security guards for the two Excal captives kept a very respectable distance away - by the turbolifts.
Psonoir fought through the haze - he wouldn't be incapacitated that easily... The irony was extreme; he'd envisaged he'd been beaming to safety and that Schirra had perished in returning to a hijacked ship; quite the opposite, though hopefully this encounter wouldn't culminate in Psonoir's demise. The alive-and-well Schirra's questions started coming - Karka scrutinised the viewscreen but was unable to focus on his words; he wanted to sit, which Bremmell his captor seemed happy to let him do, in a makeshift seat arranged next to the Captain's chair (as a way of proving my supposed liberty, no doubt, Karka thought).
Psonoir smiled weakly, "All is well here, Daniel. We were lucky." Schirra's reaction was indecipherable; Dan spoke again, presumably another question, however due to the hypnosis Karka could comprehend none of it; he found himself expressing an affirmative, "Yes, Syphax is in custody with us, sir. We captured him and three others of the Six just before leaving the surface." He turned to his right and smiled pliantly at Bremmell, who was unexpectedly glaring daggers at him, eyes full of hatred. "Did I say something wrong - ?" Karka began, entirely inaudibly.
Bremmell turned to the viewscreen, "The Commander is weak and must rest," he did his best to smile at the very nonplussed Schirra, "Everything he said was correct, Syphax is in custody... Now I suggest we prepare for the impending Klingon attack, Captain. They're within torpedo range in 15 seconds." Despite the slightly unsatisfactory performance of Psonoir, Bremmell grinned inside - indeed, his sister ship the Excal should certainly prepare for its coming destruction.
<Tag Schirra>
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Daniel Schirra
Captain
Registered: Apr 8, 2013 21:02:47 GMT
Posts: 468
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Post by Daniel Schirra on Dec 10, 2017 20:07:56 GMT
Bremmell turned to the viewscreen .....
"The Commander is weak and must rest." he did his best to smile at the very nonplussed Schirra, "Everything he said was correct, Syphax is indeed in custody ... Now, I suggest we prepare for the impending Klingon attack, Captain. They will be within torpedo range in 15 seconds."
The image vanished leaving Dan looking through the 'window' at the Belfast, now far out ahead of them but slowing as the two Klingon vessels continued their approach. Schirra knew something was amiss, but for the life of him he couldn't quite put his finger on that niggling doubt lodged at the back of his mind.
"Captain, the Klingon vessels are in weapons range." the duty Tactical Officer informed him.
"Bring weapons on-line, raise shi ....."
"Sir, the Belfast has come to a complete stop."
"What is that man up to." Daniel muttered but before he could answer his own query the Tactical Officer spoke again:
"Captain, the Klingon's have also come to a complete stop, they are locking weapons, but not on us Sir." he said, checking his panel again before continuing, "They have locked all weapons on the facility Captain."
"What the hell." Schirra said under his breath, then spoke up, "Lock phasers on the lead Klingon ship ... Open a Comm to the Belfast !"
"Belfast is not answering Captain." Lieutenant Gold at Comms said, making Dan turn to face her, "They are hearing us sir, as are the Klingon's ...."
"Helm, can you put us between the Klingon vessels and the facility ?"
"Not completely Captain, we can get in the way of one or the other, but not both."
"Begin to move us, slowly, I don't want them to react. Move us between the lead vessel. Tactical, lock weapons on that ship but keep a lock on the second vessel just in case." he looked at the tactical plot superimposed on the window a frown forming, "Get a lock on the Belfast too. Maybe that will encourage them to answer us."
He sat back, eyes on the tactical plot, the planet rotating slowly below them seemingly a picture of calmness, belaying the turmoil that was being acted out on it's surface. His eyes flicked to the Belfast, wondering what the hell was going on over there, but without fully functional transporters they were helpless to get their crew back without the cooperation of the Belfast. He knew something was wrong, the Belfast had yet to lock their weapons on the Klingon's and that in itself was his major concern ... Were they simply keeping their proverbial cards close, not wanting to tip their hand, were they still unsure as to the allegiance of the Klingon's ?
"Open a communication to the Belfast, don't bother to encrypt it, lets allow the Klingon's to listen in." Schirra ordered, standing to walk close to the window before speaking:
=^= USS Belfast .. Report your status .. .. Failure to do so immediately will force me to consider you compromised .. .. .. =^=
A superimposed image of the Belfast' Bridge appeared.
=^= Lieutenant .. Lock weapons on the Klingon vessels .. .. Now =^= Schirra could see the man speaking, before gesturing with his arms, but there was no audio. he turned to the Comms Officer, who checked before confirming there was noting wrong on their end. Dan was about to speak again when one of the Klingon vessels began to move ..........
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Daniel Schirra
Captain
Registered: Apr 8, 2013 21:02:47 GMT
Posts: 468
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Post by Daniel Schirra on Dec 27, 2017 22:40:53 GMT
The Excalibur locked her formidable array of weaponry on the two Klingon vessels, neither of which seemed to be acknowledging their sudden peril ....
"Helm, move us to intercept the moving Klingon vessel, place us as best you can between them and the Facility on the surface ... Comms, instruct the Belfast to close on the second Klingon vessel."
"Aye Sir." came tandem replies. Dan watched as they dropped into a lower orbit, their parabolic course should see them in the Klingon vessels' way in minutes, providing of course that they don't decide to fire on the surface before the Excalibur could impede their options. Thirty long seconds passed as they manoeuvred into position, it was then he realised that the Belfast, initially following the instructions given, had now halted her progress and was in fact holding position covering both the Klingon ship and the Excalibur. Daniel frowned, wondering if they had information he wasn't as yet privy to. He instructed Comms to order the Belfast to move as ordered, but there was no reply !
"What the heel are they playing at over there ?" he asked rhetorically. His attention focused on the Klingon vessel now less than five thousand meters ahead of them.
"Comms, open a channel to the Klingon's." A few seconds later the Comms Officer nodded, Dan looked at the 'window' and the superimposed view of the Klingon Bridge:
=^= I am Captain Daniel Schirra .. Commanding Officer .. USS Excalibur .. .. .. =^=
=^= Commander G'rakk .. To what do I owe this communication .. Captain ? =^= the man replied amiably.
=^= You are currently in violation of numerous Federation Laws .. One of those being your current position and weapons status .. I request that you take weapons off-line and depart this System with your sister vessel .. Immediately =^=
=^= I am afraid I cannot comply Captain .. You see .. Our 'presence' here was requested =^=
=^= By whom .. May I ask ? =^=
=^= Ah .. Well that I am not at liberty to divulge Captain .. But rest assured that if anyone is in 'violation' it is you .. Not I =^=
=^= This Planet and the Sector is under Federation jurisdiction .. Therefore it is you who are trespassing Commander =^= Schirra said, a sudden chill running the length of his spine. He risked glancing at the image of the Belfast and the second Klingon vessel. Neither had moved, or communicated.
=^= We shall .. As they say .. Have to agree to disagree Captain .. I am instructed to put a halt to .. .. .. =^=
=^= Instructed by whom .. Commander ? =^= Schirra interrupted the man, who was clearly beginning to loose patience with the conversation. =^= Withdraw Captain .. I would hate for us to shed blood unnecessarily =^=
=^= There are thousands of people on the surface Commander .. The majority of those being Human .. Should I feel you are doing anything but complying with my instructions I will have no option but to fire on you =^=
=^= That of course .. Is your prerogative Captain .. Nevertheless .. I have a task to complete =^= Dan could see his Tactical Officer trying to get his attention but he knew that if he closed the Comm with the Klingon Commander he would see that as a weakness. Unfortunately, Koni wasn't taking no for an answer. Standing, Dan instructed the Comms Officer to mute the communication and then turned his back to the 'window' ...
"What is it Lieutenant ?" he asked.
"Sir, the Belfast have locked their weapons. On us !"
"What !" Dan said, fighting the urge to shout ..........
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Karka Psonoir
Commander
Registered: Apr 9, 2013 19:55:13 GMT
Posts: 422
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Post by Karka Psonoir on Jan 3, 2018 4:14:45 GMT
Bremmell gritted his teeth, "You're making me do this, Captain..." he murmured to himself, "If you don't move now..." He couldn't possibly inform Schirra that the latter needed to move so that the Klingons could obliterate the remaining 'loyalist' resistance on the planet's surface. "Fire!" he commanded.
Phaser beams shot out from ventral and dorsal surfaces of the Belfast's saucer section, arrowing towards a single point on the unwitting Excalibur's shield grid, causing it to flicker momentarily as it took up the unexpected impact focussed on a singularity.
"Evasive manoeuvres, program Lotos Epsilon 77," Bremmell instructed, looking across at his tactical deputy who'd taken his station, he dropped his arm in a cutting motion, "Execute." The ship banked hard to starboard, pitching and then rolling a whole 720 degrees sending the Constitution class on a z- corkscrewing trajectory away from the Excalibur's primary weapons arc (at its current orientation).
If the Klingons were cooperative and continued to fight Syphax's cause, they'd take up positions equidistant from each other round the Excalibur and draw its fire in three directions, more importantly exposing too many weak points - of poor coverage - in the Excal's firing arc for it to cope properly with such a three-pronged assault. And here he was... the man, or Klingon, or Trill... whatever, of the moment, Bremmell thought, as he turned to see the huge bulk of Syphax emerge from the turbolift. "Syphax son of Kro- "
"Out of my seat, cretin," Syphax barked, "This vessel now belongs to those of the true path, the members of the Avian Brethren of the Syphaxian Eyrie and the Klingon House of Krokos."
And all the while Karka sat in a makeshift second officer's chair paralysed mentally and physically, stunned at what was unfolding before him yet powerless to do anything at all. Perhaps a burst of consciousness acceleration?
"Excalibur shields at 72%. The ship of G'rakk of the House of Met'oq has sustained damage to starboard and dorsal shields... They may not survive if Excalibur focusses all her fire on them."
"Then we won't allow matters to proceed that far," Syphax said, "While I despise the House of Me'toq, they are useful allies to myself and the rest of the Krokos House. Put us between G'rakk and Captain Schirra's vessel. Ah, soon, friends, soon our two houses will take their rightful places in the Empire, and the Avian Brethren of Eyrie Syphax VII will know true glory in the heart of the system's parent star..."
"Madness comes in many flavours," Bremmell muttered from his standing first officer's position.
On the Excalibur's bridge, Zuur received his hourly counter-agent boost to stave off death at the hands of the barbarians he found about him. It was of course possible he was being played, that he hadn't really been administered a deadly toxin, yet he couldn't take that chance, and he was certainly building up an unhealthy sweat that could be indicative of impending death...
"Captain!" he spun on Schirra as the deck rattled again with the latest low-yield torpedo impact from the second Klingon vessel - prowling back and forth shark-like across their stern - and spoke frenetically, perspiration drowning his face, "I suggest you form a plan that doesn't entail simple evasion! No matter what your helmsman comes up with, at this rate we'll be dead within half an hour... Perhaps you should try running?"
"The energy siphoning effect on our systems has neutralised itself, Captain," tactical reported, "But the jamming is still in effect."
Zuur wondered what could be happening on the surface; had Crossfield's army triumphed now? If so, why had the Klingons been preparing to fire on the surface? It surely wasn't possible that White, the Rushworths and the Excalibur's chief engineer were still alive down there, orchestrating the defence effort successfully...
"Captain, the Belfast's hailing," comms reported sharply. Schirra stood, it seemed about to say 'at last' but comms continued, "It's not coming from the bridge, but from private quarters, an officer's..."
A dark room appeared overlaid on the viewscreen's tactical display, a cloaked and hooded man sitting at a desk with a bloody gash just under his eye; it seemed he'd forced entry to the quarters, "Daniel Schirra! You remember me from the surface before we were separated. I have no time to explain, my comm to you will be tracked and identified in less than a minute... I'm able to lower the Belfast's shields... for just long enough for you to destroy her. Will I be killed? obviously yes... and your crewmates, too, Psonoir and T'Seng, but they are a small price to pay... Ten seconds, Captain, that's all I can give you, to hit an unshielded Belfast with everything you've got. I'm lowering shields in half a minute." He paused, "You're contemplating your crewmates' rescue, I can tell... Captain, Berz Syphax is aboard this vessel! If he escapes, he and his Klingon supporters here bring chaos to the Klingon Empire, for which the ruling houses would never forgive us; if he remains here, he annihilates Federation loyalists on Eyrie Syphax. Either way, he has a Federation starship at his disposal... You must destroy him, Captain... Destroy him!" The channel was cut. The bridge sat in stunned silence as they continued to manoeuvre.
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Daniel Schirra
Captain
Registered: Apr 8, 2013 21:02:47 GMT
Posts: 468
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Post by Daniel Schirra on Jan 5, 2018 21:48:13 GMT
The Excalibur began to move, fist downward into a lower orbit, before climbing to place herself between the on-coming Klingon Vessel and the 'T-7' Facility far below on the surface ....
"Sir, the Belfast have locked their weapons. On us !"
"What !" Dan said, fighting the urge to shout as he spun his chair to face the Tactical Officer, "Contact them, ask them what the hell they are pla ...." the ship shook suddenly as beams of almost pure energy lanced across the void before slamming into the Excalibur's shields.
"Lock onto the Belfast, keep us between the ...."
Sir. Belfast is moving away, coming to bare on our Aft Port-side dorsal."
"Re-calibrate weapons lock." he said as the ship shook again, "Concentrate fire on the nearest Klingon Vessel, I want it out of action. Why is the second Klingon ship not attacking ?" he asked, hardly expecting an answer, he didn't have time to be disappointed or surprised as the Belfast again fired. G'rakk's ship began a slow roll to Starboard as it began to close on the Excalibur. Daniel knew that he needed to take this one out of the running before the unfathomably hesitant second Klingon ship decided to join the fight but the Belfast was now doing exactly what they themselves had done moments earlier, it was moving to cover G'rakk !
"Sir, we are getting dangerously close to the Thermosphere." Lieutenant Reneus at the Helm informed him.
"Push us past the Belfast. Tactical, as soon as you have a clear shot at the Klingon ship, take it, don't wait for me."
"Aye Sir."
The Excalibur began to glow as it scythed through the thin layer of upper atmosphere still beginning to form on around the planet. It hadn't gone un-noticed to anyone on the Bridge that had this been a planet with a fully formed atmosphere, the Excalibur would very likely be plummeting deeper and deeper until it either burned up of slammed into the unyielding ground far below. Thankfully for them, the atmospheric terraforming was less then thirty percent complete, so worst-case they would receive some nasty burning and buckling of the hull plating through their shields and nothing more.
"Sir, The Belfast's Starboard shields are buckling, I think I can get a lock on Commander Psonoir and Lieutenant T'Seng." the Operations Officer said suddenly.
"Then do so Lieutenant." Schirra said as they began to climb once again and were coming much too close to the Klingon ship for comfort, "Helm,try no to hit that thing on our way up will you."
Yet again the ship shook, the combined efforts of the first Klingon vessel and that of the Belfast, but now they had another issue, the second Klingon vessel was now moving into position above the 'T-7' Facility. according to his Tactical Officer they had yet to lock weapons either on the surface or on the Excalibur. What were they playing at, waiting to see who gained the proverbial upper hand, deciding on which side they should come down upon, what ?
"Captain, Commander Psonoir and lieutenant T'Seng are on their way to the Bridge."
"Helm, get us out of here. Warp three ... Any direction." Schirra ordered. Reneus turned to look at him, "NOW !" Dan said dangerously. The ship disappeared from view of the Belfast and the two Klingon vessels.
*****
Karka and Koni entered the Bridge, Shirra stood and motioned to them both:
"You two with me, Lieutenant Wentworth you have the Conn. Keep us at warp three for one hour then come to a complete stop."
Leaving the Bridge Dan stopped in the corridor outside, the other two following suit. Dan waited until it was relatively clear of personnel then spoke:
"Commander Unwin is still on the surface, somewhere inside the 'T-7' Facility I assume."
"..... and we're running in the opposite direction." Koni said, immediately regretting her comment, but the expected rebuke didn't come. Instead, Schirra nodded, "We're going back I assume ?" she risked commenting.
"Yes, we're going back. There is no way I'm leaving one of ours to them, nor as it happens, am I leaving the Belfast in the hands of the bloody Klingon's ... I'll blow it to atoms first !"
"OK, so ...." Koni began, but Dan interrupted her politely:
"What happened to you two over there ? ... It was clear something was influencing you." Both nodded but couldn't elaborate, at least not at present, he decided it could wait.
"Do you think Syphax will find Unwin ?" T'seng asked. Karka shrugged.
"We have no way of knowing what the situation is on the surface. My guess, if anyone who was originally fighting the isolationists are still doing so, they will be dead in short order, if they had any sense they would have thrown down their arms, tried to join up or ran into hiding. Anyone holding out will either be held, or thrown onto the surface to suffocate while pondering their bad choices I suppose." Schirra said as they walked along the corridor, "Unwin isn't stupid, he'll have found a bolt-hole and will be hiding out, at least until he can do something to hinder the Isolationists."
"There's no way we are going to be able to sneak back in there to get him." Karka pointed out, "In fact both the Belfast and the Klingon's will know the second we come about."
"I'm counting on it." Daniel said turning to head back the way they had come, Officers stepping aside as they passed. Stepping onto the Bridge he dropped into the Center seat, "Karka, before we drop from warp, I want you to speak to Engineering, I want to make this ship look crippled, inertial dampers off-line, shut down the warp engines, put us into a slow roll. I want one of those three ships coming out here to investigate."
"To what end ?" Koni asked, once we fire on them the other two will be on us."
"We're not going to open fire, at least not straight away .... Ten minutes before we drop out of warp you and Karka are leaving." Daniel said with a grin.
"Leaving ?"
"Yes, leaving. We will apparently begin an unintentional slow turn to Port, hopefully looking like an warp imbalance throwing us off course before the engines themselves finally give up the proverbial ghost, so to speak. As we begin our turn, you two will drop out of the shuttle-bay. You'll have no systems running and the core will be off-line, so with luck you won't be detected as they scrutinise us. Once clear you will double-back on the far side of the planet and go in to get Unwin."
"We still need to stop the Belfast. We cannot allow it into Klingon Space." Koni said defiantly.
"We won't ... Once we deal with whoever comes a looking we'll either disable or destroy the Belfast." Daniel said, knowing how his words weighed on those present given he was talking about destroying a sister vessel, and those within, "It's pretty clear that the 'T-7' Facility is lost to us completely. Starfleet Command are not going to fight over a partially completed project when they can be doing better elsewhere. One thing i need you all to understand. We don't leave here with them holding all the cards. The Klingon vessel's leave of their own accord or we do as much damage as possible. as for the Belfast, it comes back with us, or is destroyed, regardless of company aboard." he said ..........
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Karka Psonoir
Commander
Registered: Apr 9, 2013 19:55:13 GMT
Posts: 422
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Post by Karka Psonoir on Jan 14, 2018 18:14:51 GMT
Karka walked round the shuttle again, ascertaining that it was pitched and positioned at the right set of coordinates to facilitate its dropping out of the Excalibur at the correct attitude once the mothership began her slow, deliberate - though made to look accidental, the result of a warp system failure - turn to port as it approached the three hostile vessels.
Satisfied everything was as it should be, or near enough to it, he made for the nearby doorway and hit the commpanel, "Engineering, this is Psonoir. Have all the modifications to the hull, to the internal systems and the warp coils been completed?"
"Roger, sir, we should to the untrained eye appear a ship that's suffered a failure three minutes before reaching the confines of the system."
Karka acknowledged and closed the channel, pleased at the excellent work done in a short period of time; the ship will seem to have left the surrounds of Eyrie Syphax VII before changing course back to the system perhaps in the hope of taking the enemy craft by surprise. As it neared the inner edge of the Oort cloud, as its warp bubble was being deactivated, dragged back into the vessel like the skin of a deflated balloon, the warp system would malfunction, pitching and yawing the vessel away from its target.
Of course, once any or all of the vessels approached to investigate, they would discover the Excalibur's ruse, but by then they'll hopefully have drawn close enough or reached a particular arc of fire for the Excalibur to somehow strike a decisive blow. Perhaps the curiously silent second Klingon vessel would explain its previous non-action to their benefit.
He boarded the shuttle and was joined by Koni, the Constitution class now nearing the boundary of the Oort cloud and the shuttle's own jettison time. They perused the controls, confirming that their craft's warp core was in stand-by mode, from which it could boost to full operational status in less than a minute, status which from other vessels was undetectable as being such.
"Karka here, Dan," he answered the comm from the bridge, "We're ready to go." The moment arrived, the Excal having becoming unnaturally quiet around them with the warp core and hence the whole power system - except batteries allowing for basic functioning of important systems - subjected to a controlled, intentional malfunction and shutdown; the bay doors opened silently via remote mechanical action activated from Psonoir's display, and the craft tipped noiselessly backwards into the void, spiralling away to the right as the behemoth of duranium slid away into inky blackness temporarily in the direction of the Eyrie Syphax star. It was lost from the viewscreen now, and the grey-orange marble of ES VII, glowing with reflected stellar light, hoved into view, large and impressive, from below them as they pitched down and continued to roll.
"Orbital insertion, in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1... mark," T'Seng intoned. Karka nodded and wished he could comm the Excalibur to inform them of the success (success at least for now), but to do so would be to give away their position, in fact their very existence to the committers of malfeasance that were the isolationists and their Klingon and - apparently - Starfleet allies.
Plunging powerlessly towards the planet (soon they'd be around the other side of it), Karka had the RCS thrusters fired from battery power to have the craft face the Excalibur's position, and he spotted out the viewer two or three small reflective objects; unable to use the sensors, he had to guess what was happening... was it his imagination or did he see phaser beams arrowing back and forth across that small patch of vacuum?
* * *
Half an orbit later, Karka made ready to fire up the engines. T'Seng confirmed readiness and the impulse drive was fired; it functioned for precisely one minute.
"What's happening?!" In the bedlam propagated by the failed engine, Karka roared back, "I don't know! Engines..." he shook his head, "We've lost partial attitude control, I'm unable to control yaw... we're going to have to make an emergency landing, and because of the early failure we're coming in too hot!" The buffeting from the weak atmosphere became more severe, as well as audible, as it thickened with decreasing altitude and sound waves began to hold sway. Ahead, Karka could espy one section of the kilometres-wide preliminary landing site they'd discussed in briefing - it wasn't the final site they'd opted for, but there was no other choice.
"I've sent an emergency signal to the Excalibur," T'Seng said, "Of course there's a possibility they have their own emergency."
<Tag Dan>
Despite their situation, Karka was suddenly more concerned for the Excal as fresh warnings flashed across his panel, "Impact in 20 seconds," he warned. "Inertial dampeners set to maximum, we should be fine... Whether the craft itself will or not -"
Through the skies of the northern hemisphere, close to the mouth of the canyon through which the isolationist army had passed to emerge on the plateau in front of the planet's terraforming HQ, a small object plummeted and ditched itself in a range of hills. By the canyon, a tank turret rotated its plasma-cannon towards the site and a metal scraping resounded as the turret's hatch was pushed open. A puzzled Albert Crossfield emerged in EVA suit, "All stop!" he growled into his radio, before focussing with binocs on the dispersing brown-grey plume of muck and vapour left by the impact.
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Daniel Schirra
Captain
Registered: Apr 8, 2013 21:02:47 GMT
Posts: 468
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Post by Daniel Schirra on Jan 16, 2018 21:33:26 GMT
Dan sat watching the Aft view on the left of the window as the Excalibur powered away, seemingly en route out of the system and away from further conflict ...
The Comm chirped to life, Karka notifying the Bridge they were ready to go whenever the Excalibur was ready. Dan instructed the Helm to begin the yaw and Engineering to make the adjustments that would effectively make the ship seem all but crippled. As they began their slow roll the Excalibur turned to Port, pitching upwards at fifteen degrees, Dan nodded to the Operations Officer who turned to her panel speaking quietly ... Far behind them, tractor beams, currently assisting the holding of the shuttle deactivated, leaving the smaller craft suspended a meter off the Deck. Inertia took effect as the Excalibur used manoeuvring thrusters to assist their turn and the shuttle, no longer tethered, drifted through the force field and tumbled into the darkness .....
"Helm, keep us on this turn deactivate all propulsion. Tactical, where's the shuttle now ?" Schirra asked.
"Fifty kilometers behind and below us Captain. Falling away as planned." the Duty Tactical Officer informed him.
"The Belfast ?"
"Still in close proximity to the planet Captain, both Klingon vessels have come about but are holding station with the Belfast." Lieutenant Wentworth answered.
Dan sat with his chin resting in one palm, the elbow on the arm of his seat. Would they take the bait, he hoped so, because if for some unfathomable reason they had seen through his ruse, then Psonoir and T'Seng were as good as dead, there was no way the Excalibur could power up and get to them before any one of the other ships could.
"Sir, the shuttle is approaching orbital insertion, still no signs that they have been spotted." he was about to breathe a sigh of relief when the Tactical Officer spoke again, more urgently this time, "Sir ! ... Both Klingon vessels have began to approach us, the Belfast is still holding position. Sir the Klingon's are powering weapons systems."
"OK, well we fooled them for longer than expected. Bring the core on-line but hold off on weapons for the moment, lets hope they believe we're still having problems."
He watched the superimposed image as the Klingon ships began to put distance between themselves as they closed on their target, classic stratagem and highly effective. Both were now less than thirty thousand kilometers away and coming on fast, faster than Daniel expected. The Tactical Officer asked if she should raise shields but Dan said no, he wanted to see if they were merely curious, or possibly hoping to be able to take the Excalibur intact by using boarding parties maybe. The nearer of the two vessels past them without firing, turning quickly before matching the Excalibur's course and speed while the second vessel put itself directly in the path of the Excalibur.
"What the hell are they playing at ?" Lieutenant Reneus at the Helm exclaimed.
"Bring weapons on line, raise shields, lock photon torpedoes on the vessel ahead." Schirra ordered quickly.
"SIR ! ... Distress call from the shuttle." the Comms Officer said as the first Klingon vessel fired, their torpedoes slamming into the Excalibur's shields !
"Return fire on that ship. Pull us down below the one directly ahead, as we pass below them use our dorsal phasers along their underside, target their drive and shields."
"Sir, the shuttle ?"
"They are on their own for the time being." Schirra said as the Massive Excalibur began to move forward then almost at the last moment dove below the Klingon vessel, Dan wondered for a second what expression would have been on the Klingon Commanders' face, but he had no time to mull it over as the second vessel, now recovered from the initial bombardment was coming after them.
"Helm. Heading two two zero mark one five. Tactical, photon torpedoes, full spread, target the stationary vessel and fire." But even as he gave the order the second vessel, apparently recovered from it's near miss, was attempting powering away, no doubt hoping to turn on the Excalibur and hit it from two directions at once, but the damage the y had sustained from the Excalibur's first attack had all but crippled them. Nevertheless, Schirra couldn't risk them getting underway, "Stand by .... Fire !"
The volley of torpedoes arced through space, the first two slamming into the Klingon's gravely weakened shields, the remaining four had no such barrier and impacted on the hull itself,detonating in a catastrophic display of pure energy ... The Klingon ship vanished in a mist of atoms.
"Sir, the Belfast is approaching." Lieutenant Gold at Comms informed him.
"Are they powering weapons ?" Dan asked, his eyes locked on the remaining Klingon ship, which had begun a slow turn before increasing their rate of turn until coming at the Excalibur from behind and to Starboard, the Helm Officer turned them away in a spiral until both ships were dicing for the ideal position.
"No, Sir." the Tactical Officer replied, a puzzled expression on his face. Dan too was wondering but his thoughts snapped back to the remaining Klingon ship which had managed to get slightly below them during their turn and had fired. The ship shook as the beams of almost pure energy slammed into their shields, momentarily weakening them ..... They played out their 'cat and mouse' game for a further fifteen minutes until the Excalibur, finding herself directly astern of the Klingon during a turn fired another volley of torpedoes. The Port nacelle sheered off as the Klingon ship began to tumble erratically. Dan could only imagine what was happening aboard, men flung like rag-dolls as the ship spun and tumbled.
"Sir, do I continue fire ?" Dan watched the crippled ship then shook his head.
"Sir, the Belfast has haling." He turned to the Comms Officer and asked her to put the Belfast on screen, "Audio only Captain." she added.
"Fine." Schirra said, allowing himself to sit back in his seat.
=^= USS Excalibur .. Your deception is foiled .. .. .. =^= Dan frowned.
=^= To whom am I speaking ? =^=
=^= Your shuttle has crashed on the surface .. Our scans show no survivors .. Whatever your intention it is moot I fear =^=
"Tactical. lock weapons on the Belfast. Fire on my command." Dan ordered, knowing full well that whoever was on the other end of the communication would hear the order.
=^= Belfast .. I will ask once more .. To who am I speaknig .. Where is the Command Staff ? =^=
=^= Questions questions .. .. .. Do you not morn for your lost crew ? =^=
"Tactical ... In ten seconds fire everything we have at the Belfast. I'm in no mood for riddles ....."
He sat back, watching the Belfast, wondering if it had been taken from their hands. If so it would be destroyed along with those aboard. He knew full well that there were innocent Officers and Crew aboard the Belfast, bu they were Starfleet, and making the ultimate sacrifice was part of their creed, though even now he was almost second-guessing his decision.
=^= You would sacrifice hundreds to satisfy your desire to prevent this vessel getting into Klingon hands ? =^= he realised that this time it was a voice he recognised ... Syphax !
=^= I'm willing to forego firing .. After all .. A considerable amount of time and effort went into the construction of that ship .. Seems a waste to destroy it don't you think .. But only as long as you agree to hand the Belfast over to the most Senior Starfleet Officer currently aboard .. .. On confirmation of your immediate compliance you and you confederates will be taken into custody and returned to Earth .. Where you will no doubt face multiple charges .. .. You have fifteen seconds to comply .. .. Beware Syphax .. I will 'NOT' extend this option a second time =^= ..........
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Karka Psonoir
Commander
Registered: Apr 9, 2013 19:55:13 GMT
Posts: 422
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Post by Karka Psonoir on Jan 17, 2018 21:53:00 GMT
Climbing gingerly from the wreckage in his EVA suit, Karka immediately recognised how lucky he was to still be alive. The ship had disintegrated into four major-sized fragments and a myriad miniscule bits seconds after its first impact, on its way down the slope from the initial point of 'touchdown'. The one bounce had been enough to tear the already weakened hull asunder, and the fragments had come to disorganised rest at the foot of the hill.
Looking back at the major fragment he'd disentangled himself from, Karka saw Koni emerge and, likewise, a third individual... Searching for his sidearm yet finding the holster empty, he struggled up the slope rapidly and imposed himself near the crouching figure, "Identify yourself! How did you get here?"
"It's me, Commander Psonoir, Zuur... I crept aboard, masked the internal sensors." Zuur, his voice tinny on the radio, climbed to his feet and skipped down the hill with Psonoir following, glancing to the horizon and the terraformers' HQ laid out in the foreground reflecting starlight off the chrome surfaces of its low buildings. "Speaking of sensors, Mr Psonoir, you have me to thank that those of the Klingon vessels and Bremmell's USS Belfast have not discovered that you... that we are still alive..."
"What do you mean? Ah," Psonoir stopped himself, "Yes, our distress signal." As well as it being detected by the Excalibur, it would of course have been seen by the enemy who - while perhaps they wouldn't have been able to identify it as a distress signal - would've been able to see it was a form of Starfleet communication; tracking the source and scanning it to ascertain its nature, they would've discovered the shuttle and its occupants, "You've disguised our lifesigns to make out we're dead. How?"
"Focus on recovering your crewmember," Zuur answered, "I'll take care of the one member of the Six who remains on the surface..."
"Crossfield?" Koni radioed, approaching from behind having heard the conversation. Zuur turned towards her, nodded. Karka realised it was a necessity to work with Zuur, this person who - Karka realised upon gleaning the Hybrudean archive information his partitioned mind was privy to - had visited this same planet in the 27th century, at the time it was under the guardianship of the Constructors and was involved with the Cetans, those beings who would cause a global extinction event on its surface. Zuur had returned here, disguised himself as a Starfleet officer named Lotos assigned to the Belfast, and had worked with the isolationist sympathisers aboard her (her Captain, her tactical officer Lieutenant Bremmell, and many others who were up there still).
"We should move," Zuur/Lotos said and gestured to the grey maze of craggy rocks ahead of them, through which they'd have to work to reach the HQ, "Look to your own defence." He made off by himself.
[this part is TBC]
On the bridge of the Belfast, Bremmell stood in uneasy silence next to the command chair occupied by the bulk of the Klingon-Trill Syphax. If Syphax agreed to terms - surely unlikely - he'd certainly not hand the ship over to former tactical officer Bremmell, traitor as he was. Yet there wasn't an officer or enlisted left aboard who held the Federation or Starfleet to be of any value, so where was he going to get a highest-ranked Starfleet loyalist from? They had all perished from intentional suffocation in an evacuated cargo bay.
"A suggestion, Syphax," he began. Syphax roared but Lieutenant Bremmell went on bravely, "Give the ship to me, try to argue to Schirra that I'm still loyal to Starfleet, then while we're preparing to hand you and the others of the Six over, we'll strike at the unshielded Excalibur."
Syphax shifted in his seat, the floor seeming to rattle slightly at the movement of his massive frame, "No... No, I have something else in mind for you and your faithless shipmates." He swung a huge arm and caught Bremmell in the midriff, doubling him over and rendering him unconscious. As Schirra's fifteen seconds expired, Syphax spoke evenly over the audio channel, "Give me a minute to arrange for my transport, Captain."
Bremmell awoke, along with the two hundred other treacherous Belfast crewmembers, in the interior spaces of the crippled Klingon cruiser belonging to G'rakk son of Met'oq. He howled and cursed Syphax and the rest of the Six. He and the Belfast crew had been transported here, amongst the stranded Klingons and at the mercy of the looming Excalibur. Engines shattered, the ship's confused crew under G'rakk continued repairs, wishing to fight it out.
"I've left you your traitors, Captain!" Syphax crowed, he and four of the Six being all who were left aboard the Belfast, "Accept the bargain for I am meant to be amongst my own people. We all find our true path." The Belfast turned suddenly in front of the Excalibur, veering away at full impulse and straining to go faster - reaching 250% of maximum - not in the direction of Qo'nos as his words implied, but towards the system's star, named by him nearly a century ago when he'd arrived a young man as part of the original expeditionary fleet, seeking new worlds, as: Eyrie Syphax!
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