SB Assailant Episode 1.5 The Reactor

[rex]

< on the nevada: captain's ready room>

Kavek took some time to weigh the captain's words. He slowly turned his head and briefly looked into the eyes of Rex, as if he was trying to find an answer to the seriousness of the captain there.

Rex had seen his share of interviewingtechniques in his past, and he made sure his face didn't give away one clue. A contempting smile was Rex's response to the doctor's unasked question.

Captain Jira's patience ran out, but just when the captain was about to patch his comm to call for the Lieutenant, the doctor started to speak hesitantly:

"Tt..tell me more about your problem, before I decide"

[Deleted]

Richard sat at the helm of the Wanderer. He had been away from Assailant for a long time. His assignment to discover why the Romulans were so active over the last while had led him on a different trail, tracking down some freighters with crew aboard with information he needed. These people had led him to an obscure planetary system, and he ended up having to get involved with some rather bizarre diplomatic work. He hoped that it would all be worth it.

He looked over at the copilots chair. The cowled humanoid had been sitting there for as many hours as Richard had been piloting. "We've almost arrived." The humanoid nodded, left his chair and walked back to the passenger area to communicate the news to the others.

Richard examined the sensors. He was approaching Starbase Assailant and his eventual destination of Qualinost. Despite the objections of his passengers to stop at the planet first, Richard was going to bring the ship into Assailant. Richard brought the Wanderer out of warp as the cowled figure returned to his seat.

The second he had returned to normal space, his comm panel chirped. Sighing with the knowledge that he was starting a diplomatic firestorm, Richard opened the channel. "This is Starbase Assailant. We are reading you as the Federation Diplomatic Shuttle Wanderer, captained by Richard Jibb."

Richard leaned forward. "That's correct Assailant. Who am I speaking to?"

"Commander Frras, Starbase Operations."

"Excellent, is Ambassador Saarok aboard the station?" Richard said the name with distaste.

"I'm sorry sir, but he isn't aboard at the present time" the Ops officer apologized.

Richard nodded happily, he hadn't really been looking forward to having to deal with the Vulcan anyway. "How about Admiral Magellan?"

"The Admiral is aboard sir, but he's busy right now. I also have to warn you that Assailant is under a quarantine. There is a potentially lethal situation on Qualinost that is threatening us" Frras reported.

"I'm aware of the situation Commander. I have a possible solution aboard" Richard replied, glancing over at the cowled figure. There was a brief silence at the other end of the comm.

"What is it that you would like, Mr. Jibb?" the commander inquired.

"I want to dock my ship at Starbase, and have Admiral Magellan and any available diplomatic staff there to greet my guests and I on a priority 1 diplomatic matter" Richard requested.

There was another long pause from Assailant. "I'll see what I can do, Mr. Jibb. Assailant out."

Richard looked over at his passenger. He could only see the eyes of the humanoid, staring at him in a penetrating fashion.

OOC Any available diplomatic staff please come to the dock...

OK, it's taken me two days to read all of the posts in this thread and I (sort of) understand what's going on and (probably) will be able to put in something that makes sense (hopefully).

Umm, I have read that a few of you managed to fit Jibb into your posts. I appreciate it, but I would rather have Jibb off doing his own thing and then coming back. It would explain why he hasn't been around.

[Harrias Jira]

"Tt..tell me more about your problem, before I decide"

Harrias relaxed, knowing that most of the work had been done now.

"Well, Admiral Magellan who is now head of Starbase Assailant was with an archaeological team on the planet Qualinost. That's the one that Assailant orbits. Anyway, while they were down there, they found a reactor. Unfortunately an action by someone down there seems to have triggered a meltdown of the reactor. To put it simply, in under 12 hours now, unless anyone can prevent it, the reactor will explode and kill everyone on Starbase Assailant and Qualinost."

"I don't see why that bothers me." The reticence as coming back into the doctor's voice.

"Well, considering that very soon you will be on Qualinost yourself, I can think of at least one reason for you to do it."

The doctor's face paled visibly. Harrias grinned at him.

=/\= Lt Sharpe to Captain Jira. We have arrived back at Assailant Captain. =/\=

=/\= Great. Dock and inform Admiral Magellan I have his old friend with me. =/\=

[Zhukarak Hrisvalar]

Zhukarak was quite surprised to see Sev just disappear in a flash, then again, he was used to the fact that the firelizard did it’s own thing.

After a few hours rest, Zhuk awakened and took a shower. While getting dressed he wondered if the food replicator had what he was hungry for. "What were they called…?" “Ah yes! Two éclairs.” He had remembered the delicacy he had first eaten on Starbase Conqueror, at Tante Maria’s Bakery. He decided a human beverage had to go along, “Coffee, lightly sweetened and creamed, at 95 degrees centigrade.”

While eating his meal, he was going over his messages on his terminal. There was a general announcement that CMDR1C Agalacticae was being transferred for another assignment. It didn’t say to where. Zhuk surmised it was a secret mission of some kind. He would have to hurry and say his farewell to the commander as the Nevada had just docked at Starbase Assailant. Stuffing the last bit of his éclair in his mouth, he chased it down with the last of his coffee before exiting his quarters.

Lieutenant Hrisvalar made his way from Deck 8 to Deck 2, where the senior officers quarters were located, hoping to catch Commander Agalacticae while he was packing.
Reaching his quarters, he rang the door chime.

Agalacticae: “Ah! Come in lieutenant! I’m glad you came by. I’ve been given another assignment.”

Hrisvalar: “That’s why I came. I saw the announcement on my terminal. I’m guessing you haven’t been given your own ship as it wasn’t mentioned where you were going.”

Agalacticae: “Right you are. So you also know then, that I really can’t discuss this assignment.”

Hrisvalar: “I understand sir. I just wanted to say that it was a privilege to have been training under you on the USS Hope. I have nothing but respect for you and am sure that you will make a great captain someday. When that time comes and you need a senior marine, I would be honored to serve you again.”

Agalacticae: “Actually, you weren’t training under me, you were training with me as I was going through command training aboard the Hope, and the privilege was all mine. You handled yourself well not only as a Starfleet Marine, but as a fighter pilot, and also as CTSO. You are a fine officer and I know that Captain Jira is in good hands with you onboard.”

Hrisvalar: “Thank you sir. Your words are too kind. Well sir, I wish you a safe journey. I’ll be on my way.”

Agalacticae: “Thank you. And if I ever do need a good marine officer, I’ll find you.”

Zhukarak left the commander’s quarters feeling humble, proud, and yet a little sad.

He entered the turbolift, “Bridge!” The turbolift whirred its way up one more deck and opened its doors. As he exited, two security personnel were escorting Dr. Kavek, to be handed over to Admiral Lin onboard Starbase Assailant.

Jira: “Lieutenant Hrisvalar. I’m glad you’re here. I wanted to introduce you to our new CTSO, Ensign Rex Bonar.”

[shadow=red,left,300]<Tag Rex, Jira>[/shadow]

[Deleted]

The doors to the small cockpit whooshed open, admitting the small craft’s youngest, and smallest resident, who hurriedly ran down to the vessels small helm.

“Are we there yet?” the small human child, named Max, said in his tiny little voice.

His mother, a middle aged, Starfleet Commander, with shoulder length blonde hair, gazed down at her child, her delicate blue eyes shining at him.

“Not just yet Maxxy,” she said with a warm smile, “We still have a long way to go.”

“When will we be there?” Max asked, tugging now on his mother’s tunic.

Setting the helm on auto-pilot, his mother picked him up and sat him on her lap, she allowed herself a small sigh at how heavy her youngest child was getting, he was only six, but to her even that was growing up too fast.

“You see those numbers there?” she said, pointing to the display board, Max nodded his head happily, “Well, can you remember what they mean?”

Max paused for a few moments, trying desperately to remember the lessons he had been taught, his small hand reached out for the console, and he ran his fingers along the numbers.

“Thr-three hours,” he said, he looked up at his mother with hopeful eyes, she rewarded him with a big smile.

“That’s right my clever little man,” she told him, giving him a squeeze, then lifting him of her lap and back onto the deck, she patted his head, “Go and find your sisters and tell them.”

“Yes mummy,” Max replied happily as he ran off for the living quarters, eager to share his news with his older sisters.

She watched him go, and laughed to herself, he was so like his father.

“You shouldn’t treat him so softly,” the old male Klingon at the operation’s station reproved her.

“He isn’t a Klingon,” she replied to the old man, who had served as her husband’s assistant since his promotion to the Admiralty.

“Indeed, he would have blooded by now if he were,” the elder replied, the two of them often had debates such as this, it was how they expressed their deep friendship for each other.

“And that’s why I give thanks each day he isn’t” she retorted.

The cockpit was filled with the sounds of them both laughing, Darok shook his head slowly in all his travels he hadn’t met a woman quite like Commander Joanna Drew, he often wondered who really was the head of the Drew household, although he would never admit as much to the Admiral, he knew much better than to do that.

[rex]

<nevada: bridge>

Jira: “Lieutenant Hrisvalar. I’m glad you’re here. I wanted to introduce you to our new CTSO, Ensign Rex Bonar.”


The two officers looked straight into each others eyes, while their looks hardened.
"I already got to know the marine lieutenant, sir", Rex responded to the Captain in the most diplomatic way he could.

Rex had no intention of letting the captain know that he had problems with the actions and possibly even the personality of the marine officer. Oh no, he wouldn't be the weak who'd be running off to tell the co he had problems with this antennad-fellow.

Zhuk probably saw through the ensign's strategy and responded in the same manner.
"We've met."

Jira could feel the air between them grow cold, but he had no time to be bothered with this pesky rivalry, since he was about to report to the Admiral.
"Fine. Ensign you're with me. We have a prisoner to deliver."

As the captain made his way to the lift, Rex followed. However not before he 'accidently' bumped into the lt.'s shoulder.

The marine officer turned and the two officers kept staring at each other untill the doors closed.

[Deleted]

Admiral Magellan was making his way to Ops to check the status of the Nevada when his comm badge beeped. He tapped it impatiently. "Go ahead."

"Commander Frras, sir. The Diplomatic Courier Wanderer is requesting permission to dock and asking that all available diplomatic staff be there to greet him and his guests on a priority one diplomatic matter."

Magellan had a lot on his mind, and spent a few seconds trying to figure out why that ship name sounded familiar. The Wanderer...Richard Jibb. The courier had left Assailant a while ago. Not that Magellan minded. Jibb tended to grate on one after a very short time. And on a priority one diplomatic mission.

"All right Frras. I'll head down there now. Update me immediately if you hear anything from the Nevada." Magellan changed his destination to the diplomatic docking area.

In short order, the Admiral entered the dock area. A small contingent of diplomatic staff were milling about, not sure why they were there. The Wanderer had finished docking and the main hatch had opened by the time the Admiral got there.

Magellan moved to stand near the end of the gangway and the available diplomatic staff of Assailant lined up behind him, waiting. Suddenly, Richard Jibb appeared from inside the ship and headed toward the Admiral, followed by seven humanoid figures clothed in long robes. Their faces were concealed in shadows cast by deep hoods that were attached to the robes.

Jibb and his contingent of..whoever.. reached the bottom of the ramp and six stopped and spread into a long line, while Jibb and the last of the cowled figures walked toward Admiral Magellan.

Jibb and the mysterious humanoid finally stopped in front of the mystified Magellan. The Admiral noted that Jibb actually looked nervous, a rare condition for the man.

Jibb stepped to one side and gestured at the person behind him. "Admiral Magellan, this is JakDor, Supreme Elder..." Jibb hesitated as his companion lowered his hood, revealing anciently lined face with a very dark complexion. Magellan noted with shock the sharply pointed ears and eyebrows of the being, similar to yet different from those of Vulcan and Romulan. Jibb took a deep breath and finished his sentence "of the Elder Council of the Debrune colony in the Vargas system."

JakDor raised his leathery arms in supplication and intoned in a gravelly voice "We have heard the Prophecied Call from the Arch of Heaven of the Qua'ee'nost, and we have come in search of the Divine Child." The six figures behind him bowed reverently.

The Admiral's mouth dropped open in shock.

[Magellan Lin]

Taking a second to compose himself Magellan stepped forward and extended a hand.
"Admiral Magellan Lin, An honour to meet you Supreme Elder. I... er had no idea there were any Debrune still near here."
"Then you did not look hard enough. We have always been here. Sometimes it is best to hide in plain sight"
"Yes of course" Magellan smiled weakly, "If you ll excuse me a moment" he jerked a head at Jibb.
Once away from the group Magellan whispered to Jibb,
"A little notice would have been nice."
"I did try and contact Saarok"
"Nevermind are you certain of his... credentials. And how in the seven suns did you manage it."
"How is a very long story" Jibb grinned "The second part, well yeah I m pretty sure. I tracked him down with some pretty convoluted detective work. To be honest I think he let me find him, from what I can tell theres a lot he isnt telling me"
"That I dont like the sound of. So why now, The Reactor?"
"I doubt it, he seems more interested in the child."
"hmmm. Well first off we have a first contact situation and it needs to go well so far our contacts with the Debrune have only been hostile."
"I know and its strange our previous encounters do not seem to fit with what I have seen of Jak'Dor." Jibb noted.
"Okay this needs to go right. I ll assign quarters and diplomatic rooms. Can you escort them to the main conference room. Have... a damn, Tedaks not aboard. Okay T'Val will do. See if she can surreptiously check hes Debrune, oh and assemble the other Ambassadors too. And remember everything must go right. Full courtesys, the lot."
"Yes sir" Jibb replied.
The two men returned to the Debrune entourage.
"May we see the child now" Jak'dor asked
"We re not sure what child you are refering to, perhaps we could sit and discuss your arrival and needs, I have..."
Magellan was interrupted by chirp from his comm badge.
"Admiral, F'Rras here the Nevadas back and they were successful"
Magellans originally calm and ordered face dropped like a cloud passing in front of a sun.
"Understood" he said icily.
He turned on his heel and exited the landing bay.
"Er Admiral..." Jibb called after the vanishing man.
Magellan ignored him and disappeared in to a turbolift.
Jibb turned back to Jak'dor forcing a broad smile to his lips.
"erm The Admiral has been called away on urgent business, perhaps I can get you some refreshments."
As he began to lead them from the bay under his breath he mimiced the admirals words,
"full courtesys, the lot"

[Magellan Lin]

As the turbolift rose so did Magellans blood pressure. So long, he had waited for this so long. To have Kavek so close. To have him in his grasp. All the thoughts of what he wanted to do to him came flooding back and fuelled his fury even more.
The doors opened and Magellan strode out he brushed through the crowds before him but stopped when he nearly ran straight into a broad shape in front of him.
"I thought I should accompany you Sir"
Magellan looked up to see Zoilip, his chief aide.
The bolian had served with Magellan for teh past 3 years and he had brought him with him when he had left the Victory.
"I know how Kavek... riles you. I thought you may need a... mobile concscience."
Magellan glared.
"Thin Ice Commander, very thin ice."
"Good job I like skating. And don't forget I owe him too. He abused Sek. I want him as much as you."
In their last encounter Kavek had nearly killed Sek the Victorys changelling CMO as CTSO at the time Zoilip blamed himself.
"Fine. But remember who wears the pips."
"And you remember why hes here."
The two officers spent the rest of the journey in silence and swiftly arrived at the Nevadas docking port.
They were met by Captain Jira, next to him between and Andorian Marine and the Nevadas Ensign CTSO was KAvek.
"KAVEK" Magellan growled pounding forward.
"Ah my good Captain. I know your an Admiral but you ll always be a Captain to me. After all you would never have made Captain if not for me."
Jira and his crew looked puzzled,
"Oh didnt you know" Kavek said smugly, "If I hadnt incapactited Commodore Locutis, there wouldnt have been a vacancy on the Victory for a CO."
"YOU..." words failed Magellan as his fist lashed out. He struck Kavek squarely on the chin sending him sprawling to the floor.
"Temper temper" Kavek hissed pulling himself up. "You need me." He rubbed his chin and checked his jaw for breaks, "You still got that morphing sac of fluid as a doctor?"
With a roar a second fist span out, This one blue and stronger. Kavek flew backwards under the powerful blow of Zoilips precision strike to his nose.
Once more on the floor Kavek appeared to be in more pain blood flooding from his nose.
"Err Sir. Perhaps we could tune it down a little" Harrias noted "This is...approaching inappropriate."
Rex and Hrisvalar bent to help Kavek up but held him firm in their grip.
"Right right" Magellan said as if coming out of a trance.
"Okay lets get you sorted. Jira have your men escort Kavek to basic...BASIC medical treatment, then have him ferried planet side. Get him to work immediatly."
"Food" Kavek said through muffled nose
"WHAT!!"
"Food I wont do anything till I have been fed. I m very hungary. I have all the cards remember. I help you and you set me free. You ll see to that Captain Jira. I trust to your sense of duty more than the good Admirals."
"Fine. Just fine. swing him by one of the restaurants in the arcade. Full security."
"Aye Sir" Jira replied and nodded to Hrisvalar and Bonar.

[Harrias Jira]

As Rex and Zhukarak took the doctor towards the starbase's infirmary, Harrias stayed where he was. Zoilip looked at the two trill's and then with a knowing look, he walked away. Harrias turned to Admiral Magellan, the man he had served under on the base not so long ago, and the trill who had helped him when he needed help.

"Magellan. As far as I am concerned, that never happened, and my security officer's will tell you the same thing. However, I would highly recommend you don't make a habit out of it."

"Is that a warning Captain?"

"No, it is a piece of advice from your friend, Harrias. Another piece of advice would be to change your uniform before you meet anyone else. That one has Kavek's blood on it."

Magellan showed his disgust at the blood, and immiedately removed his top, throwing it down a nearby laundry shute. Harrias nodded at him, and then passed him his own shirt.

"You're probably in more of a rush than me." He observed. "Besides, the admiralty have to be better dressed. They have more people watching them." He grinned at his Fleet CO, whose mood didn't seem to be improving too much, then set his face once more.

"In Kavek's lab on Toranis, we found a lot of research projects. With your permission I'd like to take the Nevada back and investigate what he has been doing."

[Magellan Lin]

"Granted Captain. Its a good idea. I ll cut you some formal orders as soon as I can. Your free to depart as soon as Kavek is settled."
"There is another problem"
"Go on."
"Commander Agalacticae is transferring, apparently hes been offered a better posting."
"Thats a shame hes a good officer. I ll have a look through the fleets and try and find you someone."
"Thankyou sir. I already have a short list."
"Okay forward me the list and I ll approve someone. Now I better go I have a major diplomatic crisis developing to solve."

[Deleted]

After the discussion in the holding cells, Drew and Tomlinson had gone to make arrangements for Robert’s stay on the station. He would of course be freed from his cell, but he was being transferred to the most secure quarters on the station basically a bigger cage Drew thought to himself as he finished helping the Chief of Security.

Tomlinson’s large computer screen was filled with text, displaying all the security systems that would be online to keep an eye on their new helper, also a duty rooster detailing who would be on guard duty was in the top right hand corner of the screen. Drew nodded his head approvingly of the measures Tomlinson was taking, [Ii]with any luck this might just go off without a hitch[/i] Drew mused.

“Ready,” Tomlinson said, closing down his computer, the small screen slid back down inside the desk, Drew knew that pretty soon Tomlinson would be using that screen to watch Robert’s every move.

“Good,” Drew replied, “let’s go get him.”

As he turned to leave, Tomlinson caught hold of Drew’s arm, Drew shot him a quizzical look, then saw the phaser in the Chief’s hands that he was offering.

“You better take this Admiral, just in case.”

Drew hardly approved of carrying weapons around on the station, but he had to admit, given the nature of the situation, they couldn’t afford to take any chances.

Walking into the hold cell, Tomlinson and Drew were flanked by two stern faced Security Officers, each of them fully armed, neither of them looked like people Drew would want to meet on a dark night.

“Well it’s about time,” Robert said when he saw them, looking at the two security officers he gave a small whistle, “all this for little old me?”

“Less of the back chat,” Tomlinson told him with an icy glare, “These two gentleman are your new best friends.”

“Well with friends like tha,” Robert started before he was cut off by the sharp looks of both Tomlinson and Drew.

“Lower the force field,” Drew ordered, “and just remember Robert, no tricks.”

As the blue force field faded out, Robert gave Drew a mock salute,

“Aye Sir!”

Drew rolled his eyes as they walked the prisoner away.

A few minutes later they were walking out onto the Arcade, the crowds parted to allow them passage, although Drew heard the whispers among them, it wasn’t every day they saw a prisoner being moved about.
As they got closer to the turbo lift, Drew noticed another crowd had also formed, with the same level of commotion, looking across the level, he saw Captain Jira, with two security officer’s also escorting someone, without even looking Drew knew who that someone would be.

Behind Jira, was Dr. Kavek, easily one of the most wanted men in the Federation, and sworn enemy of Admiral Magellan Lin. Drew noticed with interest that the doctor had a number of fresh bruises around his face, he raised an eyebrow when he saw Admiral Lin walking right behind the group, a look of controlled fury on his face. Drew also noted with interest that Magellan was wearing Jira's Captain's jacket, while Jira himself just had his under-shirt on. Then just as Magellan turned to enter the turbo lift, Drew heard a loud grunt behind him.

Suddenly the next few moments seemed to happen in slow motion, Robert some how broke free of the guards, and charged at Kavek.

“Murderer!” he yelled as his fist impounded on the man’s face, causing the doctor to fall to the floor, as the man tried to get back up, Robert kicked him, and again, and again, until the guards were able to restrain him.

Drew, Jira, and Tomlinson all rushed to Dr. Kavek who led on the deck, clearly unconscious, Admiral Lin just stood from a distance, watching.

“He still has a pulse,” Drew called out, by now crowds had gathered around the fallen Doctor, which as far as Drew was concerned wasn’t a good thing, he looked up at Magellan, expecting him to do something, but the Admiral just stood there, he seemed to be froze in place.

Hitting his comm badge, Drew signaled called for help,

“Drew to the Infirmary, I have a medical emergency on the Arcade.”

=/\=Understood Admiral, we are on our way,=/\= came the cool reply of T’Val

“Move away, move away,” Jira called out, breaking away the crowd to allow the medical team to reach their patient.

Soon Kavek was being lifted onto an anti-gravity stretcher, and being carried away to sickbay, the entire time Magellan just stood there and watched.

Turning his attention back to Robert for now, Drew shot him a very angry look.

“You have just signed the death warrant of everyone on this station,” he yelled at the man, then turning to Tomlinson, he pointed back the way they had come, “put him back in the cells.”

As Tomlinson and his men hurriedly escorted Robert back to the holding area, Drew and Jira turned their attention to Magellan, who still hadn’t said anything.

“Admiral?” Drew said approaching his old friend, “Are you alright?”

<tag> T’Val, Magellan, Jira, Tomlinson, and anyone else who is around>

[Harrias Jira]

JOINT POST BETWEEN CAPTAIN HARRIAS JIRA AND LIEUTENANT [JUNIOR GRADE] SIMON TOMLINSON

--- ---

Tomlinson blamed himself completely for the escape of the pirate, causing the injury to Dr Kavek. When he had escaped, Tomlinson had been very unprofessionally distracted; watching the other prisoner escort. He had tried to say as much to Rear Admiral Drew, but the admiral would have none of it, claiming that it was noones fault, and that it was as much his fault as Tomlinson's, something the security officer took as a contradiction of sorts.

--- ---

Captain Jira had slipped into his captain's mode. He had immediately ordered Rex Bonar to accompany Tomlinson in escorting the pirate down to the cells, and 1st Lieutenant Hrisvalar was now in charge of crowd control, trying to get the large gathering of people to disperse. Harrias now turned to Admiral Magellan, Drew doing the same.

The Admiral seemed to be in shock. He was simply standing there, not reacting to anything. Jira gave Drew a look, and then the pair of them assisted the senior trill to a seat on the otherside of the Arcade. Lt Hrisvalar accompanied them personally, keeping a clear area around them.

"Admiral?" Harrias tried.

"Magellan?" Drew put in his oar.

"LIN!" Harrias raised his voice, and addressed the symbiont, a trick he had learnt on trill during his childhood, handy when adults weren't paying any attention to him.

"Can't believe it. Unconscious. All that effort. Now what? 100 000 people."

Drew turned to Harrias. "What starships are here at the moment? How many?"

Jira thought for a couple of seconds. "Five. Nevada, Jefferson, Vesuvius, Castor and Polydeuces."

Drew was silent for a couple of minutes deep in thought. "So that's... 30 000 evacuation limit?"

"Pretty much." Captain Jira replied downheartened.

---Meanwhile, heading towards the brig---

"You can't throw me back into a cell. You need me, I'm important to you." Robert's words may have sounded reasoned and calm, but he was almost squeking them out such was his panic. It wasn't helped by the fact that Tomlinson was carrying him in such a manner that his feet weren't touching the floor.

"Umm, are you allowed to do that Lieutenant?" The Ensign Bonar asked him.

"Ensign, with this scum I can do anything. And you, pirate scumbag can shut up with your pleading. There was one prisoner on this base who was important, and one who wasn't. You are the one who wasn't, you just assaulted the one who was. You have just condemned yourself to death."

"But the Federation doesn't have the death penalty." The pirate begged.

"Call it your unlucky day." and mine, and everyone else's on this base he added to himself.

[Deleted]

T'Val sighed as she heard the call for the medical team. ~as if I do not have enough to do already, with the Debrune investigation~ she thought, and picked up her medkit. She was just out the door when another call came through, but it directed her to the same location as where the previous call had come from.

Arriving on the location, Magellan instantly turned to her, pointing covertly at the shrouded figure that looked obviously Vulcanoid. "I want you to treat him" he pointed to Kavek "and covertly scan him, and verify that he is really Debrune." T'Val nodded quietly, refusing to even so much as speak to him.
Nobody noticed the tricorder, as she examined Kavek. "You have a hairline fracture in your jaw," she told him.

"You!" the prisoner, Robert, cried as he broke away from the security guards, rushing forward. T'Val jumped aside, not wanting to meet the force of the rushing man. He swung at Kavek, sending the man sprawling for a second time. This time, he did not get up. Instantly, the prisoner was restrained again by Tomlinson, who gave her an apollogetic look. T'Val nodded and rushed towards Kavek's side. On the background, she heard the call for an emergency team. ~Drew~ she thought, as she focused on his patient and she was glad she did not have to bother with calling the team herself. The team arrived swiftly, carrying Kavek away on a stretcher. "I will be along shortly," T'Val assured them. Sev had appeared beside her and was hissing constantly at Roberts, as well as the shrouded figures.

"Hush," T'Val told the bronze firelizard, and instantly he was quiet. Getting back up to her feet, she gathered her tricorder and turned to report to Magellan. From a short distance she watched the exchange between Magellan and Harrias, with the latter trying to draw the first's attention. She stepped forward, running her tricorder over the admiral. "Shock," she said, "both host and symbiont. Captain Jira, can you get him to sickbay? I need to confer with admiral Drew for a moment."

<Jira>

T'Val stepped over to Paul Drew, who had watched the events from a distance. "Admiral," T'Val started, "Admiral Magellan has asked me to confirm the claims of the elder, of being Debrune. My tricorder confirms that claim, they are who they claim to be." She looked worried, and fear was readable from her eyes, fear of losing the child she had come to love as if he was her own.

<drew>

[Harrias Jira]

Slowly and warily, Captain Jira assisted the starbase's commanding officer down to sickbay. His shock was obvious, and his reactions slow. He wasn't walking so much as being half pushed half carried by Harrias. Harrias thanked the extra inch of height that he had over the admiral, which allowed him the space to lift the admiral off his feet at times. He had to admit though, it felt wrong manhandling an admiral and a friend in such a way.

When they eventually arrived in sickbay, three medics rushed over towards them, and Harrias soon found that Lin was laid in a bed with all sorts of scans running on him. He tapped his commbadge.

=/\= Could all Nevada senior crew please report to conference room one on starbase. =/\=

He made his own way rapidly through the starbase to the conference room, finding that only Zhukarak Hrisvalar had beaten him there.

[Zhukarak Hrisvalar]

~Starbase Assailant Senior Staff Conference Room~

Awaiting the senior staff of the Nevada, 1st Lieutenant Zhukarak Hrisvalar was going over the events since arriving on the starbase just a mere 20 minutes ago.

He was blaming himself that another prisoner, under guard of the starbase security team, was able to break free and reach Dr. Kavek, whom he was escorting with Ensign Bonar. Dr. Kavek was now unconscious. This did not help the situation on Qualinost at all.

Zhukarak had failed his own security protocol by letting himself get distracted. He didn’t know what caused Rex to be distracted, or the other security detail from the other prisoner, but he now remembered his own distraction. Zhukarak noticed while the doctor was scanning Dr. Kavek’s injuries, she was also covertly scanning the seven hooded figures standing nearby. Apparently there was some question as to who they really were.

Captain Jira entered the conference room and together they were awaiting the rest of the Nevada senior staff.

[rex]

As Rex entered the conference room, he saw the captain and Zhukarak already sitting down. The room was quiet. Both men clearly were with their own thoughts.

Rex nodded to them both, while taking a seat opposite of the marine Lt.

The events of last were on Rex's mind as well, although Rex found himself to be clear of all blame.

'Who transports a prisoner of such importance over an uncontrolable area, such as the Arcade?' At the moment of the attack, his eyes were on the people who had gathered into small groups, whispering to each other. No doubt they were talking about the prisoner's identity. He never had seen the attacker comming.

They all sat there for a few minutes, untill one by one the other senior officers arrived.

When all were seated, Captain Jira stood up and started the meeting.

[ricksharpe]

One of the advantages of being a helm officer was that long shifts were almost non-existent. But sometimes there was no escape from them and the Tanis Borealis expedition was a good example. The mission had kept Rick up for about 30 hours, and although he was able to take some rest on the way back to the Assailant, he was pretty exhausted. Thus, after docking with the starbase, he decided to get a good, lengthy sleep. In his quarters, he undressed and went to bed. He had merely closed his eyes when he heard the call:

=/\= Could all Nevada senior crew please report to conference room one on starbase. =/\=

Rick sighed, got up and dressed again.

As he made his way to the conference room, Rick quickly deduced something bad must have happened. Walking the halls and corridors of the Assailant, he couldn’t miss the rumours of the death of Dr. Kavek. This was a bad event, not a terrible one, as Rick knew the value of rumours, there was always exaggeration. His assumptions were confirmed when he was a number of levels higher, where it was common knowledge that Admiral Magellan was the murderer.

However, when he entered the conference room and looked around, he saw the grim looks on the faces of other officers of the Nevada and felt the grave silence, and his mood sank. He took place in one of the empty seats and waited for somebody, but especially the Capitain, to speak, not sure about anything concerning the mission anymore, except that it hadn’t ended yet.

[Deleted]

Meanwhile in sickbay, T'Val had examined Kavek. "He will live," she told admiral Drew, who was waiting in her office, "He has a fractured jaw and a dislocated shoulder. He suffered absolutely no brain damage and will be back on his feet soon. A mild concussion may cause him a few headaches but it is nothing a paracetamol cannot cure."

Then she turned her attention to admiral Magellan Lin, who lay staring at the ceiling on one of the biobeds. For some reason he was not responding to any of the Trill remedies Captain Jira had suggested. "Admiral Lin," she said firmly, as she tucked him in tightly with several blankets to get him warmed up. Usually getting someone warm did the trick, but not this time. Next, she resorted to Vulcan methods, when someone was aiding a person in coming out of the tow-kath, the healing trance. She struck him hard on his left cheek, and repeated the gesture on the other side. "Wake up," she commanded him, ignoring the shocked expression on Drew's face.


ooc:well up to you guys if he wakes up!

[Magellan Lin]

Magellan suddenly snapped back into himself and rubbed his cheek the sharp sting of the slap still throbbing.
"T'Val." He shook his head "...I could have you up on charges for..." and then the realisation returned, "Kavek? how is he."
"Essentially fine, or rather he will be once he wakes up"
"Which will be?"
"Whenever his brain kicks back in to gear. It could be 5 minutes, 5 hours or 5..."
"Computer time to planetary destruction."
"4hrs 47minutes 32 seconds"
"Well it better be less than 5 hours then" Magellan replied dryly, "You do realise that without him this station is pretty much gone. There are a hundred thousand people aboard. We have 5 starships, 42 support craft and perhaps 25-30 small commercial craft meaning we have a total evacuation ability of just over 45,000. Not even half HALF of this station."
"We do stil have time" Paul pointed out drawing Magellan to one side "And other options to explore"
"Other options?"
"Oh yes, T'Vals scans reveal that Jibbs guests are indeed Debrune."
"So we don't need Kavek" Magellan noted a cruel smile flickering across his face.
"No, not if we can negotiate a settlement with Jak'dor." Paul agreed.
"Excellent." Then he frowned a moment, "We do have a bargaining tool, something I dont want to resort to but may have to."
Paul looked at him quizzically,
"They know how to stop the reactor and we have something they want."
"The child?"
"The child."
"You'd really use the infant as a bargaining chip."
Magellan sighed,
"If it saves this station then yes."
"Well you best keep that quiet, I doubt T'Val and Tedak would agree."
"No, perhaps not, but there are too many lives at stake here and with any luck Jak'dor will agree to help us without us needing to play that card."
"Luck indeed"
"Have the conference room prepared and have Jibb join us with the Debrune party. Oh and ask any available Ambassadors to attend. We have some swift negotiations to make."

TAG: Paul, Jessica, KEhrlyr, Jibb

[Deleted]

JakDor and his councillors had been staring at Qualinost for several minutes while Richard conferred with the few Diplomatic staff that had been spared for him. He was the senior diplomat here. It was hard to believe...

The elderly leader of the Debrune Council finally ceased his wondering gaze on the planet of Qualinost and walked over to the table where Richard Jibb and some Assailant diplomatic staff were sitting, and his six companions joined him. The small contingent of diplomatic staff had been updating him with current events, including some bizarre rumours regarding the homicidal habits of Admiral Magellan. Everyone at Jibb's table sat up expectantly.

"Mr. Jibb, we are now ready to complete our pilgrimage to the holy Qua'ee'nost. You have completed your part in our hallowed crossing. And we thank you" JakDor intoned, and his cowled acolytes bowed in unison.

"You're welcome, Elder JakDor. And as much as I would like you to be able to continue, there are some serious concerns that must be addressed before you can proceed" Richard said in his most diplomatic tone.

"There are no concerns more serious than our requirement to reach the Qua'ee'nost and view the Divine Child. We will allow nothing to stand in our way!!" JakDor insisted in a loud voice.

Richard knew that JakDor was going to say something like that. Unfortunately, he was the senior diplomat in the room. Must be a tough time at Starbase Assailant to be able to say something like that. "Unfortunately, I have been informed that the planet has only about 4 hours of life left before it explodes. There is a Debrune power station left on the planet that will overload soon. Not only will it destroy the planet, but this station as well"

JakDor's eyes narrowed. "Your Federation has defiled the site. That is why it will explode. Consider the loss of this place and it's people a penance for your lack of restraint. We will go the planet and see the Child. That is all that matters." JakDor's eyes were consumed with religious fervour.

"What makes you think that I will allow you to go to the planet?" Richard asked calmly.

JakDor's eyes went from religions fervour to rage in an instant. "What? If you do not allow us to the Holy Qua'ee'nost, this station and all aboard it will be destroyed!"

"Well, you are correct about that. What is also true is that you will die here along with us, never having reached your goal or completed your quest" Richard stated matter of factly. He was being quietly kicked under the table by one of the junior diplomats. It seemed that Richard wasn't being diplomatic enough.

JakDor seemed about to retort angrily, but changed his mind and settled into an icy calm. Dealing with him was quite strange, Richard thought to himself. It was almost like dealing with a Romulan and Vulcan in one package. Highly emotional one second, calm and logical the second. However, both were tempered by religious fervour.

"What must we do to be allowed to reach the planet?" JakDor asked after a considerable pause.

At last, Richard thought. "Do you know how to shut down the reactor?"

"Yes. That ritual is known. We can shut it down if you take us to Qua'ee'nost. And the Divine Child must come with us" JakDor stated firmly.

Richard wasn't sure about the status of the child. "I'm not even sure where the child is."

"The child is near us. Aboard this station. I can feel it" JakDor stated with conviction.

How can he know that? Richard thought. Just as he was preparing to continue with the negotiation, Admiral Magellan, accompanied by a considerable contingent of Assailant's diplomatic staff, swept into the room.

[Deleted]

T'Val entered behind the admiral and the string of diplomats, carrying the child carefully. Her eyes swept around the room, her expression one of apprehension and fear. She feared the child, the orphan, being taken from her, she feared nothing but the child being taken from her.

She walked on, stopping only a few centimeters before the Debrune Elder. "This is D'Beren, the one you call the Divine Child," she said clearly, but her voice was wavering, threatening to break, "I am his legal guardian, as both his parents have passed on. I regret to tell you that one of our own killed his father, and this man has been severely punished for it. I have cared for this child as if he were my own, for I cannot beget." She gazed at the elder, her eyes holding hope. "Please, do not take the child from my care. I am Vulcan, and am supposed to refrain from expressing emotion, but in this matter, I cannot. I would not be able to bear it if the child is taken, for I love him as would I a son."

She held up the child to the elder. "Behold D'Beren, the child you call Divine!" From his perch on her shoulder, bronze firelizard Sev peered through strands of hair, and hissed at the Debrune elder, his eyes whirling the red of anger/danger. A second later he settled down.

[Harrias Jira]

Harrias looked around the room at his crew. They were a good bunch. Each had his quirks, but they slotted together well. Harrias was surprised by the lack of females in the senior staff, something that could lead to a more feudal staff. Something indeed, that he was already seeing between two of the members of his crew; Rex Bonar and Zhukarak Hrisvalar. He had noticed signs of tension between the pair, and made a note to try and ease this as much as possible. Obviously they felt that they were competing for much the same job.

Thinking about, the trill realised, he had made a note of a lot of things, and many of them had not yet been acted on with one matter or the other, and this was something he would have to do in their downtime. As Commander McDuff entered and completed the senior staff, the CO called for quiet.

"Firstly I would like to congratulate everyone here on their excellent performances in our recent assignment. The acquistion of Dr Kavek went very smoothly, when all is said and done, and I commend you all for helping with this. Now, you may have heard some rumours floating around the starbase. I want to set the record straight. As we were escorting Dr Kavek through the arcade, he was attacked by another prisoner who was been escorted at the same time. Dr Kavek is currently in a critical condition, and it seems that our efforts were in vain." A murmur went up among the crew, which Harrias removed with a quietening motion. "However, it is believed that we have found members of the Debrune civilisation, and hopefully they have some way of preventing the destruction of the Starbase. Until that time, we are on standby evacuation mode."

"So our mission was fruitless?" The marine officer spoke up.

"No, it did in fact acheive many things. Firstly it got us Dr Kavek, who I am sure the federation will be interested in talking to. In addition to that, I received our new orders from Admiral Magellan only a couple of hours ago. Once this situation is over, we are to return to Tanis Borealis, and find out what we can about Dr Kavek's research. However, a full briefing on that will follow. At the moment though, you are all on leave until we receive our new first officer, although I want all of you at hand, as we are still on stand-by. Dismissed. Oh, and can I speak to Lieutenant Hrisvalar please?"

The rest of the crew filed out, leaving Harrias and the marine.

"I have noticed some tension between yourself and our new CTSO. Is there anything you want to tell me?"

OOC: New mission starts at the weekend, until then you can either participate in this mission, or just hang about on starbase, or takea break for a while.

[Zhukarak Hrisvalar]

After Captain Jira gave his praises of the capture of Dr. Kavek and an update on the Qualinost situation, everyone was dismissed, everyone but Zhukarak. The officers filed out with the new ensign exiting last, but not before he gave Zhuk a glaring stare.

"I have noticed some tension between yourself and our new CTSO. Is there anything you want to tell me?"

This took Zhukarak by surprise. Not the fact that Captain Jira noticed, but the short amount of time he had noticed it in. Zhukarak had hoped he could have resolved what personality conflict there was between him and Ensign Bonar before this had happened. It was too late for that.

“Well Captain.”He started. “I have noticed that Ensign Bonar is reckless, careless, and too eager to prove himself. When my marines and I arrived at the shuttlebay, to detain Dr. Kavek, he did not appreciate our presence for additional security. He had also unduly risked his own personal safety by remaining exposed while trying to talk Dr. Kavek out of the shuttle.” Zhukarak paused for a minute to let Captain Jira process this information, before he continued."After Dr. Kavek was in custody, I took the liberty to do some checking on Ensign Bonar. He had injured himself on the holodeck by removing the safety protocols while participating in the destruction of ancient earth vehicles…from the inside of one.” “At the academy he performed well as a tactical officer, but he performed on an average scale when it came to security issues.” Captain Jira nodded affirmatively as he remembered Rex Bonar’s file. He also recalled Zhukarak's file and his experience with the Andorian Imperial Guard. “So what would you suggest I do, Lieutenant.” “I think it would be wise that you leave me in charge of security aboard the Nevada, or at the very least, let me supervise Ensign Bonar until you feel he is ready to handle it on his own.”

Captain Jira took a minute to think before responding.

[Deleted]

Meanwhile in Operations.

After making the necessary arrangements for the diplomatic meeting that was now going on in the Conference room, Paul Drew had returned to Operations, and was now busy preparing for if the negotiations failed.

Since word had broke about the very probable destruction of the base, many of the private ship’s had left the base, and no new ones had entered the sector, there were still Starfleet ship’s in the area, but like Magellan had pointed out, they could only evacuate 45,000 people.

Now sat at his large station on the Operation’s deck, Drew was desperately trying to find a way to get the other 55,000 odd people off the station too.

He heard the turbo lift doors open behind him, but didn’t bother to look up from his station until he heard Lt. Tomlinson call out to him.

“What can I do for you Chief?” Drew asked, his eye’s still focused on his console.

“Robert,” Tomlinson simply said, now Drew did turn around and face him.

“What about him?”

“He is still requesting asylum.”

Drew actually laughed at that, “You have got to be kidding me, he has just signed all our death warrants.”

“No joke,” Tomlinson answered, “He has given me a list of all pirate activities in the sector.”

Those were the requirements of his asylum Drew remembered, but that had been before Robert had attacked Kavek.

“I will review the data and pass it on to Admiral Lin,” Drew said formally, then noting the worried look on Tomlinson’s face, Drew gave the man a small smile, and said in a more gentle voice, “Is there something on your mind Simon?”

<tag Tomlinson>