Elena de Luca
Starfleet Intelligence
Registered: Dec 14, 2009 0:38:17 GMT
Posts: 266
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Post by Elena de Luca on Nov 1, 2016 21:07:11 GMT
~ 006 : Intelligence Assignment ~
*** One month before SB47 disaster *** Sixteen years ago, the Hururli, a humanoid race located in the Zee-Phyos Star Cluster, almost seven hundred light years beyond Gamma Triangulai, petitioned for membership of the United Federation of Planets. Refused on that occasion, Hururl Prime waited a further twelve years before submitting their application for membership again.
~~~~~~~~~~ This application too was rejected, citing internal issues within their local Systems as the defining objection .... Determined to become full members of the Federation, the Hururli began a massive improvement drive within theirs and outlying Systems. Then, eighteen months ago, representatives from the Federation, on a fact-finding mission to the system, vanished without trace. Despite exhaustive searches over a vast area, neither the representatives, nor their vessel could be found.
It was at this point that the Hururli withdrew their petition without explanation, simply stating they no longer wished to become a Federation member .... In the following months, three automated observatories were totally destroyed by unknown forces. These attacks: In the Tau Ursae, Penthara, and Algol Star Systems, effectively blocked all observations for a two degree arc out from the Iodora Sector. While not at first realised, this blind-spot included the Zee-Phyos Star Cluster !
Those responsible for the attacks frustratingly remained at large and unidentified until information came to light that a group of Mercenaries, acting on behalf of a third party, were responsible. This was confirmed when one of their group was fatally injured during an attack on a fourth deep-range orbital observatory in the Xi Persei System after a maintenance crew came under fire but managed to escape with a wounded Mercenary. Alas the man passed away before giving them anything other than the name of a Planet, Menkib, close to the Algol Star System ...
Fearing further incursions into Federation Space as a possible prelude to war, the Federation Council again attempted to open dialogue with the Hururli, whom they believed could be partially or even solely responsible for the attacks, but these met with a resounding silence. Starfleet Command assigned four Star Ships to patrol along an invisible border between the Kappa Persei and Penthara Systems. But they needed information on who was responsible, and this could only be acquired covertly.
~~~~~~~~~~
It was decided that a small infiltration contingent would pass through the cordon and approach Zee-Phyos in an effort to identify and bring to justice the perpetrators. Four Intelligence Officers were assigned the arduous task, with the USS El Alamein at their disposal for the duration of the assignment.
It was of the utmost urgency that those responsible were stopped before the Federation had no option but to move on the Hururl System in force !
ooo000ooo
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David Tan
Starfleet Intelligence
Suum Cuique ...
Registered: Dec 11, 2006 10:56:04 GMT
Posts: 792
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Post by David Tan on Nov 3, 2016 19:47:15 GMT
Starbase Forty Seven ::
David had arrived only a day earlier, fully expecting to have some time to himself. He had been invited to a wedding on Earth and hoped he would be able to attend given it was one of his closest friends from his Academy days, alas, he was going to be disappointed ... He had dropped off his bags and reported to the Intelligence Division Duty Officer that he was now on the Station and was instructed to go to the Command Center immediately ... Taking the turbo-lift he arrived moments later and was ushered into Admiral Tetsutaro's office immediately:
"Ahh, David, it is good to see you have returned safely from your last assignment." Sato said, coming around his desk and walking over to the replicator, he requested two drinks, then returned handing one to Tan, "I am afraid I must ask you to postpone any plans you had my boy. There is a situation that requires delicate handling." Sato put the information on his wall screen for David to view.
"Have the Hururl given any reply to our queries ?" David asked, sipping the green tea Sato preferred to drink.
"No. Despite our repeated requests for explanations to the occurrences, they are, as the saying goes, remaining 'tight lipped' on the subject. Therefore, you and a small team will go in and find out what you can. If evidence of any wrong doing is found, then the Hururl will face the full wrath of the Federation. The El Alamein is of course at your disposal, Captain Komin will be ready to depart in one hour."
"Who's joining me Admiral ?"
"Elena is already aboard the El Alamein, you will make a small detour to Starbase Bellicose to pick up Iorte Clancy, whom you have worked successfully with previously, and a relatively new Officer, one Rosa Noon. She was detailed to report to Commander Clancy on arrival, they are awaiting you as we speak. All the relevant information, what we have of it, is in the El Alamein's computers, you can review at your pleasure." Sato stood, signifying the meeting was concluded .....
USS El Alamein ::
En-route to Starbase 461, David and Elena de Luca went over scant the information Intelligence had on the situation: A race, known as the Hururl, had been refused entry to the Federation, and as a result had 'supposedly' begun systematic attacks on unmanned observation platforms. Unfortunately, their third attack, location: Xi Persei System, coincided with a maintenance crews arrival and a close-quarter battle ensued. Retorting to hand to hand, all but three of the crew were killed, but not before fatally injuring one of the attackers, dragging him aboard their ship and escaping. The man revealed nothing before succumbing to his injuries apart from one word ... Menkib ...
"So what exactly are we looking for ?" Elena asked, rubbing her temples.
"Proof that the Hururl are behind the attacks I assume." David said with a shrug.
"From what little information we have, somewhat surprising given they allied to join the Federation on two occasions, I don't honestly know how they could be behind the attacks, not without help of some kind. They only achieved warp capability thirteen years ago, there's no way they could have developed sufficiently to consider open conflict."
"So maybe someone is backing them, or using their misfortune to their own advantage. There 'are' people out there that don't exactly 'like' us you know." Tan said with a grin as he flicked through the information on the Hururl's physical appearance: Similar in build and complexion, they had a unique culture and ranking system of sorts. The Hururl were born with green eyes, all of them. On reaching puberty, their eyes change to orange, On reaching the age of twenty one years, Hururl have their eyes surgically altered to a vibrant blue, this blue eye color signifies that they have been initiated into Adulthood and are therefore responsible for protecting their race at all costs.
He looked at the images of various Hururl, and indeed, the outstanding similarity was their eyes.
"You'll have yours altered when we reach Bellicose." Fran Komin said, entering the Mess Hall.
"Altered ?" Elena repeated needlessly, "We're going to have eyes like that ?"
"Unless you want to stand out like the proverbial 'sore thumb' yes. Commander Clancy and Lieutenant Noon, sorry, 'Mister' Clancy and 'Ms' Noon, I keep forgetting not to use their ranks, I'll have to get used to that before I slip up, are in surgery about now and should be ready when we arrive, you'll go straight down when we dock."
"They are very, erm, blue !" was all David could say .....
Starbase 461 - Kazar Sector ::
The El Alamein was ushered into a private docking facility and umbilicus connected ... Only then were they allowed to depart the ship and enter the 'Base. Security accompanied Tan and de Luca to the Medical Center, where Clancy and Noon were waiting. Both of them took a step back as their colleagues turned to face them, their blue blue eyes were almost iridescent ! ... They almost seemed to reflect any light back at the observer, much like the tapetum lucidum of the retina of a cat's eye reflects light.
"You're going to 'LOVE' this." Iorte Clancy said, grinning at David like a child with a new toy. The woman approached and introduced herself:
"Rosa Noon. I'm happy to be working with you, David, may i call you David ?"
"Yes, most usually do." Tan said, leaning forward to look at her own ocular modification, "David Tan, Elena de Luca, I assume you already know Mister Clancy here." he said, almost fascinated by their new eyes.
"If you will come this way ...." a Doctor interrupted, ".... You can do your catching-up later. This procedure is very time-consuming and somewhat, dangerous. I would much rather not need to rush, for your sakes ... The sooner it is done and you are on your way, the sooner I can return home." the man said, turning and striding away, oblivious as to whether his patients were following or not.
"See you in a couple of hours." Clancy said, wincing as a nurse yet again examined the results of the modifications.
David and Elena were taken into the adjoining room which was obviously an operating theatre. They were instructed to get onto the Bio-beds, remover their tops, and lay on their backs. A nurse approached with a retinal scanner then administered a sedative to each of them in turn, and before David could ask any questions he was unconscious ..........
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David Tan
Starfleet Intelligence
Suum Cuique ...
Registered: Dec 11, 2006 10:56:04 GMT
Posts: 792
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Post by David Tan on Nov 5, 2016 1:08:45 GMT
" .... oming around."
"I think so yes, but give him a moment." he heard the voice as if in a dream, but knew he was waking.
"Mister Tan ... My name is Rhona, Rhona Guest, I'm a nurse ... Don't try to move, you have bandages on your eyes but any sudden movement could cause you serious problems." "He's fully awake now Doctor." he heard the nurse say as he lay still now wide awake. "Ahh, welcome back to the land of the living Mister Tan. If you'll bare with me I will have those bandages off momentarily. nurse, switch off the lighting, we'll start with it dark to get you accustomed ...." He felt his bed being raised so he was in a seated position, then the Doctor began removing what he understood to be the aforementioned bandages. It took a moment and the Doctor insisted he keep his eyes closed as the last of the bandage was removed. He sat in silence for a few seconds then the doctor told him to slowly open his eyes ......... The room was in complete darkness and for a second he thought he'd not actually opened them, but the nurse began to bring up the lighting very slowly. he could see faint outlines, black against the grey, or rather, blue, background. As the lighting increased, he could see more and more, but everything seemed to have a blue hue or tint, and he blinked rapidly several times, finally bringing his hands up, but the Doctor quickly grasped hold telling him to keep them at his sides. "What can you see, how's your vision now ?" the man asked. "Everything's kind of 'blue' ..." David said, looking around the room as the Doctor took numerous scans of his eyes. "Good good ! ... The graft has taken well, you should be able to get up in a few moments, but no sudden movements of your head, and for heavens sake, please stop blinking as if your life depended on it, because while it doesn't, your sight does, and I've put too much work into those eyes of yours for them to be ruined." Rhona Guest moved away, returning with a mirror. She held it up so he could see his face and his mouth dropped open in surprise. His eyes were now 'BLUE' ... Iris and lens were an almost brilliant blue against the white of his eyes. He couldn't stop looking at the iridescent, almost incandescence of them. He looked around the room then back to the mirror, suddenly feeling a tinge of pain in his temples. Rhona noticed his frown and said that he would have to adapt to his optic nerve taking in more impulses from his retina. "Mister Tan, please concentrate on the chart on the wall opposite. Can you see it clearly ?" David nodded, "Nurse, begin to lower the lights, David, tell me when you can no longer read the third line down, OK." As the light diminished he concentrated on the third line down, able to read it clearly as the seconds past. "How about now David, can you read the line out for me ?" "There is a single light of science, and to brighten it anywhere is to brighten it everywhere." ".... and now, line five please." "Never let your sense of morals get in the way of doing what's right." "That was at five percent illumination." the nurse said, apparently very impressed. "What was I reading, and how could I do it in such low light ?" David asked. "The quotes are Isaac Asimov, a favourite of mine. As for how, well that's the coating we've put onto your retina, basically enhancing the receptivity of the rods and cones, so where you would have been almost blind in the reduced lighting, you could easily read a book in almost pitch darkness. There has to be some light obviously, but it doesn't need a lot. Your iris contracts, allowing more light in initially, the light passes through the lens onto your retina, where it is reflected onto an artificial mirror finish on the back of the lens. It does this countless times, each reflection enhancing what your eye effectively 'sees' ... It happens so quickly you don't even notice it .... Good, eh." the doctor said, with a grin. "So how long before I can get up ?" Tan asked, looking again at the mirror. "We'll bring the light up over the next hour to let your eyes acclimatise themselves at their own rate to the changes, then your free to leave." he said, handing the Nurse a PADD and leaving the room. David turned to face the Nurse: "What about Elena, Ms de Luca ?" "She's in the next room, she's doing fine. Lay back and rest, don't strain your eyes, let the light come up and I'll be back in half an hour to check how your doing." she instructed the computer to bring the illumination up to standard over the next hour then she too left. He looked around the room, which to him already looked more than well lit ..... One Hour Later ::Sat on the Bio-bed he waited for the nurse, but when the door opened it was Elena who entered. "I'm definitely thinking of keeping these !" she said, almost giggling as Iorte and Rosa came into his room. "If you've done lazing around, we can leave." Elena said, taking a sly look in the mirror at her newly modified eyes ..........
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David Tan
Starfleet Intelligence
Suum Cuique ...
Registered: Dec 11, 2006 10:56:04 GMT
Posts: 792
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Post by David Tan on Nov 8, 2016 18:36:38 GMT
All four Intelligence Officers were now fully accustomed to their new eyes, or rather, retinal coating making everything have a slight 'blue' tint ... Each was having to second-guess on numerous things, white lights on the Starbase looked blue, while others had a hint of blue, every shade throughout the visible spectrum was tainted, and they would need to 're-learn' colours quickly if they were to pass among the Hururl undetected. Captain Komin had set up boards in the Mess Hall for them to study. Surprisingly it hadn't taken more than an hour, it was essentially like wearing tinted sunglasses permanently, reds were still reds, greens were greens, et cetera, they just had an annoying hint of blue. David wondered vaguely if they would have to go through this process again when the coating was removed ... "How long before we can depart the Starbase Captain ?" he asked Komin. "Thirty minutes. There is a freighter en-route and will need to be docked. Once that's done we can go." "I know this is going to be a daft question ..." the newly assigned Intel Officer Rosa Noon said, making everyone turn in her direction, "But, why do we have to wait ?" "While it didn't say it in the mission brief, we're going to be infiltrating what could be a very dangerous situation, the Hururl are known to be formidable when under duress, so the less people that know where we're going the better." Elena explained as David and Iorte exchanged a covert glance, "You're on this assignment because you possibly know more about them than anyone, and according to the files, you've been to Hurur One, albeit only in orbit." "It was a deep-range run but our warp core gave out." the young Rosa recalled, "We were drifting for three days when one of their ships came along. They were more inclined to leave us where we were, but my Captain offered them payment .... surprisingly, they didn't want anything from our cargo, but something else, though 'why' they thought we would be carrying any was beyond me .... They demanded our complete supply of Triclenidil and Cryptobiolin." "..... But why ? ......" Elena prompted. "The agreement was, they would tractor us into orbit around one of their Prime Planets' Moons. They would supply everything we needed to get our core repaired, and in return we would relinquish all our Tricl', and effective means to replicate it on their world, which obviously gave us a dilemma. The Captain knew full well that it was prohibited to supply certain drugs outside the Federation, and as both Triclenidil and Cryptobiolin were on the watch list as a performance enhancement drugs who's effects were irreversible and now known to be fatal to all non-Angosians, it was obvious we had a serious problem. If they demanded the drugs 'before' doing the work we were stumped. They did ask for a sample, and fortunately, our Medical Officer was able to synthesise a small amount after removing several elements. It wasn't enough to introduce into one of their peoples systems, thankfully, but enough to convince the Hurur." "Just out of curiosity here ...." David said, a little concerned at the woman's explanation, "How did your Doctor manage to synthesise the sample again, given he would have needed the orig .... ?" "He didn't." Noon interrupted, "The stuff he gave the Hurur was anything but the real thing, It would pass scrutiny as long as no-one had the original chemical blueprint, in fact, anyone taking it would have only advanced his ability to pass urine after several hours, and for several more thereafter." "Is it possible they are attempting to get hold of these drugs to carry out chemical manipulation, or genetic enhancements of their soldiers in preparation for their incursion into Federation Space ?" Komin asked, wondering if she should break Comm silence and inform Command of their findings. "As far as I'm aware they never did get hold of the real thing, certainly not from us, as for the Angosians, who were pretty much told in no uncertain terms that any application to become a member of the Federation was on indefinite hold, it's impossible to say." Elena reassured the El Alamein's Captain, "But if they have somehow formed an alliance with the Angosian's we could be in more trouble than first thought, which makes our incursion and intelligence-gathering activities all the more vital. Staying alive will help too, given we need to get said information back to the Federation 'before' any further incidents." The door opened and Komin's Exec entered: "Captain the Starbase Commandant says we need to be ready to depart. He has arranger for there to be a four minute window, beginning precisely one minute from now, where the 'Base sensors will be on a level three self-diagnostic. We need to be out of range when they come back up. He said good luck in our endeavours." "Thank you Commander." Komin said, rising from the chair, the others following suit ..... On the Bridge she gave the order to bring drive systems on-line. The chronometer began to countdown: .. 00 : 03 : 59 ..
.. 00 : 03 : 58 ..
.. 00 : 03 : 57 .. "Half impulse ... Take us out Lieutenant." Komin ordered, watching as the El Alamein passed through the open space-doors ... .. 00 : 02 : 32 ..
.. 00 : 02 : 31 ..
.. 00 : 02 : 30 .. "Warp six ..... Rear view on screen." Komin said, watching as the small Space Station fell far behind until too distant to be visible, "Forward view ... Time to sensor activation ?" "Two minutes fifteen seconds Captain." Milo Van informed her. "Set course for Menkib in the Algol Star System." she said with a hint of satisfaction. At least no-one knew they were here ..... Hopefully ..........
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David Tan
Starfleet Intelligence
Suum Cuique ...
Registered: Dec 11, 2006 10:56:04 GMT
Posts: 792
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Post by David Tan on Nov 11, 2016 0:08:12 GMT
Algol Star System : Thirty Nine Hours Later ::The El Alamein dropped from warp almost a quarter of a million kilometers from the System, coming to a complete stop in seconds .... "So what's our plan of action ?" Elena asked, looking at the information they had on the Planet Menkib ... The planet was almost identical to Earth in regards to size and atmospheric content. Where it differed was the land masses: There was only two with the remainder of the planet covered by water. The two land masses, situated approximately directly opposed to each other on the planet were almost seventeen point one million square kilometers in size, and while both had flourished, there had been a constant rivalry in development of everything from food production to weapons development to pharmaceuticals. The Eastern Continent had excelled in some areas, likewise the West, but while the East remained true to their goals, the West had succumbed to less dignified methods in their race to be the dominant Continent.
Almost seventy years previously, all diplomatic contact had been severed, and transit between the two continents halted completely. While all-out war had never been a possibility, it was obvious that those on one continent would go to any lengths to acquire information or development advancements to ensure their superiority. Thus began the age of subterfuge ....
While the Eastern Continent refused all but the most thoroughly scrutinised off-world visitors, the West was less stringent, and this had led to a thriving black market in trade, as well as allowing the less 'legal' activities to be enjoyed. Menkib was not a member of the Federation, and as such was not restricted in it's activities, legal or otherwise. The indigenous people of Menkib were once mild, even meek, but the troubles between the two Continents had swept away their inability to act against a know enemy, not to the point of open warfare (as stated previously in this report) but it had not prevented both sides from exacting the highest punishment for infiltrators or illegal entry .... "I'm guessing we're not going to simply walk in there, figuratively speaking ?" Rosa asked, having read the same information Elena had. "We need a reason to be here." the El Alamein's Exec' commented, "What about a systems failure ?" "Won't work." David said. "Why not just turn up ?" Rosa Noon asked, making everyone look at her, "Well .... We have no affiliation, or rather the El Alamein doesn't. No transponder code, no log of her being a Federation vessel, right ?" she asked, eyebrows raised wondering why even the Captain was seemingly unaware of this information. David, Iorte, Elena and Rosa all looked at Komin ... "When the El Alamein was assigned to Intelligence, it was naturally removed from active service. So as to not make it blatantly obvious that it simply hadn't been 're-tasked' it was decided that her de-commissioning would be back-dated, and all records from that point expunged, so in essence, yes, Ms Noon is correct. As far as anyone is concerned, we're an independent vessel. Though explaining to anyone 'how' we managed to get hold of a fully operational Defiant Class vessel is something I don't wish to undertake." "We wouldn't be the first to have 'acquired' a ship." Clancy said, shrugging." Tan thought about that for a few moments while the others continued their conversation, then he spoke: "Who's your best Pilot ?" he asked. "Why ?" Komin replied, suddenly on her guard. "I am." Milo Van, the El Alamein's Executive Officer answered. "We have a Type Ten shuttle on board right ?" Tan continued, receiving a nod from Van, "With Type-V phasers and erm, micro-torpedoes ?" "What are you thinking Commander ?" Komin asked, stepping in front of David, who completely ignored her. "Milo, go take a joy-ride, and while you're out there, take some pot-shots at the ship." "WHAT !" Komin demanded. "LOOK .... We need to look like we've been through it, or at least 'NOT' look like we have come fresh from Utopia Planitia and are still picking the plastic wrapping off the seats ... Captain !" ...... There was a long long silent pause as Komin and he faced off, but eventually she realised he was correct. She nodded to Van then tapped her Comm badge, instructing the Bridge to raise the shields are forty percent and not to react when they are fired upon. Nodding to Tan she stood and looked out of the plexi-glass port. "Commander Van, you'll need to modify the phaser frequencies to match two, maybe three other weapons systems." Fran said, not looking up from her fingers, frustration welling within her. "Yes Ma'am" .... Twenty minutes later the El Alamein was pot-marked with hits from Romulan, Klingon, Cardassian, and even Ferengi weapons systems. The shuttle returned to the bay and Milo Van joined the others on the Bridge. "Nice job Commander." Komin commented in regards to his firing, then looked at the Helm Officer, "Take us into the System Lieutenant, warp three." ..........
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David Tan
Starfleet Intelligence
Suum Cuique ...
Registered: Dec 11, 2006 10:56:04 GMT
Posts: 792
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Post by David Tan on Nov 13, 2016 0:39:16 GMT
The El Alamein entered the Algol Star System cautiously, the last thing they wanted, or needed, was to be challenged at this stage, despite the obvious damage to the ship, they could still face some awkward questions should anyone on the planet get curious ... Dropping to impulse as they passed Menkib's outer marker, they were told to hold prior to approach.There was a nervous three minute wait, then the Port contacted them and assigned them a parking orbit, stressing that they comply with the instructions precisely, the tone making it perfectly clear any deviation would be dealt with decisively ....
Reiterating their goals here, David made sure everyone knew what was happening ... They would go to the surface and try to find the seediest dive possible. From there they would start to ask 'discrete' questions. It didn't particularly matter what the content of those questions were, they just needed someone, anyone, connected to or with knowledge of, those that had carried out the attacks on the unmanned observation platforms. He still couldn't understand why the Hururl had been trying to acquire Cryptobiolin and Triclenidil, they were rare drugs and not easily attained without some exceptional good luck.
"Rosa, you are certain that no-one on the surface could recognise you from the attack on your vessel ?"
"No chance. They never saw me at all during the incident."
"..... and there's no way you could be connected through DNA or surveillance ?" Elena asked. Rosa Noon confirmed there was nothing to worry about on that score. Captain Komin entered the Mess Hall and informed them that they had established orbit and their team had received permission to transport to the surface. The four went down to the transporter room and stepped onto the platform, seconds later they were on the surface ......
~~~~~
The place was nothing short of a shanty town, cobbled together from discarded cargo carriers and the like. But it wasn't the aesthetically pleasing sights that people arrived here for, far from it. The observation platform that was attacked had been on the edge of the Algol Star System, and it was blatantly obvious that whoever had attacked it didn't want their comings and goings monitored. David looked around, wondering why these people thought that Starfleet wouldn't sent people to investigate, realising he'd missed an opportunity by 'not' requesting a ship go to the platform as a matter of course, but it was too late now, and he was deeply conscious of the eyes upon them ... As they left what was laughingly called the 'Spaceport' they stepped into the glaring sunlight, their eyes protesting instantly and he took out the glasses they had been provided with and put them on, the others following suit.
Looking up and down the dirty grime-ridden street he noticed a dilapidated neon sign, flickering on and off sporadically.
"There." he said, pointing at the Bar. He was grateful that some studies of the Hururl had been carried out as part of their application to join the Federation, so their garb fitted well with those around them, although David could well dispense with the floor-length leather jacket in this heat, but given any that were around them were seemingly coping, they would need to too. As they walked along the dusty street, he was almost shocked at how prominently the Hururl stood out among the locals, not because of the vibrant blue of their eyes, but the fact that it seemed only they were wearing protection against the harshness of the Suns rays !
They entered the bar, trying not to choke on the myriad of pungent odours that assaulted their olfactory senses. David could clearly identify half a dozen banned substances, along with a few he didn't want to know about. Elena pondered the idea that 'personal hygiene' was not high on their list of things to do to ensure people don't throw up in their presence, and he had to agree. They found a table and moved the used glasses aside. A woman, presumably a waitress, came over and dragged the glasses into a large tub she was dragging around then disappeared.
"Don't tell me, no waitress service." Elena commented, "I'll get us some, drinks." she said, heading for the bar in preference to sitting on whatever was currently squatting on her seat. When she returned, glasses in hands, the 'thing' had gone, apparently after Rosa noon kicked the chair long enough to annoy it.
"Someone needs to tell the 'Arse-end' of space about this place." Rosa said, eyeing her drink and wondering how many things in the glass could actually kill her.
It wasn't too long before their presence was reported to whoever ran the place, and they were joined by a dishevelled man who sat down at their table uninvited. Iorte was about to comment when David spoke first:
"Can I assume you are the person to speak to if one was in the market for, information ?"
"Does this 'look' like a MARKET to you ?" he asked, his two henchmen inching closer.
"Hardly." Elena said casually.
"You are Hururl, what 'information' could you possibly require that wouldn't get both you, and I killed instantly ?"
"If your guard here doesn't take his eyes off my chest I might have to redirect his attentions, mainly to his insides, which will be enhancing the food you have on the bar." Elena said, lifting her phaser from beneath the table and resting the business end against the mans solid stomach, "I don't appreciate being ogled like a piece of merchandise up for barter."
"Go ahead, I win on both counts, my food gets some real meat, while an obviously incompetent underling is dismissed from my service." the Owner said, obviously calling her bluff. The man, apparently highly un-amused at the obvious threat to his well-being and standing in the face of his peers, drew a knife from his jacket and raised hia arm to throw, without hesitation she fired the phaser ! ... Apparently, a body minus it's midriff landing on a table twenty feet away didn't incite any interest. As Elena eased the phaser in the direction of the owner he raised a hand in mock submission, instructing one of his staff to replace their bilge water with real alcohol, meantime each of the Intelligence Officers knew that she had had zero option but to fire, not doing so would have signed both hers, and their death warrants instantly. But her action had had an immediate and decisive effect on the bar owner; he was suddenly on edge, eyes darting around the room as his erstwhile guard was dragged away to be replaced by another, more vigilant.
"You .... You are ...." the man said, the fear obvious now as he forced himself to remain seated, be that for fear of the woman's attention, of from someone else who may be watching, David didn't know at this point, and he didn't particularly care, "You are renegade !" he whispered, fearfully. All four of the Federation Officers looked at the man in complete silence, not confirming nor denying his possible accusation, but the man was already convinced and David made a mental note to find out what the hell the 'Renegades' were, and quickly, given their very lives could depend on it ..........
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David Tan
Starfleet Intelligence
Suum Cuique ...
Registered: Dec 11, 2006 10:56:04 GMT
Posts: 792
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Post by David Tan on Nov 14, 2016 17:08:44 GMT
The bar owner was obviously frightened half out of his whits ... It seemed that these 'Renegades' were Hururl that had effectively separated themselves from the rest of the race, choosing their own direction. But with this came danger ... Any Hururl found to be associated with the renegades was publicly tortured to death as a very poignant warning to others who feel they are unhappy with the status quo. But that was not the end by far, because before their deaths, they would be forced to witness the deaths of their Spouse and Children !
So it seemed to Tan and the others that if they wanted to give the impression that they were indeed part of the renegade faction of the Hururl, then it came with it's own set of issues. At this stage, he decided to neither confirm or deny the bar owners' assumption, believing they were more likely to get information if they were feared even more than the rest of their race.
"I would like some answers ....." David said, the menace obvious as he glanced at Elena then back to the owner, "We wish to, congratulate, the group of Hururl that have recently attacked numerous Federation Facilities. We were informed that they had entered this System and had achieved orbit only hours before we arrived. Now, assuming they would have turned up at the same beam-down location as my friends and I, it is reasonable to believe that you would have knowledge of this group. Am I correct ?"
The bar owner had gone whiter than previously, at the very least, his freedom, and most likely his status among the living seemingly vanishing by the second. He looked around the room imagining every pair of eyes boring into his very soul. It was clear he was fighting some inner turmoil being between the proverbial rock and a hard place, but David didn't have time for sentimentality, he needed answers before one or more of this 'Renegade Faction' walked in on them and began asking questions of their own.
"I'm seeing you are struggling here." Tan said, changing tack for a few seconds, "But, our 'superiors' require the identities of those Hururl. If you don't have it, then maybe you could steer us towards someone who might ?"
"I, I cannot ......" it was too much and he stood, his chair rocketing across the floor. Elena tracked his sudden movement with her phaser easily but it seemed he almost preferred to be shot here and now than face the wrath of those the Federation were searching for. Clancy had stood alongside the bar owner and now placed a hand on his shoulder before applying a slight pressure to have him sit back down. A woman, little more than a girl approached and asked if there was something wrong and why her Father was so upset. They realised in that instant why the man was refusing to help !
"Your Father is helping us Child." Elena said, the phaser concealed beneath the table top now, but still aimed at their host.
"Why not both of you take a seat while I go refresh our drinks ?" Clancy said, moving aside so the girl could sit, then retrieving his seat for him and placing it beside hers.
"My Daughter." the man pleaded, almost in tears.
"OK, we're sorry to have upset your Father Child, we required some information, but alas it seems your Father is not able to assist us in our queries. Please, accept my apologies." Davids said, all thoughts of threatening the mans life seemingly gone, but they still needed the information, regardless of who got their feelings hurt in the process. He stood and pulled his chair around the table so the girl was between the owner and himself, "We never made any introductions, you said this was your Daughter, surely she is too young to be working alongside you in the bar ?" The man seemed to regain some of his previous composure, but now devoid of all bravado:
"My Daughter, Rizan. I am Beroz, owner of this establishment, or what there is of it."
"Rizan, lovely name." Elena commented, smiling at the girl.
"It means 'cherished' in my language." she explained, eyeing her Father as if seeking approval to speak with the strangers in his bar, "I am only thirteen so not allowed to work, but I do collect glasses sometimes, and even get tips, which I am allowed to keep." she whispered conspiratorially to Elena, who grinned.
"I understand your reluctance Beroz, I really do, so, I think we shall try to find lodgings then try to fi ....."
"There are rooms above." Rizan informed them excitedly, taking Elena's hand ready to show them. They looked at Beroz, who had the look of someone who had already condemned his Family to death. He finally nodded and asked if they needed food brought to their rooms of if they preferred to eat in the bar. As they got up David leaned in and spoke quietly to Beroz:
"You need not fear, this I promise." he said, then followed the others across the bar, he turned to see the owner, his eyes locked on his Daughter as she led them to the stairway ..........
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David Tan
Starfleet Intelligence
Suum Cuique ...
Registered: Dec 11, 2006 10:56:04 GMT
Posts: 792
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Post by David Tan on Nov 15, 2016 20:08:01 GMT
Once in their rooms David quickly retrieved his hidden comm badge and contacted the El Alamein: =^= Status Captain ? =^= =^= We are holding orbit as directed .. No vessels have arrived or departed since your beam down .. We are trying to covertly monitor communications off-world but as yet are having little success =^= =^= Understood .. We are currently in accommodation above a public drinking abode where we think the Hururl may have come to make contact .. There seems to be a consensus among the owner and his staff that we are part of a group of Hururl known as the 'Renegades' .. .. .. They are feared across the system but are hunted mercilessly by their own race .. Any captured are summarily massacred along with all family members =^= =^= You think it is wise to allow this misunderstanding ? =^= =^= We'll keep it going for the time being .. It may help with information gathering .. .. .. Next contact in twelve hours .. Tan out =^= He put the communicator back in the hidden pocket and threw his jacket over the nearby chair. Elena entered a moment later, Rizan close behind her. They had to make sure the girl or her Family were not going to be in danger from their presence, so it meant laying false information on the off-chance that someone came asking awkward questions ... It was decided that they would acquire lodgings in another area of the large township. David and Rosa Noon would search out a suitable venue while Iorte and Elena would remain at the bar, socialising, for want of a better word, while finding out all they could about the renegades and the Hururl who might have passed through. ~~~~~~~~~~As they walked through the township they came under the gaze of several locals. some gave them a wide berth, while others barely hid their contempt. "Are you sure this is a good idea ?" Rosa whispered, "If we are seen by anyone from that Terrellian vessel we'll be in serious trouble." "They couldn't identify us, and even if they approached us, what could they say: Are you the people chasing us ?" David replied, less confident than his voice revealed, "As you can see, the township is strewn with Hururl, all of which seem intent on completely ignoring their fellow Hururl. So in my opinion, even if they suspected, they would more than likely keep those suspicions to themselves." "Unless of course someone pointed out that we may, or may not, be part of the Renegade Faction .... In which case we'll be hanging by our toes in short order." They continued through the streets in relative silence, speaking only when not in close proximity to either the local Menkibite's or any roaming Hururl. Finally David found somewhere that could suit their needs: "There." he said, nodding towards a scruffy bay across from them, "Several Hururl have gone in there while we've been meandering up the street, I'm guessing it will be a hive of useful information. We'll go in and listen, if we hear anything we can use then we'll push to make sure the newcomers are using this as some sort of base of operations." "Hold on, what if this owner has Children ?" Rosa asked as they watched the entrance clandestinely. "No, this place is a dive, look at the clientele, dirty, space-goers, more labourer than Officer material. Whoever owns this place is used to cleaning up after the hourly 'disagreements' and wouldn't risk any Family loosing their breadwinner. No, the owner is more than likely a former port employee who managed to scrimp a little away and buy this dive. We'll go in, if there's any sign of Family we'll get out and look elsewhere, how's that ?" Rosa nodded her approval and with one last look up and down the dirty street, they crossed and entered. Tan wasn't wrong, the place looked like it had once possibly been a condemned slaughterhouse, and whoever converted it failed to wash the stench out of the walls. someone bumped into Tan as they entered and as he passed Rosa she almost gagged, the odour rancid and overpowering ... Finding a table free from any sleeping visitors, they pushed the contents off the wet top and tentatively lowered themselves into chairs, both making mental notes to go through thorough decontamination protocols as soon as they could return to the ship. David held his hand up as a girl passed with a tray of oil-stained glasses. "What the hell you think this is ... Waitress service ... Bars over there, waster !" she spat as she passed. "I'll get us drinks." he said as the girl left, "Stay put." he got up and moved towards the bar, trying and failing not to brush against any of the locals. Five minutes later he was walking back to the table when he realised someone was in his chair and speaking to Rosa ! ..... He eyed the man as he put the glasses down and stood back upright, hand straying towards his jacket pocket, it was then he remembered the drunk who had bumped against him as they entered. He moved his hand away, glancing to see Rosa hadn't noticed his movement. "Something we can help you with ?" he asked quietly, eyes glancing left and right trying to ascertain who, if anyone, was working with their 'guest' ... "Just talking to this lovely, lady." the man said, eyes locked on Rosa, "She is, a breath of fresh air in here." "Well, the place could certainly do with it." Tan said, inching forward so he was within quick reaction distance should he need to move quickly, thankfully he noticed that Rosa too had adjusted her position and was ready to move, "I'm afraid my and my, sister, have things to discuss, so you need to leave ..... Now." David used a forceful tone knowing that the Hururl tended to challenge at the drop of a proverbial hat, and showing subservience to this man would be fatal. He took half a step towards the still seated man, who while still hadn't shifted his gaze from Rosa, was obviously nervous, likely weighing up options from his position lower than his opponent but eventually realised he was on a no-win and stood, hands outstretched, bowed theatrically to Rosa then moved away. Mistakenly, David thought that would be the end of it, but as he sat he realised someone was behind him and began to turn half-crouching. The fist glanced off the top of his head and he punched out landing a blow to the mans midriff. Standing quickly he realised someone was lifting Rosa out of her seat, he reacted instinctively, slamming two blows in quick succession in his attackers chest and throat, dropping him like a stone. He grasped the table, throwing it to one side in his efforts to reach the man holding Rosa. One part of his mind was recounting the events as he moved to reach Rosa: The man brushed past them as they entered. He realised earlier that his phaser was missing. The man speaking to Rosa was too calm given the circumstances. They had been targeted !. The man holding Rosa placed something against her neck as David spun to land a roundhouse to his head, the man dropped but so did Noon. He was about to reach down when he was hit on the head hard from behind. He fell heavily against the wall, two men landing repeated kicks to his torso and head. Despite covering his head with his hands the blows landed harder and harder until he feared he was going to loose consciousness. Then it stopped as suddenly as it had begun, someone was lifting him to a sitting position, wiping the blood from his battered face with a cloth. He opened his eyes and his vision was red, he recognised the woman he'd waved to for drinks earlier. Trying to stand he dropped back, possible concussion the cause of his dizziness. It took five full minutes for him to be able to stand, and despite the objections he pushed his way through the crowd and into the street. Rosa was gone ! ..........
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David Tan
Starfleet Intelligence
Suum Cuique ...
Registered: Dec 11, 2006 10:56:04 GMT
Posts: 792
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Post by David Tan on Nov 19, 2016 14:17:12 GMT
Moving away from the hostelry he found a quiet alley and ducked in, hoping he wasn't being followed by their erstwhile attackers. He tapped his concealed comm-badge and spoke quickly:
=^= Tan to El Alamein .. We came under attack .. Rosa Noon has been taken by unknown forces .. Inform Team Two of our situation .. We didn't have time to react they were on us without warning .. Can you attempt to locate her comm-badge ? =^=
=^= We're searching for it now Commander .. Do you require Security assistance ? =^=
=^= No .. Not at the moment but I may need help once we locate Noon =^=
=^= We have her located .. .. .. Seven hundred nineteen meters .. Heading one three three from your location .. It appears to be a four storey building set back from the main thoroughfare .. According to the scant records we have managed to access it is some sort of Ambassadorial premises or Embassy for a race known as the Grazid .. We have no information other than they appear to be Humanoid in appearance .. We are picking up multiple life-signs one being that of your Colleague .. I am readying a team to transport at your request =^=
=^= Understood =^=
The comm closed ... He popped his head out of the alley cautiously, but could see no-one who looked as if they were intent on doing him harm. In fact, the only person that did look in his direction bore an expression of annoyance at his apparent shenanigans rather than someone who was about to cause him harm. Taking a breath he stepped into the street and began to head in the indicated direction. While he needed to get there 'before' her kidnappers could either move her or begin to force information from her, the last thing he needed was to appear in a hurry ... He seemingly meandered along the street, looking into shop windows, admiring the architecture of surrounding buildings, even taking time to ask about a notable statue adorning a fountain, but his goal was getting nearer now and he needed to be more and more cautious.
Crossing the street in a gap in the moderate ground traffic, he could see the building in question, or rather, see the commencement of the paved area that fronted the building itself. he decided he had little option but to simply walk past feigning complete indifference, to the building and what it represented. Once he was approximately seventy meters past, he re-crossed the road and ducked into another alleyway, here he discarded his jacket, feeling that if anyone was monitoring passers-by, it was best not to stand out too obviously.
With Iorte and Elena on the other side of the city he needed help, but having a squadron of Security Officers suddenly materialise from nowhere was a dead giveaway that something was amiss, he had no option but to have the El Alamein beam Clancy and de Luca to his location. Returning to the alley where he had hidden his jacket he contacted the ship and waited. Seconds later they appeared and he updated them as to the situation.
"I'm guessing walking right in there and asking for our friend back is out of the question ?" Elena said, the sarcasm obvious as she retrieved a tricorder from her coat, "Noon is on the ground floor, to the rear of the building, that's something. I suggest we take a look at options at the back. You think they may try to move her David ?" Tan could only shrug. Finding out that a second race, now known to be aligned, or at least willing to aid the Hururl made things even more difficult. He'd originally thought they would interrogate her or move her quickly as every moment's delay made discover that much more possible. But now he knew they were in an Embassy, and effectively the sovereign soil of the occupants, there seemed less chance of a quick move. Which as a consequence, gave them more time to form a plan of action regarding their colleague.
"There was a small Cafe adjacent to the main entrance." David said, checking his phaser before returning it to the back of his trousers and pulling his tunic down to conceal it, "Elena, go find a table, play 'tourist' we'll skirt the building and look for any viable ingress. Once we've found something suitable we will join you. If you see Noon being taken away follow as best you can."
"Be careful. We have no idea about their security measures, and I don't want to have to come in there to rescue all three of you."
~~~~~
Fifteen minutes later they joined Elena:
"Given the obvious presence of armed personnel, both front and rear, I don't think we need to worry too much about static security measures. This planet is the proverbial 'dive' so showing muscle seems preferable to technological measures. I think we should be able to incapacitate the guard at the rear and ingress there. If Rosa hasn't been moved it will greatly reduce the time between us going in and getting back out, hopefully unscathed." David was saying as two of the men that had attacked them came out of the Embassy. They appeared to be waiting for someone, or something, and the Intelligence Officers' wait to clarify which wasn't a long one as a ground vehicle approached and came to a stop. Several guards trained large weapons on the vehicle and the erstwhile attackers come kidnappers.
"If they move her now we're stuck." Elena commented needlessly.
But rather than someone being taken 'from' the Embassy, someone was climbing out of the vehicle and going 'into' the building. To their utter shock the man was HUMAN ! ..........
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David Tan
Starfleet Intelligence
Suum Cuique ...
Registered: Dec 11, 2006 10:56:04 GMT
Posts: 792
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Post by David Tan on Nov 19, 2016 22:19:43 GMT
...... "OK, so three questions spring to mind here ....." Elena said as she sipped the hot Menkib version of tea, "Firstly, who the hell was THAT ! ... Secondly, how is it the El Alamein can't get any confirmed transporter lock but can scan them easily enough. There has to be something blocking certain equipment, right. Oh, and thirdly ... Who, the 'HELL' was that !?" Frustration was building rapidly in everyone, and if they wasn't careful outsiders might begin to recognise their discomfort and begin to get curious. If anyone 'Official' began to ask questions things could get difficult quickly. It was decided that they would send Elena's scan of the Human up to the ship to see if they could establish an identity, but in the mean-time they still had the problem of Rosa Noon, and their plan to free her from the Embassy and those holding her there. According to local time, Sunset was in approximately four hours fifteen minutes, once they had the cover of relative darkness they would get Noon out and get back to the ship. With luck the identities of those responsible would remain unknown. "You think Rosa was recognised ?" Iorte pondered. "Hard to tell." David said, keeping a wary eye on the gates of the Embassy, "As far as we were aware no-one knew we were here, let alone anyone who could have remembered her from her previous visit. My guess, there's something else going on. We know that the Hururl need the specific drugs, Tryclenidil and Cryptobiolin, both used to enhance performance in the military, which indicates they are possibly planning to use ground troops. Is it possible that whoever the Human visitor was is aiding the Hururl, or being coerced into helping against his will ?" David's comm-badge chirped to life beneath his jacket and he excused himself to find somewhere less public to answer: =^= Tan =^= =^= We have an identification on the Human entering the Kyran Embassy .. He is Richard Guest .. A researcher assigned to Starbase One four one .. They were developing antidotes for several life-threatening pathogens when he was reported missing over three months ago .. It was thought he had perished in the shuttle that was taking him to the outer Moon of Prellan VI where they are suffering from a pandemic .. But following extensive search no signs of his body could be located .. Hardly surprising given he is apparently walking around fit and seemingly in good health =^= Captain Komin said. =^= So he's working with or for the Hururl ? =^= =^= Unknown at this point and without being able to speak with his we have no means of confirming his status in regards to his current situation and location =^= =^= I think we can safely imply that he is in league with one or more factions and of his own accord .. Otherwise he would have taken the first opportunity to get work of his situation back to the Federation =^= =^= Can you get any lock on our people yet ? =^= =^= We have identified alien technology .. Possibly a form or transport inhibitor unknown to us .. At this point we can locate and keep track of someone with eighty five percent accuracy and it's the best we can do without attracting unwanted attention from officialdom .. I suggest you retreat and return later .. If Ms Noon or Mr Guest leave the Embassy we will inform you immediately .. .. .. One other thing Commander .. We received word that what appeared to be a Hururl Freighter entered the Sol System an hour ago .. It may be completely unconnected as the vessel passed through the System without stopping and was last seen travelling toward Cardassian space .. I will keep you informed .. Komin out =^= David returned to the table and updated the others. "I suggest we return to our accommodations and try to get some rest. We'll return here at zero two hundred hours and ingress." They left the cafe and returned to the bar where they were staying for the duration of their time on Menkib. Elana's new best friend, Rizan, ran to them as they entered, causing several of the patrons to turn in their direction, for Tan it was unwanted attention and he whispered to de Luca to get rid of the girl quickly. Elena asked if she could take Rizan shopping the next day, but for now they needed to work. Reluctantly, the girl allowed them to go upstairs and she continued to collect the empty glasses from tables. Once i the room Tan spoke: "She is going to be a problem." "She's a young girl who's found a friend. Admitted she's found one older than her, but given her circumstances I imagine she would have latched onto the first decent female that walked through the door .... And please .... No sarcastic remarks or I might just have to exercise my right to reply with a punch in the throat for whoever feels they need to comment." Elena said, dropping into a seat before trying to stretch out the ache in her back. David a Iorte looked at each other then at de Luca, holding their hands up in mock submission before finding chairs of their own. They needed to be rested for what was to come .... ooo000ooo
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David Tan
Starfleet Intelligence
Suum Cuique ...
Registered: Dec 11, 2006 10:56:04 GMT
Posts: 792
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Post by David Tan on Nov 29, 2016 18:11:01 GMT
Returning to the Embassy at zero two hundred, the group concealed themselves to ready for ingress ... Initially, they had been there to recover Rosa Noon, but now, with the unexpected appearance of Richard Guest, they had a quandary: Should they go in and get Rosa, ignoring the Medical Researcher, or attempt to get both out simultaneously ?
"There's no way we can grab both." Elena voiced for them, "Guest is a bonus, but with only the three of us it's impossible."
"Agreed." David said, frustrated, "OK, Elena, hang back, Iorte and I will take out the two guards at the back, you get in and secure the rear, we'll join you once we've got the guards out of sight."
All three took out phasers and set them to heavy stun, the last thing they wanted was someone raising the alarm while they were in the building ... Crossing the darkened street, they traversed the low wall and dropped to their haunches. David and Iorte moved away,one left, one right and then came up on the unsuspecting guards, both fired simultaneously, dropping them silently to the ground. As Elena passed them and into the Embassy Tan and Clancy dragged the unconscious guards out of sight then followed her. Taking a tricorder from his jacket, Iorte scanned the building for Noon's sub-dermal transducer, which was implanted above each of the teams' left shoulder blade. He pointed upwards and to their left then raised one finger, signifying that she was on the next floor and over to their left from their location.
It was imperative they not be discovered, so stealth was of the essence ... moving to a stairway they began to climb, phasers locked onto the top of the flight of stairs. Cautiously they took one step at a time until Tan could see along the corridor. He turned to the others mouthing 'zero' and continued upwards. Six doors led off the corridor, three either side so Clancy needed to identify which room Noon was in. As they reached the first doors he took out the tricorder and ran a brief scan before motioning that they continue onto the next two, but here again he found no sign of the bio-chip.
Suddenly de Luca heard something and pointed back the way they had come !
With no other option open to them, they ducked into the closest room and closed the door. If whoever was coming up the stairs entered they were lost as there was no chance of them surviving a fire-fight with Embassy Personnel. Two people could be faintly heard as they approached, then the sound of a door closing could be heard. Breathing a sigh of relief, Tan stood from his crouching position and walked tentatively to the door. He whispered that the corridor was again empty, but now the dilemma of which room Rosa was in had become more crucial because there was a distinct possibility that the two in the corridor could have entered her room ... With little option, he took hold of the door handle and turned, opening it a crack before pulling it open enough to step into the corridor. They moved to the next doors, one either side of the corridor and Iorte repeated his scan. He pointed to the door to their left and held up three fingers. nodding, David stood to the left, Elena to the right, Iorte directly in front of the door. Knowing where each would be going once the door opened, David nodded ...
Clancy leaned forward, hand resting gently on the door handle as if caressing it, mouthing three, two, one, he turned the handle and pushed the door inwards, dropping to one knee as he did so. David moved left, firing at the male stood over Rosa, while Elena went to the right, her phaser shot hitting the woman at the table, both dropped unconscious to the carpeted floor. The three entered the room closing the door behind them and pulled the two into a small bathroom off the main area. Elena moved to Rosa, who sat looking up at her
"We're leaving." she said, but Rosa remained seated and silent, in fact, de Luca realised she had not moved at all at their sudden entrance and knelt beside the operative, "She's been drugged. My guess, some sort of neuromuscular inhibitor."
"Great !" Tan hissed, moving quickly to the table the woman had been stood at. Several hypo-sprays were laid out but he had no idea which had been used. He'd never even heard of 'Streptococcal Pyogenes Enterotoxin C' let alone how to counteract it's effects. Quickly he lifted each hypo' in turn until he found one that looked as if it might work, obviously he was in the dark but had no option as there was no way they could carry Rosa out ! ... On the third try he found one labelled 'mAbs' a monoclonal broad spectrum antigen, without hesitation he placed the hypo' against Rosa's neck and activated it, hoping he wasn't killing her in the process. Elena and Iorte looked at him almost in shock but realised he had done the only thing he could if they wanted to get out with Noon ... After a few seconds she blinked, then her fingers moved ... Two minutes later she was able to speak but was still unsteady on her feet, unfortunately they have no choice but to wait on her recovery. Elena put a finger to her lips to silence her ...
~~~~~
Achingly slowly, Rosa recovered and was able to stand on her own two feet, albeit shakily at first. Tan approached the terminal in the corner and activated it, given the room was occupied it shouldn't raise any alarm. Placing his tricorder on the panel he set it to record any data it accessed then returned to Rosa. He handed her a phaser and said they were leaving now she was able to walk. Elena asked if she had seen anyone else apart from the two that had paralysed her:
"There have been a few, but three others who didn't speak to anyone but those two ..." she pointed at the unconscious man and woman, "They were with a Human."
"He's here !" Elena said, turning to the others, "With Rosa able to help herself we'd be stupid to miss up grabbing Guest." she said.
"You know him ?"
"Yes, he's a Medi ......" she didn't get any further as the door opened ..........
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David Tan
Starfleet Intelligence
Suum Cuique ...
Registered: Dec 11, 2006 10:56:04 GMT
Posts: 792
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Post by David Tan on Dec 8, 2016 17:45:59 GMT
OOC :: The Hururl use 'designations' rather than names. The Away Team have the following designations ::
AUR or Alpha : | Leader | BOK or Beta : | Underling | GAM or Gamma : | Soldiers |
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| David Tan : | AUR 741 | Iorte Clancy : | AUR 824 | Elena de Luca : | AUR 865 | Rosa Noon : | AUR 912 |
IC ::All four spun, weapons raised as the newcomer stopped dead in his tracks ! "What are you doing in here ? a Hururl asked, eyeing the group. David stepped forward: My designation is 'Aur 741' and we are here to recover this one." he said, pointing at Rosa, who had hastily concealed her phaser behind her back as Elena had took hold of her arm. The Hururl took several steps into the room, a second joining him, and behind the two the person they needed to get hold of at all costs, Richard Guest ! ... The medical researcher looked at the four others in the room, taking in their appearance, then he turned to his left. his eyes darted to Tan who mouthed for him to be silent but it was only going to be seconds before the others realised their comrades were no longer in the room and had seemingly been replaces. "I am AUR 284. In charge of Security." he didn't introduce the other hururl, who was obviously his underling, "I have not been informed of this change. I will seek confirmation." "You have received your confirmation, from me." Tan said, taking a step forward, his phaser intentionally not aimed directly at the other, "Are you questioning me in this matter ?" he said, waiting, knowing the question would be taken as a direct challenge to the Hururl's position in front of an inferior. If the man chose to take up the challenge things could prove difficult, but after a contest of wills, he stepped back, his head dipping a fraction which would be seen as a mark of mutual agreement and not an objection. "You will remain here." Tan said, but as he was speaking the Underling had moved to one side eyes exploring the room. Elena could see the realisation in his face that he had discovered the unconscious Hururl. She raised her phaser and shot him, instantly turning the weapon on the Leader. Guest, now unsure of what was happening knew he needed to be elsewhere and he turned, running for the door that Rosa had silently closed and was leaning against. "You'll be wanting to go over there and take a seat for a few moments Doctor." she said almost soothingly as she moved across the room to stand out of earshot of their disgruntled prisoner, "We need a plan ... If we take him out of here we'll need to get him into our lodgings unseen." "Can't we beam directly to the El Alamein ?" Rosa asked, still suffering the aftereffects of the medication forced upon her earlier. "No, if we transport now it will be obvious who's responsible." Tan said from his kneeling position where he was tying the unconscious Hururl's hands. The issue, was how to get out of the Embassy and through the township unnoticed ! ..... Once ready, David went over to the doctor: "We know that you are involved with the Hururl, and with the Race that hired them. We want information on those responsible for the attacks, you will supply that information, one way or another." Tan said menacingly, "The Kryan conglomerate will never reach Federation Space, you must know that." he sad, taking the seat opposite while the others ensured the unconscious couldn't be seen should anyone take a cursory glance into the room, "This can go one of two ways ... In an ideal world, I'd like you're cooperation in our escaping this building, but I a more than willing to stun you and carry you out. Which is it to be ?" he queried, eyebrows raised as he waited for the man to choose his mode of egress. "I'll walk." he said finally, resigning himself to his capture, "But I have no knowl ......" Iorte came over and leaned close to his ear, whispering that should anything but oxygen come out of his mouth it will be the last thing that does. Guest cringed and moved back in his seat, obviously fearing the outright threat from the Hururl who for some reason was going against his own race. He remembered being approached, remembers synthesising the first batches of the drugs the Hururl required, and remembered the failure of those drugs. He and the others were summarily sentenced to death, but gained a reprieve after the second trial drug had moderate success, but artificially producing both Cryptobiolin and Trilenidil was almost impossible and he had expressed this on numerous occasions, but seeing five of his colleagues perish, he had finally learned to keep his 'opinions' to himself ... His life apparently depended upon it ! Satisfied they were ready, Elena opened the door a fraction before scanning the corridor and rooms beyond. "No-one on this floor, three in the room directly below us, the rest, thirty one in total, are towards the front of the Embassy." she informed them, "If we keep to the back stairs, retrace our entry, we should be able to get to the back of the building without too much trouble. I suggest we move now though, the guards we incapacitated on ingress have not been discovered, so it's reasonable that they are due a shift change, or will be missed elsewhere." "You lead." Tan said, stepping up beside her, he turned to the others, specifically Doctor Guest, "No noise Doctor ... One word and my friend here will have to carry out his previous threat. he won't be too happy at having to carry you and I imagine you may come to harm in the process, so my suggestion, 'follow orders' and keep your mouth clamped shut." ~~~~~Moving nervously along the corridor, de Luca scanning ahead, they finally reached the stairway. Beginning to move downwards they finally reached the ground floor, but there were more Hururl here now ... They had heard a vehicle whilst on the first floor, and this must have brought the others. He whispered to Elena to scan ahead. She did so then turned to face the rest of the team: "Six." she whispered, but before Tan could make any decision on their next move all hell broke out, shouting first, then the distinct sounds of large, heavy doors closing ... The Embassy was in 'LOCKDOWN' ... With them inside ! ..........
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David Tan
Starfleet Intelligence
Suum Cuique ...
Registered: Dec 11, 2006 10:56:04 GMT
Posts: 792
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Post by David Tan on Dec 17, 2016 1:37:24 GMT
It was obvious at this point that they needed somewhere to conceal themselves until either they found a way out of the Embassy on their own, or the lock-down was lifted with the Hururl presuming the intruders had escaped before they could be contained. David looked back the way they had come, his thinking being that they wouldn't search the same rooms twice ...
"Back up." he said, turning to Doctor Guest, "Same rules Doctor, not a word or it will be your last. Understood ?"
"My last, and yours." was all the man would say. Tan instructed Rosa Noon to stay close to the man with orders to shoot him if he gave any hint of attracting unwanted attention.
They quickly re-entered the back stairwell, listening intently before beginning to climb. It hadn't gone un-noticed that should they be discovered between floors, they would be caught and likely executed as spies ! ... With the El Alamein unreachable, they were on their own for the time being, so concealment and escape were their priorities. Reaching the first floor landing, Clancy inched the door ajar, listening for any signs that the floor was occupied, fortunately they were alone so he stepped into the hallway back to the opposite wall phaser sweeping in a tight arc to cover both ends of the corridor in quick succession.
As the rest stepped into the hall David began moving back towards the room they had previously occupied, he had seen Guest directly behind him, Noon close behind, but a door suddenly opened behind them and the doctor took his chance ... He ran. The Hururl that came from the room was clearly one of the lower sect, a Gam or Soldier. He eyed the Human approaching him with disdain as he almost casually looked at the others behind, all raising weapons of some sort. The Gam was extremely fast, he drew his weapon with his left hand while raising a blade in his right, the knife left his hand at speed while the phasers energy beam hit Guest in the shoulder, spinning him around almost twice before he dropped to the floor. The knife meanwhile had buried itself in Tan's shoulder, the crystalline blade protruding from the deltoid muscle.
Rosa and Iorte had fired simultaneously, the duel beams slamming into the Hururl dropping him instantly, but only to one knee, astounded both Officers fired again and this time the Gam collapsed to the floor dead. Clancy rushed to the Hururl, dragging his body into the room he had come from, while Rosa went to Tan, who was sat on the carpet, back against the door frame eyeing the ornate handle of the knife. He was already reaching for the handle when Noon stopped him:
"Wait, we need to make sure you've not got damage to any major arteries. You could bleed to death while I'm wiping the blood off that thing if we just yank it out." she said, taking a tricorder from her pocket and scanning his shoulder, glancing over to see how Clancy was progressing with the injured Doctor. Seemingly satisfied there would be no major bleeding, she used a hypo-spray to anaesthetise the region around the knife then told him to grit his teeth ...
"DON'T ! ....." Guest said urgently, half crawling towards them, Clancy stood over the man refusing to help given, in his opinion, all this was his fault. He looked around then spoke again, "Where, where is the Gam that threw that ?" Iorte pointed to the room further along the corridor.
"Why ?" Rosa asked, glancing at Tan then back.
"I can't feel my shoulder." David said, worriedly trying and failing to flex his fingers.
"Their blades are coated with a poison. The closest comparison would be maybe tetrodotoxin, a neurotoxin derived from the Tetraodontiformes Family of poisons ...." he said, managing to get to his feet and shuffle towards the room where the now dead Gam was laying. With Clancy watching his every step, phaser locked on the back of the mans head, Guest searched the dead Hururl finally finding what he was looking for. He returned to Tan, who was looking decidedly poorly.
"What's that ?" Rosa asked.
"My, wips are bnu ....." Tan spluttered incoherently.
"Yes, lips numb, tongue, then you'll loose eyesight, hearing, then complete paralysis followed quickly by death. Believe me, that though he won't be able to tell you, he'll be in excruciating agony for the fifteen minutes it will take him to die." Clancy snatched the pouch, pulling out what looked like a hypo-spray but it was impossible to figure the device out, all the while Doctor Guest was watching the first signs of Tan's death take firm hold of the man. Frustrated he dropped the bag in front of the kneeling Guest, who didn't even look at it, preferring instead to watch the process of Tan's death first hand, "I've often wondered about the effectiveness of the Gam 'Clyna' or blade. You know they can infuse the crystalline structure with over a hundred different toxins and poisons, depending on their enemies physiology. Never seen it used on a Human ...... Interesting, is it not ?"
Suddenly blinking rapidly, David realised his sight was failing along with everything else, and he began to accept that he was indeed dying. He took a breath, the pain beyond anything he had imagined a man could endure, terror ran through his every fiber but he dared not take that next breath, dared not ..........
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David Tan
Starfleet Intelligence
Suum Cuique ...
Registered: Dec 11, 2006 10:56:04 GMT
Posts: 792
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Post by David Tan on Dec 29, 2016 22:10:37 GMT
"We have a problem." Elena said as they hovered over Tan, who was rapidly loosing consciousness.
"A bigger one than this ?" Rosa asked, pointing at David as Doctor Guest emptied his pockets obviously searching for something.
"If that Hururl had infused his blade specifically to cause harm to Human physiology, then it's more than possible that they suspect Human involvement, right ?" Elena explained, falling silent as Doctor guest injected something beside the puncture wound allowing it to run against the still embedded blade, so while that would have likely dropped any one of us to the floor, it would be fixable. We were lucky that only that one Hururl witnessed the effect of his throw. I can't imagine he was aiming for the Doctor here ..."
What Elena said made perfect sense. If they were trying to make sure Guest didn't come with the rebel Hururl, then the best way to ensure that would be to kill him as soon as possible. but they all now needed to be aware that one cut from a Clyna would most likely kill them.
Guest had been listening to the conversation whilst kneeling beside Tan, in the lull he took a firm hold of the ornate handle and pulled. Had David possessed the ability to scream, he would have ! .... Slowly the numbness began to subside,too slowly for everyone's liking as they could be discovered at any moment. Their appearance and superior demeanour should fool all but the highest of the Aur Class, but Tan's injury would be questioned the instant it was seen, and while Guest had managed to counteract the rapidly spreading poison, it was only a temporary fix, and he would need a complete poison-specific antidote as soon as possible. it was doubtful the owner of the Clyna would be carrying such antitoxin given they were out to kill those against them, not injure then recuperate to fight a second time, but it was worth a search of his pouch, even if just for anything that could help them moving forward.
David was slowly getting to his feet, the dizziness and nausea subsiding rapidly. Doctor guest again warned him that the fix was very very temporary in nature, and they should seek medical help as quickly as viable.
"We need to get out of here."
"..... I'm assuming you didn't loose your memory when that knife poisoned you ?" Elena replied to Tan's comment.
"What do the Hururl do to those who 'embarrass' their clans ?" David asked.
"They kill them .... Publicly." Rosa reminded him.
David looked at the others, a plan, of sorts, forming. But it all depended on copious amounts of bloody good luck, because should one or more Hururl decide to carry out the punishment there and then, it would be, unfortunate, for everyone involved ... David handed his weapon over to Iorte, then threw a well-aimed punch at Elena, who dropped to the floor instantly. He reached out a hand to help her to her feet then outlined his extremely suspect escape plan:
"You are going to drag me out through the front doors."
He stood in silence as first they laughed, then gave reasons too numerous to count as to why it was the most ridiculous idea they had collectively heard. The fact that it could 'spectacularly' fail was high on the list, along with his possible brain damage from the drug infusion moments earlier, so he sat down and waited until their objections were voiced.
"We have two options, given the building is being systematically searched, and finding four Hururl and a Human seconded with numerous unconscious guests, could prove difficult to explain, whereas ..... If we simply walk out, then it is possible no-one will question us." David began, seeing the doubt in their faces, "Look ! .... We throw one of the dead Hururl into the corridor, open fire on each other, figuratively speaking obviously, then as others are about to appear you'll disarm me and take hold on the good Doctor here. If questioned, I was helping the intruders and was the only one caught. I am to be taken to the Square for summery execution immediately. Iorte, as the next highest among us it will fall to you to carry out sentence."
"You want me to kill you !" Clancy asked.
"Rosa ... Open the door."
"Sir ?"
"Open. The. Door ....." he said patiently, "If the next Hururl to come onto this floor discovers us behind a closed door he or she could assume anything, but it the door is open and you are taking to me as he or she appears, then the immediate situation is open to a lot less misinterpretation by all concerned. Once we hear them coming you'll need to make it realistic Iorte, Elena, you too Rosa. Play the part."
He'd no sooner finished when they heard two Hururl coming down the corridor towards their room. Elena stepped forward and clubbed Tan to the floor, Iorte was reaching down to take his weapon as the Hururl entered:
"What is happening here !"
"This is of no concern to you Bok." Clancy said spinning to face the Hururl Underling, the two Gam stood outside the room observing and obviously awaiting orders, Clancy pointed to the prone Tan, "This is Aur 741 ... He was given orders and failed to carry them out. I, as Senior, have taken his life into my hands and will extinguish it in the prescribed manner once we are in the square where all can witness."
"I feel I need to rep ....."
"YOU DOUBT MY WORD !" Clancy almost screamed into the Hururl's face, forcing him back several steps, "You maybe wish to take credit with you lacklustre superiors in hopes of advancement ? ... Fine ... Draw your Clyna NOW !"
It was a moment of truth. Should the Hururl guard challenge, then they were in deep trouble, but after Clancy's convincing challenge, the man bowed, eyes never leaving his accuser. He withdrew his Clyna and turned it in his hand, offering the butt to Clancy as a mark of submission. It was for Clancy now to decide to take the weapon, or allow the Hururl to retrain it. After glaring at the submissive Hururl he slowly reached forward and pushed the weapon back toward it's owner a few millimeters. Obviously grateful, he re-sheathed the blade vowing loyalty to his Superior, his Soldiers following suit.
"We are not to be detained. You and your Gam will assist our passage to the Square .... NOW !" ..........
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Iorte Clancy
Starfleet Intelligence
Registered: Mar 9, 2016 17:58:55 GMT
Posts: 253
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Post by Iorte Clancy on Jan 7, 2017 5:25:30 GMT
It would be best to exit the building after spending as little time on the ground floor as possible, by using a flight of stairs hopefully close to the lobby or, if they wished to remain as inconspicuous as possible, use a mode of travel that would paradoxically call for bravery: moving around as quickly and as openly as possible by using a turbolift.
Clancy forced the option of the stairs, not trusting Guest to behave himself in a lift, and glared at the Bok to - wisely - have it lead the way...
They passed several Hururl en route, a mixture of Boks and Gams who saw the Aurs in their midst and stepped back deferentially, observing their passage with only mild curiosity. Iorte glanced back as they reached a junction which had to its left a landing, stairs curving away out of sight beneath it... he saw the doctor, the man seeming dismayed as they so easily strode past all the Hururl who'd been mobilised once the embassy had been put on lockdown; for an instant the abject doctor's gaze met with his, and a warning flashing through Iorte's eyes.
Descending the stairs they emerged in a very confined lobby, the blast doors immediately on their left and a host of Hururli standing around a central terminal dominating the small room, all its panels deactivated and flashing dull red due to the lockdown.
"What is the meaning of this?" An authoritative Aur had stepped forward, "You are injured?" His eyes bored at Tan who was pretending somewhat comically to have been kicked in the ribs or something of the sort. Iorte stepped forward and had the Bok accompany him, glaring again at the latter so that he would relate what'd happened - at least, what he'd been told had happened... If Iorte tried to tell the lead Aur himself and in front of all these Hururl - 25 to 30 of them, he evaluated at a glance - he would've risked a procedural error; best to kill two birds with one stone, avoid that difficulty and reinforce his authority over the Bok.
The lead Aur was typically impassive as the Bok finished the story, then shrugged and glanced at Iorte and co before calling on an underling who stood by one of the passage entrances,
"Personally I do not find that in performing our function we should adhere to the very letter of our code," he told the group as the underling brought forward a quartet of Gams who'd curiously been stripped of their Clynae and phasers. "You may take Aur 741 to the square. I will content myself with executing these deserters here." He drew his phaser and - for a horrifying instant - appeared to be aiming at Tan, but then he wheeled and vapourised the four disarmed Soldiers with the weapon on wide-beam setting.
To Iorte's considerable surprise, it seemed their ploy had worked; the lead Aur had the blast door retracted in one place, and in a short time the eight of them were heading down the front steps of the embassy, the blast door section lowering back into place and the Hururli resuming their search of the building now - unwittingly - sans their quarry.
"We no longer require your presence," Iorte told the Bok, and the trio drifted away in a daze towards the building, one of the Gams glancing back in their direction, perhaps - though hopefully not too greatly - mystified by what'd just happened.
"And what are you going to do with me now?" Guest asked helplessly, as Iorte brushed very close by an extremely tall humanoid heading in the opposite direction (he realised this must be a Grazid, unlike any other species he'd encountered on the planet thus far and moving in the direction of the embassy). Little did he know the being had deposited a small object under Iorte's armpit as he'd passed by...
Iorte had begun to question Guest about his nefarious exploits however Rosa tapped on the shoulder, directing his gaze back towards the embassy. The three Hururl they'd just got rid of were starting to run towards them...
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David Tan
Starfleet Intelligence
Suum Cuique ...
Registered: Dec 11, 2006 10:56:04 GMT
Posts: 792
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Post by David Tan on Jan 9, 2017 23:07:02 GMT
They had slowly eased the pressure on Tan as they moved away from the Embassy, until he was barely being restrained, but to onlookers it would still appear so. Clancy had begun asking question of doctor Guest once they were clear, but Iorte was suddenly jostled by a passerby who obviously deemed it beneath himself to offer any form of apology.
"You're welcome." David muttered as Rosa tapped Clancy on the shoulder, nodding in the direction they had come. David noticed three Hururl approaching and slowly put one hand inside his tunic, resting it on the concealed phaser. he crouched as if in pain as the Hururl ran towards them coming to a halt quickly.
"This Aur is due for summery execution is he not !" the man demanded, obviously no longer willing to defer to the unknown Hururl before him.
"You are questioning me ?" Iorte asked dangerously, but unlike previously, they did not back down automatically, but the one questioning them took a step toward Clancy in defiance. Tan was keeping his face lowered just enough so he could see the man. Remembering their briefing, he paid close attention to the mans deep blue eyes, signifying his position as an Aur, but David could also see the tiny silver-like speckles in those eyes, proof that the man was taking, or had recently taken one of the two performance enhancing drugs, Cryptobiolin or Triclenidil ! ... They were now in grave danger. If the Hururl questioning them chose to act under the influence, then they could be dead in seconds ... Judging the distance from the Embassy to the side streets off the plaza in their favour, he made a decision. He dared not look at the other two lest they realise, so he buckled over as if in pain, dropping to his knees then rolling over onto his back. Rosa, in character, knelt beside him grabbing the collar of his tunic intending to pull him to his feet, David mouthed 'DANGER' pulling the phaser forward enough so she could see it but not the others.
Releasing tan so he dropped back to the floor she reached for her own weapon, it was then she noticed the observer ... Tall, dark, and looking directly at the group, but there was no time to ponder his motives as David took the phaser from his tunic and fired at the lead Hururl.
All hell broke loose as dove to the right the instant the phaser hit it's mark. Rosa fired at the second Hururl while pulling Richard guest with her. A shot from a phaser landed inches from Tan and he rolled again, firing into the buildings opposite but hitting nothing. The third Hururl had reacted too, drawing his own phaser with one hand and his grazid with the other. The blade caught the sun almost blinding Tan for a second as the men stepped forward, but he dropped suddenly as Clancy kicked the legs from under him. Rosa could smell hair burning and realised her neck was very hot, the result of a close call from one of the Hururl weapons. They needed to move and NOW !
Clambering to his feet, David fired at the suddenly retreating Hururl guard, managing to hit him in the lower leg only as he steadied himself.
"Let's get the hell out of here !" he said beginning to run towards the buildings closest to them, Clancy, de Luca, and Noon in close formation, all turning to fire behind them. They reached the narrow street and realised they were trapped as they unwittingly found they were running at four more Hururl who had presumably been called to the plaza to apprehend them ! ... David and de Luca began firing at the oncoming opponents while Clancy and noon turned to the plaza. He suddenly felt the caress of a transporter beam ..........
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Iorte Clancy
Starfleet Intelligence
Registered: Mar 9, 2016 17:58:55 GMT
Posts: 253
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Post by Iorte Clancy on Jan 15, 2017 17:41:31 GMT
Iorte swung around as he was about to enter the side-alley that would take him to the plaza, bringing his phaser around and striking one of the Hururl in the wrist - the soldier grimaced and dropped the Clyna he'd been brandishing. Leaping forwards and executing a forward roll, he closed the distance with the Hururl and chopped at his neck, sending him sprawling. Another with additional particles in his eyes prepared to lunge for Iorte; as he dived towards him the cool wash of the Federation transporter effect flowed over him...
"You nearly didn't make it." Komin stood behind the transporter room console, surveying the five of them.
Clancy peered down at his thorax, sure he'd seen a phaser beam touching it a moment ago, having felt the heat of it spreading across him... "That much is obvious," he said.
It was also obvious that they'd now been recognised, their covers blown in the rescue operation which had - aside from the occasional unimportant hiccup - gone smoothly until, 1. Tan had been struck by one of the Clyna daggers, 2. they'd been accosted outside the embassy when it'd appeared they'd not headed for the square quickly enough to conduct the execution.
They would now have to work faster - or perhaps redesign their cosmetics if such a thing were possible using the El Alamein's facilities - using Doctor Guest to learn more about the production of combat drugs used for the Hururl and who they were potentially acting as the front organisation for. The presence of Guest might also allow for Tan's wound - which remained serious - to be seen to.
"Your transportation will have been tracked," he commented as they entered the bridge.
"We had no choice..." Commander Van said, "Eighteen more of them were almost upon your position, a dozen of those from the plaza you were heading towards." Now the authorities, on Menkib, knew the battered Defiant class in orbit was connected to those just engaged in a shooting match with a group of Hururl in one of the main built up areas. They would be scratching their heads on hearing that those who'd been transported to a Federation starship seemed to be Hururl themselves.
"We've tried to muddle their detection networks... have them believe they got their wires crossed and picked up the matter stream of a spice shipment, confusing it with that of a group of apparent Hururl... such that the ship responsible for the spice delivery - similar transponder frequency to us, Rho band - will be searched for people wanted by the real Hururl first, i.e. you, while to the Menkibites it would appear the El Alamein picked up the spice shipment."
Clancy narrowed his eyes, connecting mental dots at a succession of words or names familiar when clustered together: Menkib... Rho band transponder frequency... spice... "Who's the spice ship registered with?"
They collectively perused the publicly available roster of ships currently in orbit of Menkib. "Regulan Commander Carpoln Johnson." Clancy slapped his forehead: Carpoln, the illegitimate trader, parody of himself and the mercenary profession, actual Starfleet Security administrator and supposedly former Section 31 information broker and informant. How had he known Iorte would be here? No matter, Carpoln would be Carpoln. If he wanted Iorte he'd find him soon enough, particularly if his ship was about to be searched for apparent rogue Hururl, probably - in the legitimate Hururl's eyes - Renegades, who would be made to die painfully.
Noon told Iorte about the mysterious figure who'd been watching them in the moments before they were attacked by the Hururl, mentioning that he'd looked similar to the person who'd nearly knocked Clancy flying while they were walking away from the embassy. He remained unaware of the small object deposited under his armpit.
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David Tan
Starfleet Intelligence
Suum Cuique ...
Registered: Dec 11, 2006 10:56:04 GMT
Posts: 792
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Post by David Tan on Jan 26, 2017 15:54:58 GMT
The group left the transporter room heading quickly for the Bridge ... On arrival the could see Captain Komin leaning forward in her seat, on screen two vessels, each much larger than the Defiant Class class El Alamein !
"Raise shields but do not arm weapons systems." Komin was saying.
"Captain ?" David queried.
"It seems your exploits on the surface have attracted more attention than we'd like, Commander ... They are 'demanding' we return forthwith what is not rightfully ours, failure to do so will no doubt result in serious repercussions."
"They want the grain ?" Elena asked.
"Indeed ....." Komin confirmed, "... and given we don't actually 'have' their grain, you can see our predicament. We currently have less than seven minutes to comply, any suggestions ?"
"There is no way we can win in a fire-fight." Lorok, the Chief Engineer stated, "It's well known that the Menkibian's are all for fair, honest, trade, and don't look lightly on those wishing to default on agreements, those ships out there are of Grazid design, we have almost zero information on them or their species, but one thing is obvious, they out-gun us twenty to one, and going off what scan's I managed, they are damn fast too, despite their size. If we sit here they could cut us in two, if we run, they will chase us, and then cut us in two." he said with a shrug.
"Is there any way we can deflect our involvement, blame the error on this Regulan maybe ?" Rosa Noon asked.
"I don't see how. He's the one complaining." Elena replied, looking at the two ships holding position ahead and to either side of them, "You said if we run they will catch us easily, right ?" she asked, deep in thought.
"That's what I said." Tor Lorok confirmed.
"What if we go right through them ?" but the Engineer shook his head.
"Things are beginning to get seriously over-complicated." David said, frustration rising within him, he looked up at the chronometer realising they had less than four minutes left, "We 'know' that the Hururl are the ones doing all the dirty work, but we also know that the Grazid are working with or alongside them, now we have this Regulan Commander in the mix."
"There's also the fact that the Hururl have been sending and receiving communications from far outside the inner System." Elena added, realising that not all of them would have been privy to this information previously, she needed to explain and quickly, because time was running out, "Intelligence had picked up numerous coded communications, at first we disregarded them simply because it was an easily deciphered code and involved trade and low-level information not connected to our situation. We scoured those communique with the proverbial 'fine toothed comb' but they were what they were, nothing more."
"So ..." David asked, annoyed that he hadn't heard about this earlier.
"It was dismissed." Elena said, shrugging off his unspoken accusation, "But, what if, there was something in those transmissions that we didn't find ?"
"Where are these signals emanating from exactly ?" Fran Komin asked.
"A system outside our range, we know it only as Kryan, and before you ask, we have absolutely 'zero' information on the system or any race inhabiting it."
"That doesn't help us unfortunately." Komin conceded, turning her attention back to the view-screen and the two ships facing them, "They want blood."
"Where's the grain now ?" Elena asked.
"In the silo's on the surface as far as we know." Commander Van said.
"Can we do a simultaneous transport, beam the stuff from the surface to the ship and back, but make it appear as a one-way transport ?" she asked, looking at the Chief Engineer ..........
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Iorte Clancy
Starfleet Intelligence
Registered: Mar 9, 2016 17:58:55 GMT
Posts: 253
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Post by Iorte Clancy on Jan 30, 2017 0:08:24 GMT
Iorte imposed himself by accident on Lorok, "We needn't worry about simultaneous beamings to and from the planet's surface. I would suggest a transport from the silos of the amount of grain originally involved in the trade, to Commander Johnson's vessel."
"Commander Van," the Ops officer spoke up, Van making his way over, "Something of note pertaining to the Regulan trader vessel. It has come from the Kryan system. There's a clear ion trail; it looks like there was an attempt to mask it, but it failed, probably due to the limitations of their ship's tech."
"If we want to know something about the Kryan system then there's our link," Iorte said quite forcefully, some of the bridge officers looking round at him in surprise; he hoped he'd not caused any suspicion; the Kryan op and the events surrounding it were still very present in his mind, and could cause in him that kind of reaction. He stopped short of suggesting a boarding party.
Five minutes later, at end of deadline...
Iorte was given leave to address the Menkibite CO Rik'tu. "The grain is still in the silo; we had nothing to do with this."
The Menkibite looked on at them uncertainly from his bridge chair, still evidently harbouring his suspicions.
Komin stepped forward, resuming control over proceedings, "Check your records; the same amount of grain is present in the silo as before the trade. As a token of good faith, Commander... Allow us to transport the grain ourselves, from the planet, to the Regulan Commander's vessel. We would be grateful if you would request of him that he lower his shields to facilitate the transport."
The Menkibite commander almost spluttered in response. To him such a request was only further proof of the El Alamein's aggressive intent; Johnson would be physically attacked by the very people who'd robbed him of his cargo.
"Scan our ship, Commander," Komin suggested, "You won't find any matter consistent with the kind of grain produced on your world. If you wish further proof of our benevolent purpose, we'll..." she sighed, "... Accelerate our orbit to the other side of the world from Johnson. That way we'd be unable to use our offensive weaponry against the shieldless trader vessel, and any 'boarding party' we'd try to beam over would be detected rapidly enough by his ship so he'd be able to raise his shields in time. It would prove to be a most unfortunate move on our part..."
After agonising seconds - for if their request was denied, they'd soon find themselves at the mercy of the Defiant-dwarfing Menkibite ships, veritable leviathans in comparison - Menkibite commander Rik'tu acceded gruffly, with a rough swipe had the channel closed.
"Around the other side of the planet," she ordered the helm (S99 Broski's replacement), before turning to Tan and Clancy, enquiring matter-of-factly, "Boarding party?"
Iorte had to admire her boldness; even up to the last exchange with Rik'tu he'd been unsure if Komin had been attempting to fool the Menkibite... Would transportation be registered by Johnson given a travel distance of only ~the diameter of an Earth-sized planet? He tried to reach back in the disused and shattered archives of his memory, buried and glazed over with his indomitably human facets, for whether such a thing was feasible... No dice; he had to rely on his intuition that Komin had exhibited a certain subversive craft in her exchange.
"No transport of living bodies to Johnson's ship can be detected quickly enough at this range," Tan observed, "How'd you guess the Menkibite wouldn't know that?"
"Something he said when he contacted me in my ready room," Komin replied, "Demanding captain to captain that I surrender the grain. He said he knew Carpoln Johnson personally. If what Clancy says about Johnson still holds," - she nodded his way - "It could well be Rik'tu has been the victim of deception by a former Intel officer."
Clancy picked up on her train of thought, "And those in the Intel business, particular fields of it as Johnson was..." memories returned to him; unfortunate and best forgotten, "Make part of any assignment the business of deceiving would-be accomplices, associates, especially those who have scrupulous and fair business practices, like the Menkibites - the innocent are easily misled." Iorte looked at Komin in a different light: what amazing deduction.
They set about transporting the grain to the Regulan commander's ship, the man apparently now having notified via the Menkibite ship Elysium's Sword that he was ready to lower his shields at the appropriate moment. The question remained: would they dare to risk sending simultaneously a boarding party to Johnson's ship, eminently possible (although Johnson was a man Iorte on a personal level would rather avoid), and discover what he'd been up to in the Kryan system where dragons dwelt?
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David Tan
Starfleet Intelligence
Suum Cuique ...
Registered: Dec 11, 2006 10:56:04 GMT
Posts: 792
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Post by David Tan on Feb 5, 2017 16:42:22 GMT
"I don't think we have any choice in this." Elena said, "We need to get the information on the Kryan, and we can only hope to get that on Johnson's ship." They agreed and set about working the logistics of invisibly transporting four people ... Away Team: | ** | Designation: |
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| David Tan | ** | Aur 074 | Elena de Luca | ** | Aur 083 | Iorte Clancy | ** | Aur 098 | Rosa Noon | ** | Aur 126 |
With the last transport of grain, the El Alamein simultaneously sent the four to the Regulan vessel ! ... They materialised in a dank store room on the lowest level, hoping that this area would not be frequented and they would have time to work. Rosa Noon took out a tricorder and began scanning, David went to the rusted air-lock door and tentatively tried the release mechanism thinking it wouldn't do to find themselves locked in. "I'm picking up life-signs, not as many as expected for a ship this size, maybe Johnson works on a shoestring." Noon informed them. "Did you feel that ?" de Luca asked, placing her hand on the cold bulkhead, "We're moving." "So Johnson got his grain and is leaving, why ?" Rosa asked still scanning. "Maybe he's under orders ?" Clancy postulated, still running his previous thoughts through in his mind. "What I can't understand is Rik'tu and his involvement." David said from the door. "How are we going to handle this ?" Noon asked. "Personally, I'd like to walk onto the Bridge and drag the information we need directly from Johnson himself." Tan said, "But that isn't a viable option. Is there any way you can ascertain if the El Alamein is following us ?" "Not with this ..." Rosa said, indicating the tricorder, "I would need access to the ships' sensor array for that." "We'll just have to take it on faith that Komin realised what was happening and has set off in our direction. Once we get to the Kryan System I'd like to think we had some backup." Tan said, "OK, well all we can do it sit tigh ...." "We've jumped to warp." Elena said, hand still on the bulkhead astonished that she could feel the ship vibrating heavily as the heavily imbalanced warp core tried to keep the vessel in a straight line, "We'll be lucky to get there in one piece going off how much this crate is shaking." "All this started with the Hururl, so my question is: Who is controlling whom ..." Elena asked the group, The Hururl System is approximately seven thousand light-years beyond Gamma Triangulai, they applied to become members of the Federation ... But at the distances involved,why even bother because unless they have some fantastical new form of drive, getting there and back is going to take even our fastest ships some considerable time. It's as if they are doing this as a means to an end, but what that is is anyone's guess. The attacks on our facilities were to drag us into something we couldn't let stand." "You think the attacks are a result of their rejection ? ... It doesn't make sense." noon commented. "We know they have spent considerable time since having their application turned down in construction, all this is second and third-hand information, so we have no real way of corroborating any of it. We know they need certain, performance enhancing, drugs, namely Crytobiolin and Triclenidil. we also know that they have been receiving small amounts of synthesised drug, supplied to them by our good Doctor Guest we assume ....." David said, trying to martial his thoughts, "The Hururl can only have one objective in mind if they are going to dose up their armies with either of those drugs, so we have to assume that they are going to be on a war footing at some point. We might have to face the fact that we will need to do some considerable damage to their whole infrastructure to delay their efforts. If all their development is aimed at the eventual eradication of the Federation, then we cannot allow that to happen, or at least, we need to deal them a big enough blow to delay their efforts indefinitely. They sat on the dank crates all deep in thought ..........
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Iorte Clancy
Starfleet Intelligence
Registered: Mar 9, 2016 17:58:55 GMT
Posts: 253
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Post by Iorte Clancy on Feb 12, 2017 16:58:37 GMT
Bok 725 had gone through all the channels, delving through the inefficient Menkibite bureaucracy, and had finally come up with what he'd been searching for. At approximately (or at exactly) the same time as the Renegades (what else could they be?) disappeared from the surface - when they were supposed to have executed the rogue Aur (Tan) - a shipment of grain from a silo on the southern continent was transported to a former Federation starship in orbit of Menkib (presumably, Bok 725 had thought, requisitioned from the junkyard in a nearby sector).
Following his investigations, he'd found that the shipment had never been sent, and just under an hour later the grain had been reallocated (back to its original destination) to a mercenary ship under some Regulan called Johnson.
It surely couldn't be a coincidence that a mix-up involving a grain shipment - during which orbital sensor controllers had reported several anomalies, at first glance seeming unrelated to the mix-up - had occurred at the exact moment of the Renegades' disappearance, and thus with the subsequent sending of the grain to the Regulan ship the suspicion - in the eyes of the Hururl - fell squarely on the ex-Federation vessel... the true harbourers of the Renegade Aurs (he was certain they'd change their designations to cover their tracks).
As soon as Bok 725's commanding officer reported to the clan leaders that the Defiant class ship was following the Regulan vessel, and in the direction of Kryan no less, 725 realised he'd be going back into the field. Orders were given, a transwarp-capable torpedo casing was prepared. He felt for his elaborately decorated, 1000 year old clyna - truly, an assassin never sleeps...
* * *
Getting up and pacing about the cramped store room, Iorte was unable to come to a decision. It was agonising - too many memories, not remembered with any fondness, came to him when he considered what he could or should possibly do: if Carpoln was somehow involved with both the Hururl and Kryan, and whoever else they had in their employ... he had to go with something along the lines Tan had originally suggested.
"If Carpoln's in some way involved with the Hururl, then revealing our presence to him and questioning him face to face might expose the nature of his relationship to the Hururl," he said, "Is he working for them? Is he a partner in trade? Or somehow their superior? Showing your faces - not mine, because despite all this - " he indicated his eyes, cheeks, forehead, " - he'll recognise me. It's important I'd say we give the impression we're Hururl from HQ, or even those Renegades we learnt about, to see exactly how Johnson fits in with them."
"What if he has us killed, thrown out an airlock?" de Luca asked.
Iorte paused, "That's a risk," he admitted. "But if he's come from Kryan and he's on his way back there, that probably doesn't mean he's opposed to them... If he's managed to break free out of the heartland of an enemy, why would he go back there? It seems to me more like he's got a trade agreement with the Kryan, or the Hururl, Grazid... whatever. If that's so, I imagine he's selling them munitions - I've had dealings with him in the past." He let that bomb drop casually (he'd vaguely suggested before he knew him but nothing to this extent). "Of course, he's also a former Starfleet Security official, so he must have a hidden motive behind whatever he's doing at Kryan. Vigilantism perhaps."
<Tag Tan, de Luca>
"We have our Hururl standard issue weapons," Noon said, indicating and walking to the door, "Let's test their reaction to a genuine Hururl boarding party."
"Hururl after his wares perhaps?" Tan suggested. As he spoke, they heard a sound from without and a clanking of a mechanism in the door. Noon dived out of the way and into cover behind a crate; Iorte sank to the floor, the others did likewise. He peered round the edge of his box and saw two figures silhouetted against unbearably bright ceiling lights in the corridor. One moved in, the other seemingly standing guard,
"Remember the box of cortical stimulators. Kill two birds with one stone," the guard barked to the other. It appeared to Clancy that the main purpose of the visit was to investigate an anomaly (the Intel officers' beaming in).
He waited in the darkness, hearing only the crewman's shuffling feet. "Nothing," he heard him say. Alarmingly the man then reached for (amusingly) a cardboard box just above Iorte's head - Clancy ducked out of the light, face falling into shadow as the man above him pulled the box of cortical stimulators off the shelf and - after a brief look around - departed. The other mercenary turned round, looking about the room's interior bemusedly, before placing a small sensor (probably audio-visual) on the wall next to the door and leaving with the crewman. The door clanked shut.
Now they had a problem. Move or speak, they'd be detected instantly by the sensor.
<Tag Tan, de Luca>
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David Tan
Starfleet Intelligence
Suum Cuique ...
Registered: Dec 11, 2006 10:56:04 GMT
Posts: 792
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Post by David Tan on Feb 18, 2017 23:43:03 GMT
"..... I've had dealings with him in the past. Of course, he's also a former Starfleet Security official, so he must have a hidden motive behind whatever he's doing at Kryan. Vigilantism perhaps."
"When did you meet him ?" Rosa Noon asked for everyone, but they heard footsteps and the door mechanism being activated before he could reply ... They all dove for cover !
It was difficult to identify who had entered but everyone thought it best to keep out of sight until they had their stories straight, so to speak.
"Remember the box of cortical stimulators." one was saying. Elena was using her tricorder to see if she could pick up any information when they decided they had what they had come for and began to leave. Rosa risked taking a look given she was furthest off to the side and unlikely to be seen. She watched as the first man left but the second seemed to turn and give the room one last lingering look, almost as if he had a gut feeling that something wasn't quite right. He delved into a pocket and took out a small circular disk and slapped it on the bulkhead beside the door. Seemingly satisfied, he too left, securing the door behind him. Noon ducked back behind her crate and motioned to Elena who in turn did likewise to David and Iorte, Clancy's suspicion about the small device seemed to have been correct.
While behind the crates they had a small amount of movement, but any verbal communication was out of the question !
Elena had managed to scan the device before it activated itself and looked to each in turn, walking her fingers in mid air then placing a finger to her lips to signify silence ..... In reality their options were limited, stay put until such time as they arrive at their destination, or get out and confront Carpoln Johnson. Tentatively, taking care to keep his movements confined to the area hidden by the crate, he took out his Hururl disruptor and pointed in the direction of the sensor. Elena shook her head, thinking it was the best idea, as did Rosa. He looked at Clancy who's face remained frustratingly neutral. His main concern was the nature of the device which was effectively holding them hostage: Was it a simple warning come alarm device, or was it large enough to be equipped with defensive weaponry ? ... There was only one way to find out ... Rosa was the only one that had seen the device placed so he turned to her and drew a door in mid-air with his index finger, then pointed left and right.
She knew immediately what he was asking and pointed to her right, signifying that it was on the right of the door, then held her index fingers approximately a meter apart ... If he moved into the open and the device took action against him he would be dead before he could fire. Trying not to dwell of the negatives, he checked the weapon and turned to face the door. Still crouched down behind the crate, he inched back on his behind until he could see the uppermost part of the door. If Noon was right, the devise was approximately a meter below that, so he had room, as unless the sensors were using the walls they would need direct line-of-sight to detect movement. Rosa, off to his left was watching him move back while keeping a mental note of where the device was located, she held up a hand instantly halting his movement, then pointed to the door. Taking a breath he lifted the weapon and took aim on the right edge of the door, rising quickly he located the device and fired, just as it registered his movement and began to emit a high-pitched whine which was nullified by it's destruction.
David told everyone to rise and take up positions ... Moments later the door sprang open and several heavily-armed Mercenaries burst in ! ... The look on their faces when they were confronted by what appeared to be four Hururl of the Leader Caste, each holding a weapon on them, was almost priceless, but now they would need to convincingly explain their presence, and quickly.
"DESIGNATION !" David barked, striding forward until he was centimeters from the lead Hururl Mercenary. Elena, Rosa, and Iorte had all done likewise, covering all but one of the newcomers.
"What !" the man said, eyes slits as he glared at Tan, who could feel the business end of his own weapon pushing into his midriff.
"I will not ask a second time." David said, moving closer despite the death-dealing device.
"I think I will not answer you question." the Hururl said, suddenly regaining his composure, "You will hand over your weapons and come with me, or you will die where you stand." Milo Van and Tinsley, as yet undiscovered, moved up now, placing their weapons against the mans temple.
"Our, presence here is, outside your scope of information Aur, I and my brethren are shall we say, independent. We have business with you Commander of this vessel, anything further is for his ears only, my designation is Aur Eight Four, I can only assume that your stubbornness and self-confidence belays your superior designation, and if this is so I shall obligingly bow to your leadership, but if not, you are making a misjudgement which will lead to your forthcoming demise at my hand, now ... Designation ... Or shall we all meet our makers in this dull room forthwith, as my patience withers ?" ..........
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Iorte Clancy
Starfleet Intelligence
Registered: Mar 9, 2016 17:58:55 GMT
Posts: 253
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Post by Iorte Clancy on Feb 21, 2017 23:25:42 GMT
The Hururl mercenary, though he didn't answer straight away, did seem as if he was going to give them his designation, because he'd started to bow deferentially, thus making it clear that he was certainly inferior. Before he could tell them his exact number, however, he goggled at them suddenly.
"They're independent?" another of the mercenaries, this one a Regulan, was muttering.
"You're renegades?!" their main Hururl interlocutor questioned, then his eyes gleamed, "Oh, the Kryan authorities will be after you. Or maybe they are already... That's why you're in such a hurry to see the captain, hmm?" He finished his bow and batted away the two El Alamein officers' weapons from his head, now guiding them into the overlit corridor along with the other mercenaries. "Former Gam 881," he introduced himself, "We're not exactly compliant with HQ either. Carpoln Johnson of Regulus runs a private operation, ferrying munitions to the main Hururl military arm via the Kryan administration in that system. We Hururl amongst his crew are no longer attached to the main Hururl armed forces... Though," he turned on them, facing Iorte as it happened, as they reached a turbolift, "The chances that we - if caught by the main Hururl authorities as being aboard Johnson's vessel - would suffer a worse fate than you - renegades - are particularly slim shall we say."
He seemed irked, distracted by his own nonchalance all of a sudden; frowning, he turned to open the lift, wary still of the weapon pointed at his face by Tan. The whole party (the four intel officers, Commander Van and the other El Alamein officer who'd snuck aboard, and the Hururl and Regulan mercenaries) split into two groups as the lift wouldn't carry them all at once. Iorte insisted on remaining with the second group, not wishing to confront Johnson who - surely - as part of the Regulan's mission here (whatever he was doing for the Kryan and Hururl), had engineered things such that he'd meet Clancy again, for whatever purposes Iorte was not keen to find out.
But Clancy was persuaded to accompany the first team, his colleagues now demanding that he tell all about his former experiences with Carpoln. Milo Van and the other El Alamein officer guarded the mercenaries in the corridor, while Iorte, Tan, de Luca and Noon - along with former Gam 881 - took the lift. Iorte steeled himself: it was to be hoped that Carpoln wouldn't recognise him under his Hururli cosmetics.
* * *
They entered the bridge and pointed phasers, coaxing the ramshackle bridge's staff to stand and walk into the starboard fore quarter corner. Johnson was amongst them, Iorte saw as he hid himself from view of his ex-colleague partially behind the shoulders of Tan and Noon... the Regulan would of course be too shocked to pay particularly close attention to whom exactly had him at gunpoint.
"What's the meaning of this?" Johnson finally spoke, offhandedly, "My shipment's on time. You scanned it by subspace yourself from the Kryan system. There's no need for this punitive raid... I repeat what I said before, subterfuge is not my game, Aur...?" he asked Tan.
"All of them are Aurs," one of the Regulan's colleague whispered to him, pointing to the various insignia on the Intel officers. "Why so many Aurs?" Carpoln asked, amused. "I know I'm hot property but doesn't this strike you as overkill on your part?" He loped to the centre of the bridge, taking his command chair casually in the face of the end of Hururl-disguised Intel officer's phaser; he grinned quite goodnaturedly as he peered at his viewscreen, a graphic showing the position of the still reasonably far-off Kryan system.
"We're what our authorities have termed 'Renegades'," de Luca said at last, deciding to play along with what Gam 881 had thought of them, "We want information on the processing centres of triclenidil and cryptobiolin, if such centres exist in the Kryan system."
"It's your intention to destroy them no doubt," Carpoln said conclusively, tapping his armrest idly, "You want to get rid of the drugs that are giving the honest, hard-working and loyal Hururl the advantage in combat against you. What admirable commitment to fairness in warfare; I admire you, really I do. It's just..." he sighed, "Not true, that you're Renegades however, isn't it?" He swung about in his seat, "Why is there a commissioned Defiant class starship of the Federation following my trader ship?" he asked pointedly, though it seemed to Iorte, even with this new directness, that he already knew the answer. Clancy was also sure the Regulan's one remaining eye had flicked to him as he'd said the words.
"It's not a serving Federation vessel," de Luca said emphatically, "It was commandeered by us Renegades and now serves as our flagship."
"Then my old friend Mr Clancy..." he clucked his tongue and rotated in his chair - weapons were still pointed at him - towards Iorte, "Has disguised himself as a Hururl and joined their Renegade faction. Why would he do such a thing?" his one eye - the new condition Clancy's gift to him - looked straight into Clancy's eyes. "It doesn't matter," Johnson said, suddenly dismissive, "I'm not your enemy, Intelligence officers... Neither are the Kryan. But if you really want to take out their performance enhancing substances, you should've come to me, without the need of all this subterfuge, from the beginning."
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David Tan
Starfleet Intelligence
Suum Cuique ...
Registered: Dec 11, 2006 10:56:04 GMT
Posts: 792
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Post by David Tan on Feb 26, 2017 14:26:32 GMT
They knew they were at a pivotal point here ... Should they admit to Johnson that he was right, it could leave them open to capture and more, but continuing to deny his accusations could also be fatal to them, because he would simply continue to believe what he knew to be true, and would likely take control of the situation in due course. It also occurred to Tan that the closer they got to the Kryan System, they couldn't gag him indefinitely that was certain.
"Before you make a decision on which way you wish to play this rather uncomfortable situation, let me say one more thing that may help sway you as to my sincerity: The Defiant Class vessel following ... I suspect, though admittedly have no proof, is not transmitting any identification code, but I suspect it is the USS El Alamein, formally incorporated with your Star Fleet, but was,if my information is to be believed, re-assigned to Intelligence on Star-date, hmmm, the date eludes me for the moment, but I am confident my information is sound ... Now, do you wish to say anything ?" he looked directly at Clancy for a long moment, then allowed his gaze to pass over the others in turn, finally, David took a step forward.
"You could have gleamed that information from any disreputable tout. We could kill you where you sit Captain, then dispose of your crew before we even reach the Kryan System." David said, edging his weapon closer to Johnson.
"Then do so .... I have lived a long and very profitable life, I will not be missed, nor will my fortune ever be discovered. It will remain gathering dust for eternity ... As for your chances of entering the Kryan System unchallenged, good luck with that endeavour, though I have the feeling that you will be joining me in whatever afterlife you believe in in short order. The Kryan will take my ship of course, then they will go after your vessel. They too will not succeed, but do as you will, I tire of the banter."
David looked at the others. Their bluff, as the saying goes, had well and truly been called, and everyone on the Bridge knew it, from Carpol Johnson's rag-tag crew, to the interlopers !
"If what you believe is tru ...." Tan began.
"Pleaseeee !" Johnson said, exasperation oozing from the word. David had no option:
"OK ... We are not, as you suspected, Aur ..... We are Intelligence Officers tasked with finding those responsible for several attacks on Federation outposts and research facilities. In the course of our, investigation we attained information regarding two enhancing drugs that were being processed for use in soldiers against the Federation itself, namely: Cryptobolin and Tricelenidil." Johnson was nodding, partly in satisfaction that the information he had paid highly for was indeed correct, he'd doubted it for several moments there, but also that he now had the means to extract revenge on those who had wronged him, namely, the Hururl, "You rightly identified Mister Clancy, which we knew you would eventually, especially given your former association with Starfleet Intelligence."
"...... and the vessel following ?" Carpol Johnson asked, clearly enjoying his moment of triumph in front of his crew, who had relaxed en-mass as the conversation had progressed.
"It is ours." David admitted as Johnson got up from the center seat and without asking permission, instructed his crew to return to their stations. None of the Intelligence Officers moved to object.
"You are mistaken in your belief that the Kryan are your enemy, they are far from it and in fact are pawns in this little galactic incident. The Kryan have long been a peaceful race, remaining neutral people technologically advanced in ship building. They are being manipulated by the Hururl, in league with a race known as the Grazid, who have a seemingly unhealthy need to rid the Galaxy of the Federation. I know not why so don't bother asking. I in turn, profit from both sides, who use my 'services' on occasion."
"So why not get out ? ... You could find worthwhile employment within the Federation surely." Milo Van asked.
"Ahh, therein lies the issue." Johnson said, shaking his head in frustration, At first I plied my trade between both worlds, and then further afield as required, but the Grazid found I was, shall we say 'helping myself' and took offence. They needed my vessel, and my ease of access to numerous worlds, and decided to place a 'watcher' aboard my vessel."
"A watcher ?" Rosa Noon repeated.
"Yes young lady, someone who by the very definition of his title, 'watches' my every move, and reports back to his superiors." the Intel Officers' weapons lifted slightly to cover those at their stations, who seemingly continued their tasks unconcerned, uninterested, in proceedings.
"I'm guessing this 'watcher' is not among us ?" David said.
"He is aboard, but roams the ship at will, appearing as and when he pleases. He can be identified by the large scar running the length of his face .... Oh .... And the device attached to his left temple. It can't be missed, and is there as a warning to me and my crew ..." Johnson said, almost fearfully, "It is connected to both his neural network, and a device strategically placed within my warp core. Should he perish, the device detonates, should we attempt to tamper the device explodes, should he believe at any point that we are a threat, then ..." he shrugged.
"So we drop the man, place him in sta ...." de Luca began, but Johnson laughed:
"We are but a freighter, and a somewhat dilapidated one at that. We have no fancy sick-bay, or stasis chambers, we have a pharmacy that is just large enough to hold a bed and a sink unit."
The Intel Officers again looked at each other, knowing that their primary task was to incapacitate the watcher quickly, how though .....
"Should you manage to subdue him, AND keep his thus, you will need your vessel."
"Oh ?" David said, suddenly weary again.
"As I informed you, the Kryan are not your enemy. They are being used, as are we all to some extent. There is indeed production facilities for the synthetic drugs the Hururl require. That facility is in the furthermost edge of the Kryan System and guarded well. It is on a planet named Helofon Dominat, the location of which I will provide, but you cannot take this ship there. Any deviation in my pre-assigned course and watcher or not, we go boom !"
"Great !" David said ..........
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Iorte Clancy
Starfleet Intelligence
Registered: Mar 9, 2016 17:58:55 GMT
Posts: 253
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Post by Iorte Clancy on Mar 16, 2017 0:37:11 GMT
Bok 725 found himself nearly intercepting a transporter beam from the Defiant vessel in pursuit of Commander Johnson's mercenary ship. His torpedo casing managed to swerve around the matter stream - his pod's limited sensors detecting the matter constituents which were enough to form two humanoids - and close in further on Johnson's ship.
This was always the frightening part. He shifted about the confined space and activated the phase cloak, the craft now slipping towards the hull of the merc that eclipsed a nearby star not far to the ship's right in its direction of travel - 725's pod fell into shadow; he was incident with the hull...
Phasing through matter had long since ceased to make him feel uneasy, and the pod deposited him in a small and - as the sensors had confirmed - deserted storage area. This part of the ship was, according to his initial surveys back on Menkib, disused due to atmospheric conditions not suitable for the Regulan and human components of Johnson's crew. Hururl, however, could function fine. Making rendezvous and receiving the final confirmation of his orders from the Scarred One, he took his Clyna by his side and slithered his way through the unused passageways that would lead - almost - up to the bridge itself...
* * *
"... That facility is in the furthermost edge of the Kryan System and guarded well. It is on a planet named Helofon Dominat, the location of which I will provide, but you cannot take this ship there. Any deviation in my pre-assigned course and watcher or not, we go boom !"
"Great !" David said ..........
"Then we'll be beaming back to our ship," Milo Van said, "If it's to be permitted."
"Would that it were so simple," Johnson glowered. He ordered one of the Hururl controllers - who'd tentatively made their way back to their consoles - to display an aft-facing view on the viewscreen: the sight was one of an empty field of stars picked out on the black background, the El Alamein was not visible.
"She's fallen back since we reached the technical boundary of the system, as defined by the Kryan and Grazid leadership, in turn dictated by the Hururl. Your El Alamein will have been warned off by an automated message; from what our sensors tell us, she's hovering on that technical boundary. Understandable behaviour: why would a Starfleet vessel trespass on Hururli territory when it's already placed Starfleet Intelligence officers on 'my' ship, in order to infiltrate that territory by stealth?"
Of course, Iorte thought, it would ruin their idea of subterfuge if the El Alamein, bristling with pulse phaser and quantum torpedo launchers, entered Hururl space.
"We have one functioning escape pod. If you want to get to Helofon Dominat before the central authorities realise they have enemies in their midst, I suggest you go now."
Carpoln proceeded to tell them there was room in the pod for three people, if they were packed tightly, that however they would be detected - if not by the scarred watcher who roamed the bleak corridors of the ship - then by sensor arrays situated about or on the Kryan homeworld. The Kryan authorities would know that the mercenary vessel had only one useful escape pod and would wonder why it'd been discharged in the sure absence of any emergency. There was, however, a way to mask the lifeforms' signature and thus go undetected all the way to Helofon: the pod would be filled part-way with grain the ship had collected from the silos on Menkib, grain which left a unique chemical trace capable of deceiving conventional sensors. The occupants of the pod would have to submerge themselves in the grain.
"I'd prefer to have two of you here. Iorte, particularly, is staying." Despite the real threat of force from the Intel officers, Carpoln evidently felt comfortable enough to make a determination; he could, Iorte supposed, also lay claim to being able to use coercion.
"Suppose none of us go," Iorte commented, looking at both Johnson and Tan. If it was to be, however, "David, Elena, and Commander Van, if we must split, would you take the escape pod?" Whatever choice they made, it would have to be quick; they were now less than five minutes from the orbit of the Kryan homeworld. What was there for them on that homeworld that pertained to their mission, except perhaps the possibility of holding hostage - on their own world - the Kryan, or Grazid, or Hururl, administrations? No, their target lay with the cryptobiolin/triclenidil production centres on the outer planet... but then the indirect method of attack was often favourable.
OOC: If we go for the escape pod option for three of us, I could NPC Commander Van while Clancy interacts with Johnson on the ship, and tries to avoid being recruited. If we all stay together and go to the Kryan homeworld, I could still do the Clancy-Johnson interaction.
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